5 Great Places for Dinner & A Show

By Chris Chamberlain / Photography By Michael Ray Nott | May 21, 2019

Burlesque dancer at Skull's Rainbow Room

5 spots off the beaten path

Nashville loves listening to live music, and we obviously enjoy dining out, but rarely do we do both at the same time. Here are some of the best spots around town where you can.

City Winery

For those of us who grew up on “Exit/In Standard Time,” where if the poster says the show begins at 10:00, that means the opening act won’t start tuning their guitars until close to midnight, City Winery has been a godsend. Show up five minutes before the band is scheduled to go on, grab a table and enjoy dinner and drinks from their menu of globally inspired, locally sourced dishes and exceptional wines created on-site. Yeah, do that instead.

Rudy’s Jazz Room

Nashville has been in need of another great jazz bar for a while now. Fortunately, the talented Wooten family has come together to open Rudy’s Jazz Room in the Gulch, named after their dearly departed brother who played sax in the family band. In addition to a calendar of fantastic musical acts, Rudy’s offers exceptional New Orleans-inspired fare that is in perfect harmony with the jazz music on their cozy stage.

Skull’s Rainbow Room

Skull’s has been a legendary show bar in Printers Alley since 1948. Although the club was shuttered for more than 15 years before reopening in 2015, Skull’s has quickly rekindled the fascination it held for fans of slightly bawdy burlesque performed with a live band, crafty cocktails and an old-school chophouse menu that is executed to near perfection.

Black Rabbit

Just around the corner from Skull’s and Printers Alley is Black Rabbit, located along what was once known locally as “Bankers Alley.” Housed in a historic building dating back to the 1890s, Black Rabbit is reverential to the speakeasy culture without becoming a caricature of bartenders showing off their mad shaker skills with garters on their sleeves. Instead, Black Rabbit is the perfect "chill spot" to grab a well-made drink and share small plates of delicious food, prepared over live fire. The ambiance is only improved by the regular addition of music from DJs or Gatsby-era party band, The Willies.

Sambuca

Sambuca in the Gulch features live music seven nights a week in addition to brunch during the weekends. Not pinned down to just one genre, Sambuca showcases jazz, rock, pop Top 40 and country acts to accompany their menu of modern American cuisine and affordable wines, beers and craft cocktails.

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5 Great Places for Dinner & A Show