Jimmy Kelly's Steakhouse

I posted a review in 2004, and I am doing another for 2008. I have visited Jimmy Kelly's again and again and again and again...Take business clients, family special occasions, or just a nice dinner in Nashville with friends, Mike Kelly still serves the BEST STEAK in Nashville. Try the Bleu cheese stuffed filet! In fact, I will say as I close, that today is my 50th birthday, and where am I going with 20 family members and friends to quietly remember the past and look forward to the future with great steaks, cold drinks and Blackberry Cobbler and Key Lime Pie? JIMMY KELLY’S!!!

For many years, Jimmy Kelly's has been a Nashville favorite for steaks. Hot corncakes with butter, the BEST Bleu Cheese to be found anywhere, cold drinks from the bar, and a wait staff that strives to remember your name each time you come in and are attentive to your every need! Mike Kelly, the grandson of Jimmy Kelly has carried on the tradition that has made Jimmy Kelly's the winner of all Nashville steakhouses. The only drawbacks that I can think of are (a) the bar is usually loud (b) the restrooms are small and upstairs, and the patio dining room sometimes has been cold when we have visited there in the winter months. But, I would still choose Jimmy Kelly's over any other steak in Nashville!!

Jimmy Kelly's is the ultimate in Old Nashville Old Southern dining. The food is absolutely wonderful, and the tiny corn cakes brought as your appetizer are so tasty, you will want to make a meal on these. The waiters, clad in white coats, are attentive to your every dining pleasure and try to anticipate your every want and need. They are very gracious. The specials listed each day are only the best. The salmon is obtained fresh daily, and if not perfect, then not served. The blue-cheese filet is fork tender and so tasty. For a birthday celebration, they have available a small cake to suit the entire party. The restaurant is in an old home and is very tastefully decorated. Valet parking is available, but usually not a necessity. The only slight drawback would be the restrooms are all located on the 2nd level, but this encourages a tour of the stately old home. There is a small bar area, with TV usually tuned to the sports game of local interest. This is our favorite restaurant, although a bit pricey, very well worth the cost.

To be fair I will start by saying I went on Valentine's Day so...the fact that the service AND the wait for my reserved table was rather long should be tempered with the fact. One more negative (slight was the waitress was not very up on the wine list BUT she did take the time to go and ask all the appropriate questions which was appreciated. The food: my companion and I had the Chateau Briand for Two. It was just a bit chewy but cooked as we had asked. I thought it lacked the flavor and tenderness I would have expected from this menu item. In addition, it was precut as opposed to being sliced at our table. The atmosphere was extremely cozy as we lucked out and got a table right in front of the fire place very romantic. All was pleasant throughout the evening. My companion and I both want to go back but agreed we could skip the menu items and just have plate after plate of those fabulously yummy corn cakes they were SO good! We couldn't get enough and, had our meal not come, we would have continued gorging ourselves on these constantly replenished, delightfully sinful snacks. Needless to say it was quite some time before our belly's recovered from the overload but they are so great. One last downfall that is important 4 drinks (2 of them basic Old Fashioned $42.00. It's not even that costly in Manhatten (Oy! How much WOULD a Manhatten have cost?

The corn cakes are a nice touch but the service was very slow. The salad was served only a few minutes before the main course was brought out. The ;French ; dressing was more of a cocktail sauce although the Thousand Island dressing was good. The steak was very good.