Full disclosure here, guys – I’ve eaten at The Stillery who knows how many times since it opened up on Second Avenue downtown. I used to work at a day job in the general vicinity and would pound that hot chicken…that pizza…and, my goodness, that fried catfish on a bi-weekly basis. I’ve been eating at this place off and on since it opened. But, sometimes, it takes the stars aligning before I finally sit down and write an actual review of a place. When our resident film critic Brandon Vick and I decided to have dinner at The Stillery before we went to the Titans-Patriots preseason game at Nissan Stadium a couple of weeks ago, I knew this was my shot to get this personal favorite of mine into our catalog of Nashville Reviews.
The wild part of it? I got a salad and I never get salads at…like…anywhere I go. But, that late August Friday night was a HEATER. It was so hot and humid, it felt like you were breathing in steam when you walked inside. I actually woke up that morning, housed an electrolyte package, and drank a gallon of water before heading down. I didn’t want to get anything too heavy knowing we’d be out in the elements, y’know? But, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to get some of that hot chicken. Thankfully, I found compromise in the form of their hot chicken salad.
So, while I’m technically reviewing a hot chicken salad and fried pickles, just know that I’m writing for the hot chicken tenders, the pizza, the hot chicken mac and cheese, and the catfish too. For more on The Stillery, check out their website here.
Pics
Ratings
Food: 8.14/10 – The food is the strong suit of this spot for me. It may be mixed in with a lot of the Broadway noise, but it stands out as one of the few places you can get a damn good meal to go with your booze and live music. I believe I’d call it a “bona fide dinner spot,” but not a “shit, I need to wear actual shoes and not just my flip flops” spot. There’s a tang to their “house hot” flavor that sets it apart from other hot flavors around town. And, I’ve only ever had the highest quality of chicken, whether it’s on a salad, tenders, or sliced and set upon a bowl of mac and cheese. It’s juicy, tender, coated with the perfect amount of sauce, nice, and crispy. I loved the flavor of it paired with the freshness of this salad, and for sure think that helped me survive the inferno that was Nissan Stadium that night. The fried pickles were a surprise – they can run pretty oily and greasy at some places, but The Stillery cooked them just right so that they weren’t a wet mess and had a little more crisp to ’em. And, for goodness’ sake, please go try that catfish some time.
Booze: 7.41/10 – I’ve only tried their specialty cocktails once, and I do remember thinking they were pretty good. But, I love a good beer list, and between the local options of Yazoo Pale Ale and Little Harpeth Chicken Scratch, they have two of the heavy hitters in my regular rotation. It’s not overly extensive, but they play the hits, which is about all we can ask for here in Nashville, am I right?!?!
Value: 7.21/10 – Given the context of where it’s at, whether you’re dining on 2nd Avenue or over in Midtown, I consider this a great value. It is as good a meal as you’ll find downtown for the price, and as a matter of fact, what makes it such a good value is the quality of food compared to some of the other places that charge around the same ball park in the area.
Atmosphere: 7.39/10 – If you’re not familiar with my work…if you’re not a regular around here, I generally hate going downtown these days. But, The Stillery is a comfortable spot to post up and take in a hearty meal and a cold beer. The service has always been spectacular.
Overall: 7.54/10 – I love The Stillery. It’s one of my favorite spots to grab dinner and have a few beers. It’s also one of the first places I recommend our visitors to try as well. Long live The Stillery!
CURRENT NASHVILLE RESTAURANT RANKINGS
- Audrey (8.82/10)
- Hathorne (8.62/10)
- Butcher & Bee (8.5/10)
- Nectar: Urban Cantina (8.44/10)
- Lockeland Table (8.31/10)
You can check out our full Nashville restaurant rankings here. I’m always looking for new spots to try – don’t be afraid to hit the comments with suggestions!
Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network, and a Dogs Playing Poker on velvet connoisseur. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD, #BeBetter, and ‘Minds right, asses tight.’ “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Nashville, Yankee Candle, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley
Subscribe to the SoBros Network Patreon here – $5/month gets you instant access to an exhaustive content library of articles, podcasts, and videos created exclusively for our subscribers!
