You need a car — or at minimum a rideshare. The Bluebird Cafe is not in 12 South and is not within walking distance.
The Bluebird Cafe sits at 4104 Hillsboro Pike in Green Hills, a neighborhood about 2.7 miles from the 12 South strip. Walking that distance along Hillsboro Pike, which is a busy commercial road without meaningful pedestrian infrastructure, would take 45 to 55 minutes one way and provide no enjoyment along the route. Nobody does this.
Getting from 12 South to the Bluebird
Rideshare is the most practical option. An Uber or Lyft from 12 South to the Bluebird costs roughly $10 to $15 and takes about 8 to 10 minutes depending on traffic. Given that the Bluebird is an evening venue (doors open at 5pm, shows typically at 6pm and 9:30pm), rideshare is especially sensible since you may be drinking.
Driving yourself works if you can find parking. The Bluebird has a small lot in front and a larger gravel lot behind the building. Park in the designated Bluebird spaces only — other businesses in the strip mall do enforce towing.
WeGo transit is technically possible. The bus takes roughly 25 to 30 minutes and costs $2, but requires checking the schedule carefully and involves some walking at either end. Given the Bluebird’s evening-only hours and the importance of arriving early (especially for standby seats), most people don’t rely on the bus.
A Note on the Geography Confusion
The Bluebird Cafe is commonly referenced in connection with 12 South because the two are within a few miles of each other in south Nashville, because Bluebird visitors often combine a 12 South visit with a show, and because the Nashville TV show (which made the Bluebird internationally famous) occasionally conflated various south Nashville locations. But the Bluebird is squarely in Green Hills, not 12 South.
Biscuit Love, which many people also associate with 12 South (because the founders parked their food truck at White’s Mercantile on Sundays before going brick-and-mortar), also has its flagship location in the Gulch, not on 12th Avenue South. Geography confusion in south Nashville is a recurring theme.
If you’re spending a day in 12 South and want to catch a Bluebird show in the evening, plan to finish your shopping and dining by 4:30pm, then rideshare the 10 minutes south to Green Hills. Arrive early — the Bluebird keeps about 10 to 20 seats for walk-ins, but lines form well before showtime.
Sources
- Yelp, The Bluebird Cafe: yelp.com/biz/the-bluebird-cafe-nashville
- Rome2Rio, Nashville to Bluebird Cafe: rome2rio.com
- Orlaghclaire.com, Guide to The Bluebird Cafe Nashville (September 2025): orlaghclaire.com/travel/everything-you-need-to-know-about-visiting-the-bluebird-cafe-nashville/
- The Fun Times Guide, Bluebird Cafe Nashville Reservations: franklin.thefuntimesguide.com/bluebird-cafe-reservations/
- Visit Nashville TN, The Bluebird Cafe: visitmusiccity.com/local-business/bluebird-cafe