This place gets the job done. Sometimes you need delicious bar and fried foods with a frosty cheap beer. Enter Sportsman's Grille. I'm a big fan of their location that is on the West Side, which is definitely my favorite of the two. The Vandy location was the first I ever went to, though. Decorated with various dead animal heads, pelts and rich wood, it screams manliness. The fare is typical bar food, burgers, fries, fried pickles, peppers, etc. I am also a fan of their catfish, because clearly breaded and fried traif is going to keep me from getting too smashed. It's a scientific fact. Upstairs is another area with a pool table and another bar. There is also one of those terrible Jägermeister shot venting machines, for when you really need to get a jumpstart on making horrible decisions in a hurry. If you haven't had Gerst Beer, which is now made by Yazoo I believe, they serve lots of it here cold, as this establishment is part of the Gerst family of restaurants.
(3)
Lauren S.
*This review is for the secret bar upstairs... oh wait. damn.* Big fan of the smoky bar upstairs. It has never been so packed that we couldn't get a table and I appreciate a place where people aren't standing shoulder to shoulder and pushing their way towards the bar. Great place for pool if that's up your alley, as well. Double points for having Gerst on tap!
(4)
Jemina B.
For some reason I find myself at Sportsman's every once in a while, and I have an excellent time. Each time I tell myself that I should go more often. One of these days I'll follow through with that. Anyhoo, Sportsman's is a great place to sit back, relax, drink with friends, and have an overall pleasant time. I usually find myself in the upstairs portion watching friends play pool, slip money into the jukebox, or stumble down the stairs. All of these are viable entertainment options when drinking. I promise I'll come back sooner than 6 months from now, Sportsman's!
(4)
Wayne H.
The favorite watering hole for people from the Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Frankly it has never impressed me. The bar is crowded, cramped, and dark. The food is basic Americana and the dishes are fairly pricy at that. Coming here thrice, I have yet to see someone purchase food besides appetizers. The fried pickles are quite good, and are of a large enough portion to share, though beer and pickles is a good combination to make you feel sick. The biggest draw seems to be the happy hour 2 for 1 special for beer from 4:00-7:00. Unfortunately lacking proper alcohol dehydrogenase enzyme makes me barely able to finish one. If you want to hit a few drinks around Vandy, this is probably a good deal. Everything else is kinda meh. Stupid alcohol dehydrogenase.
(2)
Kate D.
Food ans service was great. Nice to see some full size pool tables upstairs. Even more suprised to see some gents who know how to rack.
(4)
Janet K.
This was my second visit here; only this time I was here for an event and it was held upstairs. It is definitely and older establishment; lots of dark wooded paneling but very spacious and they have several tables as well as pool tables and dart boards. The fried pickles here are really good but this time I was in the mood for a good cheeseburger. Pleased with my choice; regular sized beef patty; not your usual flat frozen selection. The fries were a little bland; some salt would have gone a long way. The bathroom was a one stall and left a little to be desired. For a bar this size you need more than onsie for the ladies. A negative here is they allow smoking; and while I don't discriminate against the smokers; there was a lot of smoking going on here. Opening a window or door would have helped. Overall experience; typical sports bar; nothing to write home about.
(2)
Kevin P.
Service was okay, not great...as well as the food. The Local Tennessean that I was dining with loved the Chicken Strips and baked potato,...but hey, anyone can make that! Otherwise mediocre food, dark/dingy atmosphere with uncomfortable seats. Our group of 6 ate here for lunch and, well, I can't remember what I had....and don't remember anyone else in our group saying they LOVED their meal....so, as Simon Cowell would say..."no one's going to remember you!!" If not for its close proximity to the hospital....we probably would have eaten elsewhere.
(2)
Michelle P.
I have been to the Sportman's Grill twice. I went only for the bar so I haven't tried the food yet. The first time I went, I was there during the happy hour. I was able to get 2 for 1 drinks which was sweet. The atmosphere was nice and grown. The female bartender was very nice and engaging the customers. The second time I went was after the happy hour. It was a little later in the evening so the bartender wasn't attentive at all. I was very disappointed. I was shocked that they allowed little kids to sit at the bar. I would like to go back again to check out the upstairs bar. I am kinda wary since they allow smoking up there.
(3)
Kiran G.
Close to work place. Decent food and drinks. Not so great.
(3)
Jeremy E.
Love the upstairs bar. I went last night, smoked a cigar and ate wings and sliders. The wings are really good here. Crispy, good sauce, plenty of bleu cheese. Sliders were good too. The fact that you can smoke a cigar should give this place a 5 star rating, but the food is 3.5. Patrick the bartender upstairs is also consistently great.
(4)
Beef Eaters U.
Last week's BEU Nashville was well attended with a good mixture of regulars and some new faces...about 20 meat eaters (and Kim) in all. We braved the apocalyptic ice storm that never came to sample the burgers at Sportman's Grille in Hillsboro Village. I made the move from BFE, KY to Nashville 13 years ago and somehow never managed to stumble into Sportsman's before Tuesday night. I can promise it won't take me near as long for a return trip as this was personally my favorite so far. In an attempt to offset the freezing temperatures, I ordered the Cajun Roasted Pepper Burger that came with red and green peppers, grilled onions, pepper jack cheese and Cajun spices. It wasn't super spicy, but the Cajun spices and toppings were excellent and the burger exceeded my expectations. I thought the fries were good, although a little soggy and the only thing lacking most of the night was the service. It wasn't terrible, but no less than three people enjoyed Trisha's drink in their lap. Accidents happen, and let's face it...only the writers/artists we work with are harder to please than we are. Glancing over the scores it appears most folks thought the bun was better imagined than in reality. Manti Te'o understands. As for this whole Super Bowl thing, all you need to know is Kim Stephens picked the Niners over the Ravens 30-14 and he was a statistician for the NFL for years. Kim knows his stuff. Couple that with having a relative of Patrick Willis at the table (and they're my favorite team) and it looks like a lock that the 49ers improve to 6-0 in the one that matters most. To the scores... - Jeff Skaggs APPEARANCE 8.411765 PATTY COOKED 8.235294 OVERALL TASTE 8.941176 CREATIVITY OF BURGER 7.470588 BUN 7.058824 TOPPINGS 8.058824 PRICE 7.647059 SERVICE 7.411765 WHO WILL WIN SUPER BOWL: SF beats Ravens (10 for SF, 7 for Ravens) OVERALL TOTAL 7.904412
(4)
Nickie G.
My first lunch back in Nashville - where to go? Well, my brother suggested this place and all he had to say was "BBQ on Cornbread" and I was IN! We were immediately seated which was nice since it was busy and during the lunch rush. They have daily specials, sandwiches, entree items, salads, etc. Pretty much something on the menu for everyone. But I came here for one reason only - pulled pork on cornbread. I got that with a house salad instead of fries because I'm trying to cut the fried food for a couple of months for the sake of that pesky high school reunion coming up. They brought the salad out first and I thought it was going to be a tiny side salad but this was an entire plate of salad with lettuce, tomato, chick peas, cheese, cabbage, etc. I got the yogurt honey mustard which is just made with yogurt instead of that evil white substance - mayo! Pretty good salad actually, but way too big so I didn't eat even half of it. Now on to the star of the show - pulled pork on cajun cornbread. First off, this cornbread was not cajun or spicy at all, and although they were tasty griddle cakes, they were just ok. The pulled pork surprised me though - this was some good meat! (That's what she said!) I didn't even really sauce it up that much (sauce was too sweet, but the meat didn't need it anyway) and I still loved it. I eventually finished the pork while leaving the cornbread on the plate. Still, that was damn good pork. I guess fitting for my welcome back to Nashville. Service was friendly although the food came out slooooow. I think it may have just been busy. Atmosphere was very hunting lodge-esque with stuffed animal heads, dark woods, etc. Apparently upstairs there's a bar area that allows smoking and has pool and darts and stays open late night. Sounds like my kind of place! Overall a solid lunch spot and possibly a solid late night spot too.
(4)
Gary H.
I've been coming to Sportsman's Grill for years! All three locations. They all have that warm and cozy feeling and the food is great, in a comfort food kind of way. One of my favorite choices is the BBQ on cornbread with fries and beans. Delicious!!!!! The cornbread is a sweet jalapeño type, cooked like a pancake. The fries are hand cut and wonderful! Good burgers too! I hear the catfish is good but I haven't personally tried it. I love their chicken tortilla soup. Yum!
(4)
Danny N.
Sadly it seems business most be going pretty badly. Sportsman's used to be one of my faves. On a Friday night they had no one there at 6:30pm. Seriously like 3 tables. They were out of several draft beers. They have decent food, but it seems something needs to be done. Their upstairs seems behind the times and slummy almost. I stopped going there on Sunday's for NFL last year when the bartender lady was rude.
(3)
Shelby S.
Upstairs bar is the way to go. Whether it's Pat, Brad or Dianne they will take care of you.
(5)
Sarah A.
Was craving a sportsman's cheeseburger yesterday, stopped and had one with my husband. Place looked a little slow for lunch, but we were greeted at the door by our server, sat, with drinks ordered and delivered swiftly. My bottle beer was SOOO cold and tasty. Food order was placed quickly and food was delivered fast. Our server was efficient and didn't stand around and talk (we hate when servers do that). He was there when needed and dropped check with perfect timing. I always get a cheeseburger cooked medium and ff or o'rings,but went with the slaw for something new. Food came and the burger was awesome as usual, bun was perfectly toasted, onions were perfectly grilled, and my burger was a nice pink medium. My slaw was horrible, it was looked and tasted like KFC slaw. My husband got fries as his side, and he had plenty to share. I love this bar and its burgers! I don't know why these people give it such bad reviews. ITS A PUB/GRILLE!! If you want a sterile bright restaurant with servers that act like robots and frozen food go to a corporate chain. There's plenty here in Nashville
(4)
Mark B.
This place may have had its glory days back in the1970s, but it's in rough shape now. Went Here to kill some time when Tennessee was playing at Titans stadium. Fruit flies and bugs flying all over the bar area. Then guy next to me, who ordered food, found a roach an inch from his plate. Place was sickening. Bartender said it's a 100-year old building and they've had exterminators here, but no luck. Avoid this place if possible. Did feel sorry for the bartender. She was sweet and couldn't do a thing to help the situation.
(1)
Laura H.
I finally checked out Sportsman's for happy hour with some grad school friends this weekend. While the 2 for 1/ Half off beer and $7 hamburger and fries got me in the door, I'm not likely to come back. I love an old building-- and the Sportsman is definitely that. A nice old-school vibe, kind of like cheers. Wouldn't be my pick on a sunny day though. Service was a little slow, but friendly. They've got a nice selection of beers for happy hour-- mostly Anheuser-Busch, but a couple local crafts as well. My burger was up to snuff but nothing special. Fries were soggy, so thats a huge minus from me. One of my table-mates ordered chicken tenders, and when he bit into his third tender it turned out to be a fish filet. Our server was polite to remedy the situation but the kitchen requested the non-eaten fish tenders be returned for proof. He didn't receive any sort of discount on his meal either. I found this mix-up quite disturbing mostly for food safety reasons. Kitchen staff should have things straight enough that a fish/chicken mix up wouldn't happen.
(2)
Addison S.
Five stars only because Lexie ,the evening bar tender downstairs is incredibly accommodating, warm and friendly . rod and pat are also great . wonderful experience ever time . the servers and hostesses have always been very friendly . chicken wings are bomb and drinks are well priced and strong. Good job y'all!
(5)
David A.
Why did I allow someone to choose this place? I've been here before and each time it's a bad decision. This restaurant can only be surviving because of it's location. The food is mediocre and the interior is so dated and dark. Every visit the server seems bothered to have restaurant guests. The restroom was horrible. I've said before that the condition of the restroom is a sign of how the kitchen runs and looks. The dining room was slow, but the restroom floor was spotted with wet urine. Next time I put my foot down and say, "NO WAY!"
(1)
Philicia C.
horrible!! We went in, it smelled bad and then we were seated and waited and waited - a waitress never showed!! A table behind us was then seated and one in front, the same waitress picked up those 2 tables and didn't even acknowledge us! Never going back!!!
(1)
Roy S.
I've worked across the street at Vanderbilt for years and never bothered to visit Sportsman's. I finally went with a group of 4 co-workers yesterday. We mainly went for some drinks but ended up ordering food after a couple of hours. The first thing we noticed as soon as we walked in was this strong odor in the air. It smelt like stale smoke/food/sweat all combined. You get used to it after a little while or that might have just been the alcohol dulling my sense of smell. Either way it wasn't an issue after about 30 minutes. I started off drinking vodka/cranberry. It was happy hour so my drink was in a tall glass and supposedly with a double shot of vodka. I'm no alcoholic, I can almost count on both hands how many times I drink in a year. I had 5 drinks within a 4 hour period and had a buzz but nothing like I should've had after the equivalent of 10 drinks. I don't think I was getting double shots. I even confirmed it was happy hour with the bartender. The rest of my group drank beer and they got their 2 for 1's in 2 separate glasses. After an hour, we moved from the bar to the patio. We were immediately greeted by a server. Nice guy, very happy but very forgetful. We ordered another round of drinks which came in a timely manner but then we didn't see the server for another hour. We had to go back inside to the bar to order more drinks. Not sure what the problem was as there were only 10-12 people in the whole place at the time. Once the server finally returned we ordered some food. Two of us ordered the buffalo wings and two of us ordered cheeseburgers and fries. The wings came out quick, like 10-15 minutes but it was a half hour before we got our burgers and fries. The wings looked and tasted damn near perfect, I'll get those next time. They were crispy fried and tossed in the sauce with extra sauce on the side. Yumm. The burgers were greasy but still good, cooked to a perfect medium-well. The buns were a little soggy but whatever. Unfortunately, all the grease had puddled on the plate right under the fries so they were extremely soggy and nasty. The prices were right on with every other bar & grille in that area. The wings were $9.99 and the beers were in the $2-$3 range. My mixed drinks were around $7 and the burger n fries were on the special of the day for $7.99. The server was quick to come around and drop the checks off, before we were even half-way done with our food. I had to go back inside, yet again, to get another round of drinks before leaving. All in all, it's just OK. I mean, I would go back again but, only because its right across the street from my work. HA!
(3)
Simply S.
I love this place. 5 STARS for the food .. for sure!! I only gave it 4 stars because our last 2 servers have been HORRIBLE. The reason I am so in love with this place .. #1 -- I discovered how amazing their salads are ... and now I never want to go anywhere else for a healthy lunch. ALso, my order is always complicated and very specific and never once has anyone messed it up!!! I kinda of do a mixture of 3 of the salads .. and I have a food allergy, etc. Never once have they messed up! #2 - They have this amazing patio that no one seems to know about!! Once this horrible Cicada invasion is over .. I'll be back to my little patio hideaway :) I've also heard the upstairs is a great place to hang out late ..with pool tables,etc. But a sports bar isnt' really my "Scene" so I haven't checked it out yet!
(4)
Jamie A.
Upstairs Bar=5 stars Food=3 stars (good, but the quality doesn't quite match the price) This is one of my regular places in the Village. The upstairs pool room, while smoky, is a great room and fantastic for large groups. I've attended many birthday get togethers here. The bartenders are great. Pat makes one of the best martinis in town! The jukebox is one of those internet jobs, but the single credit options are fantastic! And if you can't find it, you can always download it for an extra credit.
(4)
Em P.
I've never sat at a proper table in the bottom restaurant, but I've had quite a few pints in the upstairs bar. Sportsman's was on a list of places I've always liked, but never seemed to think of when looking for a place to go... until recently when I started playing trivia there every week. Now it's on the rotation of regular spots. The food is REALLY good for a bar, and the menu is large (not really varied though). I have never received a meal I didn't like, and some things are even noteworthy like the handcut fries, juicy burgers and perfectly fried chicken and/or catfish. The bartenders are always great upstairs, however the table service is awful, so just order at the bar. It's great for groups up there versus the restaurant downstairs. Downside is it can get REALLY smoky up there, and there are basically no windows to air it out. Sometimes I miss living in a state where is illegal to smoke in bars, but it is what it is. TV's aren't the best for gamewatching, but they have the proper sports cable packages if you need to camp out in front of one to watch a particular game. Price for an hour of pool is a little steep, especially with H. Cue's right across the street. Still beats playing with quarters though!
(4)
S M.
Still a great place for beer & burgers (or catfish). Not an exciting menu, but you can get a well-poured draft beer, a big juicy burger (not overpriced like so many in town), and decent service -- in a comfortable environment. It's classic Nashville holding up against the newcomers.
(4)
Chris M.
Great for football games, great food and drinks (fried pickles are a must, and they have a great club sandwich). Smoking upstairs, non-smoking downstairs. Parking in the bank at night is no problem; and street parking is usually available during the day. Bartenders are usually quite friendly. Classic favorite; will continue and continue returning.
(3)
Parker H.
I have never EVER been to a place with such bad service. The food was decent (but a little overpriced). When we came in we waited for a hostess or waitress to seat us and no one was found. It took us over 2 and a half hours to get our drinks, food and then paying was the hardest part. I recommend going somewhere else for food, sportsmans was terrible.
(1)
Camrin W.
Just left here. Was on a late night food run with my boyfriend. Went upstairs, as the downstairs bartender told us to. Sat at the bar for approximately 8min. Watched the bartender serve other guests who even came up to the bar after us. Even came within inches of us & never said hello, be with you in a minute, nothing. We were never even acknowledged. Sad thing is, is I'm a bartender myself & tip really well. Oh well. We'll never go back there or anywhere where we don't feel welcomed. Maybe that bartender needs a new job.
(1)
Amelia V.
Great upstairs area for groups. Not sure if this is a pro or a con but you can smoke upstairs and rumor is you can even bring your dog! Strange!
(3)
Em S.
Not the best place to eat for vegetarians - they have some overpriced salad, onion rings, fried pickles, potato, and fries, most likely previously frozen like at most bars. Upstairs there's a dimly lit bar that has pool tables and TVs, but it is rather smokey. This place wouldn't be a terrible place to come to for drinks, I guess. On the plus side, it's super close to Vanderbilt - probably the closest place to walk to from the esteemed Medical Center.
(1)
Andrzrej K.
U gotta get upstairs! This is where the fun happens, and you can smoke. I was impressed with the smoked applewood spoked bacon, smoked buns and smokey cougars at the bar asking me if Connecticut was in Canada. I didn't get their numbers, sadly, but I did find a place in Nashville that has good food and a great mix of people from students to hipsters to Memphis born-agains to Murfreesboro MILFS. In that order
(4)
Terry J.
Always slow service but amazing food. Chicken tenders and cornbread are two favorites and all of their salad dressings are fantastic. Good burgers and salads, too. Atmosphere is lacking but everything on the menu is good.
(4)
Mark S.
Bad review time - I always start out with four stars and add or subtract accordingly. This place was my hang-out in the 70s and 80s when it was called Spats - I went there somewhat until 1992 when I went on a 9 year hiatus from alcoholic beverages. Went back in tonight after not visiting Sportsman's in about three years - the restaurant had been upgraded and looked much roomier, gone were the out of date ferns and dusty feel that the old place had. We were seated fairly quickly and after about five minutes of no attention the power went out. After power was restored the waitress came back in and took the other table in the room's order and looked at us - still no acknowledgement. By this time we'd looked at the menu to exhaustion. I noticed immediately that the prices had climbed significantly since my last visit; $11.99 for a Reuben and fries in Nashville? Other items were priced comparably. When I was ready to leave my father went up front and asked for service; the young man up there came in and took our order and about 25 minutes later our food came. The Reubens were cooked well and the cole slaw was simply okay. The server apologized for the delay and was very attentive during service. We probably won't be going back any time soon because of the makeover pricing; if I want big city pricing for a sandwich I'll go down the street to Noshville.
Sunday night. They're out of a third of the items we ordered. Establishment? Run down, smells like stale everything. Server was nice and apologetic, which saved a zero-star rating.
(1)
Paul K.
The main problem I have with Sportsman's has been that I visited it with a group of people at 6pm on Wednesdays for years and nearly every time the service was so bad it was laughable (and we have many notes from the evenings about it too). What I learned on the patio over the years before our group left: 1) If at a group, anyone pays and has to leave, you can expect service to stop to the table. Your waiter will look occasionally to see if the rest of you are done. 2) If seated and nobody has come to see you in 10 minutes they forgot you. We ran the clock up to an hour and 15 minutes one time before going in to grab drinks, at an hour and 17 minutes we had a waitress. 3) If it's 6pm / happy hour, you must order every drink you're going to want for the next hour at that point as you're most likely not going to get a second drink order in before happy hour ends at 7. 4) No matter how you try to contact the manager electronically or by leaving messages, you will never get a call back unless you're wanting to rent the place out - we tried seeing if we could get an extension on the drink specials if we were bringing in an average of more than $200 a gathering, and were never able to get a second round of drinks due to nobody ever coming back out to serve us. Calls and emails went unreturned, so did our business. 5) If you have a really good waiter, they will be gone and never back there the next time you're there. 6) If you sit on the patio and there're 3 waiters working, you will be told that the reason service is so slow is that the 1 waiter you've got is also handling the largest table inside. If you happen to go inside there will be one table of 6-8 people and another table or two of 2 people and no particular reason evidenced to why there's no way to get a second round of drinks before happy hour ends. 7) If you have an event that will pay off immediately and not over the course of 4 -6 weeks in profits, you will receive a call in under a day. Learned this when we had contacted them about how much money our group was spending and one of the group also contacted them for a private party for work. That's about that. The food is average, there're a couple of vegetarian options and they're ok but not good bar food. on a 2-4-1 they serve you both beers at once, which means they're warm by #2 unless you're a hardcore alcoholic. I, and the group I'm with, want to love this place (it was home for years in spite of the service) but we've consistently been treated like we're an imposition, and the place is always less than 1/4th capacity when we're there so it's not like we're taking up space, and our bills and tips are high enough. That's my review, mostly seen from the patio as that's the reason we went to Sportsman's. We have not been back in a while. Edit 10/20/2010 - service was good, still don't know why we went back - get there before it starts to suck again / current good outdoor waiter quits.
(2)
Yifei W.
Food was good but the menu was probably never updated since the 80's. If you want old-fashioned greasy greasy greasy barfood, you've found the right place. But for what you pay, you could probably go to a waffle house twice.
(3)
Bob B.
Best Hamburger in Nashville. They have a upstairs smoking section, and down stairs is completely non smoking. Both are completely separated. another review mentioned they had smokin there false. Just in the upstairs bar separate entrance and everything.
(5)
Ali B.
The back patio is great. Its shaded so it is a good place during the heat of the day or at night. The Club sandwich is good (McAllister's Deli still has my heart for with their club). All the food is very reasonably prices along with beer on tap. I payed $10 for a sandwich and a beer. Not bad by my standards.
(3)
David S.
This Sportsman's location definitely has much more going on since it is in Hillsboro Village. The food is the same as their other locations and is good as far as bar/pub food goes. If you are looking for a large crowd, this is a good place to go. It's friendly; it's laid back. Lots of college kids, but there seem to be a fair amount of regulars as well. They have their amazing fried pickle chips. What is not to like? Parking is the only thing that confuses me about this location. I think there are some spots in a lot somewhere...but I never can seem to find them. I did find some street parking the last time I went in. I believe they went with the smoking-ban so the inside is smoke-free. Nice. A good place to go for happy hour.
(4)
Nathan K.
Tuesday 2 for 1s on various libations. Alternatively, I would generally opt for Mafiosos if you are in the 23-33 age group. If you want to watch the game.....this is NOT the place. TVs are beyond TERRIBLE.
(4)
Katherine M.
This place has great bar food. But beware - the food is ultra greasy. Even seemingly menu items like the turkey grill sandwich is swimming in grease, though delicious. But, when you want this type of food, you can't beat Sportsman's. Everything on the menu is good. I love their cheese dip. And of course they are famous for their burger. I have heard many people say it's the best in Nashville. The menu also offers soup, various hot and cold sandwiches, and even salads. Mind you the salads are topped with mounds of cheddar cheese, but hey - at least you're getting your veggies!! They have a great beer list. Everything you could think of and more. In the fall this place is really fun because they have tons of big screen TVs, so whatever is the game to watch that week, it's on at Sportsman's. The patio is perfect for dinner and drinks with a group. And you can't ask for a better location, right in the heart of Hillsboro Village. Eat dinner here than walk to any of the local hot spots around. Or, pull up a chair and watch your favorite team. Either way, you can't go wrong!
(4)
Anne B.
Sportsman's is one of Nashville's casual dining traditions. The dark wood-panel walls and the masculine interior make for a chill place to drink some beers and grab a fairly inexpensive, tasty meal. Most would characterize the food as "bar fare", but several selections far surpass any bar food I've eaten in Nashville (barbecue on cornbread sandwich, catfish basket, patty melt, and steak & biscuits are my favorites). Sportsman's fresh fries are consistently tasty. Upstairs is 21st Century Pool Hall, which is still a smoking venue. Friendly bartenders, good beer selection, and ample seating are the main reasons we come here. You can order food from the Sportman's menu, but there are no servers upstairs, so you place your order with the bartender.
(4)
Ron M.
Great service, very friendly waitress, and the food prices were reasonable. The menu has a lot to chhose, and the atmosphere is great for a sports Grill.
(5)
matt c.
The Grille in the Village is great for animal lovers -- especially the kind that love animal trophies on the walls and divers, delicious animal parts on the menu. It has a dark pub-style interior, Gerst on tap, and is dependable for airing soccer games, among other sports on its many (but mostly muted) televisions. The television at the bar is the only one bought after 1980, and the only one over 14". As a snack or starter, I like the pickle chips; you only need a few but they give you a whole basket. I also like the options for small meals, like a cup of red beans and rice w/ sausage for 4.50.
(3)
Oliver G.
They do fried frozen as food as well as anyone, a little greasy but edible. Nice patio for outdoor dining, good service. Try the fried pickles!
(3)
Taylor W.
How you can call your bar Sportsman's and then not have the MLB package is beyond me. Had some good times on Tuesday nights though, so they get an extra star for that.
(2)
Dianne W.
MLB package? They've had it for at least two years cause I've been watching the games there. They also have college game day package and sunday's NFL package! As of TV's? They have all flat screens with the exception of two downstairs and they have a total of 17 up and down. They have happy hour every day 4 to 7 with half off wings and nachos, 2 for 1 every sunday all day and Monday til the games over, 2 for 1 all on tues, five dollar cheese burgers with fries on Monday, friendly staff and great atmosphere up and down. What the heck else could you ask for??!!
(4)
Mariela C.
Are you in a hunter's trophy room? Nope, you are just at Sportsman's. Though at night it's populated by the Vandy crowd usual to most of the Village bars, I still have had some good times here. I would never end up at Sportsman's if it wasn't that a friend's band has played there a couple of times, but it always seems to fulfill its promise: booze and bar food. If you just want to come for the promised food and booze but want skip the onslaught of undergrads (most who cannot possibly be 21) I would get there early. Late at night be prepared for the ensuing faux fraternity sorority exchange that you will find yourself in.
(3)
Cheryl K.
Typical pub, everyone smokes like chimneys in here, and the furniture lay-out is not very crowd-maneuverable which was kind of annoying. Drinks seemed okay and the bar was extensively long. Well-lit, didn't seem to be any dancing. Not bad of a place to hang out.
(3)
Robin S.
I'm a big fan of Sportsman's for the bar food. Their sliders are magnificent--they are on the starters part of the menu, but I eat them for a meal! They are basically gourmet Krystal burgers. Lovely! Also, their fried pickle slices are divine. I am a huge fan of fried pickles, have had all kinds, and these definitely rank in the top 3! Dip them in ranch and they are extra special. As for drinks, hey it's a sports bar--I usually just get beer. They do have a full bar though. And both upstairs and down, their bars are huge and well-staffed. I've never had a problem with service there. I generally enjoy the upstairs, because that is where the pool tables and extra big screen TVs are, and my friends are typically up there. But be warned, it's pretty smoky. Overall great place to hang out, watch sports, and chow on some much better than average bar food!
(4)
David O.
Because of its proximity to Vanderbilt University Medical Center, this can be a very busy place unless you come around 11 for Lunch. Also, because of this, parking is abysmal. The closest lot is actually for Suntrust Bank. I've never had them tow my car, but they threaten it quite liberally. The ACTUAL Sportsmans lot is a tiny thing behind the gas station across the street. Its clear that they expect you to walk from Vandy. The food itself can be of very inconsistant quality, from delicious to poorly prepared.
(3)
Megan C.
So if you're looking for a place to catch up after a long work week with some friends for happy hour, and you're not offended by moose heads hanging on the wall, then Sportsman's might just be the place for you. It's certainly nothing fancy...it has quite the lodge feel (think Gaston in Beauty and the Beast), but they have a decent selection of beers on tap, and they happen to be 2 for 1 from 4 pm until 7 pm on weekdays. There are also specials on a couple of appetizers during this time...wings, jalapeno poppers, and nachos. They have a decent selection of typical American cuisine/pub food, and everything that I've tried has been good, even if a little greasier than things that I would normally choose. All in all, a pleasant happy hour experience but nothing to really write home about. And, unfortunately, at Sportsman's, it doesn't pay to Discover.
(3)
Bryan L.
Lodge like atmosphere with good selection of bar food and beers
(3)
Peter M.
Its nothing special, but the waitstaff is friendly, the crowd young, a good happy hour scene, tasty pub food. Overall, a jovial, easy experience.
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Accepts Bitcoin : No Parking : Street, Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Divey Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Drive-Thru : No
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Jason S.
This place gets the job done. Sometimes you need delicious bar and fried foods with a frosty cheap beer. Enter Sportsman's Grille. I'm a big fan of their location that is on the West Side, which is definitely my favorite of the two. The Vandy location was the first I ever went to, though. Decorated with various dead animal heads, pelts and rich wood, it screams manliness. The fare is typical bar food, burgers, fries, fried pickles, peppers, etc. I am also a fan of their catfish, because clearly breaded and fried traif is going to keep me from getting too smashed. It's a scientific fact. Upstairs is another area with a pool table and another bar. There is also one of those terrible Jägermeister shot venting machines, for when you really need to get a jumpstart on making horrible decisions in a hurry. If you haven't had Gerst Beer, which is now made by Yazoo I believe, they serve lots of it here cold, as this establishment is part of the Gerst family of restaurants.
(3)Lauren S.
*This review is for the secret bar upstairs... oh wait. damn.* Big fan of the smoky bar upstairs. It has never been so packed that we couldn't get a table and I appreciate a place where people aren't standing shoulder to shoulder and pushing their way towards the bar. Great place for pool if that's up your alley, as well. Double points for having Gerst on tap!
(4)Jemina B.
For some reason I find myself at Sportsman's every once in a while, and I have an excellent time. Each time I tell myself that I should go more often. One of these days I'll follow through with that. Anyhoo, Sportsman's is a great place to sit back, relax, drink with friends, and have an overall pleasant time. I usually find myself in the upstairs portion watching friends play pool, slip money into the jukebox, or stumble down the stairs. All of these are viable entertainment options when drinking. I promise I'll come back sooner than 6 months from now, Sportsman's!
(4)Wayne H.
The favorite watering hole for people from the Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Frankly it has never impressed me. The bar is crowded, cramped, and dark. The food is basic Americana and the dishes are fairly pricy at that. Coming here thrice, I have yet to see someone purchase food besides appetizers. The fried pickles are quite good, and are of a large enough portion to share, though beer and pickles is a good combination to make you feel sick. The biggest draw seems to be the happy hour 2 for 1 special for beer from 4:00-7:00. Unfortunately lacking proper alcohol dehydrogenase enzyme makes me barely able to finish one. If you want to hit a few drinks around Vandy, this is probably a good deal. Everything else is kinda meh. Stupid alcohol dehydrogenase.
(2)Kate D.
Food ans service was great. Nice to see some full size pool tables upstairs. Even more suprised to see some gents who know how to rack.
(4)Janet K.
This was my second visit here; only this time I was here for an event and it was held upstairs. It is definitely and older establishment; lots of dark wooded paneling but very spacious and they have several tables as well as pool tables and dart boards. The fried pickles here are really good but this time I was in the mood for a good cheeseburger. Pleased with my choice; regular sized beef patty; not your usual flat frozen selection. The fries were a little bland; some salt would have gone a long way. The bathroom was a one stall and left a little to be desired. For a bar this size you need more than onsie for the ladies. A negative here is they allow smoking; and while I don't discriminate against the smokers; there was a lot of smoking going on here. Opening a window or door would have helped. Overall experience; typical sports bar; nothing to write home about.
(2)Kevin P.
Service was okay, not great...as well as the food. The Local Tennessean that I was dining with loved the Chicken Strips and baked potato,...but hey, anyone can make that! Otherwise mediocre food, dark/dingy atmosphere with uncomfortable seats. Our group of 6 ate here for lunch and, well, I can't remember what I had....and don't remember anyone else in our group saying they LOVED their meal....so, as Simon Cowell would say..."no one's going to remember you!!" If not for its close proximity to the hospital....we probably would have eaten elsewhere.
(2)Michelle P.
I have been to the Sportman's Grill twice. I went only for the bar so I haven't tried the food yet. The first time I went, I was there during the happy hour. I was able to get 2 for 1 drinks which was sweet. The atmosphere was nice and grown. The female bartender was very nice and engaging the customers. The second time I went was after the happy hour. It was a little later in the evening so the bartender wasn't attentive at all. I was very disappointed. I was shocked that they allowed little kids to sit at the bar. I would like to go back again to check out the upstairs bar. I am kinda wary since they allow smoking up there.
(3)Kiran G.
Close to work place. Decent food and drinks. Not so great.
(3)Jeremy E.
Love the upstairs bar. I went last night, smoked a cigar and ate wings and sliders. The wings are really good here. Crispy, good sauce, plenty of bleu cheese. Sliders were good too. The fact that you can smoke a cigar should give this place a 5 star rating, but the food is 3.5. Patrick the bartender upstairs is also consistently great.
(4)Beef Eaters U.
Last week's BEU Nashville was well attended with a good mixture of regulars and some new faces...about 20 meat eaters (and Kim) in all. We braved the apocalyptic ice storm that never came to sample the burgers at Sportman's Grille in Hillsboro Village. I made the move from BFE, KY to Nashville 13 years ago and somehow never managed to stumble into Sportsman's before Tuesday night. I can promise it won't take me near as long for a return trip as this was personally my favorite so far. In an attempt to offset the freezing temperatures, I ordered the Cajun Roasted Pepper Burger that came with red and green peppers, grilled onions, pepper jack cheese and Cajun spices. It wasn't super spicy, but the Cajun spices and toppings were excellent and the burger exceeded my expectations. I thought the fries were good, although a little soggy and the only thing lacking most of the night was the service. It wasn't terrible, but no less than three people enjoyed Trisha's drink in their lap. Accidents happen, and let's face it...only the writers/artists we work with are harder to please than we are. Glancing over the scores it appears most folks thought the bun was better imagined than in reality. Manti Te'o understands. As for this whole Super Bowl thing, all you need to know is Kim Stephens picked the Niners over the Ravens 30-14 and he was a statistician for the NFL for years. Kim knows his stuff. Couple that with having a relative of Patrick Willis at the table (and they're my favorite team) and it looks like a lock that the 49ers improve to 6-0 in the one that matters most. To the scores... - Jeff Skaggs APPEARANCE 8.411765 PATTY COOKED 8.235294 OVERALL TASTE 8.941176 CREATIVITY OF BURGER 7.470588 BUN 7.058824 TOPPINGS 8.058824 PRICE 7.647059 SERVICE 7.411765 WHO WILL WIN SUPER BOWL: SF beats Ravens (10 for SF, 7 for Ravens) OVERALL TOTAL 7.904412
(4)Nickie G.
My first lunch back in Nashville - where to go? Well, my brother suggested this place and all he had to say was "BBQ on Cornbread" and I was IN! We were immediately seated which was nice since it was busy and during the lunch rush. They have daily specials, sandwiches, entree items, salads, etc. Pretty much something on the menu for everyone. But I came here for one reason only - pulled pork on cornbread. I got that with a house salad instead of fries because I'm trying to cut the fried food for a couple of months for the sake of that pesky high school reunion coming up. They brought the salad out first and I thought it was going to be a tiny side salad but this was an entire plate of salad with lettuce, tomato, chick peas, cheese, cabbage, etc. I got the yogurt honey mustard which is just made with yogurt instead of that evil white substance - mayo! Pretty good salad actually, but way too big so I didn't eat even half of it. Now on to the star of the show - pulled pork on cajun cornbread. First off, this cornbread was not cajun or spicy at all, and although they were tasty griddle cakes, they were just ok. The pulled pork surprised me though - this was some good meat! (That's what she said!) I didn't even really sauce it up that much (sauce was too sweet, but the meat didn't need it anyway) and I still loved it. I eventually finished the pork while leaving the cornbread on the plate. Still, that was damn good pork. I guess fitting for my welcome back to Nashville. Service was friendly although the food came out slooooow. I think it may have just been busy. Atmosphere was very hunting lodge-esque with stuffed animal heads, dark woods, etc. Apparently upstairs there's a bar area that allows smoking and has pool and darts and stays open late night. Sounds like my kind of place! Overall a solid lunch spot and possibly a solid late night spot too.
(4)Gary H.
I've been coming to Sportsman's Grill for years! All three locations. They all have that warm and cozy feeling and the food is great, in a comfort food kind of way. One of my favorite choices is the BBQ on cornbread with fries and beans. Delicious!!!!! The cornbread is a sweet jalapeño type, cooked like a pancake. The fries are hand cut and wonderful! Good burgers too! I hear the catfish is good but I haven't personally tried it. I love their chicken tortilla soup. Yum!
(4)Danny N.
Sadly it seems business most be going pretty badly. Sportsman's used to be one of my faves. On a Friday night they had no one there at 6:30pm. Seriously like 3 tables. They were out of several draft beers. They have decent food, but it seems something needs to be done. Their upstairs seems behind the times and slummy almost. I stopped going there on Sunday's for NFL last year when the bartender lady was rude.
(3)Shelby S.
Upstairs bar is the way to go. Whether it's Pat, Brad or Dianne they will take care of you.
(5)Sarah A.
Was craving a sportsman's cheeseburger yesterday, stopped and had one with my husband. Place looked a little slow for lunch, but we were greeted at the door by our server, sat, with drinks ordered and delivered swiftly. My bottle beer was SOOO cold and tasty. Food order was placed quickly and food was delivered fast. Our server was efficient and didn't stand around and talk (we hate when servers do that). He was there when needed and dropped check with perfect timing. I always get a cheeseburger cooked medium and ff or o'rings,but went with the slaw for something new. Food came and the burger was awesome as usual, bun was perfectly toasted, onions were perfectly grilled, and my burger was a nice pink medium. My slaw was horrible, it was looked and tasted like KFC slaw. My husband got fries as his side, and he had plenty to share. I love this bar and its burgers! I don't know why these people give it such bad reviews. ITS A PUB/GRILLE!! If you want a sterile bright restaurant with servers that act like robots and frozen food go to a corporate chain. There's plenty here in Nashville
(4)Mark B.
This place may have had its glory days back in the1970s, but it's in rough shape now. Went Here to kill some time when Tennessee was playing at Titans stadium. Fruit flies and bugs flying all over the bar area. Then guy next to me, who ordered food, found a roach an inch from his plate. Place was sickening. Bartender said it's a 100-year old building and they've had exterminators here, but no luck. Avoid this place if possible. Did feel sorry for the bartender. She was sweet and couldn't do a thing to help the situation.
(1)Laura H.
I finally checked out Sportsman's for happy hour with some grad school friends this weekend. While the 2 for 1/ Half off beer and $7 hamburger and fries got me in the door, I'm not likely to come back. I love an old building-- and the Sportsman is definitely that. A nice old-school vibe, kind of like cheers. Wouldn't be my pick on a sunny day though. Service was a little slow, but friendly. They've got a nice selection of beers for happy hour-- mostly Anheuser-Busch, but a couple local crafts as well. My burger was up to snuff but nothing special. Fries were soggy, so thats a huge minus from me. One of my table-mates ordered chicken tenders, and when he bit into his third tender it turned out to be a fish filet. Our server was polite to remedy the situation but the kitchen requested the non-eaten fish tenders be returned for proof. He didn't receive any sort of discount on his meal either. I found this mix-up quite disturbing mostly for food safety reasons. Kitchen staff should have things straight enough that a fish/chicken mix up wouldn't happen.
(2)Addison S.
Five stars only because Lexie ,the evening bar tender downstairs is incredibly accommodating, warm and friendly . rod and pat are also great . wonderful experience ever time . the servers and hostesses have always been very friendly . chicken wings are bomb and drinks are well priced and strong. Good job y'all!
(5)David A.
Why did I allow someone to choose this place? I've been here before and each time it's a bad decision. This restaurant can only be surviving because of it's location. The food is mediocre and the interior is so dated and dark. Every visit the server seems bothered to have restaurant guests. The restroom was horrible. I've said before that the condition of the restroom is a sign of how the kitchen runs and looks. The dining room was slow, but the restroom floor was spotted with wet urine. Next time I put my foot down and say, "NO WAY!"
(1)Philicia C.
horrible!! We went in, it smelled bad and then we were seated and waited and waited - a waitress never showed!! A table behind us was then seated and one in front, the same waitress picked up those 2 tables and didn't even acknowledge us! Never going back!!!
(1)Roy S.
I've worked across the street at Vanderbilt for years and never bothered to visit Sportsman's. I finally went with a group of 4 co-workers yesterday. We mainly went for some drinks but ended up ordering food after a couple of hours. The first thing we noticed as soon as we walked in was this strong odor in the air. It smelt like stale smoke/food/sweat all combined. You get used to it after a little while or that might have just been the alcohol dulling my sense of smell. Either way it wasn't an issue after about 30 minutes. I started off drinking vodka/cranberry. It was happy hour so my drink was in a tall glass and supposedly with a double shot of vodka. I'm no alcoholic, I can almost count on both hands how many times I drink in a year. I had 5 drinks within a 4 hour period and had a buzz but nothing like I should've had after the equivalent of 10 drinks. I don't think I was getting double shots. I even confirmed it was happy hour with the bartender. The rest of my group drank beer and they got their 2 for 1's in 2 separate glasses. After an hour, we moved from the bar to the patio. We were immediately greeted by a server. Nice guy, very happy but very forgetful. We ordered another round of drinks which came in a timely manner but then we didn't see the server for another hour. We had to go back inside to the bar to order more drinks. Not sure what the problem was as there were only 10-12 people in the whole place at the time. Once the server finally returned we ordered some food. Two of us ordered the buffalo wings and two of us ordered cheeseburgers and fries. The wings came out quick, like 10-15 minutes but it was a half hour before we got our burgers and fries. The wings looked and tasted damn near perfect, I'll get those next time. They were crispy fried and tossed in the sauce with extra sauce on the side. Yumm. The burgers were greasy but still good, cooked to a perfect medium-well. The buns were a little soggy but whatever. Unfortunately, all the grease had puddled on the plate right under the fries so they were extremely soggy and nasty. The prices were right on with every other bar & grille in that area. The wings were $9.99 and the beers were in the $2-$3 range. My mixed drinks were around $7 and the burger n fries were on the special of the day for $7.99. The server was quick to come around and drop the checks off, before we were even half-way done with our food. I had to go back inside, yet again, to get another round of drinks before leaving. All in all, it's just OK. I mean, I would go back again but, only because its right across the street from my work. HA!
(3)Simply S.
I love this place. 5 STARS for the food .. for sure!! I only gave it 4 stars because our last 2 servers have been HORRIBLE. The reason I am so in love with this place .. #1 -- I discovered how amazing their salads are ... and now I never want to go anywhere else for a healthy lunch. ALso, my order is always complicated and very specific and never once has anyone messed it up!!! I kinda of do a mixture of 3 of the salads .. and I have a food allergy, etc. Never once have they messed up! #2 - They have this amazing patio that no one seems to know about!! Once this horrible Cicada invasion is over .. I'll be back to my little patio hideaway :) I've also heard the upstairs is a great place to hang out late ..with pool tables,etc. But a sports bar isnt' really my "Scene" so I haven't checked it out yet!
(4)Jamie A.
Upstairs Bar=5 stars Food=3 stars (good, but the quality doesn't quite match the price) This is one of my regular places in the Village. The upstairs pool room, while smoky, is a great room and fantastic for large groups. I've attended many birthday get togethers here. The bartenders are great. Pat makes one of the best martinis in town! The jukebox is one of those internet jobs, but the single credit options are fantastic! And if you can't find it, you can always download it for an extra credit.
(4)Em P.
I've never sat at a proper table in the bottom restaurant, but I've had quite a few pints in the upstairs bar. Sportsman's was on a list of places I've always liked, but never seemed to think of when looking for a place to go... until recently when I started playing trivia there every week. Now it's on the rotation of regular spots. The food is REALLY good for a bar, and the menu is large (not really varied though). I have never received a meal I didn't like, and some things are even noteworthy like the handcut fries, juicy burgers and perfectly fried chicken and/or catfish. The bartenders are always great upstairs, however the table service is awful, so just order at the bar. It's great for groups up there versus the restaurant downstairs. Downside is it can get REALLY smoky up there, and there are basically no windows to air it out. Sometimes I miss living in a state where is illegal to smoke in bars, but it is what it is. TV's aren't the best for gamewatching, but they have the proper sports cable packages if you need to camp out in front of one to watch a particular game. Price for an hour of pool is a little steep, especially with H. Cue's right across the street. Still beats playing with quarters though!
(4)S M.
Still a great place for beer & burgers (or catfish). Not an exciting menu, but you can get a well-poured draft beer, a big juicy burger (not overpriced like so many in town), and decent service -- in a comfortable environment. It's classic Nashville holding up against the newcomers.
(4)Chris M.
Great for football games, great food and drinks (fried pickles are a must, and they have a great club sandwich). Smoking upstairs, non-smoking downstairs. Parking in the bank at night is no problem; and street parking is usually available during the day. Bartenders are usually quite friendly. Classic favorite; will continue and continue returning.
(3)Parker H.
I have never EVER been to a place with such bad service. The food was decent (but a little overpriced). When we came in we waited for a hostess or waitress to seat us and no one was found. It took us over 2 and a half hours to get our drinks, food and then paying was the hardest part. I recommend going somewhere else for food, sportsmans was terrible.
(1)Camrin W.
Just left here. Was on a late night food run with my boyfriend. Went upstairs, as the downstairs bartender told us to. Sat at the bar for approximately 8min. Watched the bartender serve other guests who even came up to the bar after us. Even came within inches of us & never said hello, be with you in a minute, nothing. We were never even acknowledged. Sad thing is, is I'm a bartender myself & tip really well. Oh well. We'll never go back there or anywhere where we don't feel welcomed. Maybe that bartender needs a new job.
(1)Amelia V.
Great upstairs area for groups. Not sure if this is a pro or a con but you can smoke upstairs and rumor is you can even bring your dog! Strange!
(3)Em S.
Not the best place to eat for vegetarians - they have some overpriced salad, onion rings, fried pickles, potato, and fries, most likely previously frozen like at most bars. Upstairs there's a dimly lit bar that has pool tables and TVs, but it is rather smokey. This place wouldn't be a terrible place to come to for drinks, I guess. On the plus side, it's super close to Vanderbilt - probably the closest place to walk to from the esteemed Medical Center.
(1)Andrzrej K.
U gotta get upstairs! This is where the fun happens, and you can smoke. I was impressed with the smoked applewood spoked bacon, smoked buns and smokey cougars at the bar asking me if Connecticut was in Canada. I didn't get their numbers, sadly, but I did find a place in Nashville that has good food and a great mix of people from students to hipsters to Memphis born-agains to Murfreesboro MILFS. In that order
(4)Terry J.
Always slow service but amazing food. Chicken tenders and cornbread are two favorites and all of their salad dressings are fantastic. Good burgers and salads, too. Atmosphere is lacking but everything on the menu is good.
(4)Mark S.
Bad review time - I always start out with four stars and add or subtract accordingly. This place was my hang-out in the 70s and 80s when it was called Spats - I went there somewhat until 1992 when I went on a 9 year hiatus from alcoholic beverages. Went back in tonight after not visiting Sportsman's in about three years - the restaurant had been upgraded and looked much roomier, gone were the out of date ferns and dusty feel that the old place had. We were seated fairly quickly and after about five minutes of no attention the power went out. After power was restored the waitress came back in and took the other table in the room's order and looked at us - still no acknowledgement. By this time we'd looked at the menu to exhaustion. I noticed immediately that the prices had climbed significantly since my last visit; $11.99 for a Reuben and fries in Nashville? Other items were priced comparably. When I was ready to leave my father went up front and asked for service; the young man up there came in and took our order and about 25 minutes later our food came. The Reubens were cooked well and the cole slaw was simply okay. The server apologized for the delay and was very attentive during service. We probably won't be going back any time soon because of the makeover pricing; if I want big city pricing for a sandwich I'll go down the street to Noshville.
(2)Sarah W.
Where do I even begin?! We showed up for dinner and immediately noticed the place needed a major renovation. It smelled stale and looked less than clean. The waitress was nice and friendly as she greeted us and took our orders. I ordered the Ribeye Steak with two sides, Lima Beans and Mashed Potatoes. About 5 minutes after we ordered our waitress came back to tell me they were all out of the Ribeye. Ok, no problem. I then decided on the Teriyaki Chicken, which comes with a veggie-pineapple skewer and rice. I also added my Lima Beans again as a side. THEN about 10 minutes after that, our waitress comes back to tell me they're all out of Lima Beans. Ok. No problem. I told her I was fine just having the sides it came with. THEN about 3 minutes after that for the THRID time she comes BACK to tell my fiancé that the onion rings he ordered as a side had to be changed to something else because they only had 3 onion rings left. Ok. Do they have anything on their menu? As they were discussing his next choice of side, she then informed me there was also no more pineapple for my skewers. And she said it as a side-comment, like it didn't even matter! She giggled and walked away. Even after all this, we were still holding on to some hope the food was going to be good. Umm, nope. Once our food showed up, my Teriyaki Chicken had the pineapple-less, burnt skewer and no rice in sight. We waited about 15 minutes after our food arrived before we saw our waitress again, in which we told her about the rice. She said, "Oh yeah, it does come with that" and walked off. The chicken tasted like water. The skewer was decent. The rice (when I got it) was like eating straight oil. We were expecting some sort of accommodation for all the mishaps that went on, but nothing was offered. Everything about this place is ew and gross. Saying we were disappointed is an understatement. Steer clear and save your money for Burger King. You'd probably get better service.
(1)David R.
Sunday night. They're out of a third of the items we ordered. Establishment? Run down, smells like stale everything. Server was nice and apologetic, which saved a zero-star rating.
(1)Paul K.
The main problem I have with Sportsman's has been that I visited it with a group of people at 6pm on Wednesdays for years and nearly every time the service was so bad it was laughable (and we have many notes from the evenings about it too). What I learned on the patio over the years before our group left: 1) If at a group, anyone pays and has to leave, you can expect service to stop to the table. Your waiter will look occasionally to see if the rest of you are done. 2) If seated and nobody has come to see you in 10 minutes they forgot you. We ran the clock up to an hour and 15 minutes one time before going in to grab drinks, at an hour and 17 minutes we had a waitress. 3) If it's 6pm / happy hour, you must order every drink you're going to want for the next hour at that point as you're most likely not going to get a second drink order in before happy hour ends at 7. 4) No matter how you try to contact the manager electronically or by leaving messages, you will never get a call back unless you're wanting to rent the place out - we tried seeing if we could get an extension on the drink specials if we were bringing in an average of more than $200 a gathering, and were never able to get a second round of drinks due to nobody ever coming back out to serve us. Calls and emails went unreturned, so did our business. 5) If you have a really good waiter, they will be gone and never back there the next time you're there. 6) If you sit on the patio and there're 3 waiters working, you will be told that the reason service is so slow is that the 1 waiter you've got is also handling the largest table inside. If you happen to go inside there will be one table of 6-8 people and another table or two of 2 people and no particular reason evidenced to why there's no way to get a second round of drinks before happy hour ends. 7) If you have an event that will pay off immediately and not over the course of 4 -6 weeks in profits, you will receive a call in under a day. Learned this when we had contacted them about how much money our group was spending and one of the group also contacted them for a private party for work. That's about that. The food is average, there're a couple of vegetarian options and they're ok but not good bar food. on a 2-4-1 they serve you both beers at once, which means they're warm by #2 unless you're a hardcore alcoholic. I, and the group I'm with, want to love this place (it was home for years in spite of the service) but we've consistently been treated like we're an imposition, and the place is always less than 1/4th capacity when we're there so it's not like we're taking up space, and our bills and tips are high enough. That's my review, mostly seen from the patio as that's the reason we went to Sportsman's. We have not been back in a while. Edit 10/20/2010 - service was good, still don't know why we went back - get there before it starts to suck again / current good outdoor waiter quits.
(2)Yifei W.
Food was good but the menu was probably never updated since the 80's. If you want old-fashioned greasy greasy greasy barfood, you've found the right place. But for what you pay, you could probably go to a waffle house twice.
(3)Bob B.
Best Hamburger in Nashville. They have a upstairs smoking section, and down stairs is completely non smoking. Both are completely separated. another review mentioned they had smokin there false. Just in the upstairs bar separate entrance and everything.
(5)Ali B.
The back patio is great. Its shaded so it is a good place during the heat of the day or at night. The Club sandwich is good (McAllister's Deli still has my heart for with their club). All the food is very reasonably prices along with beer on tap. I payed $10 for a sandwich and a beer. Not bad by my standards.
(3)David S.
This Sportsman's location definitely has much more going on since it is in Hillsboro Village. The food is the same as their other locations and is good as far as bar/pub food goes. If you are looking for a large crowd, this is a good place to go. It's friendly; it's laid back. Lots of college kids, but there seem to be a fair amount of regulars as well. They have their amazing fried pickle chips. What is not to like? Parking is the only thing that confuses me about this location. I think there are some spots in a lot somewhere...but I never can seem to find them. I did find some street parking the last time I went in. I believe they went with the smoking-ban so the inside is smoke-free. Nice. A good place to go for happy hour.
(4)Nathan K.
Tuesday 2 for 1s on various libations. Alternatively, I would generally opt for Mafiosos if you are in the 23-33 age group. If you want to watch the game.....this is NOT the place. TVs are beyond TERRIBLE.
(4)Katherine M.
This place has great bar food. But beware - the food is ultra greasy. Even seemingly menu items like the turkey grill sandwich is swimming in grease, though delicious. But, when you want this type of food, you can't beat Sportsman's. Everything on the menu is good. I love their cheese dip. And of course they are famous for their burger. I have heard many people say it's the best in Nashville. The menu also offers soup, various hot and cold sandwiches, and even salads. Mind you the salads are topped with mounds of cheddar cheese, but hey - at least you're getting your veggies!! They have a great beer list. Everything you could think of and more. In the fall this place is really fun because they have tons of big screen TVs, so whatever is the game to watch that week, it's on at Sportsman's. The patio is perfect for dinner and drinks with a group. And you can't ask for a better location, right in the heart of Hillsboro Village. Eat dinner here than walk to any of the local hot spots around. Or, pull up a chair and watch your favorite team. Either way, you can't go wrong!
(4)Anne B.
Sportsman's is one of Nashville's casual dining traditions. The dark wood-panel walls and the masculine interior make for a chill place to drink some beers and grab a fairly inexpensive, tasty meal. Most would characterize the food as "bar fare", but several selections far surpass any bar food I've eaten in Nashville (barbecue on cornbread sandwich, catfish basket, patty melt, and steak & biscuits are my favorites). Sportsman's fresh fries are consistently tasty. Upstairs is 21st Century Pool Hall, which is still a smoking venue. Friendly bartenders, good beer selection, and ample seating are the main reasons we come here. You can order food from the Sportman's menu, but there are no servers upstairs, so you place your order with the bartender.
(4)Ron M.
Great service, very friendly waitress, and the food prices were reasonable. The menu has a lot to chhose, and the atmosphere is great for a sports Grill.
(5)matt c.
The Grille in the Village is great for animal lovers -- especially the kind that love animal trophies on the walls and divers, delicious animal parts on the menu. It has a dark pub-style interior, Gerst on tap, and is dependable for airing soccer games, among other sports on its many (but mostly muted) televisions. The television at the bar is the only one bought after 1980, and the only one over 14". As a snack or starter, I like the pickle chips; you only need a few but they give you a whole basket. I also like the options for small meals, like a cup of red beans and rice w/ sausage for 4.50.
(3)Oliver G.
They do fried frozen as food as well as anyone, a little greasy but edible. Nice patio for outdoor dining, good service. Try the fried pickles!
(3)Taylor W.
How you can call your bar Sportsman's and then not have the MLB package is beyond me. Had some good times on Tuesday nights though, so they get an extra star for that.
(2)Dianne W.
MLB package? They've had it for at least two years cause I've been watching the games there. They also have college game day package and sunday's NFL package! As of TV's? They have all flat screens with the exception of two downstairs and they have a total of 17 up and down. They have happy hour every day 4 to 7 with half off wings and nachos, 2 for 1 every sunday all day and Monday til the games over, 2 for 1 all on tues, five dollar cheese burgers with fries on Monday, friendly staff and great atmosphere up and down. What the heck else could you ask for??!!
(4)Mariela C.
Are you in a hunter's trophy room? Nope, you are just at Sportsman's. Though at night it's populated by the Vandy crowd usual to most of the Village bars, I still have had some good times here. I would never end up at Sportsman's if it wasn't that a friend's band has played there a couple of times, but it always seems to fulfill its promise: booze and bar food. If you just want to come for the promised food and booze but want skip the onslaught of undergrads (most who cannot possibly be 21) I would get there early. Late at night be prepared for the ensuing faux fraternity sorority exchange that you will find yourself in.
(3)Cheryl K.
Typical pub, everyone smokes like chimneys in here, and the furniture lay-out is not very crowd-maneuverable which was kind of annoying. Drinks seemed okay and the bar was extensively long. Well-lit, didn't seem to be any dancing. Not bad of a place to hang out.
(3)Robin S.
I'm a big fan of Sportsman's for the bar food. Their sliders are magnificent--they are on the starters part of the menu, but I eat them for a meal! They are basically gourmet Krystal burgers. Lovely! Also, their fried pickle slices are divine. I am a huge fan of fried pickles, have had all kinds, and these definitely rank in the top 3! Dip them in ranch and they are extra special. As for drinks, hey it's a sports bar--I usually just get beer. They do have a full bar though. And both upstairs and down, their bars are huge and well-staffed. I've never had a problem with service there. I generally enjoy the upstairs, because that is where the pool tables and extra big screen TVs are, and my friends are typically up there. But be warned, it's pretty smoky. Overall great place to hang out, watch sports, and chow on some much better than average bar food!
(4)David O.
Because of its proximity to Vanderbilt University Medical Center, this can be a very busy place unless you come around 11 for Lunch. Also, because of this, parking is abysmal. The closest lot is actually for Suntrust Bank. I've never had them tow my car, but they threaten it quite liberally. The ACTUAL Sportsmans lot is a tiny thing behind the gas station across the street. Its clear that they expect you to walk from Vandy. The food itself can be of very inconsistant quality, from delicious to poorly prepared.
(3)Megan C.
So if you're looking for a place to catch up after a long work week with some friends for happy hour, and you're not offended by moose heads hanging on the wall, then Sportsman's might just be the place for you. It's certainly nothing fancy...it has quite the lodge feel (think Gaston in Beauty and the Beast), but they have a decent selection of beers on tap, and they happen to be 2 for 1 from 4 pm until 7 pm on weekdays. There are also specials on a couple of appetizers during this time...wings, jalapeno poppers, and nachos. They have a decent selection of typical American cuisine/pub food, and everything that I've tried has been good, even if a little greasier than things that I would normally choose. All in all, a pleasant happy hour experience but nothing to really write home about. And, unfortunately, at Sportsman's, it doesn't pay to Discover.
(3)Bryan L.
Lodge like atmosphere with good selection of bar food and beers
(3)Peter M.
Its nothing special, but the waitstaff is friendly, the crowd young, a good happy hour scene, tasty pub food. Overall, a jovial, easy experience.
(3)