Urban Grub — Restaurant in Nashville-Davidson

Father’s Day at Urban Grub – A Mixed Bag with a Big Letdown

Father’s Day was a special moment for me this year. My family wanted to celebrate me somewhere I had always heard good things about — Urban Grub. As a former private driver, I’ve taken many clients there and have heard nothing but praise. And since I’m a huge fan of crab legs, I was excited to hear they had all-you-can-eat crab legs as part of their brunch. Honestly, I didn’t even care what the price was — and I’m usually pretty frugal. I was just ready to feast.

We made a 1:30 PM reservation through OpenTable and arrived around 1:00. I was seated about eight minutes before my reservation time, which was impressive considering how busy it was. The environment was laid-back and pleasant, and the hostesses were very helpful. You could tell the staff was working extremely hard to keep things running smoothly.

We were seated quickly and our server, Matthew, greeted us right away. He was outstanding — patient, informative, and made us feel genuinely welcomed. Since it was our first time there, he walked us through the menu and answered all our questions. Big shoutout to Matthew!

I ordered the brunch buffet with the specific goal of getting my fill of crab legs. My wife and two kids went with the buffet as well, while my son kept it classic with a burger. Unfortunately, here’s where things took a turn.

The crab legs were a major disappointment. They were small, lacked flavor, and had a fishy taste that just didn’t sit right. I tried to salvage them with butter, but it didn’t help. A few legs were a better size and had slightly better meat, but overall, it was not what I expected — especially for $51. As someone who serves as a youth pastor and lives on a modest budget, this was a splurge. I was hoping for something solid, not perfection, but I left feeling let down.

Other items on the buffet were okay — the shrimp was decent, and the eggs and bacon were fine — but I came for the crab legs. That was the main event for me, and it just didn’t deliver.

The Good: • Excellent service (Matthew was a rockstar) • Pleasant atmosphere • Complimentary valet parking • Prompt seating despite a busy day

The Bad: • Crab legs were bland, small, and fishy • The main reason I came was the main disappointment

Bottom line — if you’re going to Urban Grub for the vibes, service, and overall brunch experience, you’ll probably enjoy it. But if you’re a crab leg enthusiast like me, this may not be the feast...

Hands down the most interesting dining experience in Nashville. Starting with the valet service, a full house, and we were greeted and treated like we were known VIPs. The service was prompt, courteous and to get our car back was even quicker than when we dropped it off. Our server, Daryl, was very knowledgeable about the menu and presented it with an air of professional casual conversation, it was akin to eating at a friend's home with good natured bantering and, even better, offering to accommodate requests to slightly alter how sides and main courses were to be served. For instance, the crab leg appetizer is usually served cold, I asked that it be heated, and without any pretense of, "the way to experience is cold" we were presented with a sizzling platter of the sweetest crab meat and very well seasoned rendered butter! Phenomenal! The 16oz ribeye, cooked to velvety perfection, a side of the mushroom demi-glace! I know that bovine was smiling from heaven that it's sacrifice was not in vain. My wife had the lambchops that were glazed with a sauce. I don't remember what it was, but she could not get enough of it! Daryl was kind enough to present her with an accompanying portion of the it, and diet be damned, we sat immersed in the ambiance; fireplaces in pillars, low lighting, crisp linen table cloths, staff filing glasses as if by mental summons, and the rest of the patrons caught up in their own revelry. It was infectious! Speaking of diets.... my wife has sworn off carbs for many months, but she has never been a "bread" eater anyway. I say this to say that... the tiny biscuits and rolls at table, were accompanied by whipped butter and strawberry jam. We found ourselves silently vying for who got what! First time she has ever taken bread away from me! Again Daryl to the rescue with extra jam, enough to break up hostilities from starting again between the North and the South (I am from New Jersey, my wife grew up in Atlanta). In a nutshell. Perfect, and I mean PERFECT spot for fine dining with a special someone. Did I mention they serve collard greens? Yes, exceptional. Twice baked potato, also exceptional! Prices weren't too high, but for food this quality, you most definitely get more than what you pay for. There is no sign, but just orient yourself to the funny looking Square shaped lights off of 12th. You will...

I’m reviewing to express my frustration and disappointment with the experience my group had at Urban Grub during a recent dinner reservation at 7 PM for a 50th bday celebration weekend. We were a group of four, all former or current locals, all with backgrounds in the service industry, including the birthday guest of honor who has worked from Nashville to Beverly Hills. We came in with high expectations, not just because of your restaurant’s reputation, but because I vouched for it personally. I now regret doing that.

Service started off mediocre, slow response times, repeated requests, and at one point we had to get up to grab our own salt and pepper. Not exactly the level of attentiveness you’d expect from an establishment positioning itself as upscale.

But what really crossed the line was what happened at the end of the meal. We had split checks, and the birthday girl used some of her birthday cash to cover her portion. The rest of us had already discussed that we’d be taking care of the tip on her behalf, a thoughtful, celebratory gesture among friends. Before we even had the chance to do that, the server dropped her change with the pointed comment that she “hadn’t tipped enough.” It was rude, presumptive, and completely out of line. Aside from being flat-out wrong, it put a damper on what was supposed to be a joyful celebration. It was awkward and frankly humiliating and entirely avoidable with just a bit of basic emotional intelligence.

For a city that prides itself on hospitality, experiences like this are exactly why Nashville continues to get a bad rap when it comes to service. If this is what passes for professionalism at Urban Grub, that’s a serious problem. The lack of awareness and grace shown by the staff that night is embarrassing , not just for the restaurant, but for those of us who chose to bring out-of-town guests and spend our money there. The team there needs a real conversation about training and standards. As it stands, it falls short. I also attempted to address this privately but there was no way to contact anyone...