John T.
Yelp
4.5
First off, the Bobby is beautiful! Wow! From the moment I stepped inside, I wanted to spend time here. All the employees with which I interacted were all so pleasant and helpful. The decor is fantastic and there are surprised to be found around every corner. But I wasn't here to ohh and ahh over the decor. I was here for lunch and Tavern at Bobby delivered that quite well.
To go to the restaurant, head to the back of the first floor. The Cafe at the front/patio of the hotel is a separate installation. We arrived shortly after opening so there wasn't a hostess at the post but our server, Ross, showed us to a table. We sat by the window and started with glasses of rose'. 1.) It's summer. 2.) It was a business lunch. 3.) It's summer. I chose the Spanish rose' and my friend chose the French. I preferred mine. It was a bit lighter and sweeter and went down way too easily. It packed a punch that snuck up on me. Rather than settle on one plate, we decided on a few different plates to share. This was the way to go.
As instagrammable as the decor is, the food is as well. But beyond the good looks, it smells and tastes fantastic! There wasn't one bad seed in the bunch. We went to town on the watermelon salad, grilled wings, lamb lollipops, and signature burger w/fries. The watermelon salad was a take on a caprese so expect balsamic, tomato, cheese, and basil -- along with chunks of watermelon. It was summer on a plate. Continuing with the summer theme, the grilled wings were tossed in a sweet bbq sauce and served atop a cream corn variation. Delectable. The lollipops might have been the star of the show, though. They smelled heavenly and tasted even better. The only (slight) dings I would give is that they were advertised to be served as four and we received 3 and the harissa element was more subdued than I expected. Still, a very satisfying dish. We could stand for a couple of more bites so that's where the burger came in. It's as good as advertised -- served medium with cheddar -- but I could have eaten plates of the seasoned fries that came along with.
I am all in for Nashville's new hotel scene. Rather than being a place where tourists rest their heads, the new hotel scene is inviting and invigorating for locals. Bobby has come out of the gate swinging. The next time you find yourself downtown, stop in/by. I think you'll be impressed.