Nashville is a town full of great restaurants, and as you’d expect, Music City boasts some amazing music venues. But there aren’t really that many places where you can enjoy both food and music at the same time other than the occasional bar snacks at some of the honky tonks downtown. Nashvillians are generally really respectful of songwriters and performers, so when they are performing, the focus is on the stage instead of the plate.
Long-time favorite Sambuca in the Gulch breaks the mold, though. Billing itself as “Nashville’s only rockin’ restaurant,” the music actually ranges across multiple genres from classic rock to Top 40 to dance bands that get the crowd out of their seats to burn off a few calories after dinner. Sambuca showcases live music every night of the week, with early and late shows on Saturday and Sunday nights. You can check out the performance calendar on the restaurant’s website to see if any of your favorites are performing.
For pre-dinner cocktails or a spot to catch the early small combo performances on weekends, the bar at Sambuca offers a prime viewing spot. Their extensive drinks menu features classic cocktails like a Pisco Sour or Hemingway Daiquiri as well as more modern inventive options such as a Funky Cold Medina or a Spicy Blueberry Margarita. They also offer a couple of frozen drinks and a long list of wines by the glass and beers with a half price Happy Hour on weekdays from 4:00 until 7:00. A special bar menu of small plates and pizzas is also available for late night after the dining room converts to a party room.
Sambuca serves a brunch/lunch menu every day except Monday beginning at 11:00 am, another rarity for fine dining restaurants in Nashville. Start your day right with a filling dish of chicken and waffles featuring an expertly-fried breast and thigh, chipotle-bourbon maple syrup sausage peppercorn gravy over a buttery waffle. You won’t need lunch after that one… Sambuca also offers their lunch menu for carry-out for office workers or residents of the Gulch.
At dinnertime, the lights go down and the atmosphere gets sultry at Sambuca. The menu becomes a little more sophisticated as well. The best appetizers skew toward seafood, with dishes like fried calamari, smoked salmon, shrimp ceviche and tuna poke all worth consideration. While there are also some fine fish and seafood dishes among the entrees such as miso-glazed sea bass and shrimp and crab linguini, meat is where it’s at when it comes to main courses at Sambuca.
Their roasted chicken with honey-garlic sauce, creamy mashed potatoes and crisp roasted brussels sprouts is the ideal repast for a cold winter’s evening. Sambuca’s hickory-smoked pork chop gets an Italian twist with a roasted tomato sauce and prosciutto mac n’ cheese on the side, while their Certified Angus Beer 16 oz. ribeye is served with homestyle green beans and havarti tater tots. Most entrees come as a composed plate, but shareable side dishes are also available to spread the love around the table. Enjoy dessert and an after-dinner drink or coffee while the band warms up, you’ll be ready to extend your evening’s entertainment at Sambuca.
