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Kisser
Japanese
The name nods to a kissaten, the cozy Japanese tea shop, and this no-reservations Japanese comfort food spot fills up fast enough to make that context feel earned. The menu is short and built for sharing, moving through onigiri, grilled yellowtail collar, and a chilled ramen salad with the unhurried confidence of a team that knows exactly what it's doing. A Michelin Bib Gourmand and a James Beard nominee for Best New Restaurant.
Ten honors, in evidence:
The record strongest first
- Food & Wine Best New Chefs · Leina Horii and Brian Lea
- James Beard Awards 2024 · Nominee · Best New Restaurant
- Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand
- Bon Appétit America's Best New Restaurants
- The New York Times The Restaurant List
- Nashville Scene 2023 · Best New Restaurant · Best of Nashville
- The Infatuation #5 · The Best Restaurants In Nashville
- The New York Times The 25 Best Restaurants in Nashville Right Now
- Eater 38 Essential Restaurants in Nashville
- James Beard Awards 2025 · Semifinalist · Outstanding Restaurateur · Benjamin Goldberg, Max Goldberg, and Josh Habiger - Strategic Hospitality
One number, weighted & current 92
How we scoreThe dishes from the writeups
- Chilled ramen salad Michelin Guide
- Miso crème brûlée Michelin Guide
Nearby in the record closest first
- Golden Pony Eat · 36
- Flora + Fauna Eat · 75
- Pearl Diver Drink · 73
- Slow Hand Coffee + Bakeshop Eat · 65
- The Wash Eat · 19
- Soy Cubano Eat · 19
- Sweeza Super Quesadilla Eat · 29
- Leche De Tigre Eat · 29
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