Attaboy
Cocktail bar · East Nashville ·
Menu-free cocktail den crafting personalized drinks in a moody space
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:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/21980388/20201020_175044.jpg "Attaboy by Michael McIlroy/Attaboy")
Menu-free cocktail den crafting personalized drinks in a moody space
"Housed in an inconspicuous concrete-block building in East Nashville, Attaboy isn’t much of a looker from the outside. But once you enter the speakeasy’s dimly lit barroom, the cocktails make it clear that this place isn’t messing around. It’s the sister bar to the Attaboy in NYC, and the same rules apply here: there’s no menu and the bartenders just ask you your preferences—favorite liquors, flavor profiles, and your mood that day. And somehow, they never miss. Even the simplest drinks have depth and complexity thanks to surprising additions (creme de cacao in an old fashioned, for example), and lighter cocktails like their take on the eastside ricky will make a gin-believer out of any vodka devotee." - ann walczak, bailey freeman, adam sloan
"This NYC cocktail stalwart decided to make East Nashville its home away from home back in 2017, and the city is all the better for it. Just like any proper house guest, you’ll be asked to politely knock on the door before being allowed entry. But don’t bother looking for a menu. Instead, the bartenders here will ask a few questions about likes and dislikes before concocting a cocktail off the cuff." - Kellie Walton
"Find Attaboy’s small teal-green building in an alley that would look abandoned if not for the painted martini glass on the front. Knock on the door to get in, and step through a large blackout curtain into one of the darkest rooms to drink in the city. There’s no menu here, you just tell the staff what kinds of cocktails or spirits you usually drink, what flavor you’re craving, or even what mood you’re in. They’ll craft something on the spot so good, that even your one friend who is extremely particular about their Old Fashioneds will be talking about it for weeks to come. Just don’t request vodka because nobody who works here thinks it brings anything to the party." - ann walczak
"Housed in an inconspicuous concrete-block building in East Nashville, Attaboy isn’t much of a looker from the outside. But once you enter the speakeasy’s dimly lit barroom, the cocktails make it clear that this place isn’t messing around. It’s the sister bar to the Attaboy in NYC, and the same rules apply here: there’s no menu and the bartenders just ask you your preferences—favorite liquors, flavor profiles, and your mood that day. And somehow, they never miss. Even the simplest drinks have depth and complexity thanks to surprising additions (creme de cacao in an Old Fashioned, for example), and lighter cocktails like their take on the East Side Ricky will make a gin-believer out of any vodka devotee." - bailey freeman, ann walczak
"I noted that East Nashville’s no-menu cocktail den Attaboy reopened on October 23 after nearly eight months following extensive tornado damage and loss; opened in 2017 by Sam Ross, Michael McIlroy, and Brandon Bramhall, the team endured significant hardship from the March tornadoes and is moving forward with a 'positive vibes only' mantra, even as the storms caused widespread community damage and tragic fatalities connected to that night." - Eater Staff