12/27/07

Below average quality, service

by debbiedl

We'd heard good things about the OpryLand Hotel?s Old Hickory Grill, so headed there for Christmas dinner. After a brief wait, our waiter arrived and began a service that I will charitably describe as dour and indifferent (did we ever make eye contact?) and then, as the meal progressed, increasingly inattentive. For some reason, we were not given a wine list, but the waiter, at my request, brought one; I ordered a glass of decent and well priced Pinot Grigio.

Very tasty and well prepared appetizers and bread were long devoured as we waited maybe 30 minutes for the entrees to arrive; when we asked the waiter when they would be ready, he told us "you're next in line." This seemed odd since the restaurant wasn't even half-full and the party of 4 seated next to us had not only arrived after we had, but were finishing their meal by that time. (They did have a different waiter.)

At last the meal arrived. My filet (filets are priced at $44.00) was lukewarm; the accompanying 5 stalks of asparagus were thick, undercooked and also barely warm. My partner's chicken (at $32.00) amounted to a small portion (4 ounces, she judged), distinctive more for its dryness than any actual flavor. Mom?s filet, accompanied by a handful of desiccated onion rings was stringy and mushy, the latter suggesting a recent visit from the meat tenderizer. I sent mine back to the kitchen to be reheated and asked for extra hollandaise, which I then realized was the main source of the meal?s flavor.

Not much later, after a few more determined bites, we pushed aside our plates (I finally stacked two of them out of the way), and I looked around for the waiter. I finally spotted him across the floor in another dining room, setting tables. My partner went to ask him for the check and a to-go container. The price for 3 with 2 appetizers, hollandaise/crabmeat, 1 chicken, 2 filets and a broccoli side dish plus one glass of wine was $198.00.

• Pros: Nice ambiance, decent wine list
• Cons: Indifferent service, food quality highly uneven and downright bad

12/25/07

High Prices, Small Portions

by ssliston

I dined at Old Hickory on Christmas Eve 2007 in a party of four. To a person, we agreed that:

(1) The setting is cheesy. It's a little like eating in a theme park (Disneyland, Six Flags etc.)

(2) The staff, while well meaning, is undertrained. We encountered oversights in our order and long delays between courses.

(3) The portions were not commensurate with the prices. While the prices were comparable to Morton's, for example, the portions were meager by comparison.

(4)Finally, each of the items we ordered were simply underwhelming in preparation, quality and appeal. Be it the bison steak, the Niman Ranch pork tenderloin, the salmon or any of the salads, all were lackluster.

Our bottom line at the end of the evening was that Old Hickory Steak House is a strange mixture of high aspirations and low achievement. My advice is to look elsewhere for fine dining.

03/13/07

Tasteful Simplicity

by lbelka

My wife and I ate at the restaurant last week, the food, the dining room, and service was five star all the way. The restaurant defines themselves as a comtempory steakhouse that features signature steaks, but let me tell you the menu definately exceeds expectations. Chef Quasha's specials were devine and he even stopped by the table when asked. The desserts were exceptional and make sure you ask for Richard the cheese guy.

• Pros: Food, wine and service
• Cons: NA

07/04/06

Fantastic, surreal dining experience!

by baronarmfelt

My wife and I dined at OLD HICKORY STEAKHOUSE about two weeks ago, and the experience was absolutely wonderful. We had one of the best meals ever! There isn't a bad table in the place, and all the dining is out on verandas surrounding a life-size Southern plantation mansion. The service was perfect in every way and we were graciously attended by a server named Wayne. Rich is the Maitre Fromager and that cheese cart is worth flying in for specially! I've never seen a more informed and polite staff! AND THE FOOD!!!!! I had a bone-in filet that was fabulous and my wife had one of the daily fish specials --- superb! Compliment all of this with a comprehensive wine list and generous drinks to round out our night.

I heartily recommend OLD HICKORY for one and all. We forgot that a meal could be this much fun and this delicious!

• Pros: Surreal dining environment --- breathtaking
• Cons: none

This formal restaurant set in a Southern-style mansion makes company feel right at home with friendly service and award-winning cuisine.

by Contributor

In Short
Putting its antebellum theme to work, this steakhouse inside Opryland Hotel's Delta atrium creates an intimate atmosphere, with several rooms open to diners. Guests can sit on the balcony overlooking the trees and canal, or inside the club-like lounge, where casual convention-goers mingle with sharply dressed business associates and couples. Menu favorites include traditions like filet mignon and wild salmon and the more unique Southern-style shrimp with cheddar grits in a candied hot sauce.

03/13/06

What a great place for a special occasion

by gottotri

We recently visited Old Hickory for a special evening out. The food was great. I was impressed with the cheese cart (tons of great cheese) and the extensive wine list. The atmosphere is so great. You feel like you are dining in a tropical garden. We got engaged that night, and the staff made us feel really special. They even made a special dessert to celebrate. Never would have expected so a grand dining experience in a hotel, much less Nashville.

• Pros: ambiance, wine list
• Cons: service a bit slow