Get us in your inbox

Nashville
Photograph: Shutterstock

The best nightlife in Nashville

The best nightlife spots in Nashville prove that the Music City moniker is very well-earned. Put on your dancing shoes

Scott Snowden
Edited by
Scott Snowden
Contributor
Time Out contributors
Advertising

There is no point in beating around the proverbial bush here. If you are going out in Nashville, you have certain expectations; this is Music City. Well, prepare for those expectations to be obliterated in a flash of honky tonk and lost love. The best nightlife in Nashville is everything you imagined and so much more. It does not disappoint.

In a country full of musical heritage, you have to be pretty darn special to earn the moniker ‘Music City’. Nashville takes its status very seriously, and country-centric bars are king here, but don’t make the mistake of thinking nightlife here is a one-trick pony. Quite the opposite, and you’ll find fun no matter your preferred atmosphere. Going out in Nashville? You lucky, lucky duck. Here's what to expect.

RECOMMENDED: The best Airbnbs in Nashville

Best nightlife in Nashville

Nashville's answer to L.A.’s Magic Castle, this space (in the basement below the Johnny Cash Museum) houses a restaurant, bar, and magic performance space. The price of dinner includes the magic shows, which aren't hokey at all; House of Cards is 21 and up, so don't expect kids' birthday party-type stuff. There is a dress code (jacket and dress shoes; no tank tops or flip flops, please) and a strict no-photography policy, making this all about the experience.

Popular nightlife spots come and go, but not so Nashville's Station Inn. For more than four decades, this cinder block box has housed the best bluegrass music in the city (if not the country), even as the neighborhood around it has changed. All shows are first come, first served, and there's not a bad seat at these communal tables. It is not unusual for musicians in the audience to get called up to join the band on stage.

Advertising

One of the few honkytonks that locals still frequent, you can find good country music and cheap beer in this welcoming space. This bar backs up to the alley between Broadway and the Ryman, along with Robert's, Tootsie's, and a few others. There is no cover charge, but expect dirty looks from both on-stage and off if you don’t tip the band when the hat gets passed.

The Nashville Palace is a seriously old-school hangout with a restaurant, nightclub, and dance floor (including free dance lessons). Located across from the Gaylord Opryland Resort, it isn't particularly convenient, but if you want country music, line dancing, and more, this is the place to go. Live music is on tap daily. Remember to tip the band when the hat gets passed.

Advertising
View this post on Instagram

A post shared by L.A. Jackson (@lajacksonbar)

As Nashville has gotten its share of new high-rises and skyscraper hotels, there has been an explosion of rooftop bars. This particular rooftop spot at the Thompson Hotel offers views of The Gulch, DJ action from Jack White's Third Man Records, craft cocktails, and a fun crowd that isn't entirely made up of tourists or bachelorette parties (unlike some other rooftops).

Downtown's Broadway district is dotted with honkytonk bars that are always filled with live music and cheap drinks, and this is one of the best. However, some of the honkytonks have started playing rock and pop music to accommodate the scores of tourists who stream down Lower Broad, but Robert's is one of the most authentic, with Western swing still on the playlists, even on weekend nights. Ask about the PBR and fried baloney sandwich special. There's no cover charge, but remember to tip the band.

Advertising

Yes, this restaurant/wine bar/live music venue is a chain (it has locations in Chicago, New York, and Napa, California, too). But because this chain is the brain­child of Michael Dorf, who created the iconic Knitting Factory club earlier in his career, it is worth checking out. Even in a city like Nashville, where everyone is a musician or knows a musician, the musical lineup is impressive here, thanks to Dorf's connections. Tickets typically include seating, so you can eat and drink and not crane your neck to see the act.

Dee's took over space from an old bar in suburban Madison a few years ago, but it feels like it has been here forever. And as Downtown Nashville has become a tourist destination, more locals (and their bands) have headed here. You're likely to see some of the city's best musicians playing in a low-key environment, bringing their famous friends on stage with them. When there isn't a live band, you can play whatever you want on the free jukebox (chockful of country and rock classics).

Advertising

This is one of the newer honkytonks on Lower Broadway, but it has a real connection to the past. Despite the name, it is not a strip club! Nudie Cohn was the tailor who made suits for Johnny Cash and Elvis, among others, and this hotspot celebrates his life. The bar is also a museum, with many of Nudie’s famous works behind glass and one of his ostentatious cars, a $400,000 Cadillac El Dorado, hanging from the wall.

If you like dive bars or karaoke, this bar is the place for you. You'll recognize it when you see what is basically a large trailer painted with images of Santa. Beers are $2 (cash only), and there's karaoke every night. Did we mention the $2 beers?

Advertising

This historic venue originally opened in 1948. A classic cocktail from the dark wood-paneled bar is a must-have if you are on a sipping tour of the city… but wait, there is more. Several nights a week, Skull's offers burlesque shows, and these are not cheesy strip club acts but artful performances accompanied by a live jazz band. Make reservations so you can have a seat with a good view.

If you think your karaoke skills can hold their own with all the Music City singing professionals, head to Lonnie’s. It’s the city’s number-one spot for singing your heart out to prerecorded tracks (and has been for decades, despite a new location). Be prepared for standing-room-only on the weekends.

Advertising

The Bluebird Cafe is a place that shows off Nashville’s real music magic. It’s an unassuming room, small—and, depending on the night, perhaps even a bit cramped—but when people talk about how they heard so-and-so play in Nashville, odds are pretty good that it was here. The Bluebird is famous for its songwriters’ nights, open mics, and performances in the round. Since it is a small room, reservations are required and hard to get, and this is not the place to plan to talk to your neighbor while the music plays. You will be shushed.

Recommended
    You may also like
    You may also like
    Advertising