The Optimist - Nashville

Review summary

1. A

   Anna

   Coastal Georgia

   2 reviews

   4.0

   2 reviews

   Dined today

   1. Overall 4
   2. Food 4
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 4

   Everything was very good, but nothing stood out as excellent except for the service. For the overall experience, it felt over priced and under wowed. I would recommend this place for a special event. Note: They do not comp parking for the garages and free parking is incredibly limited in that area.
   

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2. J

   Jonathan

   San Francisco

   1 review

   5.0

   1 review

   Dined 2 days ago

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Excellent food and service for my wife’s birthday dinner last night. I unfortunately forgot our waiters name. (Talll, thing, w/ glasses, songwriter) helped make it a special evening and did a fantastic job taking care of our group. The shrimp. (Planche), octopus, beets, and their amazing bread were the highlights, though everything was great.. We will definitely be back soon.
   

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3. R

   Rebecca

   San Francisco

   15 reviews

   5.0

   15 reviews

   Dined 2 days ago

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 4
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   The service was impeccable. Our server was very attentive and made my birthday dinner special. The ambience is lovely and perfect for a celebration or date night. Good: - Tuna Crudo was wonderful and fresh. The accoutrements were perfect pairings. - Oysters- we got 2 of each offering and they were so yummy and fresh. - Ceviche- amazing flavor! I’m still thinking about it. - coconut pie- sooooo good. Not so good: - only 3 types of vodka offered which does not allow for the ideal vodka martini in my opinion. I prefer Chopin or Belvedere. - Shrimp a la plancha is a famous dish of theirs and we did not enjoy it. We only ate 2 of the shrimp. The sauce is very heavy and overpowers the shrimp. - the espresso martini had an odd flavor that I cannot place. It was almost a licorice taste? Overall I’m glad we went and we will be back!
   

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4. C

   Corrine

   Nashville

   13 reviews

   5.0

   13 reviews

   Dined 3 days ago

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   First time at the Optimist and my wife and I were very impressed! The restaurant is a little difficult to park near without valet service or using a paid parking lot but that's par for the course in Nashville. Once inside, the restaurant felt homey and upscale all at the same time. The food was a bit pricey but they're main focus is seafood and we're in a land-locked state so what's to really be done for it? Our waiter was very nice, very attentive, and had wonderful suggestions for things we should try since we were wanting to have a little bit of this & that and not a standard meal. The oysters were delicious and there were so many pairings you got for them. I also was a really big fan of the ceviche - That is something I could eat five more servings of that night it was so good. A surprising item on the menu I would definitely recommend would be their pear & prosciutto starter. We had that after our foray into the Plateaux Refuge we had and it was deliciously light and a great mixture of sweet and salty. This was a suggestion of our waiter and we're glad we listened to him! Lastly, we finished off our meal with their pistachio ice cream and their raspberry sorbet. My wife and I discovered that if you put a bit of both on your spoon it taste straight up light a PB & J sandwich1 So good!
   

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5. H

   Hailey

   Nashville

   1 review

   5.0

   1 review

   Dined 6 days ago

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   This is by far the BEST restaurant I have ever experienced! The staff was superb and the meal was beyond incredible! In my opinion, one of the top rated restaurants in Tennessee!
   

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6. J

   Judy

   E. Tennessee

   253 reviews

   4.0

   253 reviews

   Dined 6 days ago

   1. Overall 4
   2. Food 4
   3. Service 3
   4. Ambience 5

   Love the vibe, food is very good and having valet parking is great. Our server's style was a bit off putting. Will return!
   

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7. H

   Heather

   Nashville

   34 reviews

   5.0

   34 reviews

   Dined 7 days ago

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   My husband and I rarely get date nights anymore and we were thrilled to go back to the Optimist. First of all the bread is to die for! The cocktail I ordered, the El Rio Bravo, is my favorite one of any Nashville restaurant… soooo good! I also ordered the opportunist which gives you a sample of several cold seafood items and it was great! My husband ordered the flounder which is deboned at the table and comes with this butter sauce that’s super yummy. And to top it off, our sweet waitress Bailey brought us champagne and chocolate cake. Great service and delicious food made for an awesome date!!
   

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8. D

   David

   Philadelphia

   1 review

   5.0

   1 review

   Dined on January 10, 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   An absolute 10/10 experience across every facet of a dining experience
   

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9. M

   Mac

   New York City

   3 reviews

   5.0

   3 reviews

   Dined on January 10, 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   43 years of marriage is cause for celebration! The Optimist provided the perfect spot for us to sit back and enjoy a few moments of great food, impeccable service and remembrances. Shout out to Brian, our server, who became a friend if only for dinner. Clearly The Optimist has a culture of serving and excellence. Thanks to all of you...
   

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10. J

    Jennifer

    Nashville

    28 reviews

    5.0

    28 reviews

    Dined on January 7, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5

    Excellent food and service as always. Worth the trip from the west side of Nashville where I live. I had the char which was absolutely delicious. Four of us shared a salad because of the generous serving size and the always yummy fresh rolls. This is my go-to place for inventive seafood. And now that the development at Neuhoff is underway, the appeal of visiting the neighborhood is ratcheting up.
    

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