1808 Grille

-been there twice. 1st time the service was deplorable. 2nd time we were seated, the person that seated us offered to sell us water then didn't see anyone for 30 minutes. We left and cooked filets at home - better wine at home too. more

This is the second time we've eaten at 1808 Grill. The first time, the food was outstanding all around (we had a group of about 10 people and all loved their dishes), however the service was terrible (female waiter was extremely rude and inattentive to the female guests of our party). This time however, we arrived without reservation on a Saturday night. I understand the vagaries of what to expect under such circumstances, even so, my low expectations were not met. We were advised that we could sit and eat at the bar. That seemed fine to us, however, in the 25 minutes we were seated at a bar table, we saw our server once: the moment she dropped off our drinks and scurried away before she could hear me request a glass for my beer. I though perhaps she had other responsibilities in the dining area, but the only place I could see her go was into the kitchen and then back to the bar to complain about back pain. After waiting 25 minutes, I finally asked the hostess to find seating in the dining area (which was clearly available that late in the evening). She finally returned 5 minutes later with a table. Our server this time was delightful, the food however, was hit and miss. The missus ordered the NY strip, which was a perfect, and we shared an uninspiring flat-bread pizza. I, on the other hand, went against my better judgment and ordered the gnocchi with braised rabbit, instead of the braised short rib. Bad idea. The rabbit itself was delicious, but whatever acrid, translucent gravy they drizzled over the dish was absolutely putrid. I can think of no other way to describe it, except as hot-lemon bleach. The gnocchi were burned, and tasted only of whatever burnt vegetable oil they were cooked in. Of the listed elements of the dish (braised rabbit, roasted fennel, mustard greens and ghocchi), only the rabbit and greens tasted pleasant. The rest of the dish and it's wretched sauce were complete culinary disasters. It's the type of food I wouldn't even give to a dying sh1t-house rat. Will I return to 1808 Grille? Absolutely. But I think I'll stick to the beef and pork, and stay far away from everything else. Pros: Great atmosphere, creative menu Cons: Bar service, host staff more

The food is so very good. Not only was this quite possibly the best hamburger ever, the artic char was outstanding. In fact, absolutely everything we ate was amazing. Garlic french fries - yes Garlic. Yummy, thin cut fries drizzled in garlic butter. OMG. Fish that was seasoned to perfection, cooked perfectly and delicious. A side dish of spaghetti squash with sage and bacon. And save room for the crazy bread pudding - this is not your mother's bread pudding. We tried to dissect the dish and think that the bread was a sweet bread of some sort that was baked liked giant croutons and then mixed with a rum sauce that was so good. Not too sweet at all. And then the whole thing was covered in freshly chopped apples with a wonderful sauce. We've never had a bread pudding like this before. We live in Chicago and have many, many fine restaurants to choose from and the 1808 Grille gives them a run for their money. Can't wait to get back to Nashville to sample more of what this Chef has to serve! As for the hostess, well, suffice it say she did not seem pleased to have customers without a reservation even though there were plenty of seats. But rest assured that the flawless service we received from Chris and the outstanding food made her nothing but a distant memory. Pros: Outstanding flavors; rich, intense Cons: Seemingly inexperienced hostess more

My first experience with this restaurant came with planning my 21st birthday. I called about 2.5 weeks in advance to book one of their private dining rooms for a party that I had of 25 people. Everything went fine on the phone, and I was told that I would be emailed a copy of the menu so that I could create a customized menu for my birthday dinner. I waited a week for the email before calling the restaurant back, because I was told that the person responsible for private dining had been in and out of the office. I called, explained that I was still waiting on the email, and was told that the man responsible would not be in the office until the next day. Hesitant, I (foolishly) hung up and waited until the next day for the email. Still having not received it, I called back again and asked to confirm my reservations. The girl that I talked to had no idea what she was talking about and told me that I needed to call back at 3 so that I could talk to this elusive man in charge of private dining. I got off the phone, and then had a brief panic attack realizing that my birthday was now about a week away and I may or may not have a place for 25 people to eat. I immediately called back and requested to talk to a manager. She pulled up my information, told me that the reservation had been taken down, but that the room I had requested had been given to a corporate party. Well........this was certainly not the news that I wanted to hear. I had never been contacted and told that I didn't have a reservation, and she apologized profusely for this incredibly inappropriate error, and promised me that I could have several tables in the front of the room instead, which was NOT what I wanted, so I canceled the reservations and found another place. I wrote a very long email and sent it to the manager, who then called, left me an apologetic voicemail, and urged me to call him back. I did so, left a voicemail, and never heard from him again. For whatever reason, I decided to try this place again, because I heard that the food was amazing. A friend and I got to the restaurant about 45 minutes before our reservation (we planned on just walking around and checking out the hotel before our dinner), and checked in with the hostess, who told us that she could probably have us seated in ten minutes, so we just decided to wait. Well, an hour later, we still had not been seated and when we went back up to the hostess after seeing her seating guests who were freely walking in, she had completely forgotten our names and reservations, despite having walked past us for the past hour. The one redeeming quality about this restaurant is that the food is ABSOLUTELY phenomenal. I ordered the arctic char (which is my top 5 of best entrees in nashville) and was blown away. However, I am hesitant to give this restaurant a 3rd chance until it can get its act together. Pros: Excellent food, great decor Cons: Unorganized management, service more

Upon arrival, we were greeted by the hostess who could not find our reservation. After several minutes of searching the list, she found our name and led us into an empty dining room. Why the hassle with so many empty tables? The waiter arrived promptly with the wine list and menus, and he returned every thirty seconds to take our order, which apparently frustrated him a little. He never discussed the menu or the specials with us. We finally got him to return, and we ordered a bottle of wine which arrived fifteen minutes later. We overheard our neighbor table ordering and the waiter could not offer any information on any of the dishes. The food was presented very well. We ordered the potato truffle lobster ravioli and the balsamic braised boneless chicken thighs. The food was alright. The chicken tasted like something my mom could whip up in her crock pot back home, and the ravioli tasted like it was hosed down with perfume. They never brought out our roasted sweet potato side dish. Oh well. Overall, the decor was great, the wine was good, the food was alright, and the service was mediocre at best. If you are looking for a classy, gourmet, fine dining experience, then we recommend that you eat at the Watermark instead. Pros: Interesting decor Cons: Disinterested service staff, bland food more

Paid $75 for vegetarian dinner/wine for 2. Food was edible, but very bland and sparse. We both left hungry. Service was great and the place was lovely, but we will not return. Pros: veggie entrees, atmosphere Cons: overpriced, bland food, small portions more

5 of us went to dinner there for a graduation/birthday celebration. The Hutton hotel doesn't look like much on the outside but the inside does not disappoint. Soaring ceilings, a huge metal horse, and succulents adorn this eclectic modern atmosphere. Our waiter was funny and helpful and the food was delicious. The special was opa (a fish we had never heard of) and it was amazing. Wonderful cheeses, interesting entrees, and tasty drinks. The one drawback is that 5 of us were at a table that was too small for us. The couch/bench seat sunk me down too low. It was comfortable to sit on, but a bit awkward when dining. I'd go back anyway. Pros: Imaginative entrees Cons: Uncomfortable seating more

The Hutton Hotel was created by gutting a tired office building and rebuilding from scratch. If 1808 Grille is an indication of what the rest of the hotel is like, it was money well spent.\r \r A longtime close friend was in town and I was desparately seeking a restaurant that would portray Nashville in a positive way. And I was bringing my young daughter with me. After looking at several well-known fine dining establishments I found 1808 on CitySearch. The fact that they had a kid's menu and the 'adult' online dinner menu convinced me to make reservations.\r \r The food was excellent. Each table receives a plate of marinated olives, a selection of flatbreads and a grouping of three sauces. The 18.08 special was a fish filet cooked to perfection. While the flavor of the fish was superb and stood alone, the Asian-inspired sauce complimented it nicely. I didn't taste the chicken fingers my daughter had but her shoestring fries were delicious. Desserts were a good value and very tasty, with imaginative presentations.\r \r Chris, our server, was informative, attentive and friendly. When my daughter wanted honey mustard sauce, he went to the kitchen and made it himself. He explained that the chef avoids flavoring entrees with sauces, leaving it to the customer to choose from the sauce bowls provided. \r \r The free valet parking is a huge plus in this area of scarce parking. However the parking attendant who returned my car left it smelling of burning clutch. They should make sure these kids know how to drive a manual transmission before hiring them to park cars. Pros: Great food, excellent waiter, kid friendly, 18.08 special Cons: Parking valet challenged by manual transmission more

It was my birthday and we had 15 people dining in their private room. The tables are in a large square so you can face every guest. The room is gorgeous and private with beautiful eco friendly design throughout the restaurant and hotel. The service was perfect and the food was even better. We all passed some of our dishes around so we could sample everything. Favorites were the fried risotto bites w/ stone ground mustard, 500 degree oyster mushrooms, grits, hamburger w/ shoestring fries (is not on dinner menu, but they were gracious enough to make it), and arctic char. Good options for vegetarians (sides and appetizers) b/c they are so filling. The best part was dessert! Chocolate crunch bar w/ peanut butter mousse and banana beignets w/ hazelnut creme anglais, to die for!!! Highly recommend this restaurant, not stuffy at all, perfect for special occasion or even a casual dinner. Pros: sustainable food, with a healthier but delicious twist more

I enjoyed my experience at 1808 Grille. The bartenders were fantastic as were their drinks. Our food was quite good also. The decor is beautiful and it's a fun environment for a special night out with your sweetheart or a group of friends. Also, this is a nice place to take a client or boss. The Hutton Hotel where the restaurant is located is friendly and offers complimentary valet parking (great for that area). If you aren't interested in spending a lot on dinner, then stop in for drinks. It's well worth it. Pros: great atmosphere, very good bartenders Cons: pricey for regular night out more

The evening started off with one of the most delicious Mojito's I have ever had! The service was fantastic. Food was unique and delicious. Overall a very special experience. Pros: Excellent atmosphere and service Cons: Lots of great menu items - couldn't decide! more

1808 has THE BEST burger and fries in town! Amazingly fresh -- I think the fries are fried in truffle oil -- whatever they do, it is so yummy! My guest and I visited the restaurant 3 days in a row for the same meal!! The service and atmosphere is fun, hip and impeccable!! Treat Yourself -- it is incredibly wonderful! Pros: Absolutely the BEST BURGER & Fries in Music City! Cons: N/A more

Absolutely the best, juiciest burger in town! Who would think of a hotel restaurant for great burgers? I didn't, but man am I glad I found this place!\r \r People seem to think this a ""special event"" restaurant - WRONG! This is a great restaurant for ANY occasion. You can dress up for a special night, or feel comfortable in jeans for a quick meal with friends. Try this place - - I'll see you there. I'll be the one eating another great hamburger! Pros: Comfortable environment Cons: Signage on road more

Being from the south I love grits and 1808 has the best white cheddar grits in Nashville! They were the perfect complement to the NY Strip and the oyster mushrooms we had were amazing as well. If you enjoy wine this is also a great choice. Pros: Great sides to share, extensive wine list more

Always leave room for dessert!!! I have been there a couple of times and really enjoyed the food. The sides are to share, so you can try different things. But you have to leave room for dessert - fun and absolutely the best! Pros: Desserts are to die for Cons: Missing the Brussell sprouts - Who knew??? more

The staff was very professional and friendly. Loved the ambiance. Just an all around great place to gather with friends. Pros: Great atmosphere!! more

My husband and I had dinner at 1808 Grille and had an absolutely great experience from the greeter, wait staff and food. Everything was fantastic. Pros: Great food and atmoshere more

my family and i had a wonderful dining experiance at the 1808 grille. The staff and food was way beyond our expectations. From the time we arrived till the time we left the staff made us feel very special Pros: Great astmosphere, great location, even better food more

I travel quite a bit and look for unique and really good hotels/ restaurants. 1808 Grille could easily be located in NY or LA. I was very pleasantly surprized with food quality, selection and the staff was so friendly I feft like a had been many times before. Nashvillians you are lucky to have a great place like this in your back yard. Pros: Felt like home but better Cons: None more

Great place for quite fun. Real easy for group to have professional conversations and enjoy excellent food. Our server was very professional and the modern design and layout of the dining area was unique and inviting. Pros: Modern design - Incredible Service Cons: None more