"Oak is one of the best places for a steak in Nashville. It’s the perfect steakhouse to max out your work expense card on ribeyes and New York-style cheesecake or escape from Broadway for a night that doesn’t involve beer and Jäger. All of the staples are presented and accounted for, along with a few surprises that are done really well. There’s the traditional shrimp cocktail, iceberg wedge, and a prime NY strip, but also things like the Nashville hot crab cakes and a yuzu semifreddo. And the thick cuts of beef here are cooked spot-on medium rare. photo credit: Eliza Kennard photo credit: Eliza Kennard photo credit: Eliza Kennard photo credit: Eliza Kennard Inside, there are soaring ceilings that reach the top of the two-level space and a consistently humming open kitchen. The money spot is one of the booths in front of said kitchen, where you can watch those bone-in ribeyes get fired up and make their victory lap around the room until they reach your table. Food Rundown Nashville Hot Crab Cakes Another perfectly fine non-chicken food item turned “Nashville hot” just because. An eye-roll for this trend is warranted, but as much as we want to hate this dish, we can’t. The seasoning adds some sweet heat to a very traditional dish, and what can we say? It’s like an Evil Old Bay. Dry-Aged Bone-In Prime Ribeye You’ve got plenty of options when it comes to steak, but the bone-in ribeye should be the move. This 22-ounce slab of beef has a nice fat content, giving the steak a nice round and rich flavor. And when you say “medium rare,” you’ll actually get it. White Cheddar Mac & Cheese With Lobster Arguably the best side on Oak’s menu. The gooey fontina cheese on this mac gives it a subtly nutty and buttery flavor that plays well with the hunks of lobster. The cheese also gets a nice crispy blistering in spots. Yuzu Semifreddo After your feast, the yuzu semifreddo is the perfect counterpoint. It’s a light, refreshing dessert with the citrusy tang of yuzu. The cookie crumbles on the bottom give the dish a satisfying crunch and texture." - Jackie Gutierrez-Jones
