Nomad - Nashville, TN
Day One
We left Orlando heading for Denver, Colorado around 8 am, which put us pulling into Nashville, Tennessee around 8 pm. We changed and headed to Geist to meet a friend. Geist was a beautiful space, and they were currently working on expanding the downstairs to a more intimate area for guests. The drinks were great and for everyone. They seemed to approach the cocktail menu with everybody in mind, which is a rare feat. We got there too late to try their eclectic menu, so we headed down the street to Dino’s. Quite a few people recommended Dino’s as a great late night beer and food stop. We grabbed a local beer and some burgers with cheese fries before heading back towards our AirBnB. We stopped by McCreary Irish Pub for one last beer and shot before heading to bed for the night. We planned on leaving the next morning to continue our trip, but had such a great time we decided to stay for one more night.
Day Two
Lunch at Five Point Pizza, a highly recommended pizza joint with craft beers and daily slice specials. We had to get some food in our stomachs before heading to the cocktail tasting at Vandyke Bed & Beverage. They were a few short weeks from opening their lobby bar and their room doors soon. The theme is great! Each room is themed after a different spirit and decorated exclusively to fit each influence. We got to tour the rooms and our favorite was the Whiskey room. The rooms vary in sizes, styles, and accommodations. We got to try every cocktail on their upcoming menu and we highly suggest you visiting this bar once it opens!
Next we headed to Old Glory, one of Nashville’s most popular and sought after spots located in a historical boiler room from the largest steam cleaner in Nashville filled with cement and iron. The ambiance and design of the bar is a perfect fit. The cocktails were great, but the hospitality was better. The bartender made us some shots on the house and then even crafted a custom cocktail for us based on what we were craving. The photo booth is pretty cool too!
Numerous friends and regular have mentioned The Fox as well as Pearl Diver for bars to check out in Nashville. We went to The Fox for some food and cocktails. Never in my life have I ever had deviled eggs as good as from here. Miso deviled eggs! Deviled eggs cooked in miso broth! Seriously so good that we had to get three orders, one after the other because we couldn’t fix our want for them. The cocktail were good, as well as their cheese and charcuterie plate. After a quick ‘three hour’ stint at The Fox we headed to Pearl Diver. It was packed at 9 pm on a Thursday and the bartenders were all killin’ it. Every staff member was quick, friendly, and efficient. It wasn’t until an hour in that I realized the owner was our bartender. He was more than hospitable, even offering to take shots with us.
We had time for two more spots on our list. We decided on Attaboy for the first night cap. I’m sure most of you are familiar with the Attaboy in New York, but this one was designed differently and had a different atmosphere. The bar looked like a converted diner top bar but was inside a plain white building that looked nothing like a cocktail bar. The bartenders made us some bar choice cocktails after asking what flavors we were looking for as they literally do not have a menu. The drinks were good and the hospitality was on point! The last spot of the night was Flamingo Cocktail Club, a partially outdoor bar with tiki-esque decor and a wide variety cocktail menu. The decor was reminiscent of a cruise ship leaving Hawaii in the 80’s, but with a touch of modernism throughout the bar. This was the best decision for the last bar to visit while on our road trip across the country. The staff were really down to earth and very hospitable. The regulars ended up keeping us there well passed our desired bed time with lively conversation and shots on shots. It made the next day, which consisted of 22 hours of driving through snow storms and monsoons like weather very hard. Nashville was beautiful and we will be back!