The Catbird Seat at $165 per person before beverages, tax, and gratuity is Nashville’s most prestigious and most expensive tasting menu experience. Including a beverage pairing and mandatory 20% gratuity, dinner for two runs approximately $600 to $800 depending on the seating time selected.
The Catbird Seat
700 8th Ave S, fifth floor of the Bill Voorhees Building, The Gulch. Open Wednesday through Saturday for dinner. Reservations open on the first of each month for all tables the following month, at noon CST, via OpenTable.
Since its founding in 2011 by Strategic Hospitality (Benjamin and Max Goldberg), The Catbird Seat has functioned as Nashville’s most serious fine dining destination and, between chef residencies, as a launching pad for chefs who went on to national recognition. Trevor Moran (now at Locust), Josh Habiger (now at Bastion), and Erik Anderson all came through the Catbird Seat’s open kitchen before establishing their own James Beard-nominated restaurants.
The current chapter, which began in 2025 following the restaurant’s relocation to the Bill Voorhees Building, is led by husband-and-wife team Andy Doubrava and Tiffani Ortiz. The Michelin Guide awarded The Catbird Seat one star in 2025. The counter format, now set in Tennessee pink marble, seats diners around the open kitchen so the cooking is visible throughout the meal. The current menu runs 15 courses.
The tasting menu is $165 per person before beverages. Alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverage pairings are available at additional cost. Reservations are ticketed: the price is charged at booking, and the ticket covers the meal.
Jeff Ruby’s Steakhouse
300 4th Ave N, downtown. For those whose expensive dinner preference runs toward USDA Prime and Wagyu rather than tasting menus, Jeff Ruby’s Steakhouse holds the Nashville’s Best Steakhouse designation from The Tennessean. A wagyu filet runs approximately $170. The room operates with live entertainment nightly and an art deco design that positions the experience as a full evening rather than just a meal.
Bourbon Steak by Michael Mina
JW Marriott Nashville, rooftop. A Michelin-starred chef’s Nashville outpost with dry-aged steaks and skyline views. Steaks run approximately $45 and above. The restaurant is designed around the view as much as the food, which is a consideration for diners who want both.
The Practical Picture
Below The Catbird Seat’s price point, Nashville has a strong category of restaurants charging $50 to $100 per person. Bastion (Josh Habiger, James Beard 2025 nominee) charges for a six-course rotating tasting menu in a 24-seat room by reservation only. Locust (Trevor Moran, James Beard 2024 nominee) operates at a lower price point than these while delivering cooking that has received significant national attention. Husk (37 Rutledge St, Sean Brock) operates as a seasonal Southern kitchen with menu prices that align with Nashville’s upper-mid tier.
The most expensive dining experience in Nashville by total bill is The Catbird Seat with wine pairing. The restaurant has earned its price point through consistent critical recognition, alumni success, and the Michelin distinction. Whether that is worth $800 for two is a question that depends on the occasion and on the importance the diners place on the tasting menu format specifically.
Sources
- The Catbird Seat, thecatbirdseatrestaurant.com
- Visit Nashville, “The Catbird Seat Reopens in its New Home,” visitmusiccity.com
- Nashville Guru, “A Look Inside: The Catbird Seat,” nashvilleguru.com
- OpenTable, The Catbird Seat listing, opentable.com
- Michelin Guide, The Catbird Seat, guide.michelin.com
- The World’s 50 Best Discovery, The Catbird Seat, theworlds50best.com
- Tripadvisor, The Catbird Seat user review (cost breakdown), tripadvisor.com