Bad Idea
Restaurant · East Nashville
1021 Russell St #101, Nashville, TN 37206
Highlights
Lao-inspired dishes and a vast wine list in a church
Lao-inspired dishes and a vast wine list in a church
"Bad Idea isn’t as obviously sceney as, say, V Modern Italian, and that’s what gives this Lao restaurant a cache of cool. Groups of stylish people cluster around the dining room and bar, laughing from their tables between bites of laab and sips of wine from one of the most funky selections in the city. And everyone’s having a great time—from the person in the sequin bolero and tulle skirt to the mustachioed gent sporting a bolo, whose outfits you’ll invariably be talking about the next day. People who want to be a sommelier Musty gruner veltliner with an exquisite nose Get access to exclusive reservations at this spot with Chase Sapphire Reserve. New cardmembers get $300 in annual dining statement credits." - jackie gutierrez jones 2
"The Bad Idea space used to be a church, but a completely different kind of religious experience is happening here now. The energy inside of this East Nashville spot just feels celebratory—from the chatty groups of friends toasting with bottles of gruner veltliner to the couples at the bar digging into pithivier cheeseburgers at Happy Hour. The Lao-inspired food here is interesting and thoughtful—like a starter of french toast topped with caviar and kayja jam—but it’s the wine program that really makes this a great place to celebrate. Weird and delicious bubbles and funky skin-contact whites are just a few choices off the 3,000-bottle menu. And with two-ounce pours as a tasting option, you can focus your commitment on the person in front of you. Get access to exclusive reservations at this spot with Chase Sapphire Reserve. New cardmembers get $300 in annual dining statement credits." - jackie gutierrez jones 2, ann walczak
"Though the name implies otherwise, it was a very good idea for sommelier and owner Alex Burch to open his wine-focused restaurant Bad Idea with chef Colby Rasavong at the helm. Burch is a wine professional with time logged at restaurants around town like Bastion, while Rasavong was most recently chef de cuisine at Audrey. Located in the sanctuary of a former church, the menu is delightfully irreverent and pulls in flavors representative of Rasavong’s Laotian heritage using classic French techniques: a delicate crepe is stuffed with scallops blanketed in a nam prik blanquette and topped with a lacey tuile, while a cheeseburger pithivier is on offer on the late night menu (which is available til 1 a.m.). All are paired expertly with wines chosen by Burch; a particularly lengthy list of wines by the glass is ideal for those who like to taste the rainbow. —EF" - Ellen Fort
"A wine bar that serves Lao food in an old converted church every day until 1am? That’s Bad Idea, which is actually a great idea for a restaurant. The space is gigantic and decked out in colorful couches, the dishes like jiggly scallop-mousse-stuffed crepe are interesting and delicious, and the bottles on the natural wine list pair well with everything. This is also one of the better late-night options in town, especially if you’re looking for something like a $16 plate of katsu over rice and a salad on a weekday." - jackie gutierrez jones 2, ann walczak, adam sloan
"A buzzy wine bar in Nashville recognized as a semifinalist for the Best New Restaurant category in the James Beard Awards." - Missy Frederick
