When Alex Burch decided to open a wine bar in a cocktail town he was told it was a bad idea. Hence the name. He was also told that you need to have a certain number of tables per square feet to make your numbers. But he decided to create a roomy area in the middle of the restaurant mimicking a living room where guests can relax with their wine anyway. Alex doesn’t like rules and every aspect of Bad Idea defies them…to great effect.
The bar is pristine and clean and open with the majority of the wine bottles behind a wine wall for a sleek clean look. And the bar, with a large seating area, is definitely the star. As is the comfy living room where the renovated church windows and other wall elements can really be enjoyed. Everything is intentional from the walls to the furniture to the ambiance …to the wine. For sure the wine.
When the wine list is 20 pages and the menu is 1, you know you’re in the right place to have a glass.
As of January 2026, James Beard winning chef Colby Rasavong has moved on, and turned over the reins to David Breeden, who comes from the French Laundry.
