71 Best Nightlife in Nashville, Tennessee

This second location, referred to as “The Ranch,” opened in fall 2018. There are 16 beers on tap; the menu is limited, but you can bring your own food and food trucks are on-site on Saturday. Tours of the brewing facility are available (and are open to children); there’s shuffleboard on the patio.

This historic home--turned--wine bar in the heart of downtown Franklin is overflowing with charm, inside and out: with countless cozy hideaways within, and a wraparound porch with picturesque views of Main Street without. Add soft music and even softer lighting, and it’s the perfect spot to share intimate conversation and good wine. The center hallway is lined with wine-dispensing machines that offer 1-ounce, 5-ounce, and 8-ounce pours of 28 different wines. There’s also a full bar if you’d rather order a whole bottle of wine, small plates, or cocktails.

Green Hills isn't a neighborhood known for its dives or holes-in-the-wall, but Joe's Place is a lively antidote to the surrounding area's polished sheen. Stop in for a cold beer or mixed drink, and stay for arcade games, karaoke, TVs, and well-prepared bar fare like pizzas and sandwiches.

Broken jukeboxes, dusty lamps, countless hand-scribbled mementos thumbtacked to the walls—and, of course, some of the best live music in Nashville, which is saying something. This legendary restaurant, bar, and music venue puts on a show every night of the week, and Sundays are open-stage. Just bring an instrument, and they’ll rotate the players. For great food, local beer, and a genuine everybody-knows-your-name vibe, Kimbro’s is one of a kind.

A stronghold in the row of classic honky-tonks on Broadway, Layla’s offers an intimate dance floor and live music, often with a bluegrass twist. The best pairing to your beer can be found at the Chicago-style hot dog cart outside the front door.

This no-frills, all-fun honky-tonk is a Broadway watering hole with plenty of live country music and room to dance. Don’t miss the star-studded mural on the outside wall featuring Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Taylor Swift, and Merle Haggard, among others.

Tucked away in East Nashville's Lockeland Springs neighborhood is the Lipstick Lounge, a long-standing queer bar with a friendly, community feel. The bar has all of your standard options, plus excellent brunch offerings like Bloody Marys on the weekend. Don't sleep on the food, which is better than your typical bar fare and has a Tex-Mex influence. Karaoke lovers, rejoice: Lipstick Lounge offers up some of the best in town.

If you want to sing karaoke in downtown Nashville, this is the place to do it. It’s a smoke-filled, carpeted time warp that will make you feel like you've gone back to the ’70s. With an extensive catalog of songs to sing, Jell-O shots behind the bar, and an always unpredictable and wild crowd, you’re guaranteed to make some kind of memories here.

Originally opened in 1944 but recently reimagined under new ownership, Melrose Billiard Parlor is a classic dive where you can play pool, Ping-Pong, darts, and shuffleboard on a basement level that stays smoke free until 10 pm every day. Enjoy classic bar food like burgers, or more inventive options like fried Spam or a Frito pie, with a cold beer.

Located in East Hill in a small strip with like-minded bars and restaurants, Mickey's Tavern is a no-frills dive with a neighborhood vibe. Serving local beer and simple mixed drinks to a diverse mix of patrons, Mickey's offers darts, foosball, and outdoor seating options. Big bonus points to Mickey's for allowing patrons to bring over a meal from next-door local Italian establishment Nicoletto's Italian Kitchen.

Drawing on the popularity of neighborhood pizza-and-beer joint Slim and Husky's, Minerva Avenue is the first true bar to open in the burgeoning Buchanan Arts District. The bar has an easygoing-meets-speakeasy vibe, with a phone out front to alert the host to grant you entrance to the cozy patio. Grab a fresh, locally sourced sandwich and wash it down with a boozy slushie or a signature cocktail, all of which are named after lines from famous movies.

Neighbors has long been a popular bar in the west Nashville neighborhood Sylvan Park, and in 2018 Germantown got its own outpost of the friendly watering hole. Located in close proximity to Germantown restaurants and to First Tennessee Park, Neighbors is a great spot to pre-game before a Sounds game, toast to a good meal, or post up to watch the Nashville Predators.

An authentic neighborhood hangout as the name suggests, Neighbors is the spot in Sylvan Park to watch a game, hear some live music, and enjoy cheap beer on either their front patio or covered back deck. On the deck is where they smoke meats for sandwiches, quesadillas, loaded nachos, and more.

It wouldn't be a trip to Tennessee without some Tennessee whiskey. Nelson's Green Brier Distillery is home to Belle Meade Bourbon, a local favorite that has grown to national prominence. While on-site, you can tour the distillery, taste spirits, and shop the distillery's gift shop, which carries bottles, glassware, and other booze-centric gifts.

Inspired by the glitz and glamour of rhinestone-loving Western clothier Nudie’s Rodeo Tailors, Nudie’s Honky Tonk is home to Nashville’s longest bar. This multilevel space features a rooftop bar and is decorated with historic stage costumes designed by Nudie Cohn and worn by artists like Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, Roy Rogers, and more.

This bar serves up essential American staples every night of the week: hamburgers, hot dogs, beer, and whiskey. They don’t get too inventive with their menu, preferring instead to perfect timeless classics like a black-and-bleu burger with an old-fashioned. And with one of Franklin’s largest whiskey collections, you’ll never have to order the same Sazerac twice.

One of Nashville’s newest speakeasy-style lounges, Old Glory is housed in an old steam-cleaning facility, and retains most of the building’s original 1920s fixtures—all except the sign: you’ll find it by looking for the large golden triangle at its entrance. Drinks and company take center stage here; while there isn’t an expansive food menu, there are craft drinks that highlight fresh and seasonally available ingredients, like the Chiang Mai Fire, a mango-based cocktail that is all the rage among the summer crowd.

New East Nashville bar Pearl Diver is an island vacation in bar form. From the tropical decor to the extensive list of tiki drinks, no detail at Pearl Diver was left unconsidered. The drink menu features island classics like daiquiris and mai tais, as well as new signature drinks whipped up by Pearl Diver's bartenders. They also serve small bites like dumplings and skewers. Charge your phone before hitting Pearl Diver—it's one big photo op.

The sign touts popular local hang Twin Kegs as internationally famous, and once you try one of their juicy burgers you’ll understand why. This classic dive features cheap beer, karaoke, a pinball machine, shuffleboard, and inventive Burgers of the Month.

Looking for an intimate listening room experience, but not a country music fan? Head to Rudy's for incredible local and traveling jazz musicians, Prohibition-style cocktails, a full dinner menu filled with New Orleans cuisine, and cozy mood lighting. Catch an all-ages jazz jam every Sunday night.

It's five o'clock somewhere, and it's certainly always Christmas at Santa’s Pub, a double-wide trailer festooned with holiday decorations inside and out. Open until the wee hours with cheap beer (no liquor is served), nightly karaoke, and a house band performing on Sunday night, this kitschy pub is located between Wedgewood-Houston and the Melrose neighborhoods.

A reimagined version of a past Printer’s Alley staple, Skull’s Rainbow Room serves classic entrées like steaks and chops, ready to be washed down with a boozy blend from their classic cocktail list. Taking center stage alongside food and drink at this dimly lit yet swanky lounge is the entertainment, alternating between live jazz and live burlesque performances.

Local brewer Southern Grist serves pints and flights of their brews alongside other craft guest brews in their industrial-style taproom in The Nations. Their often fruity, sometimes sour, but always creative brews partner with a food menu of Nashville favorites like barbecue and hot chicken.

This small venue seating 100 people is one of two venues under the "Basement" umbrella (their other venue is the Basement East in East Nashville close to Little Five Points). Indie acts like Lucy Dacus and Dilly Dally are some of the artists you'll see perform at this intimate spot, in addition to storytelling and holiday events. Tickets are generally affordable, ranging from free to $15.

While Black Abbey beers can be found on taps throughout Nashville, a visit to their monastery-themed brewery in Berry Hill is an experience all its own. Enjoy a brewery tour, then sample their flavorful beers in the Fellowship Hall located in the middle of the working brew house.

Franklin’s oldest bar is an English-style pub known by locals as simply “the Pig.” Downstairs, the stained glass--adorned door leads you into a dark Victorian-style bar, complete with a Beefeater statue, fireplace, and stuffed boar’s head. Upstairs is a bit more modern, with pool tables and darts, as well as a second bar. On a nice day, the café-style seating outside feels especially old-world.

This classic dive is a stronghold in The Nations, providing all of the fixings necessary for fun: cheap beer, video games, cornhole on the back patio, TVs, and friendly staff. But the real reason The Centennial has withstood the test of time is their simple yet surprisingly good food.

Like many of its neighbors on the Elliston Place strip, The Corner Bar is heavy on local flavor and flair; its unpretentious clientele, great beer selection, and nightly karaoke make it a favorite among Midtown residents. Stop by for a late-night shot (whiskey or pool), and if you’re feeling lucky, try your hand at darts.