I went to The Nick for the first time this past weekend and I must say- I was pleasantly surprised. Driving by the venue during the day for the past couple years gave me little hope for what I might find inside after the sun went down. Boy was I wrong. The decor(you shouldn't call it that but I just did) is so rock-venue-vintage-grungy that It provokes nostalgia in raised-on-rock kid like myself. The staff was friendly, drinks were fairly priced and India Ramey jammed some great, soulful country tunes. But if country is not your thing, keep an eye on their other acts because this is the type of place that Stillwater could've debuted Fever Dog back in the fictional day. The 3-Star rating is just because all of the regulars tell me that the crowd is dictated largely by the act, which makes for a slightly inconsistent atmosphere.
Review Source:One of the best music venues/dive bars in existence. You have to like:
1. It's in an old gas station.
2. It's open late all the time
3. Big time artists have played here at some point.
4. It's never atrophied as a place to hang.
A true institution. Great place to drink or watch a show.
This review mainly pertains to the physical aspects of The Nick. Â They do consistently bring in some pretty good acts, so if someone I loved was playing a gig there, I might consider going (especially since the smoking ban has finally gone into effect). Â
That being said, the venue itself is nasty. Â While it is cool that my dad used to hang out there (decades ago) and it was called The Wooden Nickel, it feels like I'm stepping back in time when I walk inside. The bathrooms are tiny, smell bad, and, in the multiple times I have been there, were not clean. Â It is dimly lit, has pool tables and darts, a low ceiling, a stage (obviously) and is very smoky, which I assume will change. Â As a woman, I would not feel safe going there by myself, because it isn't in the safest neighborhood, but in a group I think it's ok. Â
So, if a band you really like is playing, you can tough it out. Â Or, if you really like uber-dive bars, this would definitely be a good place to visit. Â It just isn't my personal scene, which is probably why I prefer to spend my nights out elsewhere.
(but I do love that a local establishment has been around for so long and continues to be a local institution...)
"The Nick Rocks." Â What else is there to say?
Like most places near and dear to my heart, The Nick has been a part of my life for what feels like a long time. Â This was one of the few places my friends and I could frequent during high school and frequent it we did. Â
My first visit was on September 8th, 1993 at the ripe young age of 9 years old with my older brother who worked the occasional shift behind the bar. Â What band was playing, you might ask? Â 311. Â And it was awesome. Â It sealed my fate in some ways and it definitely sealed The Nick as one of the greatest dives in the nation in my mind. Â I still stand by that statement today - nearly 20 years later. Â Put The Nick up against any dive bar in America and see where you have a better time.
As a young adult I frequented The Nick, often walking down from the first apartment I ever rented on Highland Avenue. Â I can't imagine consuming as much alcohol and sleeping so little now, but at the time it was the only way to live. Â The Nick was my home away from home - albeit a hazardous one - but one that never judged and was always there for a good time.
There is a such a thing as "Nick time" which means that the first band will go on oh...about 1-2 hours later than expected. Â Also, no food served so very smoky still.
Every night I ever spent at The Nick ended like this:
Me: "You guys, I seriously have to go. Â I'm wiped."
Them: "Nooooooo, stay for one more."
Me: "Okay, ONE more"
-three hours later -
All of us, while sitting on the front porch of the Nick: "Why is it so bright out here? Â Oh sh*t! Is that the sun coming up? F'in NICK!"
The Nick rocks.
The walls are like a rusty cheese grater, built up from decades of staple gun attacks. Home of the nastiest bathrooms I've ever seen. Customers who look like they show up every night (forever,) no matter what band has shuffled their amps in the door. Every single thing about this place screams DIVE at you.
Despite (or maybe because of?) these things, The Nick is a landmark and deservedly so. None of the stuff I've mentioned got the star taken off. The star comes off because of an actual gripe that I don't find charming like the other things: you can safely assume that ANY show will start a minimum of 2 hours late... and there will be 4 bands before the headliner.
Take an old 7-11, board up the front, dump black paint all over it, then hold the whole thing together with millions of rusting staples from past show flyers. Â Coat the ceiling with old band promo pictures, and encrust the front of the place with band stickers. Â You then have The Nick. Â It's one of the divey-est of dives, with a low ceiling and the general feel of being in a bomb shelter.
That said, it's a great place to see a concert.
It usually attracts local bands and some other un-heard-ofs- but every now and again, they'll get some better-known musicians. Â (Fishbone was one of the last notables I saw here, on a surreal day that involved taking Angelo to get his sax fixed, then having him inspect my car thoroughly when he thought he left his cell phone in there....)
I've seen this pace from the point of view of someone working with a band, and from the point of view of an audience member, and I've never really had a bad experience here. Â I won;t say the staff is always overly friendly or overly helpful- but they're also not bad at all. Â You will NOT leave hating the people who work there. Â In some cases, you may rave about one particular staff member who treated you very well- but most of my experiences have been just on the good side of average.
Beer geeks: Â Not the place for you. Â There are a few better-than-average offerings.....but remember, this is a dive. Â That's its personality. Â If you want a dive like The Nick but with good beer, try Lovejoy's in Austin, TX.
This place is off the hook! Â When we first showed up, we were doubting our choice because the outside it kinda torn up. Â It looks like somebody got pissed off with a staple gun in their hand! Â It was different when we went inside, though. Â The crowd was well rounded. Â The bartender kicked butt and the drinks were cheap. Â The bands were amazing!! Â They book some big names here. Â We saw three different bands and they all were impressive. Â I will definitely be back here!
Review Source:WOW! I have NEVER, repeat NEVER, had a bad time here- which is a big statement when it comes to drunken nights and dive bars. Â This place knows how to rock, how to serve a cold beer and how to keep its people happy. Â
The crowd is about as diverse as it gets, MINUS the chotchskie's which is refreshing.  My hope is that this place never becomes a sell out and moves to  a glitzy or new location as I love everything about this bar!!  (Cue music from "I love this bar' by Toby Keith.)...
Disclaimer: I am not a country music fan just find this song hilariously entertaining and entirely fitting. Â It started playing in my head the second I started writing this review!
One of the Best Dive Bars in the South!
I was taken here by my friend Greg McR (B'hamsters will know him) after visiting Ona's and the Blue Monkey AND The Furnace (hey I was in town for a wedding). In other words, we were there LATE and still got served.
If you remember The Antenna or Barrister's in Memphis or CBGB's in the Bowery (rip-both) you'll understand the attraction.
The rock is LOUD, the drinks are strong and cheap.
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