We just got back from a quick trip to Music City. 3 days of live music, eating and of course there was some drinking as well. During this trip, we stayed in the Broadway area of Nashville as our hotel was just a couple of blogs from Broadway and the ease of walking to places rather than relying on a Uber was nice. So where were our favorite places to eat and drink during this trip? Check it out.
Jason Aldean’s Kitchen + Rooftop Bar: 307 Broadway
When you think about Broadway, you really don’t think about food. It’s all about the music and the drinking. But Aldean’s breaks the mold as their food is probably the best that we’ve had on Broadway. The Bavarian Pretzel was huge and was soooo good. Make sure you get the queso to go with it! Also, the Southern Nachos were awesome if you’re a nacho person like me. Instead of tortillas, they use kettle chips and they top them with pulled pork and you’re favorite nacho toppings.
For entrees, the classic burger was unreal. A double patty burger that you literally do not need ketchup for. We also loved the Hot Chicken Sandwich (can’t go to Nashville and not get hot chicken) and the Mac & Cheese with beer pulled chicken.
Aldean’s features 6 bars throughout the building with our favorite being up on the rooftop with views of all of Broadway- probably the best view of Broadway. We’re not putting this list in any order of favorites but I can tell you for sure that Aldean’s was the best overall experience we had as far as food, drink, environment and service! Do not skip Aldean’s on your next trip to Nashville
Luke’s 32 Bridge Food + Drink: 301 Broadway
Sharing a building and rooftop is Jason Aldean’s good friend, Luke Bryan, with Luke’s 32 Bridge. This place is massive with 9 bars, yes NINE, with all different feels. There’s live music on different floors with an outdoor lower patio at the Nut House bar. There’s a dance floor for late night fun.
But our favorite was probably up on the roof at Luke’s Sushi Bar. Yes, sushi in Nashville. Most would probably steer away from a restaurant that is nowhere near the ocean but if you’re a sushi lover, this place is for you! Try the Bridge which literally comes on a Bridge. It has multiple rolls ranging from shrimp tempura to crab and salmon.
But if you’re not a sushi person, there are other options as well. If you want something lighter, try the avocado toast. If you want something that will stick to your ribs, the burger topped with bacon AND pulled pork will fill you up! We also really enjoyed the hot chicken bites that came in a cast iron pan with dipping sauce.
FGL House: 120 3rd Ave. South
Admittedly, we stopped at FGL House for our final dinner so we had already made some unhealthy eating choices over the previous couple days. We wanted to give our body a break so we got a couple healthier options at FGL House and honestly, they didn’t disappoint!
The Hot Chicken Salad was great with the heat of the chicken being balanced with the veggies. And the Nashville Strip with the mashed potatoes was SO good and SO tender.
We also tried their version of Chicken & Waffles which is one of our favorite dishes to eat- our go to at Loretta’s in Boston. And FGL House’s version did not disappoint with a perfect waffle topped with flavorful chicken and bacon! Can never go wrong with bacon!
We really loved the vibe at FGL House. It is not directly on Broadway so it wasn’t overly loud or overly crowded. The decor was awesome with colored lighting and old fuel and oil signage that would make the American Pickers jealous. The Cruise rooftop bar was great to hang out and have a cocktail on after dinner- we recommend the Party People.
Sun Diner: 105 3rd Ave. South
After a late night of drinking- and let’s face it, you’re going to have at least one of those in Nashville- we all need a good breakfast. And Sun Diner is a must stop. The cozy diner is mostly bar service with a couple tables in the back but the bar service reminded us of our favorite diners up here where you can sit and watch your food being made. When we got here, there wasn’t a seat available, and there was a small line for seats- always a good sign!
We wanted a mimosa, but they didn’t have one to serve… they had their own version which was orange juice but instead of champagne/prosecco, with beer. We decided to try one with Blue Moon and it was actually pretty dang good! Recommend it if you’re a breakfast cocktail type of person!
For food, the Creme Brûlée French Toast was unreal! This plate is massive and so delicious. Their version of eggs benedict replaces the ham with pork belly and we were not disappointed! The breakfast wrap was huge and stuffed with eggs, bacon, hash browns and pico. But if there’s one thing to try at Sun Diner, it’s their Donut Breakfast Sandwich. Yep, we said it. Donut Breakfast Sandwich. It’s a sausage egg and cheese between 2 glazed donuts. The juxtaposition of the sweet donuts to the savory sausage was awesome. So when you’re in Nashville with a hunkering for breakfast, Sun Diner is a must!
Side note: if you get pancakes or french toast, or something that needs syrup- you’re in for a treat! Their own syrup line is fantastic. Make sure you try the Spicy Pecan flavored syrup!
Legendairy Milkshake Bar: 171 3rd Ave. North
Alright so if you have a sweet tooth, like me, this place is for you. It’s about two blocks north of Broadway, just up the street from Ole Red and a couple streets over from Printer’s Alley. We stumbled across this place after a recommendation from one of our friends and after checking out their menu, we knew we had to stop by.
Their menu has 12 signature shakes plus a Shake of the Day. You can also make your own but there’s honestly no need to with the signatures shakes they have. We decided on the Rolling in the Cookie Dough, Campfire S’mores, Death by Chocolate and Milk(shake) & Cookies.
When you sit down and they bring your shakes to your table, it can be overwhelming. These shakes are legitimate culinary masterpieces. They’re beautiful but big. You’re going to think to yourself, ‘there’s no way I can finish this.’ But once you dig in, you’re probably going to.
All of the shakes we got were awesome. Other patrons seemed to get the same ones we did but we definitely saw some other ones that we did not get. My personal favorite was the cookie dough one but the others were just as good. Nashville is hot at this time of the year. Whether you’re down there for CMA Fest or just to hang out, we recommend heading to the Legendairy Milkshake Bar for a sweet treat!
The Valentine: 312 Broadway
We stumbled upon this place when our pedal tavern made this one of the scheduled stops- thanks Country Music Crawler! When we arrived we were given a card for 2 for 1 shots- couple this deal with the shot special that we were already getting via the pedal tavern, and we got quite the deal. The shot was a blue lemon drop which was very good! And 2 of ’em for $5? Yes, please.
We enjoyed ourselves so much, that after we finished our pedal tavern, we decided to go back and drink some more and eat. Of course, we got more shots but we wanted some apps to fill our bellies. And we were thoroughly impressed with the Valentine. Yes, it was bar food but it was pretty damn good bar food. The chicken fingers were perfect- so much so that we ordered more. The chicken quesadillas were juicy. And the pretzel sticks had a great crisp to them to go with their warm queso. Add in some nachos and it’s a great little mid-afternoon snack to prolong your day on Broadway.
The Valentine doesn’t have a big artist name associated with it and it’s not one of the big name iconic establishments on Broadway but that doesn’t mean you should skip this place. We’ll definitely return when we go back to Nashville!
