Nashville Tennessee. Music City. Home to the Grand Ole Opry, Vanderbilt University, and plenty of live music and local artists in the Nashville scene. It is also the capitol city of a state that has more anti-LGBTQ+ laws on the books than and other state in the country.
So how does LGBTQ+ nightlife in Nashville fare in this most repressive state? Actually, pretty well if you know where to go for great gay bar experiences. Music city has become a hugely popular vacation destination, and the LGBTQ+ population is no exception. It’s important that gay travelers know not just where to stay but where to find go for queer-friendly partying. And that’s the purpose of this article.
So, buckle up and let’s explore gay bars and clubs in the Nashville scene where locals and tourists alike hand out and play.
LGBTQ+ Bars and Clubs in Nashville
The bulk of gay bars and clubs in this city will be found on that section of Church Street, called The District, that is the center of all nightlife in Nashville. But there are some in the downtown area and East Nashville too. Here’s a partial list of the most popular, starting with Church Street and then moving to a few others in downtown and East Nashville:
Play Dance Bar
Here’s one of those gay bars that has a little bit of everything, and a lot of regular drag shows and theatrical productions. It is in the District on Church Street and is open Wednesday thru Sunday. More than drag shows, although that’s the most popular offering, there’s a huge dance floor with local DJs. And for visitors to Nashville, there is the Cambria Hotel right across the street with an exclusive discount for those who go to Play Dance.
Specific hours are: Wed., Thurs, Sun. – 8 pm – 2 am; Friday and Saturday. from 8 pm – 3 am.
Show times: Wed., Thurs. and Sun. – 9 pm; 11 pm; Friday and Saturday – 9, 11, 1 am
Where to put your car can always be a problem on Church Street, so check the website for details and suggestions.
Tribe
Tribe is a gay bar right next door to Play Dance Bar and is a great spot to chill in a more subtle atmosphere – more subtle, that is, except for its special events, and visitors to the Volunteer State shouldn’t skip this lounge. Pick any night Wednesday through Sunday and check it out.
Among the events are trivia night, singo (music bingo), “cocktailed” Friday happy hours with 2 for 1 house drinks, and drag shows and show tunes (with stories) on Sundays. In between all of this, there are DJs spinning music from all genres (even country music). For full details, check out the website.
Add to all of this an outdoor patio with games and food trucks.
But there’s great food inside too – flatbreads, wings, sandwiches, and a great selection of bar foods.
Hours:
Wednesday/Thursday: 3 pm – 1 am
Friday/Saturday – 10:30 am – 2 am
Sunday – noon – 1 am
Again, parking is problematic as it always is on Church Street, so better to hop into an Uber, party it up, and call another Uber for the trip home – you’ll be too drunk to drive anyway.
Suzy Wong’s House of Hum
Asia meets the American South in Nashville on Church St. And if you’ve never tried Katsu Chicken – not the typical hot chicken wings you might normally get at other clubs, but not here (unless you want pulled pork with Siracha sauce that is).
It’s an amazing restaurant adjacent to Play Dance but offers fun times too. Drag shows at noon on Fridays and 10:30 am and 1 pm on Saturday and Sunday brunch. During the spring and summer months, this party is only on during the weekends for Drag brunches and shows Friday – Sunday. Something not to miss when in Nashville. Be sure to check out the website for all the details and ticket prices.
Canvas
After 11 years on Church St., Canvas has moved to the East Nashville scene, with a goal of becoming a part of and providing support to the neighborhood. Close by is the Lipstick Lounge, one of the few lesbian gars left in the country (more on that later).
According to the founder, it was time for Canvas to evolve into more than just a gay bar. He wanted something like the TV series “Cheers.” but with a clearly gay vibe, for everyone on the LGBTQ+ spectrum – no judgement ever – just total equality of identity, orientation, and diversity.
On the wall are blank canvases that will be painted in time. and in keeping with the name “Canvas,” there is now a mobile paint and sip vehicle which travels the neighborhood promoting art therapy.
The vibe will be different too. It’s not just a bar but a great place for food, with an expanded menu, including pastas along with their former regular fare of burgers and wings, and signature cocktails.
And it’s not as if there are things other than eating and drinking. There are still events, including music with DJs and a floor for dancing. Outside is a heated patio.
It will be fun watching the continuing evolution of Canvas at its newer location, the culture it is trying to establish, and seeing what the next chapter is. Keep in touch by following its Facebook page.
Lipstick Lounge
With only about 21 lesbian bars left in the entire country, its great that Nashville has one of them. It describes itself as a “bar for humans” of all shapes and sizes, not just lesbians, but all members of the LGBTQ+ community and its allies. if you are human, you are welcome.
Go to Lipstick Lounge for trivia, great and boozy brunches, good eats, trivia, karaoke and more. Here are some of the highlights of this bar for all humans:
- Lipstick Lounge happy hours, Monday – Thursday 5 – 7 pm
- Drag brunches on the weekends – with drag shows of course. Saturday and Sunday 10 am – 3 pm
- Karaoke every night of the week, 8 pm Monday – Saturday and 6 pm on Sunday
- Other Lipstick Lounge special events – Tuesday is LGBTQ+ Music Quiz; Wednesday is Drag Quiz Show; Thursday Drag Bingo.
- Opens every day at 6 pm and weekends at 10 am.
Now, let’s talk about the Lipstick Lounge “Upper Lip.” Among all the gay bars in Nashville, none has anything like the Upper Lip, a cigar bar. The vibe is great, and the selection of cigars huge. Beer and cocktails are served, and no regular smoking is allowed.
And how many lesbian bars have their own beer? Lipstick Lounge has one especially crafted by Half Batch Bresing. It’s aptly named, “Beer for Humans.”
Get more details on their website.
Pecker’s Bar and Grill
Honky tonk. After all, it is Nashville, home to country music. And that just what Pecker’s offers, among many other things. It’s a “new kid on the block” in Nashville’s Napier area of downtown, since its opening in 2017. In fact, it’s pretty much the newest member of the gay bar scene in all of Nashville. Depending on your definition of “chill,” Pecker’s has a full array of line dancing (including lessons twice a month), drag shows, live music on occasions, karaoke, and a host of community fundraisers.
If you want sports, they have games large-screen TVs. And there’s the Mr. Nashville Leather contest too.
The kitchen is small, but it produces some great food – taco Tuesdays, pizza, burgers and fries, and chicken quesadillas. Everyday special is 2 hotdogs and a bag of chips for $5.
Here’s another big plus and unusual for gay bars in Nashville – free parking. There’s also a covered patio for warmer weather.
For details on more events, check Pecker’s Instagram.
Nashville Pride
Nashville Pride festival and parade is a weekend for the LGBTQIA+ community to celebrate themselves, always at the end of June. It is hosted by Nashville CARES, a nonprofit organization, supported by lots of local organizations and businesses, and held at the Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park
One of the signature features of the weekend is the live music on several stages featuring performers of national fame. The stage performances go on all weekend, celebrating the entire gay community, its friends and family members, in one long party. The entertainment is colossal, and there is a kids’ zone throughout the daylight hours.
There are always food trucks and places to grab a beer or cocktail or two and a marketplace with over 200 vendors and organizations that are dedicated to initiatives, advocacy, and services throughout middle Tennessee. The goal is to show the nation and the world that the LGBTQIA+ community is alive and well and will not be forced into the shadows anywhere, ever again.
The Pride Parade always takes place on Broadway, first organized in 1988, but there have been other pride events in the city for over 50 years, always in June, the most common month for events all over the country.
Nashville Gay Scene – It’s Alive, Well, and Thriving
Whether on Church St., East Nashville, or downtown, there are great days and nights to be had. From drag shows and brunches, to huge dance floors, to karaoke, bingo, sports, or honky tonk line dancing, it can be found in this city. There’s an LGBTQ+ bar for every taste. Every night can be a gay bar night, and every Sunday can be a brunch funday. Find draft and craft beers, signature cocktails, outdoor patios spring through fall, and a welcoming community and environment wherever you go. Kudos for this great haven for the community.
Explore Nashville Via Taimi
Taimi is the largest online LGBTQIA+ dating service on the planet, but it operates as a social media spot too. Download the Taimi app from the website, and join groups related to Nashville. You’ll get recommendations for hotels and bars/clubs for you visit, and you may even find someone to hook up with as a great guide or more.
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