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You can’t go to Nashville without experiencing some of that Southern hospitality in the form of food and drinks! I picked out my favorite places to grab a bite and a seat while exploring Music City- plus some can’t-miss classics.
Drinks
Twelve Thirty Club
The Twelve Thirty Club is a secret celebrity bar- although it’s not listed anywhere I could see, this bar is actually owned by Justin Timberlake! The Twelve Thirty Club has a ton of different sections to appeal to everyone. My favorite was the rooftop bar with a great views of Broadway. Food is served here, but most people, including myself, seemed to be here for the view and the cocktails.
Hampton Social
Perhaps the most instagramable of all of Nashville’s bars, the Hampton Social has taken its viral popularity and held on with both hands.
This beach-themed bar is known for its “Rose All Day” motto, its daily live music, and its picture-perfect photo spots. If you’ve ever seen someone take a shot out of a fiery guitar, it was probably here.
As a solo visitor, I was able to pop up to the bar with no issue, but it was so crowded I had trouble getting the bartender’s attention. Large groups would surely want to make reservations in advance otherwise guarantee seating.
Coyote Ugly
Somewhat tucked away in the back half of 2nd Avenue, Coyote Ugly is pretty much a must-do for a wild night out.
This underground bar features bar-top dancing, body shots, and
Only ladies are allowed on and behind the bar, but I was most entertained by the group of guys who came in and ordered increasingly outlandish body shots.
Hidden Bar at Noelle Hotel
I love a speakeasy, but god knows I’m not good at finding them! This secret bar is located in the basement of Noelle Hotel. Take the elevator down to the Lona Restaurant, and enter through the storage door to the right of the hostess stand.
In addition to being a speakeasy, which is a theme in and of itself in my opinion, Hidden Bar goes all out for the holidays. During my visit around Halloween, the speakeasy was a vampire themed club called Oath and Fang.
The drinks menu is themed accordingly, with one of the drinks even being served out of a blood bag! I ordered a spooky rendition of an espresso martini called Velvet Noir. I highly recommend giving it a try if it ever makes its way back to the menu.
Looking to add to the experience? Try out this murder-mystery True-Crime Cocktail Crawl.
Honky Tonks
Nashville has no shortage of Honk Tonks on Broadway and, like I mentioned, you can drop into pretty much any bar and have a good time. However, two bars stood out to me in particular.
Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge is a lurid purple, three-story bar that has seen the likes of Dolly Parton, Kris Kristofferson, and Willie Nelson- you never know who you might see there next!
Robert’s Western World plays traditional country music and offers a “Recession Special” which includes a fried bologna sandwich, a MoonPie, a bag of chips and a PBR for just $6!
Whiskey River Saloon has a mechanical bull in the back! Entertain the crowd, and see how long you can stay on.
To experience the best of Nashville’s bars, you can try out one of these bar crawls! These tours help narrow down your options and it’s a great way to make friends while traveling alone.
Food
Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack
Widely regarded as the original Nashville Hot Chicken, Prince’s takes up an unassuming section of Nashville’s bustling Assembly Food Hall.
As the story goes, Prince’s partner cooked him the hottest, spiciest chicken she could manage as revenge for him cheating on her with another woman. Rather than overloading with the spicy heat, he liked it and asked for more! This recipe eventually became Prince’s Hot Chicken. Yet another example of a man taking credit for a woman’s work, I see.
Now, while Prince may have liked his chicken, I ordered a Mild spicy chicken and nearly met my maker. Fully in denial, I thought; surely this is actually an X Hot chicken that has been mislabeled! Let this be a warning to choose your spice level carefully.
Hattie B’s
Hattie B’s is another popular hot chicken spot that’s been getting a lot of hype recently. Upon the recommendation of one of my waiters, I opted for Prince’s instead, but I passed by Hattie’s several times during my visit and they line was always out the door so it has to be good!
5 Daughters Bakery
Also at the Assembly Food Hall, 5 Daughters Bakery is a bakery that has been getting a lot of love online. With their signature 100 layer donuts running $5+ per donut, it was a little pricey, but I regret to inform you that it’s absolutely worth it.
The bakery does offer several flavors in miniature for $2.75, which can make sampling multiple flavors easier- they really fill you up!
I got the original Purist donut and a Maple Glaze and highly recommend them both!
Biscuit Love
If you make your way over to the Gulch, you simply have to stop by Biscuit Love for their Bonuts- part biscuit, part donut, all delicious.
These come in an order of 5, topped with lemon mascarpone and served over a blueberry compote- they were worth every step of the hilly walk to the Gulch.
The rest of the menu looked delicious, but I had lunch next on the docket and the five Bonuts were the perfect amount to split with a friend.
The Finch
The Finch was one of my favorite meals of my whole trip to Nashville. I highly recommend visiting for their happy hour, where cocktails and appetizers are less than 10 bucks a piece.
The Volcano Rock Shrimp and the Meatballs here were particularly outstanding- and I don’t even like shrimp!
The service here was excellent, with my waiter going above and beyond to make sure my food allergies were accommodated.
Goo Goo Cluster
Goo Goo Clusters are an iconic part of Nashville’s food scene. Caramel, nougat, roasted peanuts all smothered in milk chocolate, this candy was invented in 1912 and has been prevalent ever since.
Nashville has a storefront located just off Broadway, which offers Goo Goo Cluster themed merch and the opportunity to custom-make your own candy bar!
It was cool to see the candy being assembled, but as I’d never tried the original, I decided to be basic and just try the original flavor.
For a guided experience through Nashville's food culture, check out these tour options:
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