Herban Market — Restaurant in Franklin

I’m not sure I’ve ever written a public review. But today, I feel compelled. It’s time.

I’ve been coming to Herban Market for many years (way before the remodel) but I don’t think I can keep doing it. As much as I enjoy the food, they consistently have significant operational challenges that make it less than enjoyable. While it used to be a bright light escape in sea of suburban chain restaurants, it now just makes me anxious. I don’t know why I keep enduring it. I guess I love the idea of a local family-owned unique concept making it for the long haul. I hope they can.

They are very often out of key ingredients to make signature menu items. Want gluten free bread? Sorry, it’s probably gone out. Oat milk? Not today. Maybe next time. Chai? Nope. Delicious broccoli crust for pizza? Try back Thursday.

And, sadly, they don’t publicly post when those items are gone. So, you wait in line for extended periods of time only to learn that the thing you drove there to buy is not available. It’s a bummer. I really feel for the poor employees at the register. They are often made to be the messenger with bad news.

The team has real problems making drinks in a timely manner. If you order food, you will often get that food far sooner than your coffee. The problem with that is you have to wait near the counter to hear your name. No overhead microphone/speaker. Can’t hear it outside. So, multiple times I’ve been by myself standing at the counter waiting on a drink only to have someone shove a plate of food into my hand that is already awkwardly holding a number. I stand there holding a plate as there are no tables nearby. By the time the coffee is done, the food is often cold. It's not a great experience.

Another thing that gets me is they have a clear traffic problem coming in and out of the door. No direction on where to line up, you just kinda have to know. I watch person after person walk in and act confused, mainly because the lines are often long. I try to help because it can be worth the wait at times.

Still, I try. I want to love this place. They have a good variety of healthier options, a rarity in Brentwood/Franklin. The coffee is good. The grocery items are unique. I love many of the breakfast options, assuming they ever have the stuff I want in stock. But every time I go, I end up leaving and kicking myself for giving it another try.

Suggestions for the owners:

Please fix the coffee situation. It's fixable. It shouldn't take 30+ mins. If it's that busy, hire more staff for the coffee bar. Two is not enough. Add an extra machine. Add an overheard speaker to call out orders outside. Or have someone run drinks. It really does look like business is good enough to make some operational changes for the better.

Figure out the entrance/exit. Push the crowd out the other door. It's too tight and chaotic during busy times. Stressful. There are multiple registers. How about multiple lines with clear markings on where they start and where to leave? Otherwise, it’s choas. A place like Herban should feel relaxing.

Also, I do get the supply chain shortages. Everyone understands that. But if something is not available, please post it on a visible sign as people are walking in the door. It's such a bummer to want something you can finally eat only to learn it’s not available after a long wait in line.

Suggestions for customers:

Go during the week. I still think you should try it, but do yourself a favor and wait til Tuesday. Weekends are miserable during peak times. Prepare for 2-3 food options. They’re going to be out of something you want, I promise.

I want to love it. But I can’t....

This place is horribly managed!

Unfortunately, I’ll probably never eat here again. Which is too bad because the food is amazing. So maybe if the people I interacted with are re-located, I might come back.

My wife and I came to have lunch. I ordered a build your own bbq chicken pizza(cheddar and mozzarella cheese, grilled scallions and red onion, chicken and bacon), and she a build your own salad. When our food arrived, my pizza came correctly made, aside from the jalapeños that were added(the bbq chicken pizza on the menu has them included). I informed them of the mistake and requested a new pizza with the correct choice of ingredients. I assumed it was due to a mix up of the difference between my choice of ingredients and what typically would come on the original bbq chicken pizza. Mistakes happen, but I would like to eat what I chose.

After 20+ minutes of waiting, which in that time my wife had finished her food, they arrived with the “correct” pizza. But again it was incorrect. This time the pizza was missing the jalapeños, but also the cheddar cheese and grilled scallions which I had requested. On top of that it was cold. The crust felt like a potato chip and the chicken like rubber. At this point, between my dissatisfaction and the allotted time passed, I was not going to request another dish be made and wait another 20 minutes. I again called over an employee and expressed my concerns and requested my order be rescinded and that I would take my business elsewhere.

When I explained my situation to a manager, she quickly informed me that a refund would not be available. That because they’ve already made a second dish, they could not process a refund. And that the best they could offer was a $10 gift card(my order was $16).

During this whole situation: Both times I explained the mistakes with my order, the individuals I spoke with(2 managers and 1 employee) seemed to take it very personal that I had the audacity to request my food be made correctly. Not once was ownership made on the part of the restaurant for the mistakes made. They even came to me with the receipt showing what was ordered. Too bad what I said versus what was imputed can’t be recorded. Regardless, when the second version came out, it should’ve been correct. Yet it was not. After the “manager” came back, she presented the gift card (equaling 2/3’s my order price), by placing it on the table away from my out stretched hand and then said in a snide and sarcastic voice “we hope to see you again”.

What’s horrible about this experience, is that it could have been handled so much better. All I wanted was my correct order. But both times, I was made out to be the bad guy. How dare I(the customer) wish to eat the food that I ordered? Instead, these 3 employees decided to act like children and act as if I had done something wrong. I would think that what I ordered wasn’t too difficult to make. And I understand that mistakes happen. But if I’m going to be paying for good food, I should be getting good food. And unfortunately I did not. And that I why I’m choosing to take my...

HELP!!! That's what this place needs in my opinion, some serious help. So sad as we eat here 3 times a week and the food has gone down hill. When we moved here a year and a half ago, first thing we did was look around the restaurant and then at the kitchen staff as that will tell you quite a bit in my experience. It was great and the food was consistent. Fast forward to now, take a look around the kitchen and tell me what you see? What has happened to this place? What country are we eating in? Sorry, but many are saying the same thing. The food quality of how it's being prepared is dropping fast and when you try and explain to the food runner that some items are missing or the food has an issue, there is now a language barrier. Sorry, I like all good people, but I moved from a place where I've been down this road and it never ends well. Here are photos of our latest breakfast with BURNT eggs that were like rubber and some ROTTEN avocados and, I think this is a first, the bacon looked deep fried (never happened before) which takes all the flavor away and it tastes greasy. My wife got her salad 20 minutes after I received my cooked breakfast. The Tinga Tacos used to be one of my favorites, but now it's hit and miss with being fresh or dried out, and I'm talking about at lunch time. Standards have fallen and I truly feel for the owners as it must be insanely hard to hire good staff nowadays, but something has got to change. The food and consistency should be your NUMBER ONE PRIORITY. Then I'd have almost no issues except for the staff language barrier. LOVE that ingredients are organic and/or healthy. PLEASE don't mess with that as we're willing to pay more for healthy food and it's the primary reason we come here. We are going to new locations to see how they do unfortunately but aren't quite ready to give up on this place. OWNERS, please understand that we love your ingredients, your concept, and the overall vibe of this place and WANT you to be successful. Maybe charge 1% more on all items and pay for a food checker to make sure everything is prepared correctly before it leaves the kitchen? And hire staff that speak perfect English when they're running food out to tables. It's hard, I know, being in the restaurant business. Best wishes...