The Best East Nashville Dive Bars

Dive bars have unparalleled character and identity.

The dark ambiance, cheap beer, hazy rooms, pool tables, and music scene will keep you coming back.

If you’re looking for the true East Nashville experience, you’ll find that in the Eastside’s dive bar scene, which has some of the best bars in Music City.

Here are the essential East Nashville dive bars that you need to experience.

1. Mickey’s Tavern

Mickey’s Tavern is the only bar where it’s acceptable to drink Shiner Bock out of a bottle while sipping on Pappy Van Winkle.

Their slogan - No DJ’s. • No bands. • No karaoke. • No trivia nights. means you know you’re in for the true dive bar experience.

Grab yourself some Nicoletto’s from next door and enjoy a game of pool, darts, or their fenced in backyard.

2. Dino’s

World famous Dino’s is East Nashville’s oldest dive bar and was on Anthony Bourdain’s list of places to visit when he came to Nashville in 2016.

Dino’s is open until 3am and an easy-to-stumble-to after a night of enjoying Five Points.

Get your cheeseburger “animal style.” You won’t regret it.

3. Wilburn Street Tavern

Wilburn Street Tavern is everything you seek in a dive bar: a dark ambiance, $3 beer, and close quarters.

Situated within one of East Nashville’s most up and coming neighborhoods, McFerrin Park, this tavern is an easy go-to for your neighborhood watering hole.

The interior of the space shows off the historic nature of the building with exposed brick and concrete flooring.

4. Fran’s East Side

If you’re not into karaoke and corn dogs, are you really a dive bar connoisseur?

Fran’s East Side opens at 9am, so you can kick off your tour of Eastside dive bars early!

The service is outstanding, the buckets of beer are aplenty, and you’re certain to make new friends (or at least find a few backup singers).

5. Crying Wolf

The first bar I ever ventured into in East Nashville - Crying Wolf.

Crying Wolf has possibly one of the best liquor display shelves ever made (with a nice variety of whiskey, of course), and the bar is tattooed with wolves on both the inside and outside of the space.

This bar is a favorite for rock bands rolling through town and don’t miss your chance to catch a show in the back.

6. Duke’s

Would it really be a dive bar if it wasn’t on a side street next to a tattoo parlor?

Duke’s sure is, and not only do they have a solid lineup of beer and liquor, they make some mean sandwiches at the deli counter in the back.

They’re open for late night and definitely NO DANCING.

7. 3 Crow Bar

3 Crow Bar has hands down the best trivia experience in town.

And it doesn’t get any more East Nashville than being on THE corner in Five Points.

Plenty of local beer on draft and in bottles and some of the best quotes on the walls from notable figures on their love of alcohol.

8. American Legion Post 82

The American Legion Post 82 is the hidden gem on this list.

Their live music stage helps bring a true honky-tonk feel (none of the Broadway BS) to this dive bar, which you don’t want to miss.

The best part? The legion is a not-for-profit serving American veterans.

9. Drifters BBQ

Drifters has barbecue and bourbon. ‘Nuff said.

The patio doubles as a stage for live music, they serve “southern hospitality, not overpriced beer,” and they have the most family-friendly environment on the list.

The joint is also veteran-owned and operated by Matt Charette, an East Nashvillian of the Year award winner.

About The Author:

Tyler Cauble, Founder & President of The Cauble Group, is a commercial real estate broker and investor based in East Nashville. He’s the best selling author of Open for Business: The Insider’s Guide to Leasing Commercial Real Estate and has focused his career on serving commercial real estate investors as a board member for the Real Estate Investors of Nashville.