FM Restaurant

First time coming here. Came for a party put on by 92.1 the best. It was a party for Biggies birthday so it was all old school music centered around Biggie: they were running a $ 5 crown royal Apple special which was cool until they ran out of crown apple halfway through the party :-/​Other than that had a great time

The idea behind coming to FM had so much anticipation behind it that when we got there, it was a lot less than what my thoughts made up. We thought we were going to feel like rockstars because it just seemed like such a cool place. The tables remind me of those fast food booths that shift when you sit in them. Maybe from other reviews I thought it was a little bit more extravagant.
The menu was somewhat basic and the drink options weren’t really appealing because there wasn’t really any variety.
We started with bacon wrapped onion rings but half of them were freezing cold. Not the kind of cold that was just cooled off, but it was actually the type of cold that ice gives off. The cooked ones were good though. I got the House burger which comes on texas toast, but after a bite the whole thing fell apart due to soggy bread. My boyfriend got chicken and waffles, which tasted amazing. We decided to skip dessert.
I thought it was cool that they were connected to The Norva and they put on live concerts, but I don’t think I’ll be making it back to FM.

Unless you are going so that you can enter the Norva early, don’t bother. Bad food and bad employee attitudes. Worst sliders ever. Bartender was the worst — like he’s all that lol. Brandon was a nice guy that works there — props to him. Seriously, unless you REALLY want to get a seat for a Norva show, stay out of this place. And BTW, the drinks at The Norva are way too expensive — $ 9.00 for a FINLANDIA vodka and tonic with heavy emphasis on the tonic. Next time, I’m bringing my flask.

Was surprised to find the food really good. No bad meals yet. Loving the Pretzel Roll sandwiches and also the fried oysters. Huge portions as well.

I came here last friday before the Anthrax Lamb Of God show. It was around 3:30 and the bar was full. We all wanted to get out of the rain! Happy hour was from 3 to 7. $ 2 dollar wells and beers. I had the club sandwich. It was very tender and I loved the pretzel bun. Fries were also fresh cut but could have used some seasoning so I will ask for salt and pepper next time I go there.
I don’t really know why some label this as a «soul food» restaurant. If it was a soul food restaurant it would serve fried chicken and collagreens etc, etc. It’s basic bar food. Service was good I think. I see many on here whining how they had slow service. If you come in on a slow day before dinner you have to realize there are not that many people working there so it can take some time to prepare your order. You can’t please everyone! I will be back it is definitely cheaper than overpriced Hells Kitchen!

Made reservations as they were required prior to Panic at the Disco. As the mom of a teen going to the show, the venue missed a great opportunity to CLEAN up simple things like the bathrooms and floors for the crowd that was going to shuffle through. We ordered from the limited special event menu (that sucked) that tasted decent but was ice cold. Understaffed and not very friendly, they were trying to be so rock and roll cool as an early entry venue for the Norva that they forgot they are a restaurant with paying patrons who want some customer service, clean bathroom and decent eats.

Vegetarians beware! Staff seemed frazzled, stressed and confused from the get go. Waited at the door for 10 minutes before greeted. They needed a host for sure! Finally sat by a grumbly man who wasnt very pleasant and it appeared to me that our waitress was all over the restaurant and kept forgetting about us. We got a couple of beers and our drinks took about 15 minutes from the bar, and were warm when we received them.
We ordered food after being avoided during the 15 minute duration it took to get our drinks with not even an apology or explanation. I am vegetarian and wanted something hot and soulful. The ONLY option (aside from salads) on their menu was the Napoleon Stack, and i went for it. The entire next day i felt sick and the only thing. I could conclude was the Napoleon Stack.
(Next time i went in to buy tickets, i asked a few questions about the Napoleon Stack, and i sadly found out that it was NOT VEGETARIAN. Bacon something in the balsamic and beef broth in the potatoes.)
My partner in crime got a house burger RARE, which on the menu said it came on sourdough and with pimento cheeese. It came on a bun with no cheese, cooked WELL.
The entire time we felt rushed and our waitress was rude. THIS PLACE HAS SUCH GREAT POTENTIAL being attached to the NorVa! But they need a host on busy nights and someone to take charge of the hosts. Also, an ACCURATE MENU.

We made reservations at FM prior to a show so that we could be part of the «Early Entry» crowd; otherwise, we would not have eaten here. We had two major issues with the meal.
One of the stipulations of eating here before a show is that you spend at least $ 10 per person. They do not, however, include alcoholic beverages in the total. This irks me to no end as they make as much, if not more, money profit-​wise on drinks than they do food. Why not include drinks in the $ 10 mandate and save yourself the food and clean-​up costs of serving your guest a meal? As much as that bothers me, though, their slimmed-​down «Special Events» menu is even more absurd.
Rather than give their guests the luxury of ordering from their normal menu, FM has guests who are participating in the early entry program order from a menu that has far fewer choices. Eventually we settled on the FM Burger and the Fish and Chips. The burger was good, but the Fish and Chips were a disaster. The fish was salty and the cole slaw looked more akin to sauerkraut — stringy and grey — than the confetti-​color salad most people are familiar with. The best part of the Fish and Chips platter were the Hush Puppies. The biggest disappointment food-​wise was the soggy, under-​seasoned pile of fries on both our plates. However, had that been our biggest complaint, I would have been willing to give this place 2 stars.
Remember when I said they had a larger menu they serve everywhere else in the restaurant? The one we couldn’t order from? Apparently that only applies to some customers. Another table — one we knew was attending the show because a.) we were all seated in the «Special Events, Early Entry» area; and b.) they asked the waitress several questions about seating within the NorVA — ordered at least two things that were not on the «Special Event» menu. One gentleman ordered a Shrimp Po Boy, an item we ourselves were looking forward to ordering because it was mentioned in several other reviews posted here, and another ordered either chili or the Soup of the Day. This after we point-​blank asked our waitress if we could order from the other, larger menu. Ugh! I get having policies, but be consistent in how you implement and enforce those policies.
Long story short: we won’t be coming back here regardless of whether or not we want early entry to a show.

If you didn’t Unilocal it before you arrived, you wouldn’t know from walking by FM on Granby St. in downtown Norfolk that it was open for lunch. It has a nightclub vibe from the outside — dark windows and dark signage — and this continues when you walk in. FM, Fresh Food, Great Music, is a great idea for a restaurant, but visit this establishment for lunch and unfortunately you’ll miss the «Great Music» part.
I was seated in the dining area — a lower level off of the main room — the place to be, I’m sure, on the nights when live bands are playing on the stage. But today, the main room with the stage was just an open space with few people and no natural light — like you expect a nightclub to be during the day.
If I hadn’t read the positive reviews before visiting FM, at this point, as I walked downstairs to my table and am empty dining room, I might not have expected much from the food since the daytime vibe was so underwhelming. It was after 2p.m. so maybe I missed the lunch rush. Maybe. But I had high hopes that the «Good Food» would actually be, well, good.
I invited a friend to join me who lives in the neighborhood, and learned that FM was previously Jewish Mother. As FM, the venue/​restaurant is under new ownership, has a new menu, and is a proud partner with NORVA serving as their box office.
We gave the new menu a go and ordered the fried green tomatoes ($ 7.95). They were as perfect as fried green tomatoes can be. The breading was flavorful with a slight crunch and the tomatoes were firm yet tender. What really got our attention was the magnolia sauce — a sweet mango colored sauce with jalapeño, which helped balance the sweet and add a little umph to what could have been a very simple dish. We were off to a «good food» start.
Next we chose the shrimp po’ boy with fries ($ 10.95) and chicken & sausage alfredo ($ 15). You know food is good when the conversation pauses while you eat. I tried the French fries first. Crunchy on the outside, hot and tender on the inside. A perfect French fry. Thank the «Good Food» Gods.
I haven’t met many shrimp po’ boys that aren’t a challenge to eat often falling apart with each bite, and this one did the same. I prefer my shrimp po’ boy with popcorn shrimp but FM’s, made with jumbo shrimp, was impressive. The lightly toasted baguette and remoulade sauce, or as our waitress Jessica described, «a tomato mayo,» were both good. The sauce added a tangy, creamy flavor that wasn’t overpowered by the large baguette.
The chicken & sausage alfredo ($ 15) was better than good. Edwards smoked sausage, sautéed chicken, and a creamy, cheesy alfredo sauce over just right al dente penne pasta. I just recently learned about Edwards, a popular Virginia ham shop, and their sausage is packed with a smoky flavor that can only enhance any dish it is added to. This dish was the perfect comfort food, even for lunch on a hot day.
For dessert, we opted for the white chocolate strawberry cheesecake ($ 6.95). Coming from NYC and the home of Juniors Cheesecake, I am hard on cheesecakes. This one was just good. Not smooth and creamy, a little dense and tasted like it may have been sitting in the refrigerator open for too long, sponging up some of the refrigerator’s flavors. But I kept going and discovered the buttery graham cracker crust and small pieces of white chocolate in the cheesecake, which I liked.
FM intrigued me enough to want to go back one Friday night to try some of the other soul food inspired menu items when a live band hits the stage. However, for FM to become a downtown favorite with staying power, the «Good Music» has to match the «Good Food,» and there has to be more attention to detail.
The retro music décor wasn’t enough. I wanted to hear music pumping through the speakers playing local bands, or see TV screens repeating past performances on the stage. And our wine that we ended our meal with was served in dirty glasses. I simply wanted some «Good Music» with my «Good Food» and hope that next time, the wine is served in a clear, clean glass.

I came here before a show at the Norva with my boyfriend. We ordered the fried green tomatoes, cup of chili, and the pimento grilled cheese with fries. Everything was VERY salty. The grilled cheese was on a soft bread and the cheese was plentiful; however, the fries were coated in salt. I could not even finish them.
The fried green tomatoes were ok– again, salty. I wouldn’t eat them again. The sauce they cover them with overpowers the taste. The chili tasted like something we would put over hotdogs.
Side note: If you’re hoping to get into the Norva early by going to FM, make sure you clarify the time of entry. If the ticket stub says 7:30, the doors open at 6:30. And FM will take you over at 6:15. Even though I called prior to dining, I was still conveyed the wrong information. If we would have known we wouldn’t have the privilege of early entry, we definitely wouldn’t have stayed.
We most likely will not return.

This is my first time coming here as the FM Backstage. The FM Burger is On Point!!! You know you have a good burger when you bite into and the juice flows down to your elbow.

Great atmosphere and delicious food. I checked out this restaurant to enjoy live music and drinks. The bartender was very friendly and knowledgeable.

Came here with my best friend and her little sister for the pre-​concert early entrance dinner into the NorVA before going to see Fifth Harmony. It was my first time going to one of these, but my friend and her sisters said that they go to them all the time.
The restaurant was clean and the interior felt pretty rustic. It was pretty early for dinner so my friend and I just planned to get appetizers; however, we had to spend at least $ 10 and there was a set menu so we were kinda forced to get entrées, not a big deal though. Me and one of my friends sisters got the FM burger, my friend got the fish and chips, and my friend’s other sister got the Napoleon stack. The fries were really good I was a fan. The burger was just okay, but I did like the unique touch of them using a pretzel bun, because you don’t see that just anywhere. Everybody else enjoyed their food, but they didn’t rave about it; My friend gave me the Cole slaw that came with her fish and chips, and it was just okay. I’ve had better.
I had a little bit of a gripe because our dinner felt rushed. The waitress kept saying that the dinner rush was coming and we had to start getting lined up for the concert to make way for them. She wasn’t rude about it and I know the situation wasn’t her fault but still, I don’t like to feel rushed.
Overall, my time here wasn’t horrible, but it hasn’t been my favorite either. Ultimately, I would like to try this restaurant again when I’m not under a time constraint and when a band is playing on the stage so I can get the full experience and hopefully write up a better review.

Came here on a Friday night to see a band, $ 5 cover wasn’t too bad.
I sat at the bar since it was in front of the stage and the other seating/​eating areas were on the other end of the restaurant in rooms not visible to the stage.
I was helped by 2 bartenders. A male who was too pushy and impatient especially after I was already being helped by the other bartender who was female, she was helpful and had lots of knowledge of the menu and different drinks
I ordered the FM burger, fries and mac and cheese. The burger was too greasy and hard to eat and the mac and cheese which was made with white cheese and penne pasta was very good.
I will visit again but sit away from the bar.

This was my second time to dine here and I honestly think this place has a solid sumptuous and promising menu.
The entire restaurant is very pleasant. Quite old though but its well maintained. The set up is spacious and ideal for group setting.
I heard a lot of good things about place. And was informed it used to be the Jewish Mother and was better known as serving soul food.
On my last visit I was with two friends and we had lunch. I ordered the FM MEATLOAF, a ground chuck seasoned with a fresh herbs and vegetables served over a mashed potatoes with a side of green beans and topped with mushroom gravy. I love the flavor profile, the meatloaf itself is seasoned and well balanced. Every condiment on the plate compliment each other. I believe the entire dish is simply exquisite.
The customer service on the other hand is superb. Our server was very knowledgeable regarding the menu.
Without a doubt, I will come back.

On a business trip and on my own for the evening. Looked up the menu and saw some dishes I wanted to try in the region where they are from.
Turns out it was Trivia Contest night too. So much fun and dinner too.
This place is very funky, they have music some nights.
I had the Fried Green Tomatoes, Shrimp and Grits and some wilted baby spinach.
I really liked the tomatoes they were firm and cooked well, the sauce was sweet and spicy, it could be better with less sauce. The Shrimp and Grits were very well done. The shrimp was lightly cooked and the grits were cooked so well, firm but fully cooked.
the only low point was how long it took for the food. The manager did tell me that there was an accident in the kitchen and my food had to be redone. for the extra wait time he took 20% off the bill without me even saying anything. Customer service is great.
Fun, Funky and delicious food, what more do you want?
I will definitely go back, good Southern style food and entertainment.

Surprisingly good food, great drinks, and great service. Will definitely return.
Ordered Cheese Fries, Bronzed Shrimp Dinner, and Napoleon Stack.

The 80’s Unilocal party is what brought me here.
They participated in restaurant week so I went for the $ 20 meal. Since it was an event here, my food took forever but the owner came out to apologize. I asked for their fried green tomato as I wait. He came out a few mins later with it and he didn’t charge me-​kudos for superior customer service.
It was a hard green Tomato with a heavy fried batter on it. The sauce was spicy but I like spicy anyways.
I had the grilled Caesar salad as my appetizer which was AWSOME! A warm grilled half of romaine with a delicious Caesar dressing– Love!
Also, the fish and chips for my entrée, and that was good too. And for dessert was the Krispy Kreme bread pudding, It smells like fresh out the grease donut & for that reason I could not eat! I would have to starve for 3 days n go to the gym for 24 hours straight to get those calories off but the look on my sister’s face says it all as she was stuffing her face!
The food is heavily seasoned with a lot of kick to it even the hush puppies has bits of jalepeno. Overall it was good food here and great staff.

FM Restaurant is a solid place. That is recovering from having been Jewish Mother. The place has changed but they still have live music and the lunch/​dinner menu is still as good as it was under the previous name.
They have live music and a pleasant staff. They are definitely worth a return trip.

This is my boyfriends’ friends place. Had to stop by and meet Alan the owner… and to try his food.
First of all the service was wonderful. We sat at the bar and the bartender was ver nice and made some wonderful suggestions. She definitely knew the menu.
The fried green tomatoes with the magnolia sauce… fantastic. Perfectly fried. The sauce, sweet with a touch of heat from the jalapeños. Mmmmmmmm.
Next we had the salmon BLT. The homemade coleslaw was fab! The fish was cooked perfectly… just as we ordered, medium rare. The remoulade sauce to dip our hand cut fries in was perfect. The tomato mayo on the sandwich was also da bomb.
We will be back to try the shrimp and grits and whatever else tickles our fancy.