The best restaurants in The Gulch, Nashville.

Arnold's Country Kitchen on Eighth Avenue South is a cafeteria-style meat-and-three. The menu rotates by day and is posted on the wall. Guests join the line, point to what they want and carry a tray to a table. Visitors and locals both fill the room.

The country fried steak, fried chicken, roast beef, ribs and brisket are the meats diners name. Chicken and dumplings and mac and cheese are the plates repeated in the most accounts, along with bread pudding. A Saturday evening menu, called After Dark, serves different dishes, and one diner found it less satisfying than lunch.

The doors open at 11, and by five minutes after the room is half full. The line is long, so go early. Diners bus their own tables, and the staff are described as welcoming.

Peg Leg Porker on Gleaves Street is a Nashville barbecue stop that diners treat as part of a Gulch visit. The room is casual, with beer on the menu and a counter line that moves at lunch. A gravel lot across the street helps with parking, especially near opening.

The ribs are the center of the menu. Dry rub ribs, half racks and full racks are the cuts diners praise as tender and well smoked, and the pulled pork sandwich earns equal attention for its bark. Wings, nachos and combo platters add variety. Mac and cheese, potato salad and baked beans are the sides named most, and banana pudding is the dessert people mention.

Opinions vary. A few diners found the pork dry or wanted more than one sauce, and the ribs can sell out later in the day. Arriving early solves both problems. Lunch is the busiest meal.

The Iberian Pig on Overton Street serves Spanish tapas in a warm, modern room. Diners choose it for date nights, birthdays and family dinners, and many say it was the favorite stop of a trip. Service gets steady praise, with plates arriving on time and servers who guide the order.

The pork cheek tacos are the plate named most, and the risotto, shrimp and meatballs are close behind. A peach and beet salad adds freshness, and the burnt Basque cheesecake is the dessert to save room for. A black garlic cheesecake also gets mentions. Wine is the usual drink, and happy hour draws regulars.

Tables are small, and some dining areas feel snug. Upstairs seating is available. Staff suggest several plates per person, so a hungry party should order more than once. Reservations are advised on weekends, and parking nearby can be hard to find.

Milk & Honey on 11th Avenue South is a stylish breakfast room, with a quick-serve counter at the door and a host stand to the right. No reservations are accepted, so every group joins the list. The line forms around nine, and diners report waits from none on a weekday morning to an hour or more on busy ones.

The kitchen is known for chicken and waffles, which are mentioned more than anything else. Honey butter biscuits, the Alabama pork biscuit, the farmhouse biscuit and the hot chicken are also praised, and the cinnamon roll sits beside a burnt sugar latte. The room is clean and modern, and service moves quickly once the table is ready.

Plan for the text system, which gives a short window to return. A large lot across the street charges for parking. A few diners felt the food was overhyped, so go early and keep expectations measured.

Luogo on 12th Avenue South in the Gulch is a white, polished dining room that diners choose when something is being celebrated. Birthdays and anniversaries come up often, and sparklers on dessert are part of the show. The welcome includes olives and breadsticks with a little spice.

The menu leans on pasta and shareable starters. The meatball, arancini and burrata open many meals, and the fettuccine with lobster is the standout main. Gnocchi, chicken marsala and the chitarra with meatballs are other regular orders, and the grilled Margherita pizza gets praise. The mocha pot tiramisu is the dessert to share.

Servers earn compliments for being polished without being stiff. Book ahead for weekend nights, since the room fills early. A few diners found value uneven, so ask about portions.

Superica on Overton Street is a Tex-Mex restaurant with a large patio, an old West look and a menu built around fire. Diners say the room feels like Texas, and local regulars come back for the fajitas. Service gets frequent praise, and servers explain the menu to newcomers.

Fajitas are the main order. The meat is grilled over wood and cooked to preference, and the rice, beans and trimmings are unlimited. Tortillas are made fresh to order. Enchiladas, including the mole version, pork belly tacos and loaded nachos fill out the table, and margaritas are the drink named most. Brunch and lunch are both served.

The room is large and loud at peak hours. Saturday evenings can bring a wait near an hour. A few longtime fans feel the menu has changed over time, so first-timers should lean on the fajitas.

The Gumbo Bros on 12th Avenue South gives the Gulch a Louisiana corner. Diners with ties to New Orleans say the food and the mood match what they know, and a patio adds room on good days. Walk-ins are often seated quickly, and a sign invites guests to pick their own table.

Seafood gumbo is the headline dish, and diners with New Orleans ties rate it highly. Fried shrimp, hot honey chicken, rub wings and shrimp pasta fill the menu, and a queso with shrimp and a bread pudding offer shareable extras. A biscuit and potato salad appear on some plates.

Some diners found service uneven, and a few were confused by upcharges on drinks, so ask about extras when ordering. Reservations are possible but not always needed. Weekends can be busy.

Biscuit Love in the Gulch is a walk-up breakfast spot on 11th Avenue South. Guests order at the counter, pay and take a number, and a large bar and counter seats give them places to eat. The line runs long on weekends, and diners agree the only fix is to go early.

The biscuit is the point. The East Nasty, built on fried chicken, sharp cheddar and gravy, is the order to try first, and the Princess is the sweeter alternative. Cinnamon rolls, donuts and the hungry hash bowl round out a table. Shrimp and grits is another menu item, though some diners find the shrimp small.

A parking structure sits across the street, and street spots are hit and miss. A wait of thirty minutes or more is common by mid-morning. The staff are described as friendly, and counter seats let diners watch the kitchen.

Rudy's Jazz Room on Gleaves Street is a live music venue that serves food and drinks. Diners buy tickets for shows and the Sunday jazz jam, and the room is intimate, with tables close together and lounge chairs for some sets. For anyone choosing it as a restaurant, music is the main reason to go.

The food leans light. Popcorn shrimp, gumbo, a crawfish grilled cheese sandwich and tiramisu are the items named, and cocktails get praise. The staff are friendly and accommodating, and one couple with a ticket mix-up said the team helped them quickly.

Tickets should be bought online ahead of time, and food orders have a cutoff before the show starts. A few diners found the seating tight and the room cold, so dress with that in mind. The Gulch location makes it an easy add to a dinner out.

Sunda New Asian on 12th Avenue South is a large, modern dining room with a sushi bar and communal tables. Groups use it for birthdays, family reunions and engagement dinners, and the catering team helps plan large gatherings. Wait times can be long at peak hours.

Crispy rice with wagyu is the most unusual dish, and diners call it unique. Szechuan chicken, pad thai, the panda sushi roll, bao and oxtail dumplings are other regular orders, and Korean fried chicken, baked snow crab and adobo fried rice broaden the table. Coconut cheesecake finishes dinner. Sharing is the norm, and servers guide groups through the menu.

One diner was quoted a two hour wait and sat at the sushi bar in minutes, which is worth trying. Prices run high, and a few diners felt some dishes did not match them. Reservations are advisable for groups.

Emmy Squared Pizza on 12th Avenue South makes Detroit style pizza, and its fans include people from Detroit and Brooklyn. The room is compact, with three seating areas that still feel open, and servers get praise for making lunch feel like a good time.

Pizza is the reason to go. The Detroit style pie has a thick base and crisp edges, and the Colony pizza with honey is a favorite. Gluten-free pizza earns some of the strongest praise, with diners calling it among the best. The burger is juicy, and waffle fries with Kewpie mayo come alongside. Caesar salad and a white pizza broaden the menu.

Reservations are accepted, but a few diners had trouble with seating on large parties, so confirm the setup early. Lunch is busy. The kitchen turns pizzas quickly, and takeout is possible.

Marsh House on 11th Avenue South in the Gulch brings Gulf Coast cooking with New Orleans roots to Nashville. Diners say it is easy to get a table at lunch while neighbors are packed, and the service gets repeated praise. The patio and bar give choices.

Oysters lead the orders, especially at happy hour, and shrimp, crab and a seafood platter follow. Brunch is the busiest meal. The fried oyster benedict, chicken and waffles, fried chicken and an omelette that one diner called the best in town all show up. A shared cinnamon roll is nearly a tradition. Burgers and steak give non-seafood options.

A few diners felt prices were high for the portions, and others reported uneven attention at the table. Happy hour is the best value for oysters. Weekend brunch fills early.