This place is pro. I only went for lunch, but there are certain things I look for in restaurants, and the little things all stood out to me like a sore thumb (in a good way). The staff could not have been more attentive, well timed, or more appropriately behaved. For example, there was a table of obnoxious people and their kids, about 12 total, and when they left the employees had the tables split up and the mess cleaned up in about 3 minutes. Then the manager was making notes of scratches in the wood for someone to touch up. Details. A couple more nice touches were the hostesses opening the door for us, the waiter taking our leftovers away to box them up for us (pet peeve when waiters toss you boxes on your table at nice places), and when he brought them back, he placed them on the coat rack ring on the side so you're not talking over a big bag of leftovers. I also noticed another waitress hang a diner's coat on those rings that are right next to the table. Really, all in all, this is how dining is supposed to be. Other people talked enough about the food that was very good. My date had a chicken salad and subbed the grilled chicken for the fried chicken and that chicken breast was perfect, if not only 30 seconds underdone if I have to be extremely picky, but way to err on the side of underdone without a hint of it actually being undercooked. Very tender and juicy. I had the rotisserie chicken that was very tasty, but I actually thought the white meat splintered apart a little too much and was on the dry side. Tough to nail a slow cook for lunch, though. It was still very tasty and the dark meat part was awesome. Sure, you can come here and drop $200 on two people if you're indulging, but our meal for two was $43, which is less than I drop on sushi. One of my favorite things to do is go to places like this and find something for $10-15. You really do benefit from a high quality establishment even if you don't drop a lot of money. read more

Been going to the Franklin J Alexander's for 20+ years. First time to this one and got a curbside order that ended up taking 30 minutes longer than they promised. Me, My wife, and two screaming kids waiting outside forever. Told them we were gluten free and of course they got that wrong with flour tortillas on the tacos and then tried to give us a non gluten free dessert as apologies for the wait. The extremely sweet bartender told me that she had double checked everything and clearly that wasn't true. Anyways terrible experience. read more

Great place for lunch. It is never too crowded (But just enough) and they can get you in an out fairly quickly. Dinner can sometimes be tricky. The menu is very consistent. The Salmon and the Ribs are my two favorites. They also have some of the best bartenders in town! read more

So I've been coming here for many years. Hard core the last 9 years and I am sadly sitting at my table now giving this a one star review. It has really gone down hill in my opinion. They are blaming covid. I came for lunch today the deviled eggs are no longer on the menu plus the other 3 items I really wanted for lunch! They no longer have the brick oven pizzas either! The thing that really got me is for a year now they don't have thousand island dressing! Get it together j Alexander's bring back the local favorites! I will stay going to Stoney river u til the menu isn't so limited! read more

Met an old friend here for dinner, it had to have been over 5 years since the las visit. I Liked this one because the food and service is always a lovely experience. As Southern as it is the style and ambiance is always so comfortable. I ordered the catch of the day, Don't know who or where it was caght but it was great, had the chef to sear it with house seasoned mashed potatoes, red wine gravy sauteed mushrooms, aparagus, and red wine. Nothing else just a happy man.... its hard to eat, smile, and talk.... :) read more

It is rare to find a chef that can Pittsburgh a steak as good as Melvin. Mine was superb! read more

J. Alexander's - NY Strip. Pittsburgh by Melvin. - New American Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

If there was a three-and-a-half star rating, I would give it that. I had quite possibly the best corn bread and worst vege-burger I have ever had all in one sitting. To echo the other thoughts listed here, the service is very good, and the food consistant. For a lunch, it gets a bit pricey, when you can get comparable food at Germantown Cafe for less money. I would go back, but wouldn't make elaborate plans about it. read more

The only J Alexanders I've been to is on White Bridge. The atmosphere is great...a bit dark, intimate, classy. Just the way I like it. The food is good. I've never had anything I didn't like enough to order again. The staff is familiar with everything on the menu and can answer any question you throw at them about the appetizers, entrees or wine. When I eat out, I want it to be an experience. I want to be catered to. I want great food and wine. Our server introduced us to a wine yesterday that was very reasonable and now-my new favorite. I'm a food snob, and I like this restaurant. Wine starts at $7 a glass and goes up from there. Entrees start at about $14, appetizers start at about $5. I've eaten here for lunch and dinner a few times. Whether there's two of us or 10, the service and food has always been outstanding. read more

I really shouldn't give J. Alexander's a 5 star rating, because they are not perfect. However, they are close enough. Cut to the Chase: BEST Burger in Nashville. Order the Old Fashioned Cheeseburger with Tillamook Cheddar. Tell them not to cut it in half, unless you prefer that. J. Alexander's does a fantastic burger. Too often, people create what seem on the menu to be great burgers, but cook them on a griddle that adds no flavor (remember Fuddruckers? Been to The Pharmacy?). J. Alexander's cooks their burgers over a wood-fired grill that add just the right level of smokey charred flavor to bring out the best in the burger. Plus, they cook it perfectly -- no need to order rare if you want medium. Add to that a great bun, Tillamook Cheddar, and fresh fixins, and you have an exceptional burger that, so far, no one in Nashville can compete with. More: The rotisserie chicken is a generous, juicy half chicken served with excellent mashed potatoes. Again, the rotisserie chicken is cooked slowly over a wood fire that provides excellent flavor. The Faucon Salad is not a dieter's choice, but is a dreamy combination of greens, bleu cheese, bacon, and hard-boiled egg. The Filet Kabob is just great. If you are a filet fan, this is the way to go. The Mac 'N Cheese is not my favorite. It is more oniony, where i feel garlic would be a better choice. Nonetheless, the real dedicated mac 'n cheese fans that I know love it. The Fire-Grilled Artichokes are great, but ask for garlic butter (or olive oil and garlic) and lemon wedges rather than the rémoulade. Drinks: the Pear Ginger Martini is really excellent. The Bottom Line It's hard to go wrong at J. Alexander's. I have not tried everything on the menu, but I have never walked away dissatisfied. This is not haute cuisine, but it is a very reliable upscale American cuisine. Too often, I have gone to restaurants that offer "American Cuisine" but deliver a bland or uninspiring meal. J. Alexander's delivers consistently great food at moderate prices. They have captured the essence of good American cuisine. read more

Great service, great food and amazing queso dip. The cocktails were also top notch. It is not to be missed in Nashville. Make sure you make a reservation as it can be tough to get in. read more

Its easy to overlook reviewing a place that has been an on and off part of the routine for a long time. I really like this place. The people are nice, the food is good, the atmosphere is good, the prices are reasonable, and its nice and clean. The staff is obviously well trained and perform their duties with smiles on their faces. Whether its just a quick beer on the way home, or several at the bar while watching a game on TV, or a full dinner....its consistently good. The only thing I would change is that they dont take to-go orders over the phone. But, perhaps that's why everything else works so well. read more

Prime rib was tender and delicious. Artichoke appetizer was a tad in the salty side but a fun dish to share and get the hands a little dirty with. The server was fantastic and friendly. I'll be back. read more

I'm going with 3 stars because this place is just that "A-ok" which is more a smack at their new crazy high new pricing than anything else. The food is standard steak house fare but quite good good and frankly they should charge you just to go in and smell the place as the waft of their fire and rotisserie items is to die for. Or so you think until you get the menu where a French Dip sandwich will set you back $17. That's a sandwich folks and we're in a Nashville strip mall, not NYC. Sadly, this kind of price inflation is clearly thinning the herds as the night we were there last week was dead leaving 3 staff members to wait on us virtually non-stop. What use to be a place you could go with your family for dinner that was several notches over the standard chain fare has lost its place in my opinion. If I'm going to drop $100 on entrees and a shared appetizer for 2 (and no wine!) I'll be hitting Flemings or Stony River. read more

Stopped by for lunch because I had an appointment down the street and it was well worth it. Large crowd so I sat at the bar and Anna took care of me. She did an outstanding job but what was impressive was when I ask for something and someone heard me, they say it's ok; I will get it you go ahead. A true team effort. read more

Great place for lunch. Had the salmon and campari tomatoes. The salmon was marinated and cooked to perfection. Basically melted in my mouth. Was a hit, 3 other folks in my group also ordered the same dish and were highly pleased. Nice atmosphere, very much felt the same as a Houston's. read more

Hostess was amazing and found us a table quickly during a packed night. Service was expedient and cordial. Food was fresh and delicious. Ordered the prime rib sandwich and was pleasantly pleased. Wife ordered the spaghetti squash and has been raving about it all night. Would highly suggest to friends and family. 9/10 stars. read more

My friends Jon and Jamey brought me out here for my birthday on Sunday night. I had never been and I have to say I was extremely impressed by the service. I will be back. I had a very odd experience but they handled themselves so well. First off, my friend Jamey's steak was extremely undercooked and they graciously took care of it. Then, I took a bite into my burger (Bacon & Swiss, sooo yumm) and discovered a piece of wax paper stuck to my lettuce. The manager, who had stopped by about the steak, walked up just as I found this little surprise. Not only did they take care of our dinner (an appetizer, three entrees and dessert) but the manager gave me a $25 gift certificate. It wasn't the greatest experience but they really took care of it. In other food reviews, I loved their spinach queso, but the chips were a little over salty. The creme brulee was so yummy too. read more

I wish I could give more stars. Used to love love love this place. When they changed their menu and their take out we stopped going as frequently. Almost stopped cold tell unless friends want to go and we begrudgingly go. Salads are good and prime rib sandwich used to be the eat until they cut it in half and raised the price. So sad to see it change so much and not for the better when ll these new places are sprouting. read more

I love, love love the grilled chicken salad, and though it is $14, it is large enough to make 2 meals for almost anyone. The same applies to most of the meals here - really good quality, expensive but large servings. The menu stays the same through the seasons, with grilled salmon, chicken, steaks, burgers, crab cakes and other tried and true restaurant choices done to perfection. They have the best carrot cake ever - it is served warm and is all kinds of delicious - gooey, sweet, crunchy and riddled with cinnamon and nutmeg. Haven't tried the other desserts but my guess is they are just as good. Another thing that J. Alexander's does extremely well is vegetables. Rather than going with the tired mixed veg of several squashes and carrots, they offer seasonal vegetables along with their specials, and they are unusual and delicious choices, such as winter squash with cinnamon butter in winter and sliced heirloom tomatoes in the summer. Order a plate of 3 veggies and you will get enough for 2. BTW, customer service is great as well. After all this applause, I have to include the cons. This is a small chain that is priced like a local, chef-owned restaurant, although I do, again have to stress the gargantuan proportions. However, no matter how large the size, there is still no justification for charging FOURTEEN dollars for guacamole and chips. I mean, come ON. read more

Locals who want to seem hip and urbane will point out that this is a "chain." But the food is very good. The service is top-notice. If you slapped on a different name, this is where all the wanna-be foodies/hipsters/locals would dine. But, again, it's a "chain," and thus can't be any good. Of course the food here is actually tasty. So the pretenders would therefore not appreciate it. read more

Hey guys. So it's really not often I leave a five star rating for restaurants but that could simply be because there aren't that many in my area. Today was the first day I went to a J. Alexander's and I gotta say-it was fantastic. My girlfriend wanted me to try their macaroni and cheese, broccoli, and chicken. We split the portion and it ended up being the perfect amount of food. Everything was cooked excellently and the chicken was so tender and the broccoli so fresh. The food was hot and the service was great. For dessert we got the carrot cake, a very large slice of it. It was warm and luscious and melt-in-your-mouth good. Highly recommend this place. read more

Perfect perfect perfect! The wait staff is incredible... Fast, efficient, attentive and very pleasant! We got perfectly portioned salads... The faucon salad that had amazing bleucheese crumbles and dressing, the feta, grilled chicken ( Greek salad) that was perfectly topped with crispy thin tortilla strips, the third and final salad cypress salad with fried chicken nuggets and fabulous homemade cornbread cubes! This is a consistent place that delivers great food every time! Thank you!! read more

One of the best meals we have ever had. The service was sensational- Milana was a dream. We had the steak kabobs, crab cakes, and salmon Caesar (the salmon dip appetizer is AMAZING) It's the perfect location for a date night as you can dress it up or down and either will work. The entire staff was on point even tho it was a busy Friday night. We will be back! read more

Amazing service and delicious food at a fair price. The manager came to our table to apologize for the wait on our food when we had not been waiting long at all and offered to get us something while we waited. The steak was exceptional but we will especially be back for the key lime pie and cappuccino! read more

I had a very nice dinner here tonight. We started with the huevos rolls which had all kinds of rich savory goodness, including chicken and black bean. I've had this sort of "southwest style egg roll" before, but I thought this was nicely done. I think the salsa had some cucumber in it too, which was pretty nice. I split the Alex's salad with someone else, and I chose the cilantro vinaigrette, which was a little sweet and had an Asian feel to it. I'd definitely get that again if I the chance. For the entree, I had the salmon special. The server told us that it was Norwegian, which she confirmed to be wild. It was very good - it didn't have that overly fattiness of the farmed stuff. It came with this cold wild rice salad with cranberries in it - I think I like it better than the salmon. The sides were also great - we ordered the tequila beans and the mac & cheese. The mac and cheese were good, but I thought the tequila beans were REALLY good. Nice rich barbecue style sauce that wasn't overly sweet - although I admit not really detecting the tequila. So with one appetizer, a split salad (which was plenty), an entree each (one salmon, one prime rib), two sides, one glass of wine and two glasses of Blue Moon (mmmmmmmmm), the bill came to about $90 before tips. I'm sure you can eat for cheaper if you get sandwiches or burgers. The service was great. Our server Jamie was very engaging, she dealt with our crap with humor, and she explained the stuff on the menu without having that "I know what's haute cuisine" air of snootiness that drives me nuts. (Like, I hate being lectured about how I should order brown rice instead of white rice - I won't mention any names, but the initials are PFC. Hahahaha.) She seemed very honest about what she felt were the best dishes (even joking that "I know you're supposed to recommend the most expensive stuff, but...") So 5 stars for Jamie and the other service staff. read more

One of my favorite places to eat on the planet! Very classy. Very good vibe. Fast service and incredible fresh food quality. The "not your ordinary Mac n cheese" is the best I've ever had! The chicken tenders are so juicy and hand breaded. I go here once a week. read more

Overall: Delicious, hearty eats with great service. Food/Drinks: I'm honestly not a huge red meat fan (then why the heck am I at a steak place, right?) but they do have other options! The fish tacos are filling without being heavy. If you really want a belt buster, go for the mac & cheese. It's amazing, but you will need to work out for 3 hours the next day. There is a fairly good wine list and a few cocktails as well. Service: I have always had good service, in fact, I would be more surprised if I didn't. I think it's part of their schtick to act a certain way/say certain things. I always end up eating in a booth in the bar area, it's a great place to people watch. You never know who will show up to this off-the-beaten-path location! Cost: Entrees are in the teens, sides are about $4 and wine runs the range from $7 for a basic glass and goes up from there. read more

*This is 5 stars for dinner last night on Sept 21, 2018. Shandal (spelling?) was our server. She's the best server we've had at J Alex in a LONG time. J Alex has been known in the past for excellent service and cocktails and food. The service and cocktails have slipped a lot over the last 6 months particularly. We eat at J Alex 3-4 times a month. Please please please J Alex-- get some bartenders who know what's going on and can make drinks in a timely fashion. Maybe consider a bar to make drinks just for the restaurant vs the bar area serving just those in that area. 2 weeks ago I waited 25 minutes. Yes. 25 minutes. To be notified the bar was out of cranberry (on a Friday night). Last night drinks took over 15 mins. Shandal kept us updated. Explained the bar was backed up. I appreciated her keeping us in the loop. The slow service wasn't due to her work. It is frustrating to order drinks and an appetizer and the appetizer arrives 5 minutes before cocktails. The manager just walks around grinning but never once checks in -- maybe he knows they're lagging. Many thanks to Shandal for taking care of our party of 4 last night!!!* Older update: We love J Alex. We eat there 3-4 times a month. Excellent food and cocktails. Service is usually excellent. We love their salads and filets. It is hard to beat a filet from J Alex and everyone in our family has their favorites so it is easy to keep everyone happy. My two complaints are: 1) the Ginger Pear martini is delicious however every time i order it, it tastes different. There seems to be no consistency in the recipe like there is with the pomegranate martini or fleur de lis martini. 2) please replace the toilets in the women's restroom. They are SO low. They remind me of preschool toilets. You are almost on the floor. I always thought it was just me thinking they were low but recently 3 friends made the same comment about it! We do love J Alex. A wonderful Nashville traditi read more

I haven't always been a fan of J Alexander's. I always found it overpriced for adequate food. I went last night and had the chefs special- a bleu cheese encrusted filet- and WOW. The steak, the mashed potatoes..... Both were perfection. When our server suggested dessert my fiancé and I waved him off until he mentioned off-the-menu creme brûlée... A weakness of mine... Also well worth it. I've avoided this place in the past but will definitely be back. read more

I don't typically review chains, but J. Alexanders isn't a mega-chain so to speak. I can honestly say that I've never had a bad meal at J. Alexanders. My favorite menu item is the prime rib sandwich. A great piece of meat on good crusty bread....its hard to go wrong. Their salmon is also really good, and I like that cook it to more of a medium-rare to medium temp. The service is always really good, however, I don't understand why 3 or 4 different servers may help you over the course of one meal. I wish they would change the menu a bit more often. I have 2 or 3 items that I typically fall back on. Even the specials they offer tend to rotate between 2 or 3 items. Overall, J. Alexanders is a nice versatile place. It is appropriate for a business lunch, a nice little date night, or even a family dinner. read more

I really like J Al's and have for years as it really is a mainstay for West Nashville. My review is the result of a customer service matter. I was informed this evening that J Alexander's does not accept to go orders over the phone. I kind of understand, but you should never make it difficult to get people's business. I wonder how much revenue J Al's has lost from people who go elsewhere because of the call ahead convenience. I could be wrong, but I disagree with the policy. read more

I go to Nashville every 6 months, and would NEVER miss a chance to eat at this J Alexander's! Surprisingly for any chain, it is one of the best quality American cuisine places to eat! We went two days ago, and the half dozen restaurants around J Alexanders had empty parking lots. Meanwhile, we circled a few times till we found a place to park at J Alexanders. That should give you an idea how good they are. My top picks: Ribs Steak (any of them!) Swiss burger with bacon Roasted artichoke-maybe the only one I'll eat anymore Skillet cornbread--after one piece of this sweet, spicy, buttery cornbread, you will want to eat the whole skillet loaf, but you won't have room cause you will be way too full :D Carrot cake--we always save room for carrot cake, even if we split it with our whole table. It is moist, dripping with cream cheese frosting, and just unparalleled. The menu is reliable. It's consistent each time we've been, year after year, and I appreciate that. For a group of 4, you shouldn't have too bad of a wait if you aren't able to call ahead. read more

Having to wait for over 42 minutes for a table for 2 is bs!!! There were 2 couples in front of us and we sat and waited since this 'hostess' said it would be 15-20 min. TWO times this 'hostess' refused to acknowledge us yet she kept seating over 9 other groups. So she finally says that, "oh these people had a reservation and you were a general reservation. WTF?!?! We've been waiting over 40 min for a lousy 2 top and there were plenty of tables open!!! Sorry but their front desk service is worse than any lousy eatery; especially when she saw I was disabled and kept getting her bs reasons over and over. I've been going to this place since they opened and through their changes. The last 3 times the food was either uncooked or over cooked! When you have to send it back and they seem to find the customer at fault shows their Mgmt needed to be changed cause many of their servers have no idea what customer service and quality is about. Main Hostess..... please..... she has no idea had to work in the general walk-in reservations from their new RESY reservation system. Sorry.... went to Ninki and had no wait and their habatchi was cooked to perfection! J Alexander's..... 4th time! You're OUT! Change your reservation system cause just with us, we watched 3 other couples walk out!!! Then when we said we were leaving, this 'hostess' just smiled and said, "Have a nice evening'. She nor this other 'hostess' did a damn thing...... Go to Ninki's or even McDonalds..... the service is quicker and much more professional! Mic dropped! read more

The music is horrible and off-putting. Can hardly hear. Why would any restaurant want to increase tensions for its patrons is beyond me.

Excellent steak and sides. Our server was great! Only bad thing is that we haven't been able to get back! Maui steak was perfect. Highly recommended! read more

We've dined at this location many times over the years. Alan our server this evening was excellent and the food was always on point. Another great experience, thank you read more

The original J Alexanders on white bridge road has never lost its mojo! While the chain has expanded to many states since this concept restaurant started the story, this home town gem keeps it real. Two of my favorite menu items are the spinach queso (to die for cheesy goodness) and the French dip sandwich. The sandwich cannot be rivaled anywhere at any other restaurant. You can tell they don't just shave prime rib from a dried out piece of prime rib. It's the good stuff! And the smear of creamy horseradish is not overpowering. Nothing is over the top here. It's just right. My husband's favorite is the rattlesnake pasta. The perfect consistency for the noodles they use. Last but certainly not least, save room for the carrot cake or very best chocolate cake. Incredible. Order it even if you have to take it home. It's good to see our little home town gem has grown up, but never forgot where it came from! read more

Long time Nashvillan first time to eat here it has always been packed glad we made the wait it was delicious and we will be going back the rib eye was the best I have had. read more

I love this place. It is clean and neat, the food is really good and the portions are huge. It's not necessarily cheap but it's really good. I've been there several times and will go back. The only thing is the music is a little loud sometimes but other than that it is good! read more

It's not the most romatic, not the best food, not always quiet enough to have a conversation, but it's our favorite for routine dining. The food is always well above competitors in this category, the service is outstanding, and the menu offers a wide range of options. J. Alexander's is consistent to the point you know exactly what to expect and we've never been disappointed. We visit the Cool Springs location about 20-25 times a year and the West End location at least 5-6 times a year. read more