Tennessee
From honky-tonks to cocktail dens, these are the best bars in Tennessee
![From honky-tonks to cocktail dens, these are the best bars in Tennessee From honky-tonks to cocktail dens, these are the best bars in Tennessee](https://www.gannett-cdn.com/presto/2021/06/02/PKNS/154241cb-2529-470f-b1bc-3e376585bc0c-KNS-LittleJig-0604_BP_2.jpg?auto=webp&crop=3999,2250,x0,y203&format=pjpg&width=1200)
Nashville is known for its honky-tonks, but it’s certainly not limited to what you find on the brightly lit and crowded Broadway strip. Similarly, Memphis isn’t all Beale Street blues clubs.
The best bars make you feel welcome, wherever they’re located. They’re a respite from the hustle and bustle of the day, a third place to relax and enjoy a drink, maybe chat a bit if you’re so inclined (though sipping a glass of wine quietly in the corner is certainly a mood).
You’ll find all of that and more in this list of Tennessee’s best bars, compiled by the USA TODAY Network food and drink writers who frequent them. And once you’ve visited all of these, check out your out-of-state options with USA TODAY’s Bars of the Year list for 2024.
Boneyard | Chattanooga
Details: 26 Station St.; 423-713-5000; boneyardbar.com
Ask the locals, the ones who pour the drinks, make the food and distill the whiskey, where they go on their nights off, and this spot will inevitably turn up on the list. This is not your classic cocktail bar, nor is it a hole in the wall. It is instead a bike shop by day and a slightly punk rock, somewhat industrial but very comfortable celebration of drink and music at night. You’ll find a small but excellent selection of wines and big boozy cocktails including the Firing Squad, with mezcal, amaro, lime and cherry. To eat, grab Asian street food-style noodles, smash burgers and wings from the in-house food truck. Stick around for music that encompasses everything from karaoke to garage metal. — Mackensy Lunsford, The Tennessean
Whiskey Thief | Chattanooga
Details: 102 Walnut St.; 423-269-8555; whiskeythiefchattanooga.com
For unparalleled views of the city and river, head to this bar on the rooftop of the Edwin Hotel, the type of hotel that has its own signature scent in bespoke candles. Whiskey Thief is not precious, though. It’s a gorgeous hang and free of retention. It’s easy to while away a comfortable happy hour here with a bourbon flight or glass of wine and a charcuterie plate. Don’t be afraid to put yourself in the hands of the bartenders, and don’t be concerned if they recommend the lychee-based, brightly colored Meditation in Blue; it’s actually good. — Lunsford
Boyd’s Jig and Reel | Knoxville
Details: 101 S. Central St.; 865-247-7066; jigandreel.com
There aren’t enough days in the year to try all the whiskey at Boyd’s Jig and Reel, which boasts more than 1,000 bottles. Jenny Boyd, wife of University of Tennessee System President Randy Boyd, has been playing fiddle nearly 30 years and decided back in 2011 to bring her love for Scottish music, culture and cuisine to Knoxville. She found the perfect place, right on the prominent corner of Jackson Avenue and Central Street in downtown’s scruffy Old City, and musicians have flocked to the pub over the years to perform on its intimate stage. In addition to the beverage options, authentic Scottish decor and beautiful wooden finishes, the food menu also hits the spot. Boyd’s toad in a hole is great for snacking, but beware of the burning English mustard. Feeling extra hungry? Don’t let the haggis, neeps and tatties scare you. It’s all tasty, and the entree also comes with a surprisingly refreshing field green salad. — Ryan Wilusz, Knox News
Preservation Pub | Knoxville
Details: 28 Market Square; 865-524-2224, scruffycity.com/preservation-pub
There are two kinds of “Pubby Buddies.” There’s the signature $5 menu item at Preservation Pub — a shot of whiskey and a PBR — and then there’s the friends you make while dancing to jam band music in the smoke-filled first floor and while sharing drinks from the rooftop “shot shack” trailer (or the magic beer tree). Owner Scott West, whose career is back on track after a money laundering conviction, considers the divey Preservation Pub and its nightly live music to be the “heart of the heart” — that is, the pulse that makes Knoxville’s pedestrian plaza Market Square come alive as one of the most-visited parts of the Scruffy City. — Wilusz
Preservation Pub a top U.S. bar: Everything to know before you go
District XII Social Club | Memphis
Details: 6642 Winchester Road; 901-422-3372; d12socialclub.com
Named partially in reference to the home of the main characters from “The Hunger Games,” District XII is a bar and nightclub like no other in Memphis. The club from duo Brent Hooks and Tony Smith was designed to fill a gap they noticed in the city’s nightlife: a space for millennials to enjoy. “It’s by us and for us,” Hooks said. Between a first-rate cocktail menu, freshly cooked wings and flatbreads, diverse music selection, constant party atmosphere and décor Hooks described as “simple, but classy,” DXII is worth a weekend out. Just make sure you reserve a booth. — Jacob Wilt, The Commercial Appeal
Earnestine & Hazel’s | Memphis
Details: 531 S. Main St.; 901-523-9754, earnestineandhazel.com
The word “iconic” gets thrown around a lot these days, but it’s an entirely apt description of this bar. The building Earnestine & Hazel’s calls home is nearly 100 years old, always packed, somewhat grimy and certainly haunted. And it’s the best dive bar in Memphis. The ’30s-era pharmacy, hair salon, and later café and brothel was revived in the mid-1990s, quickly becoming a go-to spot for great music and great times. Grab a famous Soul Burger and listen to live music from local artists downstairs, or head upstairs into a moodily lit side room to chat and drink with friends for hours. E&H’s is a must-visit spot for dive bar lovers. — Wilt
Fox Bar | Nashville
Details: 2905B Gallatin Pike; thefoxnashville.com
This East Nashville bar has a hidden feel, located on the backside of a building fronting nondescript Gallatin Pike, where most drivers are headed elsewhere. That I-can’t-believe-I-stumbled-on-this-place vibe continues inside, with a gorgeously moody interior that somehow feels upscale Roaring ’20s speakeasy and Western saloon all at once. The bar stock may be intimidating, but the bartenders are anything but, and they’ll walk you through an impressive selection of whiskeys and unusual sprits made into craft cocktails such as the Sunday Gravy. That one’s a surprise hit, made with sun-dried tomato, gentian, dry sherry, bay leaf and parmesan rind for a delightfully savory and unforgettable drink. — Lunsford
Lipstick Lounge | Nashville
Details: 1400 Woodland St.; 615-226-6343, thelipsticklounge.com
Lipstick Lounge is an icon of once-gritty East Nashville. Now pricey homes surround it. But the bar, which opened in 2002, serves as a reminder of when the neighborhood was less polished. When it was a haven for artists and musicians who hadn’t yet struck it big. When it was proudly home to a come-as-you-are attitude. Lipstick Lounge is still that. It’s a colorful, raucous good time, with thumping music and costumes everywhere, even on a Sunday afternoon. Customers come for a huge menu of hangover drinks like the peach schnapps-based Flying Phyllis Diller, an ode to the queen of one-liners whose gay fan base is immense. Yes, Lipstick Lounge is a gay bar, but foremost it’s “a bar for humans,” its owners are fond of saying. It’s a bar for anyone who likes to have fun in a welcoming but wild atmosphere. — Lunsford
Lipstick Lounge a top U.S. bar: Everything to know before you go
Robert’s Western World | Nashville
Details: 416 Broadway #B; 615-244-9552; robertswesternworld.com
This 25-year-old Broadway bar could be considered a honky-tonk OG. It’s certainly one of the few bars on Broadway frequented unironically by a measurable number of locals. Robert’s is worth fighting the crowds. On that stage, country stars are born, go big and then come back again after their shows on the big Bridgestone Arena stage. Behind the bar you’ll find plenty of cold beers, whiskeys and signature cocktails, plus one nearly world-famous fried bologna sandwich. — Lunsford
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Tennessee
Oregon Ducks Football Commit Flips to Tennessee Volunteers: “I made the wrong decision”
![Oregon Ducks Football Commit Flips to Tennessee Volunteers: “I made the wrong decision” Oregon Ducks Football Commit Flips to Tennessee Volunteers: “I made the wrong decision”](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_1676,h_942,x_327,y_0/c_fill,w_1440,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/voltaxMediaLibrary/mmsport/ducks_digest/01j3xfyg6khx0jwcww2j.png)
EUGENE- In a significant blow to the Oregon Ducks’ recruiting class, four-star tight end Da’Saahn Brame has flipped his commitment from the Ducks to the Tennessee Volunteers. Brame, a highly rated prospect from Derby, Kansas, originally committed to Oregon in June but flipped his commitment after visiting Knoxville over the weekend.
Locked down🍊 https://t.co/s936leALoc
— DaSaahn Brame (@dasaahn) July 28, 2024
Despite Brame’s commitment to Oregon, he opted to visit Knoxville instead of attending Oregon’s “Saturday Night Live” recruiting event over the weekend. His visit was successful for the Volunteers as Brame announced he would be flipping his recruitment to Tennessee on Sunday.
“I just kept thinking I made the wrong decision (by committing to Oregon),” said Brame to VolQuest’s Austin Price. “I knew where my heart was.”
Since April, Brame took official visits to Tennessee, Oregon, Oklahoma, LSU, and Ole Miss. He received scholarship offers from at least 35 schools. Brame originally committed to the University of Oregon’s football program on June 29, just a week after his official visit to Oregon on June 21.
HOME 🦆 pic.twitter.com/EqRN0zePtM
— DaSaahn Brame (@dasaahn) June 29, 2024
The 6-6, 235-pound tight end is considered one of the top players at his position in the nation. Last season as a junior, Brame hauled in 46 receptions for 942 yards and 13 touchdowns. He is ranked as the fifth-best tight end and 112th overall player in the 2025 class.
The flip is a major setback for Oregon, which has been building momentum on the recruiting trail. The Ducks now sit at No. 10 in the 247Sports composite team rankings with 14 commitments. Tennessee, on the other hand, has surged to No. 5 with Brame’s addition, bringing their total commitments to 20.
The early signing period for the 2025 class begins on December 4, and both Oregon and Tennessee will be looking to add more talent to their rosters before that date.
Brame’s departure leaves a hole in Oregon’s tight end recruiting efforts. The Ducks will need to find a replacement to maintain their momentum on the recruiting trail.
Tennessee
Neyland Stadium Continues To Be Major Draw
![Neyland Stadium Continues To Be Major Draw Neyland Stadium Continues To Be Major Draw](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_3747,h_2107,x_0,y_0/c_fill,w_1440,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/volunteer_country/01j3x67npw9p5whmkf40.jpg)
The Tennessee Volunteers have one of the best homefield advantages in all of college football.
The worldwide leader in sports ranked the top college football stadiums in the country, and unsurprisingly, Neyland Stadium was one of their top venues. The Tennessee Volunteers have long had one of the best environments in college sports, and their recent successes under head coach Josh Heupel have only intensified that advantage.
ESPN had Neyland as the No. 10 stadium in the country, which is higher than they were in EA Sports rankings in their new video game College Football 25, in which Neyland was outside the top 10. ESPN’s list was paced by Death Valley, LSU’s home stadium. Teams in front of the Vols included UCLA, Michigan, Notre Dame, Penn State, Washington, Ohio State, Wisconsin, and Alabama.
Tennessee is preparing to utilize its home-field advantage to make its push toward the College Football Playoff, which expanded to twelve teams this season. The Vols have yet to make the CFP, though they came close in the 2022 season. They believe they have the right blend heading into this season and will rely on Neyland to help them.
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Tennessee
34 days until it is football time in Tennessee
Tennessee will kick off its 2024 football season in 34 days.
The Vols will open its upcoming campaign on Aug. 31 against Chattanooga at Neyland Stadium. Kickoff is slated for 12:45 p.m. EDT and SEC Network will televise the contest.
2024 will be the fourth season for Tennessee under head coach Josh Heupel. In his first three seasons, Heupel is 27-12 and guided the Vols to three bowl games.
The Vols finished 9-4 (4-4 SEC) last season.
With 34 days remaining until the start of the 2024 football season, Vols Wire looks back at Tennessee student-athletes who wore No. 34.
All time players to wear No. 34 for Tennessee:
William McCarren (1937-38)
Ike Peel (1939-41)
Mark Major (1944-47)
Fred Fogarty (1949)
Gary Hermann (1951-52)
Jack Willis (1955)
Sammy Burklow (1956-58)
J.W. Carter (1959-61)
Jerry McKelvy (1964)
Lee Mace (1965)
Richard Pickens (1966-68)
Anthony Edwards (1969-71)
Hank Walter (1972-74)
Rand Willard (1975)
Dennis Wolfe (1976-78)
James Berry (1979-81)
Tanner Holloman (1983)
Jessie Martin (1984)
Reggie Brown (1985)
Reggie Cobb (1988-89)
Armondos Fisher (1991-93)
Steven Johnson (1995-98)
Travis Stephens (1999-2001)
Jabari Davis (2002-04)
Dorian Davis (2007)
Herman Lathers (2008-12)
Jaylen Reeves-Maybin (2013-14)
Patrick Toole (2013)
Darrin Kirkland Jr. (2015-18)
Malik Elion (2017)
Deontae Beauchamp (2019)
Trel Riley (2020-22)
McCallan Castles (2023)
Jack Luttrell (2023)
*Source: 2023 Tennessee Football Media Guide
Story originally appeared on Vols Wire
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