The 2025 NFL Draft was quite a blur for me. We poured our hearts and souls into the 2025 Stacking The Inbox Draft Guide. I pulled 15 hours worth of live streaming in three days to cover the event. It’s what I love. It’s what I do. But, even for as much as I love the grind, it takes its toll. That Sunday, after the dust had settled, I had no film to watch, no stream to prepare for…the hay was in the barn. So, my wife’s proposition was simple – “you have a day to do nothing….what would you like to do with it?”
My answer was as it usually is. “Let’s go mosey around the used bookstores.” McKay’s has become a little daunting – the place is always swarming with people and I’m not the biggest fan of crowds. We had just been to Harper’s Books in Lebanon recently (my personal favorite). So, we landed on Murfreesboro, where there are a few fun used book stores. On our way up, we got this wild idea because we were feeling so loose and relaxed. “Let’s try a new breakfast spot!” Sure enough, we started Googling and found several suggestions for Metro Diner.
And, that’s where we landed. She’s from New Jersey – while the “Waffle House vs. diners” debate has raged internally for the better part of 14 years in our household, I’ll at least acknowledge that there aren’t many real diners around the Nashville area. To find Metro Diner felt like a nice slice of the Northeast, delivered to us right here in Murfreesboro. We had to try it out. For more on Metro Diner’s Murfreesboro location, check out their website here.
Pics
Ratings
Food: 6.824/10 – My wife loved her bacon, egg, and cheese croissant. It was gone before I even got to try a bite! The breakfast potatoes were fantastic. My western omelette was phenomenal – I’ve always been a fan of the western omelette, but the key to it, in my opinion, is the freshness of the bell peppers and onions in it. Metro Diner used ingredients that tasted like they were sliced fresh from the garden. The scoop of salsa on top was a nice touch that added a little kick and a little extra flavor to the dish. The hash browns (topped with cheese and onions, no less) were the real star of the meal to me. Between the crispy edges and the softer middle, the bite of the onion, and the cheese that made for a smooth, rich, and creamy blend of textures, it was a good, hearty dish.
Booze: 7/10 – You know the rule. Anywhere I can get a mimosa flight with breakfast is going to get an automatic 7/10 on the Booze Scale.
Atmosphere: 8.123/10 – It might’ve been the strength of the entire meal. Our service was consistent and friendly. I loved the atmosphere of the diner itself. It really made me feel like we were up in Jersey visiting family….the real deal, if you will. Best of all, I LOVE sitting right up at the countertop across from the kitchen, watching the cooks do their thing. Just about everything they prepped, my wife and I looked at each other and said, “damn – we shoulda got THAT!”
Value: 5/10 – Fair is fair. Honestly, I don’t remember how much I paid for this meal, but I do remember thinking “that’s about right,” which is much better than the usual, “holy shit – they charged WHAT for that diet coke?” I usually keep my receipts when I write these reviews, but again, I wasn’t planning on writing this…I was simply struck
Overall: 6.74/10 – A really strong overall experience for Metro Diner. It hit just right after a long weekend, and in particular, a Saturday night that may or may not have left me slightly hungover. It was good solid diner food served in a traditional diner setting. More of this in Middle Tennessee, please and thank you.
CURRENT NASHVILLE RESTAURANT RANKINGS
- Audrey (8.82/10)
- Hathorne (8.62/10) (R.I.P. – we’ll never forget you)
- 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, third on Football & Other F Words, co-host of The Hot Read Podcast, analyst for Stacking The Inbox, 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, the NFL Draft, Nashville, Yankee Candle, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley.
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