Deacon's New South

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

Distinctly Nashville, Deliberately Refined

Deacon's New South occupies the ground floor of the historic L&C Tower on Church Street, bringing a modern, upscale interpretation of Southern American cuisine to the heart of downtown Nashville. The concept is built around two pillars: one of the largest dry-aging facilities in the Southeast, and a kitchen philosophy that treats the region's culinary traditions as a starting point rather than a ceiling.

The Kitchen and the Man Behind It

Culinary Director Chef Mark Grimes brings more than 30 years of experience to Deacon's, with a résumé that spans Five Diamond hotel properties, nationally recognized restaurant groups, and more than 100 restaurant openings across the country. A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park—where he was named Top Student Chef—Grimes later honed his craft at Claridge's in London, the Windsor Court Hotel in New Orleans, and The American Club in Kohler, Wisconsin. His approach at Deacon's is exactly what that background suggests: food that is both refined and approachable, rooted in the South but never predictable.

What's on the Plate

The steakhouse side of the menu centers on USDA Prime Black Angus sourced exclusively from Linz Heritage Angus, aged in-house and served with a salt trio, herbs, and a brush of demi. Dry-aged cuts include a 22 oz. bone-in ribeye, a 24 oz. porterhouse, and a 20 oz. Kansas City strip, while wet-aged options range from a petite filet to a barrel cut and a cowgirl ribeye. For those seeking something beyond the steakhouse canon, the broader Southern American menu delivers: Nashville Hot Oyster Deviled Eggs with cornmeal-fried oysters and pork belly jam, Pork Belly "Burnt" Ends with bourbon BBQ and Carolina Gold rice, pan-seared U-10 scallops over pea and asparagus risotto, and a Berkshire Tomahawk Pork Chop with broad bean collards and fried whole okra. Sides lean into regional pantry staples—collard greens with chili vinegar, mac and cheese with smoked gouda and Gifford's bacon, and marrow butter roasted fingerling potatoes.

Local sourcing runs throughout the menu, with named purveyors including Bloomsbury Farms, Gifford's Bacon, Greener Roots, Noble Springs Dairy, and Willow Farms Eggs, among others.

Cliff's Lounge & Oyster Bar

Tucked inside Deacon's is Cliff's Lounge & Oyster Bar, a more social, bar-forward space inspired by the Marshall family legacy. It offers regionally sourced oysters, bold small plates, and a curated selection of cocktails, wines, and spirit-free options—a fresh counterpoint to the main dining room's more formal register.

The Bar and the Wine List

The bar program draws its aesthetic from the post-Prohibition and Art Deco era, with an emphasis on spirits, craft cocktails, and a wine list that has earned the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence for three consecutive years. A sommelier is on hand to guide pairings, whether you're working through the dry-aged steak menu or settling in at the oyster bar. Happy hour runs Monday through Friday from 4 to 6 pm.

Private Dining

For groups, Deacon's offers private dining options accommodating between 15 and 200 guests, including full restaurant buyouts—a practical asset in a city that runs on events and hospitality.