The Absolute Best Bars in Nashville, TN
Nashville fans know there’s nothing better than getting your drink on in Nashvegas! In addition to being the home of country music, Nashville is the home of bars offering anything from Jack Daniels to moonshine, from local beers to tons of other libations that make the bluegrass beats just sound better. It can be hard to decide which bar stool to rest your Stetson on when visiting Nashville, which is why we’ve put together a list of our eight favorite bars in Nashville, TN. Keep reading for more!
Love & Exile
715 Main Street (Suite A) Nashville, TN
(615) 712-9780
Is there a better name for a bar located in the heartbreak capital of the country? Love & Exile offers great drinks, amazing food, and pet-friendly patio seating. Love & Exile is a vibrant working winery and restaurant with a love-inducing wine list. The sleek menu at Love & Exile is divided between cold plates, warm plates, flatbreads, and charcuterie boards. Guests should know that day drinking is highly encouraged here. In fact, there’s a boozy brunch menu combining breakfast sandwiches with cocktails.
Hidden Bar
200 4th Avenue North, Nashville, TN
Hidden Bar offers a Nashville speakeasy experience. Hidden underneath the Noelle hotel, Hidden bar requires an elevator ride down to an inconspicuous-looking door labeled “storage.” Enjoy cocktails as a DJ spins music inside a blue-lit room after gaining entry to this blazing spot known by the who’s who of Nashville. In addition to being delighted by the beer, wine, and cocktail list, we were enamored with the nibbles at Hidden Bar. The menu features tumbled French fries, shrimp toast, charred Japanese eggplant, and a wild mushroom tart.
The Red Phone Booth
136 Rosa L Parks Boulevard, Nashville, TN
(615) 915-3876
The Red Phone Booth serves up a “prohibition” experience that makes you feel like you’re doing something sneaky! Guests gain access to this fun bar by dialing a top-secret phone number into an antique London phone booth. Once inside, guests can enjoy cocktails, cigars, and elegant dining. The polished and pristine cocktail list at the Red Phone Booth was enough to leave our heads spinning with possibility. Highlights to look for when deciding what to order include the rare bourbon, whiskey, and scotch. There’s also a collection of Japanese whisky covering Yamazaki, Hibiki, and the Macallan 1824 series. The Red Phone Booth also stocks the entire Buffalo Trace Antique Collection, Pappy Van Winkle, Macallan 1824, Macallan Rare Cask, Reflexion, and No. 6.
The Patterson House
1711 Division Street, Nashville, TN
It was clear that the emphasis is on the cocktails at this elegant bar. The Patterson House has earned a reputation for using high-quality ingredients to create modern and classic cocktails in a tightly controlled, highly optimal environment for throwing back some strong ones! We were also pleasantly surprised by the bar’s great selection of shareable snacks and “bar food with class” entrées. While the highly trained staff here knows how to create perfectly balanced cocktails for every pallet, it’s hard to deny that the ultra-creamy espresso martini that was ordered at our table is the best pick!
Tootsies Orchid Lounge
422 Broadway Nashville, TN
(615) 726-0463
Tootsies Orchid Lounge is one of those places you can only find in Nashville. Picture the kind of place where cowboy boots are simply part of the dress code when showing up to hear some live music. Beer and country rock rule at Tootsies! After settling on a booth, we soon learned that this bar is not the place for deep, quiet conversation. However, it is the best bar in Nashville if you want to dance, soak up a party energy, and watch what might be called “drunken shenanigans” in the company of some great people!
Jason Aldean’s Kitchen + Rooftop Bar
307 Broadway Street, Nashville, TN
(615) 726-0463
The warmth and hospitality found at Jason Aldean’s Kitchen + Rooftop Bar will make you glad you stopped in for food and drinks. The multiple floors in this bar offer a little something for everyone. While Aldean has made his bones on the country music scene, his restaurant boasts a hip-hop bar level that is off the chain! The menu here offers a surprising amount of variety. Diners can enjoy chicken wings, Southern nachos, filet-mignon salad, cheeseburgers, bison sliders, and more. Of course, every meal deserves to end with the restaurant’s signature Mama Aldean’s peach cobbler. There’s also a signature Aldean’s Margarita nestled between the Macon Sour, Full Moon, Ride All Night, and More Summertime on the cocktail menu.
Old Glory
1200 Villa Place (Suite 103), Nashville, TN
Located in the boiler room of the old White Way Cleaners, Old Glory is a bar and lounge that’s known by locals for a triangle painted over the door in the place where a sign should be. While the secrecy may seem like a way to keep the locals out, its true goal is to keep the vibe sweet and mellow. Looking up in wonder at the bar’s industrial touches while sipping cocktails made by pro-level bartenders was a great experience. In addition to beers, wines, and shaken drinks, Old Glory serves up a tasty menu featuring snacks and sandwiches.
The Local
110 28th Avenue North, Nashville, TN
(615) 320-4339
The Local is famous for drawing up-and-coming musical acts with a penchant for bringing down the house. The low-key, chill vibe here offers a nice change of pace from some of the rowdier Nashville bars. Behind the bar, 24 local and domestic beers wait on tap. There’s also a seasonal craft cocktail list that’s often synced with the daily specials. We were pleased to find that the dinner menu matched the chill vibe of the scene around us. The local wing basket, loaded nachos, and avocado Swiss burger all hit just the spot!
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