Metro Public Health inspects more than 6,800 permitted places in Davidson County and scores restaurants from 0 to 100. How to read a score and where to look one up.
Last checked Oct. 19, 2026. Facts on this page come from the Metro Public Health Department’s Food Protection and Public Facilities Division and its Food Protection Services page. Scores themselves are published on the Tennessee inspection portal. We do not publish or rank individual restaurants’ scores on this page.
The Metro Public Health Department inspects restaurants, food trucks and other food service businesses across Nashville and Davidson County, and scores each inspection on a 0 to 100 scale. Its 23 environmental health specialists cover more than 6,800 permitted facilities, from restaurants and school cafeterias to pools, hotels and tattoo shops. To look up a score, search the state inspection portal. To ask a question or make a complaint, call 615-340-5620.
Who to call
- Food complaints and questions: Metro Public Health Department, Food Protection and Public Facilities Division, 615-340-5620
- Look up a score: inspections.myhealthdepartment.com/tennessee
- Suspected food poisoning with severe symptoms: see a doctor or call 911; then report it to the health department
- Grocery stores: regulated by the Tennessee Department of Agriculture under the state’s retail food store rules
How a score works
- Every inspection starts at 100.
- A non-priority violation takes off 1 or 2 points.
- A priority violation takes off 4 or 5 points.
- Priority violations must be corrected immediately or within 10 days.
- If a place fails to fix priority violations in time, or has repeat priority violations on three routine inspections in a row, Metro takes administrative action.
A single score is a snapshot of one visit. Read the inspection report itself, not only the number: it lists each violation and whether it was corrected on the spot. A follow-up visit may show the problem has been fixed.
How often places are inspected
Inspections are unannounced. Metro also inspects after complaints and for follow-ups.
| Type of place | Minimum inspections |
|---|---|
| Restaurants and other food service | 1 to 3 a year, based on practices and history |
| Places that cook raw animal products or cool down hot food | At least 2 a year |
| Swimming pools | Every month they are open |
| Hotels and bed-and-breakfasts | 2 a year |
| Tattoo shops | 4 a year |
| Camps | 2 a year |
| Body piercers, schools and child care | 1 a year |
Food trucks and pop-ups
Mobile food units need a Metro health permit and a plan review, and must operate from an approved commissary kitchen. Metro posts the mobile food unit rules and permitting process in English and Spanish.
A note on our method
Inspection scores carry legal and commercial weight for the businesses named. When we report on individual inspections, we use the health department’s own records, quote the violations as written, say whether they were corrected, and contact the business for comment. A low score is not a closure unless the health department says so.
What this means for you
- Before you book a big group dinner, look up the latest inspection report on the state portal.
- Saw something wrong? Report it to Metro Public Health with the date, time and what you saw.
Related guides: new businesses in Nashville, farmers markets and who to call at Metro.
Frequently asked questions
How do I look up a Nashville restaurant’s health inspection score?
Metro Public Health Department links its food inspection scores to the Tennessee inspection portal at inspections.myhealthdepartment.com/tennessee, where you can search by restaurant name or address.
How are restaurant inspection scores calculated in Davidson County?
Scores run from 0 to 100. Non-priority violations cost 1 or 2 points each and priority violations 4 or 5 points. Priority violations must be fixed immediately or within 10 days.
How often are Nashville restaurants inspected?
One to three times a year, depending on how they operate and their history. Places that cook raw animal products or cool down hot food are inspected at least twice a year.
How do I report a restaurant to the health department in Nashville?
Call the Metro Public Health Department’s Food Protection and Public Facilities Division at 615-340-5620 or email the complaint address on its food protection page.
Have your say