Rudy's Country Music Café

By Scott Sexton

If you are looking for a nice place to go while you are in Nashville that's affordable, clean, friendly and full of live classic Country Music, you have got to check out Rudy's Country Music Cafe. Right now they have a small menu that offers hot dogs, chips, sodas (glass bottle or can), milk shakes and the best dang hamburgers you can find in all of Nashville. While I was there, they said that's the menu for right now, but they are working hard and will be expanding soon.  Rudy's will offer a full size breakfast buffet that will be open right after the Ernest Tubb Record Shop closes up their Midnite Jamorboree, at the Ernest Tubb Troubadour Theater, which is located right next door.

As soon as you walk in, Rudy's has an authentic appearance. There are all sorts of old Country Music artifacts and pictures, spread throughout the diner.  You won't find anything like it. They only have one small stage, but if you wait long enough, they will be opening the much bigger stage shortly, which is located at the other end of the building. This is also a place that you never know who may walk in.  Country Music Hall Of Fame and Grand Ole Opry member Charlie Louvin has been known to stop in, as well as Grand Ole Opry star, Jeannie Seely. Country Music impersonator, Johnny Counterfit has been a frequent patron, and you never know when he will bring his guitar and perform either.

The owner, Diane Berry, has been a main-stay on the Grand Ole Opry for over twenty-five years now.   Her connections are strong and her friendships are stronger. She can sing backup for anyone and play guitar with the finest.   When there is no one wanting to sing, you will see Diane take the stage and sing for hours. Her voice is pure and can only be described as country. So, the next time you are in Nashville, Tennessee and are sitting around, trying to think of a perfect place to go, check out Rudy's Country Music Cafe.

*****

Restaurant Review

The Stockyard Restaurant

Nashville, Tennessee

Five Stars-Plus

We'll keep it short and to the point. Nashville's Stockyard Restaurant has only gotten better over the past years. The last time I had the pleasure of dining there was when Blue Miller was introducing a new artist...and that was many years ago. I was visiting from Washington, D.C. The fare was great then...and it's only gotten better.

Our recent visit there was indeed a treat. The server -- a delightful Maryland import from many years ago -- was knowledgeable and pleasant. 

I enjoyed the New York strip steak, garden salad and a baked potato the size of a softball. Everything was prepared beautifully...and the aged beef was tops.

One of the members in our party ordered the Certified Angus Beef Prime Rib Steak - 16 oz. blackened and dusted with Cajun spices and seared in a cast iron skillet. She said it was "excellent."

Another member of our party ordered the Surf n' Turf combination. This was a 7oz Certified Angus Beef Tenderloin, center cut and charcoal grilled to perfection. She had it served with a seafood treat that has a name that escapes me.

The service was great...the food lives up to the Stockyard's reputation. Parking was easy.

It's one of the best steakhouses I've ever visited.

901 2nd Ave N
Nashville, TN 37201

Tel: (615) 255-6464
Fax: (615) 255-9561

Dinner Hours:

Mon-Thu 5:00pm-10:00pm
Fri-Sat 5:00pm-11:00pm
Sun 5:00pm- 9:00pm

The Chop House

Cadet Court ~ Lebanon TN

Excellent Fare

We often try out various restaurants in the greater Nashville area to see if there’s an eatery worth mentioning to Music City visitors.

Our most recent jaunt was to a restaurant in Lebanon, TN which we have frequented  several times over the past couple of years. The Chop House, located on the site of the former military school in Lebanon was our destination this week.  Our previous evening visits and one lunchtime visit were pleasant and the fare was always excellent. Our most recent visit was after the main lunchtime rush on a Thursday.  The restaurant wasn’t crowded.

When we arrived we were greeted at the entrance by a woman in black trousers and shirt, holding a miniature broom and dust pan. The woman led us forward, peered into the first dining room…then made a right turn through the bar…to another dining room. We were shown to a table in one of the dining areas; right by a door which led directly to the parking area.  Since it was a rather chilly day, the fact that one of the barroom employees kept going in and out, and that another customer  held the door open for an extended period …made for an uncomfortably cold dining experience.

The Chop House was advertising quite a few lunchtime specials and we ordered. My companion chose the flounder and I, the meatloaf.  The service was somewhat slow.  When our meals arrived, the lady in black appeared and started sweeping very aggressively under the adjoining tables and chairs. This was – in our opinion – a little unsanitary as dust was being swept into the air.  This was something that wouldn’t be tolerated in a restaurant in New York, Chicago or LA. Then…the lady in black stepped up to our table…and picked up the salt and pepper shakers and held them up to stare at the amount of contents in each shaker. Talk about anal behavior.  Apparently satisfied there was enough grains in each shaker…she went to the next table to repeat the process; a process that would have been better accomplished when customers weren’t attempting to enjoy their meal.

The lunchtime specials were excellent. No bread or rolls were offered, and only after I asked for some bread was a small loaf brought to the table. It was interesting to notice that three diners at an adjacent table were provided with rolls and later with a loaf of bread. It might have helped to have been well acquainted with the server.

The Chop House serves excellent food…but the service might have been more pleasant.

Country Music Report

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