On a mobile device? Try our mobile site, optimized for faster browsing.
Categories: American (Traditional), Southern [Edit]
Neighborhood: GermantownMon. 10:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Tue-Fri. 10:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Tue-Fri. 5:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Sat. 8:30 a.m. - 1:00 a.m.
Sun. 8:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Sun. 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Loading...
Ok, so I've been back a half dozen times and this place just has to have 5 stars. I took 14 friends from Atlanta here on New Years day and blew them all away with the insane food. The hot, fresh cinnamon rolls were the icing on the cake and brought smiles to everyones face when they made their entrance. It's funny when you can get 14 old buddies to sit for half an hour and not speak a word, but great food will do that to you.
The service continues to remain unparalleled, and the food is always amazing. It's just fantastic. Thank you for all the great times with family, friends and strangers Monell's!
"You have to go to Monell"s!" That's all I heard when I told my friends I'm going to start traveling… Read more »
When I started my new job in Franklin, one of the first lunch hot spots my team took me to was Monell's. Monell's is a house turned into a restaurant and you pass around bowls of food just as you would during a family dinner. They have long dining tables already set up with water, sweet and un-sweet tea, and piles of dishes ready whenever you are. When the food comes, it flows non stop - 2 meats, variety of salads and vegetables, and of course dessert! Even before the bowl is empty, the wait staff refills it with more. My favorites? The fried chicken and banana pudding.
Don't be surprised if another party is seated at your table, after all, it is southern food served family style.
I'm definitely a west coast girl, so I can't say I've experienced much southern cooking.... Actually I can't say I've experienced any of it other than the imitation southern cooking we have on the west coast (very delicious but definitely not the same). This was my first meal in Nashville and it was amaze-balls! It has set a high expectation for all other TN meals to come!
Straight away the place looks adorable and quite cozy! The flowers and the garden with the precious seating area outside is absolutely fantastic. The atmosphere does not get any more home-style than that. It feels like I've walked into a relative's house. Right away we get seated at a big long table with another party sitting there chowing down. My sister tried to explain it to me how this all-you-can-eat style place worked but it made no sense till i got there.
We all sit around with other parties at this big table and it's like a big family meal! With all these wonderful large bowls of food everywhere! Everyday there is a different main meal, so there is a bit of variation. There was amazing mac - n cheese, cole slaw, biscuits, corn bread, ribs, chicken fried steak, perfectly fried fried chicken! OOOH and the banana bread pudding for dessert!? Perfect.
They also made their own peach preserve. It was de--licious. There is no way anyone could leave unhappy or hungry. The place has a warm, comfy, family atmosphere and I'm glad it was my first TN meal.
I think everyone should go to Monells just once in their life. I still randomly talk about this restaurant to people, sometimes to random people I don't even know. I can't believe a restaurant could be this good. If I lived in Nashville I would be fat because I would come here like everyday...so I guess it's good I don't live there. The food is unreal. Deep southern cooking at it's finest! I have never experienced anything like this before. Its reasonable in price since it's all you can eat. It's in an actual country victorian house which is so cute. The people who work their are oh so friendly. I can go on and on about the food here. Just prepare yourself. Don't eat or drink the night before and prepare to do nothing after you go there because you will be feeling large and in charge but its okay because it's so worth it...It's all about the memories man and food of course!
Monell's is just amazing. Everything from the cinnamon rolls to the corn pudding and even down to the coffee was just so delicious! It is honestly the best down home cooking that everyone must experience. Monell's definitely lived up to all of the hype that my husband gave it :)
I absolutely love this place! The food is incredible, plentiful and made with Southern love. I make a point of stopping here every time I'm in or passing through Nashville. In addition to the sumptuous fare, the service is always beyond friendly and helpful. I've told anyone and everyone who is spending time in Music City that their trip is not complete without a stop at Monell's. Thankfully, friends have taken my advice and experienced all that this gem of an eatery has to offer.
On a recent visit to Nashville, a friend introduced us to the down home, country fried, biscuit slingin', cornbread bakin' joint that is Monell's. This place embodies my imagination of the perfect southern cookin' restuarant-warm and welcoming servers, interaction with other customers, a cozy environment, and a ridiculous amount of home cooked food. When you come to Monell's, you sit at a long table with your party, and with other guests as well. Food is promptly served in community serving bowls that are passed around the table. If you grew up in a family where the dinner table was the center of life, this is the perfect place to reminisce; and if not, Monell's will give you an idea of what it means to share a huge spread of delicious food with friends and family.
Oh man, I cannot say enough good things about Monell's. My boyfriend and I were in Nashville for a weekend and came here for dinner. When we walked in, we were immediately shown to a table with about 6 other people already there and there was food already on the table and more coming out. The sweet tea was plentiful and delicious, and all the food was spectacular. It really is like sitting in the kitchen of a fantastic southern cook. Highlights included the mashed potatoes, the meat loaf, and the creamed corn-type food which had a southern name (maybe "corn pudding"?). Also, for dessert they bought out incredible strawberry shortcake "mash" which was basically the dessert shells, strawberries, and whipped cream all mixed together to make a multicolored mush which was AMAZING.
The table was big- after we sat down there were another 6 or so people who sat down after us. We got to chatting with a couple across the table from us who lived in Sacramento (I live in San Francisco). Then, the next day, my boyfriend and I saw them in the airport and they were on my flight, so they saved me a seat near the front because they had a better boarding number than I did. Sweet! See, Monell's, bringing nice people together with fantastic food. This will be the first place I go if I ever return to Nashville.
Despite my four-stars out of five, don't expect any negative in this review. My wife and I came here on a Monday morning and were instantly thrust into the amazing world of Monell's, the coolest family-style dining restaurant I've ever been to. We entered a beautiful old house surrounded by a very well kept garden and were treated like family dinner guests from the moment our hostess spotted us. Sweet, friendly ladies brought us salads and sweet tea and promised a feast as it was ready. When I say salads, I mean delicious pot luck salads like coleslaw, marshmallow-apple, and a ranch-spinach combo that had me begging for more.
An incredibly nice man came and sat with us (as is the custom in this style of restaurant) and was just in time for the fresh baked biscuits and the homemade peach preserves. Soon after another family sat down and made it for the beans, potato salad, and corn pudding. Before we were done passing these around, we were assaulted with fried chicken, baked ham, and chicken dumplings with gravy. Everything was awesome and yummy and had some kind of unhealthy twist that made it oh-so-awesome.
Look, I'm the kind of guy who likes chatting with strangers while sucking down green beans mixed with bacon, so I really have nothing bad to say. The decor was folksy and comfortable, the food was excellent (and very fresh and high quality), the prices were so fair I almost felt like I was ripping them off, and the service was outstanding. I'm probably a breakfast visit away from bumping this up to five stars, but my one and only experience leaves me at four stars. Very high recommendation to eat here.
Best brunch in Nashville and great place to take first time visitors to Nashville. Has been a huge hit with my family when they come to town.
if you visit nashville and don't visit monell's...then you really didn't visit nashville.
it's a country breakfast served family-style with complete strangers at your table. it's a brunch experience that i'll never forget. the servers are so nice and are there to get you full. for $14.99...it's the best deal for an all-you-can-eat and drink (sweet tea, iced tea, OJ and coffee).
set in a home that feels like your own, you'll feel nice and comfortable as you southernize your belly with grits, corn chowder, fried chicken, biscuits, homemade preserves, eggs, potatoes, bacon, sausage and country ham.
fat & happy baby. fat & happy.
A must dine if you are visiting Nashville.....from the time you are greeted, throughout the meal you will have no finer experience.
Located in historic Germantown in a 19th-century brick home, Monell's offers an all-you-can-eat spread. Long wooden tables seat up to a dozen people, making for a family-style dining experience.
Each day's menu includes a featured entree, vegetables, bread, dessert and at dinner, a chef's choice. Diners in our case from all over the United States and one couple from the UK pass around bottomless bowls and platters of Southern entrees, like pork chops, chicken, dumplings and country-fried steak.
Everyone says you need to go here, and you probably should. It is southern-cooking at its best. But, you will sit with strangers and you'll get a ton of food. A TON. Go with a big group of friends after you run a marathon and it will be perfect.
So amazing. Came for lunch on a Sunday, and loved the communal ambiance and the food was amazing. My favorite was the pulled pork (perfectly moist and tender) followed by the sweet potato pie, corn pudding, and fried chicken. But honestly, everything was good, including the cold salads that get passed initially ("don't fill up on them!" advised my friend, the Nashville local). Even the green beans (made with some kind of bacon flavoring, I'm sure) were awesome. The only thumbs down was on the "morning casserole" which was a weird amalgam of sausage, eggs, etc, from the morning, I guess.
All in all, a great experience in Nashville.
Monell's is one of those rare finds that really left its mark on me. I was in Nashville on a business trip, but due to flight delays no one else had made it into town by the time dinner rolled around. Dining alone is never particularly fun, so I wasn't expecting much out of the evening. I happen to stumble across a small blurb on Monell's in my hotel room's "Welcome to Nashville" guide, which again left me a bit wary as to what to expect.
I have to say, it turned out to be a perfect night! Great food (that's really cheap - $14.95 inc tax for all the food you could ever want) and the communal dining setting was perfect for a lonely business traveler such as myself. Don't let the price fool you though - the building itself was surrounded by beautiful gardens, murals were painted on the inside walls and it had a real "dinner at Grandma's house" sort of feel to it. I was there on a Tuesday, so the daily selection was fried chicken, pot roast, spinach lasagna, 4 different vegetables, 3 salads, biscuits, corn bread and strawberry shortcake for dessert. The pot roast and corn pudding were the stars of the meal for me.. I can't say enough about how awesome they were. Every dish was perfectly seasoned and made for an all around great meal. Everyone else at my table was a Nashville native, but I felt very welcomed and grateful for the chance to enjoy some serious Southern hospitality.
If I ever make it back to Nashville, Monell's will definitely be on the list of places to go!
I spent 3 months working in Nashville, and Monell's was by and far the best and most orginal restuarant we found. Make sure you come hungry, they give you lots and lots of food. As really liked the family style service and seating arrangements. Lots of fun!
Five stars as this is Southern Food, I'd never normally visit a place like this, I'm surprised my arteries didn't combust with grease. I am man, hear me roar. 5 starts as this IS southern food(says the new yorker)
Had a few hours to burn in Nashville, once dinner time rolled around I thought, southern food, that''ll hit the spot. YELP to the rescue. Score with Monnells
Called ahead to find out the menu. Walked in, no reservations, they seated me at a table of 12(2 vacant spots) who were going through their appetizers. It's family style and everyone passes around the dishes. "Can you pass me the sweet potato" Everything was PLENTIFUL, and people were really friendly. Met a local woman(who has been a few times but always meets out-of-towners), and a family of 9 from Buffalo NY. Joining strangers at a table was fun, though i can imagine being seated at the "wrong" table, could make for a good TV show.
you can eat as much or as little as you want. More Grease here than Michael Jacksons hair. Southern Food at its finest
Didn't think it was possible, but drove on to St. Louis after dinner, no nap required. Just gotta know when to say no.
Our large party occupied an entire table in this quaint old home, so we didn't have any interaction with strangers, but we definitely ate like family, which was a pleasure. Within 10 minutes of sitting down, waitresses brought out several large bowls of comfort food, and as they'll kindly remind you, take your serving and pass the bowl to the left. A bountiful table, we were served cole slaw, broccoli salad, green pea salad, biscuits and jam, corn bread, green beans, corn pudding, baked apples, cheese and potato gratin, mashed potatoes, chicken and dumplings, meatloaf, fried chicken, and a strawberry trifle.
I can comfortably say that the meatloaf was the best I've ever had in my whole life. If i hadn't pigged out on the rest of the offerings first, I think I could have eaten 4 pieces. The corn pudding was new to me, and quite delicious. The fried chicken was a tad over-done for my taste, and the biscuits were a bit bitter, which may have been intentional to offset the sweet and tart of the jam. The price is nice, and I'd go back in an irregular heartbeat.
Monells is one of those places that Nashville is famous for. The general idea is a meat and three served family style so if you aren't a big party be prepared to sit at a large table and pass food around to people you don't know. I don't mind that but I'm just saying, this isn't intimate dining.
Now I've gone for breakfast and lunch and my favorite thing is the fried chicken. I don't think they have it everyday but I don't know what their schedule it but if you can land on a fried chicken then you will be pleased. The way that it works is they will fill a large table up and you get tea,water, and or coffee. Then they just start bringing food out, you don't' order anything special off a menu. The menu is set, your server brings it out little by little, and your start passing it around.
My only gripe about Monells is that I think it's pricey for what it is. It's just basic southern food, I know they are famous but it really is a bit much for what they offer. It's honestly good and if you are entertaining out of town people looking for some southern flare with a little class, this would be your place.
I've only ever been to Monell's on Sunday for brunch, but man-oh-man if that is a good representation of how they do up their meals there, count me in for every day. My goodness. I am still stuffed from last time I went, a few months ago before I moved to Los Angeles. It's $14 for AYCE Soul/Southern fare, served family style at giant tables like back at grandma's place. The restaurant certainly _feels_ like her place. There's a huge garden pavilion outside, and a comfortable den feeling inside. You could show up alone or with three other people, and end up sharing the meal with a few hungry strangers, and when everyone starts asking to "pass the ____, please," you instantly feel like a distant family sharing a reunion meal together.
There's nothing quite like this place. Everything is delicious and served at the most perfect time! They start you off with just drinks and biscuits and vegetables and side dishes, then serve up the main course (usually a few different selections of meat; pork chops, fried chicken, ribs, etc.). It's so well-timed that your hunger pangs fade away at a steady, filling pace. But then you stand up.
And man, are you stuffed. But not just your stomach--your heart and soul are, too. Why go home for the holidays when you have Monell's in beautiful Historic Germantown? You'll never know the difference.
Oh, sweet gluttony...thy name is Monell's.
Deep within the catacombs of the Vatican, within the canon of cardinal sins, is an engraving of Monell's. For what other place could take you to such heights of home cooked Heaven, yet leave you feeling like a denizen of an overindulgent hell?
Granted, you might mention words such as "portion sizes" and "self control", but their prayerful invocations hold no power against such mortal temptations of fried chicken, strawberry shortcake and biscuits with homemade peach preserves. The battered catfish alone is cause for penance, and the piping-hot sides might be a cause for confession.
At least the sins are corporate ones, shared by those at your picnic-like tables as the food is served family-style on mismatched plates of vice. Housed within a 19th-century brick home, Monell's brings a stripped literalness to the phrase "all you can eat."
Sure, it's possible to come out of Monell's and not be overstuffed and ready for a nap. However, just like time travel and a two-hour Oscar telecast, it's technically possible, but probably just not going to happen.
Just make sure that when you go, you bow your head and say a quick prayer of grace. You're going to need it when you're done.
Insider Tip: During the week, this place is really hopping at lunch time. The quicker you can get there, the faster you will get seated and let the transgressions begin
Came here on a Saturday at 5pm and there was already a wait for tables. It looks like the restaurant used to be an old house, so when you walk to the door, you pass this cute garden with many porch swings. The food is family style all-you-can-eat for $16.02. You sit at a table with strangers and they just bring on bowls and bowls of meats and sides.
We were served:
pickled cucumbers
broccoli, raisin, nut salad
potato salad
mashed potatoes
corn casserole
squash casserole
green beans
pulled pork
fried chicken
fried catfish
meatloaf
biscuits
cornbread
strawberry shortcake
lemonade
iced tea
I liked the green beans and fried catfish the best. The food was good, altho some were a bit weird, like the mashed potatoes were really thin and watery. Wow Southern food really fills you up! Even though it was all-you-can-eat, my girlfriends and I didn't eat that much. When you usually watch what you eat, you really have to mentally set aside your urge to get a salad, dressing on the side and pig out.
And pig out we did. But afterwards, we all felt quesy. I think it's because we usually don't eat such heavy meals.
Ok, to the gym now!
Can't believe I'm the first to review this place... Included on this "country breakfast" menu, all for $12, were the following items: smoked sausage, bacon, country ham, biscuits & gravy, fried apples, pancakes, scrambled eggs, hashbrowns, cheese grits, skillet fried chicken, corn pudding, juice and coffee.
The first thing you'll notice is the delectable smell and elegant stained glass. I was expecting a place with picnic tables and sawdust on the floors and found the clean white tiles to be a pleasant surpirse.
You will pass everything to the left.
Sitting family style, the dishes keep appearing... Frank Sinatra bumping in the background.
The best part was what a friend described as the "straight off the pig into the frying pan bacon." Wow.
"Great Southern Food Served Family Style in a Historic Setting" - Monell's won't disappoint!
This is completely going to gross you all out, but the first time I went to Monell's I ate so much that I puked on my way out next to my car. I know, I'm disgusting. This was the first 'southern cooking' place I went to when I moved to Nashville and had no idea what I had in store. The set up at Monell's is meant to re-create a good southern style meal; you sit at large tables with complete strangers and pass plates around the table. The problem/attribute: the food never stops coming. They bring out side dishes first: corn, mac and cheese, mashed potatoes, biscuits and jam. Then come the entrees: fried chicken, pulled pork, bbq chicken, fried fish, etc. Lastly, dessert that which varies depending on the day you go.
The first time I went to Monell's around the table sat a motley crew consisting of a group of women from Jersey Shore, a family celebrating a wedding from east Tennessee, and me and my ridiculous friends. When the first round of food came out I shoved everything that passed by me in my face, only to find out that more food was on its way out, and then more food after that. For some reason self-control and will power completely escaped me, and I just kept eating, which then lead to the incident that I previously mentioned. All in all, at Monell's you'll find great food and a great atmosphere. Go check it out, but beef up your self-control before entering. Don't say I didn't warn you.
Hot-dog eating champion Joey Chestnut might actually have a hard time here. And yes, Monell's was a test of my self-control not for any health concerns, but just not be a goldfish that will eat till the point of explosion.
My boyfriend's friend took us to Monell's for lunch and it was much nicer than I expected. I think I was thinking something more along the line of Arnold's, but it was a cute historic house with a garden out back. On second thought, I was worried that it might be ladies who lunch and I would starve. But, nope Monell's put me to the test of all you can eat.
The seating is communal. It seemed weird at first to be tapped by someone I don't know to pass the biscuits. But, by the end, we were all friends trying to make sure we all got fed with the amount of biscuits, sweet potatoes, chicken, field peas, mashed potatoes, creamed corn, and green beans that we could eat. I made the mistake of filling up on so many things the first round and didn't know that dish after dish would come out. And as many biscuits , tea, sweet potatoes that you could want. Just ask! All the food was excellent and really fresh since the turnover for tables is so high.
Oh and did I mention this place is cheap!!
The atmosphere is nicer than alot of meat and threes so it is an excellent place to meet for lunch if you want more comfortable surroundings and don't mind sitting next to strangers. There is also a good cupcake store right next door. That is if you can unbutton a few more buttons on your pants.
For a while, it seemed like I was going to Monell's every week with a group of people from work. It made for a long lunch since they don't take reservations and the place gets crowded. You'll also be in quite the food coma after eating at Monell's.
There are other restaurants that do family style dining, but you may have never been to one. If that's the case, it'll be a little different for you. There are big tables so you may be seated with strangers. A waitress will come out with the dishes that you take and then pass. It comes out in courses. You'll get your salads first, then vegetables and meat, and then dessert.
So, the food. Monell's tries to hit the high spots of Southern cooking. Cucumbers and tomatoes, coleslaw, macaroni and cheese, green beans, mashed potatoes, biscuits, smothered steak, meatloaf, fried chicken. You're not going to Monell's for subtlety or refinement. It's comfort food, soul food, grandma's cooking. I tend to get full on salads that come out first and then don't have room for the main meal. Don't make this mistake like I do.
Fried chicken days were always the most popular days to go, and it is pretty good fried chicken. Also worth mentioning is the peach preserves. These are yummy even if the biscuits have gone downhill in terms of quality (the last time I went they tasted like my mom's -- out of a can). Since it's all you can eat for one price, there's a good chance you'll pig out. Desserts aren't usually worth saving room for unless they have some banana pudding. Mmmmm, banana pudding.
Breakfast on the weekends is supposed to be great, but I've never been in to try it. Someday I will.
My family and I LOVE Monelle's!
The service is ALWAYS great!
The food is ALWAYS great!
The wait to eat is NEVER too long!
They serve home cooked food and serve like grandma...Around a large table with other patrons. Everyone gets along when there's great food involved and you may even get a new friend out of your visit. Try Monelle's... You won't be sorry!
Since moving away from Nashville, I still dream about this place. Oh Monell's, I miss you morning, noon and night.
Your breakfast, as Flora H. has described, is simply scrumptious. Be prepared to eat and eat and eat. Your pancakes are light and fulffy, your hashbrowns are homestyle potatoes with all the right spices, your eggs are plentiful and the corn pudding...oh, that corn pudding. I live and die for that corn pudding. Thank goodness they pretty much serve it at every meal (breakfast, lunch and dinner all usually include the corn pudding).
Lunch is always busy, as many of the state employees will come here to eat. I had the luck to work around the block from Monell's for a few weeks and made plans with a friend to have an early lunch here. They manage to make pea salad and broccoli salad (two things I've never been a huge fan of) scrumptious. There is always the requisite fried chicken. The last time I went, there was also meatload and pot roast and a mountain of other side dishes. Do NOT fill up on the biscuits...no matter how yummy they are with the butter and preserves.
It has been awhile since I've come for dinner. Maybe next time I make my way back to Nashville I will have to insist that we experience Monell's dinner again.
There is sometimes a wait simply because Monell's is such a local favorite. But if that's the case, you just let them know you're there, hush your mouth, then head out to the cute little garden out front and sit on a porch swing with your buddies. If you're all by your lonesome, go make new friends. That's what Monell's is all about. Southern hospitality and family style dining. This experience is not for those who are extremely private since unless you have 12 other friends to fill up the table, you almost certainly will be placed at a table with complete strangers. Wear pants with an elastic waistband or be prepared to unbutton in public.
This is an experience like no other...quintessential Nashville. It's not to be missed.
Came to Nashville for the first time ever for a law school competition. I was traveling with five other girls, all of us were under 5'4" (not necessary to the review but come on, hilarious!). As one obsessed with eating, food, and generally just masticating -- I knew we had to stake places out before we traveled. One of our fellow students clued us in to this place saying if you really want great down home southern cooking, this is the place to go.
We made it on a Saturday night just in time for the last seating. We were seated at a table with a group of nice out of towners. The food began coming out of the kitchen: corn pudding, potatoes with bacon, green beans with bacon, biscuits, corn bread, fried chicken, fried fish...and much more. Every single bite was absolutely wonderful and more fattening than the next. I was so happy to see all of us eating so much pork that I was giddy. I mean there was pork in EVERYTHING!! Yay! It was fun to meet the people we were seated with, especially when they kept hogging the corn pudding that I wanted. Dessert was a strawberry shortcake and it was okay. Honestly it's the sides that make this place.
Lastly, I must comment on the decor. We came to Nashville in March...Monell's had a Christmas tree up, BUT it was decorated with all St. Patrick's Day stuff...huh, awesome! Also, when you leave you put your tip in a boot! Ha ha, I think that's funny.
Five stars because it's so filled with pork and so so good. Love that Southern cookin'.
Oh and we had plans to go drinking that night, but were all comatose from the amount of food and didn't make it out. Make sure you come here as your last destination for the evening, they practically have to roll you out of the place.
Quite simply, Monell's is off the chain. This is where I always take people visiting from out of town. They freak out. Every time.
Monell's serves up good Southern cooking in heaping portions. Must try items include the biscuits and peach preserves as well as the corn pudding. The fried chicken is also out of this world.
Monell's charges a flat rate for the entire meal and they seat you with strangers. So...plan to eat a lot, plan to make some new friends and plan to take a long walk after your meal, if you can make it.
Monell's epitomizes the hospitality of the South. Their slogan "I've eaten and I can't get up" is very appropriate. If you're a tourist, it should be your first stop. It's real cooking made by real people. Real restuarants that prepare and cook their own food should have a varying menu throughout the week and seasons as they do. Fake restuarants can serve the same menu everyday year-round b/c they get their food shipped to them pre-prepared and frozen. You're NOT paying for deepfryers and microwaves here! Monell's has got everything: authenticity, atmosphere, and hospitality. Thank you Monell's for representing the South.
Yes, Monell's is as good as it gets here in Nashville for sit down, family style eatin minus hot chicken. Brought the family in for mother's day and treated them nice. The food was incredible (as usual), but the "family" atmosphere was a good one (unusual). We sat next to two nice families with behaved kids. The Nephew did not believe me when I said, "it will be more food than you've ever seen in your life". Showed him. And for once, the Stepdad said, "well.... good job, I guess". Hurray for me! This is the good ole home style food your mom doesn't get to enjoy often. So use it often with or without her.
3 Stars is good, just not fancy or amazing.
This is good local southern-style food.
I like the fact that you sit with total strangers. Typically there are lots of tourists there, but also a few devoted locals.
TIP: Don't eat till the meat comes out! They try to fill you up with sides first. (Unless sides are your thing, then by all means!).
TIP 2: Try to figure out where the food will start being passed. It is passed to the left. If you are the last in the circle it may be picked over by the time it gets to you (at a full table). The chicken was a little dry. When we asked for another basket of fried pork chops however, they were great.
If you rent the place yourself, after hours, you can BYO, and there is no fee unless you ask them to open it for you.
The highlight of my trip to Nashville (oh no, tourist review!). Overall I was surprised by how mediocre of a food city Nashville was, but Monell's really stood out. The "restaurant" is really more like a big house with a bunch of huge dining tables. They wait until there are enough people to fill the table to seat you (10-12), and you eat family style with a bunch of strangers.
Eating here is like a marathon -- they start you with biscuits, corn bread, sweet tea, and sides, and the food keeps coming. There must have been 15-20 courses, no exaggeration. The menu changes every night, but the items that really stood out for me were the biscuits, meatloaf, and strawberry shortcake. And for all the food you get the bill comes to something like $16 per person. If I ever go back to Nashville I'll be sure to go again!
oh my goodness! mama mia! holy moly guacamole!
this place is knock your socks off fantastically fabulous! its as if you're going over to yo mama's house for a little din din. but you better pass to the left or the ladies running the joint will get cha!
the food is just wonderful and full of all those healthy ingredients like butter and bacon fat! your mouth will water just thinking about this place. mine is already!
Man, I've taken my parents to Monell's, I've gone on dates at Monell's, I've rented out entire rooms at Monell's, hell, I've even been kicked out of Monell's (but only after having the biscuits and preserves, arguably the best part of the weekend brunch). I love this place. Great food shared with complete strangers at a wonderful, down home, location. Can't ask for much more.
I was delighted by the adorable exterior of the restaurant, which reminded me of an English garden with flowers and a pond and all kinds of benches. The setup of the actual food is simple; you will sit at a large table, probably with people you don't know, and the food comes out without ordering and you pass it clockwise. Fried chicken, catfish, lasagna, cole slaw, green beans, collard greens, biscuits and cornbread, peach jam, gravy... you get the picture. The service was great, very friendly. The fare was good, but honestly, I make fried chicken that packs in a whole lot more taste. It certainly wasn't bad, but I had to disagree with my companions who had raved about it being the best thing since fried chicken... wait a minute...
Monell's is located in historic Germantown in an adorable dollhouse-looking building. You walk through a lovely garden on your way to the door, and you can imagine it would also be a great place for a ladies teahouse. But, it's not, thank goodness. Go to Monell's when you want to leave with that same feeling that you leave with after Thanksgiving dinner. It's communal style dining where you pass the bowl to the person next to you. This is definitely a great place to take out-of-towners who want to have some real Southern-style food. If you like Monell's, try Miss Mary Bobo's in Lynchburg near the Jack Daniel's Distillery.
Monell's is a great place to introduce your Northern neighbors or friends to southern traditions. 10-12 people are seated around a table group style (if you have 10-12 of your own that's fine) so you'll be sitting with strangers. That's not a bad thing though, you introvert, because having nothing in common with your neighbors except enjoying food is a very common thing in Tennessee.
The food is ridiculously delicious, like almost unbelievable how rich everything is. There's butter, oil, grease, and some more butter. The biscuits are amazing, the squash casserole is my favorite side dish in the world, and the chicken is better than most places which are dedicated Chicken joints. As stated below you are served family style, meaning everyone is passing the food around, just like (someone's) grandma did. Also like your grandma, they're not too keen on cell phones at Monell's so don't talk on one!
Monell's is a really nice step back in time to a Post-War Americana South, and the food is some of the best Authentic Southern Cuisine in Nashville. If you haven't tried it, you have to!
Did'ja know they cater? HUGE breakfast buffet delivered to your location for $11.25/pp. Shit - that not a lot of dough for a lot of lip-smacking deliciousness. Includes their fried chicken and famous corn pudding ... and practically everything else they serve for breakfast. NICE!
Neighborhood: Downtown
Category: Southern
Neighborhood: Sylvan Park
Category: Southern
Neighborhood: Germantown
Category: American (New)
Nashville, TN
Category: Southern
Nashville, TN
Category: American (Traditional)
I've visited the city five times in the last three…
Some of my favorite dining destinations in the…
Here are a few ideas for whiling away the hours…
Places that I miss enough that sometimes I…
Some of my favorite dining destinations in the…
