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Fancy a drink with a view?
While Nashville may be best known for its rowdy honky-tonks, there’s something to be said for the proliferation of swanky rooftops that have risen in recent years. From posh bars atop some of Music City’s most impressive hotels to sky-high patios at notable restaurants, here are Nashville’s top spots to dine outdoors with a backdrop of stunning views.
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Read MoreThe Bobby Hotel Rooftop Lounge is the only place in Music City where patrons can take their drinks in the back of a retrofitted Scenicruiser from 1956. Only hotel guests can access the pool, but good times await the general public at this 10th-floor downtown bar anyway, including specialty cocktails, snacks like crab dip and disco fries, yard games, and private cabanas.
Downtown Nashville’s Noelle hotel is a one-stop shop for drinks, from a coffee shop to a speakeasy-style hidden bar on the lowest level to this vibrant 13th-floor rooftop bar. Rare Bird offers a small selection of mainly small plates (the Nashville hot cauliflower is a must) and swanky cocktails that rotate seasonally, like a hot buttered rum available in an individual portion or a large format big enough to warm your entire group.
Good luck finding better downtown views than those of Acme Feed & Seed, a live music powerhouse in a historic building whose rooftop patio wraps around the corner of First Avenue South and Broadway — that means you have photo opportunities of Nashville’s iconic party street as well as the Cumberland River. You can’t make reservations here, but you’ll find covered and open-air seating, a full bar (complete with frosé and frozen moonshine), and satisfying dishes from Nashville hot chicken to sushi.
This Justin Timberlake-backed stunner from restaurateur Sam Fox has something for just about everyone: a honky-tonk on one level, a jazzy supper club on another, and a rooftop terrace with live DJs. Atop the Twelve Thirty Club, you can sip bubbly, beer, and cocktails under the stars or indulge in weekend brunch with a killer view of Lower Broadway.
Downtown’s new 1 Hotel brings with it a posh 19th-floor rooftop bar with sweeping views of the Nashville skyline and eclectic cocktails. Notably pricey drinks like the gin-based Broadway Buzz — a combination of fruits, ginger, sparkling sake, and the tingly buzz button flower — pair nicely with a variety of specialty sushi rolls or an order of shishito peppers for the table.
The Joseph Hotel’s 21st floor is home to Denim, an all-day indoor-outdoor rooftop lounge centered around a gorgeous outdoor pool and deck. James Beard Award-winning chef Tony Mantuano oversees a menu of fresh salads, flatbreads, sandwiches, and dishes like sesame-crusted ahi, all served with sweeping views of the skyline and the Cumberland River. You can lean into the luxury by reserving a cabana.
L.A. Jackson gave the city its first legit rooftop bar and hang-out when it opened in the Gulch in 2016, and it remains a staple thanks to ample seating both inside and out plus impressive views of downtown Nashville. The food and drinks are as Instagrammable as the views, especially the glittery chicken strips fried with Champagne tempura.
The Virgin Hotel’s rooftop is quite the scene on weekends, with a rotating cast of regulars and a long wait to get in. Book a stay or snag a cabana to secure a seat at the French-inspired Music Row hotspot. You’re guaranteed to get some interesting people-watching while you sip large-format cocktails with your crew.
The Graduate’s glam rooftop is a pink-splashed ode to the queen herself, Dolly Parton. The patio is for walk-ins only, and you can expect a wait for a spot overlooking the city and the Governor’s Pool, which closes for the winter and reopens in the spring. You’ll need reservations for a table or a poolside seat; these book up weeks ahead of time, so plan early for a visit to sip frozen Aperol spritzes and prettier-than-a-picture Champagne Jell-O shots.
In 2019, the families of country music stars Jason Aldean and Luke Bryan teamed up with former MLB first baseman Adam LaRoche to open a location of his Colorado restaurant, E3 Chophouse, in the heart of Hillsboro Village, a neighborhood that has evolved over the years from a quaint shopping district to a destination for locals, college students, and visitors alike. Don’t miss E3’s rooftop bar, where you can order excellent steakhouse classics and craft cocktails while taking in lovely views and frequent live music.
The Bobby Hotel Rooftop Lounge is the only place in Music City where patrons can take their drinks in the back of a retrofitted Scenicruiser from 1956. Only hotel guests can access the pool, but good times await the general public at this 10th-floor downtown bar anyway, including specialty cocktails, snacks like crab dip and disco fries, yard games, and private cabanas.
Downtown Nashville’s Noelle hotel is a one-stop shop for drinks, from a coffee shop to a speakeasy-style hidden bar on the lowest level to this vibrant 13th-floor rooftop bar. Rare Bird offers a small selection of mainly small plates (the Nashville hot cauliflower is a must) and swanky cocktails that rotate seasonally, like a hot buttered rum available in an individual portion or a large format big enough to warm your entire group.
Good luck finding better downtown views than those of Acme Feed & Seed, a live music powerhouse in a historic building whose rooftop patio wraps around the corner of First Avenue South and Broadway — that means you have photo opportunities of Nashville’s iconic party street as well as the Cumberland River. You can’t make reservations here, but you’ll find covered and open-air seating, a full bar (complete with frosé and frozen moonshine), and satisfying dishes from Nashville hot chicken to sushi.
This Justin Timberlake-backed stunner from restaurateur Sam Fox has something for just about everyone: a honky-tonk on one level, a jazzy supper club on another, and a rooftop terrace with live DJs. Atop the Twelve Thirty Club, you can sip bubbly, beer, and cocktails under the stars or indulge in weekend brunch with a killer view of Lower Broadway.
Downtown’s new 1 Hotel brings with it a posh 19th-floor rooftop bar with sweeping views of the Nashville skyline and eclectic cocktails. Notably pricey drinks like the gin-based Broadway Buzz — a combination of fruits, ginger, sparkling sake, and the tingly buzz button flower — pair nicely with a variety of specialty sushi rolls or an order of shishito peppers for the table.
The Joseph Hotel’s 21st floor is home to Denim, an all-day indoor-outdoor rooftop lounge centered around a gorgeous outdoor pool and deck. James Beard Award-winning chef Tony Mantuano oversees a menu of fresh salads, flatbreads, sandwiches, and dishes like sesame-crusted ahi, all served with sweeping views of the skyline and the Cumberland River. You can lean into the luxury by reserving a cabana.
L.A. Jackson gave the city its first legit rooftop bar and hang-out when it opened in the Gulch in 2016, and it remains a staple thanks to ample seating both inside and out plus impressive views of downtown Nashville. The food and drinks are as Instagrammable as the views, especially the glittery chicken strips fried with Champagne tempura.
The Virgin Hotel’s rooftop is quite the scene on weekends, with a rotating cast of regulars and a long wait to get in. Book a stay or snag a cabana to secure a seat at the French-inspired Music Row hotspot. You’re guaranteed to get some interesting people-watching while you sip large-format cocktails with your crew.
The Graduate’s glam rooftop is a pink-splashed ode to the queen herself, Dolly Parton. The patio is for walk-ins only, and you can expect a wait for a spot overlooking the city and the Governor’s Pool, which closes for the winter and reopens in the spring. You’ll need reservations for a table or a poolside seat; these book up weeks ahead of time, so plan early for a visit to sip frozen Aperol spritzes and prettier-than-a-picture Champagne Jell-O shots.
In 2019, the families of country music stars Jason Aldean and Luke Bryan teamed up with former MLB first baseman Adam LaRoche to open a location of his Colorado restaurant, E3 Chophouse, in the heart of Hillsboro Village, a neighborhood that has evolved over the years from a quaint shopping district to a destination for locals, college students, and visitors alike. Don’t miss E3’s rooftop bar, where you can order excellent steakhouse classics and craft cocktails while taking in lovely views and frequent live music.
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