On Sunday night, my wife and I made way for Germantown before we moseyed on over to The Ryman to see the Jason Isbell show. We’ve been hearing about Butchertown Hall for some time now, but the stars hadn’t aligned for us to stop by until then. So, on a quiet Sunday evening, after a trip to the Walden Pumpkin Farm in Smyrna, we pulled up to that neighborhood, parked on the side of the street, and enjoyed a nice little date night. The weather was perfect, not so cool that we shivered, but warm enough to be comfortable. And, Butchertown Hall itself was beautiful…a sleek, modern restaurant that evoked trendy big city vibes on a quite little street corner. The ambiance was fantastic, and it set the stage for an enriching evening. To check out the Butchertown Hall menu, scope out their website!
Pics
Ratings
Food: 8.64/10 – This grade is almost exclusively for the Smoke Stack alone. The queso was fine. I tried a bite of my wife’s tacos and they were fine. The churros were pretty damn good – who’s stuffing churros with cream? My goodness. But, “fine” isn’t going to get you an 8.64/10, which is one of the best food scores I’ve ever given on this series. That Smoke Stack is what did it, and it pretty well instantly became one of my favorite dishes in this entire city. Per the Butchertown Hall menu, the Smoke Stack is “SMOKED ANCHO CHILI MEATLOAF | GARLIC HERB MASHED POTATOES | TOMATO COMPOTE | CRISPY SHALLOTS | DEMI GLACE.” Now, as I described it, it’s a dish that provides the full spectrum of perceptible flavor. The meatloaf itself was rich, smoky, and had the slightest little kick to it. The tomato compote gave it a bit of a juicy tang. The potatoes added a creamy buttery flavor and texture. And, the shallots added some crispy texture as well, that added a bit of a bitter balance to the tang of the tomato. The dish was tied together with a subtle sweetness that I couldn’t quite place exactly where it was coming from. The Smoke Stack is a flawless blend of flavor and texture that pays homage both to the quintessential southern meat-and-three and the smoke and spice of Texas BBQ all the same. Incredible and poetic – this is what I want my dining experiences to be in Nashville!
Booze: 7.79/10 – Any establishment that has Ayinger and Paulaner available during Oktoberfest is automatically getting five points. The gin and tonic I had was refreshing and a little heavy-handed, though I like my G&Ts strong. It was perfect to me.
Atmosphere: 7.45/10 – Maybe it was just going on a Sunday evening, but it was nice and quiet there. I like nice and quiet. We dined outside, listening to the wind blow through the leaves in the trees nearby, clearly able to hear one another speak. It was a fantastic date night. The dining room and the bar both looked pretty fun, but I wouldn’t have traded it for the tranquil environment outside. Our service was spectacular.
Value: 4/10 – For queso, two tacos and a side of street corn, my Smoke Stack, a gin and tonic, and an order of churros, the bill was $100 before a tip. This is the rough part of writing this review, because I feel like I need to be completely transparent with you guys. It was a great meal – I’m grateful and thankful that I’m in a position where every once in awhile, I can go downtown and spend $32 on meat loaf. I’m happy to do that from time to time, and if you can’t tell, I’m obsessed with that Smoke Stack and think it was worth the price. $68 for everything else that we got….sheesh, I just don’t think the tacos were so much better than what you can get elsewhere that it’s worth the price tag. That’s why I’m giving ’em a lower value score.
Overall: 6.97/10 – The price tag is definitely what keeps this from being one of the elite spots in Nashville in my book, but if you’re in a position where you don’t have to think about that, then by all means, knock yourself out. It was a fantastic environment with fantastic service. My wife and I enjoyed a lovely evening with good conversation and ambiance, and I discovered what is one of my favorite dishes in Nashville now.
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
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