BestTime
Quick answer
We analysed 130 Nashville bars and clubs. Saturday is the busiest night, peaking at 10 PM, and Thursday is the busiest weeknight. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday are equally quiet, each averaging 20%. On Friday and Saturday the average venue peaks at 10 PM and has dropped to 50% or lower by midnight.
- Sat
- the big night out, busiest around 10 PM
- Thursday
- liveliest weeknight
- 130
- bars and clubs compared
When Nashville nightlife gets busy, night by night. BestTime forecasts.
Night by night
Busyness is shown as a percentage of each venue's own busiest hour of the week (100%), not a head count. The peak hour shows when the average venue is fullest.
| Night | Average busyness (% of weekly peak, 6 PM to 4 AM) | Peak hour | Share of venues lively (70%+ of their peak) | Share of venues whose busiest night it is |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 20% | 8 PM (35%) | 11% | 0% |
| Tuesday | 20% | 8 PM (40%) | 18% | 1% |
| Wednesday | 20% | 7 PM and 8 PM (40%) | 15% | 3% |
| Thursday | 25% | 7 PM to 9 PM (45%) | 22% | 0% |
| Friday | 45% | 10 PM (75%) | 82% | 28% |
| Saturday | 50% | 10 PM (80%) | 92% | 65% |
| Sunday | 20% | 6 PM to 8 PM (40%) | 12% | 2% |
On Saturday the average venue is at 60% by 6 PM and 75% by 9 PM before its 10 PM peak of 80%. It falls to 50% at midnight and to 25% at 1 AM on Saturday night.
Friday and Saturday have 82% and 92% of venues lively. No weeknight passes 22%. Saturday is the busiest night for 65% of venues and Friday for 28%.
Neighborhoods
Lower Broadway
Lower Broadway is the honky-tonk strip, lined with multi-level venues where live country music plays all day. Its 35 venues are equally busy on Friday and Saturday, and both peak at 10 PM. 94% of venues are lively on each of those nights. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday are equally quiet. On Sunday only 3% are lively.
Robert's Western World, a traditional honky-tonk known for classic country music, peaks on Friday at 10 PM. Friends in Low Places Bar & Honky-Tonk, Garth Brooks' bar, peaks on Saturday at 10 PM. Acme Feed & Seed, in a former farm supply building, peaks early, on Saturday at 6 PM, and is at 0% at 11 PM on Friday and Saturday.
Friends in Low Places Bar & Honky-Tonk:
Quietest: Monday 1 AM (5%)Busiest: Saturday 10 PM (100%)
Acme Feed & Seed:
Quietest: Tuesday 11 AM (10%)Busiest: Saturday 6 PM (100%)
Printers Alley
Printers Alley is a historic downtown alley known for nightclubs and blues bars. Its 11 venues are busiest on Saturday and quietest on Monday. Friday and Saturday both peak at 10 PM, with 91% of venues lively. Wednesday stands out among weeknights, with 27% of venues lively.
Bourbon Street Blues and Boogie Bar, a New Orleans-style blues bar, Fleet Street Pub and Wild Beaver Saloon all peak on Saturday at 10 PM. Wild Beaver Saloon, a Western saloon with a mechanical bull, is at 100% at 11 PM on a Saturday.
Fleet Street Pub:
Quietest: Monday 11 AM (10%)Busiest: Saturday 10 PM (100%)
Wild Beaver Saloon:
Quietest: Tuesday 5 PM (5%)Busiest: Saturday 10 PM (100%)
The Gulch
The Gulch is a newer area known for rooftop bars and cocktail lounges. Its 10 venues are busiest on Saturday and quietest on Wednesday. Friday peaks at 8 PM to 10 PM and Saturday at 9 PM and 10 PM. Every Gulch venue is lively on Saturday, against 60% on Friday. 90% have Saturday as their busiest night.
The Patterson House, a speakeasy-style cocktail bar, peaks on Saturday at 8 PM. L27 Rooftop Lounge peaks on Friday at 7 PM. The Pub - Nashville peaks on Saturday at 6 PM.
The Patterson House:
Quietest: Monday 4 PM (20%)Busiest: Saturday 8 PM (100%)
East Nashville
East Nashville is known for dive bars and a local, indie scene. Its 18 venues are busiest on Saturday and equally quiet on Monday and Wednesday. Saturday peaks at 10 PM. Friday runs later, peaking at 10 PM and 11 PM. 78% of venues have Saturday as their busiest night.
Up-Down Nashville, a retro arcade bar, and The Lipstick Lounge both peak on Saturday at 10 PM. Rosemary & Beauty Queen, two cocktail bars in a converted house, peaks on Friday at 11 PM.
Up-Down Nashville:
Quietest: Monday 3 PM (5%)Busiest: Saturday 10 PM (100%)
The Lipstick Lounge:
Quietest: Thursday 2 AM (10%)Busiest: Saturday 10 PM (100%)
Midtown
Midtown's bars near Vanderbilt draw a younger crowd. Its 6 venues are busiest on Saturday and equally quiet on Monday and Tuesday. Friday and Saturday both peak at 10 PM and 11 PM, with 83% of venues lively.
The Red Door Saloon Midtown, on Division Street, peaks on Saturday at 10 PM and is at 100% at 11 PM that night. Tin Roof peaks on Friday at 11 PM.
The Red Door Saloon Midtown:
Quietest: Wednesday 1 PM (10%)Busiest: Saturday 10 PM (100%)
Lively on a weeknight
These venues get closest to their own peak late on Monday to Thursday. The number is the venue's highest value between 9 PM and 2 AM on those four nights, on average.
Bar: Cigar Especial leads with 75%. It peaks on Friday at 10 PM and is at 95% at 11 PM on a Friday.
Quietest: Wednesday 2 PM (15%)Busiest: Friday 10 PM (100%)
Robert's Western World reaches 70% on weeknights. It is at 95% at 11 PM on a Saturday.
Quietest: Monday 10 AM (5%)Busiest: Friday 10 PM (100%)
Neighbors of Germantown also reaches 70%. It peaks on Saturday at 8 PM.
Neighbors of Germantown:
Quietest: Thursday 11 AM (25%)Busiest: Saturday 5 PM (100%)
Library Restaurant & Lounge reaches 70% too. It has its busiest hour of the week on Wednesday at 7 PM. Beyond The Edge, a sports bar in Five Points, reaches 65%.
Library Restaurant & Lounge:
Quietest: Thursday 7 AM (30%)Busiest: Wednesday 7 PM (100%)
Beyond The Edge:
Quietest: Monday 2 PM (10%)Busiest: Saturday 10 PM (100%)
Busiest at 11 PM on a Friday
The average Nashville venue is past its peak by 11 PM, at 65%. Five venues are at 100% at that hour: Tin Roof, Rosemary & Beauty Queen, Mickey's Tavern, Pushing Daisies and Rosie's Twin Kegs. All five peak on Friday at 11 PM.
Tin Roof:
Quietest: Wednesday 1 AM (5%)Busiest: Friday 11 PM (100%)
Mickey's Tavern, a dive bar on Gallatin Pike:
Quietest: Monday 2 PM (15%)Busiest: Friday 11 PM (100%)
Rosie's Twin Kegs is at 100% at 11 PM on Saturday as well.
Rosie's Twin Kegs:
Quietest: Thursday 1 AM (5%)Busiest: Friday 11 PM (100%)
Clubs
We analysed 19 venues listed as clubs. They peak at 10 PM and 11 PM on both Friday and Saturday. Saturday averages 50% with 89% lively, against 45% and 79% on Friday. Monday is their quietest night, with no club lively. 63% have Saturday as their busiest night and 32% Friday.
Legends Corner peaks on Friday at 10 PM and is at 100% at 11 PM on a Friday. Its weeknight late figure is 65%.
Quietest: Monday 10 AM (5%)Busiest: Friday 10 PM (100%)
Dierks Bentley's Whiskey Row - Nashville peaks on Friday at 10 PM and is at 100% at 11 PM on Saturday.
Dierks Bentley's Whiskey Row - Nashville:
Quietest: Monday 11 AM (5%)Busiest: Friday 10 PM (100%)
Tips
- Arrive by 9 PM at the weekend. The average venue is already at 75% then on Saturday, and the peak comes at 10 PM.
- For a late Friday, head to East Nashville or Midtown, where Friday peaks run to 11 PM.
- Pick Thursday for a weeknight out, but go early. Its peak spans 7 PM to 9 PM.
- In Printers Alley, try Wednesday. 27% of its venues are lively, more than on its Thursday.
- On Sunday, go out from 6 PM to 8 PM. After 9 PM the average venue is easing off.
- Start the Gulch early on Friday. Its Friday peak begins at 8 PM.
How we measured
These numbers are BestTime forecasts, built from anonymized, aggregated phone location data combined with real-world signals such as weather, events and holidays. Busyness is a percentage of each venue's own busiest hour of the week (100%), not a head count or capacity. Nights follow a 6 AM to 5 AM window, so 1 AM on Saturday morning counts as Friday night. The forecasts describe a typical week and do not cover seasons, holidays, special events or door queues. Read more about how the forecasts work.
Next steps
- Find busy bars tonight in the free Nashville bar guide.
- Check when clubs fill up in the free Nashville nightclub guide.
- Learn how to see if a bar or club is busy before you go.
- Browse all busy times guides.
Questions
What day to go out in Nashville?
Saturday. It averages 50% of each venue's weekly peak between 6 PM and 4 AM, peaks at 10 PM (80%), and 92% of venues are lively. Thursday is the best weeknight, peaking at 7 PM to 9 PM (45%).
What time do bars get busy in Nashville?
On Friday and Saturday the average venue peaks at 10 PM. By midnight Saturday it is down to 50%, and at 1 AM on Saturday night it is at 25%.
What is the best weeknight to go out in Nashville?
Thursday. It averages 25%, peaks at 7 PM to 9 PM (45%), and 22% of venues are lively, the highest share of any weeknight.
When do clubs get busy in Nashville?
Venues listed as clubs peak at 10 PM and 11 PM on Friday and Saturday. Saturday is the main night: 89% of them are lively and 63% have it as their busiest night.
Is Nashville nightlife busy on a Tuesday?
Not very. Tuesday averages 20% and peaks at 8 PM (40%), and 18% of venues are lively. Only 1% of venues have Tuesday as their busiest night.
BestTime in 47 seconds
See how busy any place gets, hour by hour
BestTime forecasts how busy a venue gets for every hour of the week, from anonymized, aggregated phone location data combined with weather, events and holidays. Look up one venue, compare a whole city, or use the API.
Try BestTime for free
Create a free account without a credit card, forecast a few venues you know, and see their busy and quiet hours for every day of the week.
Start free See pricing