Music City’s nightlife options have multiplied in recent years. Here’s all the fun things to do in Nashville when the sun goes down.
Believe it or not , Nashville has n’t always hummed with life-time after dark . In the past decade though , Nightlife in Music City has bobble up . ( It ’s almost like theGreat Flood of 2010spread party plant food all around town . ) While Lower Broad brand the midpoint of nocturnal entertainment , the after - morose fun pass around to plenty of other region that are worth a visit .
Whether you ’re looking for late - dark chow , a cabaret where you may dance up a proper sweat , or just a compassionate barkeep willing to bend an ear toward your troubles , Nashville has you covered . So , take that disco music pile , reload your battery , and check out the following top spots for a night out in Music City .
Bars, Clubs, and Live Music in Nashville
Rosemary and Beauty Queen
East NashvilleSome people say East Nashville is Music City ’s Brooklyn . If that ’s the case , the Five Points neighborhood is Nashville ’s Williamsburg . Neighborhood barRosemary and Beauty Queenserves smart spins on classiccocktailsin ahistoric , yellow - hue homethat blends in with the repose of the neighborhood , making it seem more like a Quaker ’s coolheaded house than a bar open to the world . Indeed , a Nox out at Rosemary often feels like a star sign party ; however , Rosemary wo n’t kick you out until 2 am — and how many company hosts will do that ?
Red Door Saloon
Music RowIn Nashville , Lower Broad might reign as the undisputed champion of debauchery . But the three - blockage strip of Division Street , from Broadway to 19th Ave . South , match the atomic number 10 canyon for cake selection per cubic yard . The oldest and undisputed sensation of that mint is the originalRed Door Saloon . This intentionally grungy diva do up a menu of beer on wiretap , shot , and its own take on the frozen Irish coffee , alongside raging dogs , sandwiches , and pizzas .
Play Dance Bar
MidtownNashville is bless with severalLGBTQ+ barsthat are both a whole lot of playfulness and also quite welcoming to anyone who wants to enjoy a good time . AtPlay Dance Bar , the kickin ’ well-grounded organisation and light show set the mood for the frantic dance story , with the bonus of some of the city ’s bestdrag showsat various times through the evening until previous , previous night .
Santa’s Pub
FairgroundsEven as the wall neighborhood has gotten all fancified , Santa ’s Pubstaunchly continue the lowdown , recent - night destination it ’s been for more than a tenner . Once you get over the cognitive dissension of a bar that is essentially a three-fold - panoptic poke with the halls floor for Christmas all year round ( and the owner does indeed bet like St. Nick ) , you could get on with make a good time . As opposed to some business district sing - along clubs — where the performers sound like they ’re trying out for a record deal — Santa ’s is all about the fun of being a little silly among friend . It ’s canned beer and hard cash - only , so bring your ATM plug-in .
Skull’s Rainbow Room
DowntownUnlike a lot of downtown club , Skull ’s Rainbow Roomisn’t an homage to anything . It ’s the really darned thing with a history stretching back to 1948 , when original owner David " Skull " Schulman opened his lounge and watch it become the amusement anchor of Printers Alley in its heyday . The mod - day avatar of Skull ’s maintain the old - school vibration with a beautiful ornate bar pumping outcocktails , and a kitchen preparing aclassic chop house menu . But the real highlights are the PG-13 - ratedburlesque showsThursday through Saturday Nox starting at 11 pm . Accompanied by a hot band , these beguiling dancers have mastered the artistry of the tease , gracefully moving to the music and working the room without break too much .
The Basement East
East NashvilleNashville is still home to a lot more than just country euphony bars . Across the river from business district , The Basement East(affectionately known topically as “ The Beast ” ) is a neighborhood hang that pass off to featuregreat bandson a stage with first-class sightlines for viewing , even if you ’re seated behind the crowd . Catch a picayune fresh air and a nice opinion of downtown across the river between bent on the spacious outside deck of cards .
Late-Night Food and Drink in Nashville
Black Rabbit
DowntownNashville ’s late night dining scene has grow in lockstep along with its night life , andBlack Rabbitstands out from the pack . Enjoy live music , strongdrinks , andgreat foodin a historic building that was once base to Jimmy Hoffa ’s lawyer . ( Do n’t dig in the basement . ) Almost everything the Black Rabbit cooks drive at least a kiss of live flame , and an purchase order ofrabbit rollsmade with a rabbit and pork Bologna sausage ( do with swiss , Dijon , and onion plant on a Hawaiian roll ) is the perfect boost to help you hop home after a tardy night out .
The Diner
DowntownNow that the venerable Hermitage Cafe hasclosed , and Athens Family Restaurant does n’t serve around the clock anymore , belated - night greasy spoon choice have become a lilliputian more modified . fortuitously , The Dineroffers both casual and slimly more upscalefarein its six floors of dining space towering over SoBro . Each flooring serves something a piddling different , from breakfast and pastries on the ground floor to sports bar menu on the second level and a sushi and raw bar experience on the top floor . It ’s open until 2 am on weekends ( 11 atomic number 61 on weeknight ) , so you ’ll have passel of time to make your option .
Joyland
East NashvilleChef Sean Brock realise a report for punctilious intro of high - grade cuisine at his three other Nashville restaurant , butJoylandis his ode to fast food — and he ’s not afraid to get a little messy . You know how the best part of a smashburger is the crispy edges of the beefy patty ? With Joyland’sCrustburger , Brock has maximized that joy by nail theburgeralmost paper - thin , topping it with cheese , and then flattening the beefburger , bun , and cheese again on the griddle . The kitchen keeps these delightful , crispy treat come until 2 am on weekends .
After-Dark Tours in Nashville
Nashville Trolley Tours
DowntownNashville Trolley Toursoffers an easy way to see much of Music City thanks to its hop - on / hop - off service , but at nighttime it declare oneself a different , unique religious service . Two tours , start at 4:30 post-mortem examination and 7 postmortem examination , guide riders around Nashville as day turn to Nox without stopping , so all you have to do is sit around back and enjoy the drive . When the tour returns to the start point at6th and Peabody , enjoy a beer fromYee - Haw Brewingor amoonshinetasting fromOle Smokybefore put off on foot to visit some of the fun spots you remark from the tramcar tour .
Joy Ride Tours
DowntownJoy Ride Toursstarted out with a small fleet of golf game carts that made for a commodious mode to get from place to blank space in the face of Nashville ’s intimidating traffic . The pushcart drivers always offered entertaining account of site along the way — even if you were just trying to get to the liquor store from your rental property . It ’s no surprisal that Joy Ride now offers organized , thematic circuit that orbit around shopping , brewery visits , bar crawls , or even Pokémon GO . It ’s a great way to get out in the open air without exerting yourself .
More Things to Do at Night in Nashville
Dyer Observatory
Forest HillsAs a working scientific research laboratory , Vanderbilt’sDyer Observatoryusually is n’t open to the worldwide public , but a pair of times a month Dyer invites visitors in for dialogue by nonmigratory astronomers and the chance to peek through the eyepiece of its monolithic telescope to observe whatever celestial objects are at their most prominent that time of the year .
Pins Mechanical Co.
GulchBack in the day , bowling while drinking was discouraged . Draconian bowling alley owners made bowlers keep their beer far from the lanes , or they throttle drinking to their dark seedy bars that smelled like rental shoes . give thanks goodness for establishments that have realized that bowlers can safely delight a cocktail or three while sling some balls down the alley . AtPins Mechanical Co. , take advantage of afull barwhile you have fun duckpin bowling , a less intense interlingual rendition of the game that uses smaller balls and pins , and does n’t even require particular shoes . There are also rooms full of vintage television game to play into the wee hours .
The Belcourt Theater
Hillsboro VillageAs the metropolis ’s favorite cinema , you ’d expect arthouse fare and the latest first - run highbrow films , andBelcourtscreens those for sure . But at midnight on Fridays and Saturdays , the cinema is n’t afraid to get eldritch withlate show . The two movies are usually thematically relate , but it ’s absolutely o.k. if you only want to see the musical slasherStagefrightthe first night and giveSlumber Party Massacre IIa miss on Saturday . Any midnight showing at the Belcourt is worth staying up late for .
Zanies
MelroseMost comedy clubs bid at least two sets a night on weekends , with the benefit that the later shows unremarkably get funnier and a fiddling more ribald . At Nashville ’s longtime king of comedy clubs , Zanies , national touringactsheadline the weekends with local funnies often open up for the stars .
Skull’s Rainbow Room|Photo by Laura Thompson for Thrillist
Zanies|Photo by Laura Thompson for Thrillist
