The Arcade Nashville

This is an awesome place, a collection of store fronts in a safe place to walk through. It's well lit and the walk through is spacious. Unfortunately it's mostly empty, windows are blocked out, and store fronts mostly ghost towns. The Peanut Shop is still there and looks like it takes you back in time. There was a bagel shop open when we went through as well. But that's about it. Could be an awesome place to eat, father, shop. I hope it will be again soon.

Sadly 99% of business are closed. Everyone was forced out so they could renovate and now they have a nice looking empty space, that often times has doors closed. They used to have food options, but they priced the rent out because of the renovations. Shame but it's just a pretty ghost town.

Really three and a half stars. Three and a half because the first time I went they were closed. They have wierd hours and are closed Sundays. As others have posted there are many shops closed. The upstairs art galleries were nice to walk by. The view upstairs is nice also from the balcony, but it was HOT. The few restaurants and the Walgreens were about what we expected. Sadly the peanut store didn't survive the pandemic. It was nice to see it once, it was worth the trip. Keep in mind they don't have a actual restroom for the arcade. We had to borrow a key from one restaurant to use the employee bathrooms, which were clean. Also do your research on their hours as they do close early.

Some of the last of Nashville that hasn't been torn down and something shotty put in its place. This is the upstairs of the Arcade in photos. A little bit of this and that on main level. Food and shops.

I had a good time here. The Shiner show was well done. It kind of got weird at times but entertaining none the less.

Unique downtown shopping experience. Be sure to go upstairs to the second floor for a great vantage point for people-watching, especially at lunch time weekdays.

Most was closed due to COVID. Really cool (albeit small) little street with a lot of entertainment within. It's mostly shopping. Check out the candy shop... the woman who works there is an absolute sweetheart. A man asked me to have a drink from my water. Naturally, I let him.

Great place to wander and window shop or check out the eclectic little shops and eateries here. Ample dining room in the center or a place just to sit and relax and people watch. Great little clothing boutique and a post office! It was closing when I passed through, but the loved just meandering through time in a classic vintage space.

My hotel was across the street from The Arcade, and since I had a very loose itinerary of what I wanted to do in Nashville, I figured I had nothing to lose by walking across the street to check it out. From what I read, The Arcade was a popular shopping destination back in the day, and was one of the first (if not *the* first) shopping center to open in the city. Walking through now, however, I didn't see much - a lot of the stores are closed, and I saw several offices or businesses that wouldn't attract a crowd. The one point of interest that stood out to me was the Walgreens which had a vintage neon sign. Did I come at the wrong time? Are there other things here that I'm not aware of? From what I saw, no. I did, however, see construction in several of the storefronts, so hopefully there is more to come. For now, though, I would skip this.

I love playing the games they had here. Their pinballs are amazing. They have a huge variation of pinballs to choose from. They do cost tokens but honestly I think it's worth it to me.

Modeled after the Galleria in Milan, this was the first enclosed shopping center in Nashville. When it opened in 1903, an unprecedented over 40,000 excited people attended the grand opening. This was almost a third of the county's population of 125,000. Today, the two story glass enclosed arcade houses an old Post Office, shops , galleries and restaurants. The Peanut Shop was one of 2,000 shops that were run by Planters Peanuts. Now privately owned, it is one of four original Planters store that are still open. The Walgreen's pharmacy was the site of sit ins and peaceful protests in the 1960s. Recommended by Colleen at the Nashville Visitor Information Center, it was nice to walk through. Unfortunately, all the shops and cafes were closed when we visited on a Thursday morning.

Shame on me for waiting so long to visit this charming shopping center. My daughter and I went to eat at the sushi place but it is permanently closed like 98% of the shops. The one remaining boutique was kind enough to fill me in; the long time owner passed away and it was purchased from a New York developer who plans to renovate and install elite, exclusive brand shops. This boutique will have to relocate as she was informed that space would become more inline with NYC examples and rent raised 5 or 6 times what they currently pay! What a waste of a unique space!

I found The Arcade to be interesting, but also with a lot left to be desired. We came on a weekend and 90% of the businesses are only open Mon-Fri, so that was a bummer. If you work around the area, it seems like it could be a pretty cool place to take your lunch; they have all kinds of shops with different ethnic foods to try. They also have some cute boutiques, some which are open on weekends too. You can easily tell that the inside is pretty dated and has been around for a while. While walking around the second floor, the floors are very creaky and everything could use a bit of renovating. In other way though, it kinda shows its history by its looks. It was cool to check out, but if you aren't already in the area I would skip it. A lot consider it a mall, which I would not. Just a few little things to browse through, a lot of which are galleries.

First time eating here and I have to say that this place is lacking all around. Over priced for buffet style entrees. Portions were small, food was tasteless and white rice was over cooked and mushy. I had to drowned the chicken in garlic sauce with soy for some flavor. There is very limited seating and it's not very clean. Two stars for fast service and no MSG. I won't be a repeat

The Arcade is not the food hall that other cities have and Nashville will have by 2020/2021, although it does sound like that. It is a building with several restaurants inside as well as many tables to eat at. However, almost everything inside the Arcade is open only Monday through Friday, so it's really a lunch spot for people that work downtown more than anything else. I haven't been to all of the restaurants inside the Arcade, but I've been impressed by some and less impressed by others. I wouldn't necessarily recommend it to tourists as it's not much to look at (I think people are expecting the modern white subway-tiled food hall when hearing a description of the Arcade), but if you're looking for an affordable, quick lunch option where locals actually eat, this isn't a bad spot. They also host an art crawl that I've been to once but I can't remember its day or frequency! A convenient lunch spot. We state government workers are sure glad it's there.

A real diamond in the rogue...You have to experience this Hidden Gem in the Heart of Nashville Metro Center! Great place to eat!! This is centrally located in the Metro City area and only a few blocks from Anywhere or Anything in downtown Nashville. After my husband and I left 417 Union, we arrived at "Manny's House of Pizza" in the Arcade. I love this restaurant. It is my favorite pizza place downtown, and I love to go here during my lunch break at work. I work at 333 Commerce Street at the Bat Building for AT&T. My friend Craig Alea and I would walk over here and have lunch in the warmer months. My favorite is a slice of Pepperoni Pizza with Jalapeno Peppers. You can order pizza by the slice or whole. They also have spaghetti with or without meatballs and lasagna and then you can order Pepperoni Rolls, Calzones or Strombolli if you get a chance to go here you must!! The Arcade also has other restaurants and a Post Office. There are tables located in the walkway and in the summertime they have these really large Industrial fans blowing a breeze down the hallway!! Upstairs there are some shops and offices. This was the first (MALL) style building in Nashville in the early 1900's..the history of this building is wonderful. You should research and read about it. There is also a PEANUT Shoppe located here on the middle corner, where the alley cuts through the middle. It is an old store and I am sure there is a lot of history in there too!!! Let me know what you think? What is your favorite Arcade restaurant? A real hidden gem you need to experience when you arrive in Nashville.

I visited the Arcade during a First Saturday Art Crawl and absolutely fell in love with the gallery spaces there. Every storefront and studio had a different vibe to suit the tastes of the artist showcased. From dimly lit, sage smelling vintage stores to exposed-brick minimalist palaces, the Arcade has a gallery or a store for everyone. I'm excited to check out the establishments which frequent the building on a daily basis, but it's quite fun to mill around the whirlwind of maze-like studios during art crawls. I have tried only one restaurant on the base floor, Jimbo's Sushi & Korean Food. With limited seating and small plates, it would have been the perfect snack location after a busy day at work. Unfortunately, it did not please my weekend palate or appetite that afternoon. However, the Arcade offers plenty of other fare, including a large Ethiopian restaurant I would be eager to try next time I find myself there. Enjoyable, open space with a ton of history. I definitely recommend locals and newcomers alike to explore the numerous small storefronts inside.

Wow. I love it. It was pretty much abandoned today, so I had a good walk around The Arcade, peering in windows and squeaking across original hardwood along the balcony. It's a step back in time. Shoe repairs, a fruit stand/convience store, a hair salon that made me want to call it a "beauty parlor", cupcake shop, old post office, tiny restaurants with out door seating, and newer gallery spaces that thankfully sink back into their store fronts and do nothing to draw attention away from the feel of the walkway. This time capsule is a perfect break for us people who are sick to death of big box stores and massive parking lots. I love walking around small shops. I've heard of occasional artwalks there, and I want to see what that experience is like when my husband and I get a chance. Thanks yelp!

A better name for this place would be "depressy alleyway that leads to Walgreens." Perhaps we came at the wrong time (mid day on a Monday) because the area did not appear well.

What a waste of time. I saw some great reviews so I don't know if I missed something or what the heck happened. Half the shops are empty or were closed at 2 pm. Nothing very unique. Lots of junk.

I never am sure when I go here when something is going to fall apart, or someone will die of heatstroke, or a car will go through dead center and smack into someone, however I've got to say this is a place that must be experienced I'm generally down here for the First Saturday Wine Crawl (aka the Art Crawl) and visit most of the galleries when it's packed with both n'ere-do-wells and the occasional do-well slightly drunkenly speaking art speak, or attempting to locate the gallery with the massive collection of nude photos, or just gazing around at galleries that you could fit in a closet. The place is in a delicate balance at the moment between decrepit and hipster, between condemned and trend, where you can get pizza, hair ties, art and a cake or hit up by transients who wander through. There's a charm to this place I'm not conveying, and a warning to stay out when it's been over 100 degrees out, but I'd advise if you have not been to this little place, go and visit it. If nothing else, it's a place you can say you know where it is, and definitively state that it does not have one single Pac-Man machine on premise.

I first came to know the Arcade when I was running around downtown trying to find a bathroom before I took the twenty minute bus ride back home. I could not wait that long. By the time I found one I realized I was going to have to wait 45 minutes for the next bus, and had a look around. I'm surprised the place is still around. It certainly is historic, but on a Saturday afternoon it was also completely dead except for a security guard yakking it up with somebody. I think I saw a post office. How do the places even stay in business?? I thought it was funny to see a Walgreens stuck in there, also without a public restroom I might add. I think Misty C. has a great review of the place, and obviously has a heck of a lot more insight to it than me, so see her review.

Unless someone had the vision to create a downtown covered walkway with small shops and restaurants, this would have been just another ugly alleyway. Thank God they did, because the Arcade is one of the most attractive semi-outdoor walkways in America. Now understand one thing: this place is open pretty much only during weekday lunchtime hours, when people are willing to walk there from their high-rise jobs. After three PM, there'll be the post office, Walgreens, and the pizza place (very tasty), and everything else will be shut down. So don't expect much. But the walk is attractive both upstair and down, and when the shops are open, there's a lot of neat little places like the chocolate shop, and the Philly cheese steak place. If you want a place to see and be seen at lunchtime downtown, nothing beats the Arcade. If you want a place to quietly catch a breather in the mid-afternoon, the Arcade is also great.

Kind of like a secret mall located in a covered alley in downtown Nashville. Worth a pop-in. There's food too. We stopped in on a Friday afternoon and again on a Saturday morning to find 80% of the studios closed. A shame, because I liked some of the stuff. Please get longer hours! I wish the hours or contact info was posted a little clearer on each studio so I could hit them up.

How cool is this place?? You're just walking through the shiny new buildings of downtown and you turn and... time warp. Glass-covered alleyway. Everything looks straight out of the 70's. Grungy hand-painted and neon signs... bums everywhere. Lots of local eateries and shops... mostly places that definitely should be shut down by some health department somewhere, and yet it still stands. Definitely not a place to bring your kids, but an awesome place to browse through for an hour or so.

Well, it's pretty good. On the up side, there are several walk-up food choices, a good variety. On the down side, it's hot like the inside of a parked car on a summer day in here. There are lots of little cafe tables to have a seat and eat my lunch and do some people watching or to watch facebook be overrun by stupid, political commentary... That aside, if you're a few blocks away, walk over and let us know what YOU think of this place.

We visited the Arcade as part of the First Saturday Art Crawl and I can't believe it took us this long to visit. This place has two of my favorite things: art and food! There are numerous galleries and several eateries and many stay open late as a part of the Art Crawl. We didn't get to try any of the food (yet) because we ate prior to the event, but we will be sure to try some of the offerings in the future. We did get to try our first ever 'bubble tea' here though. As an added bonus, you can meet most of the artists who are present at their galleries during the Art Crawl. I'm not sure what the Arcade is like in daylight but it really comes alive during the First Saturday Art Crawl.

This is a hidden gem and so much cooler than the suburban malls and touristy places around here. A friend and I were on lunch break from a nearby conference. He suggested "the arcade" and I thought we were going to a game venue. But this is a cool 100 year old shopping center that features lots of small retail stores and food choices. We enjoyed pizza and later some candy while taking in the sights (and smells!) of the city. Definitely not green hills mall but you can't get street cred there! We will be back soon when we have more time to explore some more shops.

I don't understand this place. I thought it was listed as a shopping area with local artist booths. I just saw different eating spots and a Walgreens. It was not what I expected at all

Awesome Downtown Nashville find. Lots of cute little restaurants and a few little shops. We ate at a place called Oriental Lunch and satisified our craving for greasy Chinese food for cheap.

My art students love the Arcade when we visit the Frist. They always vote to eat there. Being from a rual area they feel the city. They love the different foods they can choose from. Many of them have never tried some of the selections. And of course they love the PIZZA. "it makes us feel like we are real artist in a real city"

The Arcade is a historic commercial building in downtown Nashville. It's basically a pedestrian walkway that's covered by skylights and lined on both sides with cafes and shops. I think the Arcade is one of the most unique parts of downtown Nashville, and I hope the stores there are successful. They include Nashville Plant & Flower, Arcade Fruit Stand, 8th Ave. Home Essesntials gift shop, a salon, a candy shop, a gyro cafe, a smoothie place, a pizzeria, PC Dude, Tony's Shoe Service, and Alterations by Semra. The only chain I saw was Walgreens. Upstairs, there's an upscale salon and a bunch of small art galleries. Even though the galleries are probably closed during most of the work week, I'd recommend going upstairs to see a neat view of the walkway below, and to get a broader idea of the building's design.

charming little bit of my charming city that i don't get to visit nearly enough. one of my favorite pizzerias in all of nashville is located here, manny's house of pizza. stepping foot in the arcade seems to feel like you're taking a step back in time, as corny as that may sound (shut up). i read the usps is trying to close the post office in the arcade, which i figure can't be good for the businesses here. i would imagine plenty of people have been to the arcade for the first time because they needed to go to the post office. anyway... if you live in nashville and haven't checked this place out, bring an appetite and some loot and support your local businesses! eric b

hey! go here! yay! there's lots of local food eateries to choose from. meat and threes. greek. mexican. delicatessen. sort of thai, chinese, etc... oh, and also this place called back alley diner, but, that's a separate review....

As a small strip mall this place is really fun! Went on the art crawl where they open the art galleries on the top. Looking down at all the restaurants feels like I'm in a little town. Never even knew this place existed!

The arcade is a small block that have café/small restaurants that gets really crowded for lunch from Monday to Friday. Each of the store have limited seatings inside and outside their space. Most of the locals eat here or take their lunch orders to go. It have a Walgreen and a post office.

Interesting place to pass through if you are in the neighborhood, but I'm not sure if it's worth driving to downtown for. With what looked like most of Nashville's art galleries on the second floor (I didn't explore these), this spot is dominated by lunch and breakfast spots, but also has a post office, coffee shop and and candy/nut shop. Nice outdoor seating covered by a glass ceiling.

This is an interesting part of Nashville I had never seen until recently. I love all the small shops and owners. The food places are amazing for great prices. It gets shady after dark though.

The Arcade is a cozy little spot. My husband and I went to Phillyman's Cheesesteak hoping for a taste of Philly just like home but what we experienced was not a philly cheesesteak... honestly guys stop calling yourselves Phillyman's if your not going to do it right. Although what we had was good. Just another failed attempt.

Interesting spot for an afternoon in Nashville. Tons of places to eat and sit on lunch. We found our new lunch spot called back ally dinner while exploring the different places here. Be sure that you are aware this is not a tourist spot, it is very locals oriented.

Not sure what this used to be, but as far as I can tell it's a sauna hallway with some random stores and lots of space for lease. Great place to walk through if you want to get all sweaty and detox, otherwise, not sure it's worth a visit, especially in the name of tourism.

Great place for folks who work downtown to grab lunch and run errands.

This review isn't necessarily of the Arcade itself, but rather one of the galleries there that does not have a website. I am writing this review about OPEN Gallery, operated by the students of Lipscomb University. I applaud the students' initiative in trying to open and run their own independent gallery, but if approached as an artist, I would tread carefully due to their lack of supervision and miscommunication. I was approached by them about a show but due to their own miscommunication, it did not work out. I have exhibited extensively and my impression is that they still have a lot to learn about the basic mechanics regarding the running of a gallery--they did not even offer any sort of contract, a huge deal given that the logistics of a proposed show there would have been very expensive and tricky. In their defense, they are only students, but they are in over their heads. While I'm sure that their exhibitions are informative and diverse, their management needs to step up its game if they want to be taken seriously. In dealing with them, I would both demand a contract AND the contact information of a faculty member. The running of a gallery demands a lot of responsibility, punctuality, and accountability, and I encountered none of these attributes (though a lot of apologizing) in my dealings with them.

I first came to the Arcade when my family made trips to Nashville about every two weeks, and then moved here. I probably was taken there even as an infant but my earliest memories are from age 4 or so. It was immediately one of my favorite places, full of excitement but also mystery. The smells were truly amazing, you literally felt like you were getting high from them, especially the enticing aromas wafting from Peanut Shop. Even more intriguing for me were the sounds: echoes of footsteps and voices everywhere, unlike any other place I had been. Not only the sounds being made within the arcade itself but those coming from outside seemed to be caught and funneled through, with an effect like when you put your ear to one end of an empty paper towel cylinder or such... and going in and out of phase. Well, these are impressions from childhood but the experience of the Arcade never really changed for me. I have lived in many different places, some far away, but always visited the Arcade when I returned to this city. I live here again now and seeing this site I realize I need to revisit the Arcade again soon. Some of the places I recall best are, of course, the Peanut Shop, where they always had nuts roasting and the big Mr. Peanut standing out front. Also the Frosty Malt shop. I'm not positive of the exact name but I think it was Cato's Malt Shop, or close to that; we used to say 'frosty malts'. They had special machines that made it, kind of like soft-serve ice cream but with something unique about it. Addictive for sure. They had these strangely shaped glasses, sort of fluted you might say. It was a very cramped little place, sort of shabby, but as it should be. I once found a silver half-dollar in the bottom of my glass and looked up in delight at the man behind the counter, who just smiled and nodded, so I slipped it into my pocket. The other place I gotta mention was a music store called Strobels. A small shop, packed full of incredible instruments. They had all kinds of instruments, including some that seemed exotic, especially to a young kid. I began playing piano and singing at age 4, but more seriously on guitar at age 8, so this place was like a wonderland. They had accordions, concertinas, band instruments and so much. Well, I've gone on far longer than I meant to so will sign off. But lastly I will say that I am so very pleased that the Arcade has survived, when so many other magical places from Nashville's past are gone forever.

This seems like it would be a very cool place to hang out but on the weekend, hardly anything was open. Our hotel was in walking distance and we stopped by multiple times during the middle of the day on a Saturday and just a couple of places were open.