The Resy Guide to Date Night in Nashville

The classic steakhouse vibe gets a dash of southern spice here. Located downtown, but away from the chaos of the Broadway strip, it’s a perfect stop-off before a night at the Ryman or the Bridgestone arena.  The menu of course includes southern staples like BBQ shrimp and chicken-fried chicken, but the stars of the show are (you guessed it) the steaks and oysters. A daily rotating selection of oysters would be a perfect start, followed by The Belle, an eight-ounce filet with fried onions, grilled asparagus, red wine glaze, and chive whipped potatoes.

With its combo of Middle Eastern flavor profiles and local ingredients, this hotspot stands alone when it comes to creativity and variety, but the date night move is to snag a seat at the chef’s counter, watching the staff at work in the open kitchen is dinner and a show — among the best in Nashville, on both accounts.

Mangia has date night covered on two fronts: By weeknight, it’s a cozy and casual spot for Neapolitan-style pizza, plus Italian classics like eggplant parm and meatballs. On Friday and Saturday nights, the lights turn down, the music turns up, and Mangia becomes the scene of an Italian feast that is described by chef and owner Nick Pellegrino as “like going to the best Italian wedding you’ve ever been to, but without any of the pain-in-the-neck relatives you never wanna see.” 

For all your romantic needs, let us recommend Luogo, the shiny Italian spot in the Gulch. You’ll find lots of elevated classics on the menu, from signature arancini to pappardelle with duck ragu, but for a special occasion, the move is surely the 16-ounce chop, served with Chianti sauce.

It’s tiki time, all the time, at Pearl Diver. If island-hopping in the tropics isn’t on the table quite yet, the tropical atmosphere and strong cocktails is a very good substitute. They have all the classic tiki drinks, such as the Mai Tai and Singapore Sling, but also some tantalizing signature choices like the East Park Swizzle, with mezcal, cream sherry, falernum, mint and lime.  Come for after-dinner drinks, or start your night here, with offerings like the pupu platter for two, yakitori, and fish tacos.

Walk-ins only.