No reservations at The Station Inn. Arrive by 8pm on weekends to guarantee a seat near the stage.
Corner of 12th Ave S and Demonbreun. A 10-minute walk from Broadway. Street parking available on surrounding streets.
Everything that makes Nashville matter musically has passed through The Station Inn at some point. Since opening in 1974, it has hosted nearly every significant name in bluegrass and Americana, from Ricky Skaggs to Alison Krauss, Steve Earle to Del McCoury. The room holds around 200 people. On the right night, it holds a piece of American music history.
The bar is cash and keeps it simple: bottled beer, whiskey, a few spirits. Nobody comes here for the drinks. They come for the music, and the music is extraordinary on any given Tuesday. The stage is barely raised, the sound is live and warm, and the crowd ranges from 22-year-old tourists to 70-year-old locals who have been coming since the Carter administration.
"There is no more honest room in Nashville. The Station Inn is where music exists for its own sake, not for your Instagram."
This is the bar we recommend to every visitor who asks us where to go to understand what Nashville actually is beneath the Broadway strip. It is a 15-minute walk from the honky tonks and a world away from them. Check the schedule online before you go — some nights are stronger than others, though you will rarely leave disappointed. Also worth visiting: The Basement East in East Nashville for a newer take on the live music tradition, and Tootsie's Orchid Lounge and Robert's Western World on Broadway for the honky-tonk end of the spectrum.
Any night, but Tuesday and Wednesday nights often feature the most serious musicians. Weekend shows draw larger tourist crowds.
What to order
- 01
Pabst Blue Ribbon
In cash. Cold. At the bar. This is the correct drink for The Station Inn. Don't overthink it.
- 02
Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey
Neat or on the rocks. You're in Tennessee. This is a fine moment to acknowledge that.
- 03
Whatever's Coldest
Ask what's on ice. Rotate through 2 or 3 options over the course of the night while you listen. The music is the point.
For another Nashville room worth a stop, see Exit/In in Nashville.
For another Nashville room worth a stop, see Dee's Country Cocktail Lounge in Nashville.