Family Wash (The)

Great food, great atmosphere, above average bands. Definitely give the shepard's pie or the bangers and mash a try. Family and kid friendly, do don't be dissuaded by the ""bar"" moniker. Beer selection is limited but they generally have a couple of unique brews on tap to go along with the standard Guinness/PBR staples. The happy hour prices are great, so hit the Wash for an early dinner if you like. Highly recommend! more

Recently I was in Nashville on a business trip (I live in California). A friend recommended a few places to me, one of them being The Family Wash. After waiting around for quite a while, I took it upon myself to find a seat. After waiting for 25 minutes or so, the server came to my table sand said ""What do you want?"" I'm not joking. She literally said ""What do you want?"" I was tempted to leave but as it was getting late, I didn't know if I could find another place that was open. So I ordered the meatloaf. It was, hands down, the worst meatloaf I've ever had. It must have been several days old. Once again, the servers were extremely rude when I tried to get my check for quite some time. I would not recommend this place to anyone. And when I'm back in Nashville, I definitely won't be returning to The Family Wash. Pros: Cute decor Cons: Terrible food, rude staff more

I've had two experiences at The Family Wash. On the first, I received mediocre service and had awful, tasteless food (their famous ""Shepherd's Pie"", which is a bunch of random stuff mixed together in a metal tin and is about as tasty as a microwavable Chicken Pot Pie.) The second experience went as follows: After waiting 15 minutes and no service I thought maybe you had to place your order at the bar. But everyone around me appeared to be giving their orders to the two female servers who were working. Then I noticed that most of the people placing their orders had gotten there AFTER I had. So I waited another 20 minutes occasionally making a gesture to the servers that I would like to place my order. Finally I was acknowledged by one of the servers when she made a snide comment about my 2 year-old daughter being in the way of doing her job (which was total BS) So after 35 minutes of sitting there and not being offered a menu, a glass of water or even a simple ""hello"", I realized I should take my business and money to an actual RESTAURANT. If you are visiting Nashville and want to see what East Nashville is all about, avoid this place. You'd have a much better experience at The Wild Cow or even Los Maracas on Gallatin Ave. The food will be good...and someone will actually take your order! Cons: Awful service...bad, overpriced food more

I've been going to the Family Wash for about 4 years now. It's been through some changes, but I have always had a pleasant experience there. The atmosphere is great and food is very good and healthy. Sometimes service can be slow, but I think this is because it's a relaxed atmosphere. more

First off, Jamie Rubin's Family Wash, is like Jamie. The Family Wash never tries to be, or pretends to be hip. However, because of Jamie's generous, welcoming good nature and great musical taste. It just is, in an unpretentious way. The place is casual, like you are visiting a friend's house, and the food is very good. Guinness will be back on tap this April as well as locally brewed Yazoo. Both have been greatly missed in the place, when there were some issues with the liquor license, and stupid Tennessee laws...but I digress. The camaraderie at the Family Wash is an important ingredient found in any successful neighborhood restaurants. It is a welcoming environment where I have met neighbors, made new friends and enjoyed a tasty pint and a pie. And the music is diverse & eclectic and a nod to Jamie's good taste. Pros: Great atmosphere & music Cons: No cons more

Pros: food, music, staff more

WOW! What an amazing place! I am new to the area and was looking for a place to listen to good music and meet new people. The Family Wash is certainly the place. An added bonus is - the food is fantastic too! The porttions are large, the quailty superior and the prices are reasonable. The waitstaff is friendly and attentive. The Family Wash is the place to go for great music, excelent food and a place to make new friends. The Family Wash made me feel as if I was back home at my favorite restaurant. It was wonderful to feel so welcomed. Pros: food, music and staff more

Cold soba noodles and veg shepherd's pie were great. Chips and salsa appetizer was great. Wine was great.... more

Cold soba noodles and veg shepherd's pie were great. Chips and salsa appetizer was great. Wine was great. Music was great. Loved it! more

We had dinner there last night. The salad consisted of lettuce, 2 slices of cucumber, 2 slices of tomatoe and olive oil for dressing. The over priced beer and chewy chicken in the sandwich completed the bad experience. Someone is impressed with themselves, the owners must think its cool to charge to much for not good food. I don't mind paying the price for food if its good but at the Family wash you are paying because its suppose to be hip. Big Waste of money. Cons: not much parking, the staff had taken all but 3 of the spaces there more

Average..... ............... ............. .......... ........ .............. ...... ......... .......................... .............. .......... .................... .............. is that 100? more

I was looking for someplace in the area to try and found Family Wash on City Search. The reviews convinced me to check it out and I wasn't disappointed at all. The food was superb, the server helpful and attentive. The place is small and a bit crowded, but it's the kind of crowd where you don't mind being packed in a little tight. If you prefer some space, though, go early before the crowd arrives and the nightly music starts. Pros: Food, Atmosphere Cons: Parking more

Although we enjoyed our meal, I wouldn't say that the staff treats everyone like family. My husband and I had wanted to eat here for a long time. The veg. sheperds pie was very good..and certainly something that you can't find anywhere else in town. But the temp in the restaurant was about 80 degrees and our waitress seemed to have no interest in making a good impression of the restaurant. It appeared that no one was trying to keep us coming back for more. We had high expectations because of everything we had heard but ended up leaving disappointed. more

The family wash is one of my favorite places in Nashville. Blonde bombshell Julia aided by her team of burnette waitresses make you feel like you are part of something special and hip. A definite home away from home. Tuesday night pie and a pint can not be beat. Rock on, Family Wash! Pros: staff, food, location Cons: unisex bathroom more

This place is, in one word, fantastic. East Nashville is becoming my favorite part of the city because of its new vibrant restaurants and fun gathering spots. The Family Wash is a great contribution to that. The food is solid and the atmosphere is great. I recommend the sheperd's pie to any first-timers - it will be enough to bring you back for more. The appetizers are also a place where the menu shines. The hummus and baked brie are obvious choices. On weeknights, you will feel like part of the neighborhood family - everyone is friendly and congenial. This place is a must! Pros: food, atmosphere, staff more

Nice ambience (I'd say the atmosphere is casual and kitsch - with style) and really good food (even for finicky vegetarians). Speaking of vegetarians, I suggest getting the vegetarian shepherds' pie and refrigerating it 'til the next day. As chef's say, like meatloaf, the flavors ""marry"" - and it's delicious! Pros: Friendly staff more

My boyfriend and I love this place. We are both vegetarian and it's nice to see a place with a vegetarian shephard's pie! Yummy! Pros: live music, food specials, no smoking more

We love the Family Wash, but haven't visited in a while because the menu never changes. Their veggie shepherd's pie is great (better than the traditional, which can be dry sometimes), but there really needs to be another veggie entree. Or maybe a special every other night. The non-smoking part of the restaurant is GREAT and really appreciated. Beer and wine selections are very good and at very good prices. The Family Wash is a great addition to the 'hood. It's hip and funky without pretentiousness. Worth checking out. Pros: non-smoking eating, convenient, good food Cons: static menu, few vegetarian option more

As new residents of East Nashville, we were so excited to find such a comfortable hang in the neighborhood! Even on a busy Friday, there was no ""rush you in and out"" vibe- just a great place to be with friends and make new ones. Haven't eaten a lot off the menu, but the beer/wine selection alone is worth the trip. Prices are good too! Pros: people, atmosphere, beer/wine Cons: parking (maybe) more

We love this place! We went there the first night they opened and it was love at first bite. Great beers selection! Try their tasty hummus & pita points or the Ploughman's plate (bread & cheeses), plus they have great salads and sandwiches. A hidden secret in East Nashville (but close to Inglewood). This place is non-smoking friendly too. Call first to check their hours, they vary by season. Take a spin at Family Wash soon! more