Nashville is home to a thriving underground world of speakeasies, each with its own Prohibition-era flair and modern twist. While many visitors head for Broadway, our tours love to take guests behind the scenes to discover the hidden bars that showcase Nashville’s secretive soul. Here’s a dive into the city’s speakeasy culture, perfect for a post-tour evening or inspiration for your next visit!
🍸 The Evolution of Nashville’s Speakeasy Scene
During the 1920s, illicit drinking dens popped up throughout Nashville, often underground or tucked behind unmarked doors, to avoid Prohibition laws. Although the official “disappear date” came in 1933, the speakeasy legacy is very much alive today in restored boiler rooms, phone booths, and secret hallways. Just ask Joe Nashville! There are secret spots scattered throughout the city, some even boasting revolving passcodes.
🔐 Notable Speakeasy Spots in Nashville
Red Phone Booth
Tucked just off Broadway, this hidden gem requires a secret phone number available through hotel concierges or local Nashville insiders. This passcode gets dialed into a vintage London phone booth to unlock its entrance. Inside, discover Italian leather couches, top-shelf cigars, Neapolitan pizzas, and a legendary 180+ whiskey collection.
Old Glory
Downstairs from a former steam-cleaning plant, Old Glory feels like stepping into a 1920s factory reborn. Patrons descend into an industrial-chic lounge filled with original coal hoppers and electrical gear, all illuminated by moody lighting and served with creative cocktails. This is a Joe Nashville favorite and recommended on our Nashville Experience tour.
The Late Great
Hidden in the Virgin Nashville Hotel, and inspired by Johnny Cash’s granddaughter, this Music Row speakeasy mirrors the private “B-rooms” of classic recording studios. A rose-gold bar, velvet seating, and homage to cash-era country legends set the scene. Now open to small public groups. Stop by after your Music Row Van tour and soak in the studi-B vibes of Music City’s soul.
Southern Turf Club & Skull’s Rainbow Room
Located in the historic Southern Turf Building, which was once a brothel, gambling den, and saloon, this spot is steeped in lore. The Southern Turf holds secrets of Nashville’s past, from gangster rendezvous to ghost stories. Today, it houses multiple speakeasies, each retaining its turn-of-the-century charm. Skull’s Rainbow Room even offers burlesque, live jazz, and haunted tales, once frequented by legends like Johnny Cash and Patsy Cline.
🚐 Sneak Peek with Nashville Experience Tours
These mid-century hideaways aren’t just about craft cocktails, they’re cultural time capsules. Places like Printer’s Alley and Southern Turf carry the spirit of Nashville’s gritty past, where jazz, crime, and creativity thrived together under dim lights. By unearthing these locations, we showcase a layer of Music City that challenges the tourist cliché, revealing instead a city built on reinvention.
On our custom van tours, we don’t just drive past these speakeasies- we drop history, stories, and visuals along the way. Imagine:
- Walking into Printer’s Alley and hearing the true crime tales behind Skull’s Rainbow Room.
- Peeking into an unmarked red phone booth in downtown Nash.
- Discovering the boiler-room origins of Old Glory just off the main drag.
It’s not just sightseeing, it’s story-seeking, history-living, and city-feeling.
🔚 Final Pour
From secret tunnels to jazz-filled hideaways, Nashville’s speakeasy scene proves there’s an adventure in every dark corner. And we’re here to guide you through it. Book your next tour and let us unlock the places the guidebooks don’t mention, where Nashville’s real magic happens.
Interested in a dedicated Speakeasy Secrets Tour that mixes storytelling with cocktails? Drop us a line, and let’s make your evening unforgettable!
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