The Palms Restaurant

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 commonwealth.

The egg on Caesar salad was great. The fried chicken was really good. The wafflewich fried chicken had a sweeter batter and the waffle fell apart rapidly. The food was very tasty. There was not enough for leftovers. The servers rushed to get us in and out even well past the dinner hour at 8:30pm, clearing plates, and delivering the check while we were only halfway through our meals with a lot of food on our plate. It made a sit down meal feel more like fast food.

Great atmosphere and dining experience! We were staying overnight in Lexington and didn't want fast food, so we asked our hotel host for suggestions. The Palms was one of the suggestions. We had to wait for about 15 minutes, so we walked around the area and enjoyed some sights. Our waitress was friendly and helpful. The food was served quickly and was well prepared. I got a piece of their coconut cream pie to go and ate it for breakfast. I was delicious!

What a great spot! The Palms offers a wonderful ambience that's a little history, a little mom & pop, and just the right amount of energy. Menu is straight forward and the food comes out hot and quick. Staff here are the real gems. I love friendly, down to earth people, and the staff at The Palms are spot on. Loved our experience here.