Grins Vegetarian Cafe

The food and coffee were delicious. I had the breakfast bagel and my friend had the breakfast burrito. I think they aren't really open to the public yet, but the security guard let us in. The dining room is functional but pretty basic - this is obviously a university building.

I called to order for pick up and they said that they don't do that. I drove over to order at the counter and there was absolutely no parking. I called for help and they were terribly rude on the phone and hung up on me. STAY AWAY!! SOOO UNPROFESSIONAL!

Venturing onto a college campus when you're 31 years old can bring back the feelings of being a slightly awkward freshman on campus but Grins makes it worth it. Since I chose my vegan lifestyle, I have had very few people suggest that I check out this vegetarian and vegan sanctuary. This very much surprises me because Grins offers so much and at a very central location. Albeit, you're on the Vanderbilt campus but it's supper easy to find and I didn't have any issues with parking or access.The special Fall 4 course vegetarian/vegan dinner lured me with a nifty price tag of only $30. Being that I had never dined here before, I'm not sure how it is normally set up during the day, but when we walked in... it was a quite pleasant ambiance, not what I would expected. The wait staff were students who were charming after an initial hiccup of my friend and I sitting at our table for nearly 10 minutes without being addressed by our server but she was doting and great the rest of the meal.Let's chat food, shall we?I was very happy with each selection ranging from the house-made bread with the Fried Goat Cheese Salad (I personally refrained from the goat cheese as I am vegan and they accommodated this request throughout my meal beautifully!) to the Vegetable Bourride (tasty soup) and Handmade Gnocchi with Roasted Mushrooms. YUM. Just when I thought that I had exhausted my palate, a delightful Apple & Pear Crostata that consisted of soy chai ice cream and candied ginger capped off a truly fabulous meal!I had an event prior to dinner or else I would have brought a Kosher bottle of wine to pair... which is a great option to uncork here.I am very interested in trying Grins out for lunch and will update.

I came to Nashville on a business trip and, to my understanding, Grin's is the only kosher restaurant in Nashville. Fortunately, for me it's a great one!The vegetarian menu has very diverse tastes with all kinds of wraps, which they will grill for you. The soup was good and the focaccia was amazing. I ordered something spicy and it totally hit the spot. I thought it was actually pretty cheap and a great value, at least if you're kosher and have nowhere else to go; I can't really speak to other vegetarian places or cafeterias on-campus. The parking is difficult, as its on Vanderbilt campus around the student living dorms/frats. And yes, Blair L., the place was packed with Vandy sorority girls - they are amazingly gorgeous! This is probably not the forum, but I was more impressed with the Vandy girls than any other university I've been to.Good to know that for us kosher Jews, Nashville has a quality place to eat!

overhyped but like the foods pretty good . the only thing is that the lines always really long and slow & it takes a while for them to make the food.. o well its good though. the nashville hot tofu is really spicy ! and i recommend the tacos theyre better than u would expect for something w like 4 ingredients. also their sides are always changing (bc daily sides) but theyre always good so thats cool too. i like the caprese. the mac and cheese is what everyone raves about but its like average. but u will definitely get ur moneys worth for it bc its huge. also i recommend the hot teas theyre all pretty good. okay cool

Grin's is on the campus of Vanderbilt University...the staff are super friendly and my food was prepared quickly...I got the breakfast tacos (scrambled tofu, veggie chorizo, pick de gallo, salsa verde, and cashew lime-crema) and two veggie sausage patties...YUM! There is some seating in the lounge area and outside on the patio when the weather is nice...

For a student, Grins is heaven on earth. For a local, the atmosphere is probably not ideal for dining, the portions and way the menu is priced is a bit more expensive than you would expect because it is on meal plan for students. Because of frequent changes in management, they often have trial items and also run out of standard things (like avocado) that are in many menu items. That being said, this is a surefire way to get filling, nutritious vegan/vegetarian food. They serve rishi organic teas (amazing) and bongo java coffee. The specials are typically really creative and the food is definitely fresh and healthy. Plus, the giant vegan cookies are worth trying! You may have to wait in line for a while during peak meal hours and be sure to note that Grins is closed on standard university holidays as well as Jewish holidays.

As a Vandy student, there isn't a place on campus that can stand up to Grins. Over the course of 3 years, I have worked my way through the menu and have rarely been disappointed. My three personal favorites are the Caprese Panini, Veggie Burger Melt (either in a wrap or on ciabatta), and the Apple PBG for breakfast. All of the ingredients are vegetarian, with many vegan options as well. The only downside is that there is usually a colossal line out the door, especially when you hit the lunch rush between classes. They are closed on the weekends and over the summer (always a bummer) so cherish them while you can!!

Grins, I like it. Actually I wish they were easier to get to. Situated on the Vanderbilt Campus they operate in the Jewish student center (Kosher vegetarian!) and follow the academic year schedule. That means if you aren't attuned to the Vanderbilt breaks you may want to call before you go. We have tried many of the menu items and my personal favorites are the Nashville Hot tofu or the Buffalo Cauliflower. My usual lunching partner prefers the pita pizzas and how they change regularly.It's a little place with big flavors. Great for lunch or a casual dinner. (They close early on Friday for Sabbath)

Well, Grins has done it again. Today I walked in to see a medium sized line. Not too bad. After about 10 minutes in line and no movement, it turns out that their card swiping machine was broken. Tight. Let's keep in mind that every single person in line was paying with a prepaid meal swipe. So instead of taking orders to speed up the ordering process, they decided to fiddle with the machine for upwards of 15 minutes. And instead of perhaps making more of the entree or staying in the kitchen, all 11 employees decided to take a load off while 50+ hungry souls suffered in line. 15 minutes later and it's finally my time to order. Guess what? They're out of the penne Alfredo, literally the only reason I'm here. It would take another 30 minutes to make. Remember that these geniuses were just hanging out mere minutes ago instead of looking at the line and planning ahead. Complete bonehead management and leadership at this establishment. I don't think I could find a more poorly managed restaurant in the entire world.