Following distressing reports that Kid Rock’s Big Ass Honky Tonk Rock N’ Roll Steakhouse in Nashville, Tennessee was refusing to close in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, Variety has confirmed that the restaurant reversed its decision not to close. Steakhouse owner Steve Smith, who also owns two other restaurants in the area, had initially said he would not be following Nashville Mayor John Cooper’s orders to close all bars in the city, calling the mandate “unconstitutional.â€
Smith quickly walked back his statements after online pushback, now saying that “in cooperation with the Mayor’s office, Tootsie’s, Honky Tonk Central and Kid Rock’s Honky Tonk have closed to help protect public health.†Kid Rock himself remains silent in the face of all of this controversy, which is surprising, given his candor with absolutely everything else.