When choosing a restaurant for a Valentine’s Day meal, one looks for romantic, fine dining with a good wine list and seductive desserts. Some of the top meals for the day are steak, spaghetti and, of all things, pork chops. Strawberries and Chocolate are a must for dessert, but something with honey is another choice, as all of these items are considered aphrodisiacs.
Rutherford County has lots of great restaurants, but here are 10 that have a reputation for great food, wine, desserts and atmosphere. Some have special menus for the holiday, and some are sticking to their regular menu. But all of these restaurants offer a special dash of romance.
1Alley on Main
223 West Main Street
Murfreesboro, Tennessee
Hours: Monday through Friday, 11:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m.
Saturday, 3:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m.
A local favorite, this restaurant has played a part in many a love story from a first date to even hosting a wedding in the courtyard. They offer great steaks, pasta and fish. Everything is made from scratch with loving family tradition. Save room for some of their salted caramel bourbon ice cream.
2Primrose Table
1650 Memorial Boulevard
Murfreesboro, Tennessee
(615) 900-5790
https://www.primrosetable.com/
Hours: Tuesday through Sunday, 4:30 p.m. until 9:00 p.m.
Primrose Table is the best of upscale dining and casual hospitality. They pay attention to the quality of their ingredients and the consistency of preparation to deliver a delightful dining experience every time. Offering an international blend of flavors, from the Korean BBQ Stuffed Potato Skins Appetizers to the New Zealand Lamb Chops to the Banana Pudding Cheesecake, everything is top notch.
3Five Senses
1602 W Northfield Boulevard, Suite 515
Murfreesboro, Tennessee
https://www.fivesensesdining.com/
Hours: Monday through Thursday, 5:30 p.m. until 9:30 p.m.
Friday and Saturday, 5:30 p.m. until 10:30 p.m.
Five Senses will be offering their special Valentine’s Day dinner for two for three nights – Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. The three-course meal will include soup or salad; a choice of a filet mignon, red snapper or winter greens ravioli; and honey and vanilla panna cotta or warm chocolate cake with bourbon whip and pecan brittle for the dessert choices.
4Steakhouse Five
1500 Medical Center Parkway, suite 1K
Murfreesboro, Tennessee
https://www.steakhousefive.com/
Hours: Monday through Thursday, 5:30 p.m. until 9:30 p.m.
Friday and Saturday, 5:30 p.m. until 10:30 p.m.
Five Senses’ sister restaurant Steakhouse Five will also be offering a special Valentine’s Day menu for two. The first course will be a choice between Creamy Tomato and Red Pepper Bisque, Heart-y Salad or Deviled Oysters. There are four entrée options, including two types of steak, red snapper or duck. And two sinful dessert options.
5Chop House
541 North Thompson Lane
Murfreesboro, Tennessee
Hours: Monday through Thursday, 11:00 a.m. until 10:00 p.m.
Friday and Saturday, 11:00 a.m. until 11:00 p.m.
Chop House is a classic American steakhouse with a relaxed and inviting atmosphere. Established in 1992 by Mike Connor, they are known for their quality food and consistency of service. From their great appetizers –like the shrimp and crab cakes and the sweet corn tamale cakes – to the perfectly prepared steak, pork, chicken and fish, everything is guaranteed to be served to your liking, including the decadent whipped chocolate mousse cake.
6Parthenon Grill
1962 South Church Street
Murfreesboro, Tennessee
Hours: Tuesday through Thursday, 11:00 a.m. until 8:30 p.m.
Friday and Saturday, 11:00 a.m. until 9:30 p.m.
Sunday, 10:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m.
A family-run restaurant since the 1970s, the current version has been in existence for 32 years. Parthenon Grill offers fusion Greek food with a twist. Offering a casual dining experience, they have paired the menu to their top sellers, including whipped feta and honey as an appetizer served with pita bread and wild caught salmon broiled to perfection with Chef Angelo’s secret spices. They also serve a mean steak and lobster ravioli.
7Tasting Room
618 South Lowry Street
Smyrna, Tennessee
Hours: Tuesday through Saturday, 5:00 p.m. until 10:00 p.m.
Offering a tapas-style menu of refined dishes available in smaller tasting sizes of full-size portions, guests can try several new things or indulge in what they love. Their extensive wine menu is nearly completely also offered in smaller pours or full-sized glasses. Nearly all of the wines on the extensive wine menu are available by the glass. Beef Wellington is another Valentine’s Day favorite, and they offer it here.
8Bonefish Grill
505 North Thompson Lane
Murfreesboro, Tennessee
https://locations.bonefishgrill.com/tennessee/murfreesboro/505-n.-thompson-lane
Hours: Monday through Thursday, 11:00 a.m. until 10:00 p.m.
Friday and Saturday, 11:00 a.m. until 11:00 p.m.
Sunday, 11:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m.
Fueled by a love of catching, cooking and sharing fresh fish and seafood, Tim Curci and Chris Parker began Bonefish Grill in 2000 in St. Petersburg, Florida. Bonefish Grill focuses on great food and a great experience. They offer fresh seafood and steaks, hand-crafted cocktails, and personalized, memorable service. They are best known for their Bang Bang Shrimp appetizer, which many have tried to copy. Their meats are wood-fire grilled.
9Jonathan’s Grill
2911 Medical Center Parkway
Murfreesboro, Tennessee
https://www.jonathansgrille.com/
Hours: Sunday through Thursday, 11:00 a.m. until midnight
Friday and Saturday, 11:00 a.m. until 2:00 a.m.
Established in 1999, Jonathan’s Grille is a family-owned, upscale sports grille based in Nashville, Tennessee. The dining room offers an upscale casual menu with high-quality food and service. Jonathan’s Grill has added a lot of new items to the menu, including a whole group of bowls – like Firecracker Salmon – and Shrimp Linguini. The menu is diverse, with offerings to satisfy any pallet.
10Firebirds Wood Fired Grill
2532 Medical Center Parkway
Murfreesboro, Tennessee
https://firebirdsrestaurants.com/murfreesboro
Hours: Sunday through Thursday, 11:00 a.m. until 10:00 p.m.
Friday and Saturday, 11:00 a.m. until 11:00 p.m.
One of the newest restaurants to the area, it has a sleek, inviting, contemporary atmosphere with a popular fireplace in the middle of the space. Serving an elevated menu of American and steakhouse favorites, they offer hand-cut aged beef, crafted cocktails and select wines. Their Bacon Deviled Egg appetizer is a house favorite, as are their Bleu Cheese Filet and their Chilean Sea Bass. Top off dinner with a piece of their five-layer lemon cake with fresh blueberry sauce.
Marina’s on the Square, a long-time Valentine’s Day favorite, will be closed this year due to unforeseen construction delays as they are having structural work done on the building.
