The Bull & Thistle Pub

I had the Irish meatloaf and I believe I have found my new favorite menu item! I've had the burgers and a couple of the lunch specials on other trips to GB and have not been disappointed.

The B&T has a cozy, inviting atmosphere, with an impressive bar to the left as you enter. They seem to be very well set up for groups of 6 or more and also have several comfortable, roomy booths. Service has always been top notch, with attentive wait staff. The kitchen is at the very back, and you can see into the inner workings through the large double door-size opening. It always looks clean and well-maintained. You can tell that the owners and staff take pride in the facility.

The B&T was my introduction to the wonderful town of Gainesboro and the beautiful surrounding area.
The owners are friendly and welcoming. They have live music there nearly every weekend, and I plan on being around town for a few of those this summer.

(Photos were some randoms I snapped - I'll update with better pics a bit later - that'll be an great excuse to go back SOON!)

We went there last night for dinner to celebrate my birthday.

There was about a 45 minute wait. We chatted with the lovely host from South Africa with the London accent (sorry we didn’t your name!) for a few minutes. We told him we’d wait. We went & sat in one of the most comfortable overstuffed chairs to catch up and wait for our table.

We’ve been to Bull & Thistle multiple times & we’ve never had a bad experience, last night was no different!

I ordered a Pink Whitney Lemon Drop Martini. Pink Whitney vodka, triple sec, lemon, sugar rim, cherry & lemon garnish, simple. Simply scrumptious! $7.00 This was definitely scrumptious, so much so I ordered a second one lol.

We ordered the Sweet and Spicy Goat's Cheese Dip which is a creamy goat's cheese with an apricot and roasted red pepper glaze, bruleed and served with warm bread (crostini) $12.99. This is the creamiest, tastiest dip! This is the reason why I go back, it’s that delicious.

We both ordered the Pork Florentine Roulade
Hand-cut and rolled Duroc pork loin with a Florentine stuffing of spinach, parmesan cheese and cream. Served with buttermilk mashed potatoes and garlic-roasted Brussel sprouts. $26.99. My friend got the Honey-Ginger Carrots instead of the mashed potatoes. Ok now here’s where our tastebuds differ. She felt the pork loin was too salty (for her) I felt it could’ve used just a tad bit more. Everything else was delicious. The potatoes were homemade & not instant, with just the right amount of seasoning on it. The brussel sprouts were delicious. They weren’t as crispy as they usually are. but we think these were sautéed compared to the deep fried ones we’ve gotten in the past. The pork loin is STUFFED with spinach, cheese & cream.

As we were waiting for our check the manager comes over & tells me he heard it was my birthday, and he would love to buy me a dessert on him. I told him thank you but no thank you. I was absolutely stuffed from dinner. He told me it was his pleasure and please reconsider. I didn’t want to hurt his feelings, so I said okay & he brought us over the desert menu. We decided to order the Molten Chocolate Bombe
Lovely deep, dark chocolate cake filled with a melted dark chocolate truffle center, served warm with vanilla custard ice cream, and drizzled with crème Anglaise.
Order this and risk forming an obsession! $7.99
I ate a couple of bites & it was delicious. We both agreed that the vanilla custard ice cream was actually better than the chocolate cake, but it all fantastic.

Like I said, we have never had a bad experience at the Bull and Thistle and last night was no exception. Service was fantastic, the food was delicious and all the employees there a great.

The atmosphere is so inviting and relaxing. We had a wonderful waitress! Our food was tasty, fresh, plated nicely, and delivered quickly. We tried the moonshine flight from our local distillery, and the mixologist at Bull & Thistle did an excellent job on the drinks! We are very happy to have such a wonderful establishment in our town. Highly recommend!

The Bull & Thistle was the perfect lunch spot after visiting a nearby distillery. It was our first time there and we enjoyed everything; decor, service, food, and drinks. I had the shrimp basket and my wife had the fish sandwich. The shrimp were large and there were plenty of them. The fries were hand-cut and nicely cooked. My wife enjoyed her sandwich, but had to remove some of the lettuce and raw onions. They have a great draft beer selection, too. Definitely recommend and we'll be back!

Great food! Went with some friends just because. Pricing is what I consider fair. 1 couple with drinks, entree, appetizer, dessert at about $100. Sounds like a lot, but it's not bad considering what we had. Autumn is an excellent waitress, she was attentive and prompt while handling her other tables? The only issue I had was the creme brulee. It was somewhat bland.

We've heard so many good reviews from friends and decided to celebrate our anniversary with a trip to Gainesboro to eat an early dinner. Our host was Martin (South African accent), who was quite the gentleman in seating us. Our server was Savanah, who did an excellent job of giving us time to look over their many menu offerings and soak up the unique and welcoming atmosphere. To visit The Bull and Thistle Pub is a destination all its own and gives you the sense that you've walked into a white linen tablecloth London restaurant near Parliament or P.J. Clark's restaurant, which is the oldest in Manhattan, NY.

My wife ordered "The Jameson,"which is an herb crusted boneless porkchop deep-fried atop mashed potatoes smothered in a Jameson whiskey cream sauce. Topped with tobacco onions(?)and served with a side of honey ginger carrots.

I, being a traditionalist, ordered their Fish & Chips and was not disappointed in the delicious and perfectly battered & seasoned fish served on newsprint. I was provided malt vinegar without hesitation, which is another English tradition with Fish & Chips. I was somewhat disappointed in the chips as they were very large, square home-cut potato fries. Somewhat larger than,say, Texas Steak cut fries. This caused them to be quite soft & greasy. They were not a deal breaker as far as the offering goes, but l would not order the fries again.

The staff are incredibly attentive and friendly and from our casual conversation picked up on that, we were there celebrating our anniversary. Upon finishing our dinner, Savanah came to us and said that Martin, who seated us, had told the manager of our special occasion. The manager gave us a complimentary desert to share. I can only describe it as similar to Carnival Cruise's Warm Chocolate Melting cake but with a caramel drizzle topping added.

This was a wonderful experience and made our special day even better.

What an awesome place! We were there for a Ghost Hunt weekend event. Cold craft beers and spirits. The food was exceptional! Both nights! Inside a beautiful old bank. Definitely a place you need to experience.

Wonderful restaurant! We had a family reunion in town, and we had lunch there - everything was fantastic. The sweet & spicy goat cheese dip, the hot honey chicken sandwich, and the chocolate cake were wonderful. Lots of options so even picky eaters will find something they enjoy. The staff was also incredible - we had a lot of people in our party, but they got every order right & our food came out quickly. We will definitely be back here!

This place is fantastic! Definitely worth the drive. Right when you walk in the door, you are greeted with the beautiful ambiance of the restaurant.
Our waitress, Ashley, was patient with us as we navigated all the food choices and attentive to all our needs.
The food was beyond wonderful. There was such a variety and it all came out beautifully plated. The prices are also very reasonable.

My husband took us on a lovely date for Valentines Day. This place has been one of our favorites for awhile now. They really went above and beyond to make today special. I'm sure everyone who went today loved it. I had a "You're a Turkey but I Love You" drink (which I believe is a spin on an old fashioned) Isaiah was our server this time and he was pleasant and helpful as always but tbh, we've never had a bad server here.

There was a cute as heck couple doing live music. I didn't catch their names but they were really nice!

Good food and ok service. Didn’t seem like our waiter had done much waitering before. But it wasn’t a huge deal. We were very happy when we left.

Me and my friend tried this place tonight for the first time. Our server Holden was super nice and very knowledgeable of the menu. He recommended some amazing things. We started with the briosc potato fritters and the sweet n' spicy goats cheese dip. Delicious! I ordered the pork chops with the garlic cheese potatoes and crispy brussel sprouts. The potatoes were full of flavor and delectable! The pork chop nice and juicy! The brussel sprouts were tangy and tasty! My friend ordered the Jamaican Jerk chicken with mac and cheese and potatoes. I tried a bite, it was full of flavor and so juicy. The only thing we didn't really like was the mac and cheese it was kinda bland. The atmosphere was so cozy and warm. The band Smoky Nights was playing. They had a chill 70s vibe, amazing vocalists. We had a great time and will be back for some more amazing food!

THE CORNED BEEF AND BRAISED CABBAGE is the ONE! I get it pretty much everytime I go

My only complaint are the regular brussel sprouts, the crispy ones with the balsamic glaze are WAY better.

I didn't care for the stuffed pork either the sauce was pretty bland the pork was pretty dry aside from that their food is BOMB

The ginger carrots are the best carrots you'll ever eat in your life!

The manager was so nice! He found out it was my friends birthday and bought her a dessert. It was yummy! Very rich and the custard ice cream was so delicious and creamy.

If you haven't been, GO!

My husband and I finally made it for lunch today and it did not disappoint. The atmosphere is the best part. Friendly efficient service, drinks were so refreshing and the presentation was on point for our meals and drinks. Our server was friendly and efficient. Both of our meals tasted as delicious as they smelled and looked. We will definitely return for dinner sometime and I would love to try the brunch. We both highly recommend this Pub. The drive for us was an hour, and it was a lovely drive.

We had Sunday brunch there today. Our server Autumn was super friendly and helpful. When the food came out, I took a picture of it because the presentation was wonderful. The taste was even better. This may have been one of the best brunches I’ve eaten anywhere in the United States. What a hidden treasure, I will definitely be back.

Outstanding service! Great food! Staff is superb! If you haven't been there, you need to go. Friday, Saturday and Sunday, they are open. They have live bands as well. Stop down and grab brunch, lunch or dinner and you will be amazed.

I spent nearly a decade waiting tables and training new waiters in the foodie-culture environment of Houston, Texas. So when I say that the Bull & Thistle Pub hits all the right checkpoints when it comes to food quality and service, I hope you take this as the compliment I intend it to be. It’s nearly
Impossible to convey how well the service and ambiance provide a perfect match for the professional quality of their menu. It would be easy to say that the Bull & Thistle is a good restaurant for being in the small town of Gainsboro, but phrased in that way the biggest takeaway is completely missed: the Bull & Thistle isn’t just a good restaurant for a small town - it is a good restaurant period. I would easily place the dining quality we experience at this local treasure alongside any dining experience Ive enjoyed in much larger cities across the country. I’ve learned a fairly consistent manner of judging a restaurant is to be had by grading their eggs benedict off a brunch menu. Many qualities of a kitchen and a cook staff can be witnessed in the making of a quality eggs benedict - and the Bull & Thistle marks extraordinarily high in this regard: I’d rank theirs second only to one other I’ve experienced, and that was in a posh DC eatery that came with a price four times that of what can be enjoyed at the Bull & Thistle. Enjoy the scenic drive out to Gainsboro and make this destination eatery a special occasion for you and your significant other - there is no date venue more worthy of the pleasure to be found in Middle Tennessee. My wife and I have been a dozen times, and have yet to find a server, entree, side, dessert, or drink that weren’t absolutely top-notch.

Staff was very friendly and knowledgeable of menu items. Portions were generous and food was delicious. They also served a martini that had my ghost hunting crew's moonshine in it. Apparition apple!

Food is always delicious, no mater what I have ventured to order. Servers are friendly and helpful. I like to bring my out of town guests to B&T and they always rave about their experience.

Stopped in before an overnight hunt and if I could give it 6 stars I would. INCREDIBLE food, wonderful and attentive service, great atmosphere. Our meal was just amazing from the crab and shrimp gratin appetizer to the pork tenderloin with chorizo and cilantro cream sauce. Presentation was exquisite. Just an absolutely fantastic experience all-around.

As a picky eater with a large family, it is hard to find that one place that is perfect for everyone. Our family fell deeply in love with The Bull & Thistle at the moment we walked in. Our waitress, Ashley, was amazing and Barry made sure our food was no less than perfect. And the food,... Beyond all expectations! May I suggest everyone try the Bacon Vinaigrette dressing.