Monday Munchies- The Standard
Every now and then, you get the opportunity to “live like the other half lives”. Whether that be a birthday, an anniversary, a promotion, any litany of big life events that are cause for celebration. It’s the night that you throw on a tie for the first time in six months since the last wedding you had to go to; or put on the fancy dress that gets worn every couple of years. Fair warning if you don’t have kids yet, these will become a bit less frequent when the time comes, because staying out past 8 seems more exhausting than actually having to take care of children. However, when that night eventually comes for you and your friends or a significant other, The Standard needs to be the next steakhouse you dine at for a big occasion.
The Smith House was built in 1840, and is actually the last grand townhouse remaining in downtown. Union soldiers actually used the upstairs library to hold meetings in the Civil War once the North began occupying Southern territories. In the late 1800s, a social club called “The Standard Club” was created, and became a high society spot for the Nashville area (the club still exists today and meets in Franklin- go figure). The people that work there- from the valet that takes your car, to the host that gives you a quick tour of the place before escorting you to the bar to wait for your table, to the person that will be helping you throughout your meal- everyone is the definition of hospitality and decorum. On the main level of The Smith House, there is a fireplace that was moved to the residence that was actually where Andrew Jackson married his wife, Rachel. How insanely cool is that? (Shameless plug for Jon Meacham’s “American Lion”, one of the best presidential biographies ever written.) Literally, there are just piles and piles of history about this place. If that was the main attraction and the food was only mediocre, it would be worth going to just to check out the atmosphere of the building. However, The Standard is the highest rated steakhouse in town. I can attest that it is very worthy of such praise.
The grand fireplace at The Standard that Andrew Jackson was married in front of.
To go along with their rich, southern history, all of their appetizers have a low country feel to them. Whether you’re in the mood for calamari, shrimp and grits, or fried green tomatoes, all of the appetizers are below the $15 mark and are sharables- something that isn’t often seen at that price-point at higher end steakhouses. They carry some signature dishes, ranging from filet, chicken, lobster, sea bass; if it breathes and is edible, they’ve got it. They also have a “Butcher Block” menu with a variety of steak options, including a 20 ouncer in case you’re considering having a heart attack that night. For sides, and I feel like this is really easy to throw around because mac and cheese is pretty impossible for restaurants to get wrong, The Standard Mac-N-Cheese is straight up spectacular. Pair that with a New York strip and some potatoes and you have the ultimate steak dish. This is what I got when we went for my birthday a couple of years ago and I still, to this day, consider it the best steak meal that I have ever had in Nashville. Like their apps, all of their sides and desserts I would consider “shareable” size. Quotes because sometimes you’re just in the mood to eat a pound of macaroni and cheese- it happens, no judgement here.
The filet with The Standard “Mac-n-Cheese”. I cannot stress enough how fantastic it is.
As I said, this probably isn’t a place that you’re going to make your weekly hang out spot. If it is, we need to become better friends, and we need to discuss your real estate needs. However, if you’re looking for your next date night spot, I cannot recommend The Standard enough. Everyone was over-the-top friendly, every bite of food was on point, and the history of the place is second to none around town, providing a really great atmosphere that perfectly complements the meal. The only thing keeping this from being a perfect ten is that I ate too much food and I didn’t get the chance to try the dessert. All the more reason to go back and give it a second visit.
SCORE: 9.3/10