How would I describe Locust in one-word? Incredible. In two? Incredible and expensive – because let’s face it, you must try as much as you can on the menu. And it’s worth every single penny! While Nashville doesn’t have any Michelin star restaurants, when discussions of which restaurants could be, Locust gets their name thrown in every time! And I truly do recommend it after going.
I’m so excited to take you along for the review of my dinner at Locust! Locust is one of the hardest restaurants in Nashville to get a reservation to, and I did it!
How Reservations Work
Locust currently opens their reservations for the following month on the 1st of the prior month. So, I got my reservation for July 23rd on June 1st at 10am Central when those dates were opened on the reservation website. And people were definitely waiting, just like me! The times filled up quickly, so you have to be prompt and have an idea of what date/time you’re looking for, plus quick fingers!
At time of writing, they also require a $50 deposit per person on the reservation, which is applied to your bill when you dine. They do allow cancellations with a refund up until 6 hours before your reservation time, which I think is very fair. You can also transfer your reservation to another person.
Reservations allow for 2 hours for dining at dinner, and 1.5 hours for lunch. And they only allow up to 4 people per reservation. More on that below.
What Makes Dining at Locust So Coveted
Locust only has 8 tables in the restaurant, and it’s only open from Friday through Sunday each week. With the reserved time slots, they really only have a few reservation times each day. So, it’s hard to get in.
On top of the scarcity of tables and reservations, Locust has a great reputation under Chef Trevor Moran, who was previously at Catbird Seat. Like I mentioned above, people truly think it could be a Michelin star worthy restaurant. It’s definitely one of Nashville’s finest spots.
Menu for Locust
There is no set menu for Locust, which also makes it special. They are known for some items like dumplings, but you’re still not sure what will be available on the day you go! I was very happy with the menu for the night I went. I’ll share the menu below, which is a good sample of what could be available in the future – or at least an idea of their style of food.
What We Ordered
We were told we should order 4-6 items for 2 people, and the waiter went through the menu and explained what each item was in detail. This was super helpful! The items come out as they are ready, and they’re meant to be shared! We ended up ordering 4 items, then they gave us 1 for free, which was super nice of them, and then we had 1 dessert even though we were stuffed!
Starting off, I got the glass of Pinot Noir – amazing – and my friend got a glass of the Rose, which she said was delicious as well!
The first 2 dishes that came out for us were the beef tartare and the potted peekytoe with curry crisps. They said the beef tartare was a favorite. The flavor was out of this world, and it was fun because you created your own sushi roll out of the ingredients. We were able to make 4 good sized rolls altogether!
The potted peekytoe was a crab dip, and the curry crisps really complemented the flavor. My only complaint was that the crisps were a little messy with the curry seasoning sprinkled on.
Next, our potato bread with warm razor clam butter came. Now, this sounds boring, but the bread was so buttery and soft. It paired so well with the dip. My friend even commented that the dip had the flavor of a bisque soup, which I totally agree with. I also used some of my bread with the remaining crab dip!
And a surprise! They actually ended up giving us the bowl of sungolds (little tomatoes) as a free gift. Why? I have no clue, and they didn’t say! But it was so sweet of them, and it’s not something we would have ordered on our own. I thought it was a great palette cleanser between the heavier dishes, just something light and a little tart!
We had a little bit of wait for our last dish (perhaps that’s why they gave us the free tomatoes!), which was the lamb dumplings with bread sauce. It was worth the wait. And we were so excited, we forgot to take a picture. Although, we think it didn’t have the most photogenic look anyways! But, they were exquisite in the sauce! I can see why they’re known for their dumplings.
And lastly, even though we thought we were too full, we decided we had to try a dessert. And we were sold on the light “adult snowcone” they had on the menu which was the milk, egg, ice. There was more to it than that though. It was like a creamy snowcone with a syrup cured egg on top. On the inside, you dug through the ice to get to dragonfruit and brittle in the middle. It was amazing, and I’m happy we got it. It was the perfect dessert after a large meal!
Overall Impressions
Every single dish we had was delicious. The wine was amazing. I don’t think you can choose the wrong thing.
The atmosphere was cozy and had Nordic vibes in my opinion with the sleek 4-top tables and open kitchen concept. The staff was super friendly, and even greet you as you walk in with a big round of “hellos” and “welcome in’s.”
While you can probably add together how much we spent on dinner (and 4 glasses of wine total), the total was around $260 with tip included. They automatically subtracted the $100 I had already paid from the reservation deposit, making the total due $160. They also add 20% tip as a service charge. They didn’t even give a space to add additional tip, which I thought was interesting. But also, I feel like it feeds into a Nordic vibe of paying people a fair wage and the price is what it is!
Overall, the meal was expensive for a random Sunday night, but absolutely worth it. Also, the fact that $100 of it had been paid nearly 2 months before the reservation date made it seem like it wasn’t expensive for what we got. But that’s just what my sunk cost brain is telling itself!
This would be a great restaurant for a special occasion like graduation, a promotion, family in town, a special date, etc. But also, sometimes you just need to treat yourself and enjoy it if you’re able!
What to Wear
There was a mix of attire at Locust. I think you can dress up or go with an elevated casual look. I opted for a maxi dress and a new pair of wedges I had been looking to wear. We also saw other women in summer dresses and jumpsuits, and men in slacks and button-downs or polos. There was also a table of younger women wearing jeans, nice blouses, and heels or sandals (elevated casual). It’s definitely not a stuffy restaurant, comfortable and stylish is just fine!
Where to Park
Unlike other pricey restaurants in Nashville, Locust doesn’t have valet. And I like that. It makes it seem more down-to-earth and cozy. There’s plenty of street parking around Locust in the 12 South neighborhood. Though, you might end up having to walk a block or two on Friday or Saturday!
Final Thoughts
Locust is a truly special restaurant and perfect for the foodie or a special occasion. The difficulty to get a reservation is actually worth it! As always, let me know if you read enjoyed this review – in the comments or over on Instagram! If you liked this restaurant review for Locust, I’d love for you to share this post!
