Locust
Fine dining restaurant · 8th South ·
Dumplings, shaved ice, seafood plates, sake, and seasonal dishes
Dumplings, shaved ice, seafood plates, sake, and seasonal dishes
"At Chef Trevor Moran’s compact, Japanese-influenced spot I found a laidback, slightly quirky restaurant where reservations are a must and the full menu is even offered at lunch; the sharing-focused menu shows clear attention to detail with house classics like beef tartare hand rolls, seafood such as Maine diver scallops with shaved green apple and a spot-on Japanese omelet with shredded Jonah crab, and desserts that can include ethereal kakigori—powdery shaved ice with dense passion fruit cream, caramelized honeycomb, rich milk foam and even a confit egg yolk." - The MICHELIN Guide
"Earned one Michelin star in the South guide, meaning “High-quality cooking, worth a stop.”" - Henna Bakshi
"Do you know what you’re doing a month from now? Us either. But the answer should be going for a life-changing lunch or walk-in dinner at Locust, an ever-changing and difficult-to-reserve spot in 12 South that serves Japanese, Irish, and British food. It’s run by a chef who used to lead the kitchen at Catbird Seat, so it’s no surprise that something as simple as a curry potato chip or a single slice of bread can make you emotional here. The exact menu on any given day is unknown, but here's our general advice: Order everything. There’ll probably be 10-11 dishes that are easy to say yes to, like heartbreakingly tender potato bread, meaty and creamy razor clams served open and glistening on a bed of pebble ice, or a cheeky nod to Nashville’s food currency, hot swordfish. Get access to exclusive reservations at this spot with Chase Sapphire Reserve. New cardmembers get $300 in annual dining statement credits." - jackie gutierrez jones 2, carlo mantuano, ann walczak
"Locust is the ultimate date night trump card. Why? Because there are few other places where you can brag about liking someone so much that you jumped through some serious hoops to score a reservation. Having said that, you’ll need to be prepared when dinner reservations open up the month ahead of time. When you finally score a date and time, you’ll find that the food at this intimate 12 South spot is an exciting experience. Like the delicate sheets of egg folded so precisely, they look like one of Martha Stewart’s fitted sheets, and a DIY beef tartar hand roll that’s the perfect excuse to swap expert wrapping techniques. Throw some pours of housemade horseradish vodka into the mix, and pretty soon you’ll realize what everyone else does: the work to score the reservation was totally worth it. Get access to exclusive reservations at this spot with Chase Sapphire Reserve. New cardmembers get $300 in annual dining statement credits." - jackie gutierrez jones 2, ann walczak
"The restaurant whose team includes Trevor Moran saw Moran named among Nashville-based semifinalists last year; principals Benjamin Goldberg, Max Goldberg and Josh Habiger of the parent hospitality group also received Outstanding Restaurateur nods this cycle." - Missy Frederick