Bantam

24 reviews for “Bantam”

1. Classy and clean environment.. wonderful greeting at the front of house. Prompt drink service. Our food came out hot off the line and everything tasted SO GOOD. The restaurant was full but our wait time was super reasonable. Love this place theres a real synergy here. Well done.

2. BEST hot chicken I’ve had since visiting Nashville! Both the hot chicken and the caesar salad with fried chicken were SO delicious. Service was friendly, ambiance was cozy and the drinks were tasty (and pretty!) They also have a lovely upstairs area if you’re looking for a good date night spot.

3. An average rating becuase I’m simply considering this place for a decent fried chicken dinner. I won’t be going as $32 for less than half a chicken is not reasonable unless the birds are from someone like Heritage Spring Farms heritage breed offerings. But I feel a need for a word on the menu comment on tipping. It seems contrived to guilt diners into over-tipping. I’ll tip the wait staff, it’s up to you to otherwise provide your employees a living wage. Given your prices, if your food is good enough to attract customers at those prices,
   you should have no problem compensating them for going a above and beyond. Tipping is out of control in our culture; it’s come to be expected or owed and in no way seems tied to the quality of service. You should consider removing that statement from your menu. Diners don’t owe your dishwasher anything for providing a clean dish to eat from.

4. The food was really good but really over priced for a small half rotisserie chicken. The server was really polite and was spot on. I just wish they would have provided ice in the water as it tasted really warm. Also the pop is served by the can which it didn’t say that in the menu. If I would have known that I wouldn’t have ordered it. Not for $3. It was hard to see my food as the lighting was really dim.

5. We always enjoy the food, service, and ambiance at Bantam. The deviled eggs are amazing. A lot of work clearly goes into preparing them and the flavors and textures are wonderful. I also love their hush puppies. Very crisp on the outside and soft on the inside, just as they should be. You’ll have the most moist chicken here that you’ve ever had too.

   Drinks are always good and they rotate seasonally, so it’s never the same menu, which keeps it fresh. I feel like they taste even better when enjoyed upstairs in the ambiance of the bar, fireplace, and books on the shelves.

   The service and how they run Bantam is what sticks out most to me though. I remember the first time we went shortly after they first opened, they must have had a busy night and the food took a long time to come out. We weren’t upset at all, but we requested our food to go when it was ready because sleepiness hit me all of a sudden. I had worked a really long day and I was so tired all of a sudden and I was worried I was going to fall asleep. They insisted on giving us the meal for free, to which we felt bad because we weren’t upset. It was my fault as I shouldn’t have decided to go out that evening, but they insisted, and the manager came out. A real nice guy. We left a generous gratuity, but we have been back many times because of what is important to them and how good their service is. I’ll be honest- I do not know how the owner remembers our name when we come in. He must have a photographic memory. Impressive. Love this place.

   Parking: Bantam is located in a popular area, so there’s lots of competition for parking during dinner hours and late evening on weekends.

6. the chicken was pretty good but the mac and cheese looks way better than it tastes, it’s really dry and doesn’t have a ton of flavor. i wasn’t a fan of their warm bbq sauce either, because it was warm but it also tasted a bit funky. it was fine overall but i don’t see myself going back.

7. Bantam has a lot going for it, but it’s just too expensive for what it is. The Fried Chicken plate should ostensibly be it’s signature dish given the marketing. At $34, you receive two large boneless… Schnitzels? They’re pounded flat and deep fried. Would be better served as a bone-in half bird. They come with a biscuit about the size of a silver dollar and a side of choice. I picked the seasonal roast vegetables, which were excellent and served overflowing a standard 8oz soup cup. We also got hushpuppies for $16, with a remoulade that was great. There were 7 of those and they were delicious. Drafts were $8.00 and served in nice glass steins.

   Overall a good experience, and the staff was just great. Holding the 5th star until that biscuit comes out a normal size. I literally chuckled when I saw it.

8. Food is great, drinks are over priced.

9. We went to Bantam for a company Holiday Party. That aside, the restaurant was in top form. They had our reservation ready (even when we arrived early) and were able to get us seated upstairs quickly.

   As it was early, we were first to the bar and had time to peruse the menu and the menu. Our party decided on a Paper Planes, where Bantam has a house Paper Crane made with Yuzu and Japanese whiskey. The drinks were top notch, and consistent across bar tenders. We had a few 🙂

   When the rest of the party arrived, we enjoyed well prepared and delicious Chicken & Waffles. Other folks in our party enjoyed the Hot Chicken and Appetizers. Really good food.

   The service was attentive, and the whole restaurant was tidy and well kept. We had a great time and will go again.

10. My new favorite restaurant in Bellingham and I am a “foodie” from the Bay Area!

11. Everyone was super nice. We reserved a table in the upstairs part which was a bit more spacious then the main floor. The food was amazing and came out quicker then expected. Definitely get the Mac & Cheese.

12. Wonderful time here. Everyone was friendly and helpful. The food was so good. The half rotisserie chicken was perfect for two of us and the sides were just perfect. The honey was amazing. The vegetables side was so tasty, it truly felt like home cooking. Basically everything was perfect.

13. I almost walked out of the restaurant because it took over 15 minutes before the waitress came to my table. But, she was so nice when she noticed me and apologized several times, she was such a sweetheart! I could tell it wasn’t intentional. But I’m glad I stayed because this place has some of the best chicken I’ve ever had! This food was the highlight of my day . I highly recommend the rotisserie chicken and the Mac and cheese. The chicken was full of flavor and the breast was juicy. The cocktails were pretty good as well! I would definitely return and try the fried chicken with red beans and poutine before I leave Bellingham!

14. Super good food and nice service !

15. One of the best meals and dining experiences we have had! Tried Bantam for the first time last night for my husbands birthday. We wanted to try somewhere new but are always a little afraid with a 1 and 4 year old. The waitress was so great with the girls and made us all feel so welcome. The food was amazing (so excited for leftovers today!) My one year old couldn’t get enough of the rotisserie chicken, and my four year old loved the Mac and cheese with goldfish on it.. we did too! They even made sure the kids Mac and cheese was a kid friendly temp when serving.. we really appreciated this.
    Would highly recommend the rotisserie chicken meal (with seasonal vegetables), the spicy chicken sandwich, and of course the Mac and cheese. We will definitely be back!

16. I had time before my dance class and stopped in for a little dinner. I loved the vibe in this spot! And I ordered Mac and cheese and the roasted veggies. Y’all both amazing! Plus they have mocktails on the menu which I needed to try… and it was also amazing! Highly recommend stopping here!!

17. First time here and will come back! Great service by Mel in the upstairs adult only bar section. Garlic herb chicken meal was so good as well as the Quarter Rotisserie meal and the cocktails were lovely!

18. The poutine was delectable!
    The fries were perfectly crispy, and remained crispy till the last bite. Can’t say that about too many poutines.
    The gravy is rich, salty and full of umami. We licked the bowl clean.

19. Food is incredible, large portions sizes and cooked to perfection. Only downside is how seating works upstairs. It’s pretty tight and you may get sat near somebody else.

20. I was really surprised by how much I enjoyed the entire experience here. Would 100% go back again.

21. Awesome people and awesome food. The host was welcoming and polite. Definitely very warm hosting by him. Big shout out to Ben Further the experience was made excellent by Colten and the magicians in the kitchen serving delicious food. 🔥💕💕

22. Grab yourself a seat upstairs if you can, kick back with a delightful cocktail, and enjoy some southern inspired chicken-based meals done proper!

    I had the fried chicken sandwich (with extra cheese and pickles), which tasted JUST like McDonald’s Junior Chicken…

    But obviously made with much fresher and higher quality ingredients; offering a tasty dose of nostalgia that I couldn’t get enough of.

    And if you’re looking for sides, don’t sleep on the mac & cheese or grits 🙂

23. Very good food, walked in without a reservation and got seated outside very fast, the heaters worked great and even though we had the only table outside they came out and checked on us quite regularly. All the staff were very friendly and willing to chat, but not overbearing at all, and the food was really good, though a little large portions (I got the chicken sandwich, it seemed huge).

24. As always, the seasonal focus with the cocktails is incredible and tasty. The food is some of the best chicken that I have ever eaten. The only issue that I have ever had there involves cold butter that is served with the Chicken and Waffles. And I suspect that it is a health department rule rather than a restaurant fault.