Doug G.
Yelp
Burger + Grain, located in The Nations, is a fairly new addition to the Nashville food scene, and a welcome one at that!
We had been eying the place since just before opening and finally decided to give it a try just after Christmas. I am happy to report that they are now fully functioning with a liquor license, so to all that had to wash down your meals with mocktails, you can head back to get the hard stuff now!
The atmosphere of Burger + Grain is casual, but upscale, open, but also intimate and most importantly, welcoming. We walked in the door and were immediately greeted by the hostesses. We made a reservation for dinner, they located with ease and sat us immediately.
The layout of the place is a very open concept with an open-air kitchen and butchery to the right, casual and bar style seating near the kitchen, along with formal dining seating to the left and of course, the gorgeous bar located in the back. We sat along the windows as a two top and were pleased to be able to see all the action of the place, especially the plates going to the tables! However, that did make it hard for us to decide on our meals.
Speaking of, we went full 3 course dinner here. Started with the Bourbon Braised Short Rib Dumplings. They were PHENOMENAL! The short rib was beyond tender and the soy garlic broth was the perfect accompaniment. While the rest of our meal was great, these were the highlight for sure! For our mains, my husband ordered the Steak Salad and I went with the Pan Fried Bologna Sandwich. Yes, I know what you are thinking..."did he really order a bologna sandwich here?"...and the answer is yes, without regret!
The bologna was the thickest piece of bologna I have ever seen and the sandwich was simple, yet refined. When you can make a bologna sandwich elegant, you are doing your thing and that is just what Burger + Grain did! The steak salad was perfectly dressed and the steak was expertly prepared. Dinner was outstanding!
After dinner we hit dessert and selected the Not So Old Fashioned and a scoot of the Ice Cream of the Day. The Not So Old Fashioned is their play on an old fashioned cocktail, even serving it under a smoke filled cloche. The dessert was layered with orange cake, bourbon ganache, cherry mouse, cookie and bourbon soaked cherries all topped with orange zest. While it was delicious, I could have done without the smoke, but I get why they did it! The Ice Cream of the Day was a Chocolate Hazelnut, and you know I enjoyed every bite of that!
Service was stellar from entry to exit. Our server and food runners were friendly and knowledgeable. I even witnessed a service opportunity at the neighboring table where the Manager became involved. She was wonderful to the other patrons and made things right without question.
Overall, Burger + Grain is a new favorite of ours! So excited to have it in the neighborhood and look forward to returning many times!
Oh, make sure you understand their business model and pricing structure. They are very transparent with the add-on 2% for staffing health care. If you do not agree with it, let them know instead of pretending they didn't tell you on their site and paper menu. They will even remove it if requested.