Need-to-Know: KSR at the SEC Tournament

Kentucky’s run in the SEC Tournament starts sooner than we all expected, but we’re doing our best not to let it dampen our spirits. KSR will have several sets of boots on the ground in Nashville this week to cover the Cats’ run, both inside Bridgestone Arena and out on Broadway.

Kentucky fans aren’t the only ones hoping the Cats make some noise in Music City. Bar owners on Broadway have their fingers crossed for Kentucky to make it to Saturday for the first time since 2019. If you’ve been in Nashville since then, you know it’s a caricature of its former self, with celebrity bars dominating the main strip and sky-high drink prices to match. Still, when the Cats are winning, there’s no better place to be, and when they lose, it provides plenty of distractions and opportunities to drown your sorrows.

The schedule this year is a little different. Here is what you need to know about KSR’s setup this week, as well as a few tips and recommendations from yours truly. (The city is growing too fast for flowcharts!)

DOWNTOWN

Assembly Food Hall: Of all the changes downtown, this is one the locals actually like. Assembly Food Hall is a massive food court with local eateries (Prince’s Hot Chicken, The Pharmacy, Thai Esane, Radish), several bars, and a giant rooftop. It’s part of the 5th & Broadway shopping complex right across from Bridgestone. This is something downtown desperately needed and a great option if you don’t have a reservation somewhere, want a quick bite, or you’re with a big group. There are also several standalone restaurants outside of the complex (Eddie V’s, Boqueria, Blanco Cantina, Twelve-Thirty Club, Hattie B’s, Shake Shack) and Sixty Vines, a wine and tapas bar, on the roof.

Nice Dinner (Good luck if you haven’t made a reservation on OpenTable or Resy): Bourbon Steak, Yolan, Jeff Ruby’s, Harper’s, Druise & Darr, Etch, Bricktop’s, Black Rabbit

Good breakfast/brunch: Liberty Common, Pancake Pantry (there’s one downtown now), Biscuit Love (Gulch), Milk & Honey (Gulch), The Finch, Two Hands

Cheap eats: You can never go wrong with the Recession Special at Robert’s, a fried bologna sandwich, chips, a Moon Pie, and a PBR for just $6.

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NEARBY NEIGHBORHOODS

Downtown Nashville can be a lot. If you need a break from the madness and/or want to check out the real Nashville, hop in an Uber or Lyft and head to one of the great neighborhoods just outside downtown. East Nashville, Germantown, 12 South, and WeHo are all a short drive from Broadway and include tons of great restaurants and bars. For a fun Saturday night, pick a restaurant and a nearby brewery and enjoy yourself.

Nice dinner: Butcher & Bee (East Nashville), Lockeland Table (East Nashville), Noko (East Nashville), The Optimist (Germantown), Iggy’s (WeHo), Locust (12th South)

Casual dinner: Five Points Pizza (East Nashville, West Nashville), BarTaco (East Nashville, 12 South), Edley’s (East Nashville, 12 South), Joyland (East Nashville), Dicey’s Tavern (WeHo), Jack Brown’s Beer & Burger Joint (Germantown, Edgehill), International Market (Belmont)

Good breakfast/brunch: Snooze (East Nashville), Butter Milk Ranch (12 South), Cafe Roze (East Nashville), Hearts (East Nashville, 12 South)

Good lunch: Turkey & the Wolf (East Nashville), Little Hats Italian Market (Germantown, Hillsboro Village, Cool Springs)

Best breweries: Smith & Lentz (East Nashville), Bearded Iris (Germantown, West Nashville), Monday Night Brewing Co. (Germantown), Southern Grist (East Nashville, Nations), Tennessee Brew Works (SoBro), New Heights, Marble Fox (Gulch)

• If you’re a beer nerd, check out the Music City Brew Hop, a trolley that goes to all the good breweries in town. They also have a walking tour. This could be a good option if Kentucky loses early and you want to stick around for the weekend.

If you have any questions on where to eat, drink, or hang out, please feel free to reach out to me on Twitter (@MrsTylerKSR) or on KSBoard, where we’ll be sharing recommendations all week.

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PARKING, ARENA POLICIES

The Nashville Public Library garage used to be the best option to park downtown, but it has been closed since a fire last summer. If you’re willing to walk a bit, you can park at the Metro Courthouse Garage for decent rates. The Music City Center garage on Demonbreun is another good option near the arena, but their special event rate will probably be $25+ on game days.

You can also prebook parking with one of these apps: Parking.com, SpotHero, ParkWhiz. They show you all the cheapest garages/lots near Bridgestone Arena and allow you to reserve a spot. If you don’t want to worry about parking or driving, Uber/Lyft is the way to go, but beware of surge pricing.

Gates will open to the public at Bridgestone Arena at 10:15 a.m. CT on Wednesday and Thursday, 10:45 a.m. CT on Friday and Saturday, and 10:30 a.m. CT on Sunday. This has been the case for many years now, but if you’re going to the game, keep the SEC’s Clear Bag Policy in mind.

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KSR Schedule

Wednesday: Live from Lexington

Matt Jones, Ryan Lemond, and Shannon the Dude will not be in Nashville for Kentucky vs. LSU. They will do the show from Lexington and Louisville instead, stopping in Bowling Green to watch the game on the drive down.

Because of the 12:30 p.m. ET tip, the official pregame show will start at 11 a.m. ET. KSR will start at 9 a.m. ET, the usual start time for the KSR Preshow. It will run from 9-11 a.m. ET.

Thursday morning: KSR at Tin Roof Broadway

Tin Roof Broadway, 316 Broadway

The annual SEC Tournament show will take place Thursday morning at Tin Roof Broadway, win or lose. If Kentucky beats LSU, it will follow Wednesday’s schedule, starting at 9 a.m. ET and running through 11 a.m. ET. If Kentucky loses to LSU, the show will start at its normal time of 10 a.m. ET, with the KSR Preshow starting at 9 a.m. ET. If Kentucky makes it to Friday, the show will end at 11:30 a.m. ET, as the quarterfinal game doesn’t tip off until 1 p.m. ET.

Doors will open early at Tin Roof. I suggest you get in line early because this is always one of our biggest shows of the year. Postgame show locations are TBD. Follow @KSRTHESHOW on Twitter/X for updates.

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Other Events

Wednesday morning: Nashville UK Alumni Association Bar Crawl

You can’t party all day unless you start in the morning, right? The Nashville UK Alumni Club is hosting a bar crawl on Broadway starting at 9:30 a.m. ET. $15 from every ticket supports the Nashville UK Alumni Club Scholarship Fund, and there will be exclusive drink specials at participating locations. Your bar crawl wristband unlocks drink specials all day ($3 to $5 at some places!). You can register here.

Wednesday morning: UK Alumni Association Pregame Party

Assembly Food Hall Skydeck, 5055 Broadway

The UK Alumni Association is hosting an SEC Tournament Pregame Party and Pep Rally starting at 8:30 a.m. CT on the Skydeck (3rd floor) of Assembly Food Hall across from Bridgestone Arena. There will be live music and performances by the UK pep band, dance team, and cheerleaders, and appearances by Jack “Goose” Givens and Tom Leach, who will be signing books during the event.

The cost to attend is $30 per person in advance or $35 at the door, with free admission for children 12 and under. There will be a breakfast buffet and UK giveaways while supplies last. You can register for the pregame party and pre-order books here. All proceeds from the event will benefit the Greater Nashville UK Alumni Club scholarship fund.

Thursday afternoon: Alice Blue Gown concert

Tin Roof Broadway, 316 Broadway

If Kentucky makes it to Thursday and beats Missouri, what better way to celebrate than by partying with Alice Blue Gown? Shannon the Dude’s band will be performing at Tin Roof Broadway from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. CT on Thursday. After we wrap up our work, we’ll see you there.

Friday and Saturday: SEC Party in the Park

Walk of Fame Park

If Kentucky makes it to Friday, you can also check out the SEC Party in the Park at the Music City Walk of Fame Park across Rep. John Lewis Way from Bridgestone Arena. There will be a video screen to watch the games, a DJ, live music performances, food trucks, beer stands, and more. It’s free and starts at 10 a.m. CT each day.

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Weather

It wouldn’t be a post about Nashville if there weren’t a PSA about severe weather. Storms are expected to come through the region on Wednesday afternoon and evening. Right now, the timeline has the line moving in around 3 p.m. CT on Wednesday, with some pop-up storms possible in the morning. That could change, so keep an eye on your weather app or Nashville Severe Wx on Twitter/X or Instagram if you’re making the trip down, and pack a raincoat.

The good news is that Thursday, Friday, and Saturday all look dry, with highs ranging from mid-50s on Thursday to around 70 on Friday and Saturday. Sunday will be even warmer, with storms moving in at night.

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