Wow. The orginial, OG, Tupelo Honey on College Street in downtown Asheville is one of those places when you walk in you feel at home - in a history lesson of culinary - and in someone's kitchen all bundled into one. Comfortably tucked away behind their own relaxation facade, this location in downtown is the definition of good ole' southern cuisine, cozy and welcoming environment, with service unmatched! Our two dishes ordered = perfection! Service = unreal. Maya was incredible. She made this experience (already a great one as soon as you walk in) to beyond comprehension. She delivers a type of service and expertise that I've only experienced in other places like Inn at Little Washington or French Laundry. Maya, you were awesome! Thank you. Anywhere within an hour of Asheville, I will be making a sharp turn to come back here! read more

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Tupelo Honey Southern Kitchen is an absolute delight. Plenty of dishes featuring honey. Which is not natural surprise what so ever. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable. The decorations are under tone which appealed 100% to me. But others in my party disagreed. read more

Visiting from out of town and decided to try Tupelo Honey in downtown Asheville. While the food had some high points, the overall experience was a bit of a mixed bag. First, a logistics tip for anyone else visiting: give yourself plenty of extra time to find parking, as it takes a while to hunt down a spot down here. Also, double-check that you are making your reservation for the right location! There are a couple in the area and it can get confusing quickly. As for the food, my meal was quite good. I ordered the fried chicken with green beans and grits, and everything on my plate was delicious. However, my husband's meal was a bit of a letdown. He had the chicken and waffles--he felt his chicken was on the overcooked side, and the waffle itself had the texture of pancakes rather than being crisp. Service was also a bit slow during our visit. The most frustrating part was noticing that our food came out after a table of four that had actually been seated after we were. It was worth a try while we were in town, but given the service pacing and the hiccups with my husband's food, I don't think we'd head back on a return trip. read more

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It was my first time eating at Tupelo Honey, and maybe I was expecting too much. I had seen their cookbook and noticed it being sold at the hotel where we were staying. The online reviews also raved about the place, so I went in with high expectations. I was surprised by how large the restaurant was. There were multiple rooms, and the space had a comfortable diner feel to it. I ordered the chicken tenders with a side of mac and cheese. Unfortunately, I was not impressed with the chicken tenders. They were dry and had a gritty texture. The mac and cheese, which I normally love, came off as more greasy than cheesy. My partner had the fried chicken and said it was good, but he was not overwhelmed by it either. Parking in the area can also be challenging. We found a spot, but most of the meters nearby were only good for one hour. By the end of the meal, we could not find our server, and I was getting concerned that we were going to end up with a parking ticket. Overall, it was not terrible, but based on the hype, I expected more. read more

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We were in Asheville for a friends birthday and it was hard to find a restaurant to accommodate our group of 10 or so! Tupelo Honey came in CLUTCH with only about a 10 minute wait time for us! The food... was insane. First, the mimosa flight & magic lemonade are the best drinks to start your morning with. The fried okra, fried green tomatoes (insane sauce), and crispy Brussels MUST be ordered for the table. The chicken & waffles was so delicious, and everyone got a different thing and equally was obsessed with their food! I would definitely recommend Tupelo Honey and want to visit another location when I am near it again! read more

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On a recent trip to Asheville, my husband and I decided to stop in for brunch and we were not disappointed! We sat outside so we could be amongst the hustle and bustle of the downtown area of Asheville. The food was top-tier and I would recommend anyone visiting Asheville stop in for breakfast. Our server was great and will definitely be back on our next trip. read more

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A great spot to try some southern classic cooking. The fried chicken was simply amazing. Crispy and nicely seasoned on the outside while juicy on the inside. We didn't have to wait long for a table in midafternoon. However during dinner hours I noticed a fairly long waiting line. The prices are moderate and the menu had a nice variety of items to choose from. Our server was expedient and friendly. read more

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Thank you for booking a reservation of 9 on a busy Saturday morning. Southern comfort food hits the all of the marks. Our waiter was fantastic, the setting was pleasant and not too noisy. Downtown Asheville is beautiful, even during the rain. read more

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Wonderful downtown Asheville atmosphere. Friendly staff. Bloody Mary was fantastic. Chicken is what they are known for! The parm potatoes were awesome too! read more

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One of my brothers has been bragging about Tupelo Honey for years as a must-stop on our yearly trips to the East Coast beaches. Since my route to the beach is different, I usually don't pass through Asheville. I finally had a reason to be in Asheville for a family wedding and knew we all had to go to Tupelo Honey together. We had a very large group and were able to sit outside, which made for a fun family experience. While we were eating, we were suddenly engulfed by the town Holiday Parade, and it was literally magical. The energy, music, and festive atmosphere made the meal even more memorable. The food was amazing; seriously worth all the hype. Southern food done right, with big and filling portions. Some of the best fried green tomatoes and grits I have ever had. Everyone in our group, from the youngest to the oldest, had happy faces and loved their meals. Kids and grandparents alike gave it two thumbs up. read more

The honey-dusted fried chicken- half bird was excellent. Probably the best fried chicken I've ever ate. Autumn,our server who also was the bartender, was fantastic. She has a fantastic memory for orders and mixing drinks for the entire restaurant. read more

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If you find yourself wandering around downtown Asheville, make sure Tupelo Honey is on your hit list. I stopped in for lunch on a Thursday and the place was buzzing, but in a good way. Started with the famous biscuits. They totally lived up to the hype: warm, buttery, and perfect with the peach jam. For my entrée, I went with the buttermilk fried chicken tenders since chicken is clearly their thing here. Solid choice with great seasoning, crispy without being greasy, and the trio of dipping sauces added some extra flavors. The spicy Bama sauce was the clear winner for me. The side of tomato soup was flavorful and left me wanting more. Service was friendly, food came out quick, and overall the experience hit the spot. Definitely add this place to your Asheville must-try list! read more

Tupelo Honey Southern Kitchen & Bar - Southern Near Me - Asheville, North Carolina

First time eating at Tupelo Honey and I'm a little underwhelmed and I really hate to say that. I've had heard about this place for ages and I was excited to finally go but I was left feeling just kind of meh about the food. Our service was amazing, friendly and knowledgeable about the menu when we asked for suggestions. It was quaint and quiet while we there, very cozy feeling. I ordered the original fried chicken white meat with a side caesar salad and mac and cheese. The chicken really wasn't super crispy, dry, and lacked flavor. It was just okay. The biscuits were delish. The mac and cheese was an oil slick. Just a ton of grease sitting in the bottom. I stopped eating it. I was glad to have tried it but it'll probably be a one and done for me. read more

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Great brunch!!! Server was chill, but checked in. Yummy megamimosas Food was great Fantastic Mac & cheese for kiddos Chicken and waffle was good, not great. Biscuit great + homemade jam Yummy chx sandwhich! Great spot read more

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This place was constantly recommended as a must go for brunch when in Asheville! Naturally I took everyone up on their advice and made a reservation. To be fair, we were a large party of 10 on a Sunday for brunch, but when we arrived our table wasn't ready forcing us to wait an additional 20 minutes to be seated. Our server seemed absolutely miserable, showed zero emotion throughout our meal. Didn't offer any suggestions or recommendations. She did however check in periodically making sure our waters were refilled which was nice. The food was okay. We ordered biscuits for the table which only comes out as a plate of 2. I tried the chicken and waffles. The waffles were great, the chicken was subpar. The restaurant itself was packed! 2 bars with seating, outdoor covered patio and then several tables split up between the 2 rooms. The bathroom situation was a bit crazy, they have 4 individual bathrooms which there was always a line for. Bit of a bummer of an experience, especially since we were celebrating my sister's bachelorette. read more

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Excellent service ! Sat at the bar ...Bartender greeted me and took my order promptly. I was on my way back to Georgia and needed a quick bite to eat. The shrimp and grits was so flavorful and delicious.I so happy I stopped here... read more

Tupelo Honey Southern Kitchen & Bar - Shrimp and grits so delicious - Southern Near Me - Asheville, North Carolina

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Fun place to have cocktails and food. Met clients here for dinner and we sat on the patio. Watching the people walk around the square was as much fun as the meal. My clients choose chicken tenders and the sweet & spicy chicken and waffles, I chose the whiskey and onion smash burger. Also had an order of the fried pickles Portions are good, the food was all delicious. The sweet & spicy chicken had a nice kick with flavor not just heat. The pickles were super crispy and the burger juicy with a bit of a smoky flavor from the whisky. Service was quick, friendly and fun. read more

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My salad was filled with wilted black lettuce. When I complained, I was told I would receive a dollar credit to my bill. I asked to speak to the manager, who said that was the most he could do. I would never eat at a Tuprlo Honey again! read more

Came on a Thursday afternoon and were seated right away. Enjoyed the biscuits w/ delicious peach jam, sweet & spicy chicken sandwich w/ brussels, and the strawberry fields salad. Everything was so good. Service was great and we loved sitting outside. read more

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Excellent food and service. Sat outside and enjoyed music of sax man. Shakshuka with grits awesome. Beautiful!

Another spot that you're gonna want a reservation or get there early to sit inside when it's cold. Went for brunch- seeking the famous fried chicken. Listen, as a Southern lady I have had my share of fried chicken. I have had the best in New Orleans, southern Georgia, (dare I list Publix!? Haha don't come for me. It's solid) and, most impressive, my own grandmother's buttermilk fried chicken. So, I feel as though I'm a pretty good judge of a good fried chicken. This was a solid attempt at greatness, but sadly it fell short for me. I appreciate the made to order in a pressure cooker and the initial spices, but I didn't care for the sweet dusting that they added to it. Not necessary when I'm just dousing it in syrup. Also, they serve it as bone-in chicken (stand alone order) or chicken and waffles (with chicken tenders). So we had to build our own buffet. We each got a dark meat order of bone-in and (off menu) order of 3 waffles. It worked, but why make us figure that all out? Just make an order of 3 plain waffles available on the menu. Service was fine. Not memorable, nothing egregious. A younger staff that seemed to know we were there for the insta worthy items. I wouldn't protest going back, but I would try other spots first. read more

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Came here with a group of seven for a late lunch. The server at first told us there was no seating available for us even though the restaurant seemed fairly empty and we had to inquire a bit more to figure out why until they finally gave us a table at their empty seating outside. We took advantage of their bogo entree deal which was great. Their biscuits were the highlight. The butter, honey, and jam they came with were all great pairings. I got the shrimp and grits which was a little spicy for my taste but overall fine. I think you are better off ordering the chicken here. Their brussel sprouts and potatoes are also amazing! Our server was kind and everything came out correctly. Can be pricey without the bogo but it's a nice slightly upscale souther place so good for a nice family dinner. read more

Tupelo Honey Southern Kitchen & Bar - Tupelo's Shrimp & Grits (GF) - Southern Near Me - Asheville, North Carolina

Small, noisy, eclectic place that is awesome and worth the money. My friend and I sat at the bar and unfortunately I didn't get the names of the people who took care of us as our receipt just said PM bar, but it was a female and a male (obviously behind the bar) and they were both fantastic. I got the fried green tomatoes, which were so, so good, and also the banana bread pudding, which was also amazing. I had a great time and can't wait to go back. read more

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Tupelo was recommended to us from many people. We really liked their menu. I appreciated the robust kid menu. My husband and I went for the lunch option so we could try multiple things. I loved the grits, but I didn't think the hot honey chicken was particularly hot. It was also kind of dry. I think it was probably just a poor choice on my part. We sat out on the patio, which was really lovely and great for people watching downtown. Don't make the mistake of booking on OpenTable. This location doesn't use OpenTable, so you'd be booking the wrong spot. read more

Was expecting way more based on the stellar reviews. Thought it was very hit and miss. I had had Chickfila earlier in the day and just could not do fried chicken again. So I may be selling them short if that's really what they're known for. In any case, I ordered the steak and eggs. Literally the worst piece of steak I've ever had. It was somehow gamey like a bad piece of lamb but also with a burnt taste. At the same time it was bland, dry and chewy despite being cooked to medium rare. Steak and eggs at Denny's is 10x better than this in comparison. Very dissapointing especially for the price. I'm glad I ordered a side of collard greens and fried green tomatoes. Those were really good. Great smoky flavor on the greens. As good as I've had for collard greens. Terrific crust on the fried green tomatoes (I could eat a plate of just the crust) and the grits were perfect. My Mom ordered the shrimp and grits which were great. Very rich flavored grits and tender shrimp. Sister ordered a grilled chicken sandwich which she said was okay and fried okra which was great. read more

Note. downtown location has decided to go to wait system. except there are no signs indicating such. a very rude and socially inept person whom Im told is the manager didn't seem to be abe to properly give me any meaningful action other than to just keep saying we're on a wait with an open bar and several empty tables but did offer to call the police. super. read more

Super popular spot in downtown Asheville. I came for brunch time during a weekend and the entire place was full and bustling. I got the sweet and spicy chicken and waffles which came with two pieces of waffle and a piece of fried chicken breast. The chicken was crispy on the outside and fairly tender on the inside (or as tender as chicken breast can be). The outside is well seasoned with mild heat. Waffles was pretty standard. It's a nice meal but I thought the price is a bit steep, but is typical for every restaurant in downtown Asheville. read more

Tupelo Honey Southern Kitchen & Bar - Southern Near Me - Asheville, North Carolina

Great location with convenient outdoor patio dining that allowed our pupper to join us. I had a massive sweet potato pancake with pecans and powdered sugar, and my husband had the chicken bacon sandwich. We shared fried green tomatoes over grits with spicy sauce drizzled on them - beautiful presentation! My husband enjoyed FGT for the first time. Fairly priced, and a fun vibe. Sitting in the street side patio section was NOISY at 2:30 pm on a Friday. Still, we enjoyed it. Our server was delightful. She took a great care to provide a water bowl for our 4-legged companion, and was attentive and sweet. We enjoyed our visit. read more

After a long-day of hiking and seeing the sights, we came to Tupelo Honey for our reservation. They are open slightly later than other restaurants we were looking at which was very helpful for our day. It's located right in the heart of Downtown Asheville with music and other people hanging around outside in the nearby square. The Fried Okra was a nice starter and I enjoyed the sauce it came with. The Cast Iron Pimento Cheese Dip had a good flavor but the chips were slightly sweet from some dusting on top which made them fairly addicting. For the fried chicken, the standard order is 3 pieces (Half-bird I assume would be 5 pieces). The Sweet&Spicy was the better of the two flavors and the breading had a nice crunch to it. The dark meat was tender and nice as well. The honey-dusted was just okay, only because it didn't really taste like there was honey on top/any additional flavor. We also got the mini dessert duo which I really appreciated. We wanted to try both desserts and so this is a great way to have a smaller portion and enjoy both the Mississippi Mud Pie and Banana Pudding. I thought both were pretty solid overall. read more

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This place is incredible. Great ambience in the south Asheville location with plenty of space and seating options. The food was incredible. We tried many options in every one of them were scrumptious. The staff was exceptionally caring and kind. If you're looking for a place in South Asheville or even the downtown Asheville area, Tupelo is a incredible option. Highly recommended.!!!! read more

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My wife and I have made it a tradition to dine at Tupelo Honey every time we visit Asheville for the holidays. If you're looking for an authentic taste of the city, this is the one place you absolutely must visit. The Best Start: We both grew up in the South, so we are naturally very picky about fried green tomatoes. This is the first restaurant I've ever been to that does them the "correct" way--perfectly crispy and seasoned. Standout Drinks: My wife loves her dirty martinis, and I tried their chocolate-mint espresso martini this time. It was delicious and felt like the perfect seasonal treat. The Mains: I highly recommend the shrimp & grits; it's one of the best I've ever had. My wife is so obsessed with the honey-dusted fried chicken that she orders it every single year without fail. The Catch: The only reason this isn't a 5-star review is the parking. It isn't easy to find a spot nearby, especially during the holiday rush. Definitely plan ahead and give yourself plenty of time to find a space so you don't miss your table! read more

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This is an example of a place that knows exactly who and what it is. Fantastic, rich, beautiful, indulgent food on this Saturday evening in Asheville. We had reservations for 7pm and were sat promptly at the counter where we could watch the food coming out of the kitchen. The place was full and bustling with activity, but somehow our counter spot felt private and quiet enough that our conversation didn't feel strained. The service was prompt and professional. Attentive when we needed it, but not overbearing at all. The food was incredibly rich and indulgent, and though it felt a bit heavy while eating, we left feeling great/not overstuffed. The meatloaf was sweet and salty and paired fantastic with the tang of the Brussels. The fried chicken was juicy and breaded just right. We really enjoyed the meal and would definitely come back for special occasions. read more

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They are severely under staffed. One server for many tables and he couldn't keep up. I heard him tell the table next to us with two adults and four little children that the kitchen was short staffed and it was taking long for food to come out. Food was mediocre at best, except for the delicious mac and cheese. Two bills between the two couples were completely mixed up, but by then we let it go. Would definitely not recommend. read more

If you want southern food in the heart of Asheville please come to Tupelo. The feeling inside the restaurant brings a warmth and the servers are full of charm. You have to try the biscuits at the very least. read more

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We stopped in for breakfast on a Monday morning-the place was not busy. Ordered our food-biscuits and gravy and farmhouse breakfast platter. Our waitress didn't come back to see if we needed coffee refills until the food came out, because she had no choice...but we waited over 20 mins for our food. Our food arrived cold. Also, someone from the kitchen walked into the dining area, and grabbed what looked like patties of some sort in his gloved hand and walked back into kitchen area. I am not an expert, but, I do feel this may be a health hazard. So-I do not recommend this place, at least for breakfast. read more

We were strolling around Downtown Asheville looking for breakfast when we came across Tupelo Honey. We entered without a reservation and were greeted warmly. They informed us all they had available at this time were some spaces at the bar. That worked perfectly for us, so we grabbed a couple of seats. Our bartender/server checked in right away and handed us menus. We both decided on the Farmhouse Breakfast Platters with coffee, and Wifey added a fresh orange juice. The food came out quickly--hot, fresh, and delicious. Not long after, our server let us know the beer taps were flowing for this Sunday morning. I said that it's 5 o'clock somewhere and ordered a half-pour of a porter from Founders Brewery. It turned out to be the perfect complement to my breakfast--I sipped it alongside my meal and loved every bit of it. We also met another couple at the bar that was in town visiting, which made the experience even more enjoyable. Tupelo Honey is a great spot for breakfast, and its central location makes it easy to stop in while exploring Downtown Asheville. 4.5 read more

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The food was great! The service was good and we got to sit outside on a beautiful day.

This is really just a super brunch spot. This past time we had a fantastic and attentive server. You always get quite a huge portion, so you won't leave hungry. The biscuits are amazing and no crumbs are ever left behind. I was a little surprised they didn't have eggs Benedict on the menu. read more

So want to love this place but can't... service was horrible the day we went. Our waitress never came back to check on us not once. I ordered the biscuit which was outstanding, my boyfriend ordered the meatloaf and I ordered brunch food was great, but service sucked. We both ordered drinks. read more

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This restaurant appears to have been bought by a large corporation. It appears that this corporation is attempting to save money by diminishing the quality of food and service. One example is substituting, regular cream for coffee. with coffee mate. Very few if any high-quality restaurants use coffee mate as a cream substitute. It also appears that they may have cut staff because it took an hour for our food to be served. The waiter was attentive but appeared stressed by handling too many tables. The out of the four meals we received were good for one meal had to be sent back due to the cooks not following instructions for how this food should be prepared. All in all letdown from the high-quality of service and food we were used to getting a Tupelo Honey. We may or may not be back. read more