Overall it is a nice restaurant. Good atmosphere, simple but good selection on the menu and my service was good. I had a salad with the house vinaigrette. The salad and dressing were very good. We had the chips and gorgonzola as a starter. It is a simple dish but was very good. I believe the chips made fresh at the restaurant. For entrees we shared a shrimp and grits and the crispy duck. I definitely recommend the duck. The entire dish was very good. I am less impressed with the shrimp and grits. I have had this dish at a number of restaurants including many in New Orleans. The shrimp was served over a grits cake. On the surface the cake was bad but the entire dish did not work. The strength of this dish is a comfort food dish. It's completely dependent on the grits. Rich, creamy, flavorful grits. There is no reason to try and be fancy with this dish. My other complaint was the overall flavor of the entire meal. It lacked complexity. It all could have used more spice, especially the shrimp and grits. I don't mean hot spice just more flavor. There is only so much salt and pepper at the table can do. It shouldn't need that. Even with my criticism I had a nice meal. One of the better restaurants in the area.
(3)
Paige W.
Best food and coolest bar atmosphere in Starkville.
(5)
Katie K.
Starkville is such a small town, this restaraunt is one of my favorites in this area. The Mahi Mahi sandwich is excellent along with their Blue plate specials on Sundays so much for only $8.00! The atmosphere is nice and the service is great!
(4)
Tal C.
Best consistent choice for good food and drinks in Starkville, if you are looking for something a little upscale.
(4)
John R.
Although the menu choices are not extensive, the Veranda is an excellent restaurant. It is definitely upscale, but price-wise most dinners are in the $12-$18 range. "Blue Plate Special" is the best in town and the service is always fast and friendly. Food portions are generally large and the food quality is always exceptional Bar area is nice and always packed. Great place, great atmosphere!
(4)
Joe L.
I was not overly impressed with the Veranda. For advertising itself as a fine dining restarauint I found that it was lacking in certain areas. First, I ordered a simple martini that was made sub-par. I like a little "dirt" in mine and it came back with nothing. I had to get a little thing of olive juice on the side and pour it in to my own taste. I had my two nephews with me and childrens menu is cheap so that was a plus. However, my one nephew ordered a grilled cheese and they tried to fancy it up by puttign two kinds of cheese, swiss and american, on it. Do yourself a favor and keep kid's grilled cheeses simple. The spinach and artichoke dip was ok. Our salads did not come out before the meal. I had too inform our waitor of this and he had no idea what our table had received. The entree did save this from one star. I ordered the duck and it was awesome. It was almost fork tender and the glaze pairs well with it. There were tempura string beans with it that were not cooked properly. Essentially, the tempura batter just became a sponge for the grease. I will not be returning. Stakville's dives have better food for the buck.
(2)
Jo L.
This place rocks! We went there when in ms over the Holidays....and we loved it! Will be back! Glad to see some flavor in town!
(5)
Gary H.
Great complete restaurant, bar, sports bar, patio.
(5)
John R.
Consistently good food in a town that is limited in choices for dining. I always dine here when in Starkville. Try the grilled fish sandwich or the tuna.
This place is best for me at night. I love all their seafood except for the the poboys are only good fried. Their salmon is my favorite.
(4)
Fresh M.
The place for anything involving drinks food music atmosphere and vibe!!!!
(5)
Ben B.
The thing I miss most about The Veranda is their spectacular blue plate lunches for only $8. However, they also have great menu. The steaks are often juicy and full of "FLAVOR!". The bar has a good selection of beer and wine.
(4)
L T.
Mmnn.... didn't like the shrimp and grits, but my mom had the T-bone steak, and it was fantastic.
(4)
Allison M.
The Veranda is really good. It's pricier at night. During the day, they have a pretty good blue plate special that's $9 even. I don't know why it's shown here as vegetarian, though.
(4)
Carrie B.
Without a doubt my favorite restaurant in Starkville. Always delicious, always a good time. Trivia night is an added bonus! One of those places that you go for the blue plate at lunch then back for dinner for one of the other amazing menu items!
(5)
Raymond S.
Hostess sat us at a booth that had yet to be cleaned. Crumbs + silver wear in the seats. Food was good. Our waiter was kind and professional. It was kind of busy. I just think it could have been a cleaner place considering the prices. No one wants to sit and eat with someone else's dirty silver wear and remnants of a meal in the booth.
(1)
Vernice P.
The food and service was awesome!! I really enjoyed myself . I had the Veranda Chicken & the Gorgonzola Salad. The salad dressing was amazing!! My entire family enjoyed their meals!!!
(5)
Jestoni B.
First time here and a first time out in Starkville with my woman. This place defintely is high end dinning. The decor was simple and modern. Real nice. The hostess lacked the charisma and energy. She seemed bored. However, the waiters were good. In particular our waiter, Claude, was great highly attentive and informative of the specials for the day. We ordered the jumbo crab claws with roumalade sauce. A little small for jumbo crab claws, but the flavor was good. We then ordered the veranda pasta and mardi gras pasta, which tasted like any freshly made pasta dish. The Caesar salad was not cold, it was room temp. I prefer it to be chilled, but thats okay. Overall, check this place out. I'll definitely come back whenever its date night again.
(5)
C H.
This was my first time however when I come through Mississippi I will stop. The food was excellent. I had of course fried cat fish and it was perfect. Most tender and favorable. The Bartender gave me the peach cobbler a lot mode. Delicious! The selection of wine they had was outstanding. I can not save enough about this place. Made some great friends in my time there for supper.
Sadly I trusted the idea that i could come to a place that would offer a kind setting, great food and great atmosphere........... Well unfortunately i was greeted by nothing close to kind, instead of a happy host- i was attacked by a "had better things to do today then to work," individual He must of had a rough night of partying because he's blood shot eyes and bad breath was not the most pleasant Then the waitress made it all the more appropriate Being Rushed is one thing but rolling eyes when we had questions made it more of a great experience Then i asked a question at the end of the meal! Why was the special fish in chips $20? My lovely waitress expressed with not an unattractive look on her face "Because of ALL THE SIDES!" LOL French Fries and Coleslaw are the only thing served with it 2 things?? Find a better place to use your money
(1)
Kelsey L.
The Veranda....home sweet home. I go here often and I can admit alongside my loyalty that everything is overpriced. The food, the staff....awesome, and you pay for those things literally. The quality of the food does not match selection--everything they DO offer is great but you'll only find southern-American choices here and for clean/vegetarian eaters, you're out of luck. Veranda has built a group of regulars at the bar, so if you're in town and flying solo, no worries, you'll make a friend here. Blue plate: no better value in town.
(4)
Kyle L.
One of Starkville's Finest! This review will mostly focus on their blue plate lunch special as I only rarely pony up the money for main menu cuisine! The Veranda's blue plate is by far the best I have had in Starkville. The food is fresh prepared and the changing menu keeps things fresh. Nice portions of food at a great price are always a winning combo but the Veranda ups the ante by making their food addictive. They are one of the few restaurants that can accommodate a lower carb diet with their side dish offerings. I tried to think of a negative to give a well rounded review but I just could not other than my addiction to their fried green tomatoes and remoulade. These little babies are like meth with their addictive nature. The only thing is that on the blue plate they only give you 2 as your side.
(5)
Stacy H.
The service was excellent. They provided a warm and friendly atmosphere. Food is delicious and made me want to come back again. The grilled salmon and ribeye were prepared to perfection. Enjoy an opportunity to be spoiled with outstanding service and delicious food by eating here.
(4)
Chuck W.
Along with Restaurant Tyler, one of the two go-to options for a night out in Starkville. The two are different and have their own strengths, but each is very good. When referring to Starkville dining, you could use "best" in the same sentence with Veranda in most cases. Best bar - Veranda. Best place for a group - Veranda. Best place to grab a blue plate lunch - Veranda. Best place to meet up with people, best atmosphere, etc., etc. Like any restaurant that depends on college servers, some days of service will be better than others, but off days are the exception. The bar area is great for a fun atmosphere with TVs and a high chance of running into friends, and many people prefer to eat there instead of the main restaurant. The dining area provides less noise for those who are so inclined. The New Orleans nachos are an appetizer favorite, and the Gorgonzola salad is a popular choice as a starter. There are too many good options to list them all for the main course. The risotto is an excellent choice for vegetarians, and the steaks and tuna are highly regarded. The cheesecake dessert is huge, and the peanut butter balls are 100% worth it. The wine and drink selection is great.
(5)
Lori A.
There are NO vegetarian options on the menu despite what Yelp says. Atmosphere was nothing to write home about and while they were able to make something off the menu that was vegetarian, it waa mediocre at best. Not the place for anyone who wants healthy food. I really can not reccomend at all but as a last resort.
(1)
Joan G.
Class and relaxation or intimacy and privacy or family togetherness is where eating in style and high class combines to celebrate fine dining. If you desire seafood their crab cake is absolutely amazing! If you like beef, their steaks are grilled perfectly the way you want it well, medium well, medium, rare and on and on. If you are a vegetarian their salads, tomatoes, and asparagus is fantastic! The Veranda is an establishment of the best in fine dining in Starkville with class and comfort!
(5)
K G.
They have a new gluten free menu, so I love that! There food is always really good! *must try their blue plates (not gluten free)
(4)
Kristine N.
This place opens at 11 and it gets packed, fast. We figured it was a good sign. They seem to have a lot of daily specials, today being Friday, was their fish fry. I decided to get the veggie salad and added shrimp. Salad was big, came with an assortment of veggies, and avocado. I payed $4 for shrimp and got 4 small pieces of shrimp. Kind of a rip off! The shrimp was very flavorful though, just wish I had more of it. It came with a tomato dressing which was a little oily for my taste. My coworker ordered a chicken caesar salad and it was fine. Service is friendly, a little slow and forgetful, but the food is decent.
(3)
Alisa W.
I love this place. The food is delicious and the staff is friendly and professional.
(4)
Nathan L.
Food is great! No complaint there. The lemur can be a little complicated of you're not used to the style of restaurant. Overall it has always been a great experience. Pricier than it is probably worth, but I only make the trip once in a while. I do like the flexibility on the side options.
(4)
Dirk N.
Attended a rehearsal dinner here and was very impressed. Everything was well-organized and service was great. We started off with salads, each with homemade dressing. My sun-dried tomato vinaigrette was tart and delicious. For my entree, I went with the blackened catfish. It had a nice kick of flavor/spice and the crawfish sauce on top was perfect. It came with sweet potato mash (simple, but amazing), fried green tomato (crispy outside, nice and hot inside) and sauteed vegetables (tad cold, but good flavor). I also tried some of my wife's steak, potatoes and asparagus, and they were pretty good as well. For dessert, I got the cheesecake with blueberries and my wife got the chocolate spoon cake. Didn't enjoy mine too much (berries were wild I think, so small) and neither did my wife (said it was "standard"). They ultimately were the low part of the meal, but didn't take away from the experience. Overall, I'd say 4.5 stars, rounded up. Try e'm out!
(5)
B E.
Great bar/restaurant. My only complaint is the lack of good draft beer. For a place of this size, you would think they would rotate a few tasty craft brews on tap. This alone keeps me from visiting more often. Service is always excellent. Mahi-mahi sandwich is my standby. **Tip** The lunch menu is available all day. Flip over your dinner menu to unlock some cheaper options.
(4)
Rich S.
Food was awesome! Atmosphere is great, and service was excellent. My house salad with the sherry vinaigrette was perfect. My entree was the Mahi sandwich, and it was one of the best Mahi sandwiches I've ever had (I order that frequently). We went when school was out, so the crowd was minimal. Overall great experience.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : No Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Classy Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Chris S.
Overall it is a nice restaurant. Good atmosphere, simple but good selection on the menu and my service was good. I had a salad with the house vinaigrette. The salad and dressing were very good. We had the chips and gorgonzola as a starter. It is a simple dish but was very good. I believe the chips made fresh at the restaurant. For entrees we shared a shrimp and grits and the crispy duck. I definitely recommend the duck. The entire dish was very good. I am less impressed with the shrimp and grits. I have had this dish at a number of restaurants including many in New Orleans. The shrimp was served over a grits cake. On the surface the cake was bad but the entire dish did not work. The strength of this dish is a comfort food dish. It's completely dependent on the grits. Rich, creamy, flavorful grits. There is no reason to try and be fancy with this dish. My other complaint was the overall flavor of the entire meal. It lacked complexity. It all could have used more spice, especially the shrimp and grits. I don't mean hot spice just more flavor. There is only so much salt and pepper at the table can do. It shouldn't need that. Even with my criticism I had a nice meal. One of the better restaurants in the area.
(3)Paige W.
Best food and coolest bar atmosphere in Starkville.
(5)Katie K.
Starkville is such a small town, this restaraunt is one of my favorites in this area. The Mahi Mahi sandwich is excellent along with their Blue plate specials on Sundays so much for only $8.00! The atmosphere is nice and the service is great!
(4)Tal C.
Best consistent choice for good food and drinks in Starkville, if you are looking for something a little upscale.
(4)John R.
Although the menu choices are not extensive, the Veranda is an excellent restaurant. It is definitely upscale, but price-wise most dinners are in the $12-$18 range. "Blue Plate Special" is the best in town and the service is always fast and friendly. Food portions are generally large and the food quality is always exceptional Bar area is nice and always packed. Great place, great atmosphere!
(4)Joe L.
I was not overly impressed with the Veranda. For advertising itself as a fine dining restarauint I found that it was lacking in certain areas. First, I ordered a simple martini that was made sub-par. I like a little "dirt" in mine and it came back with nothing. I had to get a little thing of olive juice on the side and pour it in to my own taste. I had my two nephews with me and childrens menu is cheap so that was a plus. However, my one nephew ordered a grilled cheese and they tried to fancy it up by puttign two kinds of cheese, swiss and american, on it. Do yourself a favor and keep kid's grilled cheeses simple. The spinach and artichoke dip was ok. Our salads did not come out before the meal. I had too inform our waitor of this and he had no idea what our table had received. The entree did save this from one star. I ordered the duck and it was awesome. It was almost fork tender and the glaze pairs well with it. There were tempura string beans with it that were not cooked properly. Essentially, the tempura batter just became a sponge for the grease. I will not be returning. Stakville's dives have better food for the buck.
(2)Jo L.
This place rocks! We went there when in ms over the Holidays....and we loved it! Will be back! Glad to see some flavor in town!
(5)Gary H.
Great complete restaurant, bar, sports bar, patio.
(5)John R.
Consistently good food in a town that is limited in choices for dining. I always dine here when in Starkville. Try the grilled fish sandwich or the tuna.
(3)Jim H.
I hail from Iowa, where grits are an unknown food item. I have eaten then before in the South and have never been a fan. The Veranda changed that with their shrimp & grits entree. Perhaps it was the 3 cheeses they added or the fact that they breaded them into cakes that were fried. The combination was great - - - or so I thought until I tasted the bacon wrapped chipotle shrimp off of my wife's plate. That plate of food would make a seafood lover out of any carnivore. We topped off the meal with creme brûlée and peach cobbler with vanilla ice cream. It was an excellent meal. Our waiter was extremely helpful in answering our "foody" questions which really helped in making menu selections that matched our tastes.
(4)Evelyn H.
This place is best for me at night. I love all their seafood except for the the poboys are only good fried. Their salmon is my favorite.
(4)Fresh M.
The place for anything involving drinks food music atmosphere and vibe!!!!
(5)Ben B.
The thing I miss most about The Veranda is their spectacular blue plate lunches for only $8. However, they also have great menu. The steaks are often juicy and full of "FLAVOR!". The bar has a good selection of beer and wine.
(4)L T.
Mmnn.... didn't like the shrimp and grits, but my mom had the T-bone steak, and it was fantastic.
(4)Allison M.
The Veranda is really good. It's pricier at night. During the day, they have a pretty good blue plate special that's $9 even. I don't know why it's shown here as vegetarian, though.
(4)Carrie B.
Without a doubt my favorite restaurant in Starkville. Always delicious, always a good time. Trivia night is an added bonus! One of those places that you go for the blue plate at lunch then back for dinner for one of the other amazing menu items!
(5)Raymond S.
Hostess sat us at a booth that had yet to be cleaned. Crumbs + silver wear in the seats. Food was good. Our waiter was kind and professional. It was kind of busy. I just think it could have been a cleaner place considering the prices. No one wants to sit and eat with someone else's dirty silver wear and remnants of a meal in the booth.
(1)Vernice P.
The food and service was awesome!! I really enjoyed myself . I had the Veranda Chicken & the Gorgonzola Salad. The salad dressing was amazing!! My entire family enjoyed their meals!!!
(5)Jestoni B.
First time here and a first time out in Starkville with my woman. This place defintely is high end dinning. The decor was simple and modern. Real nice. The hostess lacked the charisma and energy. She seemed bored. However, the waiters were good. In particular our waiter, Claude, was great highly attentive and informative of the specials for the day. We ordered the jumbo crab claws with roumalade sauce. A little small for jumbo crab claws, but the flavor was good. We then ordered the veranda pasta and mardi gras pasta, which tasted like any freshly made pasta dish. The Caesar salad was not cold, it was room temp. I prefer it to be chilled, but thats okay. Overall, check this place out. I'll definitely come back whenever its date night again.
(5)C H.
This was my first time however when I come through Mississippi I will stop. The food was excellent. I had of course fried cat fish and it was perfect. Most tender and favorable. The Bartender gave me the peach cobbler a lot mode. Delicious! The selection of wine they had was outstanding. I can not save enough about this place. Made some great friends in my time there for supper.
(5)Justin K.
My girlfriend and I went here on a whim because we saw that on Sundays, there is a blue plate special goes through dinner. I'm a big fan of a meat and 3. I ordered the red beans and rice with fried okra, mashed sweet potatoes that had butter and cinnamon in it, sautéed zucchini and yellow squash and a generous slice of cornbread. My girlfriend ordered the boneless fried chicken breast with mashed potatoes and pepper gravy and a side Gorgonzola salad. It was absolutely wonderful! The breading on the chicken was golden crisp, the mashed potatoes and gravy were the best compliment and the salad was just the right size. Everything was cooked to perfection and the portion size was exactly what we expected. Even the sweet tea was just the right amount of sweet. We decided to finish with the peach cobbler and vanilla ice cream and it was too die for!! The cherry on top of this wonderful experience, was that our bill was under $25. This really was a fantastic date night, and our new Sunday dinner spot.
(5)Fulano D.
Sadly I trusted the idea that i could come to a place that would offer a kind setting, great food and great atmosphere........... Well unfortunately i was greeted by nothing close to kind, instead of a happy host- i was attacked by a "had better things to do today then to work," individual He must of had a rough night of partying because he's blood shot eyes and bad breath was not the most pleasant Then the waitress made it all the more appropriate Being Rushed is one thing but rolling eyes when we had questions made it more of a great experience Then i asked a question at the end of the meal! Why was the special fish in chips $20? My lovely waitress expressed with not an unattractive look on her face "Because of ALL THE SIDES!" LOL French Fries and Coleslaw are the only thing served with it 2 things?? Find a better place to use your money
(1)Kelsey L.
The Veranda....home sweet home. I go here often and I can admit alongside my loyalty that everything is overpriced. The food, the staff....awesome, and you pay for those things literally. The quality of the food does not match selection--everything they DO offer is great but you'll only find southern-American choices here and for clean/vegetarian eaters, you're out of luck. Veranda has built a group of regulars at the bar, so if you're in town and flying solo, no worries, you'll make a friend here. Blue plate: no better value in town.
(4)Kyle L.
One of Starkville's Finest! This review will mostly focus on their blue plate lunch special as I only rarely pony up the money for main menu cuisine! The Veranda's blue plate is by far the best I have had in Starkville. The food is fresh prepared and the changing menu keeps things fresh. Nice portions of food at a great price are always a winning combo but the Veranda ups the ante by making their food addictive. They are one of the few restaurants that can accommodate a lower carb diet with their side dish offerings. I tried to think of a negative to give a well rounded review but I just could not other than my addiction to their fried green tomatoes and remoulade. These little babies are like meth with their addictive nature. The only thing is that on the blue plate they only give you 2 as your side.
(5)Stacy H.
The service was excellent. They provided a warm and friendly atmosphere. Food is delicious and made me want to come back again. The grilled salmon and ribeye were prepared to perfection. Enjoy an opportunity to be spoiled with outstanding service and delicious food by eating here.
(4)Chuck W.
Along with Restaurant Tyler, one of the two go-to options for a night out in Starkville. The two are different and have their own strengths, but each is very good. When referring to Starkville dining, you could use "best" in the same sentence with Veranda in most cases. Best bar - Veranda. Best place for a group - Veranda. Best place to grab a blue plate lunch - Veranda. Best place to meet up with people, best atmosphere, etc., etc. Like any restaurant that depends on college servers, some days of service will be better than others, but off days are the exception. The bar area is great for a fun atmosphere with TVs and a high chance of running into friends, and many people prefer to eat there instead of the main restaurant. The dining area provides less noise for those who are so inclined. The New Orleans nachos are an appetizer favorite, and the Gorgonzola salad is a popular choice as a starter. There are too many good options to list them all for the main course. The risotto is an excellent choice for vegetarians, and the steaks and tuna are highly regarded. The cheesecake dessert is huge, and the peanut butter balls are 100% worth it. The wine and drink selection is great.
(5)Lori A.
There are NO vegetarian options on the menu despite what Yelp says. Atmosphere was nothing to write home about and while they were able to make something off the menu that was vegetarian, it waa mediocre at best. Not the place for anyone who wants healthy food. I really can not reccomend at all but as a last resort.
(1)Joan G.
Class and relaxation or intimacy and privacy or family togetherness is where eating in style and high class combines to celebrate fine dining. If you desire seafood their crab cake is absolutely amazing! If you like beef, their steaks are grilled perfectly the way you want it well, medium well, medium, rare and on and on. If you are a vegetarian their salads, tomatoes, and asparagus is fantastic! The Veranda is an establishment of the best in fine dining in Starkville with class and comfort!
(5)K G.
They have a new gluten free menu, so I love that! There food is always really good! *must try their blue plates (not gluten free)
(4)Kristine N.
This place opens at 11 and it gets packed, fast. We figured it was a good sign. They seem to have a lot of daily specials, today being Friday, was their fish fry. I decided to get the veggie salad and added shrimp. Salad was big, came with an assortment of veggies, and avocado. I payed $4 for shrimp and got 4 small pieces of shrimp. Kind of a rip off! The shrimp was very flavorful though, just wish I had more of it. It came with a tomato dressing which was a little oily for my taste. My coworker ordered a chicken caesar salad and it was fine. Service is friendly, a little slow and forgetful, but the food is decent.
(3)Alisa W.
I love this place. The food is delicious and the staff is friendly and professional.
(4)Nathan L.
Food is great! No complaint there. The lemur can be a little complicated of you're not used to the style of restaurant. Overall it has always been a great experience. Pricier than it is probably worth, but I only make the trip once in a while. I do like the flexibility on the side options.
(4)Dirk N.
Attended a rehearsal dinner here and was very impressed. Everything was well-organized and service was great. We started off with salads, each with homemade dressing. My sun-dried tomato vinaigrette was tart and delicious. For my entree, I went with the blackened catfish. It had a nice kick of flavor/spice and the crawfish sauce on top was perfect. It came with sweet potato mash (simple, but amazing), fried green tomato (crispy outside, nice and hot inside) and sauteed vegetables (tad cold, but good flavor). I also tried some of my wife's steak, potatoes and asparagus, and they were pretty good as well. For dessert, I got the cheesecake with blueberries and my wife got the chocolate spoon cake. Didn't enjoy mine too much (berries were wild I think, so small) and neither did my wife (said it was "standard"). They ultimately were the low part of the meal, but didn't take away from the experience. Overall, I'd say 4.5 stars, rounded up. Try e'm out!
(5)B E.
Great bar/restaurant. My only complaint is the lack of good draft beer. For a place of this size, you would think they would rotate a few tasty craft brews on tap. This alone keeps me from visiting more often. Service is always excellent. Mahi-mahi sandwich is my standby. **Tip** The lunch menu is available all day. Flip over your dinner menu to unlock some cheaper options.
(4)Rich S.
Food was awesome! Atmosphere is great, and service was excellent. My house salad with the sherry vinaigrette was perfect. My entree was the Mahi sandwich, and it was one of the best Mahi sandwiches I've ever had (I order that frequently). We went when school was out, so the crowd was minimal. Overall great experience.
(5)