John T.
Yelp
3.5
This is probably the most positive 3.5 review I've ever written. Analog is visually stunning but the newness (been open a few months) shines through. I'm curious to see what the place will be like come late spring. As of now, it's an interesting spot but there are some issues.
The first thing you'll notice is the build out. It's gorgeous. From top to bottom, expect velvet, leather and a host of other tactile highlights. Bar seating, banquettes, high tables, and cozy nooks adorn both floors so you can have as public or private an experience as you want. You'll, likely, go for private given that Analog is very dark. Very. It sets a mood but you'll want your cell phone to give you light to see the menu (itself printed on black paper). The focal point of the room is an intimate stage illuminated by a dramatic chandelier. Again, it sets a mood. Visually, Analog knows exactly who and what it wants to be. Competitively, though, it's a different matter.
In the past couple of years, Nashville has stepped up its craft cocktail game as well as the hotel scene. Once the hip ingenue of the Nashville hotel world, the Hutton is going through all sorts of changes to lure back the clientele it used to have without trying. I write all this to say is that as striking as Analog is, it can't rest on its pretty. Everything else has to equal up to what the market's offering these days. It's here where Analog stumbles a bit. The combination of hotel + new = a price point that goes from daunting to ridiculous. Cocktails will set you back $14 a pop. This is a trend that needs to stop. Nashville is not Chicago or Miami. Cost of so many things is outpacing the reality of the market. But that's another review. At $14 a pop, I don't think you'll make a night of drinking here so if you're going to grab a cocktail, make sure it counts. I had the Handsome In Handcuffs. Described as a rum, vermouth, curacao, and strawberry concoction, I was surprised by it. It's much more 'manly' than you'd imagine. Served in a (double?) rocks glass with a single, giant ice cube, if you didn't know you were drinking rum, you might think you were sipping on an Old Fashioned. The strawberry comes from a syrup that was used pretty sparingly. My friend ordered an off-menu gin drink when the Cubra Cobbler she wanted to customize wasn't to be because that particular (all?) drink was pre-batched. She was served a pretty drink in a coupe glass that had a flower in it. Pretty. It cost $18. No. Nope. Try again. A bottle of Bombay Sapphire (the gin used) costs $25. That drink made me question whether I'd come back to Analog. There's no other word to describe it than 'ridiculous.'
We weren't here on a performance night so we enjoyed the soul playlist. The music matched the setting so I enjoyed that. Right now, there isn't a defined DJ program so on non-show nights, it might bit a bit of a hodge podge. The space, while decently-sized, might be loud with live music so if you're coming to chill out, consider that. If you're coming to see a show, though, it might be a good fit. There doesn't seem to be a bad seat in the venue. Since the customers were so sparse, we spent a lot of time talking with the bartender. He's a very affable fellow and made us feel very much at home. Unfortunately he also had a wicked cough and so I'm writing this review with a tickle in my throat and crud in my lungs. Sorry for the visual.
There's a lot of promise at Analog. Visually, it's stunning. But it still needs to figure out what its identity is and the price point is going to be a deterrent to a non-hotel crowd. That said, it's still new and with the right leadership, Analog can be what it should be.