Newk’s Eatery

I love going to Newk’s! The food is always great and the people are friendly, and they always make great recommendations!

I’ve been a huge fan of Newks before it arrived in Lexington. Newk’s puts a different spin on a café. Their chicken salad sandwich is one of the best I’ve ever tasted, the sweet tea is usually sweeten just right, Caesar salad is always good, and I love their soup selection. I’m a big fan of their sandwiches, they do a really good job of accentuating the flavors and they are pretty consistent across locations.

I have been here three times and I must say I am pretty happy that this addition is here in Lexington! Fresh food you can get fast! We have tried salads, sandwiches, soups, Mac n cheese. All of it was really good! We have been back many many times. You can order from your phone, pay, and just walk in and pick it up! They also offer meals already prepped you can walk in and pay and go! My favorite part is the bar set up of pickles, peppers, cheese croutons and all the other yummy add on’s you could want! I think it is genius to have that so you don’t have to ask and you can get as much or little to your liking! They rotate the soups with days so it is never really the same soups offered each day. All their menu items sound good! The restaurant is always clean and so is the condiment bar! The people that work there are very nice! Hopefully it will keep up and will stay!!!

Made me extremely sick. I had the roastbeef sandwich and mac and cheese. Small portions, will never go back.

This was our first time eating here. Walking in I was surprised to see you order off the wall. There was a lot to choose from for a wall-​menu. It took us a moment to figure the system out. The greeter was chewing on something when we walked in so she wasn’t much help until we were trying to order and she realized we were clueless to their system. She jumped into action but too little too late for impression-​sake.
The condiment bar looked impressive as we found a seat. Although I will admit we didn’t feel the need to use it. I had the Newk’s Q (Chicken BBQ sandwich) and my husband had the Shrimp Po-​Boy. I loved my sandwich. Fantastic bread and flavorful meat/​sauce. My husband enjoyed his but was surprised to see the shrimp was not breaded like your typical NOLA Po-​Boy.
Shocking realization of the night was when I found out the Newk’s Q has OVER 1000 calories in just the sandwich! I should’ve consulted My Fitness Pal before-​hand. Sigh.
Other reviewers mentioned the Strawberry cake. It wasn’t as moist as I’d prefer but the flavor was excellent. It’s a large slice so you can easily share it with someone.
Overall, tasty but a bit pricey. I’d go again but not right-​away.

Really good food. Everything is made fresh. The bread on the sandwiches seals the deal. Lots of flavor in everything.

Love this place. Right by my work so I frequent there often for lunch. Couldn’t ask for a better spot. Fresh food, great service, awesome sweet tea. Did a few catering orders from there too for the co workers and every time every order was spot on. Chicken salad sandwich and a bowl of soup is my regular choice. Heard the pizza and salads are great but I like that chicken salad too much to venture.

I’ve been to Newk’s at Fayette Mall several times over the last couple a weeks. All visits during lunch time. The food quality and service is always great.
Great variety and options on the menu.

I had the chance to try out newks a few days ago. Was so impressed amazing prices and selection. We got in and seated and food was prepared in no time. The owner spoke and checked on us several times. So nice to have a place not fast food that was fresh and worth the price. Needs more eggs in the Cobb salad. :)

I have had the chance to same some of the food from Newk’s in the past, but not to actually go in. Today I finally got that chance.
Upon walking in, I noticed the décor was pleasant and appeared a little upscale (a little). The establishment looked very clean overall, which I also appreciated. We walked up to the counter and ordered. The clerk was very friendly and courteous, and offered some pleasant small talk when the register had some technical errors. A pleasant ordering experience.
I walked past the condiment bar on the way to our seating area and noticed the many choices… Roasted garlic, pickles, hot peppers, too many sauces to name. I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of customization that this place had available.
We didn’t have to wait long for our food to come out. Having ordered the Shrimp Po’Boy, I had expected a Cajun themed sandwich with fried shrimp and perhaps some remoulade. This is probably my fault for not having read the menu too closely. It was basically just a cooked shrimp sandwich with cocktail sauce on the side. Not what I had expected, but still rather tasty… Especially when souped up with some of their condiments (garlic and peppers!).
I had also requested a side of their Bacon and Pimento Mac ‘n Cheese. This stuff was AWESOME. Cheese sauce was creamy and smooth, not mealy in the least. Macaroni cooked to that perfect consistency. I believe they run the dish of Mac through the pizza oven to get that crispy top as well. I strongly recommend this side, even though it usually involves a bit of an upcharge on your bill.
Overall, I would say this restaurant is around the same level as a Jason’s Deli or McAlister’s. Upscale fast (ish) food, but definitely nothing to sneeze at. I’m already planning a return trip to check out one of their pizzas!

Delicious Greek salad & the gumbo rocks! Prices are good, not astronomical, but portion sizes are! Marcus went above & beyond to ensure the customer (my Mom) was happy & enjoying her dining experience. The music is subtle enough to hear yet still enjoy conversation. Great atmosphere. Thumbs up!

Finally got to eat at Newk’s after trying their food several times thru catering and sampling events. I really loved everything I’ve tried as samples. In the restaurant, I’ve had two of the entrée salads. I have had the Newk’s Favorite salad, and the Ahi tuna salad (current special, not listed on the menu). Neither of them were my favorite salad. The ahi tuna salad was lacking in any flavor other than the dressing which I asked for on the side because they put way too much dressing on their salads. I didn’t care for it, so I only used a small amount, and added some cheese and croutons from the complimentary condiments bar (which is awesome) to add some flavor. Newks favorite salad has some of my favorite toppings including Gorgonzola and artichokes and grapes, and pecans, but somehow it wasn’t amazing either. I think again, the dressing was wrong. It had a sour taste to me, thankfully I also had that one on the side so it hadn’t ruined my meal.
I’ve sampled several different sandwiches and they were all amazing, except for the shrimp PO-​boy. It was very plain and flavorless. The shrimp was good though and a decent amount of it was included on the sandwich.
I like the atmosphere a lot, it’s a great fast and casual place to eat without feeling too much like fast food. Love the condiments bar in the middle.
Will definitely be back.

I have been to Newk’s both as a lunch destination and as part of a Unilocal event. The style of Newk’s is that of a tasteful, well-​staged café; it is not the first time I will compare it to Panera, with black ceiling, yellow walls, and tiles that are either sandstone or pink. Colorful, abstract art are on the wall, with slogans and items are printed.
Newk’s interesting wrinkle is a to-​go counter that allows you to get pre-​made meals in what is a much healthier option than a gas station hot dog. If only it was easier to access, since you know, it’s in a mall. The other counter is where you place an order for the freshly-​made meals. After you spend ten minutes going over the extensive menu and being awfully indecisive (maybe this is just me), you order and are given a number so that your food can be delived to you. A cool perk of eating-​in is the drinks; they’re plastic 30-​something ounce cups that can definitely be reused.
So let’s go down that menu! UNLIKE Panera, they have pizza; ten-​inch, personal to shareable with a date pizzas. Having tried the Spicy Buffalo Chicken Pizza and the Margherita, both were pretty good. The Buffalo Chicken has definite kick to the sauce, and good chicken that didn’t seem to be from a package. But the crust itself, chewy and thin, is also rather flimsy; use two hands or you’re going to get toppings on yourself. The Margherita is more like a cheese pizza that had Roma tomatoes added to it, lacking any noticable amount of basil, but the sauce is definitely more tomato-​y and less sweet than some others.
The sandwich list is also rather extensive, and rather good I must confess. As far as I can tell, they just use French baguettes for all of them, but it’s a very good baguette (as far as I know). Surprise hit? The Italian sandwich, which has meats like capicola and salami, salty cold cuts I usually am not wild about. But with the Italian dressing adding tang and their «Creole mustard» adding spice, it makes a pleasantly complex and craveable taste. The Royal is a similar Dagwood, focusing more on pedestrian cold cuts but heated, with melted cheese and crisp lettuce. And the «Newk’s Q» sandwich is unique, with what they claim to be a white barbecue sauce. It doesn’t have as much vinegar kick or any tomato base apparently, but it is a creamy, sort of béchamel-​like sauce. The chicken salad is unfortunately the least remarkable; not at all bad, mind you, but just a bit bland compared to other offerings. And the shrimp po’boy is, while having the nicest shrimp I’ve had for under ten dollars, is also bland: the shrimp themselves are cooked well but don’t have enough seasoning to carry a sandwich that is devoice of anything else but lettuce and tomato. The remoulade they offer on their salad would probable make a great spread, I’m just saying…
And the soups! While they rotate them, there is a large number and I haven’t been disappointed by any yet. The Baked Potato is rich and hearty, and has been a boon with the recent cold weather. The crab and corn chowder is a sort of she-​crab soup without the heavy sweetness that a heavy hand of sherry sometimes adds. The white bean and kale soup is a solid, bright veggie soup. The chicken chili and tortilla soups are similar, and I liked them both; the former was a thicker, white chili with small white beans and pulled chicken shreds, while the latter has a tomato base instead and is a bit spicier, surprisingly, with more vegetables.
And finally, the mac and cheese: sure, the original is creamy, cheesy, rich, and served with a nice browned crust. Pimiento and bacon mac and cheese however, is the one to get. Sharper than the four cheese, with more cheddar, the bacon bits are real and meaty.
The only thing I have to fault Newk’s on after all this, really? Price. I want to call it a less-​pretentious, tastier Panera, but I can’t add the adjective «cheaper.» They’re about the same price and that means I can only enjoy it sparingly. I think if it could lose a dollar or so on the prices, I would be completely won over.

Love this place! The food is always good and the atmosphere is nice to boot. Very clean, southern chain up north here in Lexington with the only 2 Kentucky locations both being here in town. All the food I have tried has been excellent and I wouldn’t mind coming here to eat everyday. Try it out!

We stopped in for lunch and had a great experience. We got the half soup and sandwich. The soup comes in a very good size bowl compared to other places that offer the half and half. The best part is the taste. My soup had a nice rich tomato base flavor and the Italian sandwich was bursting with flavor.

The good: the customer service, stable menu, the price.
The bad: the lackluster flavor, the generic everything.
The rundown: in terms of a chain restaurant this one meets the definition, or rather is the definition. The food is ok, mostly missing every kind of spice that makes something unique. The interior is standard, nothing too exciting. I mean I don’t know really what else to say, if you are hungover, or want something bland from being sick, here is your place.
The impression: I mean it isn’t always bad to find a place that has mediocre food. At least it is a standard you can’t count on right?!

I recently made my first visit to the Newk’s location at Fayette Mall. Upon entering the restaurant, I was impressed with the spaciousness and the clean, contemporary look of the establishment. You order at the registers in the front, then take a number and the food is brought to your tabele. The ordering process was a snap and I decided to check out the restaurant a bit more. One interesting feature was the toppings area near the front of the house. There where items like fresh parmesan and roasted garlic to name a few toppings which can complement your order. There are also packs of tasty baked breadsticks. These are unlimited for guests.
I decided to try the 5 cheese pizza with sun dried tomatoes. From the time I ordered, it took about 15 mins to get my food. Well. .. It was certainly worth the wait. The pizza was FANTASTIC! Perfectly cooked and incredibly tasty. I added some of the fresh parmesan (as if the original five cheeses on my pizza weren’t enough :)) to help polish it off. I also coupled it with the garlic I mentioned earlier. Delicious!
All of the staff was very courteous. Our server came by multiple times to update us on our food and let is know how much longer things would be. At the end, leave your trays/​dishes on the table and the staff will bus the dining area.
In summary, I was impressed with Newk’s and will be back! I would recommend others check out this location too. Parking at the mall can be a challenge, but it is worth it to enjoy this fresh, new restaurant!

Parking is a big issue, especially with the other new shops and restaurants recently opening. But it’s really worthwhile to try — if you can find a parking space.
I stopped in shortly after it opened, so things may change down the road. The interior is very nice, with comfy seats and friendly staff. I was greeted promptly and I dived into the menu. It’s huge! Sandwiches, soups, salad, pizza, and sides. I’ve been here twice, having a sandwich and pasta salad each time. The soups didn’t seem as appetizing, and portions seemed skimpy. Salads looked great, van the salad bowls were gorgeous.
The Italian sandwich was delicious! I also loved the White BBQ Chicken sandwich. The pasta salad was especially good, with added peppers, onions, and other goodies.
The manager checked to see how everything was both times. The bathroom was not only clean, it was very tastefully designed.
I also dined at the Newk’s on Richmond Road, and the food there is equally as good. However, the service was horrible and the restroom was filthy. Even though it’s a relatively new place, there was dirt and trash everywhere. I hope the Fayette Mall location doesn’t end up like this after the opening team leaves.

Fast, hot, great location, unique menu and eating experience. Grab n go options too!

Newk’s a nice addition to the food scene in town. This mall location just opened today and I was in around 2pm and no wait and plenty of seating. I’m sure dinner time and this weekend will keep them super busy. Staff was friendly and a manager came around to see how my meal was. I ordered the Newk’s Q which was a chicken sandwich with bacon and a white BBQ sauce. A bit on the light spicy side which was just right for me since I don’t like a lot of spice. The sandwich came with a choice of a side. I chose the fruit medley and wish the cashier had known which fruit since It was mostly watermelon and cantaloupe which are two of the fruits I don’t like. You live and learn.
Location was laid out well and clean since it was opening day. They have a grab and go station. This place is like a cross between smashing tomato and Panera bread. They offer pizza, salads, soup and sandwiches. I had tried the BBQ chicken pizza at the Richmond Rd location and was great. This is a fast casual dining and prices range around 7.00−12.00 for meal and drink for one person depending on what you get. This may sound high to some but have you been to Wendy’s or Mcd’s lately? You’re pretty much paying that there and here you can get healthier options and better food for the same price!
Welcome to Lexington Newk’s!