Batch New Southern Kitchen and Tap: Fort Lauderdale — Restaurant in Fort Lauderdale

We decided to have a gathering of the ladies and Batch came highly recommended. Our reservation was for noon and we were all there by 12:05. Our table was ready and we were seated. I noticed that the gentleman that seated us was not very friendly but I just went on. I asked where the restroom was and as I was returning from the restroom, I overheard some guest complaining about the same guy's attitude. I just thought I would mention that tidbit of info. Our waiter came over and gave us our menus and offered us some water. When he returned we were ready to order our drinks. We were all very satisfied with our selections. I ordered the bottomless mimosas and they were very good but Kyle could have checked on us more often. I had to call him each time I needed a refill. (See pics) . We ordered our meals and the presentation was great, the temperature of the food was very good (everything was at the temp it should have been). One of my friends ordered the avocado toast. Presentation was great, unfortunately, this has a lot to be desired. It has no taste at all. No olive oil, no salt or pepper. I tasted it myself so I could give an honest opinion, no taste, very bland. She advised Kyle that she did not like the avocado toast. He said I'll get the manager. The Manager, Shawn came over and she told him that the avocado toast was not satisfactory. He was very polite and said that he could take it back to the kitchen and warm it up. I thought that was strange. She said no, can I just order something else. He said that he could not remove it from the bill but she could order another item and he would get it out right away, hummm. She said what about the burnt ends appetizer? He said he could put the order in but he would have to charge her. I told him to put the order in and add it to my bill. I didn't think that was good customer service. It was five of us and our bills eac averaged $60-$80. The two of my friends that ordered the burgers said they were delicious. My friend, who ordered the chicken and waffles, said the chicken was too salty. I tasted it, and she was correct. Absolutely too salty. I ordered the smoked brisket hash. It was fabulous. (see pic of before and after. I ordered a side of apple wood smoked bacon and my friend ordered a side of pecan whiskey candied bacon. The apple wood was not good but I tasted her pecan whiskey candied bacon and it was GREAT. This is a must have. If you're saying, "she tasted everybody's dish", I did just so I could add it to this review, LOL. On another note parking was easy and if you parded int he buliding across the street it was free. I do recommend Batch and I will...

So my sister offered to take me out for my bday and i decided to try batch. We made a reservation online and when we arrived we were never asked if we wanted inside or out by the host or through the online reservation. The host Brandon who seem very uninterested and not friendly and put us all the way in the back near the rest room. When we asked Brandon for outside seating he stated it would be a 45 minute wait. We asked our waitress who was really sweet about sitting outside, she called Brandon the host and he came back and then said the wait would now be 1 hour to an hour in the half wait, even though just minutes before he told us 45 minutes. We still decided to wait on the wait list and of course Brandon never return to update us about an outside table or told us is any tables were ever ready. Later i decided to order a side of kids Mac and cheese for my sons to share and i decided to cancel the order because it was taking too long to come out and of course they claimed that the order was already on its way out to me. I believe it was someone’s old order because it can dry and cold. I asked to remove it and of course the manager Sean said that it was already made and once it was brought to the table i would be responsible even though i told the waiter that i didn’t want it. If he didn’t want to loose $15 buck that bad, he could of offered me something else just as a courtesy or just to be understanding, but of course he was very unapologetic and rude and made it seem like there’s nothing that could be done. I hate to accuse someone of profiling but someone of my race did not feel welcome at this establishment. The food could have been better as far as taste but if i felt welcomed i would have returned and given them a second chance to try the food again. To end the afternoon, as we were leaving we witness more than 6 seating that could have accommodated my party at some point during our time at this restaurant. Now I’m sure the manager and host will say they have reserve seating protocol that they use to cover up for their poor customer service, but customer service should be a priority. I would have been ok with the seating and the cold hard Mac and cheese if the host and the manager had better customer service and a little compassion, even if they didn’t mean it. The Ambience is the only thing that I enjoyed, but the vibe is not there for me people like me. Sorry if you look like me their first impression person (the host Brandon) and the manager (Sean) does not care how they make you feel as a customer. I get better customer service at Publix...

The Fort Lauderdale location is situated in a mixed residential neighborhood on Federal Highway (“Fat City”). It features a large outdoor dining area and bar, which feels too expansive for the area. On a Saturday at 7 PM, it was surprisingly quiet, possibly due to the heavy food concept not fitting the hot weather.

The menu blends Southern classics with a foodie twist, all made from scratch. They offer unique infused liquors like pecan whiskey, cinnamon schnapps, Jalapeno Moonshine, and Spiced Rum, which are used in innovative cocktails.

We started with the Southern Cobb Salad, which included grape tomatoes, crumbled bacon (cold, not crispy but plentiful), gorgonzola, hard-boiled eggs, avocado, salad greens, and buttermilk dressing. It was excellent and could be a full meal with added protein.

While we skipped the heavy appetizers due to the heat, we tasted the Burnt Ends from a friend’s plate. They didn’t taste like brisket. Our friend also had the Fried Chicken with Waffles, which looked good and got positive feedback. Rachel ordered the Nashville Chicken Sandwich, made with a juicy, well-seasoned chicken thigh, which I enjoyed despite not being a chicken fan. The sandwich menu looked appealing; I almost chose the Fried Green Tomato BLT or the “Dirty South” Burger.

I ordered the shrimp and grits, expecting a classic Southern dish. The shrimp were grilled and blackened but over-seasoned. The grits were surrounded by a “Tomato Bacon Jus,” resembling sweet tomato soup, which we didn’t like. A simpler sauté or a different sauce would have worked better. We sent it back.

The mac and cheese, made with smoked cheddar and gouda, was amazing. It’s served casserole-style, creamy, and dusted with spicy Frito dust. It’s a large portion, and you can add protein like shrimp or chicken.

For dessert, we had the Strawberry Shortcake, which featured buttermilk biscuits with homemade ice cream and macerated strawberries. It was delicious and worth the $10. The buttermilk biscuits made me want to return for brunch, which this place is known for.

Overall, the menu is too heavy for the weather, and lighter options would be better. The food style suits small plates and shareable items more than big entrees. I’ll return, especially for brunch, and I’m interested in trying the...