We were excited to discover the 21c Museum hotel (here and in Louisville) which, not only has super-good restaurants like Gray & Dudley, but which serve as an open-24-hours modern art museum. (That's 3 levels of museum you can wander in and out of all day and night forever!) The front entrance of the restaurant itself is off the alley to the left of the hotel's main entrance, or enter the restaurant through the main lobby of the hotel. I realize I'm not at the food or actual restaurant experience part of the restaurant, but for art lovers, I also want to note that the restaurant itself doubles as an art gallery with rotating exhibits. (That is they periodically put up a new exhibit in the dining area...it does not rotate while you are eating.) Okay, the restaurant...are you ready? It's fine dining with super good service. I want to give it 5 stars just on the basis of the individual and honest attention we received from our server, Laura. I want her to be my server at all restaurants. She was like a food concierge. (Actually I want her to be successful at whatever she wants to do.) There are several vegetarian starters and small vegetable plates, salads, a soup and a couple of vegetarian main options. They also a nice cocktail menu. I started with the Low Fidelity cocktail which was beautiful and delicious. (Kudos for having another cocktail named after the Sons of Anarchy character Jax Teller!) Our table shared the hand cut fries, served with a malt vinegar aioli. There was nothing left of these when we were done. They were really good and it was not an exaggeration at all when Laura told us these were the best fries she'd ever had. Two of us had the Spring Pea Soup, served cold...this was super refreshing and tasty. Well done. I want this again. Please mail me some in Los Angeles. Please. Two of us also had the asparagus risotto. This was beautifully presented but a little bland...the cheese it was prepared with, which was described as pungent (aka really good if you're cheese lover) was not at all present in the initial flavor profile and we had to send it back...they may have over compensated a little after that feedback as the cheese was definitely very present on the second try...much more flavorful. The asparagus in the risotto was cooked perfectly. We would definitely come back, if we found ourselves in Nashville, and try other things as their menu seasonally rotates. Sometimes restaurants in hotels are a little high on concept and really just cater to the convenience of people staying at the hotel. Gray & Dudley holds its own separate from being part of the 21c hotel and is well worth a visit to when you want really good food, an excellent atmosphere, sweet and honest service and an entire museum experience, all wrapped up into one dining package. No extra charge to be seated with a giant penguin. read more

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Great food, service, and great vibe. The drinks are awesome and the food was fantastic. If you're staying in the Bankers Alley hotel, you can't pass this place up. We definitely enjoyed our food and cocktails before heading to The Ryman. read more

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Located at the 21c Museum Hotel in downtown Nashville, Gray & Dudley is a great dinner option; really recommend it !! read more

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This was a super cute place to have dinner in Nashville! The food was delicious and a perfect portion. It looks like they have a seasonal menu so when I originally went on Yelp to look at the menu, none of the previous items were on there. The restaurant has a warm and moody atmosphere which we loved and it's connected to a hotel which is also a mini museum with beautiful exhibits. It was a fun thing to do after dinner. Highly recommend for your visit in Nashville! read more

Gray & Dudley - New American Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

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I'm a regular at 21c Hotels & their restaurants, and I'm a huge fan of the Nashville location, but this is the first time I've ordered a meal at Gray & Dudley. For a Monday night, I was the only person seated at the bar and the two female bartenders were in a conversation about sunglasses for 15 minutes before I was greeted or acknowledged. (Once I was given a menu & ordered a drink, they became more attentive, fortunately.) The menu was rather limited for dinner, but the bartender recommended the seared duck that was accompanied by greens. The duck arrived in a very nice portion, but the "greens" consisted of TWO charred leaves on the plate, which was disappointing because I was hungry after traveling to Nashville & had ordered no other side items with the meal. I enjoyed two craft cocktails, a gin based and a tequila based, and the drinks greatly outweighed the quality of the food. The duck was cooked well but bland, and it was $27. I usually expect so much more from 21c restaurants, so I doubt I ever eat at Gray & Dudley again, but I'll stop back in for drinks. read more

Gray & Dudley - Estilos Animales tequila cocktail with spicy rimmed glass - delish! - New American Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

Stayed at the 21c Museum hotel for a baby shower trip to Nashville and while I heard they have a great dinner/evening cocktails, I missed out on that and decided to try it for breakfast/brunch. Being on a 1-night vacay I had to have a breakfast cocktail of course and the Rye Smash (that might not be the correct cocktail name) which I subbed buffalo trace bourbon in for, was delicious and refreshing. I got the potato cake with eggs and black beans and it was the perfect vegetarian breakfast entree. The potatoes were cooked perfectly - crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Why can't I ever do that at home!? There wasn't much to it, a couple over medium eggs on top (they didn't ask how I wanted the eggs cooked but I lucked out with over medium), some sour cream, black beans and a spoonful of salsa, but I inhaled the meal. Service was great, I got checked in on every few minutes or so, and I enjoyed the booth seats and overall chill atmosphere. Will definitely come back! read more

Gray & Dudley - Breakfast potato cake and rye smash - New American Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

Stopped in for brunch. Food was very tasty; potatoes were savory, locally backed bread was light and airy. Our server Avery, an aspiring musician, was friendly, helpful, efficient and timely. Stop by if you're in the area. read more

So disappointed! We had read some good reviews and thought the menu choices looked good so we gave it a try. Before I dig in, I want to say that the service was excellent (from the hostess to the waitstaff, bartender and support staff) and the ambience was hip with fun art (it's in a 21C hotel). So, if they can get the kitchen together, please patronize them to reward the friendly and hardworking staff. Now onto the gastronomics. First, the cocktails: peculiar concoctions that look good on paper. One of them which was an intriguing idea ended up tasting like vodka and vegetable bouillon - it was so bad that we had to send it back. The other cocktail was a mix of fruit and a hint of allspice - interesting but not good enough to order it again. The standard Manhattan that replaced the bouillon drink was excellent. Onto the food: we ordered the three-dip platter, the wedge salad, the bread rolls, and the halibut. The three-dip platter was quite good (though the included kettle chips were excessively salty) and so we had our hopes up for the rest. When it comes to a $16 wedge salad, it better be pretty darn good. I expect the lettuce to be at the peak of flavor, the blue cheese to be chunky, and the bacon to be gourmet. This salad was none of those things. The lettuce was too young and therefore tasteless and bitter, I had to search for the chunks of blue cheese, and the bacon tasted like generic supermarket crunchy bacon (extra salty for good measure). This is not the way to elevate a wedge salad. The bread rolls themselves were properly baked, warm, and tasty. Unfortunately, the fancy butter concoction that accompanied them was like a fatty salt lick. Was there some confusion about whether the recipe called for salted or unsalted butter and they added more salt? We couldn't wrap our heads around this one. Finally, the halibut. The menu promised a delicious piece of fish with a buttery sauce and some mushrooms for $48. This was the biggest disappointment of all: the seasoning on the fish was barely noticeable, and it was way overcooked! Additionally, the butter sauce suffered the same malady of the fancy butter earlier- it tasted like salted butter was used and more salt was added. The fish was completely inedible. Of course the disappointment was all the greater because our expectations were so high. We surmised that the chef who designed the dishes was absent, and the cooks left behind to prepare the meals didn't know what they were doing. This is an easy fix, and we hope Gray & Dudley can get their act together - at least for the sake of the great staff. read more

Food: 4/5 Service: 4/5 Ambiance: 5/5 Overall: a solid meal and definitely worth a try. The extended review... Food: Shrimp noodles - this is truly a highlight at the restaurant. There is a certain character this pasta which makes it very unique...this of course being the jalapeño. Beef steak - definitely a solid steak and very tender. Service: friendly and attentive service. Ambiance: a very nice and intimate setting! It's very chic inside. Also there are penguins situated all throughout the dining room and every once in a while they will be brought to the table to join you for dinner! read more

This is a 21c restaurant. If you know 21c you're already used to a different perspective of the world. If you're new to 21c, your mileage is going to vary quite a bit. Just try before you completely shy away from the experience. The Gray & Dudley building is a unique architectural creation as Nashville's first highrise "business house" (a.k.a. office building instead of warehouse.) As unique as its building, the restaurant kept the name. Architecture nerds should pay close attention to the structure's unique iron skeleton and foodies should pay attention to this unique hotel kitchen. Cocktails? Yup, yup, and yup. Wine? Yup...glasses and bottles. Menu? Somewhat eclectic and brief enough for the kitchen to remain focused. A must-do is the black-eyed pea falafel (it could be an everyday, all day staple food for me.) The chicken lumpia is a perfect, light shareable. The spicy sweet potatoes...not so much. The strip loin (contre-filet) entree was outstanding and disappeared from my plate (the dog definitely got it!) Did you know travel tends to rule Sunday hotel crowds? Hotels empty out. My table of two and another group's table of three had the restaurant to ourselves as late as 6 PM. A potential downside is that the kitchen may not be expecting anyone either. And it's the end of the week where a few items have sold out. Oops. (They'll be in on Monday's truck.) But, as the only customers seated you can calmly enjoy your cocktails, the art, the architecture...and conversation (that may include a semi-intrusive, yet stoic, penguin.) Cheers! read more

Gray & Dudley - Semi-intrusive, yet stoic. Never finishes a drink. - New American Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

I really wasn't sure what to expect from my first visit to Gray & Dudley, but any expectations I had were exceeded. My companion and I both enjoyed our cocktails (manhattan for him, G&T with St. George Botanivore for me) and wine selections. In particular, I loved the unique Fritz-Muller rose. We ate at the bar and enjoyed great service and tasty food. We shared: (1) the cornbread made with bacon fat and salted sorghum butter; (2) the duck fried rice with fried egg; and (3) the roasted chicken with charred brassica and sweet potato hummus. Of those three dishes, the duck fried rice was certainly my favorite -- though as some other reviewers have suggested, it would've been nice to have a bit more duck in the dish. The cornbread was light and scrumptious; I could've eaten more, but the cast-iron skillet was a good size for the two of us to share. The sorghum butter didn't really add much for me, personally, except some moisture. The roasted chicken was moist with a crispy skin, just the way it should be. The crowd seems to be an interesting mix of locals and out-of-towners; we ended up low-key chatting with some friendly people at the bar. I also loved that valet parking is available at a reasonable price through the 21c hotel. read more

Gray & Dudley is a fantastic restaurant with top notch food and service. I was immediately greeted and seated upon entering. My waitress came by within several minutes to take my order. She was extremely knowledgeable about the menu and gave good recommendations. I had the Grass-Fed Butcher Steak, and it was one of the best steaks I've ever had! The chef cooked my steak exactly to medium, just as I had ordered. Additionally, the vinaigrette sauce and the button mushrooms melded together to perfectly flavor the steak without imparting an overpowering sour taste. After my meal, I was given cotton candy - a fine twist on the mints that restaurants usually give. read more

Gray & Dudley - Grass-Fed Butcher Steak - New American Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

May 2, 2023 Nashville TN. Dinner with wife. It's in the C21 Hotel. Very pleasant atmosphere and decor. Lighting is dim but not so where you can't read the menu or see your food. No music! The kitchen is open and visible from your table. The Wine list is adequate and the the prices by the glass and bottle are very reasonable. The service friendly, helpful and efficient. We had a bottle of Pinot Noir by Kate something from the Willamette Valley...quite good for the price. We shared a gem house salad ... an updated Caesar, quite good and perfect for two. We had the grilled Red Snapper. Perfectly grilled, crispy skin and the flesh moist. We ended the meal with espressos and cappuccinos. Definitely recommend this restaurant. It probably doesn't get a lot of attention 'cause it's not one of the "trendy-boutique" hotels. read more

The quality of the food was surprisingly poor for the price. The service was lacking. no one asked how my meal was. I have learned they stop asking when they too many bad vibes. I'd skip it for any of the other myriad choices around. read more

Super trendy and chic spot in the 21c museum hotel. Let me just start off by saying that all the staff were exceptionally nice and accommodating to a fault, the host, the server, the bartender, all of them. We went as a party of 4 on a rainy Sunday morning for brunch and we're able to get a seat without having a prior reservation. They have an open kitchen which is really cool although of course secondary to covid protocols you're not actually sitting anywhere near it. The space is pretty big which gives them plenty of room to socially distance tables as well. Colorful and creative art all around gives the restaurant a really fresh contemporary vibe. The staff actually encouraged us to check out the 3 floors of the private art collection of the owner which was on display (which I'm glad we did and it was an absolute treat). The main reason for our visit though - the food - was also spectacular. Two of us had the crispy potato cake and its crispy, buttery and flaky goodness of it was something to be marvelled at. The perfect meal after a night around town and we literally devoured it. The avocado toast was on point and the heft portion of biscuits and gravy hit the spot. The potato cake was the show stopper and for anyone who enjoys their spud (basically everyone) I cannot recommend it enough. Bartender also made a mean whiskey sour. 5 stars for sure and highly recommend for those looking for brunch in downtown Nashville. read more

Gray & Dudley - New American Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

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We popped in G&D for late night drinks. The bourbon options are impressive and the bartenders were super friendly. Jack was behind the bar and he's equal parts friendly and hilarious..... and he put Luxardo cherries in my drinks just because. Friends for life. read more

Phenomenal from the drinks to the lumpia to duck fried rice the scallops. A total gem read more

I had the pork shank. The meat was juicy and flavorful. The server was nice and friendly. The ambience is upscale yet relaxed. Would recommend it! read more

The service was great! Our waitress was super friendly and helpful with our food and drink choices. My friend and I shared two entrees and a side. Everything was absolutely amazing! I completely forgot to take food pics but we got the lumpia, roasted cauliflower, and the BBQ pork belly. The drinks were delicious as well! I definitely recommend this place for food and also the cool artwork. (Good place for a date too) read more

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I was in Nashville with a friend. We found this place by accident and it was fabulous! Our server, Zack, was great. The wine list was wonderful. We had the onion dip and hush puppy appetizers! Dinner was thechicken and a side of skillet Mac and cheese. Every part of our meal was above our expectations. If you are in Nashville, take the time to visit. It was truly worth it! Awesome find! read more

A very cool space with decor to match the museum next door, this place has fantastic food. My colleagues and I felt this was the best meal we had in Nashville. The highlights were the smoked beet salad, the duck breast, the confit chicken, and the basque cheesecake though everything we got was good. The pork chop was a bit more well done than expected but tasted great. The dips and skillet bread made for an excellent starter. read more

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Really wanted to hit a home run with Gray & Dudley as was responsible for finding a restaurant in Nashville for the Bachelorette weekend, party of 13. It's freaking Nashville, right? Loads of unbelievable restaurants makes the decision making process so difficult. Wanted a place walking distance to Broadway because after dinner we wanted to explore the scene. Googled away and Gray & Dudley came recommended. I had never heard of the place but after browsing the menu and reading some reviews (which is all I had to rely on) I decided this was going to be the place for our special Saturday night dinner in Nashville. What a mistake. Since we had a large party, had to sign an authorization form with my credit card information to hold our spot. We were going to be charged $15 per person if we didn't show up for our reservation. I've never had to do this before but thought it was totally understandable if this was their policy we were fine with it. Wanted to make the reservation for 8pm and was told by their event coordinator that would be fine as long as we were okay with a special menu. After asking for the special menu and taking a look, I immediately knew it wasn't for us. The menu was far too limiting and so we were able to push our reservation back to 9pm and choose from their regular dinner menu. The restaurant is in a hotel and the theme throughout the hotel and restaurant is very artsy. I'm not into art, can appreciate it but I didn't get what they were trying to do in here. It didn't feel like we were in Nashville by any means. There were strange animals hanging on the walls that were honestly kind of weird. It wasn't the vibe we were looking for, it was fancy but also just weird. There was a penguin statue type thing that was hanging around the restaurant and we put him in one of the chairs at our table as if he was a dinner guest, which was funny for about 30 seconds. Our server was at first, extremely bubbly and outgoing, it was over the top. She was trying to up-sell so bad it was almost painful to listen to her spiel. Everything was amazing, sensation, fantastic, phenomenal. It was just too fake and too rehearsed. To each their own, if that's your style of service, that's cool but what isn't cool is disappearing throughout our dinner, not checking on us once to see how we're doing, leaving our water glasses completely empty from the moment they were filled until after appetizers were cleared and being completely absent when we were waiting for our bill that I had to go up to the bar myself and ask where our server was so we could get the check and get on with our night. Not sure where she was but the place was not busy, there was no reason for it and in case she was wondering, no, we weren't satisfied with our meals. If she'd come over once to check on us, she would have seen three people didn't touch their food. There wines by the glass were exceptionally pricey, around $16 a glass across the board. For appetizers, we ordered a bunch for the table; hot nuts (holy salty, too salty, inedibly salty) broccoli which was outstanding, a cheese board that had 4 cheese and some tasty nuts and smoked chicken wings that were too spicy for most to enjoy. Their menu was more limiting than originally thought after looking at it. No specials, a few salads and entrees consisting of a market fish we had never heard of, shrimp pork, risotto, a burger, cauliflower dish and a couple other options. They had some sides; asparagus and fries were ordered by our group. I went with the cauliflower entree that read it was paired with eggplant puree, cous cous and eggplant agrodolce (which was spelled incorrectly on the menu) It presented as a big cauliflower head with some eggplant puree and cous cous like the menu stated but no pieces of eggplant. It was a head of cauliflower lets call it what it is. Ate a $19 cauliflower head and others felt the same. Flavor wise it was interesting, unique and I cleaned my plate but it was overpriced and needed more. Additionally it was DRENCHED in oil. After getting our server to come to the table to drop the check she delivered us some cotton candy and said she had a special cocktail for our bride. The "cocktail" had a piece of cotton candy at the top and looked like champagne but when the bride tasted it, it was club soda. You've got to be kidding me. Our server came over like she was doing something sweet and special for the bride and she hands her what she referred to as a cocktail, filled with club soda. Womp, freakin womp. It wasn't a great meal unfortunately and the service agitated me. When I got home there was an $800 charge pending on my credit card. The meal was $540 and put on a friend's card so this was alarming to me. The woman I'd been in contact with told me this was a pre-auth they do for every private event. Huh? Wondering where they get $800 from. The chef is talented no doubt, it just wasn't for us. read more

Gray & Dudley - Drenched in oil much???? A plate of cauliflower for $18. Horrible. - New American Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

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Delicious and cool artsy restaurant. I had the caulilini, cornbread, Ny Strip Steak, salted caramel budino, and cookie plate. Everything was DELICIOUS. The caulilini was a new experience for me, and the cornbread came in a small cast iron skillet with some wonderful salted butter. There is an art museum in the same building as the restaurant which you can look at for free. The restaurant had a wonderful atmosphere and had some pieces of art in it as well. Also, the restaurant has tall penguin statues which travel around while people eat. Adorable. Highly recommend. read more

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I tried Gray & Dudley for lunch today when I was downtown for a continuing education thing. It had been on my list for a long time, but I rarely eat downtown (especially this part of downtown) now that I don't work there. Gray & Dudley met my expectations (which downtown restaurants often don't)! Since it was just me, I sat at the bar to eat. I tried the black-eyed pea falafel, which is served with white bean hummus, yogurt sauce, cucumbers, pita, and a pile of fresh herbs. It was a great, delicious, and light option for lunch. I also had some hot tea, because it was FREEZING today. The service at the bar was great. The bartender was friendly and helpful. And the restaurant itself is modern and airy. I'd like to try it for another meal (I feel like it's so hard to judge a place based on one visit, one plate of food) based on my experience today. Gray & Dudley is inside the 21c Hotel, so definitely check out the free gallery space before you leave! read more

Gray & Dudley - Black eyed falafel with white bean hummus, cucumbers, yogurt sauce, and herbs - New American Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

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Decent restaurant. Drinks were good but food was just ok. Really enjoyed the Dips and Schmears. No one was wowed by their meals. Vibes are pretty good. Service was very very good! read more

Gray & Dudley - Falafel Skillet Bread - New American Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

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Full disclosure, I came for brunch. I recently had a baby so we have been perfecting the off-hours meal. With the exception of one other table and a few people at the bar, the place was empty, but we were there on a Saturday between brunch and dinner. My honey pot loved the burger. It was pretty much created just for him. He loves sesame buns and charbroiled meat. He instantly said it was one of the top 5 burgers in Nashville. I had the avocado toast. My complaints are that it was too busy and it has too much lime. The bread was incredible though. It came from Dozen. So if you like lots of veggies and acid, this is the meal for you! Their drink program shines, shines bright like a diamond. I had the party juice. It's like party juice light, which is exactly what I wanted. It's also delicious and I really want to try and recreate it at home. My dining partner got the Jack McCoy. I highly recommend that you give it a try. As far as hotel restaurants go, this place is pretty great. Beyond hotel restaurant, this place is pretty great. I will definitely be back to grab a drink and play in the museum. Oh? Museum you say? Yes, the restaurant backs up to a fun, interactive museum. It's probably the BEST part about G&D! read more

I love the 21c Hotel and was excited to come in for a late night dinner with another couple after a very fun Elite event! The whipped ricotta and smoked catfish dip appetizers were fantastic and the perfect beginning to the meal. Our table ordered the half chicken, braised short rib, and shrimp noodles (this was an appetizer not an entree). The chicken was OK but nothing special. It was a decent portion though and plenty of food. The short rib and shrimp noodles were both fantastic and delicious! I wish that I had made a different choice (I had the chicken), but the other dishes were very good so I'll have to make a better selection next time. This is a great spot for a nice dinner and I can't wait to come back! read more

Market fish black drum $29 Seared octopus $15 Burger and fries $16 (didn't know it came with fries) Broccoli veggie dish $7 Jack cocktail drink Chocolate chip and milk $9 Cream puff $9 (size of softball) Large blue penguin may join you for your meal randomly Nice cotton candy at the end Food was good and hearty Service was great read more

Came here for brunch with a couple others. Erin was a nice and attentive server. She answered questions and even provided tips about parking in the area. I ordered the small Dutch Baby with a side of bacon. This was my first Dutch Baby, so I was a bit shocked to see that it was very thick and custardy at the bottom. One of my dining companions thought it looked like flan. On top, there were pools of melted butter along with the pistachios and strawberries. If it weren't for the butter, I might have used the syrup, but it seemed over-indulgent to pour syrup into a butter soup in a flan bowl! Pools of butter aside, the flavors were nice. I liked the pops of sweetness from the strawberries and crunch from the pistachios. But I felt a bit sick after eating it and it was only the small size! The greasy bacon didn't help. :) The bacon was a bad choice. It was like the mass produced bacon you find in free hotel buffets. Not crispy but not soggy, just very uniformly cooked and glistening with grease. The space is really interesting. I entered from the alley direct to the restaurant. If you are coming from the hotel entrance, the doors take you to the left toward the front desk but go down the hallway that is perpendicular to the 2nd Ave and the restaurant is on the left after the stairs. Part of the draw for visiting G&D was the free museum. It's a cool installation and located on three floors. From the main floor, you can take the stairs or elevator down or up to see the other floors. I would recommend taking both as the stairs offer an interesting vantage and the elevator has an interesting feature. Valet parking at the hotel is complimentary if you are dining any time except for dinner. The website says dinner valet is $5 but when I pulled up, the valet stand said $8. The valet asks for at least your phone number but he also asked for my first and last name. You should immediately get a text with a link. When you are ready for your car, you need to click the link to request it. Please note that the link opened a page that prompted me to pay $10. One of my dining companions got scammed and paid it. But if you click the option to pay cash to the valet, you can get your car back for free. I confirmed with the valet that it was free and just gave him a tip. read more

Gray & Dudley - Small Dutch Baby with pistachios and strawberries - New American Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

This was a really cool place. The food was very good. We had: Octopus Lumpia Iceberg salad Burger Each dish was tasty. I thought the burger was too salty but still very nice. The iceberg salad had roasted strawberries which differentiated from other iceberg salads. Our waiter Joe was helpful and fun. The artwork was impressive. Don't miss the 3 floors of exhibits. read more

Gray & Dudley - Swirly chairs which is one of the interactive displays in the hotels gallery. - New American Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

Great location and the food was fantastic. I don't give it a 5 because the table we got (a group of 6) was, somewhat, uncomfortable. It was a large round table, so we sat far from each other, and with the restaurant's noise, we could barely hear each other. But everything else was amazing! Will definitely be back! read more

I'll start off with the bad news: the food is only 3.5 stars. So why 5? The experience pushes this to a five star status. We were celebrating an anniversary and from the moment we walked in the evening was magical. The hostess said they were waiting for us to arrive (we made reservations) and promptly sat us near the kitchen as close to a "chef's table" that you can get. The menu even had a little anniversary message. Our waitress was attentive and genuine. Let's get the appetizers, drinks, and entrees out of the way: The cocktails all looked great and didn't follow the terrible trend in Nashville of costing as much as lunch. Most were in the $9-$11 range. I did decide to go with the Malbec this time but I'll be back for the cocktails. The wines are a larger 9 oz pour. Only 1 of the 3 appetizers would I get again. We decided on: The almonds: nice flavor with the fresh lime on top but the consistency made me think they were stale. The olives: I needed these to be either warm or cold but they were somewhere in the middle and I felt they missed the mark. The flavor was good, but execution was poor. The lumpia: delicious. The outside was crispy and the inside was flavorful. The sweet/tangy relish served with them was amazing! Salads: you can't go wrong with their seasonal heirloom tomato salad. Beautiful yellow heirlooms with cheese and herbs. Their other leafy salad was good but the dressing was a little too vinegary. Entrees: The fish and grits: fish was flaky and the grits were tasty. I think because the textures are so similar it was a little bit of a let down. Not something I'd order again. The thin pork chops: the most notable thing about them was the salad that came with it. Simply amazing! Summery with sliced plums, blistered peas in the pod, and a little heat with peppers. I'm still thinking about the salad! The pork chops were actually a little thicker than I was expecting and too fatty. Dessert: we were too stuffed to try but we decided this would be a great place for drinks and dessert based on what we saw at other tables. The fun stuff: the blue penguin statues. So cute and they move them to different tables. We were luckily enough to have one join us at the end of the meal. The galleries: a legit collection on the bottom, main, and second floor. Take your drink and walk around. We probably spent an hour total exploring after our meal. There's a small gallery on the main floor showing a short film with really fun spin top chairs. Of course there are a few penguins hanging out in the galleries too! Overall the people and experience made this place. Go there for an enchanted evening of all things culture. You'll not be disappointed. I'm hoping the food gets kicked up a notch soon! read more

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A terrible dining experience to the point where it almost comical that it was that bad. Service was terrible. It several hours to be served, and shrimp was burnt when it arrived. The wait staff didn't know their own menu and were completely unhelpful and dismissive when we asked about the wait. From the other reviews, I was expecting far better. read more

I'd hate to admit this but I don't remember much about the food. It wasn't impressionable I suppose but it also wasn't bad. Definitely still worth a try. The food was beautiful presented and one of the best ambience in Nashville. The bar and dining area is trendy and modern and the hotel is so dope because there's art work everywhere. Take a walk through the hotel after you eat or if you're waiting for a table. If I'm ever back in Nashville I'd stop in again to give it another try. read more

Gray & Dudley - New American Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

Ambiance and service was excellent. The drinks were good but small in size. Food took a while but was good.

The ambiance was nice and the food delicious. I recommend trying all of the spreads and ordering the rolls.

Every once in a while, I'm cool. Had a business lunch here this week, and I'm very glad one of those attendees is such a foodie. Downtown Nashville has lots of great places popping up and some chefs really flexing their muscles, but it can be very daunting to brave the parking and traffic woes of our city's inner core. Not so here. Complimentary valet parking when you are visiting Gray & Dudley, even at lunch. You then pop through these huge glass doors to a very open hotel lobby, and head right past art installations where by now you are thinking you're in the wrong place. But you're not. Towards the end of all the visual wow-factor you enter the restaurant with, yes, some quite strange art in their bar area, but if you are seated near the open kitchen, you'll be able to see a different kind of show. It's not cheap, but not super expensive, either. My table had a roasted cheese starter that looked awesome, but my garlic allergy meant I had to pass. Others enjoyed it very much, though. I had the skillet mac & cheese - ooey, gooey cheesey entree although there was no skillet involved? It's served in a black ramekin that maybe originally was supposed to be a skillet? The side salad was super fresh and tasty as well. I did taste a french fry from one of my dining companions and I will say - top notch. Tasted like maybe they were double fried? But super crispy, and not overly greasy. Nice looking burger they accompanied, and another diner enjoyed the pork belly bahn mi - didn't look to be my thing, but she was happy. Lunch meeting, so no cocktails, but the sweet tea was good but not very sweet. The table shared a lemon dessert, the Lemon Budino pistachio crumble. It's a lovely custard type dessert served in a clear pot with creme fresh and fresh, toasted pistachios on top. The tart lemon will make your lips pucker then the cream top brings you back. Three bites was plenty for me, so even though it's small, I'd share it. The environment also wasn't very loud at lunch, so good for meetings. Ignore the yelp hours that say evening only and head on over. read more

Gray & Dudley - "Skillet" mac and cheese. Very good! - New American Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

Disclaimer: I haven't had dinner here. This is a drinks & bites review. So, technically, I suppose, this is a hotel restaurant. And, as such, you might expect certain things: conventions, crowds, 'lonely' singles hanging out at the high tops, nary a local around, etc. I suppose some of these things (or, at least, variations on such) are true but this is a 21C restaurant. The expectations are a little higher. That being said: it's new. Very new. Like, less than a month open new. That means bumps. That means new wait staff. During my visit, I had dual service from a very personable attentive (and, I assume) veteran server and a guy who was starting his first shift ever. He was nice enough but his newness was apparent and he didn't provide attentive service. I'm chalking it up to being on a learning curve. So, if indelicate service is a trigger, give them some time to get everyone all the way together. I will say, though, management is very hands-on and I witnessed/experienced management jumping in to help serve, expedite and take people to the restrooms. The bones are there. Since I was here for drinks, my biggest annoyance was waiting for said drink and waiting to order another drink. In the grand scheme of things, not so bad. I started my boozy journey with a Gold Rush: bourbon, lemon, honey, and bubbles. Served in a highball glass and artfully made with a spiralized lemon wedge in the drink, this was refreshing, not too sweet and very drinkable. I'd order this over and over again and wouldn't be surprised if this became a G&D go-to. It was very well-made. For round 2, I stayed classic and went with a daiquiri. Easy, classic, served cold and in the right glassware... I was happy. I was also happy with the amount that came with each cocktail. These aren't shots and for $10 a pop, these are some of the most competitive cocktail prices in town. Drink prices alone are reason enough to come here. Since man can't live on booze alone (#triedit) we ordered some fries to nosh on and soak up the alcohol. These fries are legit. Honestly, these are some of the best fries I've ever had. Super server let us know the reason they're so good is that they're prepared in three steps. I don't know if she was telling us proprietary info, so I won't recount but I will say that if you even think you like fries, order these. Now. After drinks, we wandered the hotel for a bit. After all, 21C *is* a museum. The galleries were well done and the hotel is wonderfully urban. I'm very excited it's here. Bringing this review back to G&D, though, expect high ceilings, impressive windows, plenty of high tops, bar space and lounge seating, slightly scary wall art, and the ever-present 21C penguin. I'm chalking up G&D's newness for the lack of local traffic and input. This should change. I look forward to returning for dinner and seeing what that piece of the puzzle is all about. read more

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My friends and I came here for dinner before going to see Luke Bryan. We had made reservations so they seated us promptly in the dining room area where you could see the kitchen! I loved the view and I LOVED that the penguin came and sat with us for dinner. We had a VERY awesome waiter. He was super attentive and knew the menu very well. He ordered our drinks and I would say that our first round was better than our second. I really enjoyed my Hot Weather Necessity (finlandia vodka, strawberry, lemon, mint) and wished I had just ordered it twice. For appetizers, we ordered the gulf catch ceviche, shrimp noodles, and hand cut fries. I would pass on the ceviche. Nashville just can't do it. I've been so underwhelmed EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. My friend's husband made it for us and it was SO much better! The shrimp noodles were delicious and I could have had three servings of it. Jalapeno spaghetti (Yes!) with fennel and a garlic-lemon crunch. The hand cut fries are like double fried and tasted SO good. They are served with sea salt and malt vinegar mayo. We each ordered a different entree. I had the thin cut pork chops while my friends ordered the half chicken and bayou la batre shrimp. We all liked our dishes but no one was raving about them. There wasn't anything wrong. None of them were blowing our minds. Then, dessert happened. There's a reason they have a separate dessert menu. It is SO delicious. We had FOUR desserts between three of us and we ate them ALL. The warm chocolate chip cookies comes with iced milk ice cream. I had the lemon boudino that is an Italian dessert with lemon pudding and whipped cream topped with honey-pistachio crisp. SO good. It wasn't too sweet. Then, the favorite was the LA Strawberry sorbet and malt ice cream with lime shortbread cookies. The desserts were the STAR. They elevated our meal and we were on cloud 9. Before they bring you the check, they also serve you blue raspberry cotton candy!!!!! Overall, a great experience. I would come here for desserts and then tour the 21C Museum. The art in the dining area will change. I do like the entrance to the restaurant as well. Whatever you do, order dessert. ;) read more

On a cold Wednesday Nashville evening I found myself in need of dinner. Using a combination of Yelp and Open Table I was able to book a table for one at Gray & Dudley. I arrived about 30 minutes early but was able to sit at their fully stocked bar to have a pre dinner drink. I was impressed with their whisky variety as they went way beyond the local offerings with some nice scotches, Irish, and even a bottle of Kavalan (Taiwan). My table was soon available and I pretty much knew what I was going to order as I sat down. Food: Lots of great selections but I had my eye on the Crispy Pork Shank for a couple days now. I mean they combine two of my favorite culinary words that being Pork and Crispy..how could that not be great dish. My server warns me that it's quite a large portion but I assure her that I am up for the challenge. I also challenge her and the bartender to come up with a cocktail using a smoky scotch and they deliver a delish drink combo of Laphroig, Gin, and Bitters. The entree arrives and it's a sight to behold, that lovely piece of pork sitting on a bed of grilled Brussel sprouts. Brussel Sprouts are supposed to be very healthy right so I consider this dish to be partly vegetarian! It was very good, nicely crisped exterior, juicy tender porkiness under the skin...the sprouts were good as well and complemented it well. It wasn't as fatty as i thought and had wonderful flavor and texture. After that meal I had a little room for dessert so went with their special GD Cluster which was a GooGoo cluster made especially for them. While waiting for my dessert someone drops off a mound of fluffy, airy cotton candy...I was like how can this meal get any better..i know, have some on the house fresh cotton candy! Server: My server Emily was amazing, she's only been there a short while but she enhanced the evening greatly. She checked on me often, was super friendly (then again is that a southern thing), and really elevated the service experience to match the cuisine. Atmosphere: Nice restaurant that was down an alley way...seems like many restaurants in Nashville are down an alley so who am I to judge right. Pretty large space with a nice bar, I was seated in the back portion of the restaurant which I enjoyed because I had a view of the open kitchen. There's a blue penguin thing by the door..be sure to ask about that when. you dine at G&D. Value: Great value for the quality and service. Prices in general seem to be lower than other "big" cities and I've found food quality is on par with Chicago, San Francisco, and Manhattan. Overall: I'd recommend G&D to anyone going to Nashville, it's definitely worth a visit....just remember the words Crispy Pork! read more

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