I really liked this place, my wife thought it was just OK but I'm writing this review so I'm giving it 5 stars. I'm just visiting Nashville from California so I'm not sure if this type of place is common here but given the music scene I would assume it would be. Vibe: a hipster/alternative vibe, slightly grungy but clean. This is the type of place I would typically spend a lot of time in. Everyone who worked there was friendly and welcoming. They had a stage so I assume they have live music some times. I went for lunch on a weekday. The kitchen smoke haze kind of hangs over the place, which is not ideal but could be fixed with an open window and a fan. Food: we had a large take out order for 8 people. I had the black bean burger, which was great. My father-in-law had the chicken Caesar wrap which he really liked. Everyone else had veggie sandwiches without hummus but realized that was a mistake and so added our side of hummus to their sandwiches which made them better. We ordered a random sample of sides, all of which were good. My favorite was the tomato and mozzarella salad but the black bean and corn salad was great also. I'm probably going to eat here again tomorrow.
(5)
Katie B.
To be honest, I probably would have rated it highly before even trying the food just because it's one of the few unique places in the Donelson area with a good atmosphere, live music, and nice bar with local brews on tap. The good news is - the food is great! And even better, it's really affordable! I've eaten here four times in the month I have lived in the neighborhood. I love coming here and everything I'd tried has been really fresh and tasty. I highly recommend the kale salad - with walnuts, raisins, craisins, sunflower seeds, black beans, and garbanzo beans - it's the best mix of flavors and textures. I get it as a side every time. You can also get samples of the dishes behind the glass display, if you're curious about something. I've also had excellent, friendly service at each visit. And it's fun to see who's playing on a Friday night on their small stage in the corner. Donelson really needs more places like this. For now, I'll keep going back to Phat Bites!
(5)
Violet P.
After stopping and absolutely loving it's sister restaurant Ellendale's, we decided to stop and check this place out. Since we were completely stuffed we couldn't eat any of the freshly prepared, yummy looking foods but we did take a tour of the place. The place is very eclectic! Loved it. The colors were so vibrant. Many places to sit and they have a stage for live music. Workers were very friendly and didn't seem to mind at all that we were just checking the place out. Will def return and try out the food on our next trip to Nashville.
(5)
James M.
Holy hipster! I enjoyed this little place in a strip mall off of Lebanon Pike but I would have to warn others to expect a hipster/green atmosphere before heading here. It was cool and made me feel a little more edgy and healthy but I'm not sure it's for everyone. As far as the food, I came in and got a to-go wrap and Kale Salad today. The Ninja Bomb was a surprise. I did not expect the bag to weigh as much as it did when I picked it up and was amazed at the size, freshness, and flavor of the wrap. It's got chinese chicken salad, granola, carrots, lettuce, and raspberry vinaigrette for a crunchy, sweet wrap flavor. It's so good! The Kale Salad was also excellent as a side and had pecans, golden raisins, and couscous (I think) in it. It was just the right flavor and didn't include any unwanted flavors that Whole Foods often puts in theirs like red onions. Pros: Serving size and flavor. I was able to split the wrap and have two full meals off of the side salad and wrap. It was really impressive. The staff was kind, approachable, and happy to serve their guests. Cons: The atmosphere isn't very approachable for out of town guests so I'll just have to get them to trust me about the food. Overall: I really like that this place is truly different in a Nashville restaurant atmosphere which is often too safe, atmosphere-wise. The food was so good and was the perfect lunch hour break. It was also enough to feed me for two full meals!
I love Phat Bites. I love the relaxed atmosphere, the friendly staff, and the fantastic food. I recommend the spinach and feta hummus.
(5)
Dew T.
Hummus! Amazing Hummus. I get the Chipotle every time, but their spinach is really good too. Most days I order the Hummus Envy or the 3 sides and get 2 sides of hummus and the kale salad. I wish it was closer because I'd eat there a lot more. Great vegetarian and vegan options. I love Phat Bites.
(5)
Lauren S.
So cool!! What an awesome little underground place. Great service, great prices...will definitely be returning!!
(5)
Keith H.
Dissapointing....This place has went downhill. I used to recommend it to everyone but now I'm not sure I'll go back. This makes 3rd time for a muffaletta and they were out of ingredients. Wanted a brownie but desserts had mold on them and their new places just feels dirty evertime I go. Sad sad sad.
(2)
Mike M.
Not horribly impressed. Arrived at 5pm on a Saturday and they were out of beef and pork. Got the buffalo chicken sandwich and it ended up being okay. Also, I found it a bit awkward to order...the menu is too extensive to stand there and look up to try to figure it out. Handheld menus would make more sense to me. Staff seemed kinda disengaged, but I'll give it another shot sometime with the hopes of a better experience.
(2)
Kim F.
I was excited to try Phat Bites after reading the reviews. Everyone was spot on from the decor to the food. I chose the spicy Dijon turkey sandwich and my husband went with the Big Jerk. The spicy Dijon is no joke. I had to scrape some of the Dijon off, but still thoroughly enjoyed it. The Big Jerk was a crowd pleaser as well. We split the mozzarella and tomato salad...it was ok. We got two iced coffees to go and the flavor was phenomenal. Chocolate rocket fuel is the only way I can describe this delicious cold brew beverage. I got a dab of almond milk in mine and my husband chose to wait and add some bourbon cream from his stash. Both were delicious. Highly recommend grabbing some iced coffee on your way out to keep you going. Next time I will definitely try a wrap..somehow missed that menu board when ordering. Very friendly staff as well.
(4)
Sheena T.
I was a bit bummed when Phat Bites moved to a new location, but I am pretty sure it's the same distance away from me, so no big loss! However, I drove past it the first time I visited, so keep your eyes peeled. It shares the same space as some nondescript business. I'm glad that the space is a lot bigger and they now have plenty of parking, even at peak times. The food, menu, and staff are the same. I came in for lunch a few times recently, and if you go early, you are golden. Anywhere between 11-12:00 you are fine. However, I stopped in around 12:30 and the line was long and order taking a bit annoying. I also waited about 15 minutes for my order, so it's not the quickest lunch option out there. When ordering take out, I like for it to be pretty quick, but expect to be at Phat Bites for at least 30 minutes at peak times. I still love the black bean burger that they offer. It's the best one I've had. I also have ordered a few sides. The kale salad is always great, and the hummus is out of this world! Phat Bites is amazing, so check them out!
(4)
Eric H.
Bites, Booze and live music. All great
(5)
Megan K.
Pretty cool little joint. We knew this highly acclaimed spot relocated to our neck of the woods not too long ago, and finally stopped by this weekend for lunch. Upon entering the warehouse/garage-reminiscent space, we waited in line for a bit. There was a "help wanted" sign on the door, so I wasn't too surprised that they appeared to be short-staffed. We finally had our order placed, and tried to figure out how to pay... We asked, and were sort of gruffly told to walk to the end of the line. We pay, sit at the cleanest table we could find, and waited... finally got our food, which was the highlight of the stop. My chicken salad was fresh and perfectly seasoned. Boyfriend had the Big Jerk -- a pork tenderloin situation on ciabatta -- which he raved about (albeit, it was a bit small). He also enjoyed the potato salad well enough. Glad we stopped by--I'm sure we'll be back. They offer Bongo Java and have a bar that stays open late, so I'm interested to explore that.
(3)
Cassie B.
This place is a cute little hole-in-the-wall bar and deli. It's adorable and the atmosphere is cozy and relaxing. The food is fabulous! Fresh wraps are so good. I had the Ninja Bomb: Chinese chicken salad, sunflower seeds, lettuce, nuts and carrots in a wrap. It's sweet and savory at the same time. Everyone working here is super nice! They even have a patio area. If you are looking for a cute place without tourists, this is your place. I would definitely recommend it to anyone!
(5)
Chris A.
I have been coming here for years. I have always loved the food and the art. Went in today - this is the first time I went in at the new location as I don't come to Donelson often. Still the same great sandwiches! I got the mufaletta today. The olive tapenade was wonderful. I really savored each fattening bite. I never have enough room to eat anything else. They have great looking salads too! Lots of awesome art. Heard a rumor that they were scouting east Nashville locations! EDIT: Lots of bad reviews here. For me, my sandwich only took about 7 minutes to make. And there were two people in front of me. The menu behind confused me at first, but it didn't take long to figure it out. Street signs I understand, would have been useful, but I found out about the new location via word of mouth. And I am ok with that. Its a local business that I am happy to support and will continue to give them my money!
(5)
J G.
Generous portions and very flavorful options. Renovated garage that is bright and airy. Good vibe and great staff. Menu posted high right by door. Lots of options - especially for veg and non veg people. The hummus plate was awesome and easily shareable. Orbit bowl great but could only eat a third - so huge. Real value - definitely recommend.
(4)
Kristin M.
My wrap was amazing! I had the buffalo chicken wrap and it was hot, very hot!!! It did take a while to get it though and it wasn't even packed. I definitely would not go around lunch time as the wait will be too long. I try to go after one when the lunch rush is over. Will definitely be back...after the lunch rush though, lol.
(4)
Samuel E.
I've been here 3 times in the past week and a half. Their food is exceptional, I've been eating the Turkey Wrap and Big Jerk Chicken sandwhich. They taste amazing while being very unique and different. Also, the amount of food you get is definitely worth the money. Literally twice as big as I expected for the price. This will be my goto lunch spot for the future and can't imagine going anywhere else when it is so close to me, so good and a great deal.
(5)
Jonathan B.
Food was pretty good, but the ordering setup is very awkward; I am not sure why the menu is located where it is, and why it seemed like a crazy question to ask where it was located. Once I ordered my food, I was handed a ticket and the staff walked away. It was not clear if I was supposed to wait there, take a seat, pay, or anything. I took a seat and my food came out (wrong name and setup to go, instead of eating in as I asked). It just felt like an awkward experience overall. I didn't mind the decor as some people comment on, but I felt very unwelcome. Overall, I enjoyed my food, but the customer service experience was extremely poor.
(3)
Sarah A.
The food is awesome, huge side portions and wraps. My friend and I picked the first 2 wraps on the board to share. Forgot the names already, but one had pork, and the other had steak as the meat. Both had plenty of veggies, rice, and other goodies stuffed and rolled tight in their wraps. We picked 3 salads (the Greek, broccoli, and sweet potato) for sides to try. Each were good, but both of our favorites were the Greek. Layout and where you have to go to pay is a little confusing, but the staff is nice and helped us new-bees. Tall ceilings and open kitchen concept in a auto garage shell is fine with us. Walls were decorated in awesome graffiti art, and we enjoyed looking at the album covered tables, games, and local art. Staff had an eclectic look and were well trained- didn't act like corporate robots. Which is always a plus. I didn't see this place as "a wanna be hipster place", just a relaxed restaurant were anyone can come and enjoy good food. I've watched suit and tie guys, military in uniforms, hippies, college students, kids with parents and everyone in-between come in and eat. Bathroom was clean and had plenty of back up toilet paper and paper towels in a basket. Overall great food, great atmosphere, good music, awesome staff. So glad we stopped at Phat Bites to eat. This area needed a place like this.
(5)
Anthony S.
My wife and I thought that the food was great. My wrap was tasty and fresh, her sammich was a big hit. She never likes avacado but she liked theirs. The staff were friendly and nice. Never claim that those who are hip are not friendly. The place is mucho popular and for good reason, but here are a couple of gripes: I like they have style, but I feel they should do more to improve the over-all condition of their location. Looking like a garage is cool, actually being a garage...not so much. Nothing led me to be suspicious of my food over it, but still. Maybe I'm just too old. I like chalk board menus. It means fresh and non-perpetual. It does need to be legible. Their boards are too busy to read quickly. When you're the only person in line (almost never) its ok to stare at the thing gaping until you can decide. Navigating it when busy just made me nervous.
(3)
Brant I.
I want to like this place, I really do. There are so few quality independent restaurants in Donelson that when one shows any potential you want it to succeed. Inconsistent food quality, frequently leaving described dish components off, routinely poor service. Such is the story of Phat Bites. They made their reputation on a Diners, Drive In's, and Dives episode years ago and if they follow their current trend are well on their way to becoming irrelevant.
(1)
Liz W.
I was in Nashville for a business trip, a lady at our hotel recommended that we go here. I had the Ninja Bomb wrap. Aside from the cool name, it is quite possibly the best wrap I have ever eaten. My coworker had the caprese sandwich, and thoroughly enjoyed that as well. I think if we had known about this place earlier, we may have gone here every day. I admit, the place seemed a bit sketchy at first. It is in a garage. But the inside was pretty cool. If you do go, make sure you check out the bathroom. Last but not least, staff was very friendly. You order and sit yourself, but everyone was nice and smiled.
(5)
Linda A.
My sister was visiting and wanted to try this place after seeing it on DD&D. I'm not phobic about cleanliness but this place needs a bath. The young lady who was taking orders for those of us in line was not helpful at all for a first timer. I mentioned that I couldn't find their selection of sides on the chalkboards and she told me that was because they don't list their sides on the menus. OK, could you tell me about your sides? She said she could and then asked me which side I was interested in. I asked her again what sides they have and she asked me again which one I wanted. Sigh. I ended up ordering whatever was closest basically. The meat quiche of the day...a HUGE square of a more egg casserole than quiche with cheddar cheese melted on it. When it was handed to me I was warned that it was hot. Well, it wasn't. In fact the middle was COLD. The broccoli salad side was the best part of my meal, it was pretty good. The potato salad was awful and tasteless and I only had one bite before deciding it was not worth the calories. I ate about 1/4 of the quiche. Disappointing lunch. My sister had the Ninja Bomb wrap and it looked good. However, it took a really long time to get served. She inquired about it twice and the employees were not helpful at all. Finally it arrived. The Long Life or Live Long Salad (the reason she wanted to go here) was good. I'd never choose to come back here. Snarky help, questionable cleanliness and underwhelming food.
(2)
Stan S.
I really enjoy the food each time I go. it is mostly healthy, fresh, flavorful, and uniquely prepared. Additionally, the atmosphere is laid-back and highly unpretentious. However, this also lends itself to mediocre service, long-lines, order confusion, and excessive (food) wait times. If you are not in a hurry and willing to overlook some attention-to-detail deficiencies, I'd suggest that you check it out.
(3)
Kelly Ann W.
Love this awesome lunch spot. Super interesting sandwiches and salads. Crazy eclectic 'ambiance'- graffiti walls, a suit or armor, skeleton flying an airplane- what more could you want? I recommend the Asian noodles, broccoli salad, all the chicken salads and the spinach feta hummus.
(4)
mookie b.
Phat bites is the shit.I fed my whole family of six for $42 .my family is a rock band . I had Anthony's orbit salad and it was deliciouser than a motherfucker. Don't get me started on that lavender infused ice coffee with almond milk.. Shit got my heart rate up and my taste buds a tingling.will definitely come back to pHa T bites when I roll through the country music city capital of the world again. Five stars five stars.
(5)
Michelle S.
Found this place by pure luck and loved it! Can't really see it from the road (it's in the Ace Hardware plaza). Looks rundown from the outside but open the doors and you'll find a spunky, urban oasis complete with colorful wall murals and eclectic, collaged table tops. I had the Hummus Envy and was not disappointed. I chose two of their 6 hummus options and it was ready almost immediately. It tasted amazing and the portions were huge--I'll be eating this for dinner and possibly lunch again tomorrow. Will definitely be back.
(5)
Barbra M.
Holy disappointment, Batman. This place used to be amazing! When I was pregnant this was my go to lunch spot. Service was amazing, food was to die for. I practically LIVED on caprese sandwiches. Then I went on maternity leave. I come back and the entire staff has turned over. What used to be a business filled with happy hipsters making slammin sammiches turned into a place filled with unfriendly, unsmiling, slow moving workers. I ordered a sandwich to go yesterday and ended up back at the office late from my hour long like break. Never again. They lost a long time, faithful customer yesterday. I would be hard pressed to go back unless I hear that they made major improvements. Attitude from the grill workers and eye rolls mixed with zero eye contact from the cashier. I can get better service from McDonalds and not have to pay $8.00 for a sandwich.
(1)
Stephanie C.
I give kudos and stars, a place needs to be really bad for me to post something bad. I'd rather send you to heaven than to hell. Phat Bites is Donelson's little piece of goodness I love that the owner is into healthy fresh eating! Lots of good sandwhich, salads, and wraps ( try the Ninja Bomb, the Morphine wrap and The Cowboy,oh my goodness!!!!) her Long Life Salad and and homemade desserts are so yummy good and her recent addition to coffee is such a plus.... But let me let you health nuts know .... I tend to one be at the right time..... The kale chips and the Kombacha is some of the best around! She also carries a bottle green juice that is delicious and much better choice than soda!!! The only thing I would add to this little slice of heaven is a juice bar..... It would fit right in that place where the art work is sold, I could help start that up... Hint hint. But regardless it is a fresh, funky, and wonderful place to eat!!!
(5)
Jay R.
They are friendly and offer food you probably won't find at other places in Nashville. I had the sesame noodles. Super delicious! They have couches to sit at, and you can also look at the incredible art on the wall.
(5)
Bob B.
It feels/looks dirty when you walk in. I want my food establishment to scream CLEAN. This use to be a automotive garage, still kinda has that smell. The sandwich was okay but nothing to write home about. It is a wanna be hipster place that misses the mark by a mile. I had the hot affair sandwich it was a little messy. A side of hummus. Like i said nothing special. I've had better sandwich from publix. Nothing to go out of your way for. Sub depot blows this place away. In the kmart plaza on Donaldson pike.
(1)
Lydia G.
We went to this place with my mom. I had the black bean burger. It was great. Big portions. my mom had the Reuben. She liked it. My husband had a classic sandwich and ate every bite. Will be back!
(4)
Matthew F.
Great place, we've made our way through most of the sandwiches and they are all unique and delicious. It's a Saturday tradition now.
(5)
Chad R.
Cool vibe! Food is good, the bar is great with good drink specials, live music, fun place.
(5)
Lindy B.
Today was my first time trying Phat Bites. Unfortunately we went to the old location on Allen Rd that is now closed. I was under the impression that they just opened an ADDITIONAL location, not just moved locations. It wasn't a huge deal though since the new location was only a mile or so up the street. However, even with exact GPS guidance it's still hard to spot due to it's awkward location next to Ace Hardware and the fact that there's no sign other than some painting on the window. Upon entering I was a little afraid my 67 yr old Aunt was gonna look at me crazy for bringing her there. It's very eclectic, funky, rummage sale, dreadlock-ish inside. Luckily Aunt Suzie is the coolest person I know and she felt right at home. As other reviewers have stated, it is a little silly to have the menu board up high and behind where you order. And definitely some directional signs would be helpful. Aunt Suzie originally thought we were supposed to pay at the old-cash-register-turned-condiment -organizer. Bless her. As far as the food goes, what we had was good. I really liked my VIP sandwich and she said her Charlotte wrap was tasty as well. We didn't have to wait long at all for our food. Less than 5 minutes. The things that would make this a 5 star spot for me are the following: *get outdoor signage you can see from the street *get directional signage on the inside. "Order here" "pay here" * new (or at least in better condition) tables and chairs I get that mismatched stuff is cool and eclectic, but some of the tables and chairs just looked broke down. And no thanks to sitting on a public, Goodwill couch.
(3)
Keith L.
Good food. Nothing else in town that's really like it. Good prices. Looooong waits. Don't go if you have a 30 minute or less lunch break.
(3)
Laini B.
I really enjoyed the wrap that I got from Phat Bites. I think their only issue may be consistency. The first time I got it it was great, the 2nd time it was just ok. There was a woman working there who seemed a little out of sorts and wasn't treating the staff very nice, but maybe that is their working style and they are used to it. I dont know but it made me feel bad for the staff.
(3)
J R.
Love, love, love everything that I ate! The food was fresh, clean, and filling. The only thing that I had issues with was my chewing. Some of the dishes had a lot of different nuts in them. At some point, I got tired of chewing but I continued on because the food was amazing! This place is very vegetarian friendly. I'd highly recommend this place to anyone.
(5)
Jessica T.
I want to love you Phat Bites, I really do! Your atmosphere is urban, creative and eclectic. Your food is absolutely yummy. On the other hand, your customer service sucks! I went in on a day where "shit hit the fan" and when I stated I had an online order and was told "We don't have any online orders", I was told what a hectic day it was. I was offered to have it made right then, but I chose not because I was already late for work. Instead I was given a coupon "buy one item get another free". I didn't read it at first because I sympathized the crazy day but when I actually read it later, not only did I pay for something I didn't get, I now have to pay again. Hence I'm giving 4 stars.
(4)
Justin L.
I really liked this place. The sandwiches are tasty and extremely affordable. I can eat like a king on the cheap, which I like. The flavor combinations are impressive as well. I really, really liked the location. It was awesome. It reminded me of Empire Records, but as a sandwich shop. The staff is friendly and knowledgable. The setup is a little wonky, but not too difficult to understand.
(4)
Cali C.
Everything is so good! I love all the hummus. The potato salad and the southwest chicken salad is the bomb. You also get so much food, I can usually eat on it for a couple days.
(5)
Rob W.
Drove from Florida to see it because saw it on Food Network. The kale salad was the feature and we asked for it. For the first time ever, they said, they were out of there famous kale salad. Other food was decent but very disappointed.
(2)
Adam M.
Good selection of sandwiches, salads and wraps. Everything was tasty and fresh - and the pickle was so tangy. I liked the atmosphere of the shop - very artsy and fun.
(4)
Mike L.
This place is awesome. Flew in and wanted to grab a bite to eat, get some work done, and wait for a coworkers to fly in. Great food, awesome music going, staff was great. Perfect atmosphere to chill and hang out. Hands down Great job!
(5)
Erin D.
I went here for the first time a few weeks ago. It's right next door to my neighborhood Ace Hardware, so very convenient. I went at noon -- which wasn't the best idea -- we had to wait about 20 minutes to order (standing in line ordering, not sitting at a table) and then it took about 30 mins to get our food. The food was great. My friend and I both thoroughly enjoyed both our meals. I didn't enjoy the atmosphere. It felt ... dirty. The restaurant sits in what I believe was the repair garage for an old car dealership. And it still feels like that. The decor is wacky, hippie, but I would be more comfortable if it at least felt clean. I will be back, though, since it's pretty much the only place in Donelson to get a nice -- healthy -- meal.
(4)
Guglielmo F.
I gave Phat Bites a second chance today. Eh. The place isn't very clean (flues everywhere and puked up dishes behind the counter just sitting) and the food is mediocre at best. The staff is ok - a new guy today was nice, but other than that, not very attentive. And it's loud. I don't usually mind loud, except that it gets in the way of conversation. And because the inside is cinder block and highly reflective, there's no getting away from it. Basically, it's everything that's wrong with the hipster scene, without anything redeeming. Too expensive as well. Especially given that there's no way they should be able to pass inspection.
(2)
Megan M.
This was our very first stop upon arriving in Nashville. It was recommended by the gentleman at the rental car booth. I ate the Cowboy. It was an excellent sandwich. Had great flavor and the bread was fresh. The atmosphere was not expected but okay. It's a "whole in the wall" type place. Certainly not clean feeling, but who remembers the clean places. Some of the staff were great others needed a little help...dirty clothes, glazed over eyes. Neat place to go on vacation. I wouldn't be a regular if I lived here though.
(4)
Doug J.
I have never used Yelp before, but after my 1st ( and last ) experience at Phat Bites, I felt like I would be doing society a horrible injustice by not reviewing this place. First off, the place is located in an old Chinese buffet in Donaldson directly adjacent to a hardware store. The interior of the "restaurant" looks like a cross between a Spencer's gifts blowout sale and a scene from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2. The menu is on a chalkboard behind you. There are bread and cheese options, but it doesn't specify what they are. My GF and I ordered food ( I ordered a veggie wrap minus tofu, no cooking required, should be quick and easy), we were then told to go into a separate bar area to pay via tablet. No cash accepted? We sat down and waited for what seemed like an eternity, especially considering it was 5 o'clock on a week day and we were basically the only ones in the place. After 30 minutes had elapsed, my GF went to check on the progress of our meal, only to be told that they had forgot to make it. Given the circumstance, This is completely unacceptable. I'm only leaving two stars because the beer I had during our wait was quite good and the bartender that refunded our money was (seemingly) genuine in her apology to us. The food may or may not be decent here, but due to the Decor, bad service, and terrible location, I will never know.
(2)
Tessa K.
I just want to thank everyone at Phat Bites for the catering order today for our meeting. I will be here all the time now to get our meetings off to a great start. Thanks to Julie and Emily thank you thank thank you. Best place in the world and great customer service.
(5)
Britt R.
phat bites is okay. 2 phat, the smaller counterpart, is actually way better. the fruit tea was very watered down, the portions of the chicken salad in the ninja star weren't as generous at this location, and the staff was less enthused about my business. I'll keep going to 2 phat instead for the same food.
(3)
tommie r.
This goddamn food is so tasty and these dudes are so nice it makes me sick. Sick in that I'm suddenly disgusted with most other places by comparison. Once you've been here you'll realize that the rest of the world is, by comparison, a wretched awful place. Good luck.
(5)
Jasmine J.
Two Words: Ninja Bomb. It's my favorite sandwich on the menu. (chinese chicken salad, carrots, sunflower seeds, granola, raspberry vinaigrette) I decided to rate four stars instead of five because I was unimpressed by the kraft single slices on my Turkey Wrap last time. Overall, a great place to grab a gigantic, affordable wrap & cheap sides made in house.
(4)
Lindsay M.
I work super close to the new location of Phat Bites and finally had time today to stop by for some takeout. The new location is awkward to say the least. The inside order area/menu area is also super awkward and doesn't make sense, not to mention the food prep area looks like such a hot mess. They were cooking something on a single portable burner. What?! Anyway. I walked in while another customer was finishing her order. There were two girls helping her, one of which was wearing booty shorts and boots, which was strange to see in a restaurant. I felt like I was at Deja Vu. The lady ordered and I stepped up to order but both of the girls walked off. They walked back my way about 3 or 4 times and the male cook also looked at me and no one seemed to think that I was of any importance. I stood at the counter for about 4 more minutes before turning around and walking out. I almost told the businessman who was walking in to go elsewhere, but I decided not to take that route. I was super excited to eat at Phat Bites because it's maybe a block away from my job and I needed a new place to eat on a regular basis. Based on my visit today, I won't be returning. Learn some customer service skills, dress like you have some self respect, and get some management in this place. If you're too busy to help a customer immediately, ACKNOWLEDGE THEM. Tell them you'll be right with them. It is so easy and will save you from losing money in the future. There are plenty of other great places to eat in Donelson. Go to those.
(1)
Jason T.
I agree with B.G. and Michael G.'s reviews. I have tried Phat Bites three times now with the same experience each time. The staff was slow to take my order and the food took 20-25 minutes after ordering. The food was okay, but by far the best thing that I have eaten there was the Rueben. Phat Bites is close and convenient to my work, so I really want to like this place, but there needs to be some customer service issues addressed.
(2)
Heather V.
Try the spinach and feta hummus, it is amazing. I had the chicken caesar pita and if was wonderful. The caesar dressing was very flavorful and the greens (romaine, mixed greens, etc) were good quality and flavorful (not your typical bagged junk). Pulling up the the place I was skeptical (they're in an old garage) but give it a try, well worth it.
(5)
Matt D.
New location feels unfinished. Sandwich was good but not great. Meat was dry. All ingredients were fresh. Overall cool eclectic atmosphere, but image not fully finished.
(3)
Bridget O.
A cool hipster vibe with awesome food. Hung out and had some great garlic hummus while watching some fun live music. Fun spot to hang.
(4)
LaTamera W.
Loved the Turkey Wrap with goat cheese and cranberries. What excited me the most was that they used real sliced turkey and not deli thin processed turkey. I was so very happy about that. This has become my new favorite place for turkey wraps and all things salad. On my 2nd visit I tried the Tuna salad. Loved all the yummyness they added like cashews, grapes, and cranberries. Yes! this is a great spot. the atmosphere is lovely. The service was great. Lots of smiles. The beer lady was friendly and helpful. My first go with Fat Bottom Ginger Beer = new fan. Thanks Phat Bites.
(3)
Greg M.
My wife and I took our granddaughter after looking online for restaurants that were featured on the FoodTV show "Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives." You have to go to this place with a completely open mind, and for us the hippie mystique wore off fairly quickly. It was really hot outside and it wasn't much more cool inside. It was uncomfortably warm, which is probably due to the fact this is in an old service garage in a building shared with an Ace Hardware. There were flies buzzing around and landing on the food, the cement floor was painted and there was an eclectic collection of old, discarded furniture. All of the furnishings looked like recycled stuff.... you know, someone else's junk. I really liked my sandwich, although I agree with my wife's assessment that the steak strips were tough. The flavors worked for me and I don't mind grinding meat with my molars but my wife was spot on - the meat wasn't tender. There is nothing for a typical "kid" so beware anyone under 16 might not want anything on the menu. Our granddaughter ordered the grilled cheese, which was the only thing that didn't sound foreign to her. They asked her what type of bread and cheese she wanted and of course she asked for "white and American." They asked if sourdough would be okay and we assured her she should try it. They failed to tell us they substituted cheddar for American - you know you can tell the difference and even a kid isn't fooled - and they used mayonnaise instead of butter to brown the bread. Technically it was almost burnt, and to my granddaughter two bites was all she needed to call it quits. On our way out we laughed because two women happened to be leaving behind us and one said, "my grilled cheese was burnt." Also, be aware there is graffiti on the walls and some of it is profane. Not acceptable. If this was a bar I would be okay with it because I don't take the kids to bars. This was a DELI and therefore this was unacceptable. Guy Fieri should remove this place from his "Triple D" listing. WHAT A DIVE. FAILED ON MULTIPLE LEVELS.
(2)
Jean J.
Saw this on the food network on Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives and searched this place out to try the citrus kale salad that was featured on the show. I drove a friend up to Vandy for an appointment and decided to have an early lunch here. Finding the place was a little bit difficult because it is BEHIND the ace hardware store in the same parking lot. There wasn't a sign indicating it was there. Parked in front at about 11am. Location looked like it used to be a car garage. Windows were tagged with the name of the business. I thought it was kind of cool. Went in and the place definitely was much larger on the inside. The decor is eclectic and urban. Had a chill atmosphere kinda like just a place to hang out and eat good food. I had to ask where the menu was and it's high up on the ceiling on chalk boards above the door. Also told him that it was hard to find and it would be useful to have a bigger sign. One of the guys said that they were having one done and should be up soon. I mentioned that they should have one of the area's graffiti artists to make a sign for them to fit in with the decor. He kinda chuckled but i think he was just humoring me. The kitchen was in the open and everyone seemed to be busy. There was a variety of cold salads that all looked good and healthy. All the ingredients are organic and fresh. They were cooking on an free standing electric grill but they recently moved and it just fits in somehow. It reminded me of a large island cabana roadside food cafe. And EVERYONE knows that those things have the BEST food!! Anyways.... The menu items had some crazy names but i think it tied in to the atmosphere well. They had a lot of items to choose from and they all looked good. I chose a turkey, bacon wrap with hummus, avocado and of course a plate of the kale salad! My friend chose the ruban sandwich and we sat down at one of the tables. I looked around a bit while we waited due to the only ones in there at the time. They have lounge couches and an area for a open mike poetry or local band. The garage doors looked like they would open up during the summer months and be kinda like a great place to just chill and have a beer. There wasn't a theme, it was just random and trippy. I loved it. They just picked furniture that they liked. I am a bit of a eclectic myself and i was comfortable. The place was clean!! I don't know why ppl gave such bad reviews. The food was AMAZING. They are not skimpy on the portions either. Most organic places give you a tiny plate that looks too pretty to eat. This place is no joke. It's like an urban free birds ( texas ppl you know what I'm talking about!!) If you're OCD about themes and matching things. And focus on the decor more than the food then you should probably not go there. I could only eat half the wrap and it was fresh!! The humus in it was amazing and the turkey tasted like they had prepared the bird. The bacon was crisp and yummy. The avocado was fresh and the pickle on the side was just crazy good. I could eat a jar of those things. My friend could only eat half of his reuben too. But he said that it was really good as well. One of the best one's he's had. The kale salad was A.M.A.Z.I.N.G!!! I have a love/hate relationship with kale. It's really good for you but i hate the taste of it. The salad had fruit and nuts in it, beans and a citrus dressing!! OMG!! I could of ate a bucket of that stuff. Half way through eating, people started flooding through the door about 12pm. It was a very popular place for lunch and you had a huge variety of people there. Just random people with no theme looking for a great place to eat!! I will def be back to this place when I'm around that area. It's pretty close to the highway too. I left full but not stuffed, light and not heavy. Great place with amazing food! If you want to think outside of the box, take off your shoes and chill for a bit and experience amazing organic food, i encourage you to go here. I will def. be back! :) Great place!!
(5)
Rachel H.
I loved Phat Bites before their move. They are even better now. Granted, it's a little tricky to find the first time being in the same building as Ace Hardware. I LOVE the chinese chicken salad and as long as I can get it that's what I will get. In salad with or without strawberries, but they are preferred, on a wrap, a sandwich, any way is always delicious. From what I know, they use natural, local ingredients in their food. So those strawberries you can't always get, along with some other thing because they just aren't in season. I understand. The yum yum bars you can get year round really do make up for it and the wait for your food is usually not very long. Plus, there is a bar. ;)
(4)
Stephanie C.
Another Triple D! The food was awesome! The decor and atmosphere are fun and funky! Guy had the Big Jerk and Kale salad which we had and loved every bite! It did seem a little chaotic for service and food time but we'll go back!
(4)
Andy D.
Great place for a sandwich and drink. Great music while you eat. Service is great too.
(5)
Jeffrey B.
If u like a Bohemian atmosphere you'll love this place. I usually have the Ninja Bomb - a Turkey wrap w cranberry salsa and granola for texture.
(4)
B G.
The review from Michael G is spot on. This place is REALLY screwing up something that other restaurants would kill for: a lot of hype. Forget about the food; it simply doesn't matter when the service is so awful. The people are friendly and all, but they don't seem to have a process for taking orders, building, cooking, etc. I have been there twice now and both times the wait was over 20 minutes AFTER ordering. And, one of the guys at our table got his food immediately... The food is good, but not so good that it's worth the poor service frustration. I will try them again in a few weeks to see if they've ironed out the (major) wrinkles.
(2)
William C.
It would be great if a wrap didn't take 30 mins, they also need to learn certain eating preferences. They thought vegan was just the absence of cheese and recommended tuna salad.
(1)
Iknow B.
Food quality has fallen over the past three years. Their reuben used to be good. Now it's a joke. Arby's at least uses SLICED corned beef brisket. Chopped? Are you kidding? Just a way to disguise the low quality and toughness of their brisket and VERY SKIMPY portion as well. They apparently have borrowed from their name and now only give a BITE of meat in their reuben. Complained to the manager about this change and it seems it's of course the owner's decision. I guess without the deeper pockets of your old owner (ellendale's) you decided to sacrifice quality to control food costs. You won't have my future business any longer. And the music was too loud for the filling station acoustics! Goodbye.
(1)
Steven C.
This place is fantastic. The poor reviews must have been a result of the growing pains of moving. Fantastic food, quick and friendly service. The only place I know of that gives Mitchell's a run for their money!!!
(5)
Dagan B.
Got the Big Jerk and it was good. The VIP was good. Neither sandwich as good as Mitchell's but the cheddar broccoli salad was awesome. If i ate that alone it would be 5 stars. The pimento cheese was really good, The loaded potato salad was just missing something it wasnt bad but it needed something to make it special. Avoid the pasta salads at all costs lol they were bland and just plain not good.
(4)
Aaron H.
Is it possible to give zero stars? What a sh*t hole. I mean the whole grunge thing is OK, but not in the kitchen. Maybe all kitchens are like that, but this one is out in the open where you can see it. I'm pretty sure I saw the guy on the grille pick a hair off a piece of bacon. Dreadlocks and goatees are fine - WITH A HAIRNET! Not sure these people know about hairnets - or hygiene in general.
(1)
Danielle F.
3 stars for Great food.... When and IF it comes out. We've been a handful of times and something always gets forgotten or takes 30+min. I ordered a salad and came out as a wrap, or any modifications get forgotten like no tomatoes etc. there's always a customer at the counter asking about an item they never received. It's such a good place they really just need to get it together! We've decided to stop going for a while in hopes it'll get better. There seems to be no structure. Sad because it could do well if they had some sort of way or getting the food made and out the the customers. The food just comes out when it's ready so one person is done eating by the time the other gets their food...
(3)
Brad E.
I went to Phat Bites for the first time the other day. I ordered the Black Bean Burger. It was absolutely delicious, and it was more than I could eat in one sitting! It took a bit longer than I expected, but I think part of it is that they just moved locations. You can definitely tell they are in middle ground mode right now. I can see the potential for a great atmosphere with yummy food!
(4)
Brandon R.
Unfortunately, I am not able to say anything good about my experience there. I am all for supporting local businesses, but only when their service is worth it. Today was my first experience with this restaurant and it was not so great. What I am gonna say might seem critical, but they are points that I feel would serve the establishment well if they took notice. First off, the whole chalk board menu thing is cool and all, but there should also be some printed menus up front for people to look at. It is hard to place your order when the menu is behind you. Also when it came to ordering, I just assumed that you went straight to the cash register to place your order. I was quickly advised that I had to place my order back around the corner where there was already a line stacked up. I feel some simple directional signage would have easily helped in this situation. After ordering, my wife and I found our seats and preceded to wait...and wait...and wait some more. Finally our name was called with only one of our orders ready. I assumed the best and figured mine would be out soon. I get it if you are low on staff that day, but maybe just being up front with the customers saying "it might be a little while longer than normal today" might help. 50 minutes after ordering, we were forced to go up to the counter and ask about the missing order. She quickly scurried around and found a ticket with my name on it and handed it to me. At this point I was just ready to leave so we took our sandwiches to go and were out. It wasn't until I got home that I realized I had the wrong order. I apologize to the unlucky soul whose food I was given.
(1)
Mary P.
This place feels like a food truck. Great street art, delicious food, terribly eccentric service, as eclectic an environment as you can imagine. Our veggie wraps were outstanding! The vibe is at once vintage thrifting and "get over yourself". Only place I know that let's you rummage while having lunch. I'd kick up the cleanliness a notch.
(4)
J G.
Generous portions and very flavorful options. Renovated garage that is bright and airy. Good vibe and great staff. Menu posted high right by door. Lots of options - especially for veg and non veg people. The hummus plate was awesome and easily shareable. Orbit bowl great but could only eat a third - so huge. Real value - definitely recommend.
(4)
Kristin M.
My wrap was amazing! I had the buffalo chicken wrap and it was hot, very hot!!! It did take a while to get it though and it wasn't even packed. I definitely would not go around lunch time as the wait will be too long. I try to go after one when the lunch rush is over. Will definitely be back...after the lunch rush though, lol.
(4)
Jean J.
Saw this on the food network on Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives and searched this place out to try the citrus kale salad that was featured on the show. I drove a friend up to Vandy for an appointment and decided to have an early lunch here. Finding the place was a little bit difficult because it is BEHIND the ace hardware store in the same parking lot. There wasn't a sign indicating it was there. Parked in front at about 11am. Location looked like it used to be a car garage. Windows were tagged with the name of the business. I thought it was kind of cool. Went in and the place definitely was much larger on the inside. The decor is eclectic and urban. Had a chill atmosphere kinda like just a place to hang out and eat good food. I had to ask where the menu was and it's high up on the ceiling on chalk boards above the door. Also told him that it was hard to find and it would be useful to have a bigger sign. One of the guys said that they were having one done and should be up soon. I mentioned that they should have one of the area's graffiti artists to make a sign for them to fit in with the decor. He kinda chuckled but i think he was just humoring me. The kitchen was in the open and everyone seemed to be busy. There was a variety of cold salads that all looked good and healthy. All the ingredients are organic and fresh. They were cooking on an free standing electric grill but they recently moved and it just fits in somehow. It reminded me of a large island cabana roadside food cafe. And EVERYONE knows that those things have the BEST food!! Anyways.... The menu items had some crazy names but i think it tied in to the atmosphere well. They had a lot of items to choose from and they all looked good. I chose a turkey, bacon wrap with hummus, avocado and of course a plate of the kale salad! My friend chose the ruban sandwich and we sat down at one of the tables. I looked around a bit while we waited due to the only ones in there at the time. They have lounge couches and an area for a open mike poetry or local band. The garage doors looked like they would open up during the summer months and be kinda like a great place to just chill and have a beer. There wasn't a theme, it was just random and trippy. I loved it. They just picked furniture that they liked. I am a bit of a eclectic myself and i was comfortable. The place was clean!! I don't know why ppl gave such bad reviews. The food was AMAZING. They are not skimpy on the portions either. Most organic places give you a tiny plate that looks too pretty to eat. This place is no joke. It's like an urban free birds ( texas ppl you know what I'm talking about!!) If you're OCD about themes and matching things. And focus on the decor more than the food then you should probably not go there. I could only eat half the wrap and it was fresh!! The humus in it was amazing and the turkey tasted like they had prepared the bird. The bacon was crisp and yummy. The avocado was fresh and the pickle on the side was just crazy good. I could eat a jar of those things. My friend could only eat half of his reuben too. But he said that it was really good as well. One of the best one's he's had. The kale salad was A.M.A.Z.I.N.G!!! I have a love/hate relationship with kale. It's really good for you but i hate the taste of it. The salad had fruit and nuts in it, beans and a citrus dressing!! OMG!! I could of ate a bucket of that stuff. Half way through eating, people started flooding through the door about 12pm. It was a very popular place for lunch and you had a huge variety of people there. Just random people with no theme looking for a great place to eat!! I will def be back to this place when I'm around that area. It's pretty close to the highway too. I left full but not stuffed, light and not heavy. Great place with amazing food! If you want to think outside of the box, take off your shoes and chill for a bit and experience amazing organic food, i encourage you to go here. I will def. be back! :) Great place!!
(5)
Cassie B.
This place is a cute little hole-in-the-wall bar and deli. It's adorable and the atmosphere is cozy and relaxing. The food is fabulous! Fresh wraps are so good. I had the Ninja Bomb: Chinese chicken salad, sunflower seeds, lettuce, nuts and carrots in a wrap. It's sweet and savory at the same time. Everyone working here is super nice! They even have a patio area. If you are looking for a cute place without tourists, this is your place. I would definitely recommend it to anyone!
(5)
Mitul M.
I really liked this place, my wife thought it was just OK but I'm writing this review so I'm giving it 5 stars. I'm just visiting Nashville from California so I'm not sure if this type of place is common here but given the music scene I would assume it would be. Vibe: a hipster/alternative vibe, slightly grungy but clean. This is the type of place I would typically spend a lot of time in. Everyone who worked there was friendly and welcoming. They had a stage so I assume they have live music some times. I went for lunch on a weekday. The kitchen smoke haze kind of hangs over the place, which is not ideal but could be fixed with an open window and a fan. Food: we had a large take out order for 8 people. I had the black bean burger, which was great. My father-in-law had the chicken Caesar wrap which he really liked. Everyone else had veggie sandwiches without hummus but realized that was a mistake and so added our side of hummus to their sandwiches which made them better. We ordered a random sample of sides, all of which were good. My favorite was the tomato and mozzarella salad but the black bean and corn salad was great also. I'm probably going to eat here again tomorrow.
(5)
Kim F.
I was excited to try Phat Bites after reading the reviews. Everyone was spot on from the decor to the food. I chose the spicy Dijon turkey sandwich and my husband went with the Big Jerk. The spicy Dijon is no joke. I had to scrape some of the Dijon off, but still thoroughly enjoyed it. The Big Jerk was a crowd pleaser as well. We split the mozzarella and tomato salad...it was ok. We got two iced coffees to go and the flavor was phenomenal. Chocolate rocket fuel is the only way I can describe this delicious cold brew beverage. I got a dab of almond milk in mine and my husband chose to wait and add some bourbon cream from his stash. Both were delicious. Highly recommend grabbing some iced coffee on your way out to keep you going. Next time I will definitely try a wrap..somehow missed that menu board when ordering. Very friendly staff as well.
(4)
Katie B.
To be honest, I probably would have rated it highly before even trying the food just because it's one of the few unique places in the Donelson area with a good atmosphere, live music, and nice bar with local brews on tap. The good news is - the food is great! And even better, it's really affordable! I've eaten here four times in the month I have lived in the neighborhood. I love coming here and everything I'd tried has been really fresh and tasty. I highly recommend the kale salad - with walnuts, raisins, craisins, sunflower seeds, black beans, and garbanzo beans - it's the best mix of flavors and textures. I get it as a side every time. You can also get samples of the dishes behind the glass display, if you're curious about something. I've also had excellent, friendly service at each visit. And it's fun to see who's playing on a Friday night on their small stage in the corner. Donelson really needs more places like this. For now, I'll keep going back to Phat Bites!
(5)
Violet P.
After stopping and absolutely loving it's sister restaurant Ellendale's, we decided to stop and check this place out. Since we were completely stuffed we couldn't eat any of the freshly prepared, yummy looking foods but we did take a tour of the place. The place is very eclectic! Loved it. The colors were so vibrant. Many places to sit and they have a stage for live music. Workers were very friendly and didn't seem to mind at all that we were just checking the place out. Will def return and try out the food on our next trip to Nashville.
(5)
Linda A.
My sister was visiting and wanted to try this place after seeing it on DD&D. I'm not phobic about cleanliness but this place needs a bath. The young lady who was taking orders for those of us in line was not helpful at all for a first timer. I mentioned that I couldn't find their selection of sides on the chalkboards and she told me that was because they don't list their sides on the menus. OK, could you tell me about your sides? She said she could and then asked me which side I was interested in. I asked her again what sides they have and she asked me again which one I wanted. Sigh. I ended up ordering whatever was closest basically. The meat quiche of the day...a HUGE square of a more egg casserole than quiche with cheddar cheese melted on it. When it was handed to me I was warned that it was hot. Well, it wasn't. In fact the middle was COLD. The broccoli salad side was the best part of my meal, it was pretty good. The potato salad was awful and tasteless and I only had one bite before deciding it was not worth the calories. I ate about 1/4 of the quiche. Disappointing lunch. My sister had the Ninja Bomb wrap and it looked good. However, it took a really long time to get served. She inquired about it twice and the employees were not helpful at all. Finally it arrived. The Long Life or Live Long Salad (the reason she wanted to go here) was good. I'd never choose to come back here. Snarky help, questionable cleanliness and underwhelming food.
(2)
Stan S.
I really enjoy the food each time I go. it is mostly healthy, fresh, flavorful, and uniquely prepared. Additionally, the atmosphere is laid-back and highly unpretentious. However, this also lends itself to mediocre service, long-lines, order confusion, and excessive (food) wait times. If you are not in a hurry and willing to overlook some attention-to-detail deficiencies, I'd suggest that you check it out.
(3)
Kelly Ann W.
Love this awesome lunch spot. Super interesting sandwiches and salads. Crazy eclectic 'ambiance'- graffiti walls, a suit or armor, skeleton flying an airplane- what more could you want? I recommend the Asian noodles, broccoli salad, all the chicken salads and the spinach feta hummus.
(4)
mookie b.
Phat bites is the shit.I fed my whole family of six for $42 .my family is a rock band . I had Anthony's orbit salad and it was deliciouser than a motherfucker. Don't get me started on that lavender infused ice coffee with almond milk.. Shit got my heart rate up and my taste buds a tingling.will definitely come back to pHa T bites when I roll through the country music city capital of the world again. Five stars five stars.
(5)
Michelle S.
Found this place by pure luck and loved it! Can't really see it from the road (it's in the Ace Hardware plaza). Looks rundown from the outside but open the doors and you'll find a spunky, urban oasis complete with colorful wall murals and eclectic, collaged table tops. I had the Hummus Envy and was not disappointed. I chose two of their 6 hummus options and it was ready almost immediately. It tasted amazing and the portions were huge--I'll be eating this for dinner and possibly lunch again tomorrow. Will definitely be back.
(5)
Aaron H.
Is it possible to give zero stars? What a sh*t hole. I mean the whole grunge thing is OK, but not in the kitchen. Maybe all kitchens are like that, but this one is out in the open where you can see it. I'm pretty sure I saw the guy on the grille pick a hair off a piece of bacon. Dreadlocks and goatees are fine - WITH A HAIRNET! Not sure these people know about hairnets - or hygiene in general.
(1)
Danielle F.
3 stars for Great food.... When and IF it comes out. We've been a handful of times and something always gets forgotten or takes 30+min. I ordered a salad and came out as a wrap, or any modifications get forgotten like no tomatoes etc. there's always a customer at the counter asking about an item they never received. It's such a good place they really just need to get it together! We've decided to stop going for a while in hopes it'll get better. There seems to be no structure. Sad because it could do well if they had some sort of way or getting the food made and out the the customers. The food just comes out when it's ready so one person is done eating by the time the other gets their food...
(3)
Brad E.
I went to Phat Bites for the first time the other day. I ordered the Black Bean Burger. It was absolutely delicious, and it was more than I could eat in one sitting! It took a bit longer than I expected, but I think part of it is that they just moved locations. You can definitely tell they are in middle ground mode right now. I can see the potential for a great atmosphere with yummy food!
(4)
Brandon R.
Unfortunately, I am not able to say anything good about my experience there. I am all for supporting local businesses, but only when their service is worth it. Today was my first experience with this restaurant and it was not so great. What I am gonna say might seem critical, but they are points that I feel would serve the establishment well if they took notice. First off, the whole chalk board menu thing is cool and all, but there should also be some printed menus up front for people to look at. It is hard to place your order when the menu is behind you. Also when it came to ordering, I just assumed that you went straight to the cash register to place your order. I was quickly advised that I had to place my order back around the corner where there was already a line stacked up. I feel some simple directional signage would have easily helped in this situation. After ordering, my wife and I found our seats and preceded to wait...and wait...and wait some more. Finally our name was called with only one of our orders ready. I assumed the best and figured mine would be out soon. I get it if you are low on staff that day, but maybe just being up front with the customers saying "it might be a little while longer than normal today" might help. 50 minutes after ordering, we were forced to go up to the counter and ask about the missing order. She quickly scurried around and found a ticket with my name on it and handed it to me. At this point I was just ready to leave so we took our sandwiches to go and were out. It wasn't until I got home that I realized I had the wrong order. I apologize to the unlucky soul whose food I was given.
(1)
Jonathan B.
Food was pretty good, but the ordering setup is very awkward; I am not sure why the menu is located where it is, and why it seemed like a crazy question to ask where it was located. Once I ordered my food, I was handed a ticket and the staff walked away. It was not clear if I was supposed to wait there, take a seat, pay, or anything. I took a seat and my food came out (wrong name and setup to go, instead of eating in as I asked). It just felt like an awkward experience overall. I didn't mind the decor as some people comment on, but I felt very unwelcome. Overall, I enjoyed my food, but the customer service experience was extremely poor.
(3)
Rob W.
Drove from Florida to see it because saw it on Food Network. The kale salad was the feature and we asked for it. For the first time ever, they said, they were out of there famous kale salad. Other food was decent but very disappointed.
(2)
Adam M.
Good selection of sandwiches, salads and wraps. Everything was tasty and fresh - and the pickle was so tangy. I liked the atmosphere of the shop - very artsy and fun.
(4)
Mike L.
This place is awesome. Flew in and wanted to grab a bite to eat, get some work done, and wait for a coworkers to fly in. Great food, awesome music going, staff was great. Perfect atmosphere to chill and hang out. Hands down Great job!
(5)
James M.
Holy hipster! I enjoyed this little place in a strip mall off of Lebanon Pike but I would have to warn others to expect a hipster/green atmosphere before heading here. It was cool and made me feel a little more edgy and healthy but I'm not sure it's for everyone. As far as the food, I came in and got a to-go wrap and Kale Salad today. The Ninja Bomb was a surprise. I did not expect the bag to weigh as much as it did when I picked it up and was amazed at the size, freshness, and flavor of the wrap. It's got chinese chicken salad, granola, carrots, lettuce, and raspberry vinaigrette for a crunchy, sweet wrap flavor. It's so good! The Kale Salad was also excellent as a side and had pecans, golden raisins, and couscous (I think) in it. It was just the right flavor and didn't include any unwanted flavors that Whole Foods often puts in theirs like red onions. Pros: Serving size and flavor. I was able to split the wrap and have two full meals off of the side salad and wrap. It was really impressive. The staff was kind, approachable, and happy to serve their guests. Cons: The atmosphere isn't very approachable for out of town guests so I'll just have to get them to trust me about the food. Overall: I really like that this place is truly different in a Nashville restaurant atmosphere which is often too safe, atmosphere-wise. The food was so good and was the perfect lunch hour break. It was also enough to feed me for two full meals!
(4)
Sheena T.
I was a bit bummed when Phat Bites moved to a new location, but I am pretty sure it's the same distance away from me, so no big loss! However, I drove past it the first time I visited, so keep your eyes peeled. It shares the same space as some nondescript business. I'm glad that the space is a lot bigger and they now have plenty of parking, even at peak times. The food, menu, and staff are the same. I came in for lunch a few times recently, and if you go early, you are golden. Anywhere between 11-12:00 you are fine. However, I stopped in around 12:30 and the line was long and order taking a bit annoying. I also waited about 15 minutes for my order, so it's not the quickest lunch option out there. When ordering take out, I like for it to be pretty quick, but expect to be at Phat Bites for at least 30 minutes at peak times. I still love the black bean burger that they offer. It's the best one I've had. I also have ordered a few sides. The kale salad is always great, and the hummus is out of this world! Phat Bites is amazing, so check them out!
(4)
Eric H.
Bites, Booze and live music. All great
(5)
Megan K.
Pretty cool little joint. We knew this highly acclaimed spot relocated to our neck of the woods not too long ago, and finally stopped by this weekend for lunch. Upon entering the warehouse/garage-reminiscent space, we waited in line for a bit. There was a "help wanted" sign on the door, so I wasn't too surprised that they appeared to be short-staffed. We finally had our order placed, and tried to figure out how to pay... We asked, and were sort of gruffly told to walk to the end of the line. We pay, sit at the cleanest table we could find, and waited... finally got our food, which was the highlight of the stop. My chicken salad was fresh and perfectly seasoned. Boyfriend had the Big Jerk -- a pork tenderloin situation on ciabatta -- which he raved about (albeit, it was a bit small). He also enjoyed the potato salad well enough. Glad we stopped by--I'm sure we'll be back. They offer Bongo Java and have a bar that stays open late, so I'm interested to explore that.
(3)
Chris A.
I have been coming here for years. I have always loved the food and the art. Went in today - this is the first time I went in at the new location as I don't come to Donelson often. Still the same great sandwiches! I got the mufaletta today. The olive tapenade was wonderful. I really savored each fattening bite. I never have enough room to eat anything else. They have great looking salads too! Lots of awesome art. Heard a rumor that they were scouting east Nashville locations! EDIT: Lots of bad reviews here. For me, my sandwich only took about 7 minutes to make. And there were two people in front of me. The menu behind confused me at first, but it didn't take long to figure it out. Street signs I understand, would have been useful, but I found out about the new location via word of mouth. And I am ok with that. Its a local business that I am happy to support and will continue to give them my money!
(5)
Liz W.
I was in Nashville for a business trip, a lady at our hotel recommended that we go here. I had the Ninja Bomb wrap. Aside from the cool name, it is quite possibly the best wrap I have ever eaten. My coworker had the caprese sandwich, and thoroughly enjoyed that as well. I think if we had known about this place earlier, we may have gone here every day. I admit, the place seemed a bit sketchy at first. It is in a garage. But the inside was pretty cool. If you do go, make sure you check out the bathroom. Last but not least, staff was very friendly. You order and sit yourself, but everyone was nice and smiled.
(5)
Samuel E.
I've been here 3 times in the past week and a half. Their food is exceptional, I've been eating the Turkey Wrap and Big Jerk Chicken sandwhich. They taste amazing while being very unique and different. Also, the amount of food you get is definitely worth the money. Literally twice as big as I expected for the price. This will be my goto lunch spot for the future and can't imagine going anywhere else when it is so close to me, so good and a great deal.
(5)
Sarah A.
The food is awesome, huge side portions and wraps. My friend and I picked the first 2 wraps on the board to share. Forgot the names already, but one had pork, and the other had steak as the meat. Both had plenty of veggies, rice, and other goodies stuffed and rolled tight in their wraps. We picked 3 salads (the Greek, broccoli, and sweet potato) for sides to try. Each were good, but both of our favorites were the Greek. Layout and where you have to go to pay is a little confusing, but the staff is nice and helped us new-bees. Tall ceilings and open kitchen concept in a auto garage shell is fine with us. Walls were decorated in awesome graffiti art, and we enjoyed looking at the album covered tables, games, and local art. Staff had an eclectic look and were well trained- didn't act like corporate robots. Which is always a plus. I didn't see this place as "a wanna be hipster place", just a relaxed restaurant were anyone can come and enjoy good food. I've watched suit and tie guys, military in uniforms, hippies, college students, kids with parents and everyone in-between come in and eat. Bathroom was clean and had plenty of back up toilet paper and paper towels in a basket. Overall great food, great atmosphere, good music, awesome staff. So glad we stopped at Phat Bites to eat. This area needed a place like this.
(5)
Anthony S.
My wife and I thought that the food was great. My wrap was tasty and fresh, her sammich was a big hit. She never likes avacado but she liked theirs. The staff were friendly and nice. Never claim that those who are hip are not friendly. The place is mucho popular and for good reason, but here are a couple of gripes: I like they have style, but I feel they should do more to improve the over-all condition of their location. Looking like a garage is cool, actually being a garage...not so much. Nothing led me to be suspicious of my food over it, but still. Maybe I'm just too old. I like chalk board menus. It means fresh and non-perpetual. It does need to be legible. Their boards are too busy to read quickly. When you're the only person in line (almost never) its ok to stare at the thing gaping until you can decide. Navigating it when busy just made me nervous.
(3)
Brant I.
I want to like this place, I really do. There are so few quality independent restaurants in Donelson that when one shows any potential you want it to succeed. Inconsistent food quality, frequently leaving described dish components off, routinely poor service. Such is the story of Phat Bites. They made their reputation on a Diners, Drive In's, and Dives episode years ago and if they follow their current trend are well on their way to becoming irrelevant.
(1)
Justin L.
I really liked this place. The sandwiches are tasty and extremely affordable. I can eat like a king on the cheap, which I like. The flavor combinations are impressive as well. I really, really liked the location. It was awesome. It reminded me of Empire Records, but as a sandwich shop. The staff is friendly and knowledgable. The setup is a little wonky, but not too difficult to understand.
(4)
Cali C.
Everything is so good! I love all the hummus. The potato salad and the southwest chicken salad is the bomb. You also get so much food, I can usually eat on it for a couple days.
(5)
Barbra M.
Holy disappointment, Batman. This place used to be amazing! When I was pregnant this was my go to lunch spot. Service was amazing, food was to die for. I practically LIVED on caprese sandwiches. Then I went on maternity leave. I come back and the entire staff has turned over. What used to be a business filled with happy hipsters making slammin sammiches turned into a place filled with unfriendly, unsmiling, slow moving workers. I ordered a sandwich to go yesterday and ended up back at the office late from my hour long like break. Never again. They lost a long time, faithful customer yesterday. I would be hard pressed to go back unless I hear that they made major improvements. Attitude from the grill workers and eye rolls mixed with zero eye contact from the cashier. I can get better service from McDonalds and not have to pay $8.00 for a sandwich.
(1)
Stephanie C.
I give kudos and stars, a place needs to be really bad for me to post something bad. I'd rather send you to heaven than to hell. Phat Bites is Donelson's little piece of goodness I love that the owner is into healthy fresh eating! Lots of good sandwhich, salads, and wraps ( try the Ninja Bomb, the Morphine wrap and The Cowboy,oh my goodness!!!!) her Long Life Salad and and homemade desserts are so yummy good and her recent addition to coffee is such a plus.... But let me let you health nuts know .... I tend to one be at the right time..... The kale chips and the Kombacha is some of the best around! She also carries a bottle green juice that is delicious and much better choice than soda!!! The only thing I would add to this little slice of heaven is a juice bar..... It would fit right in that place where the art work is sold, I could help start that up... Hint hint. But regardless it is a fresh, funky, and wonderful place to eat!!!
(5)
Jay R.
They are friendly and offer food you probably won't find at other places in Nashville. I had the sesame noodles. Super delicious! They have couches to sit at, and you can also look at the incredible art on the wall.
(5)
Bob B.
It feels/looks dirty when you walk in. I want my food establishment to scream CLEAN. This use to be a automotive garage, still kinda has that smell. The sandwich was okay but nothing to write home about. It is a wanna be hipster place that misses the mark by a mile. I had the hot affair sandwich it was a little messy. A side of hummus. Like i said nothing special. I've had better sandwich from publix. Nothing to go out of your way for. Sub depot blows this place away. In the kmart plaza on Donaldson pike.
(1)
Lydia G.
We went to this place with my mom. I had the black bean burger. It was great. Big portions. my mom had the Reuben. She liked it. My husband had a classic sandwich and ate every bite. Will be back!
(4)
Matthew F.
Great place, we've made our way through most of the sandwiches and they are all unique and delicious. It's a Saturday tradition now.
(5)
Chad R.
Cool vibe! Food is good, the bar is great with good drink specials, live music, fun place.
(5)
Lindy B.
Today was my first time trying Phat Bites. Unfortunately we went to the old location on Allen Rd that is now closed. I was under the impression that they just opened an ADDITIONAL location, not just moved locations. It wasn't a huge deal though since the new location was only a mile or so up the street. However, even with exact GPS guidance it's still hard to spot due to it's awkward location next to Ace Hardware and the fact that there's no sign other than some painting on the window. Upon entering I was a little afraid my 67 yr old Aunt was gonna look at me crazy for bringing her there. It's very eclectic, funky, rummage sale, dreadlock-ish inside. Luckily Aunt Suzie is the coolest person I know and she felt right at home. As other reviewers have stated, it is a little silly to have the menu board up high and behind where you order. And definitely some directional signs would be helpful. Aunt Suzie originally thought we were supposed to pay at the old-cash-register-turned-condiment -organizer. Bless her. As far as the food goes, what we had was good. I really liked my VIP sandwich and she said her Charlotte wrap was tasty as well. We didn't have to wait long at all for our food. Less than 5 minutes. The things that would make this a 5 star spot for me are the following: *get outdoor signage you can see from the street *get directional signage on the inside. "Order here" "pay here" * new (or at least in better condition) tables and chairs I get that mismatched stuff is cool and eclectic, but some of the tables and chairs just looked broke down. And no thanks to sitting on a public, Goodwill couch.
(3)
Keith L.
Good food. Nothing else in town that's really like it. Good prices. Looooong waits. Don't go if you have a 30 minute or less lunch break.
(3)
Laini B.
I really enjoyed the wrap that I got from Phat Bites. I think their only issue may be consistency. The first time I got it it was great, the 2nd time it was just ok. There was a woman working there who seemed a little out of sorts and wasn't treating the staff very nice, but maybe that is their working style and they are used to it. I dont know but it made me feel bad for the staff.
(3)
J R.
Love, love, love everything that I ate! The food was fresh, clean, and filling. The only thing that I had issues with was my chewing. Some of the dishes had a lot of different nuts in them. At some point, I got tired of chewing but I continued on because the food was amazing! This place is very vegetarian friendly. I'd highly recommend this place to anyone.
(5)
Jessica T.
I want to love you Phat Bites, I really do! Your atmosphere is urban, creative and eclectic. Your food is absolutely yummy. On the other hand, your customer service sucks! I went in on a day where "shit hit the fan" and when I stated I had an online order and was told "We don't have any online orders", I was told what a hectic day it was. I was offered to have it made right then, but I chose not because I was already late for work. Instead I was given a coupon "buy one item get another free". I didn't read it at first because I sympathized the crazy day but when I actually read it later, not only did I pay for something I didn't get, I now have to pay again. Hence I'm giving 4 stars.
(4)
Erin D.
I went here for the first time a few weeks ago. It's right next door to my neighborhood Ace Hardware, so very convenient. I went at noon -- which wasn't the best idea -- we had to wait about 20 minutes to order (standing in line ordering, not sitting at a table) and then it took about 30 mins to get our food. The food was great. My friend and I both thoroughly enjoyed both our meals. I didn't enjoy the atmosphere. It felt ... dirty. The restaurant sits in what I believe was the repair garage for an old car dealership. And it still feels like that. The decor is wacky, hippie, but I would be more comfortable if it at least felt clean. I will be back, though, since it's pretty much the only place in Donelson to get a nice -- healthy -- meal.
(4)
Guglielmo F.
I gave Phat Bites a second chance today. Eh. The place isn't very clean (flues everywhere and puked up dishes behind the counter just sitting) and the food is mediocre at best. The staff is ok - a new guy today was nice, but other than that, not very attentive. And it's loud. I don't usually mind loud, except that it gets in the way of conversation. And because the inside is cinder block and highly reflective, there's no getting away from it. Basically, it's everything that's wrong with the hipster scene, without anything redeeming. Too expensive as well. Especially given that there's no way they should be able to pass inspection.
(2)
Megan M.
This was our very first stop upon arriving in Nashville. It was recommended by the gentleman at the rental car booth. I ate the Cowboy. It was an excellent sandwich. Had great flavor and the bread was fresh. The atmosphere was not expected but okay. It's a "whole in the wall" type place. Certainly not clean feeling, but who remembers the clean places. Some of the staff were great others needed a little help...dirty clothes, glazed over eyes. Neat place to go on vacation. I wouldn't be a regular if I lived here though.
(4)
Matt D.
New location feels unfinished. Sandwich was good but not great. Meat was dry. All ingredients were fresh. Overall cool eclectic atmosphere, but image not fully finished.
(3)
Bridget O.
A cool hipster vibe with awesome food. Hung out and had some great garlic hummus while watching some fun live music. Fun spot to hang.
(4)
William C.
It would be great if a wrap didn't take 30 mins, they also need to learn certain eating preferences. They thought vegan was just the absence of cheese and recommended tuna salad.
(1)
Iknow B.
Food quality has fallen over the past three years. Their reuben used to be good. Now it's a joke. Arby's at least uses SLICED corned beef brisket. Chopped? Are you kidding? Just a way to disguise the low quality and toughness of their brisket and VERY SKIMPY portion as well. They apparently have borrowed from their name and now only give a BITE of meat in their reuben. Complained to the manager about this change and it seems it's of course the owner's decision. I guess without the deeper pockets of your old owner (ellendale's) you decided to sacrifice quality to control food costs. You won't have my future business any longer. And the music was too loud for the filling station acoustics! Goodbye.
(1)
Doug J.
I have never used Yelp before, but after my 1st ( and last ) experience at Phat Bites, I felt like I would be doing society a horrible injustice by not reviewing this place. First off, the place is located in an old Chinese buffet in Donaldson directly adjacent to a hardware store. The interior of the "restaurant" looks like a cross between a Spencer's gifts blowout sale and a scene from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2. The menu is on a chalkboard behind you. There are bread and cheese options, but it doesn't specify what they are. My GF and I ordered food ( I ordered a veggie wrap minus tofu, no cooking required, should be quick and easy), we were then told to go into a separate bar area to pay via tablet. No cash accepted? We sat down and waited for what seemed like an eternity, especially considering it was 5 o'clock on a week day and we were basically the only ones in the place. After 30 minutes had elapsed, my GF went to check on the progress of our meal, only to be told that they had forgot to make it. Given the circumstance, This is completely unacceptable. I'm only leaving two stars because the beer I had during our wait was quite good and the bartender that refunded our money was (seemingly) genuine in her apology to us. The food may or may not be decent here, but due to the Decor, bad service, and terrible location, I will never know.
(2)
Tessa K.
I just want to thank everyone at Phat Bites for the catering order today for our meeting. I will be here all the time now to get our meetings off to a great start. Thanks to Julie and Emily thank you thank thank you. Best place in the world and great customer service.
(5)
Britt R.
phat bites is okay. 2 phat, the smaller counterpart, is actually way better. the fruit tea was very watered down, the portions of the chicken salad in the ninja star weren't as generous at this location, and the staff was less enthused about my business. I'll keep going to 2 phat instead for the same food.
(3)
tommie r.
This goddamn food is so tasty and these dudes are so nice it makes me sick. Sick in that I'm suddenly disgusted with most other places by comparison. Once you've been here you'll realize that the rest of the world is, by comparison, a wretched awful place. Good luck.
(5)
Jasmine J.
Two Words: Ninja Bomb. It's my favorite sandwich on the menu. (chinese chicken salad, carrots, sunflower seeds, granola, raspberry vinaigrette) I decided to rate four stars instead of five because I was unimpressed by the kraft single slices on my Turkey Wrap last time. Overall, a great place to grab a gigantic, affordable wrap & cheap sides made in house.
(4)
B G.
The review from Michael G is spot on. This place is REALLY screwing up something that other restaurants would kill for: a lot of hype. Forget about the food; it simply doesn't matter when the service is so awful. The people are friendly and all, but they don't seem to have a process for taking orders, building, cooking, etc. I have been there twice now and both times the wait was over 20 minutes AFTER ordering. And, one of the guys at our table got his food immediately... The food is good, but not so good that it's worth the poor service frustration. I will try them again in a few weeks to see if they've ironed out the (major) wrinkles.
(2)
Lindsay M.
I work super close to the new location of Phat Bites and finally had time today to stop by for some takeout. The new location is awkward to say the least. The inside order area/menu area is also super awkward and doesn't make sense, not to mention the food prep area looks like such a hot mess. They were cooking something on a single portable burner. What?! Anyway. I walked in while another customer was finishing her order. There were two girls helping her, one of which was wearing booty shorts and boots, which was strange to see in a restaurant. I felt like I was at Deja Vu. The lady ordered and I stepped up to order but both of the girls walked off. They walked back my way about 3 or 4 times and the male cook also looked at me and no one seemed to think that I was of any importance. I stood at the counter for about 4 more minutes before turning around and walking out. I almost told the businessman who was walking in to go elsewhere, but I decided not to take that route. I was super excited to eat at Phat Bites because it's maybe a block away from my job and I needed a new place to eat on a regular basis. Based on my visit today, I won't be returning. Learn some customer service skills, dress like you have some self respect, and get some management in this place. If you're too busy to help a customer immediately, ACKNOWLEDGE THEM. Tell them you'll be right with them. It is so easy and will save you from losing money in the future. There are plenty of other great places to eat in Donelson. Go to those.
(1)
Jason T.
I agree with B.G. and Michael G.'s reviews. I have tried Phat Bites three times now with the same experience each time. The staff was slow to take my order and the food took 20-25 minutes after ordering. The food was okay, but by far the best thing that I have eaten there was the Rueben. Phat Bites is close and convenient to my work, so I really want to like this place, but there needs to be some customer service issues addressed.
(2)
Heather V.
Try the spinach and feta hummus, it is amazing. I had the chicken caesar pita and if was wonderful. The caesar dressing was very flavorful and the greens (romaine, mixed greens, etc) were good quality and flavorful (not your typical bagged junk). Pulling up the the place I was skeptical (they're in an old garage) but give it a try, well worth it.
(5)
LaTamera W.
Loved the Turkey Wrap with goat cheese and cranberries. What excited me the most was that they used real sliced turkey and not deli thin processed turkey. I was so very happy about that. This has become my new favorite place for turkey wraps and all things salad. On my 2nd visit I tried the Tuna salad. Loved all the yummyness they added like cashews, grapes, and cranberries. Yes! this is a great spot. the atmosphere is lovely. The service was great. Lots of smiles. The beer lady was friendly and helpful. My first go with Fat Bottom Ginger Beer = new fan. Thanks Phat Bites.
(3)
Greg M.
My wife and I took our granddaughter after looking online for restaurants that were featured on the FoodTV show "Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives." You have to go to this place with a completely open mind, and for us the hippie mystique wore off fairly quickly. It was really hot outside and it wasn't much more cool inside. It was uncomfortably warm, which is probably due to the fact this is in an old service garage in a building shared with an Ace Hardware. There were flies buzzing around and landing on the food, the cement floor was painted and there was an eclectic collection of old, discarded furniture. All of the furnishings looked like recycled stuff.... you know, someone else's junk. I really liked my sandwich, although I agree with my wife's assessment that the steak strips were tough. The flavors worked for me and I don't mind grinding meat with my molars but my wife was spot on - the meat wasn't tender. There is nothing for a typical "kid" so beware anyone under 16 might not want anything on the menu. Our granddaughter ordered the grilled cheese, which was the only thing that didn't sound foreign to her. They asked her what type of bread and cheese she wanted and of course she asked for "white and American." They asked if sourdough would be okay and we assured her she should try it. They failed to tell us they substituted cheddar for American - you know you can tell the difference and even a kid isn't fooled - and they used mayonnaise instead of butter to brown the bread. Technically it was almost burnt, and to my granddaughter two bites was all she needed to call it quits. On our way out we laughed because two women happened to be leaving behind us and one said, "my grilled cheese was burnt." Also, be aware there is graffiti on the walls and some of it is profane. Not acceptable. If this was a bar I would be okay with it because I don't take the kids to bars. This was a DELI and therefore this was unacceptable. Guy Fieri should remove this place from his "Triple D" listing. WHAT A DIVE. FAILED ON MULTIPLE LEVELS.
(2)
Rachel H.
I loved Phat Bites before their move. They are even better now. Granted, it's a little tricky to find the first time being in the same building as Ace Hardware. I LOVE the chinese chicken salad and as long as I can get it that's what I will get. In salad with or without strawberries, but they are preferred, on a wrap, a sandwich, any way is always delicious. From what I know, they use natural, local ingredients in their food. So those strawberries you can't always get, along with some other thing because they just aren't in season. I understand. The yum yum bars you can get year round really do make up for it and the wait for your food is usually not very long. Plus, there is a bar. ;)
(4)
Stephanie C.
Another Triple D! The food was awesome! The decor and atmosphere are fun and funky! Guy had the Big Jerk and Kale salad which we had and loved every bite! It did seem a little chaotic for service and food time but we'll go back!
(4)
Andy D.
Great place for a sandwich and drink. Great music while you eat. Service is great too.
(5)
Jeffrey B.
If u like a Bohemian atmosphere you'll love this place. I usually have the Ninja Bomb - a Turkey wrap w cranberry salsa and granola for texture.
I love Phat Bites. I love the relaxed atmosphere, the friendly staff, and the fantastic food. I recommend the spinach and feta hummus.
(5)
Dew T.
Hummus! Amazing Hummus. I get the Chipotle every time, but their spinach is really good too. Most days I order the Hummus Envy or the 3 sides and get 2 sides of hummus and the kale salad. I wish it was closer because I'd eat there a lot more. Great vegetarian and vegan options. I love Phat Bites.
(5)
Lauren S.
So cool!! What an awesome little underground place. Great service, great prices...will definitely be returning!!
(5)
Keith H.
Dissapointing....This place has went downhill. I used to recommend it to everyone but now I'm not sure I'll go back. This makes 3rd time for a muffaletta and they were out of ingredients. Wanted a brownie but desserts had mold on them and their new places just feels dirty evertime I go. Sad sad sad.
(2)
Mike M.
Not horribly impressed. Arrived at 5pm on a Saturday and they were out of beef and pork. Got the buffalo chicken sandwich and it ended up being okay. Also, I found it a bit awkward to order...the menu is too extensive to stand there and look up to try to figure it out. Handheld menus would make more sense to me. Staff seemed kinda disengaged, but I'll give it another shot sometime with the hopes of a better experience.
(2)
Steven C.
This place is fantastic. The poor reviews must have been a result of the growing pains of moving. Fantastic food, quick and friendly service. The only place I know of that gives Mitchell's a run for their money!!!
(5)
Dagan B.
Got the Big Jerk and it was good. The VIP was good. Neither sandwich as good as Mitchell's but the cheddar broccoli salad was awesome. If i ate that alone it would be 5 stars. The pimento cheese was really good, The loaded potato salad was just missing something it wasnt bad but it needed something to make it special. Avoid the pasta salads at all costs lol they were bland and just plain not good.
(4)
Mary P.
This place feels like a food truck. Great street art, delicious food, terribly eccentric service, as eclectic an environment as you can imagine. Our veggie wraps were outstanding! The vibe is at once vintage thrifting and "get over yourself". Only place I know that let's you rummage while having lunch. I'd kick up the cleanliness a notch.
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Hipster Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : No Waiter Service : No Caters : Yes
Mitul M.
I really liked this place, my wife thought it was just OK but I'm writing this review so I'm giving it 5 stars. I'm just visiting Nashville from California so I'm not sure if this type of place is common here but given the music scene I would assume it would be. Vibe: a hipster/alternative vibe, slightly grungy but clean. This is the type of place I would typically spend a lot of time in. Everyone who worked there was friendly and welcoming. They had a stage so I assume they have live music some times. I went for lunch on a weekday. The kitchen smoke haze kind of hangs over the place, which is not ideal but could be fixed with an open window and a fan. Food: we had a large take out order for 8 people. I had the black bean burger, which was great. My father-in-law had the chicken Caesar wrap which he really liked. Everyone else had veggie sandwiches without hummus but realized that was a mistake and so added our side of hummus to their sandwiches which made them better. We ordered a random sample of sides, all of which were good. My favorite was the tomato and mozzarella salad but the black bean and corn salad was great also. I'm probably going to eat here again tomorrow.
(5)Katie B.
To be honest, I probably would have rated it highly before even trying the food just because it's one of the few unique places in the Donelson area with a good atmosphere, live music, and nice bar with local brews on tap. The good news is - the food is great! And even better, it's really affordable! I've eaten here four times in the month I have lived in the neighborhood. I love coming here and everything I'd tried has been really fresh and tasty. I highly recommend the kale salad - with walnuts, raisins, craisins, sunflower seeds, black beans, and garbanzo beans - it's the best mix of flavors and textures. I get it as a side every time. You can also get samples of the dishes behind the glass display, if you're curious about something. I've also had excellent, friendly service at each visit. And it's fun to see who's playing on a Friday night on their small stage in the corner. Donelson really needs more places like this. For now, I'll keep going back to Phat Bites!
(5)Violet P.
After stopping and absolutely loving it's sister restaurant Ellendale's, we decided to stop and check this place out. Since we were completely stuffed we couldn't eat any of the freshly prepared, yummy looking foods but we did take a tour of the place. The place is very eclectic! Loved it. The colors were so vibrant. Many places to sit and they have a stage for live music. Workers were very friendly and didn't seem to mind at all that we were just checking the place out. Will def return and try out the food on our next trip to Nashville.
(5)James M.
Holy hipster! I enjoyed this little place in a strip mall off of Lebanon Pike but I would have to warn others to expect a hipster/green atmosphere before heading here. It was cool and made me feel a little more edgy and healthy but I'm not sure it's for everyone. As far as the food, I came in and got a to-go wrap and Kale Salad today. The Ninja Bomb was a surprise. I did not expect the bag to weigh as much as it did when I picked it up and was amazed at the size, freshness, and flavor of the wrap. It's got chinese chicken salad, granola, carrots, lettuce, and raspberry vinaigrette for a crunchy, sweet wrap flavor. It's so good! The Kale Salad was also excellent as a side and had pecans, golden raisins, and couscous (I think) in it. It was just the right flavor and didn't include any unwanted flavors that Whole Foods often puts in theirs like red onions. Pros: Serving size and flavor. I was able to split the wrap and have two full meals off of the side salad and wrap. It was really impressive. The staff was kind, approachable, and happy to serve their guests. Cons: The atmosphere isn't very approachable for out of town guests so I'll just have to get them to trust me about the food. Overall: I really like that this place is truly different in a Nashville restaurant atmosphere which is often too safe, atmosphere-wise. The food was so good and was the perfect lunch hour break. It was also enough to feed me for two full meals!
(4)Alexa S.
So surprised that this place does not have better reviews. Everyone seems overly concerned with the decor, and not focused on the delicious, fresh made food that is served. My mother lives right in the area, and has been talking about Phat Bites like it is heaven on earth. I finally was able to come today for lunch. So happy they were open on Labor Day. On to the important stuff. It was busy when we went in, around 1230pm, but we were still greeted and as I was clearly overwhelmed with what to order, one of the workers suggested his favorites. I had a turkey wrap, my mother had a caprese sandwich, and we also ordered some spinach and feta hummus. Unlike the other reviewers, I found the decor to be refreshing. There are so many chain restaurants in Nashville, and especially in the Donelson area, that it's wonderful to see a place that thinks outside the box. We are New Yorkers, and Phat Bites feels like home for us. After about a 5 minute wait, we were served and I was ecstatic. Not only was the turkey fresh, it was not deli turkey. Someone clearly slaved over cooking a whole turkey, the mayo was freshly made, the veggies were ripe, and the quick pickle on the side was beyond delicious. My mothers fresh mozzarella was to die for, and the ciabatta bread was up to par with anything we'd get freshly baked in New York. But the hummus was OUT OF THIS WORLD. I would return just for that. If the "hipster" decor and staff are too "dirty" for you, then you are seriously missing out(by the way, everything I saw was clean and all people preparing food were wearing gloves). Nashville needs to be educated on locally run and sourced restaurants, cafés, and delis. Paying $7 for a fresh wrap/sandwich/salad is much better than the same price for a value meal at mcdonalds. I will definitely be a frequent customer.
(5)Victor G.
I love Phat Bites. I love the relaxed atmosphere, the friendly staff, and the fantastic food. I recommend the spinach and feta hummus.
(5)Dew T.
Hummus! Amazing Hummus. I get the Chipotle every time, but their spinach is really good too. Most days I order the Hummus Envy or the 3 sides and get 2 sides of hummus and the kale salad. I wish it was closer because I'd eat there a lot more. Great vegetarian and vegan options. I love Phat Bites.
(5)Lauren S.
So cool!! What an awesome little underground place. Great service, great prices...will definitely be returning!!
(5)Keith H.
Dissapointing....This place has went downhill. I used to recommend it to everyone but now I'm not sure I'll go back. This makes 3rd time for a muffaletta and they were out of ingredients. Wanted a brownie but desserts had mold on them and their new places just feels dirty evertime I go. Sad sad sad.
(2)Mike M.
Not horribly impressed. Arrived at 5pm on a Saturday and they were out of beef and pork. Got the buffalo chicken sandwich and it ended up being okay. Also, I found it a bit awkward to order...the menu is too extensive to stand there and look up to try to figure it out. Handheld menus would make more sense to me. Staff seemed kinda disengaged, but I'll give it another shot sometime with the hopes of a better experience.
(2)Kim F.
I was excited to try Phat Bites after reading the reviews. Everyone was spot on from the decor to the food. I chose the spicy Dijon turkey sandwich and my husband went with the Big Jerk. The spicy Dijon is no joke. I had to scrape some of the Dijon off, but still thoroughly enjoyed it. The Big Jerk was a crowd pleaser as well. We split the mozzarella and tomato salad...it was ok. We got two iced coffees to go and the flavor was phenomenal. Chocolate rocket fuel is the only way I can describe this delicious cold brew beverage. I got a dab of almond milk in mine and my husband chose to wait and add some bourbon cream from his stash. Both were delicious. Highly recommend grabbing some iced coffee on your way out to keep you going. Next time I will definitely try a wrap..somehow missed that menu board when ordering. Very friendly staff as well.
(4)Sheena T.
I was a bit bummed when Phat Bites moved to a new location, but I am pretty sure it's the same distance away from me, so no big loss! However, I drove past it the first time I visited, so keep your eyes peeled. It shares the same space as some nondescript business. I'm glad that the space is a lot bigger and they now have plenty of parking, even at peak times. The food, menu, and staff are the same. I came in for lunch a few times recently, and if you go early, you are golden. Anywhere between 11-12:00 you are fine. However, I stopped in around 12:30 and the line was long and order taking a bit annoying. I also waited about 15 minutes for my order, so it's not the quickest lunch option out there. When ordering take out, I like for it to be pretty quick, but expect to be at Phat Bites for at least 30 minutes at peak times. I still love the black bean burger that they offer. It's the best one I've had. I also have ordered a few sides. The kale salad is always great, and the hummus is out of this world! Phat Bites is amazing, so check them out!
(4)Eric H.
Bites, Booze and live music. All great
(5)Megan K.
Pretty cool little joint. We knew this highly acclaimed spot relocated to our neck of the woods not too long ago, and finally stopped by this weekend for lunch. Upon entering the warehouse/garage-reminiscent space, we waited in line for a bit. There was a "help wanted" sign on the door, so I wasn't too surprised that they appeared to be short-staffed. We finally had our order placed, and tried to figure out how to pay... We asked, and were sort of gruffly told to walk to the end of the line. We pay, sit at the cleanest table we could find, and waited... finally got our food, which was the highlight of the stop. My chicken salad was fresh and perfectly seasoned. Boyfriend had the Big Jerk -- a pork tenderloin situation on ciabatta -- which he raved about (albeit, it was a bit small). He also enjoyed the potato salad well enough. Glad we stopped by--I'm sure we'll be back. They offer Bongo Java and have a bar that stays open late, so I'm interested to explore that.
(3)Cassie B.
This place is a cute little hole-in-the-wall bar and deli. It's adorable and the atmosphere is cozy and relaxing. The food is fabulous! Fresh wraps are so good. I had the Ninja Bomb: Chinese chicken salad, sunflower seeds, lettuce, nuts and carrots in a wrap. It's sweet and savory at the same time. Everyone working here is super nice! They even have a patio area. If you are looking for a cute place without tourists, this is your place. I would definitely recommend it to anyone!
(5)Chris A.
I have been coming here for years. I have always loved the food and the art. Went in today - this is the first time I went in at the new location as I don't come to Donelson often. Still the same great sandwiches! I got the mufaletta today. The olive tapenade was wonderful. I really savored each fattening bite. I never have enough room to eat anything else. They have great looking salads too! Lots of awesome art. Heard a rumor that they were scouting east Nashville locations! EDIT: Lots of bad reviews here. For me, my sandwich only took about 7 minutes to make. And there were two people in front of me. The menu behind confused me at first, but it didn't take long to figure it out. Street signs I understand, would have been useful, but I found out about the new location via word of mouth. And I am ok with that. Its a local business that I am happy to support and will continue to give them my money!
(5)J G.
Generous portions and very flavorful options. Renovated garage that is bright and airy. Good vibe and great staff. Menu posted high right by door. Lots of options - especially for veg and non veg people. The hummus plate was awesome and easily shareable. Orbit bowl great but could only eat a third - so huge. Real value - definitely recommend.
(4)Kristin M.
My wrap was amazing! I had the buffalo chicken wrap and it was hot, very hot!!! It did take a while to get it though and it wasn't even packed. I definitely would not go around lunch time as the wait will be too long. I try to go after one when the lunch rush is over. Will definitely be back...after the lunch rush though, lol.
(4)Samuel E.
I've been here 3 times in the past week and a half. Their food is exceptional, I've been eating the Turkey Wrap and Big Jerk Chicken sandwhich. They taste amazing while being very unique and different. Also, the amount of food you get is definitely worth the money. Literally twice as big as I expected for the price. This will be my goto lunch spot for the future and can't imagine going anywhere else when it is so close to me, so good and a great deal.
(5)Jonathan B.
Food was pretty good, but the ordering setup is very awkward; I am not sure why the menu is located where it is, and why it seemed like a crazy question to ask where it was located. Once I ordered my food, I was handed a ticket and the staff walked away. It was not clear if I was supposed to wait there, take a seat, pay, or anything. I took a seat and my food came out (wrong name and setup to go, instead of eating in as I asked). It just felt like an awkward experience overall. I didn't mind the decor as some people comment on, but I felt very unwelcome. Overall, I enjoyed my food, but the customer service experience was extremely poor.
(3)Sarah A.
The food is awesome, huge side portions and wraps. My friend and I picked the first 2 wraps on the board to share. Forgot the names already, but one had pork, and the other had steak as the meat. Both had plenty of veggies, rice, and other goodies stuffed and rolled tight in their wraps. We picked 3 salads (the Greek, broccoli, and sweet potato) for sides to try. Each were good, but both of our favorites were the Greek. Layout and where you have to go to pay is a little confusing, but the staff is nice and helped us new-bees. Tall ceilings and open kitchen concept in a auto garage shell is fine with us. Walls were decorated in awesome graffiti art, and we enjoyed looking at the album covered tables, games, and local art. Staff had an eclectic look and were well trained- didn't act like corporate robots. Which is always a plus. I didn't see this place as "a wanna be hipster place", just a relaxed restaurant were anyone can come and enjoy good food. I've watched suit and tie guys, military in uniforms, hippies, college students, kids with parents and everyone in-between come in and eat. Bathroom was clean and had plenty of back up toilet paper and paper towels in a basket. Overall great food, great atmosphere, good music, awesome staff. So glad we stopped at Phat Bites to eat. This area needed a place like this.
(5)Anthony S.
My wife and I thought that the food was great. My wrap was tasty and fresh, her sammich was a big hit. She never likes avacado but she liked theirs. The staff were friendly and nice. Never claim that those who are hip are not friendly. The place is mucho popular and for good reason, but here are a couple of gripes: I like they have style, but I feel they should do more to improve the over-all condition of their location. Looking like a garage is cool, actually being a garage...not so much. Nothing led me to be suspicious of my food over it, but still. Maybe I'm just too old. I like chalk board menus. It means fresh and non-perpetual. It does need to be legible. Their boards are too busy to read quickly. When you're the only person in line (almost never) its ok to stare at the thing gaping until you can decide. Navigating it when busy just made me nervous.
(3)Brant I.
I want to like this place, I really do. There are so few quality independent restaurants in Donelson that when one shows any potential you want it to succeed. Inconsistent food quality, frequently leaving described dish components off, routinely poor service. Such is the story of Phat Bites. They made their reputation on a Diners, Drive In's, and Dives episode years ago and if they follow their current trend are well on their way to becoming irrelevant.
(1)Liz W.
I was in Nashville for a business trip, a lady at our hotel recommended that we go here. I had the Ninja Bomb wrap. Aside from the cool name, it is quite possibly the best wrap I have ever eaten. My coworker had the caprese sandwich, and thoroughly enjoyed that as well. I think if we had known about this place earlier, we may have gone here every day. I admit, the place seemed a bit sketchy at first. It is in a garage. But the inside was pretty cool. If you do go, make sure you check out the bathroom. Last but not least, staff was very friendly. You order and sit yourself, but everyone was nice and smiled.
(5)Linda A.
My sister was visiting and wanted to try this place after seeing it on DD&D. I'm not phobic about cleanliness but this place needs a bath. The young lady who was taking orders for those of us in line was not helpful at all for a first timer. I mentioned that I couldn't find their selection of sides on the chalkboards and she told me that was because they don't list their sides on the menus. OK, could you tell me about your sides? She said she could and then asked me which side I was interested in. I asked her again what sides they have and she asked me again which one I wanted. Sigh. I ended up ordering whatever was closest basically. The meat quiche of the day...a HUGE square of a more egg casserole than quiche with cheddar cheese melted on it. When it was handed to me I was warned that it was hot. Well, it wasn't. In fact the middle was COLD. The broccoli salad side was the best part of my meal, it was pretty good. The potato salad was awful and tasteless and I only had one bite before deciding it was not worth the calories. I ate about 1/4 of the quiche. Disappointing lunch. My sister had the Ninja Bomb wrap and it looked good. However, it took a really long time to get served. She inquired about it twice and the employees were not helpful at all. Finally it arrived. The Long Life or Live Long Salad (the reason she wanted to go here) was good. I'd never choose to come back here. Snarky help, questionable cleanliness and underwhelming food.
(2)Stan S.
I really enjoy the food each time I go. it is mostly healthy, fresh, flavorful, and uniquely prepared. Additionally, the atmosphere is laid-back and highly unpretentious. However, this also lends itself to mediocre service, long-lines, order confusion, and excessive (food) wait times. If you are not in a hurry and willing to overlook some attention-to-detail deficiencies, I'd suggest that you check it out.
(3)Kelly Ann W.
Love this awesome lunch spot. Super interesting sandwiches and salads. Crazy eclectic 'ambiance'- graffiti walls, a suit or armor, skeleton flying an airplane- what more could you want? I recommend the Asian noodles, broccoli salad, all the chicken salads and the spinach feta hummus.
(4)mookie b.
Phat bites is the shit.I fed my whole family of six for $42 .my family is a rock band . I had Anthony's orbit salad and it was deliciouser than a motherfucker. Don't get me started on that lavender infused ice coffee with almond milk.. Shit got my heart rate up and my taste buds a tingling.will definitely come back to pHa T bites when I roll through the country music city capital of the world again. Five stars five stars.
(5)Michelle S.
Found this place by pure luck and loved it! Can't really see it from the road (it's in the Ace Hardware plaza). Looks rundown from the outside but open the doors and you'll find a spunky, urban oasis complete with colorful wall murals and eclectic, collaged table tops. I had the Hummus Envy and was not disappointed. I chose two of their 6 hummus options and it was ready almost immediately. It tasted amazing and the portions were huge--I'll be eating this for dinner and possibly lunch again tomorrow. Will definitely be back.
(5)Barbra M.
Holy disappointment, Batman. This place used to be amazing! When I was pregnant this was my go to lunch spot. Service was amazing, food was to die for. I practically LIVED on caprese sandwiches. Then I went on maternity leave. I come back and the entire staff has turned over. What used to be a business filled with happy hipsters making slammin sammiches turned into a place filled with unfriendly, unsmiling, slow moving workers. I ordered a sandwich to go yesterday and ended up back at the office late from my hour long like break. Never again. They lost a long time, faithful customer yesterday. I would be hard pressed to go back unless I hear that they made major improvements. Attitude from the grill workers and eye rolls mixed with zero eye contact from the cashier. I can get better service from McDonalds and not have to pay $8.00 for a sandwich.
(1)Stephanie C.
I give kudos and stars, a place needs to be really bad for me to post something bad. I'd rather send you to heaven than to hell. Phat Bites is Donelson's little piece of goodness I love that the owner is into healthy fresh eating! Lots of good sandwhich, salads, and wraps ( try the Ninja Bomb, the Morphine wrap and The Cowboy,oh my goodness!!!!) her Long Life Salad and and homemade desserts are so yummy good and her recent addition to coffee is such a plus.... But let me let you health nuts know .... I tend to one be at the right time..... The kale chips and the Kombacha is some of the best around! She also carries a bottle green juice that is delicious and much better choice than soda!!! The only thing I would add to this little slice of heaven is a juice bar..... It would fit right in that place where the art work is sold, I could help start that up... Hint hint. But regardless it is a fresh, funky, and wonderful place to eat!!!
(5)Jay R.
They are friendly and offer food you probably won't find at other places in Nashville. I had the sesame noodles. Super delicious! They have couches to sit at, and you can also look at the incredible art on the wall.
(5)Bob B.
It feels/looks dirty when you walk in. I want my food establishment to scream CLEAN. This use to be a automotive garage, still kinda has that smell. The sandwich was okay but nothing to write home about. It is a wanna be hipster place that misses the mark by a mile. I had the hot affair sandwich it was a little messy. A side of hummus. Like i said nothing special. I've had better sandwich from publix. Nothing to go out of your way for. Sub depot blows this place away. In the kmart plaza on Donaldson pike.
(1)Lydia G.
We went to this place with my mom. I had the black bean burger. It was great. Big portions. my mom had the Reuben. She liked it. My husband had a classic sandwich and ate every bite. Will be back!
(4)Matthew F.
Great place, we've made our way through most of the sandwiches and they are all unique and delicious. It's a Saturday tradition now.
(5)Chad R.
Cool vibe! Food is good, the bar is great with good drink specials, live music, fun place.
(5)Lindy B.
Today was my first time trying Phat Bites. Unfortunately we went to the old location on Allen Rd that is now closed. I was under the impression that they just opened an ADDITIONAL location, not just moved locations. It wasn't a huge deal though since the new location was only a mile or so up the street. However, even with exact GPS guidance it's still hard to spot due to it's awkward location next to Ace Hardware and the fact that there's no sign other than some painting on the window. Upon entering I was a little afraid my 67 yr old Aunt was gonna look at me crazy for bringing her there. It's very eclectic, funky, rummage sale, dreadlock-ish inside. Luckily Aunt Suzie is the coolest person I know and she felt right at home. As other reviewers have stated, it is a little silly to have the menu board up high and behind where you order. And definitely some directional signs would be helpful. Aunt Suzie originally thought we were supposed to pay at the old-cash-register-turned-condiment -organizer. Bless her. As far as the food goes, what we had was good. I really liked my VIP sandwich and she said her Charlotte wrap was tasty as well. We didn't have to wait long at all for our food. Less than 5 minutes. The things that would make this a 5 star spot for me are the following: *get outdoor signage you can see from the street *get directional signage on the inside. "Order here" "pay here" * new (or at least in better condition) tables and chairs I get that mismatched stuff is cool and eclectic, but some of the tables and chairs just looked broke down. And no thanks to sitting on a public, Goodwill couch.
(3)Keith L.
Good food. Nothing else in town that's really like it. Good prices. Looooong waits. Don't go if you have a 30 minute or less lunch break.
(3)Laini B.
I really enjoyed the wrap that I got from Phat Bites. I think their only issue may be consistency. The first time I got it it was great, the 2nd time it was just ok. There was a woman working there who seemed a little out of sorts and wasn't treating the staff very nice, but maybe that is their working style and they are used to it. I dont know but it made me feel bad for the staff.
(3)J R.
Love, love, love everything that I ate! The food was fresh, clean, and filling. The only thing that I had issues with was my chewing. Some of the dishes had a lot of different nuts in them. At some point, I got tired of chewing but I continued on because the food was amazing! This place is very vegetarian friendly. I'd highly recommend this place to anyone.
(5)Jessica T.
I want to love you Phat Bites, I really do! Your atmosphere is urban, creative and eclectic. Your food is absolutely yummy. On the other hand, your customer service sucks! I went in on a day where "shit hit the fan" and when I stated I had an online order and was told "We don't have any online orders", I was told what a hectic day it was. I was offered to have it made right then, but I chose not because I was already late for work. Instead I was given a coupon "buy one item get another free". I didn't read it at first because I sympathized the crazy day but when I actually read it later, not only did I pay for something I didn't get, I now have to pay again. Hence I'm giving 4 stars.
(4)Justin L.
I really liked this place. The sandwiches are tasty and extremely affordable. I can eat like a king on the cheap, which I like. The flavor combinations are impressive as well. I really, really liked the location. It was awesome. It reminded me of Empire Records, but as a sandwich shop. The staff is friendly and knowledgable. The setup is a little wonky, but not too difficult to understand.
(4)Cali C.
Everything is so good! I love all the hummus. The potato salad and the southwest chicken salad is the bomb. You also get so much food, I can usually eat on it for a couple days.
(5)Rob W.
Drove from Florida to see it because saw it on Food Network. The kale salad was the feature and we asked for it. For the first time ever, they said, they were out of there famous kale salad. Other food was decent but very disappointed.
(2)Adam M.
Good selection of sandwiches, salads and wraps. Everything was tasty and fresh - and the pickle was so tangy. I liked the atmosphere of the shop - very artsy and fun.
(4)Mike L.
This place is awesome. Flew in and wanted to grab a bite to eat, get some work done, and wait for a coworkers to fly in. Great food, awesome music going, staff was great. Perfect atmosphere to chill and hang out. Hands down Great job!
(5)Erin D.
I went here for the first time a few weeks ago. It's right next door to my neighborhood Ace Hardware, so very convenient. I went at noon -- which wasn't the best idea -- we had to wait about 20 minutes to order (standing in line ordering, not sitting at a table) and then it took about 30 mins to get our food. The food was great. My friend and I both thoroughly enjoyed both our meals. I didn't enjoy the atmosphere. It felt ... dirty. The restaurant sits in what I believe was the repair garage for an old car dealership. And it still feels like that. The decor is wacky, hippie, but I would be more comfortable if it at least felt clean. I will be back, though, since it's pretty much the only place in Donelson to get a nice -- healthy -- meal.
(4)Guglielmo F.
I gave Phat Bites a second chance today. Eh. The place isn't very clean (flues everywhere and puked up dishes behind the counter just sitting) and the food is mediocre at best. The staff is ok - a new guy today was nice, but other than that, not very attentive. And it's loud. I don't usually mind loud, except that it gets in the way of conversation. And because the inside is cinder block and highly reflective, there's no getting away from it. Basically, it's everything that's wrong with the hipster scene, without anything redeeming. Too expensive as well. Especially given that there's no way they should be able to pass inspection.
(2)Megan M.
This was our very first stop upon arriving in Nashville. It was recommended by the gentleman at the rental car booth. I ate the Cowboy. It was an excellent sandwich. Had great flavor and the bread was fresh. The atmosphere was not expected but okay. It's a "whole in the wall" type place. Certainly not clean feeling, but who remembers the clean places. Some of the staff were great others needed a little help...dirty clothes, glazed over eyes. Neat place to go on vacation. I wouldn't be a regular if I lived here though.
(4)Doug J.
I have never used Yelp before, but after my 1st ( and last ) experience at Phat Bites, I felt like I would be doing society a horrible injustice by not reviewing this place. First off, the place is located in an old Chinese buffet in Donaldson directly adjacent to a hardware store. The interior of the "restaurant" looks like a cross between a Spencer's gifts blowout sale and a scene from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2. The menu is on a chalkboard behind you. There are bread and cheese options, but it doesn't specify what they are. My GF and I ordered food ( I ordered a veggie wrap minus tofu, no cooking required, should be quick and easy), we were then told to go into a separate bar area to pay via tablet. No cash accepted? We sat down and waited for what seemed like an eternity, especially considering it was 5 o'clock on a week day and we were basically the only ones in the place. After 30 minutes had elapsed, my GF went to check on the progress of our meal, only to be told that they had forgot to make it. Given the circumstance, This is completely unacceptable. I'm only leaving two stars because the beer I had during our wait was quite good and the bartender that refunded our money was (seemingly) genuine in her apology to us. The food may or may not be decent here, but due to the Decor, bad service, and terrible location, I will never know.
(2)Tessa K.
I just want to thank everyone at Phat Bites for the catering order today for our meeting. I will be here all the time now to get our meetings off to a great start. Thanks to Julie and Emily thank you thank thank you. Best place in the world and great customer service.
(5)Britt R.
phat bites is okay. 2 phat, the smaller counterpart, is actually way better. the fruit tea was very watered down, the portions of the chicken salad in the ninja star weren't as generous at this location, and the staff was less enthused about my business. I'll keep going to 2 phat instead for the same food.
(3)tommie r.
This goddamn food is so tasty and these dudes are so nice it makes me sick. Sick in that I'm suddenly disgusted with most other places by comparison. Once you've been here you'll realize that the rest of the world is, by comparison, a wretched awful place. Good luck.
(5)Jasmine J.
Two Words: Ninja Bomb. It's my favorite sandwich on the menu. (chinese chicken salad, carrots, sunflower seeds, granola, raspberry vinaigrette) I decided to rate four stars instead of five because I was unimpressed by the kraft single slices on my Turkey Wrap last time. Overall, a great place to grab a gigantic, affordable wrap & cheap sides made in house.
(4)Lindsay M.
I work super close to the new location of Phat Bites and finally had time today to stop by for some takeout. The new location is awkward to say the least. The inside order area/menu area is also super awkward and doesn't make sense, not to mention the food prep area looks like such a hot mess. They were cooking something on a single portable burner. What?! Anyway. I walked in while another customer was finishing her order. There were two girls helping her, one of which was wearing booty shorts and boots, which was strange to see in a restaurant. I felt like I was at Deja Vu. The lady ordered and I stepped up to order but both of the girls walked off. They walked back my way about 3 or 4 times and the male cook also looked at me and no one seemed to think that I was of any importance. I stood at the counter for about 4 more minutes before turning around and walking out. I almost told the businessman who was walking in to go elsewhere, but I decided not to take that route. I was super excited to eat at Phat Bites because it's maybe a block away from my job and I needed a new place to eat on a regular basis. Based on my visit today, I won't be returning. Learn some customer service skills, dress like you have some self respect, and get some management in this place. If you're too busy to help a customer immediately, ACKNOWLEDGE THEM. Tell them you'll be right with them. It is so easy and will save you from losing money in the future. There are plenty of other great places to eat in Donelson. Go to those.
(1)Jason T.
I agree with B.G. and Michael G.'s reviews. I have tried Phat Bites three times now with the same experience each time. The staff was slow to take my order and the food took 20-25 minutes after ordering. The food was okay, but by far the best thing that I have eaten there was the Rueben. Phat Bites is close and convenient to my work, so I really want to like this place, but there needs to be some customer service issues addressed.
(2)Heather V.
Try the spinach and feta hummus, it is amazing. I had the chicken caesar pita and if was wonderful. The caesar dressing was very flavorful and the greens (romaine, mixed greens, etc) were good quality and flavorful (not your typical bagged junk). Pulling up the the place I was skeptical (they're in an old garage) but give it a try, well worth it.
(5)Matt D.
New location feels unfinished. Sandwich was good but not great. Meat was dry. All ingredients were fresh. Overall cool eclectic atmosphere, but image not fully finished.
(3)Bridget O.
A cool hipster vibe with awesome food. Hung out and had some great garlic hummus while watching some fun live music. Fun spot to hang.
(4)LaTamera W.
Loved the Turkey Wrap with goat cheese and cranberries. What excited me the most was that they used real sliced turkey and not deli thin processed turkey. I was so very happy about that. This has become my new favorite place for turkey wraps and all things salad. On my 2nd visit I tried the Tuna salad. Loved all the yummyness they added like cashews, grapes, and cranberries. Yes! this is a great spot. the atmosphere is lovely. The service was great. Lots of smiles. The beer lady was friendly and helpful. My first go with Fat Bottom Ginger Beer = new fan. Thanks Phat Bites.
(3)Greg M.
My wife and I took our granddaughter after looking online for restaurants that were featured on the FoodTV show "Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives." You have to go to this place with a completely open mind, and for us the hippie mystique wore off fairly quickly. It was really hot outside and it wasn't much more cool inside. It was uncomfortably warm, which is probably due to the fact this is in an old service garage in a building shared with an Ace Hardware. There were flies buzzing around and landing on the food, the cement floor was painted and there was an eclectic collection of old, discarded furniture. All of the furnishings looked like recycled stuff.... you know, someone else's junk. I really liked my sandwich, although I agree with my wife's assessment that the steak strips were tough. The flavors worked for me and I don't mind grinding meat with my molars but my wife was spot on - the meat wasn't tender. There is nothing for a typical "kid" so beware anyone under 16 might not want anything on the menu. Our granddaughter ordered the grilled cheese, which was the only thing that didn't sound foreign to her. They asked her what type of bread and cheese she wanted and of course she asked for "white and American." They asked if sourdough would be okay and we assured her she should try it. They failed to tell us they substituted cheddar for American - you know you can tell the difference and even a kid isn't fooled - and they used mayonnaise instead of butter to brown the bread. Technically it was almost burnt, and to my granddaughter two bites was all she needed to call it quits. On our way out we laughed because two women happened to be leaving behind us and one said, "my grilled cheese was burnt." Also, be aware there is graffiti on the walls and some of it is profane. Not acceptable. If this was a bar I would be okay with it because I don't take the kids to bars. This was a DELI and therefore this was unacceptable. Guy Fieri should remove this place from his "Triple D" listing. WHAT A DIVE. FAILED ON MULTIPLE LEVELS.
(2)Jean J.
Saw this on the food network on Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives and searched this place out to try the citrus kale salad that was featured on the show. I drove a friend up to Vandy for an appointment and decided to have an early lunch here. Finding the place was a little bit difficult because it is BEHIND the ace hardware store in the same parking lot. There wasn't a sign indicating it was there. Parked in front at about 11am. Location looked like it used to be a car garage. Windows were tagged with the name of the business. I thought it was kind of cool. Went in and the place definitely was much larger on the inside. The decor is eclectic and urban. Had a chill atmosphere kinda like just a place to hang out and eat good food. I had to ask where the menu was and it's high up on the ceiling on chalk boards above the door. Also told him that it was hard to find and it would be useful to have a bigger sign. One of the guys said that they were having one done and should be up soon. I mentioned that they should have one of the area's graffiti artists to make a sign for them to fit in with the decor. He kinda chuckled but i think he was just humoring me. The kitchen was in the open and everyone seemed to be busy. There was a variety of cold salads that all looked good and healthy. All the ingredients are organic and fresh. They were cooking on an free standing electric grill but they recently moved and it just fits in somehow. It reminded me of a large island cabana roadside food cafe. And EVERYONE knows that those things have the BEST food!! Anyways.... The menu items had some crazy names but i think it tied in to the atmosphere well. They had a lot of items to choose from and they all looked good. I chose a turkey, bacon wrap with hummus, avocado and of course a plate of the kale salad! My friend chose the ruban sandwich and we sat down at one of the tables. I looked around a bit while we waited due to the only ones in there at the time. They have lounge couches and an area for a open mike poetry or local band. The garage doors looked like they would open up during the summer months and be kinda like a great place to just chill and have a beer. There wasn't a theme, it was just random and trippy. I loved it. They just picked furniture that they liked. I am a bit of a eclectic myself and i was comfortable. The place was clean!! I don't know why ppl gave such bad reviews. The food was AMAZING. They are not skimpy on the portions either. Most organic places give you a tiny plate that looks too pretty to eat. This place is no joke. It's like an urban free birds ( texas ppl you know what I'm talking about!!) If you're OCD about themes and matching things. And focus on the decor more than the food then you should probably not go there. I could only eat half the wrap and it was fresh!! The humus in it was amazing and the turkey tasted like they had prepared the bird. The bacon was crisp and yummy. The avocado was fresh and the pickle on the side was just crazy good. I could eat a jar of those things. My friend could only eat half of his reuben too. But he said that it was really good as well. One of the best one's he's had. The kale salad was A.M.A.Z.I.N.G!!! I have a love/hate relationship with kale. It's really good for you but i hate the taste of it. The salad had fruit and nuts in it, beans and a citrus dressing!! OMG!! I could of ate a bucket of that stuff. Half way through eating, people started flooding through the door about 12pm. It was a very popular place for lunch and you had a huge variety of people there. Just random people with no theme looking for a great place to eat!! I will def be back to this place when I'm around that area. It's pretty close to the highway too. I left full but not stuffed, light and not heavy. Great place with amazing food! If you want to think outside of the box, take off your shoes and chill for a bit and experience amazing organic food, i encourage you to go here. I will def. be back! :) Great place!!
(5)Rachel H.
I loved Phat Bites before their move. They are even better now. Granted, it's a little tricky to find the first time being in the same building as Ace Hardware. I LOVE the chinese chicken salad and as long as I can get it that's what I will get. In salad with or without strawberries, but they are preferred, on a wrap, a sandwich, any way is always delicious. From what I know, they use natural, local ingredients in their food. So those strawberries you can't always get, along with some other thing because they just aren't in season. I understand. The yum yum bars you can get year round really do make up for it and the wait for your food is usually not very long. Plus, there is a bar. ;)
(4)Stephanie C.
Another Triple D! The food was awesome! The decor and atmosphere are fun and funky! Guy had the Big Jerk and Kale salad which we had and loved every bite! It did seem a little chaotic for service and food time but we'll go back!
(4)Andy D.
Great place for a sandwich and drink. Great music while you eat. Service is great too.
(5)Jeffrey B.
If u like a Bohemian atmosphere you'll love this place. I usually have the Ninja Bomb - a Turkey wrap w cranberry salsa and granola for texture.
(4)B G.
The review from Michael G is spot on. This place is REALLY screwing up something that other restaurants would kill for: a lot of hype. Forget about the food; it simply doesn't matter when the service is so awful. The people are friendly and all, but they don't seem to have a process for taking orders, building, cooking, etc. I have been there twice now and both times the wait was over 20 minutes AFTER ordering. And, one of the guys at our table got his food immediately... The food is good, but not so good that it's worth the poor service frustration. I will try them again in a few weeks to see if they've ironed out the (major) wrinkles.
(2)William C.
It would be great if a wrap didn't take 30 mins, they also need to learn certain eating preferences. They thought vegan was just the absence of cheese and recommended tuna salad.
(1)Iknow B.
Food quality has fallen over the past three years. Their reuben used to be good. Now it's a joke. Arby's at least uses SLICED corned beef brisket. Chopped? Are you kidding? Just a way to disguise the low quality and toughness of their brisket and VERY SKIMPY portion as well. They apparently have borrowed from their name and now only give a BITE of meat in their reuben. Complained to the manager about this change and it seems it's of course the owner's decision. I guess without the deeper pockets of your old owner (ellendale's) you decided to sacrifice quality to control food costs. You won't have my future business any longer. And the music was too loud for the filling station acoustics! Goodbye.
(1)Steven C.
This place is fantastic. The poor reviews must have been a result of the growing pains of moving. Fantastic food, quick and friendly service. The only place I know of that gives Mitchell's a run for their money!!!
(5)Dagan B.
Got the Big Jerk and it was good. The VIP was good. Neither sandwich as good as Mitchell's but the cheddar broccoli salad was awesome. If i ate that alone it would be 5 stars. The pimento cheese was really good, The loaded potato salad was just missing something it wasnt bad but it needed something to make it special. Avoid the pasta salads at all costs lol they were bland and just plain not good.
(4)Aaron H.
Is it possible to give zero stars? What a sh*t hole. I mean the whole grunge thing is OK, but not in the kitchen. Maybe all kitchens are like that, but this one is out in the open where you can see it. I'm pretty sure I saw the guy on the grille pick a hair off a piece of bacon. Dreadlocks and goatees are fine - WITH A HAIRNET! Not sure these people know about hairnets - or hygiene in general.
(1)Danielle F.
3 stars for Great food.... When and IF it comes out. We've been a handful of times and something always gets forgotten or takes 30+min. I ordered a salad and came out as a wrap, or any modifications get forgotten like no tomatoes etc. there's always a customer at the counter asking about an item they never received. It's such a good place they really just need to get it together! We've decided to stop going for a while in hopes it'll get better. There seems to be no structure. Sad because it could do well if they had some sort of way or getting the food made and out the the customers. The food just comes out when it's ready so one person is done eating by the time the other gets their food...
(3)Brad E.
I went to Phat Bites for the first time the other day. I ordered the Black Bean Burger. It was absolutely delicious, and it was more than I could eat in one sitting! It took a bit longer than I expected, but I think part of it is that they just moved locations. You can definitely tell they are in middle ground mode right now. I can see the potential for a great atmosphere with yummy food!
(4)Brandon R.
Unfortunately, I am not able to say anything good about my experience there. I am all for supporting local businesses, but only when their service is worth it. Today was my first experience with this restaurant and it was not so great. What I am gonna say might seem critical, but they are points that I feel would serve the establishment well if they took notice. First off, the whole chalk board menu thing is cool and all, but there should also be some printed menus up front for people to look at. It is hard to place your order when the menu is behind you. Also when it came to ordering, I just assumed that you went straight to the cash register to place your order. I was quickly advised that I had to place my order back around the corner where there was already a line stacked up. I feel some simple directional signage would have easily helped in this situation. After ordering, my wife and I found our seats and preceded to wait...and wait...and wait some more. Finally our name was called with only one of our orders ready. I assumed the best and figured mine would be out soon. I get it if you are low on staff that day, but maybe just being up front with the customers saying "it might be a little while longer than normal today" might help. 50 minutes after ordering, we were forced to go up to the counter and ask about the missing order. She quickly scurried around and found a ticket with my name on it and handed it to me. At this point I was just ready to leave so we took our sandwiches to go and were out. It wasn't until I got home that I realized I had the wrong order. I apologize to the unlucky soul whose food I was given.
(1)Mary P.
This place feels like a food truck. Great street art, delicious food, terribly eccentric service, as eclectic an environment as you can imagine. Our veggie wraps were outstanding! The vibe is at once vintage thrifting and "get over yourself". Only place I know that let's you rummage while having lunch. I'd kick up the cleanliness a notch.
(4)J G.
Generous portions and very flavorful options. Renovated garage that is bright and airy. Good vibe and great staff. Menu posted high right by door. Lots of options - especially for veg and non veg people. The hummus plate was awesome and easily shareable. Orbit bowl great but could only eat a third - so huge. Real value - definitely recommend.
(4)Kristin M.
My wrap was amazing! I had the buffalo chicken wrap and it was hot, very hot!!! It did take a while to get it though and it wasn't even packed. I definitely would not go around lunch time as the wait will be too long. I try to go after one when the lunch rush is over. Will definitely be back...after the lunch rush though, lol.
(4)Jean J.
Saw this on the food network on Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives and searched this place out to try the citrus kale salad that was featured on the show. I drove a friend up to Vandy for an appointment and decided to have an early lunch here. Finding the place was a little bit difficult because it is BEHIND the ace hardware store in the same parking lot. There wasn't a sign indicating it was there. Parked in front at about 11am. Location looked like it used to be a car garage. Windows were tagged with the name of the business. I thought it was kind of cool. Went in and the place definitely was much larger on the inside. The decor is eclectic and urban. Had a chill atmosphere kinda like just a place to hang out and eat good food. I had to ask where the menu was and it's high up on the ceiling on chalk boards above the door. Also told him that it was hard to find and it would be useful to have a bigger sign. One of the guys said that they were having one done and should be up soon. I mentioned that they should have one of the area's graffiti artists to make a sign for them to fit in with the decor. He kinda chuckled but i think he was just humoring me. The kitchen was in the open and everyone seemed to be busy. There was a variety of cold salads that all looked good and healthy. All the ingredients are organic and fresh. They were cooking on an free standing electric grill but they recently moved and it just fits in somehow. It reminded me of a large island cabana roadside food cafe. And EVERYONE knows that those things have the BEST food!! Anyways.... The menu items had some crazy names but i think it tied in to the atmosphere well. They had a lot of items to choose from and they all looked good. I chose a turkey, bacon wrap with hummus, avocado and of course a plate of the kale salad! My friend chose the ruban sandwich and we sat down at one of the tables. I looked around a bit while we waited due to the only ones in there at the time. They have lounge couches and an area for a open mike poetry or local band. The garage doors looked like they would open up during the summer months and be kinda like a great place to just chill and have a beer. There wasn't a theme, it was just random and trippy. I loved it. They just picked furniture that they liked. I am a bit of a eclectic myself and i was comfortable. The place was clean!! I don't know why ppl gave such bad reviews. The food was AMAZING. They are not skimpy on the portions either. Most organic places give you a tiny plate that looks too pretty to eat. This place is no joke. It's like an urban free birds ( texas ppl you know what I'm talking about!!) If you're OCD about themes and matching things. And focus on the decor more than the food then you should probably not go there. I could only eat half the wrap and it was fresh!! The humus in it was amazing and the turkey tasted like they had prepared the bird. The bacon was crisp and yummy. The avocado was fresh and the pickle on the side was just crazy good. I could eat a jar of those things. My friend could only eat half of his reuben too. But he said that it was really good as well. One of the best one's he's had. The kale salad was A.M.A.Z.I.N.G!!! I have a love/hate relationship with kale. It's really good for you but i hate the taste of it. The salad had fruit and nuts in it, beans and a citrus dressing!! OMG!! I could of ate a bucket of that stuff. Half way through eating, people started flooding through the door about 12pm. It was a very popular place for lunch and you had a huge variety of people there. Just random people with no theme looking for a great place to eat!! I will def be back to this place when I'm around that area. It's pretty close to the highway too. I left full but not stuffed, light and not heavy. Great place with amazing food! If you want to think outside of the box, take off your shoes and chill for a bit and experience amazing organic food, i encourage you to go here. I will def. be back! :) Great place!!
(5)Cassie B.
This place is a cute little hole-in-the-wall bar and deli. It's adorable and the atmosphere is cozy and relaxing. The food is fabulous! Fresh wraps are so good. I had the Ninja Bomb: Chinese chicken salad, sunflower seeds, lettuce, nuts and carrots in a wrap. It's sweet and savory at the same time. Everyone working here is super nice! They even have a patio area. If you are looking for a cute place without tourists, this is your place. I would definitely recommend it to anyone!
(5)Mitul M.
I really liked this place, my wife thought it was just OK but I'm writing this review so I'm giving it 5 stars. I'm just visiting Nashville from California so I'm not sure if this type of place is common here but given the music scene I would assume it would be. Vibe: a hipster/alternative vibe, slightly grungy but clean. This is the type of place I would typically spend a lot of time in. Everyone who worked there was friendly and welcoming. They had a stage so I assume they have live music some times. I went for lunch on a weekday. The kitchen smoke haze kind of hangs over the place, which is not ideal but could be fixed with an open window and a fan. Food: we had a large take out order for 8 people. I had the black bean burger, which was great. My father-in-law had the chicken Caesar wrap which he really liked. Everyone else had veggie sandwiches without hummus but realized that was a mistake and so added our side of hummus to their sandwiches which made them better. We ordered a random sample of sides, all of which were good. My favorite was the tomato and mozzarella salad but the black bean and corn salad was great also. I'm probably going to eat here again tomorrow.
(5)Kim F.
I was excited to try Phat Bites after reading the reviews. Everyone was spot on from the decor to the food. I chose the spicy Dijon turkey sandwich and my husband went with the Big Jerk. The spicy Dijon is no joke. I had to scrape some of the Dijon off, but still thoroughly enjoyed it. The Big Jerk was a crowd pleaser as well. We split the mozzarella and tomato salad...it was ok. We got two iced coffees to go and the flavor was phenomenal. Chocolate rocket fuel is the only way I can describe this delicious cold brew beverage. I got a dab of almond milk in mine and my husband chose to wait and add some bourbon cream from his stash. Both were delicious. Highly recommend grabbing some iced coffee on your way out to keep you going. Next time I will definitely try a wrap..somehow missed that menu board when ordering. Very friendly staff as well.
(4)Katie B.
To be honest, I probably would have rated it highly before even trying the food just because it's one of the few unique places in the Donelson area with a good atmosphere, live music, and nice bar with local brews on tap. The good news is - the food is great! And even better, it's really affordable! I've eaten here four times in the month I have lived in the neighborhood. I love coming here and everything I'd tried has been really fresh and tasty. I highly recommend the kale salad - with walnuts, raisins, craisins, sunflower seeds, black beans, and garbanzo beans - it's the best mix of flavors and textures. I get it as a side every time. You can also get samples of the dishes behind the glass display, if you're curious about something. I've also had excellent, friendly service at each visit. And it's fun to see who's playing on a Friday night on their small stage in the corner. Donelson really needs more places like this. For now, I'll keep going back to Phat Bites!
(5)Violet P.
After stopping and absolutely loving it's sister restaurant Ellendale's, we decided to stop and check this place out. Since we were completely stuffed we couldn't eat any of the freshly prepared, yummy looking foods but we did take a tour of the place. The place is very eclectic! Loved it. The colors were so vibrant. Many places to sit and they have a stage for live music. Workers were very friendly and didn't seem to mind at all that we were just checking the place out. Will def return and try out the food on our next trip to Nashville.
(5)Linda A.
My sister was visiting and wanted to try this place after seeing it on DD&D. I'm not phobic about cleanliness but this place needs a bath. The young lady who was taking orders for those of us in line was not helpful at all for a first timer. I mentioned that I couldn't find their selection of sides on the chalkboards and she told me that was because they don't list their sides on the menus. OK, could you tell me about your sides? She said she could and then asked me which side I was interested in. I asked her again what sides they have and she asked me again which one I wanted. Sigh. I ended up ordering whatever was closest basically. The meat quiche of the day...a HUGE square of a more egg casserole than quiche with cheddar cheese melted on it. When it was handed to me I was warned that it was hot. Well, it wasn't. In fact the middle was COLD. The broccoli salad side was the best part of my meal, it was pretty good. The potato salad was awful and tasteless and I only had one bite before deciding it was not worth the calories. I ate about 1/4 of the quiche. Disappointing lunch. My sister had the Ninja Bomb wrap and it looked good. However, it took a really long time to get served. She inquired about it twice and the employees were not helpful at all. Finally it arrived. The Long Life or Live Long Salad (the reason she wanted to go here) was good. I'd never choose to come back here. Snarky help, questionable cleanliness and underwhelming food.
(2)Stan S.
I really enjoy the food each time I go. it is mostly healthy, fresh, flavorful, and uniquely prepared. Additionally, the atmosphere is laid-back and highly unpretentious. However, this also lends itself to mediocre service, long-lines, order confusion, and excessive (food) wait times. If you are not in a hurry and willing to overlook some attention-to-detail deficiencies, I'd suggest that you check it out.
(3)Kelly Ann W.
Love this awesome lunch spot. Super interesting sandwiches and salads. Crazy eclectic 'ambiance'- graffiti walls, a suit or armor, skeleton flying an airplane- what more could you want? I recommend the Asian noodles, broccoli salad, all the chicken salads and the spinach feta hummus.
(4)mookie b.
Phat bites is the shit.I fed my whole family of six for $42 .my family is a rock band . I had Anthony's orbit salad and it was deliciouser than a motherfucker. Don't get me started on that lavender infused ice coffee with almond milk.. Shit got my heart rate up and my taste buds a tingling.will definitely come back to pHa T bites when I roll through the country music city capital of the world again. Five stars five stars.
(5)Michelle S.
Found this place by pure luck and loved it! Can't really see it from the road (it's in the Ace Hardware plaza). Looks rundown from the outside but open the doors and you'll find a spunky, urban oasis complete with colorful wall murals and eclectic, collaged table tops. I had the Hummus Envy and was not disappointed. I chose two of their 6 hummus options and it was ready almost immediately. It tasted amazing and the portions were huge--I'll be eating this for dinner and possibly lunch again tomorrow. Will definitely be back.
(5)Aaron H.
Is it possible to give zero stars? What a sh*t hole. I mean the whole grunge thing is OK, but not in the kitchen. Maybe all kitchens are like that, but this one is out in the open where you can see it. I'm pretty sure I saw the guy on the grille pick a hair off a piece of bacon. Dreadlocks and goatees are fine - WITH A HAIRNET! Not sure these people know about hairnets - or hygiene in general.
(1)Danielle F.
3 stars for Great food.... When and IF it comes out. We've been a handful of times and something always gets forgotten or takes 30+min. I ordered a salad and came out as a wrap, or any modifications get forgotten like no tomatoes etc. there's always a customer at the counter asking about an item they never received. It's such a good place they really just need to get it together! We've decided to stop going for a while in hopes it'll get better. There seems to be no structure. Sad because it could do well if they had some sort of way or getting the food made and out the the customers. The food just comes out when it's ready so one person is done eating by the time the other gets their food...
(3)Brad E.
I went to Phat Bites for the first time the other day. I ordered the Black Bean Burger. It was absolutely delicious, and it was more than I could eat in one sitting! It took a bit longer than I expected, but I think part of it is that they just moved locations. You can definitely tell they are in middle ground mode right now. I can see the potential for a great atmosphere with yummy food!
(4)Brandon R.
Unfortunately, I am not able to say anything good about my experience there. I am all for supporting local businesses, but only when their service is worth it. Today was my first experience with this restaurant and it was not so great. What I am gonna say might seem critical, but they are points that I feel would serve the establishment well if they took notice. First off, the whole chalk board menu thing is cool and all, but there should also be some printed menus up front for people to look at. It is hard to place your order when the menu is behind you. Also when it came to ordering, I just assumed that you went straight to the cash register to place your order. I was quickly advised that I had to place my order back around the corner where there was already a line stacked up. I feel some simple directional signage would have easily helped in this situation. After ordering, my wife and I found our seats and preceded to wait...and wait...and wait some more. Finally our name was called with only one of our orders ready. I assumed the best and figured mine would be out soon. I get it if you are low on staff that day, but maybe just being up front with the customers saying "it might be a little while longer than normal today" might help. 50 minutes after ordering, we were forced to go up to the counter and ask about the missing order. She quickly scurried around and found a ticket with my name on it and handed it to me. At this point I was just ready to leave so we took our sandwiches to go and were out. It wasn't until I got home that I realized I had the wrong order. I apologize to the unlucky soul whose food I was given.
(1)Jonathan B.
Food was pretty good, but the ordering setup is very awkward; I am not sure why the menu is located where it is, and why it seemed like a crazy question to ask where it was located. Once I ordered my food, I was handed a ticket and the staff walked away. It was not clear if I was supposed to wait there, take a seat, pay, or anything. I took a seat and my food came out (wrong name and setup to go, instead of eating in as I asked). It just felt like an awkward experience overall. I didn't mind the decor as some people comment on, but I felt very unwelcome. Overall, I enjoyed my food, but the customer service experience was extremely poor.
(3)Rob W.
Drove from Florida to see it because saw it on Food Network. The kale salad was the feature and we asked for it. For the first time ever, they said, they were out of there famous kale salad. Other food was decent but very disappointed.
(2)Adam M.
Good selection of sandwiches, salads and wraps. Everything was tasty and fresh - and the pickle was so tangy. I liked the atmosphere of the shop - very artsy and fun.
(4)Mike L.
This place is awesome. Flew in and wanted to grab a bite to eat, get some work done, and wait for a coworkers to fly in. Great food, awesome music going, staff was great. Perfect atmosphere to chill and hang out. Hands down Great job!
(5)James M.
Holy hipster! I enjoyed this little place in a strip mall off of Lebanon Pike but I would have to warn others to expect a hipster/green atmosphere before heading here. It was cool and made me feel a little more edgy and healthy but I'm not sure it's for everyone. As far as the food, I came in and got a to-go wrap and Kale Salad today. The Ninja Bomb was a surprise. I did not expect the bag to weigh as much as it did when I picked it up and was amazed at the size, freshness, and flavor of the wrap. It's got chinese chicken salad, granola, carrots, lettuce, and raspberry vinaigrette for a crunchy, sweet wrap flavor. It's so good! The Kale Salad was also excellent as a side and had pecans, golden raisins, and couscous (I think) in it. It was just the right flavor and didn't include any unwanted flavors that Whole Foods often puts in theirs like red onions. Pros: Serving size and flavor. I was able to split the wrap and have two full meals off of the side salad and wrap. It was really impressive. The staff was kind, approachable, and happy to serve their guests. Cons: The atmosphere isn't very approachable for out of town guests so I'll just have to get them to trust me about the food. Overall: I really like that this place is truly different in a Nashville restaurant atmosphere which is often too safe, atmosphere-wise. The food was so good and was the perfect lunch hour break. It was also enough to feed me for two full meals!
(4)Sheena T.
I was a bit bummed when Phat Bites moved to a new location, but I am pretty sure it's the same distance away from me, so no big loss! However, I drove past it the first time I visited, so keep your eyes peeled. It shares the same space as some nondescript business. I'm glad that the space is a lot bigger and they now have plenty of parking, even at peak times. The food, menu, and staff are the same. I came in for lunch a few times recently, and if you go early, you are golden. Anywhere between 11-12:00 you are fine. However, I stopped in around 12:30 and the line was long and order taking a bit annoying. I also waited about 15 minutes for my order, so it's not the quickest lunch option out there. When ordering take out, I like for it to be pretty quick, but expect to be at Phat Bites for at least 30 minutes at peak times. I still love the black bean burger that they offer. It's the best one I've had. I also have ordered a few sides. The kale salad is always great, and the hummus is out of this world! Phat Bites is amazing, so check them out!
(4)Eric H.
Bites, Booze and live music. All great
(5)Megan K.
Pretty cool little joint. We knew this highly acclaimed spot relocated to our neck of the woods not too long ago, and finally stopped by this weekend for lunch. Upon entering the warehouse/garage-reminiscent space, we waited in line for a bit. There was a "help wanted" sign on the door, so I wasn't too surprised that they appeared to be short-staffed. We finally had our order placed, and tried to figure out how to pay... We asked, and were sort of gruffly told to walk to the end of the line. We pay, sit at the cleanest table we could find, and waited... finally got our food, which was the highlight of the stop. My chicken salad was fresh and perfectly seasoned. Boyfriend had the Big Jerk -- a pork tenderloin situation on ciabatta -- which he raved about (albeit, it was a bit small). He also enjoyed the potato salad well enough. Glad we stopped by--I'm sure we'll be back. They offer Bongo Java and have a bar that stays open late, so I'm interested to explore that.
(3)Chris A.
I have been coming here for years. I have always loved the food and the art. Went in today - this is the first time I went in at the new location as I don't come to Donelson often. Still the same great sandwiches! I got the mufaletta today. The olive tapenade was wonderful. I really savored each fattening bite. I never have enough room to eat anything else. They have great looking salads too! Lots of awesome art. Heard a rumor that they were scouting east Nashville locations! EDIT: Lots of bad reviews here. For me, my sandwich only took about 7 minutes to make. And there were two people in front of me. The menu behind confused me at first, but it didn't take long to figure it out. Street signs I understand, would have been useful, but I found out about the new location via word of mouth. And I am ok with that. Its a local business that I am happy to support and will continue to give them my money!
(5)Liz W.
I was in Nashville for a business trip, a lady at our hotel recommended that we go here. I had the Ninja Bomb wrap. Aside from the cool name, it is quite possibly the best wrap I have ever eaten. My coworker had the caprese sandwich, and thoroughly enjoyed that as well. I think if we had known about this place earlier, we may have gone here every day. I admit, the place seemed a bit sketchy at first. It is in a garage. But the inside was pretty cool. If you do go, make sure you check out the bathroom. Last but not least, staff was very friendly. You order and sit yourself, but everyone was nice and smiled.
(5)Samuel E.
I've been here 3 times in the past week and a half. Their food is exceptional, I've been eating the Turkey Wrap and Big Jerk Chicken sandwhich. They taste amazing while being very unique and different. Also, the amount of food you get is definitely worth the money. Literally twice as big as I expected for the price. This will be my goto lunch spot for the future and can't imagine going anywhere else when it is so close to me, so good and a great deal.
(5)Sarah A.
The food is awesome, huge side portions and wraps. My friend and I picked the first 2 wraps on the board to share. Forgot the names already, but one had pork, and the other had steak as the meat. Both had plenty of veggies, rice, and other goodies stuffed and rolled tight in their wraps. We picked 3 salads (the Greek, broccoli, and sweet potato) for sides to try. Each were good, but both of our favorites were the Greek. Layout and where you have to go to pay is a little confusing, but the staff is nice and helped us new-bees. Tall ceilings and open kitchen concept in a auto garage shell is fine with us. Walls were decorated in awesome graffiti art, and we enjoyed looking at the album covered tables, games, and local art. Staff had an eclectic look and were well trained- didn't act like corporate robots. Which is always a plus. I didn't see this place as "a wanna be hipster place", just a relaxed restaurant were anyone can come and enjoy good food. I've watched suit and tie guys, military in uniforms, hippies, college students, kids with parents and everyone in-between come in and eat. Bathroom was clean and had plenty of back up toilet paper and paper towels in a basket. Overall great food, great atmosphere, good music, awesome staff. So glad we stopped at Phat Bites to eat. This area needed a place like this.
(5)Anthony S.
My wife and I thought that the food was great. My wrap was tasty and fresh, her sammich was a big hit. She never likes avacado but she liked theirs. The staff were friendly and nice. Never claim that those who are hip are not friendly. The place is mucho popular and for good reason, but here are a couple of gripes: I like they have style, but I feel they should do more to improve the over-all condition of their location. Looking like a garage is cool, actually being a garage...not so much. Nothing led me to be suspicious of my food over it, but still. Maybe I'm just too old. I like chalk board menus. It means fresh and non-perpetual. It does need to be legible. Their boards are too busy to read quickly. When you're the only person in line (almost never) its ok to stare at the thing gaping until you can decide. Navigating it when busy just made me nervous.
(3)Brant I.
I want to like this place, I really do. There are so few quality independent restaurants in Donelson that when one shows any potential you want it to succeed. Inconsistent food quality, frequently leaving described dish components off, routinely poor service. Such is the story of Phat Bites. They made their reputation on a Diners, Drive In's, and Dives episode years ago and if they follow their current trend are well on their way to becoming irrelevant.
(1)Justin L.
I really liked this place. The sandwiches are tasty and extremely affordable. I can eat like a king on the cheap, which I like. The flavor combinations are impressive as well. I really, really liked the location. It was awesome. It reminded me of Empire Records, but as a sandwich shop. The staff is friendly and knowledgable. The setup is a little wonky, but not too difficult to understand.
(4)Cali C.
Everything is so good! I love all the hummus. The potato salad and the southwest chicken salad is the bomb. You also get so much food, I can usually eat on it for a couple days.
(5)Barbra M.
Holy disappointment, Batman. This place used to be amazing! When I was pregnant this was my go to lunch spot. Service was amazing, food was to die for. I practically LIVED on caprese sandwiches. Then I went on maternity leave. I come back and the entire staff has turned over. What used to be a business filled with happy hipsters making slammin sammiches turned into a place filled with unfriendly, unsmiling, slow moving workers. I ordered a sandwich to go yesterday and ended up back at the office late from my hour long like break. Never again. They lost a long time, faithful customer yesterday. I would be hard pressed to go back unless I hear that they made major improvements. Attitude from the grill workers and eye rolls mixed with zero eye contact from the cashier. I can get better service from McDonalds and not have to pay $8.00 for a sandwich.
(1)Stephanie C.
I give kudos and stars, a place needs to be really bad for me to post something bad. I'd rather send you to heaven than to hell. Phat Bites is Donelson's little piece of goodness I love that the owner is into healthy fresh eating! Lots of good sandwhich, salads, and wraps ( try the Ninja Bomb, the Morphine wrap and The Cowboy,oh my goodness!!!!) her Long Life Salad and and homemade desserts are so yummy good and her recent addition to coffee is such a plus.... But let me let you health nuts know .... I tend to one be at the right time..... The kale chips and the Kombacha is some of the best around! She also carries a bottle green juice that is delicious and much better choice than soda!!! The only thing I would add to this little slice of heaven is a juice bar..... It would fit right in that place where the art work is sold, I could help start that up... Hint hint. But regardless it is a fresh, funky, and wonderful place to eat!!!
(5)Jay R.
They are friendly and offer food you probably won't find at other places in Nashville. I had the sesame noodles. Super delicious! They have couches to sit at, and you can also look at the incredible art on the wall.
(5)Bob B.
It feels/looks dirty when you walk in. I want my food establishment to scream CLEAN. This use to be a automotive garage, still kinda has that smell. The sandwich was okay but nothing to write home about. It is a wanna be hipster place that misses the mark by a mile. I had the hot affair sandwich it was a little messy. A side of hummus. Like i said nothing special. I've had better sandwich from publix. Nothing to go out of your way for. Sub depot blows this place away. In the kmart plaza on Donaldson pike.
(1)Lydia G.
We went to this place with my mom. I had the black bean burger. It was great. Big portions. my mom had the Reuben. She liked it. My husband had a classic sandwich and ate every bite. Will be back!
(4)Matthew F.
Great place, we've made our way through most of the sandwiches and they are all unique and delicious. It's a Saturday tradition now.
(5)Chad R.
Cool vibe! Food is good, the bar is great with good drink specials, live music, fun place.
(5)Lindy B.
Today was my first time trying Phat Bites. Unfortunately we went to the old location on Allen Rd that is now closed. I was under the impression that they just opened an ADDITIONAL location, not just moved locations. It wasn't a huge deal though since the new location was only a mile or so up the street. However, even with exact GPS guidance it's still hard to spot due to it's awkward location next to Ace Hardware and the fact that there's no sign other than some painting on the window. Upon entering I was a little afraid my 67 yr old Aunt was gonna look at me crazy for bringing her there. It's very eclectic, funky, rummage sale, dreadlock-ish inside. Luckily Aunt Suzie is the coolest person I know and she felt right at home. As other reviewers have stated, it is a little silly to have the menu board up high and behind where you order. And definitely some directional signs would be helpful. Aunt Suzie originally thought we were supposed to pay at the old-cash-register-turned-condiment -organizer. Bless her. As far as the food goes, what we had was good. I really liked my VIP sandwich and she said her Charlotte wrap was tasty as well. We didn't have to wait long at all for our food. Less than 5 minutes. The things that would make this a 5 star spot for me are the following: *get outdoor signage you can see from the street *get directional signage on the inside. "Order here" "pay here" * new (or at least in better condition) tables and chairs I get that mismatched stuff is cool and eclectic, but some of the tables and chairs just looked broke down. And no thanks to sitting on a public, Goodwill couch.
(3)Keith L.
Good food. Nothing else in town that's really like it. Good prices. Looooong waits. Don't go if you have a 30 minute or less lunch break.
(3)Laini B.
I really enjoyed the wrap that I got from Phat Bites. I think their only issue may be consistency. The first time I got it it was great, the 2nd time it was just ok. There was a woman working there who seemed a little out of sorts and wasn't treating the staff very nice, but maybe that is their working style and they are used to it. I dont know but it made me feel bad for the staff.
(3)J R.
Love, love, love everything that I ate! The food was fresh, clean, and filling. The only thing that I had issues with was my chewing. Some of the dishes had a lot of different nuts in them. At some point, I got tired of chewing but I continued on because the food was amazing! This place is very vegetarian friendly. I'd highly recommend this place to anyone.
(5)Jessica T.
I want to love you Phat Bites, I really do! Your atmosphere is urban, creative and eclectic. Your food is absolutely yummy. On the other hand, your customer service sucks! I went in on a day where "shit hit the fan" and when I stated I had an online order and was told "We don't have any online orders", I was told what a hectic day it was. I was offered to have it made right then, but I chose not because I was already late for work. Instead I was given a coupon "buy one item get another free". I didn't read it at first because I sympathized the crazy day but when I actually read it later, not only did I pay for something I didn't get, I now have to pay again. Hence I'm giving 4 stars.
(4)Erin D.
I went here for the first time a few weeks ago. It's right next door to my neighborhood Ace Hardware, so very convenient. I went at noon -- which wasn't the best idea -- we had to wait about 20 minutes to order (standing in line ordering, not sitting at a table) and then it took about 30 mins to get our food. The food was great. My friend and I both thoroughly enjoyed both our meals. I didn't enjoy the atmosphere. It felt ... dirty. The restaurant sits in what I believe was the repair garage for an old car dealership. And it still feels like that. The decor is wacky, hippie, but I would be more comfortable if it at least felt clean. I will be back, though, since it's pretty much the only place in Donelson to get a nice -- healthy -- meal.
(4)Guglielmo F.
I gave Phat Bites a second chance today. Eh. The place isn't very clean (flues everywhere and puked up dishes behind the counter just sitting) and the food is mediocre at best. The staff is ok - a new guy today was nice, but other than that, not very attentive. And it's loud. I don't usually mind loud, except that it gets in the way of conversation. And because the inside is cinder block and highly reflective, there's no getting away from it. Basically, it's everything that's wrong with the hipster scene, without anything redeeming. Too expensive as well. Especially given that there's no way they should be able to pass inspection.
(2)Megan M.
This was our very first stop upon arriving in Nashville. It was recommended by the gentleman at the rental car booth. I ate the Cowboy. It was an excellent sandwich. Had great flavor and the bread was fresh. The atmosphere was not expected but okay. It's a "whole in the wall" type place. Certainly not clean feeling, but who remembers the clean places. Some of the staff were great others needed a little help...dirty clothes, glazed over eyes. Neat place to go on vacation. I wouldn't be a regular if I lived here though.
(4)Matt D.
New location feels unfinished. Sandwich was good but not great. Meat was dry. All ingredients were fresh. Overall cool eclectic atmosphere, but image not fully finished.
(3)Bridget O.
A cool hipster vibe with awesome food. Hung out and had some great garlic hummus while watching some fun live music. Fun spot to hang.
(4)William C.
It would be great if a wrap didn't take 30 mins, they also need to learn certain eating preferences. They thought vegan was just the absence of cheese and recommended tuna salad.
(1)Iknow B.
Food quality has fallen over the past three years. Their reuben used to be good. Now it's a joke. Arby's at least uses SLICED corned beef brisket. Chopped? Are you kidding? Just a way to disguise the low quality and toughness of their brisket and VERY SKIMPY portion as well. They apparently have borrowed from their name and now only give a BITE of meat in their reuben. Complained to the manager about this change and it seems it's of course the owner's decision. I guess without the deeper pockets of your old owner (ellendale's) you decided to sacrifice quality to control food costs. You won't have my future business any longer. And the music was too loud for the filling station acoustics! Goodbye.
(1)Doug J.
I have never used Yelp before, but after my 1st ( and last ) experience at Phat Bites, I felt like I would be doing society a horrible injustice by not reviewing this place. First off, the place is located in an old Chinese buffet in Donaldson directly adjacent to a hardware store. The interior of the "restaurant" looks like a cross between a Spencer's gifts blowout sale and a scene from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2. The menu is on a chalkboard behind you. There are bread and cheese options, but it doesn't specify what they are. My GF and I ordered food ( I ordered a veggie wrap minus tofu, no cooking required, should be quick and easy), we were then told to go into a separate bar area to pay via tablet. No cash accepted? We sat down and waited for what seemed like an eternity, especially considering it was 5 o'clock on a week day and we were basically the only ones in the place. After 30 minutes had elapsed, my GF went to check on the progress of our meal, only to be told that they had forgot to make it. Given the circumstance, This is completely unacceptable. I'm only leaving two stars because the beer I had during our wait was quite good and the bartender that refunded our money was (seemingly) genuine in her apology to us. The food may or may not be decent here, but due to the Decor, bad service, and terrible location, I will never know.
(2)Tessa K.
I just want to thank everyone at Phat Bites for the catering order today for our meeting. I will be here all the time now to get our meetings off to a great start. Thanks to Julie and Emily thank you thank thank you. Best place in the world and great customer service.
(5)Britt R.
phat bites is okay. 2 phat, the smaller counterpart, is actually way better. the fruit tea was very watered down, the portions of the chicken salad in the ninja star weren't as generous at this location, and the staff was less enthused about my business. I'll keep going to 2 phat instead for the same food.
(3)tommie r.
This goddamn food is so tasty and these dudes are so nice it makes me sick. Sick in that I'm suddenly disgusted with most other places by comparison. Once you've been here you'll realize that the rest of the world is, by comparison, a wretched awful place. Good luck.
(5)Jasmine J.
Two Words: Ninja Bomb. It's my favorite sandwich on the menu. (chinese chicken salad, carrots, sunflower seeds, granola, raspberry vinaigrette) I decided to rate four stars instead of five because I was unimpressed by the kraft single slices on my Turkey Wrap last time. Overall, a great place to grab a gigantic, affordable wrap & cheap sides made in house.
(4)B G.
The review from Michael G is spot on. This place is REALLY screwing up something that other restaurants would kill for: a lot of hype. Forget about the food; it simply doesn't matter when the service is so awful. The people are friendly and all, but they don't seem to have a process for taking orders, building, cooking, etc. I have been there twice now and both times the wait was over 20 minutes AFTER ordering. And, one of the guys at our table got his food immediately... The food is good, but not so good that it's worth the poor service frustration. I will try them again in a few weeks to see if they've ironed out the (major) wrinkles.
(2)Lindsay M.
I work super close to the new location of Phat Bites and finally had time today to stop by for some takeout. The new location is awkward to say the least. The inside order area/menu area is also super awkward and doesn't make sense, not to mention the food prep area looks like such a hot mess. They were cooking something on a single portable burner. What?! Anyway. I walked in while another customer was finishing her order. There were two girls helping her, one of which was wearing booty shorts and boots, which was strange to see in a restaurant. I felt like I was at Deja Vu. The lady ordered and I stepped up to order but both of the girls walked off. They walked back my way about 3 or 4 times and the male cook also looked at me and no one seemed to think that I was of any importance. I stood at the counter for about 4 more minutes before turning around and walking out. I almost told the businessman who was walking in to go elsewhere, but I decided not to take that route. I was super excited to eat at Phat Bites because it's maybe a block away from my job and I needed a new place to eat on a regular basis. Based on my visit today, I won't be returning. Learn some customer service skills, dress like you have some self respect, and get some management in this place. If you're too busy to help a customer immediately, ACKNOWLEDGE THEM. Tell them you'll be right with them. It is so easy and will save you from losing money in the future. There are plenty of other great places to eat in Donelson. Go to those.
(1)Jason T.
I agree with B.G. and Michael G.'s reviews. I have tried Phat Bites three times now with the same experience each time. The staff was slow to take my order and the food took 20-25 minutes after ordering. The food was okay, but by far the best thing that I have eaten there was the Rueben. Phat Bites is close and convenient to my work, so I really want to like this place, but there needs to be some customer service issues addressed.
(2)Heather V.
Try the spinach and feta hummus, it is amazing. I had the chicken caesar pita and if was wonderful. The caesar dressing was very flavorful and the greens (romaine, mixed greens, etc) were good quality and flavorful (not your typical bagged junk). Pulling up the the place I was skeptical (they're in an old garage) but give it a try, well worth it.
(5)LaTamera W.
Loved the Turkey Wrap with goat cheese and cranberries. What excited me the most was that they used real sliced turkey and not deli thin processed turkey. I was so very happy about that. This has become my new favorite place for turkey wraps and all things salad. On my 2nd visit I tried the Tuna salad. Loved all the yummyness they added like cashews, grapes, and cranberries. Yes! this is a great spot. the atmosphere is lovely. The service was great. Lots of smiles. The beer lady was friendly and helpful. My first go with Fat Bottom Ginger Beer = new fan. Thanks Phat Bites.
(3)Greg M.
My wife and I took our granddaughter after looking online for restaurants that were featured on the FoodTV show "Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives." You have to go to this place with a completely open mind, and for us the hippie mystique wore off fairly quickly. It was really hot outside and it wasn't much more cool inside. It was uncomfortably warm, which is probably due to the fact this is in an old service garage in a building shared with an Ace Hardware. There were flies buzzing around and landing on the food, the cement floor was painted and there was an eclectic collection of old, discarded furniture. All of the furnishings looked like recycled stuff.... you know, someone else's junk. I really liked my sandwich, although I agree with my wife's assessment that the steak strips were tough. The flavors worked for me and I don't mind grinding meat with my molars but my wife was spot on - the meat wasn't tender. There is nothing for a typical "kid" so beware anyone under 16 might not want anything on the menu. Our granddaughter ordered the grilled cheese, which was the only thing that didn't sound foreign to her. They asked her what type of bread and cheese she wanted and of course she asked for "white and American." They asked if sourdough would be okay and we assured her she should try it. They failed to tell us they substituted cheddar for American - you know you can tell the difference and even a kid isn't fooled - and they used mayonnaise instead of butter to brown the bread. Technically it was almost burnt, and to my granddaughter two bites was all she needed to call it quits. On our way out we laughed because two women happened to be leaving behind us and one said, "my grilled cheese was burnt." Also, be aware there is graffiti on the walls and some of it is profane. Not acceptable. If this was a bar I would be okay with it because I don't take the kids to bars. This was a DELI and therefore this was unacceptable. Guy Fieri should remove this place from his "Triple D" listing. WHAT A DIVE. FAILED ON MULTIPLE LEVELS.
(2)Rachel H.
I loved Phat Bites before their move. They are even better now. Granted, it's a little tricky to find the first time being in the same building as Ace Hardware. I LOVE the chinese chicken salad and as long as I can get it that's what I will get. In salad with or without strawberries, but they are preferred, on a wrap, a sandwich, any way is always delicious. From what I know, they use natural, local ingredients in their food. So those strawberries you can't always get, along with some other thing because they just aren't in season. I understand. The yum yum bars you can get year round really do make up for it and the wait for your food is usually not very long. Plus, there is a bar. ;)
(4)Stephanie C.
Another Triple D! The food was awesome! The decor and atmosphere are fun and funky! Guy had the Big Jerk and Kale salad which we had and loved every bite! It did seem a little chaotic for service and food time but we'll go back!
(4)Andy D.
Great place for a sandwich and drink. Great music while you eat. Service is great too.
(5)Jeffrey B.
If u like a Bohemian atmosphere you'll love this place. I usually have the Ninja Bomb - a Turkey wrap w cranberry salsa and granola for texture.
(4)Alexa S.
So surprised that this place does not have better reviews. Everyone seems overly concerned with the decor, and not focused on the delicious, fresh made food that is served. My mother lives right in the area, and has been talking about Phat Bites like it is heaven on earth. I finally was able to come today for lunch. So happy they were open on Labor Day. On to the important stuff. It was busy when we went in, around 1230pm, but we were still greeted and as I was clearly overwhelmed with what to order, one of the workers suggested his favorites. I had a turkey wrap, my mother had a caprese sandwich, and we also ordered some spinach and feta hummus. Unlike the other reviewers, I found the decor to be refreshing. There are so many chain restaurants in Nashville, and especially in the Donelson area, that it's wonderful to see a place that thinks outside the box. We are New Yorkers, and Phat Bites feels like home for us. After about a 5 minute wait, we were served and I was ecstatic. Not only was the turkey fresh, it was not deli turkey. Someone clearly slaved over cooking a whole turkey, the mayo was freshly made, the veggies were ripe, and the quick pickle on the side was beyond delicious. My mothers fresh mozzarella was to die for, and the ciabatta bread was up to par with anything we'd get freshly baked in New York. But the hummus was OUT OF THIS WORLD. I would return just for that. If the "hipster" decor and staff are too "dirty" for you, then you are seriously missing out(by the way, everything I saw was clean and all people preparing food were wearing gloves). Nashville needs to be educated on locally run and sourced restaurants, cafés, and delis. Paying $7 for a fresh wrap/sandwich/salad is much better than the same price for a value meal at mcdonalds. I will definitely be a frequent customer.
(5)Victor G.
I love Phat Bites. I love the relaxed atmosphere, the friendly staff, and the fantastic food. I recommend the spinach and feta hummus.
(5)Dew T.
Hummus! Amazing Hummus. I get the Chipotle every time, but their spinach is really good too. Most days I order the Hummus Envy or the 3 sides and get 2 sides of hummus and the kale salad. I wish it was closer because I'd eat there a lot more. Great vegetarian and vegan options. I love Phat Bites.
(5)Lauren S.
So cool!! What an awesome little underground place. Great service, great prices...will definitely be returning!!
(5)Keith H.
Dissapointing....This place has went downhill. I used to recommend it to everyone but now I'm not sure I'll go back. This makes 3rd time for a muffaletta and they were out of ingredients. Wanted a brownie but desserts had mold on them and their new places just feels dirty evertime I go. Sad sad sad.
(2)Mike M.
Not horribly impressed. Arrived at 5pm on a Saturday and they were out of beef and pork. Got the buffalo chicken sandwich and it ended up being okay. Also, I found it a bit awkward to order...the menu is too extensive to stand there and look up to try to figure it out. Handheld menus would make more sense to me. Staff seemed kinda disengaged, but I'll give it another shot sometime with the hopes of a better experience.
(2)Steven C.
This place is fantastic. The poor reviews must have been a result of the growing pains of moving. Fantastic food, quick and friendly service. The only place I know of that gives Mitchell's a run for their money!!!
(5)Dagan B.
Got the Big Jerk and it was good. The VIP was good. Neither sandwich as good as Mitchell's but the cheddar broccoli salad was awesome. If i ate that alone it would be 5 stars. The pimento cheese was really good, The loaded potato salad was just missing something it wasnt bad but it needed something to make it special. Avoid the pasta salads at all costs lol they were bland and just plain not good.
(4)Mary P.
This place feels like a food truck. Great street art, delicious food, terribly eccentric service, as eclectic an environment as you can imagine. Our veggie wraps were outstanding! The vibe is at once vintage thrifting and "get over yourself". Only place I know that let's you rummage while having lunch. I'd kick up the cleanliness a notch.
(4)