If you’ve ever taken a road trip through the heart of Dixie with the windows down and your stomach growling, then 55 South in Brentwood, Tennessee, is the restaurant that was made for you. 🎸
Born from a love affair with the flavors found along Interstate 55 — the legendary highway connecting Memphis to New Orleans — this Delta-inspired gem has become one of the most beloved dining destinations in all of Middle Tennessee.
How 55 South Won Brentwood’s Hearts
Chef Jason McConnell, a Tennessee native from the small rural town of Rives, spent much of his youth traveling with his family’s horse training business up and down Interstate 55 — and with every mile, he was eating his way through some of the most iconic food corridors in the American South.
From Memphis barbecue joints to Jackson diners to New Orleans oyster houses, those formative experiences left an indelible mark on the way he thought about food.
After graduating from the University of Mississippi, McConnell soon realized that his truest passion wasn’t political science — it was the food he’d been eating his whole life, and he was determined to bring it to the table in a way that the Nashville area had never quite seen before.
He launched 55 South in 2010 in historic downtown Franklin, Tennessee, building it as a love letter to the down-home Southern comfort food of the Delta — gumbo, jambalaya, po’ boys, shrimp and grits, oysters, and everything else that makes the stretch of I-55 one of the great food roads in America. 🦐
By 2017, demand had grown so strong that McConnell expanded 55 South to Brentwood, bringing the same Delta-rooted flavors and warm, neighborly energy to a whole new community of loyal fans just south of Nashville.
McConnell has described 55 South as “The Neighborhood Cheers” — a place where everybody knows your name and the food tastes like it was made by someone who genuinely cares about you. ❤️
Food Highlights
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Seafood Gumbo: Plump shrimp, crab, and crawfish stirred into a rich, deeply flavored dark roux, served with rice — a soul-warming bowl that consistently earns top praise as one of the most authentic Delta-inspired dishes in Brentwood TN. 🍲
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Chicken & Sausage Gumbo: Tender chicken and smoky andouille sausage folded into a dark roux with rice. 🌶️
- Shrimp & Grits: Sautéed Gulf shrimp with apple-smoked bacon, scallions, and mushrooms in a white wine butter sauce, served over local cheese grits. 🦐
- Red Beans & Rice with Fried Chicken or Catfish: Diced pork and housemade andouille simmered with onions and a blonde roux, topped with your choice of crispy fried chicken or golden fried catfish. 🍗
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Brisket Tacos: Slow-smoked beef brisket in flour tortillas, topped with pico de gallo and guacamole, served alongside poblano rice. 🌮
- Fish Tacos: Grilled, fried, or blackened mahi mahi tucked into corn tortillas with coleslaw, pico de gallo, and a cilantro avocado cream, served with poblano rice. 🐟
- Chicken & Sausage Jambalaya: Pieces of chicken and andouille sausage cooked low and slow with trinity vegetables and the chef’s own secret seasoning. 🍚
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Smoked Queso & BBQ Brisket: House-smoked queso topped with smoky BBQ brisket and fresh pico de gallo, served with tortilla chips. 🧀
- Garlic Parmesan Crab Fries: Crispy seasoned fries loaded with garlic parmesan and just the right amount of crab topping. 🦀
- Brisket Reuben: House-smoked beef brisket piled high with Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and comeback sauce on toasted marble rye bread.
Atmosphere
55 South wraps you in the kind of warm, lived-in energy that feels more like a neighborhood hangout than a restaurant — a bluesy, relaxed vibe with the spirit of a Gulf Coast oyster house and the heart of a Tennessee honky-tonk. 🎶
A daily happy hour at the bar, Monday through Friday from 2–6 PM and all day Sunday, adds a casual, convivial energy that keeps both the after-work crowd and the Sunday brunch crew coming back week after week. 🥂
It’s noisy in the best possible way — full of laughter, clinking glasses, and the intoxicating smell of something deeply delicious being carried to the table next to yours.
Bottom Line
55 South is a love letter to the Delta, serving one outstanding plate at a time.
Chef Jason McConnell’s scratch-made Southern comfort food, a brilliant bourbon program, Gulf-inspired seafood, daily happy hour, and a warm neighborhood atmosphere make this Brentwood institution an absolute must for any serious food lover passing through Middle Tennessee. 🎸🦐
Address:
7031 Executive Center Dr, Suite 101, Brentwood, TN 37027
📞 (615) 610-3341
🕔 Mon–Fri: 11AM–9PM | Sat Brunch: 10AM–2:30PM, Sat Dinner: 3PM–9PM | Sun Brunch: 10AM–2:30PM (closed Sun evenings)