Good neighborhood to around in in Nashville (also restaurant rec)?

June 21, 2013 2:11 PM

I'm with a few friends in Nashville for the day, we're looking for a good neighborhood to around in, also a restaurant

None of us know the city at all. We hit the Broadway strip last night and have seen enough of that. We'd like to end up at a nice restaurant in the end. Any recommendations?
Thanks.

posted by skwt to Food & Drink (7 answers total)

Best answer: I'm a huge fan of Monells. It's a family style place and Friday is Fried Chicken night!

There's The Gulch which also has music and food. It used to be a lot divier, it seems nearly upscale now.

The Lipstick Lounge is a hoot, and there's a great Mexican restaurant across the street. With a name like that, you know it's a lesbian bar, but they're open to anyone who's not a jerk and it's got a great vibe.

I took my friends to the Parthenon. It's a thing, you can spend an hour or so there.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 2:25 PM on June 21, 2013

Five Points in East Nashville. Hillsboro Village. 12 South. Here's a site that can give you an idea of the neighborhoods, what's in them, and how walkable they are: http://nashvilleguru.com/
posted by kimdog at 2:25 PM on June 21, 2013

There's always the legendary Loveless Cafe.
posted by scody at 2:26 PM on June 21, 2013

I would respectfully disagree with the recommendation for Loveless. It is DELICIOUS, but it it pretty much out in the middle of nowhere, it's not like you can walk around and sightsee while you're waiting for a table. I'd recommend 12 South (my hood!), Hillsboro Village, or Five Points, as kimdog said.
posted by zoetrope at 3:22 PM on June 21, 2013

I'm as big a fan of the Loveless Cafe as anyone, but it is a ways out of town, if that matters. If you wind up on the West Side of town, after, say, walking around Hillsboro Village, you might head for Jimmy Kelly's, which is an iconic Nashville steak house, although, on a Friday night, it's bound to be a wait for a table, unless you can still make a reservation. For a casual atmosphere complete with some faux-German schtick, and a live polka band on Friday/Saturday nights, you could try the Gerst Haus, just off I-24, or some of the other restaurants the group that operates the Gerst Haus also runs.
posted by paulsc at 3:26 PM on June 21, 2013

See the Steigletz collection ( which includes work from everyone he and Georgia O'Keefe knew in Paris( at Fisk before it's sold off.
posted by brujita at 4:19 PM on June 21, 2013

Response by poster: Thanks everyone. We had a good day, ended up Ouija-boarding at the Lipstick Lounge. Thanks for all the suggestions.
posted by skwt at 10:29 AM on June 22, 2013