Bad Idea
Restaurant · East Nashville
1021 Russell St #101, Nashville, TN 37206, USA
Highlights
Lao-inspired small plates & mains w/ French technique & wine
Lao-inspired small plates & mains w/ French technique & wine
"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
"People go to church for lots of reasons. If yours happens to include Peking duck and glasses of skin-contact gruner veltliner, you’re probably well-acquainted with Bad Idea. There’s no mistaking that this Lao wine bar was a church in a past life—there are super-high ceilings, ornate arch windows, and booths that resemble pews. But these days, you’re more likely to corral a group of friends here after a show at the Basement and continue the party until 1am with golden curry corndogs and bologna sandwiches schmeared with potato chip aioli. We’re not sure if it’s the bottles of bubbly lambrusco or the late-night menu’s elevated riffs on munchies, but everyone in the dining room is living it up. And we say amen to that. 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
"Locust and Bad Idea share a knack for serving food that’s as perplexing as it is delicious. Scallop crepes, wild boar pie with marmalade, and the daily fish selection with Lao spices and lime immediately curb any sting of not getting a table at Locust. This high-ceiling space—where you can pop by for late-night eats and order from an impressive wine selection (of about 3,000 bottles)—used to be a church. So, when you proclaim golden curry corndogs to be your new religion, you can say you have a legitimate house of worship. Get access to exclusive reservations at this spot with Chase Sapphire Reserve. New cardmembers get $300 in annual dining statement credits." - ann walczak
"Coming to Bad Idea, a Lao wine bar in East Nashville, is actually a good idea. A great one, even. That’s because nobody in town is doing upscale Lao food like this, with a fantastically weird natural wine list to match. And the whole operation is housed in a cavernous converted church space that’s a conversation piece all on its own. You’re going to find a lot of interesting and surprising flavor combinations here, but not just for the sake of being showy and pretentious. See: the scallop crepe, a creamy mollusk stuffed into flat sheets of dumpling-style dough with a nam prik blanquette sauce. The mains really do feed two (maybe three), and the American Pekin duck served four ways is a fun exercise in “how many ways can I eat duck and not get bored.” (You won’t.) 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, carlo mantuano, ann walczak
