In downtown Nashville, “nightlife” can begin before lunch.
A list circulating online names 16 Nashville bars as top picks for day drinking, and a check of several venues shows why the idea has traction. Many Lower Broadway honky-tonks now open around 10 or 11 a.m., with live music, food, rooftops and full bar service running long before the evening crowds arrive.
The list includes Robert’s Western World, Kid Rock’s Big Honky Tonk, Redneck Riviera, Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge, AJ’s Good Time Bar, Legends Corner, The Stage, Whiskey Bent Saloon, Friends in Low Places, Jelly Roll’s Goodnight Nashville, Show Pony, Lucky Bastard Saloon, Lainey’s Rooftop, Doc Holliday’s Saloon, Luke Combs’ Category 10 and Eric Church’s Chief’s.
That lineup mixes old-school Broadway names with some of downtown’s newest celebrity-backed destinations. It also says something about how much Nashville’s entertainment district has changed: Broadway is no longer waiting for sundown to get going.
Some Broadway bars are open by 10 a.m.
Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge, one of the best-known names on the list, says it opens at 9:30 a.m. seven days a week. Its kitchen begins serving at 10 a.m., and the bar remains open until 3 a.m.
Just a few doors away, Legends Corner opens at 10 a.m. daily. Its current schedule shows live performers beginning at 10 a.m. and continuing in blocks throughout the day and night.
The Stage follows almost the same formula. The Broadway venue lists daily hours of 10 a.m. to 2:30 a.m., and its music calendar includes morning performances on both the main floor and rooftop.
Chief’s, Eric Church’s six-story venue at 200 Broadway, opens to the public at 10 a.m. seven days a week and stays open until 3 a.m. Its rooftop opens at 11 a.m.
In other words, someone walking onto Lower Broadway before noon does not have to wait around for Nashville’s famous nightlife to wake up. Much of it is already running.
The daytime crowd gets a different version of Broadway
The appeal of going downtown earlier is not simply that the doors are unlocked.
Daytime Broadway can offer live music without the full late-night crush. Visitors can move between bars, grab lunch, check out rooftops and hear several bands before dinner.
AJ’s Good Time Bar, founded by Alan Jackson, opens daily at 11 a.m. The venue has three floors of live music plus a rooftop, while guests under 21 may be admitted before 6 p.m. when capacity allows.
Lucky Bastard Saloon also starts early on much of the week. It opens at 10 a.m. Wednesday through Sunday, although Monday and Tuesday opening time is noon. The venue promotes live music, food and two floors of entertainment.
Doc Holliday’s, located just off Broadway on Second Avenue North, opens at 10 a.m. Thursday through Monday and at noon Tuesday and Wednesday. Unlike some neighboring honky-tonks, Doc Holliday’s says it is strictly 21 and older.
Those differences matter. “Day drinking in Nashville” can mean anything from grabbing a beer with lunch and hearing a morning country set to spending an afternoon moving from rooftop to rooftop. Age rules, opening times and entertainment schedules vary widely.
Celebrity bars have changed the daytime map
The online list also shows how much star power now fills downtown Nashville.
Garth Brooks’ Friends in Low Places at 411 Broadway opens at 11 a.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. on weekends. The four-story venue includes its Oasis rooftop, live music and food.
Jelly Roll’s Goodnight Nashville adds another celebrity name to the strip. The multi-floor venue promotes live entertainment, dining and a rooftop overlooking downtown.
Luke Combs’ Category 10 is even larger. Its official FAQ describes a 67,000-square-foot entertainment complex in the former Wildhorse Saloon building on Second Avenue. The property has five distinct spaces, including multiple stages, a sports bar, bourbon-focused space and rooftop. Its Hurricane Hall can hold 1,500 people.
Category 10 also schedules daytime activity. Recent programming has included 3 p.m. line-dancing lessons, followed by additional sessions throughout the afternoon and evening.
That is a major shift from the simpler honky-tonk model Nashville was once known for. Some downtown venues now operate more like all-day entertainment complexes than traditional bars.
The older honky-tonks still hold their ground
The celebrity names may grab attention, but the list is not entirely about giant new venues.
Robert’s Western World remains tied closely to traditional country music. Robert’s is at 416 Broadway and currently lists daily hours beginning at 11 a.m.
Tootsie’s history reaches back decades, and its location beside the Ryman Auditorium remains part of its identity. The venue says musicians historically used Tootsie’s almost like an unofficial green room for the Ryman, while its walls are still packed with country-music memorabilia.
That gives daytime bar-hopping downtown an unusual mix. Within a few blocks, visitors can walk from old-school honky-tonks into massive newer venues built around some of country music’s biggest modern stars.
“Best” still depends on what kind of Nashville day you want
The graphic calls these Nashville’s “best” bars for day drinking, but there is no single official ranking behind that claim.
The more useful takeaway is the sheer number of downtown venues now operating well before nighttime. Someone looking for traditional country music may have a very different favorite from someone who wants a rooftop, line dancing, barbecue or a celebrity-themed experience.
And hours can change for private events, holidays and special performances, so checking directly with a venue before heading downtown is still a smart move.
What is clear is that Lower Broadway’s clock has changed. Nashville’s entertainment district may still be famous for what happens after dark, but these days, plenty of the music, crowds and cold drinks arrive while the sun is still high.
Sources
- The original “Best Bars for Day Drinking in Nashville” graphic supplied for this story.
- Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge official site
- AJ’s Good Time Bar official site
- Legends Corner official site
- The Stage on Broadway official site
- Chief’s on Broadway official site
- Category 10 official site
- Jelly Roll’s Goodnight Nashville official site
- Doc Holliday’s Saloon official site
- Lucky Bastard Saloon official site
- Friends in Low Places official site
