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On a cross-country road trip, I went to White Limozeen, a Dolly Parton-themed restaurant in Nashville.
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I chose it in lieu of a stop at Dollywood, which was closed due to COVID-19 during my visit.
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Dolly fans shouldn’t miss the pink patio and Champagne Jell-O shots that honor the queen of country music.
I am a big fan of Dolly Parton.
In the immortal words of Dolly, “Everybody has their own journey, their own way of doing things. Who am I to judge,” and it’s a saying I’ve always admired.
While I’m not a huge country music fan, I am one of Dolly. I’ll never say no to jamming out to “Jolene,” and I’ve always respected her work as a businesswoman, musical icon, and overall disposition and true sense of grit.
So when my partner and I planned a cross-country road trip and found out Dollywood was closed due to COVID-19, we prioritized a stop in Nashville to enjoy the next best thing: White Limozeen, a Dolly Parton-themed rooftop restaurant and bar.
White Limozeen is housed inside The Graduate Hotel, a design-forward newcomer to Nashville’s lodging scene.
Just off the Vanderbilt campus in Midtown Nashville on West End Avenue, the Graduate Hotel opened in the summer of 2020.
From the moment we entered the lobby, I was wowed by high ceilings peppered by colorful decor, retro neon signs, and pop art. I knew we were in for a good time.
The 12-story, 205-room hotel isn’t officially affiliated with Dolly.
The hotel has no official ties with Dolly but still pays homage to her in many ways, in addition to White Limozeen.
En route to the rooftop, I noticed there was also an animatronic karaoke bar on the main floor called Cross-Eyed Critters, the name of which was inspired by lyrics from another country music star, Eric Church, and featured a Dolly Parton pinball machine.
The hotel also has a 9-to-5 suite, themed after Dolly, which I’m booking next time.
While we weren’t staying at the hotel, I did come to learn that all King guest rooms at the Graduate feature Dolly-inspired artwork above the beds. But only one accommodation is decked out with the full Dolly Parton treatment, the 9-to-5 suite.
Replete with disco ball-tiled ceilings, custom wallpaper, shag carpet, and a California king waterbed, the two-room accommodation is full of glitz and glam.
“It costs a lot of money to look this cheap,” a neon sign above the bed reads, quoting Dolly herself. Indeed, the suite starts at $699 a night.
Should I find myself here again, I wouldn’t mind sleeping under the iconic quote.
We took the elevator up to the rooftop where we found White Limozeen dripping in pink.
Named after Dolly Parton’s eponymous 1989 solo studio album, the entire concept behind the indoor-outdoor restaurant was inspired by the queen of country music. Though, like the hotel, it has no official ties to Dolly, either.
When we arrived at the hostess stand, we were promptly escorted to our table on the outside patio.
We got there on the early side around 5 p.m., and by 7 p.m., the restaurant was almost completely full. I noticed several large groups of women and what appeared to be bachelorette parties.
In addition to the pink, shades of white and gold were everywhere, and the interior featured a gorgeous rose onyx bar.
Inside, the rose onyx bar was flanked by glammed-out plush pink furniture and wall-to-wall pink décor, along with sparkling mirrored chandeliers.
While I was dining outside on the rooftop patio, I’d love to come back to clink cocktails here.
The poolside patio offers an elevated menu of food and cocktails.
There’s really not a bad seat in the house but we chose to sit outside and enjoyed scenic views of Midtown Nashville. Our patio table overlooked the pool and a giant bubblegum pink bust of Dolly Parton.
I thought the hot pink and white fringe umbrellas and daybeds around the pool created a fun, convivial atmosphere and I would have loved to spend more time here during the day.
Cheeky and charming, the menu at White Limozeen was fun and approachable, while still chock full of surprises.
The menu included French-inspired fare with a Southern twist and choices included chicken liver pie, biscuits, caviar, and mussels steamed in Nashville hot butter.
We were pleasantly surprised by the delightful chicken liver pie, which I paid for in full. It packed a sweet and savory punch thanks to delicate layers of strawberry preserves and chicken liver mousse with edible flower petals.
We toasted our meal, and Dolly, with Champagne Jell-O shots topped with glittery sprinkles.
One of the best, if not most unique things we tried were the Champagne Jell-O shots that came topped with glittery sprinkles. Sweet, delightful, and with an unexpected layer of depth that never goes out of style, it reminded me of Dolly herself.
Even if you’re not a fan of Dolly Parton, White Limozeen is an Instagram-worthy destination in its own right.
It wasn’t Dollywood, but I’m partial to the color pink, and to fun and kitschy places. I left feeling happy and cheerful, and not just because of the Jell-O shots. White Limozeen was a fun and festive spot that’s well worth a stop if you’re in Nashville, whether or not Dollywood is open or closed.
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