Most of America’s legion halls are gathering places for veterans, but this Inglewood location is open to the public. And thanks to one-off shows by Margo Price and Chris Stapleton, along with a slate of cheap domestic beers, it’s also become a hipster hot spot. Honky Tonk Tuesday is where it’s at: Everyone from curious youngsters to in-the-know old-timers packs the banquet hall, ready to dance. Early birds can take a free lesson before two-stepping to house band The Cowpokes.

In 2021, this distinguished space at Jack White’s Third Man Records changed gears and opened to the public as a bar. Now, anyone can stop by to enjoy craft cocktails, local tunes, and its famous blue interior. The venue is known for its innovative use of vintage technology; some live shows are captured on vinyl through direct-to-acetate recording. And the bookings are consistently excellent and eclectic, ranging from experimental rock bands to ambient music.

Fans of the TV drama Nashville will remember this small rock club as the venue of choice for the characters who weren’t into showbiz razzle-dazzle. In real life, this unpretentious Five Points hangout does have some of that renegade spirit. Locals come here to cheer on hometown bands, let loose at themed dance nights, and dodge tourists (don’t worry, you’re still welcome here). Cover is usually $10. Fun fact: Lady Gaga started her Dive Bar Tour here in 2016.

This beloved, ramshackle burger joint has been serving Music City patrons—including the late, great John Prine—out of a converted trolley car for nearly a century. Even as gentrification has swept up surrounding Hillsboro Village, Brown’s has refused to gussy itself up; its sole concession was upgrading the patio in 2021. Inside, Prine’s spiritual heirs—local singer-songwriters of grit and wit—cram into a no-frills corner stage and play unforgettable shows for those in the know.

To experience the quintessential Nashville dive—the kind where local musicians can shoot pool without navigating throngs of bachelorette parties—look outside the city. This quirky retro lounge sits just northeast of Nashville in the residential suburb of Madison, a popular enclave for many of the area’s finest musicians. It’s comfortable, tight-knit, perfectly kitschy (beer signs, dartboards, floor-to-ceiling tinsel), and has a calendar that overflows with must-see talent.

When a deadly tornado tore through Nashville in March of 2020, The Basement East got hit hard; almost everything was destroyed, except a mural that read “I believe in Nashville,” which became a symbol of rebuilding. (It reopened one year later.) The Beast, as it’s often called, opened in 2015 and is the larger sister spot to The Basement, a tiny, brick-walled, subterranean rock club that has long been a staple of downtown (Metallica did a secret show there in 2008).

This neighborhood spot in Lockeland Springs, painted an eye-popping purple, is one of just a handful of lesbian bars still operating in the US. A fixture of Nashville’s queer nightlife scene, it was founded in the early 2000s by twin sisters who’d sung professionally. As such, it’s big on music. The calendar is full of queer artists and allies (on Tuesdays, the community organization RNBW, or “rainbow,” spotlights up-and-coming LGBTQ voices) along with drag shows, trivia, and lots of karaoke.

This independent rock club was named after the SoHo intersection where it has proudly operated since 1991. The area’s rapid expansion and skyrocketing real estate prices have threatened the venue’s future, but for now, it’s still one of the best places to see fast-rising new bands and seasoned vets. Catch western swing group The Time Jumpers, which packs the ground floor and balcony every other Monday. Also: roots-rockers, blues musicians, jam bands, and classic rock tributes.

A beloved bluegrass destination since 1974, this humble single-story bar far predates the gleaming skyscrapers that have sprung up around it in the now-booming Gulch neighborhood. Tickets aren’t sold in advance, which means the line to get in often stretches down the block. The wait is worth it. The venue’s cafeteria-style seating makes for a thoroughly comfortable and intimate atmosphere, and world-class pickers and singers deliver two full sets a night.

The Nashville outpost of this New York staple—the third iteration after Brooklyn and Las Vegas—opened in 2021 and immediately became one of the city’s busiest music venues. Concert purists may have been skeptical of the hybrid bowling-alley-meets-rock-club concept, but the bookings are thoughtful and impressive: recent shows include buzzy indie bands (Weyes Blood, Wet Leg), alt-pop innovators (Dominic Fike, Remi Wolf), and vets who’ve still got it (Digable Planets, Cat Power).