The Red Pony is an expensive restaurant downtown Franklin TN. We went there as a family last summer and were not impressed for the price. However, I now have been there for two company dinners and have found the right meals.

The ambiance is excellent achieving a swanky feel even with the raw brick and rough hewn wood beams. Chaps, guitars and horses adorn the walls, in a nod to the name and the Nashville theme.

The company dinners included wine, appetizers, and we each chose our main dish. We had appetizers of Sticky Beef Skewers, Tuna Tacos, and Housemade Guacamole. The Sticky Beef Skewers is the appetizer to get. The next dinner we were there, we tried the Shrimp Ceviche— which is lovely, unexpected, and has an interesting slaw flavor.

The mains I love there are the Shrimp and Grits and the Eggplant Meatballs. The Shrimp and Grits appears as a small serving but it is more than enough. Firm shrimp juxtaposed against creamy, buttery grits, a touch of sweetness, the chef hits all the right notes and I could not finish the whole serving. The Eggplant Meatballs are hearty, full of flavor, and served atop perfectly blended polenta. My colleague ordered the pork chop— which is an enormous serving nearly 3-4” thick— he loved it. I tried a bite, it was exactly the right temperature and texture. It would be great to take home and make more meals with afterward. As a family we found the fish dishes lacking flavor and interest.

Although I have now tried a sampling of the desserts none of them blow your mind, all well composed, with the House Vanilla Ice Cream being the best— tastes like ice milk.

The Red Pony is an excellent experience with the right meal and not taking your hard-to-please children’s palates, and if you are ready to drop a decent amount of money.

The Red Pony 3.5/5, $$$$