We chose to celebrate a birthday here and it was our first visit. We had a wonderful time! Our server McKenzie W. was incredibly friendly, fun, kind and helpful. She provided spot-on recommendations for both food and drinks. The food was fantastic - we had the pretzel bites, popcorn shrimp, chicken katsu and the turkey pastrami. For dessert the monkey bread was delicious. The GM Dylan stopped to check on us and chat a few times. He made sure our experience was great and was very friendly. Exceptional customer service. Definitely coming back soon. read more

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We had a great experience at Culinary Dropout in Franklin and are happy to leave a five-star review. The service was excellent--Nina, who is brand new, did a fantastic job, and Tyler was a great trainer alongside her. You can tell they really care about the guest experience. We ordered the fish and chips, and they were absolutely delicious. The atmosphere is lively with great music, which we really enjoyed. It was a little loud on a Saturday night and made conversation a bit tough at times, but that didn't take away from how much we enjoyed the overall experience. We'll definitely be back! read more

Great spot. Excellent bartenders and servers. Good food, too. Try it out! Bathrooms are clean, too! read more

Came here for lunch with a coworker. It was nice enough we could sit outside with the patio heaters. Our waiter was crazy nice and helpful! He really made the experience great. Wish I had caught his name. I had a perfectly sized, delicious kale salad and my friend had the famous chicken sandwich. We were very satisfied and the presentation was on point. Would definitely come back. It is a little pricey because of the area but worth it for the ambience, staff, and food. read more

Culinary Dropout - Kale salad - New American Near Me - Franklin, Tennessee

My wife and I were in Franklin between Christmas and New Years for a family gathering and decided to try something new which was Culinary Dropout. The restaurant is located in a trendy, mixed use shopping center with apartments, shopping, and dining. The restaurant seemed to be a bit cool temperature wise despite being quite full. Luckily, we were seated on the enclosed patio which was a warmer and less noisy. I was quickly disappointed that they were out of the potato chips with onion dip as well as the nachos which were two of the things on my list to try. I opted to try the Nochebuena Margarita which was good but overpriced for what it was. I decided to order the turkey pastrami sandwich with French fries. My wife ordered a house salad and added grilled shrimp. Her salad was quite good and I really liked the shrimp. My sandwich was a big let down. The coleslaw on the sandwich made it soggy and there was so much salt on it that it crunched when you ate it. I will say that the fries were very good. Our sever was very attentive and took care of all our needs, but he kept touching me on the shoulder which really annoyed me. I may have picked a bad night, but the overpriced drinks and the food is enough to keep me from coming back. read more

Culinary Dropout - Turkey pastrami with fries - New American Near Me - Franklin, Tennessee

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Such a CUTE MOOD Early dinner date & it was a total scene. Made reservations & was smooth upon entering. Service was 10/10 from host to servers. Food was so good. Steak & frites 10/10: love my medium rare steak with a good sauce. Came with a horse radish dipping sauce. Was just ok (my opinion) Fries were just right in size & crunch. Nachos were 8/10 Cheese sauce was good but seemed like chips were over cooked. Super crunchy but not the worse. It was a good shareable serving. Highlight! Beer & a shot deal all day everyday 100/100 can't beat that duo. Would like to go when they have the live music & happy hour for sure next. read more

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Happened upon this place while in the area. Super busy day as appeared there was a school dance going on that day and all the kids were eating in the area. We were pleasantly surprised to still get a table for the night . Really good food and drinks . Also enjoyed the live music read more

We were in the area for our anniversary and had other dinner plans but after a long day we just wanted something special, cozy and close by. Following a suggestion from my foodie sister we chose Culinary Dropout! There is some street parking if you're lucky but there's also a parking garage right behind the building that's easy to navigate with a short walking path to the restaurant. We waited for about 20 mins on a Tuesday night which wasn't too bad. The dining room is huge with multiple zones & even a stage for what I'm assuming live performances along with an open kitchen. They also had a full bar and patio enclosed by plastic walls for the winter. Our server was incredibly personable, helpful, attentive and was genuinely interested in our dining experience. We were debating between apps (so many to choose from that looked amazing) and he helped us go with the pretzels. I'm so glad we listened to this suggestion because it was indeed one of the best pretzels and cheese fondue I've ever had. Leftovers for days, everything was top notch! Can't go wrong with this spot! read more

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This place is exactly what Franklin needed! A menu with something for everyone & a nice atmosphere full of energy! My husband & I got lucky & scored few seats at the very busy bar. Service was prompt & friendly. I ordered the Espresso Martini & it was OUTSTANDING! My husband had an IPA & like it. We were in the mood to have few small bites. We ordered the Pigs in A Blanket they are such a treat and are so fresh & good. Love the poppy seed on the breading. We also split the Chopped Chicken Salad & will be sure ordering it again & again but next time I am not splitting . All & all it was a great experience so be sure to put Culinary Dropout on ur must experience list ( oh, & don't forget to order the Espresso Martini)! Cheers! read more

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Ate lunch here and sat outside. The outside appears to have ceiling fans and heat lamps. Great for year round use. Bourbon selection is nice. The waitstaff was attentive. It wasn't too busy on a Sunday for late lunch. The salmon was a nice size and tasted perfect. The consistency was just right. read more

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What a wonderful find here in Nashville! There is a crazy amount of inside seating, with live music on the weekends that started at 5:30. There's also patio seating which of course we chose! The fondue with the pretzels was twenty out of five stars. Just order it, you'll be glad. The Brussels weren't bad either, our kids surprisingly loved them. We both ordered pasta and the sauce was to die for with both of them. Very rich, and very fulfilling. The menu had so many great choices to choose from, I feel like we have to go back! Our waitress was so great with my son who was trying to charm her. She did great and was very quick to refill drinks and such. Great experience overall! read more

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First off, service was A+. For that, our server was ridiculously good. I honestly wish I could give 3.5 stars. In a brutal job market, they crushed it. Here is the miss. Menu, seems to be solely focused on completely overpriced boozey drinks Potato chips and pretzel bites, while good, were ridiculously pricey. Entrees. Meh. My Cacio e Peppe, was a glamorous mac 'n cheese at best. Pretty much, a TGI Fridays of current times. Cost of a customer, lunch, no booze. It's funny, my wife and kids have been here already. They told me as I was leaving the house "dad, it's really not anything special". Will I come back, probably not. read more

Culinary Dropout - New American Near Me - Franklin, Tennessee

Love this new restaurant! Found easy (and free!!) parking in an adjacent garage which is bonus points for me living in Nashville where so many places are paid parking near their restaurants. Joined some friends midday and got excited about the menu. Looks like we have many dishes to try in the future but today we all got salads, which we all raved about and finished . Mine was so good- the chicken chopped salad ingredients were such a nice mixture and filled me up. Our server , Kaylee, was exceptionally friendly and helpful. We decided to comeback for the happy hour menu soon to try some of their apps and drinks . Restrooms were clean and spacious. I am going to highly recommend visiting Culinary Dropout! read more

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Culinary Dropout is the one of the newest addition to the rapidly expanding Aspen Grove area in Franklin. After seeing a lot of hype around the brand, and learning this location was its entry into Tennessee, we decided to grab an after office team dinner and for the most part, it was a good experience. The space is cool, laid out well, moody, but lively and clearly influenced by the local flare that is Nashville...as evidenced by the small live music stage near the bar! Seating was varied with plush booths and tables, lots of seats directly at the bar and a nice covered patio. The menu is rooted in elevated Americana, but does have a few surprises that you would not normally expect including sushi, Korean beef, pasta and even curry. Of course the classics, or their spin on them, dominate the menu including nachos, burgers, chicken wings, steak frites, and more. The cocktail menu is equally as exciting with several standard cocktails alongside some creative and house-curated cocktails of all varieties. We sampled our way through each area of the menu starting with appetizers. For the table we went with the pretzels and fondue, white truffle deviled eggs and the wagyu pigs in a blanket. While all were tasty, the pigs in the blanket took home the medal for favorite app, hands down! Between the actual wiener, the puff pastry and the honey mustard creme fraiche...the dish was excellent! For dinner we all went a different direction, but all enjoyed what we had. A peer and I went halvsies on the spicy tuna crispy rice and chicken katsu sandwich with fries. The spicy tuna crispy rice was perfection, while the katsu sandwich was mediocre. I do not know what we were expecting, but the thin chicken breast, lightly fried and barely seasoned on slightly oily toast was not it. The others at our table had the burger, fish and chips, and prime rib dip. No major complaints, they all enjoyed. Outside of the appetizers, the cocktails were the highlight of our evening. I started with the Full Moon Party, as I am a lover of all things gin and cucumber. The cocktail was refreshing, tasty and all around perfection. As we wrapped dinner and looked ahead to dessert, a few of us ordered the Giddy Up Espresso Martini. The cinnamon spiced cold brew made this martini...it was tasty! They have a small, but mighty dessert menu, all things sounded tasty, but word got out that we were celebrating a birthday, so they offered a selection on the house. We went with the Mississippi Mud Pie which was absolutely delightful! Service was odd, and a bit rushed throughout our experience. Our server was very sweet and friendly, but again, it felt rushed and was rounded out with the dropping of our ticket before the dessert even hit the table. Additionally, at the risk of sounding like an old man...the overall service vibe was a bit chaotic, from not being able to identify who was a server or guest, to the constantly speed walking everyone was doing...it was a lot to take in. Additionally, I recommend reservations, as we made a reservation for 5:45 PM on a Wednesday, and still had a bit of a wait before being seated. Overall, our experience at Culinary Dropout was decent. Now that we know a bit more about the brand and the menu, we can hopefully make our next visit a full five star experience. read more

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It was a Thursday evening and this place was packed! Didn't make reservations but wait wasn't too bad. So they basically make everything in house and you can basically tell. I had the meatloaf and it was really good. A good portion. For appetizers we tried the popcorn shrimp and whipped feta and both were really good. My expresso martini was good as well. Cool vibe, our waitress was very sweet and attentive. I would go back. read more

Parking is easy, inside is large and decorated well, the live music is the perfect volume (often live music is a large deterrent for us). We started with the pigs & blanket and pretzels - delicious. For entrees we had pork belly nachos, fish & chips, turkey & pastrami sandwich, and the breakfast burrito - everyone thoroughly enjoyed their meal and would reorder, burrito was the bottom of the totem pole but still good. For drinks the table had {several} old fashioned and an espresso marine - we would order those both again. Our only less than ideal experience would be our service. The person tending to us seemed rushed and somewhat bothered. They were very quick to gather plates without asking...some with food still remaining on it. read more

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My husband and I went on Dec 23rd with our friends that we celebrate Christmas Eve Eve with. (Yes, we have made up our own holiday lol and this is our third year celebrating) We all were so excited to try Culinary Dropout, so we got drinks from the signature menu, the pretzels with the cheese fondue (delicious) I got the spicy rigatoni also delicious! Unfortunately everyone else weren't 100% stoked on what they ordered. They all said it was good, but have had better elsewhere. They all did have a bite of my rigatoni and agreed that mine had the best flavor and wished they would have gotten it. The decor and vibe was very classy and laidback at the same time. Our server was very sweet and informative. I wouldn't mind trying it out again! read more

Culinary Dropout - Spicy Rigatoni - New American Near Me - Franklin, Tennessee

This is a low light restaurant with excellent food. The servers provided great recommendations and knew the menu. I got the BBQ chicken nachos as appetizer and it came in a big portion. Our main entrees were tasteful as well. The spicy rigatoni is a great pasta choice and the steak frites with fries were okay. This restaurant is a little on pricey end but the setup is really nice and food & drinks are good. read more

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Great cocktails, happy hour specials, and food! Service was great. The booth seats at bar was comfortable. The interior was tastefully done. We'll definitely be back! read more

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Accurate review would be 3.5. Great service and nice atmosphere, but the drinks and food were a little underwhelming. We ordered the pretzel bites and fondue for an appetizer and that was probably the highlight of the whole meal. For our entrees, we ordered steak frites, chicken katsu sandwich, spicy tuna crispy rice, and spicy rigatoni. I had a bite of my friend's rigatoni and that was the best dish at the table by far. We had a few cocktails that were all pretty good. Overall a decent night out in Cool Springs. read more

Culinary Dropout - room service and Tijuana Spa Water - New American Near Me - Franklin, Tennessee

This is a beautiful restaurant in a relatively new mixed use shopping center. We sat on the enclosed patio and with feeling was very warm and cozy. Our waiter was very attentive and kind (he even patted me on the shoulder once, welcome to the South), I wasn't starving so I just had a house salad with house made ranch dressing (If you are from an area that had Malones steakhouse, it tasted at lot like the dressing on the Lexingtonian salad). And I added sautéed shrimp that was perfectly cooked and well seasoned. I had an old fashions that was very good. If we are in the area again we will give it another whirl since they are constantly changing the menu, we will try something different. read more

I w heard about this place in other cities and had wanted to try it. The atmosphere is awesome. I love the trendy styles the staff is wearing. The staff is really awesome and friendly. They have a great selesction of cocktails, several I've never seen before! I tried the gittyup espresso martini, it was tasty, my husband had a Bloody Mary- you do have to tell them what type otherwise they just bring a plain one. The food was decent we came during brunch and I think the menu was limited. We had the turkey pastrami willing was really good, my husband had a couple sushi rolls- they were standard, nothing super special but hit the spot. We had a an issue with one of the menu items and without going into all the details, I was impressed with how proactive our server and manager were in taking care of us without us having to ask for anything. That's the kind of service I'll come back for! read more

We just had the best lunch! We both got fish and chips. They were crispy and good white fish. Our server Alyssa was so sweet and attentive! We will be back! read more

Food was very good, was a great place to stop for lunch. The main downside was they were out of a lot of white wines that I like, so had to settle. Service was decent although not overly friendly. Typical sport bar vibe read more

Culinary Dropout - Wagyu Pigs in a Blanket - New American Near Me - Franklin, Tennessee

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The outside patio was nice and warm and a quieter space than inside. Our server was great and recommended some amazing choices. The pretzel bites with cheese appetizer was good but plenty for a table of 6- so if there's just two dining, maybe choose a different app. The steak frites melted in your mouth and the salad with it was perfect with the lemon dressing to brighten up the savory steak. The Korean style ribeye cap had an amazing flavor that was unique and a little spicy. We got the Christmas margarita and Sweater Weather sangria and both were delicious! Would be a great place to meet some friends for dinner! read more

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Wonderful restaurant we found in Franklin. Really nice ambiance and welcoming staff. My bro and I started off with a cocktail, he opted for a Mule and I order the Double Blind, a beer in a bag and a blind shot of whiskey, very fun to try. We had pork belly nachos as an appetizer which were perfect for the 3 of us, and really good. My nephew ordered the fired chicken meal, my bro had the chicken katsu sandwich which was excellent and I ordered a Caesars salad. Food was all very good. Service was excellent, we were visited by multiple wait staff. All in all a great experience. read more

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As you walk in you appreciate the setting and feeling of your environment, it fits the space so very well. I enjoyed the music and am very happy to of gotten an outside seat. The tables are made of a very beautiful marble or stone and the plants are well taken care of. I had the Wagyu pigs in a blanket for my appetizer and was very impressed with it. The dough is flaky and crispy which lends its self nicely to the rich dog inside. It also has some poppy seeds and a honey mustard cream sauce which finish it off very nicely, while rich it is very enjoyable! My main dish I had the fish and chips here was my only issue, the fish was not cooked the best, the fish was actually quite mushy. Madison was my waitress she was very kind and attentive I highly recommend this place just maybe not the fish and be aware of the prices. read more

Culinary Dropout - Wagyu Pigs in a Blanket - New American Near Me - Franklin, Tennessee

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Since this is a new restaurant you need to try and get reservations before you go. We went on a Wednesday, glad we had reservations. When you walk in you feel the up beat vibe. They have a big bar to sit at, and also out door seating in good weather. I started off with an Old Fashioned, it was good. Appetizers included Wagyu Pigs in a blanket, very good, the blanket was light and fluffy and the mustard was good. Also, got the Crisiy Brussels Sprouts, if you follow me you know they are not my jam. Everyone else loved them. For an entree I got the Mongolian Short Rib, it was actually pretty good. The flavor was very good with a little heat! My wife had the Chicken Cacio E Pepe, she liked it, to plain for me. And dessert... Monkey Bread with Vanilla Ice cream, it was good but the Mississippi Mud Pie is the best! Server was ok, not that attentive. read more

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This scratch kitchen was excellent! Everything is house made! We were seated on the patio which was less noisy than the main room where there was a live band. We ordered the crispy Brussels but they weren't very crispy due to too much of the gochujang sauce but still tasty. We split the Korean ribeye cap and Mongolian short ribs and they were tender, well seasoned and delicious. Service was friendly. read more

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I went here shortly after they opened and I was disappointed. The restaurant design is pretty and unique. The service was definitely lacking. That could be due to the newness and getting into the flow of things? The servers were barely dressed, showing too much skin for an "upscale-ish" restaurant. However, the food was very mediocre, borderline bland and nothing impressed us. read more

Cannot recommend this place enough! The food was incredible. It is a person date night spot. We started with the pretzel fondue and it was so yummy. I got the spicy tuna roll and it can't with 5 pieces, I would expect it to be 8 pieces like the other rolls since it was the same price. It was still delicious. My husband got the short rib. Our waiter Richard was nothing but helpful and explained the whole menu. He was so knowledgeable about all of the items and made great recommendations read more

Culinary Dropout - Soft Pretzels & Provolone Fondue - New American Near Me - Franklin, Tennessee

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I stopped for lunch. Great vibe, friendly staff, solid food. Lots of parking and great area of Franklin. I had the panko chicken sandwich with fries. My wife had the burger. No Togo box for her which is a rare feat so it was good! Fries were cooked great and house made ranch was really good. Also did the bbq pork belly nachos to start with. Not your standard bbq sauce profile which is a great thing, imo. Can't wait to return for dinner! read more

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We wanted to try a new spot for our date night and chose Culinary Dropout, a brand-new addition to Franklin. This was our first visit to the chain in general, and we were really impressed! We made 8:30pm Saturday reservations, hoping to miss the dinner rush, and it was still packed, our wait was only about 10mins minutes after checking in. The staff were friendly, the service was smooth, and the pacing of the meal was spot on. Our appetizer came out with enough time to enjoy it before the main course arrived. The atmosphere was exactly what we were hoping for on a date night: romantic, moody lighting and cozy seating. We loved our booth. There was live music, which was pleasant and added to the vibe, though we couldn't see the stage from where we sat. For food, we decided to split two dishes. We started with the bbq pork belly nachos & they were absolutely phenomenal. The pork belly was tender and flavorful, layered with melted cheese, black beans, pico de gallo, tomatoes, and topped with guacamole, sour cream, and cilantro. It was rich, indulgent, and perfect for sharing. We also split the Mongolian Short Rib, which was another win. The beef was tender and packed with flavor, paired beautifully with the sauce, rice, and vegetables. We ate too many chips that we could only eat about half of the beef and took it home for leftovers. I tried the Campfire Vibes cocktail, to me it was heavily apple cider and not very strong whiskey, but very delicious and gave off cozy fall night meets whiskey sour vibe. I commend them for having a small mocktail menu too and hope it expands. Overall, we had a fantastic experience. The menu is broad, and there is so much more we would love to try next time. That said, it is a bit on the pricier side, and the food feels heavy and indulgent, similar to a Cheesecake Factory experience in terms of portion size and richness. For us, that makes it more of a special treat spot rather than an every-week go-to. Highly recommend for a date night or a fun night out with friends! read more

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It's been ages since a restaurant made me stop mid-bite and say "wow," but this place did it--out loud, in public, no shame. Kylie, our server, deserves a medal (or at least a raise). She knew the menu so well I'm convinced she helped write it, and she guided our first-timer confusion like a culinary sherpa. The food? So fresh I briefly considered asking for the recipe and starting a garden. I could practically feel the lime in the salad giving my taste buds a little zesty high-five. We all ended up sharing plates because hoarding this food felt morally wrong. Every last bite was joyful. And don't even get me started on the decor--perfection. Do yourself a favor and snap a selfie with Johnny Cash; he's the strong, silent type and photographs beautifully. I'll be back... repeatedly, enthusiastically, and definitely hungry. read more

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Very cool place! Excellent cocktail selection AND dog friendly!!! Lost 1 star just for not having many gluten free options. I went for brunch with my friend and my dog. Guava pineapple mimosas were delicious. There wasn't anything gluten free on the brunch menu so I just ordered a side of bacon and two eggs.that said, I don't think it's fair for me to comment on the food. Great servers, yummy looking menu for those who don't have allergies, definitely would recommend checking it out! read more

Beautiful restaurant but extremely loud. The food was okay. The spicy California roll was teeny tiny, had zero flavor, and tasted a bit like tuna from a can. The Chopped Chicken salad was bland and unappetizing. Forced down half of it and left the rest. The MAC burger was very good. The fresh pretzels with fondue were amazing. Don't think we'll be back. Very overpriced and the flavor profiles leave much to be desired. North Italia across the street is 1000% better. read more

Alyssa was an amazing server! Lunch was delicious and we had a great experience. The booth was very comfortable.

This restaurant is one of my favorites! So yummy, amazing service. The servers KNOW the menu and it shows. I love the vibe, the atmosphere is great. And the food is great. The servers always recommend the best food on the menu. I definitely recommend visit this place for my nights out! It is a bit loud in there so sit on the patio if you want to talk a lot:) read more

We stopped in to celebrate our 20th anniversary without a reservation and honestly didn't expect to get a table. The place was packed. But the hostesses were so kind about it and somehow found us a cozy booth in about ten minutes! Morgan took great care of us all night and made it feel easy and relaxed. Then Will, the manager, came by to congratulate us and surprised us with a little treat. Def be back! read more

Wow. Wife and me met daughter here for random lunch. Much different than Scottsdale AZ location. Very inviting, cozy , comfortable, slight upscale, touch of sports bar, ambience. Service excellent. Basic burger, amazing. Chicken Katsu delicious. Think we found a new spot in our dining rotation! Really recommend a try when in the area. read more