Miss Mary Bobo’s Boarding House
295 Main St, Lynchburg, TN, 37352
Miss Mary Bobo’s Boarding House Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Lynchburg for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Lynchburg for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Lynchburg for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
295 Main St
Lynchburg, TN, 37352 - Phone (931) 759-7394
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Opening Hours
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Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : No
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Touristy
Noise Level : Quiet
Alcohol : No
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
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Melanie R.
We had been to Lynchburg earlier this year to tour the Jack Daniels Distillery, and our tour guide told us all about Miss Mary Bobo's. We went back a few months later specifically to eat here based on his review. You definitely need to make a reservation in advance as walk-in spots are limited, but it's worth planning in advance. My husband and I were seating at a table with a group of ladies in town for a bachelorette party weekend along with our hostess. The family style is part of what makes it such a neat experience! These women were from all over the place, and we were the only TN natives... It was interesting getting to talk with others and share recommendations of things they should do while they were in town. Many people don't like sitting with strangers, but I say have fun with it! The food is AMAZING southern fare. The hostess does a great job of explaining the history of Miss Mary's, the town, and Jack Daniels. While we didn't do it on the same day as our Jack tour, I'd recommend combining both into a single day if possible. Lynchburg is such a fun little gem in TN!
(5)Ashley W.
Before a recent trip to the Jack Daniel's Distillery, my mother-in-law proclaimed that we were not allowed to visit Lynchburg, Tennessee without visiting Miss Mary Bobo's Boarding House for lunch. She's never steered me wrong, and she definitely didn't with this suggestion. Even though others have mentioned, I feel it's pretty important to repeat this fact about this lunch destination: Make a reservation. You probably won't get to experience this feast without one. That being said, once you make that reservation, attempt to arrive a little early. The lunch bell rings right on time! When you check in, you are assigned to a particular dining room. Once the bell rings, you'll follow your hostess where you'll sit at a large table with other parties. I'll admit - I found this to be a little awkward, but I'm wondering if that may be because our fellow diners seemed to be fascinated by the fact that my husband and I were the youngest patrons. Similar to eating at grandma's house, the meal is served family style. Our lunch included pastry chicken, ribs, hashbrown casserole, fried okra, black eyed peas, collard greens, cornbread, and their famous Jack Daniel's apples. Be sure to save room for the dessert! On my visit, the dessert of the day was chess pie with Jack Daniel's spiked whipped cream. This meal is remarkable and worth making a reservation for. Definitely a southern food lover's dream!
(5)Steve C.
It's one of my all-time favorite restaurant. Good Service, good facility, knowledgeable staff, GREAT GREAT FOOD! Family style setting, it's prefect to have a nice social time with your friends or the total stranger sitting next to you. You get to hear their stories as you having your tasty/non-greasy fried chicken. The table staff then tells you the stories about the town, Jack Daniel, and the restaurant history. I have been there many times and will go back again!
(5)Kera G.
Enjoyed Miss Mary BoBo's . . . The experience more than anything. The boarding house has maintained its history and I was excited about lunch from the moment I walked in the door. Each room was set up like a dining room. There was fried chicken, baked chicken, fried okra, cole slaw, cornbread, sweet tea and more (family style). One of the employees at the restaurant (the hostess), sits at the head of the table, eats with you and your party and talks to you about the history of the boarding house and Lynchburg. It was a new experience and I enjoyed Mildred's company. I recommend a visit if you are in Nashville. Definitely unique; Definitely memorable.
(3)Jerry P.
Definitely worth a visit if you happen to be in the Lynchburg area - I enjoyed it very much. You have to call in advance to make a reservation - they have two seatings at mid-day, one at 11 and a second at 1:00. You are assigned to a dining room, and wait to be called for lunch. Tables seat 10-12 typically so you are usually siting with some potential new friends, and a hostess. The hostess will tell you about the history of the boarding house, a bit about the local area as well. Food is very good and it is all you can eat, served family style. They are very quick to replenish a platter if emptied. This particular day we had some outstanding fried chicken, excellent meatloaf, biscuits, fried Okra, roasted potatoes, green beans cooked the proper southern way, baked apples, and some very good onion red pepper relish. Dessert was fudge pie topped with whipped cream, again very good. I love the ambiance and the warm and friendly staff. They make you feel right at home.
(4)Eden O.
If you make your way out to Jack Daniels Distillery, Mary Bobo's is literally a MUST try. You will regret it if you miss this. (You will also regret if you do not make reservations ahead of time.) Truly one of a kind, unique, small town experience. The restaurant is set up in a restored boarding house. Lunch reservations can be made at a few different seating times, our group opted for 1pm. Each room within the house is set up with one large table that sits about 10 to 12 people. At the reservation time you will be led to your table (with strangers if your group does not fill the table) behind a cute old lady with her hand up. You are led into a quaint country decorated room with a table full of home-cooked dishes. Our lunch included: Mary Bobo's famous fried chicken, meatloaf, baked macaroni and cheese, fried okra, cornbread, green beans and candied apples. All this is finished up a slice of homemade chocolate pie. All that food for $23. Definitely a deal. The best part is the experience, as you are seated you get to hear stories from your hostess about the history of the house, the town of Lynchburg and anything else you'd like to ask her. You are served by local teenagers on college scholarships. All the tips go to support these kids, so be generous. I will never forget this meal.
(5)Chris M.
Not much I can add on top of the already extensive reviews. So instead of the food, I'll focus on the experience of the meal. As you know by now, it's served family style on a lazy susan. The other folks you're seated with can really make or break the meal I think. Luckily for us, we had an awesome hostess who was super knowledgeable about the history of the boarding house and had local ties to the communities. She had some wonderful stories to share. Our table mates were a lot of fun too -- they definitely came from a different walk of life (a bit more country than my family :) ) but we still got a long wonderfully and had a fun conversation. What would really help is a bloody mary to start the meal and get the conversation flowing! ...though I doubt we'll ever see that :) Of course I'd recommend this as a must to anyone visiting Lynchburg -- make sure you have reservations! Although I will note -- much more expensive than I thought it would be! (Close to $100 for four people.)
(4)Jessie M.
For our visit Mildred was our hostess. She was great. Very engaging, asking all of us questions about where we all were from while also giving us some history about the boarding house and telling us places we should visit on the town square. The food was down right amazing! We had fried chicken, meatloaf, mashed potatoes, Mac and cheese, fried okra, green beans, and Jack Daniels apples (they are made with Jack Daniels). For dessert we had fudge cake with Jack Daniels whipped cream. Everything tasted great! If ever back in Lynchburg we will definitely go back!
(5)Sonia C.
First of all, call ahead and make reservations, and second, come hungry! On the drive to Lynchburg, I was checking out Yelp for places to eat after our tour at Jack Daniels, and this place was highly recommended by several Yelpers. So I called and reserved our spots. After the tour, we headed anxiously over there. They asked us to get there about 15-20 minutes early and to pay in the gift shop. So we followed directions diligently. While there, I looked around the quaint gift shop and I was getting pretty hungry. The bell rings, everyone stands near the foot of the stairwell and they call out names of different dinning rooms, luckily we were in the first one called so we go upstairs to the dining room and we get seated. Ms. Ann was our hostess and sat with us. To start off, she asked if everyone would introduce themselves (first name only) and to say a bit about yourself. Ms. Ann explained about what "family style" dining was, then the show got started. Two students that work there part time started bringing dish after dish. Fried chicken, fried okra, so many delicious southern dishes that I had to try them all. And they were good!! While I was busy stuffing my face, Ms. Ann was giving us a brief narrative of the history of the boarding house and its relation to the Jack Daniels distillery. Quite interesting. For dessert, we had pecan pie with this amazing whipped cream made with "the product" (Jack Daniels whiskey) which is used in the preparation of many dishes but never mentioned by name, only called by the code name "the product".
(5)Wendy S.
We had a lovely lunch today. We heard that Saturday was the friend chicken and meatloaf day, so we made our reservations and got more excited as the day got closer. Joanne was our hostess and she was Southern Hospitality at it's finest. She was so gracious in sharing the story of Miss Mary and what we were experiencing. Our food arrived. Fried chicken , okra, red potatoes, Mac and cheese, meatloaf, fresh green beans, mayonnaise biscuits, sweet pepper jelly. And let's top that off with chocolate pie with Uncle Jack's special whipping cream. Oh my! If you're a picky eater you'll find something in all of the southern deliciousness to make you happy. If you like southern food, welcome to heaven. We had a fun table of new friends and Joanne had us all tell our names and where we were from. It was just such a nice way to get to experience lunch - not just eat a meal. I'll be back. I'll recommend this adventure to everyone I know that is headed to the area! Love love love it!
(5)Kimberly W.
Such a cute place. They give you history of the city during the meal. It's served in a house dining room setting. Food is shared / family style, no menu so like what they serve or don't eat it. It gives you a small town feel with southern home cooking. Make reservations ahead of time!
(4)Jolly M.
WOW, 5 hours later I'm still stuffed. REAL home cooking. I very much appreciate the beauty and history of JD, Miss Bobo's and this small town. The formal sit down and formal service reminds me of spending time with my family at the table. Our Hostess, Carol B. was very gracious with Tennessee charm. Food is served family style and you're asked as a table if you'd like more to eat and if an item runs out, they'll be sure to provide another table serving of it. The rooms are nicely decored, spacious and comfortable. I'd return to the Nashville area again just for this place! Every food item was delish! The meatloaf, hands down the best I've ever had!!!!!! :)
(5)Bobbi B.
Miss Mary Bobo's is located just a few minutes walk from the Jack Daniels distillery. The food is delicious and good down home southern comfort food! We had cabbage casserole, amazing baked apples, chicken and pastry, hot buttered potatoes, some of the best meatloaf I've ever had (so juicy and flavorful, with lots of sauce!), black eyed peas and a pepper relish, and I'm sure I'm forgetting something! The dessert was chess pie, and our hostess was just the sweetest woman. Here's a great tip- make a reservation, and keep your receipt! Bring it to the Jack Daniel's distillery and you can receive free engraving on the bottle you purchase!
(5)Terri H.
Fantastic southern cooking with a side of history! I have been here three times now and loved it every time. The place is beautiful. They have a gift shop full of goodies and cookbooks. There is also a waiting room to relax in while you wait for your table to be called. It is family style dining and you need a reservation. They stay pretty full. When your table is called your hostess will take your group to your dining room. She started by asking everyone's name and where they were from. They have visitors from all over the US and several countries. The hostess sat with us and talked about the history of the house and answered questions. The servers are college students that work on a scholarship program. They bring the food out in large bowls and platters. Food always passes around the table to the left. Every dish was absolutely delicious. Today's menu included fried chicken and meatloaf for the entrees. Sides included boiled potatoes, broccoli rice casserole, black-eyed peas, fried okra, and the amazing baked apples cooked in the local sauce otherwise known as Jack Daniels. We would have visited the distillery if we had more time. I highly recommend dining here if you love southern food like a do. That diet can take a day off.
(5)Aaron A.
What an experience. That is all that I really have to say about Miss Mary Bobo's! JK, I have a lot more to say! We visited here after the Jack Daniel's tour which was also a great experience. We made reservations for the 1pm lunch. First off I really did not know what to expect? We heard that you have to be on time for your lunch, but I didn't get it until we arrived. Lucky we got there 10 mins early! We had a party for 8, and had to pay in the gift shop. At $23 a person, it seemed steep at first, that is until I sat down and saw the food! Right at 1pm a bell rang and we met our host, Carol B, who took all of us down a room for our lunch. We were sitting with another family and a single guest for a total of 12 people at our table. Carol was amazing, it really reminded me of eating with my grandma. The food was family style, large pates of southern food. Carol informed us that everything can be replaced with more, so eat as much as you want. And we did! The fried chicken was one of the best I have even tasted in my life, as well as the meatloaf. We also had southern classics such as fried okra, collard greens, Jack Daniels apples, cornbread, and potato casserole. We were told that the menu changes often as well. Let me tell you that you can not leave this place hungry! Carol continued to tell us history of the boarding house as well as the town of Lynchburg. The house was built in the 1800s, and houses several rooms. Each of the rooms is restored and has a large dinning room table and is used for the lunches. Carol actually ate with us, which she later told us that she works only a couple of days a week and eats with each lunch sitting. Sometimes up to 3 a day! After the amazing lunch there was homemade pie with really good Jack Daniel's whipped cream as a topping. Man, everything was amazing. I will totally come back to Miss Mary's if I am even in Tennessee again. If you are coming for a visit, do yourself a favor and come here too!
(5)Melissa P.
If your looking for real down home southern cooking this is the place to come. My family and I were lucky to get last minute reservations on 4th of July weekend. Looks like they added a seating time b/c we could only get in to the 3:00 pm seating and typically they only do one at 11 am and one at 1 pm so that just shows you how popular this place is. I just love dining and being in a place with lots of history and this place has it. We were seated in the "Fanning" room which is the oldest room in the house. It was on the lowest level in the brick section and used to serve as the kitchen back in its day. That room dated back to 1820. Your seated at a table with other families. Our table sat 10 people so in addition to our group of 4 we were joined by another family of 4 and a couple. It was nice chatting to new people and seeing where everyone was visiting from. Right when your seated the food is on the table waiting there for you. They hostess explains whats on the table and then everyone serves them selves (all dishes served family style. I appreciated how she instructed everyone to take a portion of the dish in front of them and then the hostess would slowly turn the lazy susan so everyone got a bit of everything. After that they'll refill whatever you want and you can eat as much as you want. The menu that day consisted of: Meatloaf, fried chicken, mac and cheese, pole beans with a red pepper jelly, biscuits, fried okra and they're famous Jack Daniels Apples. I loved it all! Can't pick a favorite b/c everything was just scrumptious. I don't eat like that often so it was a real treat. Lastly, I enjoyed how elder of the property came to each room to talk about the history of Miss Mary Bobo's. You have to come here if your planning to come to Lynchburg, TN.
(5)Deb S.
Have heard of Miss Mary Bobo's Boarding House for decades and finally got a chance to visit. This is an example of old-fashioned Southern cooking family style, just pass the serving platters for more. You are seated at tables for 10-16 people and each table has a hostess who regales the group with stories of the boarding house and local area history and culture. There is also a cookbook available for purchase so you can try and replicate the cheese 'n macaroni, pastry chicken, black-eyed peas and pepper relish, mashed taters, cornbread, sweet tea, pecan pie and more. Charming small gift shop on premise. For people in RVs, the small city park right behind Miss Mary Bobo's has electric and water hookup (no sewer) for overnight stays at just $20.00 per night. Walking distance of the Lynchburg town square and the Jack Daniel's distillery. It's a bit pricey for lunch (around $25 ea.), but a great experience.
(4)Adam R.
Wow... the food! This is worth the wait. Yes, you have to make reservations well in advance. Yes, you have to go in big groups with people you don't know and eat "family style" all around one large table. But who cares?! You will be seated with an excellent hostess, she will explain all about the history of MMB's and then you will engage in conversation over one of the best meals to be had in Lynchburg. This is a must-do if you visit the town and are planning to head over to the distillery. You might want to visit the distillery first though and make sure you have plenty of time for your tour, as your visit to MMB's may take a while, and you'll want every second there with their amazing food!
(5)Della T.
My daughter and I had reservations for the three o'clock lunch on the Saturday we visited. The Jack Daniels World Barbecue Contest was taking place the same day -- an event we had not anticipated. Since street and lot parking was $10 per car, we welcomed the free parking at Miss Mary Bobo's Boarding House. We arrived a little early, visited the cute gift shop, sat in the front parlor furnished with antiques, including an upright piano, and listened to the antique music box until the appointed time. The hostess assigned to our dining room came in and welcomed the group that had assembled and explained the menu, some of the history, asked us where we were from and made friendly welcoming remarks. We were then told to go to the Jasper Room when the bell announced it was ready, which was right on time, at 3:00 PM that particular day. The group assembled at a large round table equipped with a massive lazy susan -- laden with fried chicken, meatloaf, fresh salsa, fried okra, potatoes, broccoli casserole, hot rolls, condiments, fried apples, green beans. Ice tea, water, coffee was likewise served. The dessert was a delicious chocolate pie. The hostess kept the conversation going and gave everyone an opportunity to introduce themselves and become acquainted with each other. It was friendly, interesting, informal and a lot of fun. My only suggestion would be that the employees carry out the theme of the era by dressing in the mid-1800's style to enhance the historical setting. It certainly was a memorable experience. There are numerous dining rooms, some upstairs, some downstairs, each equipped for communal dining. I appreciated the unique boarding house approach. Since it was such a crowded day in Lynchburg, we did not take the Jack Daniels tour but left that for another day.
(5)Julie J.
What a neat experience. We went here because my aunt's best friend is Miss Mary Bobo's great great granddaughter. We got a little extra history and insight on the boarding house. The gift shop is really cute and the building is beautiful. The food was delicious and there was so much of it. We had fried chicken, meatloaf, mashed potatoes, squash casserole, green beans, fried okra, rolls, Jack Daniels apples.... Probably more I just can't remember. We finished with pecan pie with JD whip cream. AMAZING! Make sure to make reservations and arrive early. All the staff are very friendly and there are some neat stories to hear. Very unique experience!!
(5)Jessica A.
This place has the very best food! I got to visit about 4 years ago, and still think about it constantly! Want to go back so bad.
(5)Joshua S.
I can't write a review on the food because we couldn't EAT! But wait, it gets better... We made a reservation for 4 a month in advance, confirmed the reservation the day before when they called, and then showed up at 12:58 for a 1:00pm seating to find that they had moments before given our reservation away. Oh wait! Next we are told we can eat but we will have to eat in separate pairs because they "are trying to do their best to make it work." We decline this "opportunity" and choose to leave disappointed. As we walk away, we are told that they found us a space together and we were ushered into a conference room with an uncoordinated decor, and guess what, we STILL didn't get seated together! But at this point we were in an even more awkward situation, as the table was full except for 3 seats together and a single seat at the opposite end of the conference table and no one was willing to accommodate us. The food was ok, the experience was very disappointing. Seating us in a conference room?! People eat at this establishment, I have to assume, for the history and nostalgia, something this room had neither of. I wish I could say that we were dealing with some inexperienced hostess, but this disappointing situation was completely courtesy of Lynne Tolley, the proprietor, who even mocked our desire to sit together at one point. Not that you have many choices while visiting Lynchburg, but I would say this one is highly overrated.
(1)Kris C.
After the Distillery, we went to Miss Mary Bobo's. The restaurant was worth the wait. Because we had a large group, we had to be split up into different dining rooms and the hostess sat with you and gave you the history of the Boarding House and Miss Mary's family. Something always has "the product" (Jack Daniel's) in it. When our group ate yesterday, we had cinnamon apples with "the product" and fudge pie with "the product" in the whipped topping! I have three words to say " OH MY GOD!!!!" (Sorry grandma and great great grandma). Just like Monells, bring your fat pants and make sure you have someone able to drive. Believe me, you won't want to have to stay awake. Our hostess let us know that they are open Thanksgiving but not Christmas but you have to book reservations NOW! It was well worth the drive and the extra workout! Make sure you don't eat anything before you go or you'll hurt!
(4)Nicole Rynee B.
Southern cooking. Southern charm. Southern style. Miss Mary Bobo's Boarding House is a little slice of Southern history. A delicious, comforting, gracious slide ... On our big Girls Trip to the South, my BFF and I were so lucky to have reservations made for us at Miss Mary Bobo's (as a "thank you" from Brown-Forman) (reservations made & lunch provided gratis). We had no idea what we were in for - and what a treat it was. You are told to arrive at least 15 minutes prior to your lunch, err "Dinner" reservation - dinner is provided at specified times only during the day as it is group seating in each room of the house - 11am & 1pm. They refer to it as "Dinner" - not exactly sure why, maybe it's the ginormous portions made available to you ... All the same, it's dinner. And it's likely you won't need to eat again until very, very late in the evening ... You can't make any specifications on your reservation for entree selections - Miss Mary's is a "you get what they serve" sort of an establishment. Prepare yourself to wait a bit when you arrive and browse around the entryway and one of the rooms of the house with some gifties available for purchase, read the history of Miss Mary Bobo's, Jack Daniel's Distillery, etc. Before you know it, you are called into the room for your seating. When you sign-in with the office to let them know you have arrived for your Dinner, they will provide you with a name card that signals what room you will be dining in. What should you prepare for? Hrmmmmm .... Let's see, it's goes a little like this ... + Fried chicken - not the beautified, over hyped SF style fried chicken, which is good in it's own right, but true Southern fried chicken + Fried ocra - your vegetable for the day - haha + Meatloaf - I'm not a huge fan of meatloaf in general; however, this was super tasty + Heavenly biscuits with plenty'o'butter + Mac 'n' Cheese (oh dear lord was it good) + Baked apples with cinnamon & Jack + Chocolate pie (with Jack Daniels whipped cream) - yes, you read correctly, chocolate. pie. delicious crust and all. Could you taste the Jack in the whipped cream? oh YES you could! yummmmy. Alrighty then ... I'm off to finish my *salad.* Enjoy!
(4)Lauren A.
After several glasses of Lynchberg Lemonade at the Jack Daniels distillery our tour group needed some food in a bad way. We filled up the whole of Miss Mary Bobo's boarding house with our group and split up among the many family-style dining tables (complete with lazy susans in the middle) and waited to be served. We were not disappointed -- this is some great southern food. Fried chicken, green beans, mashed potatoes, the best macaroni and cheese ever, yummy buttery biscuits, Jack Daniels apples, iced tea, and several other side dishes PLUS some amazing buttermilk chess pie to top it all off. We also brought a few bottles of wine with us and the staff brought us some glasses to enjoy it in. They also have a cute little gift shop where you can buy some (surprise) Jack Daniels memorabilia.
(5)Jim C.
They sucked. They told us we had a reservation until we got there. No Reservation and no room for us. We ate down the street. I'll never go back.
(1)John B.
I hate to give Miss Mary's only three stars, but that's what they have turned in to. Good food, yes, but not spectacular like it 'used to be'. Miss Mary is now owned by Brown-Foreman Corp (The people that own Jack Daniels now) and have commercialized extensively. They have added a entire new complex on to the original house and only a few of the dining rooms are in the original boarding house. We were lucky enough to dine in the original house, but here is the skinny: - They seat 96 people at a time and go strictly by reservations. - Seating times are at 11, 1, and 3 (If there is enough demand). - Family style (as always), pass right to left. - All you can eat - Nice desert - Cost is low 20's after tax, title, and license If you are not from the South, then I am sure this is outstanding food, but there are so many other places that are just off the chain good for a whole lot cheaper. Locals recommended some of the places on the square that were good, but I did not try myself. If you have never been, then it is a must do, but if you have been in the past, I would suggest trying something else. Sorry Miss Mary!
(3)I. F.
I really enjoyed this experience, and, thanks to fellow Yelpers' reviews, I knew exactly what to expect. After reading Lynne Tolley's Jack Daniel's Spirit of Tennessee Cookbook and enjoying the recipes, I have wanted to come here for many years, and it was nice to finally do that and to meet her as well. The JD Distillery owns the boarding house, and it employs young people who are recipients of college grants from the distillery. Everyone was so nice there. And the Southern food was wonderful. One little touch I liked very much was they played a 19th-century music box before the meal began. I love old music boxes because the sound is so ethereal. There is nothing like that in modern times. April was such a good time to visit before it gets really hot. Can't wait to go back.
(5)David P.
Family style meal, so be prepared to sit with total randos. If you're ok with that and you like really good southern food you'll love this place. Everything I ate was amazing. I wanted to take a nap in the house afterward.
(4)meredith m.
This is home style, real Southern cooking at its best. Don't go expecting elegant presentation or subtle hints of spices. This is authentic Southern cooking that is so good and so honest it hasn't needed to change in 100 years. It is absolutely worth the experience. You dine family style and are as likely to sit and share the meal with a biker as you are banker. It's a fantastic way to slow down, meet different people and enjoy an honest meal like your grandmother or great grandmother would have made. There's not much to do in Lynchburg other than tour Jack Daniels so if you make the trip, do yourself a favor and book a meal at Miss Bobo's. Some have complained about needing to make reservations or paying before you eat. That's silly. Those are just details. Don't be distracted by that. Miss Bobo's is about experiencing another time through food and socializing. I would happily go back and look forward to introducing others to Miss Bobo's. Was the food the best I've had in my life? No. But its not trying to be La Capole in Paris. Miss Bobo's is home style food made with quality ingredients by true Southern cooks. It's not pretentious, it's just plain good. Our party varied from a 6 year old to a 67 year old and everyone loved the food, left happy and has been telling friends how great it was.
(4)Matthew S.
This place is adorable. If you are in Lynchburg, it is worth stopping in at least once. The food is good, but not out of this world good. You really do go for the experience. There is a lot of history in this place. Our table held 16 people. The meal included fried chicken, ham, amazing baked apples (cooked with a little Jack), surprisingly good fried okra, lima beans, turnip greens, potato casserole, cornbread, unsweetened tea and cherry cobbler. Pretty good bill of fare. Needless to say, after that, I did not need another meal for the day (and I was at the 11 am seating). For me that is saying something. And that something is YUM! This place packs up and reservations are absolutely required. When you dine at Miss Mary Bobo's you always get a grandmother-like old woman who works there to eat with you. Ours regaled us with stories about the history of the place and some interesting stories about her past and the town as well. She also sparked some good conversation between the guests around the table. She also reminded us that the hospitality majoring college students who were serving us deserved nice tips. And its true, they did a great job. The meal with tax but without tip is $19 for an adult. A little high, but worth the experience. I'll end like my review as our adorable hostess ended our meal, with the only joke that she knows... A man walks into a bank and robs it at gunpoint. After taking the money he asks the teller if she saw anything. She said no. The robber said "good" and then turned around. He asked the first guy in line if he saw anything. He said, "Yeah, I saw you rob the bank!" So the bank robber shoots him and kills him. Then he asks the couple who were next in line if they saw anything. The man quickly responded, "No, I didn't. But my wife saw everything!"
(4)Holly S.
I have been lucky enough to visit Miss Mary Bobo's two or three times and about to go back for my third or fourth (maybe even fifth) time tomorrow. I live in Salisbury, NC and every time my dad and I go on a trip (we're going on a cross country trip this time) that requires us to travel through Tennessee, we always go to Miss Mary's, even if it's out of the way. It's just that special to us. I love going inside and looking around the place at the different rooms. It's always fun to get to see where everyone who's sitting at the same table is from. I always look forward to getting some of the best okra in the world (it ranks right up there with my Grandma's fried okra, which, if I was able to, I would eat like candy) and some of the best apples in the world. My family and I love it so much that we bought the cookbook so that we could make the food ourself. We like to make the meatloaf and the apples (minus the Jack). My mom likes to make the chicken and pastry. That's delicious too. All in all, I love Miss Bobo's and wish I lived close to it so that I could go as often as I wanted (though I don't think it would be as special then).
(5)Kay A.
We had such a good time here! As others have said, make reservations waaaayyyy in advance. It's really good Southern food and it's fun to meet new folks at your table. Fried okra is a standard...we were there on a Monday and had So. Fried Chicken, pork loin, mac-n-cheese, spiked/spiced apples made with the "local product" as they say, potatoes, green beans, rolls/biscuits/corn bread...and chocolate pie for dessert. We had the funniest ladies sitting with us...they kept us in stitches and our hostess was a hoot as well. I'm going again and I'll do as I did this time...visit the Jack Daniel's distillery first. It's a dry county so don't hope for hooch...buy souveniers on the square as the JD distillery is limited on them. You can get the cookbooks on the square or at Miss Mary Bobo's and I was able to get Lynne Tolley to sign mine. Happy eating!
(5)Suzanne K.
Miss Mary Bobo's was recommended by my father who had been through the area before. I am so glad we made advance reservations and had lunch here. The experience starts with diners scattered around the parlors and porch seating area awaiting the lunch bell. At promptly 1:00, the hostess rings the bell, and announces seating for the first of several dining rooms. My group was the first to be seated, and was led to the back porch by our hostess who was as sweet as can be. A local lady who sits with you for the meal, she inspired conversation and told us about the history of the boarding hours and its notable guests. In addition, she made sure the staff was aware of special occasions being celebrated by guests. In our case, a lady at our table was celebrating her 93rd birthday! This was the source of lots of great conversation and happy wishes throughout our meal. Oh yes, the meal. It was very very tasty! As you likely know already, service is family style. Our table was round with a large lazy susan in the middle. Guests help themselves to a dish, then the lazy susan is turned (always to the left) and each dish makes its way around. Our lunch consisted of fried chicken, roasted pork tenderloin, green beans, fried okra, macaroni and cheese, corn bread, creamed corn, and amazingly delicious spiced apples. For dessert, chocolate pecan pie, which was out of this world delicious, was served. Everyone at our table raved about the food and lingered well after the meal talking and enjoying the southern hospitality. I wish I lived nearby so that I could bring friends here to enjoy the charms and tasty treats Miss Mary Bobo's offers. Lunch cost a very reasonable $19 per person.
(4)Terry M.
The food was marvelous, in great quantity. The host at the table is a nice added touch. She explained the history of miss bobo's and told lots of stories. Be to make reservations. The cookbook is great also.
(5)Robert N.
Very good and fun restaurant. Its a must do if you are at the distillery. Reservations are 100% necessary. They serve food twice a day at 11am and 1pm. The food quality is excellent. Its family style dining where everyone is sitting around the table passing food around. So you get to meet lots of new people. Also, it is a dry county so no alcohol.
(5)William H.
i spent three days in Nashville on a business trip but couldnt board my plane home until i tried this place. let me just say, the food was beyond incredible! meat loaf, fried chicken, fried okra, jack daniels apples!! and every time the other guests and i cleared a plate they brought out more! great food great people!!!! you need to eat there
(4)Lynn F.
Oh, Miss Mary Bobo's. I grew up one town over from Lynchburg, so this restaurant was a big part of my childhood. It was the to-go spot for birthday celebrations, and my mom actually brought an elderly neighbor of ours there for her birthday every year from 1988 until she died over twenty years later (which some of the longtime hostesses still remember and bring it up when my mom visits as a guest nowadays). It was always a special treat to go have lunch there. Now that I live in Maryland, almost 800 miles away, it's even more of one. I typically only make it back to Tennessee once or twice a year, for the holidays and for any major events like funerals or weddings. It's become a tradition that my mom make reservations for us to eat at Miss Mary Bobo's for lunch one of the days that I'm back in town. The food is always amazing. In the almost 25 years that I've been a guest there, I have never had any issue with the food. While all of their food is delicious, their absolute best menu is when they have meatloaf and fried chicken, and if you're lucky enough to be there on a day when that's what they're serving? You're very much in for a treat. Okra is a very tricky dish to make, but if it's done well then it's delicious... and I've never had a time when it wasn't done well at Miss Mary Bobo's. They also always have their apples, which are made with Jack Daniels (and more Jack is poured on after they're done cooking, so they can sometimes have a bit of a kick to them). Meals are offered at 11am and 1pm (and sometimes 3pm, when they're busy). Make certain that you arrive at least 10-15 minutes before the meal is scheduled to begin. When you arrive, you have to check in first, and they ring the bell to start leading people to the dining rooms right on the hour. As others have said, you definitely need to make a reservation (and during the busiest times of the year, around the holidays and the annual bbq festival, you need to make it well in advance). You also need to keep in mind that this isn't the type of restaurant where you go in, look at a menu, and order your food. Everyone at the table gets the same dishes, served family style: two meats, a good half dozen or so vegetables (and for those of you not from the South, macaroni and cheese counts as a vegetable), apples, bread, and dessert. The servers, who keep the dishes on the table from going empty, are all students at Motlow (a local community college). In exchange for receiving a scholarship from Jack Daniels, they work at Miss Mary Bobo's. While it doesn't always get brought up by the hostess, it's always appreciated if you leave them a small tip. Depending on how hard you and the other guests are hitting some of the dishes, they can occasionally put in quite a workout during the meal. After you've eaten, I highly recommend walking it off by either exploring the square or doing a tour of the distillery. Believe me when I say that, by the time they're done feeding you, you'll need the exercise.
(5)Jeff S.
First off I would like to say that you do need reservations for this restaurant, The restaurant only serves 2 meals a day, the first at 11:00 and the second at 1:00. On some days they may offer a 3:00 meal but its more rare from what we understood. The cost per person is $20.00 plus tax and you are done, unless you want to tip the servers that is. This is a neat experience, along the touristy side and a must if you are in the area. You arrive early and wait in the halls until the dinner bell rings, once it is rang they call you to where you need to go and your hostess takes you to your room. You sit with a bunch of other people and pass the food to the left. It is a neat experience and definitely a boarding house/family style dinner. The hostess sits at the head of the table and tells you about the history of the place and how it ties into the Jack Daniel's Distillery which is only a couple of blocks away. The food is great here, its boarding house style and you get a choice of two meats and many vegetables. You pass around the bowls containing the food and get what you want. On our visit we had meatloaf, fried chicken, corn bread, Jack Daniel's apples, beans, squash casserole, fried okra and "fried corn". Every last bit of it was delicious. I am not a meatloaf fan but I ate two servings. This is southern comfort food and its finest. For dessert they served us a fudge pie with Jack Daniel's whipped cream on top. Very delicious. We visited at 11:00 before the tour of the distillery and were not disappointed. You do need to arrive early because you have to pay before you eat then get your card and find out where you need to meet your hostess once the dinner bell is rang. Overall this is a fun and interesting little restaurant to eat at, it's definitely one of a kind and I highly recommend you to add it to your visit to Lynchburg.
(5)Kristine P.
We ate here before taking a tour of Jack Daniels. The house is adorable. They had a cute little gift shop that we browsed through while waiting for the dinner bell. The house had different dining rooms and when the dinner bell rang we headed to the dining room that we were assigned to (which we found out when we checked in). Each dining room had a hostess who ate with us and also gave us the history facts. All the food was served family style on a lazy susan in the middle of the table. Fried chicken and meatloaf were the main entrees. The meatloaf was probably the best I've ever had. It was moist and the sauce had a good flavor, not too sweet either. The fried chicken was equally good - the seasoning was flavorful and it wasn't too greasy either. The fried okra really stuck out for me. It was battered just right and had a nice crisp to it. The hashbrown casserole was just so-so, the mac and cheese was fair, and the collard greens were good, but not fabulous. They had this sweet pepper relish that tasted really good on top of the black-eyed peas. The whiskey apples were amazing. They make them there and they were the right sweetness, and you could also taste the whiskey. I'm not a whiskey fan, so I would have liked the apples even without the whiskey. They served a chocolate chess pie with a whiskey whip cream on top. This is probably the best chess pie I've had. Good texture and the chocolate wasn't overpowering. The pie tasted well with the whiskey whip cream, which had a more subtle whiskey flavor compared to the whiskey apples. If you're visiting Jack Daniels, you should come eat here!
(4)Linda F.
This was such a treat, the atmosphere and family style dining was great, and everything served tasted homemade with love! Highly recommend!
(5)David O.
Miss Mary Bobo's is certainly a unique dining experience. The most important thing you need to know is this: CALL AHEAD AND MAKE A RESERVATION. You will be hard pressed to just "Walk in" to eat. So if you know you are going to be in Lynchburg then certainly include this in your visit. There are several rooms and before your meal you are provided with the "room" you will eat in. When the meal is announced the several groups break up and you are escorted to the room. Each circular table is filled with home made food and placed on a Lazy Susan. The host(ess) will provide you with a description of the food as well as a background on the location and history, and then they work to guide the conversation. The host(ess) then manages one turn around the Lazy Susan to make sure everyone gets a turn, and then off you go. Want more ham? Spin that Lazy Susan back around. Don't want those green beans in front of you? Spin away. The food is very good and you can tell it has been very recently prepared. There is always a dish that includes Jack Daniel's Whiskey in some way, but I couldn't taste it and I doubt you could become inebriated on it, but it does add to the charm. The only negatives here are if you don't like eating with a group. Because they want you to feel like you are part of this family (Similar to Teppanyaki). If you are shy, this would be a largely discouraging factor. Its also not cheap and you pay one price per person, so there is a budgetary consideration as well. The food WAS good though, and they had the best sweet potatoes I'd ever eaten. I don't even like sweet potatoes! But if you are in Lynchburg you do owe it to yourself to come here.
(4)A Z.
Fun, fun, fun! This is such a rare experience, to sit down with ten strangers and eat a delicious homecooked meal. We came the weekend after Thanksgiving, so our dinner was Thanksgiving themed, but I'm sure it's all great - especially their Chess pie, holy moly. My only teeny tiny complaint was that our host talked so much and through the whole meal that we didn't really get to talk to eachother much or get to know eachother. She was still very sweet and a great storyteller though! I would definitely come back!
(5)Andy B.
A UNIQUE NOTE!! If you know someone who owns a liquor store, immediately grab them and have them take you to Jack Daniel's (you have to call to set it up) for a tour. You will get a $50 gift card PER PERSON to the JD store down the street (they don't sell JD there), get a free tour, and lunch here at Miss Mary Bobo's. Pretty wonderful experience. The review - This was a very good restaurant and I want to give it 5 stars because it's a unique dining experience, in that you have a host in a semi-formal dining room who is an expert on the history (our's was a local, retired teacher), and it's all family style, but I'm holding one back because some of the food had gone cold because of the way they serve it. The fried chicken was VERY good, but because it was family style I wasn't sure if I could go to town on it the way I wanted because it wasn't clear if there were refills on any of the dishes or if it was gone when it was gone.
(4)Kelli C.
LOVE THIS PLACE! I went here about a year ago, and I have been craving it ever since! Our hostess was the most adorable lady, who sat and talked with us about all the history with their town , and Jack Daniels. They had this chocolate pie that was just to die for! I bought the ''Miss Mary Bobo's'' cookbook, and I make it all the time, and it is always a hit! I can't wait to go back!
(5)Mike B.
Best southern food I've had. Never knew it could be so good. The seating style is what really sets it apart from any other dining experience I've had.
(5)Jamie C.
We made reservations when we planned the tour of the Jack Daniels Distillery and it was a great part of the visit. You are assigned to a table with other visitors and one person who is your host(ess). That person is a local. In our case it was a retired teacher. The food is served family style from a large lazy susan in the middle of the table. We were also lucky to have a local celebrating her 90th birthday. Our hostess gave us background on the boarding house over lunch. The food was the real down home stuff. The fried chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans, cornbread, etc. etc. was just like my Mamaw used to make. The sweet tea tasted like the real brewed deal. I bought a cookbook for myself and one for my mother-in-law. The owner signed them both with personal inscriptions. It made a great Christmas gift. Anytime I am even remotely in the neighborhood, I will be sure to stop again. Have fun!
(5)J D.
As part of our stop through the land where Jack Daniels reigns king, we stopped by this place for lunch. A friend highly recommended it and suggested that we call ahead for reservations, which we did. I'm glad we followed his instructions. The place is packed and they only do a few seatings a day....if they're sold out on seatings, you're done. While we patiently waited to be seated with our group, I browsed the country store that's on property. As a guy from the West Coast, not the South, It reminds me of the store that's attached to Cracker Barrel restaurants....only much smaller. You can find all kinds of home decor and random kitchen items in here. After a brief wait, our seating group was called. We were assigned to a dining room on the 2nd floor of the building. They seat groups in small dining rooms together on one family sized table. Our table had 12 people sitting at it, including the hostess. The hostess introduces herself, then asked each of us to introduce ourselves to each other and share a little bit about where we're from, what we're doing here, etc. It was kind of fun. We met a family who's daughter goes to college in Tennessee and they were visiting from Wisconsin. Another couple was from North Carolina. While introductions were happening, servers (who were kids from a local college) placed food on the table. The food is served family style and you pass the plates around the table, just like at home. You can eat as much as you like, as long as you finish your plate. Many of the dishes have Jack Daniels in the ingredients. There's some connection between the Jack Daniels distillery and this place, but I'm not 100% sure what it is. The food was very good, Southern Comfort Food. I wish I took notes and pictures, but there was no opportunity to. There was too much conversation happening between everyone at the table. It felt like a family get together. Overall, it was an awesome experience. I left feeling as full as a Thanksgiving Dinner....and met some nice people along the way. Return Factor - 90%
(5)Joi D.
I have seen mixed reviews on Miss Mary Bobo's Boarding House. I have been there twice and loved it both times. It isn't necessarily a place for a vegetarian to go eat. For what they are trying to accomplish here, which is the experience, I can't say anything bad about it. Don't try to go as a last minute oh let's try to go here type place. It is by reservation only. It is good country cooking and a set menu. I want to take my daughter here one day. She isn't all for country cooking so she may not enjoy it. It is a good idea to tour the distillery and then go eat here to get the whole experience and then shop in the square. It is like this town was frozen in time to some degree and I absolutely love the uniqueness of that!
(5)Suzanne B.
Great food! We had meatloaf fried chicken hashbrown casserole baked apples fried okra green beans coleslaw fudge pie...oh so stuffed! Country cooking but fresh and so flavorfull.
(5)Fran W.
Absolutely amazing country food and unique dining experience!!! Make reservations, be on time, and come hungry!
(5)Doug P.
A must when in Lynchburg. Must have reservations but worth it. Food is great, but conversation is better. My wife and I have ate here every time we visit in June.
(5)Desiree P.
This was one of the highlights of our recent trip to Nashville/Lynchburg. The whole experience reminded me of dining at my grandmother's table as a child, and the food was just as delicious! The fried chicken and the fudge pie dessert were my favorites. Our hostess, Joanne, was delightful. Her stories were so funny! True southern hospitality. I loved it and hope to go back some day!
(5)Melisa M.
The place is amazing! The house is adorable and has so much history. Emily, our hostess, was just a peach. So fun and full of life! She definitely made our lunch there much more enjoyable (if that is even possible!). The food was delicious too! We love the apples so much we bought a few jars to take back home! My husband and I were so so full after lunch that we were thankful we had some time to kill and were able to walk around before we went on the Jack Daniels Tour. This place only takes reservations - so make sure you call ahead. We were lucky enough to get the last 2 reservations at 11:00am. Definitely worth it! We will for sure be coming back next time we are in town!
(5)Scott L.
Good, good, good Southern Homestyle cooking and a unique experience. I will be back time and again. I bought a cookbook, a jar of Candied Apples and when I know folks are going to be traveling ANYWHERE NEAR Miss Mary Bobo's I insist they make reservations and have lunch here. So good! So fun! So special...ENJOY!
(5)Dick G.
Attended the Jack Daniels Invitational BBQ Championship in Lynchburg TN over the weekend on behalf of Barbecue America Magazine. On Friday we went to the 3pm seating at Mary Bobo's. This is an iconic piece of Americana which to my surprise and chagrin served fabulous home cooking! There is 8 dining rooms, all rooms in the house which hold about 97 patrons at any one time. It was so busy they opened the conference room for dining which raised that number. They ring a bell at 3 and tell each group which dining room they will be eating in and send them along with a guide get them there. We ate in the Tolley room, a large round table with lazy susan in the middle held all the fixings. On this day Fried Chicken was the special...crispy and juicy chicken accompanied by fried okra, boiled butter potatoes, Apples with Jack Daniels in a casserole...which was fantastic, and other tasty sides. Our hostess sat at the table and told us all about the house and its history over lunch. Very pleasant time was had by all! Miss Bobo's is located just above the field where the tournament took place and the free parking was necessary as every driveway and lawn had become paid parking lots!
(5)Kristy C.
I visited Miss Mary Bobo's after I toured the Jack Daniels Distillery. We called a head and left a message since it was after business on a Saturday and they called back Monday morning and we were able to get a 1pm reservation for the day we wanted. We called a head a had no trouble what so ever. We were starving when we got there, and parking was so simple. Since they serve in sittings, they rarely run out of parking, I would imagine. A wonderful lady met us at the door, had our name on her reservation sheet and asked us to head into the gift shop to check out. You pay ahead because it's all basically what we would call family style. Once we payed we had one last check in to find out which dining room we would be sitting in once the dinner bell rang. Yes, they ring a dinner bell at each seating. Very promptly @ 1pm that bell rang and when they called out our dining room we followed out wonderful hostess, June, who stayed with us and helped us through the lunch service. She was informative and just delightful. She sat and ate with us and gave us all kinds of information about the town and the history of the boarding house. We were seated in a room with a round table and a huge Lazy susan that was covered in some pretty impressive county cooking favorites. That day it was meatloaf and fried chicken with drunken apples(special ingredient was Jack Daniels, of course), mac 'n cheese, creamed potatoes, fried okra and some of the best corn bread I have had. And the dessert? Homemade chess pie with fresh whipped cream! I had heard the food was good, but this was really really good. Totally worth the $40 for the 2 of us. I have read some reviews here that are really negative about this establishment. This is not the experience we had in the least. We were prepared, made reservations and showed up the 15 minutes early that they ask you to so you can check in and pay and be ready to be seated. We just followed the directions and enjoyed the afternoon. We ate wonderful food and had great conversations with not just our hostess but with all the people at our table. It was an unexpected experience that I will never forget and I thank the staff.
(4)Kera T.
Southern cooking is my specialty, and I must say that Mary Bobo's boarding house exceeded my expectations! When you arrive, it can be a bit crowded in the main hall. But I personally found it exciting to see all of the different folks that had come to little Lynchburg to have dinner! We were handed a card and when our cards name was called out, we were to follow our hostess. It went very well without any confusion! My boyfriend was a bit hesitant about the family-style seating we were going to do... However, once we all sat down, our hostess (Mildred) did a great job of making all of us feel right at home! She was extremely informative and I found her stories to be very entertaining as well as hospitable while everyone ate. She knew a lot of history and could answer any questions. She treated us like guests in her own home and I could tell she enjoyed our visit! The food... Was very delicious. Properly seasoned, fried to perfection, nothing too dry, nothing too wet... Just right! And when any food ran out, we had a new batch in a hurry! No one felt awkward about taking 'too much' or eating too much in front of other people. This is the South, after all! The grand old home itself I think added to the hospitality that we all felt. I could just imagine Miss Mary Bobo herself walking up and down these halls, serving great Southern food to her boarders, and looking out of the warped glass windows just reminded me of a different time when Southern Hospitality was most prominent! I think Mary Bobo's boarding house has done a great job keeping Southern Hospitality and the good name of Southern Cookin' alive! Just a few notes... I would suggest making a reservation at the very least one week in advance if not earlier. Also, it would be very wise to arrive at least 15 minutes early as you will pay before eating and it can get rather busy.
(5)Robert S.
Tremendous experience. Good food served family style around a group table Our host was a local senior who knew the history of the area and Jack Daniels. Jack Daniels was incorporated into several of the dishes. Fun and unique dining experience. The pie was to die for
(5)James B.
Miss Mary Bobo's is a quaint restaurant located just a little past the Jack Daniel's Distillery in Lynchburg TN. Everybody makes a fuss over the place because it is different -- meals are only served once or twice a day at a specific sitting time and all are served family style -- pass the plate sort of thing. The food is good -- not off the chart I'd go back and eat there often good - just good. I think the thing that makes it special is its way of serving the food and the sitting times otherwise there was nothing that was special about the food itself. If you've never traveled then perhaps this is a super place but once you've been around the block a few times this place just comes off to me as a fancy Shoney's. P.S. It is in a dry county (one of those throw-back things that is bizarre) so there is no alcohol/beer/wine)
(3)Donna K.
This place can seat up to 90 folks up from the 60 it use to seat a year ago since their renovation, but you must call in to reserve before you go. Miss Mary Bobo passed away and the Jack Daniel's family bought it out. The host is actually Ms. Tolley who is Jack Daniel's great grand daughter who will happily sign an autograph in your cookbook. Ironically, I came here for the chicken and found everything exceptional except the chicken. The chicken at the famous Loveless Cafe was better but Mary Bobo's had the best side dishes. It was truly the best Fried Okra I've ever tasted, and I've had fried okra all throughout the U.S. since I travel a lot for work. They also had the best Chess custard Pie. Ironically it was the reverse experience for me from Loveless Cafe, in terms of Loveless having the best fried chicken in Nashville but very so so sides and desserts. Mary Bobo's chicken is pretty standard, not too salty or spicy just your average good chicken. The chicken itself is not worth the drive but the meatloaf, sides, and desserts are definitely worth it!
(4)