Is Chopper a Tiki Bar?? I'm still not 100% sure, but they have some of the best Tiki drinks I've had anywhere. Their Mai Tai (always a good starting point) is better than on point. Their addition of Creole Shrubb in lieu of Curacao really makes it a Mai Tai that tastes like it should - but somehow better. To top it off, it's served in a robot "rum barrel" that I took home with me to add to my burgeoning collection. Their "Fountain of Muses" is a cachaca, rum, & sherry concoction served up in a coupe that looks and tastes like Tiki perfection. I wanted to taste my way through the menu, but I'll have to do that on another visit. It's a great pseudo-tiki bar, filled with the best Tiki drinks - but the "escapism" escaped when the robots came in. Chopper gets bonus points for actually serving drinks in branded mugs and glassware - a feat that fewer Tiki bars are attempting these days - and Chopper prints it right on the menu: "these glasses/mugs are for sale, but if you steal them we will charge your card $100 ea." Good for them.

Chopper is a GREAT bar, and is probably a great Tiki bar, but my gatekeeping instincts cringe at the liberties they have taken. It is said that the lighting makes it better at night. I'd like to see that for myself, as we were there during the day. They have huge garage doors (that they open during fair weather) that flood daylight into the space during the day. This is another cringe point for the Delta Tikiphile.

Anyway, don't let my lukewarm review keep you away. Their cocktails rival the best I've had at Smuggler's Cove, Secret Island, and 4 Kahunas, but I just wish they'd sprinkle in a little more escapism into their robot mix.

Tiki Bar

Chopper Tiki Bar

Nashville, Tennessee, United States

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Opened June 3rd, 2019.

Barista Parlor owner and founder Andy Mumma, Isle of Printing founder Bryce McCloud and longtime Husk Nashville bar manager Mike Wolf have taken over the former Bar Luca space, to create a neo-tiki bar with a "Jetsons" meets "Polynesian Pop" vibe.

The bar itself is trimmed out in bamboo, but the giant robot hovering over it and the sci-fi theming may scare away those looking for a more traditional tiki space.

Still, Chopper has a serious rum collection at hand and their cocktails look to be on-point.