Vigaro

Virago is the sushi and Asian fusion spot that restaurateur Chris Hyndman opened in 2000 as his first concept. He set out to build one of Nashville’s first “big city” independent restaurants.

The original room sat on Division Street in Midtown, near Music Row. An August 2010 write-up ranked it among Nashville’s most popular sushi bars.

Diners there knew the rolls by name: Igloo, Fire Crunch, Aloha. An October 2010 review filed it as a special-occasion place, pricey and worth it.

Hyndman moved it to the Gulch in 2010, onto the McGavock Street strip he was building. His M Street group filled the block from 2009 to 2014: Whiskey Kitchen, Kayne Prime, Saint Añejo, Moto.

In May 2019 it moved next door, into the space that had been the Rosewall event venue. Sushi chef Himmi, then 16 years in, kept the counter.

In 2013 The Daily Meal counted Lionel Richie and Kevin Costner among the stars seen at its tables, and The Hollywood Reporter called the pair regulars whenever they were in town.