Whether it's a date party dinner group, a birthday, or another celebration, there is nothing more challenging than finding a restaurant that can accommodate a big group on your special day. Not all restaurants are created equal when it comes to fitting 10+ people at the same time, but we did the tough work of digging through to find the 20 best places for you to go with all your people.
1. City Fire
City Fire has an underrated and excellent dinner menu, but what they're known for is their bottomless mimosa brunch. From the sweet potato hash to the goblets of mimosas, they'll be able to fit your big party of drunching goddesses no problem. It's particularly popular for twenty-first birthday brunches.
2. Americano Tapas
This tapas-style restaurant is great for big dinner groups with long tables and an easy reservation process. For groups of a certain size, it'll be necessary to put down a credit card with your reservation, so make sure you have your group pretty set before you go. Once you get there, the service is excellent and the food amazing. The fried manchego with jam and the brussels sprouts are both great tapas choices.
3. Clyde's
Anyone who knows me knows I'd fight for Clyde's with my whole heart, but I'll stand by the fact that they're a great place for groups. It's casual and fun with plenty to do. Their brunch is affordable with great portions and $3 mimosas, and their dinner is delicious. A variety of couches, booths, and high tables will help them accommodate almost any size of party.
4. Flip Burger Boutique
Flip Burger is one of the few burger restaurants in Nashville that takes reservations, and there's something for everyone at a good price. Whether you're craving burgers, milkshakes, or a good salad, Flip Burger has something for you. Perfect for a birthday dinner or a lower key pre-date party gathering.
5. DeSano Pizza Bakery
A classic among the Vanderbilt crowd, DeSano Pizza Bakery is a great pick for the pizza and the homey atmosphere. Cafeteria style seating and the ability to call ahead to reserve tables makes this an easy place to go. The quality of the pizza is always good, and food is always certain to please everyone. The option to bring your own wine is also a big bonus.
6. Suzy Wong's House of Yum
Suzy Wong's is one of the greatest places for a birthday dinner. It has a clutch location on Church street right next to Play, which automatically makes it an exciting place to be. The delicious Asian tapas and cocktails and the wonderful servers make for a phenomenal atmosphere and experience that's hard to replicate anywhere else.
7. The Flipside
From the 50s style decor to the extensive menu that is paleo, gluten-free (order the chicken without breadcrumbs), and dairy-free friendly, The Flipside is the perfect place for a birthday dinner. Their tots are the perfect appetizer for a group, and the dinners are affordable and great. Add that to the fact that it's in the adorable 12 South neighborhood and you've got the perfect place for a night out with the gals.
8. Cabana
Another classic for the date party and birthday dinner crowd, Cabana has large booths with curtains that can shut out the whole restaurant and make your table feel like it's in a private room - for no extra cost. Their sangria pitchers are popular for big groups too, and their wide selection of food means that everyone will be happy.
9. Pinewood Social
It'll be hard to find a place that's better for 'gramming your meal and your posse than Pinewood Social. The lighting is prime, and the view of the Cumberland River and downtown Nashville is hard to beat. They've got tasty coffee, cocktails, and dishes, and they even have bowling lanes if you want an activity to go along with your special day.
10. Acme Feed & Seed
There's good reason for why Acme is a hit with Nashville's famous bachelorette parties: it's great for groups, has a variety of food and alcohol, and it has three different floors for three different moods.
The first floor has live music in the afternoon and evenings, and you can order food at the counter; the second floor has a sushi bar and tons of TVs, perfect for watching any big games that are on; and the third floor has the best rooftop view in Nashville. For a casual night out with all your friends, it's the best option on Broadway.
11. Sambuca
A live band and a higher priced menu make Sambuca the perfect place for a special occasion dinner. I've been there before formal date parties, but it's also the prime spot for graduation dinners. They too take reservations, which makes planning a breeze.
12. Le Sel
Smack in the center of Midtown, Le Sel is a relative newcomer to the trendy dining scene in Nashville, but they're already making their mark. The interior of the restaurant is striking: you are immediately transported to a swanky french nightclub/restaurant with trendy servers and foods full of delicious, high quality ingredients. Le Sel also serves a wonderful brunch.
13. Monell's
A fun family style classic, Monell's is sure to be a hit. Family style seating will add fun to any casual dinner group and loosen up a fancier occasion. The soul food is outstanding, and their set price - $16-$19 for dinner - includes daily specials and desserts, making it hard to beat in terms of bang-for-your-buck.
14. The Southern
The Southern is the meat-and-three's higher class cousin, with a dark wood bar perfect for pre-dinner cocktails and large booths and tables that can fit your whole squad. It's well priced for a nice night out, making it the perfect pre-date party or pre-downtown evening thanks to its location just off Broadway.
15. The Row
Another southern belle, The Row is perfect for your brunch and dinner needs with biscuits, barbecue, and bloody marys galore. The friendly and casual atmosphere makes it a less bougie and more buddy, which is perfect for a get together with friends. Their beignets are a magnificent starter to your brunch (my family and I get them every time we go), and the biscuits will be the perfect pre-game to your dinner entree.
16. Treehouse
This is the place to take your foodie-est of friends and impress them. With options ranging from ricotta gnudi to chargrilled Spanish octopus, Treehouse has unique dishes mixed in with more traditional fare like pork and shrimp. Situated in East Nashville, you and your foodie crew will feel at home among the hippest people in the city and dine like queens.
17. Urban Grub
With the freshest fish, meats, and doughnuts in town, Urban Grub is the next hot spot for your formal dinner or graduation celebration. With wooden and dark metal finishes, lovely outdoor patios, and warm fireplaces, Urban Grub feels like the classiest home you've ever been to. Their salmon is some of the best in the city, and the cinnamon sugar doughnuts with chocolate covered bacon and cream cheese ice cream are a must.
18. Kobe Steakhouse
Kobe Steakhouse is smack in the middle of Midtown, and it's the perfect place for a big group dinner thanks to its variety of options. Each entree is served as a full course meal complete with a salad and soup, a shrimp appetizer, grilled vegetables, steamed rice, sherbet or ice cream, and green tea. #SpoonTip: Split your meal at Kobe and order an extra side of fried rice.
19. Goten
Like Kobe, all entrees come with shrimp appetizer, soup, salad, white rice, vegetables, dessert, and green tea. Throw it back to your days of birthdays at Benihana with Nashville's original hibachi restaurant right on West End. Its central location makes it perfect for whatever plans you have following your meal, whether it's hitting up downtown, Demonbreun, or Division.
20. Saint Añejo
An MStreet classic, Saint Añejo doesn't take reservations, but for a group of 15-16 their private dining in "The Parlor" is perfect for a special occasion. The $30/person minimum means it'll be ideal when you want to drop a little more for your dinner, but two tasty cocktails and a filling entree will get you there no problem. Saint Añejo's brunch and dinner food is outstanding - get the horchata french toast for brunch and the mahi mahi tacos for dinner. You won't regret it.
No matter the occasion, a celebration warrants great food - and thank goodness Nashville has restaurants like these to fit you and all your favorite people.