Kalamata's
(615) 383-8700
3764 Hillsboro Pike
Nashville,
TN
37215
36.1096
-86.8114
Neighborhood: Green Hills
Hours:
Mon-Thu 11am-8pm
Fri-Sat 11am-9pm
Price:
$
Parking:
Lot
Last updated 2.03.09
What People Are Saying About Kalamata's
The Editor
Contributor
Citysearch
In Short
This bright little storefront cluttered with cafe tables bustles with energy. You'll watch with awe as chef-owner Mehar Fawaz glides gracefully behind the counter keeping order and chatting with customers, all while stuffing a lamb gyro and plating falafel. The Mediterranean menu features customary falafel-gyro-tabouleh fare with a twist. Generous salads boast plenty of just-cut romaine and veggies tossed with Greek vinaigrette. Warm gyros bulge with spicy meat, crisp greens and cool cucumber sauce.
User Reviews
victtrav
April 27, 2009
I'm giving it two stars because of the wonderful baklava and good brownies... the salad ingredients were fresh and crisp... the pita bread was good... BUT... the gyro meat was very off-putting, like a Greek Spam that came out of a can. I've never encountered anything that unfortunate even in the cheapest of Mediterranean hole in the walls-also they were very stingy with the quantity of "meat", even though in this case it was appreciated. Next up, everything from the stuffed grape leaves(very gummy rice too), the salad dressing, the baba ganoush all had an overwhelming, unpleasant sour flavor- not sure what the ingredient was, but it also turned off the three other people I treated to the meal. Lastly, I had to drink water for several hours, evidently due to a salt lick hidden in the food. I had dined at this place a few weeks after they'd opened, and I remember the food at that time was more authentic and homecooked, not the almost unpalatable ingredients I encountered this time around.
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RighterOfWrongs
February 08, 2009
Kalamata?s has pretty good food, but I don?t like the way they do things. If you?re not a regular, you don?t have a clue what to do when you walk in the door. You don?t know where to order, where to pick your food up, where to pay, when to pay?nothing. They make you feel like an idiot. I?ve been there twice and I still don?t know how to do it. One day, I?m paying with my plate in my hand and another day, I?m supposed to wait and pay when I?m finished?all without a bill so I have to remember what exotic delicacy I asked for and tell whoever decides to bop over to the cash register. They?re re-modeling the place now and I hope they decide to use servers because the cafeteria-style ?what now? with people milling around looking for their order or somebody to give their money to doesn?t work. But anyway, this is supposed to be about food, and I like Kalamata?s food. I don?t like the fact that they put their pita bread in a microwave instead of a real oven because it gets gummy instead of crispy, but they?re supposed to be the experts in Greek food, so if they want it gummy, who am I to correct them? One other thing: they have a great selection of sodas.
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jessyhathaway
September 23, 2008
I see that some people have "fussed" about the 'lack of service' or 'bland food' that Kalamata's offers. Yet others comment on the wait because the line flows through the doors and onto the sidewalk. First of all, the atmosphere is as if the customer were family. I am of Greek heritage and much of my family's lifestyle focuses on food and togetherness. Imagine Mehar as an uncle, cooking at the family barbeque...you tell him what you want, he prepares it, you eat, and then you clean up your mess. It is meant to be informal, you are paying for the food not the service. Additionally, Mehar is still quite the conversationalist, even at the peak lunch hour. As for the food...It's not all Greek, it's Mediterranean, and is comprised of a myriad of recipes from different areas. As for taste...some foods, by nature, don't have a lot of flavor. By adding flavor to them, it takes away from the authenticity of "real" Mediterranean meals. I very much enjoy everything about Kalamata's, from the flash of a smile as I walk in the door all the way down to the baklava at the register.
read full reviewThe Details on Kalamata's
Parking:
The Glendale Shopping Center overflows during peak lunch and shopping hours. Best bet is on the Pier One side and down to lower level parking.
When to Go:
Lunch can be a mob scene, but the service is swift and the line moves quickly.
Save Time:
Grab a takeout menu and call or fax in your order ahead.
Category:
Payment Methods:
American Express, Visa, Discover, Diners Club, MasterCard
Restaurant Special Features:
People Watching, Family-Friendly Dining, Outdoor Dining
Cuisine:
Notable Chef:
Mehar Fawaz
Smoking Permitted:
No
