Beale Street. Photograph by Alex Shansky / Memphis Tourism.
I was born in Memphis, but I’ve moved away and back half a dozen times. And somehow, I’ve never grown tired of the way the Bluff City comes alive at night, especially in these, the doggiest of dog days of summer. Memphians are like desert animals, waiting out the heat, only to dash to the nearest watering hole or park or the Levitt Shell for one of the Summer Series concerts at dusk.
I love the way Cooper-Young fills up with dog walkers and cyclists when the sun makes that nightly dive beneath the horizon. I love the welcoming sight of the downtown lights and the Pyramid on the water so much that I wrote a song about it. I love the dive bars and fancy bistros, the music venues and the barbecue shacks. As long as they have beer and live music or a jumping jukebox, I love the cornucopia of places to gather with friends or family, coworkers or neighbors, and shoot the breeze over a full glass of something cold and refreshing. (For me, that usually means a local beer or a shot of bourbon, but whatever your poison, you’re welcome to join.) So, after nights of exhaustive research, we’ve picked some of the coolest places to spend an evening in the Bluff City. Here’s our guide:
Absinthe Room — Tucked away in a corner of Beale Street, up a set of stairs, the Absinthe Room is as mysterious and alluring as the name suggests. The Beale Street bar is the pool and billiard hall straight out of a David Lynch dream sequence. The bar closes at 4 a.m., staying open late for that after-hours nightcap. 166 Beale, 521-1851
Acre Restaurant — This rustic-yet-sophisticated eatery boasts an impressive cocktail menu and wine list. The bourbon-based Beast O’ Burden and the Les Grossman both score high marks on my taste test. 690 S. Perkins, 818-2273
Agave Maria — Agave Maria is more than just your average Mexican restaurant — and that’s coming from a verifiable salsa fiend. With its larger-than-life saints of rock-and-roll paintings, bright and colorful interior, and margarita and happy hour specials, Agave Maria is perfect for an after-work drink Downtown. 83 Union, 341-2096
Agave Maria. Photograph by Stephen Lewis Hildreth.
Alchemy — Usually when I use the phrase “mix-master,” I’m referring to audio mixing, but in the case of Alchemy in Cooper-Young, mix-master can only be used to praise the excellent bartenders. As the name suggests, this Midtown nightspot prioritizes delicious cocktails, displaying magus-level mastery of mixology. The drinks list is extensive and the menu includes shareable plates, making Alchemy a great spot for a date or a post-work happy hour cocktail (or three). 940 S. Cooper, 726-4444
Alchemy Memphis. Photograph by Stephen Lewis Hildreth.
Alex’s Tavern — This little dive, tucked away on Jackson near Rhodes College, serves up beer and burgers until late in the night. What Alex’s loses in atmosphere and décor it makes up for with a friendly house-party vibe, a feeling that everyone at the bar is now wrapping up the night in the best way possible — together, with just one more beer. Alex’s Tavern is the perfect nightcap for those nights when the party doesn’t end. 1445 Jackson, 278-9086
Atomic Tiki — It feels as though John Prine’s “Let’s Talk Dirty in Hawaiian” should be playing on repeat in the gloriously gaudy explosion of tiki-themed kitsch. Atomic Tiki is Memphis’ new go-to spot for luau-centric drinks and food deals. The walls are draped with nets, a blown-up Magnum P.I.-era picture of Tom Selleck hangs above a table, and the brains behind Atomic Tiki just added a new Saturday-evening karaoke night. You may not think you needed a new tiki-themed bar, but that’s probably because you haven’t had an ice-cold cocktail served up in a giant hollowed-out pineapple. Yet. 1545 Overton Park, 279-3935
Atomic Tiki. Photograph by Stephen Lewis Hildreth.
Bari Ristorante e Enoteca — With authentic Italian cuisine, a wine list longer than a designer boot, and more atmosphere than nearby planet Venus, Bari is the little Italian eatery near Overton Square. It’s more or less equidistant from Playhouse on the Square, Ballet Memphis, and Studio on the Square, so Bari is a great place just outside the hustle and bustle of the Square, making it the ideal spot to sip a glass of wine (or in my case, a nice glass of bourbon) before strolling to a nearby show. 22 S. Cooper, 722-2244
The Bluff — This Americana-friendly bar is one of the newer editions to the freshly revitalized Highland Strip, and it’s going strong. The folks at the Bluff make sure to bring in both local and touring bands to saw the fiddle, pluck the guitar, and strum the mandolin. And if you want to get started early with some good pickin’ and a tall glass of something to wet your whistle, there’s always the Bluegrass Brunch. 535 S. Highland, 454-7771
Boscos — Before the revitalization of Overton Square, before the yoga studios and the oyster restaurants and the addition of the state-of-the-art new home for Ballet Memphis, there was Boscos. If you wanted a good locally brewed beer or a slice of heaven covered in barbecue sauce and red onions, you went to Boscos, especially if you wanted to grab a bite and a beer before checking out what’s playing over at nearby Studio on the Square. If the fact that this restaurant is a pioneer in the world of craft breweries and gourmet gastro-options isn’t enough of a reason to keep this Midtown pizzeria on your go-to list, Boscos is also the home of local music legend Joyce Cobb’s weekly Sunday Brunch show. 2120 Madison, 432-2222
Brass Door Irish Pub — In the wake of the 2018 World Cup, it’s fitting to mention the Brass Door, a traditional gathering place and watering hole for Bluff City soccer fans. Newly expanded and remodeled, the Brass Door is still the same gorgeous Irish pub on Madison Downtown. The Brass Door’s specialty cocktails include the Caskmates Stout Pairing and the Black Barrel Old Fashioned. 152 Madison, 572-181320
Brookhaven Pub & Grill — This East Memphis pub checks every box on the list of neighborhood bar qualifications. You want sports on the TVs? They’ve got you covered. A big wraparound bar with plenty of bar stools? Check. Tables and booths? Surely. And there’s a patio, which sometimes features live music. 695 W. Brookhaven Circle, 680-8118
Carolina Watershed — Carolina Watershed is one of the newest spots in the South Main district downtown. The Southern soul food restaurant and bar opened on East Carolina Avenue last November, repurposing metal grain silos for a visually arresting interior. The Watershed serves cocktails, wine, and craft beers, all in a picturesque environment, marked by two waterfalls and a scattering of dogwoods, cottonwoods, and red maples. 141 E. Carolina, 321-5553
The Casual Pint — This Highland Row bar and beer garden offers a wide variety of brews on tap. Tap takeovers, karaoke, and trivia nights make the Casual Pint a great campus-area choice to get a growler filled or toss back a craft beer … or several. 395 S. Highland, 779-2967
Celtic Crossing — With live music, trivia night, or sports on the tube, there’s always something to do at Cooper-Young’s neighborhood bar. Celtic has a huge variety of whiskey, and of course they keep Harp and Guinness on tap as well. 903 S. Cooper, 274-5151
The Cove — The ship-shaped bar, along with some of the other piratical appointments, hails from the old Anderton’s restaurant, and the low lighting and Memphis history give this Broad Avenue bar character by the boatload. Wednesday-night karaoke, jazz night, fresh oysters, and specialty cocktails — the Memphis Mule is worth a taste — make the Cove a worthy stop when you land in Memphis. The Cove may not be the only pirate-themed bar where you can drink absinthe and eat oysters next door to a guitar spa, but it’s probably the coolest. 2559 Broad, 730-0719
Crosstown Brewing Co. — One of the new breweries of Memphis’ booming craft beer scene, Crosstown Brewing Co. brings delicious brews and a tasteful taproom to the Crosstown neighborhood. Their Crosstown Traffic and Siren Blonde Ale may be new on the scene, but they are welcome additions to the Bluff City brews on offer. 1264 Concourse Ave., 529-7611
Memphis beers at Crosstown Brewing Co. Photograph by Stephen Lewis Hildreth.
Dru’s — Dru’s is the little LGBTQ+ neighborhood bar where patrons can play a game of pool, sing their hearts out in a karaoke contest, or sometimes take in a drag show. True fact: My old Memphis soul band once played Dru’s as part of a series of shows celebrating Pride Month. True fact No. 2: I also cheered on the lead singer of aforementioned soul band at an elimination round in the Mid-South Pride karaoke contest here. 1474 Madison, 275-8082
Evelyn & Olive — Since its grand opening in 2012, this bar has been serving up a tasty pairing of Jamaican spice and Southern cuisine. Stop in for soul, sass, drinks, and live music. 630 Madison, 748-5422
Flying Saucer — It’s no secret around the offices of Contemporary Media that I like UFOs. Flyer writer Toby Sells is a Sasquatch expert, but for me, it’s UFOs all the way. So this saucer-themed Downtown bar, Valhalla of beer halls, with its vast selection of beers on tap, really hits the spot. Beam me up. Peabody Place, 523-7468; 1400 N. Germantown Pkwy., 755-5530
Gray Canary — Inside Old Dominick Distillery, chefs Andy Ticer and Michael Hudman have crafted another unforgettable restaurant. The menu showcases Ticer and Hudman’s love for shared plates, and the cocktail menu was built from scratch, with love. Old Dominick is Memphis’ new distillery, and it has played home to several city-boosting events — including events celebrating Music Export Memphis and the Memphis Flyer — so it seems only right that the new distillery in the South Main Arts District should be home to the new restaurant and bar. 301 S. Front, 249-2932
Growlers — This Griz-friendly blue-and-white-hued music venue boasts a state-of-the-art sound system for concertgoers, pool tables and dartboard for the competitive crowd, and big-screen TVs for game night. Located on Poplar Avenue in the revitalized former Hi-Tone (notable for being Elvis’ old karate dojo), Growlers is adjacent to Overton Park for Memphians looking to knock back a beer in the air conditioning before a show at the Levitt Shell or after a day of sunning on the Greensward. 1911 Poplar, 244-7904
Half Shell — The last time I went to the East Memphis seafood joint — at the original location on Mendenhall — it was to meet some ex-coworker friends from a long-ago law firm life. We caught up at the bar with a collection of gumbo bowls and po’boys, cocktails and beers, keeping an eye on the soccer game on TV and exchanging chitchat with the bartender. The lights were low, the seafood legendary, and the service was friendly. The Half Shell takes the classic neighborhood bar, adds seafood, and turns everything up to eleven. 688 S. Mendenhall, 682-3966; 7825 Winchester, 737-6755
Hi-Tone — Crosstown is having a moment. With the completion of Crosstown Concourse and an ongoing series of art and music events, spending the evening in this part of town is a safe bet for a fun time. And the Hi-Tone is the go-to spot for local concerts, benefit shows, and stops for mid-level touring bands. The Hi-Tone wouldn’t be my first choice to slake a thirst for an artisanal cocktail, but if you want to rub elbows with the local music scene and toss back a PBR or three, this is your spot. 412-414 N. Cleveland, 278-8663
Hog and Hominy — Southern cuisine, craft cocktails, and quirkily classy atmosphere set this East Memphis bar apart. It’s one of the best spots for dinner to turn into after-dinner drinks. (The brunch menu makes for great hangover food, too.) 707 W. Brookhaven Circle, 207-7396
King Jerry Lawler’s Hall of Fame Bar & Grille — Jerry Lawler opened a new bar and restaurant on Beale, and it’s as cool and eclectic as anyone could expect from a nightspot run by the king of Memphis wrasslin’. Stop by for a beer and a burger before Hot Rod Night on Beale. 159 Beale, 523-1940
King Jerry Lawler's Hall of Fame Bar & Grille. Photograph by Stephen Lewis Hildreth.
The Kitchen — Located on a stunning (especially at sunset) man-made lake in Shelby Farms, The Kitchen made for a picturesque home for the Memphis Flyer’s 2016 “Best of Memphis” party. The Kitchen is all glass and elegant wraparound porch, and the view alone is worth the drive. 415 Great View Drive East #101, Shelby Farms, 729-9009
Lafayette’s Music Room — The most recent time I visited the historic Lafayette’s Music Room on Madison, it was to see one of the final few performances by Memphis alt-country group Dead Soldiers. True to their metal, the band played with clockwork precision and technicality, despite key and tempo changes, instrument changes, and genre-bending forays into blues and rock territory. And because I’ve seen some great concerts nearly ruined by god-awful venues, I couldn’t help but note how the setting elevated the performance. The Soldiers are such a ringing endorsement for the fidelity of Lafayette’s sound setup because everything stood out clearly. The Teles twanged appropriately, the fiddle was painfully plaintive, and the horns cut through the mix like every Memphis horn player knows they should. And every Dead Soldiers (or Amy LaVere, or 40 Watt Moon, or Tony Maynard) song made me thirsty, and the bartender was ready to help. Lafayette’s Music Room earns its name. 2119 Madison, 207-5097
Lamplighter Lounge — There’s a lot of history within those cigarette-stained walls. Memphis music writer and director Robert Gordon set the music video for Cat Power’s “Lived in Bars” in the Lamplighter, and photographer/composer William Eggleston was once tossed out of the place. The Lamplighter is a treasure, a little (and I mean little) cash-only dive staffed and patronized mostly by a handful of Midtown Memphis’ artists and musicians, and it is often the host to open-mic and karaoke nights and pop-up specialty kitchen events. 1702 Madison, 726-1101
Lamplighter Lounge. Photograph by Stephen Lewis Hildreth.
Local Gastropub — The last time I stopped in Local, at the location downtown on Main, it was with the lady friend after a concert at the Orpheum. We bumped into some friends who had been at the same show and enjoyed a nightcap while comparing notes on the setlist. We sipped beers and cocktails and nibbled on finger foods. Local has a hefty menu of “refined comfort food,” and the downtown and Midtown locations are prime spots for a delicious-yet-unpretentious burger and beer pairing after work. Both versions of the restaurant keep the atmosphere warm and inviting with low lights and a little soul music playing in the background. 95 S. Main, 473-9573; 2126 Madison, 725-1845
Loflin Yard — The former grounds of the Loflin Safe & Lock Co. have been transformed into a gorgeous bar and venue that may as well be the Bluff City’s newest, smallest park — just with High Cotton and Wiseacre on tap and local music legends on stage. Barrel-aged cocktails, soulful American cuisine, and a meandering creek make this downtown nightspot one of the most picturesque places in town. 7 W. Carolina, 249-3046
Minglewood Hall — The branding gurus in Nashville can talk all they like, but everyone knows Memphis is Music City. And Minglewood Hall is one of the best spots to see a live concert. Whether it’s in the big room or the smaller 1884 Lounge, Minglewood continues to bring a higher caliber of musical act to M-town. Even a partial list of bands I’ve seen there has heavy hitters from multiple genres: Old Crow Medicine Show, Neko Case, Built to Spill (twice), Daly, Dan Auerbach, and that hardly scratches the surface. 555 Madison, 312-6058
Mollie Fontaine Lounge — I’ve been to the gorgeous Victorian mansion on Adams for a quick drink after work, for birthday parties and going-away parties, and, once after hours, to act in a music video for Light Beam Rider directed by Indie Memphis award-winner Nathan Ross Murphy. I played a small part, the hapless former beau of the lead actress. I was left at the door outside the stunning bar, and, like Buck Owens in “Act Naturally,” I played the part without rehearsing. Mollie Fontaine Lounge made an ideal setting for the video, which featured a sophisticated, decadent party, where the guests checked their souls like masks at the door before joining in the revelry. The décor is slightly different on every level of the multi-floored Lounge, adding to the mystique and allure of the music video — or your next night out. 679 Adams, 524-1886
Newby’s — This University-area bar bills itself as “the crown jewel of the Highland Strip,” and with 40 years of history and a newly remodeled and upgraded interior including a state-of-the-art beer tap system, they’ve earned some bragging rights. 539 S. Highland, 730-0520
Onix — Every town should have a decent jazz club, Memphis especially so. The Bluff City may be the birthplace of rock-and-roll and the home of the blues, but it should never be forgotten that Memphis has also been the home to some jazz legends — think Phineas Newborn Jr., Alberta Hunter, W.C. Handy, and Joyce Cobb, for starters — so it’s only right that Onix serves up cool drinks and cooler jazz and R&B throughout the week. 1680 Madison, 552-4609
P&H Cafe — This little neighborhood dive bar is the home to an open-mic night, pool competitions, and Friday’s weekly karaoke nights. The P&H has been home to some slices of Memphis history, from the recurring and wildly popular You Look Like comedy show to Craig Brewer’s first film, The Poor and Hungry. There’s no liquor served, but thirsty patrons are welcome to bring their own for a small set-up fee. 1532 Madison, 726-0906
Paula & Raiford’s Disco — This is not the spot for a quiet first date or after-work meet-up. This is not the spot to sip a beer at the bar while grading papers or working one’s way through a fat paperback novel. Beloved owner Robert Raiford has passed away, but daughter Paula has ensured that the Disco is still the place to go to dance the night away on an illuminated dance floor to the booming bass of the dance hits of yesteryear. Be prepared to stand in line, but good things are worth the wait. 14 S. Second, 521-2494
The Peabody — The lobby bar at The Peabody hotel might be the classiest, most historic place to grab a drink in town. If it’s not, it’s at least the only one with a good view of the famous duck march. 149 Union, 529-4000
Railgarten. Photograph by BG.
Railgarten — The repurposed railroad cars that make up Railgarten caused a bit of neighborhood hubbub at the start of this grand experiment in outdoor drinking, but the details (mostly parking-related) were ironed out and this Midtown spot is going strong. 2166 Central, 231-5043
The Rec Room — Memphis’ most hopping bar-cade, the Rec Room has been the host to the World Flying Saucer Day Dance Party, UFC fights on the big screen, Harry Potter trivia night, Indie Memphis parties, and countless birthday parties. The Rec Room has a selection of domestic and local beers on tap as well as some huge screens and video game consoles patrons can rent for some old-school public video game beat-downs, and there are board games, classic arcade games, fuse ball, and table tennis to keep the competition going late into the night. 3000 Broad, 209-1137
RP Tracks — As an undergrad at the University of Memphis, I was part of a very small club, a splinter cell offshoot of the James Joyce Voices in Fiction class, who met weekly to discuss Ulysses. I know; we were nerds. And I know it sounds awfully pretentious, but there’s a lot to unpack in that 600-plus page marvel of modernist literature and we all thought we could use the extra drinking, er, discussion time. And maybe the cozy college bar by the tracks just made everything feel a little less pretentious. Tracks’ barbecue nachos are legendary, and they’re perfect for soaking up a little excess booze after a night spent sampling too many of the cocktails or beers on draft. It’s a great spot to spend an evening (or an afternoon — we won’t judge) losing a game or two of pool, feeding quarters to the jukebox, watching a basketball game or an episode of Atlanta, or debating the merits of modernist literature. Trust me; I’m speaking from experience. 3547 Walker Avenue, 327-1471
Rumba Room — This downtown club was made for dancing. With live salsa bands and dance lessons, there’s no excuse for keeping your butt glued to a chair — the Rumba Room is the spot to shake a leg and groove on over to the dance floor. If you require a little liquid courage, fear not, because the Rumba Room has an array of tropical cocktails to help you feel the groove and quit fretting about remembering your dance moves. 303 S. Main, 523-0020
South of Beale — With a menu packed with tasty treats and an impressive drink list, South of Beale is a great spot for a stop-in on South Main. It’s the perfect place to wind up before or after one of the South Main Trolley Night art walks or a show at the Orpheum, and the atmosphere is understated and classy. 361 S. Main, 526-0388
Sweetgrass — With a long bar and a longer drink list, be prepared to spend a long time in Sweetgrass the next night you stop in. This little restaurant and bar in Cooper-Young also boasts a menu full of a delicious array of entrées and snacks. 937 Cooper, 278-0278
Westy’s — For friendly service, a little Memphis history served up by owner Jake Schorr, and a cold pint of Goldcrest beer, the thirsty traveler could hardly do better than Westy’s. This little bar is a Memphis institution, and it’s tucked away on North Main downtown. 346 N. Main, 543-8646
Wild Bill’s — We almost lost Wild Bill’s, and if Memphis doesn’t have an authentically raunchy blues club, complete with 40-ounce bottles of cheap beer and pulsing, pounding 12- and 16-bar blues riffage, I’m moving. So let’s support this bona fide Memphis institution. 1580 Vollintine, 726-5473
Young Avenue Deli. Photograph by Stephen Lewis Hildreth.
Young Avenue Deli — Come for the wide selection of draft beers, and stay for the Sam I Am barbecue turkey wrap. Or the reuben. Or the pizza. Or the sweet potato fries (especially for the sweet potato fries). You get the picture: The food is mouth-wateringly good. I ate lunch there yesterday (the grilled chicken sandwich, jerked), and I’m already fighting off cravings. 2119 Young, 278-0034
Zinnie’s — Zinnie’s hasn’t changed much over the years, and that’s a good thing. With a friendly staff, a quiet atmosphere, and plenty to slake your thirst, Zinnie’s is a great spot to grab a beer or a cocktail, watch the traffic go by on Madison, and shoot the breeze. 1688 Madison, 726-5004
