[Editor’s note: The report mentioned here is from an inspection conducted on September 28 and may not represent the future health inspection status of the food establishment.]
The Tennessee Department of Health conducted a routine health inspection at The Row Kitchen on September 28. The restaurant received a score of 76 after inspectors documented multiple health code violations.
The violations included a lack of hot water, improper thawing methods, food-storage issues, and sanitation concerns.
WhatNow has reached out to the restaurant for comment and will update the story upon receiving a response.
The Row Kitchen
When: September 28, 2026
Where: 110 Lyle Ave, Nashville, TN 37203
Score: 76
The Row Kitchen is a Nashville restaurant serving Southern comfort food. According to the report, inspectors found the following violations:
- At the beginning of the inspection, the person in charge (PIC) stated that none of the handwashing sinks in the kitchen or bathrooms had hot water. The hot water supply was not available since the morning of the inspection.
- The PIC was given a 24-hour notice to restore the water supply and was informed that EHS will return on September 29 to reinspect compliance.
- Commercially vacuum-sealed raw salmon was being thawed in bags in a cooler that was kept under a flat top grill. The staff was instructed to remove the packaging of the food items before thawing them, as the closed packaging can lead to the growth of Clostridium botulinum in low-oxygen environments. The raw salmon packaging was removed during the inspection.
- In the outside walk-in cooler, raw ground beef was stored above whole muscle beef. The employees were advised to provide proper storage for the food items.
- According to the report, the final cooking temperature for ground beef is 155°F and whole muscle beef is 145°F. The employees were instructed to store ground beef below the whole muscle beef.
- In a hot box in the cook line, temped smoked brisket was stored at a hot holding temperature of 122°F, pork BBQ at 122°F, and smoked turkey at 124°F.
- The PIC said the food items had been inside the hot box since 8 AM. During the inspection, the time noted was 1:45 PM, which meant that the food had been held for more than two hours. The food items were discarded. The staff was instructed to store hot-held food at 135°F or above.
- Cooked sausage patties were stored in the walk-in cooler with no date label. Employees were unsure of the date and stated that the product might have been cooked on September 27. The food items were discarded during the inspection due to date uncertainty.
- The staff were advised to store and label all TCS food items with dates within 24 hours of cooking and not to keep them for more than 7 days.
- A thermometer was not available in prep cooler 1, and in-use utensils were stored between the hood and prep cooler 1 on the cook line.
- Accumulated dust was found on the cords and behind the kiosk systems on the cook line on the very top shelf.
- Heavy grease buildup was found between the stove and flat top grill. Dust accumulation was found on broilers and pipes above and behind the cook line and hood vent system in the cook line.
- The hot and cold water at the first faucet from the left at the 4-compartment sink had very low pressure.
- A severe fresh water leak was noted at both faucets of the 3-compartment sink.
- A broken tile near prep cooler 1 and under the fryers on the cook line was also observed.
- Heavy grease buildup was also found on the floors behind the prep cooler, and a condensation leak was noted in the outside walk-in freezer.
For more information, a detailed inspection report is available here.
Follow-Up Inspection
As the restaurant had no hot water supply at the handwashing sinks in the kitchen and in the bathrooms, a reinspection will be conducted within 24 hours. The restaurant is required to correct the violation before the reinspection.
The follow-up will be on September 29 around 1:15 PM to ensure that the hot water supply has been restored.
