Headed up this weekend. Recommendations on where to eat? Won't have a whole lot of time to get out and about, but would like to find at least one good meal. Staying in Franklin.
Demos'. "Steak and Spaghetti House," though they have a variety of dishes. Their blackened chicken pasta is awesome. Very reasonably priced considering the quality of the food and the atmosphere. There shouldn't be a need for reservations, as your visit won't be during formal/prom/Valentine's Day, so you should be able to get in there; I would call to check though. Very close to downtown as well in case you want to see that scene for a bit. The restaurant was started by a guy who grew up in Birmingham, then moved to the Nashville area to open up the chain. I think the only Alabama location they have is up in Florence; I'm not aware of any that have opened in Birmingham, which is odd considering he grew up here.
http://www.demosrestaurants.com/If you want something more "touristy," and not more of a normal dining atmosphere, then you should check out Loveless Cafe. Actually, regardless of its old-style country charm, if you like southern cooking at all, you should definitely check it out. It's certainly one of the more unique places in Nashville. The prices are slightly high, but nothing outrageous. And the food is awesome.
http://www.lovelesscafe.com/If you want a hole in the wall place with good food that boasts a lot of (unverified) history, I would go to Rotier's. It is near Vandy's campus, so if you want to take a look around there, you're within a block or two of the campus. Just as a shameless plug, it is an awesome campus if you've never been; I'd suggest stopping by if you can. Anyhow, Rotier's claims that Buffett wrote cheeseburger in paradise there, among other music-related claims to fame. It's a good burger joint, has awesome fried pickles...nothing fancy at all, but very good overall. It's a small place that tends to get crowded at times, so I wouldn't make it your primary choice; just something cool to check out if you have the time and don't mind heading somewhere else if it looks too crowded.
Rotier's
2413 Elliston Pl
Nashville, TN 37203
Phone: 615-327-9892
Monell's is probably one of the most famous restaurants in Nashville, but it may not be your cup of tea for two reasons: 1) If you're visiting Nashville from Franklin, Monell's is on the north side of Nashville, and thus is a little bit further of a drive; not too much (only a handful of miles), but its location is worth considering if you'd prefer to eat at some other place that is closer to downtown. 2) It's a restaurant where they seat you at large tables with other people, so it's a unique atmosphere. Country cooking, and although I've never been there, my understanding is that you get courses upon courses of whatever is on their menu that day. I've heard the food is always good, but you don't get a menu from which to choose your dish, as they just bring out what they're serving. The website has their menu by days of the week.
http://www.monellstn.com/ndininginfo.htmlPancake Pantry may be something that you want to do as a tourist, but in my opinion, it's overrated. The lines are always absurdly long in the morning, and the food's not worth it for the wait. Nothing is wrong with it, but...I guess you'd have to really love pancakes to wait in those long ass lines for an hour or more.
http://www.thepancakepantry.com/That's about all I can think of...there are tons of other places that we'd go to for drink specials, cigars, etc., and some of those places had good food (Sherlock's was an awesome fish and chips place with British lagers, but it's now closed), but the above mentioned places are probably the cream of the crop if you're just looking for a dining establishment.
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