Nashville Best Of 2026 · Best Nashville Seafood Restaurant
Henrietta Red
Nashville may be landlocked, but you would never know it at Henrietta Red. A gleaming oyster bar, wood-fired seafood, and a sunny Germantown dining room make it our pick for the best seafood restaurant in Nashville.
The Verdict
Best Nashville Seafood Restaurant: Why Henrietta Red Earns the Title
Great seafood starts with great sourcing, and Henrietta Red takes it seriously. The raw bar carries a rotating lineup of responsibly sourced oysters from coast to coast, and the kitchen pairs seafood with Tennessee produce in simple, seasonal dishes made for sharing.
Chef Julia Sullivan’s cooking earned national attention from the start: Bon Appetit named Henrietta Red one of America’s 50 Best New Restaurants, GQ called it one of the best new restaurants in the country, and Sullivan was a James Beard Award finalist for Best Chef: Southeast. Years later, it remains one of the most beloved tables in town.
2017
Opened in Germantown
Top 50
Bon Appetit Best New Restaurants
2020
James Beard Finalist Chef
Coast to Coast
Oysters on the Raw Bar
What to Order
The Reasons to Book a Table
The menu changes with the seasons, but these are the experiences worth planning your visit around.
The Oyster Bar
A rotating selection of oysters from both coasts, shucked to order. Arrive for the daily 5 pm happy hour for the best deals on oysters and drinks.
Wood-Fired Seafood
Whole fish and seasonal catches roasted in the wood-fired oven and paired with local vegetables. Simple, bright, and cooked with real precision.
Weekend Brunch
Saturday and Sunday brunch brings favorites like monkey bread and baked eggs to the sunny dining room. It’s one of Germantown’s best weekend traditions.
The Story
A Nashville Native Comes Home
Chef Julia Sullivan grew up in Nashville before heading to the Culinary Institute of America and cooking in some of the country’s most celebrated kitchens, including New York’s Per Se and Blue Hill at Stone Barns.
She came home to open Henrietta Red in 2017 alongside sommelier Allie Poindexter. The restaurant is named in honor of Julia’s grandparents and carries their Carolina Lowcountry hospitality into a bright, airy Germantown space with a marble bar, an oyster bar, and a year-round enclosed patio.
“The best reason to forget Nashville is landlocked.”
Nashville Best Of Editors
Plan Your Visit
Oysters in Germantown
Henrietta Red serves dinner Tuesday through Sunday, plus weekend brunch. Reservations are recommended.
Location
Hours
Dinner: Tue–Sun from 5 pm
Brunch: Sat–Sun, 10 am – 2 pm
Mon: Closed
Happy Hour
Stop in from 5 to 6 pm for oyster and drink specials at the bar. It’s the perfect way to start the night.
Your Seat at the Raw Bar Awaits
Book a table in Germantown and start with a dozen on the half shell.
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