Drinkie Review: Chopper is rethinking tiki in all the right ways
In early 2020, Alex and I inadvertently fell down the rabbit hole into the Los Angeles tiki scene.
Along with Alex’s best friend Will, we began to explore some of Southern California’s most iconic hideaways like Tiki-Ti, Damon’s and Tonga Hut. And when the pandemic brought that quest to a halt, we instead occupied ourselves by working our way through the Smuggler’s Cove recipe book. I have a fondness for the tropical aesthetics and boozy concoctions associated with tiki, but Alex and I regularly discuss how problematic some aspects of this fandom can be.
However, this isn’t the blog post where we weigh in on the complexities of cultural appropriation in the world of commercial tiki bars. This is the blog post where we celebrate an establishment that uses an original narrative to circumvent those real-world elements all together. It’s an interesting approach, and their cocktails are incredible.
Allow me to introduce you to the delightful oasis that is Chopper in Nashville, Tennessee.
A tropical island filled with robots
The basic through-line of tiki is that you can leave your daily cares behind as you immerse yourself in a tropical paradise and sip on a fruity high-proof beverage. But Chopper takes this a step further with a storyline about Island X, an oasis of robots who also happen to have a keen understanding of booze. Taken from their website:
While on his solo quest to sail the Pacific Ocean from Los Angeles to Christmas Island, international business magnate Hiram Kneesch of Isle of Printing was blown off course by an unexpected typhoon. He found himself awash from the storm on a remote uncharted island. After the skies cleared, Hiram realized he had stumbled upon an unknown culture, unlike anything seen before. This society seemed to be based around an even older world full of strange and wondrous ancient robot technology.
Realizing this might be an important link between past worlds and the present, he dispatched the research vessel CHOPPER to study this Polynesian jewel.
Chopper invites guests into a comfortable environment that harkens to any tiki bar, but with robot-inspired design details that are welcome and fresh. The walls are studded with brightly-painted wood carvings – not of warrior masks or shields from real-world cultures, but precise almost-midcentury engravings created by Island X robots. Instead of faux volcanoes or bamboo facades, a giant gold robot is suspended from the ceiling over the center bar. It’s a pleasant atmosphere to be in… and then they somehow go and top it with really exceptional drinkies.
If anyone needs me, I’ll be over here writing affectionate haikus about how much I love the interior design of Chopper. Just look at those wood carvings! And plant babies! Such a good vibe.
We had the opportunity to visit Chopper twice on a visit to Nashville: once for their Sunday brunch, and later for a nightcap. Both times, the vibe was cool, the staff were great, and the drinks made me legitimately angry with their complexity and thoughtfulness.
As Nashville noobs, we aren’t here to give you a whole spiel about best times to hit traffic or the ins-and-outs of East Nashville. We can tell you that we did a bunch of research about interesting bars and lounges, then we went and drank at all of them, and that Chopper is one of the best places we’ve ever been. But why listen to us? Nashville Scene just voted Chopper and Maiz De La Vida food truck the best bar and the best food truck of 2022. They’re serious business, y’all.
As of the time of this blog posting, they don’t take reservations in advance. Although we didn’t have to wait for a table either time we visited, I assure you that Chopper is worth the wait any day of the year.
I feel compelled to mention in the “how to get there” section that we took an Uber, so we can’t speak to parking or ease of access. I also feel compelled to mention that located in the same complex is Chopper is a little coffeehouse called Barista Parlor that Alex said made some damn fine coffee. You know, in case your brunch requires coffee instead of booze. (Cowards.)
The Dopamine (left), Star Pilot (middle) and Robo Zombie. All incredible. Please drink these.
What to order: Seasonals are as good as the classics
If anyone is keeping track of how many times I say, “Dani loves themed food and beverage,” please allow me to contribute another shot to your drinking game. Because Chopper is doing seasonal and themed menus right. Not with, like, a lazy pumpkin mai tai for fall. But with proper, genius drinks that change seasonally. While we were there, we got to enjoy their autumn offerings, but they’ve expanded right now to a full horror-inspired Halloween menu that looks … to die for. (Gross. Stop.) Their autumn drinkies have staple flavors like cardamom and maple, and then they throw in unexpected twists like green bean cordial. Yes, please.
If you’re at a tiki bar for fruit and fire, I’ll be the first to recommend their flaming Robo Zombie (Fassionola, lemon, lime, Jamaican rum, cinnamon), which comes fully en fuego. We all agreed this was fun, complex, and really, really strong. Much to our unfettered glee, Alex’s Space Pilot (falernum, lime, cinnamon, grapefruit, raspberry, rum) also arrived alight, a tribute to The Mandalorian that’s served with a smoldering cinnamon stick. This is the way.
The hands-down drink of the trip was the Dopamine (Bourbon, Demerara rum, coconut, coffee, cinnamon, and lemon) -- a frozen-blended combination of fresh citrus and robust coconut and coffee flavors that will surprise and delight you. I also have to give a shout out to their seasonal Milk Punch XI (ripe figs, pear, Demerara rum, bourbon, smoky lapsang tea, and lemon). Someone read my diary, and that diary said I love when bourbon and rum are friends.
Now for the truly critical information: award-winning food truck Maiz De La Vida is currently at Chopper for brunch on Saturday and Sunday afternoons. And they have breakfast burritos. This is something that none of our LA haunts have figured out yet, and I hope they take note: please open at noon and serve me a cocktail and a food truck breakfast burrito.
There’s like “go big," “go home” or “go even bigger and hang a giant gold robot from the ceiling.” These are my kind of bar people. Not to be overshadowed, hanging out just below golden boi is a friggin’ delightful assortment of rums.
Why it’s unique: Chopper is telling its own story
The internet is really infatuated with Pearl Diver, located just up the street from Chopper. And don’t get me wrong, Pearl Diver was nice. We’re not here to start a turf war, but we can tell you that having visited both tropical locales, Chopper is our recommendation.
It’s not just that they’re doing a robot theme and that idea is shiny and new. It’s that they’re reinterpreting tiki recipes with their own creative spins, tossing flavors like sakura blossoms into a Singapore Sling and Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal milk into their brunch Pina Colada. They’re making really interesting cordials and syrups. And their graphic design – no doubt fueled by Isle of Printing design house from the Island X backstory above – is on point.
When you pair excellent design and superb drinks, I become an instant fan. The fact that they’ve also partnered with a food truck making a friggin’ perfect burrito and added in a sci-fi storyline only adds to that enthusiasm.
So get yourself to Nashville and get yourself to Chopper. We can’t recommend it highly enough.
The summary
Visit Chopper if…
· You’re in Nashville
· You love themed or seasonal menus
· You want a food truck bite with your cocktail
· You’re looking for interesting flavors
Must-Orders
· Dopamine (bourbon and rum-based)
· Robo-Zombie (rum-based)
· Rajas con Crema (poblano) burro at Maiz de la Vida