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The Optimist - Nashville, Nashville, TN

The Optimist - Nashville

4.8
4.8
2993 Reviews
$31 to $50
Seafood

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2 people
19:00
Booked 52 times today
Experiences are available.
  • Good for special occasions
  • Charming
  • Neighbourhood 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.
Private dining

Private dining

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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
    (615) 709-3156
  • 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

Experiences

  • New Years Eve $125.00 Four Course Pre-Fixe Menu

    US$125.00 per person

    31 Dec 2024 only
    Please join us for a delicious four-course prix fixe menu presented by our Chef team. The prix fixe menu is $125++ per person and will take the place of our regular menu for the evening.
    New Years Eve $125.00 Four Course Pre-Fixe Menu photo

What 2,993 people are saying

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
  • 4.8Food
  • 4.8Service
  • 4.8Ambience
  • 4.4Value

NoiseModerate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
The Optimist in Nashville is a seafood paradise with "amazing food and service." Known for its fresh oysters and superb dishes like scallops and mahi mahi, it provides a vibrant ambiance perfect for special occasions. Guests rave about the "wonderful atmosphere" and "attentive staff," making it a must-visit.

2,993 Reviews
  1. Sean

    Louisville

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined today

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    This was such a special date night! While we were already lovey-dovey celebrating our recent engagement, the Optimist staff and food just made it that much better. Before I talk about our food, I want to say THANK YOU to our server, Gabriel for making the night so special. He brought us champagne to celebrate, gave us all the input on what to get based on what we like, and even bought our dessert for us at the end of the night. We didn't catch her name, but one of the hostess also hand-made an engagement ring, flowers and small box and brought it to our table for us. This was way way wayyyyy beyond what we could've ever imagined, so thank you so much for making this night even more magical. The food was incredible. In total, we had two apps, four cocktails, two entrees, three sides and a dessert. Now obviously we were celebrating, but the biggest thing we noticed was while we felt full, we never felt bloated, gross, etc. like you do with some restaurants when you've probably eaten a bit too much. For appetizers I recommend the smoked fish dip! It was the perfect amount and such a nice start to the meal. I had the flounder and thought it was perfect. They even present the fish to you table side and debone it. The sides were hard to decide, but ultimately I think the broccolini was my top favorite. And for dessert we did a pineapple upside down cake and it was everything nostalgic and indulgent. Transparently, this isn't a price point that we could afford to go to on a random Wednesday for dinner. But, this is probably the best "celebration" restaurant experience we've had in Nashville. The sticker price may surprise you (or maybe it won't if you eat seafood out often!!) but it was worth every penny.

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  2. Matthew

    VIP

    Chicago

    11 reviews

    5.0

    11 reviews

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    This was one of the best dinner experiences I’ve ever had. Food was amazing, and our server, Carter, couldn’t have been nicer. Great experience all around!!!!

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  3. Shaila

    VIP

    Nashville

    23 reviews

    5.0

    23 reviews

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Love the vibe and the food and cocktails were delicious. Great for a date night or a big group of friends.

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  4. Brooks

    Raleigh

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    One of the very few good seafood options in Nashville (unless you like catfish). Our 4th or 5th time there and the service is always done well. Food is very good. They timely replenish drinks/cocktails. It's just always a good experience. My only recommendation would be for them to increase the sides menu.

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  5. Ronald

    New York City

    17 reviews

    5.0

    17 reviews

    Dined on 21 December 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Excellent seafood in Nashville. Highly recommended.

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  6. reagan

    Nashville

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on 21 December 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Amazing food and service anytime we go. One of the best restaurants in Nashville

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  7. Sophia

    Naples

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on 21 December 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    We loved the atmosphere and the flavors of the food were wonderful; however, the flounder was NOT deboned correctly. Neither of us could take a bite without getting a bone and we quickly gave up. We informed our server, but nothing was offered to improve our experience. Otherwise, the service was and overall experience were very good. The dessert was amazing!

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  8. Terri

    Richmond

    5 reviews

    3.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on 21 December 2024

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The seafood was fresh but prep was somewhat bland or strange and side dish pairings were just plain weird. I would have expected for a price tag of nearly $500 for 3 with only 1 person drinking that the food would have been unforgettable…. Instead it left me with a been there done that, I don’t ever need to go back feeling.

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  9. Trey

    Atlanta Metro

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on 15 December 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great food, staff was great and very helpful when trying new things. Drinks great as well

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  10. Windy

    Chicago

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on 14 December 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    The food and the service were excellent. It was my bday and they had a birthday menu and gave us a free dessert. The service was so nice and friendly and helpful. The food was delicious as always. The shrimp "sopping toast", the oysters, deviled eggs - chefs kiss. The whole flounder and the broccoli were delicious. We left full and happy.

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FAQs

The Optimist - Nashville is rated 4.8 stars by 2993 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 52 times today
Experiences are available.
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
    (615) 709-3156
  • 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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