Saddle Up to Lucky Bastard Saloon

The Gaslamp's newest 10,000-square-foot watering hole is biker-themed sports bar gone wild.

In the window of Lucky Bastard Saloon, which opened this weekend, is a vintage 1942 Harley Davidson – its owner is budding restaurateur Nicole Dahm Kelly, a former Playboy Playmate. The name was divined from two inspirations: downtown's old Stingaree district, where successful flirters and winning gamblers were dubbed "lucky bastards" and a band called the Lucky Bastards, best known for the song "Summer Day", that her real estate entrepreneur husband, Michael Kelly, was once in.

Wall-mounted wildlife pays homage to Kelly's hometown in Minnesota, while the saddles-turned-barstools are a nod to her love of riding horses. Many liver cells were sacrificed to build the giant chandelier, made from 100 drained bottles of Jack Daniel's; further brightening the space are circus lights and 38 big screen TV's.

[Photo via Yelp]

The menu features comfort food, including chicken and waffles, beer-battered California cheese curds, truffle and cheese fries, the "Lucky Bastard" burger with peanut butter and stone-fired pizzas.

Kelly has a passion for baking and the desserts are her own recipes; her signature dishes include a cast iron-baked warm chocolate chip cookie with vanilla ice cream and a crunchy apple crisp topped with ice cream and caramel. There are also kid-friendly options for "little bastards."

High-stakes card games of the past have been replaced with pool, shuffleboard and the collegiate sport of beer pong, in which the Kellys are reportedly fierce competitors.

Liquor lovers have lots of options behind the 50-foot bar; sgnature cocktails include the "Sex on the Saddle" made with Malibu rum, peach schnapps, pineapple and cranberry juice and the "Pickled Tickler" with Jameson Irish whiskey and pickle juice.
· Lucky Bastard Saloon [Official Site]
· All Opening Alerts on Eater [~ESD~]
-Tierney Plumb