Inside Jimmy Kelly's Steakhouse, A Nashville Treasure Since 1934

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When dining out in Tennessee's infamous Music City, there's a certain aura and vibe that's unmistakably "Nashville." It's one of those things that's hard to describe, but "you know it when you feel it." And you definitely feel it when stepping into Jimmy Kelly's Steakhouse, known as the oldest fine-dining restaurant in the city. The experience is a slow glide through time and history, though certainly not a staid one. Stories from the past are written into the DNA of this restaurant, including a tale, relayed by third-generation owner Mike Kelly to News Channel 5, of Jimmy Kelly himself getting robbed on a whiskey run and eliciting help from gangster Al Capone.

Legends aside, Jimmy vowed when opening his steakhouse in 1934, just a year after the repeal of Prohibition, to "serve a great steak" and "pour a generous portion of whiskey." After decades of doing just that, plus his promise of "attentive service," those core principles remain. True to his word, the steaks are legendary, and whiskey free-flows as if Prohibition and the Great Depression never even existed. Tucked within the walls of a spacious Southern mansion, it's a gracious mix of Deep South hospitality, a lively bar scene, and the elegance of traditional steakhouse dining. 

Even with recent updates, history at Jimmy Kelly's still permeates the space, manifesting in timeless architectural details: Glittering old-school chandeliers, gleaming hardwood floors, brick wainscoting, and embossed ceiling panels. White linen tablecloths and nailhead-trimmed upholstery serve as functional stage props for the feast to come.

Using the word "feast" isn't an exaggeration at Jimmy Kelly's, and what a feast it is: Classic and classy, with no pretension and no need for it. The dinner menu starts with appetizers dipping deep into the steakhouse experience. Oyster Rockefeller, escargot, and a time-honored Americana wedge salad vie for attention within the clan of 15 starter courses, including the likes of Wagyu carpaccio, JK beef Wellington, and herb-infused escargot, plus a dash of international flare in the Sicilian-style arancini with truffle aioli. 

Before diving into entrée options, it's worth noting an entire section of the menu devoted to sauces alone. Ordered separately to accompany the meal, the creamy dippers range from brandy peppercorn sauce to truffle butter, rich horseradish, classic Béarnaise and Diane sauces, charred garlic chimichurri, and more. 

Steaks are, of course, the main attraction. Same-day, in-kitchen, and hand-cut, they present as filet mignons, New York strips, porterhouses, and a Bootlegger ribeye, plus two dry-aged options named Blackened Dry Aged Cowboy and Dry Aged KC Strip. Steak toppers are a subtle way to veer from beef-centric plates without ordering an entirely separate entrée. Diners can crown any steak with a lobster tail, or order it Oscar Style, which, in steakhouse parlance, typically involves lump crab or other shellfish, roasted asparagus, and a creamy sauce. The Dinner for Two goes all out with choices of a 32-ounce Tomahawk steak or 16-ounce Chateaubriand.

Despite a namesake focus on steaks, other entrées at Jimmy Kelly's Steakhouse step outside the pasture with specialties like crab-stuffed Chilean sea bass, Verlasso salmon, duck roulade, traditional burgers and chops, and roasted squash ravioli. Accompanying side dishes venture deep into Southern comfort-food territory: Baked sweet potatoes, mac-and-cheese, creamed spinach, collard greens, and a curious creamed corn brûlée. 

In the thriving lounge area, a Bar Bites menu bypasses standard pub-fare with small-plates like Wagyu beef empanadas and fresh oysters for $1 a pop. But to many, they're just "hold-ya-til" fillers, as they say in the South — holding you happy until cocktails, wine, or Old Fashioneds arrive. At least 10 signature specialty drinks circulate, many as fresh incarnations of well-loved cocktails. We're talking spiced blackberry margarita, pomegranate sangria, chocolate black Manhattan, and a Crown Royale/Irish cream hot chocolate. 

Given the Kelly family's backstory of fleeing the Irish Famine in 1848, it's an immigrant's success story in so many ways. Patriarch James Kelly tucked copper tubing, for making whiskey, inside his shirt, intent on creating the family legacy that still stands today. After making their way to Tennessee, son James (Jimmy) opened a saloon and rode the whiskey revolution through significant periods of American history. Stories abound in a book authored by Mike Kelley, "A Generous Pour: Tall Tales from the Backroom of Jimmy Kelly's." Readers ride along through bootlegging, rum-running, hidden speakeasies, and rowdy saloons, with Kelly connections to icons such as Jack Daniels, Bob Dylan, and legendary Nashville figures.