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Credit: Daniel Brown - Bad Idea, Nashville, TN

Bad Idea

4.7
4.7
25 Reviews
$50 and over
Wine Bar

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 60 times today
Experiences are available.
  • Innovative
  • Good for groups
  • Neighborhood gem
From the New York Times: Bad Idea may well be what many seasoned diners thought when they heard there was a wine bar specializing in envelope-pushing Lao food opening inside an East Nashville church. But given the level of cooking here, the name turned out to be a self-aware joke, rather than a self-own. The concept coheres in the hands of the owner, Alex Burch, a seasoned sommelier and first-time restaurateur. He had the good sense to bring on Colby Rasavong as executive chef. He invests the weight of his life experience in food that stretches the boundaries of Southeast Asian cooking to the edge of Appalachia. And the wine list is wise beyond this restaurant’s years, mixing tantalizing obscurities, affordable crowd pleasers and connoisseur selections you’ll rarely find poured by the glass. BRETT ANDERSON

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $50 and over
  • Cuisines
    Wine Bar, Laotian, Farm-to-table
  • Hours of operation
    Daily 5:00 pm–12:45 am
  • Phone number
    (629) 729-4332
  • Website
    http://www.badideanashville.com/
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Private party facilities
    Enjoy a semi-private experience in our mezzanine.Overlooking our beautiful dining room, our mezzanine can be the perfect gathering place for up to 30 people!Email Events@badideanashville.com
  • Location
    1021 Russell St, Nashville, TN 37206
  • Neighborhood
    East Nashville
  • Parking details
    None
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Corkage Fee, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Experiences

  • Iggys x Bad Idea Dine Nashville Collab

    $100.00 per person

    Prepaid

    Feb 26, 2025 only
    Bad Idea in collaboration with iggy's. Chef Colby Rasavong and Chef Ryan Poli will prepare multi-course shareable menu to celebrate Dine Nashville. Advanced sommelier Alex Burch certified sommelier Matt Poli will suggest wines to pair with this experience.

Menu

View menu on restaurant's website

What 25 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.7
4.7 based on recent ratings
  • 4.7Food
  • 4.9Service
  • 4.8Ambience
  • 4.4Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

  • Nashville

    Best Service

  • Nashville

    Best Ambiance

  • Nashville

    Innovative

  • Nashville

    Great for fine wines

  • Nashville

    Best Service

  • Nashville

    Best Ambiance

  • Nashville

    Innovative

  • Nashville

    Great for fine wines

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Bad Idea delights with "phenomenal" food and "next level" service in a "gorgeous space." Guests praise the "creative" cuisine and "best wine selection around," highlighting the knowledgeable sommelier. The "sophisticated and welcoming" atmosphere is a hit, making it a "fantastic experience" that diners eagerly anticipate returning to.

25 Reviews

  1. Pearl

    Nashville

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    10/10. They have a great wine list and the food is inventive yet approachable. Order everything.

    Is this helpful?

  2. Jeanette

    Philadelphia

    2 reviews

    3.0

    2 reviews

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    Our small plates were better than the chicken five ways that we ordered. The chicken wing was not cooked properly and was very pink/raw on the inside. The desserts and wine selections were very good.

    Is this helpful?

  3. Cynthia

    VIP

    New York City

    5 reviews

    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Fantastic experience, from food, to beautiful atmosphere, to outstanding / friendly service. A new favorite! Highly recommend.

    Is this helpful?

  4. Konner

    Indiana

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Very tasty food if you’re willing to step outside the comfort zone a bit. Fantastic wine list and great service. Will be back

    Is this helpful?

  5. Mark

    VIP

    Nashville

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Fabulous experience. The quail was particularly good and Chris was great!

    Is this helpful?

  6. Caron

    Nashville

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Excellent food and service!!!!! Worth every penny!

    Is this helpful?

  7. Christie

    Nashville

    22 reviews

    3.0

    22 reviews

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Lovely service in a very cool space. Great neighborhood. Food just didn’t taste very good.

    Is this helpful?

  8. Jeff

    Nashville

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Probably the best meal I’ve had in Nashville during the 16 years I’ve been here.

    Is this helpful?

  9. Matt

    Philadelphia

    5 reviews

    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on January 13, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Super inspiring meal. I am already going back on Tuesday for a popup they’re hosting. Please go

    Is this helpful?

  10. robert

    VIP

    Nashville

    12 reviews

    5.0

    12 reviews

    Dined on January 12, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Our second time back. Menu has changed. Good that there are new options. Unfortunate in that some of our favorites are no longer available. Service continues to be excellent. Food adventurous and wine list is extensive. This place is a keeper.

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

Bad Idea is rated 4.7 stars by 25 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 60 times today
Experiences are available.
Google Map for Bad Idea

1021 Russell St, Nashville, TN 37206

Additional information

  • Neighborhood
    East Nashville
  • Hours of operation
    Daily 5:00 pm–12:45 am
  • Price
    $50 and over
  • Cuisines
    Wine Bar, Laotian, Farm-to-table
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    None
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Corkage Fee, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Website
    http://www.badideanashville.com/
  • Phone number
    (629) 729-4332
  • Private party facilities
    Enjoy a semi-private experience in our mezzanine.Overlooking our beautiful dining room, our mezzanine can be the perfect gathering place for up to 30 people!Email Events@badideanashville.com
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