The best outdoor-seating restaurants in Nashville.

Sixty Vines sits on the rooftop of Assembly Food Hall at Broadway Place, reached by an elevator next to a museum. The room is spacious and modern, with plenty of tables for big parties and a large patio that diners urge visitors to use when the weather allows. From the roof the Ryman can be seen in the distance, which makes it a favorite for pictures before a show.

The fig and prosciutto pizza is the dish named most. The pasta list, including a chicken and pesto Creste di Gallo with mushrooms and spinach, earns praise as the best food one diner had on a Nashville trip. Crispy zucchini starts many meals, best with extra chili sauce, and the Caesar, fried chicken, cabernet burger and cheesecake also appear. Wine is the focus, and servers recommend pairings that diners appreciate.

Reservations are wise at dinner, because the host quoted a long wait on a Thursday. The bar is a pleasant place to pass the time, with frose and spritzes. Service is warm, though it can run a bit slow when the patio is full.

Answer sits on a quiet street corner on 46th Avenue North in Sylvan Park, an American tapas restaurant that neighbors use for happy hour and date nights. The service gets repeated praise, and servers offer wine and cocktail suggestions that suit each guest. A heated patio helps in cool weather, and a waiting bench outside is pleasant on a nice evening.

The patio solves the room's main drawback, which is noise. Several diners found the dining room loud, and those who booked patio tables were pleased with the calmer setting. Happy hour is the highlight, with a goat cheese and tomato dip served with grilled bread that a diner called the top pick, and strawberry margaritas. Mushrooms in the appetizer course were buttery, and meatballs, a burger, trout, king salmon and a kale salad all appear. Dessert gets praise, from a chocolate torte to an ice cream and caramel creation.

The menu leans toward ginger, arugula and Brussels sprouts, which not every guest wants. Small plates suit sharing, and reservations help on busy nights. Takeout meals are also well liked.

The Twelve Thirty Club on Broadway is an upscale restaurant, bar and live music room that surprised diners who expected a tourist trap. A piano player or band sets the tone on arrival, valet parking is offered, and service gets steady praise. Reservations are common, and birthdays and anniversaries fill many tables.

Outdoor space is a main feature. A rooftop bar offers cocktails and views while a table is prepared, and a balcony with a DJ kept a bachelorette party going for hours. Diners seated outside enjoyed the live music and people watching on a date night. Inside, steak and prime rib lead the menu, along with French onion soup, pork belly dumplings, a wedge salad, salmon, fried chicken and a seafood tower with king crab. Bread served with a meaty cheese won fans, and a sommelier chatted with a guest about pairings.

Prices run on the high side, and one steak was salty. Even so, many guests call it a standout night in town. Booking a table ahead and arriving early for the rooftop is a good plan.

Streetcar: Taps & Garden sits on Charlotte Pike, a neighborhood bar with high tops, bar seating and a large pet-friendly patio. Diners describe the staff as friendly and quick, and the clean room works for families or a group of friends. Parking is on the street, so allow a few extra minutes.

The patio is the main draw, and one regular says the outside seating is where to sit. Smoked wings are the dish named most, with a Memphis style rub, crisp skin and smoke flavor that several diners rank among the best. The chicken quarter is smoked in house in smokers outside and comes with slaw. Sliders, shrimp tacos, a brisket plate, Brussels sprouts and a home fry dish with strong spice round out the table. A vegetarian sandwich also earned praise.

Wednesday trivia and happy hour margaritas bring regulars. Prices can climb with beer and sliders, which one diner noticed, and a patty melt arrived overdone on one visit, so wings and chicken are the safer orders. The garden is a good place for a relaxed lunch.

Urban Cowboy on Woodland Street in East Nashville is a boutique hotel more than a restaurant, with a parlor, a garden, a wine bar, an outdoor bar and a front porch. Guests describe the staff as warm and helpful, and the rooms and lobby have a lot of character. Visitors drop in for drinks and a light dinner, which makes the grounds feel like a neighborhood spot.

Food centers on Roberta's wood-fired pizza, which diners eat on the porch with a glass of wine or at the outdoor bar. The pizza was a hit at a wedding, and several guests plan return trips to try more. Wings are tasty, and a tomato sandwich appears on the menu. Breakfast on the porch is described as simple but unique.

The evenings can be loud from the bar, though it closes fairly early. Rain closes the patio, and staff have added tables inside for larger groups. The setting suits an easy evening in a lively neighborhood, with pizza and a drink as the main order.

The Hampton Social at 1st Avenue South is a coastal-themed restaurant with a rooftop and a lively dining room. Brunch is the busiest time, and diners say the place is buzzing by late morning. Booking a table weeks ahead is wise, and a garage connected to the restaurant takes the stress out of downtown parking.

The lobster roll is the dish named most. A truffle lobster dish, shrimp tacos, an ahi tuna bowl, the Hampton Caesar with salmon, calamari, steak and waffles also draw praise. Appetizers such as crab dip and tuna tartare are better liked than the oysters, which one diner found flavorless. The rooftop hosts a karaoke brunch that a group traveling from Delaware called an amazing way to celebrate a birthday. Servers get specific praise for friendliness and detailed recommendations.

The room runs loud, which fits a busy restaurant. A cold day on the rooftop did not stop one diner from enjoying the salad and salmon, and no reservation was needed that day. For weekend brunch and big celebrations, a reservation is the right move.

Bringles Smoking Oasis sits on Centennial Boulevard in the Nations, with a large outdoor area, a bar and big screens that suit game days. Diners find the setting polished, and the area is dog friendly outside. A line often reaches out the door, but it moves quickly, and staff are praised for making sure guests have what they need.

Meat is sold by the quarter pound, which lets a group build a tray. Brisket is the most mentioned item, available lean or from the fatty end, so ask for what suits. Ribs, a huge beef rib, jalapeno cheddar sausage, pulled pork, turkey and smoked pastrami all have fans, and one diner said the meat needs no extra sauce. Sides carry real weight: mac and cheese, potato salad and a cucumber onion salad get praise, and diners say the sides are not secondary.

Texas-style barbecue is the goal, and some diners found a few bites dry or lightly salted. Toppings on nachos cost extra, and the patio shines in summer and during big sporting events. Takeout travels well, according to a diner who ate it hours later.

Postino 12 South sits on 12th Avenue South, a wine bar with a covered patio that stays cool through the summer. Diners call the patio well designed and a great spot for a glass of wine, and the covered area makes it good for people watching. The music is relaxed, and the staff members are named for their kindness and good recommendations.

Bruschetta is the signature. The board lets a table sample several, and the warm artichoke and smoked salmon pesto are the favorites, though one diner found the bread plain. Roasted cauliflower earned a recommendation, and the Meatball Shakshouka drew praise even though the dish arrived a little slowly. Paninis such as prosciutto and brie, or chicken and mozzarella, and a grilled cheese with tomato soup suit lunch.

Happy hour is a main draw, with wines at a friendly price and a bottle and board special that visitors from Arizona were surprised to find open. Weekend lunch fills up, so a reservation is recommended.

Harriet's Rooftop sits on the nineteenth floor of the 1 Hotel on Demonbreun Street, and the skyline views are the reason most guests book. A DJ sets the mood in the evening, and a jazz night appears on the calendar. Diners describe the style as upscale and earthy, and the terrace feels open. Lunch is a quieter way to see the same view.

The menu leans toward sushi and small plates. The Nightfall Roll, the rainbow roll and an egg and hamachi roll draw praise, and short rib bao, wagyu dumplings, rock shrimp, hot chicken and a banh mi all appear. Cocktails get a lot of attention too, with a long tequila selection, espresso martinis and bartenders who offer creative one-off drinks. Servers are named for their warmth and humor.

Reservations are the safest route, and staff worked with one guest to find a table with a great outside view. Parking is a challenge, since nearby lots filled and charged high rates on a busy night. Check-in at the host stand can be slow at opening, so arrive a little early and be patient.

Mother’s Ruin on 6th Avenue North is a neighborhood bar that locals and visitors call a favorite spot to start or end a night. The room is loud and unbuttoned, the bartenders are friendly, and the drinks are made with fresh juices and fresh ingredients. The cocktail menu changes often, with playful names, and a bartender will build a drink to a guest's taste.

The patio is a big part of the draw. It is pet friendly and pleasant on a nice day, and a rotating frozen slushy is a summer favorite. Food is better than bar food usually is: the smash burger, the spicy chicken sandwich and the Old Bay waffle get praise, and Brussels sprouts with a spicy Thai taste are an unexpected hit. Wings, a Korean barbecue shrimp dish, a Caesar and a breakfast burrito add range, with fried chicken and a chicken and waffle at brunch.

Brunch is busy, and the main drawback is noise inside, so the patio is the better choice for conversation. Daytime brings a good crowd, and service is quick and friendly even at peak times.

Big Machine Distillery & Tavern sits on Bransford Avenue in Berry Hill, a tavern with wood decor, high ceilings and a covered patio. Bar seating, table seating and outdoor tables give groups plenty of choice. The staff is friendly, and free samples at the bar introduce the house vodka and other spirits. Live music plays, and staff once sang happy birthday to a guest.

Brunch is the meal diners write about most. The unlimited Vimosas and Bloody Mary option is a draw, and a server who handled the crowd well earned lasting praise. Chicken and waffles lead the plates, followed by Nashville hot chicken, a Nashville Benedict, hot chicken nachos, avocado toast, a country fried steak and a pulled pork sandwich that diners called flavorful and tender. Iced coffee flights in flavors such as pumpkin, caramel and cinnamon suit warm days.

Ordering drinks and food together helps when the covered patio gets busy, since one server needed time to find a table. Reservations are easy to make, and the staff noted a birthday message. A shrimp dish with white barbecue sauce is mayo based, so ask if that matters.