Arnold's Country Kitchen Finally Announces Start Date for Dinner Service - Nashville Scene

This is not a drill, people!

The opening menu at Arnold's After DarkFor years, we've been reporting about (and frankly, begging for) evening hours at Arnold’s Country Kitchen here on Bites. Well, Kahlil Arnold is finally ready to pull the trigger on dinner service Thursdays through Saturdays beginning Feb. 11, after a few friends and family prep events next week. Making the investment to rejigger his dining room and service model in the midst of a pandemic has been risky for Arnold, who had actually been planning the expansion of hours for years. An expanded kitchen, serving line and full bar will be new features at the already beloved Nashville institution.

Initial opening hours will be the normal 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m. lunch service Monday through Friday with the addition of dinner from 5-10 p.m. on Thursday and Friday; lunch and dinner from 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturdays; and a Sunday brunch at 11 a.m.-3 p.m. (Brunch service won’t begin until Feb. 20 because the first Sunday of the expanded hours is Valentine’s Day, and that’s no time to try out a new concept!)

While there will be many changes — including menu items that Arnold has been experimenting with for quite a while — much of the experience will be familiar. Diners will still travel down the serving line to place their orders, but some entrées may be delivered to the table hot from the kitchen. While you wait, you can stop by the bar and put in a drink order from a full complement of beer, wine and spirits. Arnold plans to have two bartenders working, including one who checks tables for additional drink orders while they enjoy the novel experience of lingering a few minutes while eating at Arnold’s without the fear of impatient diners eying their chairs for a place to sit and eat their quick lunch. That’ll be nice.

Also nice will be the new dinner menu that Arnold has been working on, a process that will remain fluid with lots of specials added week to week. Arnold promises that some stalwarts will be consistently available, including his world-famous fried chicken — the everyday presence of this item on the menu early in the pandemic was one of the only good things to emerge from 2020 — as well as smoked meats and tacos. Arnold has perfected his version of a crispy taco, served on authentic masa tortillas stuffed with chicken or brisket with Alabama white sauce or house-made hot sauce. Cooking only over cherry wood, Arnold plans to offer a variety of smoked meats like chicken, brisket and pulled pork on hoecakes.

Other new items on the menu include a fried-chicken sandwich (take that, Bojangles!) on a Martin’s potato bun, a roast beef sandwich, a fried-catfish sandwich served as God intended — on white bread like at Nashville’s iconic hot fish joints — as well as french fries, a menu item never before seen at Arnold’s. You can expect the same sorts of delicious side dishes as always with revolving specials and the ever-present green beans, turnip greens, mac-and-cheese and white beans. And of course, there will be pies!

Arnold’s After Dark will offer a similar pricing structure as a traditional meat-and-three, except it will be platters of an entrée-and-two or a sandwich-and-one. Tacos will come two to a basket or available individually if you want to mix and match with additional side dishes.

The Arnold family will continue to manage all aspects of the operation with mother Rose and brothers Franz and Mon holding court during the daytime shifts and Arnold and his son running the evening service. Arnold has not agreed to wear a maître d' jacket, despite my wheedling. Regardless, I’m tickled pink that this expansion is finally coming to fruition, and I hope you’re all looking forward to enjoying Arnold’s After Dark as much as I am!