2019 NFL draft in Nashville: Where to eat, where to drink and where to watch

The Tennessean

From fried chicken doused in spices to three-inch thick, flaky, sugary doughnuts, the food in Music City is mouth-watering good.

Once you’re sufficiently stuffed, there are plenty of drinkin’ establishments to enjoy a local brew, savor a craft cocktail, take in views of the city or catch all the NFL draft action on TV.

5 must-visit restaurants in Nashville

No trip to Nashville is complete without a trip to Prince's Hot Chicken Shack.

Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack: The Prince family started the hot chicken revolution some 80 years ago in Nashville, and now you’ll find the fiery fowl at countless restaurants across the city. But head to Prince’s on Nolensville Pike (the Ewing Drive restaurant is closed temporarily) for the original version of super-hot fried chicken.

5814 Nolensville Pike, Nashville; 615-810-9388; princeshotchicken.com

City House: Tandy Wilson delights diners at his Germantown restaurant, where you can keep it simple and split a pizza and a seasonal vegetable dish, or opt for flavor complex entrees such as the lamb sugo with grits, chard and pecorino. Make reservations to cut down wait times.

1222 4th Ave. N., Nashville; 615-736-5838; cityhousenashville.com

Arnold’s Country Kitchen: The iconic, family-run meat-and-three is closed on the weekends, so be sure to stop by during the week for down-home dishes such as roast beef, fried chicken, macaroni and cheese and greens.

605 8th Ave. S., Nashville; 615-256-4455; arnoldscountrykitchen.com

Etch: Deb Paquette is one of Nashville's most beloved chefs, and Etch in downtown Nashville showcases her talent. Start with the roasted cauliflower appetizer with truffled pea puree, salted almonds, feta crema and red bell sauce. The dish is delicious, and a portion of the proceeds benefits the Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee. Make reservations to skip the line.

303 Demonbreun St., Nashville; 615-522-0685; etchrestaurant.com

Five Daughters Bakery: The hardest part about visiting Five Daughters Bakery is simply deciding between the cream-filled, glazed and decadent doughnuts. The shop’s uber-popular 100 Layer Donut is a hybrid between a croissant and a doughnut and it is a must-try while in Nashville.

Locations in 12South, East Nashville and Franklin. Visit fivedaughtersbakery.com for more information.

5 places to enjoy a drink

Christopher Weber, co-owner of Earnest Bar & Hideaway, puts the finishing touches on a "Steve McQueen."

Earnest Bar & Hideaway: Head to Earnest Bar & Hideaway (formerly Hemingway's Bar & Hideaway) for a cool, low-key hang with creative — and boozy — craft cocktails. You can also enjoy brunch, lunch, dinner and elevated bar snacks, including lobster beignets, kimchi fried rice and a burger made with local beef.

438 Houston St., Nashville; 615-915-1715; hemingwaysbarandhideaway.com

Skull’s Rainbow Room: This Printers Alley speakeasy-style lounge serves a chophouse food menu with craft cocktails, but the entertainment is one of the biggest draws. There are live jazz bands featured nightly and late-night burlesque shows.

222 Printers Alley, Nashville; 615-810-9631; skullsrainbowroom.com

Bastion: Half bar, half impressive restaurant, Bastion in Wedgewood-Houston serves craft cocktails, wine and beer, along with tasty smoked pork or vegetarian chorizo nachos. Separated from the bar there's an intimate, 24-seat restaurant with chef Josh Habiger at the helm. Reservations are recommended at the restaurant.

434 Houston St., Nashville; bastionnashville.com

No. 308: This East Nashville bar has great cocktails and a fun late-night atmosphere where people often hit the dance floor as a DJ spins tunes.

407 Gallatin Ave, Nashville; 615-650-7344; bar308.com

Robert’s Western World: Chances are you'll want to go honky-tonkin' on Lower Broadway while you're in Nashville, and Robert's Western World is a great place to get your fix. The old-school honky-tonk has live music all the time, it's usually less crowded than Tootsie's, and it serves fried bologna sandwiches and Moon Pies for a true Southern experience.

416 Broadway, Nashville; 615-244-9552; robertswesternworld.com

5 sports bars to watch the NFL draft

Double Dogs: With TVs covering the walls, you’re guaranteed a good view at this sports bar that has two Nashville outposts. The bars have more than 100 craft and imported beers and a pub-style menu with burgers, wings, mac 'n' cheese, salads, sandwiches, pizzas, nachos, hot dogs and more.

Locations in Sylvan Heights and Hillsboro Village. Visit doubledogs.biz for more information.

The Ainsworth: For a higher-end viewing experience, The Ainsworth in Midtown is an upscale sports bar that serves craft cocktails, local beer and indulgent menu items such as a mac-and-cheese burger and Nashville hot chicken tacos. The restaurant is also a popular brunch spot, and mirrors cover the TVs when it’s not a big sports day.

206 21st Ave. S., Nashville; 629-800-5153; theainsworth.com

Beyond the Edge: This East Nashville sports bar has 28 HD TVs and more than 120 different beers with 25 on tap. The extensive food menu includes wings, chicken tenders, chips and dips, flautas, quesadillas, flatbread sandwiches, salads, soup, burgers, hot dogs and more.

112 S. 11th St., Nashville; 615-226-3343; beyondtheedge.net

Neighbors: This low-key neighborhood favorite with two Nashville locations has friendly staff, plenty of beer on tap and live music several days a week. Meats are smoked in-house, including the pork, turkey, brisket and chicken.

Locations in Sylvan Park and Germantown. Visit neighborsnashville.com for more information.

M.L.Rose: To enjoy a delicious burger while watching the draft, head to one of M.L. Rose's three Nashville locations. The restaurant/bar has more than 90 craft beers and a pub-style menu with more than nine burger varieties, waffle fries and lighter vegetarian salads.

Locations in Sylvan Park, Melrose and Capitol View. Visit mlrose.com for more information.

Nashville's 5 best

Want to experience the best Music City has to offer during the NFL draft? We've got you covered:

Reach Lizzy Alfs at lalfs@tennessean.com or 615-726-5948 and on Twitter @lizzyalfs.