Dustin H.
Yelp
My earlier review of BB as a concert venue (below) stands as is--Brooklyn Bowl is a fantastic place to see a live show. I'd say in terms of sound quality (though mileage will vary depending on the act and who does their boards, but venue acoustics are tight), cleanliness, ease of access, quality of staff, etc. that this is one of the top 2-3 venues in Nashville right now. I've seen several shows here now and each has been a great experience. I'd never eaten before, however, until last night. Doors were at 6 pm for an 8 pm show and I needed dinner when I got inside. I sat at the bar and ordered a blackened salmon entree. Menu said (I thought) that it came with fries which I was looking forward to but when plated it came with greens and bacon as well as mashed potatoes. That worked out--healthier I suppose and those greens were the 2nd best greens I've eaten in Nashville to date...seriously (number 1 being Loveless Cafe). The mashed potatoes were...fine. Not bad, nothing to brag about. The salmon was pretty great, though. A bit on the salty side but perfectly cooked with a great aioli on top. Other reviews have complained about the quality of food here so I was nervous but based on what I had, it was well worth the price and beat standing around for an extra hour waiting on the show to start. Drinks are fairly priced, bartenders and staff are friendly. You can open a tab for dinner and keep it open in the main room for bar drinks. Also--I was worried based on some other reviews that I might be rushed for time due to my food taking forever to be served. This may be unique to the concert I attended in that not a lot of people stopped in the restaurant, but I was able to order, be served, and eat in 30 minutes.
So, BB is a great place to see live music at a fair price as well as to eat and drink in the process.
My only complaint at all about BB isn't the venues fault--it's parking. The venue has no parking, so you rely on street parking and paid lots. Totally fine. However, the paid lot across the street (managed by "Metropolitan Parking") was $12 for the full night when I first saw a show here two years ago, $25 a few months ago, and $40 FREAKING DOLLARS last night for "12 hours" (though I only needed 6...they only allow you to purchase in 12 hour increments). Outrageous extortion that effectively doubles the cost of the concert experience here. No other lot in the city that I've run across charges that high of a rate.