How East Nashville's 5 Points Diner is putting a twist on the classic American bar

1016 Woodland in East Nashville will now be occupied by 5 Points Diner and Bar, WOW Hospitality Group announced. The almost-4,500-square-foot eatery will open softly to the public on Saturday. 

While Nashville natives Rick Ryan and Steven Murff have dwelled on the restaurant’s concept for a decade, its execution has been swift.

“We’ve done this very, very quickly. We closed on the building on February 28. So in less than three months, we’re opening,” Ryan said. “We started out with the menu and just threw out some ideas.”

The 5 Points Diner menu is the creation of high school friends-turned-accomplished chefs Jonathan Duncan and Dylan Valentine of Jeff Ruby’s Steakhouse. 

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Potential favorites on the menu include burgers such as Smokehouse Burger, Pizza Pie Burger and Smashville Blue Burger. Entrees range from Chicken Pesto Cavatappi to Blackened Salmon. For lighter bites, various salads and interesting appetizers like Pork Pot Stickers and Tabasco Fried Pickles will be available. Ice cream, cake, apple fritters or pudding can be ordered for dessert. 

Ryan explained how 5 Points Diner will embody an elevated take on the classic American sports bar and restaurant, citing the Duplex Diner in Washington, D.C., as one of its sources of inspiration, “We’re trying to put our own spin on the word ‘diner’. It’s not the typical diner, but we’ll be diner-inspired.”

As for the mystery word written on the windows of 5 Points Diner — “Frunch” — it’s a combination of the words “Friday brunch.” 

There will be distinct happy hour to late-night menus from Monday to Thursday. However, on the weekends, expect a conceptual switch. “Frunch” will be served every Friday and Saturday, and an all-day brunch can be anticipated every Sunday. “The brunches will be very party-ish. We’ll have a DJ. Bottomless mimosas. Crazy drinks. Music. It will always be a little high energy,” Ryan elaborated. 

During brunches, finishing a “meal in a cup” called the Hot Chicken Bloody Mary can be attempted. Served in a “huge goblet” with hot chicken tenders and more, it will be a filling treat for two or three people who are up for a challenge. 

The upbeat environment is energized with hip-hop and pop beats by Beyoncé, Outkast and Gwen Stefani. It will also be home to the “Rainbow Loft” bar in a space reserved for “VIP”. The diner will feature a full bar with specialty cocktails and a decent wine list. 

“We wanted to keep it pretty approachable, General Manager Travis Krothe said. "The idea behind it is we didn't want anyone to look at the menu and have to ask what an ingredient is."

On tap — all 14 of them — are local brews.

“We've got Monday Night, which they've got a brewery in Germantown. We've got Yazoo, we've got Tennessee Brew Works,” Krothe said. “I just really wanted for anyone that came in and had a beer to be able to tell them where the brewery was and to be able to go check it out. We know it will be super-local driven.”

A partnership with Southeast Nashville-based Good Citizen Coffee has also been established. Good Citizen will make cold brew on draft for 5 Points Diner. An additional partner, Bongo Java, will make espresso for espresso martinis.

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Keeping up with the theme of local representation, Nashville artist Stephen Sloan’s mural will occupy wall space in 5 Points Diner. In the middle of the masterpiece will be a nostalgic image of a woman sporting a gold veil and diamonds in her hair.

On the opposite side of the mural will be a collection of framed images named “Lala” that was put together by art curators — all women — who gathered the pictures from estate sales and thrift stores in Nashville, Asheville and Pittsburgh. The eclectic art can be categorized as conversation pieces perfect for 5 Points Diner’s lively, social atmosphere. 

However, safety is still a top priority as 5 Points Diner offers an Uber and Lyft program for intoxicated patrons who need a ride home.

“We're all just excited to kind of be involved in a local area,” Krothe concluded. “We're set. We're ready to roll.”