I thoroughly enjoyed my food. I had the brussel sprouts. They came in a garlic tomato sauce with cheese & bacon, & SO rich in flavor. The mac & cheese has mushrooms & peas (again GREAT flavor), & seasoned bread crumbs. My favorite item on the menu is the milk & cookies. The biggest reason I ordered the brussel sprouts & cookies is because it's not something you usually see on a menu. Anyhoo, the milk is an orange/strawberry cream & is to die for. The girl who recommended this place to me Insisted on me having the cookies & milk, & I see why.
(5)
Sherry W.
I went for HH....M-F two for one drinks and $1 meatballs at the bar. You can choose different meats and sauces for your meatballs or veggie or quinoa. The food was ok, but everything was salty. The service was good. Water and drinks were refilled. Food came out in a timely manner. The pricing is good for Las Olas. There is metered parking on the streets or they have valet on the side avenue from Las Olas. It is a trendy hip atmosphere.
(3)
T S.
Lots of meat balls different kinds some even veggie than just choose a sauce mix and match try new things- very good. Oh yea and at happy hour only a dollar each.
(3)
Becca M.
I recently had a party of 15 there & the service was great despite the water restrictions that were occurring. awesome food but they can only split the check in 4 ways which created complications.
(3)
Jeremy C.
I've been here twice. The first time was for their first annual meatball eating contest. I ate 18 meatballs in 10 minutes. I lost to a professional who ate 40 in 10 minutes. Either way it was a lot of fun. The meatballs were good. A lot of variety. The service could be better. I recently came here with 12 other friends. The place was not busy and we still had to wait and actually flag down a waitress to get service.
(3)
Sabrina D.
I decided to give this place a few more chances as they had only been open a short while when I wrote my initial review. Sadly, I've since then decided this place isn't my cup of tea... which is technically a good thing since they sell meatballs. The menu states that the meatball appetizer comes with focaccia. Yippee! Eh... hold your horses because there's something about the bread situation at this place that warrants some investigation. Let me explain... on my first visit they never brought it out. I hadn't realized until we had asked for the check and by then, was at that I'm-so-full-I-don't-even-want-to-see-any-food-for-Âthe-next-2-days point, you know what I'm talking about. Anyways, no bread on that visit, oh well. On our second visit, it was missing again but this time I wanted to dip it in the sauce, so I notified the waitress and she apologized and brought it over. It's vital to this whole review that you understand that by "it", I'm not referring to a heaping basket of focaccia as you might be picturing in your mind (just as I mistakingly was), "it" means one tiny, pinkie-sized piece of stale focaccia. I almost laughed when "it" arrived, thinking she must have made a mistake. Nope, apparently "pinkie" is the standard over at fork & balls. We returned yet again. This time, myself and another member of my party each ordered the meatball dish plus a side. We were asked if we wanted our sides on the same plate. "Sure, no need to be wasteful". Guess what happened guys? Once again, no focaccia. So I ask the person who brought our meals out. I'm not even sure why really. It's a tiny piece and it's not even that great but I'm an optimist and I figure it'll be better this time. "Oh that only comes with the meatball dish", I'm told. "That's actually what we ordered." "No, I mean it comes when you order just the meatballs." "Yes, that's what we got, we just said they could put our side dishes on the same plate." "No, the bread only comes when you order the 4 meatballs in the skillet by themselves." I now see the point of this. I experienced this so that I could pass the word on to you. FYI, if you order a side, which costs additional money, and have them put it on the same dish, which saves them money... you forgo your pinkie-sized stale focaccia. Bascially, by requesting polenta in addition to my meatballs, I unknowingly signed over my parental focaccia rights. Let's forget for a second that EVERY restaurant basically shoves bread down your throat, FOR FREE. Let's also forget that had they actually brought it, it would have been pinkie-sized. Dude, don't argue with me about a stinking piece of bread, just bring it even if I happened to be wrong. How ridiculous! My three visits have led me to believe that there's some weird X-files stuff going on with the bread at this place, and I need Mulder to investigate (Scully only ever held him back, let's be real). Here are my questions, 1.)Are there tiny specks of gold baked into it? 2.)Do you have a 1 loaf cap per day and therefore must conserve it at all costs? 3.)Is there a Broward focaccia drought that I am unaware of? I want to believe... in fork & balls but they're just not doing it for me.
(2)
Reixa C.
EVENT REVIEW- Pairings Pop Up Event @ Fork & Balls This was a free event to the public. We arrived at 7pm. We waited outside for about 15 minutes before we signed in and got our bands. They had only 2 girls running the entrance and the line was pretty long. There was only one iPad to sign in. Once inside, they had the event in the bar area and the back of the restaurant. The hot plates were in the far back by the kitchen. They had salad, fried potato sticks with marinara, chicken meatballs with white sauce and regular meatballs with marinara. The meatballs were big and the food was hot. It was nice to have small plates. There was no seating in the bar area; it was packed so we just stood on the side. I was able to grab a glass of wine and my friends had pumpkin beer. The food was delicious. The restaurant filled up in a matter of minutes, the bar was 3 person deep, the food line was backed up. We went back for food around 8pm and at this point, the chicken meatballs were out, we just grabbed what they had. People were waiting on food. The kitchen and servers were working very hard, running around, making sure everything went smoothly. But, there were too many people to feed. When we got back to the bar for another drink, the server told us that they had run out of the "donated" product. The event was from 7pm-9pm. By 8:15pm, the "donated" product was gone. Overall, great food, the service couldn't have been better with the amount of people they had. They were on their game. But, whoever organized this should of capped it at 150 as far as the amount of people let in. There were over 200+ ppl.
(4)
Mark S.
I'm cool with the "do one thing and do it well" business model, and they make some interesting meatballs here, but there were some service glitches: they have promotions that seem to change too frequently that you always have to check ahead ("meatball monday" is a great idea, so don't turn it on and off). Hostess said this week (August 2015) was the LAST "meatball monday", but then a card with my bill said they'd be doing $1 balls EVERY weekday, but the lunch time crowd is going to be pissed, so my point is: be consistent. I arrived at 5:30, restaurant was 90% empty, but I was forbidden from sitting at the "communal table" where $1 meatballs were being served (yes, it was 'meatball monday'). I understand the need to hold a table for a paying crowd, but I shouldn't get a hassle if I want to take advantage of the deal at another table - that should be a "win win" for the restaurant (keep the crowd, and keep other customers too). After much deliberation with management, I was allowed to get the deal at a seat next to the communal table. Interesting craft brews on draft add points: Funky Buddha was well represented, and wish I'd seen the "blueberry cobbler" before the "pomegranate wheat", but it was also a great beer at a 2-4-1 price from 4-7pm. I should also add that when the place opened, a friend was contacted with an invite to come and try it, but when she tried to take them up on the deal, nobody replied to the emails. So there is much to like here, but management needs to work on treating the customer right, and being consistent.
(3)
Sylvia F.
Interesting concept....,all balls, balls, balls! We have passed this place many times before and we finally stopped in to dine while my nephew visited from California. Nothing fancy as you walk in yet it was decorated in a fun funky rustic way. We chose to sit in the high table and although I've never expected to be comfortable..., I seriously was comfortable (most comfortable high stools I've ever sat in at a restaurant). We started with an order of the brussels sprouts. They were delicious and if you like brussels sprouts don't hesitate in ordering them. They come in a roasted garlic tomato sauce with bacon and parmesan cheese. My only regret was ordering just one order. The three of us decided we each should order something different in order to share and compare. Short Rib-polenta,ricotta,tomato sauce Sunday Gravy-penne, basil, braised pork, ricotta, tomato sauce The Southwestern- tomatillo, beans,pork, corn,sour cream and chilies Each had a different distinct taste especially The Southwestern but my favorite was the Short Rib. Our server was a doll and made our first visit lovely and informative. She also was well versed in all the craft beers on tap and highly recommended Funky Buddha. Great place to eat and enjoy something different and filling.
(4)
Grace R.
It's more of a 3.5, but I'll round up. F&B pretty much does one thing, and it's pretty obvious what that one thing is (hint: meatballs), but they do it very well, and good enough to make this a regular weekday lunch with co-workers. Specifically, the day of the week we try to come is Mondays, because "meatball monday" is when you can get a 4-ball serving for $4. This promo disappeared for a few months but recently resurfaced in May 2015, so if you are visiting in the "busy season" (winter), you may want to verify the promo - don't kill the messenger - trust and verify, etc. There are a variety of balls (chicken, pork, beef, etc.) served with your choice of sauce (traditional red, creamy white mushroom, etc.), and there is also always a daily special. I've settled on the most traditional combo as my usual order (F&B blend meatball with traditional marinara sauce). Add some sides and it's a pretty hardy meal (if there were ever a cold day in FLL, this would be the place to be). Good happy hour deals too (including when you come on Monday and can also do the $1 deal).
(4)
Alex L.
3.5 Really- The food was great- and the service was good- the company was fantastic! So why not more stars? I really had no idea what to expect when I was informed that I would be dining at Fork and Balls. I mean what does one wear to such an establishment? I chose casual Friday wear, and was still a bit dressed up for this Hawaiian shirt, beach shorts, and flip flops crowd (though later in the evening there were some guests that were dressed up). I just don't see spending this much on spaghetti and meat balls- even if they are tasty. I was not impressed by the beer options - and it is possible that if I had a drink or two, my rating would be higher (LOL). Perhaps it is really because I've never been served a smaller slice of bread pudding for dessert - and it was mediocre at best. Or was it the bizarre restroom decor? I can definitely see coming back and giving this place another go. The meal was good- and my wife enjoyed it and I agree it is a good place to meet up with friends especially considering there is a parking lot right behind the place.
(3)
Patty W.
I couldn't wait to try this restaurant out with my husband and a couple of our friends. When we got there on a Saturday night around 7 o'clock, it was surprisingly not busy. We were seated right away and our waitress took our drink order to start off with. I got the drink of the day, which was the Blue Baller consisting of gin, blackberries, lime juice, and cucumber. It could have been a little sweeter, but it was fine for me. The fork n' berry fizz was right up my alley with the strawberries, vodka, basil, limoncello, and prosecco. So, let's get on to the balls. There is quite a selection to choose from. My husband and I got the chicken meatballs with Parmesan cream sauce for an appetizer. It was perfectly flavored and went together very well. Since I wasn't going to get the traditional meatballs that is offered everywhere else, I settled for the short rib meatballs. It was filled with creamy polenta, tomato sauce, and ricotta cheese. I added the whole wheat spaghetti for the side. Heavenly scrumptious is the only way I can describe my meal. The spicy Italian meatballs were devoured by my one and only and our friends enjoyed their meals as well. The four of us got two fried bread puddings with rum ice cream. Even though I have a passion for bread pudding, it didn't quite blow me away. I thought it was good, but it was different with the rum ice cream. There was none left on our plates though. A relaxed ambiance surrounded the atmosphere and the modern decor with an open layout with the center bar suited the restaurant very well. Our server did an excellent job with recommendations and providing attentive service to all of us. It's too bad that I couldn't try more things on their menu, so it's in the works for next time. It was definitely a night to remember with great food and awesome people!
(4)
Jorge G.
This place was awesome. The ambiance, the decor, all the designs and most importantly, the food. We ordered "Just Balls" of the day, Applewood Smoked Bacon and beef with the Parmesan sauce - absolutely delicious. 4 perfectly sized meatballs and a small piece of bread. Beers are nice and cold and very well priced. Main dish was the Shortrib Stuffed Balls with polenta and a tomato sauce, the portion was quite large and I had to take half of it home, however taste was great and super filling. My girlfriend had the Turkey Pesto meatballs with wholewheat pasta, the sauce was great and the balls were delicious as well. For dessert, the milk and cookies are divine: 3 extra large warm and gooey cookies, with nice cold milk on the side. I absolutely loved the food and the service and definitely recommend this restaurant, you won't be disappointed.
(5)
Erica M.
Here's my quick and short review. The atmosphere of the place is very nice I definitely would have a girls night out here or have a good gathering with a bunch of friends. I ordered the short rib meat balls they were awesome I really enjoyed it. We also had an appetizer of the brussels sprouts. I was disappointed with the brussels sprouts they tasted really blan and had a bitter taste to them. I really didn't care for them in the tomato sauce. I am such a huge Brussel sprout fan and this was a little disappointing. We had a really good waitress she was very attentive and helpful with choosing items.my only drawback with the waitress was watching her touch my straw with her hands after picking up plates, touching her hair, wiping her hands on her clothes. I believe that all restaurants she give their customer straws that have not been open.
(3)
Julie R.
I was excited to try this place out when my friend said she would be doing her bday dinner here, since I had heard and read good things about this place. She was able to make reservations for like 25 people several days in advance, so that was good and a big plus. When we arrived the tables were all set up and ready for us to just sit and get things started. They did have just one server for all of us though, so that made things take a while. In looking at the menu I honestly had no idea what to order, but I was a bit hungry, so I decided to start with some sort of an appetizer. I asked the girl how the polenta fries were and she said good. They came and I ate one and was like man, this tastes really weird, so I asked my husband to try it as well and see what he said. He didn't like them either, so I just passed them down the table and let someone else eat them cause they just weren't good. They're shaped like fries, but taste nothing like it. I finally ordered one of their sandwiches, The Jeffry. It's with their blend of meat which I was told is both beef and veal. The sandwich was alright, but honestly nothing to rave about. It's the f&b blend meatballs with rapini, roasted garlic white bean spread and ricotta. (I probably should've just gone with a pasta bowl, because how can that not be good, especially for me, the pasta loving gal!) My husband decided to go ahead and try four different meatball sliders. He enjoyed his more than I enjoyed mine, but what's ironic is that his fav slider was the veggie one. You would think that at a place that specializes in meatballs that my husband who loves meatballs would prefer one of those. Then at the end when we were ready to pay it was a bit of a mission even though we told the waitress how things were being split up from the beginning. It just took a while and there were mistakes on several people's bills. Overall this place did not live up to the hype my friend had given us about it, nor what I had read from other fellow yelpers. Would I come back and give it another try, sure, but wouldn't necessarily go out of my way for it.
(3)
Erica K.
Meatball Monday's! Came to Las Olas for dinner and decided on Fork and Ball for dinner. We are glad we picked this place! $1 meatballs, 1/2 bottles of wine, awesome good. We must have tried every meatball on the menu and all were great. My favorite was the spicy pork with tomato, other great ones were buffalo chicken and classic beef. We also shared a traditional salad, Brussels sprouts and garlic bread. All were delicious! This is a great trendy place for dinner and I would recommend it to anyone!
I recommend this place, although it is no 5 star restaurant...I have been there several times to meet friends. I don't drink but we always eat at the bar and the bartenders have always been very friendly. I am just finding out about receiving bread before the meal ( I have never been offered any bread) maybe I'll ask next time to see what all this talk is about. Overall fun and good place to hang out with a great concept and atmosphere.
(5)
Jenny M.
I have been to this place twice. Both times I was with a couple of friends and we were seated almost immediately. The service was satisfactory and the food ranged from decent to delicious. I have had the short rib entree which was AMAZE-BALLS. Very tender short rib balls with a creamy polenta underneath. I sampled my friends' entrees with turkey and chicken balls and they were a bit on the dry side but still tasty. The calamari was decent. The milk and cookies dessert was nothing to write home about. One reason I gave it 4 stars is for my second visit. We had ordered the milk and cookies and the kitchen sent out milk that had gone bad. Notified the waitress and she informed us the milk had "orange zest" in it to make it taste different. I kindly informed her that I had had this dessert before and this was clearly rotten milk. After a bit of back and forth, she finally brought us fresh milk with a side of attitude. The whole thing could've been less of a headache! Would come back and skip dessert.
(4)
James D.
Had lunch there today. Had the Sicilian meatball sandwich on garlic bread. Very nice presentation but the balls were saggy! The little arugula side salad was nice! I love the interior design. Now for the dirty laundry, I can't stand it when a restaurant charges for refills! !! That is petty BS! I just paid 11 dollars for 4 meatballs and 4 dollars for iced tea, and you are going to charge me for a refill on a 8 Oz glass mostly full of ice! Really! My coworker enjoyed his chicken parm sandwich but really disliked the refill policy as well.
(3)
GracieTheCat H.
Updated review We like this place, the food is good. We always sit at the bar. Tonight's bartender was a young blonde woman who was over then enthusiastic about clearing our plates and glasses, so much so she cleared my husbands and he wasn't done. She'd didn't say a word, just started clearing our dishes. Needs some more training.
FYI- they do not take reservations but the food was yummy. Turkey meatballs in pesto was my favorite dish and the brussel sprouts were awesome! Unfortunately their taps were down so no beer or wines by carafe.
(4)
Nicole V.
I had the opportunity to come here for a meatball eating contest. It was the first annual. FYI, we did not win but 18 balls in 10 minutes isn't bad going against a pro that ate 40- my stomach hurts thinking about it! Anyhow, they have happy hour from 4-7, which consists of 2-4-1 cocktails and $1 balls. I asked for the chicken, turkey, and veggie balls. They had 3 sauce options and I wanted to try them all. I asked for them on the side but the bartender said they couldn't do that. Really? So I told her to put whatever sauce on whatever ball she wanted. First up was the veggie with pesto sauce. Not the best I've had but not the worst. Then I had the chicken with the creamy mushroom sauce. The ball was tender but lacked flavor. The sauce was pretty good. Last I had the turkey with red sauce. This ball had the most flavor and I liked the sauce. The couple next to us must have been regulars because they knew the bartender by name and the menu by heart. They ordered multiple buffalo chicken balls so I decided to try one. It was okay in my opinion. I could also overhear comments like, "grab her while you can" and "it's hard to get their attention". I would completely agree. These bartenders are some of the best at avoiding eye contact! While I did see them hustle to make drinks, they lacked some basic etiquette like a smile and a "I'll be right with you". Believe it or not that goes a long way! A whole 5 minutes prior to happy hour ending, I attempted to get another drink at the hh price. Unfortunately, I could not get any of the staff to acknowledge me. Finally a male bartender did and when I asked him for the hh price, he said no. It was exactly 7pm and I was annoyed. The female bartender graciously made an exception since I had been waiting and had been ordering food and drink for over an hour. All in all, I would give Fork and Balls 3.5. It would be higher if the service was a little stronger. Also if "balls" is in your name, they should be AMAZING...
(3)
Anthony L.
Great food Love the Short Ribs meatballs But PLEASE turn down the music and pick something more conducive to conversation
(2)
Izza L.
The chicken balls was a little dried. Sauce is a little on the sour side. Outside weather was great especially if you have a dog.
(2)
Rawlslyn F.
Insanely good. I'm serious. We both agreed that it's a unique eating experience we won't forget. We ordered the delicious brussel sprouts appetizer. It's enough for 3 people. The short ribs meatballs and the F&B meatballs are perfectly flavored. We ordered a mac n cheese side that was okay. Honestly, the meatballs are so filling that you don't need to order anything on the side. The portions are generous so consider splitting an entree and order one side. You must try this place!
(5)
AnaKaren G.
Drove all the way from Suburbia this past Saturday to beautiful Las Olas. Roughly a 53 mile drive... was it worth the drive you may ask? Absolutely, it was! :D From the moment I walked in, I felt like I was walking into a friend's house party. This place gives you an immediate hip, cool vibe feel to it. It is definitely trendy, yet it offers an unpretentious casual bar scene. The staff is extremely friendly. All things Ft. Lauderdale. Ahhhhhhh.... There was a sea of people from the moment we arrived to the time we left. Luckily, we didn't have to wait too long for a table :P And yes, it was loud, so loud I had to keep repeating myself to fellow Elite Yelper Hilda H. We were told adjustments to the ceiling are in the works to diminish the noise level. Looking forward to that. What we ordered... Brussels Sprouts are flash fried, served with a toasted garlic tomato sauce that's out of this world. It was topped with pieces of applewood smoked bacon and fresh parmesan cheese. People frown upon brussels sprouts but believe me, Fork and Balls will make a fan out of you! Eat your vegetables! Stef's Market Salad came with arugula, feta cheese, cashews, watermelon topped with a citrus vinaigrette dressing. I love watermelon, but in a salad? Really? Ok, I was somewhat open to try something new...I was skeptical. It worked! It was refreshing but mostly delicious. All the combinations just seemed to complement each other. Mmmmmmmmmm watermelon. Crispy Calamari served with marinara sauce, sweet & hot peppers and roasted garlic aioli. Quite delicious but beware for those of you with heartburn issues, you will need antacid medication stat! Just order it without the peppers, I'm sure they are more than happy to accommodate. F&B Mac N' Cheese, took me by surprise. It came with mushrooms and peas. Different but I always welcome mushrooms, as I am a mushroom fanatic. The problem... the flavor just quite wasn't there. It was very bland for my taste. Nonetheless, this dish will not prevent me from coming back for other items I did not get a chance to try. After all, I did come for the BALLS!!! F&B Blend Balls, the veal and pork meatballs are very moist and flavorful topped with Mushroom Sauce. A very exquisite ball! Actually, my favorite. This one is a must have! Gluten Free Chicken Balls, very aromatic since it's made using fennel. These balls were smothered in Parmesan Cream Sauce...Very good choice. Vegan Veggie Ball, I did not ask but to me it tasted like it had Indian herbs and spices. Very tasty! Yumm yumm give me some! Our server Emily was kind enough to bring us a side of Mushroom Sauce and Roasted Tomato Sauce since we were undecided. It was good with either sauce. Truth be told, these balls do not need any kind of sauce. They are superb all on their own. Fried Bread Pudding with a scoop of Rum Ice Cream was heaven served for dessert. WOW! I'm a huge fan of bread pudding and this is an excellent example of how it should be made. Gelato Sorbet Sundae was exclusively consumed by Hilda H. as I am allergic to all the berries in the world :'( I was told it was delicious... and it looked the part too! Sigh... I'd like to thank our server, Emily. She was extremely helpful and patient with us. She was sweet, attentive, personable but more importantly very professional. Restaurants need more Emily's on board. She is the epitome of an outstanding server. She genuinely seems like she enjoys her job. Servers like her takes the whole dining experience to another level. Keeps me coming back for more. I hope your boss reads this cause you are a keeper! P.S. More BALLS please! :D
(5)
Patricia M.
Great place! We were seated outside at first but quickly changed to inside because the music was blaring loud. Still loud inside but a tad better. They should really turn it down. Our waitress was training & was wonderful! The waitress training her was a bit annoying, constantly grabbing the small stuff left on the table like straw wrappers & used lemons (???) really annoying. We ordered the buffalo chicken balls appetizer & it was delicious! My favorite with the spicy Italian entree as a close second. The southwestern balls were dry & kinda gross. The cookies & milk dessert was cute & the orange flavored milk made it AMAZING. I would go back again whenever I feel like having meatballs!
(4)
Darlene D.
The first time I went was with a dinner group and everyone enjoyed their meals. We all decided to go back again and the food was less than satisfying across the board. The meatballs tasted pre-made, and/or reheated or frozen, were hard in texture and had no flavor. If you"re going to try and rock a meatball place, great kitchen skills and fresh ingredients are the recipe for success. The atmosphere and staff were equally nice. On the other hand, the music was so loud no one could communicate at the table. Pricing was reasonable for Las Olas. This is on my no return veto list.
(2)
Michael D.
What a fun menu. As the name indicates, this place is big on 'balls.' We started with an appetizer serving of the daily special, Swedish meatballs. They were so moist and flavorful, I could have eaten and entire plateful and left the restaurant 100% satisfied. Also split an order of the polenta fries with my dining partner. Crispy on the outside, polenta-y on the inside. And they were seasoned with rosemary, thyme and parmesan. They were very filling, but somehow not heavy, if that makes sense. And, again with this appetizer, I could have eaten an entire plate of polenta fries and left the restaurant totally satisfied. For our entrees, we went with all balls. My friend had the spicy Italian meatballs and I had the short rib stuffed meatballs. Both were excellent. We noticed that the menu only offered a couple of dessert options, and that was just fine, because we had no room whatsoever for dessert. We were full, satisfied and happy, happy, happy. Although, we did notice that one of the dessert offerings was 'cookies and milk.' How cool is that...??? (If we had been in the market for a dessert, that would have been our choice.) Our server, Whitney, couldn't have been more accommodating or more helpful. She explained the menu/concept to us thoroughly and also made several recommendations that really helped us navigate our first 'Fork and Balls' dinning experience. We will definitely be returning.
(4)
Grace A.
I was really impressed by this restaurant's happy hour! We came here so the BF could get a special draft they had on tap from Funky Buddha. He was really excited that this beer was included in the 2-for-1 Happy Hour. I was excited that we could get $1 Meatballs at the bar. They were awesome! My favorite was the buffalo chicken (I love all things buffalo... It's a basic weakness). We also had the lamb, spicy pork, blended and the short rib. All great... The bartender helped us with suggestions for sauce. We got excellent service and the atmosphere of this place really cool. We loved sitting at the bar and it was super comfortable. Definitely come here for happy hour!
(5)
Savanna M.
3.5 stars really. There are some good options here and there were some misses for me. We arrived at 7:30 on a Wednesday night and were sat immediately. I figured the new "hot spot" would be busy but that a weeknight wouldn't be too bad. However, after we were sat there was huge group standing around at the door and each of those parties probably waited at least 30 mins. We got lucky! As other's have mentioned - it's loud! Loud to where the waiter had trouble taking our orders. The decor and ambiance is nice and I appreciate the modern day touches paired with some traditional Italian items (note the napkins). All in all, I like the menu. I like the style of the menu and how a lot of it is "create your own" but I won't be rushing back here as only the dessert really wowed me. The wine, beer and cocktail list is a bit short, particularly regarding the wines. I think there were 7 or so specialty cocktails - we tried one and found it to be a bit gross. The beer list was "crafty" enough to please the beer drinkers at our table, but the wine list left me disappointed. First of all it's separated by wines on tap and bottles. The wines on tap are offered by the glass, carafe and bottle and are outrageously priced. There are a few "cheaper" bottles but they were all white. Also there isn't any separation between whites and reds and I ended up ordering a carafe of a blend that I thought was red, but turned out to be white. The carafe bottle was cute but definitely wasn't served as cold as I would have liked. We started off with three appetizers to share: *Polenta Fries - I was the biggest fan of these at the table. There wasn't much flavor but if you know me, you know grits, polenta...all of these gritty textures are great in my book. Served with marinara for dipping. *Brussel Sprouts - I make a mean brussel sprout so I tend to be a harsh critic. These passed my test. Also served over marinara sauce... you'll see this is a bit of a trend. *Calamari - served over marinara lol. Nothing special here, just regular calamari in my book. For entrees we all did 4 balls over "insert option here". Two of us did the arugula salad which was quite good. Came with corn in the salad which I loved, although I get that some people may not like the surprise. Two did pastas, which I didn't try any of, but didn't hear any complaints. I went the traditional route with the F&B blend (pork and beef) and found my meatballs to be the best and most moist. I opted for the roasted tomato sauce which was quite good. I also tried beef and the special chicken meatball of the night. Everyone else had the Parmesan cheese and herb cream sauce. Nothing special in my mind. We split a side of the mac and cheese which also underwhelmed. I'd put it more in the alfredo category, although it also had peas, so maybe an alfredo meets carbonara. For dessert the boys split the cookies and milk. They didn't offer us any so I'll take that as a good sign. The girls split the fried bread pudding with a rum ice cream. I'm trying my best to avoid sugar so I planned on only one bite. That flew out the window once I tasted how great it was...and probably ate my full half lol.
(3)
Trina L.
Had the Quinoa and Kale ball. Very tasty! Swanky spot w/a hip crowd. Seems like a cool after work spot....loved that they played Jamriqui! Decent wine list! Service is cool. Food came out quick for a Friday night on the Las Olas strip. We would come here again.
If you just have some, want some or lack some, you can get them here. They have for him for her and all her friends. These balls are delicious, succulent and come in an endless combination that will sure satisfy, at least one of your cravings. Las Olas, what a refreshing place in the heart of Ft Lauderdale. The city of al fresco dining, strips of art galleries and posh boutiques.A new delicious trend has come to town. Fork and Balls is a spacious venue by Las Olas Boulevard. Its loud and trendy but soon to come are arrangements to the ceiling which will serve as noise reductors. This place is good for a date but not quite the first date because youll want to get to know eachother and screaming across or in someones ear is not what you need. So by all means after the forking and spooning bring your lady friend here for that little extra craving. This venue is excellent for groups and special events. You can come grab a small bite and drinks yet leave with a happy full tummy with a huge satisfaction from their gourmet bites. We had multiple plates and drinks and they were all beyond fantastic. We started trying the brussel sprouts. They were presented fried but light battered so dont shy from i just because its fried. They were crunchy and moist and because they were topped with apple wood bacon and sprinkled with parm cheese it was a nice complement and a appetite stimulator as well. We continued ordering and we tried the Steph's Market Salad, which was arugula, feta,cashews, a citrous vinaigrette and watermelon to make it interesting and refreshing at the same time. Our server was great and brought me a much needed side of watermelons. We had the Calamari, was served with marinara sauce and for a twist it had sweet and hot peppers and roasted garlic aioli. Beware it's a little spicy. The batter is not too heavy and the calamari is soft and still well cooked. The mac & cheese was delicious, it had peas and mushrooms, I think it could have used a little more cheese and smaller noodles but it was still pretty nice and then it just falls into personal preference but it wasn't bad. F & B blend balls were one of my favorite, the veal and pork meatballs were very moist and flavorful. We chose to have it with the mushroom sauce. The meatballs were so tender and moist that they just melted in the palate. It's a must have!!! The gluten free chicken balls were very nice it had great aroma to them because it was seasoned with fennel. We had them with the Parmesan cheese sauce . We were running out of stomach room, we split one Vegan Veggie Ball. It was awesome, tasted a little nutty, different herbs and spices rushed into the sinuses, very pleasing and flavorful. Our server Emily was great. Make sure you ask for her when you come here. She checked on us often, made sure we had enough of everything that we wanted and needed. For dessert we tried the fried bread pudding which was beautifully accompanied with a scoop of my favorite.... Rum raisin yummmmmm. We also tried the Berry gelato sorbet. Delicious creamy and silky. Our experience here was grand. I'm positive that this place like their other many locations like Tarpon Bend, Yolo & S Club will be around for many years to come adding glamour, hip,trendy and amazing food to all of us foodies out there. P.S. : YOLO is getting a makeover,,,, stay in the lookout for the opening party, it's gorgeous, bigger and better. Soon the plates will bring four balls instead of the three that are coming in now.
(5)
Jennifer D.
We had to go try out Fork & Balls since the hype was even catching the attention of news channels. And boy were they right! This place is lovely! The light is dim, the music is right and the servers are nice. We immediately got greeted as we entered the door. And we were seated with menus right away! This weekend was actually a rather busy one for Ft Lauderdale with the Tortuga festival and you wouldn't even notice because the service was on point and they weren't agitated. You'd think with thousands of people in town this would've been a bad night to go but it wasn't. We had a good time! If you like meatballs you will definitely love this place! The menu is full of creative meatball meals. Their plates are made quickly! So quick that our garlic bread we ordered came at the same time. I ate a Philly Meatball Sandwich and my spouse had the short rib meatball melt. They both were delicious! The Philly definitely tasted as so with green peppers and all. The short rib was to die for! Their entrees fill you up! Come try this place out! You won't regret it!
(5)
Nick R.
Beware if you are celebrating a birthday that there is a $3/person "dessert fee" that they wait to tell you about until after eating even if the cake is clearly visible and the server had nothing to do with it (didn't hold it, bring it out, light candles, cut/serve it, give extra silverware or plates, etc.) so it's extremely tacky and shady. we were even sitting at a the bar and it was a homemade themed cake not like we brought in Carvel... never again though!
(1)
Aga D.
Great place, cool decor, awesome stuff, delicious food!!!! Don't forget about 50% of Monday's drinks
(5)
Khalimah R.
Milk and cookies as a dessert option?! Yes please! Just make sure you ask for regular milk or instead you'll get some flavored cream milk that's not for everyone. The creamy polenta and the Brussels sprouts so far are my favorite! Great service. Vegetarian options.
(4)
Shira T.
Definitely a must try!!! Had 4 different types of balls and couldn't have been happier! -chicken buffalo -kale Caesar -stuffed short rib -salmon lettuce cups Will order for take out OFTEN!!!
(4)
Morris M.
DYNAMITE! This place has the best and most tasty spaghetti and meatballs I have ever had. The tomato sauce was very tasty as well and you can tell it's homemade. My meal was accompanied by this incredible salad that actually had watermelons in it and I loved it. Although I haven't had all the meatballs, I can attest to the flavor of the turkey. And by the way, I love the atmosphere. Shabby chic and very eclectic ambiance. Definitely give them a shot.
(5)
Jen T.
My husband and I visited this place on our vacation, and were offered seating at a table against the wall or a hi-top so we do chose the latter. This place is dark, not dimly lit, but dark. Side effect of the lighting: The combination of the darkness in the restaurant coupled with it being dark outside made it somewhat difficult to read the menus. We asked our server (Bi***a) for suggestions. Her description of the polenta fries was that they were "mushy inside", and it couldn't have been a more accurate description for the entire meal. The kitchen is open, and there were two cooks preparing the food with a manager expediting. Somehow, all 4 of the items that we ordered (traditional salad, herb polenta fries, B&E chicken balls, & short rib balls) were prepared and delivered to our table at the same time. Each item had the same unseasoned, mushy consistency - even the salad which was coated in oily dressing. Side effect of the lighting: You can't tell if your meatballs were thoroughly cooked since there was no crisp or crunch on the outer layer. When our bill arrived, it had a clothespin attached to clip the payment. Our server asked us how everything was, and if we needed takeout boxes (we had a good bit of food leftover). We told her that everything was "fine" and that we didn't want to carry the leftovers back to out resort. We paid in cash and left. No big deal, we just chalked it up to the meal not being one of our favorites. Now, I worked in the service industry for 5+ years, so I would never not leave a tip much less have the balls to stand around outside of the restaurant and hang out like we were doing. I was shocked when our server, in front of the other patrons outside, approached us to ask if we had a problem with our meal or service. I replied no and asked why. She told me because we didn't leave her a tip, and that her manager told her that she was supposed to come and ask us why! She went on to say that our bill was $47 and we "only left $48." My husband and I had already discussed her tip...the bill was $47 plus change, so we left 2-$20 bills, 1-$5 bill, 3-$1's and another $10 bill for a tip (totaling $58, so a $10+ tip/over 20%). My husband told her that we left her $10, and she replied that we didn't. He then had to ask her if she had the money clipped, which she did. He asked her to see the money that we left, so she pulled it out of her pocket. We IMMEDIATELY see the bills that we know we left ,and she proceeds to pull it out of her pocket and count it in front of us. When she realizes her mistake, she gave an annoyed sigh, apologizes, and then basically runs back into the restaurant. Side effect of the lighting: The servers can't see to count the payments. (See, nobody wins with this lighting?!) We stood there in shock and embarrassment for a few minutes and then discussed the situation. We decided to go back into the restaurant and requested to speak with a manager. We explained the events that occurred, and then he denied knowledge of the situation which meant that he did not send her outside of the restaurant. My husband explained that his employee was too foolish to double check the payment amount, lied about management encouraging servers to follow patrons outside, and acted completely unprofessional. The manager gave a curt apology, and said that he would not fire her. He explained that he would "reeducate her"...that was that according to the manager. Just turn the lights completely out.
(1)
Sara C.
I think this place is a clever idea. Randomly stopped in here for a lunch one day while driving through town on vacation. The meatballs are their specialty. Their spaghetti and meatballs, very authentic. The atmosphere is trendy yet casual. Beer and wines on tap, and a fairly good selection at that. There's a fairly good range of food to be called Fork & Balls, but I really do suggest having their meatballs, probably the best I've had in a long while and right underneath authentic homemade meatballs at family gatherings. Plus, they come in so many different variations, some sounding tastier than others, but you can go traditional or get a little adventurous with it.
(4)
Mrs. D M.
Was up in Fort Lauderdale for a birthday gathering, and stopped by here by chance. Was told there was a 30 min wait, but found 2 seats at the bar and ate there. Compared to eating in Miami out on a Friday night, this was too easy! Restaurant names explains it: lots of balls to choose from on the menu. Various sides and entrees, too. Food: Turkey Balls with a roasted tomato sauce (very tender without fillers and the sauce was great), Creamy Polenta with Parmesean (good, but not creamy like the description, more like chunky grits), quinoa and kale balls with curry sauce, eggplants and peppers (the sauce was great; the balls alone were too crumbly with an odd aftertaste, but good alternative for vegetarians), Brussel Sprouts (good, but too much sauce!). Service: the bartender was very friendly and the food came out quickly. Everything seemed to run smoothly there and done with a smile. Very happy. Valet parking outside, or a lot behind the building. Good find for a random walk-in!
(4)
Laura G.
I've been wanting to try this place since it opened, but was a little unsure of the whole "meatball kitchen" idea. As fate would have it, I got a coupon in the mail for BOGO meals. Awesome! We went in on Wednesday evening & it was relatively quiet. We were seated immediately & our drink orders were taken. We ordered the buffalo meatball app, which came out quickly and was excellent. 4 meatballs between two people doesn't seem like much but it was filling. My bf ordered the chicken parm smash & a side of Mac n cheese. The sandwich wasn't anything special, but was tasty. The Mac n cheese had peas & mushrooms in it and had almost like a ziti type pasta. It was good, big enough for share. Mildly annoying that you don't get a side when you order an entree or sandwich - I think the smash was $12 and the Mac n cheese was an additional $6. I ordered the spicy Italian which was quite hardy and delicious! Again, "only" four meatballs but it was filling. We didn't order dessert....this time, as we were stuffed. As a few people have mentioned, it's nearby Rocco's, so it's a nice change of pace if it's packed there. Nice ambiance, great food & also a nice bar area. They have happy hour from 4-7 during the week, so i need to go check it out!
(4)
Jenny L.
Was just in town for a long weekend and wound up here three days out of the four. Order a few sets of balls (four in an order with your choice of sauce) and some garlic bread and you'll be golden. Beer on tap is amazing. Also unique here is that they have wine on tap. Ball of the day along with drink of the day ensures you'll never be disappointed. Definitely stoping by here on our next trip down.
(5)
Kerri F.
On New Years Day, my husband, 6 year old son and I popped in for a late lunch after attempting to go to Rocco's (which was a zoo). We are so glad we did! It was awesome. We started with the calamari app which was very good. It was not heavily breaded, very tasty, and cooked perfectly. If you've ever had the calamari at Capital Grille (and you must!), it's a close second. I would have liked F&B's to have a little heat, like their's does, but it was delish, nonetheless. My husband ordered a daily special which was four decent size (not huge) braised short rib meatballs. They were amazingly good and I immediately kicked myself for not getting them, although I really liked m y dish, too. Since it was New Year's Day, the special side was collards with black eyed peas and he ordered them. Collards are not my thing, but he really enjoyed them. Beer is not my thing either, but they had a nice craft selection that made him happy. We'll be back!
(5)
Lisa A.
Came in here for lunch on a Wednesday at 12:25pm. We had an appetizer, our food and were out the door by 12:55pm. Quick and friendly service! The polenta fries were good and super filling. My date and I are usually big eaters but we couldn't even finish them. For my meal I got the spaghetti and beef meatballs with the creamy garlic sauce. My boy got the beef meatball sub. Everything was delicious. Portions were a decent size, we left stuffed. All the staff was friendly. The decor here is hip, industrial and modern giving you a chill vibe. This is a good place for 20 and 30 something's to hang.
(4)
Margie S.
Super accommodating of our very large party. The meatballs are great, and the fried bread pudding with rum ice cream and rum sauce were was to die for! I tried the polenta fries, too - but they were just OK. I'll definitely be trying it again for the fun atmosphere, great location, and to try some more meatballs, which come in about 8 different varieties!
(4)
Jennifer B.
We went here during my bachelorette party and tried many of the different balls that were available and enjoyed a lot of them. There was 15 of us and they accommodated us and set up a table when we called ahead with no problem. The Brussels sprouts were definitely memorable and I would highly recommend this place!
(4)
Kinjal K.
I'm picky about what I put in my mouth, but I'm glad their balls was one of those things. The concept was great. First you pick the type of balls you want. Then you pick the sauce you want them cooked in. Finally, you decide if you want them alone or if you want them on top of something (salad, pasta, etc.). I tried the Fork & Berry Fizz, which is their signature drink. It was amazing! I definitely recommend it!
(5)
Ashley M.
We came here for a leisurely Monday lunch on our day off. The restaurant was almost empty at 1PM. We had tried the short rib meatball at the New Times Pairings event and had loved it, so were really excited to see their full menu. We started with their calamari appetizer ($10.00), which was perfectly breaded and the calamari rings were very tender. It was topped with marinara and a cream based sauce, as well as some pickled peppers to give a bit of spice. I loved the combination of flavors. It turns out that the ball of the day was the same short rib meatball we tried at the event, and we just couldn't pass up trying it again. I ordered the Balls on Top Mozz-Tomato ($13.00 plus $1.00 for Meatball Monday Madness) and Fernando chose the Balls On Top Polenta ($13.00 plus $1.00 for Meatball Monday Madness). We both chose the roasted tomato sauce. Fernando had seen photos of the fried bread pudding with rum ice cream ($6.00), so of course we had to finish off the meal with it. It is amazing. Service was great and as the restaurant was not full, the noise level was very low. I do find four balls to be too much for one sitting, especially when over a salad or other side. I did not see an option to order one or two meatballs, but I did end up bringing home two for lunch the next day. I find the prices a bit too high, as well. I believe that we were charged $13.00 plus $1.00 because of Meatball Monday, but that the price would normally be $4.00 or more on top of the $13.00. Also, I was charged $7.00 for a double espresso, which is outrageous. The appetizers and desserts are priced appropriately for what I would expect to pay. I guess I just don't understand the pricing structure of the menu, as it's quite confusing. The salad has one price on the right side, yet comes up to $13.00 if you want to top with meatballs, yet you still pay additional for the meatballs that you top it with? I would give this restaurant four stars if not for the confusing pricing. Also, I'm still in shock over my $7 espresso. I frequent Starbucks and that is about double what I pay there, and I do not consider Starbucks to be a bargain! Our lunch, consisting of one bottle of Pellegrino, an appetizer, two lunch entrees, one dessert, one cappuccino and one double espresso came out to $65.46, before tip.
(3)
Adrienne L.
Went here for a bachelorette party! I have never been to a restaurant like this. We tried every type of ball and LOVED them!! We sat at the high too and the atmosphere was nice, comfortable and roomy. We had plenty of space for a large party!
(5)
Brittany M.
Stopped in by chance on a Monday-- apparently it's all you can eat meatballs. Two hours for dinner; service was rather cold and painfully slow. Will not be returning.
(1)
Tim N.
Went back last week. Same incredible service from Marcos. The portions have gotten HUGE! Still all good.
(4)
Caitlin M.
SO GOOD. Went there with some friends, and it was delicious. 50% off all of our drinks, and the food (while not exclusively ball shaped-disappointing) was so yummy. My boyfriend and I are vegans and there were tons of vegetarian options that they easily converted to vegan and was still super tasty. Our two friends eat everything and loved their food. The server was really sweet and friendly- great experience and great food!
(5)
Hayley R.
Went to F&B for our third time last night. We tried the 15$ all you can eat. They give you a salad and focaccia bread to start which was good but fills you up. My boyfriend and I could only order four balls each until we were stuffed. We did order the 2-1 drinks which helped with the bill. If you are not famished then I do not see the 15$ as much as a deal. I think the concept of this restaurant is fun and the food has always been consistently flavorful. The drawback to this place is the service. The two times we have had dinner before we had the same server who was just flat out rude both times. She hardly came around to check on us and when she did, she was very rude and short. I had saw on Instagram they were doing a funky buddha free beer tasting. When I asked her about it she seemed disgusted that she had to actually go get us some beer samples ( which turned out to be three measly shots of beer) For our third time back we decided we weren't going to sit in the dining area and risk rude service so we sat at the bar and the bartender was very friendly and attentive. I would recommend giving this place a try but beware of rude service!
(3)
Krystel A.
I usually hate meatballs, but after eating there for the first time... I have a new found love. The meatballs were exquisite. I'm. It even exaggerating. Don't think twice, gooo have some meatballs.
(5)
Arturo B.
As other mention, the atmosphere/ambiance is great. I suggest visiting as a group to take advantage of ordering different meatball_sauce combinations. There are no reservations. Therefore, early arrival is a must for large groups - expect a min. 1-hour wait. F&B Blend with Marinara (traditional tomato) Special (Short Rib stuffed with F&B Blend) with Pomodoro Chicken with Pesto Beef with Mushrooms I really enjoyed my balls, except the chicken with pesto one. I should have listened to my colleagues, but decided to try them anyway. I found the pesto too strong and the ball too tough. All others were delicious - the tomato one being my favorite sauce; so light and fresh. I also got a side of polenta and enjoyed it very much. Soft, creamy, with great flavor, this dish is a good accompaniment to your meatball(s). I found it worked best w/ the tomato combination. Bev offerings are vast with wine and beer on tap, and craft cocktails. Some are very sweet, so I politely asked the bartender to please make them non-sweet for me. The result was fine. I enjoyed sipping on the berry old fashioned all night until it was time to leave. Parking was easy - garage close by and plenty of metered parking. My favorite part was taking an Uber to O Lounge after to enjoy a night-out in FLL. Fun times!
(3)
David Z.
Came back to give it another shot. So Far the bartender has been very attentive and knowledgable about the menu. I went with her suggestion F&B Blend w/ Roasted Tomato Sauce. Food just arrived. Not sure what to say. The meat balls are made from veal and pork. Can't believe it was seasoned and tasted before it was put up for service. They were fresh no question about that.
(3)
Eliana T.
Great food. We came in for an early dinner on a Saturday. Sat at the bar. The bartender recommended several things that we tried. Everything was right on. The Brussels sprouts, and the polenta fries were fantastic. The specialty cocktail list was creative, with some different options. Tried the furry wall, it was refreshing and tasty. Also ordered the ball of the day, which was a lamb meatball with a curried yogurt sauce. Fantastic. Chicken meatballs were so juicy and tender. The atmosphere is fun, but not too crazy for this time of day. Looking forward to coming back often when we move back downtown!
(5)
Michael H.
Very mediocre is the best way to describe this place. First the good. The meatballs are very good, especially the daily special we had, a pork and veal blend stuffed with short rib. I got them on sliders so I could try different balls. Also the Brussel Sprouts were very very good. Now the bad. It is way too loud. This is not a nightclub, you don't need blaring music. I came to dinner to socialize with my friends and could barley hear them because of the blaring speakers. Just to reiterate, there is ZERO reason the music should be this loud.... ZERO. The next let down was the Mac and Cheese. This dish was on the sides list with no description. It was pasta, Alfredo like sauce, and then mushrooms and peas. Gross! Why would you destroy Mac and Cheese with mushrooms and peas. It's a classic dish, it doesn't need that. Really, I'd love to come back because the meatballs were good, but pretending your restaurant is a nightclub makes the atmosphere very uncomfortable.
(3)
Michael M.
Absolutely stunning. I travel constantly and eat all over the place and this was literally one of the most delicious places I've ever been. Buffalo chicken balls were spicy and fell apart with a fork. Perfectly topped with blue cheese. The chicken saltimbocca balls with tomato sauce were breathtaking. The roasted cauliflower was seasoned perfectly with a great kick. Everything came out fast and hot and the staff was great. Thoroughly, thoroughly impressed!!
(5)
Phil D.
We thought the name was catchy, just got of the water taxi walked straight here. $4.00 for four meatballs , Monday special along with a carafe of wine $11.00. Service was great food was great I would recommend this restaurant.
(5)
Leonela I.
The worst customer experience EVER! The food was great but unfortunately the "manager" Suzette doesn't know how to treat a customer. I was part of a large group and they made our lives hell to pay the check.. they told us they only could split the check in 4 (we were 8) and that it was company's policy, which it wasn't stablished anywhere. The manager treated us like dirt. Never coming back just because of that!
(1)
Michael L.
This place needs a new menu and some class. The waitress just asked what kind of sauce do I want on my balls. Getting a little to personnel for me !!!
(1)
Marqus R.
This is one restaurant that I don't have any problem with being a Yelp Four Stars fan. It's really a rather simple place with a rather simplistic menu, meatballs being the specialty, but what they do and the manner in which they do it are both done very well. The only problem, and indeed in speaking with some of the other patrons and a glance of the varying reviews, seems to be a confusion as to the size of the portion one receives. All I can say about that is that either they failed to read the menu or are somehow confused as to what is generally accepted as the standard size of a meatball. I ordered the three F & B blend meatballs with their mushroom sauce and though such an order results in a small portion, perfect for me. The meatballs served me were in a small cast iron skillet, a delightful blend supposedly of veal and beef though I would swear with a moisture more consistent with pork, having near perfect to the taste meat flavor and seasoning, especially with the mushroom sauce which was a hearty rather robust based upon a fresh mushroom combination. And though exPhiladelphian Yo Cuz Martorano, locally famous for his meatballs, may take issue with me on this, better in value and equally as fine in overall texture. I also had their special salad of the day, being an arugula with corn, pepper, Manchego (read unpasteurized sheep milk cheese generally of the La Mancha region of Spain) with a sherry vinaigrette. All of the ingredients were super fresh, with a clean taste to the palate, one of the better arugula salads I've experienced. Other notable upsides to Fork & Balls is that they do offer daily specials based upon fresh market availability, have a rather decent draft beer selection plus a good wine on tap selection. I know that some may smirk at the thought of "wine on tap," but that is a developing as well as upcoming tend. It's also one that I welcome since the wines when done on tap remain fresh without any shelf deterioration.
(4)
Jason C.
Very cool place. Good food, friendly server, and nice atmosphere. The entrees come out really hot, so be careful not to burn your taste buds on the first bite.
(4)
Glenn H.
Took a group of 15 to Fork & Balls on Saturday night. We had the long table upfront which was great... and the food was also great. What wasn't great was that they wanted to charge us $3 per person to cut and serve my birthday cake. When we said we'd cut it ourselves, the server said she wasn't allowed by managment to give us a cake knife, really? The other thing that wasn't great was the really slow service. They had one server working a table of 15... I felt bad for the girl because she was very nice and was doing her best. The dinner took 3/12 hours from start to finish and they can only divide the bill up by four... really, in today's world? Fork & Balls managment... look out for your servers by not forcing them to nickel and dime your customers!
(2)
Tomas B.
Where to begin - really kind of a strange niche this place has as on a Saturday afternoon 5PM just after a torrential rain stopping in for a quick bite we are the only people in the place. 2 Hours later and it is wall to wall with not a place in sight to sit or get a drink. Arrive to a straight forward square bar with tables aligned on both sides along with a huge communal table at the front door. With multiple beers on tap along with 6 wines on tap "The new rage" we settle on a craft beer and a non tap wine by the glass. Also the rage is beer in a can. I thought I got out of this mode sometime ago when I graduated high school but I digress. Apparently the new rage also brings in the 20 something crowd as it certainly has a median average of about 21 to 25 for patrons tonight. We want to sample some of the menu but as the name suggests it is almost all balls. Meatballs of various types with various sauces and then combination of thereof. Some salads and a few other items but for the most part this is about their meatballs. We start with the F&B blend tonight which is veal and pork balls in their Robust Tomato sauce. (Note Mom's meatballs are always veal, pork & Beef). I could not distinguish the fact that there was no beef. As these go they were actually very good. The sauce was not your standard "Sunday Gravy" but it was very tasty and plentiful. Side of shredded cheese was provided and an order of undercooked but tasty garlic bread was presented as well. Ample cheese on the bread but just missed. Continuing on a Lamb ball Gyro was tried which was basically your Greek gyro but it was replaced with a lamb meatball. Concept was sound and it was a pretty interesting sandwich. A make your own hero was top notch with 100% spicy pork meat balls, robust tomato sauce, ricotta cheese and sweet & Hot peppers. Bread was top notch and the combination was a real winner. No deserts or coffee were tried and Jillian behind the bar was a pleasure to look at and was on top of everything all night. All and all their very neat concept is a winner. It is not spectacular by any means, but this modern vibe combined with a niche of a market and fair price points should keep this place in business for a long time.
(4)
Marko E.
Another hit! Attractive, attentive staff (always a great thing), excellent food, I had the meatball daily special, with short rib in the middle, wow, ordered a second round! Three nice meatballs on each order, with your choice of sauce. First round was with the tomato sauce, highly recommended. Second order had the cream sauce. Wife had the vege meatballs which were very good. Only $8.00! Suggestions: how about some crunchy French Bread? Included bread was only average. Wife suggested a "hanger" put under the bar for her purse. She loves it when her purse is not on top of the bar. Also- Improved champagne list please! Not everyone likes Prosecco. Overall excellent experience! Great food, great service!
(5)
Jay X.
We ordered the regular spaghetti with meatballs, chili bowl with meatballs, and mac and cheese. The mac and cheese was tasteless mush. Bad choice of noodles for that. The peas threw us off and the cheese itself had no flavor. The meatballs were MUSHY and undercooked. Not pink inside, but it was not the normal meatball texture it should be. The pasta sauce slipped off the spaghetti, so I was basically eating plain noodles. None of us finished our meal and only had 5 bites. We left with stomach aches and felt sick. Thankfully, no food poisoning. It was so undesirable that I wished I could puke up that meal to have space for better food.
(1)
Dana M.
My girlfriend and I dined in with our 2 9yr old daughters for a little hang out lunch during the week. The restaurant was empty....didn't expect it to be busy at 3pm on a Thursday. We walked in and sat ourselves and our server came right over and explained the menu. She was very pleasant and helpful. We ordered the Buffalo meatballs appetizer which was very moist and ohhh soon yummy! Our little girls had the meatball smash sandwich which they loved and we had the Quinoa balls with Parmesan sauce and the Turkey balls with Pesto sauce. It was a lot of food! All was so good. The mac & cheese was ok...Iv had better and it wasn't what I expected. The spinach was good as well as was the Polenta fries. While we were there we also had a drink from their drink menu. Our overall experience was great and to top it off we were unaware that it was happy hour so our drinks were 50%off! I will be back for more balls for sure!
(4)
Bob W.
If you take quality of food and price into consideration it does not get any better than Fork and Balls. It only took one trip for us to get hooked and we keep coming back. The sandwiches are great and the Spaghetti is the best around.
(5)
Donna D.
As vegetarians we were excited to try this restaurant as they have veggie balls and kale & quinoa balls. The first two times we explicitly asked the waitress to inquire if the tomato sauce and brussels sprouts were made in chicken stock or had meat in them. We were told no on both occasions. This evening we once again asked to confirm because we always do , and were told that in fact chicken stock was used in all but one sauce snd also in the brussel sprouts. Now the menu has a few items marked 'vegan' but that is not the same as vegetarian. We are upset that the prior waitresses either did not check or didn't tell us. And we are grateful for the honesty of this evening's server. So beware if you have dietary questions. And enjoy the food if you don't. Also: just FYI Monday's are LOUD music! So not a place to go on that evening if you want to talk over dinner!
(2)
Tim S.
Great Balls! When you get these balls in your mouth, you will be so happy! You won't believe these balls! OK, now that I've told the obvious jokes, the food here is very good. Portions are a little on the small side, but that's not the biggest issue. My sister ordered a glass of wine, she got the SMALLEST glass of wine I have ever seen! They said it was measured at 6 oz. it looked like it wasn't even 4, more like 2! The waitress said this a COMMON complaint! The management need to loosen their grip around the wine pouring and listen to their customers! My wife enjoyed the mozzerella and tomato salad, but really loved the herb polenta fries! "Those were YUM!". The garlic bread was like garlic bread she could make herself. We fed 5 people for about $125 + tip, so a pretty good price I'd say, then again, I'm from New York!
(3)
Angelo R.
This place just opened on Friday. Its run by the same owners of Yolo, Tarpon and S3. We came here last night to try it out. Very busy at 9pm but the wait was only 30 minutes. I ordered one of their specialty cocktails but forgot the name. It was cucumber & gin concoction but and it was delicious and potent. The price wasn't bad either..10 bucks for well made drink. We got sat on a table by the window. Ordered Balls on Top (3 Spicy Pork Balls over Penne). The meatballs were cooked right, nice texture and flavorful. Not sure how my friend's dish tasted but wished they had a sampler to try all the meatball varieties. Overall the restaurant was clean, nicely decorated with an open floor plan. I liked the long rectangular bar in the middle. It didn't feel overcrowded. Will be back to try the other dishes. I took a pic of the simple menu.
(4)
Sean R.
Went last night for dinner cause I love me some meatballs!!! The place has a very trendy vibe to it. Expected since the people who own Yolo also own F&B. the air conditioning is on full blast which normally I love (cause I'm always hot) but it was too much!!! I asked them to turn down the a/c so my food wasn't chilled when it got to me. They said they would do what they could. Bring a sweater ladies! Now the food! I started with the Calimari appetizer, yummy! But too salty. That ends the negativity I swear! The meatballs were amazing! I tried three different balls and they were all fantastic! I highly recommend the chicken ball in Parmesan cream sauce. The side of garlic spinach was great! Even better with a bit of the Parmesan cream!!! I will definitely be going back!!!
(4)
Jeff P.
As part of the YOLO restaurant group here in Fort Lauderdale we wanted to like the place as much as S3 or YOLO. But alas, we didn't. It wasn't bad but it was damn expensive for what amounts to a bar with a kitchen that mostly makes meat balls. The crowd is younger and likes to drink as the bar is the focal point of the space and competes for the upper end beer crowd in town. Of course, there are wines and cocktails. But paying $15+ for a glass of wine or a drink in Fort Lauderdale is rich even for the Las Olas area. And it better be an awesome space for that kind of bucks, and well, it isn't. Service - excellent. This town being a resort, an expert wait staff can be built easily as long as the dollars are there. And F&B will cost you, so you get good service. Really good service. This is a high point of the experience. Food - Its ok. While attempting to get creative with meat balls as your universe can be limiting, they do an interesting job of mixing it up on the menu - Italian-ish, Mexican-ish fares involving meat balls. This may end up being more of a novelty in the long run but we'll have to see. For the kind of bucks involved, we'll pass going back. Like I said, it's not bad, just not special. And for the dollars there is a lot of competition. And better food to be had.
(3)
Bruno B.
Heard good things about this eatery and they have a number of vegan options. I had the vegan balls and I must say they were out of sight! Very tasty!! Our server, Patrick was very nice and accomodating. He was very informative and was very patient with me going over what was vegan and what as not. First time there..overall deserves a 5 star rating! I will definitely return here! It's nice to see more and more restaurants are offering vegan options! Change is happening! Thanks F&B!
(5)
Angie S.
My 16 year old daughter picked Fork and Balls as her birthday dinner location so I took her and a friend here on a Tuesday night around 6:00. There was no wait and we were seated and greeted by our waitress right away. We started with the F&B garlic bread and herb polenta fries. Polenta fries were yum. We loved them and would order again. I really wanted to like the garlic bread and I know this will sound stupid; but, the garlic taste was to much for me. It tasted like a very large amount of garlic was rubbed over the top of the bread and I found it overpowering. For mains we ordered Balls On Top classic beef with roasted tomato over collared greens, which were the daily veggie. Four good sized balls. Really tender and tasted delicious. The collared greens were some of the best I have ever tasted and I'm from WV so I grew up on collared greens. I hope they add them to the menu as a regular side because I would get them every single time. The two teenagers ordered The Greek (lamb balls on pita bread gyro style) and The Jeffry (F&B blend balls with a white bean spread and ricotta). Both sandwiches were so tasty. The Jeffry sort of fell apart but nothing a fork couldn't fix. For dessert we tried the Fried Bread Pudding. Get this when you go!!!!! Served with Rum Raisin ice cream. So good. Last night I was at a wine and food pairing event and F&B were there serving short rib meatballs. These must be a daily special because they weren't on the menu but if they are available you have to try them. The meatball is stuffed with short rib. They were amazing. Be prepared for it to be very loud in there. Even the kids commented on the noise level a few times.
(4)
Bob G.
What a nice surprise. I'm a meatball fanatic and the variety of meatballs is over the top. I caught happy hour $1 a ball with choice of sauce. I tried 7 different kinds of meatballs, trusting my server (bartenders) suggestions on sauces for each Six of them I loved and the other one was good. You be the judge Sexy atmosphere and DJ was a nice touch. I luckily got a spot in lot directly behind the place. I've been putting off trying this place because of parking situation. So I tried it on a Monday night There's more than meatballs. Dessert too I'm glad I finally tried this place and I would definitely be back
(4)
E R.
Delicious, well-priced, food in a unique way. We live in the neighborhood so eat here fairly regularly, and we've never had a bad meal. I personally like something off drink menu with a meatball, or something light. My only recommendation would be to add some lighter options, perhaps another salad or vegetable dish. I understand that their main feature is ground meat, but sometimes dining companions would enjoy something a little less heavy.
(4)
Alex R.
The place has some good balls, yes I said balls, meatballs. That's the kinda humor you'll get when you read the menu lol but seriously they are good and looks like a chill place. So if you're looking to meet with friends, try out a new place or simply get some drinks and stuff your mouth with some balls... That's a good place. I suggest sharing different kinds of balls with the table and friends. Ok that last comment I couldn't resist. Lol
(3)
Scott T.
Who doesn't like a meatball? How about a menu of items that contain meatballs? Pick a meat ball, pick a sauce, maybe add an appetizer. That's Fork & Balls. Lamb, veal & pork, BACON!, yeah. You get the picture. Try the polenta appetizer as well, Nice beer selection. You won't leave hungry.
(4)
Dina A.
Only 2 days old and it shows great promise! Attentive staff and knowledgeable friendly waiters. $5 valet and meter parking around the back. Timings are a little off right now because they just opened. Only open for dinner for the first 2 weeks. Menu not specific, traditional beef meatball actually has pork in it so ordered the F&B which is beef and veal. We tried 3 different sauces and all are great (traditional tomato, mushroom, creamy Parmesan) Side orders are not too large- Great for sharing. Broccoli Rabe and Kale Chips had flavor. Again, menu is not specific- white beans had pork in them, which the menu did not specify. Dessert- ordered both the chocolate chip cookies with orange zest milk and the fried bread pudding with rum raisin ice cream. The bread pudding was crispy on the outside, soft on the inside. The cookie stole the show!
(4)
Anthony R.
Went for lunch during the week and not too crowded like I've seen it at this place in the evening. We've been wanting to try this restaurant for awhile now. There was four of us and we each shared our plates so we could try out the different meatballs. All in all, the food was really tasty. This restaurant is very trendy and a great place to eat at. I would recommend.
(4)
Jessica B.
Came here to eat with husband on a sunday night, the atmosphere was great and the service was superb. Food on the other hand was okay. Nothing to rave dont think ill be back.
(2)
Tanya M.
My daughter and I both went to see Dr Cooper the other day and she was AMAZING! It was my baby's first time going to see the dentist and she was so gentle with opening her mouth and checking out to make sure all her teeth were doing good. By far one of the best dentists I have ever been to!!
(5)
Robert D.
What a great place to eat! We started with an awesome salad which the two of us couldn't finish. It was fresh and full of chick peas, tomatoes and olives! So fresh and a great value for $8. We had the polenta fries and calamari appetizers, two more winners. I had the spicy Italian meatballs over polenta, just awesome and generous portion. My son had the Sunday Gravy with meatballs over penne pasta. Both are topped with fresh ricotta cheese, so sweet! So good and so big, we both took some home. No room for dessert after all that food but the service and atmosphere are really good!
(5)
Robert F.
Now living in the Las Olas area of Fort Lauderdale, we are working our way through the vast and lovely places to dine in the area. Driving down Las Olas we have seen Fork & Balls on our way home and decided to give it a try tonight. My usual M.O. is to try a few things as recommended by the server so if I don't like the place it will be because they couldn't execute the recommended dishes and I always want to try to like a local place because it is just that, "local". Our waitress Leigh was lovely, cute and knowledgeable. She was helpful and we tried three different type meatballs (one with penne pasta and the caesar salad with romaine (I just can't handle Kale in Caesar salad as offered on the menu). Leigh said they were very accommodating as to substitutions and we were grateful because my wife and I wanted to try Leigh's recommended meatballs in dishes that were assigning other types of "Balls" to them. The caesar came out and was quite average in size and taste. No bread of any kind is put on tables so when the entree's came out we were ready for them (hungry). The beef meatballs and the house blend meatballs were both mushy and I sent the house blend back. My wife's beef "Balls" were in the Greek special and she isn't a "send em back" person. She just say's she won't go back when there's a problem. (I feel unless you make issues known, you don't give the restaurant a fair chance to make improvements. The spicy pork meatballs were quite good. Let's face it, meatballs are rated on texture and flavor. They need both to be good. My penne pasta was cooked acceptably (I personally like it a bit more al dente') and the tomato sauce was VERY basic and just barely present. A tiny piece of focaccia comes with the bowl and it was just too tiny for me since no bread is put on the table. Overall, one in three "Balls" were good in this place (not so good). It "is" cute, has decent service, and a friendly environment and may do well because of it's location and pricing, which is pretty reasonable for an entry level nice cafe type place. I wish them well, because they seem like they're trying, and maybe if they stop putting too much filler into those beef and house blend meatballs they will appeal to more than kids and those who are not very discerning?
(2)
Bill L.
Been wanting to try F & B now for awhile. I have them liked on FB and I'm constantly being teased by the photos of various random dishes they post. We sat inside along the window to feel the warmth of the sun shining through that day. Ordered ice tea and wifey had a glass of wine. I will say the wine was served in a short water glass similar to those usually around the sink of a hotel room and not in a traditional wine glass. She ordered just meat balls and selected from one of the sauce options available. I ordered the meatball hero sandwich and selected the blended meatballs and one of the sauce options as well. Served on a traditional Italian style sub roll and topped with provolone cheese. Out of this world full of flavor!
(5)
Dara B.
I was really excited to come here and check the place out. A group of us came Monday night for $1 balls and 1/2 wine. The pricing structure of the $1 balls was confusing. Apparently in order to get the deal, you can only order off the "Just Balls" portion of the menu. The waitress did not explain that. I ordered off of the "Balls on Top" The lightning was very bad where we sat. It is my fault for not taking the drink menu to another spot and viewing the prices of the 1/2 wine (bottle and carafe not by the glass). The bottle of wine I ordered was $60 and since it was 1/2 off Monday, it came to $30. I was shocked. The waitress pushed the bottles. If I had known, I would have just ordered a $9 glass of wine. My bill came to 59.52 including tax and tip. The waitress kept the .48 cents. On the positive side, the balls, garlic bread and the Tuscan Kale Caeser Salad was delicious. If I do return, I will make sure and let everyone know about the pricing structure and only order off of the "Just Balls" menu. Diner beware.
(1)
Jennifer O.
On a Saturday night we were told it would be a 45 minute wait, so we sat at the bar and within 20 minutes we were seated. We ordered the Turkey, Classic Beef, and F&B Blend Balls with the sauce on the side. All 3 selections were delicious! The F&B balls melt in your mouth (no pun intended). Service was great. We were quickly attended by the waitress and it didn't take long before the food was at our table. Before leaving we were already planning our next visit, as we were beyond satisfied with this restaurant selection.
(5)
Andrew N.
Bottom Line Up Front: F&B is a really tasty, trendy, and affordable meatballs restaurant worth going to. Service: We went at 8:00 PM on a Saturday and waited about 30 minutes for a table. They use a text reservation system so you get a message when your table's ready. We had a few $10 signature drinks at the bar that were really good. They took a few minutes to stop by our table but someone came by and let us know they would be a little delayed and offered to bring us something, no big deal. Food: We got the calamari at the bar which had a spicy sauce and peppers- really good. We also had collard greens, grandma's bowl (a classic Italian dish) which was well above average and the Swedish meatball special (with mushroom sauce and penne) which was amazeballs (I had to, sorry). My wife also ordered another specialty drink. Price: Three drinks, appetizers, side, and two entree's for ~$75. Not too bad considering it was all really good. Parking: We parked on a residential street for free and walked about 3 minutes. The George Costanza Star (bathrooms): A star earned here. Dimly lit and clean bathrooms; excellent decor. Constanza approved. After Action Report (conclusion): We had a great time and were not disappointed by this meatball restaurant. Friendly staff with decent service, good food, and decent prices means we'll probably return at some point. As mentioned before the crowd is a younger, trendier one and people are dressed up. Highly recommended for a fun night out.
(4)
Mike F.
The drinks are well priced and made. The food is outstanding and really puts them on par with the best restaurants in Fort Lauderdale. The only thing they need to improve is on service time - for mostly meatballs, the service could have been better and more attentive. However, this will not stop us from visiting in the future something we will definitely do soon!
(4)
Bella M.
Excellent food, and excellent service thank you Kara. We had 4 different meals and they were all great.
(5)
N. B.
Eaten here a couple times. One day brought a huge group where I was the only vegetarian. Told the waiter who told me-the balls are vegetarian but NONE OF THE SAUCES ARE. This was a change from prior where as I said I have eaten there before. I tried to double check with another employee who basically said she didn't know but if that's what our waiter said it just be true. We Almost walked out. Except We decided to ask the waiter again. Turns out that only one sauce has chicken stock, the marinara one. The rest are not vegan friendly. But I'm not vegan and never said I was. The waiter just had no idea about the ingredients/difference and started saying untrue things without knowing what it meant. He didn't think there was a difference and nonchalantly shrugged his shoulders. Our entire group almost walked out because no one wanted to stay if one person can't eat. Luckily we hadn't left yet because I was writing my yelp review that gave this place one star. I've changed it two stars as a result. Which is a shame because before this incident they would have gotten four. But you can't be in the food industry if you don't know the difference between vegan and vegetarian (and if you are not Sure you just have to ask before assuming!) And even though it does have vegetarian options I haven't been Able to go back since then just because it left such a bad memory.
(2)
Iris M.
Had to rave about this place! Went with a coworker and we had two of their specialty cocktails (Fork 'N Berry Fizz and the Belli-Tini) they were both amazing. I had the Brussels sprouts because I'm a huge fan and order them everywhere. By far prepared the best I've every had! She had the Sicilian sandwich and she was impressed as well. Told all my coworkers since we work in the Downtown area so it should be a new lunch spot they can try. Also, kudos to our server (Brady) he was pleasant, funny and very attentive. Thank you for the great dining experience!
(5)
Trevr B.
I like this place a lot.. Been here many times, meatballs are my favorite food and they definitely make some good meatballs... however, cant say ive ever truly been impressed or even satisfied with customer service Walked into restaurant.. Stood around for 4 whole minutes before a bus boy acknowledged us and sat us at a table near the entrance, and went back to bussing tables, thus no hostess whatsoever. I proceed to watch at least SEVEN different parties walk in and then walk out because not a single person was there to greet them. We even asked the our waitress to tell the manager because it was embarrassing to watch. I hope management sees this post because not having a hostess to greet customers is absolutely inexcusable
(2)
Evan C.
I live here in the neighborhood a few blocks away and was excited for this place to open for either a quick drink or takeout, as I get takeout a few times a week due to working all the time. This is the second time I've ordered takeout and they've completely screwed up the order. Like to the point you think, "holy crap, how did that even happen." I've eaten at the bar before and had a decent experience, nothing exceptional. Typical hit or miss Las Olas restaurant experience. So a zero for whoever is responsible for takeout, and an average for the bar experience.
(3)
Jeremy A.
I enjoyed fork and balls. The atmosphere has a weathered rustic feel to it which I liked. The staff are all very friendly which is nice and makes me want to return. Suzette in particular is great. The simplicity of the menu is refreshing and the food comes out quick. Easy simple concept. The food itself is really good. I had a variety of meatballs with different sauces. I enjoyed the classic ball with pesto over spaghetti. The Texan is delicious and the garlic bread is great for dipping. I want to come back to try more of their menu. The one negative is that their bar stools were so uncomfortable I couldn't enjoy my meal because my legs were killing me. I'll wait for a booth next time because those bar stools traumatized me. All in all Fork and Balls is a nice addition to Fort Lauderdale and once again the Restaurant People put together another successful restaurant. I'll be returning.
(4)
Dana K.
We went for lunch because the restaurant down the street was packed. It was a pleasant surprise the food was awesome. I had meatballs stuffed with short ribs, red sauce, and polenta, it was so delicious. My husband had the chicken Parmesan which consisted of chicken meatballs on a brioche. All was delicious and we will definitely return to our new favorite restaurant.
(5)
Erika L.
We came to this place with high hopes and in very hungry state. After seeing that they had an hour wait, we looked for a place by the bar and got lucky, they offer full service and we were just two people. We started with her crusted polenta fries. They were amazing. Very flavorful, golden and crisp with a creamy interior. For the main course we had the chicken balls with pesto sauce on an arugula salad and it was a great choice. The salad has roasted peppers and dijon dressing among some other toppings like corn. All of it mixed up in a bowl was oh so good!! We also tried the classic beef balls with roasted tomato sauce on a skillet. They were just ok. If you are unsure ask for recommendations on how to build you plate. You pick the type of meat in the balls, the sauce, and what they are served on, like on a sandwich, pasta or salad.
(3)
Ty R.
I'll start out by saying the meatballs are good but unfortunately it stops there. The service is ok, management is poor, and the menu is awkwardly put together with little flexibility to delight the customer. I'm not sure what happened to this place because it was once a 3-4 star place IMHO...but something has dramatically changed. Best bet is to order takeout meatballs and add it to your own quality pasta at home or skip it al together and choose one of the other italian restaurants where service and customer delight is the norm.
(2)
R S.
Great service, we sat outside and our waiter was very friendly and on que with our drinks (bogo) . The food was delicious, definitely will go back again
(5)
N P.
My table had the short rib meatballs over polenta, chicken meatball parm, Philly cheese meatballs, and the classic meatballs. All were good except for the classic meatballs which were extremely bland. The best ones were the short ribs. Literally meatballs with short rib pieces in the center. A little in the salty side but they're balanced by the more plain polenta and ricotta. The garlic bread appetizer is good but very small. If it's the only appetizer at the table, it's not enough for more than two people. Polenta fries are great and good for 5 people or so. There is no children's menu, but environment is kid friendly enough during the earlier hours. After 7 pm or so it's a better environment for adults. The lights are dim and it's more of a lounge type of environment. The location and the novelty of the restaurant lead to overpricing. I generally wouldn't mind the price, but four meatballs shouldn't cost $15.
(3)
Brandon R.
So we treated our family to dinner and decided to try out the new hip spot on las olas. We got there at seven thirty and were seated right away. I thought to myself, "not a good sign, should be slammed." Turns out we were just really lucky because within another twenty it was packed. The food is 75% meatballs and the rest of the food is pasta, sides & drinks. Meatballs are great, I recommend the F&B blend meatball with parm cream sauce. Really tasty meatballs.
(4)
Eric T.
Was hesitant to try F&B with so many mediocre reviews. But decided to take my wife there and give it a shot. We arrived around 6:30 and were seating immediately. The place has a really cool decor and vibe. Was surprised at how many young kids were there, but then again it was an early dinner. I had a beer and my wife had a glass of red wine from the tap. The beer temp was great, but the wine was much too cold for a red. We ordered the brussel sprouts and the vegetable special of the day which was corn with white beans. Both were great, especially the sprouts. Then we decided to try a couple different balls and share, se we did the F&B Blend with roasted tomato sauce sliders and the Spicy Pork balls with tomato sauce over spaghetti. Both dishes were delicious. All in all I think this would be a really fun place with a group. Not a big date night spot, but for a couple of meatball lovers, we really enjoyed.
(4)
SB S.
A-okay in my book. Hate the name, really like the food. The spicy Italian is a great dish with meatballs over polenta with hot peppers. It's a fail safe if you wanna have something good.. I'm into the lighter fair lately, so I opt for their gluten free chicken meatballs over salad with traditional sauce. The vinegar mixes in and it's oh so good. The bar is beautiful, they did a great job decorating the place. It's quite large too. I hope they do well.
(3)
Martin G.
For a restaurant that has been opened 6 months it has a smooth operation, excellent service and a manager who listens. That's the good part and the bad part is that what we had wasn't THAT good. I did want to try the 4 different kind of meatballs they had on the menu but the closest they could come would be ordering sliders with 3 different balls and that's not a main course to me. I made a mistake by waiting to speak to Steve the manager after I had ordered and he was most accommodating but at that point my food came out so I left it as it was. He did say they were working on a new menu. Patrick, our server, did a great job. I took one of his suggestions which was the Sicilian F&B sandwich ($11) served on Italian bread and had beef balls, tomato sauce, mozzarella, sweet and hot peppers and a simple arugula salad on the side. None of the flavors stood out, including the meatball and the bread was too thick . Allen ordered the classic beef balls and penne with tomato sauce ($13) but when served it had spaghetti. Allen immediately said something and they (It wasn't Patrick) were willing to change it but he ate it. When I asked how it was he said "Nothing special. Just spaghetti and meatballs." I should be use to it by now but paying $3 for a cup of regular coffee and $2.95 for a diet coke just 'gets me'! Okay we are on Las Olas Blvd so we were paying for that. One thing I did appreciate was that Patrick asked if we wanted refills he brought fresh ones. The reason we choose to eat here was that the day before I had received a 2-4-1 flyer, I liked the concept and hesitating because of parking on or around Las Olas could be a hassle when we got there it wasn't a problem. They had a pay parking lot behind them that was almost fill but being lunchtime we were surprised that we got a spot right away. The total check minus the lower entree plus tax came to $26.45 and we left a $8 tip. The tables and high top booths are very roomy and the restaurant itself is has a variety of lighting adding interest to the room. Would/will we go back? Maybe when they come out with the new menu hopefully with some new interesting items and giving some zip to the balls---and, yes, having the 2-4-1 flyer so the lunch prices are reasonable. Oh yes, the menu is a place mat which is taken after you give your order. They should rethink that. By the way we ordered a fried bread pudding ($6)--it has no resemblance to bread pudding and could easily pass for French toast, even with a scoop of ice cream on top of it. Hopefully that will be rethought with the new menu.
(2)
Scott D.
Had the Spicy Italian F&B Bowl and it was great. Doesn't seem like a lot of food but the polenta makes it very filling. The cheesy garlic bread is excellent as well. Great decor and ambiance. Music a little loud for my taste, especially if you have kids.
(4)
Cory H.
We had a great evening. The service was attentive from the bartenders to our server Brady. Can't say enough about the service. Food was very good, and the atmosphere was casual, and relaxed while still having that cool vibe . Will definitely be back.
(5)
JR H.
If you like meatballs, head to this place. You won't be disappointed. They have a nice 4-7 happy hour and on Monday's feature $1 balls. I sampled each of the eight featured balls and liked 'em all.
(4)
Melanie G.
I'm shocked at the average star rating for this place bc my experience was pretty bad. Lets start from the beginning, we were a party of six for a friends bday. Four of my friends had arrived, but the hostess said they could not be seated until the other 2 ppl were there...which is COMPLETELY UNDERSTANDABLE on a Saturday night.... except that the place was maybe half full. Why not seat the majority of the party?? Also, there was a sign to valet, with nobody to do it. Next, upon entering, I almost busted my ass. TWICE. The floor was SO EFFING SLIPPERY!!! I thought maybe it was just towards the front where someone might have spilled something, but the entire floor was like that. This is a lawsuit waiting to happen. Next, lets get to the food. Brussels sprouts- SOOOOOOO bad. one of the worst things I have ever eaten in my life. They tasted burnt and left a nasty after taste in my mouth. The calamari- basic, just ok. lacking any type of flavor. The BLT- that was actually good. And since the first 2 things were horrible, I actually ordered another. They need to chill with that ranch though. Way toooo much. the entrees- my bf had the spicy meatballs with polenta and ricotta which was good. I had the Greek sandwich and it was ok. I also tried some of The Texan, and that was pretty good. Had like 4 different sliders, ok. For dessert we had the bread pudding which I thought was AWFUL, so I ordered the milk and cookies. The cookies were PERFECT, but the milk was SOUR!!!! WTF?!!?! Overall, the service was also lacking. I felt our waiter had an attitude problem whenever I had to ask for water or utensils. The only reason I gave it 2 stars was bc that DJ was poppin!!!! I was having so much fun singing and dancing in my chair. And bc the bathroom was super clean. I would NEVER recommend this place to anyone.
(2)
Eddie P.
I left the place hungry. The entree portions were way too small, I had chicken meatballs and spaghetti. However, food was delicious - great quality meat balls, sauce with spaghetti. The manager was kind enough to offer a side dish and we were still hungry. He explained that they are new and still trying to iron things out. He was nice enough to make us happy and we will definitely return. I am sure they will change things up and increase the size of the potions.
(3)
Wendy S.
AMAZING. best surprise on las olas. Definitely going back. We definitely recommend the Parmesan cream sauce as an appetizer in the f&b balls. For an entree you cannot go wrong with either the Toscana or the short rib. We'll be back with friends.
(5)
Vickie C.
Had the most wonderful experience here. I sat at at the bar. The bartender, Jillian, was so attentive. She replenished my drink before I could even ask for another. The manager, James, even came over to make sure I was happy with the service. The bacon balls were so delicious! I just love how attentive the staff was! The restaurant environment is cool and relaxed. Definitely a place I would bring a group of friends to. Will come back for my company Christmas party!
(5)
Marisa D.
Wow I've never written a one star but everything from the service, food and night manager was awful. Let's start with the waiter. Didn't know the menu advised we could order with sauces on the side. Food comes drenched in sauce. The mushroom sauce was horrible tasted like Campbell's mushroom soup with some kind of thickening agent added. The other sauces were bland and the meatballs were full of filler. We asked to speak with the manager to educate her that her staff misinformed us. She agreed and advised that the Chef would not make alterations and put sauces on side for certain dishes. Essentially she said too bad. I live 5 minutes from this place and would love it to be successful like Yolo and S3. The food is simply not good and the manager instead of apologizing became rude and defensive - she clearly is in over her head or she got the job because of who she knows not what she should know. I'll never return and neither will my party of 4
(1)
I M.
Waiter gave great suggestion of getting sauce on the side. Polenta was amazing & love that they have healthy options so on a diet? Have veggie balls with yummy greens!
(5)
LunaDashwood M.
Another great spot on Las Olas. I had a great experience. We primarily stayed at the bar and order The "J". Oh my goodness. What a great drink. I highly recommend to order the fried bread pudding with a side shot of cinnamon toast crunch. Alexia took great care of us. Good times and looking forward to trying their meatballs next time.
(5)
Stephen G.
Great decor and knowledgeable waitstaff. Simple menu that is prepared well and presented hot. The bread pudding is a wonderful dessert. You won't be disappointed.
(5)
Candy L.
Wonderful drinks and affordable food.
(5)
Audrey E.
We met some friends for a late lunch and some margaritas. The limes in our drinks we cut at least a day or two before. My meal (chicken balls with cream sauce) was very bland, thus it got sent back. Fortunately we were there at shift change to get our bill, the drinks were $12 each! Really now, $12 for a plain old margarita with an old lime!?!
(1)
Kristin B.
Ate there last night for a friend's birthday after a few people recommended that it's good for vegetarian/vegan diets. Well, thank goodness we asked but ALL of their sauces have chicken or fish broth in them. So despite having a vegan ball option, there is no sauce option. Nonetheless, I had it over the farro and it was ok. The balls had a great texture but the entire dish lacked in flavor. It would have been great with some plain tomato sauce even stewed tomatoes but they wouldn't do that for us. The dessert bread pudding was really good. Please offer a regular tomato sauce on your menu!
(2)
Lucy K.
Fork and balls really made up in my book. After my prior review I was contacted by the management team, who wanted me to come back in to prove that they were making efforts to make the restaurant gluten free friendly. I was informed that their ball of the day is always gluten free. I came in on a weekend night, and we were immediately sat. They now label which balls of theirs are gluten free (the chicken ball). I wish they labeled more of the other items on the on the menu (sides etc.) that are gf. However, our server, Leilani, had a list of what was gluten free and was overall very attentive the whole night. The food came out super fast and this time was delicious. I got the traditional salad and the ball of the day on polenta. My boyfriend enjoyed his pasta. Everything was very fresh and homey. Steven the manager was very professional. He asked about what happened the time prior and made my return very worth it. It showed a lot about the caliber of their management by making my prior experience up to me. I hope that every guest gets the same experience I had last night. I've never said balls this many times in a review lol
(4)
David S.
It's bewildering to me why (1) they have 3-4 different types of meatballs, (2) the various dishes come with 3-4 different types of meatballs, and (3) there is absolutely no matching under any circumstances, whatsoever. I'd like to try 3 different types of meatballs at once. I'd even pay a bit more. But there is no sampler, and they won't substitute at all. Very odd.
(3)
Mike C.
I am surprised to see anyone giving this place a one star, but I guess everyone is entitled to their opinion. I would like to say I had the exact opposite experience coming to Fork and Balls. My Girlfriend and I came down from New York to look for apartments around Fort Lauderdale and my girlfriend and I specifically wanted to come to this place. We did and I am glad we did. It was an amazing experience. We have been their 3 different times, and on all three occasions we were treated to perfection. Each waitor/waitress had knowledge of the menu, was fast and efficient and checked up on us often to make sure we were enjoying our meal and experience. Not only were the employees helpful with our food but also took time to answers questions that we had about the neighborhood and and potential jobs around the area as both my girlfriend and I both work in the hospitality industry. I appreciate all their hard work and genuine emotions towards us. As for the food, it was amazing. My girlfriend and I are huge foodies, and any New Yorker says you cannot find a good sandwich place outside of New York. Well they were wrong because Fork and Balls is amazing. My favouirte has been the F&B balls, with melted mozz in pesto sauce on a hero. We will be coming often and plan on being regulars. Id say ignore the negative reviews and check it out for yourself because it is worth it. Thanks Fork and Balls
(5)
Alex M.
After my friends kept telling me about Fork & Balls, I figured I'd finally try it out since I was visiting Ft Lauderdale Beach. The service was prompt, courteous and the food was great! The Grandma's Bowl was a sizezable portion and delicious. The garlic bread was some of the best I've ever had. My friend had the Gyro sandwich and he was really impressed as well. Overall, I give it a 5 star rating and I willl definitely tell my friends about it!
(5)
Amber B.
I was impressed by this place because the food tasted like authentic Italian food. I got the grandmas bowl and I recommend everyone gets this dish - it tasted like an old Italian grandma made this dish for me. It was amazing. The staff was also very pleasant and professional. The drinks were good & strong. It was very noisy though. Overall, it was great.
(4)
Thomas H.
Food was awesome!! We had a big party and they bent the rules for us. Service was great!! We will be coming back!
(5)
Kristi N.
Great meatballs and atmosphere...good value. Staff was really nice and helpful. Great reasonable option on Los Olas.
(4)
Barry S.
The fact that this wasn't our destination just adds to the perfect experience. Very unique concept for a restaurant. We had the polenta fries for an app and they were very flavorful and light served with a great tomato sauce. My wife had the chicken ball sliders on focaccia bread. She raved over them. Based on our servers suggestion, I had the F&B blend balls - veal and pork in the tomato sauce. Outstanding combo of meat and spices and perfect texture. Service was excellent. A MUST stop if in Fort Lauderdale.
(5)
Margot R.
New place! In Fort Lauderdale a lot for work and glad to have a new food joint on Las Olas. Server's name is Patrick and he was very attentive and explained the menu thoroughly. The Brussels sprouts are killer.
(5)
Kaitlin C.
I've been to Fork & Balls three times now. The first two times were great and everyone I went with enjoyed their food. Last weekend I went and the waitress put the order in wrong and I received the wrong dish. Not only did she apologize at least ten times, but I had my correct order in front of me no more than 7 minutes later. It was fine and I was completely satisfied. It was a small mistake and it was fixed. My waitress then went above and beyond and brought our table free dessert-- which was out of this world. We ordered the milk & cookies off the menu, expecting just an old fashioned classic. We were then informed that the milk was vanilla and orange flavored. If all milk tasted like this, I'd probably drink milk a whole lot more. The creamsicle-eqsue milk combined with the warm cookies was a wonderful way to end another delicious meal at Fork & Balls. I was blown away with how everything was handled.
(5)
Paige L.
I just wanted to say that I absolutely love this place. I had a group of 11 friends and a child who were celebrating a birthday. We originally had reservations for Rocco's Taco's. Well, Rocco's told us it would be an hour wait, and we ended up waiting 2 1/2 hours, so we left and went to Fork & Balls. The staff was awesome. We told them our dilemma and they took care of us right away and were so kind. The food was awesome! The service was great. It's a really unique and interesting concept for a restaurant. The set up is really cool. Decorated really awesome. I highly highly recommend. :)
(5)
Jack R.
The worst service I have ever received and I didn't sit down. I ordered to go and the women at the front said it would take 10 minutes. 1 hour later we are still waiting and hungry. Take out is supposed to be efficient and less time consuming than sitting down and this was the opposite. About 45 minutes in we were explainably very angry. The hostess wasn't kind about it and the manager was worse. He was unapologetic and snobby. After that horrible experience was finally over we hoped the food could save the day. It was just alright. They made something wrong, and overall it was so-so. The only dish that stood out was the penne with meatballs and mushroom sauce. Delicious! The food gets 3 stars but the pathetic service gets even less than zero. If you want a better experience and better food go to Rocco's tacos down the street.
(1)
Walter P.
Yes to me this is worthy of five stars. Very underrated place. F&b blend were amazing. Soft, moist and quite honestly one of the best meatballs I've ever tasted. Friendly bartender and staff ensured my return trip in the future.
(5)
Kevin S.
Love this restaurant!!! I'm gluten-free and had options here. I can't wait to go back to have the brussel sprouts and the chicken meat balls. Yum!!!! The ambiance was nice as well. Young and attractive crowd. Service was attentive and friendly.
(4)
Dennis F.
Well, we finally did the 6 block walk down Las Olas to check out F & B. They don't accept reservations. First off the noise level is very high. There were 5 people working behind the very industrial bar, service was spotty. Lots of beer on tap & if you like wine don't expect a traditional stem you get a water glass like the one in a bathroom of a hotel. We shared three diff types of appetizers all balls. They were all very tasty. The menu is a little tricky when it comes to entrees. We ordered three entrees all were presented in bowls and yes three more balls just like the appetizers they were good but I was hungry for something More than beans and more balls. If you are looking for fish you are out of luck. I think they need more entree selections and more sides to go with the entrees. Not sure I would rush right back , maybe with some menu changes and carpeting on the floor. As it stands F&B is a watering Hole with good appetizers don't expect fine dining.
(3)
Brett C.
I was hesitant to try this place based on the name alone - but if you give it a chance, it's a winner. The place has a cool and comfortable vibe with subway tile walls, and dark wood finishes -feel free to come in a casual outfit, this place isn't pretentious with a name like "Fork and Balls". They also boast an attentive bar and wait staff which is a welcomed aspect due to the lack of attentive waiters at other places on las olas. One down side however is they need to beef up (pun intended) their beer selection. No real craft beers to speak of and the wine list was standard. Now on to the meat! Their concept is unique - everything is centered around BALLS. Lots of jokes go on with this play on words here, but the concept is sound - 3 meatballs with your choice of meat and prep, with 1 sauce and served on top of 1 item like spinach, pasta, salad, veggie or polenta. They have Classic Beef, Chicken Veggie, Spicy Pork, F&B Blend, Daily Special plus the normal red sauce, Traditional Tomato, Parmesan Cream, Mushroom, Herb Pesto, Roasted Tomato. You can also have it your way since they'll customize to your wants - I.e. you can have it with a bun, no bun, no sauce, mix and match your meats, etc. Yes, some modifications have a small upcharge - but this choice gives the customer the power and shows they are here to serve you. Now, I know some may say "3 balls isn't dinner" and to that I say -I am an American and former fat kid and yes I have grown very, VERY accustomed to bigger meals and larger cuts of meat for dinner, but seriously 3 meatballs is a standard amount of protein for dinner. Plus, look at the prices - the prices for the 3 meatball dinner is a lot less than you'd pay for a larger meal somewhere else on Las Olas. If you want, order more balls! After reviewing the menu, I actually went with one of the sandwiches. It was a toss up between the Jeffry and the B&E Grinder, but I am VERY happy I went with the B&E (wow how many people can say that!). The sandwich consisted of chicken balls, roasted mushroom, parmesan cream & pesto with a little arugula salad on the side. The pesto with parmesean cream really sold me but the chicken balls were spiced, lighter, and went very well with the crunchy french bread - plus I love me a little arugula since I like a little peppery kick of greens compliment the meal. Since I felt the twinge to get more, and although I love fries and was highly tempted by the herb polenta fries, my all time favorite cruciferous vegetable has to be brussels sprouts. Their brussel sprouts are served in a way I have never seen actually - on top of a toasted garlic tomato sauce with bacon and parmesan. Please note - if you're like me and have a high stomach acid problem, as long as you go light and don't slurp down all the red sauce you'll be fine! The brussels sprouts were cooked perfectly so there was still a little crunch, the bacon and garlic really brought out their veggie flavor, and who doesn't like a good red sauce with some cheese on top? I scarfed this down and hardly let my wife grab a bite. My friends got the Summer vegetable succotash appetizer special, which is one of the reasons for not giving 5-stars. It was just a bowl of veggies, no real rhyme or reason and apparently they werent seasoned well. I say "apparently" because I took one look at them and decided I didn't even want to try. They looked like they came out of a can of mixed vegetables. Plus, they were sitting next to my brussel sprouts that were 100x more appetizing so I said PASS! My wife got the 3 - balls 1 style original and chose the special meat which was short rib and it was FANTASTIC. I'm not sure what other negative reviewers have a problem with but these balls were darn good. Meaty, the right amount of spice and savory flavors and paired with a Mushroom sauce on top of some garlic spinach - the dish was worth the moderate price. My friends both got the "Just balls" 3-ball meal and tried out some of the other sauces and they both loved their dishes. We all left full, happy and satisfied. Just remember- if you're still hungry, go get some more balls.
(4)
Rob B.
Took a guest to dinner Sunday night. We both thought the food was mediocre at best. Menu quite confusing. Meatballs had little flavor and seemed like fillers. Polenta was like porridge and no flavor, hard to screw up polenta. Ordered fried calamari appetizer and it came all drizzled with sour cream, a sweetish catsup-y sauce and jalapenos. Calm it down, fried calamari is fine on its own, this made it soggy and weird. Put condiments on the side, you couldn't taste the calamari, it had this weird glop on it. Atmosphere okay but they should try to do things well and simplify. Wait staff very attentive, chef needs to keep it simple and not try to overdo things.
(1)
Whitney N.
I went in and dined with my other half not long ago . We spilt the Tuscan and the Greek , both of which we loved ! The little gem salad with arugula and white truffle vinaigrette that they were featuring was probably one of the best salads I've ever had . We also had the Brussels sprouts that had a great flavor ! I highly recommend it if you're in the area !
(5)
Samantha S.
I just finished dining at F&B for the second time. The moment we walked in the hostess told our table of 4, that we could eat at the bar or the communal table, because they were full. It was one of the girls at my party who had to suggest giving us the option to put our names on the list as our hostess stars at us completely confused. We watched three tables clear out and no one seated us. When we were finally given a table the food was absolutely delicious and our waitress was incredibly attentive! After we paid our bill we stayed at the table speaking, my sister still had wine to finish. One of the hostesses came to us and asked us if we could leave because they needed our table. I have been asked to leave a restaurant before! It wasn't as if we ordered appetizers and water and were just chatting. We each ordered a cocktail, appetizer, main dish and shared a dessert! I absolutely loved the quinoa and kale dish but I will not be returning because of the service.
(2)
Max Z.
Its ok. I've had better but the atmosphere is what makes it work. The portions are small and if I wanted a better meatball, I would go to Runway 84. But if I am on Las Olas, this is the place that seems to be the place to be...for now.
(3)
Tony L.
Excellent food, not as heavy as you would expect. Short rib meatballs, polenta fries were highlights.
(4)
Yendi V.
It's a nice place. The menu is a little confusing. My aunt makes better meatballs. I would say the food was average. Not worth the hour drive but we tried it and that's it. Not very memorable
(2)
A Y.
Not accepting reservations or making exceptions for larger parties is bad business in my opinion. Especially for business dinners where there is one check. Not "saving a seat" for someone that orders three of everything and spends over $1,000 is comical. From what I thought - My assistant had an ok conversation on the phone with the hostess minus her frustration about not being able to make a reservation ... except when I was seated with my clients she walked up to someone in my party and began talking crap about me. Which I later learned about from my client. That is unacceptable! I have her name and I'd like the owner to contact me immediately. Food was subpar and lack of variation. Servers were hustling and looked understaffed. I tipped him extra! Would not go back.
(1)
Rachel C.
Wasn't that impressed. The good: adorable decor, friendly service, delicious brussel sprouts. The bad: super loud, mediocre food. We had the f&b ball with roasted tomato sauce (which was fine) and the all beef ball with Parmesan cream sauce (which was dry and kind of processed tasting). We also went on Monday which is $1 meatballs all day, but READ THE FINE PRINT, you have to get a drink (another confusing stipulation because it took 30 minutes talking to the waiter to figure out which drinks counted), it's only for the "just balls" section of the menu, and many of the meatballs don't count for this promotion. Overall it's a cute hang out and would be good for happy hour, but the food is just meh.
(3)
Zachary K.
Just had dinner at forks and balls tonight and was utterly disappointed. The place was packed and had a nice ambience however as I was waiting for our table I noticed all the small plates and dishes that were being served: I immediately began to panic and sweat as I already knew what was coming. We took some of the suggestions of the waiter who was very helpful and attentive. My friend and I ordered the Italian something meatball dish and my girlfriend ordered a few of the meatball sliders. As other yelpers had previously stated I almost fell out of my chair when I saw 3 tiny meatballs in a bowl full of sauce. After 30 seconds my plate was gone and I began to wonder whether that was a pre-appetizer or an appetizer. My $13 entree left me hungry and confused why a restaurant would serve you 3 tiny meatballs for $13... I mean come on meatballs are extremely cheap to make. Either put 4 or 5 small meatballs in an entree or 3 large 1s. If you advertise your restaurant as the meatball market or fork and balls I think your meatballs should be large enough to make an impact and not leave me famished. Had it not been for the thunderstorm tonight I would have picked up a spicy chicken sandwich from Wendy's on the way home. Although my 3 tiny meatballs were tasty I would probably not go back to this place unless they adjusted the portion sizes!
(2)
Da Q.
Fork and Balls is a nice resturant. Chelsey was a great waitress and the food was good. The prices are reasonable a
(4)
Tim E.
I meant to post the new updated review sooner. Life got in the way. So I went back to Fork and Balls. A complete turn around in the quality and service. Waitress was very friendly and on top of it. The food was great. The Texan meatballs were fantastic. The brussel sprouts were really good I never had it with tomato sauce but I did like it very much. Watermelon salad was delish. It was a special on that day. The Toscana was perfect. I would have that every week! I am glad to see the potential realized. I knew they could do it. Thank you.
(5)
Natalie J.
Came here for girls night, so there was 7 of us. We decided to try five different dishes thinking that it would be enough to share (veggie balls with vegetables and pesto, just the balls (3 each)- chicken and the special which both came with focaccia, Brussels sprouts, and two beet and feta salads. The portions were very small. They provided us with a small bowl of cheese for all of us to share. The food was average but for a meatball kitchen we expected more. Service was great, very attentive. Good for only being open for a few days but definitely some things to improve on.
(2)
Raisa M.
tried this place for lunch over the weekend a couple weeks after they opened. all in all a good experience, the cocktails were awesome I'd come back for those alone. food was yummy, filling if you're getting it for lunch or want a light dinner. the decor inside is beautiful, very welcoming and i enjoyed trying their food. i was a bit disappointed with their Mac n cheese, it's got some off ingredients and i wasn't impressed. i will return for more meatballs though!
(4)
Sarah H.
It's hard to find an affordable, delicious restaurant with great atmosphere and service on Las Olas. Tonight we tried the new Fork and Balls restaurant and it was just wonderful. Our server Doug was attentive and the food was delivered promptly. The meatballs were huge and AMAZING...The roasted tomato sauce with F&B meatballs a must try! The potential fries were to die for as well. We also ordered the mac and cheese, which had a nice surprise of peas and mushrooms in it. Everything we had we truly enjoyed. The manager also stopped by our table to introduce himself and say hello, which was great. We will be back and soon.
(5)
Ashley S.
Tried out the new Fork and Balls for their grand opening, its located in the former M Bar location (which I also reviewed). Fork and Balls is a vast improvement. The atmosphere is lively and fun, the place was packed opening night but service and everything flowed smoothly, which was a surprise considering it was their first official day open. We all shared a bunch of meatballs, salads and sides, everything was great. Prices are very reasonable, its around $13 for pasta with 3 meatballs, which isn't bad considering its on Las Olas. A salad which is enough for two is $8. Its nice to see another good restaurant finally make its way to Las Olas that serves good food at reasonable prices.
(5)
D. F.
It's ok... No fuss, low noise...right on time for the chill crowd.
(3)
Ron L.
Interesting Drinks, however not So Good on the Meatballs. If your going to call yourself Fork & Balls you better make Darn Sure lYour Balls are out of this World. Fun Atmosphere although the 4 Bartenders Behind the Bar are Lost in their own World. It's newly opened so I'll come back for another Try once they work out the kinks.
(3)
Erik S.
I never give 5 stars, but in this case I'll make an exception! The place may be called 'Fork and Balls' (and the meatballs are delicious) but the star of the show is the Fried Bread Pudding w/ Island Rum Gelato ($6). You'll think you will want to order one for the table, but unless you fancy post-meal fights to the death with spoons as your weapon, order one each. The pudding has the texture of Japanese Tempura fried ice cream with the savory and sweet components of raisins, chocolate chips and pecans. I daresay that even if I had a peanut allergy I might be tempted to put the epipen on the table and take my chances...at least you'll die happy.
(5)
Adam F.
Food was good. Service was good. Prices are good. But, their group policy sucks! We had a group of twenty for a birthday party and they would only allow us to split the bill 4 ways. Which made it very difficult at the end when we got our tab. They should have let us split the checks and it would made our experience much better. Granted, big groups can be difficult, but my experience is that splitting checks from the beginning makes it much less of a hassle in the end.
(3)
ALFREDO K.
Excellent service, out server Patrick was awesome.... Portion sizes were perfect. The Brussels sprouts with bacon and cheese was out of this world and the balls were phenomenal both the beef and chicken! Highly recommended!!!!!!
(5)
Casey W.
I went there last week and its a trendy place. The meatballs are a good size, you only get three but for 8 dollars and a good atmosphere you cant go wrong. The B&E grinder is a very light dish that taste great. The only thing that I saw wrong with the place is that all the Meatballs have pork in them which really bad if you don't or cant eat pork. Yes, even the Veggie balls have pork in them. The bar staff is super friendly. My bartender was so sweet and warm which makes me ponder why the then a shorter female black haired manger comes in behind the bar and make very vulgar and rude comments to her and several of the staff threating to fire them and hire more staff. My female bartender knew that my husband and I heard what was said and apologized to us. Hopefully things are more positive. I truly feel sorry for the staff if this is considered a standard way of communicating.
(3)
Rey D.
Went on opening weekend and fell in love with this place. My partner and I love to bring our out of state friends and friends from Miami to enjoy good Fort Lauderdale food!! Great place, great service
(5)
Claudia O.
I had the mushroom meatballs which were very tasty. My hubby had F&B balls over polenta and he liked it very much. The fried bread pudding was yummy! Ambiance was loud so talking across the table was tricky. We found the menu limited so I'm not sure if we'd go back. It was nice to try a new place.
(3)
Richard S.
Fork & Balls rules. My wife and I came here during a shit effort from Rocco's taco shit shack (that place sucks as much as watching your luggage getting blown up on the Hindenburg) Layla our bartender was incredible and kicked some serious ass. This place rocks hard. Shut the fuck up and eat a goddamm meatball already!
(5)
Rocki R.
The service, drinks and atmosphere are 5 stars. I had the Bella tini which is awesome. We ordered beef balls with tomato sauce and chicken balls with pesto. We both preferred the beef over chicken since the chicken was a bit dry. We didn't have the love factor for them though hence the 3 stars. I know other reviewers complained it was too loud, we didn't experience this and my bf has a blown ear drum and can't handle loud places
(3)
D L.
The food was very good. Came on a weekday for lunch with a co-worker and we both decided we won't be back as we ordered an entree each PLUS and traditional salad and both of walked out still hungry and $40 lighter.
(2)
Harrison B.
This place has great staff and food. The pesto was a little oily and the meatball was slightly over cooked... Overall a nice cozy place with a great modern design.
(4)
Chris M.
Food was great!! Bartender was awesome.... And no issue with us walking right before they closed!! Thumbs up for sure!
(5)
Steve H.
I liked Fork & Balls before. Now I LOVE it. They've revised and improved the menu. Everything great, especially the new salmon balls and the short rib balls. Great food. Great vibe. Great value.
(5)
Renee F.
AWESOME! Ordered 3 different kinds of meatballs and they all were equally delicious. Our waitress was very nice and informative.
(4)
Lisa A.
We had the best dinner at Fork and Balls last night! I had veggie balls on top of salad. The balls we're so delicious, juicy, tasty and cooked perfectly. My husband had the Jeffrey sandwich and loved it. Also enjoyed Brussel sprouts and calamari. Great atmosphere, great people and balls! Definitely will be back often!
(5)
Bill B.
This was my first time here. The service was outstanding. The atmosphere is very cool and inviting. They have an open kitchen and I could only think, why didn't they put four stools at the kitchen counter so patrons could sit and watch them cook. That would've been a very cool addition to the place. Although they have a decent number of taps, the beer selection has allot to be desired. It is very blah. The herb polenta fires were good as a starter. I had the Spicy pork balls bowl which was very filling. The meatballs were tender but not spic and the sauce was ok. The creamy polenta was good but I have to admit that I am spoiled from Little Nona's creamy polenta and meatballs in Philly. No one can beat their polenta and growing up in an Itlaian family, there are high expectations for food like this. The white beans and kale side I ordered was very tasty and I could've eaten more. Would I go back-yes. Would I recommend this to others-yes. They just need to tweak a few things and it is a four or five star place.
(3)
Sharon R.
Very nice atmosphere, very "rustic" feel. I went on a Sunday night for a friend's birthday, not many people in the restaurant, but good vibes around. I loved how there were many "make your own" options. You can chose to either just have "balls," or what balls with what entree. I had the chicken balls in a Cesar kale salad. I wanted something outside the box than beef with pasta, which you could get if you wished. There was a small selection of "already made" entrees. The menu was a bit small. The overall experience was great!
(4)
Stephen P.
Fun .. casual .. trendy place. good meatballs and good service .. very loud and active !
(4)
Brian M.
Good food, good vibe, young crowd...and a dj! If you're 90 yrs old stay away, it's not for you...yes it's loud, that's how younger folks like it :)
(5)
Jacqueline K.
Very great concept! Went to try it out at happy hour! I really liked that happy hour applied to all drinks, which was very nice. Tried a few different kinds of "balls" which were very affordable. Service was very efficient!
(4)
fran h.
Flavorful balls and great service. Chicken balls were soft, tender, and well seasoned. I had it over roasted cauliflower (vegetable of the day) with pesto sauce (not overwhelming, just enough to add flavor). Nice selection of beer & passion fruit tea was very nice. Arugula salad with corn, roasted peppers, & machenga cheese was fresh & ample portion for sharing. We arrived at 7 pm Saturday & had a 5 min wait. When we left, the wait was much longer. No reservations, but they take your phone number & text when table is almost ready.
(4)
Kristy S.
service was great. food was mediocre at best. felt lousy after I left, terrible stomach ache. came here because the wait for Rocco's tacos was an hour and a half. probably wouldn't come back.
(3)
John H.
Went here tonight got there at like 825.. Was gonna try Rocco tacos but it was too packed so we darted into here.. Limited menu which I liked not much to sort thru but I was told the Texan is a good portion of food... I could've eaten 4 Texans!!! Thank god my gf didn't finish hers so she gave it to me and I tacked on a bread pudding to fill the gap.. It was very good but u may need to eat on the way home from this place if u wanna go..
(3)
D D.
Food was really Good ! Mac n chez is bomb dig. Atmosphere is great. Only compliant I have is the drinks we tried a couple of them and they were blah!
(3)
L H.
Great to visit and try them out... Probably wouldn't be the first on our list to go back. In my opinion, decor and ambiance was nice, service was good, food tasted like fast food Italian... A lot of Italian places on Las Olas that are better.
(3)
seth p.
Great crowd, service was quick and attentive, prices were reasonable, and food was good. The bar was happening and the craft beers are appreciated! I enjoyed the veggie meatballs and if I ate meat I am sure I'd be in love with place. The only drawback was that it was extremely loud...so loud that you had to scream to speak to the person across the table from you. Will be back when I voice recovers.
(4)
Debbie T.
We enjoyed spending time having drinks at the bar at Fork and Balls. The bar staff was great! Came back three times during our stay.
(4)
Laura K.
Nothing exceptional. That's the most accurate rating I can give to the food. It wasn't bad, I had the Grandmothers Bowl, but it wasn't memorable or even tasty enough for me to crave again, or want to go back there for. If you are going to be paying Las Olas prices than a much better bet is Noodles Panini. This place is like Olive Garden only with a more creative concept. You won't be going there for great food, you'll go there because you're in the area and the concept looks interesting but many people won't bother going back again a second time. Wait staff was pleasant but gave poor service. They couldn't remember orders, and were too busy socializing with each other to be attentive (I was there at an off peak time- Sat at 2:30pm). I probably would have liked this place if I was in High School and was still in the phase where I thought The Olive Garden was killer Italian food. Once that doesn't do it for you, this place won't either. Great concept, poor execution.
(2)
Alex P.
Tasty food and friendly staff. The decor is laid back. The prices are reasonable and well located close to parking on las olas
(4)
Aracelis R.
I've been going to Fork and Balls since they opened and have not had a bad experience. The meatballs are all fabulous and I love the fact that they always have a specials to try new salad and ball combinations. The atmosphere is chill and perfect to hang out with friends or just with hubby.
(5)
Janet C.
Although I said I wouldn't go back....I did. Really glad I did too. New chairs have been purchased - very comfy. Service has worked out its knots and was fast & friendly. Meal was delicious - I had Blended Balls over Arugula Salad. Very affordable menu. Managers, James & Suzette clearly want their customers to be happy. Wine is still served in the silly juice glasses, but that's the owner's choice. Whaddaya going to do...? Drink fast while it's cold. Great evening. Glad I gave F&B a second look.
(5)
Anne B.
Went for the first time last evening for dinner as they now offer gluten-free chicken meatballs. I had the meatballs over the spinach with the roasted tomato sauce. Absolutely delicious. The portion was ample - I couldn't eat it all so gave part to my husband. We ate at the bar and received outstanding service. We will be back, for sure.
(4)
Mark D.
Great place to dine on Las Olas. Love the atmosphere, food and service. My favorite dishes are the Mac & Cheese & Brussel Spouts for appetizers and the Greek wrap for main course. Also can't get enough of the Fried Bread Pudding with Rum Ice Cream...yummy! Our Server; Brady (I believe that was his name.) Took excellent care of us, he was very knowledgeable about the menu items and presented them in an entertaining manner. I'll definitely be back.
(5)
Kevin L.
Do not eat here if you have any clue what a good meatball tastes like. This place served us the worst meal we have ever had......unbelievable. The fact that they call themselves a " Meatball Kitchen" is almost criminal. From appetizer to sides, all bad. No one should have to go through this experience. There are great meatballs in Fort Lauderdale but not here.
(1)
Kizzy S.
I had pretty high hopes for this place because the concept for this restaurant is GENIUS! We went on a Monday night after seeing a Facebook post from them saying it was $1 meatball night....we grabbed a couple of friends and decided to give it a try. While they had all kinds of stuff in their very tiny fine print, I felt like the stipulations were a bit stiff to call this $1 meatball night -- it was really only $1 meatballs when you purchased an alcoholic beverage and you had to order a minimum of 4 meatballs. So....right off the bat, I was turned off by their marketing gimmicks. Decor was cool, meatballs were fine - nothing to write home about but they weren't gross. You could choose from a few different sauces and my husband ordered the roasted tomato and I ordered the mushroom - tomato was good, mushroom was edible. The brussel sprouts were LEGIT, I'll give them that. We probably won't be back but I do appreciate a place that calls themselves Fork & Balls!
(3)
Barramundi ..
Due to the name I chose this place. Could be the highlight of a rainy Monday, comforting Spaghetti Meatballs. But not here. I have had the same basic culinary creation 3 times in the last 3 weeks in 3 different locations within 100 yards of here. This wins the bronze medal. Anyway, back to specifics. I place my order and in less than 5 mins I was presented with, 1- Pre cooked pasta, medium temperature, 2- Salty balls, too "spongy" texture, sort of bland, no tasteful definition of meat at all. 3- Ordinary tomato sauce, did not rescue the above. Also the red wine ( on tap, beer style) was too cold. Halfway through my lunch the waitress asks " how is everything"? My inner voice is thinking 15 bucks for too cold domestic red wine and 15 for the pre described food. Tactfully, I say " good thank you". I'll give it another chance. But no good place these days tries to short cut with pre cooked pasta, period. Wise diners know the difference. Even if they don't express it to the cute waitress. Concept over quality??
(2)
Laurie D.
Had the beef balls roasted tomato sauce and spaghetti squash ! Husband had spicy pork balls with traditional sauce and pasta both were Fabulous. Good prices and portions. It will be one of our fav and frequented places !! Service was great too!
(5)
Mary M.
Good food. Great service!!!!! Very reasonably priced. Not a typical Las Olas place. Will absolutely be back. How can you not love a place that serves PBR in a can??!!??
(4)
Jarret S.
First off, we found that most of the food was pretty good. Our issues with F&B are mainly easy fixes that frustrate me as they should be noticed by the management team. I know this restaurant is geared more toward a nighttime atmosphere but I find it almost inexcusable not to offer any sort of kids menu or something to keep kids busy while waiting for food. Hell, you can print coloring for them off of the internet. Furthermore, how does a restaurant that specializes in meatballs not come around and offer Parmesan cheese? One peculiar thing is that every dish we ordered was served in a bowl or on a plate too small for the dish. It made everything awkward to eat. We ordered the tomato, Feta, and Farro salad which oddly came missing one of it's namesake ingredients, Feta. Additionally, the specials were never offered to our table. After ordering I noticed the specials on a chalkboard over the bar and if I had been offered them, I would have selected them. Decoding the specials on the chalkboard took some effort as I don't know what "DOD" is. I don't want this review to sound overly negative because overall, the food was above average but everything else was just mediocre.
(3)
Monique L.
This place is awesome! From the atmosphere, to the wines on tap, to the food, everything is right on point. I went there with my family and we all have different tastes for food. We all left more than satisfied. Even my vegan cousin had a full meal! The location is great and service is even better. The servers were knowledgeable, courteous and attentive, aside from having a sense of humor, making the guests comfortable with the suggestive name of the restaurant and menu choices. The prices are surprisingly reasonable for the quality of food and location. Definitely a good choice for the whole family or just for a drink with friends!
I only give this place three stars because in my opinion this is a bar that serves food not a restaurant. We went there on Saturday 6:15pm to catch up with three other friends. There was a total of five of us. When we sat down at 6:15 the place was empty by 645 it was packed. That's great for a new place. However, not for us. It was deafeningly loud. None of us could hear any conversation we were trying to have and even had a very difficult time hearing the waitress as she tried to explain the concept, dishes, drinks etc. I will say the food we had was EXCELLENT. However, just understand this is not a place to have a conversation with somebody unless you're interested in yelling at the top of your voice to someone sitting right next to you. It is very trendy, has a hip vibe, and the drinks were good. My only point in making this review is so people understand this really is a bar. If you're looking for a nice sitdown restaurant to catch up with friends, this isn't it.
(3)
Bob W.
tried this new place last night. the meatballs are terriable, they were dry and cold. i was looking for a great meatball, well im sorry they have failed the test. maybe another time.
(1)
Kat A.
Food was really good, but service a little slow. Ambiance is very new yorkish, but a little loud.
(4)
Natasha L.
very mediocre. SUPER loud that even the waitress has to scream to ask your preference. Prices for food reasonable however for drinks - you would think we were in Miami beach.
(2)
Bobbie L.
Meatballs were good BUT small need to order several dishes to walk out satisfied service was very good. VERY loud so sit outside with fans if possible Portions need to be bigger to justify price. Variety of meatballs good but for a traditional Italian meatball there are other restaurant choices
(3)
Darren P.
Tasty, fun and something different. I could tell the place could get very loud at prime time but we went for lunch. Very friendly staff. A little pricey for what we got but still a good time.
(4)
Krystle L.
A couple of friends and I were so excited about trying this place and all I can say is for a place that specializes in meatballs, I've had way better, even at places that don't specialize in them. Our waiter was awesome, the atmosphere was good, the appetizers were awesome, but the meatballs, not so much. We started our dinner with two appetizers, the brussel sprouts and the polenta fries. Both were phenomenal, and this is coming from someone who doesn't eat brussel sprouts. We ordered two bowls of pasta with four balls, and two skillets of four balls each, all different flavors. Unfortunately, none of the main dishes were hot, but the manager did a great job at making things right. Also, If you like to taste the bread in the meatballs, this is the place for you. Overall I wish I could say that I loved it, because I was very excited about trying it, but if amazing meatballs are what you're looking for, I would think twice.
(2)
michael s.
wanted to give the place carte blanche "must be good",as it's the Y.O.L.O./S3 people. sadly enough we were disappointed. started sharing the special salad:arugula w/ roasted red pepper. reminded me of a workplace cafeteria that every Friday offered clam chowder.we decided it was clamless clam chowder,that they must have used oyster juice to reconstitute potato soup. ?roasted red pepper?yeah it was sorta there. cumulatively maybe 1/16th of a red pepper. also appetizer was polenta fries. that i/we've actually stopped to snack at Harry'sPizza(a Michael Schwartman entity)in Design district. there the polenta was nicely seasoned,and they served it with a sriracha ketchup...YUM ! F&B's the polenta needs some ??pepper,salt ? and the marinara was lifeless(a harissa dip would kick !) opted to try the sliders as a means to try different meatballs,different sauces. "spicy"pork meatball ?spicy?,i say tepid w/ pesto,pesto devoid of basil taste Veggy meatball,w/ mushroom sauce. flavor worthy of Century Village Short rib meatball w/ garlic marinara. the meatball was actually pretty decent,the sauce...? garlic ? where ? also sorta expecting more of a international variety offering ?no Swedish sauce ? i think the aforementioned harissa would be killer. ? how about a Stroganoff sauce ? overall it seemed like were seasoning was a factor,they were either timid or rationing. our server was a gem. liked the atmosphere vibe & location(though this is an oft doomed parcel in the past) BUT !!!! to alter the Jerry Maguire line ....Show me the flavor !!!!!!!!!!!
(2)
Carol F.
went there on Sat 7/19 w/4 couples, food was very good, but 20 minute stated wait time turned into over an hour and it was VERY loud, not a good place for a conversation
(2)
Cheri P.
Very appealing, the short rib balls and Sunday gravy is very good. Great service our waiter Rachel is very friendly and helpful. Will definitely come back!
(4)
Marina M.
I was truly a fan of Fork and Balls up until my last 2 visits the final being just last night. I am disappointed to say that I will never be returning to this establishment again. What a shame as the food really is delicious (the only reason why this is getting 2 stars and not 1). My first terrible visit occurred when our waiter was attempting to pressure us into drinking. Repeatedly saying "no I am not drinking tonight" is something that no paying customer should have to do. My friend ordered an iced tea to shut him up, and promptly said that it was extremely bitter. He acted like he didnt hear or notice that it remained untouched the entire meal. Yet it still ended up on the bill even when he should have had the decency to get her something else. My last and final visit is what has sent me over the edge. Our waitress started off fine until she disappeared. Yeah, that's right. She was sitting directly across from us with other servers eating and chatting away right after she put our order in. How DARE you leave a paying customer sitting unattended. She took our order, and left. Our food and check was brought by two random other people. What a great way to show the girl you were training on how to give good customer service. I'm sure she will be a real gem learning from you. Oh and the manager? He was at the table directly to my left eating a meal. Unbelievable. I kept coming back for the food, again, the only reason why this updated review is not a 1 star. But after how I was treated, I would much rather give another local business that truly cares about customer service my money. I am disgusted, but I am more disappointed. I really liked this restaurant, but alas, it clearly needs help.
(2)
Marcus R.
This is spot-on for pasta and meat lovers!!! I'll admit that as the bartender was describing the menu, everytime she said "balls" I chuckled to myself like a 13 yo boy. Nevertheless, I ordered a local beer and FB mixed Balls with penna and spicy tomato sauce. It was superb! Great price, just the right portion size and great service!
(4)
Kristen L.
Second time here! Still delicious! The traditional tomato sauce is the BEST!!!!!! We had that with bacon pork balls on too of arugula salad plus a side of Brussel sprouts. Crazy good!
(5)
Yeni B.
Went here for lunch on Sunday. Service was good. Food was alright. I wanted more flavor. Our server, I believe his name was joe, had great menu knowledge and steered us in the right direction. I probably wouldn't return for the food, but service was not bad at all. Not a terrible place to check out for a first time.
(3)
Alessandra P.
I don't really know why this place had not-so-great reviews. The food is incrediBALLS! Just phenomenal! Came here on a Monday at 4pm, granted we were the only ones here but they have $1 meatballs on Mondays 4-7pm if you sit at the bar. I had the chicken parm mash and my husband had the short rib meatballs - YUMMY! We also had the fried bread pudding for dessert with vanilla ice cream on top - OH EM GEE! Eclectic design, modern yet antique decorations. My cup of tea. Would eat here again.. And again!
(5)
Alex B.
First time going and went with a group for a friend's birthday the other night and we all agreed it was a great place and would make the drive back down there! It was basically the FL version of the widely popular Meatball Shoppe in NYC. And that's a great thing!! I ordered the chicken meatballs with pesto over the arugula salad and it was excellent (the wrong salad came out the first time but it was immediately rectified.) it was the perfect portion. A Filling portion but not gluttonous by any means. And the prices for the portion size, quality and atmosphere are very reasonable. A lot of flavor in every forkful and lots of vegetarian friendly options too and meal choices for every appetite and level of hunger. Wish one would open up in PBC, preferably Atlantic Avenue in Delray. Would definitely recommend and drive back to go there from Boca.
(4)
Caroll S.
Really good cocktails, great food! Try the polenta fries, but caution cause they are hot. (Which means fresh out the fryer). Fuzzy wall cocktail had to be strained because all the cucumbers and mint got stuck in my straw, but super tasty. I recommend trying it if u want something different and yummy
(5)
Joe I.
I kept hearing about this place from all of my friends so I finally decided to check it out. I went there for a lunch meeting on a sunny weekday afternoon and sat outside, accompanied by my puppy (who got his own bowl of water and some chicken!). I had high expectations and this place met all of them. Service was excellent, food was amazing (I had the Balls on Top), experience was as you'd expect ... casual and upscale ... all at the same time. And I loved the fact that I could talk business and enjoy the food & experience while my pampered puppy sat at my feet. Definitely check this place out!
(5)
Michelle R.
F&B meatballs were delicious, Mac & cheese was a pleasant surprise and the atmosphere was very enjoyable.
(4)
Jorge Daniel M.
It's a really trendy place, not too expensive and in a pretty good location. This place has really good meatballs I ordered one with parmesan cream sauce and it was awesome, it came with penne and the pasta wasn't that good. The servers are really nice but they do have some sketchy looking ones.
(4)
Anthony G.
I hardly ever eat Italian food. And I hardly ever find myself in Las Olas, but last Friday I was there eating Italian food. (Rocco's Tacos where we came first had a very long wait.) Well, the food surprised me: it was delicious, felt fresh and light, and didn't give me a heartburn. I thought the ambiance was appropriate. And the portion size was just right. You can order from a menu of meatballs (beef, pork & veal, chicken, spicy pork - that I ended up getting), add a sauce, type of pasta or have it instead in a sandwich. My business partner and his son also liked this place a lot. And service was quite good even though we didn't order any alcohol on a Friday night - despite the earlier reviews. Either we were lucky, or the management used those negative reviews to improve the place.
(4)
Maksim Y.
This place was great for our HUMP DAY, Date Night! Food was good and simple. This is not a super fancy place, but and awesome chill vibe with great tasting balls (PS my girlfriend loved the buffalo balls) at a great price. Awesome for a fun and affordable place in Las Olas.... And we are locals live 5 min from here! great quick service here
(5)
Samantha V.
Everything was great! I recommend the brussels sprout appetizer, it was full of flavor and the perfect starter for two. I also had the F&B meatballs with roasted tomato sauce over the kale Caesar salad. Next time I visit Fort Lauderdale I will definitely be coming back and I suggest everyone else do the same!!
(5)
Mersaydees S.
If you're looking for not your average dinner this is the place to be! Great food- especially love the starter option to have 4 balls in a sauce for $8 so you can try them all. Our service was absolutely wonderful! The hostess was very helpful while we stood outside looking at the menu. Our waitress was more than helpful. Probably the best service we've had in Fort Lauderdale. Absolutely recommend!
(5)
D V.
Loved this place yet tonight may have just been an off night or maybe because I never ordered the Texas Bowl... It had very little chilli and the little that was served with it was not good chilli at all...almost like chilli without beans (or very few) and zero substance to the sauce except for the strong taste of what may be a good sauce if you actually added beans and meat to it. All other visits...grandma's bowl, just balls, balls and salad... Exceptional. Again, maybe an off night? I will try again
(3)
Henry S.
Food was alright for the big change in menu. The bar is full service so if you get attended there first you're good to go. Great food but very sad that they changed their menu so much and it seems that they did to make it easier for themselves than to please the customer. HOW IS THERE NO MORE SLIDERS?!?
(3)
john m.
Good fun food. Service problems hopefully will lessen with a little tenure Meatballs both beef and chicken were excellent. Pasta tasty and garlic bread was yummy. Good beer and drink selection Will try again
(4)
Randy B.
The atmosphere is fantastic! It's a little ways down, away from the cluster of bars/restaurants, so it tends to not be AS busy for weekday happy hour (good or bad, depending on your choice). The Ball of the day is typically quite delicious, and definitely recommend trying it whenever you are there, even if just for an appetizer. The staff is magnificent, we called ahead to request a table for 15 (though they do not do reservations), and when we arrived, the table was set up and waiting for us.
(5)
Michael S.
We arrived with a party of 10 patrons 20 minutes prior to their advertised closing time. The staff turned us away and told us that they are trying to close and that they are not seating any new patrons. This is the second time this happened.
(1)
Ruth D.
Yum yum yum! Something for everyone , even vegetarians! Great atmosphere, friendly service and rockin' music, even though it's pretty loud!
(5)
Joel G.
All I can say about this place is AMAZE-BALLS! We'd originally planned to dine at Rocco's Tacos but the place was mobbed and a 1hr wait so we strolled while waiting and stumbled upon this gem. No line, no wait and the food is fresh and amazing. Servers were friendly, attentive, and knew their menu. Great job guys. Can't wait to go back.
(5)
Daniel M.
Chris the bartender is amazing... Very tentative and remembers you...even what your favorite drink is. A+
(5)
Anycia V.
This place was very tastey. However the portions are small and the prices high for the size. A hip restaurant for a yuppie crowd. The music was a bit loud for a relaxed dining experience but if your looking for a nice place to have tapas with a unique theme and unique cocktails its a keeper.
(3)
James D.
It's sad that a beautiful establishment has such poor management running a potentially nice restaurant. Suzette, the manager, was incredibly rude and hostile when responding to a simple concern. Never have I been so insulated. Never coming back!
(1)
Temba M.
Great restaurant. The service was awesome, food was delicious and very tasty, nice location too. Special shout out to Marcos and Danielle who were kind enough to a explain the menu and took care of me.
(5)
Greg S.
I really liked the lay out and decor of this place. And of course how can you go wrong with a name like Fork and Balls. Like others have said it is a bit noisey inside. The way they marketed their $1 meatballs. First, you have to buy a beverage, and the wait staff pushed an alcoholic beverage. (Not that it's a big deal but in ads it doesn't say that) Also you have to buy 4 of the same meatballs. The food itself was good, the meatballs had good flavor and I chose the roasted tomato sauce, it was very good (my co diners thought the mushroom and parmesan sauces were just ok) I also had the house salad with blue cheese and it was very fresh and the best thing I ate that night. I think we'll be back to try the entrees and not just the balls. Based on balls alone it's 3.5/5
(3)
Jameson E.
The food is amazing, but some of the staff are very rude. I came in tonight and no one would even make eye contact with me or my date. We stood around for ten minutes and then decided to sit at the bar, but everyone just put their head down. This is not the first time this has happened and every time the place is dead so there really shouldn't be an excuse for this.
(3)
Dan O.
I took one of my best real estate clients to lunch here. The food was good, but the service was absolutely sub-standard. This is not just a new restaurant, but also a new style of restaurant... Being unfamiliar with the portion sizes, I ordered 3 meatballs atop a salad, my client ordered 3 meatballs w/ no salad. ($3.00 deference). When the order came, my client immediately realized that she had ordered incorrectly, and asked to upgrade to what I had ordered. The waitress returned to the table and said "the manager said we have to charge you separately for the salad." ($10 not $3). We asked for the manager to visit our table... Well.. SHEILA the manager arrived, and repeatedly refused to correct the problem, bring the salad, and re-ring the ticket with the appropriate charges. Mind you.. The issue wasn't about $7 it was about the principle at this point. SHEILA finally acquiesced, and agreed to take care of it.. However... As she walked away she said, "I'll take care of it ASSHOLE-LUTELY!" Although I work on Las Olas Blvd, with many high profile clients, and I try to support the neighborhood businesses... I will not support, nor patronize this business ever again. SHIELA with her attitude should look for a job where she doesn't have to interact with the public.
(1)
Stefanie N.
Bad. First of all I ordered cold snap. From the tap beer. For sure the taps were mixed up bc my beer 100% Tasted like lemon or oranges. Maybe it was blue moon....It was not COLD SNAP. second my food;a meatball had 2 hairs in it. Not cute. Long hairs. Long. I did not tell a manager or complain bc I have worked in food and beverage before. But if you want good beer. Go to 7-11. Or just stay home. The same goes for hair in the meatballs. Hair at home...whatever. At fork and ballls.....no thanks. Where's my grandma,,, my advice. Byob. Or just stay home period. Actually. Cheesecake Factory is down the street. Very nice. No hair. Clean bathrooms.
(2)
Jacke D.
Love this place, they do a great job with carry-out or sit down service. Lots of Regular & Vegetarian meatballs. Love the salads the best! Had Avocado Salad Special .....it should be on main menu, but roasted corn salad is great too!
(5)
Lauren M.
I rode past Fork & Balls in the afternoon on my bike, and it grabbed my attention. So i went there for dinner. The wait would have been 30 mins on a Friday night, but we sat at the community table (2 people). I thought this was cool and you're given enough space between other patrons. The atmosphere is cool and similar to a bar. You'll find nicely dressed 30 something year olds chatting amidst the food & bev. The lighting was dim, and while a 20 or 30-something won't care, an older gent might. As did the guy next to me, who took out his cell to read the menu. The cocktails are very good, and the have Funky Buddha on tap! The menu as you may know or have guessed is meatballs centric. I ordered The Texan, the portion was good, but they could have done more with the dish. It sounded like it would be chili like, with tortilla chips. It vaguely mirrored chili had tiny strips of tortillas, not full chips. The flavor was there, but the chips become limp in the sauce, and where's the beans? My friend go a chicken meatball sandwich with pesto on it. Now that was good, and the portion for a sandwich could be shared as a small bite option for two people.
(3)
Monica C.
I would say the food at this place is mediocre. There is nothing special about their meatballs or meat sauce. The one thing I did like a lot was the fried calamari. They make it different then most places by adding peppers to it. Also, they sell no bottled beer only draft or cans which i'm not a fan of. The atmosphere is nice though at the bar if you are looking for a happy hour type place. I wouldn't go here again just to eat unless I was invited.
(3)
Serena D.
Having a great day on las olas till I came here. Very disappointed, food is good but service is horrible! A simple coffee request came cold never brought my bottled water just simple requests couldn't be met. Will not return way too many restaurants in Fort Lauderdale to go to.
(1)
Lauren I.
If you like for literally everything to include greasy meatballs this is the place for you....my date ordered a chicken caeser salad...it came with chicken meatballs??? I ordered a lamb salad...very greasy lamb meatballs. The bar was nothing to brag about either. The bartender couldn't even see us because we were blocked by the tap and the drinks were not very good. The bar itself didn't look very clean either.
(2)
Bernadette D.
The vibe is cool but that is where it stops. Its unbelievably disappointing if you pride yourself on meatballs they should be the yummiest meatballs I have ever had, nope! Mine was cold and lacked flavor and priced poorly for the quantity and quality that it was. Very subpar. My husband on the other hand had a meatball sandwich and loved it. Don't know if it is just the difference in the type of balls we got or difference in taste buds :/ Just thought I would add both our opinions.
(2)
Gricel G.
Review is way overdue but am a busy gal. Stopped in a few weeks ago. Love the look, atmosphere, drinks, and menu. Layla, the bartender was so friendly and helpful with suggestions. Hard to find impeccable service in south Florida. Lol Looking forward to go back.
My wife and I have visited F&B twice now, and had good experiences each time. F&B seems to be fairly busy on weekends and we waited about 45 minutes for a table, during which we enjoyed a few drinks and wine. The brussel sprout appetizer was very tasty. The sandwiches and pasta also hit the spot. The second visit was on a Wednesday and we were sat immediately. The different variety of meatballs and daily specials were very much appreciated and provided some variety. The prices are very reasonable (especially when compared to surrounding resturaunts). We will definitely be back!
(4)
Mia P.
This place is so live and friendly I went with my girl friends for the first time we had a bottle of masoto which was lovely... we ordered our food and within 7 mins we received it... fast and tasteful service... always packed so please come prepared to wait a little but its so worth it :)
(5)
Kristin W.
Came here for lunch 2 days in a row. First day, I ordered their arugula salad with balls on top. I got the veggie balls, they were pretty good. We also got the polenta fries, awesome! Second day, I ordered the Sicilian, which wasn't bad. My mom ordered the Freddy, and that thing was amazing!!!! The menu is a bit confusing and the concept is cool. This place is worth a try.
(3)
Andy V.
If you're going to offer Vegan meatballs, you could at least offer vegan sauces, what's the point otherwise.
(3)
Anthony J.
I ate here last night and had the veggie balls, chicken, and the Sicilian sandwich. All were very good! I would like to see a little more options on the menu... At least more salad options... The only negative I can say is that every minute I was asked if they can take my plate and clearly I wasn't done.... Was very annoying... Otherwise I thought it was great for only being open a week. Oh, and the atmosphere was great!! Very industrial.. Similar to places in NYC.
Nothing you couldn't do in your own kitchen. Service needs some immediate work, went on a busy Sunday and it took forever to get served at the bar they also screwed up my fiance's order and served 3 other dishes 5 minutes before her's was fixed. Again, food is ok. It's meatballs and spaghetti or sandwiches and I'm always indifferent about eating out for Italian food (even when it's trying to be new american-esque or a complete rip off of the meatball shop in brooklyn but without the flavor) because you can totally do Italian at home and put more TLC in it. I'll come back for drinks (cocktails are on point) and the calamari but wouldn't bother with the dinner service.
(3)
Enrique P.
Came to visit for the first time on a Sunday night. While still one hour to close, we were welcomed in and seated but only told they were serving appetizer menu until several minutes later. We feel that was disrespectful as they could have told us right at the reception time. Still pondering to visit again.
(1)
D S.
The veggie pesto balls are by far the best balls I've ever had in my mouth! Fast friendly service. Restaurant is pretty loud though. My friends had the spicy pork balls and loved them!
(5)
Sumeet C.
Just that good. We are vegetarian and enjoyed both the veggie and quinoa/spinach balls. Don't miss the fried bread pudding--top 5 dessert imo.
(5)
C M.
I've been here once before (as they did just open). Today I plan to go back, so that says something for the place. My rating above is based on my first experience. WAIT STAFF: We dined for lunch; our waitress couldn't have been better (a female with brown hair). She explained everything and was on top of our every need (even though it was packed for lunch). THE GOOD: I had "the Jeffry" (yes, that's how they spelled it). I liked it. I don't think I'd order it twice, but better than leaving hungry like others complained of for the small portions. The Jeffry is a sandwich, so I did get bread, which I am sure is helpful. The side arugula salad which came with the sandwich was quite tasty (and I am not really a salad person). My date had "the Texan". He also enjoyed it and of course I had to have a taste, and I thought it was very good also. Plenty big enough and filling. It was meatballs over chili with cheese. Not a sandwich. But once again, the portion size was quite large. The mac and cheese was, IMHO, out of this world, and I highly recommend it. If it stays consistent, I guarantee you I will get it every time. THE NOT SO GOOD: The Kale Chips, which I normally loveeeeeeeee, and I usually get at other locations, were just too limp. My suggestion to F&B, don't be afraid to leave them in a little longer. The fried bread pudding is fried on a flat top. The edges are pretty much burnt, and that is it. When I saw it on the menu, probably my mistake, but I was thinking it was deep fried and perhaps dipped in a light batter. Not the case. It is simply sliced and thrown on the flat top. Then the scoop of ice cream they put on top looks like they used a melon-baller for the scoop. It was so small that we both started laughing. And this was week 1 of their opening. You would of thought they'd think big this week, and slyly reduce portions later. Oh well. I would never have ordered bread pudding in the first place, as I'm not a fan; but the boyfriend loves bread pudding, so I figured what the heck. And believe me folks, he's not a "snob" when it comes to food, and even he gave the bread pudding a thumbs down. IN SUMMARY: I'm going back. I liked it; I only gave it a 3 because it was only half good at this point, and I didn't see 2.5 as an option here. Hopefully, lunch today will make me smile. UPDATE: Visit #2 on 7/10/14. I updated to 4 stars today. Everything was very good. I had the 3 chicken balls with Parmesan cream sauce; the brussell sprouts, as well as the mac and cheese (again). All 3 side dishes were good. The balls were great; the sprouts were also delicious and had a touch of bacon; and of course, my favorite mac and cheese was good (but not as good as my first visit - maybe a different chef/cook today - it was not that melted cheesy deliciousness - it was actually kinda gritty). The waitress (a tall, thin blonde girl was fabulous. I love that they hired a good wait staff. Rocco's Tacos could learn a thing or 2 from this company.
(4)
Monica T.
Came here with a few girlfriends of mine for dinner. The concept is cool as their main focus is of course, meatballs. Had the Brussel sprouts app, was very yummy and the sauce added a nice flavor to them. Main course was the f and b balls with creamy polenta. The balls were a blend of pork and veal which made them really soft and tender and the polenta is very creamy and flavorful as well. My friend had the chicken balls which were moist and not too dry. Overall I would come back again to try other combinations as this is a good place to just relax and have a few bites.
(4)
Tomas B.
Where to begin - really kind of a strange niche this place has as on a Saturday afternoon 5PM just after a torrential rain stopping in for a quick bite we are the only people in the place. 2 Hours later and it is wall to wall with not a place in sight to sit or get a drink. Arrive to a straight forward square bar with tables aligned on both sides along with a huge communal table at the front door. With multiple beers on tap along with 6 wines on tap "The new rage" we settle on a craft beer and a non tap wine by the glass. Also the rage is beer in a can. I thought I got out of this mode sometime ago when I graduated high school but I digress. Apparently the new rage also brings in the 20 something crowd as it certainly has a median average of about 21 to 25 for patrons tonight. We want to sample some of the menu but as the name suggests it is almost all balls. Meatballs of various types with various sauces and then combination of thereof. Some salads and a few other items but for the most part this is about their meatballs. We start with the F&B blend tonight which is veal and pork balls in their Robust Tomato sauce. (Note Mom's meatballs are always veal, pork & Beef). I could not distinguish the fact that there was no beef. As these go they were actually very good. The sauce was not your standard "Sunday Gravy" but it was very tasty and plentiful. Side of shredded cheese was provided and an order of undercooked but tasty garlic bread was presented as well. Ample cheese on the bread but just missed. Continuing on a Lamb ball Gyro was tried which was basically your Greek gyro but it was replaced with a lamb meatball. Concept was sound and it was a pretty interesting sandwich. A make your own hero was top notch with 100% spicy pork meat balls, robust tomato sauce, ricotta cheese and sweet & Hot peppers. Bread was top notch and the combination was a real winner. No deserts or coffee were tried and Jillian behind the bar was a pleasure to look at and was on top of everything all night. All and all their very neat concept is a winner. It is not spectacular by any means, but this modern vibe combined with a niche of a market and fair price points should keep this place in business for a long time.
(4)
Marko E.
Another hit! Attractive, attentive staff (always a great thing), excellent food, I had the meatball daily special, with short rib in the middle, wow, ordered a second round! Three nice meatballs on each order, with your choice of sauce. First round was with the tomato sauce, highly recommended. Second order had the cream sauce. Wife had the vege meatballs which were very good. Only $8.00! Suggestions: how about some crunchy French Bread? Included bread was only average. Wife suggested a "hanger" put under the bar for her purse. She loves it when her purse is not on top of the bar. Also- Improved champagne list please! Not everyone likes Prosecco. Overall excellent experience! Great food, great service!
(5)
Leonela I.
The worst customer experience EVER! The food was great but unfortunately the "manager" Suzette doesn't know how to treat a customer. I was part of a large group and they made our lives hell to pay the check.. they told us they only could split the check in 4 (we were 8) and that it was company's policy, which it wasn't stablished anywhere. The manager treated us like dirt. Never coming back just because of that!
(1)
Dana M.
My girlfriend and I dined in with our 2 9yr old daughters for a little hang out lunch during the week. The restaurant was empty....didn't expect it to be busy at 3pm on a Thursday. We walked in and sat ourselves and our server came right over and explained the menu. She was very pleasant and helpful. We ordered the Buffalo meatballs appetizer which was very moist and ohhh soon yummy! Our little girls had the meatball smash sandwich which they loved and we had the Quinoa balls with Parmesan sauce and the Turkey balls with Pesto sauce. It was a lot of food! All was so good. The mac & cheese was ok...Iv had better and it wasn't what I expected. The spinach was good as well as was the Polenta fries. While we were there we also had a drink from their drink menu. Our overall experience was great and to top it off we were unaware that it was happy hour so our drinks were 50%off! I will be back for more balls for sure!
(4)
Bob W.
If you take quality of food and price into consideration it does not get any better than Fork and Balls. It only took one trip for us to get hooked and we keep coming back. The sandwiches are great and the Spaghetti is the best around.
(5)
Donna D.
As vegetarians we were excited to try this restaurant as they have veggie balls and kale & quinoa balls. The first two times we explicitly asked the waitress to inquire if the tomato sauce and brussels sprouts were made in chicken stock or had meat in them. We were told no on both occasions. This evening we once again asked to confirm because we always do , and were told that in fact chicken stock was used in all but one sauce snd also in the brussel sprouts. Now the menu has a few items marked 'vegan' but that is not the same as vegetarian. We are upset that the prior waitresses either did not check or didn't tell us. And we are grateful for the honesty of this evening's server. So beware if you have dietary questions. And enjoy the food if you don't. Also: just FYI Monday's are LOUD music! So not a place to go on that evening if you want to talk over dinner!
(2)
Tim S.
Great Balls! When you get these balls in your mouth, you will be so happy! You won't believe these balls! OK, now that I've told the obvious jokes, the food here is very good. Portions are a little on the small side, but that's not the biggest issue. My sister ordered a glass of wine, she got the SMALLEST glass of wine I have ever seen! They said it was measured at 6 oz. it looked like it wasn't even 4, more like 2! The waitress said this a COMMON complaint! The management need to loosen their grip around the wine pouring and listen to their customers! My wife enjoyed the mozzerella and tomato salad, but really loved the herb polenta fries! "Those were YUM!". The garlic bread was like garlic bread she could make herself. We fed 5 people for about $125 + tip, so a pretty good price I'd say, then again, I'm from New York!
(3)
Angelo R.
This place just opened on Friday. Its run by the same owners of Yolo, Tarpon and S3. We came here last night to try it out. Very busy at 9pm but the wait was only 30 minutes. I ordered one of their specialty cocktails but forgot the name. It was cucumber & gin concoction but and it was delicious and potent. The price wasn't bad either..10 bucks for well made drink. We got sat on a table by the window. Ordered Balls on Top (3 Spicy Pork Balls over Penne). The meatballs were cooked right, nice texture and flavorful. Not sure how my friend's dish tasted but wished they had a sampler to try all the meatball varieties. Overall the restaurant was clean, nicely decorated with an open floor plan. I liked the long rectangular bar in the middle. It didn't feel overcrowded. Will be back to try the other dishes. I took a pic of the simple menu.
(4)
Sean R.
Went last night for dinner cause I love me some meatballs!!! The place has a very trendy vibe to it. Expected since the people who own Yolo also own F&B. the air conditioning is on full blast which normally I love (cause I'm always hot) but it was too much!!! I asked them to turn down the a/c so my food wasn't chilled when it got to me. They said they would do what they could. Bring a sweater ladies! Now the food! I started with the Calimari appetizer, yummy! But too salty. That ends the negativity I swear! The meatballs were amazing! I tried three different balls and they were all fantastic! I highly recommend the chicken ball in Parmesan cream sauce. The side of garlic spinach was great! Even better with a bit of the Parmesan cream!!! I will definitely be going back!!!
(4)
Jeff P.
As part of the YOLO restaurant group here in Fort Lauderdale we wanted to like the place as much as S3 or YOLO. But alas, we didn't. It wasn't bad but it was damn expensive for what amounts to a bar with a kitchen that mostly makes meat balls. The crowd is younger and likes to drink as the bar is the focal point of the space and competes for the upper end beer crowd in town. Of course, there are wines and cocktails. But paying $15+ for a glass of wine or a drink in Fort Lauderdale is rich even for the Las Olas area. And it better be an awesome space for that kind of bucks, and well, it isn't. Service - excellent. This town being a resort, an expert wait staff can be built easily as long as the dollars are there. And F&B will cost you, so you get good service. Really good service. This is a high point of the experience. Food - Its ok. While attempting to get creative with meat balls as your universe can be limiting, they do an interesting job of mixing it up on the menu - Italian-ish, Mexican-ish fares involving meat balls. This may end up being more of a novelty in the long run but we'll have to see. For the kind of bucks involved, we'll pass going back. Like I said, it's not bad, just not special. And for the dollars there is a lot of competition. And better food to be had.
(3)
Bruno B.
Heard good things about this eatery and they have a number of vegan options. I had the vegan balls and I must say they were out of sight! Very tasty!! Our server, Patrick was very nice and accomodating. He was very informative and was very patient with me going over what was vegan and what as not. First time there..overall deserves a 5 star rating! I will definitely return here! It's nice to see more and more restaurants are offering vegan options! Change is happening! Thanks F&B!
(5)
Angie S.
My 16 year old daughter picked Fork and Balls as her birthday dinner location so I took her and a friend here on a Tuesday night around 6:00. There was no wait and we were seated and greeted by our waitress right away. We started with the F&B garlic bread and herb polenta fries. Polenta fries were yum. We loved them and would order again. I really wanted to like the garlic bread and I know this will sound stupid; but, the garlic taste was to much for me. It tasted like a very large amount of garlic was rubbed over the top of the bread and I found it overpowering. For mains we ordered Balls On Top classic beef with roasted tomato over collared greens, which were the daily veggie. Four good sized balls. Really tender and tasted delicious. The collared greens were some of the best I have ever tasted and I'm from WV so I grew up on collared greens. I hope they add them to the menu as a regular side because I would get them every single time. The two teenagers ordered The Greek (lamb balls on pita bread gyro style) and The Jeffry (F&B blend balls with a white bean spread and ricotta). Both sandwiches were so tasty. The Jeffry sort of fell apart but nothing a fork couldn't fix. For dessert we tried the Fried Bread Pudding. Get this when you go!!!!! Served with Rum Raisin ice cream. So good. Last night I was at a wine and food pairing event and F&B were there serving short rib meatballs. These must be a daily special because they weren't on the menu but if they are available you have to try them. The meatball is stuffed with short rib. They were amazing. Be prepared for it to be very loud in there. Even the kids commented on the noise level a few times.
(4)
Bob G.
What a nice surprise. I'm a meatball fanatic and the variety of meatballs is over the top. I caught happy hour $1 a ball with choice of sauce. I tried 7 different kinds of meatballs, trusting my server (bartenders) suggestions on sauces for each Six of them I loved and the other one was good. You be the judge Sexy atmosphere and DJ was a nice touch. I luckily got a spot in lot directly behind the place. I've been putting off trying this place because of parking situation. So I tried it on a Monday night There's more than meatballs. Dessert too I'm glad I finally tried this place and I would definitely be back
(4)
E R.
Delicious, well-priced, food in a unique way. We live in the neighborhood so eat here fairly regularly, and we've never had a bad meal. I personally like something off drink menu with a meatball, or something light. My only recommendation would be to add some lighter options, perhaps another salad or vegetable dish. I understand that their main feature is ground meat, but sometimes dining companions would enjoy something a little less heavy.
(4)
Alex R.
The place has some good balls, yes I said balls, meatballs. That's the kinda humor you'll get when you read the menu lol but seriously they are good and looks like a chill place. So if you're looking to meet with friends, try out a new place or simply get some drinks and stuff your mouth with some balls... That's a good place. I suggest sharing different kinds of balls with the table and friends. Ok that last comment I couldn't resist. Lol
(3)
Michael L.
This place needs a new menu and some class. The waitress just asked what kind of sauce do I want on my balls. Getting a little to personnel for me !!!
(1)
Scott T.
Who doesn't like a meatball? How about a menu of items that contain meatballs? Pick a meat ball, pick a sauce, maybe add an appetizer. That's Fork & Balls. Lamb, veal & pork, BACON!, yeah. You get the picture. Try the polenta appetizer as well, Nice beer selection. You won't leave hungry.
(4)
Dina A.
Only 2 days old and it shows great promise! Attentive staff and knowledgeable friendly waiters. $5 valet and meter parking around the back. Timings are a little off right now because they just opened. Only open for dinner for the first 2 weeks. Menu not specific, traditional beef meatball actually has pork in it so ordered the F&B which is beef and veal. We tried 3 different sauces and all are great (traditional tomato, mushroom, creamy Parmesan) Side orders are not too large- Great for sharing. Broccoli Rabe and Kale Chips had flavor. Again, menu is not specific- white beans had pork in them, which the menu did not specify. Dessert- ordered both the chocolate chip cookies with orange zest milk and the fried bread pudding with rum raisin ice cream. The bread pudding was crispy on the outside, soft on the inside. The cookie stole the show!
(4)
Anthony R.
Went for lunch during the week and not too crowded like I've seen it at this place in the evening. We've been wanting to try this restaurant for awhile now. There was four of us and we each shared our plates so we could try out the different meatballs. All in all, the food was really tasty. This restaurant is very trendy and a great place to eat at. I would recommend.
(4)
Jessica B.
Came here to eat with husband on a sunday night, the atmosphere was great and the service was superb. Food on the other hand was okay. Nothing to rave dont think ill be back.
(2)
Tanya M.
My daughter and I both went to see Dr Cooper the other day and she was AMAZING! It was my baby's first time going to see the dentist and she was so gentle with opening her mouth and checking out to make sure all her teeth were doing good. By far one of the best dentists I have ever been to!!
(5)
Robert D.
What a great place to eat! We started with an awesome salad which the two of us couldn't finish. It was fresh and full of chick peas, tomatoes and olives! So fresh and a great value for $8. We had the polenta fries and calamari appetizers, two more winners. I had the spicy Italian meatballs over polenta, just awesome and generous portion. My son had the Sunday Gravy with meatballs over penne pasta. Both are topped with fresh ricotta cheese, so sweet! So good and so big, we both took some home. No room for dessert after all that food but the service and atmosphere are really good!
(5)
Robert F.
Now living in the Las Olas area of Fort Lauderdale, we are working our way through the vast and lovely places to dine in the area. Driving down Las Olas we have seen Fork & Balls on our way home and decided to give it a try tonight. My usual M.O. is to try a few things as recommended by the server so if I don't like the place it will be because they couldn't execute the recommended dishes and I always want to try to like a local place because it is just that, "local". Our waitress Leigh was lovely, cute and knowledgeable. She was helpful and we tried three different type meatballs (one with penne pasta and the caesar salad with romaine (I just can't handle Kale in Caesar salad as offered on the menu). Leigh said they were very accommodating as to substitutions and we were grateful because my wife and I wanted to try Leigh's recommended meatballs in dishes that were assigning other types of "Balls" to them. The caesar came out and was quite average in size and taste. No bread of any kind is put on tables so when the entree's came out we were ready for them (hungry). The beef meatballs and the house blend meatballs were both mushy and I sent the house blend back. My wife's beef "Balls" were in the Greek special and she isn't a "send em back" person. She just say's she won't go back when there's a problem. (I feel unless you make issues known, you don't give the restaurant a fair chance to make improvements. The spicy pork meatballs were quite good. Let's face it, meatballs are rated on texture and flavor. They need both to be good. My penne pasta was cooked acceptably (I personally like it a bit more al dente') and the tomato sauce was VERY basic and just barely present. A tiny piece of focaccia comes with the bowl and it was just too tiny for me since no bread is put on the table. Overall, one in three "Balls" were good in this place (not so good). It "is" cute, has decent service, and a friendly environment and may do well because of it's location and pricing, which is pretty reasonable for an entry level nice cafe type place. I wish them well, because they seem like they're trying, and maybe if they stop putting too much filler into those beef and house blend meatballs they will appeal to more than kids and those who are not very discerning?
(2)
Bill L.
Been wanting to try F & B now for awhile. I have them liked on FB and I'm constantly being teased by the photos of various random dishes they post. We sat inside along the window to feel the warmth of the sun shining through that day. Ordered ice tea and wifey had a glass of wine. I will say the wine was served in a short water glass similar to those usually around the sink of a hotel room and not in a traditional wine glass. She ordered just meat balls and selected from one of the sauce options available. I ordered the meatball hero sandwich and selected the blended meatballs and one of the sauce options as well. Served on a traditional Italian style sub roll and topped with provolone cheese. Out of this world full of flavor!
(5)
Dara B.
I was really excited to come here and check the place out. A group of us came Monday night for $1 balls and 1/2 wine. The pricing structure of the $1 balls was confusing. Apparently in order to get the deal, you can only order off the "Just Balls" portion of the menu. The waitress did not explain that. I ordered off of the "Balls on Top" The lightning was very bad where we sat. It is my fault for not taking the drink menu to another spot and viewing the prices of the 1/2 wine (bottle and carafe not by the glass). The bottle of wine I ordered was $60 and since it was 1/2 off Monday, it came to $30. I was shocked. The waitress pushed the bottles. If I had known, I would have just ordered a $9 glass of wine. My bill came to 59.52 including tax and tip. The waitress kept the .48 cents. On the positive side, the balls, garlic bread and the Tuscan Kale Caeser Salad was delicious. If I do return, I will make sure and let everyone know about the pricing structure and only order off of the "Just Balls" menu. Diner beware.
(1)
Jennifer O.
On a Saturday night we were told it would be a 45 minute wait, so we sat at the bar and within 20 minutes we were seated. We ordered the Turkey, Classic Beef, and F&B Blend Balls with the sauce on the side. All 3 selections were delicious! The F&B balls melt in your mouth (no pun intended). Service was great. We were quickly attended by the waitress and it didn't take long before the food was at our table. Before leaving we were already planning our next visit, as we were beyond satisfied with this restaurant selection.
(5)
Andrew N.
Bottom Line Up Front: F&B is a really tasty, trendy, and affordable meatballs restaurant worth going to. Service: We went at 8:00 PM on a Saturday and waited about 30 minutes for a table. They use a text reservation system so you get a message when your table's ready. We had a few $10 signature drinks at the bar that were really good. They took a few minutes to stop by our table but someone came by and let us know they would be a little delayed and offered to bring us something, no big deal. Food: We got the calamari at the bar which had a spicy sauce and peppers- really good. We also had collard greens, grandma's bowl (a classic Italian dish) which was well above average and the Swedish meatball special (with mushroom sauce and penne) which was amazeballs (I had to, sorry). My wife also ordered another specialty drink. Price: Three drinks, appetizers, side, and two entree's for ~$75. Not too bad considering it was all really good. Parking: We parked on a residential street for free and walked about 3 minutes. The George Costanza Star (bathrooms): A star earned here. Dimly lit and clean bathrooms; excellent decor. Constanza approved. After Action Report (conclusion): We had a great time and were not disappointed by this meatball restaurant. Friendly staff with decent service, good food, and decent prices means we'll probably return at some point. As mentioned before the crowd is a younger, trendier one and people are dressed up. Highly recommended for a fun night out.
(4)
Mike F.
The drinks are well priced and made. The food is outstanding and really puts them on par with the best restaurants in Fort Lauderdale. The only thing they need to improve is on service time - for mostly meatballs, the service could have been better and more attentive. However, this will not stop us from visiting in the future something we will definitely do soon!
(4)
Bella M.
Excellent food, and excellent service thank you Kara. We had 4 different meals and they were all great.
(5)
Cheri P.
Very appealing, the short rib balls and Sunday gravy is very good. Great service our waiter Rachel is very friendly and helpful. Will definitely come back!
(4)
Marina M.
I was truly a fan of Fork and Balls up until my last 2 visits the final being just last night. I am disappointed to say that I will never be returning to this establishment again. What a shame as the food really is delicious (the only reason why this is getting 2 stars and not 1). My first terrible visit occurred when our waiter was attempting to pressure us into drinking. Repeatedly saying "no I am not drinking tonight" is something that no paying customer should have to do. My friend ordered an iced tea to shut him up, and promptly said that it was extremely bitter. He acted like he didnt hear or notice that it remained untouched the entire meal. Yet it still ended up on the bill even when he should have had the decency to get her something else. My last and final visit is what has sent me over the edge. Our waitress started off fine until she disappeared. Yeah, that's right. She was sitting directly across from us with other servers eating and chatting away right after she put our order in. How DARE you leave a paying customer sitting unattended. She took our order, and left. Our food and check was brought by two random other people. What a great way to show the girl you were training on how to give good customer service. I'm sure she will be a real gem learning from you. Oh and the manager? He was at the table directly to my left eating a meal. Unbelievable. I kept coming back for the food, again, the only reason why this updated review is not a 1 star. But after how I was treated, I would much rather give another local business that truly cares about customer service my money. I am disgusted, but I am more disappointed. I really liked this restaurant, but alas, it clearly needs help.
(2)
Marcus R.
This is spot-on for pasta and meat lovers!!! I'll admit that as the bartender was describing the menu, everytime she said "balls" I chuckled to myself like a 13 yo boy. Nevertheless, I ordered a local beer and FB mixed Balls with penna and spicy tomato sauce. It was superb! Great price, just the right portion size and great service!
(4)
Kristen L.
Second time here! Still delicious! The traditional tomato sauce is the BEST!!!!!! We had that with bacon pork balls on too of arugula salad plus a side of Brussel sprouts. Crazy good!
(5)
Yeni B.
Went here for lunch on Sunday. Service was good. Food was alright. I wanted more flavor. Our server, I believe his name was joe, had great menu knowledge and steered us in the right direction. I probably wouldn't return for the food, but service was not bad at all. Not a terrible place to check out for a first time.
(3)
Alessandra P.
I don't really know why this place had not-so-great reviews. The food is incrediBALLS! Just phenomenal! Came here on a Monday at 4pm, granted we were the only ones here but they have $1 meatballs on Mondays 4-7pm if you sit at the bar. I had the chicken parm mash and my husband had the short rib meatballs - YUMMY! We also had the fried bread pudding for dessert with vanilla ice cream on top - OH EM GEE! Eclectic design, modern yet antique decorations. My cup of tea. Would eat here again.. And again!
(5)
Alex B.
First time going and went with a group for a friend's birthday the other night and we all agreed it was a great place and would make the drive back down there! It was basically the FL version of the widely popular Meatball Shoppe in NYC. And that's a great thing!! I ordered the chicken meatballs with pesto over the arugula salad and it was excellent (the wrong salad came out the first time but it was immediately rectified.) it was the perfect portion. A Filling portion but not gluttonous by any means. And the prices for the portion size, quality and atmosphere are very reasonable. A lot of flavor in every forkful and lots of vegetarian friendly options too and meal choices for every appetite and level of hunger. Wish one would open up in PBC, preferably Atlantic Avenue in Delray. Would definitely recommend and drive back to go there from Boca.
(4)
Caroll S.
Really good cocktails, great food! Try the polenta fries, but caution cause they are hot. (Which means fresh out the fryer). Fuzzy wall cocktail had to be strained because all the cucumbers and mint got stuck in my straw, but super tasty. I recommend trying it if u want something different and yummy
(5)
Joe I.
I kept hearing about this place from all of my friends so I finally decided to check it out. I went there for a lunch meeting on a sunny weekday afternoon and sat outside, accompanied by my puppy (who got his own bowl of water and some chicken!). I had high expectations and this place met all of them. Service was excellent, food was amazing (I had the Balls on Top), experience was as you'd expect ... casual and upscale ... all at the same time. And I loved the fact that I could talk business and enjoy the food & experience while my pampered puppy sat at my feet. Definitely check this place out!
(5)
Michelle R.
F&B meatballs were delicious, Mac & cheese was a pleasant surprise and the atmosphere was very enjoyable.
(4)
Jorge Daniel M.
It's a really trendy place, not too expensive and in a pretty good location. This place has really good meatballs I ordered one with parmesan cream sauce and it was awesome, it came with penne and the pasta wasn't that good. The servers are really nice but they do have some sketchy looking ones.
(4)
Anthony G.
I hardly ever eat Italian food. And I hardly ever find myself in Las Olas, but last Friday I was there eating Italian food. (Rocco's Tacos where we came first had a very long wait.) Well, the food surprised me: it was delicious, felt fresh and light, and didn't give me a heartburn. I thought the ambiance was appropriate. And the portion size was just right. You can order from a menu of meatballs (beef, pork & veal, chicken, spicy pork - that I ended up getting), add a sauce, type of pasta or have it instead in a sandwich. My business partner and his son also liked this place a lot. And service was quite good even though we didn't order any alcohol on a Friday night - despite the earlier reviews. Either we were lucky, or the management used those negative reviews to improve the place.
(4)
Maksim Y.
This place was great for our HUMP DAY, Date Night! Food was good and simple. This is not a super fancy place, but and awesome chill vibe with great tasting balls (PS my girlfriend loved the buffalo balls) at a great price. Awesome for a fun and affordable place in Las Olas.... And we are locals live 5 min from here! great quick service here
(5)
Samantha V.
Everything was great! I recommend the brussels sprout appetizer, it was full of flavor and the perfect starter for two. I also had the F&B meatballs with roasted tomato sauce over the kale Caesar salad. Next time I visit Fort Lauderdale I will definitely be coming back and I suggest everyone else do the same!!
(5)
Mersaydees S.
If you're looking for not your average dinner this is the place to be! Great food- especially love the starter option to have 4 balls in a sauce for $8 so you can try them all. Our service was absolutely wonderful! The hostess was very helpful while we stood outside looking at the menu. Our waitress was more than helpful. Probably the best service we've had in Fort Lauderdale. Absolutely recommend!
(5)
D V.
Loved this place yet tonight may have just been an off night or maybe because I never ordered the Texas Bowl... It had very little chilli and the little that was served with it was not good chilli at all...almost like chilli without beans (or very few) and zero substance to the sauce except for the strong taste of what may be a good sauce if you actually added beans and meat to it. All other visits...grandma's bowl, just balls, balls and salad... Exceptional. Again, maybe an off night? I will try again
(3)
Henry S.
Food was alright for the big change in menu. The bar is full service so if you get attended there first you're good to go. Great food but very sad that they changed their menu so much and it seems that they did to make it easier for themselves than to please the customer. HOW IS THERE NO MORE SLIDERS?!?
(3)
john m.
Good fun food. Service problems hopefully will lessen with a little tenure Meatballs both beef and chicken were excellent. Pasta tasty and garlic bread was yummy. Good beer and drink selection Will try again
(4)
Randy B.
The atmosphere is fantastic! It's a little ways down, away from the cluster of bars/restaurants, so it tends to not be AS busy for weekday happy hour (good or bad, depending on your choice). The Ball of the day is typically quite delicious, and definitely recommend trying it whenever you are there, even if just for an appetizer. The staff is magnificent, we called ahead to request a table for 15 (though they do not do reservations), and when we arrived, the table was set up and waiting for us.
(5)
Michael S.
We arrived with a party of 10 patrons 20 minutes prior to their advertised closing time. The staff turned us away and told us that they are trying to close and that they are not seating any new patrons. This is the second time this happened.
(1)
Ruth D.
Yum yum yum! Something for everyone , even vegetarians! Great atmosphere, friendly service and rockin' music, even though it's pretty loud!
(5)
Joel G.
All I can say about this place is AMAZE-BALLS! We'd originally planned to dine at Rocco's Tacos but the place was mobbed and a 1hr wait so we strolled while waiting and stumbled upon this gem. No line, no wait and the food is fresh and amazing. Servers were friendly, attentive, and knew their menu. Great job guys. Can't wait to go back.
(5)
Daniel M.
Chris the bartender is amazing... Very tentative and remembers you...even what your favorite drink is. A+
(5)
Anycia V.
This place was very tastey. However the portions are small and the prices high for the size. A hip restaurant for a yuppie crowd. The music was a bit loud for a relaxed dining experience but if your looking for a nice place to have tapas with a unique theme and unique cocktails its a keeper.
(3)
James D.
It's sad that a beautiful establishment has such poor management running a potentially nice restaurant. Suzette, the manager, was incredibly rude and hostile when responding to a simple concern. Never have I been so insulated. Never coming back!
(1)
Temba M.
Great restaurant. The service was awesome, food was delicious and very tasty, nice location too. Special shout out to Marcos and Danielle who were kind enough to a explain the menu and took care of me.
(5)
Greg S.
I really liked the lay out and decor of this place. And of course how can you go wrong with a name like Fork and Balls. Like others have said it is a bit noisey inside. The way they marketed their $1 meatballs. First, you have to buy a beverage, and the wait staff pushed an alcoholic beverage. (Not that it's a big deal but in ads it doesn't say that) Also you have to buy 4 of the same meatballs. The food itself was good, the meatballs had good flavor and I chose the roasted tomato sauce, it was very good (my co diners thought the mushroom and parmesan sauces were just ok) I also had the house salad with blue cheese and it was very fresh and the best thing I ate that night. I think we'll be back to try the entrees and not just the balls. Based on balls alone it's 3.5/5
(3)
Jameson E.
The food is amazing, but some of the staff are very rude. I came in tonight and no one would even make eye contact with me or my date. We stood around for ten minutes and then decided to sit at the bar, but everyone just put their head down. This is not the first time this has happened and every time the place is dead so there really shouldn't be an excuse for this.
(3)
Dan O.
I took one of my best real estate clients to lunch here. The food was good, but the service was absolutely sub-standard. This is not just a new restaurant, but also a new style of restaurant... Being unfamiliar with the portion sizes, I ordered 3 meatballs atop a salad, my client ordered 3 meatballs w/ no salad. ($3.00 deference). When the order came, my client immediately realized that she had ordered incorrectly, and asked to upgrade to what I had ordered. The waitress returned to the table and said "the manager said we have to charge you separately for the salad." ($10 not $3). We asked for the manager to visit our table... Well.. SHEILA the manager arrived, and repeatedly refused to correct the problem, bring the salad, and re-ring the ticket with the appropriate charges. Mind you.. The issue wasn't about $7 it was about the principle at this point. SHEILA finally acquiesced, and agreed to take care of it.. However... As she walked away she said, "I'll take care of it ASSHOLE-LUTELY!" Although I work on Las Olas Blvd, with many high profile clients, and I try to support the neighborhood businesses... I will not support, nor patronize this business ever again. SHIELA with her attitude should look for a job where she doesn't have to interact with the public.
(1)
Stefanie N.
Bad. First of all I ordered cold snap. From the tap beer. For sure the taps were mixed up bc my beer 100% Tasted like lemon or oranges. Maybe it was blue moon....It was not COLD SNAP. second my food;a meatball had 2 hairs in it. Not cute. Long hairs. Long. I did not tell a manager or complain bc I have worked in food and beverage before. But if you want good beer. Go to 7-11. Or just stay home. The same goes for hair in the meatballs. Hair at home...whatever. At fork and ballls.....no thanks. Where's my grandma,,, my advice. Byob. Or just stay home period. Actually. Cheesecake Factory is down the street. Very nice. No hair. Clean bathrooms.
(2)
Jacke D.
Love this place, they do a great job with carry-out or sit down service. Lots of Regular & Vegetarian meatballs. Love the salads the best! Had Avocado Salad Special .....it should be on main menu, but roasted corn salad is great too!
(5)
Lauren M.
I rode past Fork & Balls in the afternoon on my bike, and it grabbed my attention. So i went there for dinner. The wait would have been 30 mins on a Friday night, but we sat at the community table (2 people). I thought this was cool and you're given enough space between other patrons. The atmosphere is cool and similar to a bar. You'll find nicely dressed 30 something year olds chatting amidst the food & bev. The lighting was dim, and while a 20 or 30-something won't care, an older gent might. As did the guy next to me, who took out his cell to read the menu. The cocktails are very good, and the have Funky Buddha on tap! The menu as you may know or have guessed is meatballs centric. I ordered The Texan, the portion was good, but they could have done more with the dish. It sounded like it would be chili like, with tortilla chips. It vaguely mirrored chili had tiny strips of tortillas, not full chips. The flavor was there, but the chips become limp in the sauce, and where's the beans? My friend go a chicken meatball sandwich with pesto on it. Now that was good, and the portion for a sandwich could be shared as a small bite option for two people.
(3)
Monica C.
I would say the food at this place is mediocre. There is nothing special about their meatballs or meat sauce. The one thing I did like a lot was the fried calamari. They make it different then most places by adding peppers to it. Also, they sell no bottled beer only draft or cans which i'm not a fan of. The atmosphere is nice though at the bar if you are looking for a happy hour type place. I wouldn't go here again just to eat unless I was invited.
(3)
Serena D.
Having a great day on las olas till I came here. Very disappointed, food is good but service is horrible! A simple coffee request came cold never brought my bottled water just simple requests couldn't be met. Will not return way too many restaurants in Fort Lauderdale to go to.
(1)
Lauren I.
If you like for literally everything to include greasy meatballs this is the place for you....my date ordered a chicken caeser salad...it came with chicken meatballs??? I ordered a lamb salad...very greasy lamb meatballs. The bar was nothing to brag about either. The bartender couldn't even see us because we were blocked by the tap and the drinks were not very good. The bar itself didn't look very clean either.
(2)
Bernadette D.
The vibe is cool but that is where it stops. Its unbelievably disappointing if you pride yourself on meatballs they should be the yummiest meatballs I have ever had, nope! Mine was cold and lacked flavor and priced poorly for the quantity and quality that it was. Very subpar. My husband on the other hand had a meatball sandwich and loved it. Don't know if it is just the difference in the type of balls we got or difference in taste buds :/ Just thought I would add both our opinions.
(2)
Gricel G.
Review is way overdue but am a busy gal. Stopped in a few weeks ago. Love the look, atmosphere, drinks, and menu. Layla, the bartender was so friendly and helpful with suggestions. Hard to find impeccable service in south Florida. Lol Looking forward to go back.
My wife and I have visited F&B twice now, and had good experiences each time. F&B seems to be fairly busy on weekends and we waited about 45 minutes for a table, during which we enjoyed a few drinks and wine. The brussel sprout appetizer was very tasty. The sandwiches and pasta also hit the spot. The second visit was on a Wednesday and we were sat immediately. The different variety of meatballs and daily specials were very much appreciated and provided some variety. The prices are very reasonable (especially when compared to surrounding resturaunts). We will definitely be back!
(4)
Mia P.
This place is so live and friendly I went with my girl friends for the first time we had a bottle of masoto which was lovely... we ordered our food and within 7 mins we received it... fast and tasteful service... always packed so please come prepared to wait a little but its so worth it :)
(5)
Kristin W.
Came here for lunch 2 days in a row. First day, I ordered their arugula salad with balls on top. I got the veggie balls, they were pretty good. We also got the polenta fries, awesome! Second day, I ordered the Sicilian, which wasn't bad. My mom ordered the Freddy, and that thing was amazing!!!! The menu is a bit confusing and the concept is cool. This place is worth a try.
(3)
Andy V.
If you're going to offer Vegan meatballs, you could at least offer vegan sauces, what's the point otherwise.
(3)
Anthony J.
I ate here last night and had the veggie balls, chicken, and the Sicilian sandwich. All were very good! I would like to see a little more options on the menu... At least more salad options... The only negative I can say is that every minute I was asked if they can take my plate and clearly I wasn't done.... Was very annoying... Otherwise I thought it was great for only being open a week. Oh, and the atmosphere was great!! Very industrial.. Similar to places in NYC.
Nothing you couldn't do in your own kitchen. Service needs some immediate work, went on a busy Sunday and it took forever to get served at the bar they also screwed up my fiance's order and served 3 other dishes 5 minutes before her's was fixed. Again, food is ok. It's meatballs and spaghetti or sandwiches and I'm always indifferent about eating out for Italian food (even when it's trying to be new american-esque or a complete rip off of the meatball shop in brooklyn but without the flavor) because you can totally do Italian at home and put more TLC in it. I'll come back for drinks (cocktails are on point) and the calamari but wouldn't bother with the dinner service.
(3)
Vickie C.
Had the most wonderful experience here. I sat at at the bar. The bartender, Jillian, was so attentive. She replenished my drink before I could even ask for another. The manager, James, even came over to make sure I was happy with the service. The bacon balls were so delicious! I just love how attentive the staff was! The restaurant environment is cool and relaxed. Definitely a place I would bring a group of friends to. Will come back for my company Christmas party!
(5)
Enrique P.
Came to visit for the first time on a Sunday night. While still one hour to close, we were welcomed in and seated but only told they were serving appetizer menu until several minutes later. We feel that was disrespectful as they could have told us right at the reception time. Still pondering to visit again.
(1)
D S.
The veggie pesto balls are by far the best balls I've ever had in my mouth! Fast friendly service. Restaurant is pretty loud though. My friends had the spicy pork balls and loved them!
(5)
C M.
I've been here once before (as they did just open). Today I plan to go back, so that says something for the place. My rating above is based on my first experience. WAIT STAFF: We dined for lunch; our waitress couldn't have been better (a female with brown hair). She explained everything and was on top of our every need (even though it was packed for lunch). THE GOOD: I had "the Jeffry" (yes, that's how they spelled it). I liked it. I don't think I'd order it twice, but better than leaving hungry like others complained of for the small portions. The Jeffry is a sandwich, so I did get bread, which I am sure is helpful. The side arugula salad which came with the sandwich was quite tasty (and I am not really a salad person). My date had "the Texan". He also enjoyed it and of course I had to have a taste, and I thought it was very good also. Plenty big enough and filling. It was meatballs over chili with cheese. Not a sandwich. But once again, the portion size was quite large. The mac and cheese was, IMHO, out of this world, and I highly recommend it. If it stays consistent, I guarantee you I will get it every time. THE NOT SO GOOD: The Kale Chips, which I normally loveeeeeeeee, and I usually get at other locations, were just too limp. My suggestion to F&B, don't be afraid to leave them in a little longer. The fried bread pudding is fried on a flat top. The edges are pretty much burnt, and that is it. When I saw it on the menu, probably my mistake, but I was thinking it was deep fried and perhaps dipped in a light batter. Not the case. It is simply sliced and thrown on the flat top. Then the scoop of ice cream they put on top looks like they used a melon-baller for the scoop. It was so small that we both started laughing. And this was week 1 of their opening. You would of thought they'd think big this week, and slyly reduce portions later. Oh well. I would never have ordered bread pudding in the first place, as I'm not a fan; but the boyfriend loves bread pudding, so I figured what the heck. And believe me folks, he's not a "snob" when it comes to food, and even he gave the bread pudding a thumbs down. IN SUMMARY: I'm going back. I liked it; I only gave it a 3 because it was only half good at this point, and I didn't see 2.5 as an option here. Hopefully, lunch today will make me smile. UPDATE: Visit #2 on 7/10/14. I updated to 4 stars today. Everything was very good. I had the 3 chicken balls with Parmesan cream sauce; the brussell sprouts, as well as the mac and cheese (again). All 3 side dishes were good. The balls were great; the sprouts were also delicious and had a touch of bacon; and of course, my favorite mac and cheese was good (but not as good as my first visit - maybe a different chef/cook today - it was not that melted cheesy deliciousness - it was actually kinda gritty). The waitress (a tall, thin blonde girl was fabulous. I love that they hired a good wait staff. Rocco's Tacos could learn a thing or 2 from this company.
(4)
Sumeet C.
Just that good. We are vegetarian and enjoyed both the veggie and quinoa/spinach balls. Don't miss the fried bread pudding--top 5 dessert imo.
(5)
Amber B.
I was impressed by this place because the food tasted like authentic Italian food. I got the grandmas bowl and I recommend everyone gets this dish - it tasted like an old Italian grandma made this dish for me. It was amazing. The staff was also very pleasant and professional. The drinks were good & strong. It was very noisy though. Overall, it was great.
(4)
N. B.
Eaten here a couple times. One day brought a huge group where I was the only vegetarian. Told the waiter who told me-the balls are vegetarian but NONE OF THE SAUCES ARE. This was a change from prior where as I said I have eaten there before. I tried to double check with another employee who basically said she didn't know but if that's what our waiter said it just be true. We Almost walked out. Except We decided to ask the waiter again. Turns out that only one sauce has chicken stock, the marinara one. The rest are not vegan friendly. But I'm not vegan and never said I was. The waiter just had no idea about the ingredients/difference and started saying untrue things without knowing what it meant. He didn't think there was a difference and nonchalantly shrugged his shoulders. Our entire group almost walked out because no one wanted to stay if one person can't eat. Luckily we hadn't left yet because I was writing my yelp review that gave this place one star. I've changed it two stars as a result. Which is a shame because before this incident they would have gotten four. But you can't be in the food industry if you don't know the difference between vegan and vegetarian (and if you are not Sure you just have to ask before assuming!) And even though it does have vegetarian options I haven't been Able to go back since then just because it left such a bad memory.
(2)
Iris M.
Had to rave about this place! Went with a coworker and we had two of their specialty cocktails (Fork 'N Berry Fizz and the Belli-Tini) they were both amazing. I had the Brussels sprouts because I'm a huge fan and order them everywhere. By far prepared the best I've every had! She had the Sicilian sandwich and she was impressed as well. Told all my coworkers since we work in the Downtown area so it should be a new lunch spot they can try. Also, kudos to our server (Brady) he was pleasant, funny and very attentive. Thank you for the great dining experience!
(5)
Trevr B.
I like this place a lot.. Been here many times, meatballs are my favorite food and they definitely make some good meatballs... however, cant say ive ever truly been impressed or even satisfied with customer service Walked into restaurant.. Stood around for 4 whole minutes before a bus boy acknowledged us and sat us at a table near the entrance, and went back to bussing tables, thus no hostess whatsoever. I proceed to watch at least SEVEN different parties walk in and then walk out because not a single person was there to greet them. We even asked the our waitress to tell the manager because it was embarrassing to watch. I hope management sees this post because not having a hostess to greet customers is absolutely inexcusable
(2)
Evan C.
I live here in the neighborhood a few blocks away and was excited for this place to open for either a quick drink or takeout, as I get takeout a few times a week due to working all the time. This is the second time I've ordered takeout and they've completely screwed up the order. Like to the point you think, "holy crap, how did that even happen." I've eaten at the bar before and had a decent experience, nothing exceptional. Typical hit or miss Las Olas restaurant experience. So a zero for whoever is responsible for takeout, and an average for the bar experience.
(3)
Jeremy A.
I enjoyed fork and balls. The atmosphere has a weathered rustic feel to it which I liked. The staff are all very friendly which is nice and makes me want to return. Suzette in particular is great. The simplicity of the menu is refreshing and the food comes out quick. Easy simple concept. The food itself is really good. I had a variety of meatballs with different sauces. I enjoyed the classic ball with pesto over spaghetti. The Texan is delicious and the garlic bread is great for dipping. I want to come back to try more of their menu. The one negative is that their bar stools were so uncomfortable I couldn't enjoy my meal because my legs were killing me. I'll wait for a booth next time because those bar stools traumatized me. All in all Fork and Balls is a nice addition to Fort Lauderdale and once again the Restaurant People put together another successful restaurant. I'll be returning.
(4)
Dana K.
We went for lunch because the restaurant down the street was packed. It was a pleasant surprise the food was awesome. I had meatballs stuffed with short ribs, red sauce, and polenta, it was so delicious. My husband had the chicken Parmesan which consisted of chicken meatballs on a brioche. All was delicious and we will definitely return to our new favorite restaurant.
(5)
Erika L.
We came to this place with high hopes and in very hungry state. After seeing that they had an hour wait, we looked for a place by the bar and got lucky, they offer full service and we were just two people. We started with her crusted polenta fries. They were amazing. Very flavorful, golden and crisp with a creamy interior. For the main course we had the chicken balls with pesto sauce on an arugula salad and it was a great choice. The salad has roasted peppers and dijon dressing among some other toppings like corn. All of it mixed up in a bowl was oh so good!! We also tried the classic beef balls with roasted tomato sauce on a skillet. They were just ok. If you are unsure ask for recommendations on how to build you plate. You pick the type of meat in the balls, the sauce, and what they are served on, like on a sandwich, pasta or salad.
(3)
Ty R.
I'll start out by saying the meatballs are good but unfortunately it stops there. The service is ok, management is poor, and the menu is awkwardly put together with little flexibility to delight the customer. I'm not sure what happened to this place because it was once a 3-4 star place IMHO...but something has dramatically changed. Best bet is to order takeout meatballs and add it to your own quality pasta at home or skip it al together and choose one of the other italian restaurants where service and customer delight is the norm.
(2)
R S.
Great service, we sat outside and our waiter was very friendly and on que with our drinks (bogo) . The food was delicious, definitely will go back again
(5)
N P.
My table had the short rib meatballs over polenta, chicken meatball parm, Philly cheese meatballs, and the classic meatballs. All were good except for the classic meatballs which were extremely bland. The best ones were the short ribs. Literally meatballs with short rib pieces in the center. A little in the salty side but they're balanced by the more plain polenta and ricotta. The garlic bread appetizer is good but very small. If it's the only appetizer at the table, it's not enough for more than two people. Polenta fries are great and good for 5 people or so. There is no children's menu, but environment is kid friendly enough during the earlier hours. After 7 pm or so it's a better environment for adults. The lights are dim and it's more of a lounge type of environment. The location and the novelty of the restaurant lead to overpricing. I generally wouldn't mind the price, but four meatballs shouldn't cost $15.
(3)
Brandon R.
So we treated our family to dinner and decided to try out the new hip spot on las olas. We got there at seven thirty and were seated right away. I thought to myself, "not a good sign, should be slammed." Turns out we were just really lucky because within another twenty it was packed. The food is 75% meatballs and the rest of the food is pasta, sides & drinks. Meatballs are great, I recommend the F&B blend meatball with parm cream sauce. Really tasty meatballs.
(4)
Eric T.
Was hesitant to try F&B with so many mediocre reviews. But decided to take my wife there and give it a shot. We arrived around 6:30 and were seating immediately. The place has a really cool decor and vibe. Was surprised at how many young kids were there, but then again it was an early dinner. I had a beer and my wife had a glass of red wine from the tap. The beer temp was great, but the wine was much too cold for a red. We ordered the brussel sprouts and the vegetable special of the day which was corn with white beans. Both were great, especially the sprouts. Then we decided to try a couple different balls and share, se we did the F&B Blend with roasted tomato sauce sliders and the Spicy Pork balls with tomato sauce over spaghetti. Both dishes were delicious. All in all I think this would be a really fun place with a group. Not a big date night spot, but for a couple of meatball lovers, we really enjoyed.
(4)
SB S.
A-okay in my book. Hate the name, really like the food. The spicy Italian is a great dish with meatballs over polenta with hot peppers. It's a fail safe if you wanna have something good.. I'm into the lighter fair lately, so I opt for their gluten free chicken meatballs over salad with traditional sauce. The vinegar mixes in and it's oh so good. The bar is beautiful, they did a great job decorating the place. It's quite large too. I hope they do well.
(3)
Martin G.
For a restaurant that has been opened 6 months it has a smooth operation, excellent service and a manager who listens. That's the good part and the bad part is that what we had wasn't THAT good. I did want to try the 4 different kind of meatballs they had on the menu but the closest they could come would be ordering sliders with 3 different balls and that's not a main course to me. I made a mistake by waiting to speak to Steve the manager after I had ordered and he was most accommodating but at that point my food came out so I left it as it was. He did say they were working on a new menu. Patrick, our server, did a great job. I took one of his suggestions which was the Sicilian F&B sandwich ($11) served on Italian bread and had beef balls, tomato sauce, mozzarella, sweet and hot peppers and a simple arugula salad on the side. None of the flavors stood out, including the meatball and the bread was too thick . Allen ordered the classic beef balls and penne with tomato sauce ($13) but when served it had spaghetti. Allen immediately said something and they (It wasn't Patrick) were willing to change it but he ate it. When I asked how it was he said "Nothing special. Just spaghetti and meatballs." I should be use to it by now but paying $3 for a cup of regular coffee and $2.95 for a diet coke just 'gets me'! Okay we are on Las Olas Blvd so we were paying for that. One thing I did appreciate was that Patrick asked if we wanted refills he brought fresh ones. The reason we choose to eat here was that the day before I had received a 2-4-1 flyer, I liked the concept and hesitating because of parking on or around Las Olas could be a hassle when we got there it wasn't a problem. They had a pay parking lot behind them that was almost fill but being lunchtime we were surprised that we got a spot right away. The total check minus the lower entree plus tax came to $26.45 and we left a $8 tip. The tables and high top booths are very roomy and the restaurant itself is has a variety of lighting adding interest to the room. Would/will we go back? Maybe when they come out with the new menu hopefully with some new interesting items and giving some zip to the balls---and, yes, having the 2-4-1 flyer so the lunch prices are reasonable. Oh yes, the menu is a place mat which is taken after you give your order. They should rethink that. By the way we ordered a fried bread pudding ($6)--it has no resemblance to bread pudding and could easily pass for French toast, even with a scoop of ice cream on top of it. Hopefully that will be rethought with the new menu.
(2)
Scott D.
Had the Spicy Italian F&B Bowl and it was great. Doesn't seem like a lot of food but the polenta makes it very filling. The cheesy garlic bread is excellent as well. Great decor and ambiance. Music a little loud for my taste, especially if you have kids.
(4)
Cory H.
We had a great evening. The service was attentive from the bartenders to our server Brady. Can't say enough about the service. Food was very good, and the atmosphere was casual, and relaxed while still having that cool vibe . Will definitely be back.
(5)
JR H.
If you like meatballs, head to this place. You won't be disappointed. They have a nice 4-7 happy hour and on Monday's feature $1 balls. I sampled each of the eight featured balls and liked 'em all.
(4)
Melanie G.
I'm shocked at the average star rating for this place bc my experience was pretty bad. Lets start from the beginning, we were a party of six for a friends bday. Four of my friends had arrived, but the hostess said they could not be seated until the other 2 ppl were there...which is COMPLETELY UNDERSTANDABLE on a Saturday night.... except that the place was maybe half full. Why not seat the majority of the party?? Also, there was a sign to valet, with nobody to do it. Next, upon entering, I almost busted my ass. TWICE. The floor was SO EFFING SLIPPERY!!! I thought maybe it was just towards the front where someone might have spilled something, but the entire floor was like that. This is a lawsuit waiting to happen. Next, lets get to the food. Brussels sprouts- SOOOOOOO bad. one of the worst things I have ever eaten in my life. They tasted burnt and left a nasty after taste in my mouth. The calamari- basic, just ok. lacking any type of flavor. The BLT- that was actually good. And since the first 2 things were horrible, I actually ordered another. They need to chill with that ranch though. Way toooo much. the entrees- my bf had the spicy meatballs with polenta and ricotta which was good. I had the Greek sandwich and it was ok. I also tried some of The Texan, and that was pretty good. Had like 4 different sliders, ok. For dessert we had the bread pudding which I thought was AWFUL, so I ordered the milk and cookies. The cookies were PERFECT, but the milk was SOUR!!!! WTF?!!?! Overall, the service was also lacking. I felt our waiter had an attitude problem whenever I had to ask for water or utensils. The only reason I gave it 2 stars was bc that DJ was poppin!!!! I was having so much fun singing and dancing in my chair. And bc the bathroom was super clean. I would NEVER recommend this place to anyone.
(2)
Eddie P.
I left the place hungry. The entree portions were way too small, I had chicken meatballs and spaghetti. However, food was delicious - great quality meat balls, sauce with spaghetti. The manager was kind enough to offer a side dish and we were still hungry. He explained that they are new and still trying to iron things out. He was nice enough to make us happy and we will definitely return. I am sure they will change things up and increase the size of the potions.
(3)
Wendy S.
AMAZING. best surprise on las olas. Definitely going back. We definitely recommend the Parmesan cream sauce as an appetizer in the f&b balls. For an entree you cannot go wrong with either the Toscana or the short rib. We'll be back with friends.
(5)
Monica T.
Came here with a few girlfriends of mine for dinner. The concept is cool as their main focus is of course, meatballs. Had the Brussel sprouts app, was very yummy and the sauce added a nice flavor to them. Main course was the f and b balls with creamy polenta. The balls were a blend of pork and veal which made them really soft and tender and the polenta is very creamy and flavorful as well. My friend had the chicken balls which were moist and not too dry. Overall I would come back again to try other combinations as this is a good place to just relax and have a few bites.
(4)
Marisa D.
Wow I've never written a one star but everything from the service, food and night manager was awful. Let's start with the waiter. Didn't know the menu advised we could order with sauces on the side. Food comes drenched in sauce. The mushroom sauce was horrible tasted like Campbell's mushroom soup with some kind of thickening agent added. The other sauces were bland and the meatballs were full of filler. We asked to speak with the manager to educate her that her staff misinformed us. She agreed and advised that the Chef would not make alterations and put sauces on side for certain dishes. Essentially she said too bad. I live 5 minutes from this place and would love it to be successful like Yolo and S3. The food is simply not good and the manager instead of apologizing became rude and defensive - she clearly is in over her head or she got the job because of who she knows not what she should know. I'll never return and neither will my party of 4
(1)
I M.
Waiter gave great suggestion of getting sauce on the side. Polenta was amazing & love that they have healthy options so on a diet? Have veggie balls with yummy greens!
(5)
LunaDashwood M.
Another great spot on Las Olas. I had a great experience. We primarily stayed at the bar and order The "J". Oh my goodness. What a great drink. I highly recommend to order the fried bread pudding with a side shot of cinnamon toast crunch. Alexia took great care of us. Good times and looking forward to trying their meatballs next time.
(5)
Stephen G.
Great decor and knowledgeable waitstaff. Simple menu that is prepared well and presented hot. The bread pudding is a wonderful dessert. You won't be disappointed.
(5)
Candy L.
Wonderful drinks and affordable food.
(5)
Audrey E.
We met some friends for a late lunch and some margaritas. The limes in our drinks we cut at least a day or two before. My meal (chicken balls with cream sauce) was very bland, thus it got sent back. Fortunately we were there at shift change to get our bill, the drinks were $12 each! Really now, $12 for a plain old margarita with an old lime!?!
(1)
Kristin B.
Ate there last night for a friend's birthday after a few people recommended that it's good for vegetarian/vegan diets. Well, thank goodness we asked but ALL of their sauces have chicken or fish broth in them. So despite having a vegan ball option, there is no sauce option. Nonetheless, I had it over the farro and it was ok. The balls had a great texture but the entire dish lacked in flavor. It would have been great with some plain tomato sauce even stewed tomatoes but they wouldn't do that for us. The dessert bread pudding was really good. Please offer a regular tomato sauce on your menu!
(2)
Lucy K.
Fork and balls really made up in my book. After my prior review I was contacted by the management team, who wanted me to come back in to prove that they were making efforts to make the restaurant gluten free friendly. I was informed that their ball of the day is always gluten free. I came in on a weekend night, and we were immediately sat. They now label which balls of theirs are gluten free (the chicken ball). I wish they labeled more of the other items on the on the menu (sides etc.) that are gf. However, our server, Leilani, had a list of what was gluten free and was overall very attentive the whole night. The food came out super fast and this time was delicious. I got the traditional salad and the ball of the day on polenta. My boyfriend enjoyed his pasta. Everything was very fresh and homey. Steven the manager was very professional. He asked about what happened the time prior and made my return very worth it. It showed a lot about the caliber of their management by making my prior experience up to me. I hope that every guest gets the same experience I had last night. I've never said balls this many times in a review lol
(4)
David S.
It's bewildering to me why (1) they have 3-4 different types of meatballs, (2) the various dishes come with 3-4 different types of meatballs, and (3) there is absolutely no matching under any circumstances, whatsoever. I'd like to try 3 different types of meatballs at once. I'd even pay a bit more. But there is no sampler, and they won't substitute at all. Very odd.
(3)
Mike C.
I am surprised to see anyone giving this place a one star, but I guess everyone is entitled to their opinion. I would like to say I had the exact opposite experience coming to Fork and Balls. My Girlfriend and I came down from New York to look for apartments around Fort Lauderdale and my girlfriend and I specifically wanted to come to this place. We did and I am glad we did. It was an amazing experience. We have been their 3 different times, and on all three occasions we were treated to perfection. Each waitor/waitress had knowledge of the menu, was fast and efficient and checked up on us often to make sure we were enjoying our meal and experience. Not only were the employees helpful with our food but also took time to answers questions that we had about the neighborhood and and potential jobs around the area as both my girlfriend and I both work in the hospitality industry. I appreciate all their hard work and genuine emotions towards us. As for the food, it was amazing. My girlfriend and I are huge foodies, and any New Yorker says you cannot find a good sandwich place outside of New York. Well they were wrong because Fork and Balls is amazing. My favouirte has been the F&B balls, with melted mozz in pesto sauce on a hero. We will be coming often and plan on being regulars. Id say ignore the negative reviews and check it out for yourself because it is worth it. Thanks Fork and Balls
(5)
Alex M.
After my friends kept telling me about Fork & Balls, I figured I'd finally try it out since I was visiting Ft Lauderdale Beach. The service was prompt, courteous and the food was great! The Grandma's Bowl was a sizezable portion and delicious. The garlic bread was some of the best I've ever had. My friend had the Gyro sandwich and he was really impressed as well. Overall, I give it a 5 star rating and I willl definitely tell my friends about it!
(5)
Thomas H.
Food was awesome!! We had a big party and they bent the rules for us. Service was great!! We will be coming back!
(5)
Kristi N.
Great meatballs and atmosphere...good value. Staff was really nice and helpful. Great reasonable option on Los Olas.
(4)
Barry S.
The fact that this wasn't our destination just adds to the perfect experience. Very unique concept for a restaurant. We had the polenta fries for an app and they were very flavorful and light served with a great tomato sauce. My wife had the chicken ball sliders on focaccia bread. She raved over them. Based on our servers suggestion, I had the F&B blend balls - veal and pork in the tomato sauce. Outstanding combo of meat and spices and perfect texture. Service was excellent. A MUST stop if in Fort Lauderdale.
(5)
Margot R.
New place! In Fort Lauderdale a lot for work and glad to have a new food joint on Las Olas. Server's name is Patrick and he was very attentive and explained the menu thoroughly. The Brussels sprouts are killer.
(5)
Kaitlin C.
I've been to Fork & Balls three times now. The first two times were great and everyone I went with enjoyed their food. Last weekend I went and the waitress put the order in wrong and I received the wrong dish. Not only did she apologize at least ten times, but I had my correct order in front of me no more than 7 minutes later. It was fine and I was completely satisfied. It was a small mistake and it was fixed. My waitress then went above and beyond and brought our table free dessert-- which was out of this world. We ordered the milk & cookies off the menu, expecting just an old fashioned classic. We were then informed that the milk was vanilla and orange flavored. If all milk tasted like this, I'd probably drink milk a whole lot more. The creamsicle-eqsue milk combined with the warm cookies was a wonderful way to end another delicious meal at Fork & Balls. I was blown away with how everything was handled.
(5)
Paige L.
I just wanted to say that I absolutely love this place. I had a group of 11 friends and a child who were celebrating a birthday. We originally had reservations for Rocco's Taco's. Well, Rocco's told us it would be an hour wait, and we ended up waiting 2 1/2 hours, so we left and went to Fork & Balls. The staff was awesome. We told them our dilemma and they took care of us right away and were so kind. The food was awesome! The service was great. It's a really unique and interesting concept for a restaurant. The set up is really cool. Decorated really awesome. I highly highly recommend. :)
(5)
Jack R.
The worst service I have ever received and I didn't sit down. I ordered to go and the women at the front said it would take 10 minutes. 1 hour later we are still waiting and hungry. Take out is supposed to be efficient and less time consuming than sitting down and this was the opposite. About 45 minutes in we were explainably very angry. The hostess wasn't kind about it and the manager was worse. He was unapologetic and snobby. After that horrible experience was finally over we hoped the food could save the day. It was just alright. They made something wrong, and overall it was so-so. The only dish that stood out was the penne with meatballs and mushroom sauce. Delicious! The food gets 3 stars but the pathetic service gets even less than zero. If you want a better experience and better food go to Rocco's tacos down the street.
(1)
Walter P.
Yes to me this is worthy of five stars. Very underrated place. F&b blend were amazing. Soft, moist and quite honestly one of the best meatballs I've ever tasted. Friendly bartender and staff ensured my return trip in the future.
(5)
Kevin S.
Love this restaurant!!! I'm gluten-free and had options here. I can't wait to go back to have the brussel sprouts and the chicken meat balls. Yum!!!! The ambiance was nice as well. Young and attractive crowd. Service was attentive and friendly.
(4)
Dennis F.
Well, we finally did the 6 block walk down Las Olas to check out F & B. They don't accept reservations. First off the noise level is very high. There were 5 people working behind the very industrial bar, service was spotty. Lots of beer on tap & if you like wine don't expect a traditional stem you get a water glass like the one in a bathroom of a hotel. We shared three diff types of appetizers all balls. They were all very tasty. The menu is a little tricky when it comes to entrees. We ordered three entrees all were presented in bowls and yes three more balls just like the appetizers they were good but I was hungry for something More than beans and more balls. If you are looking for fish you are out of luck. I think they need more entree selections and more sides to go with the entrees. Not sure I would rush right back , maybe with some menu changes and carpeting on the floor. As it stands F&B is a watering Hole with good appetizers don't expect fine dining.
(3)
Brett C.
I was hesitant to try this place based on the name alone - but if you give it a chance, it's a winner. The place has a cool and comfortable vibe with subway tile walls, and dark wood finishes -feel free to come in a casual outfit, this place isn't pretentious with a name like "Fork and Balls". They also boast an attentive bar and wait staff which is a welcomed aspect due to the lack of attentive waiters at other places on las olas. One down side however is they need to beef up (pun intended) their beer selection. No real craft beers to speak of and the wine list was standard. Now on to the meat! Their concept is unique - everything is centered around BALLS. Lots of jokes go on with this play on words here, but the concept is sound - 3 meatballs with your choice of meat and prep, with 1 sauce and served on top of 1 item like spinach, pasta, salad, veggie or polenta. They have Classic Beef, Chicken Veggie, Spicy Pork, F&B Blend, Daily Special plus the normal red sauce, Traditional Tomato, Parmesan Cream, Mushroom, Herb Pesto, Roasted Tomato. You can also have it your way since they'll customize to your wants - I.e. you can have it with a bun, no bun, no sauce, mix and match your meats, etc. Yes, some modifications have a small upcharge - but this choice gives the customer the power and shows they are here to serve you. Now, I know some may say "3 balls isn't dinner" and to that I say -I am an American and former fat kid and yes I have grown very, VERY accustomed to bigger meals and larger cuts of meat for dinner, but seriously 3 meatballs is a standard amount of protein for dinner. Plus, look at the prices - the prices for the 3 meatball dinner is a lot less than you'd pay for a larger meal somewhere else on Las Olas. If you want, order more balls! After reviewing the menu, I actually went with one of the sandwiches. It was a toss up between the Jeffry and the B&E Grinder, but I am VERY happy I went with the B&E (wow how many people can say that!). The sandwich consisted of chicken balls, roasted mushroom, parmesan cream & pesto with a little arugula salad on the side. The pesto with parmesean cream really sold me but the chicken balls were spiced, lighter, and went very well with the crunchy french bread - plus I love me a little arugula since I like a little peppery kick of greens compliment the meal. Since I felt the twinge to get more, and although I love fries and was highly tempted by the herb polenta fries, my all time favorite cruciferous vegetable has to be brussels sprouts. Their brussel sprouts are served in a way I have never seen actually - on top of a toasted garlic tomato sauce with bacon and parmesan. Please note - if you're like me and have a high stomach acid problem, as long as you go light and don't slurp down all the red sauce you'll be fine! The brussels sprouts were cooked perfectly so there was still a little crunch, the bacon and garlic really brought out their veggie flavor, and who doesn't like a good red sauce with some cheese on top? I scarfed this down and hardly let my wife grab a bite. My friends got the Summer vegetable succotash appetizer special, which is one of the reasons for not giving 5-stars. It was just a bowl of veggies, no real rhyme or reason and apparently they werent seasoned well. I say "apparently" because I took one look at them and decided I didn't even want to try. They looked like they came out of a can of mixed vegetables. Plus, they were sitting next to my brussel sprouts that were 100x more appetizing so I said PASS! My wife got the 3 - balls 1 style original and chose the special meat which was short rib and it was FANTASTIC. I'm not sure what other negative reviewers have a problem with but these balls were darn good. Meaty, the right amount of spice and savory flavors and paired with a Mushroom sauce on top of some garlic spinach - the dish was worth the moderate price. My friends both got the "Just balls" 3-ball meal and tried out some of the other sauces and they both loved their dishes. We all left full, happy and satisfied. Just remember- if you're still hungry, go get some more balls.
(4)
Rob B.
Took a guest to dinner Sunday night. We both thought the food was mediocre at best. Menu quite confusing. Meatballs had little flavor and seemed like fillers. Polenta was like porridge and no flavor, hard to screw up polenta. Ordered fried calamari appetizer and it came all drizzled with sour cream, a sweetish catsup-y sauce and jalapenos. Calm it down, fried calamari is fine on its own, this made it soggy and weird. Put condiments on the side, you couldn't taste the calamari, it had this weird glop on it. Atmosphere okay but they should try to do things well and simplify. Wait staff very attentive, chef needs to keep it simple and not try to overdo things.
(1)
Whitney N.
I went in and dined with my other half not long ago . We spilt the Tuscan and the Greek , both of which we loved ! The little gem salad with arugula and white truffle vinaigrette that they were featuring was probably one of the best salads I've ever had . We also had the Brussels sprouts that had a great flavor ! I highly recommend it if you're in the area !
(5)
Samantha S.
I just finished dining at F&B for the second time. The moment we walked in the hostess told our table of 4, that we could eat at the bar or the communal table, because they were full. It was one of the girls at my party who had to suggest giving us the option to put our names on the list as our hostess stars at us completely confused. We watched three tables clear out and no one seated us. When we were finally given a table the food was absolutely delicious and our waitress was incredibly attentive! After we paid our bill we stayed at the table speaking, my sister still had wine to finish. One of the hostesses came to us and asked us if we could leave because they needed our table. I have been asked to leave a restaurant before! It wasn't as if we ordered appetizers and water and were just chatting. We each ordered a cocktail, appetizer, main dish and shared a dessert! I absolutely loved the quinoa and kale dish but I will not be returning because of the service.
(2)
Max Z.
Its ok. I've had better but the atmosphere is what makes it work. The portions are small and if I wanted a better meatball, I would go to Runway 84. But if I am on Las Olas, this is the place that seems to be the place to be...for now.
(3)
Tony L.
Excellent food, not as heavy as you would expect. Short rib meatballs, polenta fries were highlights.
(4)
Yendi V.
It's a nice place. The menu is a little confusing. My aunt makes better meatballs. I would say the food was average. Not worth the hour drive but we tried it and that's it. Not very memorable
(2)
A Y.
Not accepting reservations or making exceptions for larger parties is bad business in my opinion. Especially for business dinners where there is one check. Not "saving a seat" for someone that orders three of everything and spends over $1,000 is comical. From what I thought - My assistant had an ok conversation on the phone with the hostess minus her frustration about not being able to make a reservation ... except when I was seated with my clients she walked up to someone in my party and began talking crap about me. Which I later learned about from my client. That is unacceptable! I have her name and I'd like the owner to contact me immediately. Food was subpar and lack of variation. Servers were hustling and looked understaffed. I tipped him extra! Would not go back.
(1)
Rachel C.
Wasn't that impressed. The good: adorable decor, friendly service, delicious brussel sprouts. The bad: super loud, mediocre food. We had the f&b ball with roasted tomato sauce (which was fine) and the all beef ball with Parmesan cream sauce (which was dry and kind of processed tasting). We also went on Monday which is $1 meatballs all day, but READ THE FINE PRINT, you have to get a drink (another confusing stipulation because it took 30 minutes talking to the waiter to figure out which drinks counted), it's only for the "just balls" section of the menu, and many of the meatballs don't count for this promotion. Overall it's a cute hang out and would be good for happy hour, but the food is just meh.
(3)
Zachary K.
Just had dinner at forks and balls tonight and was utterly disappointed. The place was packed and had a nice ambience however as I was waiting for our table I noticed all the small plates and dishes that were being served: I immediately began to panic and sweat as I already knew what was coming. We took some of the suggestions of the waiter who was very helpful and attentive. My friend and I ordered the Italian something meatball dish and my girlfriend ordered a few of the meatball sliders. As other yelpers had previously stated I almost fell out of my chair when I saw 3 tiny meatballs in a bowl full of sauce. After 30 seconds my plate was gone and I began to wonder whether that was a pre-appetizer or an appetizer. My $13 entree left me hungry and confused why a restaurant would serve you 3 tiny meatballs for $13... I mean come on meatballs are extremely cheap to make. Either put 4 or 5 small meatballs in an entree or 3 large 1s. If you advertise your restaurant as the meatball market or fork and balls I think your meatballs should be large enough to make an impact and not leave me famished. Had it not been for the thunderstorm tonight I would have picked up a spicy chicken sandwich from Wendy's on the way home. Although my 3 tiny meatballs were tasty I would probably not go back to this place unless they adjusted the portion sizes!
(2)
Da Q.
Fork and Balls is a nice resturant. Chelsey was a great waitress and the food was good. The prices are reasonable a
(4)
Tim E.
I meant to post the new updated review sooner. Life got in the way. So I went back to Fork and Balls. A complete turn around in the quality and service. Waitress was very friendly and on top of it. The food was great. The Texan meatballs were fantastic. The brussel sprouts were really good I never had it with tomato sauce but I did like it very much. Watermelon salad was delish. It was a special on that day. The Toscana was perfect. I would have that every week! I am glad to see the potential realized. I knew they could do it. Thank you.
(5)
Natalie J.
Came here for girls night, so there was 7 of us. We decided to try five different dishes thinking that it would be enough to share (veggie balls with vegetables and pesto, just the balls (3 each)- chicken and the special which both came with focaccia, Brussels sprouts, and two beet and feta salads. The portions were very small. They provided us with a small bowl of cheese for all of us to share. The food was average but for a meatball kitchen we expected more. Service was great, very attentive. Good for only being open for a few days but definitely some things to improve on.
(2)
Raisa M.
tried this place for lunch over the weekend a couple weeks after they opened. all in all a good experience, the cocktails were awesome I'd come back for those alone. food was yummy, filling if you're getting it for lunch or want a light dinner. the decor inside is beautiful, very welcoming and i enjoyed trying their food. i was a bit disappointed with their Mac n cheese, it's got some off ingredients and i wasn't impressed. i will return for more meatballs though!
(4)
Sarah H.
It's hard to find an affordable, delicious restaurant with great atmosphere and service on Las Olas. Tonight we tried the new Fork and Balls restaurant and it was just wonderful. Our server Doug was attentive and the food was delivered promptly. The meatballs were huge and AMAZING...The roasted tomato sauce with F&B meatballs a must try! The potential fries were to die for as well. We also ordered the mac and cheese, which had a nice surprise of peas and mushrooms in it. Everything we had we truly enjoyed. The manager also stopped by our table to introduce himself and say hello, which was great. We will be back and soon.
(5)
Ashley S.
Tried out the new Fork and Balls for their grand opening, its located in the former M Bar location (which I also reviewed). Fork and Balls is a vast improvement. The atmosphere is lively and fun, the place was packed opening night but service and everything flowed smoothly, which was a surprise considering it was their first official day open. We all shared a bunch of meatballs, salads and sides, everything was great. Prices are very reasonable, its around $13 for pasta with 3 meatballs, which isn't bad considering its on Las Olas. A salad which is enough for two is $8. Its nice to see another good restaurant finally make its way to Las Olas that serves good food at reasonable prices.
(5)
D. F.
It's ok... No fuss, low noise...right on time for the chill crowd.
(3)
Ron L.
Interesting Drinks, however not So Good on the Meatballs. If your going to call yourself Fork & Balls you better make Darn Sure lYour Balls are out of this World. Fun Atmosphere although the 4 Bartenders Behind the Bar are Lost in their own World. It's newly opened so I'll come back for another Try once they work out the kinks.
(3)
Erik S.
I never give 5 stars, but in this case I'll make an exception! The place may be called 'Fork and Balls' (and the meatballs are delicious) but the star of the show is the Fried Bread Pudding w/ Island Rum Gelato ($6). You'll think you will want to order one for the table, but unless you fancy post-meal fights to the death with spoons as your weapon, order one each. The pudding has the texture of Japanese Tempura fried ice cream with the savory and sweet components of raisins, chocolate chips and pecans. I daresay that even if I had a peanut allergy I might be tempted to put the epipen on the table and take my chances...at least you'll die happy.
(5)
Adam F.
Food was good. Service was good. Prices are good. But, their group policy sucks! We had a group of twenty for a birthday party and they would only allow us to split the bill 4 ways. Which made it very difficult at the end when we got our tab. They should have let us split the checks and it would made our experience much better. Granted, big groups can be difficult, but my experience is that splitting checks from the beginning makes it much less of a hassle in the end.
(3)
ALFREDO K.
Excellent service, out server Patrick was awesome.... Portion sizes were perfect. The Brussels sprouts with bacon and cheese was out of this world and the balls were phenomenal both the beef and chicken! Highly recommended!!!!!!
(5)
Casey W.
I went there last week and its a trendy place. The meatballs are a good size, you only get three but for 8 dollars and a good atmosphere you cant go wrong. The B&E grinder is a very light dish that taste great. The only thing that I saw wrong with the place is that all the Meatballs have pork in them which really bad if you don't or cant eat pork. Yes, even the Veggie balls have pork in them. The bar staff is super friendly. My bartender was so sweet and warm which makes me ponder why the then a shorter female black haired manger comes in behind the bar and make very vulgar and rude comments to her and several of the staff threating to fire them and hire more staff. My female bartender knew that my husband and I heard what was said and apologized to us. Hopefully things are more positive. I truly feel sorry for the staff if this is considered a standard way of communicating.
(3)
Rey D.
Went on opening weekend and fell in love with this place. My partner and I love to bring our out of state friends and friends from Miami to enjoy good Fort Lauderdale food!! Great place, great service
(5)
Claudia O.
I had the mushroom meatballs which were very tasty. My hubby had F&B balls over polenta and he liked it very much. The fried bread pudding was yummy! Ambiance was loud so talking across the table was tricky. We found the menu limited so I'm not sure if we'd go back. It was nice to try a new place.
(3)
Richard S.
Fork & Balls rules. My wife and I came here during a shit effort from Rocco's taco shit shack (that place sucks as much as watching your luggage getting blown up on the Hindenburg) Layla our bartender was incredible and kicked some serious ass. This place rocks hard. Shut the fuck up and eat a goddamm meatball already!
(5)
Rocki R.
The service, drinks and atmosphere are 5 stars. I had the Bella tini which is awesome. We ordered beef balls with tomato sauce and chicken balls with pesto. We both preferred the beef over chicken since the chicken was a bit dry. We didn't have the love factor for them though hence the 3 stars. I know other reviewers complained it was too loud, we didn't experience this and my bf has a blown ear drum and can't handle loud places
(3)
D L.
The food was very good. Came on a weekday for lunch with a co-worker and we both decided we won't be back as we ordered an entree each PLUS and traditional salad and both of walked out still hungry and $40 lighter.
(2)
Harrison B.
This place has great staff and food. The pesto was a little oily and the meatball was slightly over cooked... Overall a nice cozy place with a great modern design.
(4)
Chris M.
Food was great!! Bartender was awesome.... And no issue with us walking right before they closed!! Thumbs up for sure!
(5)
Steve H.
I liked Fork & Balls before. Now I LOVE it. They've revised and improved the menu. Everything great, especially the new salmon balls and the short rib balls. Great food. Great vibe. Great value.
(5)
Renee F.
AWESOME! Ordered 3 different kinds of meatballs and they all were equally delicious. Our waitress was very nice and informative.
(4)
Lisa A.
We had the best dinner at Fork and Balls last night! I had veggie balls on top of salad. The balls we're so delicious, juicy, tasty and cooked perfectly. My husband had the Jeffrey sandwich and loved it. Also enjoyed Brussel sprouts and calamari. Great atmosphere, great people and balls! Definitely will be back often!
(5)
Bill B.
This was my first time here. The service was outstanding. The atmosphere is very cool and inviting. They have an open kitchen and I could only think, why didn't they put four stools at the kitchen counter so patrons could sit and watch them cook. That would've been a very cool addition to the place. Although they have a decent number of taps, the beer selection has allot to be desired. It is very blah. The herb polenta fires were good as a starter. I had the Spicy pork balls bowl which was very filling. The meatballs were tender but not spic and the sauce was ok. The creamy polenta was good but I have to admit that I am spoiled from Little Nona's creamy polenta and meatballs in Philly. No one can beat their polenta and growing up in an Itlaian family, there are high expectations for food like this. The white beans and kale side I ordered was very tasty and I could've eaten more. Would I go back-yes. Would I recommend this to others-yes. They just need to tweak a few things and it is a four or five star place.
(3)
Sharon R.
Very nice atmosphere, very "rustic" feel. I went on a Sunday night for a friend's birthday, not many people in the restaurant, but good vibes around. I loved how there were many "make your own" options. You can chose to either just have "balls," or what balls with what entree. I had the chicken balls in a Cesar kale salad. I wanted something outside the box than beef with pasta, which you could get if you wished. There was a small selection of "already made" entrees. The menu was a bit small. The overall experience was great!
(4)
Stephen P.
Fun .. casual .. trendy place. good meatballs and good service .. very loud and active !
(4)
Brian M.
Good food, good vibe, young crowd...and a dj! If you're 90 yrs old stay away, it's not for you...yes it's loud, that's how younger folks like it :)
(5)
Jacqueline K.
Very great concept! Went to try it out at happy hour! I really liked that happy hour applied to all drinks, which was very nice. Tried a few different kinds of "balls" which were very affordable. Service was very efficient!
(4)
fran h.
Flavorful balls and great service. Chicken balls were soft, tender, and well seasoned. I had it over roasted cauliflower (vegetable of the day) with pesto sauce (not overwhelming, just enough to add flavor). Nice selection of beer & passion fruit tea was very nice. Arugula salad with corn, roasted peppers, & machenga cheese was fresh & ample portion for sharing. We arrived at 7 pm Saturday & had a 5 min wait. When we left, the wait was much longer. No reservations, but they take your phone number & text when table is almost ready.
(4)
Kristy S.
service was great. food was mediocre at best. felt lousy after I left, terrible stomach ache. came here because the wait for Rocco's tacos was an hour and a half. probably wouldn't come back.
(3)
John H.
Went here tonight got there at like 825.. Was gonna try Rocco tacos but it was too packed so we darted into here.. Limited menu which I liked not much to sort thru but I was told the Texan is a good portion of food... I could've eaten 4 Texans!!! Thank god my gf didn't finish hers so she gave it to me and I tacked on a bread pudding to fill the gap.. It was very good but u may need to eat on the way home from this place if u wanna go..
(3)
D D.
Food was really Good ! Mac n chez is bomb dig. Atmosphere is great. Only compliant I have is the drinks we tried a couple of them and they were blah!
(3)
L H.
Great to visit and try them out... Probably wouldn't be the first on our list to go back. In my opinion, decor and ambiance was nice, service was good, food tasted like fast food Italian... A lot of Italian places on Las Olas that are better.
(3)
seth p.
Great crowd, service was quick and attentive, prices were reasonable, and food was good. The bar was happening and the craft beers are appreciated! I enjoyed the veggie meatballs and if I ate meat I am sure I'd be in love with place. The only drawback was that it was extremely loud...so loud that you had to scream to speak to the person across the table from you. Will be back when I voice recovers.
(4)
Debbie T.
We enjoyed spending time having drinks at the bar at Fork and Balls. The bar staff was great! Came back three times during our stay.
(4)
Laura K.
Nothing exceptional. That's the most accurate rating I can give to the food. It wasn't bad, I had the Grandmothers Bowl, but it wasn't memorable or even tasty enough for me to crave again, or want to go back there for. If you are going to be paying Las Olas prices than a much better bet is Noodles Panini. This place is like Olive Garden only with a more creative concept. You won't be going there for great food, you'll go there because you're in the area and the concept looks interesting but many people won't bother going back again a second time. Wait staff was pleasant but gave poor service. They couldn't remember orders, and were too busy socializing with each other to be attentive (I was there at an off peak time- Sat at 2:30pm). I probably would have liked this place if I was in High School and was still in the phase where I thought The Olive Garden was killer Italian food. Once that doesn't do it for you, this place won't either. Great concept, poor execution.
(2)
Alex P.
Tasty food and friendly staff. The decor is laid back. The prices are reasonable and well located close to parking on las olas
(4)
Aracelis R.
I've been going to Fork and Balls since they opened and have not had a bad experience. The meatballs are all fabulous and I love the fact that they always have a specials to try new salad and ball combinations. The atmosphere is chill and perfect to hang out with friends or just with hubby.
(5)
Janet C.
Although I said I wouldn't go back....I did. Really glad I did too. New chairs have been purchased - very comfy. Service has worked out its knots and was fast & friendly. Meal was delicious - I had Blended Balls over Arugula Salad. Very affordable menu. Managers, James & Suzette clearly want their customers to be happy. Wine is still served in the silly juice glasses, but that's the owner's choice. Whaddaya going to do...? Drink fast while it's cold. Great evening. Glad I gave F&B a second look.
(5)
Anne B.
Went for the first time last evening for dinner as they now offer gluten-free chicken meatballs. I had the meatballs over the spinach with the roasted tomato sauce. Absolutely delicious. The portion was ample - I couldn't eat it all so gave part to my husband. We ate at the bar and received outstanding service. We will be back, for sure.
(4)
Mark D.
Great place to dine on Las Olas. Love the atmosphere, food and service. My favorite dishes are the Mac & Cheese & Brussel Spouts for appetizers and the Greek wrap for main course. Also can't get enough of the Fried Bread Pudding with Rum Ice Cream...yummy! Our Server; Brady (I believe that was his name.) Took excellent care of us, he was very knowledgeable about the menu items and presented them in an entertaining manner. I'll definitely be back.
(5)
Kevin L.
Do not eat here if you have any clue what a good meatball tastes like. This place served us the worst meal we have ever had......unbelievable. The fact that they call themselves a " Meatball Kitchen" is almost criminal. From appetizer to sides, all bad. No one should have to go through this experience. There are great meatballs in Fort Lauderdale but not here.
(1)
Kizzy S.
I had pretty high hopes for this place because the concept for this restaurant is GENIUS! We went on a Monday night after seeing a Facebook post from them saying it was $1 meatball night....we grabbed a couple of friends and decided to give it a try. While they had all kinds of stuff in their very tiny fine print, I felt like the stipulations were a bit stiff to call this $1 meatball night -- it was really only $1 meatballs when you purchased an alcoholic beverage and you had to order a minimum of 4 meatballs. So....right off the bat, I was turned off by their marketing gimmicks. Decor was cool, meatballs were fine - nothing to write home about but they weren't gross. You could choose from a few different sauces and my husband ordered the roasted tomato and I ordered the mushroom - tomato was good, mushroom was edible. The brussel sprouts were LEGIT, I'll give them that. We probably won't be back but I do appreciate a place that calls themselves Fork & Balls!
(3)
Barramundi ..
Due to the name I chose this place. Could be the highlight of a rainy Monday, comforting Spaghetti Meatballs. But not here. I have had the same basic culinary creation 3 times in the last 3 weeks in 3 different locations within 100 yards of here. This wins the bronze medal. Anyway, back to specifics. I place my order and in less than 5 mins I was presented with, 1- Pre cooked pasta, medium temperature, 2- Salty balls, too "spongy" texture, sort of bland, no tasteful definition of meat at all. 3- Ordinary tomato sauce, did not rescue the above. Also the red wine ( on tap, beer style) was too cold. Halfway through my lunch the waitress asks " how is everything"? My inner voice is thinking 15 bucks for too cold domestic red wine and 15 for the pre described food. Tactfully, I say " good thank you". I'll give it another chance. But no good place these days tries to short cut with pre cooked pasta, period. Wise diners know the difference. Even if they don't express it to the cute waitress. Concept over quality??
(2)
Laurie D.
Had the beef balls roasted tomato sauce and spaghetti squash ! Husband had spicy pork balls with traditional sauce and pasta both were Fabulous. Good prices and portions. It will be one of our fav and frequented places !! Service was great too!
(5)
Mary M.
Good food. Great service!!!!! Very reasonably priced. Not a typical Las Olas place. Will absolutely be back. How can you not love a place that serves PBR in a can??!!??
(4)
Jarret S.
First off, we found that most of the food was pretty good. Our issues with F&B are mainly easy fixes that frustrate me as they should be noticed by the management team. I know this restaurant is geared more toward a nighttime atmosphere but I find it almost inexcusable not to offer any sort of kids menu or something to keep kids busy while waiting for food. Hell, you can print coloring for them off of the internet. Furthermore, how does a restaurant that specializes in meatballs not come around and offer Parmesan cheese? One peculiar thing is that every dish we ordered was served in a bowl or on a plate too small for the dish. It made everything awkward to eat. We ordered the tomato, Feta, and Farro salad which oddly came missing one of it's namesake ingredients, Feta. Additionally, the specials were never offered to our table. After ordering I noticed the specials on a chalkboard over the bar and if I had been offered them, I would have selected them. Decoding the specials on the chalkboard took some effort as I don't know what "DOD" is. I don't want this review to sound overly negative because overall, the food was above average but everything else was just mediocre.
(3)
Monique L.
This place is awesome! From the atmosphere, to the wines on tap, to the food, everything is right on point. I went there with my family and we all have different tastes for food. We all left more than satisfied. Even my vegan cousin had a full meal! The location is great and service is even better. The servers were knowledgeable, courteous and attentive, aside from having a sense of humor, making the guests comfortable with the suggestive name of the restaurant and menu choices. The prices are surprisingly reasonable for the quality of food and location. Definitely a good choice for the whole family or just for a drink with friends!
I only give this place three stars because in my opinion this is a bar that serves food not a restaurant. We went there on Saturday 6:15pm to catch up with three other friends. There was a total of five of us. When we sat down at 6:15 the place was empty by 645 it was packed. That's great for a new place. However, not for us. It was deafeningly loud. None of us could hear any conversation we were trying to have and even had a very difficult time hearing the waitress as she tried to explain the concept, dishes, drinks etc. I will say the food we had was EXCELLENT. However, just understand this is not a place to have a conversation with somebody unless you're interested in yelling at the top of your voice to someone sitting right next to you. It is very trendy, has a hip vibe, and the drinks were good. My only point in making this review is so people understand this really is a bar. If you're looking for a nice sitdown restaurant to catch up with friends, this isn't it.
(3)
Bob W.
tried this new place last night. the meatballs are terriable, they were dry and cold. i was looking for a great meatball, well im sorry they have failed the test. maybe another time.
(1)
Kat A.
Food was really good, but service a little slow. Ambiance is very new yorkish, but a little loud.
(4)
Natasha L.
very mediocre. SUPER loud that even the waitress has to scream to ask your preference. Prices for food reasonable however for drinks - you would think we were in Miami beach.
(2)
Bobbie L.
Meatballs were good BUT small need to order several dishes to walk out satisfied service was very good. VERY loud so sit outside with fans if possible Portions need to be bigger to justify price. Variety of meatballs good but for a traditional Italian meatball there are other restaurant choices
(3)
Darren P.
Tasty, fun and something different. I could tell the place could get very loud at prime time but we went for lunch. Very friendly staff. A little pricey for what we got but still a good time.
(4)
Krystle L.
A couple of friends and I were so excited about trying this place and all I can say is for a place that specializes in meatballs, I've had way better, even at places that don't specialize in them. Our waiter was awesome, the atmosphere was good, the appetizers were awesome, but the meatballs, not so much. We started our dinner with two appetizers, the brussel sprouts and the polenta fries. Both were phenomenal, and this is coming from someone who doesn't eat brussel sprouts. We ordered two bowls of pasta with four balls, and two skillets of four balls each, all different flavors. Unfortunately, none of the main dishes were hot, but the manager did a great job at making things right. Also, If you like to taste the bread in the meatballs, this is the place for you. Overall I wish I could say that I loved it, because I was very excited about trying it, but if amazing meatballs are what you're looking for, I would think twice.
(2)
michael s.
wanted to give the place carte blanche "must be good",as it's the Y.O.L.O./S3 people. sadly enough we were disappointed. started sharing the special salad:arugula w/ roasted red pepper. reminded me of a workplace cafeteria that every Friday offered clam chowder.we decided it was clamless clam chowder,that they must have used oyster juice to reconstitute potato soup. ?roasted red pepper?yeah it was sorta there. cumulatively maybe 1/16th of a red pepper. also appetizer was polenta fries. that i/we've actually stopped to snack at Harry'sPizza(a Michael Schwartman entity)in Design district. there the polenta was nicely seasoned,and they served it with a sriracha ketchup...YUM ! F&B's the polenta needs some ??pepper,salt ? and the marinara was lifeless(a harissa dip would kick !) opted to try the sliders as a means to try different meatballs,different sauces. "spicy"pork meatball ?spicy?,i say tepid w/ pesto,pesto devoid of basil taste Veggy meatball,w/ mushroom sauce. flavor worthy of Century Village Short rib meatball w/ garlic marinara. the meatball was actually pretty decent,the sauce...? garlic ? where ? also sorta expecting more of a international variety offering ?no Swedish sauce ? i think the aforementioned harissa would be killer. ? how about a Stroganoff sauce ? overall it seemed like were seasoning was a factor,they were either timid or rationing. our server was a gem. liked the atmosphere vibe & location(though this is an oft doomed parcel in the past) BUT !!!! to alter the Jerry Maguire line ....Show me the flavor !!!!!!!!!!!
(2)
Carol F.
went there on Sat 7/19 w/4 couples, food was very good, but 20 minute stated wait time turned into over an hour and it was VERY loud, not a good place for a conversation
(2)
Damica C.
I thoroughly enjoyed my food. I had the brussel sprouts. They came in a garlic tomato sauce with cheese & bacon, & SO rich in flavor. The mac & cheese has mushrooms & peas (again GREAT flavor), & seasoned bread crumbs. My favorite item on the menu is the milk & cookies. The biggest reason I ordered the brussel sprouts & cookies is because it's not something you usually see on a menu. Anyhoo, the milk is an orange/strawberry cream & is to die for. The girl who recommended this place to me Insisted on me having the cookies & milk, & I see why.
(5)
Sherry W.
I went for HH....M-F two for one drinks and $1 meatballs at the bar. You can choose different meats and sauces for your meatballs or veggie or quinoa. The food was ok, but everything was salty. The service was good. Water and drinks were refilled. Food came out in a timely manner. The pricing is good for Las Olas. There is metered parking on the streets or they have valet on the side avenue from Las Olas. It is a trendy hip atmosphere.
(3)
T S.
Lots of meat balls different kinds some even veggie than just choose a sauce mix and match try new things- very good. Oh yea and at happy hour only a dollar each.
(3)
Becca M.
I recently had a party of 15 there & the service was great despite the water restrictions that were occurring. awesome food but they can only split the check in 4 ways which created complications.
(3)
Jeremy C.
I've been here twice. The first time was for their first annual meatball eating contest. I ate 18 meatballs in 10 minutes. I lost to a professional who ate 40 in 10 minutes. Either way it was a lot of fun. The meatballs were good. A lot of variety. The service could be better. I recently came here with 12 other friends. The place was not busy and we still had to wait and actually flag down a waitress to get service.
(3)
Sabrina D.
I decided to give this place a few more chances as they had only been open a short while when I wrote my initial review. Sadly, I've since then decided this place isn't my cup of tea... which is technically a good thing since they sell meatballs. The menu states that the meatball appetizer comes with focaccia. Yippee! Eh... hold your horses because there's something about the bread situation at this place that warrants some investigation. Let me explain... on my first visit they never brought it out. I hadn't realized until we had asked for the check and by then, was at that I'm-so-full-I-don't-even-want-to-see-any-food-for-Âthe-next-2-days point, you know what I'm talking about. Anyways, no bread on that visit, oh well. On our second visit, it was missing again but this time I wanted to dip it in the sauce, so I notified the waitress and she apologized and brought it over. It's vital to this whole review that you understand that by "it", I'm not referring to a heaping basket of focaccia as you might be picturing in your mind (just as I mistakingly was), "it" means one tiny, pinkie-sized piece of stale focaccia. I almost laughed when "it" arrived, thinking she must have made a mistake. Nope, apparently "pinkie" is the standard over at fork & balls. We returned yet again. This time, myself and another member of my party each ordered the meatball dish plus a side. We were asked if we wanted our sides on the same plate. "Sure, no need to be wasteful". Guess what happened guys? Once again, no focaccia. So I ask the person who brought our meals out. I'm not even sure why really. It's a tiny piece and it's not even that great but I'm an optimist and I figure it'll be better this time. "Oh that only comes with the meatball dish", I'm told. "That's actually what we ordered." "No, I mean it comes when you order just the meatballs." "Yes, that's what we got, we just said they could put our side dishes on the same plate." "No, the bread only comes when you order the 4 meatballs in the skillet by themselves." I now see the point of this. I experienced this so that I could pass the word on to you. FYI, if you order a side, which costs additional money, and have them put it on the same dish, which saves them money... you forgo your pinkie-sized stale focaccia. Bascially, by requesting polenta in addition to my meatballs, I unknowingly signed over my parental focaccia rights. Let's forget for a second that EVERY restaurant basically shoves bread down your throat, FOR FREE. Let's also forget that had they actually brought it, it would have been pinkie-sized. Dude, don't argue with me about a stinking piece of bread, just bring it even if I happened to be wrong. How ridiculous! My three visits have led me to believe that there's some weird X-files stuff going on with the bread at this place, and I need Mulder to investigate (Scully only ever held him back, let's be real). Here are my questions, 1.)Are there tiny specks of gold baked into it? 2.)Do you have a 1 loaf cap per day and therefore must conserve it at all costs? 3.)Is there a Broward focaccia drought that I am unaware of? I want to believe... in fork & balls but they're just not doing it for me.
(2)
Reixa C.
EVENT REVIEW- Pairings Pop Up Event @ Fork & Balls This was a free event to the public. We arrived at 7pm. We waited outside for about 15 minutes before we signed in and got our bands. They had only 2 girls running the entrance and the line was pretty long. There was only one iPad to sign in. Once inside, they had the event in the bar area and the back of the restaurant. The hot plates were in the far back by the kitchen. They had salad, fried potato sticks with marinara, chicken meatballs with white sauce and regular meatballs with marinara. The meatballs were big and the food was hot. It was nice to have small plates. There was no seating in the bar area; it was packed so we just stood on the side. I was able to grab a glass of wine and my friends had pumpkin beer. The food was delicious. The restaurant filled up in a matter of minutes, the bar was 3 person deep, the food line was backed up. We went back for food around 8pm and at this point, the chicken meatballs were out, we just grabbed what they had. People were waiting on food. The kitchen and servers were working very hard, running around, making sure everything went smoothly. But, there were too many people to feed. When we got back to the bar for another drink, the server told us that they had run out of the "donated" product. The event was from 7pm-9pm. By 8:15pm, the "donated" product was gone. Overall, great food, the service couldn't have been better with the amount of people they had. They were on their game. But, whoever organized this should of capped it at 150 as far as the amount of people let in. There were over 200+ ppl.
(4)
Mark S.
I'm cool with the "do one thing and do it well" business model, and they make some interesting meatballs here, but there were some service glitches: they have promotions that seem to change too frequently that you always have to check ahead ("meatball monday" is a great idea, so don't turn it on and off). Hostess said this week (August 2015) was the LAST "meatball monday", but then a card with my bill said they'd be doing $1 balls EVERY weekday, but the lunch time crowd is going to be pissed, so my point is: be consistent. I arrived at 5:30, restaurant was 90% empty, but I was forbidden from sitting at the "communal table" where $1 meatballs were being served (yes, it was 'meatball monday'). I understand the need to hold a table for a paying crowd, but I shouldn't get a hassle if I want to take advantage of the deal at another table - that should be a "win win" for the restaurant (keep the crowd, and keep other customers too). After much deliberation with management, I was allowed to get the deal at a seat next to the communal table. Interesting craft brews on draft add points: Funky Buddha was well represented, and wish I'd seen the "blueberry cobbler" before the "pomegranate wheat", but it was also a great beer at a 2-4-1 price from 4-7pm. I should also add that when the place opened, a friend was contacted with an invite to come and try it, but when she tried to take them up on the deal, nobody replied to the emails. So there is much to like here, but management needs to work on treating the customer right, and being consistent.
(3)
Sylvia F.
Interesting concept....,all balls, balls, balls! We have passed this place many times before and we finally stopped in to dine while my nephew visited from California. Nothing fancy as you walk in yet it was decorated in a fun funky rustic way. We chose to sit in the high table and although I've never expected to be comfortable..., I seriously was comfortable (most comfortable high stools I've ever sat in at a restaurant). We started with an order of the brussels sprouts. They were delicious and if you like brussels sprouts don't hesitate in ordering them. They come in a roasted garlic tomato sauce with bacon and parmesan cheese. My only regret was ordering just one order. The three of us decided we each should order something different in order to share and compare. Short Rib-polenta,ricotta,tomato sauce Sunday Gravy-penne, basil, braised pork, ricotta, tomato sauce The Southwestern- tomatillo, beans,pork, corn,sour cream and chilies Each had a different distinct taste especially The Southwestern but my favorite was the Short Rib. Our server was a doll and made our first visit lovely and informative. She also was well versed in all the craft beers on tap and highly recommended Funky Buddha. Great place to eat and enjoy something different and filling.
(4)
Grace R.
It's more of a 3.5, but I'll round up. F&B pretty much does one thing, and it's pretty obvious what that one thing is (hint: meatballs), but they do it very well, and good enough to make this a regular weekday lunch with co-workers. Specifically, the day of the week we try to come is Mondays, because "meatball monday" is when you can get a 4-ball serving for $4. This promo disappeared for a few months but recently resurfaced in May 2015, so if you are visiting in the "busy season" (winter), you may want to verify the promo - don't kill the messenger - trust and verify, etc. There are a variety of balls (chicken, pork, beef, etc.) served with your choice of sauce (traditional red, creamy white mushroom, etc.), and there is also always a daily special. I've settled on the most traditional combo as my usual order (F&B blend meatball with traditional marinara sauce). Add some sides and it's a pretty hardy meal (if there were ever a cold day in FLL, this would be the place to be). Good happy hour deals too (including when you come on Monday and can also do the $1 deal).
(4)
Alex L.
3.5 Really- The food was great- and the service was good- the company was fantastic! So why not more stars? I really had no idea what to expect when I was informed that I would be dining at Fork and Balls. I mean what does one wear to such an establishment? I chose casual Friday wear, and was still a bit dressed up for this Hawaiian shirt, beach shorts, and flip flops crowd (though later in the evening there were some guests that were dressed up). I just don't see spending this much on spaghetti and meat balls- even if they are tasty. I was not impressed by the beer options - and it is possible that if I had a drink or two, my rating would be higher (LOL). Perhaps it is really because I've never been served a smaller slice of bread pudding for dessert - and it was mediocre at best. Or was it the bizarre restroom decor? I can definitely see coming back and giving this place another go. The meal was good- and my wife enjoyed it and I agree it is a good place to meet up with friends especially considering there is a parking lot right behind the place.
(3)
Patty W.
I couldn't wait to try this restaurant out with my husband and a couple of our friends. When we got there on a Saturday night around 7 o'clock, it was surprisingly not busy. We were seated right away and our waitress took our drink order to start off with. I got the drink of the day, which was the Blue Baller consisting of gin, blackberries, lime juice, and cucumber. It could have been a little sweeter, but it was fine for me. The fork n' berry fizz was right up my alley with the strawberries, vodka, basil, limoncello, and prosecco. So, let's get on to the balls. There is quite a selection to choose from. My husband and I got the chicken meatballs with Parmesan cream sauce for an appetizer. It was perfectly flavored and went together very well. Since I wasn't going to get the traditional meatballs that is offered everywhere else, I settled for the short rib meatballs. It was filled with creamy polenta, tomato sauce, and ricotta cheese. I added the whole wheat spaghetti for the side. Heavenly scrumptious is the only way I can describe my meal. The spicy Italian meatballs were devoured by my one and only and our friends enjoyed their meals as well. The four of us got two fried bread puddings with rum ice cream. Even though I have a passion for bread pudding, it didn't quite blow me away. I thought it was good, but it was different with the rum ice cream. There was none left on our plates though. A relaxed ambiance surrounded the atmosphere and the modern decor with an open layout with the center bar suited the restaurant very well. Our server did an excellent job with recommendations and providing attentive service to all of us. It's too bad that I couldn't try more things on their menu, so it's in the works for next time. It was definitely a night to remember with great food and awesome people!
(4)
Jorge G.
This place was awesome. The ambiance, the decor, all the designs and most importantly, the food. We ordered "Just Balls" of the day, Applewood Smoked Bacon and beef with the Parmesan sauce - absolutely delicious. 4 perfectly sized meatballs and a small piece of bread. Beers are nice and cold and very well priced. Main dish was the Shortrib Stuffed Balls with polenta and a tomato sauce, the portion was quite large and I had to take half of it home, however taste was great and super filling. My girlfriend had the Turkey Pesto meatballs with wholewheat pasta, the sauce was great and the balls were delicious as well. For dessert, the milk and cookies are divine: 3 extra large warm and gooey cookies, with nice cold milk on the side. I absolutely loved the food and the service and definitely recommend this restaurant, you won't be disappointed.
(5)
Erica M.
Here's my quick and short review. The atmosphere of the place is very nice I definitely would have a girls night out here or have a good gathering with a bunch of friends. I ordered the short rib meat balls they were awesome I really enjoyed it. We also had an appetizer of the brussels sprouts. I was disappointed with the brussels sprouts they tasted really blan and had a bitter taste to them. I really didn't care for them in the tomato sauce. I am such a huge Brussel sprout fan and this was a little disappointing. We had a really good waitress she was very attentive and helpful with choosing items.my only drawback with the waitress was watching her touch my straw with her hands after picking up plates, touching her hair, wiping her hands on her clothes. I believe that all restaurants she give their customer straws that have not been open.
(3)
Julie R.
I was excited to try this place out when my friend said she would be doing her bday dinner here, since I had heard and read good things about this place. She was able to make reservations for like 25 people several days in advance, so that was good and a big plus. When we arrived the tables were all set up and ready for us to just sit and get things started. They did have just one server for all of us though, so that made things take a while. In looking at the menu I honestly had no idea what to order, but I was a bit hungry, so I decided to start with some sort of an appetizer. I asked the girl how the polenta fries were and she said good. They came and I ate one and was like man, this tastes really weird, so I asked my husband to try it as well and see what he said. He didn't like them either, so I just passed them down the table and let someone else eat them cause they just weren't good. They're shaped like fries, but taste nothing like it. I finally ordered one of their sandwiches, The Jeffry. It's with their blend of meat which I was told is both beef and veal. The sandwich was alright, but honestly nothing to rave about. It's the f&b blend meatballs with rapini, roasted garlic white bean spread and ricotta. (I probably should've just gone with a pasta bowl, because how can that not be good, especially for me, the pasta loving gal!) My husband decided to go ahead and try four different meatball sliders. He enjoyed his more than I enjoyed mine, but what's ironic is that his fav slider was the veggie one. You would think that at a place that specializes in meatballs that my husband who loves meatballs would prefer one of those. Then at the end when we were ready to pay it was a bit of a mission even though we told the waitress how things were being split up from the beginning. It just took a while and there were mistakes on several people's bills. Overall this place did not live up to the hype my friend had given us about it, nor what I had read from other fellow yelpers. Would I come back and give it another try, sure, but wouldn't necessarily go out of my way for it.
(3)
Erica K.
Meatball Monday's! Came to Las Olas for dinner and decided on Fork and Ball for dinner. We are glad we picked this place! $1 meatballs, 1/2 bottles of wine, awesome good. We must have tried every meatball on the menu and all were great. My favorite was the spicy pork with tomato, other great ones were buffalo chicken and classic beef. We also shared a traditional salad, Brussels sprouts and garlic bread. All were delicious! This is a great trendy place for dinner and I would recommend it to anyone!
I recommend this place, although it is no 5 star restaurant...I have been there several times to meet friends. I don't drink but we always eat at the bar and the bartenders have always been very friendly. I am just finding out about receiving bread before the meal ( I have never been offered any bread) maybe I'll ask next time to see what all this talk is about. Overall fun and good place to hang out with a great concept and atmosphere.
(5)
Jenny M.
I have been to this place twice. Both times I was with a couple of friends and we were seated almost immediately. The service was satisfactory and the food ranged from decent to delicious. I have had the short rib entree which was AMAZE-BALLS. Very tender short rib balls with a creamy polenta underneath. I sampled my friends' entrees with turkey and chicken balls and they were a bit on the dry side but still tasty. The calamari was decent. The milk and cookies dessert was nothing to write home about. One reason I gave it 4 stars is for my second visit. We had ordered the milk and cookies and the kitchen sent out milk that had gone bad. Notified the waitress and she informed us the milk had "orange zest" in it to make it taste different. I kindly informed her that I had had this dessert before and this was clearly rotten milk. After a bit of back and forth, she finally brought us fresh milk with a side of attitude. The whole thing could've been less of a headache! Would come back and skip dessert.
(4)
James D.
Had lunch there today. Had the Sicilian meatball sandwich on garlic bread. Very nice presentation but the balls were saggy! The little arugula side salad was nice! I love the interior design. Now for the dirty laundry, I can't stand it when a restaurant charges for refills! !! That is petty BS! I just paid 11 dollars for 4 meatballs and 4 dollars for iced tea, and you are going to charge me for a refill on a 8 Oz glass mostly full of ice! Really! My coworker enjoyed his chicken parm sandwich but really disliked the refill policy as well.
(3)
GracieTheCat H.
Updated review We like this place, the food is good. We always sit at the bar. Tonight's bartender was a young blonde woman who was over then enthusiastic about clearing our plates and glasses, so much so she cleared my husbands and he wasn't done. She'd didn't say a word, just started clearing our dishes. Needs some more training.
FYI- they do not take reservations but the food was yummy. Turkey meatballs in pesto was my favorite dish and the brussel sprouts were awesome! Unfortunately their taps were down so no beer or wines by carafe.
(4)
Nicole V.
I had the opportunity to come here for a meatball eating contest. It was the first annual. FYI, we did not win but 18 balls in 10 minutes isn't bad going against a pro that ate 40- my stomach hurts thinking about it! Anyhow, they have happy hour from 4-7, which consists of 2-4-1 cocktails and $1 balls. I asked for the chicken, turkey, and veggie balls. They had 3 sauce options and I wanted to try them all. I asked for them on the side but the bartender said they couldn't do that. Really? So I told her to put whatever sauce on whatever ball she wanted. First up was the veggie with pesto sauce. Not the best I've had but not the worst. Then I had the chicken with the creamy mushroom sauce. The ball was tender but lacked flavor. The sauce was pretty good. Last I had the turkey with red sauce. This ball had the most flavor and I liked the sauce. The couple next to us must have been regulars because they knew the bartender by name and the menu by heart. They ordered multiple buffalo chicken balls so I decided to try one. It was okay in my opinion. I could also overhear comments like, "grab her while you can" and "it's hard to get their attention". I would completely agree. These bartenders are some of the best at avoiding eye contact! While I did see them hustle to make drinks, they lacked some basic etiquette like a smile and a "I'll be right with you". Believe it or not that goes a long way! A whole 5 minutes prior to happy hour ending, I attempted to get another drink at the hh price. Unfortunately, I could not get any of the staff to acknowledge me. Finally a male bartender did and when I asked him for the hh price, he said no. It was exactly 7pm and I was annoyed. The female bartender graciously made an exception since I had been waiting and had been ordering food and drink for over an hour. All in all, I would give Fork and Balls 3.5. It would be higher if the service was a little stronger. Also if "balls" is in your name, they should be AMAZING...
(3)
Anthony L.
Great food Love the Short Ribs meatballs But PLEASE turn down the music and pick something more conducive to conversation
(2)
Izza L.
The chicken balls was a little dried. Sauce is a little on the sour side. Outside weather was great especially if you have a dog.
(2)
Rawlslyn F.
Insanely good. I'm serious. We both agreed that it's a unique eating experience we won't forget. We ordered the delicious brussel sprouts appetizer. It's enough for 3 people. The short ribs meatballs and the F&B meatballs are perfectly flavored. We ordered a mac n cheese side that was okay. Honestly, the meatballs are so filling that you don't need to order anything on the side. The portions are generous so consider splitting an entree and order one side. You must try this place!
(5)
AnaKaren G.
Drove all the way from Suburbia this past Saturday to beautiful Las Olas. Roughly a 53 mile drive... was it worth the drive you may ask? Absolutely, it was! :D From the moment I walked in, I felt like I was walking into a friend's house party. This place gives you an immediate hip, cool vibe feel to it. It is definitely trendy, yet it offers an unpretentious casual bar scene. The staff is extremely friendly. All things Ft. Lauderdale. Ahhhhhhh.... There was a sea of people from the moment we arrived to the time we left. Luckily, we didn't have to wait too long for a table :P And yes, it was loud, so loud I had to keep repeating myself to fellow Elite Yelper Hilda H. We were told adjustments to the ceiling are in the works to diminish the noise level. Looking forward to that. What we ordered... Brussels Sprouts are flash fried, served with a toasted garlic tomato sauce that's out of this world. It was topped with pieces of applewood smoked bacon and fresh parmesan cheese. People frown upon brussels sprouts but believe me, Fork and Balls will make a fan out of you! Eat your vegetables! Stef's Market Salad came with arugula, feta cheese, cashews, watermelon topped with a citrus vinaigrette dressing. I love watermelon, but in a salad? Really? Ok, I was somewhat open to try something new...I was skeptical. It worked! It was refreshing but mostly delicious. All the combinations just seemed to complement each other. Mmmmmmmmmm watermelon. Crispy Calamari served with marinara sauce, sweet & hot peppers and roasted garlic aioli. Quite delicious but beware for those of you with heartburn issues, you will need antacid medication stat! Just order it without the peppers, I'm sure they are more than happy to accommodate. F&B Mac N' Cheese, took me by surprise. It came with mushrooms and peas. Different but I always welcome mushrooms, as I am a mushroom fanatic. The problem... the flavor just quite wasn't there. It was very bland for my taste. Nonetheless, this dish will not prevent me from coming back for other items I did not get a chance to try. After all, I did come for the BALLS!!! F&B Blend Balls, the veal and pork meatballs are very moist and flavorful topped with Mushroom Sauce. A very exquisite ball! Actually, my favorite. This one is a must have! Gluten Free Chicken Balls, very aromatic since it's made using fennel. These balls were smothered in Parmesan Cream Sauce...Very good choice. Vegan Veggie Ball, I did not ask but to me it tasted like it had Indian herbs and spices. Very tasty! Yumm yumm give me some! Our server Emily was kind enough to bring us a side of Mushroom Sauce and Roasted Tomato Sauce since we were undecided. It was good with either sauce. Truth be told, these balls do not need any kind of sauce. They are superb all on their own. Fried Bread Pudding with a scoop of Rum Ice Cream was heaven served for dessert. WOW! I'm a huge fan of bread pudding and this is an excellent example of how it should be made. Gelato Sorbet Sundae was exclusively consumed by Hilda H. as I am allergic to all the berries in the world :'( I was told it was delicious... and it looked the part too! Sigh... I'd like to thank our server, Emily. She was extremely helpful and patient with us. She was sweet, attentive, personable but more importantly very professional. Restaurants need more Emily's on board. She is the epitome of an outstanding server. She genuinely seems like she enjoys her job. Servers like her takes the whole dining experience to another level. Keeps me coming back for more. I hope your boss reads this cause you are a keeper! P.S. More BALLS please! :D
(5)
Patricia M.
Great place! We were seated outside at first but quickly changed to inside because the music was blaring loud. Still loud inside but a tad better. They should really turn it down. Our waitress was training & was wonderful! The waitress training her was a bit annoying, constantly grabbing the small stuff left on the table like straw wrappers & used lemons (???) really annoying. We ordered the buffalo chicken balls appetizer & it was delicious! My favorite with the spicy Italian entree as a close second. The southwestern balls were dry & kinda gross. The cookies & milk dessert was cute & the orange flavored milk made it AMAZING. I would go back again whenever I feel like having meatballs!
(4)
Darlene D.
The first time I went was with a dinner group and everyone enjoyed their meals. We all decided to go back again and the food was less than satisfying across the board. The meatballs tasted pre-made, and/or reheated or frozen, were hard in texture and had no flavor. If you"re going to try and rock a meatball place, great kitchen skills and fresh ingredients are the recipe for success. The atmosphere and staff were equally nice. On the other hand, the music was so loud no one could communicate at the table. Pricing was reasonable for Las Olas. This is on my no return veto list.
(2)
Michael D.
What a fun menu. As the name indicates, this place is big on 'balls.' We started with an appetizer serving of the daily special, Swedish meatballs. They were so moist and flavorful, I could have eaten and entire plateful and left the restaurant 100% satisfied. Also split an order of the polenta fries with my dining partner. Crispy on the outside, polenta-y on the inside. And they were seasoned with rosemary, thyme and parmesan. They were very filling, but somehow not heavy, if that makes sense. And, again with this appetizer, I could have eaten an entire plate of polenta fries and left the restaurant totally satisfied. For our entrees, we went with all balls. My friend had the spicy Italian meatballs and I had the short rib stuffed meatballs. Both were excellent. We noticed that the menu only offered a couple of dessert options, and that was just fine, because we had no room whatsoever for dessert. We were full, satisfied and happy, happy, happy. Although, we did notice that one of the dessert offerings was 'cookies and milk.' How cool is that...??? (If we had been in the market for a dessert, that would have been our choice.) Our server, Whitney, couldn't have been more accommodating or more helpful. She explained the menu/concept to us thoroughly and also made several recommendations that really helped us navigate our first 'Fork and Balls' dinning experience. We will definitely be returning.
(4)
Grace A.
I was really impressed by this restaurant's happy hour! We came here so the BF could get a special draft they had on tap from Funky Buddha. He was really excited that this beer was included in the 2-for-1 Happy Hour. I was excited that we could get $1 Meatballs at the bar. They were awesome! My favorite was the buffalo chicken (I love all things buffalo... It's a basic weakness). We also had the lamb, spicy pork, blended and the short rib. All great... The bartender helped us with suggestions for sauce. We got excellent service and the atmosphere of this place really cool. We loved sitting at the bar and it was super comfortable. Definitely come here for happy hour!
(5)
Savanna M.
3.5 stars really. There are some good options here and there were some misses for me. We arrived at 7:30 on a Wednesday night and were sat immediately. I figured the new "hot spot" would be busy but that a weeknight wouldn't be too bad. However, after we were sat there was huge group standing around at the door and each of those parties probably waited at least 30 mins. We got lucky! As other's have mentioned - it's loud! Loud to where the waiter had trouble taking our orders. The decor and ambiance is nice and I appreciate the modern day touches paired with some traditional Italian items (note the napkins). All in all, I like the menu. I like the style of the menu and how a lot of it is "create your own" but I won't be rushing back here as only the dessert really wowed me. The wine, beer and cocktail list is a bit short, particularly regarding the wines. I think there were 7 or so specialty cocktails - we tried one and found it to be a bit gross. The beer list was "crafty" enough to please the beer drinkers at our table, but the wine list left me disappointed. First of all it's separated by wines on tap and bottles. The wines on tap are offered by the glass, carafe and bottle and are outrageously priced. There are a few "cheaper" bottles but they were all white. Also there isn't any separation between whites and reds and I ended up ordering a carafe of a blend that I thought was red, but turned out to be white. The carafe bottle was cute but definitely wasn't served as cold as I would have liked. We started off with three appetizers to share: *Polenta Fries - I was the biggest fan of these at the table. There wasn't much flavor but if you know me, you know grits, polenta...all of these gritty textures are great in my book. Served with marinara for dipping. *Brussel Sprouts - I make a mean brussel sprout so I tend to be a harsh critic. These passed my test. Also served over marinara sauce... you'll see this is a bit of a trend. *Calamari - served over marinara lol. Nothing special here, just regular calamari in my book. For entrees we all did 4 balls over "insert option here". Two of us did the arugula salad which was quite good. Came with corn in the salad which I loved, although I get that some people may not like the surprise. Two did pastas, which I didn't try any of, but didn't hear any complaints. I went the traditional route with the F&B blend (pork and beef) and found my meatballs to be the best and most moist. I opted for the roasted tomato sauce which was quite good. I also tried beef and the special chicken meatball of the night. Everyone else had the Parmesan cheese and herb cream sauce. Nothing special in my mind. We split a side of the mac and cheese which also underwhelmed. I'd put it more in the alfredo category, although it also had peas, so maybe an alfredo meets carbonara. For dessert the boys split the cookies and milk. They didn't offer us any so I'll take that as a good sign. The girls split the fried bread pudding with a rum ice cream. I'm trying my best to avoid sugar so I planned on only one bite. That flew out the window once I tasted how great it was...and probably ate my full half lol.
(3)
Trina L.
Had the Quinoa and Kale ball. Very tasty! Swanky spot w/a hip crowd. Seems like a cool after work spot....loved that they played Jamriqui! Decent wine list! Service is cool. Food came out quick for a Friday night on the Las Olas strip. We would come here again.
If you just have some, want some or lack some, you can get them here. They have for him for her and all her friends. These balls are delicious, succulent and come in an endless combination that will sure satisfy, at least one of your cravings. Las Olas, what a refreshing place in the heart of Ft Lauderdale. The city of al fresco dining, strips of art galleries and posh boutiques.A new delicious trend has come to town. Fork and Balls is a spacious venue by Las Olas Boulevard. Its loud and trendy but soon to come are arrangements to the ceiling which will serve as noise reductors. This place is good for a date but not quite the first date because youll want to get to know eachother and screaming across or in someones ear is not what you need. So by all means after the forking and spooning bring your lady friend here for that little extra craving. This venue is excellent for groups and special events. You can come grab a small bite and drinks yet leave with a happy full tummy with a huge satisfaction from their gourmet bites. We had multiple plates and drinks and they were all beyond fantastic. We started trying the brussel sprouts. They were presented fried but light battered so dont shy from i just because its fried. They were crunchy and moist and because they were topped with apple wood bacon and sprinkled with parm cheese it was a nice complement and a appetite stimulator as well. We continued ordering and we tried the Steph's Market Salad, which was arugula, feta,cashews, a citrous vinaigrette and watermelon to make it interesting and refreshing at the same time. Our server was great and brought me a much needed side of watermelons. We had the Calamari, was served with marinara sauce and for a twist it had sweet and hot peppers and roasted garlic aioli. Beware it's a little spicy. The batter is not too heavy and the calamari is soft and still well cooked. The mac & cheese was delicious, it had peas and mushrooms, I think it could have used a little more cheese and smaller noodles but it was still pretty nice and then it just falls into personal preference but it wasn't bad. F & B blend balls were one of my favorite, the veal and pork meatballs were very moist and flavorful. We chose to have it with the mushroom sauce. The meatballs were so tender and moist that they just melted in the palate. It's a must have!!! The gluten free chicken balls were very nice it had great aroma to them because it was seasoned with fennel. We had them with the Parmesan cheese sauce . We were running out of stomach room, we split one Vegan Veggie Ball. It was awesome, tasted a little nutty, different herbs and spices rushed into the sinuses, very pleasing and flavorful. Our server Emily was great. Make sure you ask for her when you come here. She checked on us often, made sure we had enough of everything that we wanted and needed. For dessert we tried the fried bread pudding which was beautifully accompanied with a scoop of my favorite.... Rum raisin yummmmmm. We also tried the Berry gelato sorbet. Delicious creamy and silky. Our experience here was grand. I'm positive that this place like their other many locations like Tarpon Bend, Yolo & S Club will be around for many years to come adding glamour, hip,trendy and amazing food to all of us foodies out there. P.S. : YOLO is getting a makeover,,,, stay in the lookout for the opening party, it's gorgeous, bigger and better. Soon the plates will bring four balls instead of the three that are coming in now.
(5)
Jennifer D.
We had to go try out Fork & Balls since the hype was even catching the attention of news channels. And boy were they right! This place is lovely! The light is dim, the music is right and the servers are nice. We immediately got greeted as we entered the door. And we were seated with menus right away! This weekend was actually a rather busy one for Ft Lauderdale with the Tortuga festival and you wouldn't even notice because the service was on point and they weren't agitated. You'd think with thousands of people in town this would've been a bad night to go but it wasn't. We had a good time! If you like meatballs you will definitely love this place! The menu is full of creative meatball meals. Their plates are made quickly! So quick that our garlic bread we ordered came at the same time. I ate a Philly Meatball Sandwich and my spouse had the short rib meatball melt. They both were delicious! The Philly definitely tasted as so with green peppers and all. The short rib was to die for! Their entrees fill you up! Come try this place out! You won't regret it!
(5)
Nick R.
Beware if you are celebrating a birthday that there is a $3/person "dessert fee" that they wait to tell you about until after eating even if the cake is clearly visible and the server had nothing to do with it (didn't hold it, bring it out, light candles, cut/serve it, give extra silverware or plates, etc.) so it's extremely tacky and shady. we were even sitting at a the bar and it was a homemade themed cake not like we brought in Carvel... never again though!
(1)
Aga D.
Great place, cool decor, awesome stuff, delicious food!!!! Don't forget about 50% of Monday's drinks
(5)
Khalimah R.
Milk and cookies as a dessert option?! Yes please! Just make sure you ask for regular milk or instead you'll get some flavored cream milk that's not for everyone. The creamy polenta and the Brussels sprouts so far are my favorite! Great service. Vegetarian options.
(4)
Shira T.
Definitely a must try!!! Had 4 different types of balls and couldn't have been happier! -chicken buffalo -kale Caesar -stuffed short rib -salmon lettuce cups Will order for take out OFTEN!!!
(4)
Morris M.
DYNAMITE! This place has the best and most tasty spaghetti and meatballs I have ever had. The tomato sauce was very tasty as well and you can tell it's homemade. My meal was accompanied by this incredible salad that actually had watermelons in it and I loved it. Although I haven't had all the meatballs, I can attest to the flavor of the turkey. And by the way, I love the atmosphere. Shabby chic and very eclectic ambiance. Definitely give them a shot.
(5)
Jen T.
My husband and I visited this place on our vacation, and were offered seating at a table against the wall or a hi-top so we do chose the latter. This place is dark, not dimly lit, but dark. Side effect of the lighting: The combination of the darkness in the restaurant coupled with it being dark outside made it somewhat difficult to read the menus. We asked our server (Bi***a) for suggestions. Her description of the polenta fries was that they were "mushy inside", and it couldn't have been a more accurate description for the entire meal. The kitchen is open, and there were two cooks preparing the food with a manager expediting. Somehow, all 4 of the items that we ordered (traditional salad, herb polenta fries, B&E chicken balls, & short rib balls) were prepared and delivered to our table at the same time. Each item had the same unseasoned, mushy consistency - even the salad which was coated in oily dressing. Side effect of the lighting: You can't tell if your meatballs were thoroughly cooked since there was no crisp or crunch on the outer layer. When our bill arrived, it had a clothespin attached to clip the payment. Our server asked us how everything was, and if we needed takeout boxes (we had a good bit of food leftover). We told her that everything was "fine" and that we didn't want to carry the leftovers back to out resort. We paid in cash and left. No big deal, we just chalked it up to the meal not being one of our favorites. Now, I worked in the service industry for 5+ years, so I would never not leave a tip much less have the balls to stand around outside of the restaurant and hang out like we were doing. I was shocked when our server, in front of the other patrons outside, approached us to ask if we had a problem with our meal or service. I replied no and asked why. She told me because we didn't leave her a tip, and that her manager told her that she was supposed to come and ask us why! She went on to say that our bill was $47 and we "only left $48." My husband and I had already discussed her tip...the bill was $47 plus change, so we left 2-$20 bills, 1-$5 bill, 3-$1's and another $10 bill for a tip (totaling $58, so a $10+ tip/over 20%). My husband told her that we left her $10, and she replied that we didn't. He then had to ask her if she had the money clipped, which she did. He asked her to see the money that we left, so she pulled it out of her pocket. We IMMEDIATELY see the bills that we know we left ,and she proceeds to pull it out of her pocket and count it in front of us. When she realizes her mistake, she gave an annoyed sigh, apologizes, and then basically runs back into the restaurant. Side effect of the lighting: The servers can't see to count the payments. (See, nobody wins with this lighting?!) We stood there in shock and embarrassment for a few minutes and then discussed the situation. We decided to go back into the restaurant and requested to speak with a manager. We explained the events that occurred, and then he denied knowledge of the situation which meant that he did not send her outside of the restaurant. My husband explained that his employee was too foolish to double check the payment amount, lied about management encouraging servers to follow patrons outside, and acted completely unprofessional. The manager gave a curt apology, and said that he would not fire her. He explained that he would "reeducate her"...that was that according to the manager. Just turn the lights completely out.
(1)
Sara C.
I think this place is a clever idea. Randomly stopped in here for a lunch one day while driving through town on vacation. The meatballs are their specialty. Their spaghetti and meatballs, very authentic. The atmosphere is trendy yet casual. Beer and wines on tap, and a fairly good selection at that. There's a fairly good range of food to be called Fork & Balls, but I really do suggest having their meatballs, probably the best I've had in a long while and right underneath authentic homemade meatballs at family gatherings. Plus, they come in so many different variations, some sounding tastier than others, but you can go traditional or get a little adventurous with it.
(4)
Mrs. D M.
Was up in Fort Lauderdale for a birthday gathering, and stopped by here by chance. Was told there was a 30 min wait, but found 2 seats at the bar and ate there. Compared to eating in Miami out on a Friday night, this was too easy! Restaurant names explains it: lots of balls to choose from on the menu. Various sides and entrees, too. Food: Turkey Balls with a roasted tomato sauce (very tender without fillers and the sauce was great), Creamy Polenta with Parmesean (good, but not creamy like the description, more like chunky grits), quinoa and kale balls with curry sauce, eggplants and peppers (the sauce was great; the balls alone were too crumbly with an odd aftertaste, but good alternative for vegetarians), Brussel Sprouts (good, but too much sauce!). Service: the bartender was very friendly and the food came out quickly. Everything seemed to run smoothly there and done with a smile. Very happy. Valet parking outside, or a lot behind the building. Good find for a random walk-in!
(4)
Laura G.
I've been wanting to try this place since it opened, but was a little unsure of the whole "meatball kitchen" idea. As fate would have it, I got a coupon in the mail for BOGO meals. Awesome! We went in on Wednesday evening & it was relatively quiet. We were seated immediately & our drink orders were taken. We ordered the buffalo meatball app, which came out quickly and was excellent. 4 meatballs between two people doesn't seem like much but it was filling. My bf ordered the chicken parm smash & a side of Mac n cheese. The sandwich wasn't anything special, but was tasty. The Mac n cheese had peas & mushrooms in it and had almost like a ziti type pasta. It was good, big enough for share. Mildly annoying that you don't get a side when you order an entree or sandwich - I think the smash was $12 and the Mac n cheese was an additional $6. I ordered the spicy Italian which was quite hardy and delicious! Again, "only" four meatballs but it was filling. We didn't order dessert....this time, as we were stuffed. As a few people have mentioned, it's nearby Rocco's, so it's a nice change of pace if it's packed there. Nice ambiance, great food & also a nice bar area. They have happy hour from 4-7 during the week, so i need to go check it out!
(4)
Jenny L.
Was just in town for a long weekend and wound up here three days out of the four. Order a few sets of balls (four in an order with your choice of sauce) and some garlic bread and you'll be golden. Beer on tap is amazing. Also unique here is that they have wine on tap. Ball of the day along with drink of the day ensures you'll never be disappointed. Definitely stoping by here on our next trip down.
(5)
Kerri F.
On New Years Day, my husband, 6 year old son and I popped in for a late lunch after attempting to go to Rocco's (which was a zoo). We are so glad we did! It was awesome. We started with the calamari app which was very good. It was not heavily breaded, very tasty, and cooked perfectly. If you've ever had the calamari at Capital Grille (and you must!), it's a close second. I would have liked F&B's to have a little heat, like their's does, but it was delish, nonetheless. My husband ordered a daily special which was four decent size (not huge) braised short rib meatballs. They were amazingly good and I immediately kicked myself for not getting them, although I really liked m y dish, too. Since it was New Year's Day, the special side was collards with black eyed peas and he ordered them. Collards are not my thing, but he really enjoyed them. Beer is not my thing either, but they had a nice craft selection that made him happy. We'll be back!
(5)
Lisa A.
Came in here for lunch on a Wednesday at 12:25pm. We had an appetizer, our food and were out the door by 12:55pm. Quick and friendly service! The polenta fries were good and super filling. My date and I are usually big eaters but we couldn't even finish them. For my meal I got the spaghetti and beef meatballs with the creamy garlic sauce. My boy got the beef meatball sub. Everything was delicious. Portions were a decent size, we left stuffed. All the staff was friendly. The decor here is hip, industrial and modern giving you a chill vibe. This is a good place for 20 and 30 something's to hang.
(4)
Margie S.
Super accommodating of our very large party. The meatballs are great, and the fried bread pudding with rum ice cream and rum sauce were was to die for! I tried the polenta fries, too - but they were just OK. I'll definitely be trying it again for the fun atmosphere, great location, and to try some more meatballs, which come in about 8 different varieties!
(4)
Jennifer B.
We went here during my bachelorette party and tried many of the different balls that were available and enjoyed a lot of them. There was 15 of us and they accommodated us and set up a table when we called ahead with no problem. The Brussels sprouts were definitely memorable and I would highly recommend this place!
(4)
Kinjal K.
I'm picky about what I put in my mouth, but I'm glad their balls was one of those things. The concept was great. First you pick the type of balls you want. Then you pick the sauce you want them cooked in. Finally, you decide if you want them alone or if you want them on top of something (salad, pasta, etc.). I tried the Fork & Berry Fizz, which is their signature drink. It was amazing! I definitely recommend it!
(5)
Ashley M.
We came here for a leisurely Monday lunch on our day off. The restaurant was almost empty at 1PM. We had tried the short rib meatball at the New Times Pairings event and had loved it, so were really excited to see their full menu. We started with their calamari appetizer ($10.00), which was perfectly breaded and the calamari rings were very tender. It was topped with marinara and a cream based sauce, as well as some pickled peppers to give a bit of spice. I loved the combination of flavors. It turns out that the ball of the day was the same short rib meatball we tried at the event, and we just couldn't pass up trying it again. I ordered the Balls on Top Mozz-Tomato ($13.00 plus $1.00 for Meatball Monday Madness) and Fernando chose the Balls On Top Polenta ($13.00 plus $1.00 for Meatball Monday Madness). We both chose the roasted tomato sauce. Fernando had seen photos of the fried bread pudding with rum ice cream ($6.00), so of course we had to finish off the meal with it. It is amazing. Service was great and as the restaurant was not full, the noise level was very low. I do find four balls to be too much for one sitting, especially when over a salad or other side. I did not see an option to order one or two meatballs, but I did end up bringing home two for lunch the next day. I find the prices a bit too high, as well. I believe that we were charged $13.00 plus $1.00 because of Meatball Monday, but that the price would normally be $4.00 or more on top of the $13.00. Also, I was charged $7.00 for a double espresso, which is outrageous. The appetizers and desserts are priced appropriately for what I would expect to pay. I guess I just don't understand the pricing structure of the menu, as it's quite confusing. The salad has one price on the right side, yet comes up to $13.00 if you want to top with meatballs, yet you still pay additional for the meatballs that you top it with? I would give this restaurant four stars if not for the confusing pricing. Also, I'm still in shock over my $7 espresso. I frequent Starbucks and that is about double what I pay there, and I do not consider Starbucks to be a bargain! Our lunch, consisting of one bottle of Pellegrino, an appetizer, two lunch entrees, one dessert, one cappuccino and one double espresso came out to $65.46, before tip.
(3)
Adrienne L.
Went here for a bachelorette party! I have never been to a restaurant like this. We tried every type of ball and LOVED them!! We sat at the high too and the atmosphere was nice, comfortable and roomy. We had plenty of space for a large party!
(5)
Brittany M.
Stopped in by chance on a Monday-- apparently it's all you can eat meatballs. Two hours for dinner; service was rather cold and painfully slow. Will not be returning.
(1)
Tim N.
Went back last week. Same incredible service from Marcos. The portions have gotten HUGE! Still all good.
(4)
Caitlin M.
SO GOOD. Went there with some friends, and it was delicious. 50% off all of our drinks, and the food (while not exclusively ball shaped-disappointing) was so yummy. My boyfriend and I are vegans and there were tons of vegetarian options that they easily converted to vegan and was still super tasty. Our two friends eat everything and loved their food. The server was really sweet and friendly- great experience and great food!
(5)
Hayley R.
Went to F&B for our third time last night. We tried the 15$ all you can eat. They give you a salad and focaccia bread to start which was good but fills you up. My boyfriend and I could only order four balls each until we were stuffed. We did order the 2-1 drinks which helped with the bill. If you are not famished then I do not see the 15$ as much as a deal. I think the concept of this restaurant is fun and the food has always been consistently flavorful. The drawback to this place is the service. The two times we have had dinner before we had the same server who was just flat out rude both times. She hardly came around to check on us and when she did, she was very rude and short. I had saw on Instagram they were doing a funky buddha free beer tasting. When I asked her about it she seemed disgusted that she had to actually go get us some beer samples ( which turned out to be three measly shots of beer) For our third time back we decided we weren't going to sit in the dining area and risk rude service so we sat at the bar and the bartender was very friendly and attentive. I would recommend giving this place a try but beware of rude service!
(3)
Krystel A.
I usually hate meatballs, but after eating there for the first time... I have a new found love. The meatballs were exquisite. I'm. It even exaggerating. Don't think twice, gooo have some meatballs.
(5)
Arturo B.
As other mention, the atmosphere/ambiance is great. I suggest visiting as a group to take advantage of ordering different meatball_sauce combinations. There are no reservations. Therefore, early arrival is a must for large groups - expect a min. 1-hour wait. F&B Blend with Marinara (traditional tomato) Special (Short Rib stuffed with F&B Blend) with Pomodoro Chicken with Pesto Beef with Mushrooms I really enjoyed my balls, except the chicken with pesto one. I should have listened to my colleagues, but decided to try them anyway. I found the pesto too strong and the ball too tough. All others were delicious - the tomato one being my favorite sauce; so light and fresh. I also got a side of polenta and enjoyed it very much. Soft, creamy, with great flavor, this dish is a good accompaniment to your meatball(s). I found it worked best w/ the tomato combination. Bev offerings are vast with wine and beer on tap, and craft cocktails. Some are very sweet, so I politely asked the bartender to please make them non-sweet for me. The result was fine. I enjoyed sipping on the berry old fashioned all night until it was time to leave. Parking was easy - garage close by and plenty of metered parking. My favorite part was taking an Uber to O Lounge after to enjoy a night-out in FLL. Fun times!
(3)
David Z.
Came back to give it another shot. So Far the bartender has been very attentive and knowledgable about the menu. I went with her suggestion F&B Blend w/ Roasted Tomato Sauce. Food just arrived. Not sure what to say. The meat balls are made from veal and pork. Can't believe it was seasoned and tasted before it was put up for service. They were fresh no question about that.
(3)
Eliana T.
Great food. We came in for an early dinner on a Saturday. Sat at the bar. The bartender recommended several things that we tried. Everything was right on. The Brussels sprouts, and the polenta fries were fantastic. The specialty cocktail list was creative, with some different options. Tried the furry wall, it was refreshing and tasty. Also ordered the ball of the day, which was a lamb meatball with a curried yogurt sauce. Fantastic. Chicken meatballs were so juicy and tender. The atmosphere is fun, but not too crazy for this time of day. Looking forward to coming back often when we move back downtown!
(5)
Michael H.
Very mediocre is the best way to describe this place. First the good. The meatballs are very good, especially the daily special we had, a pork and veal blend stuffed with short rib. I got them on sliders so I could try different balls. Also the Brussel Sprouts were very very good. Now the bad. It is way too loud. This is not a nightclub, you don't need blaring music. I came to dinner to socialize with my friends and could barley hear them because of the blaring speakers. Just to reiterate, there is ZERO reason the music should be this loud.... ZERO. The next let down was the Mac and Cheese. This dish was on the sides list with no description. It was pasta, Alfredo like sauce, and then mushrooms and peas. Gross! Why would you destroy Mac and Cheese with mushrooms and peas. It's a classic dish, it doesn't need that. Really, I'd love to come back because the meatballs were good, but pretending your restaurant is a nightclub makes the atmosphere very uncomfortable.
(3)
Michael M.
Absolutely stunning. I travel constantly and eat all over the place and this was literally one of the most delicious places I've ever been. Buffalo chicken balls were spicy and fell apart with a fork. Perfectly topped with blue cheese. The chicken saltimbocca balls with tomato sauce were breathtaking. The roasted cauliflower was seasoned perfectly with a great kick. Everything came out fast and hot and the staff was great. Thoroughly, thoroughly impressed!!
(5)
Jay X.
We ordered the regular spaghetti with meatballs, chili bowl with meatballs, and mac and cheese. The mac and cheese was tasteless mush. Bad choice of noodles for that. The peas threw us off and the cheese itself had no flavor. The meatballs were MUSHY and undercooked. Not pink inside, but it was not the normal meatball texture it should be. The pasta sauce slipped off the spaghetti, so I was basically eating plain noodles. None of us finished our meal and only had 5 bites. We left with stomach aches and felt sick. Thankfully, no food poisoning. It was so undesirable that I wished I could puke up that meal to have space for better food.
(1)
Phil D.
We thought the name was catchy, just got of the water taxi walked straight here. $4.00 for four meatballs , Monday special along with a carafe of wine $11.00. Service was great food was great I would recommend this restaurant.
(5)
Marqus R.
This is one restaurant that I don't have any problem with being a Yelp Four Stars fan. It's really a rather simple place with a rather simplistic menu, meatballs being the specialty, but what they do and the manner in which they do it are both done very well. The only problem, and indeed in speaking with some of the other patrons and a glance of the varying reviews, seems to be a confusion as to the size of the portion one receives. All I can say about that is that either they failed to read the menu or are somehow confused as to what is generally accepted as the standard size of a meatball. I ordered the three F & B blend meatballs with their mushroom sauce and though such an order results in a small portion, perfect for me. The meatballs served me were in a small cast iron skillet, a delightful blend supposedly of veal and beef though I would swear with a moisture more consistent with pork, having near perfect to the taste meat flavor and seasoning, especially with the mushroom sauce which was a hearty rather robust based upon a fresh mushroom combination. And though exPhiladelphian Yo Cuz Martorano, locally famous for his meatballs, may take issue with me on this, better in value and equally as fine in overall texture. I also had their special salad of the day, being an arugula with corn, pepper, Manchego (read unpasteurized sheep milk cheese generally of the La Mancha region of Spain) with a sherry vinaigrette. All of the ingredients were super fresh, with a clean taste to the palate, one of the better arugula salads I've experienced. Other notable upsides to Fork & Balls is that they do offer daily specials based upon fresh market availability, have a rather decent draft beer selection plus a good wine on tap selection. I know that some may smirk at the thought of "wine on tap," but that is a developing as well as upcoming tend. It's also one that I welcome since the wines when done on tap remain fresh without any shelf deterioration.
(4)
Jason C.
Very cool place. Good food, friendly server, and nice atmosphere. The entrees come out really hot, so be careful not to burn your taste buds on the first bite.
(4)
Glenn H.
Took a group of 15 to Fork & Balls on Saturday night. We had the long table upfront which was great... and the food was also great. What wasn't great was that they wanted to charge us $3 per person to cut and serve my birthday cake. When we said we'd cut it ourselves, the server said she wasn't allowed by managment to give us a cake knife, really? The other thing that wasn't great was the really slow service. They had one server working a table of 15... I felt bad for the girl because she was very nice and was doing her best. The dinner took 3/12 hours from start to finish and they can only divide the bill up by four... really, in today's world? Fork & Balls managment... look out for your servers by not forcing them to nickel and dime your customers!
(2)
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Address :1301 E Las Olas Blvd
Fort Lauderdale, FL, 33301
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Loud Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Damica C.
I thoroughly enjoyed my food. I had the brussel sprouts. They came in a garlic tomato sauce with cheese & bacon, & SO rich in flavor. The mac & cheese has mushrooms & peas (again GREAT flavor), & seasoned bread crumbs. My favorite item on the menu is the milk & cookies. The biggest reason I ordered the brussel sprouts & cookies is because it's not something you usually see on a menu. Anyhoo, the milk is an orange/strawberry cream & is to die for. The girl who recommended this place to me Insisted on me having the cookies & milk, & I see why.
(5)Sherry W.
I went for HH....M-F two for one drinks and $1 meatballs at the bar. You can choose different meats and sauces for your meatballs or veggie or quinoa. The food was ok, but everything was salty. The service was good. Water and drinks were refilled. Food came out in a timely manner. The pricing is good for Las Olas. There is metered parking on the streets or they have valet on the side avenue from Las Olas. It is a trendy hip atmosphere.
(3)T S.
Lots of meat balls different kinds some even veggie than just choose a sauce mix and match try new things- very good. Oh yea and at happy hour only a dollar each.
(3)Becca M.
I recently had a party of 15 there & the service was great despite the water restrictions that were occurring. awesome food but they can only split the check in 4 ways which created complications.
(3)Jeremy C.
I've been here twice. The first time was for their first annual meatball eating contest. I ate 18 meatballs in 10 minutes. I lost to a professional who ate 40 in 10 minutes. Either way it was a lot of fun. The meatballs were good. A lot of variety. The service could be better. I recently came here with 12 other friends. The place was not busy and we still had to wait and actually flag down a waitress to get service.
(3)Sabrina D.
I decided to give this place a few more chances as they had only been open a short while when I wrote my initial review. Sadly, I've since then decided this place isn't my cup of tea... which is technically a good thing since they sell meatballs. The menu states that the meatball appetizer comes with focaccia. Yippee! Eh... hold your horses because there's something about the bread situation at this place that warrants some investigation. Let me explain... on my first visit they never brought it out. I hadn't realized until we had asked for the check and by then, was at that I'm-so-full-I-don't-even-want-to-see-any-food-for-Âthe-next-2-days point, you know what I'm talking about. Anyways, no bread on that visit, oh well. On our second visit, it was missing again but this time I wanted to dip it in the sauce, so I notified the waitress and she apologized and brought it over. It's vital to this whole review that you understand that by "it", I'm not referring to a heaping basket of focaccia as you might be picturing in your mind (just as I mistakingly was), "it" means one tiny, pinkie-sized piece of stale focaccia. I almost laughed when "it" arrived, thinking she must have made a mistake. Nope, apparently "pinkie" is the standard over at fork & balls. We returned yet again. This time, myself and another member of my party each ordered the meatball dish plus a side. We were asked if we wanted our sides on the same plate. "Sure, no need to be wasteful". Guess what happened guys? Once again, no focaccia. So I ask the person who brought our meals out. I'm not even sure why really. It's a tiny piece and it's not even that great but I'm an optimist and I figure it'll be better this time. "Oh that only comes with the meatball dish", I'm told. "That's actually what we ordered." "No, I mean it comes when you order just the meatballs." "Yes, that's what we got, we just said they could put our side dishes on the same plate." "No, the bread only comes when you order the 4 meatballs in the skillet by themselves." I now see the point of this. I experienced this so that I could pass the word on to you. FYI, if you order a side, which costs additional money, and have them put it on the same dish, which saves them money... you forgo your pinkie-sized stale focaccia. Bascially, by requesting polenta in addition to my meatballs, I unknowingly signed over my parental focaccia rights. Let's forget for a second that EVERY restaurant basically shoves bread down your throat, FOR FREE. Let's also forget that had they actually brought it, it would have been pinkie-sized. Dude, don't argue with me about a stinking piece of bread, just bring it even if I happened to be wrong. How ridiculous! My three visits have led me to believe that there's some weird X-files stuff going on with the bread at this place, and I need Mulder to investigate (Scully only ever held him back, let's be real). Here are my questions, 1.)Are there tiny specks of gold baked into it? 2.)Do you have a 1 loaf cap per day and therefore must conserve it at all costs? 3.)Is there a Broward focaccia drought that I am unaware of? I want to believe... in fork & balls but they're just not doing it for me.
(2)Reixa C.
EVENT REVIEW- Pairings Pop Up Event @ Fork & Balls This was a free event to the public. We arrived at 7pm. We waited outside for about 15 minutes before we signed in and got our bands. They had only 2 girls running the entrance and the line was pretty long. There was only one iPad to sign in. Once inside, they had the event in the bar area and the back of the restaurant. The hot plates were in the far back by the kitchen. They had salad, fried potato sticks with marinara, chicken meatballs with white sauce and regular meatballs with marinara. The meatballs were big and the food was hot. It was nice to have small plates. There was no seating in the bar area; it was packed so we just stood on the side. I was able to grab a glass of wine and my friends had pumpkin beer. The food was delicious. The restaurant filled up in a matter of minutes, the bar was 3 person deep, the food line was backed up. We went back for food around 8pm and at this point, the chicken meatballs were out, we just grabbed what they had. People were waiting on food. The kitchen and servers were working very hard, running around, making sure everything went smoothly. But, there were too many people to feed. When we got back to the bar for another drink, the server told us that they had run out of the "donated" product. The event was from 7pm-9pm. By 8:15pm, the "donated" product was gone. Overall, great food, the service couldn't have been better with the amount of people they had. They were on their game. But, whoever organized this should of capped it at 150 as far as the amount of people let in. There were over 200+ ppl.
(4)Mark S.
I'm cool with the "do one thing and do it well" business model, and they make some interesting meatballs here, but there were some service glitches: they have promotions that seem to change too frequently that you always have to check ahead ("meatball monday" is a great idea, so don't turn it on and off). Hostess said this week (August 2015) was the LAST "meatball monday", but then a card with my bill said they'd be doing $1 balls EVERY weekday, but the lunch time crowd is going to be pissed, so my point is: be consistent. I arrived at 5:30, restaurant was 90% empty, but I was forbidden from sitting at the "communal table" where $1 meatballs were being served (yes, it was 'meatball monday'). I understand the need to hold a table for a paying crowd, but I shouldn't get a hassle if I want to take advantage of the deal at another table - that should be a "win win" for the restaurant (keep the crowd, and keep other customers too). After much deliberation with management, I was allowed to get the deal at a seat next to the communal table. Interesting craft brews on draft add points: Funky Buddha was well represented, and wish I'd seen the "blueberry cobbler" before the "pomegranate wheat", but it was also a great beer at a 2-4-1 price from 4-7pm. I should also add that when the place opened, a friend was contacted with an invite to come and try it, but when she tried to take them up on the deal, nobody replied to the emails. So there is much to like here, but management needs to work on treating the customer right, and being consistent.
(3)Sylvia F.
Interesting concept....,all balls, balls, balls! We have passed this place many times before and we finally stopped in to dine while my nephew visited from California. Nothing fancy as you walk in yet it was decorated in a fun funky rustic way. We chose to sit in the high table and although I've never expected to be comfortable..., I seriously was comfortable (most comfortable high stools I've ever sat in at a restaurant). We started with an order of the brussels sprouts. They were delicious and if you like brussels sprouts don't hesitate in ordering them. They come in a roasted garlic tomato sauce with bacon and parmesan cheese. My only regret was ordering just one order. The three of us decided we each should order something different in order to share and compare. Short Rib-polenta,ricotta,tomato sauce Sunday Gravy-penne, basil, braised pork, ricotta, tomato sauce The Southwestern- tomatillo, beans,pork, corn,sour cream and chilies Each had a different distinct taste especially The Southwestern but my favorite was the Short Rib. Our server was a doll and made our first visit lovely and informative. She also was well versed in all the craft beers on tap and highly recommended Funky Buddha. Great place to eat and enjoy something different and filling.
(4)Grace R.
It's more of a 3.5, but I'll round up. F&B pretty much does one thing, and it's pretty obvious what that one thing is (hint: meatballs), but they do it very well, and good enough to make this a regular weekday lunch with co-workers. Specifically, the day of the week we try to come is Mondays, because "meatball monday" is when you can get a 4-ball serving for $4. This promo disappeared for a few months but recently resurfaced in May 2015, so if you are visiting in the "busy season" (winter), you may want to verify the promo - don't kill the messenger - trust and verify, etc. There are a variety of balls (chicken, pork, beef, etc.) served with your choice of sauce (traditional red, creamy white mushroom, etc.), and there is also always a daily special. I've settled on the most traditional combo as my usual order (F&B blend meatball with traditional marinara sauce). Add some sides and it's a pretty hardy meal (if there were ever a cold day in FLL, this would be the place to be). Good happy hour deals too (including when you come on Monday and can also do the $1 deal).
(4)Alex L.
3.5 Really- The food was great- and the service was good- the company was fantastic! So why not more stars? I really had no idea what to expect when I was informed that I would be dining at Fork and Balls. I mean what does one wear to such an establishment? I chose casual Friday wear, and was still a bit dressed up for this Hawaiian shirt, beach shorts, and flip flops crowd (though later in the evening there were some guests that were dressed up). I just don't see spending this much on spaghetti and meat balls- even if they are tasty. I was not impressed by the beer options - and it is possible that if I had a drink or two, my rating would be higher (LOL). Perhaps it is really because I've never been served a smaller slice of bread pudding for dessert - and it was mediocre at best. Or was it the bizarre restroom decor? I can definitely see coming back and giving this place another go. The meal was good- and my wife enjoyed it and I agree it is a good place to meet up with friends especially considering there is a parking lot right behind the place.
(3)Patty W.
I couldn't wait to try this restaurant out with my husband and a couple of our friends. When we got there on a Saturday night around 7 o'clock, it was surprisingly not busy. We were seated right away and our waitress took our drink order to start off with. I got the drink of the day, which was the Blue Baller consisting of gin, blackberries, lime juice, and cucumber. It could have been a little sweeter, but it was fine for me. The fork n' berry fizz was right up my alley with the strawberries, vodka, basil, limoncello, and prosecco. So, let's get on to the balls. There is quite a selection to choose from. My husband and I got the chicken meatballs with Parmesan cream sauce for an appetizer. It was perfectly flavored and went together very well. Since I wasn't going to get the traditional meatballs that is offered everywhere else, I settled for the short rib meatballs. It was filled with creamy polenta, tomato sauce, and ricotta cheese. I added the whole wheat spaghetti for the side. Heavenly scrumptious is the only way I can describe my meal. The spicy Italian meatballs were devoured by my one and only and our friends enjoyed their meals as well. The four of us got two fried bread puddings with rum ice cream. Even though I have a passion for bread pudding, it didn't quite blow me away. I thought it was good, but it was different with the rum ice cream. There was none left on our plates though. A relaxed ambiance surrounded the atmosphere and the modern decor with an open layout with the center bar suited the restaurant very well. Our server did an excellent job with recommendations and providing attentive service to all of us. It's too bad that I couldn't try more things on their menu, so it's in the works for next time. It was definitely a night to remember with great food and awesome people!
(4)Jorge G.
This place was awesome. The ambiance, the decor, all the designs and most importantly, the food. We ordered "Just Balls" of the day, Applewood Smoked Bacon and beef with the Parmesan sauce - absolutely delicious. 4 perfectly sized meatballs and a small piece of bread. Beers are nice and cold and very well priced. Main dish was the Shortrib Stuffed Balls with polenta and a tomato sauce, the portion was quite large and I had to take half of it home, however taste was great and super filling. My girlfriend had the Turkey Pesto meatballs with wholewheat pasta, the sauce was great and the balls were delicious as well. For dessert, the milk and cookies are divine: 3 extra large warm and gooey cookies, with nice cold milk on the side. I absolutely loved the food and the service and definitely recommend this restaurant, you won't be disappointed.
(5)Erica M.
Here's my quick and short review. The atmosphere of the place is very nice I definitely would have a girls night out here or have a good gathering with a bunch of friends. I ordered the short rib meat balls they were awesome I really enjoyed it. We also had an appetizer of the brussels sprouts. I was disappointed with the brussels sprouts they tasted really blan and had a bitter taste to them. I really didn't care for them in the tomato sauce. I am such a huge Brussel sprout fan and this was a little disappointing. We had a really good waitress she was very attentive and helpful with choosing items.my only drawback with the waitress was watching her touch my straw with her hands after picking up plates, touching her hair, wiping her hands on her clothes. I believe that all restaurants she give their customer straws that have not been open.
(3)Julie R.
I was excited to try this place out when my friend said she would be doing her bday dinner here, since I had heard and read good things about this place. She was able to make reservations for like 25 people several days in advance, so that was good and a big plus. When we arrived the tables were all set up and ready for us to just sit and get things started. They did have just one server for all of us though, so that made things take a while. In looking at the menu I honestly had no idea what to order, but I was a bit hungry, so I decided to start with some sort of an appetizer. I asked the girl how the polenta fries were and she said good. They came and I ate one and was like man, this tastes really weird, so I asked my husband to try it as well and see what he said. He didn't like them either, so I just passed them down the table and let someone else eat them cause they just weren't good. They're shaped like fries, but taste nothing like it. I finally ordered one of their sandwiches, The Jeffry. It's with their blend of meat which I was told is both beef and veal. The sandwich was alright, but honestly nothing to rave about. It's the f&b blend meatballs with rapini, roasted garlic white bean spread and ricotta. (I probably should've just gone with a pasta bowl, because how can that not be good, especially for me, the pasta loving gal!) My husband decided to go ahead and try four different meatball sliders. He enjoyed his more than I enjoyed mine, but what's ironic is that his fav slider was the veggie one. You would think that at a place that specializes in meatballs that my husband who loves meatballs would prefer one of those. Then at the end when we were ready to pay it was a bit of a mission even though we told the waitress how things were being split up from the beginning. It just took a while and there were mistakes on several people's bills. Overall this place did not live up to the hype my friend had given us about it, nor what I had read from other fellow yelpers. Would I come back and give it another try, sure, but wouldn't necessarily go out of my way for it.
(3)Erica K.
Meatball Monday's! Came to Las Olas for dinner and decided on Fork and Ball for dinner. We are glad we picked this place! $1 meatballs, 1/2 bottles of wine, awesome good. We must have tried every meatball on the menu and all were great. My favorite was the spicy pork with tomato, other great ones were buffalo chicken and classic beef. We also shared a traditional salad, Brussels sprouts and garlic bread. All were delicious! This is a great trendy place for dinner and I would recommend it to anyone!
(4)Alex P.
Had dinner here again tonight. Not my first time coming here at all. This time around like many I brought friends along who have never been. I've come here many times but this will be my last. We received a warm welcome when we arrived from the hostess and were immediately sat down at a booth. It's Monday and usually there's the $1 meatball selection but they seem to have changed it to $15 all you can eat meatballs. (Smaller meatballs and only two served with a salad and spaghetti to try and fill you up). Like always, the food is hit and miss but overall I usually enjoy the place. This night however I had an issue. The all you can eat portions are extremely small and they take forever to come out. (Not a problem to us) My party had all ordered the deal and after finishing our second plate were all still feeling hungry. We ordered a third round and while waiting for that decided to let our waitress know what our next round would be. I stopped our waitress Rachel to inform her what our next choices are and she told us that the order we were currently waiting on was the last one we could place because the kitchen had closed. (They close at 10pm and it was 9:45pm at that moment. We had been seated at 8:30. That's how long it took for us to receive three small plates each. And some palenta fries with salad.) I could tell my party was disappointed but knew they also wanted dessert so I looked passed that and asked to order their milk and cookies and bread pudding. She told us they were closed in the kitchen and can't do that for us either. It being 9:53 and I being a paying repeat customer I felt a bit confused with her excuses. She never passed by our table after taking our order and bringing our drinks. Others brought our items and two of us were left without silverware because of the lack of attention received. She had left and after my party feeling uneasy I asked the closest server for the manager. He went and told out waitress Rachel something instead... She returns saying she spoke with the kitchen and they can do the dessert no problem. Even though I watched her during those few minutes never speak to the kitchen since we were sitting right next to it. I told her I wanted the manager and for myself and the whole table to notice her attitude towards me she was obviously not trying to hide it. After waiting a while for a manager I had to ask again. Once he came I believe he said his name was Kevin. I introduced myself and asked why we weren't made aware that we couldn't order more food. Being that we specifically went for all you can eat and obviously weren't receiving that treatment. The only good thing was he was very professional and apologized for the service. He admitted she didn't do what she was meant to do. He did have the waitress comp. the meals and only make us pay for our drinks, appetizers, and one extra meal that was ordered on the side. The waitress though didn't let up and continued with the poor attitude bringing us forks and forcefully placing them on the table. When I asked for the check she placed it on the table and told me what the manager had given us free with an attitude that made my fiancé cringe. I placed my card on the table and when she came back around quickly snatched it up and kept walking. Came back tossing it on the table and again walked away. UNNACCEPTABLE. I never once raised my voice or did anything rude to the girl. I asked for the manager because she didn't do her job, I understand the food business is hard. I have ran and run restaurants. If you can't handle it don't show it! If it wasn't for one of my friends feeling sorry for the girl she wouldn't have received a tip, but he wanted to leave something even if it was small. It takes only one time to lose a customer. I feel embarrassed for recommending the place because I never know if they can receive that service as it seemed so normal for the manager and waitress to comp. a meal and brush it off. I will never take, recommend, or mention this place to anyone again unless it's to let them know where not to go. And for people I have taken, once they know what happened they'll quickly change their minds about the place.
(1)Marie B.
I recommend this place, although it is no 5 star restaurant...I have been there several times to meet friends. I don't drink but we always eat at the bar and the bartenders have always been very friendly. I am just finding out about receiving bread before the meal ( I have never been offered any bread) maybe I'll ask next time to see what all this talk is about. Overall fun and good place to hang out with a great concept and atmosphere.
(5)Jenny M.
I have been to this place twice. Both times I was with a couple of friends and we were seated almost immediately. The service was satisfactory and the food ranged from decent to delicious. I have had the short rib entree which was AMAZE-BALLS. Very tender short rib balls with a creamy polenta underneath. I sampled my friends' entrees with turkey and chicken balls and they were a bit on the dry side but still tasty. The calamari was decent. The milk and cookies dessert was nothing to write home about. One reason I gave it 4 stars is for my second visit. We had ordered the milk and cookies and the kitchen sent out milk that had gone bad. Notified the waitress and she informed us the milk had "orange zest" in it to make it taste different. I kindly informed her that I had had this dessert before and this was clearly rotten milk. After a bit of back and forth, she finally brought us fresh milk with a side of attitude. The whole thing could've been less of a headache! Would come back and skip dessert.
(4)James D.
Had lunch there today. Had the Sicilian meatball sandwich on garlic bread. Very nice presentation but the balls were saggy! The little arugula side salad was nice! I love the interior design. Now for the dirty laundry, I can't stand it when a restaurant charges for refills! !! That is petty BS! I just paid 11 dollars for 4 meatballs and 4 dollars for iced tea, and you are going to charge me for a refill on a 8 Oz glass mostly full of ice! Really! My coworker enjoyed his chicken parm sandwich but really disliked the refill policy as well.
(3)GracieTheCat H.
Updated review We like this place, the food is good. We always sit at the bar. Tonight's bartender was a young blonde woman who was over then enthusiastic about clearing our plates and glasses, so much so she cleared my husbands and he wasn't done. She'd didn't say a word, just started clearing our dishes. Needs some more training.
(3)Mike M.
I wish I could give this place 3.5 stars, three seems low but four seems just a bit too high. My fiancé and I stopped by for lunch earlier this week for the first time. The ambiance and decorations were nice. We enjoyed the overall look. The name does it justice. It is truly a meatball Restraunt. Almost every entree was based around meatballs. I had the Philly smash (sandwhich) it was good but not really Philly cheese steak like. The meatballs were ok but didn't go with the philly sandwhich. The buns were great. The sandwhich was more food that it appears to be and k was stuffed. My fiancée had the chicken or turkey smash which was ok. Kinda bland. The waitress seemed like she wasn't having the best day and didn't want to be there. Not a must but I may return.
(3)Elissa R.
FYI- they do not take reservations but the food was yummy. Turkey meatballs in pesto was my favorite dish and the brussel sprouts were awesome! Unfortunately their taps were down so no beer or wines by carafe.
(4)Nicole V.
I had the opportunity to come here for a meatball eating contest. It was the first annual. FYI, we did not win but 18 balls in 10 minutes isn't bad going against a pro that ate 40- my stomach hurts thinking about it! Anyhow, they have happy hour from 4-7, which consists of 2-4-1 cocktails and $1 balls. I asked for the chicken, turkey, and veggie balls. They had 3 sauce options and I wanted to try them all. I asked for them on the side but the bartender said they couldn't do that. Really? So I told her to put whatever sauce on whatever ball she wanted. First up was the veggie with pesto sauce. Not the best I've had but not the worst. Then I had the chicken with the creamy mushroom sauce. The ball was tender but lacked flavor. The sauce was pretty good. Last I had the turkey with red sauce. This ball had the most flavor and I liked the sauce. The couple next to us must have been regulars because they knew the bartender by name and the menu by heart. They ordered multiple buffalo chicken balls so I decided to try one. It was okay in my opinion. I could also overhear comments like, "grab her while you can" and "it's hard to get their attention". I would completely agree. These bartenders are some of the best at avoiding eye contact! While I did see them hustle to make drinks, they lacked some basic etiquette like a smile and a "I'll be right with you". Believe it or not that goes a long way! A whole 5 minutes prior to happy hour ending, I attempted to get another drink at the hh price. Unfortunately, I could not get any of the staff to acknowledge me. Finally a male bartender did and when I asked him for the hh price, he said no. It was exactly 7pm and I was annoyed. The female bartender graciously made an exception since I had been waiting and had been ordering food and drink for over an hour. All in all, I would give Fork and Balls 3.5. It would be higher if the service was a little stronger. Also if "balls" is in your name, they should be AMAZING...
(3)Anthony L.
Great food Love the Short Ribs meatballs But PLEASE turn down the music and pick something more conducive to conversation
(2)Izza L.
The chicken balls was a little dried. Sauce is a little on the sour side. Outside weather was great especially if you have a dog.
(2)Rawlslyn F.
Insanely good. I'm serious. We both agreed that it's a unique eating experience we won't forget. We ordered the delicious brussel sprouts appetizer. It's enough for 3 people. The short ribs meatballs and the F&B meatballs are perfectly flavored. We ordered a mac n cheese side that was okay. Honestly, the meatballs are so filling that you don't need to order anything on the side. The portions are generous so consider splitting an entree and order one side. You must try this place!
(5)AnaKaren G.
Drove all the way from Suburbia this past Saturday to beautiful Las Olas. Roughly a 53 mile drive... was it worth the drive you may ask? Absolutely, it was! :D From the moment I walked in, I felt like I was walking into a friend's house party. This place gives you an immediate hip, cool vibe feel to it. It is definitely trendy, yet it offers an unpretentious casual bar scene. The staff is extremely friendly. All things Ft. Lauderdale. Ahhhhhhh.... There was a sea of people from the moment we arrived to the time we left. Luckily, we didn't have to wait too long for a table :P And yes, it was loud, so loud I had to keep repeating myself to fellow Elite Yelper Hilda H. We were told adjustments to the ceiling are in the works to diminish the noise level. Looking forward to that. What we ordered... Brussels Sprouts are flash fried, served with a toasted garlic tomato sauce that's out of this world. It was topped with pieces of applewood smoked bacon and fresh parmesan cheese. People frown upon brussels sprouts but believe me, Fork and Balls will make a fan out of you! Eat your vegetables! Stef's Market Salad came with arugula, feta cheese, cashews, watermelon topped with a citrus vinaigrette dressing. I love watermelon, but in a salad? Really? Ok, I was somewhat open to try something new...I was skeptical. It worked! It was refreshing but mostly delicious. All the combinations just seemed to complement each other. Mmmmmmmmmm watermelon. Crispy Calamari served with marinara sauce, sweet & hot peppers and roasted garlic aioli. Quite delicious but beware for those of you with heartburn issues, you will need antacid medication stat! Just order it without the peppers, I'm sure they are more than happy to accommodate. F&B Mac N' Cheese, took me by surprise. It came with mushrooms and peas. Different but I always welcome mushrooms, as I am a mushroom fanatic. The problem... the flavor just quite wasn't there. It was very bland for my taste. Nonetheless, this dish will not prevent me from coming back for other items I did not get a chance to try. After all, I did come for the BALLS!!! F&B Blend Balls, the veal and pork meatballs are very moist and flavorful topped with Mushroom Sauce. A very exquisite ball! Actually, my favorite. This one is a must have! Gluten Free Chicken Balls, very aromatic since it's made using fennel. These balls were smothered in Parmesan Cream Sauce...Very good choice. Vegan Veggie Ball, I did not ask but to me it tasted like it had Indian herbs and spices. Very tasty! Yumm yumm give me some! Our server Emily was kind enough to bring us a side of Mushroom Sauce and Roasted Tomato Sauce since we were undecided. It was good with either sauce. Truth be told, these balls do not need any kind of sauce. They are superb all on their own. Fried Bread Pudding with a scoop of Rum Ice Cream was heaven served for dessert. WOW! I'm a huge fan of bread pudding and this is an excellent example of how it should be made. Gelato Sorbet Sundae was exclusively consumed by Hilda H. as I am allergic to all the berries in the world :'( I was told it was delicious... and it looked the part too! Sigh... I'd like to thank our server, Emily. She was extremely helpful and patient with us. She was sweet, attentive, personable but more importantly very professional. Restaurants need more Emily's on board. She is the epitome of an outstanding server. She genuinely seems like she enjoys her job. Servers like her takes the whole dining experience to another level. Keeps me coming back for more. I hope your boss reads this cause you are a keeper! P.S. More BALLS please! :D
(5)Patricia M.
Great place! We were seated outside at first but quickly changed to inside because the music was blaring loud. Still loud inside but a tad better. They should really turn it down. Our waitress was training & was wonderful! The waitress training her was a bit annoying, constantly grabbing the small stuff left on the table like straw wrappers & used lemons (???) really annoying. We ordered the buffalo chicken balls appetizer & it was delicious! My favorite with the spicy Italian entree as a close second. The southwestern balls were dry & kinda gross. The cookies & milk dessert was cute & the orange flavored milk made it AMAZING. I would go back again whenever I feel like having meatballs!
(4)Darlene D.
The first time I went was with a dinner group and everyone enjoyed their meals. We all decided to go back again and the food was less than satisfying across the board. The meatballs tasted pre-made, and/or reheated or frozen, were hard in texture and had no flavor. If you"re going to try and rock a meatball place, great kitchen skills and fresh ingredients are the recipe for success. The atmosphere and staff were equally nice. On the other hand, the music was so loud no one could communicate at the table. Pricing was reasonable for Las Olas. This is on my no return veto list.
(2)Michael D.
What a fun menu. As the name indicates, this place is big on 'balls.' We started with an appetizer serving of the daily special, Swedish meatballs. They were so moist and flavorful, I could have eaten and entire plateful and left the restaurant 100% satisfied. Also split an order of the polenta fries with my dining partner. Crispy on the outside, polenta-y on the inside. And they were seasoned with rosemary, thyme and parmesan. They were very filling, but somehow not heavy, if that makes sense. And, again with this appetizer, I could have eaten an entire plate of polenta fries and left the restaurant totally satisfied. For our entrees, we went with all balls. My friend had the spicy Italian meatballs and I had the short rib stuffed meatballs. Both were excellent. We noticed that the menu only offered a couple of dessert options, and that was just fine, because we had no room whatsoever for dessert. We were full, satisfied and happy, happy, happy. Although, we did notice that one of the dessert offerings was 'cookies and milk.' How cool is that...??? (If we had been in the market for a dessert, that would have been our choice.) Our server, Whitney, couldn't have been more accommodating or more helpful. She explained the menu/concept to us thoroughly and also made several recommendations that really helped us navigate our first 'Fork and Balls' dinning experience. We will definitely be returning.
(4)Grace A.
I was really impressed by this restaurant's happy hour! We came here so the BF could get a special draft they had on tap from Funky Buddha. He was really excited that this beer was included in the 2-for-1 Happy Hour. I was excited that we could get $1 Meatballs at the bar. They were awesome! My favorite was the buffalo chicken (I love all things buffalo... It's a basic weakness). We also had the lamb, spicy pork, blended and the short rib. All great... The bartender helped us with suggestions for sauce. We got excellent service and the atmosphere of this place really cool. We loved sitting at the bar and it was super comfortable. Definitely come here for happy hour!
(5)Savanna M.
3.5 stars really. There are some good options here and there were some misses for me. We arrived at 7:30 on a Wednesday night and were sat immediately. I figured the new "hot spot" would be busy but that a weeknight wouldn't be too bad. However, after we were sat there was huge group standing around at the door and each of those parties probably waited at least 30 mins. We got lucky! As other's have mentioned - it's loud! Loud to where the waiter had trouble taking our orders. The decor and ambiance is nice and I appreciate the modern day touches paired with some traditional Italian items (note the napkins). All in all, I like the menu. I like the style of the menu and how a lot of it is "create your own" but I won't be rushing back here as only the dessert really wowed me. The wine, beer and cocktail list is a bit short, particularly regarding the wines. I think there were 7 or so specialty cocktails - we tried one and found it to be a bit gross. The beer list was "crafty" enough to please the beer drinkers at our table, but the wine list left me disappointed. First of all it's separated by wines on tap and bottles. The wines on tap are offered by the glass, carafe and bottle and are outrageously priced. There are a few "cheaper" bottles but they were all white. Also there isn't any separation between whites and reds and I ended up ordering a carafe of a blend that I thought was red, but turned out to be white. The carafe bottle was cute but definitely wasn't served as cold as I would have liked. We started off with three appetizers to share: *Polenta Fries - I was the biggest fan of these at the table. There wasn't much flavor but if you know me, you know grits, polenta...all of these gritty textures are great in my book. Served with marinara for dipping. *Brussel Sprouts - I make a mean brussel sprout so I tend to be a harsh critic. These passed my test. Also served over marinara sauce... you'll see this is a bit of a trend. *Calamari - served over marinara lol. Nothing special here, just regular calamari in my book. For entrees we all did 4 balls over "insert option here". Two of us did the arugula salad which was quite good. Came with corn in the salad which I loved, although I get that some people may not like the surprise. Two did pastas, which I didn't try any of, but didn't hear any complaints. I went the traditional route with the F&B blend (pork and beef) and found my meatballs to be the best and most moist. I opted for the roasted tomato sauce which was quite good. I also tried beef and the special chicken meatball of the night. Everyone else had the Parmesan cheese and herb cream sauce. Nothing special in my mind. We split a side of the mac and cheese which also underwhelmed. I'd put it more in the alfredo category, although it also had peas, so maybe an alfredo meets carbonara. For dessert the boys split the cookies and milk. They didn't offer us any so I'll take that as a good sign. The girls split the fried bread pudding with a rum ice cream. I'm trying my best to avoid sugar so I planned on only one bite. That flew out the window once I tasted how great it was...and probably ate my full half lol.
(3)Trina L.
Had the Quinoa and Kale ball. Very tasty! Swanky spot w/a hip crowd. Seems like a cool after work spot....loved that they played Jamriqui! Decent wine list! Service is cool. Food came out quick for a Friday night on the Las Olas strip. We would come here again.
(4)Michael C.
We have been hearing so much about Fork and Balls and really could not wait to try this new creative concept on Las Olas. We were glad that when we arrived there was not the wait we had heard so much about, at 7pm, we got seated immediately. Love the open atmosphere and layout. Great open bar with very light décor, mood changing when you walk in. We were greeted by our waitress, Blake, who never took a smile off her face the whole night and was there every step of the way, and very personable. The menu is simple, just like the name, and you definitely know that you are going there for: BALLS; beef, chicken balls, veggie balls, spicy pork balls or their F & B combination. You can just have balls, or can put your balls over pasta, garlic spinach, or creamy polenta. Then you can choose among various sauces to top off the dish. The wine list is not extensive, but for what they have on the wine list, they chose really great wines and sparkling wines that are very reasonably priced. Lucente Italian wine was our choice and if you like a good Italian wine, reasonably priced, we were surprised to be able to order this for only $38.00 a bottle. Great wine for pairing with our meal. We started off with their Traditional Salad, which you can split for 2 people. The lettuce was really fresh and crisp with olives, onions and chick peas. We had crumpled blue cheese on the side. Really a great salad. We wanted to order the Calamari because it was highly recommended, but we wanted to save all our room for the reason we came there: BALLS. I ordered the Classic Beef Balls over garlic spinach, topped with their traditional tomato sauce and my wife ordered the Chicken Balls over the daily veggies. The meatballs where very good, nice portion of 3 balls, and the sauces were in great proportion to the dish, not to take away from the flavor of the meat. The sauce did not drown out the dish. We were with another couple and between the 4 of us, we shared their foot long F&B garlic bread. EXCELLENT!!! They offer great side dishes , very different, so we had the Polenta fries with parmesan cheese, served with their tomato sauce on the side. Really addictive, could of had two of these. All of their meatball dishes are topped off with fresh cheese and the portions are not too big and leaves you pretty full when you walk out. Perfect portions so you can order a side or two with a salad, drinks or wine and walk out very satisfied with a reasonably priced dinner. Every time you go back, it would be a great place to try something different. They offer different F & B favorite dishes and sides to choose from. Fun menu. Word of caution: let the servers know you are their to relax and not be rushed because their is a tendency to feel like they want to get to business pretty quickly, and turn the tables This is not a "fine dining" atmosphere and do not expect to go their for "gourmet" meatballs, but a fun, open high energy establishment that has a great concept and great food, with a great menu with variety, and well priced. We will definitely go back to try something different, and would love to sit at their beautiful bar next time as well.
(4)Hilda H.
If you just have some, want some or lack some, you can get them here. They have for him for her and all her friends. These balls are delicious, succulent and come in an endless combination that will sure satisfy, at least one of your cravings. Las Olas, what a refreshing place in the heart of Ft Lauderdale. The city of al fresco dining, strips of art galleries and posh boutiques.A new delicious trend has come to town. Fork and Balls is a spacious venue by Las Olas Boulevard. Its loud and trendy but soon to come are arrangements to the ceiling which will serve as noise reductors. This place is good for a date but not quite the first date because youll want to get to know eachother and screaming across or in someones ear is not what you need. So by all means after the forking and spooning bring your lady friend here for that little extra craving. This venue is excellent for groups and special events. You can come grab a small bite and drinks yet leave with a happy full tummy with a huge satisfaction from their gourmet bites. We had multiple plates and drinks and they were all beyond fantastic. We started trying the brussel sprouts. They were presented fried but light battered so dont shy from i just because its fried. They were crunchy and moist and because they were topped with apple wood bacon and sprinkled with parm cheese it was a nice complement and a appetite stimulator as well. We continued ordering and we tried the Steph's Market Salad, which was arugula, feta,cashews, a citrous vinaigrette and watermelon to make it interesting and refreshing at the same time. Our server was great and brought me a much needed side of watermelons. We had the Calamari, was served with marinara sauce and for a twist it had sweet and hot peppers and roasted garlic aioli. Beware it's a little spicy. The batter is not too heavy and the calamari is soft and still well cooked. The mac & cheese was delicious, it had peas and mushrooms, I think it could have used a little more cheese and smaller noodles but it was still pretty nice and then it just falls into personal preference but it wasn't bad. F & B blend balls were one of my favorite, the veal and pork meatballs were very moist and flavorful. We chose to have it with the mushroom sauce. The meatballs were so tender and moist that they just melted in the palate. It's a must have!!! The gluten free chicken balls were very nice it had great aroma to them because it was seasoned with fennel. We had them with the Parmesan cheese sauce . We were running out of stomach room, we split one Vegan Veggie Ball. It was awesome, tasted a little nutty, different herbs and spices rushed into the sinuses, very pleasing and flavorful. Our server Emily was great. Make sure you ask for her when you come here. She checked on us often, made sure we had enough of everything that we wanted and needed. For dessert we tried the fried bread pudding which was beautifully accompanied with a scoop of my favorite.... Rum raisin yummmmmm. We also tried the Berry gelato sorbet. Delicious creamy and silky. Our experience here was grand. I'm positive that this place like their other many locations like Tarpon Bend, Yolo & S Club will be around for many years to come adding glamour, hip,trendy and amazing food to all of us foodies out there. P.S. : YOLO is getting a makeover,,,, stay in the lookout for the opening party, it's gorgeous, bigger and better. Soon the plates will bring four balls instead of the three that are coming in now.
(5)Jennifer D.
We had to go try out Fork & Balls since the hype was even catching the attention of news channels. And boy were they right! This place is lovely! The light is dim, the music is right and the servers are nice. We immediately got greeted as we entered the door. And we were seated with menus right away! This weekend was actually a rather busy one for Ft Lauderdale with the Tortuga festival and you wouldn't even notice because the service was on point and they weren't agitated. You'd think with thousands of people in town this would've been a bad night to go but it wasn't. We had a good time! If you like meatballs you will definitely love this place! The menu is full of creative meatball meals. Their plates are made quickly! So quick that our garlic bread we ordered came at the same time. I ate a Philly Meatball Sandwich and my spouse had the short rib meatball melt. They both were delicious! The Philly definitely tasted as so with green peppers and all. The short rib was to die for! Their entrees fill you up! Come try this place out! You won't regret it!
(5)Nick R.
Beware if you are celebrating a birthday that there is a $3/person "dessert fee" that they wait to tell you about until after eating even if the cake is clearly visible and the server had nothing to do with it (didn't hold it, bring it out, light candles, cut/serve it, give extra silverware or plates, etc.) so it's extremely tacky and shady. we were even sitting at a the bar and it was a homemade themed cake not like we brought in Carvel... never again though!
(1)Aga D.
Great place, cool decor, awesome stuff, delicious food!!!! Don't forget about 50% of Monday's drinks
(5)Khalimah R.
Milk and cookies as a dessert option?! Yes please! Just make sure you ask for regular milk or instead you'll get some flavored cream milk that's not for everyone. The creamy polenta and the Brussels sprouts so far are my favorite! Great service. Vegetarian options.
(4)Shira T.
Definitely a must try!!! Had 4 different types of balls and couldn't have been happier! -chicken buffalo -kale Caesar -stuffed short rib -salmon lettuce cups Will order for take out OFTEN!!!
(4)Morris M.
DYNAMITE! This place has the best and most tasty spaghetti and meatballs I have ever had. The tomato sauce was very tasty as well and you can tell it's homemade. My meal was accompanied by this incredible salad that actually had watermelons in it and I loved it. Although I haven't had all the meatballs, I can attest to the flavor of the turkey. And by the way, I love the atmosphere. Shabby chic and very eclectic ambiance. Definitely give them a shot.
(5)Jen T.
My husband and I visited this place on our vacation, and were offered seating at a table against the wall or a hi-top so we do chose the latter. This place is dark, not dimly lit, but dark. Side effect of the lighting: The combination of the darkness in the restaurant coupled with it being dark outside made it somewhat difficult to read the menus. We asked our server (Bi***a) for suggestions. Her description of the polenta fries was that they were "mushy inside", and it couldn't have been a more accurate description for the entire meal. The kitchen is open, and there were two cooks preparing the food with a manager expediting. Somehow, all 4 of the items that we ordered (traditional salad, herb polenta fries, B&E chicken balls, & short rib balls) were prepared and delivered to our table at the same time. Each item had the same unseasoned, mushy consistency - even the salad which was coated in oily dressing. Side effect of the lighting: You can't tell if your meatballs were thoroughly cooked since there was no crisp or crunch on the outer layer. When our bill arrived, it had a clothespin attached to clip the payment. Our server asked us how everything was, and if we needed takeout boxes (we had a good bit of food leftover). We told her that everything was "fine" and that we didn't want to carry the leftovers back to out resort. We paid in cash and left. No big deal, we just chalked it up to the meal not being one of our favorites. Now, I worked in the service industry for 5+ years, so I would never not leave a tip much less have the balls to stand around outside of the restaurant and hang out like we were doing. I was shocked when our server, in front of the other patrons outside, approached us to ask if we had a problem with our meal or service. I replied no and asked why. She told me because we didn't leave her a tip, and that her manager told her that she was supposed to come and ask us why! She went on to say that our bill was $47 and we "only left $48." My husband and I had already discussed her tip...the bill was $47 plus change, so we left 2-$20 bills, 1-$5 bill, 3-$1's and another $10 bill for a tip (totaling $58, so a $10+ tip/over 20%). My husband told her that we left her $10, and she replied that we didn't. He then had to ask her if she had the money clipped, which she did. He asked her to see the money that we left, so she pulled it out of her pocket. We IMMEDIATELY see the bills that we know we left ,and she proceeds to pull it out of her pocket and count it in front of us. When she realizes her mistake, she gave an annoyed sigh, apologizes, and then basically runs back into the restaurant. Side effect of the lighting: The servers can't see to count the payments. (See, nobody wins with this lighting?!) We stood there in shock and embarrassment for a few minutes and then discussed the situation. We decided to go back into the restaurant and requested to speak with a manager. We explained the events that occurred, and then he denied knowledge of the situation which meant that he did not send her outside of the restaurant. My husband explained that his employee was too foolish to double check the payment amount, lied about management encouraging servers to follow patrons outside, and acted completely unprofessional. The manager gave a curt apology, and said that he would not fire her. He explained that he would "reeducate her"...that was that according to the manager. Just turn the lights completely out.
(1)Sara C.
I think this place is a clever idea. Randomly stopped in here for a lunch one day while driving through town on vacation. The meatballs are their specialty. Their spaghetti and meatballs, very authentic. The atmosphere is trendy yet casual. Beer and wines on tap, and a fairly good selection at that. There's a fairly good range of food to be called Fork & Balls, but I really do suggest having their meatballs, probably the best I've had in a long while and right underneath authentic homemade meatballs at family gatherings. Plus, they come in so many different variations, some sounding tastier than others, but you can go traditional or get a little adventurous with it.
(4)Mrs. D M.
Was up in Fort Lauderdale for a birthday gathering, and stopped by here by chance. Was told there was a 30 min wait, but found 2 seats at the bar and ate there. Compared to eating in Miami out on a Friday night, this was too easy! Restaurant names explains it: lots of balls to choose from on the menu. Various sides and entrees, too. Food: Turkey Balls with a roasted tomato sauce (very tender without fillers and the sauce was great), Creamy Polenta with Parmesean (good, but not creamy like the description, more like chunky grits), quinoa and kale balls with curry sauce, eggplants and peppers (the sauce was great; the balls alone were too crumbly with an odd aftertaste, but good alternative for vegetarians), Brussel Sprouts (good, but too much sauce!). Service: the bartender was very friendly and the food came out quickly. Everything seemed to run smoothly there and done with a smile. Very happy. Valet parking outside, or a lot behind the building. Good find for a random walk-in!
(4)Laura G.
I've been wanting to try this place since it opened, but was a little unsure of the whole "meatball kitchen" idea. As fate would have it, I got a coupon in the mail for BOGO meals. Awesome! We went in on Wednesday evening & it was relatively quiet. We were seated immediately & our drink orders were taken. We ordered the buffalo meatball app, which came out quickly and was excellent. 4 meatballs between two people doesn't seem like much but it was filling. My bf ordered the chicken parm smash & a side of Mac n cheese. The sandwich wasn't anything special, but was tasty. The Mac n cheese had peas & mushrooms in it and had almost like a ziti type pasta. It was good, big enough for share. Mildly annoying that you don't get a side when you order an entree or sandwich - I think the smash was $12 and the Mac n cheese was an additional $6. I ordered the spicy Italian which was quite hardy and delicious! Again, "only" four meatballs but it was filling. We didn't order dessert....this time, as we were stuffed. As a few people have mentioned, it's nearby Rocco's, so it's a nice change of pace if it's packed there. Nice ambiance, great food & also a nice bar area. They have happy hour from 4-7 during the week, so i need to go check it out!
(4)Jenny L.
Was just in town for a long weekend and wound up here three days out of the four. Order a few sets of balls (four in an order with your choice of sauce) and some garlic bread and you'll be golden. Beer on tap is amazing. Also unique here is that they have wine on tap. Ball of the day along with drink of the day ensures you'll never be disappointed. Definitely stoping by here on our next trip down.
(5)Kerri F.
On New Years Day, my husband, 6 year old son and I popped in for a late lunch after attempting to go to Rocco's (which was a zoo). We are so glad we did! It was awesome. We started with the calamari app which was very good. It was not heavily breaded, very tasty, and cooked perfectly. If you've ever had the calamari at Capital Grille (and you must!), it's a close second. I would have liked F&B's to have a little heat, like their's does, but it was delish, nonetheless. My husband ordered a daily special which was four decent size (not huge) braised short rib meatballs. They were amazingly good and I immediately kicked myself for not getting them, although I really liked m y dish, too. Since it was New Year's Day, the special side was collards with black eyed peas and he ordered them. Collards are not my thing, but he really enjoyed them. Beer is not my thing either, but they had a nice craft selection that made him happy. We'll be back!
(5)Lisa A.
Came in here for lunch on a Wednesday at 12:25pm. We had an appetizer, our food and were out the door by 12:55pm. Quick and friendly service! The polenta fries were good and super filling. My date and I are usually big eaters but we couldn't even finish them. For my meal I got the spaghetti and beef meatballs with the creamy garlic sauce. My boy got the beef meatball sub. Everything was delicious. Portions were a decent size, we left stuffed. All the staff was friendly. The decor here is hip, industrial and modern giving you a chill vibe. This is a good place for 20 and 30 something's to hang.
(4)Margie S.
Super accommodating of our very large party. The meatballs are great, and the fried bread pudding with rum ice cream and rum sauce were was to die for! I tried the polenta fries, too - but they were just OK. I'll definitely be trying it again for the fun atmosphere, great location, and to try some more meatballs, which come in about 8 different varieties!
(4)Jennifer B.
We went here during my bachelorette party and tried many of the different balls that were available and enjoyed a lot of them. There was 15 of us and they accommodated us and set up a table when we called ahead with no problem. The Brussels sprouts were definitely memorable and I would highly recommend this place!
(4)Kinjal K.
I'm picky about what I put in my mouth, but I'm glad their balls was one of those things. The concept was great. First you pick the type of balls you want. Then you pick the sauce you want them cooked in. Finally, you decide if you want them alone or if you want them on top of something (salad, pasta, etc.). I tried the Fork & Berry Fizz, which is their signature drink. It was amazing! I definitely recommend it!
(5)Ashley M.
We came here for a leisurely Monday lunch on our day off. The restaurant was almost empty at 1PM. We had tried the short rib meatball at the New Times Pairings event and had loved it, so were really excited to see their full menu. We started with their calamari appetizer ($10.00), which was perfectly breaded and the calamari rings were very tender. It was topped with marinara and a cream based sauce, as well as some pickled peppers to give a bit of spice. I loved the combination of flavors. It turns out that the ball of the day was the same short rib meatball we tried at the event, and we just couldn't pass up trying it again. I ordered the Balls on Top Mozz-Tomato ($13.00 plus $1.00 for Meatball Monday Madness) and Fernando chose the Balls On Top Polenta ($13.00 plus $1.00 for Meatball Monday Madness). We both chose the roasted tomato sauce. Fernando had seen photos of the fried bread pudding with rum ice cream ($6.00), so of course we had to finish off the meal with it. It is amazing. Service was great and as the restaurant was not full, the noise level was very low. I do find four balls to be too much for one sitting, especially when over a salad or other side. I did not see an option to order one or two meatballs, but I did end up bringing home two for lunch the next day. I find the prices a bit too high, as well. I believe that we were charged $13.00 plus $1.00 because of Meatball Monday, but that the price would normally be $4.00 or more on top of the $13.00. Also, I was charged $7.00 for a double espresso, which is outrageous. The appetizers and desserts are priced appropriately for what I would expect to pay. I guess I just don't understand the pricing structure of the menu, as it's quite confusing. The salad has one price on the right side, yet comes up to $13.00 if you want to top with meatballs, yet you still pay additional for the meatballs that you top it with? I would give this restaurant four stars if not for the confusing pricing. Also, I'm still in shock over my $7 espresso. I frequent Starbucks and that is about double what I pay there, and I do not consider Starbucks to be a bargain! Our lunch, consisting of one bottle of Pellegrino, an appetizer, two lunch entrees, one dessert, one cappuccino and one double espresso came out to $65.46, before tip.
(3)Adrienne L.
Went here for a bachelorette party! I have never been to a restaurant like this. We tried every type of ball and LOVED them!! We sat at the high too and the atmosphere was nice, comfortable and roomy. We had plenty of space for a large party!
(5)Brittany M.
Stopped in by chance on a Monday-- apparently it's all you can eat meatballs. Two hours for dinner; service was rather cold and painfully slow. Will not be returning.
(1)Tim N.
Went back last week. Same incredible service from Marcos. The portions have gotten HUGE! Still all good.
(4)Caitlin M.
SO GOOD. Went there with some friends, and it was delicious. 50% off all of our drinks, and the food (while not exclusively ball shaped-disappointing) was so yummy. My boyfriend and I are vegans and there were tons of vegetarian options that they easily converted to vegan and was still super tasty. Our two friends eat everything and loved their food. The server was really sweet and friendly- great experience and great food!
(5)Hayley R.
Went to F&B for our third time last night. We tried the 15$ all you can eat. They give you a salad and focaccia bread to start which was good but fills you up. My boyfriend and I could only order four balls each until we were stuffed. We did order the 2-1 drinks which helped with the bill. If you are not famished then I do not see the 15$ as much as a deal. I think the concept of this restaurant is fun and the food has always been consistently flavorful. The drawback to this place is the service. The two times we have had dinner before we had the same server who was just flat out rude both times. She hardly came around to check on us and when she did, she was very rude and short. I had saw on Instagram they were doing a funky buddha free beer tasting. When I asked her about it she seemed disgusted that she had to actually go get us some beer samples ( which turned out to be three measly shots of beer) For our third time back we decided we weren't going to sit in the dining area and risk rude service so we sat at the bar and the bartender was very friendly and attentive. I would recommend giving this place a try but beware of rude service!
(3)Krystel A.
I usually hate meatballs, but after eating there for the first time... I have a new found love. The meatballs were exquisite. I'm. It even exaggerating. Don't think twice, gooo have some meatballs.
(5)Arturo B.
As other mention, the atmosphere/ambiance is great. I suggest visiting as a group to take advantage of ordering different meatball_sauce combinations. There are no reservations. Therefore, early arrival is a must for large groups - expect a min. 1-hour wait. F&B Blend with Marinara (traditional tomato) Special (Short Rib stuffed with F&B Blend) with Pomodoro Chicken with Pesto Beef with Mushrooms I really enjoyed my balls, except the chicken with pesto one. I should have listened to my colleagues, but decided to try them anyway. I found the pesto too strong and the ball too tough. All others were delicious - the tomato one being my favorite sauce; so light and fresh. I also got a side of polenta and enjoyed it very much. Soft, creamy, with great flavor, this dish is a good accompaniment to your meatball(s). I found it worked best w/ the tomato combination. Bev offerings are vast with wine and beer on tap, and craft cocktails. Some are very sweet, so I politely asked the bartender to please make them non-sweet for me. The result was fine. I enjoyed sipping on the berry old fashioned all night until it was time to leave. Parking was easy - garage close by and plenty of metered parking. My favorite part was taking an Uber to O Lounge after to enjoy a night-out in FLL. Fun times!
(3)David Z.
Came back to give it another shot. So Far the bartender has been very attentive and knowledgable about the menu. I went with her suggestion F&B Blend w/ Roasted Tomato Sauce. Food just arrived. Not sure what to say. The meat balls are made from veal and pork. Can't believe it was seasoned and tasted before it was put up for service. They were fresh no question about that.
(3)Eliana T.
Great food. We came in for an early dinner on a Saturday. Sat at the bar. The bartender recommended several things that we tried. Everything was right on. The Brussels sprouts, and the polenta fries were fantastic. The specialty cocktail list was creative, with some different options. Tried the furry wall, it was refreshing and tasty. Also ordered the ball of the day, which was a lamb meatball with a curried yogurt sauce. Fantastic. Chicken meatballs were so juicy and tender. The atmosphere is fun, but not too crazy for this time of day. Looking forward to coming back often when we move back downtown!
(5)Michael H.
Very mediocre is the best way to describe this place. First the good. The meatballs are very good, especially the daily special we had, a pork and veal blend stuffed with short rib. I got them on sliders so I could try different balls. Also the Brussel Sprouts were very very good. Now the bad. It is way too loud. This is not a nightclub, you don't need blaring music. I came to dinner to socialize with my friends and could barley hear them because of the blaring speakers. Just to reiterate, there is ZERO reason the music should be this loud.... ZERO. The next let down was the Mac and Cheese. This dish was on the sides list with no description. It was pasta, Alfredo like sauce, and then mushrooms and peas. Gross! Why would you destroy Mac and Cheese with mushrooms and peas. It's a classic dish, it doesn't need that. Really, I'd love to come back because the meatballs were good, but pretending your restaurant is a nightclub makes the atmosphere very uncomfortable.
(3)Michael M.
Absolutely stunning. I travel constantly and eat all over the place and this was literally one of the most delicious places I've ever been. Buffalo chicken balls were spicy and fell apart with a fork. Perfectly topped with blue cheese. The chicken saltimbocca balls with tomato sauce were breathtaking. The roasted cauliflower was seasoned perfectly with a great kick. Everything came out fast and hot and the staff was great. Thoroughly, thoroughly impressed!!
(5)Phil D.
We thought the name was catchy, just got of the water taxi walked straight here. $4.00 for four meatballs , Monday special along with a carafe of wine $11.00. Service was great food was great I would recommend this restaurant.
(5)Leonela I.
The worst customer experience EVER! The food was great but unfortunately the "manager" Suzette doesn't know how to treat a customer. I was part of a large group and they made our lives hell to pay the check.. they told us they only could split the check in 4 (we were 8) and that it was company's policy, which it wasn't stablished anywhere. The manager treated us like dirt. Never coming back just because of that!
(1)Michael L.
This place needs a new menu and some class. The waitress just asked what kind of sauce do I want on my balls. Getting a little to personnel for me !!!
(1)Marqus R.
This is one restaurant that I don't have any problem with being a Yelp Four Stars fan. It's really a rather simple place with a rather simplistic menu, meatballs being the specialty, but what they do and the manner in which they do it are both done very well. The only problem, and indeed in speaking with some of the other patrons and a glance of the varying reviews, seems to be a confusion as to the size of the portion one receives. All I can say about that is that either they failed to read the menu or are somehow confused as to what is generally accepted as the standard size of a meatball. I ordered the three F & B blend meatballs with their mushroom sauce and though such an order results in a small portion, perfect for me. The meatballs served me were in a small cast iron skillet, a delightful blend supposedly of veal and beef though I would swear with a moisture more consistent with pork, having near perfect to the taste meat flavor and seasoning, especially with the mushroom sauce which was a hearty rather robust based upon a fresh mushroom combination. And though exPhiladelphian Yo Cuz Martorano, locally famous for his meatballs, may take issue with me on this, better in value and equally as fine in overall texture. I also had their special salad of the day, being an arugula with corn, pepper, Manchego (read unpasteurized sheep milk cheese generally of the La Mancha region of Spain) with a sherry vinaigrette. All of the ingredients were super fresh, with a clean taste to the palate, one of the better arugula salads I've experienced. Other notable upsides to Fork & Balls is that they do offer daily specials based upon fresh market availability, have a rather decent draft beer selection plus a good wine on tap selection. I know that some may smirk at the thought of "wine on tap," but that is a developing as well as upcoming tend. It's also one that I welcome since the wines when done on tap remain fresh without any shelf deterioration.
(4)Jason C.
Very cool place. Good food, friendly server, and nice atmosphere. The entrees come out really hot, so be careful not to burn your taste buds on the first bite.
(4)Glenn H.
Took a group of 15 to Fork & Balls on Saturday night. We had the long table upfront which was great... and the food was also great. What wasn't great was that they wanted to charge us $3 per person to cut and serve my birthday cake. When we said we'd cut it ourselves, the server said she wasn't allowed by managment to give us a cake knife, really? The other thing that wasn't great was the really slow service. They had one server working a table of 15... I felt bad for the girl because she was very nice and was doing her best. The dinner took 3/12 hours from start to finish and they can only divide the bill up by four... really, in today's world? Fork & Balls managment... look out for your servers by not forcing them to nickel and dime your customers!
(2)Tomas B.
Where to begin - really kind of a strange niche this place has as on a Saturday afternoon 5PM just after a torrential rain stopping in for a quick bite we are the only people in the place. 2 Hours later and it is wall to wall with not a place in sight to sit or get a drink. Arrive to a straight forward square bar with tables aligned on both sides along with a huge communal table at the front door. With multiple beers on tap along with 6 wines on tap "The new rage" we settle on a craft beer and a non tap wine by the glass. Also the rage is beer in a can. I thought I got out of this mode sometime ago when I graduated high school but I digress. Apparently the new rage also brings in the 20 something crowd as it certainly has a median average of about 21 to 25 for patrons tonight. We want to sample some of the menu but as the name suggests it is almost all balls. Meatballs of various types with various sauces and then combination of thereof. Some salads and a few other items but for the most part this is about their meatballs. We start with the F&B blend tonight which is veal and pork balls in their Robust Tomato sauce. (Note Mom's meatballs are always veal, pork & Beef). I could not distinguish the fact that there was no beef. As these go they were actually very good. The sauce was not your standard "Sunday Gravy" but it was very tasty and plentiful. Side of shredded cheese was provided and an order of undercooked but tasty garlic bread was presented as well. Ample cheese on the bread but just missed. Continuing on a Lamb ball Gyro was tried which was basically your Greek gyro but it was replaced with a lamb meatball. Concept was sound and it was a pretty interesting sandwich. A make your own hero was top notch with 100% spicy pork meat balls, robust tomato sauce, ricotta cheese and sweet & Hot peppers. Bread was top notch and the combination was a real winner. No deserts or coffee were tried and Jillian behind the bar was a pleasure to look at and was on top of everything all night. All and all their very neat concept is a winner. It is not spectacular by any means, but this modern vibe combined with a niche of a market and fair price points should keep this place in business for a long time.
(4)Marko E.
Another hit! Attractive, attentive staff (always a great thing), excellent food, I had the meatball daily special, with short rib in the middle, wow, ordered a second round! Three nice meatballs on each order, with your choice of sauce. First round was with the tomato sauce, highly recommended. Second order had the cream sauce. Wife had the vege meatballs which were very good. Only $8.00! Suggestions: how about some crunchy French Bread? Included bread was only average. Wife suggested a "hanger" put under the bar for her purse. She loves it when her purse is not on top of the bar. Also- Improved champagne list please! Not everyone likes Prosecco. Overall excellent experience! Great food, great service!
(5)Jay X.
We ordered the regular spaghetti with meatballs, chili bowl with meatballs, and mac and cheese. The mac and cheese was tasteless mush. Bad choice of noodles for that. The peas threw us off and the cheese itself had no flavor. The meatballs were MUSHY and undercooked. Not pink inside, but it was not the normal meatball texture it should be. The pasta sauce slipped off the spaghetti, so I was basically eating plain noodles. None of us finished our meal and only had 5 bites. We left with stomach aches and felt sick. Thankfully, no food poisoning. It was so undesirable that I wished I could puke up that meal to have space for better food.
(1)Dana M.
My girlfriend and I dined in with our 2 9yr old daughters for a little hang out lunch during the week. The restaurant was empty....didn't expect it to be busy at 3pm on a Thursday. We walked in and sat ourselves and our server came right over and explained the menu. She was very pleasant and helpful. We ordered the Buffalo meatballs appetizer which was very moist and ohhh soon yummy! Our little girls had the meatball smash sandwich which they loved and we had the Quinoa balls with Parmesan sauce and the Turkey balls with Pesto sauce. It was a lot of food! All was so good. The mac & cheese was ok...Iv had better and it wasn't what I expected. The spinach was good as well as was the Polenta fries. While we were there we also had a drink from their drink menu. Our overall experience was great and to top it off we were unaware that it was happy hour so our drinks were 50%off! I will be back for more balls for sure!
(4)Bob W.
If you take quality of food and price into consideration it does not get any better than Fork and Balls. It only took one trip for us to get hooked and we keep coming back. The sandwiches are great and the Spaghetti is the best around.
(5)Donna D.
As vegetarians we were excited to try this restaurant as they have veggie balls and kale & quinoa balls. The first two times we explicitly asked the waitress to inquire if the tomato sauce and brussels sprouts were made in chicken stock or had meat in them. We were told no on both occasions. This evening we once again asked to confirm because we always do , and were told that in fact chicken stock was used in all but one sauce snd also in the brussel sprouts. Now the menu has a few items marked 'vegan' but that is not the same as vegetarian. We are upset that the prior waitresses either did not check or didn't tell us. And we are grateful for the honesty of this evening's server. So beware if you have dietary questions. And enjoy the food if you don't. Also: just FYI Monday's are LOUD music! So not a place to go on that evening if you want to talk over dinner!
(2)Tim S.
Great Balls! When you get these balls in your mouth, you will be so happy! You won't believe these balls! OK, now that I've told the obvious jokes, the food here is very good. Portions are a little on the small side, but that's not the biggest issue. My sister ordered a glass of wine, she got the SMALLEST glass of wine I have ever seen! They said it was measured at 6 oz. it looked like it wasn't even 4, more like 2! The waitress said this a COMMON complaint! The management need to loosen their grip around the wine pouring and listen to their customers! My wife enjoyed the mozzerella and tomato salad, but really loved the herb polenta fries! "Those were YUM!". The garlic bread was like garlic bread she could make herself. We fed 5 people for about $125 + tip, so a pretty good price I'd say, then again, I'm from New York!
(3)Angelo R.
This place just opened on Friday. Its run by the same owners of Yolo, Tarpon and S3. We came here last night to try it out. Very busy at 9pm but the wait was only 30 minutes. I ordered one of their specialty cocktails but forgot the name. It was cucumber & gin concoction but and it was delicious and potent. The price wasn't bad either..10 bucks for well made drink. We got sat on a table by the window. Ordered Balls on Top (3 Spicy Pork Balls over Penne). The meatballs were cooked right, nice texture and flavorful. Not sure how my friend's dish tasted but wished they had a sampler to try all the meatball varieties. Overall the restaurant was clean, nicely decorated with an open floor plan. I liked the long rectangular bar in the middle. It didn't feel overcrowded. Will be back to try the other dishes. I took a pic of the simple menu.
(4)Sean R.
Went last night for dinner cause I love me some meatballs!!! The place has a very trendy vibe to it. Expected since the people who own Yolo also own F&B. the air conditioning is on full blast which normally I love (cause I'm always hot) but it was too much!!! I asked them to turn down the a/c so my food wasn't chilled when it got to me. They said they would do what they could. Bring a sweater ladies! Now the food! I started with the Calimari appetizer, yummy! But too salty. That ends the negativity I swear! The meatballs were amazing! I tried three different balls and they were all fantastic! I highly recommend the chicken ball in Parmesan cream sauce. The side of garlic spinach was great! Even better with a bit of the Parmesan cream!!! I will definitely be going back!!!
(4)Jeff P.
As part of the YOLO restaurant group here in Fort Lauderdale we wanted to like the place as much as S3 or YOLO. But alas, we didn't. It wasn't bad but it was damn expensive for what amounts to a bar with a kitchen that mostly makes meat balls. The crowd is younger and likes to drink as the bar is the focal point of the space and competes for the upper end beer crowd in town. Of course, there are wines and cocktails. But paying $15+ for a glass of wine or a drink in Fort Lauderdale is rich even for the Las Olas area. And it better be an awesome space for that kind of bucks, and well, it isn't. Service - excellent. This town being a resort, an expert wait staff can be built easily as long as the dollars are there. And F&B will cost you, so you get good service. Really good service. This is a high point of the experience. Food - Its ok. While attempting to get creative with meat balls as your universe can be limiting, they do an interesting job of mixing it up on the menu - Italian-ish, Mexican-ish fares involving meat balls. This may end up being more of a novelty in the long run but we'll have to see. For the kind of bucks involved, we'll pass going back. Like I said, it's not bad, just not special. And for the dollars there is a lot of competition. And better food to be had.
(3)Bruno B.
Heard good things about this eatery and they have a number of vegan options. I had the vegan balls and I must say they were out of sight! Very tasty!! Our server, Patrick was very nice and accomodating. He was very informative and was very patient with me going over what was vegan and what as not. First time there..overall deserves a 5 star rating! I will definitely return here! It's nice to see more and more restaurants are offering vegan options! Change is happening! Thanks F&B!
(5)Angie S.
My 16 year old daughter picked Fork and Balls as her birthday dinner location so I took her and a friend here on a Tuesday night around 6:00. There was no wait and we were seated and greeted by our waitress right away. We started with the F&B garlic bread and herb polenta fries. Polenta fries were yum. We loved them and would order again. I really wanted to like the garlic bread and I know this will sound stupid; but, the garlic taste was to much for me. It tasted like a very large amount of garlic was rubbed over the top of the bread and I found it overpowering. For mains we ordered Balls On Top classic beef with roasted tomato over collared greens, which were the daily veggie. Four good sized balls. Really tender and tasted delicious. The collared greens were some of the best I have ever tasted and I'm from WV so I grew up on collared greens. I hope they add them to the menu as a regular side because I would get them every single time. The two teenagers ordered The Greek (lamb balls on pita bread gyro style) and The Jeffry (F&B blend balls with a white bean spread and ricotta). Both sandwiches were so tasty. The Jeffry sort of fell apart but nothing a fork couldn't fix. For dessert we tried the Fried Bread Pudding. Get this when you go!!!!! Served with Rum Raisin ice cream. So good. Last night I was at a wine and food pairing event and F&B were there serving short rib meatballs. These must be a daily special because they weren't on the menu but if they are available you have to try them. The meatball is stuffed with short rib. They were amazing. Be prepared for it to be very loud in there. Even the kids commented on the noise level a few times.
(4)Bob G.
What a nice surprise. I'm a meatball fanatic and the variety of meatballs is over the top. I caught happy hour $1 a ball with choice of sauce. I tried 7 different kinds of meatballs, trusting my server (bartenders) suggestions on sauces for each Six of them I loved and the other one was good. You be the judge Sexy atmosphere and DJ was a nice touch. I luckily got a spot in lot directly behind the place. I've been putting off trying this place because of parking situation. So I tried it on a Monday night There's more than meatballs. Dessert too I'm glad I finally tried this place and I would definitely be back
(4)E R.
Delicious, well-priced, food in a unique way. We live in the neighborhood so eat here fairly regularly, and we've never had a bad meal. I personally like something off drink menu with a meatball, or something light. My only recommendation would be to add some lighter options, perhaps another salad or vegetable dish. I understand that their main feature is ground meat, but sometimes dining companions would enjoy something a little less heavy.
(4)Alex R.
The place has some good balls, yes I said balls, meatballs. That's the kinda humor you'll get when you read the menu lol but seriously they are good and looks like a chill place. So if you're looking to meet with friends, try out a new place or simply get some drinks and stuff your mouth with some balls... That's a good place. I suggest sharing different kinds of balls with the table and friends. Ok that last comment I couldn't resist. Lol
(3)Scott T.
Who doesn't like a meatball? How about a menu of items that contain meatballs? Pick a meat ball, pick a sauce, maybe add an appetizer. That's Fork & Balls. Lamb, veal & pork, BACON!, yeah. You get the picture. Try the polenta appetizer as well, Nice beer selection. You won't leave hungry.
(4)Dina A.
Only 2 days old and it shows great promise! Attentive staff and knowledgeable friendly waiters. $5 valet and meter parking around the back. Timings are a little off right now because they just opened. Only open for dinner for the first 2 weeks. Menu not specific, traditional beef meatball actually has pork in it so ordered the F&B which is beef and veal. We tried 3 different sauces and all are great (traditional tomato, mushroom, creamy Parmesan) Side orders are not too large- Great for sharing. Broccoli Rabe and Kale Chips had flavor. Again, menu is not specific- white beans had pork in them, which the menu did not specify. Dessert- ordered both the chocolate chip cookies with orange zest milk and the fried bread pudding with rum raisin ice cream. The bread pudding was crispy on the outside, soft on the inside. The cookie stole the show!
(4)Anthony R.
Went for lunch during the week and not too crowded like I've seen it at this place in the evening. We've been wanting to try this restaurant for awhile now. There was four of us and we each shared our plates so we could try out the different meatballs. All in all, the food was really tasty. This restaurant is very trendy and a great place to eat at. I would recommend.
(4)Jessica B.
Came here to eat with husband on a sunday night, the atmosphere was great and the service was superb. Food on the other hand was okay. Nothing to rave dont think ill be back.
(2)Tanya M.
My daughter and I both went to see Dr Cooper the other day and she was AMAZING! It was my baby's first time going to see the dentist and she was so gentle with opening her mouth and checking out to make sure all her teeth were doing good. By far one of the best dentists I have ever been to!!
(5)Robert D.
What a great place to eat! We started with an awesome salad which the two of us couldn't finish. It was fresh and full of chick peas, tomatoes and olives! So fresh and a great value for $8. We had the polenta fries and calamari appetizers, two more winners. I had the spicy Italian meatballs over polenta, just awesome and generous portion. My son had the Sunday Gravy with meatballs over penne pasta. Both are topped with fresh ricotta cheese, so sweet! So good and so big, we both took some home. No room for dessert after all that food but the service and atmosphere are really good!
(5)Robert F.
Now living in the Las Olas area of Fort Lauderdale, we are working our way through the vast and lovely places to dine in the area. Driving down Las Olas we have seen Fork & Balls on our way home and decided to give it a try tonight. My usual M.O. is to try a few things as recommended by the server so if I don't like the place it will be because they couldn't execute the recommended dishes and I always want to try to like a local place because it is just that, "local". Our waitress Leigh was lovely, cute and knowledgeable. She was helpful and we tried three different type meatballs (one with penne pasta and the caesar salad with romaine (I just can't handle Kale in Caesar salad as offered on the menu). Leigh said they were very accommodating as to substitutions and we were grateful because my wife and I wanted to try Leigh's recommended meatballs in dishes that were assigning other types of "Balls" to them. The caesar came out and was quite average in size and taste. No bread of any kind is put on tables so when the entree's came out we were ready for them (hungry). The beef meatballs and the house blend meatballs were both mushy and I sent the house blend back. My wife's beef "Balls" were in the Greek special and she isn't a "send em back" person. She just say's she won't go back when there's a problem. (I feel unless you make issues known, you don't give the restaurant a fair chance to make improvements. The spicy pork meatballs were quite good. Let's face it, meatballs are rated on texture and flavor. They need both to be good. My penne pasta was cooked acceptably (I personally like it a bit more al dente') and the tomato sauce was VERY basic and just barely present. A tiny piece of focaccia comes with the bowl and it was just too tiny for me since no bread is put on the table. Overall, one in three "Balls" were good in this place (not so good). It "is" cute, has decent service, and a friendly environment and may do well because of it's location and pricing, which is pretty reasonable for an entry level nice cafe type place. I wish them well, because they seem like they're trying, and maybe if they stop putting too much filler into those beef and house blend meatballs they will appeal to more than kids and those who are not very discerning?
(2)Bill L.
Been wanting to try F & B now for awhile. I have them liked on FB and I'm constantly being teased by the photos of various random dishes they post. We sat inside along the window to feel the warmth of the sun shining through that day. Ordered ice tea and wifey had a glass of wine. I will say the wine was served in a short water glass similar to those usually around the sink of a hotel room and not in a traditional wine glass. She ordered just meat balls and selected from one of the sauce options available. I ordered the meatball hero sandwich and selected the blended meatballs and one of the sauce options as well. Served on a traditional Italian style sub roll and topped with provolone cheese. Out of this world full of flavor!
(5)Dara B.
I was really excited to come here and check the place out. A group of us came Monday night for $1 balls and 1/2 wine. The pricing structure of the $1 balls was confusing. Apparently in order to get the deal, you can only order off the "Just Balls" portion of the menu. The waitress did not explain that. I ordered off of the "Balls on Top" The lightning was very bad where we sat. It is my fault for not taking the drink menu to another spot and viewing the prices of the 1/2 wine (bottle and carafe not by the glass). The bottle of wine I ordered was $60 and since it was 1/2 off Monday, it came to $30. I was shocked. The waitress pushed the bottles. If I had known, I would have just ordered a $9 glass of wine. My bill came to 59.52 including tax and tip. The waitress kept the .48 cents. On the positive side, the balls, garlic bread and the Tuscan Kale Caeser Salad was delicious. If I do return, I will make sure and let everyone know about the pricing structure and only order off of the "Just Balls" menu. Diner beware.
(1)Jennifer O.
On a Saturday night we were told it would be a 45 minute wait, so we sat at the bar and within 20 minutes we were seated. We ordered the Turkey, Classic Beef, and F&B Blend Balls with the sauce on the side. All 3 selections were delicious! The F&B balls melt in your mouth (no pun intended). Service was great. We were quickly attended by the waitress and it didn't take long before the food was at our table. Before leaving we were already planning our next visit, as we were beyond satisfied with this restaurant selection.
(5)Andrew N.
Bottom Line Up Front: F&B is a really tasty, trendy, and affordable meatballs restaurant worth going to. Service: We went at 8:00 PM on a Saturday and waited about 30 minutes for a table. They use a text reservation system so you get a message when your table's ready. We had a few $10 signature drinks at the bar that were really good. They took a few minutes to stop by our table but someone came by and let us know they would be a little delayed and offered to bring us something, no big deal. Food: We got the calamari at the bar which had a spicy sauce and peppers- really good. We also had collard greens, grandma's bowl (a classic Italian dish) which was well above average and the Swedish meatball special (with mushroom sauce and penne) which was amazeballs (I had to, sorry). My wife also ordered another specialty drink. Price: Three drinks, appetizers, side, and two entree's for ~$75. Not too bad considering it was all really good. Parking: We parked on a residential street for free and walked about 3 minutes. The George Costanza Star (bathrooms): A star earned here. Dimly lit and clean bathrooms; excellent decor. Constanza approved. After Action Report (conclusion): We had a great time and were not disappointed by this meatball restaurant. Friendly staff with decent service, good food, and decent prices means we'll probably return at some point. As mentioned before the crowd is a younger, trendier one and people are dressed up. Highly recommended for a fun night out.
(4)Mike F.
The drinks are well priced and made. The food is outstanding and really puts them on par with the best restaurants in Fort Lauderdale. The only thing they need to improve is on service time - for mostly meatballs, the service could have been better and more attentive. However, this will not stop us from visiting in the future something we will definitely do soon!
(4)Bella M.
Excellent food, and excellent service thank you Kara. We had 4 different meals and they were all great.
(5)N. B.
Eaten here a couple times. One day brought a huge group where I was the only vegetarian. Told the waiter who told me-the balls are vegetarian but NONE OF THE SAUCES ARE. This was a change from prior where as I said I have eaten there before. I tried to double check with another employee who basically said she didn't know but if that's what our waiter said it just be true. We Almost walked out. Except We decided to ask the waiter again. Turns out that only one sauce has chicken stock, the marinara one. The rest are not vegan friendly. But I'm not vegan and never said I was. The waiter just had no idea about the ingredients/difference and started saying untrue things without knowing what it meant. He didn't think there was a difference and nonchalantly shrugged his shoulders. Our entire group almost walked out because no one wanted to stay if one person can't eat. Luckily we hadn't left yet because I was writing my yelp review that gave this place one star. I've changed it two stars as a result. Which is a shame because before this incident they would have gotten four. But you can't be in the food industry if you don't know the difference between vegan and vegetarian (and if you are not Sure you just have to ask before assuming!) And even though it does have vegetarian options I haven't been Able to go back since then just because it left such a bad memory.
(2)Iris M.
Had to rave about this place! Went with a coworker and we had two of their specialty cocktails (Fork 'N Berry Fizz and the Belli-Tini) they were both amazing. I had the Brussels sprouts because I'm a huge fan and order them everywhere. By far prepared the best I've every had! She had the Sicilian sandwich and she was impressed as well. Told all my coworkers since we work in the Downtown area so it should be a new lunch spot they can try. Also, kudos to our server (Brady) he was pleasant, funny and very attentive. Thank you for the great dining experience!
(5)Trevr B.
I like this place a lot.. Been here many times, meatballs are my favorite food and they definitely make some good meatballs... however, cant say ive ever truly been impressed or even satisfied with customer service Walked into restaurant.. Stood around for 4 whole minutes before a bus boy acknowledged us and sat us at a table near the entrance, and went back to bussing tables, thus no hostess whatsoever. I proceed to watch at least SEVEN different parties walk in and then walk out because not a single person was there to greet them. We even asked the our waitress to tell the manager because it was embarrassing to watch. I hope management sees this post because not having a hostess to greet customers is absolutely inexcusable
(2)Evan C.
I live here in the neighborhood a few blocks away and was excited for this place to open for either a quick drink or takeout, as I get takeout a few times a week due to working all the time. This is the second time I've ordered takeout and they've completely screwed up the order. Like to the point you think, "holy crap, how did that even happen." I've eaten at the bar before and had a decent experience, nothing exceptional. Typical hit or miss Las Olas restaurant experience. So a zero for whoever is responsible for takeout, and an average for the bar experience.
(3)Jeremy A.
I enjoyed fork and balls. The atmosphere has a weathered rustic feel to it which I liked. The staff are all very friendly which is nice and makes me want to return. Suzette in particular is great. The simplicity of the menu is refreshing and the food comes out quick. Easy simple concept. The food itself is really good. I had a variety of meatballs with different sauces. I enjoyed the classic ball with pesto over spaghetti. The Texan is delicious and the garlic bread is great for dipping. I want to come back to try more of their menu. The one negative is that their bar stools were so uncomfortable I couldn't enjoy my meal because my legs were killing me. I'll wait for a booth next time because those bar stools traumatized me. All in all Fork and Balls is a nice addition to Fort Lauderdale and once again the Restaurant People put together another successful restaurant. I'll be returning.
(4)Dana K.
We went for lunch because the restaurant down the street was packed. It was a pleasant surprise the food was awesome. I had meatballs stuffed with short ribs, red sauce, and polenta, it was so delicious. My husband had the chicken Parmesan which consisted of chicken meatballs on a brioche. All was delicious and we will definitely return to our new favorite restaurant.
(5)Erika L.
We came to this place with high hopes and in very hungry state. After seeing that they had an hour wait, we looked for a place by the bar and got lucky, they offer full service and we were just two people. We started with her crusted polenta fries. They were amazing. Very flavorful, golden and crisp with a creamy interior. For the main course we had the chicken balls with pesto sauce on an arugula salad and it was a great choice. The salad has roasted peppers and dijon dressing among some other toppings like corn. All of it mixed up in a bowl was oh so good!! We also tried the classic beef balls with roasted tomato sauce on a skillet. They were just ok. If you are unsure ask for recommendations on how to build you plate. You pick the type of meat in the balls, the sauce, and what they are served on, like on a sandwich, pasta or salad.
(3)Ty R.
I'll start out by saying the meatballs are good but unfortunately it stops there. The service is ok, management is poor, and the menu is awkwardly put together with little flexibility to delight the customer. I'm not sure what happened to this place because it was once a 3-4 star place IMHO...but something has dramatically changed. Best bet is to order takeout meatballs and add it to your own quality pasta at home or skip it al together and choose one of the other italian restaurants where service and customer delight is the norm.
(2)R S.
Great service, we sat outside and our waiter was very friendly and on que with our drinks (bogo) . The food was delicious, definitely will go back again
(5)N P.
My table had the short rib meatballs over polenta, chicken meatball parm, Philly cheese meatballs, and the classic meatballs. All were good except for the classic meatballs which were extremely bland. The best ones were the short ribs. Literally meatballs with short rib pieces in the center. A little in the salty side but they're balanced by the more plain polenta and ricotta. The garlic bread appetizer is good but very small. If it's the only appetizer at the table, it's not enough for more than two people. Polenta fries are great and good for 5 people or so. There is no children's menu, but environment is kid friendly enough during the earlier hours. After 7 pm or so it's a better environment for adults. The lights are dim and it's more of a lounge type of environment. The location and the novelty of the restaurant lead to overpricing. I generally wouldn't mind the price, but four meatballs shouldn't cost $15.
(3)Brandon R.
So we treated our family to dinner and decided to try out the new hip spot on las olas. We got there at seven thirty and were seated right away. I thought to myself, "not a good sign, should be slammed." Turns out we were just really lucky because within another twenty it was packed. The food is 75% meatballs and the rest of the food is pasta, sides & drinks. Meatballs are great, I recommend the F&B blend meatball with parm cream sauce. Really tasty meatballs.
(4)Eric T.
Was hesitant to try F&B with so many mediocre reviews. But decided to take my wife there and give it a shot. We arrived around 6:30 and were seating immediately. The place has a really cool decor and vibe. Was surprised at how many young kids were there, but then again it was an early dinner. I had a beer and my wife had a glass of red wine from the tap. The beer temp was great, but the wine was much too cold for a red. We ordered the brussel sprouts and the vegetable special of the day which was corn with white beans. Both were great, especially the sprouts. Then we decided to try a couple different balls and share, se we did the F&B Blend with roasted tomato sauce sliders and the Spicy Pork balls with tomato sauce over spaghetti. Both dishes were delicious. All in all I think this would be a really fun place with a group. Not a big date night spot, but for a couple of meatball lovers, we really enjoyed.
(4)SB S.
A-okay in my book. Hate the name, really like the food. The spicy Italian is a great dish with meatballs over polenta with hot peppers. It's a fail safe if you wanna have something good.. I'm into the lighter fair lately, so I opt for their gluten free chicken meatballs over salad with traditional sauce. The vinegar mixes in and it's oh so good. The bar is beautiful, they did a great job decorating the place. It's quite large too. I hope they do well.
(3)Martin G.
For a restaurant that has been opened 6 months it has a smooth operation, excellent service and a manager who listens. That's the good part and the bad part is that what we had wasn't THAT good. I did want to try the 4 different kind of meatballs they had on the menu but the closest they could come would be ordering sliders with 3 different balls and that's not a main course to me. I made a mistake by waiting to speak to Steve the manager after I had ordered and he was most accommodating but at that point my food came out so I left it as it was. He did say they were working on a new menu. Patrick, our server, did a great job. I took one of his suggestions which was the Sicilian F&B sandwich ($11) served on Italian bread and had beef balls, tomato sauce, mozzarella, sweet and hot peppers and a simple arugula salad on the side. None of the flavors stood out, including the meatball and the bread was too thick . Allen ordered the classic beef balls and penne with tomato sauce ($13) but when served it had spaghetti. Allen immediately said something and they (It wasn't Patrick) were willing to change it but he ate it. When I asked how it was he said "Nothing special. Just spaghetti and meatballs." I should be use to it by now but paying $3 for a cup of regular coffee and $2.95 for a diet coke just 'gets me'! Okay we are on Las Olas Blvd so we were paying for that. One thing I did appreciate was that Patrick asked if we wanted refills he brought fresh ones. The reason we choose to eat here was that the day before I had received a 2-4-1 flyer, I liked the concept and hesitating because of parking on or around Las Olas could be a hassle when we got there it wasn't a problem. They had a pay parking lot behind them that was almost fill but being lunchtime we were surprised that we got a spot right away. The total check minus the lower entree plus tax came to $26.45 and we left a $8 tip. The tables and high top booths are very roomy and the restaurant itself is has a variety of lighting adding interest to the room. Would/will we go back? Maybe when they come out with the new menu hopefully with some new interesting items and giving some zip to the balls---and, yes, having the 2-4-1 flyer so the lunch prices are reasonable. Oh yes, the menu is a place mat which is taken after you give your order. They should rethink that. By the way we ordered a fried bread pudding ($6)--it has no resemblance to bread pudding and could easily pass for French toast, even with a scoop of ice cream on top of it. Hopefully that will be rethought with the new menu.
(2)Scott D.
Had the Spicy Italian F&B Bowl and it was great. Doesn't seem like a lot of food but the polenta makes it very filling. The cheesy garlic bread is excellent as well. Great decor and ambiance. Music a little loud for my taste, especially if you have kids.
(4)Cory H.
We had a great evening. The service was attentive from the bartenders to our server Brady. Can't say enough about the service. Food was very good, and the atmosphere was casual, and relaxed while still having that cool vibe . Will definitely be back.
(5)JR H.
If you like meatballs, head to this place. You won't be disappointed. They have a nice 4-7 happy hour and on Monday's feature $1 balls. I sampled each of the eight featured balls and liked 'em all.
(4)Melanie G.
I'm shocked at the average star rating for this place bc my experience was pretty bad. Lets start from the beginning, we were a party of six for a friends bday. Four of my friends had arrived, but the hostess said they could not be seated until the other 2 ppl were there...which is COMPLETELY UNDERSTANDABLE on a Saturday night.... except that the place was maybe half full. Why not seat the majority of the party?? Also, there was a sign to valet, with nobody to do it. Next, upon entering, I almost busted my ass. TWICE. The floor was SO EFFING SLIPPERY!!! I thought maybe it was just towards the front where someone might have spilled something, but the entire floor was like that. This is a lawsuit waiting to happen. Next, lets get to the food. Brussels sprouts- SOOOOOOO bad. one of the worst things I have ever eaten in my life. They tasted burnt and left a nasty after taste in my mouth. The calamari- basic, just ok. lacking any type of flavor. The BLT- that was actually good. And since the first 2 things were horrible, I actually ordered another. They need to chill with that ranch though. Way toooo much. the entrees- my bf had the spicy meatballs with polenta and ricotta which was good. I had the Greek sandwich and it was ok. I also tried some of The Texan, and that was pretty good. Had like 4 different sliders, ok. For dessert we had the bread pudding which I thought was AWFUL, so I ordered the milk and cookies. The cookies were PERFECT, but the milk was SOUR!!!! WTF?!!?! Overall, the service was also lacking. I felt our waiter had an attitude problem whenever I had to ask for water or utensils. The only reason I gave it 2 stars was bc that DJ was poppin!!!! I was having so much fun singing and dancing in my chair. And bc the bathroom was super clean. I would NEVER recommend this place to anyone.
(2)Eddie P.
I left the place hungry. The entree portions were way too small, I had chicken meatballs and spaghetti. However, food was delicious - great quality meat balls, sauce with spaghetti. The manager was kind enough to offer a side dish and we were still hungry. He explained that they are new and still trying to iron things out. He was nice enough to make us happy and we will definitely return. I am sure they will change things up and increase the size of the potions.
(3)Wendy S.
AMAZING. best surprise on las olas. Definitely going back. We definitely recommend the Parmesan cream sauce as an appetizer in the f&b balls. For an entree you cannot go wrong with either the Toscana or the short rib. We'll be back with friends.
(5)Vickie C.
Had the most wonderful experience here. I sat at at the bar. The bartender, Jillian, was so attentive. She replenished my drink before I could even ask for another. The manager, James, even came over to make sure I was happy with the service. The bacon balls were so delicious! I just love how attentive the staff was! The restaurant environment is cool and relaxed. Definitely a place I would bring a group of friends to. Will come back for my company Christmas party!
(5)Marisa D.
Wow I've never written a one star but everything from the service, food and night manager was awful. Let's start with the waiter. Didn't know the menu advised we could order with sauces on the side. Food comes drenched in sauce. The mushroom sauce was horrible tasted like Campbell's mushroom soup with some kind of thickening agent added. The other sauces were bland and the meatballs were full of filler. We asked to speak with the manager to educate her that her staff misinformed us. She agreed and advised that the Chef would not make alterations and put sauces on side for certain dishes. Essentially she said too bad. I live 5 minutes from this place and would love it to be successful like Yolo and S3. The food is simply not good and the manager instead of apologizing became rude and defensive - she clearly is in over her head or she got the job because of who she knows not what she should know. I'll never return and neither will my party of 4
(1)I M.
Waiter gave great suggestion of getting sauce on the side. Polenta was amazing & love that they have healthy options so on a diet? Have veggie balls with yummy greens!
(5)LunaDashwood M.
Another great spot on Las Olas. I had a great experience. We primarily stayed at the bar and order The "J". Oh my goodness. What a great drink. I highly recommend to order the fried bread pudding with a side shot of cinnamon toast crunch. Alexia took great care of us. Good times and looking forward to trying their meatballs next time.
(5)Stephen G.
Great decor and knowledgeable waitstaff. Simple menu that is prepared well and presented hot. The bread pudding is a wonderful dessert. You won't be disappointed.
(5)Candy L.
Wonderful drinks and affordable food.
(5)Audrey E.
We met some friends for a late lunch and some margaritas. The limes in our drinks we cut at least a day or two before. My meal (chicken balls with cream sauce) was very bland, thus it got sent back. Fortunately we were there at shift change to get our bill, the drinks were $12 each! Really now, $12 for a plain old margarita with an old lime!?!
(1)Kristin B.
Ate there last night for a friend's birthday after a few people recommended that it's good for vegetarian/vegan diets. Well, thank goodness we asked but ALL of their sauces have chicken or fish broth in them. So despite having a vegan ball option, there is no sauce option. Nonetheless, I had it over the farro and it was ok. The balls had a great texture but the entire dish lacked in flavor. It would have been great with some plain tomato sauce even stewed tomatoes but they wouldn't do that for us. The dessert bread pudding was really good. Please offer a regular tomato sauce on your menu!
(2)Lucy K.
Fork and balls really made up in my book. After my prior review I was contacted by the management team, who wanted me to come back in to prove that they were making efforts to make the restaurant gluten free friendly. I was informed that their ball of the day is always gluten free. I came in on a weekend night, and we were immediately sat. They now label which balls of theirs are gluten free (the chicken ball). I wish they labeled more of the other items on the on the menu (sides etc.) that are gf. However, our server, Leilani, had a list of what was gluten free and was overall very attentive the whole night. The food came out super fast and this time was delicious. I got the traditional salad and the ball of the day on polenta. My boyfriend enjoyed his pasta. Everything was very fresh and homey. Steven the manager was very professional. He asked about what happened the time prior and made my return very worth it. It showed a lot about the caliber of their management by making my prior experience up to me. I hope that every guest gets the same experience I had last night. I've never said balls this many times in a review lol
(4)David S.
It's bewildering to me why (1) they have 3-4 different types of meatballs, (2) the various dishes come with 3-4 different types of meatballs, and (3) there is absolutely no matching under any circumstances, whatsoever. I'd like to try 3 different types of meatballs at once. I'd even pay a bit more. But there is no sampler, and they won't substitute at all. Very odd.
(3)Mike C.
I am surprised to see anyone giving this place a one star, but I guess everyone is entitled to their opinion. I would like to say I had the exact opposite experience coming to Fork and Balls. My Girlfriend and I came down from New York to look for apartments around Fort Lauderdale and my girlfriend and I specifically wanted to come to this place. We did and I am glad we did. It was an amazing experience. We have been their 3 different times, and on all three occasions we were treated to perfection. Each waitor/waitress had knowledge of the menu, was fast and efficient and checked up on us often to make sure we were enjoying our meal and experience. Not only were the employees helpful with our food but also took time to answers questions that we had about the neighborhood and and potential jobs around the area as both my girlfriend and I both work in the hospitality industry. I appreciate all their hard work and genuine emotions towards us. As for the food, it was amazing. My girlfriend and I are huge foodies, and any New Yorker says you cannot find a good sandwich place outside of New York. Well they were wrong because Fork and Balls is amazing. My favouirte has been the F&B balls, with melted mozz in pesto sauce on a hero. We will be coming often and plan on being regulars. Id say ignore the negative reviews and check it out for yourself because it is worth it. Thanks Fork and Balls
(5)Alex M.
After my friends kept telling me about Fork & Balls, I figured I'd finally try it out since I was visiting Ft Lauderdale Beach. The service was prompt, courteous and the food was great! The Grandma's Bowl was a sizezable portion and delicious. The garlic bread was some of the best I've ever had. My friend had the Gyro sandwich and he was really impressed as well. Overall, I give it a 5 star rating and I willl definitely tell my friends about it!
(5)Amber B.
I was impressed by this place because the food tasted like authentic Italian food. I got the grandmas bowl and I recommend everyone gets this dish - it tasted like an old Italian grandma made this dish for me. It was amazing. The staff was also very pleasant and professional. The drinks were good & strong. It was very noisy though. Overall, it was great.
(4)Thomas H.
Food was awesome!! We had a big party and they bent the rules for us. Service was great!! We will be coming back!
(5)Kristi N.
Great meatballs and atmosphere...good value. Staff was really nice and helpful. Great reasonable option on Los Olas.
(4)Barry S.
The fact that this wasn't our destination just adds to the perfect experience. Very unique concept for a restaurant. We had the polenta fries for an app and they were very flavorful and light served with a great tomato sauce. My wife had the chicken ball sliders on focaccia bread. She raved over them. Based on our servers suggestion, I had the F&B blend balls - veal and pork in the tomato sauce. Outstanding combo of meat and spices and perfect texture. Service was excellent. A MUST stop if in Fort Lauderdale.
(5)Margot R.
New place! In Fort Lauderdale a lot for work and glad to have a new food joint on Las Olas. Server's name is Patrick and he was very attentive and explained the menu thoroughly. The Brussels sprouts are killer.
(5)Kaitlin C.
I've been to Fork & Balls three times now. The first two times were great and everyone I went with enjoyed their food. Last weekend I went and the waitress put the order in wrong and I received the wrong dish. Not only did she apologize at least ten times, but I had my correct order in front of me no more than 7 minutes later. It was fine and I was completely satisfied. It was a small mistake and it was fixed. My waitress then went above and beyond and brought our table free dessert-- which was out of this world. We ordered the milk & cookies off the menu, expecting just an old fashioned classic. We were then informed that the milk was vanilla and orange flavored. If all milk tasted like this, I'd probably drink milk a whole lot more. The creamsicle-eqsue milk combined with the warm cookies was a wonderful way to end another delicious meal at Fork & Balls. I was blown away with how everything was handled.
(5)Paige L.
I just wanted to say that I absolutely love this place. I had a group of 11 friends and a child who were celebrating a birthday. We originally had reservations for Rocco's Taco's. Well, Rocco's told us it would be an hour wait, and we ended up waiting 2 1/2 hours, so we left and went to Fork & Balls. The staff was awesome. We told them our dilemma and they took care of us right away and were so kind. The food was awesome! The service was great. It's a really unique and interesting concept for a restaurant. The set up is really cool. Decorated really awesome. I highly highly recommend. :)
(5)Jack R.
The worst service I have ever received and I didn't sit down. I ordered to go and the women at the front said it would take 10 minutes. 1 hour later we are still waiting and hungry. Take out is supposed to be efficient and less time consuming than sitting down and this was the opposite. About 45 minutes in we were explainably very angry. The hostess wasn't kind about it and the manager was worse. He was unapologetic and snobby. After that horrible experience was finally over we hoped the food could save the day. It was just alright. They made something wrong, and overall it was so-so. The only dish that stood out was the penne with meatballs and mushroom sauce. Delicious! The food gets 3 stars but the pathetic service gets even less than zero. If you want a better experience and better food go to Rocco's tacos down the street.
(1)Walter P.
Yes to me this is worthy of five stars. Very underrated place. F&b blend were amazing. Soft, moist and quite honestly one of the best meatballs I've ever tasted. Friendly bartender and staff ensured my return trip in the future.
(5)Kevin S.
Love this restaurant!!! I'm gluten-free and had options here. I can't wait to go back to have the brussel sprouts and the chicken meat balls. Yum!!!! The ambiance was nice as well. Young and attractive crowd. Service was attentive and friendly.
(4)Dennis F.
Well, we finally did the 6 block walk down Las Olas to check out F & B. They don't accept reservations. First off the noise level is very high. There were 5 people working behind the very industrial bar, service was spotty. Lots of beer on tap & if you like wine don't expect a traditional stem you get a water glass like the one in a bathroom of a hotel. We shared three diff types of appetizers all balls. They were all very tasty. The menu is a little tricky when it comes to entrees. We ordered three entrees all were presented in bowls and yes three more balls just like the appetizers they were good but I was hungry for something More than beans and more balls. If you are looking for fish you are out of luck. I think they need more entree selections and more sides to go with the entrees. Not sure I would rush right back , maybe with some menu changes and carpeting on the floor. As it stands F&B is a watering Hole with good appetizers don't expect fine dining.
(3)Brett C.
I was hesitant to try this place based on the name alone - but if you give it a chance, it's a winner. The place has a cool and comfortable vibe with subway tile walls, and dark wood finishes -feel free to come in a casual outfit, this place isn't pretentious with a name like "Fork and Balls". They also boast an attentive bar and wait staff which is a welcomed aspect due to the lack of attentive waiters at other places on las olas. One down side however is they need to beef up (pun intended) their beer selection. No real craft beers to speak of and the wine list was standard. Now on to the meat! Their concept is unique - everything is centered around BALLS. Lots of jokes go on with this play on words here, but the concept is sound - 3 meatballs with your choice of meat and prep, with 1 sauce and served on top of 1 item like spinach, pasta, salad, veggie or polenta. They have Classic Beef, Chicken Veggie, Spicy Pork, F&B Blend, Daily Special plus the normal red sauce, Traditional Tomato, Parmesan Cream, Mushroom, Herb Pesto, Roasted Tomato. You can also have it your way since they'll customize to your wants - I.e. you can have it with a bun, no bun, no sauce, mix and match your meats, etc. Yes, some modifications have a small upcharge - but this choice gives the customer the power and shows they are here to serve you. Now, I know some may say "3 balls isn't dinner" and to that I say -I am an American and former fat kid and yes I have grown very, VERY accustomed to bigger meals and larger cuts of meat for dinner, but seriously 3 meatballs is a standard amount of protein for dinner. Plus, look at the prices - the prices for the 3 meatball dinner is a lot less than you'd pay for a larger meal somewhere else on Las Olas. If you want, order more balls! After reviewing the menu, I actually went with one of the sandwiches. It was a toss up between the Jeffry and the B&E Grinder, but I am VERY happy I went with the B&E (wow how many people can say that!). The sandwich consisted of chicken balls, roasted mushroom, parmesan cream & pesto with a little arugula salad on the side. The pesto with parmesean cream really sold me but the chicken balls were spiced, lighter, and went very well with the crunchy french bread - plus I love me a little arugula since I like a little peppery kick of greens compliment the meal. Since I felt the twinge to get more, and although I love fries and was highly tempted by the herb polenta fries, my all time favorite cruciferous vegetable has to be brussels sprouts. Their brussel sprouts are served in a way I have never seen actually - on top of a toasted garlic tomato sauce with bacon and parmesan. Please note - if you're like me and have a high stomach acid problem, as long as you go light and don't slurp down all the red sauce you'll be fine! The brussels sprouts were cooked perfectly so there was still a little crunch, the bacon and garlic really brought out their veggie flavor, and who doesn't like a good red sauce with some cheese on top? I scarfed this down and hardly let my wife grab a bite. My friends got the Summer vegetable succotash appetizer special, which is one of the reasons for not giving 5-stars. It was just a bowl of veggies, no real rhyme or reason and apparently they werent seasoned well. I say "apparently" because I took one look at them and decided I didn't even want to try. They looked like they came out of a can of mixed vegetables. Plus, they were sitting next to my brussel sprouts that were 100x more appetizing so I said PASS! My wife got the 3 - balls 1 style original and chose the special meat which was short rib and it was FANTASTIC. I'm not sure what other negative reviewers have a problem with but these balls were darn good. Meaty, the right amount of spice and savory flavors and paired with a Mushroom sauce on top of some garlic spinach - the dish was worth the moderate price. My friends both got the "Just balls" 3-ball meal and tried out some of the other sauces and they both loved their dishes. We all left full, happy and satisfied. Just remember- if you're still hungry, go get some more balls.
(4)Rob B.
Took a guest to dinner Sunday night. We both thought the food was mediocre at best. Menu quite confusing. Meatballs had little flavor and seemed like fillers. Polenta was like porridge and no flavor, hard to screw up polenta. Ordered fried calamari appetizer and it came all drizzled with sour cream, a sweetish catsup-y sauce and jalapenos. Calm it down, fried calamari is fine on its own, this made it soggy and weird. Put condiments on the side, you couldn't taste the calamari, it had this weird glop on it. Atmosphere okay but they should try to do things well and simplify. Wait staff very attentive, chef needs to keep it simple and not try to overdo things.
(1)Whitney N.
I went in and dined with my other half not long ago . We spilt the Tuscan and the Greek , both of which we loved ! The little gem salad with arugula and white truffle vinaigrette that they were featuring was probably one of the best salads I've ever had . We also had the Brussels sprouts that had a great flavor ! I highly recommend it if you're in the area !
(5)Samantha S.
I just finished dining at F&B for the second time. The moment we walked in the hostess told our table of 4, that we could eat at the bar or the communal table, because they were full. It was one of the girls at my party who had to suggest giving us the option to put our names on the list as our hostess stars at us completely confused. We watched three tables clear out and no one seated us. When we were finally given a table the food was absolutely delicious and our waitress was incredibly attentive! After we paid our bill we stayed at the table speaking, my sister still had wine to finish. One of the hostesses came to us and asked us if we could leave because they needed our table. I have been asked to leave a restaurant before! It wasn't as if we ordered appetizers and water and were just chatting. We each ordered a cocktail, appetizer, main dish and shared a dessert! I absolutely loved the quinoa and kale dish but I will not be returning because of the service.
(2)Max Z.
Its ok. I've had better but the atmosphere is what makes it work. The portions are small and if I wanted a better meatball, I would go to Runway 84. But if I am on Las Olas, this is the place that seems to be the place to be...for now.
(3)Tony L.
Excellent food, not as heavy as you would expect. Short rib meatballs, polenta fries were highlights.
(4)Yendi V.
It's a nice place. The menu is a little confusing. My aunt makes better meatballs. I would say the food was average. Not worth the hour drive but we tried it and that's it. Not very memorable
(2)A Y.
Not accepting reservations or making exceptions for larger parties is bad business in my opinion. Especially for business dinners where there is one check. Not "saving a seat" for someone that orders three of everything and spends over $1,000 is comical. From what I thought - My assistant had an ok conversation on the phone with the hostess minus her frustration about not being able to make a reservation ... except when I was seated with my clients she walked up to someone in my party and began talking crap about me. Which I later learned about from my client. That is unacceptable! I have her name and I'd like the owner to contact me immediately. Food was subpar and lack of variation. Servers were hustling and looked understaffed. I tipped him extra! Would not go back.
(1)Rachel C.
Wasn't that impressed. The good: adorable decor, friendly service, delicious brussel sprouts. The bad: super loud, mediocre food. We had the f&b ball with roasted tomato sauce (which was fine) and the all beef ball with Parmesan cream sauce (which was dry and kind of processed tasting). We also went on Monday which is $1 meatballs all day, but READ THE FINE PRINT, you have to get a drink (another confusing stipulation because it took 30 minutes talking to the waiter to figure out which drinks counted), it's only for the "just balls" section of the menu, and many of the meatballs don't count for this promotion. Overall it's a cute hang out and would be good for happy hour, but the food is just meh.
(3)Zachary K.
Just had dinner at forks and balls tonight and was utterly disappointed. The place was packed and had a nice ambience however as I was waiting for our table I noticed all the small plates and dishes that were being served: I immediately began to panic and sweat as I already knew what was coming. We took some of the suggestions of the waiter who was very helpful and attentive. My friend and I ordered the Italian something meatball dish and my girlfriend ordered a few of the meatball sliders. As other yelpers had previously stated I almost fell out of my chair when I saw 3 tiny meatballs in a bowl full of sauce. After 30 seconds my plate was gone and I began to wonder whether that was a pre-appetizer or an appetizer. My $13 entree left me hungry and confused why a restaurant would serve you 3 tiny meatballs for $13... I mean come on meatballs are extremely cheap to make. Either put 4 or 5 small meatballs in an entree or 3 large 1s. If you advertise your restaurant as the meatball market or fork and balls I think your meatballs should be large enough to make an impact and not leave me famished. Had it not been for the thunderstorm tonight I would have picked up a spicy chicken sandwich from Wendy's on the way home. Although my 3 tiny meatballs were tasty I would probably not go back to this place unless they adjusted the portion sizes!
(2)Da Q.
Fork and Balls is a nice resturant. Chelsey was a great waitress and the food was good. The prices are reasonable a
(4)Tim E.
I meant to post the new updated review sooner. Life got in the way. So I went back to Fork and Balls. A complete turn around in the quality and service. Waitress was very friendly and on top of it. The food was great. The Texan meatballs were fantastic. The brussel sprouts were really good I never had it with tomato sauce but I did like it very much. Watermelon salad was delish. It was a special on that day. The Toscana was perfect. I would have that every week! I am glad to see the potential realized. I knew they could do it. Thank you.
(5)Natalie J.
Came here for girls night, so there was 7 of us. We decided to try five different dishes thinking that it would be enough to share (veggie balls with vegetables and pesto, just the balls (3 each)- chicken and the special which both came with focaccia, Brussels sprouts, and two beet and feta salads. The portions were very small. They provided us with a small bowl of cheese for all of us to share. The food was average but for a meatball kitchen we expected more. Service was great, very attentive. Good for only being open for a few days but definitely some things to improve on.
(2)Raisa M.
tried this place for lunch over the weekend a couple weeks after they opened. all in all a good experience, the cocktails were awesome I'd come back for those alone. food was yummy, filling if you're getting it for lunch or want a light dinner. the decor inside is beautiful, very welcoming and i enjoyed trying their food. i was a bit disappointed with their Mac n cheese, it's got some off ingredients and i wasn't impressed. i will return for more meatballs though!
(4)Sarah H.
It's hard to find an affordable, delicious restaurant with great atmosphere and service on Las Olas. Tonight we tried the new Fork and Balls restaurant and it was just wonderful. Our server Doug was attentive and the food was delivered promptly. The meatballs were huge and AMAZING...The roasted tomato sauce with F&B meatballs a must try! The potential fries were to die for as well. We also ordered the mac and cheese, which had a nice surprise of peas and mushrooms in it. Everything we had we truly enjoyed. The manager also stopped by our table to introduce himself and say hello, which was great. We will be back and soon.
(5)Ashley S.
Tried out the new Fork and Balls for their grand opening, its located in the former M Bar location (which I also reviewed). Fork and Balls is a vast improvement. The atmosphere is lively and fun, the place was packed opening night but service and everything flowed smoothly, which was a surprise considering it was their first official day open. We all shared a bunch of meatballs, salads and sides, everything was great. Prices are very reasonable, its around $13 for pasta with 3 meatballs, which isn't bad considering its on Las Olas. A salad which is enough for two is $8. Its nice to see another good restaurant finally make its way to Las Olas that serves good food at reasonable prices.
(5)D. F.
It's ok... No fuss, low noise...right on time for the chill crowd.
(3)Ron L.
Interesting Drinks, however not So Good on the Meatballs. If your going to call yourself Fork & Balls you better make Darn Sure lYour Balls are out of this World. Fun Atmosphere although the 4 Bartenders Behind the Bar are Lost in their own World. It's newly opened so I'll come back for another Try once they work out the kinks.
(3)Erik S.
I never give 5 stars, but in this case I'll make an exception! The place may be called 'Fork and Balls' (and the meatballs are delicious) but the star of the show is the Fried Bread Pudding w/ Island Rum Gelato ($6). You'll think you will want to order one for the table, but unless you fancy post-meal fights to the death with spoons as your weapon, order one each. The pudding has the texture of Japanese Tempura fried ice cream with the savory and sweet components of raisins, chocolate chips and pecans. I daresay that even if I had a peanut allergy I might be tempted to put the epipen on the table and take my chances...at least you'll die happy.
(5)Adam F.
Food was good. Service was good. Prices are good. But, their group policy sucks! We had a group of twenty for a birthday party and they would only allow us to split the bill 4 ways. Which made it very difficult at the end when we got our tab. They should have let us split the checks and it would made our experience much better. Granted, big groups can be difficult, but my experience is that splitting checks from the beginning makes it much less of a hassle in the end.
(3)ALFREDO K.
Excellent service, out server Patrick was awesome.... Portion sizes were perfect. The Brussels sprouts with bacon and cheese was out of this world and the balls were phenomenal both the beef and chicken! Highly recommended!!!!!!
(5)Casey W.
I went there last week and its a trendy place. The meatballs are a good size, you only get three but for 8 dollars and a good atmosphere you cant go wrong. The B&E grinder is a very light dish that taste great. The only thing that I saw wrong with the place is that all the Meatballs have pork in them which really bad if you don't or cant eat pork. Yes, even the Veggie balls have pork in them. The bar staff is super friendly. My bartender was so sweet and warm which makes me ponder why the then a shorter female black haired manger comes in behind the bar and make very vulgar and rude comments to her and several of the staff threating to fire them and hire more staff. My female bartender knew that my husband and I heard what was said and apologized to us. Hopefully things are more positive. I truly feel sorry for the staff if this is considered a standard way of communicating.
(3)Rey D.
Went on opening weekend and fell in love with this place. My partner and I love to bring our out of state friends and friends from Miami to enjoy good Fort Lauderdale food!! Great place, great service
(5)Claudia O.
I had the mushroom meatballs which were very tasty. My hubby had F&B balls over polenta and he liked it very much. The fried bread pudding was yummy! Ambiance was loud so talking across the table was tricky. We found the menu limited so I'm not sure if we'd go back. It was nice to try a new place.
(3)Richard S.
Fork & Balls rules. My wife and I came here during a shit effort from Rocco's taco shit shack (that place sucks as much as watching your luggage getting blown up on the Hindenburg) Layla our bartender was incredible and kicked some serious ass. This place rocks hard. Shut the fuck up and eat a goddamm meatball already!
(5)Rocki R.
The service, drinks and atmosphere are 5 stars. I had the Bella tini which is awesome. We ordered beef balls with tomato sauce and chicken balls with pesto. We both preferred the beef over chicken since the chicken was a bit dry. We didn't have the love factor for them though hence the 3 stars. I know other reviewers complained it was too loud, we didn't experience this and my bf has a blown ear drum and can't handle loud places
(3)D L.
The food was very good. Came on a weekday for lunch with a co-worker and we both decided we won't be back as we ordered an entree each PLUS and traditional salad and both of walked out still hungry and $40 lighter.
(2)Harrison B.
This place has great staff and food. The pesto was a little oily and the meatball was slightly over cooked... Overall a nice cozy place with a great modern design.
(4)Chris M.
Food was great!! Bartender was awesome.... And no issue with us walking right before they closed!! Thumbs up for sure!
(5)Steve H.
I liked Fork & Balls before. Now I LOVE it. They've revised and improved the menu. Everything great, especially the new salmon balls and the short rib balls. Great food. Great vibe. Great value.
(5)Renee F.
AWESOME! Ordered 3 different kinds of meatballs and they all were equally delicious. Our waitress was very nice and informative.
(4)Lisa A.
We had the best dinner at Fork and Balls last night! I had veggie balls on top of salad. The balls we're so delicious, juicy, tasty and cooked perfectly. My husband had the Jeffrey sandwich and loved it. Also enjoyed Brussel sprouts and calamari. Great atmosphere, great people and balls! Definitely will be back often!
(5)Bill B.
This was my first time here. The service was outstanding. The atmosphere is very cool and inviting. They have an open kitchen and I could only think, why didn't they put four stools at the kitchen counter so patrons could sit and watch them cook. That would've been a very cool addition to the place. Although they have a decent number of taps, the beer selection has allot to be desired. It is very blah. The herb polenta fires were good as a starter. I had the Spicy pork balls bowl which was very filling. The meatballs were tender but not spic and the sauce was ok. The creamy polenta was good but I have to admit that I am spoiled from Little Nona's creamy polenta and meatballs in Philly. No one can beat their polenta and growing up in an Itlaian family, there are high expectations for food like this. The white beans and kale side I ordered was very tasty and I could've eaten more. Would I go back-yes. Would I recommend this to others-yes. They just need to tweak a few things and it is a four or five star place.
(3)Sharon R.
Very nice atmosphere, very "rustic" feel. I went on a Sunday night for a friend's birthday, not many people in the restaurant, but good vibes around. I loved how there were many "make your own" options. You can chose to either just have "balls," or what balls with what entree. I had the chicken balls in a Cesar kale salad. I wanted something outside the box than beef with pasta, which you could get if you wished. There was a small selection of "already made" entrees. The menu was a bit small. The overall experience was great!
(4)Stephen P.
Fun .. casual .. trendy place. good meatballs and good service .. very loud and active !
(4)Brian M.
Good food, good vibe, young crowd...and a dj! If you're 90 yrs old stay away, it's not for you...yes it's loud, that's how younger folks like it :)
(5)Jacqueline K.
Very great concept! Went to try it out at happy hour! I really liked that happy hour applied to all drinks, which was very nice. Tried a few different kinds of "balls" which were very affordable. Service was very efficient!
(4)fran h.
Flavorful balls and great service. Chicken balls were soft, tender, and well seasoned. I had it over roasted cauliflower (vegetable of the day) with pesto sauce (not overwhelming, just enough to add flavor). Nice selection of beer & passion fruit tea was very nice. Arugula salad with corn, roasted peppers, & machenga cheese was fresh & ample portion for sharing. We arrived at 7 pm Saturday & had a 5 min wait. When we left, the wait was much longer. No reservations, but they take your phone number & text when table is almost ready.
(4)Kristy S.
service was great. food was mediocre at best. felt lousy after I left, terrible stomach ache. came here because the wait for Rocco's tacos was an hour and a half. probably wouldn't come back.
(3)John H.
Went here tonight got there at like 825.. Was gonna try Rocco tacos but it was too packed so we darted into here.. Limited menu which I liked not much to sort thru but I was told the Texan is a good portion of food... I could've eaten 4 Texans!!! Thank god my gf didn't finish hers so she gave it to me and I tacked on a bread pudding to fill the gap.. It was very good but u may need to eat on the way home from this place if u wanna go..
(3)D D.
Food was really Good ! Mac n chez is bomb dig. Atmosphere is great. Only compliant I have is the drinks we tried a couple of them and they were blah!
(3)L H.
Great to visit and try them out... Probably wouldn't be the first on our list to go back. In my opinion, decor and ambiance was nice, service was good, food tasted like fast food Italian... A lot of Italian places on Las Olas that are better.
(3)seth p.
Great crowd, service was quick and attentive, prices were reasonable, and food was good. The bar was happening and the craft beers are appreciated! I enjoyed the veggie meatballs and if I ate meat I am sure I'd be in love with place. The only drawback was that it was extremely loud...so loud that you had to scream to speak to the person across the table from you. Will be back when I voice recovers.
(4)Debbie T.
We enjoyed spending time having drinks at the bar at Fork and Balls. The bar staff was great! Came back three times during our stay.
(4)Laura K.
Nothing exceptional. That's the most accurate rating I can give to the food. It wasn't bad, I had the Grandmothers Bowl, but it wasn't memorable or even tasty enough for me to crave again, or want to go back there for. If you are going to be paying Las Olas prices than a much better bet is Noodles Panini. This place is like Olive Garden only with a more creative concept. You won't be going there for great food, you'll go there because you're in the area and the concept looks interesting but many people won't bother going back again a second time. Wait staff was pleasant but gave poor service. They couldn't remember orders, and were too busy socializing with each other to be attentive (I was there at an off peak time- Sat at 2:30pm). I probably would have liked this place if I was in High School and was still in the phase where I thought The Olive Garden was killer Italian food. Once that doesn't do it for you, this place won't either. Great concept, poor execution.
(2)Alex P.
Tasty food and friendly staff. The decor is laid back. The prices are reasonable and well located close to parking on las olas
(4)Aracelis R.
I've been going to Fork and Balls since they opened and have not had a bad experience. The meatballs are all fabulous and I love the fact that they always have a specials to try new salad and ball combinations. The atmosphere is chill and perfect to hang out with friends or just with hubby.
(5)Janet C.
Although I said I wouldn't go back....I did. Really glad I did too. New chairs have been purchased - very comfy. Service has worked out its knots and was fast & friendly. Meal was delicious - I had Blended Balls over Arugula Salad. Very affordable menu. Managers, James & Suzette clearly want their customers to be happy. Wine is still served in the silly juice glasses, but that's the owner's choice. Whaddaya going to do...? Drink fast while it's cold. Great evening. Glad I gave F&B a second look.
(5)Anne B.
Went for the first time last evening for dinner as they now offer gluten-free chicken meatballs. I had the meatballs over the spinach with the roasted tomato sauce. Absolutely delicious. The portion was ample - I couldn't eat it all so gave part to my husband. We ate at the bar and received outstanding service. We will be back, for sure.
(4)Mark D.
Great place to dine on Las Olas. Love the atmosphere, food and service. My favorite dishes are the Mac & Cheese & Brussel Spouts for appetizers and the Greek wrap for main course. Also can't get enough of the Fried Bread Pudding with Rum Ice Cream...yummy! Our Server; Brady (I believe that was his name.) Took excellent care of us, he was very knowledgeable about the menu items and presented them in an entertaining manner. I'll definitely be back.
(5)Kevin L.
Do not eat here if you have any clue what a good meatball tastes like. This place served us the worst meal we have ever had......unbelievable. The fact that they call themselves a " Meatball Kitchen" is almost criminal. From appetizer to sides, all bad. No one should have to go through this experience. There are great meatballs in Fort Lauderdale but not here.
(1)Kizzy S.
I had pretty high hopes for this place because the concept for this restaurant is GENIUS! We went on a Monday night after seeing a Facebook post from them saying it was $1 meatball night....we grabbed a couple of friends and decided to give it a try. While they had all kinds of stuff in their very tiny fine print, I felt like the stipulations were a bit stiff to call this $1 meatball night -- it was really only $1 meatballs when you purchased an alcoholic beverage and you had to order a minimum of 4 meatballs. So....right off the bat, I was turned off by their marketing gimmicks. Decor was cool, meatballs were fine - nothing to write home about but they weren't gross. You could choose from a few different sauces and my husband ordered the roasted tomato and I ordered the mushroom - tomato was good, mushroom was edible. The brussel sprouts were LEGIT, I'll give them that. We probably won't be back but I do appreciate a place that calls themselves Fork & Balls!
(3)Barramundi ..
Due to the name I chose this place. Could be the highlight of a rainy Monday, comforting Spaghetti Meatballs. But not here. I have had the same basic culinary creation 3 times in the last 3 weeks in 3 different locations within 100 yards of here. This wins the bronze medal. Anyway, back to specifics. I place my order and in less than 5 mins I was presented with, 1- Pre cooked pasta, medium temperature, 2- Salty balls, too "spongy" texture, sort of bland, no tasteful definition of meat at all. 3- Ordinary tomato sauce, did not rescue the above. Also the red wine ( on tap, beer style) was too cold. Halfway through my lunch the waitress asks " how is everything"? My inner voice is thinking 15 bucks for too cold domestic red wine and 15 for the pre described food. Tactfully, I say " good thank you". I'll give it another chance. But no good place these days tries to short cut with pre cooked pasta, period. Wise diners know the difference. Even if they don't express it to the cute waitress. Concept over quality??
(2)Laurie D.
Had the beef balls roasted tomato sauce and spaghetti squash ! Husband had spicy pork balls with traditional sauce and pasta both were Fabulous. Good prices and portions. It will be one of our fav and frequented places !! Service was great too!
(5)Mary M.
Good food. Great service!!!!! Very reasonably priced. Not a typical Las Olas place. Will absolutely be back. How can you not love a place that serves PBR in a can??!!??
(4)Jarret S.
First off, we found that most of the food was pretty good. Our issues with F&B are mainly easy fixes that frustrate me as they should be noticed by the management team. I know this restaurant is geared more toward a nighttime atmosphere but I find it almost inexcusable not to offer any sort of kids menu or something to keep kids busy while waiting for food. Hell, you can print coloring for them off of the internet. Furthermore, how does a restaurant that specializes in meatballs not come around and offer Parmesan cheese? One peculiar thing is that every dish we ordered was served in a bowl or on a plate too small for the dish. It made everything awkward to eat. We ordered the tomato, Feta, and Farro salad which oddly came missing one of it's namesake ingredients, Feta. Additionally, the specials were never offered to our table. After ordering I noticed the specials on a chalkboard over the bar and if I had been offered them, I would have selected them. Decoding the specials on the chalkboard took some effort as I don't know what "DOD" is. I don't want this review to sound overly negative because overall, the food was above average but everything else was just mediocre.
(3)Monique L.
This place is awesome! From the atmosphere, to the wines on tap, to the food, everything is right on point. I went there with my family and we all have different tastes for food. We all left more than satisfied. Even my vegan cousin had a full meal! The location is great and service is even better. The servers were knowledgeable, courteous and attentive, aside from having a sense of humor, making the guests comfortable with the suggestive name of the restaurant and menu choices. The prices are surprisingly reasonable for the quality of food and location. Definitely a good choice for the whole family or just for a drink with friends!
(5)Andrew W.
Great atmosphere on Las Olas Blvd. Sort of a young beautiful crowd, thirtysomething, with a family here and there. Food was reasonably priced, I would be a great place for a date night. The menu is fun and different. You can put together a selection of sauces, meatballs, and vegetables or pasta. You also have the option of choosing one of their premade dishes. Prices run around $12-$15 for an entrée, so it won't break the bank for a fun evening out. The bar area looks like it was well stocked with a great selection of liquors. The decor is fun also, The pretty waitresses and handsome waiters are also hey great reason to go and visit. A feast for the eyes included. I particularly liked the manager, Suzette, Who came over to the table to greet me, and made sure my evening was great. Thank you Suzette. Talk about being well hosted, the whole staff was very friendly and smiling. I had the brussels sprouts as an appetizer, and my friend have a garlic bread. I enjoyed the tomato sauce on the brussels sprouts. It tasted like fresh roasted tomatoes. For my meal selection my friend ordered the vegetarian meatballs, and I ordered the regular meatballs. The portions are big, and you may want to consider ordering an appetizer as a meal alone, or skipping the appetizer for your main meal. I skipped dessert because I was too full, but the bread pudding sounded really good if I had room. I would suggest this place for an evening out with friends for a bit of fun along Las Olas.
(5)Jim C.
I only give this place three stars because in my opinion this is a bar that serves food not a restaurant. We went there on Saturday 6:15pm to catch up with three other friends. There was a total of five of us. When we sat down at 6:15 the place was empty by 645 it was packed. That's great for a new place. However, not for us. It was deafeningly loud. None of us could hear any conversation we were trying to have and even had a very difficult time hearing the waitress as she tried to explain the concept, dishes, drinks etc. I will say the food we had was EXCELLENT. However, just understand this is not a place to have a conversation with somebody unless you're interested in yelling at the top of your voice to someone sitting right next to you. It is very trendy, has a hip vibe, and the drinks were good. My only point in making this review is so people understand this really is a bar. If you're looking for a nice sitdown restaurant to catch up with friends, this isn't it.
(3)Bob W.
tried this new place last night. the meatballs are terriable, they were dry and cold. i was looking for a great meatball, well im sorry they have failed the test. maybe another time.
(1)Kat A.
Food was really good, but service a little slow. Ambiance is very new yorkish, but a little loud.
(4)Natasha L.
very mediocre. SUPER loud that even the waitress has to scream to ask your preference. Prices for food reasonable however for drinks - you would think we were in Miami beach.
(2)Bobbie L.
Meatballs were good BUT small need to order several dishes to walk out satisfied service was very good. VERY loud so sit outside with fans if possible Portions need to be bigger to justify price. Variety of meatballs good but for a traditional Italian meatball there are other restaurant choices
(3)Darren P.
Tasty, fun and something different. I could tell the place could get very loud at prime time but we went for lunch. Very friendly staff. A little pricey for what we got but still a good time.
(4)Krystle L.
A couple of friends and I were so excited about trying this place and all I can say is for a place that specializes in meatballs, I've had way better, even at places that don't specialize in them. Our waiter was awesome, the atmosphere was good, the appetizers were awesome, but the meatballs, not so much. We started our dinner with two appetizers, the brussel sprouts and the polenta fries. Both were phenomenal, and this is coming from someone who doesn't eat brussel sprouts. We ordered two bowls of pasta with four balls, and two skillets of four balls each, all different flavors. Unfortunately, none of the main dishes were hot, but the manager did a great job at making things right. Also, If you like to taste the bread in the meatballs, this is the place for you. Overall I wish I could say that I loved it, because I was very excited about trying it, but if amazing meatballs are what you're looking for, I would think twice.
(2)michael s.
wanted to give the place carte blanche "must be good",as it's the Y.O.L.O./S3 people. sadly enough we were disappointed. started sharing the special salad:arugula w/ roasted red pepper. reminded me of a workplace cafeteria that every Friday offered clam chowder.we decided it was clamless clam chowder,that they must have used oyster juice to reconstitute potato soup. ?roasted red pepper?yeah it was sorta there. cumulatively maybe 1/16th of a red pepper. also appetizer was polenta fries. that i/we've actually stopped to snack at Harry'sPizza(a Michael Schwartman entity)in Design district. there the polenta was nicely seasoned,and they served it with a sriracha ketchup...YUM ! F&B's the polenta needs some ??pepper,salt ? and the marinara was lifeless(a harissa dip would kick !) opted to try the sliders as a means to try different meatballs,different sauces. "spicy"pork meatball ?spicy?,i say tepid w/ pesto,pesto devoid of basil taste Veggy meatball,w/ mushroom sauce. flavor worthy of Century Village Short rib meatball w/ garlic marinara. the meatball was actually pretty decent,the sauce...? garlic ? where ? also sorta expecting more of a international variety offering ?no Swedish sauce ? i think the aforementioned harissa would be killer. ? how about a Stroganoff sauce ? overall it seemed like were seasoning was a factor,they were either timid or rationing. our server was a gem. liked the atmosphere vibe & location(though this is an oft doomed parcel in the past) BUT !!!! to alter the Jerry Maguire line ....Show me the flavor !!!!!!!!!!!
(2)Carol F.
went there on Sat 7/19 w/4 couples, food was very good, but 20 minute stated wait time turned into over an hour and it was VERY loud, not a good place for a conversation
(2)Cheri P.
Very appealing, the short rib balls and Sunday gravy is very good. Great service our waiter Rachel is very friendly and helpful. Will definitely come back!
(4)Marina M.
I was truly a fan of Fork and Balls up until my last 2 visits the final being just last night. I am disappointed to say that I will never be returning to this establishment again. What a shame as the food really is delicious (the only reason why this is getting 2 stars and not 1). My first terrible visit occurred when our waiter was attempting to pressure us into drinking. Repeatedly saying "no I am not drinking tonight" is something that no paying customer should have to do. My friend ordered an iced tea to shut him up, and promptly said that it was extremely bitter. He acted like he didnt hear or notice that it remained untouched the entire meal. Yet it still ended up on the bill even when he should have had the decency to get her something else. My last and final visit is what has sent me over the edge. Our waitress started off fine until she disappeared. Yeah, that's right. She was sitting directly across from us with other servers eating and chatting away right after she put our order in. How DARE you leave a paying customer sitting unattended. She took our order, and left. Our food and check was brought by two random other people. What a great way to show the girl you were training on how to give good customer service. I'm sure she will be a real gem learning from you. Oh and the manager? He was at the table directly to my left eating a meal. Unbelievable. I kept coming back for the food, again, the only reason why this updated review is not a 1 star. But after how I was treated, I would much rather give another local business that truly cares about customer service my money. I am disgusted, but I am more disappointed. I really liked this restaurant, but alas, it clearly needs help.
(2)Marcus R.
This is spot-on for pasta and meat lovers!!! I'll admit that as the bartender was describing the menu, everytime she said "balls" I chuckled to myself like a 13 yo boy. Nevertheless, I ordered a local beer and FB mixed Balls with penna and spicy tomato sauce. It was superb! Great price, just the right portion size and great service!
(4)Kristen L.
Second time here! Still delicious! The traditional tomato sauce is the BEST!!!!!! We had that with bacon pork balls on too of arugula salad plus a side of Brussel sprouts. Crazy good!
(5)Yeni B.
Went here for lunch on Sunday. Service was good. Food was alright. I wanted more flavor. Our server, I believe his name was joe, had great menu knowledge and steered us in the right direction. I probably wouldn't return for the food, but service was not bad at all. Not a terrible place to check out for a first time.
(3)Alessandra P.
I don't really know why this place had not-so-great reviews. The food is incrediBALLS! Just phenomenal! Came here on a Monday at 4pm, granted we were the only ones here but they have $1 meatballs on Mondays 4-7pm if you sit at the bar. I had the chicken parm mash and my husband had the short rib meatballs - YUMMY! We also had the fried bread pudding for dessert with vanilla ice cream on top - OH EM GEE! Eclectic design, modern yet antique decorations. My cup of tea. Would eat here again.. And again!
(5)Alex B.
First time going and went with a group for a friend's birthday the other night and we all agreed it was a great place and would make the drive back down there! It was basically the FL version of the widely popular Meatball Shoppe in NYC. And that's a great thing!! I ordered the chicken meatballs with pesto over the arugula salad and it was excellent (the wrong salad came out the first time but it was immediately rectified.) it was the perfect portion. A Filling portion but not gluttonous by any means. And the prices for the portion size, quality and atmosphere are very reasonable. A lot of flavor in every forkful and lots of vegetarian friendly options too and meal choices for every appetite and level of hunger. Wish one would open up in PBC, preferably Atlantic Avenue in Delray. Would definitely recommend and drive back to go there from Boca.
(4)Caroll S.
Really good cocktails, great food! Try the polenta fries, but caution cause they are hot. (Which means fresh out the fryer). Fuzzy wall cocktail had to be strained because all the cucumbers and mint got stuck in my straw, but super tasty. I recommend trying it if u want something different and yummy
(5)Joe I.
I kept hearing about this place from all of my friends so I finally decided to check it out. I went there for a lunch meeting on a sunny weekday afternoon and sat outside, accompanied by my puppy (who got his own bowl of water and some chicken!). I had high expectations and this place met all of them. Service was excellent, food was amazing (I had the Balls on Top), experience was as you'd expect ... casual and upscale ... all at the same time. And I loved the fact that I could talk business and enjoy the food & experience while my pampered puppy sat at my feet. Definitely check this place out!
(5)Michelle R.
F&B meatballs were delicious, Mac & cheese was a pleasant surprise and the atmosphere was very enjoyable.
(4)Jorge Daniel M.
It's a really trendy place, not too expensive and in a pretty good location. This place has really good meatballs I ordered one with parmesan cream sauce and it was awesome, it came with penne and the pasta wasn't that good. The servers are really nice but they do have some sketchy looking ones.
(4)Anthony G.
I hardly ever eat Italian food. And I hardly ever find myself in Las Olas, but last Friday I was there eating Italian food. (Rocco's Tacos where we came first had a very long wait.) Well, the food surprised me: it was delicious, felt fresh and light, and didn't give me a heartburn. I thought the ambiance was appropriate. And the portion size was just right. You can order from a menu of meatballs (beef, pork & veal, chicken, spicy pork - that I ended up getting), add a sauce, type of pasta or have it instead in a sandwich. My business partner and his son also liked this place a lot. And service was quite good even though we didn't order any alcohol on a Friday night - despite the earlier reviews. Either we were lucky, or the management used those negative reviews to improve the place.
(4)Maksim Y.
This place was great for our HUMP DAY, Date Night! Food was good and simple. This is not a super fancy place, but and awesome chill vibe with great tasting balls (PS my girlfriend loved the buffalo balls) at a great price. Awesome for a fun and affordable place in Las Olas.... And we are locals live 5 min from here! great quick service here
(5)Samantha V.
Everything was great! I recommend the brussels sprout appetizer, it was full of flavor and the perfect starter for two. I also had the F&B meatballs with roasted tomato sauce over the kale Caesar salad. Next time I visit Fort Lauderdale I will definitely be coming back and I suggest everyone else do the same!!
(5)Mersaydees S.
If you're looking for not your average dinner this is the place to be! Great food- especially love the starter option to have 4 balls in a sauce for $8 so you can try them all. Our service was absolutely wonderful! The hostess was very helpful while we stood outside looking at the menu. Our waitress was more than helpful. Probably the best service we've had in Fort Lauderdale. Absolutely recommend!
(5)D V.
Loved this place yet tonight may have just been an off night or maybe because I never ordered the Texas Bowl... It had very little chilli and the little that was served with it was not good chilli at all...almost like chilli without beans (or very few) and zero substance to the sauce except for the strong taste of what may be a good sauce if you actually added beans and meat to it. All other visits...grandma's bowl, just balls, balls and salad... Exceptional. Again, maybe an off night? I will try again
(3)Henry S.
Food was alright for the big change in menu. The bar is full service so if you get attended there first you're good to go. Great food but very sad that they changed their menu so much and it seems that they did to make it easier for themselves than to please the customer. HOW IS THERE NO MORE SLIDERS?!?
(3)john m.
Good fun food. Service problems hopefully will lessen with a little tenure Meatballs both beef and chicken were excellent. Pasta tasty and garlic bread was yummy. Good beer and drink selection Will try again
(4)Randy B.
The atmosphere is fantastic! It's a little ways down, away from the cluster of bars/restaurants, so it tends to not be AS busy for weekday happy hour (good or bad, depending on your choice). The Ball of the day is typically quite delicious, and definitely recommend trying it whenever you are there, even if just for an appetizer. The staff is magnificent, we called ahead to request a table for 15 (though they do not do reservations), and when we arrived, the table was set up and waiting for us.
(5)Michael S.
We arrived with a party of 10 patrons 20 minutes prior to their advertised closing time. The staff turned us away and told us that they are trying to close and that they are not seating any new patrons. This is the second time this happened.
(1)Ruth D.
Yum yum yum! Something for everyone , even vegetarians! Great atmosphere, friendly service and rockin' music, even though it's pretty loud!
(5)Joel G.
All I can say about this place is AMAZE-BALLS! We'd originally planned to dine at Rocco's Tacos but the place was mobbed and a 1hr wait so we strolled while waiting and stumbled upon this gem. No line, no wait and the food is fresh and amazing. Servers were friendly, attentive, and knew their menu. Great job guys. Can't wait to go back.
(5)Daniel M.
Chris the bartender is amazing... Very tentative and remembers you...even what your favorite drink is. A+
(5)Anycia V.
This place was very tastey. However the portions are small and the prices high for the size. A hip restaurant for a yuppie crowd. The music was a bit loud for a relaxed dining experience but if your looking for a nice place to have tapas with a unique theme and unique cocktails its a keeper.
(3)James D.
It's sad that a beautiful establishment has such poor management running a potentially nice restaurant. Suzette, the manager, was incredibly rude and hostile when responding to a simple concern. Never have I been so insulated. Never coming back!
(1)Temba M.
Great restaurant. The service was awesome, food was delicious and very tasty, nice location too. Special shout out to Marcos and Danielle who were kind enough to a explain the menu and took care of me.
(5)Greg S.
I really liked the lay out and decor of this place. And of course how can you go wrong with a name like Fork and Balls. Like others have said it is a bit noisey inside. The way they marketed their $1 meatballs. First, you have to buy a beverage, and the wait staff pushed an alcoholic beverage. (Not that it's a big deal but in ads it doesn't say that) Also you have to buy 4 of the same meatballs. The food itself was good, the meatballs had good flavor and I chose the roasted tomato sauce, it was very good (my co diners thought the mushroom and parmesan sauces were just ok) I also had the house salad with blue cheese and it was very fresh and the best thing I ate that night. I think we'll be back to try the entrees and not just the balls. Based on balls alone it's 3.5/5
(3)Jameson E.
The food is amazing, but some of the staff are very rude. I came in tonight and no one would even make eye contact with me or my date. We stood around for ten minutes and then decided to sit at the bar, but everyone just put their head down. This is not the first time this has happened and every time the place is dead so there really shouldn't be an excuse for this.
(3)Dan O.
I took one of my best real estate clients to lunch here. The food was good, but the service was absolutely sub-standard. This is not just a new restaurant, but also a new style of restaurant... Being unfamiliar with the portion sizes, I ordered 3 meatballs atop a salad, my client ordered 3 meatballs w/ no salad. ($3.00 deference). When the order came, my client immediately realized that she had ordered incorrectly, and asked to upgrade to what I had ordered. The waitress returned to the table and said "the manager said we have to charge you separately for the salad." ($10 not $3). We asked for the manager to visit our table... Well.. SHEILA the manager arrived, and repeatedly refused to correct the problem, bring the salad, and re-ring the ticket with the appropriate charges. Mind you.. The issue wasn't about $7 it was about the principle at this point. SHEILA finally acquiesced, and agreed to take care of it.. However... As she walked away she said, "I'll take care of it ASSHOLE-LUTELY!" Although I work on Las Olas Blvd, with many high profile clients, and I try to support the neighborhood businesses... I will not support, nor patronize this business ever again. SHIELA with her attitude should look for a job where she doesn't have to interact with the public.
(1)Stefanie N.
Bad. First of all I ordered cold snap. From the tap beer. For sure the taps were mixed up bc my beer 100% Tasted like lemon or oranges. Maybe it was blue moon....It was not COLD SNAP. second my food;a meatball had 2 hairs in it. Not cute. Long hairs. Long. I did not tell a manager or complain bc I have worked in food and beverage before. But if you want good beer. Go to 7-11. Or just stay home. The same goes for hair in the meatballs. Hair at home...whatever. At fork and ballls.....no thanks. Where's my grandma,,, my advice. Byob. Or just stay home period. Actually. Cheesecake Factory is down the street. Very nice. No hair. Clean bathrooms.
(2)Jacke D.
Love this place, they do a great job with carry-out or sit down service. Lots of Regular & Vegetarian meatballs. Love the salads the best! Had Avocado Salad Special .....it should be on main menu, but roasted corn salad is great too!
(5)Lauren M.
I rode past Fork & Balls in the afternoon on my bike, and it grabbed my attention. So i went there for dinner. The wait would have been 30 mins on a Friday night, but we sat at the community table (2 people). I thought this was cool and you're given enough space between other patrons. The atmosphere is cool and similar to a bar. You'll find nicely dressed 30 something year olds chatting amidst the food & bev. The lighting was dim, and while a 20 or 30-something won't care, an older gent might. As did the guy next to me, who took out his cell to read the menu. The cocktails are very good, and the have Funky Buddha on tap! The menu as you may know or have guessed is meatballs centric. I ordered The Texan, the portion was good, but they could have done more with the dish. It sounded like it would be chili like, with tortilla chips. It vaguely mirrored chili had tiny strips of tortillas, not full chips. The flavor was there, but the chips become limp in the sauce, and where's the beans? My friend go a chicken meatball sandwich with pesto on it. Now that was good, and the portion for a sandwich could be shared as a small bite option for two people.
(3)Monica C.
I would say the food at this place is mediocre. There is nothing special about their meatballs or meat sauce. The one thing I did like a lot was the fried calamari. They make it different then most places by adding peppers to it. Also, they sell no bottled beer only draft or cans which i'm not a fan of. The atmosphere is nice though at the bar if you are looking for a happy hour type place. I wouldn't go here again just to eat unless I was invited.
(3)Serena D.
Having a great day on las olas till I came here. Very disappointed, food is good but service is horrible! A simple coffee request came cold never brought my bottled water just simple requests couldn't be met. Will not return way too many restaurants in Fort Lauderdale to go to.
(1)Lauren I.
If you like for literally everything to include greasy meatballs this is the place for you....my date ordered a chicken caeser salad...it came with chicken meatballs??? I ordered a lamb salad...very greasy lamb meatballs. The bar was nothing to brag about either. The bartender couldn't even see us because we were blocked by the tap and the drinks were not very good. The bar itself didn't look very clean either.
(2)Bernadette D.
The vibe is cool but that is where it stops. Its unbelievably disappointing if you pride yourself on meatballs they should be the yummiest meatballs I have ever had, nope! Mine was cold and lacked flavor and priced poorly for the quantity and quality that it was. Very subpar. My husband on the other hand had a meatball sandwich and loved it. Don't know if it is just the difference in the type of balls we got or difference in taste buds :/ Just thought I would add both our opinions.
(2)Gricel G.
Review is way overdue but am a busy gal. Stopped in a few weeks ago. Love the look, atmosphere, drinks, and menu. Layla, the bartender was so friendly and helpful with suggestions. Hard to find impeccable service in south Florida. Lol Looking forward to go back.
(5)James K.
Despite the kind of campy name this place is pretty impressive. Especially given that they just opened last week. The bartenders were attentive and friendly. The place is a little loud; but in chatting with one of the managers I found out they are going to noise dampen the ceiling in the near future to address the issue. The décor is very cool although I found the backless solid wood bar seats a tad uncomfortable if you're going to be there a while. The drinks are inexpensive for Las Olas, $6 for a craft beer is more than reasonable. The menu is simple comfort food with a few twists, and well priced. On that subject, I (for a shocking change lol) feel the need to vent. I always take the time to read the 1-2 star complaints in otherwise highly rated places. There are actually people bitching about the three meatball portion size? It's $8. On Las Olas. Zach K? First, why don't you start by getting the restaurant name correct, then the menu, The dish you had included pasta if you paid $13. There are a shit ton of mediocre Italian places that charge $25-$30 for pasta. Go back to Wendy's in Davie. By the way, my favorite part of your review was where you would have stopped there on the way home but you were too scared of the thunder. When the apocalypse comes I'm sure you'll be a great help *giant eye roll*.
(4)David W.
My wife and I have visited F&B twice now, and had good experiences each time. F&B seems to be fairly busy on weekends and we waited about 45 minutes for a table, during which we enjoyed a few drinks and wine. The brussel sprout appetizer was very tasty. The sandwiches and pasta also hit the spot. The second visit was on a Wednesday and we were sat immediately. The different variety of meatballs and daily specials were very much appreciated and provided some variety. The prices are very reasonable (especially when compared to surrounding resturaunts). We will definitely be back!
(4)Mia P.
This place is so live and friendly I went with my girl friends for the first time we had a bottle of masoto which was lovely... we ordered our food and within 7 mins we received it... fast and tasteful service... always packed so please come prepared to wait a little but its so worth it :)
(5)Kristin W.
Came here for lunch 2 days in a row. First day, I ordered their arugula salad with balls on top. I got the veggie balls, they were pretty good. We also got the polenta fries, awesome! Second day, I ordered the Sicilian, which wasn't bad. My mom ordered the Freddy, and that thing was amazing!!!! The menu is a bit confusing and the concept is cool. This place is worth a try.
(3)Andy V.
If you're going to offer Vegan meatballs, you could at least offer vegan sauces, what's the point otherwise.
(3)Anthony J.
I ate here last night and had the veggie balls, chicken, and the Sicilian sandwich. All were very good! I would like to see a little more options on the menu... At least more salad options... The only negative I can say is that every minute I was asked if they can take my plate and clearly I wasn't done.... Was very annoying... Otherwise I thought it was great for only being open a week. Oh, and the atmosphere was great!! Very industrial.. Similar to places in NYC.
(4)Jim H.
Beautiful space. Nice soundtrack of relaxed, yet interesting music. Handsome bartenders. I had an ice cold Peroni and Jim had a nice glass of white. The arugula salad with roasted red peppers and fresh corn was tasty and shareable. Awesome, crisp, light and garlicky toasted bread was great with the beer. I had 3 F&B blend balls (pork and veal) over fresh spaghetti and a pink cream sauce. They toss the pasta in tomato sauce, layer the balls on top and cover the whole thing in a delicious fresh cream sauce. It was amazing. Beautifully plated in a large white deep bowl. Jim had the Sicilian sandwich which was flavorful, crisp and out of this world. His came with a small bit of tossed greens which added a nice touch of acid and freshness between sandwich bites. We also ordered the sautéed spinach and garlic as well as the broccoli rabb, both of which were super tasty. I felt like we were dining in philly, which is one of my favorite food towns. In total, check it out. We ate at the bar, but we always eat at the bar, the tables looked comfy too. Way more welcoming than Rocco's Tacos just down the street. Oh, one last thing...I noticed a few reviews about portion size. In general, I think we've all become accustomed to giant plates. Huge. Cheesecake Factory plates. Fork and Balls is a normal portion kind of restaurant. I love that. I'm not obligated to bring home leftovers that will never get eaten. Also, it lets me try a few things. I'm not a small guy and I left full and satisfied without cleaning my plates. Also, the prices are fare but not cheep. After tip we were at about $100, which is a splurge but we had a lot including 1 beer and 2 glasses of wine.
(5)Dennis M.
Nothing you couldn't do in your own kitchen. Service needs some immediate work, went on a busy Sunday and it took forever to get served at the bar they also screwed up my fiance's order and served 3 other dishes 5 minutes before her's was fixed. Again, food is ok. It's meatballs and spaghetti or sandwiches and I'm always indifferent about eating out for Italian food (even when it's trying to be new american-esque or a complete rip off of the meatball shop in brooklyn but without the flavor) because you can totally do Italian at home and put more TLC in it. I'll come back for drinks (cocktails are on point) and the calamari but wouldn't bother with the dinner service.
(3)Enrique P.
Came to visit for the first time on a Sunday night. While still one hour to close, we were welcomed in and seated but only told they were serving appetizer menu until several minutes later. We feel that was disrespectful as they could have told us right at the reception time. Still pondering to visit again.
(1)D S.
The veggie pesto balls are by far the best balls I've ever had in my mouth! Fast friendly service. Restaurant is pretty loud though. My friends had the spicy pork balls and loved them!
(5)Sumeet C.
Just that good. We are vegetarian and enjoyed both the veggie and quinoa/spinach balls. Don't miss the fried bread pudding--top 5 dessert imo.
(5)C M.
I've been here once before (as they did just open). Today I plan to go back, so that says something for the place. My rating above is based on my first experience. WAIT STAFF: We dined for lunch; our waitress couldn't have been better (a female with brown hair). She explained everything and was on top of our every need (even though it was packed for lunch). THE GOOD: I had "the Jeffry" (yes, that's how they spelled it). I liked it. I don't think I'd order it twice, but better than leaving hungry like others complained of for the small portions. The Jeffry is a sandwich, so I did get bread, which I am sure is helpful. The side arugula salad which came with the sandwich was quite tasty (and I am not really a salad person). My date had "the Texan". He also enjoyed it and of course I had to have a taste, and I thought it was very good also. Plenty big enough and filling. It was meatballs over chili with cheese. Not a sandwich. But once again, the portion size was quite large. The mac and cheese was, IMHO, out of this world, and I highly recommend it. If it stays consistent, I guarantee you I will get it every time. THE NOT SO GOOD: The Kale Chips, which I normally loveeeeeeeee, and I usually get at other locations, were just too limp. My suggestion to F&B, don't be afraid to leave them in a little longer. The fried bread pudding is fried on a flat top. The edges are pretty much burnt, and that is it. When I saw it on the menu, probably my mistake, but I was thinking it was deep fried and perhaps dipped in a light batter. Not the case. It is simply sliced and thrown on the flat top. Then the scoop of ice cream they put on top looks like they used a melon-baller for the scoop. It was so small that we both started laughing. And this was week 1 of their opening. You would of thought they'd think big this week, and slyly reduce portions later. Oh well. I would never have ordered bread pudding in the first place, as I'm not a fan; but the boyfriend loves bread pudding, so I figured what the heck. And believe me folks, he's not a "snob" when it comes to food, and even he gave the bread pudding a thumbs down. IN SUMMARY: I'm going back. I liked it; I only gave it a 3 because it was only half good at this point, and I didn't see 2.5 as an option here. Hopefully, lunch today will make me smile. UPDATE: Visit #2 on 7/10/14. I updated to 4 stars today. Everything was very good. I had the 3 chicken balls with Parmesan cream sauce; the brussell sprouts, as well as the mac and cheese (again). All 3 side dishes were good. The balls were great; the sprouts were also delicious and had a touch of bacon; and of course, my favorite mac and cheese was good (but not as good as my first visit - maybe a different chef/cook today - it was not that melted cheesy deliciousness - it was actually kinda gritty). The waitress (a tall, thin blonde girl was fabulous. I love that they hired a good wait staff. Rocco's Tacos could learn a thing or 2 from this company.
(4)Monica T.
Came here with a few girlfriends of mine for dinner. The concept is cool as their main focus is of course, meatballs. Had the Brussel sprouts app, was very yummy and the sauce added a nice flavor to them. Main course was the f and b balls with creamy polenta. The balls were a blend of pork and veal which made them really soft and tender and the polenta is very creamy and flavorful as well. My friend had the chicken balls which were moist and not too dry. Overall I would come back again to try other combinations as this is a good place to just relax and have a few bites.
(4)Tomas B.
Where to begin - really kind of a strange niche this place has as on a Saturday afternoon 5PM just after a torrential rain stopping in for a quick bite we are the only people in the place. 2 Hours later and it is wall to wall with not a place in sight to sit or get a drink. Arrive to a straight forward square bar with tables aligned on both sides along with a huge communal table at the front door. With multiple beers on tap along with 6 wines on tap "The new rage" we settle on a craft beer and a non tap wine by the glass. Also the rage is beer in a can. I thought I got out of this mode sometime ago when I graduated high school but I digress. Apparently the new rage also brings in the 20 something crowd as it certainly has a median average of about 21 to 25 for patrons tonight. We want to sample some of the menu but as the name suggests it is almost all balls. Meatballs of various types with various sauces and then combination of thereof. Some salads and a few other items but for the most part this is about their meatballs. We start with the F&B blend tonight which is veal and pork balls in their Robust Tomato sauce. (Note Mom's meatballs are always veal, pork & Beef). I could not distinguish the fact that there was no beef. As these go they were actually very good. The sauce was not your standard "Sunday Gravy" but it was very tasty and plentiful. Side of shredded cheese was provided and an order of undercooked but tasty garlic bread was presented as well. Ample cheese on the bread but just missed. Continuing on a Lamb ball Gyro was tried which was basically your Greek gyro but it was replaced with a lamb meatball. Concept was sound and it was a pretty interesting sandwich. A make your own hero was top notch with 100% spicy pork meat balls, robust tomato sauce, ricotta cheese and sweet & Hot peppers. Bread was top notch and the combination was a real winner. No deserts or coffee were tried and Jillian behind the bar was a pleasure to look at and was on top of everything all night. All and all their very neat concept is a winner. It is not spectacular by any means, but this modern vibe combined with a niche of a market and fair price points should keep this place in business for a long time.
(4)Marko E.
Another hit! Attractive, attentive staff (always a great thing), excellent food, I had the meatball daily special, with short rib in the middle, wow, ordered a second round! Three nice meatballs on each order, with your choice of sauce. First round was with the tomato sauce, highly recommended. Second order had the cream sauce. Wife had the vege meatballs which were very good. Only $8.00! Suggestions: how about some crunchy French Bread? Included bread was only average. Wife suggested a "hanger" put under the bar for her purse. She loves it when her purse is not on top of the bar. Also- Improved champagne list please! Not everyone likes Prosecco. Overall excellent experience! Great food, great service!
(5)Leonela I.
The worst customer experience EVER! The food was great but unfortunately the "manager" Suzette doesn't know how to treat a customer. I was part of a large group and they made our lives hell to pay the check.. they told us they only could split the check in 4 (we were 8) and that it was company's policy, which it wasn't stablished anywhere. The manager treated us like dirt. Never coming back just because of that!
(1)Dana M.
My girlfriend and I dined in with our 2 9yr old daughters for a little hang out lunch during the week. The restaurant was empty....didn't expect it to be busy at 3pm on a Thursday. We walked in and sat ourselves and our server came right over and explained the menu. She was very pleasant and helpful. We ordered the Buffalo meatballs appetizer which was very moist and ohhh soon yummy! Our little girls had the meatball smash sandwich which they loved and we had the Quinoa balls with Parmesan sauce and the Turkey balls with Pesto sauce. It was a lot of food! All was so good. The mac & cheese was ok...Iv had better and it wasn't what I expected. The spinach was good as well as was the Polenta fries. While we were there we also had a drink from their drink menu. Our overall experience was great and to top it off we were unaware that it was happy hour so our drinks were 50%off! I will be back for more balls for sure!
(4)Bob W.
If you take quality of food and price into consideration it does not get any better than Fork and Balls. It only took one trip for us to get hooked and we keep coming back. The sandwiches are great and the Spaghetti is the best around.
(5)Donna D.
As vegetarians we were excited to try this restaurant as they have veggie balls and kale & quinoa balls. The first two times we explicitly asked the waitress to inquire if the tomato sauce and brussels sprouts were made in chicken stock or had meat in them. We were told no on both occasions. This evening we once again asked to confirm because we always do , and were told that in fact chicken stock was used in all but one sauce snd also in the brussel sprouts. Now the menu has a few items marked 'vegan' but that is not the same as vegetarian. We are upset that the prior waitresses either did not check or didn't tell us. And we are grateful for the honesty of this evening's server. So beware if you have dietary questions. And enjoy the food if you don't. Also: just FYI Monday's are LOUD music! So not a place to go on that evening if you want to talk over dinner!
(2)Tim S.
Great Balls! When you get these balls in your mouth, you will be so happy! You won't believe these balls! OK, now that I've told the obvious jokes, the food here is very good. Portions are a little on the small side, but that's not the biggest issue. My sister ordered a glass of wine, she got the SMALLEST glass of wine I have ever seen! They said it was measured at 6 oz. it looked like it wasn't even 4, more like 2! The waitress said this a COMMON complaint! The management need to loosen their grip around the wine pouring and listen to their customers! My wife enjoyed the mozzerella and tomato salad, but really loved the herb polenta fries! "Those were YUM!". The garlic bread was like garlic bread she could make herself. We fed 5 people for about $125 + tip, so a pretty good price I'd say, then again, I'm from New York!
(3)Angelo R.
This place just opened on Friday. Its run by the same owners of Yolo, Tarpon and S3. We came here last night to try it out. Very busy at 9pm but the wait was only 30 minutes. I ordered one of their specialty cocktails but forgot the name. It was cucumber & gin concoction but and it was delicious and potent. The price wasn't bad either..10 bucks for well made drink. We got sat on a table by the window. Ordered Balls on Top (3 Spicy Pork Balls over Penne). The meatballs were cooked right, nice texture and flavorful. Not sure how my friend's dish tasted but wished they had a sampler to try all the meatball varieties. Overall the restaurant was clean, nicely decorated with an open floor plan. I liked the long rectangular bar in the middle. It didn't feel overcrowded. Will be back to try the other dishes. I took a pic of the simple menu.
(4)Sean R.
Went last night for dinner cause I love me some meatballs!!! The place has a very trendy vibe to it. Expected since the people who own Yolo also own F&B. the air conditioning is on full blast which normally I love (cause I'm always hot) but it was too much!!! I asked them to turn down the a/c so my food wasn't chilled when it got to me. They said they would do what they could. Bring a sweater ladies! Now the food! I started with the Calimari appetizer, yummy! But too salty. That ends the negativity I swear! The meatballs were amazing! I tried three different balls and they were all fantastic! I highly recommend the chicken ball in Parmesan cream sauce. The side of garlic spinach was great! Even better with a bit of the Parmesan cream!!! I will definitely be going back!!!
(4)Jeff P.
As part of the YOLO restaurant group here in Fort Lauderdale we wanted to like the place as much as S3 or YOLO. But alas, we didn't. It wasn't bad but it was damn expensive for what amounts to a bar with a kitchen that mostly makes meat balls. The crowd is younger and likes to drink as the bar is the focal point of the space and competes for the upper end beer crowd in town. Of course, there are wines and cocktails. But paying $15+ for a glass of wine or a drink in Fort Lauderdale is rich even for the Las Olas area. And it better be an awesome space for that kind of bucks, and well, it isn't. Service - excellent. This town being a resort, an expert wait staff can be built easily as long as the dollars are there. And F&B will cost you, so you get good service. Really good service. This is a high point of the experience. Food - Its ok. While attempting to get creative with meat balls as your universe can be limiting, they do an interesting job of mixing it up on the menu - Italian-ish, Mexican-ish fares involving meat balls. This may end up being more of a novelty in the long run but we'll have to see. For the kind of bucks involved, we'll pass going back. Like I said, it's not bad, just not special. And for the dollars there is a lot of competition. And better food to be had.
(3)Bruno B.
Heard good things about this eatery and they have a number of vegan options. I had the vegan balls and I must say they were out of sight! Very tasty!! Our server, Patrick was very nice and accomodating. He was very informative and was very patient with me going over what was vegan and what as not. First time there..overall deserves a 5 star rating! I will definitely return here! It's nice to see more and more restaurants are offering vegan options! Change is happening! Thanks F&B!
(5)Angie S.
My 16 year old daughter picked Fork and Balls as her birthday dinner location so I took her and a friend here on a Tuesday night around 6:00. There was no wait and we were seated and greeted by our waitress right away. We started with the F&B garlic bread and herb polenta fries. Polenta fries were yum. We loved them and would order again. I really wanted to like the garlic bread and I know this will sound stupid; but, the garlic taste was to much for me. It tasted like a very large amount of garlic was rubbed over the top of the bread and I found it overpowering. For mains we ordered Balls On Top classic beef with roasted tomato over collared greens, which were the daily veggie. Four good sized balls. Really tender and tasted delicious. The collared greens were some of the best I have ever tasted and I'm from WV so I grew up on collared greens. I hope they add them to the menu as a regular side because I would get them every single time. The two teenagers ordered The Greek (lamb balls on pita bread gyro style) and The Jeffry (F&B blend balls with a white bean spread and ricotta). Both sandwiches were so tasty. The Jeffry sort of fell apart but nothing a fork couldn't fix. For dessert we tried the Fried Bread Pudding. Get this when you go!!!!! Served with Rum Raisin ice cream. So good. Last night I was at a wine and food pairing event and F&B were there serving short rib meatballs. These must be a daily special because they weren't on the menu but if they are available you have to try them. The meatball is stuffed with short rib. They were amazing. Be prepared for it to be very loud in there. Even the kids commented on the noise level a few times.
(4)Bob G.
What a nice surprise. I'm a meatball fanatic and the variety of meatballs is over the top. I caught happy hour $1 a ball with choice of sauce. I tried 7 different kinds of meatballs, trusting my server (bartenders) suggestions on sauces for each Six of them I loved and the other one was good. You be the judge Sexy atmosphere and DJ was a nice touch. I luckily got a spot in lot directly behind the place. I've been putting off trying this place because of parking situation. So I tried it on a Monday night There's more than meatballs. Dessert too I'm glad I finally tried this place and I would definitely be back
(4)E R.
Delicious, well-priced, food in a unique way. We live in the neighborhood so eat here fairly regularly, and we've never had a bad meal. I personally like something off drink menu with a meatball, or something light. My only recommendation would be to add some lighter options, perhaps another salad or vegetable dish. I understand that their main feature is ground meat, but sometimes dining companions would enjoy something a little less heavy.
(4)Alex R.
The place has some good balls, yes I said balls, meatballs. That's the kinda humor you'll get when you read the menu lol but seriously they are good and looks like a chill place. So if you're looking to meet with friends, try out a new place or simply get some drinks and stuff your mouth with some balls... That's a good place. I suggest sharing different kinds of balls with the table and friends. Ok that last comment I couldn't resist. Lol
(3)Michael L.
This place needs a new menu and some class. The waitress just asked what kind of sauce do I want on my balls. Getting a little to personnel for me !!!
(1)Scott T.
Who doesn't like a meatball? How about a menu of items that contain meatballs? Pick a meat ball, pick a sauce, maybe add an appetizer. That's Fork & Balls. Lamb, veal & pork, BACON!, yeah. You get the picture. Try the polenta appetizer as well, Nice beer selection. You won't leave hungry.
(4)Dina A.
Only 2 days old and it shows great promise! Attentive staff and knowledgeable friendly waiters. $5 valet and meter parking around the back. Timings are a little off right now because they just opened. Only open for dinner for the first 2 weeks. Menu not specific, traditional beef meatball actually has pork in it so ordered the F&B which is beef and veal. We tried 3 different sauces and all are great (traditional tomato, mushroom, creamy Parmesan) Side orders are not too large- Great for sharing. Broccoli Rabe and Kale Chips had flavor. Again, menu is not specific- white beans had pork in them, which the menu did not specify. Dessert- ordered both the chocolate chip cookies with orange zest milk and the fried bread pudding with rum raisin ice cream. The bread pudding was crispy on the outside, soft on the inside. The cookie stole the show!
(4)Anthony R.
Went for lunch during the week and not too crowded like I've seen it at this place in the evening. We've been wanting to try this restaurant for awhile now. There was four of us and we each shared our plates so we could try out the different meatballs. All in all, the food was really tasty. This restaurant is very trendy and a great place to eat at. I would recommend.
(4)Jessica B.
Came here to eat with husband on a sunday night, the atmosphere was great and the service was superb. Food on the other hand was okay. Nothing to rave dont think ill be back.
(2)Tanya M.
My daughter and I both went to see Dr Cooper the other day and she was AMAZING! It was my baby's first time going to see the dentist and she was so gentle with opening her mouth and checking out to make sure all her teeth were doing good. By far one of the best dentists I have ever been to!!
(5)Robert D.
What a great place to eat! We started with an awesome salad which the two of us couldn't finish. It was fresh and full of chick peas, tomatoes and olives! So fresh and a great value for $8. We had the polenta fries and calamari appetizers, two more winners. I had the spicy Italian meatballs over polenta, just awesome and generous portion. My son had the Sunday Gravy with meatballs over penne pasta. Both are topped with fresh ricotta cheese, so sweet! So good and so big, we both took some home. No room for dessert after all that food but the service and atmosphere are really good!
(5)Robert F.
Now living in the Las Olas area of Fort Lauderdale, we are working our way through the vast and lovely places to dine in the area. Driving down Las Olas we have seen Fork & Balls on our way home and decided to give it a try tonight. My usual M.O. is to try a few things as recommended by the server so if I don't like the place it will be because they couldn't execute the recommended dishes and I always want to try to like a local place because it is just that, "local". Our waitress Leigh was lovely, cute and knowledgeable. She was helpful and we tried three different type meatballs (one with penne pasta and the caesar salad with romaine (I just can't handle Kale in Caesar salad as offered on the menu). Leigh said they were very accommodating as to substitutions and we were grateful because my wife and I wanted to try Leigh's recommended meatballs in dishes that were assigning other types of "Balls" to them. The caesar came out and was quite average in size and taste. No bread of any kind is put on tables so when the entree's came out we were ready for them (hungry). The beef meatballs and the house blend meatballs were both mushy and I sent the house blend back. My wife's beef "Balls" were in the Greek special and she isn't a "send em back" person. She just say's she won't go back when there's a problem. (I feel unless you make issues known, you don't give the restaurant a fair chance to make improvements. The spicy pork meatballs were quite good. Let's face it, meatballs are rated on texture and flavor. They need both to be good. My penne pasta was cooked acceptably (I personally like it a bit more al dente') and the tomato sauce was VERY basic and just barely present. A tiny piece of focaccia comes with the bowl and it was just too tiny for me since no bread is put on the table. Overall, one in three "Balls" were good in this place (not so good). It "is" cute, has decent service, and a friendly environment and may do well because of it's location and pricing, which is pretty reasonable for an entry level nice cafe type place. I wish them well, because they seem like they're trying, and maybe if they stop putting too much filler into those beef and house blend meatballs they will appeal to more than kids and those who are not very discerning?
(2)Bill L.
Been wanting to try F & B now for awhile. I have them liked on FB and I'm constantly being teased by the photos of various random dishes they post. We sat inside along the window to feel the warmth of the sun shining through that day. Ordered ice tea and wifey had a glass of wine. I will say the wine was served in a short water glass similar to those usually around the sink of a hotel room and not in a traditional wine glass. She ordered just meat balls and selected from one of the sauce options available. I ordered the meatball hero sandwich and selected the blended meatballs and one of the sauce options as well. Served on a traditional Italian style sub roll and topped with provolone cheese. Out of this world full of flavor!
(5)Dara B.
I was really excited to come here and check the place out. A group of us came Monday night for $1 balls and 1/2 wine. The pricing structure of the $1 balls was confusing. Apparently in order to get the deal, you can only order off the "Just Balls" portion of the menu. The waitress did not explain that. I ordered off of the "Balls on Top" The lightning was very bad where we sat. It is my fault for not taking the drink menu to another spot and viewing the prices of the 1/2 wine (bottle and carafe not by the glass). The bottle of wine I ordered was $60 and since it was 1/2 off Monday, it came to $30. I was shocked. The waitress pushed the bottles. If I had known, I would have just ordered a $9 glass of wine. My bill came to 59.52 including tax and tip. The waitress kept the .48 cents. On the positive side, the balls, garlic bread and the Tuscan Kale Caeser Salad was delicious. If I do return, I will make sure and let everyone know about the pricing structure and only order off of the "Just Balls" menu. Diner beware.
(1)Jennifer O.
On a Saturday night we were told it would be a 45 minute wait, so we sat at the bar and within 20 minutes we were seated. We ordered the Turkey, Classic Beef, and F&B Blend Balls with the sauce on the side. All 3 selections were delicious! The F&B balls melt in your mouth (no pun intended). Service was great. We were quickly attended by the waitress and it didn't take long before the food was at our table. Before leaving we were already planning our next visit, as we were beyond satisfied with this restaurant selection.
(5)Andrew N.
Bottom Line Up Front: F&B is a really tasty, trendy, and affordable meatballs restaurant worth going to. Service: We went at 8:00 PM on a Saturday and waited about 30 minutes for a table. They use a text reservation system so you get a message when your table's ready. We had a few $10 signature drinks at the bar that were really good. They took a few minutes to stop by our table but someone came by and let us know they would be a little delayed and offered to bring us something, no big deal. Food: We got the calamari at the bar which had a spicy sauce and peppers- really good. We also had collard greens, grandma's bowl (a classic Italian dish) which was well above average and the Swedish meatball special (with mushroom sauce and penne) which was amazeballs (I had to, sorry). My wife also ordered another specialty drink. Price: Three drinks, appetizers, side, and two entree's for ~$75. Not too bad considering it was all really good. Parking: We parked on a residential street for free and walked about 3 minutes. The George Costanza Star (bathrooms): A star earned here. Dimly lit and clean bathrooms; excellent decor. Constanza approved. After Action Report (conclusion): We had a great time and were not disappointed by this meatball restaurant. Friendly staff with decent service, good food, and decent prices means we'll probably return at some point. As mentioned before the crowd is a younger, trendier one and people are dressed up. Highly recommended for a fun night out.
(4)Mike F.
The drinks are well priced and made. The food is outstanding and really puts them on par with the best restaurants in Fort Lauderdale. The only thing they need to improve is on service time - for mostly meatballs, the service could have been better and more attentive. However, this will not stop us from visiting in the future something we will definitely do soon!
(4)Bella M.
Excellent food, and excellent service thank you Kara. We had 4 different meals and they were all great.
(5)Cheri P.
Very appealing, the short rib balls and Sunday gravy is very good. Great service our waiter Rachel is very friendly and helpful. Will definitely come back!
(4)Marina M.
I was truly a fan of Fork and Balls up until my last 2 visits the final being just last night. I am disappointed to say that I will never be returning to this establishment again. What a shame as the food really is delicious (the only reason why this is getting 2 stars and not 1). My first terrible visit occurred when our waiter was attempting to pressure us into drinking. Repeatedly saying "no I am not drinking tonight" is something that no paying customer should have to do. My friend ordered an iced tea to shut him up, and promptly said that it was extremely bitter. He acted like he didnt hear or notice that it remained untouched the entire meal. Yet it still ended up on the bill even when he should have had the decency to get her something else. My last and final visit is what has sent me over the edge. Our waitress started off fine until she disappeared. Yeah, that's right. She was sitting directly across from us with other servers eating and chatting away right after she put our order in. How DARE you leave a paying customer sitting unattended. She took our order, and left. Our food and check was brought by two random other people. What a great way to show the girl you were training on how to give good customer service. I'm sure she will be a real gem learning from you. Oh and the manager? He was at the table directly to my left eating a meal. Unbelievable. I kept coming back for the food, again, the only reason why this updated review is not a 1 star. But after how I was treated, I would much rather give another local business that truly cares about customer service my money. I am disgusted, but I am more disappointed. I really liked this restaurant, but alas, it clearly needs help.
(2)Marcus R.
This is spot-on for pasta and meat lovers!!! I'll admit that as the bartender was describing the menu, everytime she said "balls" I chuckled to myself like a 13 yo boy. Nevertheless, I ordered a local beer and FB mixed Balls with penna and spicy tomato sauce. It was superb! Great price, just the right portion size and great service!
(4)Kristen L.
Second time here! Still delicious! The traditional tomato sauce is the BEST!!!!!! We had that with bacon pork balls on too of arugula salad plus a side of Brussel sprouts. Crazy good!
(5)Yeni B.
Went here for lunch on Sunday. Service was good. Food was alright. I wanted more flavor. Our server, I believe his name was joe, had great menu knowledge and steered us in the right direction. I probably wouldn't return for the food, but service was not bad at all. Not a terrible place to check out for a first time.
(3)Alessandra P.
I don't really know why this place had not-so-great reviews. The food is incrediBALLS! Just phenomenal! Came here on a Monday at 4pm, granted we were the only ones here but they have $1 meatballs on Mondays 4-7pm if you sit at the bar. I had the chicken parm mash and my husband had the short rib meatballs - YUMMY! We also had the fried bread pudding for dessert with vanilla ice cream on top - OH EM GEE! Eclectic design, modern yet antique decorations. My cup of tea. Would eat here again.. And again!
(5)Alex B.
First time going and went with a group for a friend's birthday the other night and we all agreed it was a great place and would make the drive back down there! It was basically the FL version of the widely popular Meatball Shoppe in NYC. And that's a great thing!! I ordered the chicken meatballs with pesto over the arugula salad and it was excellent (the wrong salad came out the first time but it was immediately rectified.) it was the perfect portion. A Filling portion but not gluttonous by any means. And the prices for the portion size, quality and atmosphere are very reasonable. A lot of flavor in every forkful and lots of vegetarian friendly options too and meal choices for every appetite and level of hunger. Wish one would open up in PBC, preferably Atlantic Avenue in Delray. Would definitely recommend and drive back to go there from Boca.
(4)Caroll S.
Really good cocktails, great food! Try the polenta fries, but caution cause they are hot. (Which means fresh out the fryer). Fuzzy wall cocktail had to be strained because all the cucumbers and mint got stuck in my straw, but super tasty. I recommend trying it if u want something different and yummy
(5)Joe I.
I kept hearing about this place from all of my friends so I finally decided to check it out. I went there for a lunch meeting on a sunny weekday afternoon and sat outside, accompanied by my puppy (who got his own bowl of water and some chicken!). I had high expectations and this place met all of them. Service was excellent, food was amazing (I had the Balls on Top), experience was as you'd expect ... casual and upscale ... all at the same time. And I loved the fact that I could talk business and enjoy the food & experience while my pampered puppy sat at my feet. Definitely check this place out!
(5)Michelle R.
F&B meatballs were delicious, Mac & cheese was a pleasant surprise and the atmosphere was very enjoyable.
(4)Jorge Daniel M.
It's a really trendy place, not too expensive and in a pretty good location. This place has really good meatballs I ordered one with parmesan cream sauce and it was awesome, it came with penne and the pasta wasn't that good. The servers are really nice but they do have some sketchy looking ones.
(4)Anthony G.
I hardly ever eat Italian food. And I hardly ever find myself in Las Olas, but last Friday I was there eating Italian food. (Rocco's Tacos where we came first had a very long wait.) Well, the food surprised me: it was delicious, felt fresh and light, and didn't give me a heartburn. I thought the ambiance was appropriate. And the portion size was just right. You can order from a menu of meatballs (beef, pork & veal, chicken, spicy pork - that I ended up getting), add a sauce, type of pasta or have it instead in a sandwich. My business partner and his son also liked this place a lot. And service was quite good even though we didn't order any alcohol on a Friday night - despite the earlier reviews. Either we were lucky, or the management used those negative reviews to improve the place.
(4)Maksim Y.
This place was great for our HUMP DAY, Date Night! Food was good and simple. This is not a super fancy place, but and awesome chill vibe with great tasting balls (PS my girlfriend loved the buffalo balls) at a great price. Awesome for a fun and affordable place in Las Olas.... And we are locals live 5 min from here! great quick service here
(5)Samantha V.
Everything was great! I recommend the brussels sprout appetizer, it was full of flavor and the perfect starter for two. I also had the F&B meatballs with roasted tomato sauce over the kale Caesar salad. Next time I visit Fort Lauderdale I will definitely be coming back and I suggest everyone else do the same!!
(5)Mersaydees S.
If you're looking for not your average dinner this is the place to be! Great food- especially love the starter option to have 4 balls in a sauce for $8 so you can try them all. Our service was absolutely wonderful! The hostess was very helpful while we stood outside looking at the menu. Our waitress was more than helpful. Probably the best service we've had in Fort Lauderdale. Absolutely recommend!
(5)D V.
Loved this place yet tonight may have just been an off night or maybe because I never ordered the Texas Bowl... It had very little chilli and the little that was served with it was not good chilli at all...almost like chilli without beans (or very few) and zero substance to the sauce except for the strong taste of what may be a good sauce if you actually added beans and meat to it. All other visits...grandma's bowl, just balls, balls and salad... Exceptional. Again, maybe an off night? I will try again
(3)Henry S.
Food was alright for the big change in menu. The bar is full service so if you get attended there first you're good to go. Great food but very sad that they changed their menu so much and it seems that they did to make it easier for themselves than to please the customer. HOW IS THERE NO MORE SLIDERS?!?
(3)john m.
Good fun food. Service problems hopefully will lessen with a little tenure Meatballs both beef and chicken were excellent. Pasta tasty and garlic bread was yummy. Good beer and drink selection Will try again
(4)Randy B.
The atmosphere is fantastic! It's a little ways down, away from the cluster of bars/restaurants, so it tends to not be AS busy for weekday happy hour (good or bad, depending on your choice). The Ball of the day is typically quite delicious, and definitely recommend trying it whenever you are there, even if just for an appetizer. The staff is magnificent, we called ahead to request a table for 15 (though they do not do reservations), and when we arrived, the table was set up and waiting for us.
(5)Michael S.
We arrived with a party of 10 patrons 20 minutes prior to their advertised closing time. The staff turned us away and told us that they are trying to close and that they are not seating any new patrons. This is the second time this happened.
(1)Ruth D.
Yum yum yum! Something for everyone , even vegetarians! Great atmosphere, friendly service and rockin' music, even though it's pretty loud!
(5)Joel G.
All I can say about this place is AMAZE-BALLS! We'd originally planned to dine at Rocco's Tacos but the place was mobbed and a 1hr wait so we strolled while waiting and stumbled upon this gem. No line, no wait and the food is fresh and amazing. Servers were friendly, attentive, and knew their menu. Great job guys. Can't wait to go back.
(5)Daniel M.
Chris the bartender is amazing... Very tentative and remembers you...even what your favorite drink is. A+
(5)Anycia V.
This place was very tastey. However the portions are small and the prices high for the size. A hip restaurant for a yuppie crowd. The music was a bit loud for a relaxed dining experience but if your looking for a nice place to have tapas with a unique theme and unique cocktails its a keeper.
(3)James D.
It's sad that a beautiful establishment has such poor management running a potentially nice restaurant. Suzette, the manager, was incredibly rude and hostile when responding to a simple concern. Never have I been so insulated. Never coming back!
(1)Temba M.
Great restaurant. The service was awesome, food was delicious and very tasty, nice location too. Special shout out to Marcos and Danielle who were kind enough to a explain the menu and took care of me.
(5)Greg S.
I really liked the lay out and decor of this place. And of course how can you go wrong with a name like Fork and Balls. Like others have said it is a bit noisey inside. The way they marketed their $1 meatballs. First, you have to buy a beverage, and the wait staff pushed an alcoholic beverage. (Not that it's a big deal but in ads it doesn't say that) Also you have to buy 4 of the same meatballs. The food itself was good, the meatballs had good flavor and I chose the roasted tomato sauce, it was very good (my co diners thought the mushroom and parmesan sauces were just ok) I also had the house salad with blue cheese and it was very fresh and the best thing I ate that night. I think we'll be back to try the entrees and not just the balls. Based on balls alone it's 3.5/5
(3)Jameson E.
The food is amazing, but some of the staff are very rude. I came in tonight and no one would even make eye contact with me or my date. We stood around for ten minutes and then decided to sit at the bar, but everyone just put their head down. This is not the first time this has happened and every time the place is dead so there really shouldn't be an excuse for this.
(3)Dan O.
I took one of my best real estate clients to lunch here. The food was good, but the service was absolutely sub-standard. This is not just a new restaurant, but also a new style of restaurant... Being unfamiliar with the portion sizes, I ordered 3 meatballs atop a salad, my client ordered 3 meatballs w/ no salad. ($3.00 deference). When the order came, my client immediately realized that she had ordered incorrectly, and asked to upgrade to what I had ordered. The waitress returned to the table and said "the manager said we have to charge you separately for the salad." ($10 not $3). We asked for the manager to visit our table... Well.. SHEILA the manager arrived, and repeatedly refused to correct the problem, bring the salad, and re-ring the ticket with the appropriate charges. Mind you.. The issue wasn't about $7 it was about the principle at this point. SHEILA finally acquiesced, and agreed to take care of it.. However... As she walked away she said, "I'll take care of it ASSHOLE-LUTELY!" Although I work on Las Olas Blvd, with many high profile clients, and I try to support the neighborhood businesses... I will not support, nor patronize this business ever again. SHIELA with her attitude should look for a job where she doesn't have to interact with the public.
(1)Stefanie N.
Bad. First of all I ordered cold snap. From the tap beer. For sure the taps were mixed up bc my beer 100% Tasted like lemon or oranges. Maybe it was blue moon....It was not COLD SNAP. second my food;a meatball had 2 hairs in it. Not cute. Long hairs. Long. I did not tell a manager or complain bc I have worked in food and beverage before. But if you want good beer. Go to 7-11. Or just stay home. The same goes for hair in the meatballs. Hair at home...whatever. At fork and ballls.....no thanks. Where's my grandma,,, my advice. Byob. Or just stay home period. Actually. Cheesecake Factory is down the street. Very nice. No hair. Clean bathrooms.
(2)Jacke D.
Love this place, they do a great job with carry-out or sit down service. Lots of Regular & Vegetarian meatballs. Love the salads the best! Had Avocado Salad Special .....it should be on main menu, but roasted corn salad is great too!
(5)Lauren M.
I rode past Fork & Balls in the afternoon on my bike, and it grabbed my attention. So i went there for dinner. The wait would have been 30 mins on a Friday night, but we sat at the community table (2 people). I thought this was cool and you're given enough space between other patrons. The atmosphere is cool and similar to a bar. You'll find nicely dressed 30 something year olds chatting amidst the food & bev. The lighting was dim, and while a 20 or 30-something won't care, an older gent might. As did the guy next to me, who took out his cell to read the menu. The cocktails are very good, and the have Funky Buddha on tap! The menu as you may know or have guessed is meatballs centric. I ordered The Texan, the portion was good, but they could have done more with the dish. It sounded like it would be chili like, with tortilla chips. It vaguely mirrored chili had tiny strips of tortillas, not full chips. The flavor was there, but the chips become limp in the sauce, and where's the beans? My friend go a chicken meatball sandwich with pesto on it. Now that was good, and the portion for a sandwich could be shared as a small bite option for two people.
(3)Monica C.
I would say the food at this place is mediocre. There is nothing special about their meatballs or meat sauce. The one thing I did like a lot was the fried calamari. They make it different then most places by adding peppers to it. Also, they sell no bottled beer only draft or cans which i'm not a fan of. The atmosphere is nice though at the bar if you are looking for a happy hour type place. I wouldn't go here again just to eat unless I was invited.
(3)Serena D.
Having a great day on las olas till I came here. Very disappointed, food is good but service is horrible! A simple coffee request came cold never brought my bottled water just simple requests couldn't be met. Will not return way too many restaurants in Fort Lauderdale to go to.
(1)Lauren I.
If you like for literally everything to include greasy meatballs this is the place for you....my date ordered a chicken caeser salad...it came with chicken meatballs??? I ordered a lamb salad...very greasy lamb meatballs. The bar was nothing to brag about either. The bartender couldn't even see us because we were blocked by the tap and the drinks were not very good. The bar itself didn't look very clean either.
(2)Bernadette D.
The vibe is cool but that is where it stops. Its unbelievably disappointing if you pride yourself on meatballs they should be the yummiest meatballs I have ever had, nope! Mine was cold and lacked flavor and priced poorly for the quantity and quality that it was. Very subpar. My husband on the other hand had a meatball sandwich and loved it. Don't know if it is just the difference in the type of balls we got or difference in taste buds :/ Just thought I would add both our opinions.
(2)Gricel G.
Review is way overdue but am a busy gal. Stopped in a few weeks ago. Love the look, atmosphere, drinks, and menu. Layla, the bartender was so friendly and helpful with suggestions. Hard to find impeccable service in south Florida. Lol Looking forward to go back.
(5)James K.
Despite the kind of campy name this place is pretty impressive. Especially given that they just opened last week. The bartenders were attentive and friendly. The place is a little loud; but in chatting with one of the managers I found out they are going to noise dampen the ceiling in the near future to address the issue. The décor is very cool although I found the backless solid wood bar seats a tad uncomfortable if you're going to be there a while. The drinks are inexpensive for Las Olas, $6 for a craft beer is more than reasonable. The menu is simple comfort food with a few twists, and well priced. On that subject, I (for a shocking change lol) feel the need to vent. I always take the time to read the 1-2 star complaints in otherwise highly rated places. There are actually people bitching about the three meatball portion size? It's $8. On Las Olas. Zach K? First, why don't you start by getting the restaurant name correct, then the menu, The dish you had included pasta if you paid $13. There are a shit ton of mediocre Italian places that charge $25-$30 for pasta. Go back to Wendy's in Davie. By the way, my favorite part of your review was where you would have stopped there on the way home but you were too scared of the thunder. When the apocalypse comes I'm sure you'll be a great help *giant eye roll*.
(4)David W.
My wife and I have visited F&B twice now, and had good experiences each time. F&B seems to be fairly busy on weekends and we waited about 45 minutes for a table, during which we enjoyed a few drinks and wine. The brussel sprout appetizer was very tasty. The sandwiches and pasta also hit the spot. The second visit was on a Wednesday and we were sat immediately. The different variety of meatballs and daily specials were very much appreciated and provided some variety. The prices are very reasonable (especially when compared to surrounding resturaunts). We will definitely be back!
(4)Mia P.
This place is so live and friendly I went with my girl friends for the first time we had a bottle of masoto which was lovely... we ordered our food and within 7 mins we received it... fast and tasteful service... always packed so please come prepared to wait a little but its so worth it :)
(5)Kristin W.
Came here for lunch 2 days in a row. First day, I ordered their arugula salad with balls on top. I got the veggie balls, they were pretty good. We also got the polenta fries, awesome! Second day, I ordered the Sicilian, which wasn't bad. My mom ordered the Freddy, and that thing was amazing!!!! The menu is a bit confusing and the concept is cool. This place is worth a try.
(3)Andy V.
If you're going to offer Vegan meatballs, you could at least offer vegan sauces, what's the point otherwise.
(3)Anthony J.
I ate here last night and had the veggie balls, chicken, and the Sicilian sandwich. All were very good! I would like to see a little more options on the menu... At least more salad options... The only negative I can say is that every minute I was asked if they can take my plate and clearly I wasn't done.... Was very annoying... Otherwise I thought it was great for only being open a week. Oh, and the atmosphere was great!! Very industrial.. Similar to places in NYC.
(4)Jim H.
Beautiful space. Nice soundtrack of relaxed, yet interesting music. Handsome bartenders. I had an ice cold Peroni and Jim had a nice glass of white. The arugula salad with roasted red peppers and fresh corn was tasty and shareable. Awesome, crisp, light and garlicky toasted bread was great with the beer. I had 3 F&B blend balls (pork and veal) over fresh spaghetti and a pink cream sauce. They toss the pasta in tomato sauce, layer the balls on top and cover the whole thing in a delicious fresh cream sauce. It was amazing. Beautifully plated in a large white deep bowl. Jim had the Sicilian sandwich which was flavorful, crisp and out of this world. His came with a small bit of tossed greens which added a nice touch of acid and freshness between sandwich bites. We also ordered the sautéed spinach and garlic as well as the broccoli rabb, both of which were super tasty. I felt like we were dining in philly, which is one of my favorite food towns. In total, check it out. We ate at the bar, but we always eat at the bar, the tables looked comfy too. Way more welcoming than Rocco's Tacos just down the street. Oh, one last thing...I noticed a few reviews about portion size. In general, I think we've all become accustomed to giant plates. Huge. Cheesecake Factory plates. Fork and Balls is a normal portion kind of restaurant. I love that. I'm not obligated to bring home leftovers that will never get eaten. Also, it lets me try a few things. I'm not a small guy and I left full and satisfied without cleaning my plates. Also, the prices are fare but not cheep. After tip we were at about $100, which is a splurge but we had a lot including 1 beer and 2 glasses of wine.
(5)Dennis M.
Nothing you couldn't do in your own kitchen. Service needs some immediate work, went on a busy Sunday and it took forever to get served at the bar they also screwed up my fiance's order and served 3 other dishes 5 minutes before her's was fixed. Again, food is ok. It's meatballs and spaghetti or sandwiches and I'm always indifferent about eating out for Italian food (even when it's trying to be new american-esque or a complete rip off of the meatball shop in brooklyn but without the flavor) because you can totally do Italian at home and put more TLC in it. I'll come back for drinks (cocktails are on point) and the calamari but wouldn't bother with the dinner service.
(3)Vickie C.
Had the most wonderful experience here. I sat at at the bar. The bartender, Jillian, was so attentive. She replenished my drink before I could even ask for another. The manager, James, even came over to make sure I was happy with the service. The bacon balls were so delicious! I just love how attentive the staff was! The restaurant environment is cool and relaxed. Definitely a place I would bring a group of friends to. Will come back for my company Christmas party!
(5)Enrique P.
Came to visit for the first time on a Sunday night. While still one hour to close, we were welcomed in and seated but only told they were serving appetizer menu until several minutes later. We feel that was disrespectful as they could have told us right at the reception time. Still pondering to visit again.
(1)D S.
The veggie pesto balls are by far the best balls I've ever had in my mouth! Fast friendly service. Restaurant is pretty loud though. My friends had the spicy pork balls and loved them!
(5)C M.
I've been here once before (as they did just open). Today I plan to go back, so that says something for the place. My rating above is based on my first experience. WAIT STAFF: We dined for lunch; our waitress couldn't have been better (a female with brown hair). She explained everything and was on top of our every need (even though it was packed for lunch). THE GOOD: I had "the Jeffry" (yes, that's how they spelled it). I liked it. I don't think I'd order it twice, but better than leaving hungry like others complained of for the small portions. The Jeffry is a sandwich, so I did get bread, which I am sure is helpful. The side arugula salad which came with the sandwich was quite tasty (and I am not really a salad person). My date had "the Texan". He also enjoyed it and of course I had to have a taste, and I thought it was very good also. Plenty big enough and filling. It was meatballs over chili with cheese. Not a sandwich. But once again, the portion size was quite large. The mac and cheese was, IMHO, out of this world, and I highly recommend it. If it stays consistent, I guarantee you I will get it every time. THE NOT SO GOOD: The Kale Chips, which I normally loveeeeeeeee, and I usually get at other locations, were just too limp. My suggestion to F&B, don't be afraid to leave them in a little longer. The fried bread pudding is fried on a flat top. The edges are pretty much burnt, and that is it. When I saw it on the menu, probably my mistake, but I was thinking it was deep fried and perhaps dipped in a light batter. Not the case. It is simply sliced and thrown on the flat top. Then the scoop of ice cream they put on top looks like they used a melon-baller for the scoop. It was so small that we both started laughing. And this was week 1 of their opening. You would of thought they'd think big this week, and slyly reduce portions later. Oh well. I would never have ordered bread pudding in the first place, as I'm not a fan; but the boyfriend loves bread pudding, so I figured what the heck. And believe me folks, he's not a "snob" when it comes to food, and even he gave the bread pudding a thumbs down. IN SUMMARY: I'm going back. I liked it; I only gave it a 3 because it was only half good at this point, and I didn't see 2.5 as an option here. Hopefully, lunch today will make me smile. UPDATE: Visit #2 on 7/10/14. I updated to 4 stars today. Everything was very good. I had the 3 chicken balls with Parmesan cream sauce; the brussell sprouts, as well as the mac and cheese (again). All 3 side dishes were good. The balls were great; the sprouts were also delicious and had a touch of bacon; and of course, my favorite mac and cheese was good (but not as good as my first visit - maybe a different chef/cook today - it was not that melted cheesy deliciousness - it was actually kinda gritty). The waitress (a tall, thin blonde girl was fabulous. I love that they hired a good wait staff. Rocco's Tacos could learn a thing or 2 from this company.
(4)Sumeet C.
Just that good. We are vegetarian and enjoyed both the veggie and quinoa/spinach balls. Don't miss the fried bread pudding--top 5 dessert imo.
(5)Amber B.
I was impressed by this place because the food tasted like authentic Italian food. I got the grandmas bowl and I recommend everyone gets this dish - it tasted like an old Italian grandma made this dish for me. It was amazing. The staff was also very pleasant and professional. The drinks were good & strong. It was very noisy though. Overall, it was great.
(4)N. B.
Eaten here a couple times. One day brought a huge group where I was the only vegetarian. Told the waiter who told me-the balls are vegetarian but NONE OF THE SAUCES ARE. This was a change from prior where as I said I have eaten there before. I tried to double check with another employee who basically said she didn't know but if that's what our waiter said it just be true. We Almost walked out. Except We decided to ask the waiter again. Turns out that only one sauce has chicken stock, the marinara one. The rest are not vegan friendly. But I'm not vegan and never said I was. The waiter just had no idea about the ingredients/difference and started saying untrue things without knowing what it meant. He didn't think there was a difference and nonchalantly shrugged his shoulders. Our entire group almost walked out because no one wanted to stay if one person can't eat. Luckily we hadn't left yet because I was writing my yelp review that gave this place one star. I've changed it two stars as a result. Which is a shame because before this incident they would have gotten four. But you can't be in the food industry if you don't know the difference between vegan and vegetarian (and if you are not Sure you just have to ask before assuming!) And even though it does have vegetarian options I haven't been Able to go back since then just because it left such a bad memory.
(2)Iris M.
Had to rave about this place! Went with a coworker and we had two of their specialty cocktails (Fork 'N Berry Fizz and the Belli-Tini) they were both amazing. I had the Brussels sprouts because I'm a huge fan and order them everywhere. By far prepared the best I've every had! She had the Sicilian sandwich and she was impressed as well. Told all my coworkers since we work in the Downtown area so it should be a new lunch spot they can try. Also, kudos to our server (Brady) he was pleasant, funny and very attentive. Thank you for the great dining experience!
(5)Trevr B.
I like this place a lot.. Been here many times, meatballs are my favorite food and they definitely make some good meatballs... however, cant say ive ever truly been impressed or even satisfied with customer service Walked into restaurant.. Stood around for 4 whole minutes before a bus boy acknowledged us and sat us at a table near the entrance, and went back to bussing tables, thus no hostess whatsoever. I proceed to watch at least SEVEN different parties walk in and then walk out because not a single person was there to greet them. We even asked the our waitress to tell the manager because it was embarrassing to watch. I hope management sees this post because not having a hostess to greet customers is absolutely inexcusable
(2)Evan C.
I live here in the neighborhood a few blocks away and was excited for this place to open for either a quick drink or takeout, as I get takeout a few times a week due to working all the time. This is the second time I've ordered takeout and they've completely screwed up the order. Like to the point you think, "holy crap, how did that even happen." I've eaten at the bar before and had a decent experience, nothing exceptional. Typical hit or miss Las Olas restaurant experience. So a zero for whoever is responsible for takeout, and an average for the bar experience.
(3)Jeremy A.
I enjoyed fork and balls. The atmosphere has a weathered rustic feel to it which I liked. The staff are all very friendly which is nice and makes me want to return. Suzette in particular is great. The simplicity of the menu is refreshing and the food comes out quick. Easy simple concept. The food itself is really good. I had a variety of meatballs with different sauces. I enjoyed the classic ball with pesto over spaghetti. The Texan is delicious and the garlic bread is great for dipping. I want to come back to try more of their menu. The one negative is that their bar stools were so uncomfortable I couldn't enjoy my meal because my legs were killing me. I'll wait for a booth next time because those bar stools traumatized me. All in all Fork and Balls is a nice addition to Fort Lauderdale and once again the Restaurant People put together another successful restaurant. I'll be returning.
(4)Dana K.
We went for lunch because the restaurant down the street was packed. It was a pleasant surprise the food was awesome. I had meatballs stuffed with short ribs, red sauce, and polenta, it was so delicious. My husband had the chicken Parmesan which consisted of chicken meatballs on a brioche. All was delicious and we will definitely return to our new favorite restaurant.
(5)Erika L.
We came to this place with high hopes and in very hungry state. After seeing that they had an hour wait, we looked for a place by the bar and got lucky, they offer full service and we were just two people. We started with her crusted polenta fries. They were amazing. Very flavorful, golden and crisp with a creamy interior. For the main course we had the chicken balls with pesto sauce on an arugula salad and it was a great choice. The salad has roasted peppers and dijon dressing among some other toppings like corn. All of it mixed up in a bowl was oh so good!! We also tried the classic beef balls with roasted tomato sauce on a skillet. They were just ok. If you are unsure ask for recommendations on how to build you plate. You pick the type of meat in the balls, the sauce, and what they are served on, like on a sandwich, pasta or salad.
(3)Ty R.
I'll start out by saying the meatballs are good but unfortunately it stops there. The service is ok, management is poor, and the menu is awkwardly put together with little flexibility to delight the customer. I'm not sure what happened to this place because it was once a 3-4 star place IMHO...but something has dramatically changed. Best bet is to order takeout meatballs and add it to your own quality pasta at home or skip it al together and choose one of the other italian restaurants where service and customer delight is the norm.
(2)R S.
Great service, we sat outside and our waiter was very friendly and on que with our drinks (bogo) . The food was delicious, definitely will go back again
(5)N P.
My table had the short rib meatballs over polenta, chicken meatball parm, Philly cheese meatballs, and the classic meatballs. All were good except for the classic meatballs which were extremely bland. The best ones were the short ribs. Literally meatballs with short rib pieces in the center. A little in the salty side but they're balanced by the more plain polenta and ricotta. The garlic bread appetizer is good but very small. If it's the only appetizer at the table, it's not enough for more than two people. Polenta fries are great and good for 5 people or so. There is no children's menu, but environment is kid friendly enough during the earlier hours. After 7 pm or so it's a better environment for adults. The lights are dim and it's more of a lounge type of environment. The location and the novelty of the restaurant lead to overpricing. I generally wouldn't mind the price, but four meatballs shouldn't cost $15.
(3)Brandon R.
So we treated our family to dinner and decided to try out the new hip spot on las olas. We got there at seven thirty and were seated right away. I thought to myself, "not a good sign, should be slammed." Turns out we were just really lucky because within another twenty it was packed. The food is 75% meatballs and the rest of the food is pasta, sides & drinks. Meatballs are great, I recommend the F&B blend meatball with parm cream sauce. Really tasty meatballs.
(4)Eric T.
Was hesitant to try F&B with so many mediocre reviews. But decided to take my wife there and give it a shot. We arrived around 6:30 and were seating immediately. The place has a really cool decor and vibe. Was surprised at how many young kids were there, but then again it was an early dinner. I had a beer and my wife had a glass of red wine from the tap. The beer temp was great, but the wine was much too cold for a red. We ordered the brussel sprouts and the vegetable special of the day which was corn with white beans. Both were great, especially the sprouts. Then we decided to try a couple different balls and share, se we did the F&B Blend with roasted tomato sauce sliders and the Spicy Pork balls with tomato sauce over spaghetti. Both dishes were delicious. All in all I think this would be a really fun place with a group. Not a big date night spot, but for a couple of meatball lovers, we really enjoyed.
(4)SB S.
A-okay in my book. Hate the name, really like the food. The spicy Italian is a great dish with meatballs over polenta with hot peppers. It's a fail safe if you wanna have something good.. I'm into the lighter fair lately, so I opt for their gluten free chicken meatballs over salad with traditional sauce. The vinegar mixes in and it's oh so good. The bar is beautiful, they did a great job decorating the place. It's quite large too. I hope they do well.
(3)Martin G.
For a restaurant that has been opened 6 months it has a smooth operation, excellent service and a manager who listens. That's the good part and the bad part is that what we had wasn't THAT good. I did want to try the 4 different kind of meatballs they had on the menu but the closest they could come would be ordering sliders with 3 different balls and that's not a main course to me. I made a mistake by waiting to speak to Steve the manager after I had ordered and he was most accommodating but at that point my food came out so I left it as it was. He did say they were working on a new menu. Patrick, our server, did a great job. I took one of his suggestions which was the Sicilian F&B sandwich ($11) served on Italian bread and had beef balls, tomato sauce, mozzarella, sweet and hot peppers and a simple arugula salad on the side. None of the flavors stood out, including the meatball and the bread was too thick . Allen ordered the classic beef balls and penne with tomato sauce ($13) but when served it had spaghetti. Allen immediately said something and they (It wasn't Patrick) were willing to change it but he ate it. When I asked how it was he said "Nothing special. Just spaghetti and meatballs." I should be use to it by now but paying $3 for a cup of regular coffee and $2.95 for a diet coke just 'gets me'! Okay we are on Las Olas Blvd so we were paying for that. One thing I did appreciate was that Patrick asked if we wanted refills he brought fresh ones. The reason we choose to eat here was that the day before I had received a 2-4-1 flyer, I liked the concept and hesitating because of parking on or around Las Olas could be a hassle when we got there it wasn't a problem. They had a pay parking lot behind them that was almost fill but being lunchtime we were surprised that we got a spot right away. The total check minus the lower entree plus tax came to $26.45 and we left a $8 tip. The tables and high top booths are very roomy and the restaurant itself is has a variety of lighting adding interest to the room. Would/will we go back? Maybe when they come out with the new menu hopefully with some new interesting items and giving some zip to the balls---and, yes, having the 2-4-1 flyer so the lunch prices are reasonable. Oh yes, the menu is a place mat which is taken after you give your order. They should rethink that. By the way we ordered a fried bread pudding ($6)--it has no resemblance to bread pudding and could easily pass for French toast, even with a scoop of ice cream on top of it. Hopefully that will be rethought with the new menu.
(2)Scott D.
Had the Spicy Italian F&B Bowl and it was great. Doesn't seem like a lot of food but the polenta makes it very filling. The cheesy garlic bread is excellent as well. Great decor and ambiance. Music a little loud for my taste, especially if you have kids.
(4)Cory H.
We had a great evening. The service was attentive from the bartenders to our server Brady. Can't say enough about the service. Food was very good, and the atmosphere was casual, and relaxed while still having that cool vibe . Will definitely be back.
(5)JR H.
If you like meatballs, head to this place. You won't be disappointed. They have a nice 4-7 happy hour and on Monday's feature $1 balls. I sampled each of the eight featured balls and liked 'em all.
(4)Melanie G.
I'm shocked at the average star rating for this place bc my experience was pretty bad. Lets start from the beginning, we were a party of six for a friends bday. Four of my friends had arrived, but the hostess said they could not be seated until the other 2 ppl were there...which is COMPLETELY UNDERSTANDABLE on a Saturday night.... except that the place was maybe half full. Why not seat the majority of the party?? Also, there was a sign to valet, with nobody to do it. Next, upon entering, I almost busted my ass. TWICE. The floor was SO EFFING SLIPPERY!!! I thought maybe it was just towards the front where someone might have spilled something, but the entire floor was like that. This is a lawsuit waiting to happen. Next, lets get to the food. Brussels sprouts- SOOOOOOO bad. one of the worst things I have ever eaten in my life. They tasted burnt and left a nasty after taste in my mouth. The calamari- basic, just ok. lacking any type of flavor. The BLT- that was actually good. And since the first 2 things were horrible, I actually ordered another. They need to chill with that ranch though. Way toooo much. the entrees- my bf had the spicy meatballs with polenta and ricotta which was good. I had the Greek sandwich and it was ok. I also tried some of The Texan, and that was pretty good. Had like 4 different sliders, ok. For dessert we had the bread pudding which I thought was AWFUL, so I ordered the milk and cookies. The cookies were PERFECT, but the milk was SOUR!!!! WTF?!!?! Overall, the service was also lacking. I felt our waiter had an attitude problem whenever I had to ask for water or utensils. The only reason I gave it 2 stars was bc that DJ was poppin!!!! I was having so much fun singing and dancing in my chair. And bc the bathroom was super clean. I would NEVER recommend this place to anyone.
(2)Eddie P.
I left the place hungry. The entree portions were way too small, I had chicken meatballs and spaghetti. However, food was delicious - great quality meat balls, sauce with spaghetti. The manager was kind enough to offer a side dish and we were still hungry. He explained that they are new and still trying to iron things out. He was nice enough to make us happy and we will definitely return. I am sure they will change things up and increase the size of the potions.
(3)Wendy S.
AMAZING. best surprise on las olas. Definitely going back. We definitely recommend the Parmesan cream sauce as an appetizer in the f&b balls. For an entree you cannot go wrong with either the Toscana or the short rib. We'll be back with friends.
(5)Monica T.
Came here with a few girlfriends of mine for dinner. The concept is cool as their main focus is of course, meatballs. Had the Brussel sprouts app, was very yummy and the sauce added a nice flavor to them. Main course was the f and b balls with creamy polenta. The balls were a blend of pork and veal which made them really soft and tender and the polenta is very creamy and flavorful as well. My friend had the chicken balls which were moist and not too dry. Overall I would come back again to try other combinations as this is a good place to just relax and have a few bites.
(4)Marisa D.
Wow I've never written a one star but everything from the service, food and night manager was awful. Let's start with the waiter. Didn't know the menu advised we could order with sauces on the side. Food comes drenched in sauce. The mushroom sauce was horrible tasted like Campbell's mushroom soup with some kind of thickening agent added. The other sauces were bland and the meatballs were full of filler. We asked to speak with the manager to educate her that her staff misinformed us. She agreed and advised that the Chef would not make alterations and put sauces on side for certain dishes. Essentially she said too bad. I live 5 minutes from this place and would love it to be successful like Yolo and S3. The food is simply not good and the manager instead of apologizing became rude and defensive - she clearly is in over her head or she got the job because of who she knows not what she should know. I'll never return and neither will my party of 4
(1)I M.
Waiter gave great suggestion of getting sauce on the side. Polenta was amazing & love that they have healthy options so on a diet? Have veggie balls with yummy greens!
(5)LunaDashwood M.
Another great spot on Las Olas. I had a great experience. We primarily stayed at the bar and order The "J". Oh my goodness. What a great drink. I highly recommend to order the fried bread pudding with a side shot of cinnamon toast crunch. Alexia took great care of us. Good times and looking forward to trying their meatballs next time.
(5)Stephen G.
Great decor and knowledgeable waitstaff. Simple menu that is prepared well and presented hot. The bread pudding is a wonderful dessert. You won't be disappointed.
(5)Candy L.
Wonderful drinks and affordable food.
(5)Audrey E.
We met some friends for a late lunch and some margaritas. The limes in our drinks we cut at least a day or two before. My meal (chicken balls with cream sauce) was very bland, thus it got sent back. Fortunately we were there at shift change to get our bill, the drinks were $12 each! Really now, $12 for a plain old margarita with an old lime!?!
(1)Kristin B.
Ate there last night for a friend's birthday after a few people recommended that it's good for vegetarian/vegan diets. Well, thank goodness we asked but ALL of their sauces have chicken or fish broth in them. So despite having a vegan ball option, there is no sauce option. Nonetheless, I had it over the farro and it was ok. The balls had a great texture but the entire dish lacked in flavor. It would have been great with some plain tomato sauce even stewed tomatoes but they wouldn't do that for us. The dessert bread pudding was really good. Please offer a regular tomato sauce on your menu!
(2)Lucy K.
Fork and balls really made up in my book. After my prior review I was contacted by the management team, who wanted me to come back in to prove that they were making efforts to make the restaurant gluten free friendly. I was informed that their ball of the day is always gluten free. I came in on a weekend night, and we were immediately sat. They now label which balls of theirs are gluten free (the chicken ball). I wish they labeled more of the other items on the on the menu (sides etc.) that are gf. However, our server, Leilani, had a list of what was gluten free and was overall very attentive the whole night. The food came out super fast and this time was delicious. I got the traditional salad and the ball of the day on polenta. My boyfriend enjoyed his pasta. Everything was very fresh and homey. Steven the manager was very professional. He asked about what happened the time prior and made my return very worth it. It showed a lot about the caliber of their management by making my prior experience up to me. I hope that every guest gets the same experience I had last night. I've never said balls this many times in a review lol
(4)David S.
It's bewildering to me why (1) they have 3-4 different types of meatballs, (2) the various dishes come with 3-4 different types of meatballs, and (3) there is absolutely no matching under any circumstances, whatsoever. I'd like to try 3 different types of meatballs at once. I'd even pay a bit more. But there is no sampler, and they won't substitute at all. Very odd.
(3)Mike C.
I am surprised to see anyone giving this place a one star, but I guess everyone is entitled to their opinion. I would like to say I had the exact opposite experience coming to Fork and Balls. My Girlfriend and I came down from New York to look for apartments around Fort Lauderdale and my girlfriend and I specifically wanted to come to this place. We did and I am glad we did. It was an amazing experience. We have been their 3 different times, and on all three occasions we were treated to perfection. Each waitor/waitress had knowledge of the menu, was fast and efficient and checked up on us often to make sure we were enjoying our meal and experience. Not only were the employees helpful with our food but also took time to answers questions that we had about the neighborhood and and potential jobs around the area as both my girlfriend and I both work in the hospitality industry. I appreciate all their hard work and genuine emotions towards us. As for the food, it was amazing. My girlfriend and I are huge foodies, and any New Yorker says you cannot find a good sandwich place outside of New York. Well they were wrong because Fork and Balls is amazing. My favouirte has been the F&B balls, with melted mozz in pesto sauce on a hero. We will be coming often and plan on being regulars. Id say ignore the negative reviews and check it out for yourself because it is worth it. Thanks Fork and Balls
(5)Alex M.
After my friends kept telling me about Fork & Balls, I figured I'd finally try it out since I was visiting Ft Lauderdale Beach. The service was prompt, courteous and the food was great! The Grandma's Bowl was a sizezable portion and delicious. The garlic bread was some of the best I've ever had. My friend had the Gyro sandwich and he was really impressed as well. Overall, I give it a 5 star rating and I willl definitely tell my friends about it!
(5)Thomas H.
Food was awesome!! We had a big party and they bent the rules for us. Service was great!! We will be coming back!
(5)Kristi N.
Great meatballs and atmosphere...good value. Staff was really nice and helpful. Great reasonable option on Los Olas.
(4)Barry S.
The fact that this wasn't our destination just adds to the perfect experience. Very unique concept for a restaurant. We had the polenta fries for an app and they were very flavorful and light served with a great tomato sauce. My wife had the chicken ball sliders on focaccia bread. She raved over them. Based on our servers suggestion, I had the F&B blend balls - veal and pork in the tomato sauce. Outstanding combo of meat and spices and perfect texture. Service was excellent. A MUST stop if in Fort Lauderdale.
(5)Margot R.
New place! In Fort Lauderdale a lot for work and glad to have a new food joint on Las Olas. Server's name is Patrick and he was very attentive and explained the menu thoroughly. The Brussels sprouts are killer.
(5)Kaitlin C.
I've been to Fork & Balls three times now. The first two times were great and everyone I went with enjoyed their food. Last weekend I went and the waitress put the order in wrong and I received the wrong dish. Not only did she apologize at least ten times, but I had my correct order in front of me no more than 7 minutes later. It was fine and I was completely satisfied. It was a small mistake and it was fixed. My waitress then went above and beyond and brought our table free dessert-- which was out of this world. We ordered the milk & cookies off the menu, expecting just an old fashioned classic. We were then informed that the milk was vanilla and orange flavored. If all milk tasted like this, I'd probably drink milk a whole lot more. The creamsicle-eqsue milk combined with the warm cookies was a wonderful way to end another delicious meal at Fork & Balls. I was blown away with how everything was handled.
(5)Paige L.
I just wanted to say that I absolutely love this place. I had a group of 11 friends and a child who were celebrating a birthday. We originally had reservations for Rocco's Taco's. Well, Rocco's told us it would be an hour wait, and we ended up waiting 2 1/2 hours, so we left and went to Fork & Balls. The staff was awesome. We told them our dilemma and they took care of us right away and were so kind. The food was awesome! The service was great. It's a really unique and interesting concept for a restaurant. The set up is really cool. Decorated really awesome. I highly highly recommend. :)
(5)Jack R.
The worst service I have ever received and I didn't sit down. I ordered to go and the women at the front said it would take 10 minutes. 1 hour later we are still waiting and hungry. Take out is supposed to be efficient and less time consuming than sitting down and this was the opposite. About 45 minutes in we were explainably very angry. The hostess wasn't kind about it and the manager was worse. He was unapologetic and snobby. After that horrible experience was finally over we hoped the food could save the day. It was just alright. They made something wrong, and overall it was so-so. The only dish that stood out was the penne with meatballs and mushroom sauce. Delicious! The food gets 3 stars but the pathetic service gets even less than zero. If you want a better experience and better food go to Rocco's tacos down the street.
(1)Walter P.
Yes to me this is worthy of five stars. Very underrated place. F&b blend were amazing. Soft, moist and quite honestly one of the best meatballs I've ever tasted. Friendly bartender and staff ensured my return trip in the future.
(5)Kevin S.
Love this restaurant!!! I'm gluten-free and had options here. I can't wait to go back to have the brussel sprouts and the chicken meat balls. Yum!!!! The ambiance was nice as well. Young and attractive crowd. Service was attentive and friendly.
(4)Dennis F.
Well, we finally did the 6 block walk down Las Olas to check out F & B. They don't accept reservations. First off the noise level is very high. There were 5 people working behind the very industrial bar, service was spotty. Lots of beer on tap & if you like wine don't expect a traditional stem you get a water glass like the one in a bathroom of a hotel. We shared three diff types of appetizers all balls. They were all very tasty. The menu is a little tricky when it comes to entrees. We ordered three entrees all were presented in bowls and yes three more balls just like the appetizers they were good but I was hungry for something More than beans and more balls. If you are looking for fish you are out of luck. I think they need more entree selections and more sides to go with the entrees. Not sure I would rush right back , maybe with some menu changes and carpeting on the floor. As it stands F&B is a watering Hole with good appetizers don't expect fine dining.
(3)Brett C.
I was hesitant to try this place based on the name alone - but if you give it a chance, it's a winner. The place has a cool and comfortable vibe with subway tile walls, and dark wood finishes -feel free to come in a casual outfit, this place isn't pretentious with a name like "Fork and Balls". They also boast an attentive bar and wait staff which is a welcomed aspect due to the lack of attentive waiters at other places on las olas. One down side however is they need to beef up (pun intended) their beer selection. No real craft beers to speak of and the wine list was standard. Now on to the meat! Their concept is unique - everything is centered around BALLS. Lots of jokes go on with this play on words here, but the concept is sound - 3 meatballs with your choice of meat and prep, with 1 sauce and served on top of 1 item like spinach, pasta, salad, veggie or polenta. They have Classic Beef, Chicken Veggie, Spicy Pork, F&B Blend, Daily Special plus the normal red sauce, Traditional Tomato, Parmesan Cream, Mushroom, Herb Pesto, Roasted Tomato. You can also have it your way since they'll customize to your wants - I.e. you can have it with a bun, no bun, no sauce, mix and match your meats, etc. Yes, some modifications have a small upcharge - but this choice gives the customer the power and shows they are here to serve you. Now, I know some may say "3 balls isn't dinner" and to that I say -I am an American and former fat kid and yes I have grown very, VERY accustomed to bigger meals and larger cuts of meat for dinner, but seriously 3 meatballs is a standard amount of protein for dinner. Plus, look at the prices - the prices for the 3 meatball dinner is a lot less than you'd pay for a larger meal somewhere else on Las Olas. If you want, order more balls! After reviewing the menu, I actually went with one of the sandwiches. It was a toss up between the Jeffry and the B&E Grinder, but I am VERY happy I went with the B&E (wow how many people can say that!). The sandwich consisted of chicken balls, roasted mushroom, parmesan cream & pesto with a little arugula salad on the side. The pesto with parmesean cream really sold me but the chicken balls were spiced, lighter, and went very well with the crunchy french bread - plus I love me a little arugula since I like a little peppery kick of greens compliment the meal. Since I felt the twinge to get more, and although I love fries and was highly tempted by the herb polenta fries, my all time favorite cruciferous vegetable has to be brussels sprouts. Their brussel sprouts are served in a way I have never seen actually - on top of a toasted garlic tomato sauce with bacon and parmesan. Please note - if you're like me and have a high stomach acid problem, as long as you go light and don't slurp down all the red sauce you'll be fine! The brussels sprouts were cooked perfectly so there was still a little crunch, the bacon and garlic really brought out their veggie flavor, and who doesn't like a good red sauce with some cheese on top? I scarfed this down and hardly let my wife grab a bite. My friends got the Summer vegetable succotash appetizer special, which is one of the reasons for not giving 5-stars. It was just a bowl of veggies, no real rhyme or reason and apparently they werent seasoned well. I say "apparently" because I took one look at them and decided I didn't even want to try. They looked like they came out of a can of mixed vegetables. Plus, they were sitting next to my brussel sprouts that were 100x more appetizing so I said PASS! My wife got the 3 - balls 1 style original and chose the special meat which was short rib and it was FANTASTIC. I'm not sure what other negative reviewers have a problem with but these balls were darn good. Meaty, the right amount of spice and savory flavors and paired with a Mushroom sauce on top of some garlic spinach - the dish was worth the moderate price. My friends both got the "Just balls" 3-ball meal and tried out some of the other sauces and they both loved their dishes. We all left full, happy and satisfied. Just remember- if you're still hungry, go get some more balls.
(4)Rob B.
Took a guest to dinner Sunday night. We both thought the food was mediocre at best. Menu quite confusing. Meatballs had little flavor and seemed like fillers. Polenta was like porridge and no flavor, hard to screw up polenta. Ordered fried calamari appetizer and it came all drizzled with sour cream, a sweetish catsup-y sauce and jalapenos. Calm it down, fried calamari is fine on its own, this made it soggy and weird. Put condiments on the side, you couldn't taste the calamari, it had this weird glop on it. Atmosphere okay but they should try to do things well and simplify. Wait staff very attentive, chef needs to keep it simple and not try to overdo things.
(1)Whitney N.
I went in and dined with my other half not long ago . We spilt the Tuscan and the Greek , both of which we loved ! The little gem salad with arugula and white truffle vinaigrette that they were featuring was probably one of the best salads I've ever had . We also had the Brussels sprouts that had a great flavor ! I highly recommend it if you're in the area !
(5)Samantha S.
I just finished dining at F&B for the second time. The moment we walked in the hostess told our table of 4, that we could eat at the bar or the communal table, because they were full. It was one of the girls at my party who had to suggest giving us the option to put our names on the list as our hostess stars at us completely confused. We watched three tables clear out and no one seated us. When we were finally given a table the food was absolutely delicious and our waitress was incredibly attentive! After we paid our bill we stayed at the table speaking, my sister still had wine to finish. One of the hostesses came to us and asked us if we could leave because they needed our table. I have been asked to leave a restaurant before! It wasn't as if we ordered appetizers and water and were just chatting. We each ordered a cocktail, appetizer, main dish and shared a dessert! I absolutely loved the quinoa and kale dish but I will not be returning because of the service.
(2)Max Z.
Its ok. I've had better but the atmosphere is what makes it work. The portions are small and if I wanted a better meatball, I would go to Runway 84. But if I am on Las Olas, this is the place that seems to be the place to be...for now.
(3)Tony L.
Excellent food, not as heavy as you would expect. Short rib meatballs, polenta fries were highlights.
(4)Yendi V.
It's a nice place. The menu is a little confusing. My aunt makes better meatballs. I would say the food was average. Not worth the hour drive but we tried it and that's it. Not very memorable
(2)A Y.
Not accepting reservations or making exceptions for larger parties is bad business in my opinion. Especially for business dinners where there is one check. Not "saving a seat" for someone that orders three of everything and spends over $1,000 is comical. From what I thought - My assistant had an ok conversation on the phone with the hostess minus her frustration about not being able to make a reservation ... except when I was seated with my clients she walked up to someone in my party and began talking crap about me. Which I later learned about from my client. That is unacceptable! I have her name and I'd like the owner to contact me immediately. Food was subpar and lack of variation. Servers were hustling and looked understaffed. I tipped him extra! Would not go back.
(1)Rachel C.
Wasn't that impressed. The good: adorable decor, friendly service, delicious brussel sprouts. The bad: super loud, mediocre food. We had the f&b ball with roasted tomato sauce (which was fine) and the all beef ball with Parmesan cream sauce (which was dry and kind of processed tasting). We also went on Monday which is $1 meatballs all day, but READ THE FINE PRINT, you have to get a drink (another confusing stipulation because it took 30 minutes talking to the waiter to figure out which drinks counted), it's only for the "just balls" section of the menu, and many of the meatballs don't count for this promotion. Overall it's a cute hang out and would be good for happy hour, but the food is just meh.
(3)Zachary K.
Just had dinner at forks and balls tonight and was utterly disappointed. The place was packed and had a nice ambience however as I was waiting for our table I noticed all the small plates and dishes that were being served: I immediately began to panic and sweat as I already knew what was coming. We took some of the suggestions of the waiter who was very helpful and attentive. My friend and I ordered the Italian something meatball dish and my girlfriend ordered a few of the meatball sliders. As other yelpers had previously stated I almost fell out of my chair when I saw 3 tiny meatballs in a bowl full of sauce. After 30 seconds my plate was gone and I began to wonder whether that was a pre-appetizer or an appetizer. My $13 entree left me hungry and confused why a restaurant would serve you 3 tiny meatballs for $13... I mean come on meatballs are extremely cheap to make. Either put 4 or 5 small meatballs in an entree or 3 large 1s. If you advertise your restaurant as the meatball market or fork and balls I think your meatballs should be large enough to make an impact and not leave me famished. Had it not been for the thunderstorm tonight I would have picked up a spicy chicken sandwich from Wendy's on the way home. Although my 3 tiny meatballs were tasty I would probably not go back to this place unless they adjusted the portion sizes!
(2)Da Q.
Fork and Balls is a nice resturant. Chelsey was a great waitress and the food was good. The prices are reasonable a
(4)Tim E.
I meant to post the new updated review sooner. Life got in the way. So I went back to Fork and Balls. A complete turn around in the quality and service. Waitress was very friendly and on top of it. The food was great. The Texan meatballs were fantastic. The brussel sprouts were really good I never had it with tomato sauce but I did like it very much. Watermelon salad was delish. It was a special on that day. The Toscana was perfect. I would have that every week! I am glad to see the potential realized. I knew they could do it. Thank you.
(5)Natalie J.
Came here for girls night, so there was 7 of us. We decided to try five different dishes thinking that it would be enough to share (veggie balls with vegetables and pesto, just the balls (3 each)- chicken and the special which both came with focaccia, Brussels sprouts, and two beet and feta salads. The portions were very small. They provided us with a small bowl of cheese for all of us to share. The food was average but for a meatball kitchen we expected more. Service was great, very attentive. Good for only being open for a few days but definitely some things to improve on.
(2)Raisa M.
tried this place for lunch over the weekend a couple weeks after they opened. all in all a good experience, the cocktails were awesome I'd come back for those alone. food was yummy, filling if you're getting it for lunch or want a light dinner. the decor inside is beautiful, very welcoming and i enjoyed trying their food. i was a bit disappointed with their Mac n cheese, it's got some off ingredients and i wasn't impressed. i will return for more meatballs though!
(4)Sarah H.
It's hard to find an affordable, delicious restaurant with great atmosphere and service on Las Olas. Tonight we tried the new Fork and Balls restaurant and it was just wonderful. Our server Doug was attentive and the food was delivered promptly. The meatballs were huge and AMAZING...The roasted tomato sauce with F&B meatballs a must try! The potential fries were to die for as well. We also ordered the mac and cheese, which had a nice surprise of peas and mushrooms in it. Everything we had we truly enjoyed. The manager also stopped by our table to introduce himself and say hello, which was great. We will be back and soon.
(5)Ashley S.
Tried out the new Fork and Balls for their grand opening, its located in the former M Bar location (which I also reviewed). Fork and Balls is a vast improvement. The atmosphere is lively and fun, the place was packed opening night but service and everything flowed smoothly, which was a surprise considering it was their first official day open. We all shared a bunch of meatballs, salads and sides, everything was great. Prices are very reasonable, its around $13 for pasta with 3 meatballs, which isn't bad considering its on Las Olas. A salad which is enough for two is $8. Its nice to see another good restaurant finally make its way to Las Olas that serves good food at reasonable prices.
(5)D. F.
It's ok... No fuss, low noise...right on time for the chill crowd.
(3)Ron L.
Interesting Drinks, however not So Good on the Meatballs. If your going to call yourself Fork & Balls you better make Darn Sure lYour Balls are out of this World. Fun Atmosphere although the 4 Bartenders Behind the Bar are Lost in their own World. It's newly opened so I'll come back for another Try once they work out the kinks.
(3)Erik S.
I never give 5 stars, but in this case I'll make an exception! The place may be called 'Fork and Balls' (and the meatballs are delicious) but the star of the show is the Fried Bread Pudding w/ Island Rum Gelato ($6). You'll think you will want to order one for the table, but unless you fancy post-meal fights to the death with spoons as your weapon, order one each. The pudding has the texture of Japanese Tempura fried ice cream with the savory and sweet components of raisins, chocolate chips and pecans. I daresay that even if I had a peanut allergy I might be tempted to put the epipen on the table and take my chances...at least you'll die happy.
(5)Adam F.
Food was good. Service was good. Prices are good. But, their group policy sucks! We had a group of twenty for a birthday party and they would only allow us to split the bill 4 ways. Which made it very difficult at the end when we got our tab. They should have let us split the checks and it would made our experience much better. Granted, big groups can be difficult, but my experience is that splitting checks from the beginning makes it much less of a hassle in the end.
(3)ALFREDO K.
Excellent service, out server Patrick was awesome.... Portion sizes were perfect. The Brussels sprouts with bacon and cheese was out of this world and the balls were phenomenal both the beef and chicken! Highly recommended!!!!!!
(5)Casey W.
I went there last week and its a trendy place. The meatballs are a good size, you only get three but for 8 dollars and a good atmosphere you cant go wrong. The B&E grinder is a very light dish that taste great. The only thing that I saw wrong with the place is that all the Meatballs have pork in them which really bad if you don't or cant eat pork. Yes, even the Veggie balls have pork in them. The bar staff is super friendly. My bartender was so sweet and warm which makes me ponder why the then a shorter female black haired manger comes in behind the bar and make very vulgar and rude comments to her and several of the staff threating to fire them and hire more staff. My female bartender knew that my husband and I heard what was said and apologized to us. Hopefully things are more positive. I truly feel sorry for the staff if this is considered a standard way of communicating.
(3)Rey D.
Went on opening weekend and fell in love with this place. My partner and I love to bring our out of state friends and friends from Miami to enjoy good Fort Lauderdale food!! Great place, great service
(5)Claudia O.
I had the mushroom meatballs which were very tasty. My hubby had F&B balls over polenta and he liked it very much. The fried bread pudding was yummy! Ambiance was loud so talking across the table was tricky. We found the menu limited so I'm not sure if we'd go back. It was nice to try a new place.
(3)Richard S.
Fork & Balls rules. My wife and I came here during a shit effort from Rocco's taco shit shack (that place sucks as much as watching your luggage getting blown up on the Hindenburg) Layla our bartender was incredible and kicked some serious ass. This place rocks hard. Shut the fuck up and eat a goddamm meatball already!
(5)Rocki R.
The service, drinks and atmosphere are 5 stars. I had the Bella tini which is awesome. We ordered beef balls with tomato sauce and chicken balls with pesto. We both preferred the beef over chicken since the chicken was a bit dry. We didn't have the love factor for them though hence the 3 stars. I know other reviewers complained it was too loud, we didn't experience this and my bf has a blown ear drum and can't handle loud places
(3)D L.
The food was very good. Came on a weekday for lunch with a co-worker and we both decided we won't be back as we ordered an entree each PLUS and traditional salad and both of walked out still hungry and $40 lighter.
(2)Harrison B.
This place has great staff and food. The pesto was a little oily and the meatball was slightly over cooked... Overall a nice cozy place with a great modern design.
(4)Chris M.
Food was great!! Bartender was awesome.... And no issue with us walking right before they closed!! Thumbs up for sure!
(5)Steve H.
I liked Fork & Balls before. Now I LOVE it. They've revised and improved the menu. Everything great, especially the new salmon balls and the short rib balls. Great food. Great vibe. Great value.
(5)Renee F.
AWESOME! Ordered 3 different kinds of meatballs and they all were equally delicious. Our waitress was very nice and informative.
(4)Lisa A.
We had the best dinner at Fork and Balls last night! I had veggie balls on top of salad. The balls we're so delicious, juicy, tasty and cooked perfectly. My husband had the Jeffrey sandwich and loved it. Also enjoyed Brussel sprouts and calamari. Great atmosphere, great people and balls! Definitely will be back often!
(5)Bill B.
This was my first time here. The service was outstanding. The atmosphere is very cool and inviting. They have an open kitchen and I could only think, why didn't they put four stools at the kitchen counter so patrons could sit and watch them cook. That would've been a very cool addition to the place. Although they have a decent number of taps, the beer selection has allot to be desired. It is very blah. The herb polenta fires were good as a starter. I had the Spicy pork balls bowl which was very filling. The meatballs were tender but not spic and the sauce was ok. The creamy polenta was good but I have to admit that I am spoiled from Little Nona's creamy polenta and meatballs in Philly. No one can beat their polenta and growing up in an Itlaian family, there are high expectations for food like this. The white beans and kale side I ordered was very tasty and I could've eaten more. Would I go back-yes. Would I recommend this to others-yes. They just need to tweak a few things and it is a four or five star place.
(3)Sharon R.
Very nice atmosphere, very "rustic" feel. I went on a Sunday night for a friend's birthday, not many people in the restaurant, but good vibes around. I loved how there were many "make your own" options. You can chose to either just have "balls," or what balls with what entree. I had the chicken balls in a Cesar kale salad. I wanted something outside the box than beef with pasta, which you could get if you wished. There was a small selection of "already made" entrees. The menu was a bit small. The overall experience was great!
(4)Stephen P.
Fun .. casual .. trendy place. good meatballs and good service .. very loud and active !
(4)Brian M.
Good food, good vibe, young crowd...and a dj! If you're 90 yrs old stay away, it's not for you...yes it's loud, that's how younger folks like it :)
(5)Jacqueline K.
Very great concept! Went to try it out at happy hour! I really liked that happy hour applied to all drinks, which was very nice. Tried a few different kinds of "balls" which were very affordable. Service was very efficient!
(4)fran h.
Flavorful balls and great service. Chicken balls were soft, tender, and well seasoned. I had it over roasted cauliflower (vegetable of the day) with pesto sauce (not overwhelming, just enough to add flavor). Nice selection of beer & passion fruit tea was very nice. Arugula salad with corn, roasted peppers, & machenga cheese was fresh & ample portion for sharing. We arrived at 7 pm Saturday & had a 5 min wait. When we left, the wait was much longer. No reservations, but they take your phone number & text when table is almost ready.
(4)Kristy S.
service was great. food was mediocre at best. felt lousy after I left, terrible stomach ache. came here because the wait for Rocco's tacos was an hour and a half. probably wouldn't come back.
(3)John H.
Went here tonight got there at like 825.. Was gonna try Rocco tacos but it was too packed so we darted into here.. Limited menu which I liked not much to sort thru but I was told the Texan is a good portion of food... I could've eaten 4 Texans!!! Thank god my gf didn't finish hers so she gave it to me and I tacked on a bread pudding to fill the gap.. It was very good but u may need to eat on the way home from this place if u wanna go..
(3)D D.
Food was really Good ! Mac n chez is bomb dig. Atmosphere is great. Only compliant I have is the drinks we tried a couple of them and they were blah!
(3)L H.
Great to visit and try them out... Probably wouldn't be the first on our list to go back. In my opinion, decor and ambiance was nice, service was good, food tasted like fast food Italian... A lot of Italian places on Las Olas that are better.
(3)seth p.
Great crowd, service was quick and attentive, prices were reasonable, and food was good. The bar was happening and the craft beers are appreciated! I enjoyed the veggie meatballs and if I ate meat I am sure I'd be in love with place. The only drawback was that it was extremely loud...so loud that you had to scream to speak to the person across the table from you. Will be back when I voice recovers.
(4)Debbie T.
We enjoyed spending time having drinks at the bar at Fork and Balls. The bar staff was great! Came back three times during our stay.
(4)Laura K.
Nothing exceptional. That's the most accurate rating I can give to the food. It wasn't bad, I had the Grandmothers Bowl, but it wasn't memorable or even tasty enough for me to crave again, or want to go back there for. If you are going to be paying Las Olas prices than a much better bet is Noodles Panini. This place is like Olive Garden only with a more creative concept. You won't be going there for great food, you'll go there because you're in the area and the concept looks interesting but many people won't bother going back again a second time. Wait staff was pleasant but gave poor service. They couldn't remember orders, and were too busy socializing with each other to be attentive (I was there at an off peak time- Sat at 2:30pm). I probably would have liked this place if I was in High School and was still in the phase where I thought The Olive Garden was killer Italian food. Once that doesn't do it for you, this place won't either. Great concept, poor execution.
(2)Alex P.
Tasty food and friendly staff. The decor is laid back. The prices are reasonable and well located close to parking on las olas
(4)Aracelis R.
I've been going to Fork and Balls since they opened and have not had a bad experience. The meatballs are all fabulous and I love the fact that they always have a specials to try new salad and ball combinations. The atmosphere is chill and perfect to hang out with friends or just with hubby.
(5)Janet C.
Although I said I wouldn't go back....I did. Really glad I did too. New chairs have been purchased - very comfy. Service has worked out its knots and was fast & friendly. Meal was delicious - I had Blended Balls over Arugula Salad. Very affordable menu. Managers, James & Suzette clearly want their customers to be happy. Wine is still served in the silly juice glasses, but that's the owner's choice. Whaddaya going to do...? Drink fast while it's cold. Great evening. Glad I gave F&B a second look.
(5)Anne B.
Went for the first time last evening for dinner as they now offer gluten-free chicken meatballs. I had the meatballs over the spinach with the roasted tomato sauce. Absolutely delicious. The portion was ample - I couldn't eat it all so gave part to my husband. We ate at the bar and received outstanding service. We will be back, for sure.
(4)Mark D.
Great place to dine on Las Olas. Love the atmosphere, food and service. My favorite dishes are the Mac & Cheese & Brussel Spouts for appetizers and the Greek wrap for main course. Also can't get enough of the Fried Bread Pudding with Rum Ice Cream...yummy! Our Server; Brady (I believe that was his name.) Took excellent care of us, he was very knowledgeable about the menu items and presented them in an entertaining manner. I'll definitely be back.
(5)Kevin L.
Do not eat here if you have any clue what a good meatball tastes like. This place served us the worst meal we have ever had......unbelievable. The fact that they call themselves a " Meatball Kitchen" is almost criminal. From appetizer to sides, all bad. No one should have to go through this experience. There are great meatballs in Fort Lauderdale but not here.
(1)Kizzy S.
I had pretty high hopes for this place because the concept for this restaurant is GENIUS! We went on a Monday night after seeing a Facebook post from them saying it was $1 meatball night....we grabbed a couple of friends and decided to give it a try. While they had all kinds of stuff in their very tiny fine print, I felt like the stipulations were a bit stiff to call this $1 meatball night -- it was really only $1 meatballs when you purchased an alcoholic beverage and you had to order a minimum of 4 meatballs. So....right off the bat, I was turned off by their marketing gimmicks. Decor was cool, meatballs were fine - nothing to write home about but they weren't gross. You could choose from a few different sauces and my husband ordered the roasted tomato and I ordered the mushroom - tomato was good, mushroom was edible. The brussel sprouts were LEGIT, I'll give them that. We probably won't be back but I do appreciate a place that calls themselves Fork & Balls!
(3)Barramundi ..
Due to the name I chose this place. Could be the highlight of a rainy Monday, comforting Spaghetti Meatballs. But not here. I have had the same basic culinary creation 3 times in the last 3 weeks in 3 different locations within 100 yards of here. This wins the bronze medal. Anyway, back to specifics. I place my order and in less than 5 mins I was presented with, 1- Pre cooked pasta, medium temperature, 2- Salty balls, too "spongy" texture, sort of bland, no tasteful definition of meat at all. 3- Ordinary tomato sauce, did not rescue the above. Also the red wine ( on tap, beer style) was too cold. Halfway through my lunch the waitress asks " how is everything"? My inner voice is thinking 15 bucks for too cold domestic red wine and 15 for the pre described food. Tactfully, I say " good thank you". I'll give it another chance. But no good place these days tries to short cut with pre cooked pasta, period. Wise diners know the difference. Even if they don't express it to the cute waitress. Concept over quality??
(2)Laurie D.
Had the beef balls roasted tomato sauce and spaghetti squash ! Husband had spicy pork balls with traditional sauce and pasta both were Fabulous. Good prices and portions. It will be one of our fav and frequented places !! Service was great too!
(5)Mary M.
Good food. Great service!!!!! Very reasonably priced. Not a typical Las Olas place. Will absolutely be back. How can you not love a place that serves PBR in a can??!!??
(4)Jarret S.
First off, we found that most of the food was pretty good. Our issues with F&B are mainly easy fixes that frustrate me as they should be noticed by the management team. I know this restaurant is geared more toward a nighttime atmosphere but I find it almost inexcusable not to offer any sort of kids menu or something to keep kids busy while waiting for food. Hell, you can print coloring for them off of the internet. Furthermore, how does a restaurant that specializes in meatballs not come around and offer Parmesan cheese? One peculiar thing is that every dish we ordered was served in a bowl or on a plate too small for the dish. It made everything awkward to eat. We ordered the tomato, Feta, and Farro salad which oddly came missing one of it's namesake ingredients, Feta. Additionally, the specials were never offered to our table. After ordering I noticed the specials on a chalkboard over the bar and if I had been offered them, I would have selected them. Decoding the specials on the chalkboard took some effort as I don't know what "DOD" is. I don't want this review to sound overly negative because overall, the food was above average but everything else was just mediocre.
(3)Monique L.
This place is awesome! From the atmosphere, to the wines on tap, to the food, everything is right on point. I went there with my family and we all have different tastes for food. We all left more than satisfied. Even my vegan cousin had a full meal! The location is great and service is even better. The servers were knowledgeable, courteous and attentive, aside from having a sense of humor, making the guests comfortable with the suggestive name of the restaurant and menu choices. The prices are surprisingly reasonable for the quality of food and location. Definitely a good choice for the whole family or just for a drink with friends!
(5)Andrew W.
Great atmosphere on Las Olas Blvd. Sort of a young beautiful crowd, thirtysomething, with a family here and there. Food was reasonably priced, I would be a great place for a date night. The menu is fun and different. You can put together a selection of sauces, meatballs, and vegetables or pasta. You also have the option of choosing one of their premade dishes. Prices run around $12-$15 for an entrée, so it won't break the bank for a fun evening out. The bar area looks like it was well stocked with a great selection of liquors. The decor is fun also, The pretty waitresses and handsome waiters are also hey great reason to go and visit. A feast for the eyes included. I particularly liked the manager, Suzette, Who came over to the table to greet me, and made sure my evening was great. Thank you Suzette. Talk about being well hosted, the whole staff was very friendly and smiling. I had the brussels sprouts as an appetizer, and my friend have a garlic bread. I enjoyed the tomato sauce on the brussels sprouts. It tasted like fresh roasted tomatoes. For my meal selection my friend ordered the vegetarian meatballs, and I ordered the regular meatballs. The portions are big, and you may want to consider ordering an appetizer as a meal alone, or skipping the appetizer for your main meal. I skipped dessert because I was too full, but the bread pudding sounded really good if I had room. I would suggest this place for an evening out with friends for a bit of fun along Las Olas.
(5)Jim C.
I only give this place three stars because in my opinion this is a bar that serves food not a restaurant. We went there on Saturday 6:15pm to catch up with three other friends. There was a total of five of us. When we sat down at 6:15 the place was empty by 645 it was packed. That's great for a new place. However, not for us. It was deafeningly loud. None of us could hear any conversation we were trying to have and even had a very difficult time hearing the waitress as she tried to explain the concept, dishes, drinks etc. I will say the food we had was EXCELLENT. However, just understand this is not a place to have a conversation with somebody unless you're interested in yelling at the top of your voice to someone sitting right next to you. It is very trendy, has a hip vibe, and the drinks were good. My only point in making this review is so people understand this really is a bar. If you're looking for a nice sitdown restaurant to catch up with friends, this isn't it.
(3)Bob W.
tried this new place last night. the meatballs are terriable, they were dry and cold. i was looking for a great meatball, well im sorry they have failed the test. maybe another time.
(1)Kat A.
Food was really good, but service a little slow. Ambiance is very new yorkish, but a little loud.
(4)Natasha L.
very mediocre. SUPER loud that even the waitress has to scream to ask your preference. Prices for food reasonable however for drinks - you would think we were in Miami beach.
(2)Bobbie L.
Meatballs were good BUT small need to order several dishes to walk out satisfied service was very good. VERY loud so sit outside with fans if possible Portions need to be bigger to justify price. Variety of meatballs good but for a traditional Italian meatball there are other restaurant choices
(3)Darren P.
Tasty, fun and something different. I could tell the place could get very loud at prime time but we went for lunch. Very friendly staff. A little pricey for what we got but still a good time.
(4)Krystle L.
A couple of friends and I were so excited about trying this place and all I can say is for a place that specializes in meatballs, I've had way better, even at places that don't specialize in them. Our waiter was awesome, the atmosphere was good, the appetizers were awesome, but the meatballs, not so much. We started our dinner with two appetizers, the brussel sprouts and the polenta fries. Both were phenomenal, and this is coming from someone who doesn't eat brussel sprouts. We ordered two bowls of pasta with four balls, and two skillets of four balls each, all different flavors. Unfortunately, none of the main dishes were hot, but the manager did a great job at making things right. Also, If you like to taste the bread in the meatballs, this is the place for you. Overall I wish I could say that I loved it, because I was very excited about trying it, but if amazing meatballs are what you're looking for, I would think twice.
(2)michael s.
wanted to give the place carte blanche "must be good",as it's the Y.O.L.O./S3 people. sadly enough we were disappointed. started sharing the special salad:arugula w/ roasted red pepper. reminded me of a workplace cafeteria that every Friday offered clam chowder.we decided it was clamless clam chowder,that they must have used oyster juice to reconstitute potato soup. ?roasted red pepper?yeah it was sorta there. cumulatively maybe 1/16th of a red pepper. also appetizer was polenta fries. that i/we've actually stopped to snack at Harry'sPizza(a Michael Schwartman entity)in Design district. there the polenta was nicely seasoned,and they served it with a sriracha ketchup...YUM ! F&B's the polenta needs some ??pepper,salt ? and the marinara was lifeless(a harissa dip would kick !) opted to try the sliders as a means to try different meatballs,different sauces. "spicy"pork meatball ?spicy?,i say tepid w/ pesto,pesto devoid of basil taste Veggy meatball,w/ mushroom sauce. flavor worthy of Century Village Short rib meatball w/ garlic marinara. the meatball was actually pretty decent,the sauce...? garlic ? where ? also sorta expecting more of a international variety offering ?no Swedish sauce ? i think the aforementioned harissa would be killer. ? how about a Stroganoff sauce ? overall it seemed like were seasoning was a factor,they were either timid or rationing. our server was a gem. liked the atmosphere vibe & location(though this is an oft doomed parcel in the past) BUT !!!! to alter the Jerry Maguire line ....Show me the flavor !!!!!!!!!!!
(2)Carol F.
went there on Sat 7/19 w/4 couples, food was very good, but 20 minute stated wait time turned into over an hour and it was VERY loud, not a good place for a conversation
(2)Damica C.
I thoroughly enjoyed my food. I had the brussel sprouts. They came in a garlic tomato sauce with cheese & bacon, & SO rich in flavor. The mac & cheese has mushrooms & peas (again GREAT flavor), & seasoned bread crumbs. My favorite item on the menu is the milk & cookies. The biggest reason I ordered the brussel sprouts & cookies is because it's not something you usually see on a menu. Anyhoo, the milk is an orange/strawberry cream & is to die for. The girl who recommended this place to me Insisted on me having the cookies & milk, & I see why.
(5)Sherry W.
I went for HH....M-F two for one drinks and $1 meatballs at the bar. You can choose different meats and sauces for your meatballs or veggie or quinoa. The food was ok, but everything was salty. The service was good. Water and drinks were refilled. Food came out in a timely manner. The pricing is good for Las Olas. There is metered parking on the streets or they have valet on the side avenue from Las Olas. It is a trendy hip atmosphere.
(3)T S.
Lots of meat balls different kinds some even veggie than just choose a sauce mix and match try new things- very good. Oh yea and at happy hour only a dollar each.
(3)Becca M.
I recently had a party of 15 there & the service was great despite the water restrictions that were occurring. awesome food but they can only split the check in 4 ways which created complications.
(3)Jeremy C.
I've been here twice. The first time was for their first annual meatball eating contest. I ate 18 meatballs in 10 minutes. I lost to a professional who ate 40 in 10 minutes. Either way it was a lot of fun. The meatballs were good. A lot of variety. The service could be better. I recently came here with 12 other friends. The place was not busy and we still had to wait and actually flag down a waitress to get service.
(3)Sabrina D.
I decided to give this place a few more chances as they had only been open a short while when I wrote my initial review. Sadly, I've since then decided this place isn't my cup of tea... which is technically a good thing since they sell meatballs. The menu states that the meatball appetizer comes with focaccia. Yippee! Eh... hold your horses because there's something about the bread situation at this place that warrants some investigation. Let me explain... on my first visit they never brought it out. I hadn't realized until we had asked for the check and by then, was at that I'm-so-full-I-don't-even-want-to-see-any-food-for-Âthe-next-2-days point, you know what I'm talking about. Anyways, no bread on that visit, oh well. On our second visit, it was missing again but this time I wanted to dip it in the sauce, so I notified the waitress and she apologized and brought it over. It's vital to this whole review that you understand that by "it", I'm not referring to a heaping basket of focaccia as you might be picturing in your mind (just as I mistakingly was), "it" means one tiny, pinkie-sized piece of stale focaccia. I almost laughed when "it" arrived, thinking she must have made a mistake. Nope, apparently "pinkie" is the standard over at fork & balls. We returned yet again. This time, myself and another member of my party each ordered the meatball dish plus a side. We were asked if we wanted our sides on the same plate. "Sure, no need to be wasteful". Guess what happened guys? Once again, no focaccia. So I ask the person who brought our meals out. I'm not even sure why really. It's a tiny piece and it's not even that great but I'm an optimist and I figure it'll be better this time. "Oh that only comes with the meatball dish", I'm told. "That's actually what we ordered." "No, I mean it comes when you order just the meatballs." "Yes, that's what we got, we just said they could put our side dishes on the same plate." "No, the bread only comes when you order the 4 meatballs in the skillet by themselves." I now see the point of this. I experienced this so that I could pass the word on to you. FYI, if you order a side, which costs additional money, and have them put it on the same dish, which saves them money... you forgo your pinkie-sized stale focaccia. Bascially, by requesting polenta in addition to my meatballs, I unknowingly signed over my parental focaccia rights. Let's forget for a second that EVERY restaurant basically shoves bread down your throat, FOR FREE. Let's also forget that had they actually brought it, it would have been pinkie-sized. Dude, don't argue with me about a stinking piece of bread, just bring it even if I happened to be wrong. How ridiculous! My three visits have led me to believe that there's some weird X-files stuff going on with the bread at this place, and I need Mulder to investigate (Scully only ever held him back, let's be real). Here are my questions, 1.)Are there tiny specks of gold baked into it? 2.)Do you have a 1 loaf cap per day and therefore must conserve it at all costs? 3.)Is there a Broward focaccia drought that I am unaware of? I want to believe... in fork & balls but they're just not doing it for me.
(2)Reixa C.
EVENT REVIEW- Pairings Pop Up Event @ Fork & Balls This was a free event to the public. We arrived at 7pm. We waited outside for about 15 minutes before we signed in and got our bands. They had only 2 girls running the entrance and the line was pretty long. There was only one iPad to sign in. Once inside, they had the event in the bar area and the back of the restaurant. The hot plates were in the far back by the kitchen. They had salad, fried potato sticks with marinara, chicken meatballs with white sauce and regular meatballs with marinara. The meatballs were big and the food was hot. It was nice to have small plates. There was no seating in the bar area; it was packed so we just stood on the side. I was able to grab a glass of wine and my friends had pumpkin beer. The food was delicious. The restaurant filled up in a matter of minutes, the bar was 3 person deep, the food line was backed up. We went back for food around 8pm and at this point, the chicken meatballs were out, we just grabbed what they had. People were waiting on food. The kitchen and servers were working very hard, running around, making sure everything went smoothly. But, there were too many people to feed. When we got back to the bar for another drink, the server told us that they had run out of the "donated" product. The event was from 7pm-9pm. By 8:15pm, the "donated" product was gone. Overall, great food, the service couldn't have been better with the amount of people they had. They were on their game. But, whoever organized this should of capped it at 150 as far as the amount of people let in. There were over 200+ ppl.
(4)Mark S.
I'm cool with the "do one thing and do it well" business model, and they make some interesting meatballs here, but there were some service glitches: they have promotions that seem to change too frequently that you always have to check ahead ("meatball monday" is a great idea, so don't turn it on and off). Hostess said this week (August 2015) was the LAST "meatball monday", but then a card with my bill said they'd be doing $1 balls EVERY weekday, but the lunch time crowd is going to be pissed, so my point is: be consistent. I arrived at 5:30, restaurant was 90% empty, but I was forbidden from sitting at the "communal table" where $1 meatballs were being served (yes, it was 'meatball monday'). I understand the need to hold a table for a paying crowd, but I shouldn't get a hassle if I want to take advantage of the deal at another table - that should be a "win win" for the restaurant (keep the crowd, and keep other customers too). After much deliberation with management, I was allowed to get the deal at a seat next to the communal table. Interesting craft brews on draft add points: Funky Buddha was well represented, and wish I'd seen the "blueberry cobbler" before the "pomegranate wheat", but it was also a great beer at a 2-4-1 price from 4-7pm. I should also add that when the place opened, a friend was contacted with an invite to come and try it, but when she tried to take them up on the deal, nobody replied to the emails. So there is much to like here, but management needs to work on treating the customer right, and being consistent.
(3)Sylvia F.
Interesting concept....,all balls, balls, balls! We have passed this place many times before and we finally stopped in to dine while my nephew visited from California. Nothing fancy as you walk in yet it was decorated in a fun funky rustic way. We chose to sit in the high table and although I've never expected to be comfortable..., I seriously was comfortable (most comfortable high stools I've ever sat in at a restaurant). We started with an order of the brussels sprouts. They were delicious and if you like brussels sprouts don't hesitate in ordering them. They come in a roasted garlic tomato sauce with bacon and parmesan cheese. My only regret was ordering just one order. The three of us decided we each should order something different in order to share and compare. Short Rib-polenta,ricotta,tomato sauce Sunday Gravy-penne, basil, braised pork, ricotta, tomato sauce The Southwestern- tomatillo, beans,pork, corn,sour cream and chilies Each had a different distinct taste especially The Southwestern but my favorite was the Short Rib. Our server was a doll and made our first visit lovely and informative. She also was well versed in all the craft beers on tap and highly recommended Funky Buddha. Great place to eat and enjoy something different and filling.
(4)Grace R.
It's more of a 3.5, but I'll round up. F&B pretty much does one thing, and it's pretty obvious what that one thing is (hint: meatballs), but they do it very well, and good enough to make this a regular weekday lunch with co-workers. Specifically, the day of the week we try to come is Mondays, because "meatball monday" is when you can get a 4-ball serving for $4. This promo disappeared for a few months but recently resurfaced in May 2015, so if you are visiting in the "busy season" (winter), you may want to verify the promo - don't kill the messenger - trust and verify, etc. There are a variety of balls (chicken, pork, beef, etc.) served with your choice of sauce (traditional red, creamy white mushroom, etc.), and there is also always a daily special. I've settled on the most traditional combo as my usual order (F&B blend meatball with traditional marinara sauce). Add some sides and it's a pretty hardy meal (if there were ever a cold day in FLL, this would be the place to be). Good happy hour deals too (including when you come on Monday and can also do the $1 deal).
(4)Alex L.
3.5 Really- The food was great- and the service was good- the company was fantastic! So why not more stars? I really had no idea what to expect when I was informed that I would be dining at Fork and Balls. I mean what does one wear to such an establishment? I chose casual Friday wear, and was still a bit dressed up for this Hawaiian shirt, beach shorts, and flip flops crowd (though later in the evening there were some guests that were dressed up). I just don't see spending this much on spaghetti and meat balls- even if they are tasty. I was not impressed by the beer options - and it is possible that if I had a drink or two, my rating would be higher (LOL). Perhaps it is really because I've never been served a smaller slice of bread pudding for dessert - and it was mediocre at best. Or was it the bizarre restroom decor? I can definitely see coming back and giving this place another go. The meal was good- and my wife enjoyed it and I agree it is a good place to meet up with friends especially considering there is a parking lot right behind the place.
(3)Patty W.
I couldn't wait to try this restaurant out with my husband and a couple of our friends. When we got there on a Saturday night around 7 o'clock, it was surprisingly not busy. We were seated right away and our waitress took our drink order to start off with. I got the drink of the day, which was the Blue Baller consisting of gin, blackberries, lime juice, and cucumber. It could have been a little sweeter, but it was fine for me. The fork n' berry fizz was right up my alley with the strawberries, vodka, basil, limoncello, and prosecco. So, let's get on to the balls. There is quite a selection to choose from. My husband and I got the chicken meatballs with Parmesan cream sauce for an appetizer. It was perfectly flavored and went together very well. Since I wasn't going to get the traditional meatballs that is offered everywhere else, I settled for the short rib meatballs. It was filled with creamy polenta, tomato sauce, and ricotta cheese. I added the whole wheat spaghetti for the side. Heavenly scrumptious is the only way I can describe my meal. The spicy Italian meatballs were devoured by my one and only and our friends enjoyed their meals as well. The four of us got two fried bread puddings with rum ice cream. Even though I have a passion for bread pudding, it didn't quite blow me away. I thought it was good, but it was different with the rum ice cream. There was none left on our plates though. A relaxed ambiance surrounded the atmosphere and the modern decor with an open layout with the center bar suited the restaurant very well. Our server did an excellent job with recommendations and providing attentive service to all of us. It's too bad that I couldn't try more things on their menu, so it's in the works for next time. It was definitely a night to remember with great food and awesome people!
(4)Jorge G.
This place was awesome. The ambiance, the decor, all the designs and most importantly, the food. We ordered "Just Balls" of the day, Applewood Smoked Bacon and beef with the Parmesan sauce - absolutely delicious. 4 perfectly sized meatballs and a small piece of bread. Beers are nice and cold and very well priced. Main dish was the Shortrib Stuffed Balls with polenta and a tomato sauce, the portion was quite large and I had to take half of it home, however taste was great and super filling. My girlfriend had the Turkey Pesto meatballs with wholewheat pasta, the sauce was great and the balls were delicious as well. For dessert, the milk and cookies are divine: 3 extra large warm and gooey cookies, with nice cold milk on the side. I absolutely loved the food and the service and definitely recommend this restaurant, you won't be disappointed.
(5)Erica M.
Here's my quick and short review. The atmosphere of the place is very nice I definitely would have a girls night out here or have a good gathering with a bunch of friends. I ordered the short rib meat balls they were awesome I really enjoyed it. We also had an appetizer of the brussels sprouts. I was disappointed with the brussels sprouts they tasted really blan and had a bitter taste to them. I really didn't care for them in the tomato sauce. I am such a huge Brussel sprout fan and this was a little disappointing. We had a really good waitress she was very attentive and helpful with choosing items.my only drawback with the waitress was watching her touch my straw with her hands after picking up plates, touching her hair, wiping her hands on her clothes. I believe that all restaurants she give their customer straws that have not been open.
(3)Julie R.
I was excited to try this place out when my friend said she would be doing her bday dinner here, since I had heard and read good things about this place. She was able to make reservations for like 25 people several days in advance, so that was good and a big plus. When we arrived the tables were all set up and ready for us to just sit and get things started. They did have just one server for all of us though, so that made things take a while. In looking at the menu I honestly had no idea what to order, but I was a bit hungry, so I decided to start with some sort of an appetizer. I asked the girl how the polenta fries were and she said good. They came and I ate one and was like man, this tastes really weird, so I asked my husband to try it as well and see what he said. He didn't like them either, so I just passed them down the table and let someone else eat them cause they just weren't good. They're shaped like fries, but taste nothing like it. I finally ordered one of their sandwiches, The Jeffry. It's with their blend of meat which I was told is both beef and veal. The sandwich was alright, but honestly nothing to rave about. It's the f&b blend meatballs with rapini, roasted garlic white bean spread and ricotta. (I probably should've just gone with a pasta bowl, because how can that not be good, especially for me, the pasta loving gal!) My husband decided to go ahead and try four different meatball sliders. He enjoyed his more than I enjoyed mine, but what's ironic is that his fav slider was the veggie one. You would think that at a place that specializes in meatballs that my husband who loves meatballs would prefer one of those. Then at the end when we were ready to pay it was a bit of a mission even though we told the waitress how things were being split up from the beginning. It just took a while and there were mistakes on several people's bills. Overall this place did not live up to the hype my friend had given us about it, nor what I had read from other fellow yelpers. Would I come back and give it another try, sure, but wouldn't necessarily go out of my way for it.
(3)Erica K.
Meatball Monday's! Came to Las Olas for dinner and decided on Fork and Ball for dinner. We are glad we picked this place! $1 meatballs, 1/2 bottles of wine, awesome good. We must have tried every meatball on the menu and all were great. My favorite was the spicy pork with tomato, other great ones were buffalo chicken and classic beef. We also shared a traditional salad, Brussels sprouts and garlic bread. All were delicious! This is a great trendy place for dinner and I would recommend it to anyone!
(4)Alex P.
Had dinner here again tonight. Not my first time coming here at all. This time around like many I brought friends along who have never been. I've come here many times but this will be my last. We received a warm welcome when we arrived from the hostess and were immediately sat down at a booth. It's Monday and usually there's the $1 meatball selection but they seem to have changed it to $15 all you can eat meatballs. (Smaller meatballs and only two served with a salad and spaghetti to try and fill you up). Like always, the food is hit and miss but overall I usually enjoy the place. This night however I had an issue. The all you can eat portions are extremely small and they take forever to come out. (Not a problem to us) My party had all ordered the deal and after finishing our second plate were all still feeling hungry. We ordered a third round and while waiting for that decided to let our waitress know what our next round would be. I stopped our waitress Rachel to inform her what our next choices are and she told us that the order we were currently waiting on was the last one we could place because the kitchen had closed. (They close at 10pm and it was 9:45pm at that moment. We had been seated at 8:30. That's how long it took for us to receive three small plates each. And some palenta fries with salad.) I could tell my party was disappointed but knew they also wanted dessert so I looked passed that and asked to order their milk and cookies and bread pudding. She told us they were closed in the kitchen and can't do that for us either. It being 9:53 and I being a paying repeat customer I felt a bit confused with her excuses. She never passed by our table after taking our order and bringing our drinks. Others brought our items and two of us were left without silverware because of the lack of attention received. She had left and after my party feeling uneasy I asked the closest server for the manager. He went and told out waitress Rachel something instead... She returns saying she spoke with the kitchen and they can do the dessert no problem. Even though I watched her during those few minutes never speak to the kitchen since we were sitting right next to it. I told her I wanted the manager and for myself and the whole table to notice her attitude towards me she was obviously not trying to hide it. After waiting a while for a manager I had to ask again. Once he came I believe he said his name was Kevin. I introduced myself and asked why we weren't made aware that we couldn't order more food. Being that we specifically went for all you can eat and obviously weren't receiving that treatment. The only good thing was he was very professional and apologized for the service. He admitted she didn't do what she was meant to do. He did have the waitress comp. the meals and only make us pay for our drinks, appetizers, and one extra meal that was ordered on the side. The waitress though didn't let up and continued with the poor attitude bringing us forks and forcefully placing them on the table. When I asked for the check she placed it on the table and told me what the manager had given us free with an attitude that made my fiancé cringe. I placed my card on the table and when she came back around quickly snatched it up and kept walking. Came back tossing it on the table and again walked away. UNNACCEPTABLE. I never once raised my voice or did anything rude to the girl. I asked for the manager because she didn't do her job, I understand the food business is hard. I have ran and run restaurants. If you can't handle it don't show it! If it wasn't for one of my friends feeling sorry for the girl she wouldn't have received a tip, but he wanted to leave something even if it was small. It takes only one time to lose a customer. I feel embarrassed for recommending the place because I never know if they can receive that service as it seemed so normal for the manager and waitress to comp. a meal and brush it off. I will never take, recommend, or mention this place to anyone again unless it's to let them know where not to go. And for people I have taken, once they know what happened they'll quickly change their minds about the place.
(1)Marie B.
I recommend this place, although it is no 5 star restaurant...I have been there several times to meet friends. I don't drink but we always eat at the bar and the bartenders have always been very friendly. I am just finding out about receiving bread before the meal ( I have never been offered any bread) maybe I'll ask next time to see what all this talk is about. Overall fun and good place to hang out with a great concept and atmosphere.
(5)Jenny M.
I have been to this place twice. Both times I was with a couple of friends and we were seated almost immediately. The service was satisfactory and the food ranged from decent to delicious. I have had the short rib entree which was AMAZE-BALLS. Very tender short rib balls with a creamy polenta underneath. I sampled my friends' entrees with turkey and chicken balls and they were a bit on the dry side but still tasty. The calamari was decent. The milk and cookies dessert was nothing to write home about. One reason I gave it 4 stars is for my second visit. We had ordered the milk and cookies and the kitchen sent out milk that had gone bad. Notified the waitress and she informed us the milk had "orange zest" in it to make it taste different. I kindly informed her that I had had this dessert before and this was clearly rotten milk. After a bit of back and forth, she finally brought us fresh milk with a side of attitude. The whole thing could've been less of a headache! Would come back and skip dessert.
(4)James D.
Had lunch there today. Had the Sicilian meatball sandwich on garlic bread. Very nice presentation but the balls were saggy! The little arugula side salad was nice! I love the interior design. Now for the dirty laundry, I can't stand it when a restaurant charges for refills! !! That is petty BS! I just paid 11 dollars for 4 meatballs and 4 dollars for iced tea, and you are going to charge me for a refill on a 8 Oz glass mostly full of ice! Really! My coworker enjoyed his chicken parm sandwich but really disliked the refill policy as well.
(3)GracieTheCat H.
Updated review We like this place, the food is good. We always sit at the bar. Tonight's bartender was a young blonde woman who was over then enthusiastic about clearing our plates and glasses, so much so she cleared my husbands and he wasn't done. She'd didn't say a word, just started clearing our dishes. Needs some more training.
(3)Mike M.
I wish I could give this place 3.5 stars, three seems low but four seems just a bit too high. My fiancé and I stopped by for lunch earlier this week for the first time. The ambiance and decorations were nice. We enjoyed the overall look. The name does it justice. It is truly a meatball Restraunt. Almost every entree was based around meatballs. I had the Philly smash (sandwhich) it was good but not really Philly cheese steak like. The meatballs were ok but didn't go with the philly sandwhich. The buns were great. The sandwhich was more food that it appears to be and k was stuffed. My fiancée had the chicken or turkey smash which was ok. Kinda bland. The waitress seemed like she wasn't having the best day and didn't want to be there. Not a must but I may return.
(3)Elissa R.
FYI- they do not take reservations but the food was yummy. Turkey meatballs in pesto was my favorite dish and the brussel sprouts were awesome! Unfortunately their taps were down so no beer or wines by carafe.
(4)Nicole V.
I had the opportunity to come here for a meatball eating contest. It was the first annual. FYI, we did not win but 18 balls in 10 minutes isn't bad going against a pro that ate 40- my stomach hurts thinking about it! Anyhow, they have happy hour from 4-7, which consists of 2-4-1 cocktails and $1 balls. I asked for the chicken, turkey, and veggie balls. They had 3 sauce options and I wanted to try them all. I asked for them on the side but the bartender said they couldn't do that. Really? So I told her to put whatever sauce on whatever ball she wanted. First up was the veggie with pesto sauce. Not the best I've had but not the worst. Then I had the chicken with the creamy mushroom sauce. The ball was tender but lacked flavor. The sauce was pretty good. Last I had the turkey with red sauce. This ball had the most flavor and I liked the sauce. The couple next to us must have been regulars because they knew the bartender by name and the menu by heart. They ordered multiple buffalo chicken balls so I decided to try one. It was okay in my opinion. I could also overhear comments like, "grab her while you can" and "it's hard to get their attention". I would completely agree. These bartenders are some of the best at avoiding eye contact! While I did see them hustle to make drinks, they lacked some basic etiquette like a smile and a "I'll be right with you". Believe it or not that goes a long way! A whole 5 minutes prior to happy hour ending, I attempted to get another drink at the hh price. Unfortunately, I could not get any of the staff to acknowledge me. Finally a male bartender did and when I asked him for the hh price, he said no. It was exactly 7pm and I was annoyed. The female bartender graciously made an exception since I had been waiting and had been ordering food and drink for over an hour. All in all, I would give Fork and Balls 3.5. It would be higher if the service was a little stronger. Also if "balls" is in your name, they should be AMAZING...
(3)Anthony L.
Great food Love the Short Ribs meatballs But PLEASE turn down the music and pick something more conducive to conversation
(2)Izza L.
The chicken balls was a little dried. Sauce is a little on the sour side. Outside weather was great especially if you have a dog.
(2)Rawlslyn F.
Insanely good. I'm serious. We both agreed that it's a unique eating experience we won't forget. We ordered the delicious brussel sprouts appetizer. It's enough for 3 people. The short ribs meatballs and the F&B meatballs are perfectly flavored. We ordered a mac n cheese side that was okay. Honestly, the meatballs are so filling that you don't need to order anything on the side. The portions are generous so consider splitting an entree and order one side. You must try this place!
(5)AnaKaren G.
Drove all the way from Suburbia this past Saturday to beautiful Las Olas. Roughly a 53 mile drive... was it worth the drive you may ask? Absolutely, it was! :D From the moment I walked in, I felt like I was walking into a friend's house party. This place gives you an immediate hip, cool vibe feel to it. It is definitely trendy, yet it offers an unpretentious casual bar scene. The staff is extremely friendly. All things Ft. Lauderdale. Ahhhhhhh.... There was a sea of people from the moment we arrived to the time we left. Luckily, we didn't have to wait too long for a table :P And yes, it was loud, so loud I had to keep repeating myself to fellow Elite Yelper Hilda H. We were told adjustments to the ceiling are in the works to diminish the noise level. Looking forward to that. What we ordered... Brussels Sprouts are flash fried, served with a toasted garlic tomato sauce that's out of this world. It was topped with pieces of applewood smoked bacon and fresh parmesan cheese. People frown upon brussels sprouts but believe me, Fork and Balls will make a fan out of you! Eat your vegetables! Stef's Market Salad came with arugula, feta cheese, cashews, watermelon topped with a citrus vinaigrette dressing. I love watermelon, but in a salad? Really? Ok, I was somewhat open to try something new...I was skeptical. It worked! It was refreshing but mostly delicious. All the combinations just seemed to complement each other. Mmmmmmmmmm watermelon. Crispy Calamari served with marinara sauce, sweet & hot peppers and roasted garlic aioli. Quite delicious but beware for those of you with heartburn issues, you will need antacid medication stat! Just order it without the peppers, I'm sure they are more than happy to accommodate. F&B Mac N' Cheese, took me by surprise. It came with mushrooms and peas. Different but I always welcome mushrooms, as I am a mushroom fanatic. The problem... the flavor just quite wasn't there. It was very bland for my taste. Nonetheless, this dish will not prevent me from coming back for other items I did not get a chance to try. After all, I did come for the BALLS!!! F&B Blend Balls, the veal and pork meatballs are very moist and flavorful topped with Mushroom Sauce. A very exquisite ball! Actually, my favorite. This one is a must have! Gluten Free Chicken Balls, very aromatic since it's made using fennel. These balls were smothered in Parmesan Cream Sauce...Very good choice. Vegan Veggie Ball, I did not ask but to me it tasted like it had Indian herbs and spices. Very tasty! Yumm yumm give me some! Our server Emily was kind enough to bring us a side of Mushroom Sauce and Roasted Tomato Sauce since we were undecided. It was good with either sauce. Truth be told, these balls do not need any kind of sauce. They are superb all on their own. Fried Bread Pudding with a scoop of Rum Ice Cream was heaven served for dessert. WOW! I'm a huge fan of bread pudding and this is an excellent example of how it should be made. Gelato Sorbet Sundae was exclusively consumed by Hilda H. as I am allergic to all the berries in the world :'( I was told it was delicious... and it looked the part too! Sigh... I'd like to thank our server, Emily. She was extremely helpful and patient with us. She was sweet, attentive, personable but more importantly very professional. Restaurants need more Emily's on board. She is the epitome of an outstanding server. She genuinely seems like she enjoys her job. Servers like her takes the whole dining experience to another level. Keeps me coming back for more. I hope your boss reads this cause you are a keeper! P.S. More BALLS please! :D
(5)Patricia M.
Great place! We were seated outside at first but quickly changed to inside because the music was blaring loud. Still loud inside but a tad better. They should really turn it down. Our waitress was training & was wonderful! The waitress training her was a bit annoying, constantly grabbing the small stuff left on the table like straw wrappers & used lemons (???) really annoying. We ordered the buffalo chicken balls appetizer & it was delicious! My favorite with the spicy Italian entree as a close second. The southwestern balls were dry & kinda gross. The cookies & milk dessert was cute & the orange flavored milk made it AMAZING. I would go back again whenever I feel like having meatballs!
(4)Darlene D.
The first time I went was with a dinner group and everyone enjoyed their meals. We all decided to go back again and the food was less than satisfying across the board. The meatballs tasted pre-made, and/or reheated or frozen, were hard in texture and had no flavor. If you"re going to try and rock a meatball place, great kitchen skills and fresh ingredients are the recipe for success. The atmosphere and staff were equally nice. On the other hand, the music was so loud no one could communicate at the table. Pricing was reasonable for Las Olas. This is on my no return veto list.
(2)Michael D.
What a fun menu. As the name indicates, this place is big on 'balls.' We started with an appetizer serving of the daily special, Swedish meatballs. They were so moist and flavorful, I could have eaten and entire plateful and left the restaurant 100% satisfied. Also split an order of the polenta fries with my dining partner. Crispy on the outside, polenta-y on the inside. And they were seasoned with rosemary, thyme and parmesan. They were very filling, but somehow not heavy, if that makes sense. And, again with this appetizer, I could have eaten an entire plate of polenta fries and left the restaurant totally satisfied. For our entrees, we went with all balls. My friend had the spicy Italian meatballs and I had the short rib stuffed meatballs. Both were excellent. We noticed that the menu only offered a couple of dessert options, and that was just fine, because we had no room whatsoever for dessert. We were full, satisfied and happy, happy, happy. Although, we did notice that one of the dessert offerings was 'cookies and milk.' How cool is that...??? (If we had been in the market for a dessert, that would have been our choice.) Our server, Whitney, couldn't have been more accommodating or more helpful. She explained the menu/concept to us thoroughly and also made several recommendations that really helped us navigate our first 'Fork and Balls' dinning experience. We will definitely be returning.
(4)Grace A.
I was really impressed by this restaurant's happy hour! We came here so the BF could get a special draft they had on tap from Funky Buddha. He was really excited that this beer was included in the 2-for-1 Happy Hour. I was excited that we could get $1 Meatballs at the bar. They were awesome! My favorite was the buffalo chicken (I love all things buffalo... It's a basic weakness). We also had the lamb, spicy pork, blended and the short rib. All great... The bartender helped us with suggestions for sauce. We got excellent service and the atmosphere of this place really cool. We loved sitting at the bar and it was super comfortable. Definitely come here for happy hour!
(5)Savanna M.
3.5 stars really. There are some good options here and there were some misses for me. We arrived at 7:30 on a Wednesday night and were sat immediately. I figured the new "hot spot" would be busy but that a weeknight wouldn't be too bad. However, after we were sat there was huge group standing around at the door and each of those parties probably waited at least 30 mins. We got lucky! As other's have mentioned - it's loud! Loud to where the waiter had trouble taking our orders. The decor and ambiance is nice and I appreciate the modern day touches paired with some traditional Italian items (note the napkins). All in all, I like the menu. I like the style of the menu and how a lot of it is "create your own" but I won't be rushing back here as only the dessert really wowed me. The wine, beer and cocktail list is a bit short, particularly regarding the wines. I think there were 7 or so specialty cocktails - we tried one and found it to be a bit gross. The beer list was "crafty" enough to please the beer drinkers at our table, but the wine list left me disappointed. First of all it's separated by wines on tap and bottles. The wines on tap are offered by the glass, carafe and bottle and are outrageously priced. There are a few "cheaper" bottles but they were all white. Also there isn't any separation between whites and reds and I ended up ordering a carafe of a blend that I thought was red, but turned out to be white. The carafe bottle was cute but definitely wasn't served as cold as I would have liked. We started off with three appetizers to share: *Polenta Fries - I was the biggest fan of these at the table. There wasn't much flavor but if you know me, you know grits, polenta...all of these gritty textures are great in my book. Served with marinara for dipping. *Brussel Sprouts - I make a mean brussel sprout so I tend to be a harsh critic. These passed my test. Also served over marinara sauce... you'll see this is a bit of a trend. *Calamari - served over marinara lol. Nothing special here, just regular calamari in my book. For entrees we all did 4 balls over "insert option here". Two of us did the arugula salad which was quite good. Came with corn in the salad which I loved, although I get that some people may not like the surprise. Two did pastas, which I didn't try any of, but didn't hear any complaints. I went the traditional route with the F&B blend (pork and beef) and found my meatballs to be the best and most moist. I opted for the roasted tomato sauce which was quite good. I also tried beef and the special chicken meatball of the night. Everyone else had the Parmesan cheese and herb cream sauce. Nothing special in my mind. We split a side of the mac and cheese which also underwhelmed. I'd put it more in the alfredo category, although it also had peas, so maybe an alfredo meets carbonara. For dessert the boys split the cookies and milk. They didn't offer us any so I'll take that as a good sign. The girls split the fried bread pudding with a rum ice cream. I'm trying my best to avoid sugar so I planned on only one bite. That flew out the window once I tasted how great it was...and probably ate my full half lol.
(3)Trina L.
Had the Quinoa and Kale ball. Very tasty! Swanky spot w/a hip crowd. Seems like a cool after work spot....loved that they played Jamriqui! Decent wine list! Service is cool. Food came out quick for a Friday night on the Las Olas strip. We would come here again.
(4)Michael C.
We have been hearing so much about Fork and Balls and really could not wait to try this new creative concept on Las Olas. We were glad that when we arrived there was not the wait we had heard so much about, at 7pm, we got seated immediately. Love the open atmosphere and layout. Great open bar with very light décor, mood changing when you walk in. We were greeted by our waitress, Blake, who never took a smile off her face the whole night and was there every step of the way, and very personable. The menu is simple, just like the name, and you definitely know that you are going there for: BALLS; beef, chicken balls, veggie balls, spicy pork balls or their F & B combination. You can just have balls, or can put your balls over pasta, garlic spinach, or creamy polenta. Then you can choose among various sauces to top off the dish. The wine list is not extensive, but for what they have on the wine list, they chose really great wines and sparkling wines that are very reasonably priced. Lucente Italian wine was our choice and if you like a good Italian wine, reasonably priced, we were surprised to be able to order this for only $38.00 a bottle. Great wine for pairing with our meal. We started off with their Traditional Salad, which you can split for 2 people. The lettuce was really fresh and crisp with olives, onions and chick peas. We had crumpled blue cheese on the side. Really a great salad. We wanted to order the Calamari because it was highly recommended, but we wanted to save all our room for the reason we came there: BALLS. I ordered the Classic Beef Balls over garlic spinach, topped with their traditional tomato sauce and my wife ordered the Chicken Balls over the daily veggies. The meatballs where very good, nice portion of 3 balls, and the sauces were in great proportion to the dish, not to take away from the flavor of the meat. The sauce did not drown out the dish. We were with another couple and between the 4 of us, we shared their foot long F&B garlic bread. EXCELLENT!!! They offer great side dishes , very different, so we had the Polenta fries with parmesan cheese, served with their tomato sauce on the side. Really addictive, could of had two of these. All of their meatball dishes are topped off with fresh cheese and the portions are not too big and leaves you pretty full when you walk out. Perfect portions so you can order a side or two with a salad, drinks or wine and walk out very satisfied with a reasonably priced dinner. Every time you go back, it would be a great place to try something different. They offer different F & B favorite dishes and sides to choose from. Fun menu. Word of caution: let the servers know you are their to relax and not be rushed because their is a tendency to feel like they want to get to business pretty quickly, and turn the tables This is not a "fine dining" atmosphere and do not expect to go their for "gourmet" meatballs, but a fun, open high energy establishment that has a great concept and great food, with a great menu with variety, and well priced. We will definitely go back to try something different, and would love to sit at their beautiful bar next time as well.
(4)Hilda H.
If you just have some, want some or lack some, you can get them here. They have for him for her and all her friends. These balls are delicious, succulent and come in an endless combination that will sure satisfy, at least one of your cravings. Las Olas, what a refreshing place in the heart of Ft Lauderdale. The city of al fresco dining, strips of art galleries and posh boutiques.A new delicious trend has come to town. Fork and Balls is a spacious venue by Las Olas Boulevard. Its loud and trendy but soon to come are arrangements to the ceiling which will serve as noise reductors. This place is good for a date but not quite the first date because youll want to get to know eachother and screaming across or in someones ear is not what you need. So by all means after the forking and spooning bring your lady friend here for that little extra craving. This venue is excellent for groups and special events. You can come grab a small bite and drinks yet leave with a happy full tummy with a huge satisfaction from their gourmet bites. We had multiple plates and drinks and they were all beyond fantastic. We started trying the brussel sprouts. They were presented fried but light battered so dont shy from i just because its fried. They were crunchy and moist and because they were topped with apple wood bacon and sprinkled with parm cheese it was a nice complement and a appetite stimulator as well. We continued ordering and we tried the Steph's Market Salad, which was arugula, feta,cashews, a citrous vinaigrette and watermelon to make it interesting and refreshing at the same time. Our server was great and brought me a much needed side of watermelons. We had the Calamari, was served with marinara sauce and for a twist it had sweet and hot peppers and roasted garlic aioli. Beware it's a little spicy. The batter is not too heavy and the calamari is soft and still well cooked. The mac & cheese was delicious, it had peas and mushrooms, I think it could have used a little more cheese and smaller noodles but it was still pretty nice and then it just falls into personal preference but it wasn't bad. F & B blend balls were one of my favorite, the veal and pork meatballs were very moist and flavorful. We chose to have it with the mushroom sauce. The meatballs were so tender and moist that they just melted in the palate. It's a must have!!! The gluten free chicken balls were very nice it had great aroma to them because it was seasoned with fennel. We had them with the Parmesan cheese sauce . We were running out of stomach room, we split one Vegan Veggie Ball. It was awesome, tasted a little nutty, different herbs and spices rushed into the sinuses, very pleasing and flavorful. Our server Emily was great. Make sure you ask for her when you come here. She checked on us often, made sure we had enough of everything that we wanted and needed. For dessert we tried the fried bread pudding which was beautifully accompanied with a scoop of my favorite.... Rum raisin yummmmmm. We also tried the Berry gelato sorbet. Delicious creamy and silky. Our experience here was grand. I'm positive that this place like their other many locations like Tarpon Bend, Yolo & S Club will be around for many years to come adding glamour, hip,trendy and amazing food to all of us foodies out there. P.S. : YOLO is getting a makeover,,,, stay in the lookout for the opening party, it's gorgeous, bigger and better. Soon the plates will bring four balls instead of the three that are coming in now.
(5)Jennifer D.
We had to go try out Fork & Balls since the hype was even catching the attention of news channels. And boy were they right! This place is lovely! The light is dim, the music is right and the servers are nice. We immediately got greeted as we entered the door. And we were seated with menus right away! This weekend was actually a rather busy one for Ft Lauderdale with the Tortuga festival and you wouldn't even notice because the service was on point and they weren't agitated. You'd think with thousands of people in town this would've been a bad night to go but it wasn't. We had a good time! If you like meatballs you will definitely love this place! The menu is full of creative meatball meals. Their plates are made quickly! So quick that our garlic bread we ordered came at the same time. I ate a Philly Meatball Sandwich and my spouse had the short rib meatball melt. They both were delicious! The Philly definitely tasted as so with green peppers and all. The short rib was to die for! Their entrees fill you up! Come try this place out! You won't regret it!
(5)Nick R.
Beware if you are celebrating a birthday that there is a $3/person "dessert fee" that they wait to tell you about until after eating even if the cake is clearly visible and the server had nothing to do with it (didn't hold it, bring it out, light candles, cut/serve it, give extra silverware or plates, etc.) so it's extremely tacky and shady. we were even sitting at a the bar and it was a homemade themed cake not like we brought in Carvel... never again though!
(1)Aga D.
Great place, cool decor, awesome stuff, delicious food!!!! Don't forget about 50% of Monday's drinks
(5)Khalimah R.
Milk and cookies as a dessert option?! Yes please! Just make sure you ask for regular milk or instead you'll get some flavored cream milk that's not for everyone. The creamy polenta and the Brussels sprouts so far are my favorite! Great service. Vegetarian options.
(4)Shira T.
Definitely a must try!!! Had 4 different types of balls and couldn't have been happier! -chicken buffalo -kale Caesar -stuffed short rib -salmon lettuce cups Will order for take out OFTEN!!!
(4)Morris M.
DYNAMITE! This place has the best and most tasty spaghetti and meatballs I have ever had. The tomato sauce was very tasty as well and you can tell it's homemade. My meal was accompanied by this incredible salad that actually had watermelons in it and I loved it. Although I haven't had all the meatballs, I can attest to the flavor of the turkey. And by the way, I love the atmosphere. Shabby chic and very eclectic ambiance. Definitely give them a shot.
(5)Jen T.
My husband and I visited this place on our vacation, and were offered seating at a table against the wall or a hi-top so we do chose the latter. This place is dark, not dimly lit, but dark. Side effect of the lighting: The combination of the darkness in the restaurant coupled with it being dark outside made it somewhat difficult to read the menus. We asked our server (Bi***a) for suggestions. Her description of the polenta fries was that they were "mushy inside", and it couldn't have been a more accurate description for the entire meal. The kitchen is open, and there were two cooks preparing the food with a manager expediting. Somehow, all 4 of the items that we ordered (traditional salad, herb polenta fries, B&E chicken balls, & short rib balls) were prepared and delivered to our table at the same time. Each item had the same unseasoned, mushy consistency - even the salad which was coated in oily dressing. Side effect of the lighting: You can't tell if your meatballs were thoroughly cooked since there was no crisp or crunch on the outer layer. When our bill arrived, it had a clothespin attached to clip the payment. Our server asked us how everything was, and if we needed takeout boxes (we had a good bit of food leftover). We told her that everything was "fine" and that we didn't want to carry the leftovers back to out resort. We paid in cash and left. No big deal, we just chalked it up to the meal not being one of our favorites. Now, I worked in the service industry for 5+ years, so I would never not leave a tip much less have the balls to stand around outside of the restaurant and hang out like we were doing. I was shocked when our server, in front of the other patrons outside, approached us to ask if we had a problem with our meal or service. I replied no and asked why. She told me because we didn't leave her a tip, and that her manager told her that she was supposed to come and ask us why! She went on to say that our bill was $47 and we "only left $48." My husband and I had already discussed her tip...the bill was $47 plus change, so we left 2-$20 bills, 1-$5 bill, 3-$1's and another $10 bill for a tip (totaling $58, so a $10+ tip/over 20%). My husband told her that we left her $10, and she replied that we didn't. He then had to ask her if she had the money clipped, which she did. He asked her to see the money that we left, so she pulled it out of her pocket. We IMMEDIATELY see the bills that we know we left ,and she proceeds to pull it out of her pocket and count it in front of us. When she realizes her mistake, she gave an annoyed sigh, apologizes, and then basically runs back into the restaurant. Side effect of the lighting: The servers can't see to count the payments. (See, nobody wins with this lighting?!) We stood there in shock and embarrassment for a few minutes and then discussed the situation. We decided to go back into the restaurant and requested to speak with a manager. We explained the events that occurred, and then he denied knowledge of the situation which meant that he did not send her outside of the restaurant. My husband explained that his employee was too foolish to double check the payment amount, lied about management encouraging servers to follow patrons outside, and acted completely unprofessional. The manager gave a curt apology, and said that he would not fire her. He explained that he would "reeducate her"...that was that according to the manager. Just turn the lights completely out.
(1)Sara C.
I think this place is a clever idea. Randomly stopped in here for a lunch one day while driving through town on vacation. The meatballs are their specialty. Their spaghetti and meatballs, very authentic. The atmosphere is trendy yet casual. Beer and wines on tap, and a fairly good selection at that. There's a fairly good range of food to be called Fork & Balls, but I really do suggest having their meatballs, probably the best I've had in a long while and right underneath authentic homemade meatballs at family gatherings. Plus, they come in so many different variations, some sounding tastier than others, but you can go traditional or get a little adventurous with it.
(4)Mrs. D M.
Was up in Fort Lauderdale for a birthday gathering, and stopped by here by chance. Was told there was a 30 min wait, but found 2 seats at the bar and ate there. Compared to eating in Miami out on a Friday night, this was too easy! Restaurant names explains it: lots of balls to choose from on the menu. Various sides and entrees, too. Food: Turkey Balls with a roasted tomato sauce (very tender without fillers and the sauce was great), Creamy Polenta with Parmesean (good, but not creamy like the description, more like chunky grits), quinoa and kale balls with curry sauce, eggplants and peppers (the sauce was great; the balls alone were too crumbly with an odd aftertaste, but good alternative for vegetarians), Brussel Sprouts (good, but too much sauce!). Service: the bartender was very friendly and the food came out quickly. Everything seemed to run smoothly there and done with a smile. Very happy. Valet parking outside, or a lot behind the building. Good find for a random walk-in!
(4)Laura G.
I've been wanting to try this place since it opened, but was a little unsure of the whole "meatball kitchen" idea. As fate would have it, I got a coupon in the mail for BOGO meals. Awesome! We went in on Wednesday evening & it was relatively quiet. We were seated immediately & our drink orders were taken. We ordered the buffalo meatball app, which came out quickly and was excellent. 4 meatballs between two people doesn't seem like much but it was filling. My bf ordered the chicken parm smash & a side of Mac n cheese. The sandwich wasn't anything special, but was tasty. The Mac n cheese had peas & mushrooms in it and had almost like a ziti type pasta. It was good, big enough for share. Mildly annoying that you don't get a side when you order an entree or sandwich - I think the smash was $12 and the Mac n cheese was an additional $6. I ordered the spicy Italian which was quite hardy and delicious! Again, "only" four meatballs but it was filling. We didn't order dessert....this time, as we were stuffed. As a few people have mentioned, it's nearby Rocco's, so it's a nice change of pace if it's packed there. Nice ambiance, great food & also a nice bar area. They have happy hour from 4-7 during the week, so i need to go check it out!
(4)Jenny L.
Was just in town for a long weekend and wound up here three days out of the four. Order a few sets of balls (four in an order with your choice of sauce) and some garlic bread and you'll be golden. Beer on tap is amazing. Also unique here is that they have wine on tap. Ball of the day along with drink of the day ensures you'll never be disappointed. Definitely stoping by here on our next trip down.
(5)Kerri F.
On New Years Day, my husband, 6 year old son and I popped in for a late lunch after attempting to go to Rocco's (which was a zoo). We are so glad we did! It was awesome. We started with the calamari app which was very good. It was not heavily breaded, very tasty, and cooked perfectly. If you've ever had the calamari at Capital Grille (and you must!), it's a close second. I would have liked F&B's to have a little heat, like their's does, but it was delish, nonetheless. My husband ordered a daily special which was four decent size (not huge) braised short rib meatballs. They were amazingly good and I immediately kicked myself for not getting them, although I really liked m y dish, too. Since it was New Year's Day, the special side was collards with black eyed peas and he ordered them. Collards are not my thing, but he really enjoyed them. Beer is not my thing either, but they had a nice craft selection that made him happy. We'll be back!
(5)Lisa A.
Came in here for lunch on a Wednesday at 12:25pm. We had an appetizer, our food and were out the door by 12:55pm. Quick and friendly service! The polenta fries were good and super filling. My date and I are usually big eaters but we couldn't even finish them. For my meal I got the spaghetti and beef meatballs with the creamy garlic sauce. My boy got the beef meatball sub. Everything was delicious. Portions were a decent size, we left stuffed. All the staff was friendly. The decor here is hip, industrial and modern giving you a chill vibe. This is a good place for 20 and 30 something's to hang.
(4)Margie S.
Super accommodating of our very large party. The meatballs are great, and the fried bread pudding with rum ice cream and rum sauce were was to die for! I tried the polenta fries, too - but they were just OK. I'll definitely be trying it again for the fun atmosphere, great location, and to try some more meatballs, which come in about 8 different varieties!
(4)Jennifer B.
We went here during my bachelorette party and tried many of the different balls that were available and enjoyed a lot of them. There was 15 of us and they accommodated us and set up a table when we called ahead with no problem. The Brussels sprouts were definitely memorable and I would highly recommend this place!
(4)Kinjal K.
I'm picky about what I put in my mouth, but I'm glad their balls was one of those things. The concept was great. First you pick the type of balls you want. Then you pick the sauce you want them cooked in. Finally, you decide if you want them alone or if you want them on top of something (salad, pasta, etc.). I tried the Fork & Berry Fizz, which is their signature drink. It was amazing! I definitely recommend it!
(5)Ashley M.
We came here for a leisurely Monday lunch on our day off. The restaurant was almost empty at 1PM. We had tried the short rib meatball at the New Times Pairings event and had loved it, so were really excited to see their full menu. We started with their calamari appetizer ($10.00), which was perfectly breaded and the calamari rings were very tender. It was topped with marinara and a cream based sauce, as well as some pickled peppers to give a bit of spice. I loved the combination of flavors. It turns out that the ball of the day was the same short rib meatball we tried at the event, and we just couldn't pass up trying it again. I ordered the Balls on Top Mozz-Tomato ($13.00 plus $1.00 for Meatball Monday Madness) and Fernando chose the Balls On Top Polenta ($13.00 plus $1.00 for Meatball Monday Madness). We both chose the roasted tomato sauce. Fernando had seen photos of the fried bread pudding with rum ice cream ($6.00), so of course we had to finish off the meal with it. It is amazing. Service was great and as the restaurant was not full, the noise level was very low. I do find four balls to be too much for one sitting, especially when over a salad or other side. I did not see an option to order one or two meatballs, but I did end up bringing home two for lunch the next day. I find the prices a bit too high, as well. I believe that we were charged $13.00 plus $1.00 because of Meatball Monday, but that the price would normally be $4.00 or more on top of the $13.00. Also, I was charged $7.00 for a double espresso, which is outrageous. The appetizers and desserts are priced appropriately for what I would expect to pay. I guess I just don't understand the pricing structure of the menu, as it's quite confusing. The salad has one price on the right side, yet comes up to $13.00 if you want to top with meatballs, yet you still pay additional for the meatballs that you top it with? I would give this restaurant four stars if not for the confusing pricing. Also, I'm still in shock over my $7 espresso. I frequent Starbucks and that is about double what I pay there, and I do not consider Starbucks to be a bargain! Our lunch, consisting of one bottle of Pellegrino, an appetizer, two lunch entrees, one dessert, one cappuccino and one double espresso came out to $65.46, before tip.
(3)Adrienne L.
Went here for a bachelorette party! I have never been to a restaurant like this. We tried every type of ball and LOVED them!! We sat at the high too and the atmosphere was nice, comfortable and roomy. We had plenty of space for a large party!
(5)Brittany M.
Stopped in by chance on a Monday-- apparently it's all you can eat meatballs. Two hours for dinner; service was rather cold and painfully slow. Will not be returning.
(1)Tim N.
Went back last week. Same incredible service from Marcos. The portions have gotten HUGE! Still all good.
(4)Caitlin M.
SO GOOD. Went there with some friends, and it was delicious. 50% off all of our drinks, and the food (while not exclusively ball shaped-disappointing) was so yummy. My boyfriend and I are vegans and there were tons of vegetarian options that they easily converted to vegan and was still super tasty. Our two friends eat everything and loved their food. The server was really sweet and friendly- great experience and great food!
(5)Hayley R.
Went to F&B for our third time last night. We tried the 15$ all you can eat. They give you a salad and focaccia bread to start which was good but fills you up. My boyfriend and I could only order four balls each until we were stuffed. We did order the 2-1 drinks which helped with the bill. If you are not famished then I do not see the 15$ as much as a deal. I think the concept of this restaurant is fun and the food has always been consistently flavorful. The drawback to this place is the service. The two times we have had dinner before we had the same server who was just flat out rude both times. She hardly came around to check on us and when she did, she was very rude and short. I had saw on Instagram they were doing a funky buddha free beer tasting. When I asked her about it she seemed disgusted that she had to actually go get us some beer samples ( which turned out to be three measly shots of beer) For our third time back we decided we weren't going to sit in the dining area and risk rude service so we sat at the bar and the bartender was very friendly and attentive. I would recommend giving this place a try but beware of rude service!
(3)Krystel A.
I usually hate meatballs, but after eating there for the first time... I have a new found love. The meatballs were exquisite. I'm. It even exaggerating. Don't think twice, gooo have some meatballs.
(5)Arturo B.
As other mention, the atmosphere/ambiance is great. I suggest visiting as a group to take advantage of ordering different meatball_sauce combinations. There are no reservations. Therefore, early arrival is a must for large groups - expect a min. 1-hour wait. F&B Blend with Marinara (traditional tomato) Special (Short Rib stuffed with F&B Blend) with Pomodoro Chicken with Pesto Beef with Mushrooms I really enjoyed my balls, except the chicken with pesto one. I should have listened to my colleagues, but decided to try them anyway. I found the pesto too strong and the ball too tough. All others were delicious - the tomato one being my favorite sauce; so light and fresh. I also got a side of polenta and enjoyed it very much. Soft, creamy, with great flavor, this dish is a good accompaniment to your meatball(s). I found it worked best w/ the tomato combination. Bev offerings are vast with wine and beer on tap, and craft cocktails. Some are very sweet, so I politely asked the bartender to please make them non-sweet for me. The result was fine. I enjoyed sipping on the berry old fashioned all night until it was time to leave. Parking was easy - garage close by and plenty of metered parking. My favorite part was taking an Uber to O Lounge after to enjoy a night-out in FLL. Fun times!
(3)David Z.
Came back to give it another shot. So Far the bartender has been very attentive and knowledgable about the menu. I went with her suggestion F&B Blend w/ Roasted Tomato Sauce. Food just arrived. Not sure what to say. The meat balls are made from veal and pork. Can't believe it was seasoned and tasted before it was put up for service. They were fresh no question about that.
(3)Eliana T.
Great food. We came in for an early dinner on a Saturday. Sat at the bar. The bartender recommended several things that we tried. Everything was right on. The Brussels sprouts, and the polenta fries were fantastic. The specialty cocktail list was creative, with some different options. Tried the furry wall, it was refreshing and tasty. Also ordered the ball of the day, which was a lamb meatball with a curried yogurt sauce. Fantastic. Chicken meatballs were so juicy and tender. The atmosphere is fun, but not too crazy for this time of day. Looking forward to coming back often when we move back downtown!
(5)Michael H.
Very mediocre is the best way to describe this place. First the good. The meatballs are very good, especially the daily special we had, a pork and veal blend stuffed with short rib. I got them on sliders so I could try different balls. Also the Brussel Sprouts were very very good. Now the bad. It is way too loud. This is not a nightclub, you don't need blaring music. I came to dinner to socialize with my friends and could barley hear them because of the blaring speakers. Just to reiterate, there is ZERO reason the music should be this loud.... ZERO. The next let down was the Mac and Cheese. This dish was on the sides list with no description. It was pasta, Alfredo like sauce, and then mushrooms and peas. Gross! Why would you destroy Mac and Cheese with mushrooms and peas. It's a classic dish, it doesn't need that. Really, I'd love to come back because the meatballs were good, but pretending your restaurant is a nightclub makes the atmosphere very uncomfortable.
(3)Michael M.
Absolutely stunning. I travel constantly and eat all over the place and this was literally one of the most delicious places I've ever been. Buffalo chicken balls were spicy and fell apart with a fork. Perfectly topped with blue cheese. The chicken saltimbocca balls with tomato sauce were breathtaking. The roasted cauliflower was seasoned perfectly with a great kick. Everything came out fast and hot and the staff was great. Thoroughly, thoroughly impressed!!
(5)Jay X.
We ordered the regular spaghetti with meatballs, chili bowl with meatballs, and mac and cheese. The mac and cheese was tasteless mush. Bad choice of noodles for that. The peas threw us off and the cheese itself had no flavor. The meatballs were MUSHY and undercooked. Not pink inside, but it was not the normal meatball texture it should be. The pasta sauce slipped off the spaghetti, so I was basically eating plain noodles. None of us finished our meal and only had 5 bites. We left with stomach aches and felt sick. Thankfully, no food poisoning. It was so undesirable that I wished I could puke up that meal to have space for better food.
(1)Phil D.
We thought the name was catchy, just got of the water taxi walked straight here. $4.00 for four meatballs , Monday special along with a carafe of wine $11.00. Service was great food was great I would recommend this restaurant.
(5)Marqus R.
This is one restaurant that I don't have any problem with being a Yelp Four Stars fan. It's really a rather simple place with a rather simplistic menu, meatballs being the specialty, but what they do and the manner in which they do it are both done very well. The only problem, and indeed in speaking with some of the other patrons and a glance of the varying reviews, seems to be a confusion as to the size of the portion one receives. All I can say about that is that either they failed to read the menu or are somehow confused as to what is generally accepted as the standard size of a meatball. I ordered the three F & B blend meatballs with their mushroom sauce and though such an order results in a small portion, perfect for me. The meatballs served me were in a small cast iron skillet, a delightful blend supposedly of veal and beef though I would swear with a moisture more consistent with pork, having near perfect to the taste meat flavor and seasoning, especially with the mushroom sauce which was a hearty rather robust based upon a fresh mushroom combination. And though exPhiladelphian Yo Cuz Martorano, locally famous for his meatballs, may take issue with me on this, better in value and equally as fine in overall texture. I also had their special salad of the day, being an arugula with corn, pepper, Manchego (read unpasteurized sheep milk cheese generally of the La Mancha region of Spain) with a sherry vinaigrette. All of the ingredients were super fresh, with a clean taste to the palate, one of the better arugula salads I've experienced. Other notable upsides to Fork & Balls is that they do offer daily specials based upon fresh market availability, have a rather decent draft beer selection plus a good wine on tap selection. I know that some may smirk at the thought of "wine on tap," but that is a developing as well as upcoming tend. It's also one that I welcome since the wines when done on tap remain fresh without any shelf deterioration.
(4)Jason C.
Very cool place. Good food, friendly server, and nice atmosphere. The entrees come out really hot, so be careful not to burn your taste buds on the first bite.
(4)Glenn H.
Took a group of 15 to Fork & Balls on Saturday night. We had the long table upfront which was great... and the food was also great. What wasn't great was that they wanted to charge us $3 per person to cut and serve my birthday cake. When we said we'd cut it ourselves, the server said she wasn't allowed by managment to give us a cake knife, really? The other thing that wasn't great was the really slow service. They had one server working a table of 15... I felt bad for the girl because she was very nice and was doing her best. The dinner took 3/12 hours from start to finish and they can only divide the bill up by four... really, in today's world? Fork & Balls managment... look out for your servers by not forcing them to nickel and dime your customers!
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