4. Restaurants

Mo Cara Fine Southern Dining

1331 W Main St,Suite A, Lebanon, TN, 37087
  • (615) 449-2088
  • Store is closed

Mo Cara Fine Southern Dining Menu

Sorry, We are updating this restaurant menu details.

  • Kaitlyn M.

    This review wouldn't do this restaurant justice without the story. I am on a detox diet, and I cannot eat dairy or gluten. The waitress happily answered the questions she knew about, and then asked the cook the rest. There was pretty much nothing on the menu that didn't have butter (which is dairy). I was giving up hope on being able to eat out on this 30-day detox until she said, "the chef said he would cook my entire meal in olive oil to keep me from having to give up anything." I was thrilled to say the least! I had the sesame seed crusted tuna on a bed kimchi with a side of zucchini and squash. It was the best kimchi I have found in the Middle TN area #1. #2 it was a tender seared tuna with lightly salted sesame seeds crusted on top. My mouth is watering writing this review. Not only was my food out of this world. Our waitress was top of the line. She bent over backwards for us and treated us like we knew her for years. I will definitely be making multiple return visits!

    (5)

  • Tim T.

    Had dinner in this small called Lebanon TN, the Shepard pie was very good. A whole baked potato with some very good beef topped with mashed potatoes and cheese then peas and carrots around that with a Demi glaze gravy. The meat loaf was also good with mashed potatoes and Mac n cheese.

    (4)

  • Lucas H.

    Went for dinner during the week. This place is nice, good pleasant wait staff, nice clientele, definitely a fine dining atmosphere. Food was OK but it seemed like they might be trying too hard. I had a country fried steak which the waitress raved about but it tasted weird to me and seemed like mediocre meat with corn flakes as the "batter". My wife had the burger which the Patty was so think (like an inch and a half) that it seemed dry. The meat itself was not juicy. I would definitely go back and try other food because the atmosphere was really nice and that is so hard to find.

    (4)

  • Nathan B.

    All I can say about this place is. Wooooooow. Everything that you eat in this place is great. From the bread, to the appetizers, to the main course. Then finish it off with the chefs homemade ice-cream. It's just awesome

    (5)

  • Greg W.

    Found this quaint little Irish restaurant through yelp. Although it is a bit pricey, it was absolutely delicious with different selections than you will find normally. From the fried cod, horsey Mac and cheese and all homemade tasty dishes. My coworkers and I thoroughly enjoyed their selections and I would absolutely go back on my next visit. Absolutely 5 star

    (5)

  • Kristin E.

    Great little gem. Ate on the porch and enjoyed the summer night. Appetizers and bread where delicious. I had the blackened chicken sweet potato - the chicken was a bit overdone but the sweet potato and mango salsa were yummy. The seafood and grits was excellent. The sides we ordered were corn casserole and Mac and cheese. The corn casserole was very good with a nice kick. The Mac and cheese was a bit runny and over-rated but still enjoyable. Overall - very good meal. Staff was so friendly and helpful! Felt very welcomed!

    (4)

  • Dana H.

    Mo'Cara Fine Southern Dining Ed Riley the Chef and owner has an amazing talent of turning your all time favorites into culinary treats. Flavor combinations that will positively pop your taste buds. The food, atmosphere ,and service just brings you to a relaxed friendly place, to dine and feel truly at home, the way dining was meant to be. Bringing to mind the true meaning of Mo'Cara..."My Friend" a place you will want to frequent .

    (5)

  • Chris T.

    Mr Riley has a fantastic place here. All of the food is unique. Lunch is quick and tasty. Dinner is quiet, intimate and also yummy! If you have never tried his homemade ice cream you are missing out. For a unique, consistent experience, check this place out!

    (5)

  • Dagan B.

    This place falls in the 3.6 range so I rounded up, The food is good but its on the pricey side. I have had some things better at Crackle Barrel. I dont mind paying the price but is the food worth the price ? My answer is flip a quarter some things are and some arent.

    (3)

  • Geoff H.

    Oh my! I have not had a bologna sandwich, by choice, in twenty five years! They make their own bologna in house, cut it about 3/4" thick and then pan sear it. Top it with the smoked white cheddar and a tomato and you got a winner! The meatloaf is to die for!(Lunch only) Dinner is much more formal that lunch and is even better. I love everything I have tried, pork belly, mac & cheese, and am going to keep trying! In fact, I will be going there tonight! The wine and cocktail selection are as good as anyone would need. 5 star in quality, service and experience!

    (5)

  • Chuck B.

    Went there for a date night with my wife. The ambience is great, upscale and casual. I had the ribs brisket and chicken. The chicken was mediocre but the ribs and brisket we're very good. Drinks were good. With appetizer and 4-5 drinks together the bill was around $130. More than we expected but just slightly above appropriate. Knocking one star off because of the music. They were playing a Sirius/XM jazz station with poor reception the entire night. We mentioned to the waiter and he said it's always like that, cutting in and out. Also the station was playing a weird jazz concert that included weird solos including a drum solo - not appropriate for a romantic dinner.

    (4)

  • Candace R.

    Excelletnt dishes presented with southern grace. The waiter didn't call us "guys" and knew enough detail about how each dish was prepared to help us make our selections. 3 of us enjoyed roasted kale and a 1/2 GiGi's salad, then a Mo'Cara meatloaf with mac n cheese, a Blue Burger and Shepards Pie. For desert we shared a scoop each of the home made ice cream trio; Sassy Lassy (espresso coffe with Baileys), Coconut and my favorite Salted Caramel. This gourmet dinner was less than $90 + tip and we cant wait to go back to try the other items. On Friday and Saturdays they have live entertainment. We enjoyed a classical guitarist during our first visit. 1 weekend a month they specialize in fresh seafood but have fish on the menu all the time.

    (5)

  • Richard H.

    I have been wanting to try Mo'Cara for quite a while, and now I wish I hadn't waited. I try to support local businesses when possible, but I must admit I didn't know quite what to expect from a "fine" restaurant in a strip mall next to a pawn shop. Once you get through the doors, the atmosphere is comfortable and refined, without being pretentious. The staff is friendly and accommodating. The wine list is not extensive, but has several selections that are quite good yet reasonably priced. The menu descriptions were original and enticing. We enjoyed the Bonnie Blue fried goat cheese appetizer (with jalapeno peach pecan jam!) along with Seafood & Grits. Each was delicious and presented beautifully enough to satisfy the most discriminating visitor, but with portions big enough to sate my "man-sized" appetite. While I don't expect any Michelin stars to descend on Lebanon, TN, I am so happy that I will no longer need to drive for an hour to enjoy a very very pleasant dining experience

    (5)

  • L B.

    Excellent Food, Wine List, Dessert & Service. The appetizers and salads are delicious with a fresh twist on southern cooking. The chicken, pork and seafood are really delicious. The side dishes are a pleasant surprise/ new versions of old favorites like greens, Mac & Cheese. Nice place for date night or to entertain a team or customers. Don't let the strip mall location fool you. Once you walk inside, you are transformed someplace else.

    (5)

  • Jessie L.

    this place is absolutely incredible! the atmosphere is a lovely Irish decor. the food is ridiculously awesome! the burger is so yummy and they have the best calamari I have ever tasted. :)

    (5)

  • Oscar A.

    At first was not start very well. felt being ignored while waiting to be seated. Once seated, they are friendly and his explanation about the food was quiet passionate and helpful. The menu has quiet interesting names and unique. No wonder they use the name as "Southern cuisine Redefined" for the restaurant. Definitely a fusion of southern food with interesting twist with creativity. I was just passing by the area and as usual using Yelp to find restaurants in unfamiliar places. Tempted and directed to this restaurant - very glad to find the place. Tried the menu called Duck bacon flat bread - it is very interesting and good. The name duck bacon already appealing. Also comes with roasted kale and other "fruit" filling. It does present original flavor for each ingredients - nice combinations. See my posted ouct. I travel a lot for my work to many different places - never seen anything like it. They also have menu such as Smoke prime rib which is also tempting - unfortunately I have limited stomach space. Anyway I highly recommend this restaurant if you drive thru the area, it's a worth 10 minutes drive from the I-40 exit. Happy trying and hopefully you can also enjoy like I did.

    (5)

  • Dawn S.

    What a nice addition to the Lebanon area. Great presentation on the menu and like the orange slice in the water. Started off with the pork nachos with the homemade tortilla chips - they were great, but not much of a fan of the nacho cheese sauce that was added but loved the melted cheese on top. I had the salmon patties with corn casserole - the salmon patties were delicious however, the corn casserole was a little too cheesy for me. My friend had the cheeseburger and fries which he enjoyed and shared. Our waitress was great and made good recommendations for the food choices. Wine selection was decent, but would like to see some higher end bottle only selections. I am definitely a fan and will return. Even though I thought some of the items were a little too cheesy for my preference, its a Southern Dining restaurant and I should have expected that. I am looking forward to going back and trying the catfish and other items. Was told that they have live music on the patio on Saturdays and 1/2 priced wine bottles on Tuesday. I wish Lebanon had more restaurants of this quality and creativity. Prices were reasonable and you would pay much more in Nashville for the same quality items. Loved the atmosphere and will sit on the patio next time.

    (5)

  • Bob D.

    Good atmosphere with great service. Our first visit and when we arrived at 5:30 were only dinners so we were worried we had made a mistake. The food was great and by the time we left the dining area was almost full. Highly recommend!

    (5)

  • Jami W.

    Glad we found this Lebanon gem! The shrimp and grits app is delish. The hefty portion of meatloaf was moist and seasoned just right. One of the specials was crawfish étouffée stuffed flounder. Yum! Save room for the house made pecan stuffed cheese cake. Great wine list and decent beer selection, too! Also, they had the cleanest silverware and glassware I've ever seen.

    (5)

  • Becky M.

    The previous reviews really took away my anxiety about eating "Southern food." It was a location chosen for my husband's Christmas work party in Lebanon. It easily accommodated 9 people on a Friday night with a 6 pm reservation. Luxuriously decorated, white linens on the table, impeccable place settings, low lighting, and a comfortable atmosphere really set the perfect mood. The daily menu had a nice assortment of items to choose from such as catfish, scallops, shrimp and grits, BBQ sampler, prime rib, salads, bbq nachos, and a great variety of side dishes. It was hard to choose because I really wanted a seafood of some sort. So upon the server's recommendation, he chose the blackened catfish. This came with 2 sauces (tarter and something else) which balanced the taste. I picked a side dish of fried green tomatoes (6 on plate) with a sauce/gravy. These were deliciously prepared. Seeing the other people's choices on entrees, sides and desserts, here were my opinions. Irish nacho vs bbq nacho: bbq nachos won Scallop appetizer: (6 on plate) OUTSTANDING. SUCCULENT. HIGHLIGHT OF THE NIGHT. Huge pieces. Blackened catfish: nice size, nice seasoning, nothing special Blackened prime rib: thick, large, very tasty BBQ Sampler: enough for 2 people or one ravaged soul Desserts all very large (for 2 essentially). Bananas foster was created table side for another large party. PROS: creative, decor, service, presentation CONS: made to order takes at least 30 minutes (do not be rushed), catfish wasn't impressive, sides don't come with the dishes

    (4)

  • Carolyn M.

    We came for lunch and told our waiter we needed to be back at work in an hour. The service was abysmally slow and worse, the waiter didn't seem to care when our orders were wrong and then had to be boxed to eat on the road. I do t care how fancy a restaurant purports to be - a hamburger lunch should fit comfortably inside a 60-minute window. The music was pretty loud and oddly selected as well - we were bumping to some, "More than a Woman" during our lengthy wait. At least they provide a conversation piece for the table.

    (2)

  • Ryan P.

    So we had our fun dinner tonight on vacation, and my wife says to me as we are driving, "hey theirs a fine dining restaurant in Lebanon" . Upon arrival you would not think this was a fine dining experience, but the servers and hostess are on top of it. The food is all local and prepared in house. We had the Irish nachos appetizer, my wife had the ham-burger with Mac and cheese and I had the prime rib and baked potato. We ended with a tiramisu desert made with donuts from an event they had. First I give them 5 stars because of the quality and style of the food. I would personally have a few things different for myself but this is me, and doesn't affect my review. Personally I would leave off the sweet BBQ sauce on the Irish nachos as it detracted me from the flavor of the meat on it. The smokey flavor seasoning on the prime rib was very good, but a little goes along way for someone like me that doesn't like spices, but once I removed some of it, it was amazing flavor. What was really amazing was that the hostess came by multiple times to see how we were doing, and when the desert tray came by to show us what was fresh, she herself explained that they had left over donuts from a catering project they did earlier and the chef wanted to repurpose it into a tiramisu and it was amazing. At the end of the day, we will continue to come back as the food was great, the quality was amazing, and we will continue to support an establishment like this that brings fine dining to the area they are in.

    (5)

  • Chad C.

    Great date night restaurant. All the food is fresh and made to order. The service was top notch and the presentation was excellent. Wish we would have made plans to dine a little later so we could have enjoyed the live music. The menu had plenty to offer and it was hard to make a decision. We started off with the BBQ nachos. They make the chips in house, fresh daily. These alone are enough of a reason to visit again and try out the rest of the menu. My wife had the southern fried chicken which was hand breaded and very juicy. It wasn't that heavy prebreaded chicken you find almost everywhere else. She was a little disappointed with the fries but thats more because they were hand cut real potatoes. I had the half rack of ribs. The meat fell off the bone and the sauce was just sweet enough and just the right amount. The fried corn with bacon bits was very nice as was the mac and cheese. After the salad with the house dressing and the corn bread there was no room for dessert. We'll definitely make it back here again to explore the rest if the menu. I'm looking forward to the meatloaf and I'll try the cornbread with the meal next time. Great job guys! It's nice to find the local guys that know how to cook. Stop by and give them a try. You will be pleasently surprised as we were!

    (5)

  • T H.

    Great service. The Chef and owners were fantastic. Wonderful experience that was not expected in such a small town. The fillet with corn casserole hit the spot! Cherry tomatoes were perfect on the house salad!

    (4)

  • Rebecca S.

    Really like this place-great food with interesting pairings and fresh ingredients. Really appreciate their use of local farms with the farm to plate movement. They have live music on the patio...good atmosphere, great food, fantastic wine list. You should definitely check this place out!

    (4)

  • Brooke H.

    Love the Patio! Great fried chicken and ribs. Dana provides a wonderful atmosphere! This place is a great dining option in Lebanon! Sheperd's is unique and filling. Oh and the fried cheese was fantastic! Lisa, our waitress was very attentive. I recieved much more service here than I have in previous experiences at Nashville restaurants. Thanks Guys! kudos!

    (4)

  • Mallory W.

    My dad drives trucks for a living and luckily he gets to stop in Nashville every once and a while. He asked me to pick him up from a truck stop in Lebanon. I'm not familiar with Lebanon so of course I used yelp to help us find a nice place to eat. I'm the type that likes to try local places. I saw that Mo Cara had stellar reviews so I decided that we should try it. Well we pulled up and the parking lot was completely empty. But we decided to go take a look at the menu anyway. We were greeted at the door and lured inside. The decor was so nice. It created a cool dining experience. Since we were the only guests in the restaurant we were definitely treated with great service! My dad was thoroughly impressed, which made me happy since he doesn't get to dine at nice places very often. Such a cute little restaurant!!

    (5)

  • Carmen P.

    my husband an i decided to try this place after seeing all the wonderful reviews on yelp and trip advisor. it's part of a little strip of stores, but don't let that detour you from stoping here! when you first walk in, you walk into the bar area, which seems pleasant and NOT creepy. we had made reservations, but didn't really need them, as thursdays aren't their busy days (but we like the whole thought out-planned-date experience. this is a white table cloth restaurant, but there were several casual diners in here as well. it's a great atmosphere for a quiet date night. the front of the house manager made a point to stop by each table to greet the guest and find out about their meal, or appetizer if that's all they had received so far. she was very friendly, and entertained our conversation about how they buy their vegetables and fruits from local farms (and they state on the menu which farms these came from). the other server on the floor was even attentive to our needs-when i dropped part of my humungous burger on my nice black dress, he immediately noticed and brought me an extra napkin and half wet/half dry cloth. we ordered the irish nachos for an appetizer, which were great. they were made with house-made potato chips, short ribs, cheese, delicious local heirloom tomatoes, and their own barbecue sauce. the meat on these was incredible, and the tomatoes were yummy (and i don't even like tomatoes!), the bbq sauce was really "smoky" flavored and pretty intense, but i suppose the tomatoes would cut down on that. i had thought that i would order the Bone in Duroc Smoked Stuffed Grilled Pork Loin Stuffed with Homemade Chicken Sausage Stuffing (Antibiotic and Hormone Free), but then, at the last minute i decided to be low key, and order the ham and cheese burger. ohmygoodness! when i was talking to the front of house manager about my order, and told her what i ordered, she laughed (kindly) and told me it was anything but laid back. the burger is actually ground brisket, and they cut the ham themselves. i almost cried tears of joy. i ordered the mac and cheese for my side as well--and, glory, glory, hallelujah, move over my obsession with tom's blue moon, this macaroni was magical. i mean, like made by fairies, blended with unicorn tears, and delivered by endangered american bald eagles magical. the burger was huge, and delicious i could only eat a 1/4 of it. we made..forced room for ourselves to have dessert. we had this awesome tiramisu made with donuts instead of ladyfingers...yeah, don't roll your eyes, it was incredible. i wasn't even hungry, but i forced it down my throat, it was so noms delicious. yeah, it's a great dining experience hidden in lebanaon. go out of your way to go here. don't judge from the parking lot, don't judge from an empty dining room (if there on an off-night), just go, and enjoy!

    (4)

  • Donnie W.

    Now this place is a winner, in every category. Great food, service & atmosphere. I've dined here a number of times and never disappointed. The food always freshly prepared and hot, salads freshly made to order, nice and crisp, terrific home-made dressings. Desserts that you must try even if you're stuffed. Very inviting atmosphere that makes you feel you're anywhere but in a small town in TN. Really great effort by the Mo Cara team, they're getting it done right. Take a little drive to Lebanon and check this place out. It's definitely worth it!

    (5)

  • Dan S.

    I've been here a few time and always five stars. The food is great and the staff is always friendly. However, my family decided to go here for Mother's Day today and had quite an unpleasant experience. I wasn't going to write a review until the pretentious manager told us that the mediocre food served today was good and it's our problem if we don't like it. First off, if your going to serve a $20 per person buffet, at least make the food warm. Second, it'd be great if it wasn't stale. Third, how about not cramming a thousand people in the space of a small living room. Bottom line, if your going to have a Mother's Day brunch at your venue at least think about your guests. Many of us have taken out time in our day to visit your restaurant to have an enjoyable experience. Today sucked for us and I'm sure several other patrons, good for you guys to bank on the occasion.

    (2)

  • Dawn Z.

    Great food, all made fresh. The service is great and decor is very nice as well. Overall great food And is now our company's official restaurant. Very reasonable prices and good wine.

    (5)

  • Erik N.

    Im not out in Lebanon too often but this place is great.

    (5)

  • Kurt B.

    Great food and surprisingly quaint atmosphere! We especially enjoyed the pork belly appetizer and the delicious Mac n cheese. Best meal I've had in Wilson County!

    (5)

  • Steve D.

    Since we are local, we've been here several times. Very pleasant atmosphere, with delicious fare. and attentive servers. Wine list, but no mixed drinks. The menu always has seasonal offerings, but the pork loin, chicken, veggie lasagna are consistently excellent. Only here: corn casserole, shrimp and grits, and yes, Meatloaf, like no where else! Also have steak and pork loin, delish. This is the best in the area, and keeps us from having to go to Nashville every time. I haven't ordered one, but I'm sure they have beer.

    (5)

  • Glen R.

    I was visiting with family in Lebanon and discussing where to get a good meal- a quick peek at yelp suggested Mo Cara- we ordered to go- tri-tips, baked, & sweet potatoes. Returned home to find the baked potato hadn't made it into the bag. =( so gave them a call to advise of the oversight- no expectations, aside from a refund on what we'd not received. What we experienced was above and beyond anything one finds in customer service in modern times- a sincere apology, concern over the mix up, and a desire to "make it right"! Dana personally delivered the baked potato to our doorstep, along with extra toppings, and a piece of delightful cheesecake! Bravo!! Excellent food, a fine dining atmosphere, and a genuine concern for the customer and the service delivered. Definitely check 'em out-

    (5)

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Map

Opening Hours

  • Tue

Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : Yes
    Delivery : No
    Take-out : Yes
    Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
    Good For : Dinner
    Parking : Private Lot
    Bike Parking : Yes
    Good for Kids : Yes
    Good for Groups : Yes
    Attire : Casual
    Ambience : Intimate
    Noise Level : Quiet
    Alcohol : Full Bar
    Outdoor Seating : Yes
    Wi-Fi : No
    Has TV : Yes
    Waiter Service : Yes
    Caters : Yes

Mo Cara Fine Southern Dining

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