Nuance in the neon: Nashville has so many honky-tonks, but which is the right one for you?
Over the past eight decades, Nashville, Tennessee's honky-tonk district has evolved from its stage-show roots into an world-famous tourist destination.
From the days when Ernest Tubb, George Jones, Loretta Lynn and Tammy Wynette celebrated their success and drowned their sorrows at storefront joints to the growth of mega-bars named for three decades of neon-ready superstars ranging from Alan Jackson to Luke Bryan, these are not your grandfather's honky-tonks.
But among the dozens of spots lining Lower Broadway, which is the right one for you? It just depends what you are looking for.
Where to go for an authentic honky-tonk experience
Cheap beer does exist on Lower Broadway. Well, relatively speaking. Those looking for a cold one and burger basket without breaking the bank should head to Robert’s Western World, one of the last old-school country music joints that still holds court among the row of neon-soaked branding experiments and celebrity-endorsed complexes. A go-to spot for locals (or as close to go-to as downtown can get), Robert’s largely features country players — like bar regulars Joshua Hedley or the Western Swingers — who tribute the legends who haunted Nashville long before bachelorette parties rolled down Broadway. Come for the tunes, stay for the $6 fried bologna sandwich.
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Where to go for the best Lower Broadway rooftop experience
Tootsie's Orchid Lounge is nearly 75 years old and has seen the likes of Patsy Cline, Kris Kristofferson and Willie Nelson on its interior stages and bar tops. However, it's 2023 and the Grand Ole Opry hasn't been regularly hosted at the Ryman Auditorium next door in 50 years. Plus, for the past decade, rooftop bar offerings have surged nationwide — even Nashville's notable historic locations like Tootsie's aren't averse to the development.
Intimate, but often packed, it's the best mid-afternoon rooftop to take in some Music City history while also getting the broadest birds-eye view of the ever-crowding streets below.
Where to go for a low-key night near Lower Broadway
For those reluctant to drag another out-of-town relative to Lower Broadway, try something different: A magic show. House of Cards, a magic house dinner show located a half-block south of Broadway on 3rd Avenue, offers a respite from the endless barrage of Journey covers and overpriced light beer that otherwise fuels late-night outings in downtown. The dinner theater offers magic shows nightly, plus an all-ages Sunday brunch. Those hoping for an under-the-radar night of cocktails and conversation with friends (who don’t want to take in a show) could head to one of the city’s swanky hotel lounges within a stone’s throw of Lower Broadway — like the L27 Rooftop Lounge at the Westin or Barlines at the Omni.
Where to head for the best club experience on Lower Broadway
Morgan Wallen's 2022 Lil Durk collaboration "Broadway Girls" is an ode to the bump, grind and occasional dip into honky-tonk badonkadonk-style times found on the rooftop dancefloor of Jason Aldean's Kitchen and Rooftop Bar at the corner of 3rd and Broadway. The bar features a rotating cast of veteran Lower Broadway disc jockeys (including Detroit native Donnie D, among many) starting at 9 p.m. CT during the week and at 10 p.m. on weekends.
Luke Bryan's 32 Bridge and Dierks Bentley's Whiskey Row also feature similar open-format DJ nights highlighting country, hip-hop, house and sing-along classics, but if you're a musical tourist with an ear favoring mainstream country radio or streaming playlists, Aldean's is a must visit locale — but arrive early as the lines for entry often stretch a half-city block.
Where to go for the most entertaining brunch on Lower Broadway
Located at the base of Lower Broadway on the banks of the Cumberland River, Acme Feed and Seed is located in a 130-year-old building and offers a Saturday brunch celebrating sounds and styles almost as old as the venue itself.
Eighty-three-year-old Nashville native Charles "Wigg" Walker is a globally-traveled R&B veteran with seven decades of musical experience alongside James Brown, Sam Cooke, Etta James, Wilson Pickett, Otis Redding, Jackie Wilson and more. His 10-song mini-concert is accompanied by barbecue and chicken and waffles, among many offerings.
A Tennessean story describes the event as "a charismatic shouter backed by a prominent horn section, jazzy jump blues guitarists and a drummer able to lock into a danceable yet heavy groove."
Where is the most Instagram-friendly bar on Lower Broadway
Calling Miranda Lambert's Casa Rosa "Barbiecore doused in 'Kerosene' with a side order of 'Somethin' Bad'" sounds ostentatious. However, when the Academy of Country Music Triple Crown award-winner announced the opening of her career-themed bar in March 2021, she stated, "Casa Rosa will be a little taste of Texas in Tennessee. Tacos, tequila and tufted pink booths — what else can a girl ask for?"
Those predictions weren't understatements.
Mirrorball-style horse saddles hanging from the ceiling of the second-floor bar and restaurant? Check. Giant murals featuring pink-themed decor? Check. Party rooms that evoke having "Platinum" times with your "Palominos" and being "Hell on Heels" with your Pistol Annies? They're there, too.
Where to go for a honky-tonk experience (that isn’t downtown)
Honky-tonking isn’t reserved for downtown – and in a sea of classic rock covers and requests for rowdy renditions of the latest beer-drinking radio hit, it can be hard to find that catch-the-next-big-thing experience in Nashville. Those hoping to catch Music Row’s next superstar should head to Midtown, where Winners Bar & Grill typically hosts the twice-weekly Whiskey Jam, a tastemaking showcase known for offering a stage to buzz-catching talent. Looking for something a bit more old-school? Head to the American Legion Post 82 for HonkyTonk Tuesday Nights, a Nashville tradition that can feel like a blast-to-the-past for country fans hungry to hit a throw-back dance floor.
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Celebrity bars coming soon to downtown Nashville
Chief’s: A six-story bar, music theater and BBQ joint paying homage to “Springsteen” hitmaker Eric Church plans to open at 200 Broadway in the coming months.
Luke Combs’ ‘Hurricane’-themed venue and bar: Ryman Hospitality teams with Combs to open a to-be-named complex featuring a ticketed concert hall, bourbon bar, songwriter’s lounge and sports-betting space in the former home of longtime downtown haunt Wildhorse Saloon .
Friends in Low Places: Named after one of the most-recognized tunes in Nashville, Garth Brooks plans to open a self-described “classic honky-tonk” in the multi-story space at 411 Broadway – the heart of downtown’s bustling nightlife district.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nashville honky-tonk guide: Where to go among Lower Broadway bars
