Nashville is the capital and the most populous city of the state of Tennessee. It is located in the middle of this landlocked state and gets the nearly pleasant weather all year round. Although this capital city doesn’t have mountains or beaches, it still receives about 15 million visitors per year. The topmost reason for tourism is its association with the country music and many festival events, besides, there are many museums as well. But this article isn’t focused on attractions because we are about to show you the best casual restaurants in Nashville, Tennessee. Such restaurants are reasonably priced, but still, give you a great dining atmosphere. Even if you’re a local or a visitor in this municipality, our list will help. Read along till the bottom of this page to know all about the best casual restaurants in Nashville, Tennessee.
1. Arnold's Country Kitchen
Editor's Note: There's no photo available at the time of writing
Arnold’s Country Kitchen is the brightest opening on this list! It’s a beloved brunch and lunch spot for the locals and the visitors in Nashville. The restaurant serves Southern cuisine, and every recipe is made from scratch. Their meat-and-1/2/3 combos are cherished the most here, and they have been constantly delivering the nearly same menu since the year 1981. They have earned a prestigious culinary award from the James Beard Foundation in 2009, and that’s a testimony to their taste. Arnold is a low-priced restaurant, so remember to check out this place if Southern cuisine is your preference.
Arnold’s Country Kitchen
Address: 605 8th Ave S Nashville, TN 37203
Website: Arnold’s Country Kitchen
Opening hours: Mon - Fri: 10:30am - 2:30pm (closed on Sat & Sun)
2. Skull's Rainbow Room
Head to this restaurant to have an unforgettable experience over dinner. Situated in the dark iconic Printer’s Alley, Skull’s Rainbow Room is a nightclub-restaurant that has been running since the year 1948. The place sets up musical performances and burlesque shows, till the late night. You may also find this detail interesting: legendary American icons like Elvis Presley, Paul McCartney, Bob Dylan, and such stars have performed on this stage. The normal cuisine you will get here is French-American coastal, but they also accommodate diners with food allergies. There is a cover charge for the club’s performances, but it can be exempted if you order dinner. Skull’s Rainbow is not a restaurant, it’s an opportunity! Visit the place if you have never experienced such a thing.
Skull’s Rainbow Room
Address: 222 Printers Aly Nashville, TN 37201
Website: Skull’s Rainbow Room
Opening hours: Mon - Thu: 3pm - 2am; Fri - Sun: 2:30pm - 2am
3. McNamara's
Check out McNamara if you’re missing the bar feel in Nashville, it’s an authentic Irish pub restaurant that has opened very recently. The owner is remarkably hospitable. He was a regular band player at an Irish pub before opening this place, and he insists on making every day at his pub-restaurant countable. That is why the house keeps live musical performances every evening, and you can actually check their monthly event schedule on their website. Try the genuine Irish cuisine over authentic Ireland musicals, and outstanding service is guaranteed.
McNamara’s Irish Pub and Restaurant
Address: 2740 Old Lebanon Rd Nashville, TN 37214
Website: McNamara’s
Opening hours: Tue - Thu: 11am - 10pm; Fri - Sat: 11am - 12pm; Sun: 11am - 10pm (closed on Mon)
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4. The Loveless Cafe
This motel turned café-restaurant has been in the business for over 65 years now, and you should aim for this destination for its real North American cuisines. Loveless has been featured multiple times in the media and renowned magazines for all the good reasons, they receive about half a million visitors per year now. Their chicken, ham, catfish and everything in meat dishes are so amazing; but the frequent visitors are often those, who come to have Loveless’s signature hot biscuits with gravy. The place is positioned some miles off the city limits, but going that far is still worth it.
The Loveless Cafe
Address: 8400 Hwy 100 Nashville, TN 37221
Website: The Loveless Cafe
Opening hours: 7am - 9pm (daily)
5. Maggiano's Little Italy
Now let’s put an Italian restaurant on our list and Maggiano’s Little Italy can be a very good selection for that. The place is about 30 years old, and it has made a presence among the locals for delivering affordable foreign cuisine. It’s mostly a family-style Italian-American dining hall, but they also operate a fully stocked bar. Order your favorite Italian lunch or dinner from the menu, and you can also opt for vegetarian, gluten-free, and pure vegan varieties. The menu is extensive, and the food is worth the price. The place always runs promotion schemes, and you can avail additional discounts on your next visit if you join their e-club.
Maggiano’s Little Italy
Address: 3106 W End Ave Nashville, TN 37203
Website: Maggiano’s Little Italy
Opening hours: Mon - Thu: 11am - 10pm; Fri: 11am - 11pm; Sat: 10am - 11pm; Sun: 10am - 9pm
6. Darfons
Darfon is another affordable dinner house on our list, and they serve old and new American flavors. This family-owned place is situated near the airport; so if you’re staying nearby or driving there for some reason, remember to check out this place. Their food menu is ever-changing, but be assured that you will be delivered only fresh items. This place is a hidden gem, the rates are reasonable and it is not even crowded. And besides the three-course meal option, you will also get a full bar. Darfons has all the characteristics to supersede a regular dine out.
Darfons
Address: 2810 Elm Hill Pike Nashville, TN 37214
Website: Darfons
Opening hours: Mon - Sat: 11am - 10pm (closed on Sun)
7. The Wild Cow
If you believe only meat dishes taste good then you’ve definitely missed The Wild Cow, the pure vegetarian and vegan restaurant in Nashville. Their supplies are organic and forever fresh, obtained daily from the local farms. Which is why they are proud to announce that they have never bought a refrigerator or microwave for this place. Also, people can spread happiness by a visit, as once a week they donate a small percentage of their total sales to many charities (one NGO per month). Along with the main course menu, you can also find beverages, soy-free diet, kids menu, and drinks collection. The restaurant is affordable, but you can trim down the budget even more if you go there during the Happy Hours. Happy Hour is held every evening, except for weekends.
The Wild Cow
Address: 1896 Eastland Ave Nashville, TN 37206
Website: The Wild Cow
Opening hours: Wed - Mon: 11am - 10pm (closed on Tue)
8. The Stillery
Just one block from the Cumberland River, this is a fine eatery in the downtown area. The place gives diverse ambiances in this two-storeyed building, with live musical performances upstairs and a casual dining hall on the ground floor. Downtown restaurants are usually expensive, but this one is definitely not among those. That’s why this place deserves a visit when you’re near Broadway Street, especially in the evenings because the band plays only at that time. The upper-level hall is smaller and the seats are less, so if you missed a seat you can always watch the live band performance on the television downstairs.
The Stillery
Address: 113 2nd Ave N Nashville, TN 37201
Website: The Stillery
Opening hours: Tue - Wed: 11am - 10pm; Thu - Sat: 11am - 1am; Sun - Mon: 11am - 9pm
9. Rodizio Grill The Brazilian Steakhouse
Rodizio Grill is a Brazilian steakhouse in the immediate vicinity of the previous restaurant. You can have numerous rotisserie-grilled items here, ranging from beef, poultry, lamb, fish, and also vegetables. Visit between April and October, which they call their ‘wild game fest month’ to have some even exotic things. During that period, they prepare antelopes, wild boars, and also rattlesnakes in sausages. So if you haven’t experienced a Brazilian steakhouse before, this is your chance. The rates are a little to the higher side, but considering the varieties available under a roof; it’s reasonable.
Rodizio Grill The Brazilian Steakhouse
Address: 166 2nd Ave N Ste C Nashville, TN 37201
Website: Rodizio Grill The Brazilian Steakhouse
Opening hours: Mon - Wed: 4pm - 9:30; Thu: 11am - 2:30 pm, 3pm - 9:30pm; Fri - Sat: 11am - 2:30pm, 3pm - 10:30pm; Sun: 11am - 2:30pm, 3pm - 9pm
10. Monell's Dining and Catering
Located in a residential street, this dining house doesn’t look like a restaurant from anywhere. And it shouldn’t because it’s not a restaurant but an unusual place. There is no menu, you just have home-style Southern food served at breakfast/lunch/dinner time. People sit together on the dinner table as a family and pass food bowls to the next person. They have taken the Southern saying too seriously - ‘strangers are just the friends you haven’t met yet’. But honestly, we like this fresh thing because you can meet new people who are interested in knowing new people. So dump the shyness and visit Monell.
Monell’s Dining and Catering
Address: 1235 6th Ave N Nashville, TN 37208
Website: Monell’s Dining and Catering
Opening hours: Mon: 8am - 3pm; Tue - Sat: 8am - 3pm, 5pm - 8:30pm; Sun: 8am - 4pm, 12am -3am
Find out the difference between casual and fine restaurants
From the food to the atmosphere, everything exudes affluence in fine-dining restaurants. They maintain a level of class because they are visited often by the wealthy, the outcome of an upscale arrangement is an insanely high-priced menu. But people have probably forgotten the essential elements of the restaurant, which is its food quality. The casual restaurant, on the other hand, serves the same great cuisine at a lower price, sometimes better in taste. We understand that ambiance is also a factor, which is why we mentioned only the remarkable eateries here!
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