From the minute I got wind of a new bar opening in the old Patrick’s space on Division, I started digging for info. The more I discovered, the more excited I became. As much as I love Nashville, lately I’ve become a bit bored with the nightlife offerings. When I found out that the owners of our wedding space, Aerial , were opening The Patterson House and had hired the firm behind Chicago’s Violet Hour to create the cocktail menu, my heart did a pitter patter. (a special thanks to Libby for giving me my first taste of Violet Hour!)
So the night the doors opened for business, my visiting NYC friend Leslie and I decided to check it out. Talk about love at first sight! The vibe is very speakeasy-esque….velvet curtains, dark wood, leather, and vintage wallpaper all combine to create an intimate, relaxing atmosphere. Once we were settled snugly into our private booth, we began to peruse the list of libations. A description from me would not do the menu justice, so suffice it to say that there is an extensive list of signature creations as well as several classic cocktail offerings. The best part is the quality– all drinks are made with house-made syrups, bitters, and fresh fruit, then poured over 8 different types of ice (who knew there were so many ice possibilities?). Because it was a Tuesday night and thoughts of work were swimming in our heads, Leslie and I sadly had to call the evening to an end after 3 drinks, although I think we would have been much happier taste testing for a couple more hours!
Moscow Mule Prairie Vodka, Lime, Ginger Syrup
El Diablo Lunazul Reposado Tequila, Lemon, House Made Ginger Syrup, Briottet Cassis
Dark & Stormy Matusalem Rum, Lime, Cruzan Black Strap, Ginger Syrup
Juliet & Romeo Plymouth Gin, Lime, Mint, Cucumber, Rose Water
Whiskey Smash Rebel Yell Bourbon, Lemon, Mint, Peychaud’s Bitters
I’m totally digging the ginger syrup. Ooh, that tingle on my tongue is so very tantalizing!
The Elvis Panini with Peanut Butter, Banana & Bacon
Shrimp Corndogs (spicy mustard dipping sauce is awesome)
Prosciutto, Fig and Arugula Flatbread
Blackeyed Pea Hummus with crackers
Tater Tots with Horseradish-Sour Cream sauce
One last important thing to know before you go is that The Patterson House policy is to limit capacity to the total seats in the bar, which is around 80. If all the seats are full when you arrive, you’ll have to wait in the front entry (Violet Hour in Chicago does this too). Lucky for me, there was no wait on the first visit and only a 10 minute wait on my 2nd. The plus side of this policy is that once inside, you can actually have a very pleasant evening without people bumping into you or fighting the crowd to squeeze up to the bar. Now that I’ve had the pure delight of experiencing this place a couple of times, I can confidently say to you , it will be worth the wait.
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Anonymous — May 7, 2009 @ 9:00 pm
This sounds like such a great place to meet up with all of you when I’m in town in June. My mouth is watering as I’m missing good night spots for drinks after being in SLC with their kooky liquor laws. Catherine
Erin — May 9, 2009 @ 12:58 am
We thought about going there tonight, but ended up at Ombi. It’s a local restaurant I really want to support. But… I definitely plan on visiting Patterson House VERY soon!
Charmaine — May 10, 2009 @ 6:22 pm
I love this! I have a business aquaintance that will be visiting Nashville for the first time from L.A. He wants some good recommendations, and I am definitely going to keep checking in here for some inspiration! Patterson House is first on the list.
Holland House Bar & Refuge | NashvilleBlogs.org — February 25, 2011 @ 9:59 pm
[...] I go any further with this post, I must first tell you that I will not compare it to a certain other lounge I’m enamored with, which is very hard to do because there are obvious similarities. Instead, [...]
Bar No. 308 | NashvilleBlogs.org — March 3, 2011 @ 5:01 am
[...] the day they opened their doors. With cocktails that are on par with a couple of my other favorite watering holes in town, I could easily spend hours hanging there, working my way through the menu. Truth be [...]
Lyssa — April 28, 2011 @ 1:21 pm
The dark and stormy was too gingery for me, but I highly recommend Vincent’s Ruin, Ellie May, the aviator, berry cobbler, and the Manhattan.
Don’t forget to try their delectable smores. House made marshmallows, nutella, strawberries, and graham crackers. It’s a marvelous mess. My friend swears by the chicken tenders, I thought surely there were better choices at the Patterson House but she’s one of many addicted friends.
A Change in Attitude: Gin Cocktails | NashvilleBlogs.org — April 30, 2011 @ 1:34 am
[...] I probably shouldn’t because up until a couple of years ago I did the same thing. Then The Patterson House came along, and their gin cocktails changed my [...]