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Credit: Daniel Brown - Bad Idea, Nashville, TN

Bad Idea

4.8
4.8
7 Reviews
$50 and over
Wine Bar

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 30 times today
Experiences are available.
  • Innovative
  • Great for fine wines
  • Good for groups
From the New York Times: Bad Idea may well be what many seasoned diners thought when they heard there was a wine bar specializing in envelope-pushing Lao food opening inside an East Nashville church. But given the level of cooking here, the name turned out to be a self-aware joke, rather than a self-own. The concept coheres in the hands of the owner, Alex Burch, a seasoned sommelier and first-time restaurateur. He had the good sense to bring on Colby Rasavong as executive chef. He invests the weight of his life experience in food that stretches the boundaries of Southeast Asian cooking to the edge of Appalachia. And the wine list is wise beyond this restaurant’s years, mixing tantalizing obscurities, affordable crowd pleasers and connoisseur selections you’ll rarely find poured by the glass. BRETT ANDERSON

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $50 and over
  • Cuisines
    Wine Bar, Laotian, Farm-to-table
  • Hours of operation
    Daily 5:00 pm–12:45 am
  • Phone number
    (629) 729-4332
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Private party facilities
    Enjoy a semi-private experience in our mezzanine.Overlooking our beautiful dining room, our mezzanine can be the perfect gathering place for up to 30 people!Email Events@badideanashville.com
  • Neighborhood
    East Nashville
  • Parking details
    None
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Corkage Fee, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Experiences

  • NYE Bad Idea Steakhouse

    $125.00 per person

    Prepaid

    Dec 31, 2024 only
    Join us on NYE for a Special Menu to end 2024! $125 Pre-Fixe Menu First- Wedge Salad with Green Goddess and Crispy Grains Lobster Thermidor Scallop Crepe, Nam Prik Blanquette, Crispy Tuile Second- Queen Cut Prime Rib, Horseradish, Au Jus Baked Potato, & Sauteed Mushrooms served with Black Truffle Breadcrumbs Bobby John Henry Buttermilk Rolls, Soured Butter, Caviar 1lb King Crab Supplement $75 Dessert- Double Chocolate Stack Cake (Vegetarian options available, We cannot accommodate Vegans)

What 7 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.8
4.8 based on recent ratings
  • 4.8Food
  • 4.9Service
  • 4.9Ambience
  • 4.5Value

NoiseModerate

7 Reviews
  1. Katya

    San Francisco

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Fantastic experience. The food is delicious and the wine list is excellent. The restaurant is simultaneously sophisticated and welcoming. Can’t wait to go back.

    1 person found this helpful

  2. Jon

    Charlotte

    8 reviews

    5.0

    8 reviews

    Dined on December 21, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Really enjoyed the experience once again. Food is excellent and service is friendly/top notch. We took a friend for her first visit and loved it, too. Excellent wine list and we certainly don’t expect it, but this is the type of place that remembers you after you’ve been and that says something about extra effort. Prices are also quite reasonable for the quality. We’ll keep returning!

    1 person found this helpful

  3. James

    VIP

    Nashville

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on December 21, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Amazing food. Lovely people. Gorgeous space. Highly recommend.

    1 person found this helpful

  4. diane

    Nashville

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on December 20, 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Noise level was intolerable. Everything else was very good

    Is this helpful?

  5. Tyler

    Nashville

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on December 19, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Wonderful dining experience! Server was super knowledgeable about the menu. Can’t wait to come back!

    1 person found this helpful

  6. Brian

    VIP

    Chicago

    16 reviews

    5.0

    16 reviews

    Dined on December 19, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great service and best wine list in Nashville. Interesting, excellent cuisine as well. It's a winner all the way around!

    Is this helpful?

  7. Geoffrey

    Charleston

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on December 18, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Excellent spot! Amazing food and wine. Awesome design. Caring and intelligent staff.

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

Bad Idea is rated 4.8 stars by 7 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 30 times today
Experiences are available.
Google Map for Bad Idea

1021 Russell St, Nashville, TN 37206

Additional information

  • Neighborhood
    East Nashville
  • Hours of operation
    Daily 5:00 pm–12:45 am
  • Price
    $50 and over
  • Cuisines
    Wine Bar, Laotian, Farm-to-table
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    None
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Corkage Fee, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Phone number
    (629) 729-4332
  • Private party facilities
    Enjoy a semi-private experience in our mezzanine.Overlooking our beautiful dining room, our mezzanine can be the perfect gathering place for up to 30 people!Email Events@badideanashville.com
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