Nashville’s streets are overflowing with bars and restaurants, but if you stand on lower Broadway, you can’t throw a rock without hitting a celebrity-owned bar. Music City’s bar scene has over a dozen watering holes conceived by famous recording artists. And you don’t have to be a country fan to get down at Nashville’s celebrity bars, either. There’s something for everyone on Broadway, from gritty honky-tonks to upscale supper clubs and plenty of rooftop bars that make the perfect perch for people-watching.
So next time you’re in downtown Nashville, add one (or a few) of these superstar saloons to your bar crawl. Whether your main priority is boozy beverages, live music, or mouthwatering food, there’s a celebrity bar for you on Broadway. If you’re lucky, you might even run into a celebrity or two at a bar on this star-studded street. Here are some Nashville celebrity bars you need to visit.
The Twelve Thirty Club
The Twelve Thirty Club / Facebook
When you think of celebrity-owned bars in Music City, you probably picture country music stars. While you would be right on the money in most cases, The Twelve Thirty Club bucks that trend. Restauranteur Sam Fox, in partnership with pop music superstar Justin Timberlake, had this three-level restaurant and bar styled after 19th-century Art Deco supper clubs, so the vibe is more suit and tie than boots and spurs.
The first level is an upscale honky-tonk featuring live music from three up-and-coming country artists per day. There, you can sip drinks like the Queen of Hearts, an upscale twist on the zesty paloma cocktail, and munch on bar fare like burgers, tacos, and fried chicken. You’ll find the full restaurant on the Supper Club level, where you can enjoy cocktails like the decadent spicy margarita with reposado tequila and espelette peppers along with seafood and steakhouse favorites while you listen to two live artists per night. Make your way up to The Rooftop for the Saddle Up 69 Sangria for four and snacks like Lebanese hummus, dry-rubbed wings, and short rib potstickers, plus music from live DJs all day.
The Twelve Thirty Club serves brunch at the Honky Tonk and Rooftop on Saturdays and Sundays starting at 10 a.m. There’s a limited laid-back menu downstairs and a more extensive selection of food and drinks up top with bloody marys, mimosas, and more.
thetwelvethirtyclub.com
(629) 236-0001
550 Broadway, Nashville, TN 37203
Whiskey Row
Dierks Whiskey Row – Nashville / Facebook
Dierks Bentley, a CMA Award-winning country music singer and songwriter, brought his Scottsdale, Arizona-based bar and restaurant to Nashville in 2018. This American gastropub features two storeys of food, drinks, and music, and the tallest rooftop bar in Nashville. On the first floor, you’ll hear the latest country hits performed live in a comfy sit-down restaurant with wings, sliders, and mac and cheese with poblano peppers and bacon bread crumbs, along with signature cocktails like Dierks’ Lemonade with Jack Daniel’s whiskey and muddled raspberries. For more of a nightclub vibe, head up to the second floor for more food, drinks, and a live DJ. But for the real Whiskey Row experience, you’ll have to check out the rooftop bar, where you can sip on a back porch cooler while you take in the Nashville skyline.
Dust off your dancing shoes and get down to Whiskey Row for line dancing every night. The restaurant also serves lunch and dinner seven days a week, and Bentley’s Brunch Fridays to Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The brunch menu features tasty brunch cocktails and all Whiskey Row’s signature drinks, plus satisfying entrees like the Southern breakfast burrito and Dierks’ Potato Hash with bacon and sweet jalapeños.
dierkswhiskeyrow.com/nashville-tn
(629) 203-7822
400 Broadway, Nashville, TN 37203
Kid Rock’s Big Ass Honky Tonk and Rock ‘n’ Roll Steakhouse
Kid Rock’s Big Honky Tonk and Rock n’ Roll Steakhouse / Facebook
Country rocker Kid Rock opened his namesake Honky Tonk and Rock ‘n’ Roll Steakhouse with Al Ross and Steve Smith, the brains behind other popular Broadway bars like Tootsie’s and Honky Tonk Central, in 2018. This bar’s unique vibe spans four live music stages, including the two-storey main stage, and six bars spread out across four monstrous floors and a fifth-storey rooftop bar with killer views of Nashville. Each floor is surrounded by massive windows that open, turning the whole building into a giant patio when the weather is nice.
When you go to Kid Rock’s for a drink, you’ll have your choice of local beers from Hap & Harry’s Tennessee Lager and Yazoo, plus cocktails like Leah’s Key Lime Pie with Whipped vodka, lime juice, and Sprite, the Detroit Rock City Mule, and Sweet Southern Sugar with peach vodka and orange juice. If you’re looking for a good meal, you can’t go wrong at Kid Rock’s. Food offerings at this rocking Nashville steakhouse are a combination of classic steakhouse fare and sports bar entrees and appetizers. You can snack on nachos, fill up on burgers, or gorge yourself on the monster 36-ounce tomahawk ribeye.
kidrockshonkytonkandsteakhouse.com
(615) 248-2706
221 Broadway, Nashville, TN 37201
Ole Red
Ole Red Nashville / Facebook
Country music superstar Blake Sheldon named his Nashville bar and restaurant after the song that catapulted him to stardom in 2002. Ole Red is the place to go if you’re looking to get up close and personal with upcoming country talent. The venue features live music daily from open to close, with four or more performances every day of the week — three on the main stage, and one at The Lookout, Ole Red’s rooftop bar with stunning views of the Nashville skyline.
Specialty drinks include the Spring Blake Margarita, Hillbilly Seltzer (with vodka, mango liqueur, and soda), and No Vacancy Red Sangria, plus mocktails, beer, and wine. If you really want to turn up, Ole Red also serves signature shots, like the Coastal Cowgirl with coconut rum, strawberry puree, and pineapple juice, and the Blue Water with blue curaçao liqueur. When you get hungry, snack on burnt ends and Redneck Nachos or fill up on a Blue Tick Burger, Shelton’s Frisco Melt, and Honey Bee Hot Chicken & Waffles.
While you’re there, grab some Blake Shelton merchandise at the gift shop. And if your Nashville itinerary is just too packed to get to Ole Red while you’re in town, you can visit on your way out at the Nashville airport.
olered.com/nashville
(615) 780-0900
300 Broadway, Nashville, TN 37201
AJ’s Good Time Bar
AJ’s Good Time Bar / Facebook
Classic country legend Alan Jackson, one of the all-time top selling artists in the U.S., opened AJ’s Good Time Bar in 2016. Located in the oldest building on Broadway, AJ’s boasts four floors of live music, bars, and Alan Jackson memorabilia. AJ’s is a truly authentic Nashville honky-tonk experience in every possible way. You won’t find any fancy cocktail menus here — you’ll have to mosey up to the bar and tell them what you want. But what you will find is good drinks, good music, and good times on every floor, with live music from AJ’s Artists, future country music stars who perform at AJ’s daily.
AJ’s Honky Tonk on the first floor keeps it country with wood paneling, writing on the wall, and an American flag on the ceiling. The second floor, AJ’s G.T. Bar, has more of a hole-in-the-wall sports bar feel with hubcaps and license plates on the wall alongside the TVs playing the Titans, Predators, and other in-demand games. The Hullbilly Karaoke Bar on the third floor hosts karaoke every night at 7 p.m., and the bartenders serve drinks out of a landlocked boat. But the icing on the cake is AJ’s Star Bar, the rooftop bar with plenty of room to sit back and relax with a drink while you look out over the city below.
ajsgoodtimebar.com
(615) 678-4808
421 Broadway, Nashville, TN 37203
Casa Rosa Tex Mex Cantina
Casa Rosa / Facebook
Broadway is booming with bars and restaurants owned by male country music stars, but Casa Rosa stands among them as the only woman-owned celebrity bar in Nashville. Country music star Miranda Lambert’s Casa Rosa offers four floors of bars, two live music stages, and some of the best Tex-Mex recipes in Nashville. The ambiance exemplifies Lambert’s country girl vibe with hot pink neon lights and plush seats alongside oil drum tables, exposed brick, and open industrial ceilings.
While you’re there, you can enjoy drinks from the cantina like Mama’s Broken Heart made with ancho chile liqueur, Gunpowder & Lead with bourbon, agave, and bitters, and Hell on Heels, a concoction featuring vodka and St. Germain, plus a massive selection of popular tequila. Standout menu items include a wide range of tacos, Miranda’s Hot Chicken and Waffle, and a surf and turf chimichanga. You can enjoy it all in the intimate booths and umbrella tables on the cozy rooftop patio.
At Casa Rosa, you’ll hear live music on both stages from open to close, seven days a week. The restaurant is open to all ages until 8:30 p.m. on the main and restaurant floors, and 21 and up otherwise.
casarosanashville.com
(615) 309-6295
308 Broadway, Nashville, TN 37201
Jason Aldean’s Kitchen + Rooftop Bar
Jason Aldean’s Kitchen + Rooftop Bar / Facebook
Multi-platinum country artist Jason Aldean’s Kitchen + Rooftop Bar is a one-stop shop for live music, tasty food, and cold drinks. The four-level restaurant, bar, and venue boasts live music daily on the rooftop and in the dining room featuring multiple rising country artists per day. At Jason Aldean’s, you can experience music from the next big thing while sipping a signature cocktail from one of six separate bars.
The drink menu highlights a dozen memorable cocktails, including Aldean’s Margarita with a twist of Grand Marnier, Ride All Night with gin, dragonfruit, and tonic, and Comin’ in Hot featuring jalapeño tequila, pineapple, and coconut, plus beer and wine. Aldean collaborated with chef Tomasz Wozniak to craft a menu that reflects his own family recipes and Southern upbringing, with standout dishes like Southern Nachos made with kettle chips, pulled pork, cheddar, queso, and Jason’s Bourbon BBQ Sauce, burgers, and a few steakhouse favorites.
There’s a special limited menu available at the rooftop Food Basket. Order bar snacks like dry rub wings, fried pickles, and bologna sandwiches (yes, really) under the ’52 Chevy pickup truck. Jason Aldean’s is open to all ages until 8:30 p.m. on the restaurant and mezzanine levels, but you and your guests will have to be 21 and up to stay late or visit the rooftop bar.
jasonaldeansbar.com/nashville
(615) 514-1537
307 Broadway, Nashville, TN 37201
Friends in Low Places
Garth Brooks / Facebook
Friends in Low Places is one of the freshest celebrity-owned bars in Nashville. Country legend Garth Brooks opened his restaurant and bar in winter 2023, and fans flocked to the grand opening. The environment is reminiscent of the bar’s namesake song, with two distinct areas — the honky-tonk and the rooftop oasis — to kick back and relax with new friends and familiar faces. With four artists per day on each level, this is the place to be if you want to get a sampling of Nashville’s latest talent.
Friends in Low Places features a menu crafted by Grammy Award-winner and Food Network star Trisha Yearwood, including spicy F U C Queso, a “cobbless” cobb salad with all the toppings and none of the lettuce, and Trisha’s Meat & 3, plus Garth and Trisha’s wedding cake for dessert. The full menu is served in the honky-tonk, open to all ages until 8 p.m., but you can only snack on Trisha’s ParTY Kitchen Chicken Tenders at the rooftop oasis, restricted to guests aged 21 and up.
If you’re feeling feisty, order a giant shareable punch, served in a disco ball with colorful twisty straws. After dinner, go shopping for souvenirs at the gift shop, including Yearwood’s cookbooks. Just be sure to bring your credit card, since Friends in Low Places is entirely cashless.
friendsbarnashville.com
(615) 669-4711
411 Broadway, Nashville, TN 37203
Redneck Riviera
RedneckRiviera Nashville / Facebook
John Rich, of Lonestar and Big & Rich fame, opened Redneck Riviera in hopes of creating the kind of place he would want to go have a drink with friends after work, and it shows. This three-storey Nashville honky-tonk has two main stages where you can hear live music seven days a week from open to close.
The bar’s signature Redneck Cocktails include The Saddle Up, made with Redneck Riviera whiskey, peach purée, and lemonade, Sex on the Creek, and Granny’s Apple Pie Shot with honey apple whiskey and RumChata. If you came to party, try the 64-ounce Big Ass Bucket full of three types of rum, orange and pineapple juice, and grenadine.
There are a lot of great barbecue joints in Nashville, but only one with a country music star’s name behind it. Redneck Riviera’s menu features barbecue favorites and unique country creations like the Frito pie appetizer, pulled pork Southern sliders, and The Big Pig wrap with pork, cheese, coleslaw, and pickles.
redneckrivieranashville.com
(615) 436-4070
208 Broadway, Nashville, TN 37201
Margaritaville
Margaritaville, Nashville / Facebook
If honky-tonks aren’t your thing, or you’re just looking for something a little different from your usual Nashville bar, you can have an island getaway in landlocked Nashville at Margaritaville, owned by tropical rocker Jimmy Buffett. This is the perfect place to get away from it all with a drink or two … or more. Margaritaville’s massive menu of signature cocktails includes the Who’s to Blame margarita, the 5 O’Clock (a twist on the hurricane), the Havanas and Bananas frozen cocktail with rum and Irish cream, plus a selection of drinks made with Ole Smoky Tennessee moonshine.
The food at Margaritaville is as beachy as the cocktails. One standout menu item is the seafood combo with LandShark beer-battered fish and chips, fried shrimp, and coconut shrimp served with three dipping sauces — jalapeño tartar, Thai chili, and coconut ranch. Other tasty dishes include Caribbean chicken egg rolls and cajun seafood pasta, plus, of course, Cheeseburgers in Paradise.
There’s live music every day at Margaritaville, but the real party is on Fridays with the SiriusXM Music Row Happy Hour, a live radio show featuring top country music stars. You’ll have to get there early in the morning if you want to get a wristband, which gives you access to the afternoon show, but it’s worth the effort.
margaritavillenashville.com
(615) 208-9080
322 Broadway, Nashville, TN 37201
Hank Williams Jr. Boogie Bar
Hank Williams Jr Boogie Bar / Facebook
Hank Williams, Jr. may be a lifelong Nashvillian, but his Boogie Bar is a relative newcomer to Broadway, having officially opened in November 2023. This three-storey venue is housed in a Civil War-era building, and has a rooftop bar where you can people-watch from above Broadway and rub elbows with folks at the neighboring AJ’s Good Time Bar.
The Boogie Bar hosts live music seven days a week on the first floor, and Thursday through Saturdays on the rooftop. While you enjoy songs from Nashville’s country music hopefuls, you can sip signature cocktails like the Outlaw Women Cooler with vodka and melon liqueur, the Born to Boogie Spritz with gin, raspberry, and soda, and the Country Boy Mule made with bourbon.
If you’re feeling peckish, you can order bar snacks from the Boogie Bites menu, featuring sandwiches, jumbo dry-rubbed wings, and spicy chicken waffle sliders. The Boogie Bar is open to all ages before 6 p.m. and limited to guests aged 21 and up after that, so if you want to party among grown-ups, this is the place to be.
hanksnash.com
419 Broadway, Nashville, TN 37203
Methodology
Sean Pavone/Shutterstock
The bars on this list were chosen based on local and national media awards and Tripadvisor and Google reviews. Special attention was given to bars with an excellent food menu in addition to the bar offerings. However, bars that are more restaurant than bar were excluded.
