This place is fantastic. Loved the atmosphere, the service, and the flavors. It was so impressive how knowledgeable every person working here was. At one point, the host who originally checked us in ran food to our table. We asked her a few questions and she seemed just as informed as everyone else. It was great to feel so well taken care of by every member of their team. We were able to snag a lunch reservation and ordered almost everything on the menu. The chef who came out to speak to us at one point told us we'd ordered enough food and I appreciated that instead of pressuring us to buy more, he was genuine in helping us order the appropriate amount of food for two people. Even so, we went against his advice and ordered almost everything on the menu. It was also great that even with doing that, they thoughtfully coursed out our meal and brought items out individually or in pairs so we could really take the time to enjoy each item. -Coppa: the meal started with the complimentary in-house made coppa served with a deliciously thick aioli. There were nice hunks of fat running through it and it was so obviously not like those commercially-made cured salamis. We ate the remaining smears of aioli with our fingers. -Razor clams: one of the best bites of the entire meal. It was a clean, umami taste. Per our server, it's onion juice, peanut oil, and salt? Incredible. I could've eaten 100. -Beef tartare: also one of the best bites of the entire meal. Another example of being blown away by the simple yet insanely flavorful foods. Served with rice, freeze dried capers, and nori for DIY wrapping, this was delicious. I love interactive eating and this provided just enough of that. -Yellowtail collar: awesome. Sweet and so savory. Be ready to pick around the collarbones. If you're scared of fish bones, this one's not for you, though it's worth a try if you're willing to be adventurous. Flavorwise, it was amazing and I was shamelessly gnawing on the bones at the table. So good, I straight up didn't care at that point. -Potato bread and butter: this was also good and the butter had a yummy salty/umami kick to it. I was stoked for this bread because it seems like every single review mentions it. However, based on all the incredible foods we had, it was great, but I wasn't blown away. Given everything we ate, we could have skipped this one. -Lamb Blanquette: this was good, but not my favorite and probably my least favorite dish. It was tasty for sure, but the foam made it tough for me to really dissect the bites the way I wanted to eat it (I wanted to try each component on it's own - the confit garlic, the tomato, the onion, etc., but the foam made it tough to be able to pick and choose bites and I ended up just kind of housing it). I think part of the whimsy of the dish is the lack of visibility which forces you to focus on the tastes in your mouth, but I'm boring. -Crab Omelette: also very good. Was a hefty omelette with a good amount of crab running through it. Was served with a delicious (hollandaise style?) sauce with a dollop of another smooth, herby type sauce. I was worried that I might still be hungry with all the small bites in the meal, but this one definitely pushed us over the finish line. -Shaved ice: obviously, we weren't going to pass on this one. This dessert was light and refreshing with fun flavors. The raspberry powder was very gently tart and balanced well with the creme brulee cream at the bottom. There were fun little surprises with the honeycomb and mochi thrown in and we had no problem polishing this off. Definitely a must get and a great way to end the meal. Their drink menu wasn't huge, but had simple cocktails and a blackberry (?) Guinness that was fantastic. The blackberry really helped cut through the bitter aftertaste of the Guinness and made it even more enjoyable to drink. I'm not a gin person but chose to have their gin and tonic, and the gin wasn't too floral, which I liked. The meal itself was not cheap, but it was incredibly unique and between the outside-the-box menu and attentive service, I'd say it was absolutely worth it. I'm not from the area, but if I was local, could I see myself coming here super often? Maybe not. I'd opt for once a year or so to try the seasonal, changing bites. But for out of towners, I would argue that it's a must try because there are so few restaurants out there who offer an experience like this one. read more

Uninspired design, customer service that was common and lacking attention to detail: 1. Birthday dinner that was overlooked after 3 reminders. 2. Most of the dishes( we ordered the entire menu) were not tasty, but curiously odd and lacked size and flavors worthy of the price. 3. Pretending to care: my Guinness had 3/4 inch of foam and was taken out of my hand to come back with an inch of head -really? 4. Vodka with horseradish - interesting and good. 5. Shaved ice desert: gross is my first thought as it has gross random chewy flavorless items in it. Imagine eating someone's gum. 6. When leaving: manager asked if "...everything was great". Told him about being a birthday and on a scale of 1 to 10, this was a 3. He was uninterested - similar to the food- uninteresting. We went out to eat after this meal. Save your money as Michelin stars must be falling from the sky read more

My favorite meal of 2026 so far. 1. It feels silly to say, but their shaved ice dessert is what caught my eye, and I'm so glad I looked into it further and decided to dined here. 2. The host was super welcoming when we checked in and upon entering the restaurant, every single staff member, I kid you not, said hi, including the chefs. I was so shocked they took the time to look up from their stations to acknowledge the people they were about to cook for. 3. We got a run down of the menu with great explanations and recommendations and settled on a few items - potato bread & butter, scallop, yellowtail, preserved fruit and the additional yellowtail collar, beef tartare, and the tea, ice, raspberry dessert. It was a late lunch so we weren't too hungry but the employee recommended one more item so we added a half order of sweet razor clams. 4. The meal was very well paced. The first thing to arrive was some charcuterie with garlic mayo, followed by the sweet razor clams. The razor clams were yummy. To call them sweet is accurate but they were also nutty. I'd get these again. 5. Next was the beef tartare and this was fun to assemble and eat. The rice had a scallion cream hidden underneath, which paired perfectly with the well-seasoned beef that had a hint of horseradish. I would absolutely get this again. 6. Things started to move a little fast here. The scallop, yellowtail, preserved fruit arrived and the sauce was poured tableside. This dish was beautiful and fresh - I especially loved the scallops. The grilled yellowtail collar was a nice addition because of the contrasting temperature. It also came with a side of horseradish sauce that could be used on anything! I'd get both items again. 7. The potato bread & butter is just wow - a must get. It's pillowy, savory, and toasted perfectly. They don't toast the underside so it remains fluffy. I could eat 3 slices of this bread. The butter is also insane. One of my favorite things in the world is browned butter and this butter is exactly that. 8. At this point, I could use a nap but the dessert I've been looking forward to has arrived and it's just as beautiful as the pictures. It's earl grey, raspberry, creme brûlée, mochi, and honeycomb - literally all the yummiest things. 9. This was a fantastic meal with the best hospitality and I look forward to dining here again one day. read more

My recent meal at Locust in Nashville may have been my favorite dining experience of the past year... and perhaps longer.   Every dish we enjoyed at this 2025 Michelin-starred spot was spectacular!   The techniques and presentations are highly elevated, yet it all happens in an airy and fun room, with cheerful staff working right in front of you in the open kitchen, and rock music softly adding to the energy in the background.   Just look at these fantastic dishes from Trevor Moran, a James Beard semifinalist for Best Chef Southeast in 2023 and 2024... (see photos)...   *** Scallop, Yellowtail, Green Apple - With Umeboshi and Black Currant, finished with Conpoy Cream Sauce, Parsley Oil, and Caper Leaf Oil.   *** Grilled Yellowtail Collar - Glazed with Aromatic Soy, Horseradish    *** Beef Tartare - With Rice, Smoked Egg Creme, and Freeze-Dried Capers. Build Your Own Handrolls! *** Lamb Blanquette - With Fluffy, Foamy Butter Sauce and In-House Lamb Coppa *** Crab Omelette with Curry Rice -- Dungeness Crab, Soft Rice, Curry Sauce *** Tuna Salami -  From their Charcuterie Program *** Sweet Razor Clams - With Onion Puree and Peanut Oil   *** Potato Bread and Butter - Sound boring? It's not!   *** Shaved Ice --Earl Gray Cream and Raspberry Powder on top, and Creme Brulé Cream at the bottom. Dotted and Layered with Honeycomb Candies and Mochi.   I'm not a "dessert person" but we'd heard about their famous Shaved Ice, and it lived up to (and beyond) all the praise. Fun watching it prepped right in front of us. Insane!   Service was exceptional... one of our best experiences anywhere. We sat right by the expo station and had many nice conversations with FOH and BOH staff alike.    Our server Alexa, FOH wizard Kenna, and the entire staff were just wonderful, before, during and even after our special meal. I can't wait to return! Thanks to all. read more

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Amazing hospitality! Unconventional, inspired and innovative menu. Everything was delicious! The bread is like a toasted cloud . The tea/ice raspberry dessert is light, fun and very tasty. The yellowtail collar is fantastic! It's a must before the Michelin Star and remains a must-visit after earning the honor. read more

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Dining at Locust means dining with indulgence. Every dish is well thought out, and it showed with the presentation, the taste, and the order in which they brought each item out. They started us with their fresh seafood -- the razor clams first, then oysters. Different flavor profiles but both very fresh and clean. It was then proceeded with their beef tartare. The beef tartare was an experience in itself with instructions on how to make your own roll. We were then presented the yellowtail dish which we ordered with the grilled yellowtail collar. That grilled yellowtail collar is my Roman Empire with its unforgettable rich umami embedded on every surface of that dish. They then transitioned us to their heavier dishes starting with the potato bread and butter, and the crab omelette with curry rice. I couldn't help myself. I used their potato bread to scoop up a portion of their very decadent crab omelette -- and that experiment paid off very well. It's probably one of the best egg sandos I've ever had. The lamb blanquettes were brought out next, and that dish sealed in my brain that we were eating at a Michelin starred restaurant. They were able to make these dumplings taste like a perfect Irish lamb stew. It was like a Willy Wonka moment where it shouldn't be possible, but Locust did it. And lastly our meal was concluded with their tea, ice, and raspberry dessert. Why not just stop with a good shaved ice dessert? The last bites of our dessert surprised us with these crunchy honeycomb and mochi pieces hidden at the bottom of the shaved ice. Yum! Thank you Locust for the great experience! read more

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We enjoyed a delightful meal celebrating a friend's birthday at Locust in early January. The food is thoughtful and creative in a way that keeps things unique without feeling stuffy. For our party of four, the staff suggested we order the entire menu. I appreciated the idea in theory because it allowed us to try everything. Sadly, in reality, it was way too much food, even for the four of us. By the time the last few dishes came out, I was already full and couldn't enjoy them the way I wanted to. If I go back, I'd be more selective and order specific items I really want. Out of the dishes, there were a few I loved. The 'too much caviar' served with their potato bread and butter was indulgent and worth it. The beef tartare was eaten like a handroll, which made it fun in addition to the great flavors. The grilled fish collar was packed with flavor and one of my favorite dishes of the night, along with the grilled beef rib (melt in your mouth!). The salad that came out with it was too heavy in horseradish and I LOVE horseradish, so take that into account. Dessert was shaved ice with cream underneath. It was visually stunning and delicious. I'm giving three stars because of a few disappointments. First, the push to order the entire menu for four people. It was too much food. Second, one of the chefs accidentally spilled my husband's wine glass while presenting a dish. They cleaned it up quickly, which I appreciated, but there was no acknowledgement after that. No offer to do something for the mishap or even replace his drink with something off the wine by the glass list. We were drinking a 175 dollar bottle of sparkling, so I would not expect a full bottle replacement. Still, a small gesture would have matched the level of service I expect at this price point, especially for a table ordering the ENTIRE menu and an expensive bottle. Overall, good food and a worthwhile place to celebrate despite some low lights to our experience. However, when I stack this experience up against some of the other fine dining in the Nashville area, I wouldn't put it in the top. read more

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Look. I wanted to love and rave about this place. And I will say it was unique, not at all dull, bright and inviting, and at the same time mysterious. The deco was cool - I loved the dry aged coolers. I love the open kitchen concept, most of the chefs and servers were very nice and cool people. There was just one guy though - he seemed deeply offended that I didn't want to try their "signature" beef tartare or the expensive caviar. He kept insisting it was the thing they were known for, and I started feeling uncomfortable. His attitude just changed after that. Look - I'm just not into raw beef and fish eggs, ok? Happy to enjoy everything else (which we did - the food is quite delicious), but it felt weird and I'm hesitant to want to come back. read more

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Locust continues to be my most favorite restaurant in Nashville! I was lucky enough to score a lunch reservation there and it was a treat! I love the limited seating and the attention to detail you get from your servers. The menu has a few new items since I was there last, but everything is just delicious. They have a well curated drinks list. I opted for the beef tartare, razor clams, lamb dumplings, and the new crab egg & rice dish. Everything was superb! I also really appreciated the charcuterie with non-pork options. I also loved my seat at the restaurant where I could people watch while I enjoyed my meal. I love the neat and clean space. As always I can't wait to be back! read more

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Hype is warranted. Couldn't get in for dinner during our trip, but I was able to book ahead for lunch and celebrated my birthday here. One of my best meals of 2025!! I tried: + Complimentary razor clams + Beef tartare (half portion) + Tuna crisp + Potato bread and butter + Peeled sungold tomatoes + Lamb dumplings + Shave ice with passionfruit curd Favorite dishes were the razor clams, tuna, bread and butter, tomatoes and shave ice. Tartare and dumplings were also fantastic. Loved that we were able to order a half portion of the tartare, because I was able to free up room to try more things!! read more

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What an experience!! I'm already looking forward for the next trip back to nashville just for another meal. The menu is incredible, small but mighty. It's a must to basically get everything on the menu. Recommended going with at least 4 people. Reservations are VERY hard to come by so don't miss the window (my bedtime is typically 9:30pm.. and I went to an 8:15pm seating) The team is incredibly sweet. The open kitchen is a great space to watch them all in action. read more

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Always the best! My favorite local spot. Get a reservation asap! Trevor and team are exceptional and it shows in attention to detail and service. read more

I've been here a few times and each time, an UNBELIEVABLE experience. Yes, it may be the hardest restaurant to get a reservation at in Nashville, but it is gosh darn worth it. The restaurant is small and quaint but this adds to the hominess, which just gets brought home with how kind and friendly the chefs are. They literally come to your table, and always treat you like an old pal. We started off with two seaweed martinis which, unfortunately, we did not enjoy. I liked the IDEA, but they were much too strong and liquor-forward. SO kindly, our waitress comped them and brought us two glasses of wine on the house. Not necessary, but so sweet. This is the service that Locust prides itself on. We got lots of things that I won't fully explain since the menu changes so frequently. I also want to add that my father LOVED the tuna crisp that used to be on the menu, and so he always asks for it when we're here. We asked this time, and again, SO kindly, one of the chefs came out with complimentary razor clams for us. And not only that, but these were the BEST clams of my life. I can't even BEGIN to describe this delicacy. Other favorites were the risotto, which was the best risotto I've ever had in my life. read more

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We really wanted to try Locust prior to relocating out of Nashville. Be mindful to get a reservation beforehand, and you may want to keep an eye out on when reservations are open, as this is a popular dining location. For example, July reservations will open a month in advance (the first of June). If there's a specific birthday or anniversary you want to celebrate, you may benefit from reserving a spot the day reservations open. Parking is in 12 South, so this can be hit or miss depending on the time of day you go. Most accessible spots will be street parking within the neighborhood. We spend about five to ten minutes looking for a spot in this area on busier days. As our reservation was on a summery Friday afternoon, the closer streets were packed. A tip: sometimes the streets parallel to 12 South will be a bit more sparse for those willing to walk 2-3 blocks further. Ambiance reminds me of Japanese Izakayas or Chinese traditional dumpling houses: lots of natural wood and warm lighting. We were seated right next to the kitchen beside the bookcases. At first, I was worried there would be a lot of traffic so close to the entry, but they keep the door locked, and this felt like an intimate corner to eat and chat. Of course, the food: absolutely exquisite. We ordered probably 80% of the lunch menu and were not disappointed. There's so much to say, but I think half the fun of dining here is your own experience, so just a few highlights then. The sweet razor clams were morsels of salt water bliss with a refreshing blast of sweetness and a sharp onion note. We were lucky enough to try the swordfish which felt like a seafood take on a Szechuanese style hot chicken (no joke). It came lightly battered, fried, with a onion sauce and honey comb to complement. Oh, the dessert! The snowflake ice-esque combo with a creamy base decked out in dalgona crumbs and the odd mochi bit was excellent: there were notes of raspberry, (jasmine?) tea, and caramel. Truly a delight. I'm so very glad we went. Locust is definitely a special occasion food destination, and it felt like a celebration for us. read more

started off with the razor clams which were served raw, on the shell, but with a light mousse hidden underneath and a sprinkle of rock salt on top. deceivingly simple because that mousse was delicious and i have no idea what it is beef tartare was next. this course was basically a diy handroll and diners were encouraged to get in with their hands to create their perfect bite. the small bowl of rice had a layer of smoked egg cream (basically a house-made mayonnaise with spring onions mixed through) hidden inside and a thin slice of butter on top, adding a lot of rich fattiness and flavor to the dish. the most interesting element of the dish to me were the freeze-dried capers. the slight tang/briney-ness helped to balance the richness but also added an interesting texture to the bite. SO GOOD bread and butter was served next. a thick slice of brioche perfectly toasted and served with a potato butter. nothing to rave home about until the lamb dumplings that came shortly after. the chef personally came over to explain the dish and said he recommended scooping the leftover sauce (made from lamb bones) from the dumplings with the brioche. thought i was carb'd out after the rice, but after trying this combo, i really wanted another slice of brioche. read more

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In Nashville on Business and was able to get a table on a Sunday for lunch. They are open only a few days a week so window for reservations is limited. Place is small and simple but in a good way. You can tell right from the start that this place would be great. The attention to detail was subtle but it's everywhere. Truly a great experience. Attentive service. We order the beef tartare, their version of a slim Jim, and the rice dish, and the shaved ice dessert was awesome. Food and presentation were great and follow the sophisticated simplicity vibe that echoes throughout the restaurant. Highly recommend, it's worth it. read more

I've been waiting so long to post this review because it hurts me to give a 3 star when I really want to give a 5 based on menu and flavors alone. Although Locust has very creative, beautiful, and flavorful dishes, it is lacking a crucial part of service that separates fine dining from any run-of-the-mill food establishment. Although I can't be critical of the food I ate, I left feeling so disappointed and upset after my first dining experience here. For how much care and attention to detail paid to each dish, I would have expected to have been better guided by the wait staff in regard to the menu. For two people, we were encouraged to treat the entirety of the menu as a chef's tasting meal. Therefore we almost ordered every item minus a main course and one small bite - it was entirely too much food for two people. In addition, there was zero change of plates and silverware between courses despite the differences in flavor profiles from seafoods to sauces. If you're going to fancifully pour color-coordinating condiments over a dish to make it artful, PLEASE don't make me plate it over the remnants of my last course still on my thrice-used plate. By the time we received the famous tartare, we were pretty full and had no clean surface on which to place the nori sheets to construct the rolls. Though the restaurant was very dark, I noticed that the vessel used to bring our utensils was the same size as the nori sheet. I ended up selecting this rectangular mat to create my hand roll to avoid previous food particles contaminating my experience. I was approached by one of the staff who scolded my behavior and suggested that I would ruin the flavor of the nori because that silverware vessel -?- it was leather! I hadn't realized in the dark. My foodie husband and I have been to so many fine dining establishments, and have eaten obscure and surprising dishes in unconventional manners (think secret course accoutrements hanging in the artwork above our table at Grant Achatz's Alinea), but we have never been expected to reuse dirty tableware or figure it out; explanations are given down to the detail of how to eat the dish and fresh utensils and serving vessels provided to enhance each new course. Although I do remember the tartare being one of the best I've ever tried, I didn't enjoy it because embarrassment had me wanting to die in that moment. In addition it honestly did have a slight leather flavor after the blunder. Please consider providing clean dinnerware after particularly messy courses and especially before important ones like the tartare. Maybe I'll have the courage to try again one day, but for now I'll search elsewhere for excellent tartare. read more

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All I can say about Locust is that it never, and I do mean, NEVER, disappoints. From the service to the kitchen Chef Moran and his team deliver. I've been a customer since the first opening, when they were service delicious dan-dan noodles in a carton with instructions on how to eat them, to their as of late Michelin Star-- which I am pretty sure is for the dumplings and the beef tartare with caviar alone, but I digress--if you are swinging through Nashville and can get a reservation in advance, it's worth it, just order the menu, it's short, sweet, and fantastically creative. read more

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Locust is an experiment in what happens when a 3 Michelin star restaurant Sous Chef lands in a city where food tradition is only being born. Trevor Moran, the Sous Chef of Copenhagen's Noma, created a place so experimental that it's difficult to comprehend the concept and describe what it is. Is it Japanese Shaved Ice? But that's only the dessert. Is it Dumplings? Well, on many days, there are no dumplings. Is it something else? It certainly is, it is absolutely something else and that something is phenomenal. The seemingly casual nature of the establishment blends with ability to interact with the chefs while being positioned in a beautiful sauna like, delicate wood adorned space. There are true delicacies like the abalone and a side cup of mushroom broth. There is the make your own nori with flavor rich beef tartare. There is the dessert with a deep orange egg from chickens who were fed chilis. There is a signature tuna crisp. And if all of that is not enough, the restaurant boasts a wine list at retail prices instead of a restaurant 2x to 3x up charge. Describing Locust is a challenge, yet one should expect deep enjoyment and a focus on the human touch. read more

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This place really interested me and I definitely looked forward to our long-awaited reservation. After located the modest place, we were greeted pretty quickly and seated. The menu consisted of two cards, drinks and dining. Left to fill our own glasses of water we pondered the 5 things or so available on the menu and we collectively decided to await our instructions. After the overview we decided one of everything. Which included the caviar and butter crab additions. It was the right choice. The 1 slim Jim was tasty but we had to cut it into 4 pieces. The razor clam was tasty and had an Interesting texture that I liked but everyone did not, the clam was luckily cut. I loved the roll your own steak tartar and it was our collective favorite. Dessert was delicious. Caviar, of course great. Overall the food was really good, the place was quirky, as was the staff. But $800 for a 4 top... would I go back?... you will have to decide for yourselves! We did not have to stop for snacks on the way home. read more

Locust - Shaved ice desert - Shaved Ice Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

This place is an experience. It has very limited seating and offers and very intimate experience. The servers and chefs are very attentive. The chef came over to talk to us about the menu and answer any questions we had. The food was all great. This is not a cheap meal by any means. But they are using the best ingredients. The beef tartar was again my favorite dish. The actual streak we had was amazing as well. Just amazing flavor and quality meat. The lamb dumplings were my least favorite. The flavor was just not for me. the dessert is great. I'm not much of a dessert person but their dessert is so unique and good. It starts with a base of shaved ice. Then had a cream on it and some type of crumble inside. It's a flavor and texture experience. This place is great for a special occasion. read more

Locust - Tar tar instructions - Shaved Ice Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

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all time favorite in nashville. vibes and food are so dope. service is always great and everyone makes you feel like you're part of the family. i dream about the shaved ice. read more

Food was amazing.... The service was at par with a Michelin Star restaurant ++. Everyone was equally friendly, attentive, and gave great recommendations! Awesome vibe to go with the food and the fun staff. We had the scallops/yellowtail, yellowtail collar, bread, abalone, swordfish, and christmas cake ice - all unique and very tasty. read more

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amazing food, everything is executed so well and is so delicious. Order as much as you can. best razor clams ever

We had been looking forward to trying this place for months. The online menus- even today, the very day we ate there - still show plenty of variety: meat dishes, seafood, and more. That's what we expected. When we arrived, the reality was completely different. The menu that night was all seafood - every single dish. I asked the chef, who was taking orders, if they had anything without seafood, and the answer was a flat, resounding "No." No suggestion of a "special" or any kind of accommodation. Because of the lack of variety, we just ate some appetizers. I ended up with only bread, butter and a small salad. My husband had the lamb + seaweed dumplings (I don't eat lamb nor seafood). That was it. For a place of this caliber, I expected something, even a simple plate made from what they had on hand, to make guests feel welcome. They did bring us a dessert "on the house," but it didn't make up for the situation. Honestly, it felt more like they were sad we hadn't spent at least the $100 deposit we'd put down to reserve. And here's the kicker: with such a messed-up mismatch between their online menu and the actual one, plus a strict cancellation policy, there's no point in ever making a reservation again. You could easily end up stuck, like we were, paying premium prices for bread and salad. Great potential, nice atmosphere but zero accommodation and a complete disconnect between what they advertise and what they serve. What a disappointment. read more

Locust - Salad, lamb seaweed dumplings - Shaved Ice Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

They say that winning a Michelin star causes a restaurant to rest on its laurels. That is NOT the case with Locust. We had lunch there this weekend, and it's better than ever. The service is amazing, and the food just blows me away. From the "Slim Tim" house smoked sausage with parsley dip (which was an amazing combination) to the razor clams, to the potato bread with roe butter (and always get the tinned sardines!), every bite was a masterpiece. We also loved the crab omelet, and especially the beef tartare play on a "make it yourself hand roll". And don't leave without an order of the scallops, and a double order of the best dumplings ever. With a bottle of great cremant, we paid $150/person including mandatory 20% service fee (gosh, I wish every resto in Nashville did this so that servers can earn a decent wage) it was a splurge, but worth every cent. Trevor Moran and the Goldberg Brothers have delivered a gem here in Music City. read more

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I booked this restaurant about a month ago for my best friend's 40th birthday dinner. I am a vegetarian and I had put in a request to see if the restaurant can accommodate. The restaurant literally contacted me a day before and told me they cannot. Now I am in a ditch trying to book a new restaurant the day before for my friend's 40th birthday. Thanks locust! If you cannot accommodate, why wait until the last minute to contact me. read more

I had the fortunate gift of being forward another's reservation as they were unable to make it. I attended with little knowledge but full of excitement and openness & invited a colleague to join as our end of year celebration as small business owners! Locust exceeded all expectations with its impeccable personal service, exquisite dishes, and warm, intimate atmosphere. From the moment we were seated, the experience felt curated to perfection. We began the evening with sparkling wines, and followed with glasses of rich juicy red wine that paired beautifully with our tasting menu. The menu was complex and sophisticated, allowing each dish to shine. My colleague started with the tuna crisp and throughly enjoyed it, I did try it and surprisingly enjoyed it more than I thought I would. The standout for me personally was the crab rice, a symphony of savory, rich, buttery flavors and the most perfect texture. The grilled rib of beef was melt-in-your-mouth tender and came with some amazing sauces and one of the best salads of my life. There was so much unknown (to us), complex, and divine flavors in this main dish. For dessert, the Christmas cake shaved ice was a whimsical layered finale, balancing sweetness with a playful seasonal twist (had an almond cake and fruit inside and dare I guess some mochi?). A special highlight was being gifted the beef tartare by the kitchen, a generous and thoughtful gesture that showcased their pride in their craft. The tartare was new to me and while I have to admit I was apprehensive, it was very tasty and ultimately left this skeptic with respect for those who enjoy this culinary adventure as it was very tasty, we ate every bit of it! Locust offers more than a meal; it's a masterclass in thoughtful, innovative dining. This is a restaurant where the details matter, from the food to the wine to the genuine hospitality. I would recommend it wholeheartedly to anyone looking for a truly remarkable dining experience. This evening truly was a Christmas celebration and gift, grateful for the masterful chefs, staff and people that made it happen! I felt like royalty dining at what is for sure Michelin star level! My only knock down was the insane prices, I mean it's just not reasonable even for what you are getting, I had equally enjoyable expensive meals this past week at well known establishments for about 1/2 the price. read more

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Went for lunch on Saturday, and we loved it! The staff at Locust were so kind and attentive. The experience was very intimate, and the food was to die for. The Raspberry shaved ice, dumplings, swordfish, and potato bread were our favorites. Highly recommend this place! It is well worth the wait to get a reservation. read more

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This place was amazing! Came here with some friends on a Sunday night after finally landing a reservation. We were seated right in front of the kitchen and it was really cool to see the chefs at work while we ate. They had some pretty unique drinks so I asked the waitress what recommendations she had. She recommended the seaweed martini because it was the most unique and went well with the food. I did not like this in the least. It was somewhat bitter and hard to drink and I wish I hadn't gotten it. Thankfully, the rest of the food made up for it. We had the pickles, skinny tim and razor clams for our first dishes which were delicious, though we'll probably skin the pickles in the future. The beef tartar was super fresh and it was served with seaweed wrap, rice and capers to make a hand roll. It also came with a a cute cheat sheet with instructions on how to make your roll. It was so so good! I only wish there had been more of it. We also had the dumplings which are a classic for Locust and they really do live up to the hype! They were some of my favorite dishes of the evening. The potato bread was extremely fresh and fluffy and the butter was to die for. It was so good we had to get a second order! We also loved the mushroom rice which was perfectly cooked with such flavorful mushroom. This was probably our favorite dish of the evening though it certainly had some stiff competition! Lastly we had the grilled beef with the blue cheese. This was super tender and the cheese was excellent, but I am not sure I would get it again in the future. We finished the meal with the shaved ice which was incredible! There were so many different textures in each bite which was so good! I was very sad to see that dish end. Overall, absolutely loved the food. I did, however, find that the service was rather slow, particularly in clearing dishes and in bringing us things we requested (eg clean utensils, more water, etc). The dinner ended uptaking about 2.5 hours which was longer than I expected for sure. I would probably give this review a 4.5 instead of a 5 if I could, but the food was so good it definitely eclipsed everything else. I will definitely be back here to try their other offerings! read more

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An incredible experience, when you're in the mood for a splurge! I've been to Locust during each of its iterations: pandemic dumplings and shaved ice (takeout only), reservations only dine-in experience, (and I'm excited to come in March when they do evenings dumplings and drinks only.) Each time the food has been unique and incredible, but mostly this is just a very fun food experience for the somewhat adventurous. I like to describe their menu as seafood-forward, Asian-inspired small plates. (I would not recommend this restaurant for vegetarians or vegans, there are very few items you would be able to eat and it's not really a place to ask for substitutions.) Unlike a lot of other small plates/dining restaurants, when I come to Locust I know I'm going to be super full by the end of my meal and I plan to skip breakfast so that I can really enjoy and try everything they have to offer. My friend told me the best advice here is to order, if at all possible, everything, and that advice has not disappointed. Some of my must-order items: razor clams (the sweet Maui onion sauce makes it unreal refreshing), the beef tartare (I've literally had dreams of how perfect the horseradish sauce and custardy-cream at the bottom of the rice container makes this dish!), the potato bread (would get multiple of this if I had room for it), the dumplings, and honestly if they have any dish with crab, it's been divine. The quality of the food is just insane and I've even enjoyed coming and doing this menu just by myself. You cannot leave Locust without getting dessert, as they always have some of the most unreal and one-of-a-kind desserts (the shaved ice is always a favorite, no matter the flavor combination!) Service here has always really blown me away: they are thoughtful and attentive to any details you left in your reservation (dietary restrictions, etc). On a recent visit, they sat me by the chef's prep area and I loved watching them work, just seeing the fun they had putting on this restaurant experience for folks. You can tell these are people who really have a high bar for what they do but also equally want guests to enjoy themselves. I cannot recommend this place enough but also will name that it's pricey and that won't be for everyone (or an all the time experience.) My bill was $250-300 each time I went, which included most, but not all of the menu items and 3 drinks (20% gratuity is included on your check, which I appreciated because I didn't want to math after all that food.) This is a perfect treat-yourself meal and just an overall really special restaurant experience. read more

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After several failed attempts to visit this place we finally made it in and it did not disappoint. The menu was about as unique as it gets and everything we tried provided one delicious flavor after another. The horseradish vodka is a must! You have to book this place far in advance so if you have a trip planned to Nashville add this to your itinerary early on. Seating is limited so party of more than 4 will be tough. read more

Locust is also a repeat experience for me. We snagged a lunch reservation. Make reservations ahead. I trolled the online portal and signed up 2 min after it opened and still didn't get a "lunch" time slot. I thought that was weird but it worked out. The menu was totally different than the time I went and I was sad to see neither dumplings nor Dover sole on it. Happily, the dumplings ended up being on special so we had those at least. The last time I came, our waiter was actually the owner and we didn't know it until we were leaving. Not to say service was poor this time, just not as special. We did wait 15 min before someone came over to take our order. Our waitress suggested we get the toast with scallop butter and that was SO GOOD. Here's a run down of what we ate and my thoughts: Tuna crisp - really fine quality tuna, clearly. My husband loved it. I personally didn't because of the texture of raw fish. So I'm still giving it a 9/10 Beef Tartare - another thing where I had to put the texture aside. The rice with wasabi mayo at the bottom was bomb. Appreciated the nori for contrast. 10/10 Dumplings - yes. Give me all of them. 8/order with 3 sauces. My fav was the chili oil. The wrapper was paper thin and easy to eat. 10/10 Potato Bread with scallop butter - why do we only get one piece of bread? It was so good. Smart that was our last course because it was deliciously fatty and heavy. 10/10 Shave ice: I think the flavors of this change depending on the week. Today it was earl gray with strawberry. Super special because each bite had a surprise. They don't just pile on ice and some syrup. The entire dish is thought through: the experience of eating. I really, really liked that. There was condensed milk at the bottom, ice studded with mochi and dried strawberries, topped with earl gray cream and strawberry powder. Then, once you eat through the top layer, there was a vial of cookie butter to pour over and this hardened on the ice. Like seriously, heaven. I'm writing this and truly sad I don't live in Nashville just to eat this regularly. I appreciated how every item came out right when it was finished: meaning my potato bread was warm and piping hot and the shave ice got its finishing touches seconds before we ate it. A very thoughtful concept and menu. read more

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One of the most anticipated restaurants based on my friends and yelpers raving about this place. I'm going to start off with saying the staff was very friendly and service was great. Unfortunately, the food was just ok. We got almost everything on the menu except the beef tartare, horseradish vodka and the cheese pastry board. My favorite was the shaved ice. Nice and refreshing on a hot day! There was some sort of passion fruit custard in the middle that was delightful. They overdid the "air" on top of the sole and dumplings. Seriously... I thought it took away from the dishes. Made the dish so unappetizing to me. The lamb dumplings were too gamey for my taste. The sole seem overcooked. I was told by a friend that I should've tasted the butter. I didn't. The crab salad was tasty along with the curry powdered chips was an interesting combo but I've had better. The oysters weren't anything special. Razor clams were good. Simple. Easy street parking in front on a Sunday. read more

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Thank you chefs and the amazing staff for a wonderful dinner. All the food was delicious and the staff were very friendly and polite. We looked forward to coming back for dinner again. read more

This is the best restaurant in Nashville hands down. Quite expensive but you are paying for what you are getting read more

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Food outstanding !! Service was some of the Best we've ever had!! Super chill atmosphere and fun Steak tartare is a 100 % must read more

Locust is a fine dining concept that has recently done away with their dinner service. A seasonal tasting menu is now only available for lunch on specific days; reservations required. They are still open for dinner though, offering a concise, casual menu of dumplings and fish sandwiches, along with an excellent cocktail and wine list. I stopped in one night solo, and had a lovely experience. Their "Perfect Martini" was indeed perfect, and the staff made an excellent recommendation in regards of orange wine. I savored my drinks with a bag of salty scampi fries, and enjoyed the ambience. The star of the show though, was the Hot Fich Sandwich. The soft milky bun encased a huge piece of delicately fried halibut that melted in my mouth. Topped cheddar cheese, and served with thoughtful chili oil and tartar sauce accompaniments, every bite was memorable. I hope to try their tasting menu the next time we are in Nashville. read more

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LOCUST is definitely worth the wait for reservations. I can't even describe what an amazing experience for dinner and an amazing staff

Finally snagged a lunch reservation here on a Sunday after trying for so long! We had to wait a bit to get seated while another table is finishing up. I was disappointed to see on the menu that they weren't serving dumplings that day since that was the main reason I wanted to come in. I know they are switching up their service a bit and being dumpling and drinks only in the evening, but didn't think this would mean dumplings would come off the main menu. Our waitress was extremely knowledgeable about the menu and recommended a few of her favorite things. We ordered the beef tartare hand rolls, crab omelette, and potato bread and butter to share. They also brought us some oysters to try (presumably because I was disappointed about the dumplings), but I don't like oysters so I didn't get to try. The hand rolls were my favorite thing we tried! It was surprising filling and very flavorful. The omelette was also incredible and the texture of the egg mixed with the creamy crab was to die for. The bread and butter was also the best i've ever had. We also tried the Irish coffee which had a thick cream with salt on it and was so yummy. All in all the service was great and so was the food, but it was a little pricier than I feel was worth it. I will hopefully be back for the dumplings and drinks in the future! read more

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