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

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

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2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 23 times today

About this restaurant

  • Innovative
  • Great for fine wines
  • 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

Menu

View menu on restaurant's website

What 118 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
  • 4.5Food
  • 4.7Service
  • 4.7Ambience
  • 4.2Value

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 "truly innovative" dining experience with a "phenomenal" wine list and "incredible" flavors in every dish. Guests rave about the "unique and interesting" menu and the "exceptional" service. The ambiance is "beautiful," making it a top spot for both locals and visitors in Nashville.
118 Reviews

  1. sadhna VIP

    San Francisco Bay Area5 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    A heavenly experience of French inspired Laotian fare in a former church building. We ordered almost everything on the menu for a delicious,decadent experience. Our favorites were the pillowy smooth scallops and the spicy crispy rice. The service is outstanding and cocktail and wine list were creative and paired well with the food. It’s a good idea to go there regularly.

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  2. Jason VIP

    Nashville2 reviews

    2.0

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 3
    We were excited to try Bad Idea, and wanted to like it but the food fell short. We ordered 5 dishes, including the steak. Two of the dishes, the scallop crepe and the dumplings were very good, but the other 3 didn’t hit the mark. The plating was nice, but the crudo was very bland and the flavors did not work together. The steak was also very bland, and again the flavor combinations seemed unbalanced and off. We’re glad we tried it, but will probably not return. I will say the service and people were very nice, informative and kind so that was a plus.

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  3. Michael

    Nashville1 review

    5.0

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Amazing dining experience! Unique and delicious. Waitstaff was super helpful and descriptive explaining the menu.

    Is this helpful?

  4. SuziB

    Denver / Colorado2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    This place was definitely not a bad idea… Love the vibe, the food and overall everything✨✨✨

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  5. Trey

    Tampa / Central Florida West5 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Bad Idea was a wonderful unexpected treat. Their Laotian fare with French preparation was surprising and delicious. The decor as stylish but accessible. I highly recommend.

    Is this helpful?

  6. pat VIP

    Chicago / Illinois8 reviews

    4.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Food was awesome, service was impeccable. Spent a bit more than expected, but worth the experience. Don't forget the Mango Sticky Rice!

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  7. Kristi

    Nashville4 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Awesome food and service. The rice salad was a favorite!

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  8. Kristy

    Los Angeles1 review

    5.0

    Dined on June 6, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Alex and his team are the best of the best, everytime is better than the last!

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  9. Arreis

    Unspecified1 review

    5.0

    Dined on June 4, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    This restaurant is truly innovative. Every experience is unique and interesting, and the wine list and food is truly unmatched in Nashville!

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  10. Nathan

    Nashville1 review

    5.0

    Dined on June 2, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Phenomenal dining experience. I love the shareable concept, great coursing, flavors were absolutely incredible (especially the ricotta cake and the crispy rice!). Our server showed great menu knowledge, both food and wine! Her and the stagiare with her made us feel very comfortable and provided great service and conversation! Definitely recommend Bad Idea!

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

Bad Idea is rated 4.5 stars by 118 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
7:00 PM
Booked 23 times today
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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