18 Places To Eat, Drink and Have Fun in Nashville

I’m still raving about my trip to Nashville earlier this summer. It’s such a fun city and I hope I can make it back sometime again this year. Although, I also have New York City and New Orleans on the short bucket travel list for this fall. ? We’ll see if budgets allow for more travel. But, in all honestly, Nashville was a very affordable weekend trip, which is surprising since I was able to see and do so much during my weekend there. If you’re able to, I highly suggest visiting Nashville for a long weekend. The list below includes 18 places to eat, drink, and have fun in the Music City. I was able to check all of these off my list in just 3 days!

Hot Chicken is a must-do in Nashville. This chain was the most popular of the hot chicken locations, or at least from what I could tell by online reviews. It’s a fast casual kind of restaurant and makes a great stop for a quick bite to eat. And yep, the hot chicken can be spicy!

These burgers are amazing! I was recommended by countless people to visit The Pharmacy and it did not disappoint. It was the perfect meal after spending the afternoon on the lake.

You can’t possibly go wrong with Jeni’s Ice Cream. The options are endless and creative like peaches and biscuit ice cream. And each cup of ice cream is served with a small piece of waffle cone. It made me so happy to get some cone with my cup. 🙂

5 Points Pizza was a lifesaver. We stopped here late Saturday night and grabbed two slices from their walk-in area. The pizza was fresh, cheap and delicious. It’s a prime location nearby quite a few neighborhood bars and makes a great stop to soak up the beer.

From my research, it became apparent that these two restaurants were the top local picks for barbecue. I enjoyed catfish tacos at Edley’s which were awesome. My BF didn’t care for his pork sandwich, but we both loved the Bushwacker (essentially a milkshake cocktail).

I REALLY liked Peg Leg Porker. I had the ribs with baked beans and cole slaw. A heads up, PLP has a much smaller, streamlined menu. So, if you want some more options, especially if you’re with a larger group, then you’ll probably be better off at Edley’s.

This was another restaurant that was suggested by a ton of people. It’s a breakfast and lunch spot. I recommend going early if you don’t want to wait forever. The spot has a simple diner feel and is known for it’s sweet potato pancakes. The pancakes did not disappoint, but next time I visit I’ll probably choose a less traditional brunch spot.

The Patterson House looks inconspicuous on the outside which is part of the vibe. It’s got an underground speakeasy kind of feel and the drinks deliver. You’ll find a menu of handcrafted cocktails sorted by the type of liquor you prefer. There are four to five cocktail options for each liquor sorted from top to bottom by “most adventurous.” Try to challenge your taste buds here! Additionally, there are some classic cocktails to enjoy, plus a wine and beer selection. I’d like to try some of the snacks next time I visit.

Local breweries are a great place to stop at when visiting new towns. Check out my review of Fat Bottom Brewing here.

This was right by FBB and had a young, hip vibe that wasn’t too upscale. We were recommended to visit here from our Paddleboard tour guide and it felt like one of my favorite bars back home in Cincinnati.

This bar also had a casual, kind of dirty vibe. Ha ha. I mean that in a complimentary way. After a long day, it’s nice to go to a neighborhood kind of bar and just relax.

This bar was downtown near all the craziness of the CMA Fest and while it was full of people, didn’t feel overwhelmingly crowded. Which was awesome. Even more importantly, the bartenders were quick! I had a Mulekicker. No clue what it was, but it was SO HOT that day and I wanted whatever the icy drink in the slushie machine was.

Another bar/restaurant with multiple floors and a large rooftop bar with live music. There were plenty of hightop tables and seats by the balcony edge to enjoy the view and weather. GJM and ACME are downtown near Main Street so you’ll see a wide variety of people during your visit. They’re not far off the beaten path, but still worth visiting.

During my Nashville visit I spent a lot of time over in East Nashville and 5 Points Neighborhood. I think it makes a trip more fun if you take the time to explore different neighborhoods to see all that the city has to offer. This area of town reminded us one of our favorite neighborhoods back home, but with a nicer crowd.

This was SO much fun! I wrote about my experience in depth here.

Be sure to check out any events happening on Metro Riverfront Park. The view is awesome here and they often host free events and live music.

This is a bar so it could easily fit under the “DRINK” category. But, it really falls under entertainment. Even if you’re not into the country music scene, I think it’s important to check out some of the mainstream spots in town. This place had a fun vibe and good live music. We stopped here for a drink after a show.

The Listening Room is another quintessential Nashville place to visit. They host songwriter events with performers sharing some background about their songs before playing. It’s a unique experience.

Ryman Auditorium is a beautiful building with a lot of history. If you’re able to, check out a show here while you’re in town. I’m so glad I did and I was in awe of the gorgeous room.