Hot chicken, barbecue, meat and threes and the tables worth booking, picked by locals.
Meat & three·SoBro
Meat & three + SouthernJames Beard America's ClassicMichelin RecommendedLocals' favorite
A cafeteria-line meat-and-three with roast beef carved daily and a 2009 James Beard America's Classics award. Weekday lunch, plus Saturday brunch.
Hot chicken + bar·East Nashville·Partner
Hot chickenVisitor favorite
Hot chicken for a crowd: big tables, boozy slushies, and an East Nashville location open until 1 AM on weekends.
Old-school steakhouse·Midtown·Partner
Date night
A Midtown steakhouse serving steaks and whiskey since 1934.
Family-style Southern·Germantown
Meat & three + SouthernNashville Scene pickVisitor favorite
Pass-the-platter Southern meals at shared tables in a Germantown Victorian. Skillet fried chicken is the reason to go.
Tasting counter·The Gulch
Fine diningMichelin starJames Beard semifinalistNashville Scene pick
A chef's-counter tasting menu where the cooks serve you directly, now in a new home on 8th Avenue South.
Japanese-style pizza·East Nashville
PizzaMichelin Bib GourmandLocals' vote winner
Personal pizzas with Japanese toppings in Inglewood, from a kitchen with a Michelin Bib Gourmand.
Wood-fired Asian·East Nashville
Date nightLocals' vote winnerJames Beard semifinalistNashville Scene pick
Asian-inspired, wood-fired cooking on Porter Road; readers voted it Nashville's best restaurant in 2025.
Tacos·The Gulch + East Nashville
Tacos + LatinLocals' vote winnerJames Beard semifinalistNashville Scene pick
Tortillas from heirloom corn, made in-house, from a taco truck that grew into a Gulch restaurant and a tortilla shop.
Tasting room + big bar·Wedgewood-Houston
Fine diningMichelin starJames Beard semifinalistLocals' favorite
Two places in one: a loud, fun bar known for its nachos, and a small Michelin-starred tasting room behind it.
New York-style pizza·East Nashville
PizzaLocals' vote winner
New York-style pies and slices in East Nashville's Five Points, plus shops in West Nashville and the Gulch.
Japanese lunch·East Nashville
GlobalMichelin Bib GourmandLocals' favorite
A lunch-only Japanese spot in East Nashville with a Michelin Bib Gourmand: onigiri, soba, sandwiches and grilled fish.
Brunch·12 South
Brunch + breakfastEater 38Locals' vote winnerNashville Scene pick
Laminated biscuits and brown butter beignets from a busy 12 South bakery and brunch room. Join the same-day waitlist before you go.
Ice cream shop (chain)·East Nashville
Bakeries + sweetsLocals' vote winner
An Eastland Avenue scoop shop that readers voted the city's best ice cream three years running. Open until 11 PM, later on weekends.
Kurdish·Nolensville Pike
GlobalNashville Scene pickLocals' favorite
A Kurdish grill on Nolensville Pike, in the heart of the neighborhood known as Little Kurdistan, with fresh lavash.
Dive + burgers·East Nashville
BurgersEater 38Locals' vote winner
A Gallatin Avenue dive serving cheeseburgers late since the 1970s; readers' pick for best dive and best late-night eats.
Texas barbecue·Madison
BarbecueMichelin RecommendedNashville Scene pickLocals' favorite
Central Texas-style brisket and ribs in Madison, about 15 minutes north of downtown.
Chef's menu·12 South
Fine diningMichelin starLocals' favorite
Trevor Moran's small Michelin-starred room on 12th Avenue South, open only Friday to Sunday for lunch and dinner.
Hot chicken·Midtown
Hot chickenMichelin RecommendedVisitor favorite
The hot chicken most visitors try first: a clear heat scale, good sides and a line that keeps moving.
Every place here was checked on Oct. 1, 2026: open, at that address, with hours from the venue or Google. Happy hours appear only when the venue itself posts them.
Four scores, one rank. Locals is what Nashvillians say (the Nashville Scene readers' poll, local writers, the neighborhood regulars). Visitors is what travelers love (review volume, travel guides). Critics counts Michelin, the James Beard Awards, Eater, The Infatuation and the Scene's own critics. Crowd rating blends Google and Yelp stars, weighted by how many people rated the place, so 4.8 from 40 reviews does not beat 4.6 from 9,000. Top picks weighs them together; the sort menu lets you lean on any one.
Editor's picks are our own calls and say so. Sponsored places are labeled and never lead a list. Ratings are a snapshot; they move. Photos are of the place itself and credited, or there is none.
Hours, deals and cover charges change, so check with the venue. "Reserve" links may earn us a commission. Sponsored spots are labeled.
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The shows worth buying tickets for, what just opened, where happy hour is good right now, the weekend plan, and a heads-up before we go live.
