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Aquarium Restaurant
Categories: Restaurants Seafood Active Life Aquariums Restaurants American (Traditional) Seafood, Aquariums, American (Traditional) [Edit]
516 Opry Mills DrNashville, TN 37214
(615) 514-8600
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 11 am - 9:30 pm
Fri-Sat 11 am - 10 pm
Sun 11 am - 8 pm
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
23 reviews for Aquarium Restaurant
Review Highlights
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"Who cares about the price, it was well worth it." In 3 reviews -
"...bruschettu, and garlic toast and crap dip all very good." In 3 reviews -
"...made sure to order a plate that was mostly crab and shrimp." In 3 reviews
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23 reviews in English
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Review from Jenee M.
5/16/2012
This was a toughie for me. I teetered on 4 or 5 stars. Why? Because I have been here 3 times now and the 3rd time just wasn't the same as years past. 2 experiences were before the Nashville flood and 1 experience was just last week soon after Opry Mills had reopened.
Before the flood: I would have given this place 6 stars if it was possible. Everything was perfect. My steak was so tender you could literally cut it with a spoon. The onion straws atop the steak were quite delightful and made the meal standout aesthetically. The potatoes were perfectly seasoned and moist. Everything from start to finish was incredible in the past. The atmosphere, the service, the cleanliness of my surroundings......and don't forget, the giant aquarium you are surrounded by while eating.
After the flood: The food was still excellent but not as good as I had remembered. The steak was cooked just how I had asked but didn't look that fabulous on my plate (no presentation). I had the green beans and taters as my sides. The green beans were good but I had more onion in the mix than actual green beans. The taters were still the whip but again, there was absolutely no presentation. The plate looked sad. The server was HORRIBLE. He was over-friendly in a cheesy kind of way. He started talking about a subject mid-sentence so you had no idea what you he was talking about. He did not inform us on any species of the fish as I had experienced in the past. I wanted this experience because I was with someone that had never been there before. When we arrived, we had 3 different servers piece together our drink order, find us some silverware, and re-clean our table as it was quite nasty when we sat down.
This place has declined which is a shame because I LOVED this restaurant so much in the past. I am still giving them 4 stars because the flavor of my steak was excellent, it was cooked perfectly, and all remaining food items were mighty tasty. The Aquarium itself is still really cool. And I have taken into account that Opry Mills JUST reopened like a week prior so maybe they hadn't got all their ducks in a row just yet.
As for the server we had, he should find a new career. I literally thought it was his first day because he seemed ditzty, nervous, and uneducated about the establishment. But as the evening continued, he explained that he worked there before the flood too. Damn, I cannot believe he is a waiter. Shocking!
Overall, I still suggest this place for a nice night out. It is even great for kids as they get a kick out of watching the fish/sharks/stingrays swim. I do find it quite mean that they have fish on the menu though. LOL. I always order the steak!!!! ;-) -
Review from Katie D.
Cordova, TN
5/20/2012
Oooooverrated. I first took my mom here for her birthday on a trip to Nashville because I thought it'd be a little nicer than Rainforest Cafe. It was definitely nice, though it was disappointing.
Even though it's more upscale, it doesn't stop parents from letting kids tap on the glass of the big aquarium circling the dining area and basically pressing their entire bodies against it. Not only can it be loud if you're near the aquarium area, but it's distracting and just rude. If you want to see fish, there's a petting area outside the restaurant where you can touch stingrays and such. This isn't a zoo.
The food wasn't too terrible, but at these prices I expected better. Though the food wasn't inedible or anything. Just the whole time I kept thinking I could get probably the same thing at Rainforest Cafe for cheaper, or even Red Lobster.
The service was kind of crappy. It wasn't slow, but he was the kind of waiter who immediately didn't fawn over us simply because we didn't order any alcohol. Sorry, not everyone needs a mixed drink or three to go with their food, and I don't think it's right to give someone less service because of it. Just because the bill will supposedly be smaller (even though one beer can be cheaper than a dessert, and you never know who's gonna order dessert) doesn't mean you should ignore a table because it means you'll get a smaller tip. Between that and the noisy kids, it ruined the experience and really brought it down from a fancy place to more of a Joe's Crab Shack. -
Review from Sarah M.
Seaside, CA
5/11/2012
We would come back, but I was less than impressed with the server we had. He was overly friendly, but had the car salesman attitude about him and made me feel uncomfortable. Our food took a LONG time to come out, despite being very quiet when we visited. Our server really tried to upsell every single thing, several times. It was irritating- when I say "no" the second or third time, I really do mean it so please stop asking/insisting.
I was really hesitant to order the mahi mahi tacos but I was pretty clear that I hoped they were good! They actually were pretty good! I was impressed for sure, but the sides were only so-so. In the end, we WAY overpaid for the food, but I figure the higher price of the food supports the upkeep of the aquarium, so I'm okay with that. Our kids loved the aquarium and my older son really enjoyed "painting" his own shark rice crispy treat. We'll have to carry that idea over for dessert nights at home!
We would go back, but I really hope I don't get a pushy server like this guy was again. He was friendly, but slow on the service, food took too long, and he made us feel uncomfortable with the excessive upselling. -
Review from Ashley W.
4/24/2012
The ambiance is amazing, but to be completely honest it was not worth and hour and twenty minute wait (and we were there around 2 in the afternoon, it was even more busy at 5 when we walked by!!). Wehn we finally did get in there open tables left and right!! I don't understand the wait. Plus most everything on the menu was close to $20.
From the outside it looked like the restaurant was UNDER an aquarium, but it is not. The fish are only in the middle. We were lucky enough to be close to the middle, but there were some people along the edges the were no where near the fish.
The food was really good and is comparable to food you would have at Joe's Crab Shack. For the price we paid you would think you were getting Bone Fish quality! We never really saw our server, he stopped by a couple times, but he wasn't even the one brought us our food, it was someone else.
I think it was a good place to expirience to have, and I am glad we did it once, but we probably wont go there again. -
Review from Seth N.
Nashville, TN
4/6/2012
Food was bland and expensive. The only plus was the good service from our waiter.
-
Review from brittney g.
Manhattan, NY
8/30/2008
Not the worst themed restaurant in existence, but certainly no where near the best. I came here with my mom and my sister for the sister's birthday lunch. Sister picked this place over Macaroni Grill and Tony Roma's, also both in the Opry Mills Mall. We were seated right away on a weekday at around 1 p.m. at a table with a great view of the aquarium.
And the aquarium is nice. It is by far the best thing about the joint. When we arrived there was a diver feeding the fish, so that was neat. But everything went downhill from there. The menu is way to expensive for the items listed, which are very typical seafood items. Think Red Lobster, but even more pricey.
The wine list was pretty pitiful, but I did find a decent sauvignon blanc for just over 7 dollars. The server, Randall, recommended the crab dip, and it was pretty good, once it arrived. The food all came out super-slow. I got a side salad, mom got the fish tacos and Amy got chicken lettuce wraps. Like I said, they took forever to arrive. Randall was competent (and I think I may have gone to high school with him), but the kitchen was obviously having problems getting entrees out, even with the place nearly empty.
It is a decent place to take kids, I'd imagine, but the menu is expensive. Take the rugrats in to see the aquarium for free--you can do that--despite it being a distraction to paying diners.
Simply put this is a tourist trap with average food. You'll pay for the atmosphere, which is Disneyland Lite. -
Review from Christopher F.
Ann Arbor, MI
1/13/2010
Bottom line reason for coming to this place is the huge Aquarium that surronds you as you are eating, also located conviently in opry mills mall. The food is very highly priced, with the exception of a po-boy or some appetizzers can expect to pay 15-30 dollars per entree even at lunch, however with the atmosphere they provide the price can kind of be expected.
The food is pretty good, We had the appetizzer sampler which had calamari, bruschettu, and garlic toast and crap dip all very good. My wife had the crap cakes and I had the catfish po-boy both pretty good. Service was excellant something I noticed in various restaurants in Nashville. -
Review from Li J.
Nashville, TN
3/13/2009
So last week was the 2nd time that we've been to the Aquarium since it opened. Nothing's changed. The aquarium still looks clean and beautiful with lots of beautiful fish and sharks. Great to look at and a fun place to eat.
The food is good. Great fish selection, everything is good. The server "Carleton Bam" was AWESOME! You guys have to ask for him. He's great.
I can't seem to give this restaurant more than a 3 Star, b/c I think it's a little high for what they serve. I don't know, everytime I eat here my bill comes to over $150 or this time over $200. I know there were more people, but it seems like it's pricing itself like an upscale restaurant when it's more like a "gimmicky" restaurant like Rainforest or something? I don't know. I haven't had a bad experience or anything, and the food is definitely decent, I just don't get the pricing.
Of course we'll come back again when people from out of town wants to see something different while they eat. Obviously Opry Mills is an attraction here. -
Review from Shaun C.
Marietta, GA
6/28/2008
Service: Phenomenal
Food: Fantastic
Scenery: Beautiful
Price: WAY over priced for their portions.
'Nuff said.
-Shaun -
Review from Beverly W.
Plainfield, IL
9/10/2011
I was sad to hear about the flooding to cause this restaurant to shut down till 2012. I have been there a few times and we love it. A must in Nashville. This is located in the Opry Mills Mall. The seafood is great, the hot bread, the appetizers, you name it. The aquarium which has every fish imaginable. The largest tanks I have ever seen. Get a seat up close and you will be entertained for your entire meal. The staff also gives you infomation on the types of fish. Amazing place worth the price.
Highly recommend. Will be back sometime in 2012. Watch their website! -
Review from Kyla A.
10/5/2008
Let's just be honest about this, Aquarium Restaurant is not about the food. I That being said the Aquarium Restaurant takes the experience part of "dining experience" very seriously. They have a huge aquarium in the center of the restaurant that houses many different kinds of fish. After an ungodly long wait to be seated (this place draws tourists like whoa) we managed to talk the host into getting us one of the tables closest to the aquarium. A little flat red fish that I named Philip sat and stared at us the whole time. Fish like Philip and the rest made me feel a little guilty about eating their kind so I made sure to order a plate that was mostly crab and shrimp. The food was actually far from terrible, but it's obvious that the experience is built into the price more than any sort of gourmet focus.
The gift shop is great if you have kids or dorks like me who are easily charmed. Don't be put off by the strong fish smell when you approach the restaurant like I was. Usually that's a deal-breaker sign when coming to a seafood restaurant, but the smell actually comes from the Stingray Reef interactive exhibit across from Aquarium Restaurant. -
Review from crystal r.
Saint Louis, MO
8/14/2008
We didn't eat here....WAY TOO OVERPRICED. You can go into the restaurant and just look at the AMAZING aquarium FOR FREE!!!! I could watch it all day long. We took lots of photos and video of it.
Also, if you go around 10am and 5:30pm, there will be divers that hand feed all the fish....a must see. Our hostess said to come on a weekday for that since it could get crowded. -
Review from Karen C.
San Francisco, CA
3/8/2008
This place was surprisingly good. You might think it would be some cheesey chain like Applebee's or Red Lobster with a real aquarium, but the food is actually good.
The real attraction is definately the aquarium still. They had so many different types of fish. One fish made it all worth it as well. They had a strange looking fish called a Guitar Fish... might be a nickname. The waiter explained to us that that Guitar Fish was the offspring of a manta ray and a nurse shark. So if you can imagine, it had a head like a ray but a tail like a nurse shark. It looks super strange. How random that this exotic fish would be in Nashville of all places! Very cool! -
Review from Anna A.
Nashville, TN
12/26/2008
I realize this is a chain but I am always on the hunt for a unique place to take my kids and this is kind of a fun change up. I realize this is a little higher end kind of place for families but come on boys this is way too cheezy for a date so let us rowdy family types have it and i promise to never bring my kids to Watermark.
That being said, there are ginormous aquariums with everything from morey eel to small sharks to look at during dinner and every seat has some sort of view of fish. You certainly won't need to bring an extra crayons and coloring books here.
You are paying for the experience so you must have reasonable expectations about the food. I of course ordered sea food and it was good but not amazing. They do have a children's menu as well and the prices were slightly higher than average but well worth the it for aquatic entertainment. I will definitely have this in my back pocket list of places to get the kids out of the house. -
Review from Patrick R.
Nashville, TN
5/29/2008
This place gets four stars for experience over food. The Aquarium Restaurant is centered around a 200,000 gallon aquarium that contains some really amazing exotic fish and marine wildlife that you can't see anywhere else in the area. There are all kinds of neat sharks, rays, grouper, flounders and fish that drift by as you're dining...not to mention the occasional SCUBA diver who goes down there to feed and check on the fish.
The food and drinks themselves are actually a lot better than I expected, though the prices are a bit steep for my budget. Aquarium Restaurant sells drinks of all kinds, including a decent selection of domestic beers and all sorts of expensive, ridiculous mixed drinks with fruit and various tropical props in them. As you'd expect, the menu is mostly seafood--shrimp pasta, "Fisherman's Platter," fish tacos and the like.
All the entrees cost between $11 and $18, which is a bit expensive even for a seafood restaurant. The servers are pretty nice and fast, despite the fact that they mostly seem sick of working around so many fish. If you don't feel like dining at the restaurant, I've actually gone in just to check out the aquarium and left before. You can probably do the same yourself if you don't want to spend around $20 per person on some good but not fantastic seafood. -
Review from Erin D.
Nashville, TN
1/30/2009
I decided to take my dad here the last time he was in town because he likes fish. The Aquarium spans the entire restaurant and it's hard not to get a good view of it. We went on a Friday night. That afternoon we had a big lunch and weren't all that hungry but we had two hours to kill before the Grand Ole Opry.
We got seated pretty quickly, 1:45 minutes before the show started across the street. We spent the next two hours ordering and waiting to receive - one pepsi, one daiquiri and one order of bread pudding. We didn't even meet our waiter until we'd been sitting there for 15 minutes. It was busy, granted, but they must be WAY understaffed. Everything we ordered was mediocre too. I won't be going back, no matter how much dad likes the fishies. -
Review from Jacob S.
Bristow, OK
1/29/2011
The other reviews are idiots. People don't realize that keeping such a large aquarium is pricey so naturally the food is going to be more pricey. Also, there is actually a chef in the kitchen so that the food is delicious! If you want a cheap burger and fries, this place is not for you. If you want a nice view with the kiddos and a memorable experience, go here. Every time I came here, I enjoyed it and the kids loved it!
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Review from Ann F.
Mountain View, CA
7/4/2009
The reason to come is to see the huge aquarium that is the center piece of this restaurant. It is relaxing to sit and watch the fish.
The food is not bad or memorable, but it is pricey. It would be nice to enjoy both the food and the aquarium.
The service has never been slow and on the other hand it has never been fast. The only reason to come to this restaurant is the aquarium. -
Review from Krys G.
Nashville, TN
8/8/2007
What a great place to eat. The Aquarium is center stage to the dining area. You feel like you're eating underwater - there is fish decor and colorful coral all around you. The menu offers both seafood and non seafood items. The kids menu is reasonable and has many choices. Portions here are big! It is a bit pricey but the food is very well prepared and delicious. The wait staff is friendly and very knowledgeable about the fish in the aquarium. This is a great place to bring kids and out of town guests. Even though this place is a tourist trap - it's well worth your time and money to visit. It's quite spectacular - hands down better than the smelly Rain Forest Cafe on the other end of the mall in Opry Mills. Even if you're a local - go eat here - you'll be pleasantly surprised. Don't forget to bring your camera!!!
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Review from Ryan P.
Tahlequah, OK
7/8/2009
The aquarium is the only nice thing about this "restaurant". I'd suggest you go in, look at the Guitarfish named Gibson, and then head out.
We were seated fairly quickly given that we were one of two parties in the restaurant at that time. That's when anything resembling quick ended.
Our server showed up about 10 minutes after we sat down and took our drink orders. About 20 minutes later he brought us our drinks and took an appetizer order. 20 minutes after that he brought us our appetizer and took our dinner order. 45 minutes later it arrived which is outrageous even for a party of 5 and even worse because one of the 5 was my 2 year old niece who was absolutely starving.
So after about an hour and a half we got our food and it was absolutely horrible. I never thought I'd eat in a seafood restaurant bad enough to make me think of Red Lobster as gourmet but I was wrong. Nothing had any taste at all except for the rice pilaf which probably came out of a package. At approximately $30 bucks a head that's just ridiculous.
Next time we'll just look at the aquarium, pass on the food, and then head somewhere else in the Opry Mills Mall to eat. -
Review from Mark W.
1/24/2009
On a dinner break from working at the Opryland Hotel, we headed over to the Aquarium restaurant in Opry Mills. First of all, this restaurant has a very friendly staff that are a joy to talk to. Lots of locals with kids in tow were here on a Friday night. And the main aquarium is a joy to behold, very relaxing. I had fish and chips which were a couple of bucks overpriced, but very tasty. Next month when I end up back at Opryland, I'll be dining at the Aquarium again.
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Review from Maggie S.
Whittier, CA
10/14/2008 4 photos
What a cool place this was. Who cares about the price, it was well worth it. I had an awesome dessert, key lime pie ( see picture). It was such a nice place. Will definitely go back next time.
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Review from Greg J.
Columbia, MO
7/19/2008
About what I expected. My steak sandwich and cole slaw probably exceeded my expectations, barely, but the fries were run-of-the-mill, the appetizer combo was average (calamari was a bit rubbery, but the crab dip was quite good). Expensive, but the atmosphere (a $5 million aquarium, per our waiter) was really cool. The waiter was helpful and guided us toward (and away from) certain dishes. Wouldn't go out of the way for the food.
