#LIFEISBETTERINTHEHAMPTONS

Coastal Chic Connects with Music City at The Hampton Social

Written by Gloria Houghland / Photographed by Michael Scott Evans

Congratulations, friends- we made it through winter and it’s finally Spring Break time in Nashville! However, what if the beaches are beckoning but you’re too busy for a getaway? No worries at all.

After dozens of gloomy days, diners can now satiate their hankering for zesty frozen cocktails, succulent oysters and pan-seared crab cakes in the heart of Nashville’s downtown music district. The latest addition to Music City’s flourishing restaurant scene, The Hampton Social (located on First Avenue), evokes beachy-vibes seven days a week.

Parker Restaurant Group CEO, Brad Parker, who had a vision to create an East Coast-inspired seafood-forward restaurant, opened his first The Hampton Social in downtown Chicago in 2015. Despite using only social media and word-of-mouth advertising, Parker’s creative concept soon spread quicker than American beach grass.

There are now seven The Hampton Social locations with more on the horizon. Though, Parker’s new Music City hotspot is the first to sport three floors. The top floor, making its debut this spring, will boast a retractable roof and garage door walls, making outdoor entertaining more accessible than ever before. The view, though not of the Atlantic shore variety, is still quite captivating. Nissan Stadium, Ascend Amphitheater, the future Four Seasons hotel, and the Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge create a unique Cumberland River coastal vibe. If the Fourth of July Fireworks Extravaganza light bulb moment hasn’t gone off for readers just yet, take our advice and book a table this minute, because The Hampton Social will soon be oversold for that forthcoming Saturday night later this year.

The restaurant’s decor is nautical-themed with a design that reads super hip, chic and inviting. After all, this is the Hamptons and undoubtedly a place to be and be seen. Each floor is imbued with a different ambiance and layout.

A babbling fountain found at the entrance, along with a pink ombré wall of alluring roses, accented with a “Hey There Nashville” greeting, has been sending social media influencers and selfie aficionados alike into Instagram overdrive. The main floor encompasses a first-of-its-kind Rosé Lounge amidst the brand’s famed “Rosé All Day” neon sign located behind a supersized rope swing.

To quench the thirst of large groups and cocktail enthusiasts, the lead bartender can concoct any specialty cocktail in The Seashell, a shareable, large format beverage served in an attractive opalescent shell. Also available for guests to sip and sample are cold, East Coast Drafts, and an expansive list of rotating rosé wines – comprised of over fifteen pours, one of which is on tap. (Fascinating fact: The Hampton Social locations collectively represent the Midwest’s largest restaurant purchaser of Rosé wine, an excellent indicator of just how much Rosé is being consumed by guests on an annual basis.) Truthfully, the most delectable surprise on the cocktail menu is the Frosé, a frozen concoction comprised of Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Proverbs Rosé, and Giffard Pêche de Vigne liqueur.

A guitar player or two can be found here on weekends because, after all, this is Music City. General Manager Guy Strong, who hails from Memphis, also knows a thing or two about music—he can control the restaurant’s volume and variables on his cell phone in order to produce the most enticing entertainment experience for guests. During our visit, the staff rolled out a proverbial red (or was it rosé?) carpet not only for our party but for every other guest who walked in the door. It was obvious that’s how the Hampton Social team operates—-casual, yet with class.

“We are extremely service-driven,” Strong noted. “Our core values set us apart. We treat our team and our customers with the utmost respect and care. Our focus is to ‘find a way’ to make everyone happy when they’re here. Our menu is diverse, and we accommodate specific requests. We do not serve hot chicken, fried chicken or barbecue,” Strong said while smiling, “but we do offer great choices while sticking to our coastal brand.”

The second floor is a coastal oasis for guests, reminiscent of dining at the beach, possessing a beautiful 180-degree view of Nashville’s Cumberland River district in all its sparkling glory. Guests can enjoy the brand’s signature seafood fare, passionately prepared with sustainably sourced, high-quality ingredients. We have visited twice and can heartily recommend the popular Garlic Butter Seafood Jar and Burrata & Toast Board as perfectly shareable appetizers for three to four friends. Other fan-favorite dishes, the crab cake, consists of delectable crab meat, while the Lobster Roll is served two ways – either warm and buttery Manhattan-style (our affable server who traded life in Atlanta for life in Nashville, certainly steered us toward the tastiest entrées) or using Maine’s technique of cold and creamy.

The fresh seafood offerings rotate between salmon, Mahi-Mahi, and redfish being the top popular choices among patrons, along with scrumptious Hampton Mac & Cheese, which can be topped with the lobster or any other added protein. The mouthwatering menu also features a delicious Smash Burger crafted with house-made mustard aioli, chips, and to-die-for spicy pickles and onions.

“More than 98% of the menu is made in-house,” according to Strong. “It helps us keep our pricing reasonable and our offerings fresh. In addition to seafood, the menu offers an assortment of pizzas crafted with fresh ingredients that can also be prepared gluten-free at the customer’s behest,” he added.

The third floor, opening this spring, has been created to encourage indoor and outdoor dining on the expansive rooftop. The playful space offers an impressive indoor/outdoor bar situated to serve all guests enjoying the rooftop, as well as spaces that can be cordoned off for private events (also the case of the other two levels). Showcased within this whitewashed, shiplapped interior is yet another photo-worthy spot: a moss-covered wall with the Hampton’s slogan brightly shining in white neon, stating what we already know to be true —-“Life is Better In The Hampton’s.” Can’t think of a more enticing Spring Break alternative.

The Hampton Social is located in downtown Nashville at 201 1st Avenue South and is open for weekday lunch 11 a.m. – 3 p.m., Monday – Thursday 11 a.m. – 10 p.m., Friday 11 a.m. – 11 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. – 11 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m. – 10 p.m. Weekend Brunch, Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Happy Hour, offering 1/2 off Rose of the Day, $20 select Seashell cocktails ½ off pizza and more, takes place Monday – Friday 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. There is a conveniently located parking garage next door for which the restaurant provides a discount parking sticker.