Finding Fhinny’s
All photos by IsaacCropsey.com
Charmingly old school, authentic through and through
On Easley Bridge Road there is a hidden gem called Fhinney’s Buffet. Owned by Raymond Atkins, this community-minded restaurant is satisfying hunger seven days a week for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Fhinney’s is a place that feels like home, and all the cooking there tastes like it’s from home. When you walk in from the back door, you’re instantly greeted by the smell of comfort food.
You don’t have to pay yet, you don’t have to start by finding your seat — your sole job is what you came for: to grab a plate and go through the line. Before going through the line, everyone has to sanitize their hands and put on gloves. The place is always focused on health and cleanliness. Then you can find a seat and pay as you leave.
The buffet starts with a salad bar, moves on to soul food staples, and finishes off with a couple of options for dessert. When the Saltbox team went by the other day, for the second time (we made excuses to keep going back for “research purposes” for this article), there was some sort of Oreo pudding dessert. We each had two of those.
Besides the everyday offerings of fried chicken, greens, mashed potatoes, mac & cheese, and sweet tea, they also run a lot of daily specials, which they keep their customers meticulously up to date on via social media.
“It’s shrimp and fish Friday at Fhinney’s,” one post says. “We have chops on the buffet today,” says a reel from last week.
The giant chalkboard menu at Fhinny’s.
Additionally, Fhinney’s is known for being authentically Southern. You can get fried okra, chicken liver, and, on Mondays, pig feet.
Fhinney’s is the type of place where you get to know both the other people who frequent the joint and the wait staff. We talked a good bit with the staff, and all of them were super friendly and loved working there. We also talked a good bit with Raymond’s daughter, who was doing a great job running things and, we found out, had made that Oreo dessert we loved so much. Our compliments to the chef.
Another big reason to love Fhinney’s is their love for their neighborhood. Situated on the edge of Welcome (A neighborhood on the West Side of Greenville), they’re located on a homeless corridor. When they close up shop at 6 p.m., they offer the leftovers in to-go boxes to the unhoused community. In fact, if you drive by at about 6:30 p.m., you’ll see a line of people in need out the front door, glad Fhinney’s is there—and that Fhinney’s cares.
Like we said, Fhinney’s is a hidden gem, and it will always have that feel. But we at Saltbox hope to make it a little less hidden.
Fhinney’s is located at 1712 Easley Bridge Road, Greenville, SC 29611, and is open seven days a week. They serve breakfast on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Every other day they’re open for lunch and dinner. You can order online or book them for catering at Fhinney.com.
A Fhinny’s staff member in the middle of a shift.
