Eric Church’s Chief’s and Nashville Underground compete for this title, but the answer depends on what you mean by “view.” Chief’s has the most dramatic upward vantage because its rooftop sits at the riverfront end of Broadway at the intersection with First Avenue, facing directly toward the Cumberland, Nissan Stadium, and the John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge. Multiple people who visit Nashville regularly have called Chief’s the best rooftop view and the best BBQ on Broadway in the same sentence.
Nashville Underground, also near the river at the east end of the strip, 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. It is a 55,000-square-foot venue, and the rooftop sits high enough to give panoramic views including the river and downtown skyline. Nashville Underground is owned by brothers Joey and Gavin DeGraw and was named to the Food Network’s Top 20 Celebrity-Owned Restaurants list.
Acme Feed and Seed
Acme Feed and Seed at 101 Broadway is one of the most historically significant buildings on the strip, built in 1890, and its rooftop delivers a different perspective: looking west up the full length of Broadway with the river behind you. Style Blueprint named Acme’s rooftop one of the best for river views. The building’s riverside position makes it work.
The Hotel Option
For the most comprehensive single-view rooftop in the wider downtown area, the Rare Bird atop Noelle hotel offers an unobstructed sightline that takes in the Cumberland, Nissan Stadium, and the pedestrian bridge in one sweep. It is a few blocks from Lower Broadway rather than on it, which gives it distance and elevation the street-level bars cannot match. The Westin Nashville’s L27 Rooftop Lounge sits 27 floors up and shows the full city skyline with the river in context, though the Broadway strip itself looks small from that height.
The Honest Ranking for River Views Specifically
For the specific request of watching the Cumberland River while on Broadway itself, the eastern end of the strip is where you want to be. Chief’s at the corner of First Avenue has the most direct river-facing perspective. Nashville Underground has the largest rooftop and the most amenities at comparable elevation. Acme Feed and Seed has the historic charm and a good river sightline at a more manageable crowd density.
Sources
- The Homebody Tourist, Best Bars on Broadway in Nashville: https://thehomebodytourist.com/best-bars-on-broadway-in-nashville/
- Nashville Guru, Best Rooftop Bars in Nashville: https://nashvilleguru.com/54030/rooftop-bars-nashville
- Nashville Underground official website: https://www.nashunderground.com/
- Style Blueprint, Best Rooftop Bars + Dining Spots in Nashville: https://styleblueprint.com/nashville/everyday/best-rooftop-bars-nashville/
- The Infatuation, Best Rooftop Bars in Nashville: https://www.theinfatuation.com/nashville/guides/best-rooftop-bars-nashville