The Farmstand Market & Cafe — Restaurant in Union

Walked in, was not too busy, but stood at the door for at least 5 minutes before someone came and asked us if we had reservations. I said no I didn't know we needed them. He said we will take you, but it will be 10 or 20 minutes. Mind you, there were plenty of empty tables all over the restaurant. And the bar was completely empty. So we went at sat at the bar. We were the only ones at the bar. I had a glass of wine that was poured right away. My boyfriend just asked for water that took 5 minutes to get. Again, we were the only ones at the bar. We were seated about 15 minutes later. The same man at the door came to our table and asked us what we would like. He stated that he was trying to get the only waitress they had caught up. We gave him our order. I got the meatloaf, and he got a burger, not the one he wanted though but none the less, he got one !! they didn't have the one he wanted. About 20 minutes later, we got our food. Mine the meatloaf was absolutely gross !!! It's very mushy and had absolutely no flavor at all !! The Mash potatoes were cold and very lumpy, not to mention it was like 2 table spoons worth . The seasonal veggies were almost raw but warm . The burger seemed fine because he ate it all. The chips that were served with it were no salt chips, I believe, because they were awful and he did not eat them. If I'm being completely honest, the food reminds me of cafeteria food. Just no flavor in anything we ordered. Like I stated before, the meatloaf was just mushy and didn't taste like it had meat in it. I did not order the turkey meatloaf. I ordered the regular meatloaf just to be clear. It would seem they just didn't have the help they needed to run this place, and all 4 of the people working seemed very stressed out. This was our first time here and definitely our last !! I suppose we didn't realize the food is prepared for older folks. Like nursing home folks. It's just not the right fit for us. Not to mention, for a place that requires you to have a reservation, they should probably have the help they need to serve the customers better. We definitely felt attacked coming in the door because we didn't have a reservation, and it just kept going south from there. I do not recommend this place for anyone under...

The Fat Man tries to find hidden gems, holes in the walls, or any small mom-and-pop establishment with good food. While traveling in northern Kentucky, the Fat Man stumbled upon one of these places, The Farmstand Market & Cafe. Farmstand offers comfort food with a farm-to-table focus served in a cozy space with a bar and attached market.

We started with the Goetta Hanky Panky Dip. This was made with cheesy goetta, bagel chips, pumpernickel bread, and light rye served in a cast iron skillet. The dip had a good sausage flavor with salt and some light spice while being cheesy, creamy, and full of flavor. The bagel chips were very crispy but were not served warm. The pumpernickel and rye were dry. Each complimented the dip, adding texture to the bite.

My wife had the Reuben Sandwich. This sandwich came with sliced corned beef, homemade Thousand Island, pickled pig sauerkraut, and Swiss cheese on light rye with bacon ranch pasta salad. The pasta salad was cooked spot on while also being creamy. The bacon added crunch and saltiness to the salad. The rye had a great toast, and the Thousand Island was tangy and creamy. The pastrami was dry but had a good salty flavor. The sauerkraut was crunchy and had a good sour flavor cutting through the salty meat and the sweet dressing. The cheese was gooey and nutty and added flavor to each bite.

I sampled the French dip sandwich and Mulligatawny soup. This was prepared with a sliced top round with provolone on a French roll. The soup was prepared with rice, chicken, carrots, onions, celery, lentils and spices. The chicken was very tender, the rice was cooked well, and the vegetables added texture to the rice. The soup was flavorful, had a wonderful aroma, and had a good salt content. The top round was thin and offered good flavor and chew. The roll was fresh and had a good chew paired with the ooey and gooey cheese with an excellent buttery flavor. The au jus had good flavor but was slightly salty, which overpowered it.

Farmstand offers grilled cheeses, hot sandwiches, burgers, salads, appetizers, soups and main entrees. They also serve beer and have a full bar. The servers were pleasant and knowledgeable. The Fat Man says that The Farmstand Market & Cafe is Fat Man Approved...

My wife and I love this place. Looking at the previous reviews, there are several that appear to be in direct conflict with our experience since 2021.

On our first visit we liked the rustic (not fancy) interior of the bar and dining room areas. Every time we tried another menu item, we found a new favorite. The daily specials are also well executed and unique. For the last couple of years, we enjoy lunch or dinner at Farmstand on a weekly basis, and have never been to a small independent restaurant that is as consistently great at what they do.

All of the dishes, sandwiches, wraps and burgers are excellent and are unique with a Farmstand twist. The apple butter on the grilled turkey and brie sandwich, the fresh local tomatoes on the BLT, the Local Love Burger with shitake mushrooms and gouda in the burger, and a sausage stuffed, roast pork loin, are all memorable and done beautifully.

We have also been to a couple of the Farmstand special seasonal dinners planned during the year, that are themed and include multiple courses with drink parings, that are full of delicious surprises that the owner and her team create.

There is no fryer in their kitchen, so all the food is prepared and cooked by the owner and her wonderful staff. If it's big brand name, corporate fancy food, or frozen chicken nuggets that you're looking for, this may not be the place for you. If your interested in great food and supporting excellent local independent restaurants, come on and join the fun. They're serving it up at The Farmstand...