For some reason I never knew that this catering service had a walk-in store till I saw all the yelp reviews talking about varying experiences. First of all - it is true, no prices on the food items. I went in fully aware of this and decided to take a gamble. Considering the location, quality of ingredients, and target clientele, I'd say it's in range of what I would expect. I have been 4-5 times and usually get a couple of pieces of grilled fish, a couple of pre-prepared meals and/or soups and maybe a treat or a side item and I tend to come out spending between $40 and $85. My favorite things so far are the new orleans shrimp which looks at first glance like spaghetti with a few shrimp on top but really is vermicelli with a light creamy mildly spicy delicious sauce with crawfish and mushrooms among other things and when it mixes together is Very Very Good. I also had a jambalaya I quite liked but they don't always have it. I especially appreciate the grilled fish and grilled shrimp options which is what keeps me coming back. I find service to be polite but quietly so. As an aside: I must say thank you to the owner who did not get mad when my car broke down for 45 minutes *right in front of their door.* read more

Something Special - new orleans shrimp - Caterers Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

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I like some of their food, so that's a pro. But here are the cons: the food is very expensive and yes not priced... so when you check out at the register you are in for a tad of a shock, most of the food is super salty... I ate like part of a Chinese meat and rice dish and felt my throat closing up a bit...I physically had a reaction with swallowing and was a little frightening... must be msg, then my last con is customer service....I don't feel a lot of warmth from the employees and was treated rather rudely the last time I was in there. I might go in from time to time if I am desperate for a prepared meal bc I live really close, but I am definitely looking into other better food choices and nicer staff options. read more

Owner is verbally aggressive toward hard working employees who need time off. In addition, the owner leaves food out on the counter that should be refrigerated. read more

Something Special is really something special! I have ordered from them several times for work meetings and events and will continue to for years to come. Service is kind, professional and they always arrive 5 minutes before (thank you!). Jan is an angel and I love her to pieces for being so great to work with. Food is fantastic! Fried chicken is everything you want and more, go for it. They have a crazy big menu and always adding to it, but everything I've ever ordered has been a hit and I get rave reviews from everyone. Please support this awesome local business. They will not disappoint. read more

Something Special - Caterers Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

Never a bad meal from here! So many choices it's always hard to choose! I would rather get a meal from here than go to a resturant!

This place is amazing! The fried chicken and broccoli salad are all huge favorites! But, don't forget the white pimento cheese or a chicken pot pie when you have a storm coming or people coming over. read more

wow!! So the folks complaining about buying good already cooked food from a "kitchen" instead of processed crap from fast food is too expensive? Get a grip you chumps. It is good food and already made. Heating instructions would be nice, BUT the folks in there are pretty cool and glad to help with questions. I dont give out 5 stars hardly. The people here are solid and the food is good. I'm a fat guy who know what he likes. This is a good place especially for NOT having to heat up the house with cooking. Get over yourselves and if its that easy, you do it. Suck it I'm going there today!! read more

Just went inside for the first time. Very impersonal.. No type of rapport, and just came across snooty when I asked about where were the prices. Not one price on any item I asked about the price of a tiny vanilla cake. Without even trying to converse, she said $26. Sort of lost my appetite after that. I don't do business with places that refuse to give pricing. Not customer oriented. BYE something Special I'll never know. read more

This place is a staple in Nashville. Will not disappoint. Something for everyone. Highly recommend!

I last wrote a review of something special five years ago so it's time for an update! The Good News: They now like me (ish). The food is the best thing in West Bellevue/Belle Meade when you are looking for home cooked goodness. Parking is easy. Spot on fried chicken, homemade tortilla chips, california chicken, rolls and more. From what I can tell, everything is made inhouse. The Bad News: Good luck figuring out how much things cost. It's take 20 years of off-and-on visits for the owner to not treat me like I'm bothering her. And I still feel like I'm bothering her. This family owned small business is easy to miss. Located across the street from the Belle Meade post office, the front of house has 10 cases of prepared food. Offerings range from shrimp and grits to bacon wrapped filet. I'd recommend any of the proteins and fish, which can be a tough one to get right for a to-go store, has flavorful marinates and seasonal options highlighting fresh avocado, tomatoes and what not. If you are looking for salads, you better be thinking 'southern salads' of coleslaw, chicken salad and fruit salad cuz they won't be giving you a garden salad. The winter veggies are spot on with brussel sprouts in balsamic, twice baked potatoes and french green beans being winners IME. I like that they have normal human size portions. Food is generally sold by the pound and you can just buy one mini slider if that's your jam. Same deal on the limited selection of desserts. There are some small cakes and pies but more individual brownies and cookies to pick from. One of the major drawbacks of this place is the guess work that goes into figuring out how much things cost. There is some weird combination of letters that go with prices. Good luck figuring that code out. The other major drawback would be the sour pickle folks in charge. As a feminist, I'm not going to expect a big smile but maybe a 'hello' would be a good way to let people know that you appreciate your business? This isn't a glitch. It's a constant of my experiences there. It was only with COVID that I appreciated the hilarity of the grumpsters in charge. Some poor young Belle Meade mom was in there today and asked to speak to the own to get some help assembling a last minute tray for the holidays. The customer had a ROCK on her ring finger and was trying so hard to be nice. Yeah. The owner wasn't having it. She walked over, stood in front of the customer and said nothing. The poor woman explained her situation and was clearly hoping for some special treatment as she asked the owner to 'help her problem solve'. What a noob. The owner speechlessly walked her over to their case of premade hors d'oevres and left her there. So the good news is they hate rich people too? :-P COVID NEWS: They do a really good job of masked staff and giant white boards in their windows with menus so you can get things curbside. read more

This place is literally a scam. Be careful you'll get charged $50 for $12 worth of food. Lol! They don't label anything for a reason!

The name says it all, you can get so very much, the food is already prepared, however if there is something your Grandma used to make, likely they can hook you up. You can get as much or as little as you want. The yummies are droolworthy, beautiful and colorful. The choices vary on a daily basis and will knock you on your butt, I'm sorry for cursing, just be prepared to press your face on the glass because you might not be able to control yourself, just the way they make the simplest of food look so lovely and glorious, I have never seen rice pilaf rival Rembrandt. Dang, the apple tart will..... I apologize, I have to stop reviewing and get my bottom to Something Special. For catering action, prepare for pure class, if you're going to get some to go food, just stop in and be prepared to keep stopping in. read more

Everything is made in in store. A few dishes are great from spinach casual to the colorful tortilla chips.I will be more honest that some of the other platters need a 360 revamp like the fish. Anywho... always great for days I don't have time to cook dinner just time to place in oven or to bringing to an event. Must try favorites: (ALL Consistently great tasting) Creamed spinach Squash Casserole Tomato salsa or Black bean salsa Tuna salad or Chicken Salad Chili con queso Tortilla Chips read more

Excellent option for pick up. I was there on Thursday, July 16, and picked up several take out items. The front counter was staffed by two young men, and I could not have been treated better. The salads and salmon were perfect. Will definitely return. Fried chicken looks really good. I only give it four stars because the prices are not posted read more

I love Something Special!!! And honestly, you get what you pay for. Everything is so tasty and beautiful. I have ordered several lunch boxes for events and each one was perfectly packed and delicious. Their chicken pot pie is the best in town too. Absolutely delicious and WILL impress! read more

Something Special is great! One of my regular places for good food to take out. Their boneless, skinless fried chicken, chicken croquettes with mushroom sauce, veggies, and the banana pudding and meringue tarts are regulars at our house. The butterscotch tart is my favorite. And for the Holidays, they make Boiled Custard like my grandmother's. Wow. Ashley and the rest of the staff are the most helpful and always a pleasure to see. Cannot wait for my next visit. Plus they cater events. read more

I second that "Something Expensive" name. I kept passing by Something Special as I went down Highway 70 to and from Nashville from Bellevue. I love a good takeout place, so I finally made a point of stopping in when I had a family dinner coming up. I have to admit that I had a moment of sticker shock at the register when I paid. Then again, I do not mind paying for quality, especially for a special-occasion family dinner. Well, I have to tell you, Tart L.'s name for the place could be expanded into "Something Expensive, Something Bland." I would have been happier with something borrowed and blue. The food was good quality, don't get me wrong. The chicken was beautiful and crisp. However, it was completely bland. Everything was completely bland. It seems such a waste of effort to produce food that looks so good, and yet pales on the palate. My entire family agreed. Even the Colonel used (or claimed to use) 7 herbs and spices, folks. It is not a Southern thing to create bland food. However, this does seem to be a recurring problem with Belle Meadeans. More than once, I have gotten rave recommendations about restaurants from locals, only to find another high-priced "Palace of Bland." Maybe it is a comfort food thing. No shocking garlic. No sharp herbs. No mystifying spices. Just nice, bland goodness that costs enough over the norm to make you feel that you are eating "Something Special." I am mystified at the place's popularity. read more

I don't think it's worth it. I went to the post office right across from this place and decided to check it out on a whim. And it was disappointing. They have a decent amount of parking, but the store is somewhat hidden from either Highway 70 or 100. I've seen the place each time I go to the USPS, so I figured it might be a good time to see what it was. The people behind the counter seemed OK. It wasn't obnoxiously bad or anything, but they also didn't seem to have much of the southern hospitality here. I told the lady I was just looking at first (since there was no menu, and it's set up in a deli style) and she seemed somewhat upset and apathetic. By the time I was ready to order, she wouldn't even look at me, and decided to just take the order from the guy behind me. Although the second lady working there seemed a bit more friendly. They don't have much options for vegetarians, no veggie sandwich or panini, so I decided to try small box's of four different things. First, I got stuffed potatoes, and this one tasted almost entirely bland. I'm not sure if they stuffed the potato with more potato, but I didn't taste anything inside of it that wasn't potato. I also go roasted cauliflower, another one that was extremely bland. Infact, having made roasted cauliflower at home before, this was disappointing because it's not hard to make this dish taste good. I got a small batch of lime basil pasta, and it tasted like someone cooked pasta and then squeezed lemon concentrate all over it. I love pasta, and I didn't even want to finish the dish. I also got two stuffed eggs, which were actually decent. I just don't think it's anything special, and the portions are pretty small. And they are definitely expensive. I don't mind paying money for food that tastes good, but when the portions are small, the food tastes bland, the price is expensive, and the service wasn't good, then it's not worth it for me. read more

Went with someone for lunch and had little items and 2 main course items (1 kabob & 1 slice of pork - no sides included). They had no prices included so we thought "might be more then we'd spend normally but it looks good." The bill came out to an unreasonable $83. Why unreasonable? 1: The amount/quality of the food is not quantified. 2: why am I paying restaurant prices at a place where I can't sit & has no waiters 3: since you can't eat there, you need to reheat your $83 meal at home, which comes with no utensils, napkins, OR HEATING INSTRUCTIONS. There's absolutely better ways to spend that kind of money at much better places. read more

Ok ok...so their food is pretty good and we know it's expensive. HOWEVER, the last time I went in there I got 4 chicken kabobs. That means about 3-4 large pieces of chicken on one skewer with a few veggies. Guess how much???? $50! That means $12.50 a SKEWER?!!! Really? I also got two tiny sides and spent almost $80. I could've gone to a number of delicious restaurants and fed my entire family with appetizers and desserts and still wouldn't have spent that much. This time it just took the cake. And guess what? The chicken wasn't even cooked fully! DONE DONE DONE with this place. No matter how lazy I'm feeling for dinner one night, it's just not worth it. read more

I just called to ask about their hours. The owner answered, and trying to pay a compliment I told her that a friend recommended I check them out. Having never heard of the place I asked if they were new. She yelled into the phone "we've been here for 30 years" and hung up the phone on me. Apparently they're not concerned about finding new business. read more

Let me give you the script of how my friends transaction went down: How much is that? Let me wait until I get to the register. Oh that's more than I want to spend. I can't change it now, I already rang it up. read more

"Something Expensive" could be another name for this takeout food service. Box lunches range from $15 to $24. You may also choose quantities of individual items. If it's top quality you want and price is no object, this is your place. The Belle Meade bourgeoisie and Bellevue neighbors wanting a premium splurge have loved this place for decades. They also cater society events. read more

I've lived in Nashville for over twenty years and had never tried "Something Special" I needed a quick lunch and stopped in. Their customer service is nil. I had no idea how their process worked, so just picked a turkey sandwich and orzo pasta salad. While making my order the two women behind the counter kept snickering and whispering while obviously pointing at me. The turkey sandwich was WARM. Like it had been sitting out too long, and the pasta salad was drowned in sauce and disgusting. Way too overpriced for what you get, meal and experience wise. I won't return. read more

I've had wonderful food from Something Special, but today's experience deserved a 1 star review. I purchased several items including a Berry Salad which (come to find out cost me $14.... nothing is labeled so it's impossible to figure out how much anything costs). I made it home and the salad had molded berries and lettuce that had gone bad. For such a high prices they should check their food for mold.... And why is nothing labeled with a price??? It doesn't help customers on a budget! read more

All of my friends rave about this place. I called to place an order and was treated so rude by the older woman on the phone. Believe me when you read the reviews of their rudeness!!! I will NEVER shop here again or recommend this establishment to anyone, there are plenty of places in town with better food and friendlier owners and staff!!! read more

Omg the prices for so so food I can make at home. Spent outrageous amount of burgers that are smaller than sister shubert rolls once rang up and wrapped told me they are $2 a piece! What? Waste of money. And had to reheat them at home. Frozen! read more

You people put the dang prices on the food!! I don't care if someone's a zillionaire in the heart of Belle Meade they still want to know the costs beforehand!!! And yes I think some of their dishes tend to be overpriced, but the quality is generally good. However there's something they use in a lot of their dishes, soups, casseroles, etc that has an aftertaste I don't like, not sure what it is -haven't put my finger on the taste yet... just an odd aftertaste. I do like their desserts, homemade tortilla chips and baked chicken breasts. Most of their food is good, but expensive! Price the stuff please! I'm sure you can get reusable price markers or a dry erase board! read more

I love this place! The people are always so sweet to my mom and me whenever we need help--or just great food. They take great care to listen to my mom's requests, and everything is always perfect. i am a huge fan of their spicy pimento cheese which we buy by the quart! read more

My family and I have been customers for many years, and I even worked here for a few months right after college. The food is great - restaurant quality but costs far less than eating out. I love their casseroles, desserts, yeast rolls, fried chicken breasts (best in town), beef tenderloin - the list goes on and on! I think most of the negative reviews are from middle class boors who don't like to spend money (or shouldn't be spending it at all). If you want cheap food, cook it yourself, folks! If you want the absolute best prepared food in town, this is your place! read more

Though somewhat pricey, this is one of the most delicious places I've ever had food from! They have something for everyone, whether you're looking for a lite lunch or take home for dinner, all their food is fabulous. I would have to say that their chocolate cake with marshmallow/pecan/something else frosting is the BEST CAKE I'VE EVER HAD, hands down! Awesome, awesome food! read more

Went in to get just one treat for a ill friend. There were at least 6 people working behind the counter but nobody seemed to be alert enough to check me out. I just left the tart on the counter and walked out when nobody seemed to want to help me. The bad part for them was I had planned to come back and get dinner for my family after visiting my ill friend. Since it was so hard to buy one tart I figured buying an entire dinner would have been near impossible. read more

Let's start with the service. NO ONE IS KNOWLEDGEABLE ON PRICES. You have to go to the register to find out how much anything cost. So your stop takes twice as long because you have to ask for every price. Which is probably why none of the staff is very welcoming. Store is clean and many varieties to choose from. Expensive for they amount on some things so make sure you ask the price first. read more

I mean this sincerely... This is the BEST food I have ever had. From the Beef Tenderloin to the Pimento Cheese, it is worth EVERY penny! My best advice to you is, do not visit the Something Special store on an Empty Stomach because your Eyes will not be able to handle it! Just had the Fried Chicken Breast and it was better than my Grandmother in Mississippi makes.... read more

Awesome Carry Out Food and Catering... Have been a customer here for a long time and I can even remember when they were across the street where the Belle Meade Post Office is today. Very friendly and helpful staff along with delicious food deserves a 5 star. read more