Restaurant in Nashville, United States
Two Ten Jack
100Pearl PointsNashville's izakaya escape from the tourist strip.
About Two Ten Jack
Two Ten Jack is East Nashville's izakaya, built around Japanese bar food, ramen, one of the city's better Japanese and American whiskey lists. It's the right pick when you want something casual but considered — especially for groups. Booking is easy, the bar is worth sitting at, it fits a neighbourhood night out more naturally than a formal occasion.
Verdict
Two Ten Jack is the right call for a first-timer who wants something other than a meat-and-three or a Broadway bar crawl. It is an izakaya-style spot in East Nashville's Eastland Ave corridor, built around Japanese bar food, ramen, a serious whiskey list. If you are eating alone, bringing a small group, or trying to find a Nashville restaurant that doesn't feel like Nashville tourism, this is where to go. For a more ambitious Japanese-leaning meal, Atomix in New York City sets the category benchmark, but Two Ten Jack is not trying to be that — and it shouldn't be.
What to Expect
The room has the visual language of a Japanese pub: low lighting, wood-heavy interiors, a bar that dominates the space, enough noise to make the atmosphere feel lived-in rather than curated. First-timers should know this is not a quiet dinner spot. It skews casual-social, the bar seating is a genuine option, not a fallback. The whiskey program is a draw in itself — the list runs deep on Japanese and American bottles, the bartenders know it well.
The food is izakaya in format: small plates, ramen, composed dishes built for sharing. Order broadly rather than anchoring to one large dish. This format makes Two Ten Jack a more natural fit for groups than most East Nashville restaurants, which tend toward counter-service or intimate dining rooms. For groups of six or more, it is worth calling ahead to confirm the leading seating arrangement, as the layout accommodates larger parties better than many comparable spots on the strip.
For a special occasion, Two Ten Jack works if the group is comfortable with a casual setting. It does not have a formal private dining room in the way that Bastion or The Catbird Seat can offer a truly enclosed group experience, but the semi-private bar area and the generally convivial format make it serviceable for a birthday or informal celebration dinner.
Booking & Practical Details
Booking at Two Ten Jack is easy relative to the wider Nashville restaurant market. Walk-ins are possible, particularly earlier in the evening on weekdays. Weekend evenings fill up, so a reservation a few days out is sensible. The address, 1900 Eastland Ave #105, puts it squarely in East Nashville, walkable from several of the neighbourhood's bars and accessible by rideshare from downtown. For more Nashville options, see our full Nashville restaurants guide, our full Nashville bars guide, and our full Nashville hotels guide.
Practical Comparison
| Venue | Style | Booking Difficulty | Leading For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Two Ten Jack | Izakaya / Japanese bar | Easy | Groups, bar dining, whiskey |
| Locust | Progressive | Moderate | Serious eaters, small groups |
| FOLK | Italian | Moderate | Date night, pasta focus |
| Arnold's Country Kitchen | Southern | Easy (no reservations) | Lunch, solo dining |
| Yolan | New American | Moderate | Special occasions, splurge |
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I order at Two Ten Jack?
The izakaya format means the bar program and small plates are the draw, not a single signature dish. Focus on the ramen and Japanese-leaning bar snacks, lean into the whiskey selection — it's a genuine strength of the menu. Ordering broadly across a few rounds is the right approach here rather than anchoring on one main.
What should a first-timer know about Two Ten Jack?
Two Ten Jack sits at 1900 Eastland Ave, away from the downtown chaos, which is part of the appeal. It runs as an izakaya — expect a bar-forward, shareable-plates format rather than a conventional dinner service. First-timers who arrive expecting a traditional sit-down Japanese restaurant may be surprised; those who treat it as a drinking-and-grazing session will get more out of it.
Can I eat at the bar at Two Ten Jack?
Yes, it's one of the better ways to experience the place. The bar dominates the room and is designed for it — solo diners and pairs do well there. If you're arriving without a reservation, the bar is your most reliable entry point, especially on busier weekend nights.
What are alternatives to Two Ten Jack in Nashville?
FOLK on Gallatin Ave is the comparison for something with more culinary ambition and a tighter, produce-led menu. Yolan is the right call if the occasion calls for an upscale Italian room with serious wine. Arnold's Country Kitchen is the counterpoint if you want traditional Nashville meat-and-three. Two Ten Jack sits between those poles: more interesting than a standard bar, less formal than a destination dining room.
Is Two Ten Jack good for a special occasion?
It works for a low-key celebration — a birthday dinner with friends or a casual date night — but it's not set up for milestone occasions that call for white-tablecloth service. The noise level and communal energy suit groups who want to eat, drink, talk rather than mark a formal moment. For something more occasion-appropriate, Yolan is the stronger choice in Nashville.
How far ahead should I book Two Ten Jack?
Two Ten Jack is one of the easier bookings in Nashville — a few days ahead is usually enough, walk-ins are realistic earlier in the evening on weekdays. Weekend nights get busier, so a reservation a week out removes the risk. It does not require the weeks-in-advance planning that Nashville's harder tables demand.
Can Two Ten Jack accommodate groups?
Groups of four to six are manageable and fit the izakaya sharing format well. Larger parties should check directly on booking — the room is bar-heavy and not structured around big group tables. For a private-room dinner or a formal group event, Two Ten Jack is not the right venue; Yolan or FOLK would serve that need better.
Location
1900 Eastland Ave #105, Nashville, TN 37206
Nashville, United States
Compare Two Ten Jack
| Venue | Cuisine | Awards | Booking Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Two Ten Jack | Easy | ||
| Locust | Progressive | Michelin 1 Star | Unknown |
| Arnold’s Country Kitchen | Southern | Unknown | |
| FOLK | Italian | Unknown | |
| Yolan | New American | Unknown | |
| Biscuit Love Gulch | Biscuits | Unknown |
How Two Ten Jack stacks up against the competition.
Also Consider
- Locust, Progressive, Progressive
- Arnold’s Country Kitchen, Southern, Southern
- FOLK, Italian, Italian
- Yolan, New American, New American
- Biscuit Love Gulch, Biscuits, Biscuits
Two Ten Jack fills a gap that most Nashville restaurants leave open: a genuinely casual Japanese bar-food format with a serious drinks program, in a neighbourhood setting that does not require advance planning to access. Against Locust, it is less technically ambitious but far easier to book on short notice and better suited to groups who want to share plates and drink rather than work through a composed tasting progression. If food ambition is your priority, Locust wins. If the evening is about the group and the bar, Two Ten Jack is the better choice.
For Southern food, Arnold's Country Kitchen and Peninsula are in a different category entirely, cash-and-tray lunch versus late-night izakaya, so the comparison is mostly about what kind of Nashville eating experience you want. Against FOLK, Two Ten Jack offers a livelier, louder room and a stronger drinks list; FOLK edges ahead on food precision and atmosphere for a date. For a proper splurge occasion with a private or semi-private group experience, Yolan is the stronger pick, it has the formality and the room options that Two Ten Jack does not.
Bottom line: Two Ten Jack is the easiest recommendation in Nashville for a group that wants something other than a steakhouse or a honky-tonk dinner, does not need a special-occasion setting, wants a bar worth drinking at. If you need a full Nashville picture before deciding, our Nashville restaurants guide covers the full range across all formats and price points.
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