WHERE WE WENT:
The Pharmacy
731 McFerrin Avenue
Nashville, TN
WHAT WE ORDERED:
Pharmacy Burger, Cheese Burger, Sweet Potato Fries, Tater Tots
WHAT WE THOUGHT:
Atmosphere - 9
Menu - 8
Presentation - 7
Taste - 8
Price - 8
Service - 8
Overall - 8
Atmosphere - Situated in a relatively trendy neighborhood
in East Nashville, The Pharmacy is a hip and happening hangout for people of all sorts. You would never know it from the unassuming, plain white block building. The Pharmacy has close, cozy seating inside, an expansive patio outside, and bar stool seating nestled under the preserved pharmacy/soda fountain counter. The decor recalls the past, the days of the neighborhood soda fountain, but it also has a very hip, modern feel. This may be partly attributed to the staff who could each easily fall into the "hipster" category. It was very busy, teeming with people of all ages and appearances. It's the kind of place you want to meet up with friends for a beer after work and where your server will remember your name.
Menu
- The menu at the Pharmacy is somewhat limited in both the type and number of dishes. It consists mostly of burgers and brats. They do only a couple of things, but they do them extremely well. The burgers offered are pretty simplistic in style, but are able to be spiced up with an extensive list of toppings that include unique
offerings such as curry ketchup, stroganoff bechamel, wasabi aioli, and horchata crema fresca to name a few. The various options guarantee a burger experience tailored to each individual taste. At a place of burgers and brats, even vegetarians can find a haven with their falafel or black bean burger. They have an extensive beer menu with dozens of selections. They also carry multiple varieties of homemade sodas served original fountain-style.
Presentation - Drinks are served in plastic tumblers emblazoned with the Pharmacy's very appealing logo, a souvenir of your visit to the local watering hole. Beer is served in variously styled mugs, glasses and steins, harkening back to the biergarten aspect of the restaurant. Burgers and sides come to you in baskets lined with wax paper that also bear the logo. The presentation flows perfectly with the restaurant's overall vibe.
Taste - Both of the burgers were outrageously good. The patties were cooked to a perfect medium well and seasoned to perfection. The cheeses are mild and blend together well. The vegetable toppings were crisp and fresh. It was everything that you could want in a burger. The taste truly stood out without straying too far from the classic burger. The tater tots were incredible, with a crispy outside and tender inside and paired very well with the spicy, homemade curry ketchup. Sweet potato fries are a nice surprise at a burger joint, but an even better one when they taste as good as the Pahrmacy's.
Price
- With burgers ranging between $7 and $9, you get a deal when you go to the Pharmacy. All the ingredients are fresh and the taste is delicious. You're paying for taste and atmosphere, and you're getting a whole lot of both. They don't skimp on the portions either.
We were completely full when we left.
Service - Our server was very good. He was attentive, friendly, pleasant and knowledgeable. When he realized it was our first time there he was happy to answer our questions and provide us with suggestions.
WOULD WE GO BACK?
Absolutely! We loved it. If we lived in Nashville, this would be somewhere we would frequent regularly.
Here's a link to their website:
http://thepharmacynashville.com/
WHERE WE WENT:
Arnold's Meat & 3
605 8th Avenue South
Nashville, TN
37203
WHAT WE ORDERED:
Roast
Beef, Green Beans, Corn Bread, Mac & Cheese, Mashed Potatoes &
Gravy, Cream Corn, Country Fried Steak, Chocolate Cayenne Pie
WHAT WE THOUGHT:
Atmosphere - 6
Menu - 7
Presentation - 5
Taste - 9
Price - 8
Service - 9
Overall - 8
Atmosphere
- If you're looking for a cool joint to hang out and spend time with
friends while enjoying a casual meal, the Arnold's is not your place.
Arnold's focuses more on convenience and efficiency rather than creating
an ambiance. You are greeted by an ostensibly plain cinder block
building and the inside is Not much different. Almost nothing adorns the
walls, no interesting colors can be found. The seating is as basic as
it comes and is cramped tightly together, giving you the feeling of a
high school cafeteria. You come in, get your food from the line, sit,
eat quickly and then depart. It isn't a place you linger.
Menu - Arnold's menu varies from
day to day. The daily specials are listed on a chalk board, but there
are some staples that never change like mac & cheese. Options and
prices are clearly listed, which is good because you'll have a lot of
time to look at them while waiting in a considerable line and you better
know what you want be the serving is speedy. There are plenty of
options: at least three meat options, multiple types of bread, a wide
variety of vegetables and two or three kinds of dessert as well.
Presentation
- The presentation of the food is just as plain jane as the building.
White, cafeteria-style plates are used to plop food onto. Things are all
melded together. It just isn't particularly pretty.
Taste - One thing you need to know. Everything was hot. Literally,
every
single thing had a kick to it that you can't ignore. The flavors were
different and unique, but the heat was always there. That being said, it
was delicious. The roast beef was tender and juicy, some of the best
we've ever had. The mashed potatoes were creamy and the gravy very
flavorful. Even the macaroni and cheese managed to maintain the heat
characteristic of Arnold's. It can only be described as soul food. It
literally warms your heart and soul along with your stomach because it
just feels like home. If you don't like spicy, then it isn't for you.
Even the chocolate pie leaves you with a striking after-taste because of
the cayenne they use.
Price
- For you get, the price is excellent. $8.60 for the namesake meat
& three sides is outstanding especially considering how delicious
everything will be. Portions are sizeable, it's so scrumptious that
it'll still leave you wanting more.
Service - Food is served down a
cafeteria line, so there are no actual waiters or waitresses, but
everyone we came into contact with was friendly, welcoming and helpful.
They went out of their way to make us feel at home and ensure our
satisfaction. They ran out of mashed potatoes right as we were headed
down the line, but instead of just saying, "oh well," they gave us a
number and made sure to bring some out to us at our table when they
replenished their stock.
WOULD WE GO BACK?
Yes!
If we're ever in Nashville, this will definitely be one of our go-to
places. Off the beaten path of Broadway, it seems like it's a local
secret.
