The Palms — Restaurant in Lexington

I visited on a Sunday afternoon as a waypoint on a trip to southwest Virginia. This place sits conveniently in walkable Lexington next to both Washington and Lee University and the Virginia Military Institute. The vibe struck me as reassuringly cozy and local for a corner bar in the center of a small town. I was greeted a minute after seating myself at the bar and after perusing the menu decided to order a market salad with salmon, the “wafflewich” (I.e., chicken and waffles), and their apple tart. My food arrived largely within reasonable times. Service seemed cordial and attentive, even if the sole barkeep appeared a little stretched with handling the number of customers at the bar.

The lemon thyme dressing with my salad was quite flavorful and portioned just right on the side. The salmon was cooked well, although I would prefer more of a medium rare temperature especially with a salad or as an entree. A bit more seasoning on the fish would have been welcome also, but overall I liked the freshness of the greens and the general flavor. The chicken and waffles could have had more color on the waffle and less color and seasoning on the chicken for my taste, but the flavor, temperature, and portion of the chicken was quite satisfying. The cole slaw side was mostly crisp and bright, although I did encounter a small pool of dressing as I finished. The highlight for me came in the form of the apple tart which garnered attention from adjacent bar patrons daring me to eat the entire dish. Challenge accepted and easily handled. The pie crust was buttery but not too buttery, the apples had a satisfying texture and ratio to the pastry, and the ice cream stayed cold for almost all of my eating time. A great sensation to end my meal certainly.

The total bill came to around $35 including all taxes, so I felt I experienced a good value for me dining dollar. I could be tempted to return and sample more bar fare in the future if I am in this area of the...

Stopped here while on a road trip, was on the list of recommended eateries from the hotel (see separate review of Hampton Inn in Lexington, VA - also a one star establishment). Anyway, they had a cheese curd appetizer that the wife liked but it tasted a lot like the standard mozzarella sticks that you can get anywhere. She also got the "wafflewich" that she liked, but it was pretty basic chicken and waffles, nothing to write home about. I ordered a cheeseburger and it was OK, but also nothing special at all. HOWEVER, I ordered a Michelob Ultra and received a lukewarm beer that was skunked from improper storage. For the next round, I ordered the same thing but requested a cold one. I received a similarly warm beer. OK, so a mediocre place like most, but here's the reason for the one star - absolutely zero amenities for handicapped folks. Super steep steps to get in the front door, and I had to help my wife up them to get in. BTW, extra thanks to the DBAGS that saw her coming in and let the door swing shut, super nice. Of course, no handicapped signs anywhere and no handicapped parking. For fun, I asked the manager on the way out where the handicapped entrance/exit was. He informed me that it was through the kitchen, but that it would take a few minutes. True to his word, he came back in a few moments and led us through the kitchen and out to the street. The way through the kitchen was too narrow to accommodate a wheelchair and there was a step at the end. Total fail as far as the ADA is concerned. I recommend that anyone reading this avoid...

TL;DR, balanced dishes, very reasonable prices, outstanding service. Definitely worth a visit!

The problem with being willing to try anything is that everything sounds good. At the waitresses suggestion, I tried the pulled pork burrito, wife had the red-eye burger, and kids had Mac and cheese. We also ordered fried pickles.

The pickles arrived quickly and were delicious, though a little heavy-handed with the salt. Our food arrived shortly thereafter (swift service is a MAJOR perk when dining with children). My first impression of the burrito is that it was overcooked based on the nearly charred wrap. Upon tasting it, I was wrong. The char was thoughtfully intentional; a textural contrast to the tender fillings. The pulled pork was immaculate, possibly among the best I've ever had. It was tender and flavorful. The choice of pickled onions to offset the rich umami of the pork was brilliant and elicited an involuntary physical response (moan). The house made macaroni salad was also worth mentioning; well seasoned, not overly sauced, and spot-on al dente textured.

I can't speak with such detail on my wife's burger, but was pleasantly surprised it was perfectly medium-rare, despite the menu saying medium-well. The Mac and cheese was Kraft's finest but I didn't have any higher expectations.

The staff was kind, attentive, and well-informed of the menu (clarified what was made in-house vs. store-bought).

All said and done, a lovely dining experience I would gladly repeat the next time we're...