So, if I am being fully transparent with you guys, I had absolutely no intention of reviewing Downtown Sporting Club when I went there on Saturday. By the time I left, I was three sheets to the wind.
My friends and I were just looking to blow off some steam and have a good time. We had a reservation to do a bit of axe throwing (yes, you can literally throw axes in this place, in case you haven’t already heard), and I thought it I could always use an opportunity to just sit back and relax. I did just that. Don’t you worry.
But, then I tried the frozen whiskey and ginger at this place, and sure, it was $12, but it changed my entire fucking life and my outlook on how I drink alcohol. It was so different sounding that I couldn’t resist trying it, considering I’m a #BigTimeWhiskeyGuy. I dare say it is a revolutionary cocktail. Inject that shit directly into my veins. In that moment, I thought, “I have to tell the world about this.” Once I sobered up, I realized I would actually only be telling anywhere from a hundred to a thousand people, but you get my point.
Our experience at Downtown Sporting Club felt a little rudimentary compared to the robust set of entertainment options the place actually provides. That is to say that we really just went in, did our thing, and left without exploring too much. We arrived around 2:30PM. The first floor paid nice homage to the previous venue, Paradise Park, which people were ready to riot in the streets to avenge, with a live band playing.
We went up to the sports bar on the…y’know I’m not even going to guess which floor…where our reservations for axe throwing were set for 3PM. We killed some time by ordering a round of drinks – I got a delicious Mill Creek Goalden Ale on draft (can’t be intoxicated while axe throwing – best to stay sober with an ice cold beer), and was pleasantly surprised to see they had Mango White Claws (the best flavor). The $6 pitchers of whatever beer my buddy ordered, I thought, paid a nice homage to Paradise Park as well. We posted up and watched a bit of the Alabama-South Carolina game before heading back for our axe throwing lesson. I absolutely loved the faux lawn they have set up – a nice touch.
At 3PM, they called us over and we spent about 30 minutes with our coach (Todd, I believe). He taught us the ropes, a bit of technique, and most importantly, the rules of the actual game. We did girls vs. guys, and I swear I’m not trying to brag, but I did happen to end up with the best score of the afternoon.
Strictly tweeting this so I can embed it into my review of Downtown Sporting Club. pic.twitter.com/8gfIYXmLAI
— Stoney Keeley (@StoneyKeeley) September 18, 2019
First of all, all the glory to Todd. My performance that day was a testament to the benefits of heeding your coach’s advice and getting the win as a team.
From there, it was all chill – we had a table reserved. There are board games all over the place. We happened to be within reach of Connect Four. One thing led to another and suddenly, I found myself sitting at 3-0 in Connect Four on the day. Again, not trying to brag – just simply stating the facts. I ordered my first whiskey and ginger, we got some pizza fries and cheese tots, and we enjoyed the football and the ambience.
Best few hours I’ve spent downtown in a long time.
For more on Downtown Sporting Club, click here.
Pics
My girlfriend came in clutch with a couple of high quality photos, which I was too drunk to take myself:
Now – lol – look at the three pictures I came away from that trip with – to think I thought this first photo of the fabled whiskey and ginger was artistic at the time:
Ratings
Food: 6/10 – I don’t feel entirely qualified to give ‘em a complete food grade, because we literally just threw axes and then drank for a couple of hours. But, we did manage to sneak in some cheese tots and some pizza fries, and I would honestly put those pizza fries up against any other appetizer in the city right now. I love a good waffle fry – you dump mozzarella, pepperoni, and pizza sauce on it, and it’s ball game, y’all. I’ve since sobered up (thankfully), and after looking over their menu, I’m eager to go back down and try a proper meal.
Booze: 9.5/10 – Yo, extra fucking credit for having the MANGO White Claws at the ready. Listen, you’ve already read about how erect that Whiskey & Ginger made me. But, I can understand how $12 cocktails would be a turnoff for the locals. If that’s the case, fret not – they have a nice selection of local beers to go with, and they even offer those $6 pitchers. Pretty sure I just ordered a $6 pitcher and drank it, by myself, straight from the pitcher on Saturday. Bonus points for not feeling like I was being judged for that. One of the best booze menus in town.
Value: 7/10 – I’m a major proponent of “you get what you pay for” – part of what you’re paying for, honestly, is the killer atmosphere at this place. But, all things considered, it’s not that different from a lot of the other Broadway bars. Only, you’re getting a much better quality environment, booze, and solid bar food. That, folks, makes DSC a pretty decent value. I have no idea how many drinks I actually purchased, but I felt like coming out of there only spending ~$60 was incredible for the sheer volume of my tab.
Atmosphere: 7/10 – Such a cool place. I mean, I don’t know how much I’d like being there on a Friday or Saturday night because there is a really interesting mix of middle-aged tourists and douchebag Brads and Chads. But, the layout of the place is nice, there are tons of games lying around, the service was excellent, and you couldn’t look anywhere without seeing a television. Plus, you can literally throw axes at a wall. It’s just plain cool.
Overall: 7.375/10 – I don’t know that I’m comfortable putting this in the “restaurant” category in our Nashville Reviews archives, but this instantly became one of my favorite overall spots in town. Especially downtown. When you hear ‘Broadway,’ you think honky tonks, but DSC is a nice little sports bar oasis down there. People were ready to burn ‘em at the stake for replacing Paradise Park, but honestly, it stacks up. I’ll give you credit, Clay Travis. Your bar fucks.
CURRENT NASHVILLE RESTAURANT RANKINGS
- Butcher & Bee (8.5/10)
- Nectar: Urban Cantina (8.44/10)
- Von Elrod’s (8.17/10)
- Catch 22 (Mount Juliet) (7.125/10)
- Phat Bites (6.83/10)
*Keep in mind, we’re just starting out. This list is only 19 deep at this point. Stay tuned as we continue to build our anthology of Nashville reviews.
Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD and #BeBetter. “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Nashville, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley
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