I’m tempted not to even write this review today. I posted these photos on the SoBros Network Instagram account over the weekend with the caption “Real Nashville knows.” The first comment was our friend E, saying “NEVER tell them ’bout this one.” Sometimes, we enjoy our relics of Old Nashville, and we don’t want to get the word out. Sometimes, we just want to enjoy our things! I feel that. But, Wendell Smith’s is a Nashville institution that belongs in the grand pantheon of restaurants we’ve visited and written about. It’s a heavyweight among the meat and three scene, and it’s the spot I’d recommend to anyone visiting town wanting a more authentic taste of the southern staple (in which mac and cheese is considered a “vegetable”).
Outside of the occasional trip to McKay’s, we don’t find ourselves in West Nashville very often. We’re out in Mount Juliet now, and with life seemingly getting busier every day, it’s hard to make the time to drive across town for lunch. My memories of Wendell Smith’s begin all the way back in the 1990s. My dad was a paint and body man. There were times I was sick that I had to tag along with him to work at his shop in East Nashville, across from what is now Hunter’s Station. He had his regular rotation of lunch spots, but any time we had to get out and about and found ourselves in West Nashville, Wendell Smith’s was the spot. As I got older, my dad’s shop had moved around – I was old enough to help him sweep the floor and sand cars during the summer while I was in college to earn a few extra bucks. Those days, he was based out of Lebanon. But, I remember him perking up a couple of times whenever he had a job in West Nashville to go to. “Come on, son – we’ll go to Wendell Smith’s.” That’s a hell of a drive for lunch from Lebanon. I’ve since wondered if the reason he even took those jobs in West Nashville was because it meant we’d get some Wendell Smith’s for lunch.
So, this past Saturday, with no plans on the calendar for a change, I picked up my mother for a bit of a joy ride…driving around to see the old neighborhood she grew up in, and of course, a visit to McKay’s. We decided that there was no time like the present to stop by and dine at one of the legendary establishments in this city. For more on Wendell Smith’s, check out their website here.
Pics
Ratings
Food: 9.2/10 – So, I went with the traditional meat and three, my choices being the beef steak with gravy, mac and cheese, coleslaw, and white beans with a piece of cornbread to go with it. You want to talk about a fulfilling meal, I swear this plate had some sort of mystic healing properties. On a rainy day, it just made me feel whole again. The crunch on the beef steak added a nice texture to the main course, but the way the rich, hearty gravy melded all of the flavors together, salty enough to dance across my tongue but not overbearing, made for a bite that celebrated the simplicity of a good old fashioned southern staple. The mac and cheese, creamy as can be, balanced that out nicely. The slaw tasted fresh and crunched with every bite as if it had just been chopped and prepped when I ordered it. The savory white beans were cooked to perfection, done enough to melt in my mouth, but not so done that they turned mushy. For journalistic purposes, of course, I had to try a bite of the roast beef and corn. Like the slaw, the corn tasted and crunched like it was freshly-prepped. The roast beef was tender, bursting with rich flavor enhanced by the gravy. Every bit of it was good. It’s a meal that reminds you of the good old days.
Value: 7.5/10 – $36 for all of this food and a tip? It feels like a bit of a steal.
Atmosphere: 6.1/10 – It’s called ‘character’ people. Sure, we had to move from a booth to a table because my fat ass gut was pressed against the table in the booth. Sure, someone tried to squeeze through the tables and rammed a chair into my knee when they bumped into it. That doesn’t matter. This is a place with character – photos of Nashville royalty adorn the walls, autographed with complements to the chef. People have been coming to this place for decades. It’s one of those spots that I can sit in and just feel the Nashville of my childhood. And, the service was spectacular.
Overall: 7.6/10 – It’s a Nashville institution for a reason. There just aren’t many places left in town where you can eat like this.
CURRENT NASHVILLE RESTAURANT RANKINGS
- Audrey (8.82/10)
- Hathorne (8.62/10)
- Butcher & Bee (8.5/10)
- Nectar: Urban Cantina (8.44/10)
- The 404 Kitchen (8.41/10)
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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