1824 Kitchen + Kocktails is part restaurant, part lounge, and all centered around the community where they reside. Located on Historic Jefferson Street, the concept opened earlier this year to fill a needed gap for residents and students seeking a third space. Owners Brittney Finn and Mario McCutcheon are creating exactly what they want to see for a city they have called home. The couple are Nashville natives, with Mario actually growing up in North Nashville, allowing for a full circle moment when they decided to launch their restaurant on Historic Jefferson Street. A place they have built using their own investment capital, skill set, and faith, knowing God has been with them every step of the way. Brittney, a law school graduate, spent her time in corporate America, where she met Mario. They both knew they wanted to open up something together, “for us, by us”. They would land on their restaurant and bar concept, making sure to lean into the community as the foundation.
Open for lunch and dinner 1824 Kitchen + Kocktails offers up traditional American fare from pizza, burgers, wings and sandwiches, including The Coach combo with a burger, fries and tenders. Almost all of their menu items are under $20. The cozy atmosphere allows for you to pop in for lunch and stay to do a little work, or make it your first stop for happy hour or dinner. They also have a full bar serving up specialty cocktails like the Jefferson Street Punch and Flavored Lemon Drops. They are also becoming popular for their theme nights, including: Gentleman’s Night and Karaoke. Additionally, they have rolled out a Student Ambassador Program giving HBCU students in the area an opportunity to learn, network, participate in community engagement, and receive weekly complimentary meals. Learn more about your next neighborhood hangout.
What was the spark for opening a restaurant in Nashville?
Brittney: I’ll say in the beginning, we really didn’t know we wanted to open up a restaurant. We just wanted to open up something like for us, by us in Historic Jackson would’ve been the perfect place. Um, and then everything else kind of came along from there. So we knew we wanted a bar concept. Um, and it just kind of happened on its own, even the name, because we came in with a different name. We really thought the name was gonna be pre-Game Uhhuh, but when we looked at this building, we were like, this doesn’t give pregame.It gave a homey feel, so that’s how we came up with the name because the address is 1824 Jefferson Street.
Mario: Nashville’s growing, so you know, why not be a part of that growth, and we decided to turn a dream into reality. Also, we’re both Nashville natives, so it only made sense.
What did the journey look like going from Corporate America to hospitality?
Brittney: I graduated from law school, so that helped along the way, and we were both in customer service experience in Corporate America for 20+ years. But it was by far a different industry, and there was a lot of learning we did along the way. I was able to visualize and the execution came from Mario. Both of us were able to bring complementary skill sets to make it happen.
Mario: It was first trusting God. This was a general idea at first. When Brittney called me and said, “Hey, I have an idea,” You know, she’s a Pisces and dreams big, and I’m a contractor and wanted to support her ideas. It’s definitely had its challenges. We dealt with codes, building issues, and overall, starting from scratch. We have made a lot of personal sacrifices and investment and to be able to see where we are now, we’re truly proud knowing we stayed focused on the end goal.
What do you hope people will experience when they walk through the doors?
Mario: I think the keyword you said is experience. That’s what we’re going for. We’re not looking to get you drunk. We’re not looking to give you hookah. We are looking to give you an experience that you can walk away saying, “I felt good leaving there, and I wanna go back.” When I think about what 1824 is all about, it stands for a staple in the community where you can just come. I love the homey feel we provide. A lot of people have come for the first time, and end up staying sometimes hours after they’re done eating. We also want people to always feel they were treated really well, the food was good, the vibe was good, and the atmosphere was good.
Brittney: We both come from customer service backgrounds, and we know times are hard. We wanna give you more than what you pay for when you do come in. I don’t wanna use the “Cheers” comparison, where everyone knows your name, but we do make a point to remember the last time you came in. We may ask “how the kids are doing or what’s been going on?” How was work today? We want to create a family-oriented vibe.
Photography: Trinity Kendrick (2026 Urbaanite Summer Photography Intern)
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