Stock-Yard Restaurant

Description:

• If The Palm seems too pretentious, head a few blocks uptown to the old Nashville Union Stockyard building where local old-money types have gathered to slice slabs of beef for decades. It's where Dad comes for Father's Day, or Son on his graduation. What you get is a very impressive foyer, complete with crystal chandelier, marble floor, and an alcove containing a wine display that includes what may be the oldest bottles of Madeira in the country (from 1776 to 1792). A window off the foyer gives you a glimpse into the meat-storage room, so you can have a look at what you'll soon be served. For a steakhouse, this place actually has a pretty limited assortment of steaks, but most diners stop at the first offering -- the prime rib. If you're not a steak eater but still would like to visit this Nashville tradition, you'll find several seafood, pork, and chicken dishes, as well as a few pasta plates. There's a nightclub downstairs from the restaurant in case you feel like dancing off some calories after dinner. The restaurant offers a free shuttle to hotels within a 15-mile radius. Call ahead for a space on the buses, which seat between 14 and 45 people.

• © Frommer's 2013