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The Optimist - Nashville, Nashville, TN

The Optimist - Nashville

4.8
4.8
3071 Reviews
$31 to $50
Seafood

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 59 times today

About this restaurant

  • Good for special occasions
  • Charming
  • Neighborhood gem
The Optimist transports landlocked Tennesseans to the coast for super-fresh, sustainably sourced seafood. Our menu weaves together classic and modern seafood favorites, cocktails of the season complement the fare, and an extensive outdoor patio and “game” area complete the full experience.

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Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Seafood
  • Hours of operation
    Dinner Mon–Thu, Sun 5:00 pm–10:00 pm Fri, Sat 4:30 pm–11:00 pm
  • Phone number
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Executive chef
    Mike Parhm
  • Private party facilities
    We have 2 areas that can accommodate private events! Our Captain's Room can seat up to 10 guests and our Private Dining Room can seat up to 30 guests or up to 16 guests semi privately. The Optimist is also available for a full restaurant buyout!
  • Private party contact
    Angela Clover: (678) 536-6506
  • Neighborhood
    Germantown
  • Parking details
    Valet
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Indoor Fireplace, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Wine

What 3,071 people are saying

The Optimist - Nashville reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.8
4.8 based on recent ratings
  • 4.7Food
  • 4.8Service
  • 4.8Ambience
  • 4.4Value

NoiseModerate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
The Optimist in Nashville offers a "cozy and elegant" ambiance with a nautical theme, perfect for special occasions. Guests rave about the "exceptional" seafood and "outstanding service," particularly praising the crispy oysters and wood-fired fish. While some find it pricey, most agree it's a "top-notch" dining experience in Music City.
3,071 Reviews
  1. Shawn VIP

    Orlando2 reviews

    4.0

    Dined today

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Enjoyed it, but seems like it’s overrated. Very cool place, but just not the friendliest.

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  2. Dante

    Charlotte8 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 3
    Excellent food. A bit pricey and extremely noisy . The appetizers were delicious. Baked oysters and shrimp My halibut was fresh and delicious Cocktails are always spot on

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  3. OpenTable Diner VIP

    New York City2 reviews

    1.0

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 2
    Horrible and overpriced. Don't go if you don't enjoy fish. Even the fish was bad

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  4. Elizabeth VIP

    New York City7 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on March 14, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Our server was excellent and everything we ordered was delicious. Will return!

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  5. Gunnar

    Nashville6 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on March 13, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 5
    Food was incredible, drinks too. Service was slow.

    1 person found this helpful

  6. Cherry

    Unspecified1 review

    5.0

    Dined on March 12, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Exceeded expectations! Excellent food and service!

    Is this helpful?

  7. Lisa VIP

    Greater Boston60 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on March 11, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    As a first time visitor to Nashville, I think I hit the jackpot in dining at The Optimist! The menu, while somewhat limited, is varied and interesting and the food-from the starters to desserts-is phenomenal! I can enthusiastically recommend the roasted oysters, the Arctic char, and the chocolate pudding! Enjoy!

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  8. OpenTable Diner

    Nashville2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on March 10, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    This is one of my favorites in Nashville! The fish dishes are so fresh & clean tasting. Excellent cocktails too! I recommend their gulf shrimp appetizer and their lobster roll. Also, their beignet style hushpuppies are a must have!

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  9. Jessica

    Nashville6 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on March 10, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 2
    We came here for a special occasion and had a reservation even though it was a relatively slow Monday night crowd. Despite the reservation and plenty of open tables, when we were seated - we were squished on a small two-top in between two other business-type parties (based on the conversations we could easily hear) - so not exactly starting off with the date night vibes we were hoping for unfortunately. Toward the end of our meal, another couple was seated at one of the nice booths, so that left me a little bummed because clearly a spot with a bit more privacy could have been offered to the two of us for this birthday dinner. Those booths were otherwise completely empty for our entire stay. The food was fine, everything a la carte, but the dishes didn't seem as cohesive as they should have been. So if you choose well, you may not notice, but I will never understand why the powder sugar drenched hushpuppies are served as a side. We liked it fine, and honestly would be an amazing spin on dessert, but when you're expecting a savory side with your fish, what was put on our table fell short as a side with our entrees. Also ordered the broccolini which was good enough, but didn't like it accompanying the Char fish that the server recommended. Flavors didn't go well for me. Service was friendly but pretty certain I was brough the wrong wine, and my first cocktail was nothing special in a city with tons of great cocktail spots. Overall, was really hoping for a special dinner, and though I've only heard rave reviews about Optimist this was a pretty disappointing outing. For the price and reputation, would have loved to have been wowed.

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  10. deegtm VIP

    Boise16 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on March 9, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Great service, food selection was a bit limited. Bigger selection would be nicer.

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

The Optimist - Nashville is rated 4.8 stars by 3071 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 59 times today
Google Map for The Optimist - Nashville

1400 Adams Street, Nashville, TN 37208

Additional information

  • Neighborhood
    Germantown
  • Hours of operation
    Dinner Mon–Thu, Sun 5:00 pm–10:00 pm Fri, Sat 4:30 pm–11:00 pm
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Seafood
  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Valet
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    Mike Parhm
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Indoor Fireplace, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Wine
  • Phone number
  • Private party facilities
    We have 2 areas that can accommodate private events! Our Captain's Room can seat up to 10 guests and our Private Dining Room can seat up to 30 guests or up to 16 guests semi privately. The Optimist is also available for a full restaurant buyout!
  • Private party contact
    Angela Clover: (678) 536-6506
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