Skip Broadway: A Local's Go-To Nashville Restaurants That Aren't Teeming With Tourists

Having lived in Nashville for nearly 20 years, I consider myself a local whether Nashville natives might agree or not. I've seen the city grow quite a bit since I moved to Nashville from Atlanta in 2008. Since then, Nashville has been called the "It City" by the New York Times, and Tripadvisor placed it No. 4 on its 2026 list of Best of the Best Destinations in the United States.

If you've ever been to the Music City's downtown Broadway area, you can probably attest that it's a pretty hot spot. There's live music in almost every bar, packed three-story honky-tonks with rooftop bars, boot shops galore, and plenty of restaurants geared toward making a few bucks off tourists. But, for me, Broadway is not somewhere I visit often. We might go downtown a couple of times a year — usually if we're going to a sporting event at Bridgestone Arena, or a concert at the historic Ryman auditorium. The pedal taverns, constant bachelorette parties, and the smell of stale beer is a bit too much for me these days, though I don't fault those who love that vibe. 

In terms of restaurants, my wife and I might pregame at Deacon's Steakhouse or at the Assembly Food Hall before said sporting events or concerts. That said, we've found plenty of off-Broadway restaurants that have become our go-to spots over the years. For the most part, these spots are far away from the downtown cluster. I wouldn't call these restaurants "hidden gems" per se — they're popular in their own rights — but they definitely have more of a local feel to them. They're also far enough away from Broadway that you have to be intentional about visiting them. With all that said, here's my guide to five Nashville restaurants that aren't teeming with tourists.

We'll start in Sylvan Park, a mostly quiet residential area with a fair share of locally owned neighborhood bars and restaurants. That's where you find Answer, an absolute gem of a restaurant owned by executive chef Chris Raucci and general manager Victoria Rothberg.

Answer has an approachable, upscale — yet affordable — menu. Its appetizers are perfect for sharing, especially the delicious arancini made with sushi rice, fatty pork, and shrimp, and the fried green tomato with pimento goat cheese, lobster, and tabasco aioli, which is everything you want from an upscale interpretation of a Southern classic. The entrees cover the gamut: there's trout and halibut, a lamb and pork ragu, or even an 8-ounce filet or a delicious burger topped with havarti cheese, arugula, and strawberry and jalapeño jam, both served with duck fat fries. Other than the filet and trout, most of the entrees hover near $20, which is an extremely fair price point for a Nashville restaurant.

The bar fills up quickly at happy hour, and the parking kind of sucks, but that's pretty standard in the Sylvan Park area. Answer is also accommodating to kids, as we found out when we took our smaller children here many times when they were still munching off the kid's menu. When you think of a neighborhood restaurant, Answer should be what you think of: great food, super-friendly staff, and a welcoming ambience all around.

Visit Answer at 132 46th Ave N, Nashville, Tennessee 37209.

In terms of restaurant density, East Nashville probably has the most well-reviewed, locally owned spots anywhere in the city. While we don't get there often — we live on the opposite side of the city, around 45 minutes away — many of these restaurants are worth the trip. This includes Red Headed Stranger, a fantastic, Michelin-recognized taco shop named after a Willie Nelson album and led by executive chef Bryan Lee Weaver (who also presides over Butcher and Bee and Fancy Pants).

Red Headed Stranger has a smaller, more affordable menu: $3.95 tacos, $12 crunchwraps, and a $7 green chile cheeseburger (one of the best burgers in Nashville) composed of Bear Creek beef, chopped Hatch chiles, American cheese, Gifford's bacon, and ranch, served on a Martin's potato roll. Make it a double for $12. Though I don't get here as often as I like, I think it's one of coolest restaurants in the city.

Everything about Red Headed Stranger just screams unpretentiousness. It's the epitome of a no-frills, classic, approachable taco shop. It's perfect for enjoying a couple of tacos, a few cold beers, and maybe a shared plate of tater tot nachos or homemade queso with fresh tortillas. Red Headed Stranger doesn't take reservations, so plan ahead if you're visiting on the weekends or busier nights.

Visit Red Headed Stranger at 305 Arrington St, Nashville, Tennessee 37207.

Located in the old-school, ritzier Belle Meade neighborhood, 360 Bistro is about a 20 minute drive from Broadway. Based on its location, 360 Bistro is probably the most expensive restaurant on this list. But, if you're up for high-end, delicious, beautifully plated food, it's worth the money.

The dinner menu changes seasonally, but typically includes a few red meat options, such as steak au poivre or braised beef short rib, as well as a perfectly cooked halibut or salmon, bolognese, a fantastic smash burger, and a mainstay chicken Milanese. If the price point is a turn off, try the more affordable lunch menu that's served from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday. It includes the best fish and chips in Nashville, a crab cake sandwich, and a decadent French onion soup topped with Emmentaler cheese. 360 Bistro also features 50 wines by the glass, and a wine list with more than 1,000 selections.

This is a smaller restaurant, and typically packed with regulars after 5 p.m. — we've even seen a few celebrities and country music stars during our visits — so consider reservations if you plan on dining. Parking is easy as it comes for a Nashville restaurant. Make a day of it: go early, treat yourself at the spa next door, and a enjoy a delicious dinner at one of Nashville's best restaurants.

Visit 360 Bistro at 6000 TN-100, Nashville, Tennessee 37205.

Literally half a mile down the road from 360 Bistro is one of Nashville's more classic, old-school steakhouses. Opened in 1974, Sperry's Restaurant is what you expect from a traditional steakhouse: dark interior, all wood, no windows. Had "Mad Men" been based in Nashville, it's the type of spot Don Draper would have frequented.

The menu is equally filled with fresh seafood, such as jumbo lump crab cakes, King Crab legs, lobster tails, rainbow trout, scallops, and fresh sashimi tuna. Then, of course, the steaks, which come perfectly cooked to your liking every time. The options include filet mignon, New York strip, an 18-ounce bone-in ribeye, and even a Hereford beef bacon cheeseburger, alongside many surf and turf pairs. The restaurant also has one of my favorite happy hours in Nashville, including $12 prime rib sliders, $10 barbecue shrimp and grits, and $4 to $5 beers. Staying true to its 1970s origins, Sperry's also features a salad bar (something almost unheard of in 2026) that you can add to your order for $13. The menu can be on the pricier side, but it also has plenty of options that are perfect for sharing, such as its dozen appetizers and larger bone-in steaks. Also of note, Sperry's has a second, less busy location in the Cool Springs area of Brentwood, about 30 minutes from downtown.

Visit Sperry's Restaurant at 5109 Harding Pike, Nashville, Tennessee 37205.

Urban Grub is a gem of a local restaurant located in the 12 South neighborhood — which can be a bit of a tourist draw in its own right. Though 12 South can be busy and parking can be iffy, it's a far cry from the jam-packed celebrity honky-tonks on Broadway. Even if you don't visit Urban Grub, there are plenty of other excellent restaurant options in this part of the city.

This is a casual fine dining restaurant that leans a little Southern, with many fresh fish and aged meat options. Steak standouts — all butchered in-house — include a dry-aged 16-ounce New York strip, a 7-ounce filet, and a 16-ounce ribeye. There's also a massive double-cut pork chop served with fresh smoked peaches. Urban Grub's seafood options include shrimp and grits, bucksnort trout, arctic salmon, jumbo lump crab cakes, and (my personal favorite) wood-fired oysters. Don't miss the Southern-influenced options either: steak and biscuits with beef tallow fries, a pit-smoked rotisserie chicken, and a club carbonara that comes with house-made rigatoni, smoked chicken, and house bacon.

Again, like Sylvan Park, the parking pretty much sucks in 12 South. The good news is that Urban Grub typically offers valet parking to save some frustration. We use it every time, and I highly recommend it if you're going during busier hours. Believe me, your nose should tell you Urban Grub is a great restaurant the moment you walk in the door. It's the ideal spot you're looking for to get away from Broadway and find great food and drinks, incredible smells, and excellent service.

Visit Urban Grub at 2506 12th Ave S, Nashville, Tennessee 37204.