Mickey’s Tavern is an East Nashville dive bar that, refreshingly, doesn’t want to be anything else. Don’t come here for the karaoke, DJs, or bands — because that’s not happening here. Come to Mickey’s to drink with friends and play a little pool or a game of darts with a badass jukebox cued up in the background.

Open until 3 a.m. daily, East Nashville’s the Cobra is just as much a live music venue as it is a bar (maybe even more so). While the “venue” portion of the space only opens 30 minutes before show time, there are pool tables and dart boards to help pass the time in between sets and rounds of brew over at the bar. The Cobra keeps it simple with a menu of nachos, quesadillas, hot dogs, and burritos.

Back from the dead after a short hiatus and change of ownership (enter Teresa Mason of beloved Mas Tacos), the McFerrin Park dive bar saw some renovations but remains the same low-key longtime Eastside hang. Thankfully, the name and iconic sign remain, but folks can get pumped about menu items like a Sonoran hot dog or classic bar nachos.

Duke’s in East Nashville isn’t the biggest bar in the city, but its late-night sandwiches more than make up for that. You can opt to build your own or go with one of its housemade creations like the top round pastrami with Swiss, red onion, and horseradish. The beer-and-a-shot combo here is always $7, and DJs — which includes a roster of local musicians, touring bands, and regulars with killer record collections — start spinning at 10 p.m.

A tried-and-true dive bar just steps away from the weekend shrieks of Broadway — locals come to this smoker-friendly sports hang for a fun cast of regulars, bar games, and good pizza. It also serves breakfast all day — you’ll find the breakfast platter and sandwich available from open to close.

This Chicago-style dive in Midtown opened in 2002 and has an affinity for... bones. A hole in the floor functions as a peephole into the basement that guards some skeletal remains. After ordering your beer or a Red’s Whacker, take a gander at the flying skeletons around the joint and order up some brats, burgers, wings, or po’ boys when you start feeling peckish. Red Door has another location in East Nashville.

Springwater Supper Club has been around since 1897 and claims to be Tennessee’s oldest bar. Nowadays you can catch local musicians and comedians performing regularly at this no-frills Midtown dive while sipping on a draft beer — and only beer (i.e. don’t expect any fancy liquor or wine here). Word to the wise: it’s cash only, so hit an ATM before heading over.

Bobby’s Idle Hour re-opened in a new location just a block down from its original digs back in 2021 and has stayed true to its dive bar roots ever since. Live music is the name of the game here, but don’t expect any frills when it comes to drinks and snacks. It’s can-service only with just a few bags of chips and peanuts to keep you fueled throughout the night — a dive bar through and through.

No list of best dive bars in Nashville would be complete without the legendary Santa’s Pub. A Nashville staple, Santa’s can sometimes veer a little too touristy to be considered a dive bar. But the truth is, it’s as dive-y as you can get. It’s housed in a double-wide trailer with a cash-only bar, and some of the best karaoke in town.

Melrose Billiard Parlor was reopened a few years back and given a spit shine by Austin Ray (M.L. Rose, the Sutler) and his team. You’ll find pool tables, ping pong, shuffleboard, darts, and more throughout the joint. Happy hour runs from 4 to 8 p.m. with all beers and well liquor priced at $4. Food options are pretty basic here: cheese and pepperoni pizza and $2 snacks.

Rosie’s Twin Kegs is the bar you wish you had around the corner. It’s been South Nashville’s (not-so) secret spot for cheap beer, food, and solid live music you can enjoy with a pretty genial crowd. Don’t leave without trying their burger — it’s been cited as one of the best in Nashville.