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Credit: Daniel Brown - Bad Idea, Nashville, TN
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Bad Idea

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Visa Dining Collection

$50 and over
Wine Bar
1021 Russell St, Nashville, TN 37206

Make a reservation

2 people
11:00 PM
Booked 22 times today
Experiences are available.

About this restaurant

  • Great for fine wines
  • Innovative
  • Good for special occasions
Bad Idea is East Nashville's buzziest new restaurant from Sommelier Alex Burch and Executive Chef Colby Rasavong. It was honored as one of the 50 Best Restaurants in America in 2024 by the New York Times. New York Times food writer Brett Anderson remarks “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…[Rasavong] 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.” Bad Idea was also named a semifinalist for Best New Restaurant in the 2025 James
Beard Awards.

Why they're an Icon

From the OpenTable editors: Chef Colby Rasavong leans on his Lao heritage at this one-of-a-kind East Nashville wine bar that Bon Appétit dubbed one of its most eagerly anticipated openings in 2023. Sommelier Alex Burch's exciting, global wine list, which includes selections from South Africa, Hungary, and Portugal, sets the stage for Rasavong's ever-changing menu. Expect inventive dishes like a sausage roll with Calabrian chiles and lemongrass, mushroom tartare, and pot pie and noodle soup all served in a spacious bi-level former church with arched windows overlooking the street. The New York Times named Bad Idea one of its 50 favorites around the country in 2024.

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

  • Lao New Year Dinner Collab

    May 25, 2025 only
    Join us in Celebrating the Lao New Year with guest Chefs Jeff and Boby! We will be hosting a speicial menu for this day of - Chef Jeff Chanchaleune is a two-time James Beard finalist and one of the leading Lao chefs in the US. His two acclaimed restaurants, Ma Der and Bar Sen, are nestled in Oklahoma City’s vibrant Plaza District— just minutes from his childhood home. His restaurants have both been recognized by The New York Times & Bon Appetite. Chef Boby Pradachith is a nationally recognized Lao-American chef based in Los Angeles, California. As the Chef and Co-Owner of Padaek, Thip Khao, and Baan Mae, Boby has earned spots on Zagat’s National 30 Under 30 list, Eater’s Young Guns list, and Washingtonian Magazine’s The New Wave.
    Lao New Year Dinner Collab Photo

  • JPF 90/90 Dinner at Bad Idea

    $150.00 per person

    Prepaid

    May 13, 2025 only
    Bad Idea is proud to support the Jacques Pépin Foundation by donating a portion of the proceeds from tonight’s dinner to help empower individuals through culinary education. Enjoy a meal that makes a difference! Proceeds from the event help transform lives through culinary education, and we deeply appreciate your generous support. Join Chef Colby Rasavong for a four-course dinner on the balcony of Bad Idea where guests will enjoy a curated selection of Colby’s takes on recipes and techniques inspired by Chef Jacques Pépin’s iconic books and videos. The team will offer two seatings for 20-30 guests each All tickets are final sale, non-refundable & non-transferable. Final price is inclusive of food, beverage, tax, service & donation.

Menu

View menu on restaurant's website

What 85 people are saying

Bad Idea reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

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

4.5
4.5 based on recent ratings
  • 4.4Food
  • 4.7Service
  • 4.7Ambience
  • 4.1Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

  • Nashville

    Innovative

  • Nashville

    Great for fine wines

  • Nashville

    Innovative

  • Nashville

    Great for fine wines

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Bad Idea offers a vibrant fusion of flavors and exceptional service in a "beautiful space." With a "fantastic wine list" and a menu that invites diners to step "outside their comfort zone," this restaurant delivers an "amazing" culinary adventure. Highlights include the "mango sticky rice" and "Velveeta ice cream."

85 Reviews

  1. Laura VIP

    Nashville96 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    It's a beautiful space and really great staff. Not normally a bologna fan but the handmade bologna paired with the potato chop violin is a real treat. The crunchy rice salad with sour pork was spicy and delicious. Being a wine bar, they also offer 2.5 and 5 oz pours so i took the the opportunity to try a rose from Malbec grapes. A very enjoyable and creative meal. Thanks to everyone for a wonderful meal.

    Is this helpful?

  2. Alex VIP

    Tampa4 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Incredibly delicious and enjoyable experience from start to finish! From the service, having a sommelier come to our table and dishes packed full of flavor (and some heat), it was a top-notch dining experience. The chicken sausage dish and the ricotta mushroom dumpling were 🤌

    Is this helpful?

  3. Sharon VIP

    Nashville43 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Over the top service, food, and wine. Just go, rely on your server to select dishes and wines, and have a GREAT time. Highlights include crispy rice dish, beef tartare dish, and the Velveeta ice cream. Check out the four Madeira selections on the dessert menu as well. Bonus: they serve half glasses of wine so you can taste a wide variety from their expertly curated collection.

    Is this helpful?

  4. Lara

    Nashville16 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on April 15, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 5
    We ordered 5-6 dishes to share amongst 3 people, and we liked almost all of them! Fun new spot with pleasant flavors that got us out of our comfort zone. The mango sticky rice is insanely good and we also liked the tartare, scallops, and pork tenderloin the best of everything we ordered.

    Is this helpful?

  5. Heather VIP

    Cincinnati3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on April 11, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Always a pleasure. Thoughtful, delicious, and a lovely setting. We drive from Cincinnati; this is our third trip. Absolutely top notch. If you're a local just go. Thank you Chef & Alex. We will be back.

    Is this helpful?

  6. Penny

    San Francisco2 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on April 6, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    The famous bolona sandwich was mine blowing. The dumpling appetizer was really great. The pork shrimp terrane was not that great. It’s because some of the dishes were too salty. However the wine options were amazing. The smaller on staff was really knowledgeable and clearly has done their homework. The ambience and the decor are unique special and definitely worth going.

    Is this helpful?

  7. Jason

    New York City2 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on April 5, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    Server was very nice and helpful. Coursing the order was not good. Our only entree, a steak was served simultaneously with 3 other appetizers. Wine list was great.

    Is this helpful?

  8. Alana VIP

    Nashville13 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on April 4, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    I can’t say enough good things about Bad Idea. The space is warm and inviting with big, beautiful windows that make it feel light and open. The service was prompt without being overbearing and everyone was very friendly and professional. Every dish was delicious - including the controversial Velveeta ice cream!! Personally, I would eat their ricotta dumpling in mushroom brown butter everyday for the rest of my life. Instead I will settle for going back often to try all the other creations coming out of their kitchen. What a special experience!

    Is this helpful?

  9. Ash VIP

    Memphis/West TN23 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on April 4, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Phenomenal food, very unique dishes that were well executed ! We even met the Chef - will definitely return !

    Is this helpful?

  10. Ruben

    Nashville2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on April 3, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Dynamic menu, which is a huge plus. Because the quality and attention chef gives to all dishes, definitely try something outside of your comfort zone, and you will not be disappointed.

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

Bad Idea is rated 4.5 stars by 85 OpenTable diners.

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

  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. Nashville
  4. Nashville
  5. East Nashville

Make a reservation

2 people
11:00 PM
Booked 22 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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