My girlfriend and I visited Butterfly on a recent Friday evening around 9:30 p.m. Located atop the W Nashville, it took us a moment to figure out exactly where to go. That said, there is an elevator in the hotel lobby that takes you directly to the restaurant floor.
Upon entering, we were greeted by the hostess and informed her that we had a reservation. She checked us in, though admittedly I was surprised when we were then instructed to seat ourselves. Luckily, we found a cozy spot tucked into a corner near the bar, with just enough distance from a group of rambunctious bachelorettes. Despite sitting inside, we still had a great view of the exterior and downtown cityscape.
Shortly after sitting down, a waitress came by with menus. Considering that Butterfly is a newer establishment, I would have appreciated a brief overview of the restaurant or a few menu recommendations, but neither was provided.
We decided to start with two specialty cocktails, the Jardin Rosa and Como La Flor, only to be told that they were unable to make either one. Ideally, this sort of information would be disclosed when a guest receives the drink menu. The apparent inventory issue was particularly surprising given that it was still relatively early in the weekend. Fortunately, our waitress was apologetic and offered some alternative options. I decided to try the Amor Cafeinado, as an espresso martini is usually my gauge of a bar's cocktail quality. It was decent, but didn't hold a candle to the nearby Pullman Standard.
For food, we ordered four items: papas al mole, tostada de atún, quesadilla de chicharrón, and pescado Baja California. Everything arrived reasonably quickly and the serving sizes were sufficient to satisfy our appetites. The fries were certainly satiating, but I found the mole somewhat lacking in flavor, which was also provided with the quesadilla. The pescado Baja California was probably my favorite of the dishes, but even then, its relative simplicity left me wanting more.
Overall, I was somewhat underwhelmed by the flavor and quality of the food, particularly considering the prices. The ingredients and execution simply didn't feel quite on par with what I would expect at this price point.
Another thing we noticed was that all four dishes were brought out at once. While this certainly made service efficient, it also meant that anyone who takes their time eating could find some dishes getting cold before they make their way through everything.
Our visit lasted about an hour, and as the evening progressed, we couldn't help but notice how busy and loud the restaurant had become. Butterfly's lack of assigned seating contributes to a very casual atmosphere, but it also creates a strange mismatch with the space. At full capacity, there simply doesn't appear to be enough seats for everyone. In my opinion, the seating arrangement doesn't quite align with the location, interior design, or pricing of the restaurant.
All told, Butterfly has some solid fundamentals. The location and views are excellent, the space itself is attractive, and there is clearly potential here. However, at this price point, I expected a more polished overall experience. Between the limited cocktail availability, lack of guidance from the staff, underwhelming flavors, and seating arrangement, there were simply too many small issues that kept the experience from feeling truly elevated.
There is definitely something to build on here, but I think some thoughtful changes from management could take it from a decent night out to a genuinely memorable one. read more