Chef Josh Habiger’s Bastion, a creative cocktail lounge and watering hole, officially opened on Tuesday, February 9, 2016 at 434 Houston Street in the Wedgewood-Houston (sometimes referred to as “WeHo”) neighborhood. The Houston Station hangout caters to the neighborhood’s entrepreneurs, artists, and creatives seeking a nearby spot to unwind with friends. Strategic Hospitality, the team behind other local favorites like Pinewood Social and Patterson House, partnered with Habiger on the project. 

“I just wanted to create the type of place that I want to hang out in; a place that isn’t pretentious. Beers, shots, a few simple cocktails, along with some other elements that we hope will make it a great place to go,” said Habiger. “I have been wanting to do something in that neighborhood for years now. I’m very excited to be a part of such a creative area of Nashville.”

Bastion – Restaurant & Kitchen

Bastion’s 24-seat restaurant space, which is located off the right side of the bar through a secretive sliding door, will open to the public on Wednesday, May 18, 2016. The menu will focus on seasonal, continually changing cuisine with an emphasis on sharing. Walk-ins are encouraged, but a limited amount of reservations for parties of 4-6 will be accepted. Regular restaurant hours will be Wednesday through Saturday from 5:30pm to 9:45pm. Learn more about the new restaurant space.

Bastion – Bar Interior

The space, which was designed by the New York-based collective Reunion Goods and Services, features high ceilings, a long bar, built-in bleachers, and a mixture of refurbished furniture and decor. An indoor pergola and string lights fill the space overhead, which provides a patio-like atmosphere.

Fun & Games

Bastion has a couple bar games, including a vintage arcade game and the ring-and-hook game, traditionally called “ringing the bull” or “Bimini ring game.” Few places have ringing the bull in Nashville, so this is a refreshing bonus.

Bastion – Exterior

You enter Bastion from the outside of Houston Station. Bastion’s portion is painted white, but there isn’t a sign yet. The garage door has a quote from The Neverending Story that reads “never give up and good luck will find you.” Not surprisingly, Bastian is the name of the main character in the movie, too.

Bastion’s Bar Menu

The drink menu focuses on daily punches, frozen drinks, shots and beers. You can also expect innovative cocktails, hard-to-find spirits, draft and canned beers, and wines by-the-glass.

Bastion is really just a place for drinks right now, so don’t go too hungry. Though tasty, the food menu is currently limited to only nachos, which are available with or without meat. The menu may expand in the near future, but details are still under wraps.

Bastion Details

• Address: 434 Houston Street, Nashville, TN (map)
  LOCATION NOTE: Unlike most of the other businesses at Houston Station, you enter Bastion from the exterior. As of February 8, 2016, there is not a sign, but the door and garage door are painted white. The garage door has a reflective note that reads “never give up and good luck will find you.”
• Bar Hours:
  Monday: closed
  Tuesday – Sunday: 5pm – 2am
• Restaurant Hours: 
  Sunday – Tuesday: closed
  Wednesday – Saturday: 5:30pm – 9:45pm

“There are so many great people with new ideas working over here already and I want to give them a place to hang out and at the same time, get other people over here to see what’s going on,” said Habiger. “I simply want people to come here and have a good time.”

For more information, visit Bastion on Instagram.