Scale on Broadway has escalated significantly since 2016. What constitutes a “big” bar on the strip now means something different than it did a decade ago. The largest venues operate across five to six floors with multiple bars on each level, rooftop patios, private event spaces, full restaurant kitchens, and standing capacities in the hundreds.
Nashville Underground
Nashville Underground, at the far eastern end of Broadway near the Cumberland River, is among the largest physical footprints on the strip at 55,000 square feet. It spans four floors and has the largest rooftop on Broadway, with a double-decker format: one level with turf grass and yard games, another with an LED video dance floor and over 40 TVs. The venue seats and holds groups from 20 to 1,400. Owned by brothers Joey and Gavin DeGraw, it was named to the Food Network’s Top 20 Celebrity-Owned Restaurants list.
Luke Bryan’s 32 Bridge
Luke Bryan’s 32 Bridge, at 301 Broadway, has six floors, eight bars, and four stages. The building extends from Broadway to 4th Avenue and connects at the rooftop to Jason Aldean’s Kitchen + Rooftop Bar next door. It includes a sports bar floor, a music performance floor, a rooftop, and additional levels with varying atmospheres. The “Crash My Party Rooftop Patio” was marketed as one of the larger rooftop spaces on the street.
Jason Aldean’s Kitchen + Rooftop Bar
Jason Aldean’s, at 307 Broadway, spans four floors across 27,000 square feet with six bars and live music on two floors. The “My Kinda Party” rooftop was marketed as the largest rooftop patio on Broadway when it opened in 2018. The two venues, Luke Bryan’s and Jason Aldean’s, share a kitchen and are connected by a staircase between their rooftops. They operate as adjacent properties under TC Restaurant Group.
Friends in Low Places
Garth Brooks’ Friends in Low Places, at the corner of Third Avenue and Broadway, opened shortly after Brooks’ Amazon Music Live concert on Black Friday 2023. It has four floors with four stages, six bars, and an open-air rooftop. The venue is designed around its riverfront position and features spaces inspired by Brooks and Trisha Yearwood’s home aesthetic on the upper floors.
Morgan Wallen’s This Bar
Opened in May 2024, This Bar at 311 Broadway filled the void Morgan Wallen’s name had created in the celebrity bar landscape. Six floors, neon-heavy design, Southern-style kitchen, an emphasis on whiskey, and live music continuous throughout. It became one of the most-visited new additions to the strip quickly after opening.
Eric Church’s Chief’s
Chief’s is notable not just for size but for concept. The building near the riverfront end of Broadway has six distinct floors: a two-story ticketed music venue, dining rooms, a BBQ floor, and a rooftop. It is harder to just walk in and wander than most Broadway bars because the ticketed venue creates a defined experience at one level.
Sources
- Nashville Underground official website: https://www.nashunderground.com/
- FranklinIs, Visiting Nashville Broadway Guide: https://franklinis.com/visiting-nashville-tn-your-guide-to-broadway-history-honky-tonks-hidden-gems/
- Rolling Stone, How Luke Bryan, Jason Aldean Theme Bars Are Remaking Nashville’s Broadway: https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-country/how-luke-bryan-jason-aldean-theme-bars-are-remaking-nashvilles-broadway-721634/
- Honky Tonk Highway Nashville Guide: https://thingstodoinnashvilletn.com/honky-tonk-highway/