While I’m still unclear as to what a honky tonk truly is, I’m clear on a few things: Nashville has unbeatable musical talent, top-tier food and drinks, and a good dose of southern hospitality.
Nearly two weeks later, I think I’m still recovering from my girl’s trip to Music City, but just alive enough to write this guide for you on what I would do again and what I would do differently the next time I find myself there.
FOOD/DRINK
We didn’t have a single bad meal in Nashville. That’s not an exaggeration, the food is truly spectacular there. I would almost venture to say the same for the cocktails with the exception of our first drink on Broadway. Go to Broadway for the scene and atmosphere, leave if you want a drink with actual alcohol in it (or a bar that has a menu, for that matter).
If you want the full list of places we ate, you can head to my original pre-trip post here, or, keep reading for my best of the best reviews:
Butcher & Bee:
This was my favorite dinner while we were there. The menu is eclectic and surprising, and doesn’t rely heavily on the standard fried-everything. The menu is seasonal, so depending on when you’re reading this, these dishes may not be available, but for now, I highly recommend the avocado crispy rice (we got ours with chicken, but honestly, it didn’t need a protein, the highlight was the avocado and rice), soft shell crab, and bacon wrapped dates.
As for drinks, check out the Matcha Muchacha – it tastes just as good as it looks (and I’m a sucker for anything with Matcha in it)
Adele’s:
We didn’t eat here, but the Bloody Marys were the best we found in Nashville. The use a housemade mix and don’t skimp on the vodka. You’ll definitely want a reservation if you’re going for brunch because the wait for walk-ins was over an hour during peak weekend times. However, if you do have to wait, the Bloody Marys will more than hold you over.
5th & Taylor
It’s a restaurant in a converted warehouse, which in and of itself is pretty cool. That and the (literal) hundreds of candles lit around the dining room, and it makes for a pretty romantic ambience. Go here if you’re in town with your better half for a date night. Some favorites included items from their raw menu: the beef tartare and the ono poke. For my main, I got the “duck’am” cooked medium with a side of brussels sprouts.
Attaboy + Pearl Diver
We drank our favorite cocktails at Attaboy and Pearl Diver, both located in East Nashville. Neither bar are places I would go if you’re single and looking to mingle, but go here with a group of friends if all you’re into are the drinks and the atmosphere. There’s usually a wait at Attaboy, so if you’re grabbing dinner nearby (ie. Butcher & Bee down the street), make sure one of you pops out of dinner 40ish minutes before you’re done to put your names down. Attaboy gets extra points for not having a menu, but doing it well, unlike the bars on Broadway. The mixologist asks you what your favorite liquors and flavors are, and creates a customized cocktail based on your preferences.
THE SCENE
I think what shocked us the most was the sheer number of bachelorette parties in the city. I am not kidding when I say every five minutes, there was party bus of women riding past us wearing matching T-shirts blasting Redneck Woman. While I considered having my bachelorette party next year in Nashville, this trip taught me that unless I wanted to have my last hurrah to be with every other bride-to-be on the planet, I needed to choose somewhere else.
Of course, we stayed at the Westin, which probably leant itself to the crowd given that it was very close to Broadway. However, no complaints about the actual hotel. The Westin was gorgeous and had views on views from its rooftop bar. If I were to do it all over again, I’d probably stay at the Thompson Nashville. The rooftop bar located inside, L.A. Jackson, was our favorite for the atmosphere if you want something that has a well-rounded mix of humans not only celebrating their bachelorette party.
For a more hipster-esque scene, head to Rosemary’s in East Nashville. It is literally a bar located in the backyard of a house, so has the feel of a Brooklyn house party with a full bar. We didn’t stay past midnight, but we heard that the scene really gets going after witching hour.
Oh, and if you do stay at the Westin and are looking for a good cup of coffee – head to Stompin’ Grounds located inside the Marriott next door. It’ll revive you for the next day of adventures.
In summary – go to Nashville for the drinks, food, and music. If you’re looking for a more off-the-beaten path for your bachelorette party, however, I would look elsewhere.
xx,
Anna
“You can’t wait until life isn’t hard anymore to be happy.”
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