Von Elrod’s = Confirmed Kickass Spot

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I’m always looking for cool new spots in Nashville. Places where you can “hide in plain sight,” so to speak. I’m over the bright lights, dizzy nights, and the smell of puke running into a sewer drain down on Broadway, but I still love Nashville. There’s a vibrant undertow of culture in the Music City that’s much more than beer joints and honky tonks. So, you can imagine my delight when I discovered Von Elrod’s beer garden and sausage house over in Germantown.

It’s directly across the street from First Tennessee Park, so I can’t imagine a better way to pre-game and/or post-game the Nashville Sounds games this season. But, the SoBros First Lady and I decided to try it out last Friday night.

The first thing you’ll notice about this place is the atmosphere. It’s a clean place, with a new and trendy look, but it’s not so overbearing that you’ll feel out of place in a pair of jeans. I waltzed in in jeans, flip flops, and a hoodie and no one batted an eye. That’s important for a regular Joe/borderline slob like myself. But, it’s also important because I can get away with taking my girlfriend somewhere I also enjoy without worrying about her thinking it’s a dump (because I love hanging out in dumps).

We started off with an order of the garlic and parm Belgian fries (Rating: 7.5/10) – juuuuust the right amount of garlic and fresh. The perfect appetizer – not too heavy to spoil my appetite but tasty nonetheless. The fries paired perfectly with my refreshing Southern Wit. My girlfriend went with a dry rose cider. I never knew such a creation existed, but I had a few sips and found it rather delightful.

For our entrees, the girlfriend went with the Crispy Half Chicken off the smoker menu. Cooked to perfection, full of flavor, and served with a side of Sweet Potato Jojos. I kid you not when I say this chicken could go toe-to-toe with some of Nashville’s best BBQ. I gave it an 8/10.

I went with the Nashville hot chicken schnitzel. Who knew a beer garden/sausage house would get in on the Nashville hot chicken game? The chicken itself wasn’t overloaded with flavor the way a lot of the city’s hot chicken is.

Such a simple sandwich, too – hot chicken, mayo, and pickles on a buttered bun. But, together, it was a symphony. It wasn’t greasy and runny like some hot chicken in town can be. Excellent taste without the blinding heat, and the slab of chicken was so enormous that it hung off the bun by an inch all around. But, the texture and consistency was downright euphoric. The secret weapon in this dish was the buttered bun. It just tied everything together with its smooth, rich, and creamy taste.

I added a side of the broccoli sriracha slaw and this instantly became one of my favorite meals in town. I gave it a 9/10, which brings its overall SoBros Approval Rating (something I literally just made up) to 8.17/10.

And, for a trendy new spot in Germantown, the check was completely reasonable – for two drinks, two entrees, and an appetizer, I spent just under $60, tip included. In Nashville prices, that’s a deal. I’ve spent that much money on food that was pure shit before so I’ll take it.

Thing is, I wasn’t even planning on reviewing this place (hence the lack of photos). But, after I left, the First Lady of SoBros and I were so impressed that I thought, “I have to get the word out. I have to help this place however I can.” Weird, I know. But, here we are. Go to Von Elrod’s.

Von Elrod’s is good.

Other SoBros Network Reviewed & Approved Locations

Corsair Brewstillery
Casa de Montecristo

Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD and #BeBetter. “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Alabama Crimson Tide football, the WWE, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley

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