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I just returned from a very long (Thursday-Monday) weekend in Nashville. Stayed at a downtown hotel and never went outside of a 4 block area from said. Did not eat any fancy meals (way too busy hoonky tonkin' and with business). howver, two places we arte stood out (although we did not eat anything that was not good).

Best place was Jack's BBQ. Out of site. I had both brisket and pulled por. The pork is the bomb, with Tennessee sauce (they offer 6 sauces at Jack's, and all are pretty good, but the tangy Tennessee sauce with the pork is awesome. Good sides, particularly mac and shees, bbq beans and green beans.

Next place was Past Perfect. The house specialty bison burger, with sauteed onions and smoked gouda cheese was great.


We spenf most of our non business and sleeping time at Robert's Western World, my favorite bar in the world. In addition to world class old school country and honky tonk music, this place had surprisingly good food (Cheeseburger highly recommended). Also had good late night burger (open til 4AM) at the Palace.

TD,

I sent u a pm.

TD,

Last time we were in Nashville we also enjoyed Jack's. It was excellent. Definitely our highlight of food while there. And the songwriter's museum was pretty cool too.

What a timely post. I just got home and on the way picked up a couple pounds of pork shoulder fro Hillbilly BBQ.

Turbo,

Just out of curiosity, what was your hotel and how was it? I have a 30th college reunion in Nashville this fall and may attend. Plus I need a couple of new guitars.

Gourmondo wrote:Turbo,

Just out of curiosity, what was your hotel and how was it? I have a 30th college reunion in Nashville this fall and may attend. Plus I need a couple of new guitars.

Gourmondo, we stayed at the Downtown Hilton. Great Place. this is a suite hotel, alhtough the suites are not large. We had a living area with fold out sofa (the guiy who got this said he slept fine on it) and a chair, with a flat panel tv, microwave, coffe make and mini fridge (unstocked) and a desk with chair Sleeping area was two double beds (very comfortable, wth great pillows), a king is also an option. Nice enough bathroom. $189/night was my rate (I think standard rate is $229). LOcation is superb for the Broadway Street (one block away) strip (many great bars/live music venues), Jack's and Rippy's BBQ, etc. Gruene Guitars is also on Broadway and is one of the best guitars shops in the country (bring your $$$$$$$; they have nice stuff, especially upstairs). Many famous pickers buy guitars there. Also I recomend Ernest Tubbs Record Store and Betty Boots, a ladies apparel store with very helpful sales girls.

If you stay near Broadway, definately check out Robert's (my new favorite bar, for sure).

Turbodog wrote:Gourmondo, we stayed at the Downtown Hilton. Great Place. this is a suite hotel, alhtough the suites are not large. We had a living area with fold out sofa (the guiy who got this said he slept fine on it) and a chair, with a flat panel tv, microwave, coffe make and mini fridge (unstocked) and a desk with chair Sleeping area was two double beds (very comfortable, wth great pillows), a king is also an option. Nice enough bathroom. $189/night was my rate (I think standard rate is $229). LOcation is superb for the Broadway Street (one block away) strip (many great bars/live music venues), Jack's and Rippy's BBQ, etc. Gruene Guitars is also on Broadway and is one of the best guitars shops in the country (bring your $$$$$$$; they have nice stuff, especially upstairs). Many famous pickers buy guitars there. Also I recomend Ernest Tubbs Record Store and Betty Boots, a ladies apparel store with very helpful sales girls.

If you stay near Broadway, definately check out Robert's (my new favorite bar, for sure).

Thanks for the tips! Gruene is way cool - I could spend the afternoon in that place - it is definitely on the itinerary if I go back this fall. E.T. Record Store and Tootsie's are the two places still around from my college days. Many of the others are gone except the Exit/Inn and the Station Inn (gotta do some bluegrass, and live is the ONLY way to experience it!).

Gruhn's. I like George Gruhn-- he says my '83 Tele Elite is worth 6-7 times what I paid for it.

I learned on a 1946 Gibson J-45. Still sounds great. It's a keeper!

Yeah, Gruhn. I spent a whole day there few years back. Unbelievable. Check out this link. They currently have Buddy Holly's amp for sale. Some good stuff on the link:
http://www.gruhn.com/

Tootsies pretty much always spot on. The rest, we would just walk up and down and roll the dice. Catch some great acts. Never was very crowded downtown. Cab ride from Vandy was only $8. Nice joints out in that area too. Believe it was The End that I caught Del McCoury Band. First time I saw them live, and as you said...Bluegrass is for live performance.

Would eat Jack's few times a week, but I always found Hog Heaven to be more to my liking. It is out at Parthenon Park, across from Vandy. Take out, except for a few picnic tables. Really enjoyed Noshville Deli too. Just like New York Deli.

Went out to the Opry Mills Mall (where Opryland used to be) and you can watch Gibsons being produced right before your eyes. Pretty neat. Not sure if that is still operating, but they had a nice Gibson performing center there in addition to the production line.

Check out the shows at the OLD Ryman Auditorium. You can catch some great acts there, and it is right out the back door of Tootsies! That's how Hank used to get so smashed between shows...
Link to Ryman Schedule:
http://eventful.com/nashville/venues/ry ... 2-9/events

Only went to the NEW Opry/Opryland (gone now) once, the first year it opened in 1974. We were backstage pickin in Ernie Ashworth's dressing room, and got to meet Roy Acuff, Marty Robbins, Jeannie Pruitt, Connie Smith, and bunch of others. Yee-haw!

Would have brought home a nice Gibson Mastertone, but George Gruhn is mighty proud of anything with the Gibson name on it!

Great town. Enjoy!

Wait...sounds like Gourmondo was at Vandy in late 70's! No advice needed there...