Alley Pub draws firefighters, friends

Alley Pub draws firefighters, friends

By Lucas Hendrickson

There's a quick, visceral thrill you get when you stumble across a place that's just the slightest bit out of the way.

There's a secondary triumphant moment when you realize the regulars in said place tend to fall into a certain category.

Nashville has plenty of [insert type of person/profession] bars, most revolving around music and/or college students, but certainly a number of biker, professional or hipster bars dot the landscape.

The Alley Pub in Bellevue is (a) just slightly out-of-the- way and (b) an honest-to-god fireman's bar.

Tucked into the back side of the retail space at the northeast corner of the intersection of Highway 70 South and Old Hickory Boulevard in Bellevue, the Alley Pub is a hole in the wall, in by far the nicest way possible.

You wouldn't even know it was there unless you were looking for it, unless it's a weekend night and you wonder why all these cars are parked along what would look to be, naturally, an alley.

But when you step through the door, you immediately feel the neighborhood atmosphere inside the open, well-thought-out and frequently packed interior.

The Alley Pub is a cousin in the Corner Pub family of bars/restaurants, so the menu is a surprisingly diverse selection of bar foods, including steamed sandwiches (a Knoxville favorite, consisting of your choice of meats and cheese, heated along with a hoagie roll in a steamer, then topped with lettuce, onions, et. al.), and a wide selection of wraps, burgers and chicken sandwiches.

Try the Bellevue Buffalo Chicken sandwich if you're looking for something with a spicy kick (although nothing that can't be handled by a fine selection from one of their 10-plus taps), or the Blue Cheese Burger if you're in the mood for something a little more subtle. Big Brad's Roast Beef is another favorite, alongside generous servings of gargantuan onion rings.

Yes, there is a sports bar feel to the place, what with the half-dozen or so prominently displayed flat-screens, and yes, if you're a fan of Alabama-spawned sports (either flavor) you're going to find kindred spirits here.

But Friday nights feature live music, and besides, having a place like this on the west side simply expands the after-work, early weekend options for those not looking to fight the crowds downtown, much less cross the river.