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    Santo

    4.3 (102 reviews)
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    SANTO ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Trendy
    Romantic
    Upscale
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Santo

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    Roasted chicken wrap
    Clorissa T.

    Santo had a wonderful vibe and great service. Although kinda slow for a Saturday lunch hour we enjoyed the Mediterranean feel and decor of the place. While considering the menu our server mentioned at a lot of the dishes were big enough to share. With this we split the Harissa Caesar and the Roasted Chicken Wrap. Out of the two the Caesar was definitely giving clean eats. It had a good flavor and was well dressed but was still giving side salad energy for entree price. The roasted chicken wrap I was kind of disappointed by. It was mainly the fact that the chicken was extremely extremely under-seasoned and wasn't leaned well leading to fatty/gritty pieces to bite into. In the end I picked out the chicken and the wrap tasted a lot better with everything else inside. All in all, dinner options might be better than the lunch at this point. I'm curious enough to give Santo another go on another day.

    Restaurant View from Entrance
    Elizabeth B.

    Love the tranquil vibes with chill quieter music , ease of parking (shared garage with other businesses - validated inside restaurant), and the excellent service! Met a friend for lunch and started with the coffee and was rich and flavorful and so good that I enjoyed it without the accompanying cream/sugar. We decided to split the Harissa Caesar salad & Roasted Chicken Wrap. Both didn't quite reach the outstanding level, but were very good quality. I think there needed to be a bit more flavor for each. The salad was light, refreshing, and the olives really elevated it. The wrap's chicken was a bit too fatty in spots, well roasted, and yet needs seasoning or flavor. The cucumber yogurt was phenomenal! I definitely will return as there are other dishes that sound amazing!!

    Frites..kind of thinly sliced small potatoes
    Dorothy W.

    Small but elegant place in Green Hills I've wanted to try for a while. Decent HH - a few small plates and cocktails. Service was very good. Martini was well made and a dessert espresso martini was also good. I got their new Cesar salad with a steak add on and their frites..steak had a wonderful char and was perfectly cooked. Salad was tasty but for me over-dressed..I'd recco asking them to go light or get the dressing on the side unless you like a lot. Hubs got the lamb and it was outstanding. We started with HH oysters which aren't really a bargain at $2.50 each but they were delish and their mignonette was excellent. Would def go back.

    Berry Styles Mocktail
    Lauren C.

    Santo is an upscale Mediterranean restaurant. The service was great and I enjoyed the food and ambiance. The parking here was a little odd, but that's typical for the area. There's a garage down a little hill behind the restaurant. It was about $10 to park. The restaurant has an upscale feel. I loved the clean feel and color scheme. The service was excellent. Our server was laid back yet professional. He made sure we had everything we needed and was very sweet to my daughter. My five year old and I walked in at opening on a Saturday evening. We were able to get a table without a reservation. By the time we left the restaurant was filling up. The Berry Styles mocktail was delicious. We started with the Hummus appetizer. The hummus was creamy and tasty. I loved the variety of items to dip in hummus. I liked that the vegetables were cut perfectly for scooping up hummus. The Moroccan Chicken was my favorite of our two meals. The chicken had a lovely flavor and was juicy. The vegetables, couscous, and béchamel sauce worked well together. My daughter ordered the Scallop Pappardelle. The scallops were delicious, perfectly prepared. The pappardelle sauce was not my favorite. It had a slightly strong flavor that needed a little something to balance the flavors. The pasta was good. For dessert we went with Espresso Creme Brûlée and a scoop of Orange Mint Chip Gelato. The Gelato was delicious and immediately enjoyed by my daughter. I really liked the creme brûlée as well. It had a lovely dark chocolate flavor. Santo is a great restaurant for an elevated Mediterranean dining experience. It has great date night vibes.

    Spaghetti squash with salmon
    Cleo G.

    As a sister restaurant to epice, this place caught my eye. The thing is, it does the same thing as epice, where it serves upscale Mediterranean food, standard but not mind blowing. The atmosphere is very European and sleek, a nice place for a night out. Keep in mind every plate is a fairly small portion. Here's what I tried: Berry Styles Mocktail: 8/10 - Very sweet and exactly what I wanted. Tastes almost like lemonade and fruit punch. Salmon Crudo: 6/10 - The salmon was soft and buttery but we thought there was something lacking in the flavor. My insight is that I think the sauce was way too orangey, so that flavor overpowered everything else. Baked Oysters: 4/10 - Tasted like breadcrumbs. That's about it. Eggplant Dip: 9/10 - The dip was soft soft and fluffy and garlicky. It came with a bunch of crisp vegetables to dip into it and you should absolutely also get the bread, as the pita is so soft and warm. Pesto Bucatini: 8/10 - Small portion, but I love the texture of the thick bucatini noodles with the roughly milled pesto. Yummy, but it was a bit one dimensional. Definitely add some protein here if you can. Spaghetti squash with salmon: 7.5/10 - The spaghetti squash itself was pretty average, nothing too crazy about the flavor. Wish there was a sauce on it. The salmon, however, was well cooked and had a nice fishy savoriness to it. Lamb loin chop: 9/10 - Got this cooked medium rare and I loved the red juicy center. The lamb had a slight fattiness to it but nothing crazy, and I LOVED how well it paired with the puree underneath.

    morrocan chicken
    Christina D.

    this restaurant has an upscale feel to it without feeling overly stuffy which I love. The staff was incredibly helpful during our meal and gave us great recommendations. We started off with the whipped feta which was light and airy with a touch of sweetness. it came with vegetables and pita which were great, but we definitely did not have enough for the amount of feta we had. Thankfully, the waiter was kind enough to bring us more pita when we asked for it. For my dinner, I had the morrocan chicken. this was beautifully presented with chicken drizzled in sauce and a stew placed inside a bird's nest. The crispiness of the bird's nest paired well with the velvety nature of the stew. However, I felt like the chicken itself was missing something that I couldn't quite put my finger on and the portion size was rather small. nevertheless, it was overall an enjoyable meal and I would consider coming back to try more of their menu.

    Grilled Flatiron Steak, potato pave, black olive demi glace.

    Great food, elegantly done. Brette knows the menu and recommends based on your tastes.

    Bathroom sink
    Michelle A.

    Ambiance is perfect for a date night or a business meal. Great food. Best espresso martini I've had yet in Nashville. Server went above and beyond with all our special requests. Love the lighting and the modern/industrial design elements. I've heard the brunch is amazing but I've not tried that yet. I loved their salad and French fries option...brilliant!

    Lamb chops
    Ethan H.

    Came here after failing to get into the Bluebird on a Monday night. Great food and service was an excellent consolation. It was pretty dark inside, but I was able to read with my book under the table sconce. Green salad was perfection: fresh veggies, lightly dressed, balanced textures. Lamb chops were rare and tender surrounded by a creamy potato and lemon puree.

    Whipped Feta
    Caroline K.

    Service was amazing! We were able to get a reservation and the ambiance is very chill yet intimate. Good for a girls night out, date night, or dinner parties! The bucatini is DELISH!!! Ate it too fast to get a picture, but got it with the chicken and i will be going back for that!!

    Alexis B.

    I visited Santo for lunch on Saturday with a couple of friends (they don't have a brunch menu, just lunch and dinner). This review is a bit of a bummer to write, because while the food was great overall, everything else about our experience was not great. Let's get the food out of the way. We shared four dishes from their lunch menu: tuna carpaccio (with radicchio, basil, puffed quinoa, and pomegranate), white bean hummus (with crispy chickpeas, za'atar, and grilled naan), kale tabbouleh salad (with cucumber, chickpeas, red onion, cherry tomatoes, and lemon dressing), and the lamb flatbread (with grilled lamb sirloin, yogurt, cucumber, sumac, onions, and fries). I thought everything was great. The tuna carpaccio was a highlight! But there wasn't anything I didn't like (rare for me)! Now for the less positive. Santo has the distinction of being one of the few restaurants in Nashville with a dress code for dinner. Their website is a little vague about what exactly that dress code is; they also have a sign outside at the front door of the restaurant explaining that they have a dress code. I think the dress code might come as a surprise to people, since so few restaurants in Nashville have a dress code. I personally know someone who was turned away from their reservation because someone in their party wasn't dressed according to the dress code. I don't love the idea of a dress code at all. The inside of the restaurant is also kind of stupid fancy? Like way over the top (really high ceilings, a weird table built into this window nook that sticks out of the restaurant - hard to explain, lots of very expensive looking materials). I guess there's nothing wrong with such a fancy place in and of itself. But when we were there for lunch, we were ALONE in the restaurant except for one couple that was eating when we arrived but finished before us (leaving us the only people in the restaurant). It felt very strange to be in such a fancy and empty restaurant. I also wasn't sure if the dress code applied to lunch as well as to dinner (now having been, I'll say that it's so fancy looking inside I personally wouldn't be comfortable being too casually dressed whether or not they have a dress code for lunch), so I called about an hour before our 12:30 reservation. No one answered either time I called. Our service was a little all over the place, too - especially since it's not as if they were busy. My friend ordered a drink that never came. Our waiter didn't ask if we were ready to order our food until we had sat there for a long time (in fact, I think we told him we were ready to order, because we felt like we'd been there for a while). The restaurant is still new. I get that. But there are a lot of great restaurants in Nashville that have great food but don't feel as stuffy or formal or strange. I personally love Epice and think it manages a much homier, warm vibe than Santo. It's a shame, because I think the food was really very good. But I wasn't comfortable at Santo. I don't think any of the three of us have any plans to return. Three stars only because I have no complaints about any of the food!

    Branzino
    Leah F.

    I love the atmosphere, the service was amazing, this food was delicious... Beautiful and quiet, and I would totally recommend it

    Cavateli with pesto
    Zachary B.

    Honestly a hidden gem. Great coastal Italian with great service and very present owners. It's hard to knock them for much. The location could be better... that's my biggest complaint, and it's a tiny one. Great food, great drinks, better people and service. If you live in the area you owe it to yourself to try it. Pricing is reasonable for almost any budget.

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    4 years ago

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    6 years ago

    Wonderful place great food wide menu a must if your in green hills :) :) one of the best please give santo a chance

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    5 years ago

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    5 years ago

    Awesome service great food. The mixologist behind the bar knows her stuff. Definitely worth checking out. Highly recommended.

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    5 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    7 years ago

    Don't go here if you wear hats. No hat wearers allowed in the dining room A little snooty for Nashville, Tennessee

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    6 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    7 years ago

    This would have been 5 stars if the host was courteous. Amazing meal, bartender and manager! Will not disappoint.

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    7 years ago

    Stiff, formal waiters; small portions of bland food served in "elegant" presentations. Even the cocktails were odd.

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    7 years ago

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    7 years ago

    Best new restaurant in Nashville. Well decorated, friendly and helpful staff. Food is unreal. Going to try everything on the menu.

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    Page 3 of 3

    Ask the Community - Santo

    Do I need a reservation?

    No you do not.

    How often does their menu change? Do they post it anywhere?

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    The Henry

    The Henry

    4.0(170 reviews)
    1.8 mi12 South, Belmont/Hillsboro
    $$$
    Takes reservations
    Private events

    Great spot on 12th Ave. This spot gets all the high marks:…read moreService: Kellie was great. Food: We caught the end of breakfast service at lunch time and out egg dishes per perfect. Ambiance: This place has a great vibe from the decor to the music. After, we walked a loop up 12th Ave and back for some shopping.

    We stopped in for Sunday brunch! There is attached garage parking but the validation wasn't working…read moreso had to eat the cost of parking unfortunately. Our sever was new but he had great energy and was very enthusiastic. One of my friends has a gluten allergy & is sensitive to egg/heavy dishes so he was diligent in checking on ingredients and substitutions for her. That said, they did not have a lot of options for her. I get it, weird dietary needs, but the kitchen's lack of substitution flexibility for allergies was surprising. It was a really nice day out so we had marked in our reservation that we wanted patio seating with a view. We were seated at a standard height half-booth table that did not have a view over the railing so it was kind of a waste. The booth material was also cracked/peeling along the seam so it was pinching my thighs (I was wearing a dress) and was uncomfortable. The food was just okay. It's definitely on the pricier side for brunch in Nashville, albeit probably in line for 12S. My partner's French toast was little burnt. The best thing was the truffle parm fries, but mainly because of the dipping sauce. I had the Beverly Club but it wasn't anything special and a little pricy for what it is. I'd be interested to see how their dinner service compares.

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    True Food Kitchen

    True Food Kitchen

    4.0(524 reviews)
    0.0 miGreen Hills
    $$
    Takes reservations
    Full bar

    Late lunch near Green Hills Mall. We tried True Food Kitchen. Parking was a bit interesting, but…read morethe restaurant is very open, clean and inviting. Tried the Guac as a starter and it was very good. They added pickled jalapeño and vinegar tomatoes on the side. It truly complemented the flavor. My wife ate it, and she is not a huge Guac fan; so that says a lot for the Guac. Early evening Entrees were chicken parm and I had buffalo chicken sandwiches with fries. House made pickles on the sandwich were ok. Apple slaw was a good compliment to the buffalo chicken. Looks like they used the same breaded chicken that they use on the chicken parm for the buffalo chicken sandwich. Fries were good. Some very very hard and overcooked. Chicken parm was cooked well and the pasta was cooked well. One of my biggest pet peeves when out to dinner anywhere is keeping the drinks filled. No matter what it is, soda, tea, etc. That does not happen here. That would be my only negative take from this place. Other than that, we would definitely suggest checking out this place for lunch/brunch or dinner. They do have live music at night as well if that is your cup of tea. Pricing is a bit higher than some, so be aware that you may pay a little more to eat here, but the food is fresh and the menu is health conscious.

    I've been dining at this location since it opened many years ago, and I think that fact matters…read more This used to be one of my favorite restaurants. The food was fresh, the atmosphere was welcoming, and the service was reliable. It felt like a place that took pride in what it did. Over the years, I've watched that standard steadily decline. The facility itself shows signs of neglect. The dining room and patio no longer reflect the quality image the brand promotes. Service has become inconsistent, staff turnover appears high, menu knowledge is often lacking, and food quality varies significantly from visit to visit. The most disappointing change has been the food. Dishes that were once simple and ingredient focused now feel altered, reduced, or unnecessarily substituted. The restaurant's original identity was built on fresh, recognizable ingredients. That identity feels increasingly difficult to find. What concerns me most is that none of these issues appear new. They feel systemic and long standing. That suggests either leadership is unaware of the problems or has chosen to accept them. I'm not angry. I'm disappointed. As a longtime customer, I've reached the point where I no longer recommend this location and rarely choose to visit it. In a market with more dining options than ever, that's not a decision I make lightly. If someone from management or corporate reads this, understand that this review is not coming from a customer who had one bad experience. It's coming from someone who remembers how good this restaurant once was and can clearly see how far it has fallen. Whether that matters is up to you.

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    Santo - mediterranean - Updated September 2026

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