SOL Restaurant

Seafood enchiladas were fantastic, creamy with shrimp and mushrooms. House margarita was also very good!

I am never in Franklin, but have always wanted to eat at the local restaurants there because they have a couple places that are Nashville Originals and I love supporting local businesses!
SOL shares a building with 55 South, so it can be confusing at first. There was a wait at 55 South but not at SOL and I’m not sure why.
I went with a group of 4, and each tried a different dish. I added on an order of salsa as an appetizer and you MUST order it if you are a salsa-​holic like me. They have 3 different kinds, a medium, mild and spicy. They were all superb. Get the salsa!
Our table had the Wild Mushroom Sauté’, Grilled Bacon Wrapped Scallops, Seafood Enchilladas, adn Adobo Chicken. We were all oohing and ahhing so much we all shared bites between us and everyone loved the dishes. The two favorites were the mushroom sauté and chicken; the chicken was so flavorful and moist that I liked it the best of all, but each of them were so different that they were loved by all.
This is fancy mexican food that was worth the extra money and I loved the overall experience as well. Great choice if you are in Franklin.
Side note: the margaritas were good, but the food definitely outshined the drinks!

This place is pretty tasty, for some stuff. The baked oysters are delish, and so is the guac (but you don’t get much). They have an awesome $ 8 bloody mary bar, but that still seems super expensive for a bloody mary. The food is fine, but it isn’t anything mind blowing or particularly excellent. I guess it i worth a go, but you can do better in Franklin (see: Red Pony or Saffire!)

My husband and I recently decided that we had gone on way too long (post baby) without date nights. I immediately started to think about where we could go. We are creatures of habit so I started mentally thinking about all of the restaurants that we frequently go to. Then I decided that we have been going to our usual places long enough… I decided to pull up the Nashville Originals website to see all of the places that we’ve been missing. I closed my eyes… pointed to the screen and there it was, We were headed to SOL. It wasn’t too scientific, that choice, but a fair one. Nashville Originals features many fantastic restaurants.
When we arrived at SOL, I noticed that the building shared space with one of it’s sister restaurants, 55 South (memo to try that one next). The dining room of SOL was festively decorated with bright colors, an eclectic décor and equally upbeat music. What I was not prepared for was that it was empty! I immediately took that as a bad sign but to be fair. it was a Tuesday evening, and Mardi Gras at that. I guess no one wanted Mexican fusion on Mardi Gras. To each his own!
The service was spectacular! Our attendant knew the menu very well, described the dishes with better detail than the menu eluded to and provided help with the critical decision of what to order. We started off with the avocado fries. Oh my gosh were these excellent, The crunchiness of the breading along with the smoothness of the avocado inside; there was a mild heat from the chiles but paired with the crab along with the other textures from the fries… this dish was heaven!
For my entrée, I decided to go with the Wild Mushroom Sauté’ along with the tenderloin. First of all, I’m from the Midwest so steak is my thing. There are only a few places that get it right… SOL is one of them. I’ll be back for just that alone! It was perfectly seasoned and grilled just to my liking of medium rare, Along with the fantastic tenderloin, two corn masa cakes were perfectly fried, golden to a crisp and adorned with a silky, spicy mushroom ancho cream sauce, Topping that was a sprinkling of goat cheese. This dish was over the top fantastic! It was truly a flavor-​gasm! Everything went together nicely!
My husband ordered the Carne Asada Ribeye. Its presentation was incredible and he completely devoured it so while I can’t speak for him… except since I’m his wife, I can… it was freakin’ awesome as well! We paired our meals with their sangria and I loved it! Not overly sweet and not over the top with the tequila too!
I really, really wanted to give this place 5 stars and almost did… until we ordered dessert. I’m sure we just ordered the wrong thing because from other reviews it sounds like the churros are the star attraction. My husband ordered the fried ice cream and bananas foster infusion dessert. (Not entirely sure of its name). He had a hard time getting started with it which to me is a bad sign. To me, fried ice cream means that the crust is crispy, golden and hot. But what he got was fried ice cream that was fried some other time and with a corn flake coating no less. The bananas foster topping was well executed but his fried ice cream was cold, chewy, still delicious tasting; after you were done with a bite, the soggy cornflakes lingered.
I ordered the lime mousse napoleon. It was a beautiful dessert… small spongecake stacks that had been rolled in a cinnamon sugar. The inside of those little cakes was a creamy looking mousse and then the dessert was plated with tequila macerated strawberries and drizzled with a margarita sauce. My dinner was a bit heavy with the steak, mushrooms and adobo cream sauce so I was hoping that the napoleon would be a light finish. The mousse, while delicious was very heavy itself and while I thought I might like the cinnamon sugar rolled sponge cake, it didn’t work for me. The dessert experience is the only reason I am giving them 4 stars for this trip.
Overall, I was truly impressed by SOL and sad that I’ve waited so long to try this place! It was an excellent meal with excellent hospitality! We will definitely be back and encourage anyone who hasn’t tried SOL yet to check it out!

If I had reviewed this restaurant based on my first couple of visits, which were over a year ago, I would have given it three stars, but we went there as a family a week or so ago and had a much better experience. From what I remember, they have updated the menu and it has some more interesting options.
The service was great. Our server was friendly and really took care of us and the kids. Sometimes servers seem put out with requests for the kids, but she was very accommodating and went above and beyond.
I got the orange salad and my husband got the chipotle tostadas. Then we split the seafood enchiladas. I loved my salad and the taste I got of the tostadas was great, too. I expected the enchilada to be the standard, heavily creamed seafood filling, but it was so much better. It was really just the seafood and veggies on the inside with a chipotle cream on the outside. It was very well balanced.
I got the skinny girl margarita. It was made with fresh juices and tasted good, but it was quite tart (I quickly figured out why it was «skinny», no simple syrup). Once I reoriented my expectations, I really like it.
It definitely won’t be so long before our next visit.

I don’t know what the fuss is about with this restaurant. The guacamole really isn’t that great (gimmicky that they make it table side if you ask me… shouldn’t food be prepared in the kitchen by a professional cook or chef?), and the food was mediocre at best. Really not that impressed and the service seemed kind of lazy for food that is way over priced. Probably won’t be back.

Best guacamole ever! Fabulous margarita. No skimping here. Online reservation make it easy
Wish it had more vegetarian choices.
They seemed willing to accommodate.
Would have had five stars if they had had more choices. But lots of fish for folks who like that!
I very much recommend.

I LOOOOVE this restaurant! It has a great ambiance and a very lively patronage. The fresh guacamole made to order at your table is delicious, and the margaritas made with agave nectar are enough to keep coming back for by themselves! The Ahi Tuna nachos are to die for, and the Cochinita is something I now crave all the time!
It is a bit more upscale– not your typical mexican restaurants, which is a nice treat!

I’ve had the opportunity to eat in authentic restaurants in Mexico, Guatemala, Panama and at Epcot (heh). I had dinner here last night and it took me back to the restaurants where I traveled except I wasn’t worried about drinking the water or enjoying the fresh guacamole made right in front of you at your table. Although it gave me hints of my authentic experiences — it’s a bit more upscale than the restaurants I dined in the countries I mentioned. The service was great. We were seated instantly and our server made sure we were satisfied with her helpful suggestions. I recommend SOL for your dining experience.

OH MY GOODNESS, this place is AWESOME!
Because of Restaurant Week, a friend and I decided to try this place out. They had a 3 course dinner special and I had the Chicken ChipotleTostadas, Cochinita Pibil and Churros. My friend had the Ahi Tuna Nachos, the same entrée as I did and the Chocolate Bread Pudding.
The tostadas were AWESOME! The chips are huge and the topping covers half of the chip. In order for me to eat it, I ate the topping first and then the chip separately. If you try to eat it all at once, you’ll wind up wearing it.
Cochinita Pibil is basically pulled pork. Please don’t expect it to taste like BBQ. It’s nothing like that. Make sure not to wear a white top because you’ll wind up wearing the sauce.
About the churros, I lived in Spain for 3 years so I know churros when I taste them. These tasted just like those. Now, the churros at SOL are not as big as they are in Spain, but they are awesome! They also drip chocolate sauce on them. I fell in love with them!
When you go to SOL, make sure you get Bobby as a server. He’s awesome! Okay, so I say awesome alot, but, Bobby was great! Before my friend and I could ask for anything, he was right there and he has a great sense of humor.
My friend loved her food. Since I didn’t eat it, I can’t give a point by point. However, I did try the nachos and they were great!
If you’re out in Franklin or want to go out for a great meal, definitely go to SOL. Plus, there’s a parking garage across the street and it’s FREE!!!
FYI – If you’re allergic to tequila like I am, do NOT have the sangria. Because it’s pre-​made, they can’t make it without tequila.

Ate in the bar where you can get food from both Sol and 55 South. We tried a few thnigs and they were all great. The Ahi tuna nachos were amazing. Loved the margaritas too. Lively atmosphere, a winner!

Great Mexican ambiance. I’m in love with Jason McConnell’s food. I’ve been to all 3 of his restaurants and everything I’ve had here is fantastic.
There was an awesome crab cake appetizer tonight. The guacamole is always incredible. I ordered the pollo en mole rojo this evening. It was amazing.
We had excellent service from our waitress, Lisa. If we lived closer, our loyalty card would have a lot more points on it.

Walking into SOL, an authentic Mexican scene is set with the use of low lighting, vibrant colors, and eclectic décor. The first table you see once you actually enter the dining area is large enough for a group of 10 – 12 people that would be perfect for a dinner party or any event and even has a curtain that can be drawn for additional privacy. We also found out that if you choose to sit outside on the patio, you can order off of both SOL’s menu and 55 South’s menu in case you have guests that are not fans of Mexican cuisine.
We were instantly greeted by some of the friendliest and most efficient waiters we have ever encountered and without even needing a menu, ordered two of the happy hour specials, $ 5 SOL Margaritas (Regular Price $ 8.50). These margaritas are perfection, and have my vote for best in Nashville. They use Agave Nectar instead of Sweet and Sour and even Cole who rarely appreciates a good margarita, was hooked. Unfortunately for Cole, he was the DD and while I sucked down three of these bad boys, he was limited to his one.
We decided to kick off dinner by sharing the Farmer’s Market Corn Appetizer ($ 5.95) that our waitress recommended. It was a medley of fresh Grilled Corn tossed with Mayo, Fresco Cheese, Hot Sauce, Lime Sauce, and Chile. The flavors were incredibly fresh and alternated between sweet and spicy without ever feeling overpowering. We were nervous about ordering this as it is so different from anything we have tried before, but it went perfect with the complimentary chips and salsa and we ate every last bite. I also have to mention that SOL also offers a cart of gorgeous ingredients that will come to your table and prepare fresh Guacamole right in front of your eyes ($ 10.50). While we don’t eat Guacamole so obviously did not order it, we watched many tables enjoy it and it looked delicious.
I ordered another appetizer as my meal and thank goodness I did because their portions are generous, and who doesn’t fill up on chips and salsa anyways? I went with the Chipotle Chicken Tostados ($ 8.50) which came with Shredded Chipotle Chicken on Crispy Corn Tortillas with Puerco Beans, Queso, Pico De Gallo, and Guacamole (I ordered with no Pico or Guacamole). These were delicious and crispy, even with the Queso and Beans on the Tortillas and all in all one of the best Mexican meals I have ever had.
Cole went down a completely different path with his choice, opting for the «Drunken Mussels» appetizer ($ 9.95). These Mussels were steamed in Dos XX Lager (a famous Mexican Beer) with a Garlic Lime Butter, Corn Salsa, and Green Onions, and served with two slices of Grilled Bread to soak up the juice. Cole loved the flavors of the Mussels and said it was top two or three that he had ever had, even at Seafood restaurants.
We finished our amazing experience at SOL by ordering one of my favorite Mexican dishes of all time, Churros ($ 6.50). While they were delicious as expected, they weren’t anything out of the ordinary as far as Churros go and are the only part of our meal I would pass on next time.
All in all, SOL did more than live up to all of the hype that had been built around it by our friends. It was not only worth the drive to Franklin, it’s worth a possible move to Franklin. Alright, I may have exaggerated a bit there, but this is an amazing Mexican restaurant and my fingers are crossed that they will open one in downtown Nashville soon!
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They poisoned me.
My husband and I went to dinner here last weekend with another couple. When I called to make reservations I asked if they could accomodate me because I need to eat gluten free. The hostess assured me they had several options.
We were promptly seated when we arrived. When the server finally arrived, I told her I needed to eat gluten free and asked for her to check with the kitchen on everything I ordered throughout the night. She enthusiastically agreed to help and said she’d be right back with chips and salsa. After five minutes she brought the chips and salsa. I dove right in (have I mentioned before — I LOVE Mexican food) and enjoyed the chips — although I didn’t care for the salsa. We ordered the guacamole appetizer for the table. It tasted okay. Again I used the chips to eat the guacamole. One note: $ 10.50 for two avocados is NOT okay in my book.
When the waitress came back to take our dinner order I reiterated the need for a gluten free meal. I asked if it was okay to eat the enchiladas and the waitress said that’s the item they always suggest for people who need to eat gluten free. About ten minutes later the waitress came back and said «oops! I talked to the kitchen and they said the tortilla chips you’ve been eating have gluten in them.» I was in shock. I never cheat. I have Celiac disease and cannot eat gluten in the smallest amounts. She tried to explain the chips only had 2% gluten and that someone who worked at the restuarant who has a gluten intolerance eats them and is fine. I explained to her that I have Celiac disease and cannot eat any gluten and people with just gluten intolerance and not the disease don’t have the long term effects I will have consuming 2% gluten (among them is cancer, lupus, diabetes and infertility). She tried to explain herself and I simply asked her to leave the table. By this point I am crying. I NEVER cheat and I had asked her to check with the kitchen so I was mad. How could she not take this seriously? And she obviously didn’t check with the kitchen early on when I ordered the chips and salsa as I had asked her to. Apparently when she finally told the kitchen I needed the enchiladas gluten free they told her then that I couldn’t eat the corn tortillas. Finally the manager came over and talked to my husband (I think they were scared of me at this point) about what I could order. I ended up eating some pork dish with rice and it was just okay. I wouldn’t order it again. But let’s face it, I’m never going here again.
In the end the manager comped my meal and one of the appetizers we ordered but never received. We had HORRIBLE service — the worst I’ve experience in a while. So we left no tip. That’s right 0%. My husband and I both waited tables for years and there is just no excuse for the service we received at Sol.

Sol: the sun, an item of divine devotion, entire cultures worshiped at the basin of pyramids pointed upward to it in the sky…
This restaurant will not be receiving that kind of holy devotion from me anytime soon. This restaurant is an EPIC FAIL.
My wife, two friends, and I had reservations at Sol on Friday evening. When we called in the reservations, we explained that my wife has Celiac Disease which is more than just an intolerance for gluten, it’s an allergy to it with long-​term side effects like lupus and infertility (short-​term effects include gas and extreme gastrointestinal discomfort). More on this later…
We were seated promptly, but our server was less than forthcoming. In fact, it took her quite some time to stop by our table. Once she stopped by the table, my wife again took the time to explain that she had Celiac Disease what the allergy meant and what she was allergic to, specifically mentioning: wheat and flour to try to help the server understand. She asked the server to talk to the chef about what she could eat at Sol. Look, we eat out a lot and that generally gets us either a chef at our table (unexpected, but superb service) or a server who comes back with a comprehensive list of stuff my wife can eat. This server did neither, so my wife simply asked her to check to see if she could have the chips (most places tend to use corn-​based chips but always safe to check). The server came back and didn’t mention that she couldn’t have the chips.
We order dinner and again remind the server of the allergy. (Hey, we’re persistent.) And, we ask if the enchiladas are ok. About 10 minutes later, the server emerges and says she cannot have the enchiladas (when just 10 minutes earlier she had said she always recommends the enchiladas to Celiacs and gluten-​intolerance folks… what the hell?) and then… «oh by the way, the chips you’ve been eating have wheat flour in them… but it’s JUST 2%…» Seriously? Did you just say that? What if she had a peanut allergy where the short term side effect was potential death? What then? «Ma’am don’t worry it was just 2% peanuts.»
Ok, she wasn’t just ignorant and didn’t pay attention. She also forgot one of our appetizers entirely (but later attempted to charge us for it) and she forgot to bring out one of my friend’s drinks.
Epic fail. In fact, it was an epic failure of epic fail.
The service would rank as a crazy negative number at this restaurant. Nothing can save them from poor service.
Since, you expect a review of food as well…
It was decent. Maybe 3-​star food. The guac was a little lime-​y, but they do make it at your table in front of your from fresh ingredients. The chips (those not-​gluten free ones) tasted if they might have had sugar on them. I wouldn’t know how the queso that I ordered was because it never arrived. The pork dish that I did have was all right. The pork was moist but the rice/​pico it sat atop was just so-​so.
We didn’t stick around for dessert. One of my other friends had an allergy to pineapple and she hadn’t tried to kill him yet, but sticking around to find out wasn’t on our agenda.

Our waiter said it was «this is a classy place». 22 bucks for shrimp and grits. Salsa slung on the table like a Waffle House in Mexico. First and only time to this «classy» joint.

Woah, what happened to this place?
Ate here a couple of times last summer and it was great. Went back this weekend expecting the same and was extremely disappointed. They are now only open for dinner (after 5pm) and the menu is very different. The trio of salsas is no longer on the menu. Instead they serve a house salsa that tastes like marinara with bits of cilantro.
We split the Cuatro Tacos and Enchiladas Verdes. The Cuatro Tacos were fried grouper, shrimp, al pastor, carne verde. Al pastor is usually my favorite taco, but this was extremely dry and not good. The fried grouper was interesting, but not great. The shrimp was the best, but still not what I would describe as tasty. The enchiladas were also disappointing. They just didn’t taste like much. I don’t know if they got a new chef or what, but something has gone wrong here in the last few months. This menu needs a refresh and some flavor.

Easily a chic and savvy place and definitely a goto destination in all of Nashville for a Tequila connoisseur such as myself. I loved their 100+ choice of Tequilas and especially the ability to mix some expensive ones with flights. However, I was extremely disappointed with their food choice. As a vegetarian, I only had chips and a veggie Enchilada as my options and the 16 $ tag on the Enchilada was not worth it. I would not go there again for food, but definitely to try some exotic Tequila.

In a land of chain restaurants and cookie cutter buildings that remind me of the OC back home, SOL is a fantastic change to what normally found in Franklin.
Franklin as a whole reminds me of the cookie cutter streets, shopping plazas, and houses that you find in the developments of Orange County, but without the pretentious attitudes of its residents. Nothing feels authentic or genuine in this city or the OC. You could easily believe that you were in the back lot of Universal Studios waiting to be scared by a gigantic robotic gorilla.
SOL is a modern, upscale Mexican restaurant and it’s situated in Old Franklin, which is really only a few blocks in size. In this area of the city you’ll find the historic districts which gives a little life to the new developments of the city.
Our waitress was extremely friendly and courteous, providing refills before my group ran out of drinks. She even asked us how we were doing! Amazing. I attribute such great service to the fact that locals are just more polite than people from Los Angeles.
Our group was provided fresh guacamole that was actually created in front of us by a staffer with a cart. It reminded me of the Mexican version of the spinning salad at Lawry’s. The chips and guacamole were delicious and my group devoured what was provided. For an etnree, I ordered and seared red tuna. It was lightly seared on the outside and tasted great with the sauce and mango/​pinapple rice. However, I wasn’t fond of the spinach that was provided because it tasted a little bitter and unappetizing.
I’ll definitely try out this place again.
Go Trojans! Fight On!

Man I wish this place was in Nashville. Not that Franklin is really a far drive for great food, but I do act like it’s Egypt sometimes. Anyway. Mexican food at its best – super fresh, and completely unique dishes.
A friend and I went for lunch yesterday – we ordered the cheese dip, as we always do at restaurants, and I think this one takes top honors. I didn’t try the guac, but should have. I hear it’s amazing! Then, I couldn’t decide between a mushroom quesadilla (probably pretty run of the mill, but I LOVE mushrooms) and an avocado stuffed with shrimp ceviche. I asked the waiter (side note: VERY cute waiter!!! That’s also a plus!) and he suggested the avocado dish. Then, came back to the table a few minutes later and asked if I just wanted a side of mushrooms. Very cool. THEN – a few minutes later – came back and said he just had the kitchen make me two mini mushroom quesadillas. WOW – great service!!!
Once we got all of our food – which was a ton, since we both pretty much ordered two dishes. I must say, the quesadillas certainly were not run of the mill. I don’t know what kind of cheese they use, but it was delish. And I’m pretty sure the mushrooms were portabello. Shrimp ceviche wasn’t as tasty as I would have liked, but it was so unique – served in the shell of an avocado, with the «meat» of the avocado taken out and put on the side with a spicy sauce – that I ate every morsel and wanted more.
One last plus? The cute waiter kept my Diet Coke filled at all times! My kind of place. Since we were lunching with my friend’s baby, and it was noon on a weekday, we didn’t get into the alcohol, but looked over the list and it seemed pretty decent. I’ll definitely have to go back for dinner. And highly recommend it!