John T.
Yelp
4.5
The Bobby keeps getting it right. The hotel had a quieter opening but it's been hitting on all cylinders since the doors opened. From the dramatic staircase and chandelier to the well-apportioned F&B outlets, you can tell time and effort went in to making the magic. You'll see lots of evidence of this in their rooftop (everybody's gotta have one these days) bar, Rooftop Lounge.*
As a newer entrant to the Nashville roof game, it's not as packed as some other options... but this won't be the case for long. Thinking that I'd stumbled upon a hidden gem, I was somewhat surprised to see how many people packed the place during an early summer Saturday evening. So, if you want to check it out with some (relative) elbow room, come now. It's only going to get more crowded.
And that will be for good reason. There are four distinct areas that make the lounge so attractive. There's the open back patio with views of the Batman building and Nissan Stadium. While there's not much seating back here, there's plenty of room and on a nice evening, space to dance if ever the lounge had a private event/DJ. Just putting that out there. The bar is very attractive but not that large. The build out is cool and the seating is comfortable (not something you can take for granted) but it gets very crowded and the bar staff isn't the best. In fact, they kept me from rounding up in my review. None of the three bartenders working were very polite, observant or helpful. This isn't a good thing. You're a bartender. In a rooftop bar/lounge. In a hotel. Hospitality is #1 (even, dare I say, more important than cocktail expertise). I know everything is still pretty new but management has got to get ahead of this problem. It detracts from everything else. Moving away from the bar, the seated lounge area is very scene-y. With loads of interesting and comfortable seating, you'll want to spend time lounging, cavorting and looking at who's looking at you. The crown jewel, though, is the bus. The rooftop boasts an airstream bus in which you can sit (again, in three areas), take photos and lounge like a boss. This is the most competitive seating in the lounge. If you want it, come early and come prepared to sit closely with strangers.
But, what about the drinks? They're pretty good, for the most part. In the name of science, I tried many. Here's what I thought. Rose' All Day: the summer drink you've been waiting for. Served in a flute, the combo of rose', bitters and St. Germain is the sweet, light drink that will get you feeling good. Bobby's Go-To was the least successful. I'm wondering if it was the execution because the description was promising: bourbon, vermouth, maple syrup, cardamom, and lavender. The drink was bitter and not at all aromatic. Surprising. I'd try it again because it should have been a home run. The Entry-Level got the show back on track: gin, ruby red vodka, wine, and lemon made for a bright, citrusy fun drink... a bit too much fun. This drink will sneak up on you. And because I am just that dedicated to supplying y'all with pertinent info, I finished the night with the Sweet & Spicy: vodka, raspberry liqueur, ginger beer, and lime deliver exactly what's advertised - a sweet & spicy drink. Being a hotel rooftop, cocktails will set you back $13/$14 a pop. I'm not digging this trend at all. Nashville is not NYC. Adjust prices, people. But, I suppose, if people (like me) pay them...
Bottom line: check it out. Come ready to take photos and see pretty people. Get here sooner than later because by the end of summer, it's going to be a standing room only crowd. You've been warned.
*That really is the name. Check the menu.