This Top Nashville Diner Is A Nostalgic Soda Shop With Shakes, Juke Joint Vibes, And Classic Bites

Not many restaurants can say they've celebrated 80 birthdays, but one charming spot in the heart of Nashville can — and then some. Elliston Place Soda Shop has been serving old-fashioned milkshakes — and what it claims as the best cheeseburger in town — since 1939. Inside, the retro dining room features vintage red-and-chrome counter stools, vinyl booths, and a free jukebox playing a variety of tunes. In a bakery display case, spongy meringue towers high atop rich cream pies, while berries crystallized in sugar ooze from golden crusts made by the "pie lady" who's been baking here for 30 years. Behind the counter, milkshakes are malted alongside old-fashioned sodas, where guests can choose flavors from cherry and pistachio to strawberry and salted caramel — and add optional phosphate for that nostalgic, tangy zing. 

With all-day menus, friendly service, and 4.5 stars out of nearly 2,500 Google reviews, it's no wonder this beloved soda shop has stood the test of time. "I'm a child of the '70s and '80s, so walking into this place brought back the nostalgia of the diners that used to be on every corner," wrote a Google reviewer. "Felt like I walked into a cool '50s diner," agreed another. "Ellistons has this beautiful timeless interior," noted a reviewer. "Nice, authentic Southern food you can tell has been cooked with care."

Located just blocks from Nashville's famed Centennial Park, an iconic tourist attraction featuring a replica of the Greek Parthenon as well as Taylor Swift's bench, Elliston Place Soda Shop is popular with visitors, locals, and students from nearby Vanderbilt University who can utilize their meal plan vouchers. Jimmy Buffett was also a regular after discovering Elliston Place in 1971 when he played a show nearby. "Genuinely one of the nicest places in Nashville," wrote a reviewer. 

Nashville ranks among the country's best diner cities, home to classics like Brown's and Varallos, a Nashville institution and one of Tennessee's oldest restaurants. Elliston Place Soda Shop is part of that tradition. Shakes, sodas, burgers, and jukebox tunes aren't the only things on offer; fluffy omelets, "meat and three" plates, bottomless coffee, and "Nashville hot" fried chicken with biscuits and gravy — all made from scratch — round out the Southern diner menu. "Food and service were top notch," wrote a reviewer. "The burger and slaw gave off total diner vibes," a reviewer noted. "Well seasoned and served on a potato bun." Another raved, "The catfish had great flavor, fries, tots and okra were crispy like it should be," adding, "The hot fudge brownie sundae was awesome!" 

This Nashville institution dates back to 1939, when 23-year-old Lynn Chandler purchased the soda shop from a 1920s pharmacy. The pharmacy closed in 1965, but Chandler continued slinging sodas until 2019, when new owners relocated it next door into a larger, still historic space, retaining original decor with fresh upholstery. They also added a stage, walk-up window, and a bar with wine, beer, and boozy shakes before reopening in 2021. Now you can sip a spiked milkshake,  while, as one visitor suggested, ask for a mini tour to learn about soda jerk history. Just note: the shop's open until 4 p.m. (3 p.m. Sundays). 

Whether you're taking a mural art tour of Nashville or catching a show at the Ryman, Elliston Place Soda Shop is a nostalgic place to refuel. "They said they had the best milkshakes in the state," a reviewer noted. "They were right. We stopped in on the way back to the airport at 8 a.m. to grab another."