Chef Philippe Chow carves a Peking Duck
Chef Philippe Chow carves a Peking Duck
Country star Kelsea Ballerini outlined three rules for her friend Craig Susser when she championed the idea of him opening an outpost of his Los Angeles restaurant in Nashville: No menu changes. No live music. And no country.
Susser took notes, and his eponymous restaurant Craig’s opens for its debut dinner service in the Gulch at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 12. Above all, Susser wants to deliver to his customers exactly what they want.
“What a lot of them wanted was a restaurant in Nashville,” he said.
Mirroring its Los Angeles flagship, which has become a hotspot for celebrities from George Clooney to Harry Styles, Craig’s Nashville serves a menu of self-described “upscale comfort food.” Patrons sit in teal leather booths around white table cloths, surrounded by a traditional dining room with warm wooden accents set against a collection of modern art and smooth pop-rock.
“There are some restaurants that set out to deliver something that you’ve never eaten in a way that you’ve never eaten it,” Susser said. “That’s not Craig’s.”
Customers can order caviar bites and a 12-ounce Wagyu ribeye or a well-done cheeseburger with a side of fries and a beer. There are also plenty of vegan options, like a spaghetti squash primavera, and the kitchen will modify almost any dish to the customer’s liking.
“I don’t care what your diet is. I want you in here, and I will work around it,” Susser said. “It’s everything you might want. One of the greatest things is when people open up the menu and don’t know what to order because they want that, and that, and that, too.”
How Susser built the Craig’s brand (and its celebrity clientele list)
Susser opened his first L.A. location on Melrose Avenue in 2011 after years in the entertainment industry as a working actor. It was the result of hard work, unwavering belief in himself and bootstrapping.
“We opened Jan. 12, 2011, and you know how I know that? It’s the day I had no money left in my checking accounts,” Susser said. “Craig’s wasn’t a brand yet. I was just a guy opening up a restaurant hoping that it would succeed.”
He turned to up-and-coming artists to help decorate the place, sometimes offering a meal credit in exchange for artwork. He spread the news of the opening through friends and connections across Hollywood, and before he knew it, Tom Hanks, Christina Aguilera, Quentin Tarantino and the cast of “Friends” were making reservations.
“A lot of that celebrity clientele are just friends of mine from years ago kicking around town when all of us couldn’t get a job,” Susser said. “There are a lot of familiar faces that consider Craig’s home. They still just want to eat, relax and not be bothered. What happens at Craig’s stays at Craig’s.”
He announced the Nashville location back in December 2025 in an Instagram video with Ballerini. While he doesn’t have any other active celebrity partnerships in the works, Susser said he’s had fun getting to know Nashville country artists like Luke Bryan, Jelly Roll and Post Malone recently.
Here’s what to order at Craig’s Nashville, according to the owner
While Susser may enjoy when customers want to order everything on the menu, here’s his guide for a first-timer.
To start, he suggests a stiff cocktail of the customer’s choosing and an order of Craig’s bread, which is a seasoned flat pizza bread, with a side of pink sauce to dip it in.
For appetizers, Susser advises a few options for the table: pigs in a blanket, fried calamari, ahi tuna tartare or maybe one of the pizzas. Pick one or two of those, and then add a salad, either chopped or Caesar, he said.
Next come entrees. Susser said the three most popular dishes are the honey truffle chicken served over spinach and a corn pancake, a classic chicken parmesan (which also comes in a vegan variety) and a crispy-skin branzino in a lemon butter sauce.
“The lemon butter sauce literally will knock your socks off,” Susser said.
And if you’re not full by dessert, there’s a variety of Craig’s vegan ice creams, fruit tarts and cheesecake.
“It’s my belief that no matter who you are or what your appetites is, you should be able to come and eat at the restaurant,” Susser said.
Get a reservation at Craig’s Nashville
Reservations are available for Craig’s Nashville up to three weeks in advance online through OpenTable. Opening night is booked out, but some reservations are still available over the next few weeks.
Parties of one to 12 people may book online, but more than 12 qualifies as an event. Customers can reach the restaurant at (615) 804-1298
Hadley Hitson covers business news for The Tennessean. She can be reached at hhitson@gannett.com. To support her work, subscribe to The Tennessean.