Head-to-Head · Nashville

Jeff Ruby's vs June

Steak and spectacle downtown or Sean Brock's 16-act tasting in East Nashville. Book Jeff Ruby's for the night out, June for the meal.

Jeff Ruby's Steakhouse

Nashville · Prime steakhouse · Downtown · Food 8 / Room 9 / Value 7

Jeff Ruby's full review →

June

Nashville · Tasting menu · East Nashville · Food 9 / Room 8 / Value 7

June full review →

The Verdict

Jeff Ruby's Steakhouse is the night out. At 300 4th Avenue North downtown, it runs USDA Prime steaks, sushi and seafood under live music and low light, the loud, dressed-up Nashville steakhouse built for a celebration. It scores 8 for food and 9 for the room, with mains and sides pushing a bill toward 100 to 180 dollars a head.

June is the meal. Above his restaurant Audrey at 809 Meridian Street in East Nashville, Sean Brock serves a tasting in what the kitchen calls acts, an 8-course menu at 150 dollars and a 16-course menu at 250, developed in an in-house research lab. It scores 9 for food and 8 for the room, the pick when the cooking is the occasion.

Scores, Side by Side

Score	Jeff Ruby's	June
Food	8 / 10	9 / 10
Atmosphere	9 / 10	8 / 10
Value	7 / 10	7 / 10

Which One for Which Occasion

Occasion	Editorial Pick
Big celebration	Jeff Ruby'sLive music, glamour and a room built for a party.
Serious food night	JuneBrock's 16 acts reward full attention and an empty calendar.
Date night	JuneThe intimate 37-seat room suits a long, slow conversation.
Group dinner	Jeff Ruby'sThe steak-and-sides menu flexes for a mixed table.
Solo diner	JuneThe chef's counter seats parties of one to three.

Price Comparison

The two prices buy different evenings. Jeff Ruby's runs roughly 100 to 180 dollars a head once you add Prime cuts, sides and a cocktail, in a full-service room. June is fixed at 150 dollars for 8 acts or 250 for 16, plus an optional wine or non-alcoholic pairing. One is an à la carte steakhouse, the other a set tasting. Weigh them against the best steakhouse restaurants worldwide and the best tasting-menu restaurants worldwide.

How to Book

June is the harder table. Reservations release on Resy on the first of each month for the following month, and the counter seats fill fast, so set a reminder. Jeff Ruby's books on OpenTable and holds tables more readily, with weekend prime time the tightest window.

Start the wider map from the Nashville dining guide, and for occasion fit see the best restaurants for a birthday and a team dinner. Browse more head-to-heads on the compare index.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better, Jeff Ruby's or June?

They serve different appetites. Jeff Ruby's Steakhouse is a glitzy downtown room of USDA Prime steaks, sushi and live music, built for a celebration. June is Sean Brock's East Nashville tasting room, an 8- or 16-act menu developed in a research lab. Choose Jeff Ruby's for a steak and a show, June for a focused tasting where the food leads.

Is Jeff Ruby's or June more expensive?

It depends how you order. Jeff Ruby's runs about 100 to 180 dollars a head once you add Prime cuts, sides and drinks. June is fixed at 150 dollars for 8 acts or 250 for 16, before an optional pairing. The steakhouse can be cheaper for a light order or pricier for a full spread; June's longer menu is the bigger set ticket.

Which is harder to book in Nashville?

June, clearly. Its reservations drop on Resy on the first of each month for the following month, and the small counter and dining room sell out quickly, so plan ahead and book the moment the window opens. Jeff Ruby's takes OpenTable reservations with more give, though weekend prime-time tables still want a few days' notice.

Which should I book for a special meal?

June, if the food is the point. The 16-act tasting is built for a slow, attentive evening and rewards diners who want to follow a chef's ideas. For a louder celebration with steaks, cocktails and live music, Jeff Ruby's is the better room. See the Nashville dining guide for more of the city's top tables.