Oh boy...where to start? I guess I will start with the pros…read more
First, I always like to mention what day and time I visited a restaurant. I decided to get takeout for lunch on a Monday afternoon. I have been on a kick lately trying Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwiches, or in Barley and Vine's case, the Tennessee Hot Chicken Sandwich. That was the main reason I wanted to stop by for lunch.
I placed a to-go order, but we have also dined inside several times before.
Starting with the positives, the staff is always very friendly and welcoming. There is really no issue there. The staff is fantastic.
The overall vibe and ambiance of the restaurant are incredibly nice as well. It leans toward a fancier, higher-end, upscale atmosphere. I honestly think that may be part of the reason several reviews are so positive and why people may perceive the food as being higher quality or better tasting.
We have also had brunch here more than once. We are generally not brunch people, but we have really enjoyed the brunch items we have ordered in the past. I am hoping we can come back for brunch again, and maybe I can eventually write an updated review with a higher rating.
So why only 3/5 stars?
My most recent to-go visit left me incredibly disappointed.
To start, the Tennessee "Hot" Chicken Sandwich is not hot at all. "Hot" is absolutely not the correct word to use. It should probably just be called a Tennessee Chicken Sandwich, and honestly, even using "Tennessee" or "Nashville" does not seem accurate.
This seemed like a basic Fried Chicken Sandwich made from a frozen chicken filet with far more breading than actual chicken. It is not the most pleasant photo to look at, but I attached a picture of the partially eaten sandwich to this review. You can clearly see how little chicken meat there actually was.
They put white BBQ sauce on the sandwich, but I do not really have anything particularly good or bad to say about it. It was just kind of there. It did not improve the sandwich, but it did not necessarily make it worse either.
The fries were also just fine. They seemed to be lacking flavor and may have been slightly burnt. Speaking of overcooked, the chicken sandwich also tasted overcooked.
Overall, the sandwich and fries were simply not very good. I would never order the sandwich again, and I would probably substitute the fries for a different side in the future.
Another issue is the repeated delay with to-go orders.
I have ordered takeout from Barley and Vine maybe three or four times, and every single time the order has been late. I usually arrive only one or two minutes before the scheduled pickup time. Sometimes I even wait in the parking lot because I do not want to arrive too early.
Every single time, the order is not ready at the scheduled time.
This time, I only had to wait about six minutes past the pickup time. However, during my previous to-go experience a few weeks earlier, I waited more than 15 minutes past the scheduled pickup time. This has also happened during other visits.
Finally, everything usually comes down to whether the meal is worth the price.
I paid $17.77 for the Tennessee Hot Chicken Sandwich with fries. That included a 48 cent credit card surcharge. They add a 3% surcharge to all credit card payments, which automatically leaves a bad taste in my mouth at any restaurant. It's not something they have to do, to support higher wages or whatever they want to tell you. It's something they CHOOSE to do. Other restaurants don't do, or they simply increase their menu prices 3%. Which I would rather have than yet another fee in this world.
Regardless, the meal was simply not worth the price.
The sandwich was not flavorful, was not spicy, did not contain enough chicken, and tasted overcooked. The fries also seemed overcooked and lacked flavor. It was not a good value.
You could drive a little farther down the road to Dave's Hot Chicken and get a more flavorful meal, a larger portion, and a lower price.
This review feels harsh, but I am hoping it comes across as constructive criticism if management happens to read it.
Overall, I cannot recommend ordering takeout from Barley and Vine. I cannot recommend the Tennessee Hot Chicken Sandwich, and I do not particularly recommend the fries either. They were not absolutely terrible, but they were not great.
I am still hoping to visit Barley and Vine again. I will likely avoid ordering takeout because it has consistently been a poor experience. However, I hope we have a better experience the next time we dine inside, and I will definitely be ordering something else.