Watermark Restaurant

Since the hiring of executive chef Matt Bolus, Watermark has elevated to the top echelon of Nashville restaurants. I have dined there several times and it has been superb every time more

Restaurant viability is compromised by the limited parking. Who wants to see (or hear) a valet grind away... more

Restaurant viability is compromised by the limited parking. Who wants to see (or hear) a valet grind away at an expensive manual transmission, or d... more

I read many good things about this restaurant and when I ate here I was very sad indeed. My fish was not warm on the inside and should have had at least a few tiny vegetables on the plate or something else to at least feel like you are eating a bit more and I am a very small person. the bread was just ok if you are really hungry and too salty at that. The other foods on the table had complaints and were either too salty or just not up to standards I knew it should be. All and all I have to give this place a less than average rating. They sure raved about it in the papers and I would stick to Merchants any day or even Sperrys over Watermark. Way to expensive for the taste or presentation of the food. I didn't want to hurt the person's feelings paying for it when my fish was not very warm. Oh so bad. Cons: No one came up to park our car as stated so we walked a long way. Food was less than hi standard.Took a long time to get our food. more

An excellent fine dining experience. Watermark delivers on all fronts -- from the simple yet elegant ambiance and attentive yet unobtrusive service, to the outstanding cuisine. Be sure not to miss the superb grit souffle or the indulgent chocolate sampler. Hats off to Sean Norton for a truly inventive and well-executed menu. A memorable and highly satisfying evening. Pros: Cuisine, service, ambiance Cons: None we noticed more

Very over-rated, overpriced restaurant. Terrible ambiance - high walls & wood floor make for a very noisy setting. Spare interior design is severe, not Zen-like. Half-finished condo project across the street (which, given the economy, will likely remain unfinished) ruins what was probably a wonderful view. Shrimp appetizer was so overcooked & rubbery a knife could barely cut through them. Chorizo? where? The pumpkin soup had a strangely heavy mouthfeel and bitter aftertaste. The grit souffle IS stellar, but one dish does not a chef or menu make. Salad prices are like early high scores in ice-skating: they serve to artificially inflate the scores/prices appearing further down the program/menu. Roll your eyes if you must, but anyone who orders fish at restaurants needs to understand how commercial overfishing has caused the collapse of fish populations. Watermark seems not to have heard the news: Daurade, grouper, tilefish are on all ""do not order"" lists yet those fish, plus an ""organic"" (farmed? wild? who knows?) salmon and hebi were the choices available. Hebi are taken mostly by long-line fishing (which threatens the leatherback turtle) and can be kept frozen on board ship for up to two weeks before they make it to market (despite being overnighted from Hawaii as per our waiter). In any case, hebi are replacing the collapsed swordfish anyway. It's hard to understand how a chef who appears so invested in creating a menu that reflects seasonal foods (butternut squash, pumpkin, root vegetables) also seems insensitive to other aspects of menu-making like these. I did like the use of so many types of wild mushrooms. The filet and lamb were both very good but overpriced. The service was glacially slow, even for a large party. Perhaps the slow service was designed to pump up the wine bill; no one should have to wait nearly an hour between courses, even in a party of 10. Kudos to Sam Tucker and Heather Riley, who are responsible for the delightful dessert choices. Pros: Grit souffle. Filet and lamb v. good but overpriced. Desserts with coffee. Cons: Prices. Ambiance. Ruined view off balcony. more

Visited Watermark in early September. We began our evening at the bar, where the fine barkeep, Ned, kept us lubricated and entertained. He mixes a fine drink (esp. the Lemon Drop Martini made w. Hangar Vodka) and delivers equally fine comedy. The hostess let us know that our table was ready whenever we were an that there was certainly no rush...I love that! No one likes to be forgotten, but I don't like to have to gulp my drink to accomadate a table seating. more

This is a modern setting with several interesting design touches. The seating includes an outdoor patio that seemed ideal for Nashville evenings with a cool summer breeze. Before commenting on the food I must take a moment to compliment our waiter. He was the most personable and knowledgable individual we have encountered in many a year. My wife was uncertain about a wine selection and our waiter graciously offered to bring a tasting of several selections, correctly pointing out the characteristics of each wine. His suggestions about the menu offering were on the money, and led to a thoroughly enjoyable evening. My only dissapointment was that much of the menu was based upon fish shipped daily from Boston (I was hoping for dining selections based upon the products of local purveyors). The appetizers of beef carpaccio and duck confit were well executed. I throughly enjoyed the wood grilled buffalo strip with watermellon-red onion relish and fried okra, and others at my table raved about the wood grilled pork chop with sour cherry relish, and the antelope with spiced blackberries. more

I was looking for a place to take my family that was visiting from out of town. My brother is a general manager of a large hotel in Mayalsia. I was not disappointed in my choice of Watermark. Our table was ready when we walked in the door. Our waiter was very knowledgable of the wines and menu. The wait staff was efficient without being overbearing. The appetizers and main meal were delicious. The desserts were equally delicious. I would choose Watermark for a group or a special occasion for a couple. Thanks to the Watermark for making the occasion a special one for my family! Pros: Great food and service more

A most refreshing and rewarding experience. From ""entrance"" to ""exit Monte and staff performed like a well oiled high performance engine. Our server Mindy was ""Southern professional"" . Executive chef Sean Pros: Service great, food better more

My husband and I decided to go to Watermark for our first date out since we had our second daughter. We had the most amazing time! When I made the reservation, the woman on the phone asked if it was a special occasion, I told her that it was for us because this was our first date since we'd had our baby. Well when we got to the restaurant, the hostess handed me a hilarious note listing all the different phone numbers for the restaurant including her personal cell for the babysitter! It's little things like this that set Watermark apart from the bunch. Not only was the service fantastic, the food was the best we've had in a very long time! We started with the beef carpaccio and then had the she-crab soup and lettuce salad. For our entrees he had the lamb loin and I had the scallops. Amazing! Loved it!! Can't wait to go back! Pros: Service, food, view Cons: Pricey but worth it more

I really like this pace. It is comfortable, breezy, with good service and interesting food. Nashville deserves restaurants like this. more

Great service, interesting menu, and excellent food. I would recommend Watermark for special occasions or business dinners. I has a great feel. more

We had a group meeting last week for about 55 --- simply fabulous. Food was outstanding, service was impeccable and the group space was light, airy, and not confining as many group spaces usually are. Everyone raved about it and we would defintely book it again. more

I adored Watermark, I went there twice on my Jan 2008 trip to Nashville (I live in San Francisco). The service is stellar and the food is the best. My favorite dishes were the boar stew, a grits souffle, and the marshmallow and chocolate dessert. The waiters know what wines to recommend, and do not necesarily point you to the most expensive. One night I was on my own and the other night I went back to bring guests. I avoided the ""chains"" and other ""recommended"" restaurants common on sites. more

great food, knowledge wine steward, very classy atomosphere. Excellent for the grown up night out. The service and seating was quick, and there was beautiful artwork on the walls Pros: worth every penny Cons: didn't see one more

I took my partner to Watermark for his 30th birthday. We had heard and read only good things about this place, and we were not disappointed. Our Saturday night 7:30 reservation was honored immediately and we were seated at a comfortable little table with a nice view of downtown. We were greeted promptly and professionally by our server who was very knowlegable of the menu. Our bread (delicious) and pre-dinner coctails were at our table within 5 minutes of being seated. We ordered the goat cheese grit souflee for our appetizer. It had great flavor and texture, and was the perfect size for two diners (i would highly recommend). Our entrees arrived in a timely fashion and were presented simply, yet beautifully. Boyfriend had the Hawaiian Walu, and I ordered the Scallops. The walu was pan-seared and served moist and tender atop a bed of perfectly cooked lemon risotto and baby asparagus. A wonderful dish, though the lemon was almost a little overpowering. The Scallops were the best I've had in Nashville. Well portioned and sauteed to perfection, their natural sweetness came through brilliantly. They were accompanied by a wonderful succotash, fresh and crisp with a little bacon thrown in for true southern flavor. The only negative of the night came with dessert. We probably should have listened our server's suggestions, but opted for other selections on the list. BF got what was considered a PB&J Napoleon according to the menu. It turned out a bit bland and was in no way shape or form a ""napoleon"". I ordered the Southern Pie Sampler, a mini-trio of chess pie, lemon meringue, and chocolate cream pie. Tasty, but not impressive. We didn't let dessert get us down, as every other aspect of the experience was impeccable. Service was great throughout. We will definitley recommend and return to one of our new favorites. Pros: Fresh Ingredients, Professional Service, Great food Cons: Sub-par desserts more

If you enjoy a fine dining experience with plenty of time for great conversation Watermark fits the bill. Service was excellent and server was knowledgeable, friendly and not overbearing. He read the varied culinary knowledge of each guest and made each person feel comfortable. Pros: Cool location, valet parking, great service, fabulous food. Cons: Maybe add some nightly chef's specials. more

We made reservations and were seated promptly. The waiter was very friendly and very knowledgeable about all of the dishes and drinks on the menu. He informed us that a lot of the fruits and veggies used in the dishes are purchased at the local farmer's market and they use herbs from the restaurant's own herb garden which is right on the patio. The food was absolutely delicious without trying to be too pretentious or bizarre. The presentation of the food was beautiful and intriguing. It was too hot to eat out on the patio but even if it had been cooler, we probably wouldn't have done it as the view would have mostly been the ongoing construction across the street. I will say that we felt lucky that not many people were dining while we were. The tables are quite close together and we would've felt a little cramped if people had been dining at either table next to ours. Pros: Excellent food and service Cons: Tables are quite close to each other more

If it's not already on there, add this one to your list of places to go. 1st - The view of downtown from the balcony was fantastic. I would suggest going around 7-7:30, to get daylight, sunset & nightlight. We were lucky and caught a spectacular sunset. 2nd - Our server, Brian A., was great! Very knowledgable and willing to help us make up our minds and very attentive but not overbearing. Finally, the food is wonderful! I would definitely suggest the Fried Green Tomato appetizer and the Lamb entree. The scallops were great too. Pros: Romantic, Service, View Cons: Construction nearby, but you can ignore it if you're focused on your companion & the view! more