Nashville Best Of 2026 · Best Nashville Tiki Bar
Chopper
A giant robot hovering over the bar, fiery rum cocktails, collectible mugs, and tacos from an award-winning food truck parked right outside. East Nashville’s robot-fueled tiki bar is our pick for the best tiki bar in Nashville.
The Verdict
Best Nashville Tiki Bar: Why Chopper Earns the Title
Tiki bars are all about escape, and Chopper takes that idea further than most. Step inside and you’re transported to Island X, a fictional tropical paradise inhabited by robots, complete with a huge robot suspended above the bar and a colorful collection of tiki mugs and themed decor. It’s playful and a little weird in the best way, and it’s unlike anything else in Nashville.
The drinks back up the theatrics. The bar team blends fresh ingredients and top-tier spirits into tiki classics, seasonal creations, and signature cocktails, many served in collectible themed mugs. The Nashville Scene named Chopper the city’s Best Bar in 2022, and with our Best Mexican winner, Maíz de la Vida, serving from its truck outside, it’s a complete night out.
2019
Robot-Fueled Since
2022
Nashville Scene Best Bar
Walk-In
First Come, First Served
Island X
Chopper’s Tropical Robot Paradise
What to Order
Drinks from Island X
Order something dramatic, grab a taco from the truck, and let the robots take it from there. Menus rotate with the seasons.
Robo Zombie
Chopper’s take on the tiki classic, with Jamaican and overproof rums, falernum, pineapple, citrus, cinnamon, and fassionola. It’s one of the most dramatic drinks on the menu.
Signature Robot Cocktails
Original creations like the Astro Droid and Space Pilot come in collectible themed mugs. Rum lovers should ask about the rum flights, and there are mocktails, too.
Tacos from Maíz de la Vida
The award-winning Maíz de la Vida food truck serves Mexican fare right outside, made with fresh masa. It’s the perfect pairing for a tropical cocktail.
The Story
Welcome to Island X
Chopper opened in East Nashville in 2019 with a wildly original concept: a tiki bar built around the mysterious robot culture of Island X, a remote tropical island that exists only in Chopper’s imagination. Its tongue-in-cheek “Research Lab” even documents the island’s robot inhabitants.
Behind the fun is a serious cocktail program that blends classic tiki traditions with modern mixology. Rotating seasonal menus and pop-ups, including a much-loved holiday takeover, keep regulars coming back, and in 2022 the Nashville Scene named it the city’s Best Bar.
“Friendly neighborhood robot tiki bar!”
Chopper
Plan Your Visit
Find the Robots on Stratton Avenue
Chopper sits on Stratton Avenue in East Nashville. The signage is small, so look for the Maíz de la Vida food truck and the outdoor seating. It’s first come, first served, with no reservations.
Location
1100 B Stratton Ave
Nashville, TN 37206
In East Nashville, our Best Neighborhood pick. Look for the food truck out front.
Hours
Tue–Thu: 4 – 11 pm
Fri: 4 pm – 1 am
Sat: Noon – 1 am
Sun: Noon – 11 pm
Mon: Closed
Good to Know
Mocktails are available for non-drinkers, and the themed tiki mugs can be purchased as souvenirs. The food truck typically starts serving in the early evening.
Escape to Island X
Grab your crew, order something tropical, and spend an evening with Nashville’s friendliest robots.
More of the Best of Nashville: Best Nashville Honky-Tonk · Best Nashville Live Music Venue · Best Nashville Songwriter Venue