Suggestions for Nashville

One of my son's best friends from high school. now an upward Wall Street striver, is having his bachelor party there next weekend, God know why. My son Josh, an urban history buff, is part of the wedding party and thus a captive. He's coming in very early on Friday so as to have a full day of tourism before the finance fratboy dudebro caucus takes over.
I haven't been in Nashville since 1976. I would appreciate suggestions on sites and restaurants of abiding local interest that are still around. Plus, if anyone has an idea of a really good book about the place, he'd love to know that too.
Thanks for your help.

 

I only got to go for a quick night when I made a hoops trip to Austin Peay last December. Downtown looked fun but I was worn out from the drive/covering the game. Did hit up a joint called Burger Up the next day for lunch before heading out on the recommendation of a co-worker. Really good, fresh stuff. Excellent gourmet burger joint. I'd give it a shot.

 

Was just there a couple weeks ago. This restaurant is great: http://www.husknashville.com/

It's a 150-year-old house that's been turned into a very good restaurant where the menu changes every day and is based on ingredients from many locally operated farms. Not expensive either.

He might want to take a look at some of these: http://www.historicnashvilleinc.org/resources/historic_neighborhoodsm

 

Husk's original location is in Charleston, S.C. Great food.

 

Go to Broadway and 4th and start walking around.

 

I have killed an hour or two in the Ernest Tubb Record Shop.

 

I decided to do some research for you, and the strip clubs sound shitty. There's a three foot rule, no touching.

Why Nashville? Just curious.

 

Nashville's a fun town. The honky tonks on Broadway are touristy, but Robert's Western World is pretty legit. Cool little blues bar in Printers Alley. East end is an emerging hipster capital.

 

http://www.sportsjournalists.com/forum/threads/94490/

 

Loved my visit to Robert's. I was there at 2 in the afternoon, there was a guy in there in scrubs with a pager dancing, I wondered to myself, if he needs to wear a pager, what the hell is he doing in a bar? Also the western wear there sold in the back is fun.

 

You Yankees HAVE to spend the afternoon at Belle Meade Mansion. It's an amazing, well-rounded (meaning, the life of the slave is well represented) look at mid-19th Century Southern life. The added bonus is if you are a horseracing fan, because many Kentucky Derby winners were from Belle Meade.

http://bellemeadeplantation.com/

Second the vote for dinner at Husk. Also need to get lunch at Arnold's, for the ultimate meat-n-3.

 

Hot chicken is a must at some point. My recommendation: Pepperfire. They do this thing called an AppleFire -- chicken tenders and fried apples over waffles. But beware: Their medium is hotter than most wing places' nuclear.

http://www.pepperfirehotchicken.com/