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The Optimist - Nashville, Nashville, TN

The Optimist - Nashville

4.8
4.8
3077 Reviews
$31 to $50
Seafood

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2 people
19:00
Booked 55 times today

About this restaurant

  • Good for special occasions
  • Neighbourhood gem
  • Charming
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.

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

Private dining

What 3,077 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 is a seafood lover's paradise with "incredible food" and "exceptional service." Guests rave about the "phenomenal" oysters, octopus, and cocktails. The "friendly and knowledgeable" staff enhance every experience, making it a "fantastic" choice for special occasions. Though a bit pricey, the quality and ambiance "never disappoint."
3,078 Reviews
  1. Blythe

    Nashville8 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We had a wonderful dinner at The Optomist. Our server was delightful,  knowledgeable about the menu, and very friendly. I think his name was James. All of the staff were welcoming. A memorable evening.

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  2. Philip VIP

    Milwaukee5 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Everything was great. Start to finish. We will be going back again.

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  3. Krista VIP

    Nashville12 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    My last visit to The Optimist was about a year ago and my review wasn’t good. However, this time things were excellent! Our waitress was attentive, personable, and even gave us an added appetizer with our oysters. All our food was delicious, fresh, and came out timely. We even got a nice post card signed by all the staff that said happy anniversary - a really nice touch to our 1 year engagement celebration. I am so relieved that things were so nice for us. This restaurant certainly moves back to one of my absolute favorites in Nashville. Thank you guys for everything!

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  4. OpenTable Diner

    Nashville2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    I had eaten here a few times before and always really enjoyed it, but I had my birthday dinner here and was so blown away! They really went all out and all the staff were lovely. Our server Gabriel was amazing and went above and beyond. Could not recommend enough!

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  5. melissa

    Nashville2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    The seafood was amazing and the portion sizes were good. Our server was Charles, and he was extremely charming and knowledgeable about the menu. At his suggestion, we had the shrimp starter and deviled eggs. There were three in our party, and we got the Mahi Mahi, Halibut, and Char based on his suggestions of the preparation and sauces. He made the experience absolutely perfect! We will definitely be back!

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  6. David

    Little Rock1 review

    5.0

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    I work in the industry, and have been looking forward to trying the Optimist for the first time for quite a while now. All I can truly emphasize is how much I can't wait to return after my first experience. My lovely partner and I had a rare night off together for our anniversary, and somehow managed to find ourselves enjoying the best meal we've had to date on our first anniversary with each other. She languished in comparing oysters while I was much like a kid in a candy store with the wine list. It's not often one can find such a thoughtfully curated list of specifically white wines. We started with a glass of muscadet to pair with oysters. If this is an option with oysters, I have a hard time not choosing it, and I was not disappointed. Finding a reasonably priced bottle of Aligoté on the menu furthered my excitement as we moved forward with our seafood driven experience. Major props for its inclusion on this wonderful list of wines. This wine perfectly complimented the Arctic Char with Lump Crab and Beurre Blanc I chose, my wonderful date opted into even more oysters for her entree, and we were both just absolutely elated. I know this review is getting a little long winded, but I would hate to leave out the extremely significant point that our server, Izzy, was nothing less than fantastic, and could not have made our experience more lovely. Her attention to detail was exquisite, and her demeanor is sought after in special hospitality moments. I'm so grateful we were blessed by her service, and the flowers she so thoughtfully gave us at the end of our meal as a lagniappe are currently in water on our kitchen table. She was a joy. Cheers to this absolutely wonderful establishment. I can't emphasize how much I am looking forward to coming back, and I have been excitedly recommending it to anyone who will listen as well. Oh...one last thing. Best dinner roll I've ever tasted. Well done.

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  7. rachelc

    Chicago1 review

    1.0

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 5
    Ordered ceviche but they didn’t have any crackers left so it was just a bowl of ceviche with nothing to eat with it

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  8. Shawn VIP

    Orlando2 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on 22 March 2025

    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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  9. Dante

    Charlotte8 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 20 March 2025

    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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  10. OpenTable Diner VIP

    New York City3 reviews

    1.0

    Dined on 18 March 2025

    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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FAQs

The Optimist - Nashville is rated 4.8 stars by 3077 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 55 times today
Google Map for The Optimist - Nashville

1400 Adams Street, Nashville, TN 37208

Additional information

  • Area
    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
    Gluten-free Options, Indoor Fireplace, Patio/Outdoor Dining
  • 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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