A Guide to the Best Places to Go and Things to Do in Downtown Nashville

When it comes to Downtown destinations everyone has their go-to spots.

And while tourism plays a huge role in the Downtown scene, locals continue to show love to a neighborhood that’s world-famous for a growing number of reasons. From the best rooftop views to haute cuisine, parking hacks to happy hours, we polled locals to weigh in on their favorite Downtown Nashville hidden gems, old-school hotspots, and tried and trues.

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Favorite OG hangout

• Layla’s
• Robert’s Western World
• Skull’s Rainbow Room
• Tin Roof

Most Admired Architecture

• 505
• Batman Building
• Schermerhorn Symphony Center
• The Union Station Nashville Yards

Downtown Brunch

• Liberty Common
• Adele’s
• The Dutch
• Church and Union

Favorite Place to Shop

• e. allen (Gulch)
• Blush
• Vici
• Fifth and Broadway

Favorite Patio with No Reservation 

• Superica
• The Southern
• Steak & Oyster
• Burger Republic

Most Creative Idea For a Daytime Outing

• Free event at Church Street Park
• Ryman Auditorium Tour
• Self-guided e-bike tour

Favorite Museum 

• National Museum of African American Music 
• Country Music Hall of Fame
• Frist Art Museum

Post Game Hang

• Pins Mechanical Co.
• The Twelve Thirty Club
• Hampton Social

Favorite Bar Where You Will Sit with Someone with a 615 Area Code

• Black Rabbit
• Red Phonebooth
• Etch
• Rudy’s Jazz Room
• Tennessee Brew Works

Best Bargain Spot for Drinks

• Happy Hour at The Mockingbird
• Mystery Bucket at Acme
• Station Inn

How Do You Spend Your Time in Capitol View

• M.L. Rose Craft Beer & Burgers
• Vici
• Getting a blowout at Drybar The dog park

Best Rooftop View

• The Twelve Thirty Club
• Bourbon Steak
• lou/na
• Acme
• L.A. Jackson
• Proof
• Rooftop Lounge at Bobby Hotel

Kid Friendly

• Frist Art Museum
• Country Music Hall of Fame
• Pinewood Social
• Wildhorse Saloon

Best Kept Secret for Pregame Before Concert

• Corner Pub
• The Palm
• Blanco
• Alley Taps
• Makeready

Most Eclectic Crowd

• Brooklyn Bowl
• Doc Holiday’s
• Bar Sovereign
• Bowie’s
• FirstBank First Saturday Art Crawl

Best Place to Blow Off Steam with Coworkers

• Bakersfield
• Liberty Common
• Pins Mechanical Co.
• Stationairy

Best Place to Catch Live Music without Yelling Over Each Other

• The Listening Room
• City Winery
• Acme 3rd and Lindsley
• Station Inn

Favorite Restaurant

• Yolan
• Jeff Ruby’s Steakhouse
• Chauhan Ale & Masala House
• The Continental Bourbon Steak

Dog’s Favorite Place

• Bicentennial Park

Where Do You Go For a Walk

• Pedestrian Bridge

Most Creative Way to Spend Time Outdoors Downtown

• Nashville Farmers Market
• TN State Capitol Steps Workout
• Gulch movie nights
• Wine on the River

Best Mixologists

• The Twelve Thirty Club
• The Continental/Vesper Club 
• Skull’s Rainbow Room
• Red Phonebooth

Downtown Pool

• W Nashville Wet Deck
• Grand Hyatt
• L27 at the Westin

Best Tacos

• Saint Anejo
• Condado Tacos
• Superica

Mural

• The Wings
• Titans Mural
• Rep. John Lewis Good Trouble

Bar Food

• Fleet Street Pub
• Broadway Brewhouse

Best Downtown Hotel Bar

• lou/na @ Grand Hyatt
• Stateside Kitchen @ Dream
• Rarebird @ Noelle
• Bourbon Steak @ JW Marriott
• The Hermitage Hotel

Bar Games

• Pins Mechanical Co.
• Headquarters Beercade
• Bad Axe Throwing

BBQ

• Peg Leg Porker
• Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint
• Jack’s Bar-B-Que

Sweet Treat

• Hattie Jane’s Creamery
• Legendairy Milkshake Bar
• NoBaked Cookie Dough
• Mike’s Ice Cream

Surprisingly Great Meal You've Had Downtown 

• Sunda
• Black Rabbit

Late Night Eats

• Daddy’s Dogs
• Café Intermezzo

Best Place to Get a Beer

• Tennessee Brew Works
• 6th and Peabody

Favorite Hidden Bar

• Red Phonebooth
• Noelle Hidden Bar

Favorite Bathroom Selfie 

• The Hermitage Hotel
• Jeff Ruby’s Steakhouse

Downtown Hack

• Park at Music City Center (less expensive)

Best Place to Park

• Metro Courthouse Garage
• Library Garage

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Locals love Nashville, too! Here's some of their favorite spots around town: 

Mallory Ervin

Lifestyle Entrepreneur and Best-Selling Author

Having lived in Nashville for over 10 years (and my husband being a native), we’ve really seen downtown grow and change. Today, I think the big-name country music singers opening new bars and investing back into their city are the perfect addition to this growing city while still staying true to Nashville’s roots.

Leslie Fram

Senior VP of Music Strategy at CMT

What is one of your best Downtown memories?

A recent favorite night out Downtown included dinner at Sixty Vines at Fifth & Broadway and seeing Allison Russell and Yola at The Ryman Auditorium. Great food and fabulous music all within five minutes of each other!

Nick Westbrook-Ikhine

Wide Receiver for the Tennessee Titans

What is your perfect Downtown day?

I’d start out with brunch at Stateside Kitchen. Hopefully, the weather is great and makes for a perfect day to then go check out some live music on a rooftop or wherever your ears take you.

Maneet Chauhan

Chef, Restaurateur, and TV Personality

What is your favorite locals-only spot downtown?

When I am craving southern comfort food, it has to be Arnold’s! I also adore the biscuits from Biscuit Love.

Julia Eisen

Company Dancer at Nashville Ballet

Where can you find the best rooftop view?

Acme Feed & Seed. You can’t get much better than that—with the full Broadway scene view to the left and the river and Nissan Stadium to the right.