Gregory B.

A friend asked me to join her at Cullinary Dropout. From my experience, it is pretty clear to see the dropout part, as this is pretty run of the mill food. I think it likely gets "new kid on the block" bumps on ratings, as it should not have this high of ratings. Or did I just have a bad night to come there? First, this is a chain restaurant. I don't hold that against it, but I find chains tend to lack the attention a local restaurant, where the owners are in the place, tend to be better overall in quality, service, etc. Second, this place is WAY overhyped. The concept is very neat, so give kudos, but, in the end, it comes off like most chain restaurants and lacks the soul to make this a great experience. The atmosphere is cool. It is very open, so a bit noisy, but that is usual for restaurants these days. Arrived early, so got a seat at the large bar. Tried to convince her to just sit down and enjoy the bar, but she wanted a table. Service was average. Nothing to complain about, nothing to rave about. Kept on top of things, so can't complain. The ribs are fine, but way oversold. Fall off the bone, so not my favorite, as I like a little pull. I won't fault them for that, as some people like the meat uber soft. Not really fond of the sauce on it. Again, that is a preference thing. The menu makes them far more appealing sounding. THe star on the plate was the slaw. I am so-so on slaw, but this was my favorite part of the meal. The fist & chips were overbreaded. Fries were limp. Her fish & chips was definitely the low point. High point was on the Mississippi mud pie, which was a highlight. Not enough to kick it up a star, but definitely enough to keep it above dropping to a 2. I did like the drinks, so if she ever wants to venture for cocktails and appetizers, I will certainly give it some thought. OUtside of that, I would rather hit Drake's (another chain).

Brian N.

Second trip back since my first experience about a year back. Yesterday was with a business partner, so I didn't actually "pay" for the meal. Ordered some apps and I asked what the soup of the day was.... Chicken Noodle the waitress says. I ordered a cup soup with the apps. Apps come and go,,.,, She takes our food order. While waiting for entree's, I ask about the soup. Her response, "Oh I forgot to put that in". We all make mistakes for forget things. But no follow-up if I still wanted a cup of soup. I chalk it up as a loss. But the comments from our six top were "not only didn't she write anything down, she didn't really seem interested in our table. Moving on, I ordered the fried chicken. (The menu says "trust us, it's worth the wait".) What was served, was anything but crispy/crunch, and the borderline soggy. If you look at most of my Yelp reviews, I always try to be graceful, and think of how difficult, it must be to run a restaurant, and typically score on the high end. Not this time, and although I was a guest of my party, most at the table were very underwhelmed. (Person who actually paid for dinner ordered fish and chips. Her comment was "super simple dish, and they serve room temp/soggy fries.) Maybe just an off day, I've been twice, and genuinely not impressed in the least.

Kimberly M.

Came here when I saw sticky rice on the menu, but they were all out. The whipped feta and tahini with strawberries was our start, and what an intriguing combo of flavors! The strawberries on top were not roasted as advertised. We moved on to Steak Frites and it was cooked to perfection but, truffle butter was completely absent. Service was friendly, and the patio was comfortable even on a warm night.

William W.

In September of 2025, Phoenix-based Culinary Dropout (founded in 2010) opened its 19th location on the southern periphery of Cool Springs. It's the first location in Tennessee, one of the best culinary choices in the McEwen Northside neighborhood. If you're unfamiliar, it's essentially a 45-acre miniature city that was carved out of a field in 2018. I remember that overgrown grassy area just 10 years ago, and even Culinary Dropout was still a vacant lot in 2023. We're lucky that this rapidly developing neighborhood now hosts this exemplary eatery! And what I'm about to say is something I've never said before. Lily is literally the greatest server we've ever had in 50 states, 82 counties, and over 2,500 restaurants spanning over half a century on this planet! Request her!! She is fabulously professional, highly knowledgeable, and perfectly sociable. There was a snafu in which our server never appeared. So Lily rushed over to take our table outside her section. She gave impeccable advice for menu items, kept water glasses full, and managed to be perfectly attentive to our every need without being bothersome in the least. So charming and helpful! So, as for the food, get the house-made pretzel balls with three-cheese fondue! Get the chicken katsu. The 36-hour ribs are also good. Pro tip: The coleslaw might be the best I've ever eaten at a restaurant!! And the ribs come with coleslaw. We haven't even tried the Wagyu pigs in a blanket, prime rib dip, and fish and chips yet! Thank heavens there's a spot in Williamson County that stays open to midnight on Friday/Saturday! Please don't ever change that! But best of all, the atmosphere and service are outstanding!

Jim

Found myself at Cool Springs area at lunchtime and decided to try this spot. I got there right at 11 and was able to park on the street right beside the restaurant. Started the meal off with a local brew "Ted Loves Cerveza"recommended by the server. This was a light and refreshing Mexican style lager that was excellent. For the entree, I chose the fried chicken which came with coleslaw, mashed potatoes and a biscuit. The chicken consisted of a thigh, leg and half of a breast, so if you are into dark meat they hook you up. The chicken was crisp and seasoned. Overall, everything was pretty good but the beer was the star of this show.

Asia A.

Yes, yes, yes!!! The vibe, the fresh and flavorful food, drinks, staff, ambiance... I loved it all! Can't wait to come back and visit.

Mari B.

Need a new brunch place? You found it! Stopped in on a Sat with friends for brunch and it was awesome! Wait staff is great and we sat in the patio (perfect day for it). Inside there is plenty of seating and they had a musician inside and his music was pipped throughout the building which was nice! During brunch hours they have select cocktails that are half off! Their Boozy Bellini is delicious and fun! We started with their Whipped Feta & Tahini and highly recommend. Good portion to share! For an entree had their Ham & Egg Grilled Cheese with a side salad. The dish was delicious and shareable too! Grilled cheese was perfect and had avocado and tomato in it! Bread was really good! Side salad was a good size and great balsamic dressing. Ended with their Giddy Up Espresso Martini which was a great way to end a meal!

Christina L.

A friend told me about this place so I decided to come here for a lunch date with my daughter. When we first walked in, I was surprised by how nice the place was. The restaurant was beautifully decorated. Our server was very nice and attentive. Since it was our first time here, he recommended several of his favorites. I finally settled with steak frites and Copa mundial (limited time soccer themed cocktail). The copa mundial was very refreshing and just the right amount of sweetness. The skirt steak was perfectly cooked medium rare. My daughter enjoyed her mac and cheese and strawberries as well. Overall, it was a great experience and I would definitely recommend others to try.

Magaly O.

Great food , great service , the environment was very nice ,we came in very dressed down and were pleased that our server gave us 5 star service which is rare in this day and age. She definitely earned the 30% tip:) We will definitely come back!!!

Jen S.

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.

Elizabeth B.

Returned to CDO with friends for a spontaneous brunch spot pool day! The drinks alone are reason enough to visit. We all loved the Giddy Up Espresso Martinis, which were topped with adorable soccer ball design in celebration of the World Cup. We also enjoyed the Serrano & Jalapeño Bloody Mary (definitely brings the heat!), along with the Two to Mango Margarita and the returning Endless Summer Margarita, each had their own place and none disappointed! For brunch, I ordered the Southwest Breakfast Bowl. It was fresh, colorful, and packed with vegetables, making it feel nourishing without being heavy. The flavors worked well together, especially the combination of eggs, veggies, and southwest-inspired seasonings. My only suggestion would be adding a starch element, such as crispy breakfast potatoes or roasted sweet potatoes, to provide a little more texture and make the bowl feel more balanced and substantial. Even so, it was flavorful, fresh, and thoughtfully prepared. What really stood out was the service. Our team was attentive, friendly, and knowledgeable about both the food and drink menu, making the entire experience feel relaxed and enjoyable. Overall, a great spot for brunch with friends, especially if you're looking for creative cocktails, a lively atmosphere, and excellent hospitality. I'll definitely be back for another round of drinks and for sure that Endless Summer Margarita.

Brenda M.

I honestly don't know why we hadn't been here until tonight, but we will definitely be back. I can't say enough about the hospitality, truly from the moment we walked in, hostesses were lovely and welcoming. Then our waiter, Ali couldn't have been more knowledgeable, attentive and accommodating. The food...so good! We got the pretzel bites with fondue for an app, delish. Then my husband got the steak frites and I had the most amazing fish and chips. It's my husband's birthday and they brought him a Mississippi mud pie, y'all the espresso fudge that comes with it, chefs kiss. We had not one but two different managers come by to make sure everything was amazing and it was! Don't sleep on this place like we did.

EDWARD W.

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.