Dukos — Restaurant in Nashville-Davidson

I recently drove 45 minutes to visit Dukos pizza in East Nashville after hearing great things about it being an amazing experience not to mentioned it was a Black-owned business with a vegan pizza option. As someone who was excited to support them and try their food, I unfortunately left feeling disappointed due to a series of customer service issues.

First, I had trouble locating the restaurant. Google Maps kept bringing me to an alley, and after some frustration, I called the restaurant for help. The person who answered was very short and lacked enthusiasm when I asked for directions. Despite trying to clarify which gas station they were near, I was met with vague responses, which made it difficult to navigate. Eventually, I found the location, but it would have been helpful to have clearer signage, especially since the entrance is located on the side of the building, behind a keypad door. Once inside, I informed the host that I wanted to place a to-go order. She told me to "hold on" and left me standing there for a moment, despite the restaurant being nearly empty.

When she returned, her tone was still quite detached as she quickly rattled off the menu items pizza, appetizers, and salads is all we have! I didn’t feel very welcomed, and I was confused about the lack of any visible vegan options on the menu because I had seen online that they offered vegan pizzas, so I asked if there was a separate vegan menu. The host, who seemed to be relaying information from someone else (possibly a manager named Darius), informed me that if it wasn’t listed on the menu, they didn’t have it. I found this odd, especially since the restaurant’s website clearly listed vegan options. The manager, who was standing nearby, didn’t address me directly or offer any clarification, which added to the feeling of being disregarded. I didn’t want to argue over a menu, especially when I was there to support the business, so I ultimately decided to leave.

Overall, I was really looking forward to supporting a Black-owned restaurant with vegan options, but the lack of clear communication, unwelcoming atmosphere, and disappointing customer service made my experience far from enjoyable. I hope they take this feedback to heart and work on improving their service, as there is definitely...

WHY on earth would anyone put a restaurant like this on Dickerson Pike? It's in a horrible location. However, the food is really good! Just not for the price point. $28 for a 12 inch oxtail pizza is insane in my opinion. We got that for pizza week and thankfully they were required for the pizza week contest to reduce the price to $12. The restaurant smelled like burnt copper or maybe a natural gas leak inside and it's all I could smell while eating so it probably effected the taste of everything. The oxtail tasted like brisket, and there was little of it, but it added a buttery texture to the pizza. The candied/honey baked collard greens on top were delicious, and this is coming from someone that DOESN'T LIKE collard greens. The dough tasted like an Italian-Sicilian style pizza dough that was well done and not tough or raw. The sauce was semi sweet and it added to the flavor profile of the pizza. Overall I'd order that again, with a coupon or something.

Aesthetically, the decor is pretty cool. They use recycled wine bottles as water glasses, the LED sign on the wall is eye grabbing, the copper bar is cool, and the wine boxes at the entrance are cool. The Italian cook books around the table are a neat ambiance.

But also their main entrance is an industrial steel door with a coded lock and an iron gate. The parking lot is half destroyed and there are literal storage units sitting in it.

Great concept but location is everything and this is NOT a place you want to be...

I saw this place recently on my way to a coffee shop right down the road a week ago, and then I drove past it again on the way to a lesson and decided to have dinner here and bring my service dog.

The hostess, wait staff, bartender were all professional and polite, and I had a really great experience.

I ordered a drink, a salad, and a Nashville Hot Chicken Pizza. The drink was a purple rain (gin, lavender, lemon), which I loved. It was affordable, strong, and delicious! The salad had THE BEST RANCH I have had at a restaurant in a while. Just like my grandmas Helen’s. The bacon on the salad was insanely well cooked and there was a perfect amount of dressing!

Lastly the pizza. Omg the pizza… The crust was so good I could have eaten just that. The chicken was thoroughly cooked and they added just the right amount of toppings and didn’t skimp at all. I would say probably one of the top 5 dining experiences I have had in Nashville since moving here in 2012!

If you’re looking for a great place for date night, a hang with friends, or a chill night at the bar, Dukos has high tops, low tops, booth seating, and bar seating.

The restrooms were clean and spacious, and I really loved the atmosphere and music! We will definitely be back. I’ll be...