The second Michelin Guide American South came out on Oct. 21, 2026, at a ceremony at The Pinnacle downtown, and Nashville held its ground. All three of our one-star restaurants, Bastion, Locust and The Catbird Seat, kept their stars, and Maíz de la Vida picked up a Bib Gourmand. Here's what each one is, what to order and how to actually get a table.
Bastion
Two places in one building on Houston Street: the Big Bar, loud and walk-in with famous nachos, and behind a sliding metal door, a 24-seat tasting room where chef Josh Habiger cooks a menu of about six courses.
- How to get in
- Reservations open on the 1st of each month for the whole following month, and they go fast. The tasting room is Wednesday to Saturday, for parties of one to six.
- What it costs
- Around $175 per person before drinks, tax and tip.
- Local move
- No reservation? Walk into the Big Bar for nachos and a daiquiri. Happy hour runs weekdays from 5 to 7 PM.
Locust
Chef Trevor Moran's small room on 12th Avenue South, cooking Japanese-leaning food with a playful streak. It's open only Friday to Sunday, for lunch and dinner.
- What to order
- The potato bread with butter, the dumplings, the DIY beef tartare hand roll, and kakigori, the towering shaved ice, for dessert.
- How to get in
- Be on OpenTable at 10 AM on the 1st. That's when next month opens. Lunch is the easier booking.
- Good to know
- Tables seat four at most, and the kitchen can't take dietary restrictions, so check the menu before you book.
The Catbird Seat
A U-shaped chef's counter where the cooks serve you themselves. Chefs Andy Doubrava and Tiffani Ortiz took over in 2024, and in 2025 the restaurant moved from Midtown to the fifth floor of the Bill Voorhees Building on Eighth Avenue South.
- What it costs
- A tasting menu of 13 to 16 courses for $175, prepaid, before tax and tip. Drink pairings are $140, or $85 without alcohol.
- How to get in
- Seats open on OpenTable at noon on the 1st and go in minutes. Dinner only, Wednesday to Saturday.
- Good to know
- The entrance is on Paseo Place, behind the building. Valet runs Wednesday to Saturday at 718 Division St.
Maíz de la Vida
The taco truck that grew up. Maíz de la Vida makes its tortillas in house from heirloom corn, and its restaurant on Eighth Avenue South, across the street from Arnold's, is Nashville's only new Bib Gourmand this year.
- What to order
- The quesabirria tacos with consomé, the truck's signature, and the mole negro. At brunch, the masa pancakes or the chilaquiles.
- When to go
- Lunch every day from 11 to 3, and dinner nightly. Late-night quesabirria is still at the truck outside Chopper Tiki in East Nashville.
- Good to know
- Validated parking covers an hour and a half in the Prima garage, floors 1 to 3. Scan the code inside.
The rest of Nashville's Michelin list
Michelin recognized 23 Nashville restaurants this year. A star means "high-quality cooking, worth a stop," and a Bib Gourmand means good food at a good value. Recommended means the inspectors think it's worth a visit.
- Bib Gourmand
- Maíz de la Vida (new), Kisser, Peninsula, Redheaded Stranger, S.S. Gai, Sho Pizza Bar, St. Vito Focacceria and Uzbegim.
- Recommended
- New this year: 5th & Taylor, Junior and Present Tense. Returning: Arnold's Country Kitchen, Cafe Roze, Folk, Hattie B's (the Midtown location), iggy's, International Market, Rolf and Daughters, Shotgun Willie's BBQ and Tailor.
- In Franklin
- January at Southall Farm & Inn is Recommended again.
We checked this list against the 2026 Michelin Guide American South results on Oct. 25, 2026. Prices and booking windows change, so check each restaurant's site before you plan around it. Hungry for more? See our best steakhouses and the full fine dining list.
