Culinary Dropout - Franklin: Creative Scratch Kitchen & Southern Hospitality in Franklin, TN

Oh. My. Goodness. I’ve eaten before at the Culinary Dropout in Austin, TX, so I was so excited when I saw we were getting one in Franklin. It is a scratch kitchen with creative cuisine and impeccable service. So good, that you’re glad the chef dropped out of culinary school (I dig the name). If you come, make sure to ask for Richard’s section. His peaceful demeanor and foodie dimensions are stellar. How he welcomed and cared for us made the experience not only delicious but delightful. Shout out to Becca, too, who happened to know the guy I was eating with. She stopped by to encourage us, and coupled so beautifully with Richard’s kindness and knowledge. Whether you’re in Franklin, Spring Hill, Columbia, College Grove, Nolensville, Fairview, Murfreesboro, Brentwood, or Nashville, come try Culinary Dropout as soon as you can. It will immediately become your top five favorite in Middle TN.

I was hosting a business meeting and dinner in Franklin, TN on 11/12/25. I chose Culinary Dropout due to it's amazing location in The District in Franklin, which was close to our meeting place and hotel. They were able to accommodate our group of 35 in their enclosed/heated patio. Megan B, the event manager was so helpful during the process and was present the night of the event. The GM, chef and wait staff all introduced themselves before the guests arrived....talk about Southern Hospitality! My experience was 5 stars....from booking, engaging wait staff to the delicious food. 100% will return and recommend you check them out too....with or without a large party! Thank you Culinary Dropout team for a wonderful dining experience!

My wife had the butternut squash and kale salad with added chicken while I had the meatloaf with mashed potatoes and broccolini. Both dishes were delicious perfectly seasoned, well balanced with great portions. The service was friendly, and the atmosphere was laid back without being too casual. We definitely will be back… I want to try the fried chicken as well as several other menu items.

The drinks are perfection! The Abandoned Cadillac cocktail was on point! If you're into mocktails The Society crush was a star! My wife & I started with the truffle deviled eggs and they did not disappoint! My wife ordered the Katsu chicken sandwich for lunch and I had the prime rib french dip sandwich. Everything was on point! I would definitely return for dinner!

GOING BACK! Sometimes with a new place you get excited and then are disappointed, either with the food or service or both. Culinary Dropout is not that place. We went for the happy hour and stayed for dinner. (Note the happy hour is only offered at the bar inside.) On a Friday night, it was very busy but the service was still good. The cocktail selection, as others have mentioned, is solid. Lots of different options. My daughter and I had the perfect margarita and the full moon. They were both excellent. They were letting people sample their branded pinot noir that they just released. It was pretty good. We also shared the pretzel bites and the prime rib sandwich. There are 12 large round pretzel balls that come in an order so it is enough for 3-4 people to share. The prime rib sandwich was also large enough to share with two people. It was more of a French dip but delicious. We were celebrating my birthday and they let me choose a dessert off the menu, which was very nice. We had the mud pie. It was fantastic. Live music started after 6 pm. They have an outside area that is covered so you can still sit out there in less than ideal weather. Only negative, which has been noted, is it is quite loud, even outside with not a lot of people. We plan to go back soon with our husbands soon. Highly recommend. Make a reservation if you are going on a weekend.

Was so excited to hear about this place opening here in Franklin! The Atmosphere was amazing, not too busy at all for a Wednesday afternoon. We got seated right away and our server Tevin welcomed us and gave us a lot of recommendations! We started with Crispy Popcorn Chicken and a Summer Tan Sangria which was tasty and refreshing! As for our entrees, we settled with the Crispy Chicken Katsu and Mangolian Short Rib. Ended our experience with Strawberry Lemon Torte! Overall bold flavorful foods, I would 100% recommend it if you want to try out a different atmosphere in the area!

We had a great time at Culinary Dropout tonight! The food was delicious and the drinks were amazing. Service was a little on the slower side — our drinks took a bit longer than expected and there was a small mix-up with our appetizer — but what really stood out was how it was handled. Dylan, the manager, stopped by to check on us and went above and beyond. He offered us two desserts on the house and comped the app, and both desserts were absolutely top tier. His attentiveness and hospitality really elevated the overall experience. We’ll definitely be back!