Nashville's best bars, sorted by atmosphere
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Rice Vice was the only Nashville bar to make Esquire's 2023 list of the best bars in America. But we think a few others deserve consideration.
- Here are some of our other favorite Nashville watering holes, sorted by atmosphere.
🍹 Fancy cocktails: Otto's Bar on Charlotte Pike or The Fox Bar in East Nashville
- Don't forget the James Beard-recognized Attaboy.
🍺 Local brews: The double-whammy of Bearded Iris and Southern Grist anchor West Nashville's Beer Belt. (Although both breweries have other locations around town.)
☀️ Outdoor options: The TailGate headquarters near Bellevue is great for big groups or an afternoon hang with the family.
- Rosemary & Beauty Queen's sprawling back patio is the place to be on a lazy Sunday.
🏊 Dives: Alley Pub in Bellevue, which comes by its name honestly.
- Dee's Country Cocktail Lounge made Esquire's list of the best bars in 2020.
🤼 Pinball with occasional pro wrestling in the parking lot: No Quarter
🤝 Neighborhood joints: If you like bars that give off a "Cheers" vibe, try The Centennial in The Nations or Village Pub & Beer Garden in East Nashville.
⭐ Classics for a reason: Patterson House has been a local standout since it opened in 2009. A seat at the bar, where you see the bartenders work their magic up close, is still in the running for the best show in town.
- Dino's, which describes itself as Nashville's "oldest dive bar," offers world-famous burgers alongside its drinks.
🧀 Beyond the bottle: At Greys Fine Cheeses, booze takes a back seat to a delicious array of dairy.
🥌 Tee Line, a bar devoted to curling, offers plenty of activities that don't center around drinking.