Fodder & Shine

Beer was great. Service was great. Food not so good. Over priced for what you get. Did not even eat my dinner. I don’t recommend the food.

I recommend the Cinnamon Girl if you are looking for a change. Sailor Jerry, Foro Amaro, Lime, Cinnamon Syrup.

Lord have mercy! Greg and Michelle Baker have created another amazing eatery in Seminole Heights, and you need to add this restaurant to your bucket list of places to visit… right now… go ahead, I’ll wait… If you love The Refinery, then you’re in for a real treat at Fodder & Shine.
Fodder & Shine is a Southern Public House, celebrating the food and drink of the South, and showcasing Florida Cracker cuisine. You’ll find F&S along Florida Avenue, and just south of Hanna Avenue. There is plenty of parking to the side of the building, and that gives you your first view of the amazing ‘Seminole Heights’ mural painted on the side wall. Spend a moment and savor all of the great eating and drinking establishments in Seminole Heights, and give thanks to Greg and Michelle for their work in promoting this neighborhood.
The front of the building shows off a very creative way to recycle old shipping pallets by turning them into planters which hang on the exterior wall, and that leads you towards their outdoor covered patio, where you can sit and enjoy a meal and a drink while watching the traffic go by. Inside the front door is the hostess stand, and right behind her is a wall made of dozens of recycled windows which hang from the ceiling. It’s very creative, and speaks to the inventiveness of the owners.
I was there just after the lunch crowd, and took a seat in the bar area which is off to the left. (Back in the corner is their game area with pool tables, and some spectacular artwork.) Since I prefer wheat beers, the bartender recommended an Oberon Summer Wheat Ale from Bell’s Brewery in Michigan. It was light and refreshing, and paired well with my meal.
The menu has a great mix of classic Southern appetizers which have been given Greg Baker’s unique spin. That means they have a clam chowder made with Gulf little-​neck clams, house-​made Minorcan sausage, fresh Florida tomatoes, and a slice of grilled La Segunda Cuban bread. F&S also serves baked Boudin balls, Frito pie, and a tomato hand pie. My eyes were drawn to the house-​made spread made from hardwood smoked mullet. That was served with salted house milk crackers, Cuban crostini, pickled onion strips, and jalapenos. This was not your usual fish spread drowning in mayonnaise, but rather a very generous scoop of smoked mullet which could be spooned onto toast or crackers.
For my main course I ordered the traditional Florida Cracker rice dish, called Pilau. This is a grown-​up version of shrimp & grits which is served with a toasted rice cake, tomato gravy, sautéed shrimp, Minorcan house sausage, diced onions and peppers, and a sunny side up egg. This was absolute perfection on a plate, and a fabulous dish to order for brunch or an awesome lunch.
Fodder & Shine also serves Southern favorites like grilled meatloaf, cornmeal fried chicken, grilled chicken breast, country fried steak, pulled pork BBQ, beef pot roast, country fried smoked eggplant, grilled cauliflower steak, and a unique dish called rabbit & dumplings. If you prefer something lighter, they offer cheeseburgers, chicken biscuits, eggplant biscuits, and a cornmeal cake sandwich. Fodder & Shine has all sorts of traditional Southern sides to go with your meal, including greens, black-​eyed peas, charred okra, creamed kale, mac n’ cheese, and more.
The true Southerners will also appreciate the desserts list which has brown butter buttermilk ice cream, chocolate mayonnaise cake, and hummingbird cake trifle.
This is a very fun place to visit when you’re in the Heights. The food is fantastic, and it’s a great place to sit and visit with friends while enjoying a meal and a few drinks. Add Fodder & Shine to your bucket list, and thank me later.

I went out to eat here for the first time with a friend and this is when I was introduced to the world of Seminole Heights. When first walking in, I could already sense the chill atmosphere. It’s a place where you can grab dinner after a long day at work or to catch up with a friend. This night, my friend and I decided to eat outside bc of the cool weather. The decorations were very «hip». I don’t know if it’s the correct way to describe but it honestly looks like a place that you would see on Tumblr.
Moving on to the food, I ordered the PBR Mac n cheese because it’s probably my go to food all the time. Also, the entrees were pretty pricey for me and I wasn’t THAT hungry so going with a side was a safe choice. I wasn’t expecting the Mac n cheese to be a little spicy. It also was the perfect portion for me. (I even had to take the rest home to go.) My friend ordered the cornmeal fried chicken biscuit. He said that the last time he came here, the portion was huge. This time though it was the opposite. It was a lot smaller than last time. He didn’t mind as much because we also split an appetizer. The drinks were delicious! I don’t recall the name of the drinks we got but they were from Sweden (?) I believe.
I still have yet to try an entrée but in terms of pricing, I would just be fine with the appetizer. The waitress was really helpful in suggesting what to eat and what to drink!

The first time we went to Fodder and Shine, it was later on a Saturday night and we had some issues with the hostess vs. outdoor seating. It was very confusing and poorly handled but eventually we got a server and it all worked out, so we decided to give it another chance on a night we knew wouldn’t be so hectic.
I am glad we did. On our second visit last night, we ordered a tremendous amount of food for three people and everything we had was from really good to excellent. Cornbread, sofkee, pimento spread, cucumber spread, rabbit n dumplins, Pilau, even the meatloaf was extraordinary. We finished it off with homemade ice cream. Well done.
My only issue here is the same one I have with the Refinery. The wine list. I don’t know who is choosing them, but every time I go to these places, the wine lists are disappointing. (Last time I visited the Refinery, they only had sweet wines, not a single dry one, except Merlot, which… merlot. ick.) I was pleased to see Pinot Grigio on the list at F&S, and was told it was drier, so I ordered it… it was the sweetest PG I ever had, I didn’t even know it was possible. I know the majority of Americans want sugar wine, but damn, only selling sweet wines is just silly. Looks like iced tea only for me next time. I can’t bear to spend $ 10 on a glass of wine that I can’t even count on to represent it’s varietal properly. Also, I told no fewer than three employees that we were there celebrating Hubby’s birthday, and they didn’t acknowledge it in any way. No candle at dessert, nada. But the food was good, the décor was nice and the staff was friendly.

Fodder and Shine is a great place to have a large party for a birthday dinner. We had a party of 30 and they accommodated us with ease. I have had several other large party experiences at other restaurants that end up taking 4 hours, the orders are not accurate, can’t properly split checks, etc. The service was impeccable at Fodder and Shine.
The drinks are food are also outstanding. The Peaches & Green was one of the best drinks I have had in a while. The gin was subtle and the addition of the peaches, tomatoes, and cilantro really made the drink a unique and flavorful experience. The smoked fish spread app was perfectly smoked with an appropriate amount of creaminess. The pimento cheese spread was not as successful and was a bit one note for my taste. A friend ordered the Frito Pie and the braised beef in the dish was melt in your mouth tender. I will definitely get this dish when I return. The Pilau (shrimp and rice dish) was also good, however I thought the rice cake was slightly over cooked.
Seminole Heights’ culinary scene continues to impress me and Fodder and Shine is definitely the place to check out if you have not already.

While staying in the area, decided to check out this place. The décor and theme is interesting and hipster. The wait staff was incredibly friendly and more than open to us asking questions about the menu. The PBR Mac and cheese was delicious, with a little hint of spice, the buttermilk biscuits were incredible. But, the real winner (other than the helpful, sweet staff) was the cornmeal friend chicken. Crispy and juicy and full of flavor, I can understand why it is highlighted and highly recommended. The draft beer list is always rotating but they also have a good selection of bottles. The staff poured us the wrong beer, but let us keep it and didn’t charge us for it.
All and all, somewhere I would highly suggest and would definitely make a trip back to!

Instead of writing a review in paragraph form, I’m going to list the issues we had on our first, and last, visit
1. Server took approximately 7 – 8 minutes to acknowledge us or gather our drink order
2. She did not write ANY part of our order down (as a server, this a huge no no for me), eventually leading to us not receiving a side to an entrée we ordered
3. Food arrives, missing side, don’t see her for at least 10 – 15 minutes. Had to get up and ask the host to grab her for us as she never walked by, just to receive something we ordered to begin with. *tip* after a table receives their food, COME AND CHECK ON THEM 3 – 5 minutes later.
4. First cider I ordered was slightly warm?
5. Ordered the pot roast, which consisted 70% of fat 30% meat
6. Family ordered BBQ pork, it was average. A lot of underside cuts with tough skin.
A little pricey for food. Average drink prices. Enjoyed the music and vibe, didn’t enjoy the experience as a whole. Walked out spending $ 81 (+$ 15 tip) feeling like we wasted our money. Would not recommend and will not return.

My 100^th review! I couldn’t think of a more deserving establishment for such. I have visited Fodder and Shine on three separate occasions and each time I feel like I get to learn and love it even more. To know Seminole Heights and all of the wonderful restaurants and such in the neighborhood, is to love Seminole Heights and all it has to offer. Fodder and Shine reminds me of a quintessential southern restaurant with flare that would be in the heart of some of Atlanta’s trendy ist neighborhoods. Being from Georgia, it feels like home but yet far enough away to experience a different approach.
First off, the drink menu. This menu is so exciting, so inventive, I wanna try All the drinks, although not in one sitting. The recipes are so unique. I had a cocktail named «tear in my beer» it came with a beer foam atop and spice rub garnish that was so yummy, the drink almost reminded me of something like a mix between Apple and pumpkin pie. When inquiring about one of the liquors in the drink the mixologist (notice I didn’t call him a bartender because they take it to another level) allowed me to have a small sample. He explained where it was from and how he uses it in the cocktail. Next level service.
On to the menu. For some odd reason, my husband and I decided on a Vegan dish. Nothing wrong with Vegan options, we just normally would go for meat! We had cauliflower steak that was chargrilled, with boiled pnuts that were shelled and mixed with BBQ sauce. Almost like baked beans. I didn’t love the combination but I did appreciate the execution of the meal and think it was just a personal preference of mine. Next time we’re going for the rabbit dumplings or fried chicken. We ordered a side of cheese grits that were some of the best I’ve ever had! Being from Georgia, I know my grits. They were so Hardy, almost tasted like buttery biscuits. Can’t wait to go try them again.
I keep up with this establishment on Facebook and see that they offer so many fun intimate events monthly. They have pool tables, arcade games and outdoor seating but don’t confuse it for just a bar. It’s much more than that and the employees take pride and have passion for what they do. I’m already ready to go back.

I remember when this place opened and about four days in I went. I refused to write a review at that point because a few days into opening a place has got to be just chaos.
So I waited and stopped in once in a while considering this is my stomping ground I cheer for any businesses here.
I met up with some friends last night and we all decided to get a few things and share.
The smoked mullet is perfect, it is the best I have ever had. Crispy and creamy and perfectly smoked with pepper potatoes and greens. This is the south at its best.
I’ve heard people refer to the place as pretentious, if you think that, the only pretentious thing there is you.
Video games from the 80’s! A perfect pool table, art all over and vintage band posters everywhere!
Great seating outside, plenty of room and tables.
The ambiance in the place itself is very open but still warm. Very clean looking and beautiful.
Next on the list was country fried steak. Holy crap.
Once again a perfect culinary expression of love southern style. Delicious white gravy and greens and I suggest the corn bread. It’s one of those dishes that’s so good, you have to nap afterwards. Just so you can dream about eating it again.
There was a dish my friend got called Pilau.
Pretty sure that’s the spelling. It had some kind of bread and an egg and sausage and a red sauce and it was fantastic also. I don’t really know what exactly it was but I know I could eat it everyday forever. I would definitely order all here of these dishes again and again and again.
If you have not been to Fodder and Shine, do yourself a favor and go. Bring a friend. Impress a date! Take mom! Bring the kids!
And the bathrooms are spotless. I know I’m the bathroom guy and I’m all about the cleanliness of the bathrooms but someone has to do it! And all the staff uses those facilities. Spotless I tell you! Clean, clean, clean.

I went here recently on a date with my significant other to try this place out for the first time. The first thing noticed was that parking was very difficult to come by considering the time of night that we got here (Approximately 8:30 PM). Parking is incredibly limited. There may be parking available at the adjacent Front porch restaurant or a Hispanic restaurant across the street, but that is at your own risk of possibly being towed. Any available streets that you would possibly park on our relatively small residential streets also.
Once we got in, it was all OK. This restaurant appears to have been renovated from an old warehouse and is decorated in a very trendy way. There is a full bar to the side with a number of amazing cocktail drinks and pool tables in the back. There is a decent amount of seating available, but there is usually going to be a wait during peak hours. I would highly recommend this place for any kind of happy hour as their cocktails are very unique and delicious!
We were put on a waiting list to be seated and they would call us once our seat is available. We were sitting at the bar getting ready to close out when they called us for our table. We let them know we were closing out at the barn will be there shortly. Once I got to the hostess we learned that they gave our table to someone else which was pretty annoying, but at least there was another table available.
Once we finally got seated after having a few drinks, we put in orders for two appetizers and an entrée to share. For the appetizers we had the Mississippi tamales and the Frito pie. For an entrée we shared the smoke mullet plate with came with bacon braised greens and cheddar sofkee. On the table there is available your standard salt-​and-​pepper along with two types of vinegar sauces possibly for greens. I feel they could’ve used some hot sauce on the table considering the type of cuisine is very southern based. For example, the tamales could have used some definitely. My favorite dish out of all three plates was the Frito pie which had amazing shreds/​chunks of beef in there. I would’ve eaten this dish as my entrée actually. The mullet I found to be a little overcooked and dry. The Sofkee was bland. However, I did enjoy the bacon braised greens, especially with a little bit of the vinegar sauce that was available on the table.
I have mixed feelings about my experience here due to the quality of our entrée. However, I would like to give this place another try and hopefully have a better eating experience.

Thank you Fodder & Shine for making this an easy 5 star decision! I have seen the patio area over the last few months with it’s stylish fire pits and on a chilly night finally stopped in. For Seminole Heights it’s actually a pretty big restaurant so I would say it’s good for a group but reservations would be required because this place was hopping by 8 pm on a Saturday. Parking was ample (tight for larger vehicles so leaving did turn into a community project) but doable. Staff was attentive and friendly from the moment we walked in and throughout the evening. I did do a preliminary review of the menu before stopping in and thought it was modern southern but was corrected that their stick is ‘Florida Cracker’. The bartender was enthusiastic about the old school flavor profiles and welcomed a conversation about Floridan culture/​history which was nourishment for my nerdy mind :) My guest and I had already pre-​gamed so we shared the Minorcan Clam Chowder and the Cornmeal Fried Chicken Biscuit and a few cocktails. I’M SOLD! The chowder was fresh, herby, spicy, comfort in a bowl and that chicken biscuit? Did Jesus come back? Because we were in heaven! Cocktails were balance and strong (they were also more then our food but a real deal artisan cocktail so no complaints just keep that in mind). Overall, I loved it. The adoption papers are in the mail. You are mine Fodder & Shine!

It is easy to see why other reviewers say this is their go-​to place. Fodder and Shine had a great atmosphere, friendly staff, and, most importantly, amaaaazing food. I want to post up in the back and eat here everyday.
I came here with friends to grab some small bites and drinks. When I saw the menu I had a hard time deciding because, everything looked so good and couldn’t make my mind up. I landed on the chicken biscuit and cheddar cheese sofkee. My friends got the eggplant biscuit and PBR Mac and Cheese. I loved it all but I have to say the sofkee was my favorite. When they say, «it’s like the grits you’ve always know but a million times more awesome» they really mean it. Definitely some of the best grits I’ve ever had.

Great space and menu, loaded with the experimental and the standards. I would have liked to have seen some lower priced options that were still interesting but it seems unless you want a house salad (which was fresh and large) you will pay $ 15+ for most anything.
It was very pleasant not being seated atop other diners, with our table by itself we were free to people watch and look around at the 80s and 90s punk décor, much of which included old show flyers and posters from Tampa.
Despite the punk aesthetic, the dinner crowd is mostly older and a lot had kids with them. Service was pleasant and fast, we had to send our server back for several items (since some of the ingredients and flavors were new to us) and the bartender served a very tasty Sazarac from the bar without making us wait for the server to get it.
I am taking a star off because for this price I should have had something to take home for later, rather than being hungry again in three hours.

came here with the misses on a total random night. We walked in 30 minutes before closing so the place was pretty empty.
inside is pretty cool as its got that whole industrial modern look that is reminiscent of restaurants all found in the Seminole Heights area.
their whiskey & burbon selection was fantastic as they have many rare choices behind the bar along with a mixture of alot of cool looking cocktails. of course i had to go OG and order a bulleit old fashioned which was awesome!
for dinner the misses ordered the clam chowder which looked like it was more on the Manhattan side. I ordered the classic cheeseburger that to me just didn’t seem like it had that much flavor or was too exciting on the taste buds. it came with 4 humongous sized onion rings, that honestly tasted like they were taken straight from the carnival stand where you buy corn dogs & funnel cakes as the onion rings just had so much batter on them. nothing spectacular and nothing out of the ordinary with this meal as we left a little disappointed upon hearing so many good things about this place.
on the bright note we had great drinks & didn’t have to wait too long for our food :)

So… This place is awesome! It is normally very busy but we happened to catch them on a slower night, so it wasn’t as packed. The atmosphere is very laid back and chill. The owner or manager came by to chat and see how we were doing several times. Very cool guy! The food was fantastic! We had the Duck and Chicken Gizzards, Frog legs, rice and sauce, and cottage cheese cake (Like cheesecake only with cottage cheese… duh) with blueberries. We also had a few drinks but I honestly don’t remember what they called, but they were on point! Overall, it was awesome. It is a great spot in a great neighborhood!!! I’ll be back next time I go home to visit!

Went here for my boyfriends birthday, and thought the whole experience was fantastic.
The porch exuded a hipster yet eclectic atmosphere, and the bar was full of eccentric artwork, collectibles, and also a random video game arcade located across the bar; touché.
The server was friendly, yet curt-​but I believe that was because it was obvious we were on a date for a special occasion. We began by looking at the sides on the menu which were all very intriguing. From the we ended up picking out the our entrees-​cornmeal fried chicken with okra, Mac and cheese, and we couldn’t resist ordering a separate side of cornbread. I got the pillau for myself which was described as shrimp and grits but better.
I have to say the meals were fantastic! The fried chicken came out hot and fresh which was a bonus to me as most restaurants don’t drink the chicken to order. Also, the pillau was delightful. Like shrimp and grits on crack!
Everything shrimp and grits should strive to be imo.
Unfortunately, we didn’t get desert because we didn’t want to overdo it (they sounded orgasmic), but we definitely plan on coming back soon! This was a pleasant treat for a special occasion.

Um, I wouldn’t trust anyone who reviews this place less than 5 stars. Why.
–Handmade old school deeelicious cocktails.
–Best chicken biscuit I’ve ever tasted I can’t go without having one.
–Mac and Cheese top 5 favorite in the bay.
–great local beer selection.
–favorite part, the unique kitchen window.
It’s one of my favorite hang outs with my lady for sure.

Nice little hipster haven right here, and definitely better than their former venture – The Refinery. The vibe here is a little more classic Florida, rather than Old Southern Democrat. Plus, the bar here offers up a ton of great Whisky & Bourbons, as well as local beers.
We did a ton of plate sharing, so I sampled quite a bit. The burger? Skip it. It’s a pretty large sucker, but lacks any real flavor. It just tastes like beef on a bun. The clam chowder with sausage? Order it! Extremely delicious, and this is coming from someone who is not a clam or chowder fan at all. The beef sandwich special? Order 3 of them. One to eat at the restaurant, and two to eat on the following days. Sub out the onion rings though. They taste like onions dipped in oil. Not impressive at all. It’s possible the frying oil wasn’t at the right temperature. Eggplant biscuit? Terrible. Chicken biscuit? For the win. Don’t be fooled by it’s small size either. It’s packs a punch! (That’s what she said.)
Service was stellar. Nothing but good vibes all night long.
Love the old punk flyers hanging up in the bathrooms. Great touch.
This might not be my favorite part of town, but F&S is an excellent addition to the Heights. Would definitely return.

4 stars for an unique dining experience and a cool, hipster vibe.
F&S is the sister location to The Refinery. Both have an exceptional menu and boast uniqueness on classic dishes.
We arrived around 715 on a Saturday night and were seated immediately. The dining room is an odd layout and I felt as though they had a decent amount of unusable space. The lobby was adorned with arcade games and old window panes, which gave it it’s hipster, vintage feel. Their servers don’t have any type of uniform, which I get, but it made it difficult I know who was a patron and who was an employee.
We perused their craft beer list and I was happy to find CCB Florida Cracker-​my fave.
My husband ordered a pint from a Michigan brewery.
For dinner he ordered their twist on shrimp and grits and I had the fried chicken. Both were exceptional and full of flavor. Their homemade jam that accompanied my buttermilk biscuit hit the spot. The PBR Mac N Cheese was better heated up the next day and sadly the peanut butter pie to go was a miss.
Would we return? Absolutely. I would love to try their smoked ham and oyster salad.
This is definitely a great addition to the Heights.