James M.
Yelp
While everywhere else seems to be targeting the crowd that can afford to spend $15-30 for food at dinner, The Centennial is happy to appease us commoners by offering a cozy neighborhood gathering place and watering hole for a much more reasonable price point.
My fiancee and I met some friends here for drinks/dinner last night and were very impressed by the little place. When you drive up, you don't think much of the building it's in but it's all about what's inside. It tries to be a little neighborhood bar where The Nations-ers can gather to watch sports, play Jenga, and generally enjoy each other's company.
Two of the owners are heavily involved (read: they work there) in the place and they make sure the service and quality are top notch. Cold beer on an interesting draft list lovingly title "Local, Free Range Beers" and quality, tasty, reasonably proportioned and reasonably priced ($8-12) food options could make this a winner. I had the veggie taco special which came with three delicious tacos with what I think was Korean spiced cauliflower, guacamole paste, and carrots. Had a Black Abbey Guy Fawkes beer to drink. Fiancee had the turkey club which was also high quality and reasonably proportioned.
Pros:
Portion sizes, price, service, not being pretentious.
Cons:
It's not trying to be pretentious or anything but a quality neighborhood watering hole. As such, if you're looking for a more upscale dining experience, you might look elsewhere. The finishes, presentation, and fixtures reflect what they're trying to do with the place, which I personally enjoyed.
Overall:
More little neighborhood pubs like this could be used all over Nashville. Everyone seems to be doing the same thing (local, organic, upscale, modern, etc.) and The Centennial strives to be different, less pretentious, and more focused on the enjoyable qualities a neighborhood bar should have.