Howdy Nash

Nashville has more rooftop bars per capita than any city in the South. The skyline is photogenic, the summers are long, and every new hotel since 2018 was required by the bachelorette gods to put a deck on top. This guide ranks the 11 rooftops worth your time, what each one costs, the dress code, and the best window to show up before the line snakes downstairs.

Pair this with the neighborhoods guide to map your rooftop stops to your base, then use the free Howdy Nash app to share location across the group when half of you are at L.A. Jackson and half are at Bobby Hotel.

The Skyline-View Heavy Hitters

L.A. Jackson at the Thompson Hotel

401 11th Avenue South, The Gulch. The 9th-floor rooftop at the Thompson is the most-talked-about deck in the city. Sunset view sweeps from the Gulch towers to downtown. Cocktails are serious. Dress code leans polished. Smart casual, no athletic wear, no flip flops.

• Vibe: Upscale-casual. Couples on dates plus bachelorette groups in matching outfits.
• View rating: 9 out of 10. Best wide skyline view in the Gulch.
• Reservations: Bottle service tables yes. Walk-up bar always available.
• Best time: 6 to 7:30pm for sunset, then move on by 9pm when the line stretches into the lobby.
• Cocktails: $16 to $20. The Million Dollar Margarita is the order.

White Limozeen at the Graduate Hotel

101 20th Avenue North, Midtown. The pink Dolly Parton themed rooftop pool bar that lives on every bachelorette Instagram. Pink umbrellas, pink chandeliers, a giant pink horse statue, and a glass pool you can see into from the deck. Dolly memorabilia on every wall.

• Vibe: Bachelorette HQ. Pink everything. Pop hits over country.
• View rating: 7 out of 10. Midtown skyline plus pool deck.
• Reservations: Resy. Book 2 weeks ahead for weekend groups.
• Best time: 4 to 6pm for the photo light. 9pm onward the line gets brutal.
• Cocktails: $14 to $18. The Pink Lemonade and the Dolly-themed cocktails are the move.

Acme Feed and Seed Rooftop

101 Broadway. The 4-story honky-tonk-meets-modern-bar at the foot of Broadway. The top floor is open-air with a 270-degree skyline plus the Cumberland River. Free entry. Live music two of the four floors.

• Vibe: Tourist-heavy, energetic, bachelorette-saturated. The first rooftop most groups hit.
• View rating: 9 out of 10. Riverfront plus downtown plus the Pedestrian Bridge.
• Reservations: None at the rooftop. Walk-up.
• Best time: Sunset, then ride the energy through 8pm. After 10pm gets packed and slow at the bar.
• Cocktails: $10 to $14. Cheaper than other rooftops because it sits at street-bar prices.

Skydeck on Broadway

201 Broadway. The biggest rooftop in the city. Two floors stacked on top of Whiskey Row with live country bands on each. Holds about 1,000 people across both decks. The Broadway-strip rooftop view from up here is the shot you have seen on TikTok.

• Vibe: Loud, big, country-band-heavy. The Vegas of Nashville rooftops.
• View rating: 8 out of 10. Broadway neon below.
• Reservations: Bottle service tables only. Walk-up everywhere else.
• Best time: 9pm Saturday for peak neon energy. Or 4pm for daytime drinks with no line.
• Cocktails: $14 to $18. Beer $8 to $10.

Bobby Hotel Vintage Bus Rooftop

230 4th Avenue North. A 1956 Greyhound bus sits on the roof of the Bobby Hotel. The bus is the bar. Skyline view in 360 degrees from the deck around it. Boutique-hotel vibe, mid-sized crowd.

• Vibe: Quirky-hip. Smaller than the Broadway rooftops. Cocktail-forward.
• View rating: 8 out of 10. Compact downtown view with character.
• Reservations: Hotel guests get priority. Non-guests can usually walk up before 6pm.
• Best time: 5 to 6:30pm.
• Cocktails: $14 to $17.

The Hotel-Side Rooftops

Rare Bird at the Russell Hotel

311 Broadway. Newer rooftop on top of the Russell Hotel, opened 2023. Boutique-hotel polish with skyline plus a portion of Broadway in view. The cocktail program is one of the best in the city.

• Vibe: Cocktail bar with a view. Quieter than the Broadway giants.
• View rating: 8 out of 10.
• Reservations: Resy. Highly recommended.
• Best time: 6pm sunset, before the dinner crowd.
• Cocktails: $17 to $22. Higher end.

Up Sky Bar at the Sheraton Grand

623 Union Street. 27th-floor rooftop with the highest open-air view downtown. Glass-enclosed bar plus an open patio. Sweeping 360-degree skyline.

• Vibe: Quieter, business-casual. Mostly hotel guests plus locals.
• View rating: 10 out of 10. The single best view in the city.
• Reservations: Hotel-guest priority. Walk-ups admitted Sunday through Thursday.
• Best time: Sunset Tuesday through Thursday.
• Cocktails: $15 to $19.

Ophelia at the JW Marriott

201 8th Avenue South. The JW Marriott rooftop on the 34th floor. Glass-walled deck with one of the most polished views in the city. Tower-floor positioning means you can see Bridgestone Arena, the Capitol, and the river all at once.

• Vibe: Luxury-hotel polish. Date-night and special-occasion crowd.
• View rating: 10 out of 10.
• Reservations: Required for tables, especially weekends.
• Best time: 7pm sunset window.
• Cocktails: $18 to $24. Expensive but worth one drink.

The Broadway Strip Rooftops

George Jones Rooftop

128 2nd Avenue North. The 3-story George Jones Museum has a rooftop at the top of the building. River view in one direction, downtown in the other. Country-music memorabilia on the way up. Free entry with the museum or by walk-up to the rooftop.

• Vibe: Casual, country-fan-heavy.
• View rating: 7 out of 10.
• Reservations: None.
• Best time: 4 to 7pm.
• Cocktails: $10 to $13.

Twelve Thirty Club Rooftop

510 Broadway. Justin Timberlake's club at the top of the FifthAve building. Smart-casual dress code, supper-club energy. Live jazz some nights, supper-club menu on the main floors. The rooftop is the upper level.

• Vibe: Polished. Smart-casual mandatory.
• View rating: 8 out of 10.
• Reservations: Required for dinner. Walk-up at the bar level.
• Best time: 7pm dinner or 10pm post-dinner drinks.
• Cocktails: $18 to $24.

AC Hotel Rooftop (Lou Lou)

1719 West End Avenue. The AC Hotel by Marriott in West End has a rooftop named Lou Lou. Quieter than the downtown rooftops. Solid pre-dinner drink stop if you are staying in West End or Midtown.

• Vibe: Quiet, business-traveler-light. Mid-week-friendly.
• View rating: 6 out of 10. Midtown view, not downtown.
• Reservations: Walk-up most nights.
• Best time: Mid-week 5 to 7pm.
• Cocktails: $14 to $17.

Dress Code Cheat Sheet

• Smart casual required: L.A. Jackson, Rare Bird, Twelve Thirty Club, Ophelia. No athletic wear, no flip flops, no tank tops on men.
• Tank tops welcome: Acme Feed and Seed, Skydeck, George Jones, White Limozeen.
• Cowboy boots fine everywhere: Even at the polished rooftops, boots are part of the look.
• Heat note: July and August at noon on any rooftop is brutal. Cover shoulders for shade or pick an evening slot.

Best Rooftop by Trip Type

• Bachelorette party: White Limozeen for photos, L.A. Jackson for sunset, Skydeck for the night.
• Bachelor party: Skydeck for the band, Bobby Hotel for cocktails.
• Couples date night: Ophelia at JW Marriott or Up Sky Bar.
• First-time visitor: Acme Feed and Seed for the iconic view, then L.A. Jackson.
• Repeat visitor: Rare Bird and Up Sky Bar.
• Sunset photo trip: Acme rooftop or Up Sky Bar. Both face the right direction.
• Quieter night: AC Hotel Lou Lou or Bobby Hotel mid-week.

Reservations: When You Need One

• Always book: Ophelia, Twelve Thirty Club, Rare Bird, White Limozeen on weekends.
• Walk-up fine: Acme rooftop, Skydeck, George Jones, Bobby Hotel on weekdays.
• Bottle service: Skydeck and L.A. Jackson take group bottle reservations for parties of 8+.
• Hotel-guest priority: Up Sky Bar, Ophelia, Bobby Hotel.

How to Hit 3 Rooftops in One Night

A doable Saturday-night rooftop crawl looks like this:

• 5:30pm: Start at L.A. Jackson in the Gulch for sunset cocktails. Stay 45 minutes.
• 6:45pm: Walk 10 minutes to White Limozeen for one drink and the pink photos. Stay 45 minutes.
• 8:00pm: Uber to Acme Feed and Seed rooftop. Stay 30 minutes for the post-sunset Broadway energy.
• 9:00pm: Move into the Broadway honky tonks for the rest of the night. See the honky tonk guide for the bar plan.

FAQ

What is the best rooftop view in Nashville?

Up Sky Bar at the Sheraton Grand. 27 floors up. Best single view in the city, especially Tuesday through Thursday when it stays calm.

Are Nashville rooftops free?

Most charge no cover. Acme, Skydeck, Bobby Hotel, Rare Bird, and Up Sky Bar are all free entry. Some bottle-service tables require a minimum spend.

What rooftop has live music?

Skydeck on Broadway has a live country band almost every hour. Acme Feed and Seed rooftop has live music a few nights a week. George Jones rooftop runs DJ sets.

Can you eat dinner on a rooftop?

Yes at Twelve Thirty Club, L.A. Jackson (the deck does small plates), Ophelia (full menu), and Rare Bird. The rest are bar-snacks only.

Which rooftop is best for bachelorette photos?

White Limozeen, hands down. Pink everywhere, the giant horse statue, and the pool reflection. Book sunset on Resy. See the photo spots guide for the full Nashville photo route.

Read Next

• Best Honky Tonks in Nashville - the Broadway bar guide
• Best Nashville Photo Spots - the murals, skyline, and rooftop shots
• Where to Stay in Nashville - hotels with the best rooftops