As the capital of country music, Nashville did not disappoint. Over three days, my best friend and I spent hours watching musicians at the Grand Ole Opry and the honky tonks on Broadway. We spent the rest of our time diving into Nashville’s robust food scene. BBQ, hot chicken, and cocktails with a view were some of the highlights. At the end of each day, we returned to the JW Marriott, just minutes away from all the major attractions.
Table of contents
Food
We looked for the best Nashville had to offer from hot restaurants to more casual eateries. After sampling some of the highlights, I recommend sticking to what Nashville does best: BBQ and hot chicken.
Must Eat
Consistently appearing on lists as one of the best restaurants in Nashville, I was thrilled that I was able to snag a reservation at a good time. You can choose from different types of seating: dining room, chef’s counter or flex seating (open to either type). We were placed at the chef’s counter, which means we had nightlong entertainment watching the chefs behind the counter prepare pita and desserts.
The cuisine is modern Mediterranean. Some of the highlights were the whipped feta with shawarma chicken and the avocado crispy rice with steak. Generally the food was quite good, but a couple of the dishes missed the mark: the grilled turnips were cooked inconsistently and the banana cake was a bit too salty for dessert.
The ambiance was modern and somewhat industrial. Ultimately, I enjoyed it and it was a nice break from some of the heavier foods we had been eating throughout the weekend.
Edley’s BBQ (East Nashville location)
As controversial as this might be, I’m not a huge fan of BBQ. If I’m in an area that specializes in it, I always make sure to eat it, but most of the time BBQ just tastes like a big hunks of dry meat. Edley’s exceeded all of my expectations.
The meats were incredibly moist, well-seasoned and paired with the perfect amount of sauce. We had ribs, chicken, brisket and pulled pork. I never go for chicken at BBQ places, but it was actually one of the highlights of the meal. The dark meat was succulent, and topped with a rich orange BBQ sauce. The sides, my favorite part of a BBQ meal, were delicious – the corn bread, green beans, grits, mac and cheese, and banana pudding were divine. (Though the banana pudding didn’t beat Magnolia’s in NYC).
The friendly service was also a highlight. As soon as we walked in, someone walked us through the menu and gave us suggestions on how to order. The bartender offered up tips on how to navigate the bars on Broadway and shared her favorite local spots. Everyone working there genuinely seemed like they were having a great time.
Tips
- If you’re looking for variety, choose the 3 star platter. It’s off the menu, but you can choose up to 3 different meats and 2 sides for about $20.
- If there’s a long line at the counter, you can order food at the bar.
Hattie B’s (Lower Broadway location)
The line for Hattie B’s is long, especially at the Lower Broadway location. This branch is closest to the main tourist attractions, and is the newest and nicest. I arrived at 10:50 am for an 11 am open, and ordered around 11:20 am.
The fried chicken was so good, my mouth is watering just thinking about it. The skin was light and crispy, and the meat was tender and moist. When you order, you can choose your heat level – I tried medium hot and southern (no heat). The medium hot was very flavorful and had a slight kick, without really being spicy. The southern was surprisingly bland. The sides were delicious – the mac and cheese was creamy and collard greens were cooked to perfection. The sweet tea was a treat without being too sweet. Skip the desserts – both the Belgian waffle and banana pudding were disappointing because they tasted like they came out of a packet.
Tips
- Get there at least 10 minutes before opening. The line moves more quickly and you’re basically guaranteed a table to sit at.
- Skip the sweets.
- To skip the line entirely, order online. I kind of like the experience of ordering with a person, so I didn’t mind waiting in line.
While Robert’s Western World is a honky tonk on Broadway, and is largely known for its country music performers, it also houses the Honky Tonk Grill. The menu consists mainly of burgers, bologna sandwiches, and grilled cheese sandwiches.
I am a sucker for diner food (and struggle to find good diner food in NYC). While standing and listening to the band, I had the $6 Recession Special: a grilled bologna sandwich (what a great drunk food), a can of Pabst Blue Ribbon, a bag of chips and a moon pie. After my terrible brunch at Liberty Common (more on that later), this was so on point.
Good, but not essential
At the top of the JW Marriott, overlooking the city on 3 sides, Bourbon Steak is where we came for a nightcap. The staff is friendly, the atmosphere is upscale and comfortable, and the cocktails were delicious.
Café Intermezzo is a European-style coffee house in the middle of Nashville. I didn’t originally think we could fit it in, but it ended up being perfect for an afternoon snack after we visited the Country Music Hall of Fame. They serve a full menu throughout the day. We shared a few appetizers, a decadent slice of triple chocolate cake, and tea. We enjoyed everything we ate – it was clear that the quality of the food was a priority. Compared to the rowdiness of Broadway or the boozy brunch spots nearby, Café Intermezzo offered a relaxing place to unwind. It’s a great spot to recharge if you need an afternoon pick me up.
Would skip
The first thing I noticed about the restaurant was that it had a really nice ambiance and vibe. The menu was seafood forward and was similar to what you could find in NYC or SF, but the quality wasn’t nearly as good. We tried 5 or 6 dishes, but most of them missed the mark in terms of flavor and texture, and a few were way too salty. Overall, there was just a general lack of finesse – for example, while the fried mushrooms had good flavoring, it was obscured by too much salt and by being over-fried.
I chose Liberty Common because it was on a series of lists featuring the best brunch spots in Nashville. Several weeks out, the prime brunch times were already booked. The decor was great (very IG French brasserie), but the food was terrible – 2 out of 5 stars. My friend had a burger and the bottom of the bun had so obviously been frozen because it was completely hard in the center. I had the fried chicken and waffles, and both were shockingly dry. Hattie B’s was about 100x better. We barely touched our food, took a few quick pictures and got out of there.
This is a pub attached to a B&B that has indoor and outdoor seating (with several fire-pits). While it was too cold for us to sit outside (even by a fire), I think that would have been the highlight of coming here. The cocktails were decent and I noticed they were making fresh pizzas in a brick oven. Otherwise, the interior is just a bit divey, with not much personality.
Wish I tried
After Butcher & Bee, this was my second choice for a sit down dinner. Locust is known for its dumplings and Japanese shaved ice desserts. It would have been fun to have Asian food in Nashville, but alas, it wasn’t meant to be.
Reservations are released a month in advance and get snatched up almost immediately – given we only decided to book the trip within the month, we didn’t stand a chance. I did put myself on the waitlist, and was notified of a few last minute lunch cancellations, but because we had pre-existing reservations, we decided to stick to our itinerary.
We drove by this speakeasy and the red British phone booth sitting outside immediately caught my eye. Turns out the Red Phone Booth is a members-only speakeasy, but those who get the secret phone number from a member or by other means can dial it into the phone booth to gain entry. We got the number from our hotel concierge, so you could probably ask yours or give the JW Marriott a ring if you need to. We didn’t end up going because the line was quite long, but ideally I’d check it out next time.
Culture
Must do
The Grand Ole Opry is a Nashville institution and is credited with turning Nashville into the country music capital that it is today. Founded in 1925, they run several shows a week featuring a range of country music artists – anyone from seasoned veterans to hot up and comers.
The show featured 6 different musicians/bands who each did ~15 minute sets, about 3 songs each. Every musician was incredible and the range of performances was very cool to see. The venue reminded me a lot of a church – while seating is assigned and numbered, the seating is made up of cushioned benches. It can get a little cozy depending who you’re sitting next to. The show had a quick 15 minute intermission and plenty of concession stands where you could buy food and drinks.
Tips:
- Tickets cost about $100 pp and our seats were in section 2 on the orchestra level with a great view of the stage.
- Buy tickets online at https://www.opry.com/.
- Download the AXS app to show your tickets at the door.
- Pay some attention to the performer list. When I was originally browsing for tickets, I didn’t recognize any of the performers. Not a huge surprise since I don’t listen to much country music. That being said, after seeing the show and looking at upcoming performers on my last night in town, there were a few names, like Marren Morris, that I did recognize, and it would have been cool to see them.
Honky Tonks on Broadway
The section of Broadway Street between 1st and Rep. John Lewis Way S (or 5th) is full of honky tonks – basically dive bars with live bands playing throughout the day. A lot of the newer honky tonks are owned by famous musicians. People were already out and about at 10 am, listening to music and drinking. The range of talent is pretty impressive, in many cases significantly better than live music I’ve seen in NYC in comparable venues. Most of the bands are playing Top 40 rock and country. We checked out 3 places:
- Kid Rock’s Bigg Ass Honky Tonk Rock ‘N Roll Steakhouse: A cool venue with 4 floors and a different band on each floor. The top floor is a rooftop space, which is great for a sunny day.
- Robert’s Country Western World: One of the few honky tonks playing more “traditional” country.
- Tootsie’s Orchid: Two stories. The first floor has two bands and the second floor has one band and an open rooftop.
The times at which you visit Broadway will lead to different experiences. Here’s when we went and what it was like:
- 3 pm to 6 pm: This is the best time to go. The bands are in full swing and the bars are crowded. While we didn’t have to wait in any lines to get in, it did usually take us a little time to find a corner or table we could camp out at.
- 7 pm to 8 pm: This was the quietest time we visited. The bars were significantly less crowded and I assume that’s because most people were having dinner or resting up before a long night out. As a result, I did feel like the band quality was a bit lower than what we had seen during our afternoon session.
- 10 pm onwards: The streets were closed off to cars and the bars were blasting music. All the signs were lit up. There were lines to get into most of the bars and they were packed to the brim.
Tips
- Visit at different times of the day – the honky tonks are a great place to day drink.
- Be prepared to stand a lot unless you get there before a peak time. While most of the bars have tables/chairs/stools, they’re usually taken.
- Check out a few boot stores tucked between the bars. They’re fun to browse, especially since some of them are selling $1,200 pairs of cowboy boots.
- Bring earplugs. I don’t know about you, but I don’t need my tinnitus to get worse. The honky tonks are loud. Protect your ears!
Would skip
The Country Music Hall of Fame
While this is probably one of the most popular tourist destinations in Nashville, it was only ok. It was on par with the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, OH, so if you’ve ever been there you have a good idea of what you’re in for. One exhibit covered the history of country music in the US and another covered major contemporary artists. There was quite a long exhibit focused specifically on Blake Shelton’s life. If you have some time to kill, it’s worth stopping by.
Accommodations
JW Marriott
The JW Marriott is one of the few truly luxury hotels in Nashville, and until the 1 Hotel and the Four Seasons opened in late 2022, it was the only one. Our stay there was one of the highlights of the trip. The rooms were large and comfortable. The pillows were so amazing, I just ordered some for my house.
Each time we walked through the lobby, it was buzzing with guests and visitors having drinks at the lobby bar or hanging out by the fireplace.
The location was perfect. It was just far enough from Broadway where you weren’t bothered by the noise or waves of people, but not more than a 10 minute walk away.
We also enjoyed the dining options. Stompin’ Grounds has a solid breakfast menu with live musicians. If you’re in a rush, they also have a robust grab and go set up for coffee, pastries and snacks. Bourbon Steak by Michael Mina on the top floor is a great place to have a nightcap and seemed like a popular upscale dining destination for many.
Because my friend has a high level of status at Marriott, we also had access to the Executive Lounge which was open on Monday and served a hot breakfast and other snacks throughout the day.
Would I stay here again? Definitely.
Itinerary
Edley’s BBQ and the Grand Ole Opry were both out of the way vs. most of the other things on our itinerary, so it made sense to group them together.
This day was pretty much dedicated to the honky tonks on Broadway.
We played the last day by ear, only deciding to add the Country Music Hall of Fame after feeling like we got our fill on the other parts we wanted to see.
If you’re interested in my planning process, read about it here.
AMANDA'S CHANTICS 