Chef Trevor Moran’s Locust restaurant in Nashville is all about minimalism: the place only seats up to 36 people, and its website only has an intro page and two links to buy gift cards or make a reservation. If you’re lucky enough to get a table — Locust is open only three days a week and is usually fully booked — you’ll also find that there are no servers in the restaurant.

The reason why Locust has no servers is that the restaurant's chefs also work as the servers and food runners. This unconventional and intimate setting gives patrons a behind-the-scenes look at how Moran and his team of chefs craft Locust's popular dishes, which includes their signature dumplings, seafood, and Japanese kakigori shaved ice desserts.

While Locust's menu has limited options, experiencing different dishes made just for the day of your visit is a treat. The New York Times reported on halibut stuffed with escargot and deconstructed sushi with steak from a Tennessee ranch, while Condé Nast Traveler reported on spicy hand-cut noodles, steamed chili-oil pork noodles, and charcoal-roasted oysters.