The Tastiest Cocktail Bars in Nashville

TennFold Brewing

★★★★★ 4.6 (400) • $$

"Our gang of four enjoyed dinner at TennFold Brewing Restaurant. Friendly and prompt service. Parking was a little tight on this Sunday afternoon. Choose printed or QR code menus. Wide selection of brewskies and specialty drinks.We chose entrées of Blueberry Chicken Sandwich with shake shack fries, Cauliflower Wings, Meatball Sandwich also with fries, and Bone-in Pork Chop over Collard Greens topped with caramelized apples (or onions?).The standout dish was the Pork Chop. Moist. Tasty. Tender. Slightly sweet. The fries were also a hit. The Cauliflower Wings reminded me of Gobi Manchurian served in Indian restaurants.Open lunch and dinner daily, and closed Monday.Small Gripes That Detracted from the Good Food: TennFold is loud made worse by the brick walls and audio coming from the TVs, uncomfortable bench seating like you'd find in a bus terminal, and the tip suggestion was calculated including sales taxes.We plan to return at a time when less busy and less noise."

The Fedora Lounge

★★★★★ 4.8 (21)

"check out their schedule for events - i came here once for a comedy show. good beer selection. fast service. reasonable prices."

Moxy Rooftop

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (36)

"This is a nice escape from the loud noises and long lines. Prices are still outrageous though. We ducked in here looking for a place to hang out and we enjoyed it. They had live music like everyone else."

Coal Town Public House

★★★★☆ 4 (75) • $$

Tavern

★★★★☆ 3.9 (1310) • $$

"Newly renovated and opened, the inside was super open and bright. We sat at the bar and were greeted immediately by the bar back. The bartender was very friendly and helpful. The drinks were really good and the Eden was super refreshing. The toast was so good! The spread, the kale, the berries, all mixed together were the perfect combination. The hash was just okay. It was pretty dry, but I'm thinking an over easy egg might help with that."

Yolan

★★★★☆ 4.1 (206) • $$$$

"3.5I didn't get it. The dining room was gorgeous. The plates were expensive. The scene was deliberate. But, I didn't get it. I left feeling like Yolan was expensive for expensive's sake. I entered Yolan with some excitement. I was meeting friends from NYC and LA and I was eager to show off what Nashville was now.* Walking in, the main dining room is is a bit muted (where you might be expecting drama): ceilings that should be higher than they are, nicely-adorned (but not unusual) tables, soothing blues speckled against the walls, comfortable chairs (reminded me of the 70s/more comfortable than fashionable, which was fine by me). The aesthetic is more 'lobby' than 'chic dining room.' With a wall of bottles staring at us, the immediate impression was that the meal would be decadent.It was decent.We were encouraged to share plates but given the size of some portions, sharing was more awkward than enjoyable. Midway into the dining experience, we cut bait and ordered for ourselves. Before falling into the luxury of Italian wine, I began my meal with a seasonal mule and a lamb 'starter.' The mule was pleasant (dominant note was 'ice') and the lamb was tasty (seasoned and succulent, just not much of it). We broke into the wine routine and shared pasta dishes. Again, I could taste the fresh ingredients and house-made everything but scooping a bite between four people does not an enjoyable meal make. I went rogue and chose the trout. Served with radish and micro greens, over a bed of lentils and paired with a (mushroom-based?) sauce, I was very satisfied with my plate. By this time, my size expectations had been measured so I concentrated on the smell, taste, visual appeal, and texture of my meal rather than if it would sate my hunger. We finished the meal with a bite of a chocolate truffle. Throughout the meal, we had adequate service. There were a couple of hiccups but they were quickly corrected.To borrow parlance from the kids, I kept waiting for the beat to drop. The meal was... fine. But the price point was not fine. It was 'fine dining.' Do you get the picture? I am not some garish American, demanding Golden Corral amounts of food for McDonalds prices. I have eaten around the world and in all sorts of settings (high and low). This was... fine. Thing is, your wallet will remember the meal long after your palate has forgotten it.*'Now' being late Autumn a few years ago. The gild is off the lily."

Fortuna Italian Steakhouse

★★★★☆ 4 (104) • $$$

"We loved just about everything here with only a single split decision. First off, the manager was incredibly helpful in accommodating my wife's dietary limitations without sacrificing anything important. Our server was excellent. The vibe is stylishly comfortable. At our table of 5 we had: a half dozen oysters, which were perfectly chilled, nice size, good cocktail sauce; a Caesar salad and a split Fortuna salad minus burrata and croutons, both salads nice mix, well prepared; scallops for my wife, prepared simply with lemon and butter, with sides of roasted fingerlings and squash, all great; son had strip steak, cooked perfectly, very flavorful; DIL had the chicken piccata, which she said was delicious; and grandson and I both had the steak frites, once again the steak was cooked to order and very tasty. The split decision was on the frites, which seemed a little like hash browns, liked by one, neutral by one, and disliked by two, though we all agreed some good, hand cut homemade French fries would have been better. We had an excellent red blend wine, Baby Blue, for 3 of us, craft beer for 1, and Coke for 1. All in all, a really wonderful evening dining out while visiting family in the area."

Red Pony

★★★★☆ 4.3 (576) • $$$

Harriet's Rooftop Nashville

★★★★☆ 4.1 (62)

"Harriet's I side the 1 Hotel in Nashville is amazing ! Especially in a city full of country music casual bars this was a refreshing change! We were able to get a last minute reservation but if you don't want to hav issues with seating I suggest not waiting til the day of to make a reservation ! The rooftop was great with overlooking sights of the city! I felt like I was back home in Miami! Everything we ordered was great! I had sushi and it was amazing! My cousin had ordered a scallop role and it was so good! I also tried the tuna tartare and it was very delicious!Our night here at Harriet's was such a great space to get away from the craziness in Broadway. Very cute rooftop, decor and the food again, AMAZING!!Would definitely recommend it for a more classy, chic place with non-fried food options!"

Jane’s Hideaway

★★★★★ 4.5 (145) • $$

"Very nice and fun bar! Food is delicious here and the service is great! They have a live band playing at 8 pm so that was nice to enjoy while eating dinner!"

Gathre

★★★★☆ 3.5 (51)

"This newly opened restaurant is beautifully decorated. It makes a great brunch spot offering bottomless mimosas. Hot Chicken and waffles with sunny side up egg. The chicken was well seasoned and crispy. Extra syrup is needed. Greek Yogurt parfait fresh fruit and granola. Broadway breakfast two eggs, potatoes, toast sausage or bacon. Plant based sausage is available. Fig and goat cheese flat bread needed a more fig. I stayed at the Hotel Fraye. Requested a birthday surprise room service breakfast. Mr. Mcateer, restaurant manager, rolled in a very impressive breakfast cart. I've never had a manger bring me room service. It was very impressive. On that cart was a Cinnamon bun with a candle. He served it to my husband and from that point on he couldn't get rid of us. His hospitality is impeccable. Our last day we met the GM and he was also very attentive. Popular spot !!Yelp hours state closed. It's open."

North Italia

★★★★☆ 3.9 (420) • $$

"This is a chain restaurant located in the mall they have a variety of cocktails and seasonalItems. The staff seem friendly, but the friendliness from the hostess was super fake. The bartender was kind, and the drinks were strong. The decor was nice and it was well lit. There is a share of parking lot on the side. You can enter through the outside with the inside of the mall. Hope you enjoy your experience."

Harth

★★★★☆ 3.9 (17)

"We stayed at the Hilton hotel for 4 nights and on a Wednesday night, we decided to come eat here since it's located inside the hotel. The actual restaurant seating area was closed but you could sit at the bar or at any nice couch/lounge section! Our server (I think her name is Whitley?) , was super sweet and was super informative on the best items on the menu!We ordered a Caesar salad for me and shrimp & grits for the hubs. Appetizers, we got meatballs and wings. We also got a chocolate lava cake with cookies and cream ice cream as a dessert. 10/10 across the board! The wings are definitely a must - it's super light / airy crunch with great flavor. Their sauces are definitely homemade. The shrimp and grits... wow! Super buttery and creamy with amazing shrimp and gravy sauce. Must ask if they have dessert because the lava cake was SO decadent and warm. Will definitely be staying at the Hilton hotel and coming to this restaurant every time we come to Nashville! If you are diamond status for Hilton, you should definitely stop by because they do offer specials for diamond status members - free things! :)"

Pancho and Lefty's Cantina

★★★★☆ 4.2 (84) • $$

"Big fan of this spot. They have 2 locations, and both are decorated with vibrant colors. It's a fun place to hang out, drink, and grub at. My favorite tacos were the chicken adobo and beef fajita. They also do a specialty taco of the month. Service is pretty quick and very kind!"

Rosemary & Beauty Queen

★★★★☆ 3.7 (173) • $$

"Made a reservation for 7 on a Saturday night at 7:45PM, was asked for ID at the door. Ambiance is amazing, the outside patio is awesome with the lighted trees and music (a bit too loud but fine). Drinks on QR code'd menus, light finger foods. People I went with got oysters and seemed to enjoy them, I got an elote which wasn't very good, corn is not fresh corn, probably canned corn. Also, lots of one-use throwaway containers and utensils for food, definitely not a fan of that. Service was quite attentive and friendly. Had a good time here!"

Marsh House

★★★★☆ 4.2 (459) • $$$

"My husband and I first dined at The Marsh House on our very first date three years ago, so it holds a special spot in my heart. While I don't recall what I had on that first visit, this time we arrived early enough to take advantage of their happy hour, which was fantastic.We started with fresh oysters for $1.50 each, followed by the Good Samaritan cocktail ($10), which was similar to a whiskey sour--smooth and refreshing. The Thai beef skewer ($8) had a perfect balance of flavor and spice, making it a great appetizer.For my main course, I had a cup of gumbo, which was delicious, while my husband ordered the hanger steak cooked medium rare. It was done to perfection! To finish the meal, we had their bread pudding, which was absolutely out of this world. The dessert was generously provided on the house, which was a thoughtful and much-appreciated gesture.Our waitress was amazing, offering excellent recommendations that enhanced our experience. For parking, there are several options: paid street parking, a garage, or valet for $8 plus tip.The Marsh House will forever hold a special place in my heart, and I look forward to many more visits in the future."

Rafferty's Restaurant & Bar

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (145) • $$

"I hadn't been to Rafferty's in 10 years or so. I went with two other adults and a child. It was Friday night so I thought we'd have to wait, but it was not crowded so we were seated at once. Oh, it was cold! The air conditioning was on full blast and other customers were cold. We asked to waiter to see if it could be turned down; he said he had and soon it began to warm up. Soon a manager came by to see if we were comfortable.Service was quick and the waiter checked on us several times. I had the California Burger with bacon. Fried were my side. Food was good and plentiful. There was a child's menu and the grilled cheese sandwich sounded good; I would have liked it.The place is a bit tired. The men's restroom was not as well taken care of as I hoped, but acceptable. I didn't have an alcoholic drink as I had sweet tea which was fine. The manager checked on us several times.It's an OK place and must do well as it's been there for a number of years. Bring it up to date and it'll be fine. I had a nice time and left FULL!"

Rare Bird

★★★★☆ 3.7 (88) • $$

"We came for "Elevated Hours" which is Tuesday from 5pm to 7pm. Instead of their usual menu, they have "bartender is the expert" menu. You choose the spirit type, the flavor profile, and what glass you want it in. And then the bartender makes something to your preferences. The bartenders REALLY make the experience here, and if you're someone who likes new flavors, you'll love this weekly event.They can't do this system for mocktails. They'll ask you to choose a regular-menu mocktail if you're not boozing. Lots and lots of seating up here, but most of it is group-style couch seating. Nothing really made for just two people, but you'll have space for groups of 4 to 8. The bar itself (and its seating) is covered from the sun, but all group and non-bar seating is out under the sun. During this 5pm to 7pm period in June, however, the gigantic skyscraper a few blocks away blocked the sun itself, so so it was less hot than it could have been. There's a tall glass barrier/fence along the perimeter of the bar, so you don't get a ton of breeze up here. This probably makes the bar more tolerable in chillier months, but it actually pretty hot in the middle of summer. They have full, clean restrooms right next to the bartop. You don't have to go to another floor or head back into the hotel itself. Bartenders were VERY knowledgeable and speedy. When I saw they had Pimms No. 1, I asked our server, Brian, if he could make a drink focused on Pimms, and he did fantastically. I think the Elevated Hours are probably a time when the bartenders get to use some of their creativity. All of the drinks I ordered were on-the-mark with the requests I made. They also provide finger snack foods during their Elevated Hours. They were absolutely delicious, and it makes me want to try the other restaurants located in the Noelle."

Ichigo Ichie

★★★★☆ 4.1 (71)

"Happy to have a new sushi restaurant in Nashville that is actually good! Unfortunately it is decently pricey, but the fish is fresh and rolls are nicely executed. We had an assortment of rolls and dishes, and would probably get them all again. We started off with some appetizers: lemon calamari, karaage, and fried prawns. All were good but prawns were especially fun in a nice creamy sauce, but karaage was a little unexpected - kind of more a battered chicken nugget, rather than then crispy, craggly Japanese karaage I'm used to at ramen shops. It was still enjoyable but the weakest of the dishes. The appetizer portions were sufficient, but would have appreciated a little more.As for mains: - Angry Fish was one of our favorites with a topping of eel sauce and creamy sauce. Somewhat Americanized with the sauces but we still loved it- Flash Flood was also awesome - great amount of poke on top- Spicy Scallop was basic but had nice big chunks of scallops- Spicy Taste was actually quite hot and fun, a little too spicy for some of us but I liked. It- Red Mango Crunch was good with a generous amount of tempura crunch, mango was not overpowering - Cherry blossom tasted fresh and had a cute presentation- Tuna Tartar was good but a little too sweet for me- Has a few nigiris (hotate, amaebi, walu, ikura) which were all nice a fresh - loved that they served the amaebi (sweet shrimp) with the incredibly crispy fried shrimp headsAppreciated the good service as well! Overall nice new sushi joint, just be prepared as it is more upscale rather than affordable.*If you're looking for a deal, check out their Sake Tuesday happy hour from 4p-9p - 50% off sake bottles (cheapest is $30 after discount) and $10 classic maki (simple rolls, but highly recommend the Spicy Scallop and Spicy Lobster...the Dynamite is also fun if you like fried rolls). All pics are from Sake Tuesday - forgot to photograph our group dinner"

Pancho and Lefty's Cantina

★★★★☆ 3.9 (227) • $$

"Came here randomly after a yelp event. My boyfriend had been raving about this place for awhile. We had our boys (dogs) with us so our options were limited. We sat on the patio with them and ordered quickly before the kitchen closed. I love a good birria taco so I got one of those and queso. My bf got carne asada and chicken tacos. I was not sold on the birria taco. The queso was good and chips were perfect. Love a good thin and crispy chip. His tacos were good; I ended up taking a bite of his. We got spicy margs and oh my- they had a kick. Not my fav spicy marg tho."

Geist

★★★★☆ 3.8 (357) • $$

"Giest in Nashville is a must-visit! The house bread and scallops are absolute must-gets--simply outstanding. We also added the whipped feta and a side of broccoli, both of which were perfect additions to the meal. Sitting at the bar, we soaked in the trendy yet comfortable vibe that has an upscale feel without being pretentious. Great food, excellent atmosphere--definitely worth a visit!"

Bourbon Steak by Michael Mina

★★★★★ 4.5 (871) • $$$$

"From the moment we walked in, everything was perfect. The food, the service, the ambiance. Impeccable without being stuffy. Everything was perfectly cooked, and absolutely gorgeous. And the views....spectacular. If you really want a WOW experience, this is the place to go. I can't wait to go back."

Gannons Nashville

★★★★★ 4.6 (134) • $$$

"This has to be the biggest hidden gem in Nashville. Gannons came up during a random Yelp search I was conducting. I decided to give it a try. My bf and I was seeing a show at TPAC and walked over to Gannons afterwards. Our reservation was for 5:30pm, but they were able to get us in at 5pm. The entire staff was amazing. Our waiter Mark went over and beyond to make sure our visit was amazing. Please ask for him if you go.The main star of our meal was the pork chop with a peach glaze. Just when I thought Urban Grub and Perry's had the best pork chop in town. The pork chop was 20 out of 10. It was prepared perfect with its juices still in tact. The peach glaze was an added bonus. I also enjoyed the cream spinach. How could I forget about the Brie oysters I had as a starter. Please forgive me, talk about a flavor parade. Oysters Rockefeller who, it's all bout the Brie . Overall, this is the perfect date night for an elevated intimate dinner."

Skull's Rainbow Room

★★★★★ 4.5 (1435) • $$$

"I'll be honest--the name grabbed my attention initially. I was looking for something fun to do while visiting family in town. It was my first time in Nashville and while I love live music, Country isn't typically my thing. When I looked up Skull's Rainbow Room, I was shocked to hear about its long standing existence, bringing in big names like Elvis & Johnny Cash as visitors. As a lover of burlesque, I decided to give it a try! It was a Friday night and I wasn't sure how early to show up. They don't take reservations for their burlesque shows. My sister and I showed up 30 min early for the 11pm show and got in no problem. It was busy but not full. We had just enough time to order a drink from the bar and take a spot near the walkway of the stage (the show is all standing room only, unless you made dinner reservations). The bartenders were great--wonderful service, cracking jokes, made us feel at home. Next time I would love to make dinner reservations for the show because: a) the food looked amazing - we were drooling as plates passed us by & b) those sitting got table service for additional drinks & c) they got to sit !All the performers were fabulous. First the MC and her beautiful voice, making jokes to get the crowd loosened up. Plus I loved her sexy backup dancers--all dancing in unison with the MC was impressive! All the individual burlesque acts were impressive in their own right. The most unique act was the sword swallower--something I'd never seen live before! The whole experience was great. I would definitely recommend Skulls Rainbow Room burlesque show to anyone!"

Corsair Distillery

★★★★★ 4.8 (87) • $$

"Signed up for the tour ($20) and it was well worth it! You get a tour of the back area where they produce their liquor which takes about 15-20 min and then you come back out to the front area and sample. The tour was informative and she was really knowledgeable about any follow-up questions we had. We got to try 6 tastings on the standard menu which included a vanilla vodka, two gins, spiced rum and two smoked whiskeys. Decent pours too! After we finished the six, she also let us try a couple other interesting ones like an oat whiskey, red absinthe (very licorice-y) flavor and another that smelled like an IPA. Each drink was so unique. Very cool to get to try everything one after another. Afterwards we got a cocktail (very fairly priced at $12) and sat on their outdoor patio where a friendly distillery cat was also chilling by the name of copper!"

Corsair Distillery & Taproom

★★★★☆ 4.4 (266) • $$

"We were shopping around in this super cool building and a couple of us decided to do a tasting. We had already done one around the corner so we were ready to go. This one is paid vs free, but definitely worth it as you're getting a great product. It was a slow day so we were the only ones doing a tasting and there were some folks dining and having drinks in the next room. We went with a variety of whiskeys instead of mixing in the gin and something else... the Rye was my favorite. The bartender was great about explaining the tasting notes on each one and it was nice to learn a little bit about the distillery. I have had Corsair before, but didn't know much about it. I would like to have more time to come and check out the bar and grab a pizza next time."

Schulman's

★★★★☆ 4.4 (26)

"Schulman's officially has my heart. This vintage-inspired dive on the East side has everything you need for a memorable night. My husband and I stopped in for a quick drink on a summer Friday and ended up chowing down on some of their delicious burgers and smothered fries. We found some street parking a ways down the road, and were not surprised to find this place packed! Even still, we managed to snag a small diner-style booth. They do have patio seating as well - but it's a bit warm for that these days. You order food and drinks at the bar, and then they'll bring your food directly to your table. The bartender was incredibly friendly, the prices are spot on, and our food came out hot and fresh in less than 10 minutes!We each ordered one of their cheeseburgers, which are pretty sizeable and definitely shareable if you're not super hungry. If you like pickles with your burger, I suggest sipping on their pickle beer! This was such a fun addition to a delicious burger. We also ordered two sides of fries - one "Beast" style and one topped with chili and cheese. These comforting classics hit the spot, and I have no doubt we'll visit Schulman's again soon."

Ludlow & Prime

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (33)

"Have gone to dinner six times, tonight will be the last.Wildly inconsistent food quality. Shrimp and grits that has been fabulous at times and, literally, inedible twice. Fantastic salmon. The most average, unremarkable hamburger I've ever had. Good steak. Amazing Brussel sprouts.Staff is great unless there is any hiccup or , God forbid, a complaint about food quality. They don't seem to know how to handle it or make it right. My wife actually complimented the shrimp and grits while saying the grits were terrible, in an effort to encourage them to improve for the future, and the waiter basically ignored her.Tonight, two people at our table ordered the same dish and one was so over-seasoned it was a darker color of orange. The server insisted they were made in the same pan. Maybe so... but one of them got an extra large helping of cayenne pepper or something added before it came to the table.Literally two plates side-by-side that were visually different and she said we were wrong. The chef was not in on Friday night for dinner service and we simply could do nothing about it. I assume they don't let line cooks talk to customers.There are great restaurants around Franklin. This place is not interested in becoming one of them."

Sushi Bar

★★★★☆ 4.4 (8)

"WOW! A culinary experience i've never encountered in Nashville- and I've been here 13 years. Enter 15 minutes early and receive a complimentary welcome cocktail in a really vibe-y area. You are then escorted into the main dining area that seats about 12 for a very intimate and personalized experience! Anthony was so knowledgeable about the foods, Daniel was attentive and made sure we had everything we needed, and Travis was constantly around in case we needed anything else. They ask for allergies before you get there and confirm when you arrive. Please note, there is not a menu, it is omakase and it will be mainly sushi/fish - meaning you can't just decide you want a steak instead, but trust me, you want what they serve you!! I will be going back!! It was amazing, a perfect date night spot or even solo- everyone was chatting so you will get to know the people around you (if you want to)!"

Mercado By Butchertown

★★★★☆ 3.6 (61)

"Came here on a Friday at 6pm with reservations. We ordered some tacos and queso which were both great. The queso was easily large enough for 4 people. Tacos were good albeit not mind blowing for the price. The atmosphere and vibe of the spot really started popping off around 7-8pm. Their rooftop bar has one of the best views of the Nashville skyline I know of. We cant wait to come back and grab drinks with friends here."

Burger + Grain

★★★★☆ 4.3 (71)

"I had a great dinner experience here, I checked it out with Offline and got a discount. The ambiance inside is way more elevated than anticipated. I felt a bit underdressed but luckily was not there on a busy night.I was going to go for their classic BG burger, but was drawn to the French dip instead. I was reassured by not one but two staff members that it was delicious. And it was indeed. The portion was huge, but very yummy. I got to take half home for lunch the next day. I definitely had a great time and experience. I'll be back to try more from their delicious menu"

McGavock's Coffee Bar & Provisions

★★★★☆ 3.8 (27)

"They had live music (not sure if it was because of the holiday season or if this is normal). The food was amazing especially the pot belly and grits. The baristas were pleasant. I will definitely come back again. We also got their seasonal spiced latte (both iced and hot), very delicious. So good, I wanted another one!"

Plane Jane

★★★★★ 4.5 (13)

Blanco Cocina + Cantina

★★★★☆ 4.4 (394) • $$

"We loved Blanco Amd ate lunch here twice on our recent trip. My favorites were the chips and salsa and the chicken fajitas (no peppers) . Everything was fresh and tasty. Our servers were both helpful and offered suggestions. They were also great with our food allergies. The restaurant is open and artsy. We would recommend and visit again."

Birdsong Social

★★★★☆ 4.3 (30)

"I had an excellent, perfectly cooked Burger and hot fresh French Fries.The menu had a lot of options for lunch.The service was terrific!My only complaint was that there were A LOT of Flies. I really dislike swatting at flies while eating.I'll definitely try it again and hope that situation improves."