Lucky Bastard Saloon — Restaurant in Nashville-Davidson

The Wyck Recommendation: Lucky Bastard Saloon Rating: 4.1/5 Leather, Licks, and Loud as Hell

Intro Scene I walked in for a drink and got full body teleported to 1987. Leather, lights, and a man shredding a guitar behind a blonde rock goddess as they melted faces together onstage. But this wasn’t just a show. It was a stripless, strings-on version of sex in public. No touching, no moaning, yet somehow steamier than an after hours Cinemax marathon. They weren’t just performing. They were seducing the room.

What Was Ordered Just vibes, volume, and a dangerously potent drink called the 8 Liquor Ass Kicker (basically a legal blackout in a bucket). I think food was available, but let’s be real. I was too mesmerized by the erotic guitar fueled ritual happening onstage to chew.

Service Commentary Amid the fog machines and full body eargasms, the bartenders were shockingly efficient. Quick pours, no attitude, and just enough sass to remind you you’re in a honky tonk, not a hotel lobby. Bonus: they don’t flinch when you ask for something insane like a double of regret with a Red Bull back.

Vibe Check Somewhere between a live concert, a pickup scene, and an open air baptism by rock. The crowd wasn’t watching. They were consenting. Strangers yelling, dancing, pointing at the window stage like they’d just seen God in leather pants. The energy between the lead duo was so intense, they didn’t have to touch. They teased, taunted, and practically dared the audience to look away. Nobody did.

The Space Itself This saloon is old. Not vintage chic. Not rustic aesthetic. Just old. It’s held together by beer residue, neon lighting, and raw attitude. The stage sits right in the front window, making pedestrians part of the show whether they like it or not. Inside: black walls, worn wood, and that signature smell of sweat, whiskey, and bad decisions. Perfection.

About the Neighborhood Right in the bloodstream of Broadway, Nashville. Across from places trying way too hard to be photogenic. Lucky Bastard isn’t posing. It’s pulsing. One block from the Ryman, ten feet from someone throwing up moonshine, and surrounded by bachelorettes looking for cowboy redemption.

Hits & Misses

✓ That stage duo. Sexual tension so thick it fogged up the street facing windows ✓ Live show spills onto Broadway like it’s trying to recruit you mid walk ✓ Bartenders that move like it’s a NASCAR pit stop ✓ Loud, sweaty, lawless in the best way ✗ Bathrooms may have seen some things no mop can fix ✗ Don’t come hungry. It’s not that kind of night ✗ If you’re expecting decor, lighting, or dignity, try Miranda Lambert’s place instead

Final Verdict Lucky Bastard Saloon is Broadway's unapologetic rock and roll panic attack and I loved every second. It’s not clean, it’s not quiet, and the band might’ve just conceived a child with eye contact. If you want polished, stay away. If you want to be seduced by music and possibly the bass player, this is your church.

Rating: 4.1/5

Perfect For Witnessing a full body guitar seduction without violating public decency laws Tourists who want a spiritual awakening through classic rock and pelvic thrusts

Before You Go: Pee early. Trust me. Bring earplugs if you value hearing past 40 Expect sweat. From you. From others. Accept it. Don’t bring a first date unless they’re into public music foreplay

Broadway Culture Decoder: Window stages: Yes, they’re performing through the wall. Like a rock opera fishbowl Audience behavior: Screaming, flirting, crying. All valid. Just don’t block the drink line Bands rotate: But that duo should be protected by law. Or exorcised Cleanliness standards: Rough. The dirt adds flavor

Wyck Rating Matrix

Category Score (out of 5)

Vibe and Music 5.0 Drinks 4.2 Service 4.0 Cleanliness 2.3 Crowd Energy 5.0 Decor and Condition 3.1 Overall...

WORTH THE READ Last year, me and my husband had a WONDERFUL time here. Band was awesome, drinks awesome, staff great We closed the place down. This year, it started off the exact same way… same spot on the floor and everything. Dancing the night away when all of a sudden a 5’0” female security guard shoved her way through the both of us, with another girl, spilling my drink. After saying ‘what the hell was that’ we went back to dancing and NOT EVEN 5 secs after she was supposedly removing someone else (which would take more time to walk them to the front), she came up to my right side and touched my waist. Not knowing who was grabbing me in a dark bar at my waist and being that I literally did nothing to be touched in the first place, I shoved back. Conveniently, with her being so short and stocky, it was the perfect arm height for a ‘strangulation’ charge. I never put my hands around her neck. They then grabbed my husband by the collar and drug him out. When no one could give us an answer on WHY we were kicked out to begin with after being pushed out of the way first, we asked to speak to someone. Needless to say their security officer claimed I assaulted her after she had put her hands on me first. I’ve been to Nashville plenty of times, and never had any issues in ANY bar before this time. Never a criminal record prior to this…. Poorly handled from the start. Why is a short female working security at a bar to begin with? Being that I’m in no way shape or form a ‘fighter’ and she decided to handle me like that right off the bat was asinine. Imagine if I was a fighter. Well…it would’ve ended me in the same place. And the fact that we were outside waiting to hear from SOMEONE and people who were right by us in the bar asking what did we even do to get kicked out should speak volumes. Touch anyone like that without warning and not expect retaliation is just plain dumb. Hopefully she gets the power trip she needed to help her find a job she’s better physically/mentally fit for, because this is not it.. This place is a joke. I’ll never return. Food is mediocre and drinks you can get the same thing 50 ft away. We came for the atmosphere and it was single handedly ruined by one stout security guard with a napoleon complex.

Update This happened in August. My lawyer subpoenaed the video footage from the bar from that night and the saloon did not provide it for a November court date.. He also subpoenaed the body cam footage of the officer who went in and allegedly took the video on his phone from security cameras, who also did not bring to the court date. I now have a court date in February 2024.

Update #2: April 2024 well, FINALLY the bar decided to dig up the video we only asked them 3 times to and….3rd times the charm. Conveniently, they only brought the altercation, not the female bouncer coming out of no where— Regardless, the DA found the bouncer to be the primary aggressor. So all of this for literally NOTHING.

Avoid this bar at all costs. Otherwise you may end up paying a lawyer and travel costs to keep coming back. Lmao, Just go to Tootsies or the 17 other better places out there. So glad to be done with this so I never...

My husband and I went to Nashville for our Anniversary! Ended up at The Lucky Bastard Saloon two days in a row. The talent from 2-6 is amazing.

That's not what I want to talk about. We spent at least 8 hours at Lucky Bastards between Saturday and Sunday. The band kept coming to our table to hang out. We enjoyed the bands and the servers were great too.

We were getting ready to leave Sunday evening and my husband went to the bathroom and to close out our tab. The next thing I know there's a bouncer at my table telling me my husband needed me. I go outside and two officers have my husband cornered and before I could get to my him, one of the officers pulls me aside and said we have to leave. He wouldn't let me go talk to my husband. I asked why and he said, "your husband raised his hands to someone," but then said, "But, I'm gonna let him go." My husband is a retired Police Lieutenant and an Army Veteran. He doesn't raise his hands unless he's threatened or I'm in trouble! Later after speaking with my husband, I found out he was assaulted by the bouncers after coming out of the men's bathroom and then when they got to the door, they kicked him and knocked him down. There wasn't even 10 people on that side of the bar, so no one for my husband to raise his hand to, unless it was the bouncer putting his hands on my him. (*They can pull the video and check it!!!!) I'm sure the officer knew this and that's why they didn't even ask for my husband's ID. He knew they were wrong! Our server was outside too and when I asked him what happened, he said, "I have no idea... you guys were great!"

My husband didn't deserve to be treated this way or assaulted by anyone! We were great patrons to Lucky Bastards. This is disgraceful that they would treat someone like this. You should be able to go out, have a good time, and feel safe! That's not the case with Lucky Bastard Saloon. (*If you read through the one star reviews, there's a theme of aggressive bouncers! Definitely not a safe place!)

**Shouldn’t be surprising, but my email to their supposed customer service has not...