Brian Nagele
Tennessee’s charming and authentic capital, Nashville, is known to locals and tourists as Music City, with famous music studios, venues, and music museums, not to mention live music all over the famous Broadway strip.
What better way to enjoy Nashville’s lovely weather than dining outdoors? There are plenty of great restaurants in Nashville with outdoor seating and outdoor patios to dine alfresco.
In my most recent trip, I wanted to take advantage of the fall leaves changing by choosing restaurants with outdoor seating.
Whether you’re looking for a fine dining experience, a rooftop happy hour, or a casual lunch on a tree-lined patio, you’ll find it on my list of spots with the best outdoor dining in Nashville.
Bartaco
2526 12th Ave S, Nashville, TN 37204
Phone: 615-269-8226
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Located in the Melrose neighborhood of Nashville, Bartaco is a casual neighborhood restaurant serving Mexican-inspired dishes and delicious cocktails for lunch and dinner.
The interior and exterior will transport you to a tropical destination, with hanging plants and wicker-basket chandeliers dangling from the ceiling and an enormous outdoor dining area surrounded by tropical plants and flowers of every kind.
Their extensive cocktail list features all the tropical favorites from Mexico, like margaritas and Palomas. Their Mexican-inspired menu has a full list of tacos and healthier rice bowls with spicy veggies and meat combos. I recommend enjoying a fresh margarita with some chips and guacamole, followed by a selection of delicious tacos like Baja fish, seared chorizo, or roasted duck.
Urban Grub
2506 12th Ave S, Nashville, TN 37204
Phone: 615-679-9342
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Located in a revamped car-wash locale, Urban Grub is the 12 South District’s beloved neighborhood bar, restaurant, and beer garden with a massive outdoor dining area replete with fire pits, private cabanas, and an in-outdoor bar. They are a meat and fish-centric restaurant specializing in contemporary Southern cuisine.
Their menu has a unique take on Southern cuisine, using unusual flavors and ingredients to make classic southern favorites. That said, they also offer seafood dishes with Italian preparations like lobster risotto. I recommend the crab beignets with BBQ sauce and the steak and biscuits with bone marrow gravy and fresh-cut fries.
Lockeland Table
1520 Woodland St, Nashville, TN 37206
Phone: 615-228-4864
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Located in East Nashville’s Five Points neighborhood, Lockeland Table is a high-end New American restaurant with deep roots in the neighborhood and the greater community of Nashville.
They have a happy hour six days a week they call “community hour” with special craft cocktails and reasonable fancy bar fare in which a large portion of the profits go to local PTO programs at public schools around Nashville.
Their menu offers a panoply of different cuisines, from wood-fired pizzas to fancy steaks to Thai curries. All ingredients are locally sourced. I love the red Thai curry steamed PEI mussels with lemongrass, ginger, shaved fennel, basil, mint, and cilantro served with grilled bread.
Margot Cafe & Bar
1017 Woodland St, Nashville, TN 37206
Phone: 615-227-4668
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As another Five Points favorite, Margot Café & Bar is a French bistro with a rotating farm-to-table seasonal menu and named for the chef and owner Margot McCormack.
The dining space used to be a 1930’s service station that has been refurbished into a welcoming industrial chic two-story indoor dining room with a large brick patio surrounded by flower gardens.
The multi-course French-inspired menu uses all local produce, dairy, and meats. When I went, I started with the shareable Artisan cheese plate with gorgonzola dolce and apple butter. On a fall or winter day, their vegetable farro soup with rosemary gremolata hits the spot.
Rolf and Daughters
700 Taylor St, Nashville, TN 37208
Phone: 615-866-9897
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Located in the famous Germantown neighborhood, Rolf and Daughters is a high-end yet casual New American restaurant.
It has an industrial-chic interior and exterior replete with wood and chicken wire lined outdoor patio with wood tables, benches, and hanging tealights. They offer intimate shareable, family meals to couples and large groups.
Their menu is expertly curated with interesting and innovative flavor profiles, combining locally sourced produce with novel seasonings encompassing various world cuisines. I had the black bass with maitake, cabbage, and rye miso, and it was a beautifully presented and complex dish I highly recommend.
HoneyFire BBQ
8127 Sawyer Brown Rd #304, Nashville, TN 37221
Phone: 615-739-6121
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Located in the Bellevue neighborhood, HoneyFire BBQ is a contemporary barbeque restaurant that serves both classic southern smoked meats as well as novel barbeque flavors.
Originally a catering company run by Grand Champion BBQ pitmaster Shane Nasby and his wife Angela, their popularity grew quickly, prompting them to open a giant brick-and-mortar restaurant with a great wrap-around porch outdoor eating area.
HoneyFire is not your average BBQ joint, with New American fusion dishes that feature smoked meats as a centerpiece. Take, for example, the Harlen Nachos with homemade tortilla chips, creamy white queso, bourbon baked beans, and hickory smoked pulled pork with house-made barbeque sauce, sour cream, and sliced jalapenos on top.
Slim & Husky’s Pizza
Multiple locations
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With locations in Downtown Nashville and Buena Vista neighborhoods, Slim & Husky’s Pizza is an artisanal pizzeria and cinnamon roll bakery.
It boasts a young, hip atmosphere that always blasts the best 90’s hip-hop and R & B soundtrack to serenade your dining experience. Slim & Husky’s Pizza is a unique oval shape with thin crust and plenty of novel ingredient combos, many of which are vegan-friendly.
You must try both their pizza and amazingly over-the-top cinnamon rolls. I had a delicious California Love pizza with spinach basil pesto, house cheese blend, artichoke, sliced tomatoes, and red onion. For dessert, I tried the Sticky Fingaz cinnamon roll with caramel sauce, bacon, whiskey, and glazed pecans.
Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint
Multiple locations
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A true southern gem, Martin’s Bar-B-Q Joint has locations across the deep south states of Alabama, Kentucky, South Carolina. It has opened its newest location in the heart of downtown Nashville. The downtown location has a massive outdoor patio with a large stage for live music performances, bright green picnic tables, bar height tables, and a wooden bar.
They offer all the best smoked meat platters and BBQ sandwiches. I also love the inventive BBQ tacos, such as the redneck taco served in a cornbread hoecake with your choice of pulled pork, beef brisket, smoked chicken, turkey, or catfish and topped with slaw and Jack Creek sauce.
The Pharmacy Burger Parlor & Beer Garden
731 Mcferrin Ave, Nashville, TN 37206
Phone: 615-712-9517
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Specializing in burgers, German Wurst, and beer, The Pharmacy Burger Parlor and Beer Garden is a cute retro soda fountain with an old-school feel located in the Greenwood neighborhood. Their beer selection is the most varied in town, and they even make their own pure cane sugar sodas.
They use all Tennessee-raised beef for their outstanding burgers and wursts. Their large, covered patio and shady beer garden backyard offer a chill and delightful setting to enjoy a cold brew and burger.It’s hard to decide between a juicy brat or a colossal gourmet burger at The Pharmacy, so I’ll recommend the best of both categories.
For bratwurst lovers, I recommend the currywurst, which is poached, smoked, and simmered in pils beer, then topped with curried paprika and tomato sauce and served with fries. For the best burger you’ve ever tasted, I recommend the Farm Burger with country ham, applewood smoked bacon, a farm-fresh egg, and maple mustard.
12 South Taproom and Grill
2318 12th Ave S, Nashville, TN 37204
Phone: 615-463-7552
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Located in the 12 South neighborhood for which it’s named, the 12 South Taproom and Grill is a hip, quirky taproom serving gourmet bar fare to Nashville residents for 15 years. They have a great front patio with bright yellow rot iron patio furniture and wood ceilings with large fans. You can bring your pets with you to the patio.
Their eclectic rotating selection of 29 beers on tap features the highest quality microbrewery offerings, not to mention the dozens of imported cans and bottles. They also have a full cocktail, wine, and spirits list. As for food, you’ll find bar fare appetizers, sandwiches, pasta, flatbreads, burritos, and quesadillas.
Bobby Hotel Rooftop Lounge
230 4th Ave N, Nashville, TN 37219
Phone: 615-600-5400
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Located in the beautiful Bobby Hotel, the Rooftop Lounge is a contemporary and chic bar and restaurant with amazing views of the colorful Avenue of the Arts in downtown Nashville. The outdoor patio has ample seating surrounded by skyscrapers, with a large wooden stage that often features live music.
Along with expertly crafted cocktails, beers, and a sizable wine list, the Rooftop Lounge also has a delicious new American menu with shareables and a few main dishes. I recommend the kale salad with ginger, goat cheese, pistachios, and dried fruits with champagne vinaigrette to start. They also make delicious bacon-wrapped jalapenos stuffed with goat cheese and griddled, then served with buttermilk dressing.
Nicky’s Coal Fired
5026 Centennial Blvd, Nashville, TN 37209
Phone: 615-678-4289
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Located right on the Cumberland River in Sylvan Heights, Nicky’s Coal Fired is an Italian eatery and pizzeria centered around a giant coal-fired oven. They also make homemade bagels for sale on the weekends. The outdoor deck is a sleek and pleasant addition to this stylish European eatery with beautifully presented food fired to perfection from a colorfully tiled coal oven.
All bread, pasta, and pizza are made from scratch, and the coal-fired oven gives bread and crusts a perfect smokey char. I recommend starting with the sourdough sesame focaccia with apple sorghum butter. Their butternut squash ravioli with roasted squash and mascarpone filling and topped with brown butter, sage, hazelnuts, and Grana Padano is spectacular.
Skull’s Rainbow Room
222 Printers Alley, Nashville, TN 37201
Phone: 615-810-9631
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As a Printer’s Alley mainstay since 1948, Skull’s Rainbow Room is a restaurant and nightclub that has seen the likes of Johnny Cash, Paul McCartney, Etta James, and Elvis Presley. And those are just a few of the iconic performances over this historic nightclub’s 70-year tenure. They serve high-end, multi-course, and meat-centric food in a fine-dining atmosphere.
Skull’s Rainbow Room restaurant is a classic steakhouse with traditional high-end offerings from foie gras and escargot to prime rib and rack of lamb. Everything is excellent with hefty portions. I recommend the Crawfish gnocchi with lobster cream sauce and fresh basil chiffonade. They also offer an outstanding NY Strip with sherry compound butter.
Nashville Pizza & Pasta
1201 Dickerson Pike, Nashville, TN 37207
Phone: 615-955-6666
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Located in the Cumberland Heights neighborhood, Nashville Pizza and Pasta is a family and budget-friendly pasta and pizza joint. They offer specialty pies and build-your-own options, not to mention calzones and Stromboli, wings, and salads. They are open till 4 am, making them a favorite late-night meal after you’ve been partying in Music Row all night.
Their pizzas are large, thin-crust pizzas and the highlight of the menu. I recommend trying the chicken pesto pizza with fresh tomatoes on top. They also make a delicious breaded eggplant parmesan over pasta at a reasonable price.
Bowie’s Nashville
174 3rd Ave N, Nashville, TN 37201
Phone: 615-953-7155
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Located in Nashville’s lively downtown, Bowie’s Nashville is a Rock’ n’ Roll music club, bar, and restaurant. They have live music acts every night and a lively bar scene open till 3 am. They offer the ultimate selection of decadent bar food and a cocktail menu where each drink is named for a famous rock n roll artist or song.
I recommend soaking up a night of classy cocktails with their Philly Waffle Fries topped with Philly steak, sauteed onions, green and red bell peppers, and melted provolone cheese. Even vegetarians can splurge with their Joan Jett Impossible Veggie burger.
Robert’s Western World
416 Broadway B, Nashville, TN 37203
Phone: 615-244-9552
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Natives and visitors alike will want to stop in at this iconic downtown Music City honkytonk. Robert’s Western World is also known as Nashville’s Home of Traditional Country Music, with Nashville Scene magazine’s vote for the best local honkytonk for the past eight years.
Located a few blocks from the Grand Ole Opry and Country Music Hall of Fame, Robert’s is home to the best country music acts in town, along with affordable bar food, beer, and cocktails.
You can enjoy a great meal with your kids until 6 pm at Robert’s Western World, then it’s 21 and up only until 3 am. If you want the real honkytonk grill experience, order the Recession special, a fried bologna sandwich with chips, a moon pie, and a PBR to drink.
Tin Roof
1516 Demonbreun St, Nashville, TN 37203
Phone: 615-313-7103
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As another famous Music Row bar and music venue, the Tin Roof is a favorite hangout for musicians and music fans alike. They have live music performances daily from musicians and DJs spanning all musical genres, with something for everyone. Each night of the week features a special performance, like Revival Tuesdays for authentic country music and Bus Call Wednesdays for full band showcases of every genre.
The food is as great as the music and the Tin Roof, with amazing tacos, quesadillas, burgers, and sandwiches. I recommend the street corn quesadillas with jack cheese, charred corn, cotija, spicy mayo rib rub, cilantro, and lime.
Honky Tonk Central
329 Broadway, Nashville, TN 37201
Phone: 615-742-9095
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Honky Tonk Central is one of the newest additions to the famous Broadway strip in Music Row. It’s a three-story music club, bar, and grill with large open balconies overlooking the brightly lit Broadway strip in all its madness. In between music sets, you can grab a drink and some delicious bar food and head out to the balconies to people-watch.
Their ample menu features bar fare classics like nachos, frito pie, and fried pickle chips. They also have great salads and southern fry baskets. Try the fried catfish, hand-battered and served with fries and coleslaw.
Kid Rock’s Big Ass Honky Tonk Rock N’ Roll Steakhouse
221 Broadway, Nashville, TN 37201
Phone: 615-248-2706
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The appropriately named Kid Rock’s Big Ass Honky Tonk Rock N Roll Steakhouse is a five-story music venue, bar, and steakhouse in Music Row. The epic rooftop towers above the surrounding clubs and offers epic views of downtown Nashville. Their steakhouse and bar have top-quality meat offerings in a bustling environment replete with large flat screens featuring all your favorite sports games.
Their casual steakhouse menu features a large domestic and imported beer list along with bar food appetizers. Try a decadent bowl of their steakhouse chili with jalapenos and cheddar. If you came for a steak, try the Tomahawk ribeye for two with a loaded baked potato.
Hermitage Cafe
71 Hermitage Ave, Nashville, TN 37210
Phone: 615-254-8871
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Located in Pie Town, the Hermitage Café is a classic southern diner replete with a classic soda fountain counter dining. Opening at 10 pm, Hermitage Café is a favorite night-owl dining spot with the most affordable prices of hefty southern fare.
You’ll want to come hungry to Hermitage Café as they offer enormous dishes like a 4-egg omelet with meat and cheese on top served with home fries and a biscuit and gravy. They have some of the best biscuits and sausage gravy in town, and they usually come with whatever you order.
Jason Aldean’s Kitchen + Rooftop Bar
307 Broadway, Nashville, TN 37201
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Yet another massive Music Row favorite, Jason Aldean’s Kitchen and Rooftop Bar has earned the sought-after title of Best Live Music Venue by the Nightclub & Bar Industry Authority.
Their multi-level bar and restaurant and enormous rooftop have live music performances every night and broadcast a nationally acclaimed radio show during the day.
Their restaurant is a steakhouse with a southern flair. I started with their amazing waffle cornbread with jalapenos inside and served with whipped honey butter.
For the ultimate southern comfort entrée, try the southern meatloaf with beef and pork, wild mushrooms, BBQ demi-glace, and onion straws on top, served with mashed potatoes.
Crazytown
308 Broadway, Nashville, TN 3720
Phone: 615-254-5460
Located in Music Row on the Broadway strip, Crazytown is a three-story music venue, bar, and restaurant featuring six bars, three stages, and two outdoor patios. You can stage hop and bar hop all night without leaving this gargantuan music and food complex. Plus, the outdoor patios have great views of downtown.
Crazytown has great bar food and bar snacks. I recommend trying their loaded kettle chips, with pulled pork, queso, cheddar, and bacon, smothered with BBQ sauce. They also make delicious sandwiches, my favorite being the Nashcuban with pulled pork, ham, swiss, pickle, and mustard.
Broadway Brewhouse Downtown
317 Broadway, Nashville, TN 37201
Phone: 615-271-2838
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Located in Music Row, the Broadway Brewhouse Downtown has a whopping 72 beers on tap, multiple flat-screen TVs broadcasting every sports program imaginable, and a large covered outdoor patio to enjoy a cold brew. They describe their eclectic menu as “southwest meets NOLA,” with a fusion of comfort food classics from all regions of the south.
Their menu features southwestern favorites and classic Cajun cuisine. To get a taste of both regions, I would order the Cajun burrito, a flour tortilla loaded with shrimp and chicken Jambalaya and jack cheese, smothered in a spicy creole sauce with andouille sausage and tasso ham. That said, it’s hard to pass up their fried shrimp po boy.
Two Bits
1520 Demonbreun St, Nashville, TN 37203
Phone: 615-750-3536
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Right on the famous Music Row sits Two Bits. It’s a brewery and retro arcade with over twenty old-school arcade games, shuffleboard, and over seventy board games and card game offerings, not to mention a karaoke room. They have 24 beers on tap plus a great menu with all your favorite bar food.
Their menu has southwestern and Mexican classics like tacos, nachos, and quesadillas, along with burgers and sandwiches. I recommend the loaded tots with queso, bacon, ranch, and scallions.
Dierks Bentley’s Whiskey Row – Nashville
400 Broadway, Nashville, TN 37203
Phone: 629-203-7822
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Located on the Broadway strip in Music Row, Dierks Bentley’s Whiskey Row is a cocktail bar and gastropub offering upscale American pub fare. It is also a music venue with an outdoor patio and rooftop lounge. They offer bar food and barbeque on par with any traditional Tennessee barbeque joint.
They also offer unique sandwiches like the shaved prime rib dip with thinly sliced steak, peppers, mushrooms, and onions, and melted provolone served on a toasted baguette then drowned in au jus and cream horseradish. Pair that with garlic fries or sweet potato fries for the most decadent pub meal you’ve ever had.
Johnny Cash’s Bar & BBQ
121 3rd Ave S, Nashville, TN 37201
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As another Music Row food and music venue, Johnny Cash’s Bar and BBQ offers southern food and slow-cooked barbeque in a lively nightclub atmosphere with live music every night of the week.
They are open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, so you can have a southern meal with the family or a late-night barbeque sandwich and beer while you listen to music with friends.
Their lunch and dinner menu has southern classics like fried chicken and chicken fried steak with all the best sides, including macaroni and cheese, collard greens, biscuits, hush puppies, and so much more. I would save room for dessert because they have the best pecan pie and cobbler a la mode in town.
La Playa Mexican Restaurant
27 Arcade Alley, Nashville, TN 37219
Phone: 615-251-8077
Located in the heart of downtown Nashville, La Playa Mexican Restaurant is a classic, family-friendly Mexican restaurant with a large outdoor patio. Known for their fast and friendly service and budget-friendly menu, La Playa Mexican Restaurant has a festive and colorful atmosphere.
Their massive menu has classic Mexican dishes like enchiladas, quesadillas, tamales, fajitas, and tacos. They all come with rice and refried beans. They also have tons of combo plates featuring one of each of all your favorites.
