Nashville has a serious late-night food problem in the best possible sense: there are several places that serve real food until 3am, not just drunk-food approximations. The key is knowing where to go based on which kind of hunger you have at 1:30 in the morning.
Dino’s
411 Gallatin Ave, East Nashville. Open until 3am seven days a week. Monday through Friday from 5pm; Saturday and Sunday from noon.
The oldest dive bar in East Nashville has been operating in this form since the 1970s. In 2015, Miranda Whitcomb Pontes and Alex Wendkos took over operations without altering what made the place worth saving. The walls are covered in graffiti, Christmas lights hang year-round, and Dolly Parton’s image is everywhere, including a cardboard cutout that has been repeatedly stolen and returned with what can only be called drama.
The cheeseburger is a late-night legend in Nashville. Bon Appetit named it one of the three best cheeseburgers in the United States. Anthony Bourdain featured it. The patty is cooked on a grill that has absorbed decades of grease and smoke, and the result is a charred, juicy burger that costs roughly what a fast-food burger costs, served by people who are not pretending this is anything other than exactly what it is. Order it animal style with mustard, pickles, and onions. Add a fried egg if the hour warrants it. The fries are crisp and peppery and are not an afterthought. In summer, a Dolly Parton-themed lemonade stand operates in the back patio.
Five Points Pizza
East Nashville. Walk-up window open until 3am Friday and Saturday; midnight other nights.
New York-style pizza slices served until 3am on weekends. The walk-up window format means you do not need to go inside. Community institution with a loyal local following.
Robert’s Western World
Broadway. Kitchen open until around 1:30am.
On Broadway’s strip of honky-tonks, Robert’s holds a specific position: it is the one that locals actually recommend. The Recession Special is $6 and includes a fried bologna sandwich, chips, a Moon Pie, and a PBR. This is not ironic food. It is cheap, filling, and honest, served in a bar where the music is still real country and not the bachelorette party soundtrack that dominates the rest of the strip.
Joyland
901 Woodland St, East Nashville. Open until 2am Friday and Saturday.
Sean Brock’s burger and fried chicken concept in East Nashville runs a late kitchen on weekends. The crustburger is the signature. Fried chicken on a stick is available. The room is small, usually crowded, and loud in a way that makes 1am feel entirely appropriate.
Mother’s Ruin
1239 6th Ave N, Germantown. Open until 1:30am daily.
Old Bay waffle fries are the primary reason to go after midnight. The double cheeseburger is also consistently good. Cocktail program is solid. It runs late every night, not just on weekends, which makes it the most reliable late-night option for weeknight visitors.
Bad Idea
East Nashville. Late-night menu on select nights.
Lao-inspired cuisine that made the New York Times Top 50 Restaurants list in 2024. The late-night service is limited but the food is unlike anything else available in Nashville after midnight. Wine-focused with Lao small plates that reward adventurous eating.
The Broadway Option
The bars on Broadway close around 2:30am with last call shortly before. Street food carts operate in the immediate area. The Assembly Food Hall at Fifth and Broadway runs late kitchen hours, with vendors like Prince’s Hot Chicken and Hattie B’s accessible for late-night eating in a large, covered space.
Sources
- Atlas Obscura, “Dino’s Nashville,” atlasobscura.com
- The Infatuation, “Dino’s Bar & Grill,” theinfatuation.com
- Yelp, Dino’s listing, yelp.com
- Do615, “Late Night Bites in Nashville,” do615.com
- Sirved, Dino’s Bar & Grill menu, sirved.com
- Roadfood, “Dino’s Bar,” roadfood.com