Cheers, y’all.
Nashville knows how to do a lot of things really well. Songwriting, rocking raw denim, detecting the subtle notes of coffee, “doing life” with each other; the list goes on. One of our biggest strengths? Drankin’! We have some pretty amazing bars in our city, and we want to make sure we celebrate them (though it’s almost impossible to narrow it down to some of our faves – check out all the neighborhood drinking spots here). First up – East Nashville!
missing or outdated ad config_____________________________________________________________________
The Romantic Bar
Holland House Bar & Refuge
WHO YOU’LL SEE:
Some guy who works in the music industry (probably a tour manager named “Asher” or “Graham”) on a date with a girl who works at a high-end niche boutique in 5 Points (who probably wears combat boots with sundresses). The Smiths will come up at least five times in conversation.
WHAT TO DRINK:
Holland House has some A+ cocktails that rotate pretty frequently, but you can’t go wrong with a Manhattan. If you’re feeling something a little sweeter, try the Chelsea Sidecar – pink with sugar on the rim! Hungry? The truffle fries are on point, and the mussels are a fancy favorite.
VIBE:
East Nashville has its fair share of romantic spots, but Holland House is a local go-to for date night. Low-lit with a classic Prohibition-era vibe, the lilac walls and twinkly lights will have you feelin’ the love. Mixologists really know their stuff here, and there are plenty of intimate seating options near the expansive rectangular bar. If you’re lucky enough to catch a glimpse of the back room (or get a chance to book it – you’ll need a fat wallet), brace yourself: you might not be able to handle the gorgeousness.
_____________________________________________________________________
The GNO Bar
The 5 Spot
WHO YOU’LL SEE:
A gaggle of girls (at least two will be named “Ashley”) and/or a legion of bros (but the cool kind). They will be drinking either gin and tonics, whiskey, or taking trendy shots – think pickelbacks. Their day jobs might be in marketing/sales/etc., but tonight they’re letting loose.
WHAT TO DRINK:
Whatever kind of alcohol makes you dance. You’ll want to shake your groove thing, and if you’re there on a Monday for Motown Mondays, we highly suggest getting a mixed drink – the drink special discount is awesome. Bottoms up!
VIBE:
The 5 Spot is a party bar. Not in a stressful or lame way; this place has captured the laidback East Nashville-cool and gives us super fun nights of pure dancin’ joy! There are few places where you can go and get your groove on that don’t feel like a club from the Jersey Shore, but this is the place. Grab your girls or your guys and head out for a night of fun – especially on Mondays, when they play Motown hits all night long! The social scene is a blast, and you’ll come away with at least four new friends, guaranteed.
_____________________________________________________________________
The Sports Bar
Beyond The Edge
WHO YOU’LL SEE:
A guy named Mark who has lived in East Nashville for 15 years (spoiler alert: he has a lot of stories about witnessing crimes near Dickerson Pike). He loves a good flannel, roots for his hometown of Chicago, and likes his wings pipin’ hot.
WHAT TO DRINK:
BEER. There are very frequent 2-for-1 specials, and with local beer on tap, this is a great place to try out some new ones! If you’re hungry, you can’t go wrong with some classic sports bar wings. YUM.
VIBE:
Beyond The Edge has a local vibe that you just can’t fake. The familiarity of the crowd, the friendliness of the bartenders: as far as sports bars go, we just don’t think it gets any better. There are tons of pool tables, TVs, plenty of space, and a jukebox for when your team is winning and you really want to jam to “Eye Of The Tiger”. Pro tip: be ok with smoke if you want to visit. It’s allowed inside! Also, local fan groups for out-of-state teams call this bar home; a Chicago Bears group can be seen cheering on Da Bears regularly during football season. (DITCA)
_____________________________________________________________________
The Singles Bar
No. 308
WHO YOU’LL SEE:
A cool guy named Johnny with a tat sleeve and a juke haircut. He just got out of a long relationship, loves a whiskey sour, and has settled into his career at 33. Across the room, we’ve got Molly – she’s kicking ass and running her own business, just got bangs and doesn’t know how she feels about it yet, and used to study opera.
WHAT TO DRINK:
As far as cocktails go, these drinks are pretty elaborate. You can’t go wrong with El Chapo or Blackbird’s Beard.
VIBE:
No. 308 has a mature vibe, and the crowd usually consists of 30 something sophisticates. East Nashville must have something in the water though, because we’re convinced its residents don’t age a day past thirty (and every dude has just a little bit of gray in his hair, making it impossible to guess age without asking). The low-lit space has really cool decor, adorned with taxidermied animals, much like Jack White’s Third Man Records. This is the place to go if you’re looking to meet other singles, but not feel like you’re seeing the worst parts of Tinder come to life. When people are on the prowl here, they’re at least classy about it.
_____________________________________________________________________
The Last Stop Bar
Dino’s
WHO YOU’LL SEE:
All kinds of people. Old guys reading the paper, a big drunk group at the end of a night out playing Quarters, hipsters instagramming their authentic dive bar experience; the list goes on.
WHAT TO DRINK:
Dino’s has beer. That’s it. The true-blue dive bar has a longstanding history of dirt cheap PBR – join the tradition, champ!
VIBE:
Dino’s is the oldest dive bar in East Nashville, and you can tell (in the best way). Around for over 100 years, Dino’s has cemented it’s place in Nashville history by bringing us the greasiest burgers and coldest beer for about a century. Yeah, the change of ownership over the last year has been a bit jarring – we will always miss Rick and his classic dive bar ‘tude – but the #stilldinos campaign by new owner Miranda Whitcomb Pontes (owner of other Nashville ventures Josephine, Burger Up, & Prima) strives to keep the same vibe. Roll up to the this place after a night of bar hopping and get yourself some cheap and delicious pre-hangover food. You’ll be happy you did.