Rarely, very rarely, does a hotel of only 4.5 star caliber like JW Marriott become known for its…read morefood. Nashville became a clear exception to the rule, delivering a world class, contemporary steakhouse experience into Nashville's more traditional steak scene. Yes, the views are remarkable. Yes, the design of the interior is elegant. But, those criteria would never be sufficient to rank an establishment as world class... Egyptian born celebrity chef Michael Mina has unquestionably become a restaurant mogul at this stage in his career and winning two Michelin stars in his flagship San Francisco restaurant. Expanding into Nashville, he did something truly extraordinary: creating a modern steakhouse concept that delivers on par to the best traditional steak joints of America, but with unique twists and in a special atmosphere. From the incredible trio of fries with homemade sauces, to the appetizer of prawns, to the beef itself, everything is prepared at a level of perfection. Staff are professional and attentive, with a clear level of polish that one would expect to find in a high end establishment as such. Thus, whether for special event or a nice evening out, there is little doubt that Bourbon Steak is the place that will impress with quality and ability to deliver a satisfying meal.

What we ate:…read more -Complimentary Duck fat fries: White cheddar + spicy ranch Garlic Parmesan + lemon truffle aioli Dill + bbq All were delicious and unique. I mixed and matched the sauces but my favorite was the spicy ranch. -Tuna rolls: okay, overpowered by pepper and greens. Unexpected tempura crunch inside each bite. -Apple salad. So good and refreshing and balanced. Tart and sweet and sour with the creamy dressing. -Brussels sprouts: tasted of sweet char and citrus. In my opinion the large strands of saffron were unnecessary and I would have gladly traded them for $10 off of our astronomical bill, haha. -Scallops: Perfect sear and perfect tenderness but a little too salty -Crab bernaise: just ok. Found a shell. A little sweet and too much rich bernaise for the portion of crab, unless pairing it with a bite of steak. -Angus filet: we enjoyed this beefy tender cut, but it wasn't anything special for the price. -Wagyu Denver cut (chef's choice of the night): probably the most tender, juicy, and flavorful bite of steak I've ever tried. And I've had A5 Wagyu countless times. For the price, this could be worth reserving for the most special of occasions. Sauce trio: -Chimichurri - so good and sour in the best way, just like a pickle. -Wine Jus - really balanced and thicker than expected. A perfect sauce for steak. Better than traditional steak sauce flavor. -Peppercorn - deep flavor development and more complex than I expected. -Crème brûlée: I don't know how we managed to eat this after indulging in all the other food, but it was utter perfection. Although the views are unparalleled and the service wonderful, the prices are just not worth it in my opinion. We also arrived promptly for our reservation and were directed to a central table within minutes. Despite ordering quickly after being seated, our steaks didn't arrive until 90 minutes after our reservation time. By that time we were ravenous so maybe that's what made those steaks so good.

Total all around place... food, drink, service and atmosphere!…read more Had... chicken salad, pizza and wings. Outstanding

This little spot on 2nd Ave N is an iconic Nashville spot. They also have a location over in…read moremidtown. The spot is in an old building in the middle of the entertainment district (Lower Broad area). It has a small outside seating area, for when it is not a sauna, Inside there is a nice sized bar, if you are just seeking a drink. They are known for their mac & cheese, which I have never tried in all of the times I have been to the Stillery. Very creamy, cheesy mac & cheese. The Nashville hot chicken has a nice spice to it. A bit mild for the serious hot chicken fans, but the flavor is there. The chicken tenders are fairly standard. And the crinkle fries are mid. I enjoyed both of the drinks. At $14.50, they are at least $1.50 less than the standard Broadway cocktails in the star bars, so iti s a less expensive option to get a drink. I don't think they ever have live music, unlike some others here, so you are going for the food, not the noise. Service was great, as always. The staff is always prompt and knows their menu. It is more bar food and the menu is limited, but what they do, they do well.

Family brunch after church, had a ball with the Veuve Cliquot addition!…read more The benedict was very nice, although the muffins were a bit tough. The side of candied bacon is generous and piled high, so only order if you plan to share! Tackle it alone and you may die (happily) of diabetes and a heart attack right there at the table. Same goes for the stuffed french toast. The atmosphere is upscale and elegant, fantastic daylight and decor! Our service was prompt and patient with the little ones, but do yourself a favor and go without them when you can, so you can take your time and really enjoy such a pretty restaurant and solid cuisine!

Harper's is an elegant restaurant on the periphery of downtown Nashville with impeccable service,…read morean excellent spot for date night! Expect about $300 per couple for a dining experience that offers many unique twists! For instance, the bread service comes with a candle made of beef tallow which turns into a dip as the wick burns down. The tomahawk is seared table-side with a torch, as is the crème brûlée! And it's a rare place that offers the elusive Chateaubriand steak. They even have four-pound loaded baked potatoes. And that's not to mention Nashville's most expensive dish, their signature $1,800 extravaganza for two including a tomahawk steak and a rare cognac. Harper's is undoubtedly a one-of-a-kind restaurant. The calamari is a highlight, a little salty for my taste but one of the best versions in town. The French onion soup is worth trying, its Havarti and Swiss combination beautifully finishing the top! Knowing the countless steak options were all solid choices, I stepped outside my comfort zone and tried elk for the first time since Harper's offers such exotic choices. And it was pretty good. But there's no question the Argentinian Chimichurri saved it. The beef tallow fries are also decent. And yes, the crème brûlée is magnificent!

I'm going to start this review saying the gumbo I had at The Southern Steak & Oyster was the best…read moregumbo I had in my life! It's my last night in Nashville so I want to go to a bang zoom restaurant. A few of my co workers have said to me: Mr Bill, we see every night you're going out to some amazing spots. Mind if we tag along? Sure, the rules are to keep your fork outta my plate when we sit down. Deal? The restaurant is very large, we're shown to our table. Set in the middle of the dining room and facing the bar. The bar can seat at least 25 people, the restaurant is set up for fun. To get our party started, I ordered a well crafted cocktail: Tea'd Up Old Fashioned Made with Bourbon, Black Tea and House Barrel Aged Bitters. Funky?? Oh yeah I'm with a bunch of Military Veterans and they're telling me their crazy stories. I'm sippin' my Old Fashioned and taking it all in, we need to bond over drinks and crazy things we all drank overseas. As an adult, I can appreciate my Nashville TN Old Fashioned with Black Tea. While we're talking, our waitress drops off a plate of homemade biscuits. The biscuits are fire! Buttery, flakey and moist, The Southern Steak & Oyster can make a damn good biscuit. Next, my Gumbo comes to me. The first taste I can tell this is a chef'd up dish. Better than anything I had in New Orleans. This gumbo is filled with Andouille, Crawfish, Shrimp and Fried Okra. Very flavorful indeed. My last entree in Nashville will be Fish 'N Grits. Fresh fish topped with Spicy Tasso Ham over Sweet Potato Grits and Bacon Braised Cabbage. This is a flavorful dish, the grits are very creamy and the cook on the fish was spot on. We had a great night at The Southern Steak & Oyster, it was a pleasure to dine at your restaurant.

I have a tough time in writing this. I've been here twice. I can only write a Pros and Cons as I…read morewant to be fair Pros 1) selection of oysters is fantastic 2) the Shuckers really are carrying the bar seating 3) everyone is super nice Cons 1) now remember I was at the bar seating, Other than the shuckers and who I think are awesome. On one visit with only a few of us there our bartender disappeared for a good 20 minutes. Upon his return he was focused on everything but the 5 of us in the place until we finally had to ask to get service. The other visit everyone helped me but the actual server. Maybe this is a staffing problem, I don't know but being stuck for 20 minutes to order another drink with my meal is not acceptable. Although they had that check in my hand in under a minute and in under another minute to process. Again, super nicer people, but kind of oblivious. 2) Now let's talk about the kitchen. And I'm adding some input from the other diners because we all sat there waiting. - flavors are great, but the salt and spice level is overboard. I had the mushroom appetizer and nearly choked/coughed to death. I like heat but this was raw spice that overpowered the dish. And the salt about made my feet swell into balloons. Such a shame because the idea is great just poor execution - deviled eggs. Pass - BBQ Shrimp, sort of like the mushrooms right profile but overpowering - gumbo. Two other people had the gumbo and when I asked they said that too is just over spiced I want to like this place, but probably my last visit unless I just come for oysters. Sorry

Ever since going to the Jeff Ruby's in Cincinnati I'm now on a kick to try one in every city I…read morevisit that has one! This location didn't disappoint either!! Coming in by myself on a weeknight, while in town for business, I sat at the bar and the staff at the bar took great care of me. The piano man on top of the bar was playing great music. The venue is nicely, eclectically decorated too! I started with a Kettle One up with a Twist and it was great... Some of their shrimp cocktail to go with it was a great pairing! The shrimp was huge and prepared perfectly! The cocktail sauce was very nice, but I like extra horseradish, which they happily provided. Next up was their Prime Skirt Steak and the sides I chose was their creamed spinach and mashed potatoes. The steak was cooked to a perfect temperature and the chimichurri was so very tasty with it! The mashed potatoes were nice. The creamed spinach looked beautiful and the texture was spot-on, but it had slightly too much nutmeg in it - Still, I enjoyed it. I wanted to save room for dessert though because I was yearning for their Butter Pie, which I ordered eventually. The butter pie definitely didn't disappoint! I enjoyed my experience and will continue to seek out and enjoy Jeff Ruby joints when I travel!

Extremely Disappointing Father's Day Experience -- Overpriced, Loud, and Far From "Upscale"…read moreI chose Jeff Ruby's Nashville for Father's Day because I wanted a memorable upscale dinner with my dad. Unfortunately, what should have been a special evening turned into one of the most disappointing steakhouse experiences I've had in years. Our bill for four people was approximately $614, and not a single aspect of the evening justified that price point. First, the noise level was absolutely unbearable. We were seated near the bar area where a pianist was playing so loudly that my father and I could barely have a conversation during dinner. We were literally forced to shout across the table just to hear one another. Even our server struggled to communicate with us and had to move from one side of the table to the other because half the table couldn't hear her speaking. I immediately requested to move tables after being seated and was told they could not accommodate us. Later, I spoke with a manager who simply said he would "make a note for future reservations." No attempt was made to improve the current experience, relocate us, or even lower the music volume. For a restaurant branding itself as luxury dining, the lack of concern was shocking. The atmosphere also failed to match the upscale image Jeff Ruby's promotes. The advertised dress code clearly wasn't being enforced. Several guests in the bar area were dressed extremely casually, which completely took away from the elevated dining environment the restaurant claims to offer. The food itself was mediocre at best. For a supposed high-end steakhouse, the menu selection was surprisingly limited and poorly described. I was honestly stunned there wasn't even a classic French onion soup on the menu. The only soup option contained seafood, which limits many diners due to allergies or preference. Specific disappointments included: Caesar salad was bland and underdressed Wedge salad was average with nothing memorable in flavor or presentation Wagyu meatball had an overpowering smoky flavor not disclosed in the menu description Baked potato on the menu comes with no explanation of toppings or accompaniments Cheesecake texture was whipped and airy rather than rich and dense like a proper steakhouse cheesecake Most importantly, the food quality simply did not match the inflated pricing. I've dined at many nationally recognized steakhouses across the country (Berns in Tampa, Peter Lugar NYC, Keens NYC, Gallahers NYC....and Jeff Ruby's Nashville does not come anywhere close to delivering the quality, refinement, or execution expected at this price level. Honestly, the experience and the meal reminded me more of a casual chain restaurant (Texas Roadhouse) than a premium steakhouse. The décor felt confused and overly theatrical rather than elegant. I understand the attempt at a 1920s-inspired vibe, but details like feathers sitting on chandeliers felt cheap instead of sophisticated. The whole experience to include dinning was too theatrical and felt like it's a cheap experience since the food doesnt live up to the price or quality of a fine steakhouse. What upset me most is that this dinner was supposed to celebrate Father's Day with my dad -- someone I don't get to spend much time with because we live far apart. Instead of enjoying meaningful conversation and a memorable evening together, we spent most of dinner sitting in near silence because the environment was so loud and chaotic. At over $615 for four people, guests should expect and receive exceptional food, attentive management, proper atmosphere control, and an experience that actually feels upscale. Unfortunately, Jeff Ruby's Nashville failed in every one of those categories. The manager offered no attempt at resolving the issues above as I complained about them while we were sitting at the table still. I absolutely cannot recommend this restaurant based on our experience.

Skull's Rainbow Room is tucked into historic Printers Alley, and the building is old in all the…read moreright ways, full of character and a little mystery, the kind of room that has stories in the walls. Add live jazz drifting through it and you have a night out that feels nothing like the usual Nashville scene. The service was the highlight. Our server Ian took great care of us from start to finish, warm, attentive, and knowledgeable without ever making us feel rushed. The whole team was dialed in, but Ian made us feel like regulars on our very first visit. The food more than kept up. My pork chop was enormous and cooked beautifully, and my wife's empanadas and salad were just as good. The cocktails were fine, not quite the star of the show, but with food and atmosphere this good I did not mind one bit.

How do you search for:…read more A funky good time where I can listen to Jazz, drink a few libations and have a good steak? Skull's Rainbow Room checks all the boxes. Nashville is a music town, throw a rock and you'll find a great spot at a bar playing music. Some of the bars have a stage where bands are jammin'! I'm looking for something different, something more contemporary, live jazz and a speakeasy feel. Skull's Rainbow Room delivered. Walking up to Printer's Alley, it's already giving off speakeasy vibes. I did my classic move, Get to the restaurant early and tell the waitress I'm so hungry and promise I won't be here all night. Man... I was set up with a great table and was told I have less than two hours. (I mean, I am Bill S from New York, I can be quite persuasive) My waiter comes over, we start talking about the east coast, how he misses New Jersey but loves his new home in Nashville. I order a martini and thick Prime Rib cut along with a side of truffle mashed potatoes. My drink comes out quickly and now I am in the jazz zone. These guys rocked it! Great music along with strong cocktails, I laugh and say to myself: I'm getting paid to be here! My steak comes to the table very quickly. Man this steak cut is a thing of beauty. The au jus with a bite of the truffle mashed potato, heaven. Now the piano player start playing The Love Theme from The Godfather?? Am I in heaven or.. are they trying to seduce me to the other side as I order another cocktail? Just a fantastic night, from the music to the food and libations at Skull's Rainbow Room. My waiter says, it's been two hours, would you like your drink brought to the bar? I declined as I paid my check. Skull's Rainbow Room is a must stop when in Nashville. You can check out any time you want.. but you can never leave!

The service was exceptional. I have an onion and garlic allergy that was accommodated for and the…read morefood still tasted great. Everyone (all serving staff) had been informed and I didn't have to keep reminding them. They all went above and beyond and the atmosphere was amazing! My family stayed it was the best food they ever had from appetizers to dessert!!

Came here while in Nashville for a conference after a local recommended it to us. Definitely your…read moreclassic upscale steakhouse experience, but done really well. We got the wagyu filet mignon, oysters, potato gratin, and mushrooms, and everything was solid and super filling. It's definitely a splurge, but worth it if you're looking for a nice date night spot, celebration dinner, or business dinner while in town. Service was absolutely amazing - the best server with the best recommendations.

The Finch is everything you could want in an upscale restaurant: great atmosphere, great food,…read moregreat service! We had a larger (10) group celebrating two birthdays and the staff handled things without breaking a sweat. We arrived a few minutes late for our reservation but it was no bother as our table was still being prepared. On that note: highly recommend a reservation, this is a popular place! Once we were seated we had the pleasure of Nichelle, a wonderful waitress. She was on top of everything we needed or wanted and we had very little wait time for her return. Great service! And the food... DELICIOUS! As you can imagine, our group of ten had a good selection across the menu and there was not a single person who was disappointed. Everyone loved their amazing food. What tops everything off is the atmosphere here. It's popular so, as you can imagine, it's a bit noisy. However, I like to call it "lively". And they really nailed the physical design, so inviting and upscale. I'll stop there and simply say: check this place out, it's great!

So many great things about The Finch. My server, Savanna, was EXCEPTIONAL, like AMAZING. She was…read morebright, helpful, and attentive to the max, but not in an annoying way. She even went out of her way to get me a drink that had fallen off the menu a few weeks prior, a delightful cucumber spritz. The ambiance is awesome. As others have said, music isn't too loud, just pleasant in the background, so it would be ideal for having a conversation. The space is open, bright, light-filled, and stylish. Parking is in a private lot behind the restaurant and they validate parking for up to two and a half hours. I wish I could rave the same way about the food. While the cocktails were refreshing and they had a cocktail for every palate, my steak and eggs was bland. It came out a little closer to rare than medium, but I can live with that. But I am not sure I detected a speck of salt or pepper. The steak was at least tender and the sunny side up eggs were cooked appropriately. The potatoes were dry. And I did have the wagyu meatball appetizer. It's a large portion, so easily shared amongst two or three people. Cheesy and saucy with a little spice. The focaccia could've been toasted a little more. I considered the short rib hash, but my server told me it could be salty and hit or miss (I appreciate her honesty and she 100 percent should be praised for it). I came during brunch (even on a weekday). They also serve French toast, desserts, oysters, burrata, potstickers and tuna tartare, salads, burgers and other sandwiches. If you come for lunch or dinner, you can also get grilled salmon, blackened redfish, shrimp and grits, pastas (cajun chicken, pappardelle bolognese, tortellini) as well as various cuts of steak. It's conveniently located right across from the Frist Museum and is part of the Union Station Hotel. I would try this place again for dinner, but would skip the brunch. And again, Savanna was top tier! She deserves all the flowers!