16. Flying Saucer Draught Emporium
City: Memphis, TN
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (901) 523-8536
Address: 130 Peabody Place
Description: Located just a block off Beale, this beer palace is prime real estate and a popular place for downtown professionals to grab a postwork drink. During the warm months, which is most of them, the large bar’s open windows let a breeze in and the music out. The music is mostly local and usually not too exciting, but the Saucer has probably the largest beer menu in the city, with more than 75 on tap and 125 in bottles. Monday is $2.50 pint night. It’s a yuppie mob scene on Friday and Saturday nights. Open until 2:00 a.m. on weekends.
17. Huey’S
City: Memphis, TN
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (901) 527-2700
Address: 77 South Second Street
Description: The downtown location of the popular local burger chain offers live blues and jazz on Sunday afternoons and evenings. No cover. Open until 3:00 a.m.
18. Jillian’S
City: Memphis, TN
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (901) 543-8800
Address: 150 Peabody Place
Description: This massive chain-entertainment complex is a three-story fun house for adults located within downtown’s Peabody Place mall. Jillian’s has a full bowling alley, a state-of-the-art arcade, several pool tables, and huge banks of big-screen TVs for sports viewing. It has been accurately described around town as “Chuck E. Cheese for grownups.” The bar/restaurant is on the ground floor. Kids are allowed until 10:00 p.m.; after that, you have to be at least age 21 to enter. Open until 2:00 a.m. on weekends. Usually no cover.
19. Kudzu’S
City: Memphis, TN
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (901) 525-4924
Address: 603 Monroe Avenue
Description: Though it may call itself “a neighborhood bar looking for a neighborhood,” Kudzu’s really is the place in Memphis where everybody knows your name. Located in an off-the-beaten path, slightly industrial part of downtown, Kudzu’s is an intimate, no-frills bar that’s a popular hangout for local reporters, midtowners, and downtowners. At night, Kudzu’s offers a diverse array of entertainment, from singer-songwriter nights to the occasional touring band. The bar’s Wednesday-night pub quiz is a Memphis staple. Open until 2:00 a.m. or later, closed Sunday.
20. The Lounge At Gibson Beale Street Showcase
City: Memphis, TN
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (901) 544-7998, ext. 2
Description: This spacious club, with its comfortable leather chairs and sofas, feels like an urbane, updated take on Manhattan supper clubs of the 1950s. It’s tucked next to the Gibson Guitar Factory and has a great menu of appetizers. The drinks can be expensive, and the cover charge for the music is sometimes well over $5 but worth it, since the Lounge has great acts.
21. The Peabody Hotel Lobby Bar
City: Memphis, TN
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (901) 529-4000
Address: 149 Union Avenue
Description: It’s been said that the Delta begins in the lobby of this grand old hotel, and there may be no better place to spot celebrities and other high rollers than by sipping a pricey cocktail at The Peabody’s lobby bar and spending an evening people watching. The hotel’s usually open rooftop is a choice spot to hang out and get a glimpse of downtown from above, and on Thursday nights during summer, it’s the site of a massive party featuring live music and plenty of singles action. The Peabody’s Corner Bar is also worth a visit, especially if the lobby bar is full.
22. Sleep Out Louie’S
City: Memphis, TN
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (901) 527-5337
Address: 88 Union Avenue
Description: This downtown watering hole, which makes its home in a former fire station, has one of the best happy hours in town, attracting a range of professionals who work and live in the area. It also has a great patio for sitting outdoors on nice days, with service even in December if there’s an unexpected heat wave. If you’re hungry, there’s a full menu of pub grub, too. Sleep Out is a great place to party before sporting events or other downtown happenings. Closes early.
23. Swig
City: Memphis, TN
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (901) 522-8515
Address: 100 Peabody Place
Description: This new 1940s-style martini bar serves some 35 versions of the classic cocktail in a contemporary, elegant atmosphere. Situated in the ground floor of the 100 Peabody Place office building, Swig has a huge selection of vodka, cognac, and other spirits, as well as a casual menu. Jazz is a key part of what Swig does, and while it’s usually played on the bar’s state-of-the-art sound system, there’s sometimes live jazz. The martini bar, which views itself as a hip, more uptown alternative to beer joints, is a satellite of the San Antonio original. It’s often packed with the suit crowd after work but becomes more of a hipster hangout later on.
24. Alex’S Tavern
City: Memphis, TN
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (901) 278-9086
Address: 1445 Jackson Avenue
Description: Alex’s is a tiny bar with a big local reputation, frequently cited as a favorite bar, late-night dive, and jukebox spot by locals of all ages. Locals swear by the hamburgers here.
25. The Blue Monkey
City: Memphis, TN
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (901) 272-2583
Address: 2012 Madison Avenue
Description: The Blue Monkey is a favorite watering hole for 20-somethings in the area and is also a popular gathering place for the local college kids during lunch and dinner. The Monkey features a wide variety of live music Wednesday through Thursday, and the menu offers seafood, po’boys, and sandwiches, among other things. The atmosphere is comfortable and the people are great, though the crowds can be a little overwhelming on busier nights. Open until 3:00 a.m.
26. Dish
City: Memphis, TN
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (901) 276-0002
Address: 948 South Cooper Street
Description: The bar of this popular Cooper-Young neighborhood eatery has a decidedly different personality from the restaurant. dish is your basic dark smoky hipster lounge, with an eclectic clientele of all ages. In addition to its cool see-and-be-seen atmosphere, the bar has an extensive tapas menu with a twist: You fill out a sushi-type menu to order exactly what you want. Sunday is probably dish’s biggest party night, when DJs host “Jam on It” and the bar offers two-for-one domestic beers from 10:00 p.m. to midnight. A huge crowd usually parties well into the wee hours.
27. Hi-Tone Café
City: Memphis, TN
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (901) 278-8663
Address: 1913 Poplar Avenue
Description: This midtown bar, located right across the street from Overton Park, is actually one of the city’s finest music venues. The sound is good, the room is cozy, and the bartenders are friendly. The city’s best local rock and roots acts play here regularly, and the club boasts an uneven, if occasionally spectacular, mix of similar national acts for a small club. The Hi-Tone made local concert history in 2004 when Elvis Costello played there in a rare club appearance. The crowd is hip and very casual, with most patrons in their 20s and 30s. The club has pool tables, too. Note to Elvis fans: Guess who took karate lessons in this building years ago?
28. Huey’S
City: Memphis, TN
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (901) 726-4372
Address: 1927 Madison Avenue
Description: This beloved local burger chain, owned and operated by a member of local ’60s garage-rock band the Box Tops, is a true Memphis staple, with Huey burgers one of the city’s ultimate comfort foods. The midtown location is the original. On Sunday afternoons and evenings, it’s also one of the city’s best bets for live blues and jazz. All Huey’s locations offer intelligently and lovingly booked live music on Sundays for no cover. The midtown and downtown locations usually offer the choicest music options, but it’s rare for any Huey’s to offer music that isn’t authentic roots music that’s easy on the ears.
29. Newby’S
City: Memphis, TN
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (901) 452-8408
Address: 539 South Highland Street
Description: Newby’s is the signature club on the University of Memphis–area Highland Strip and second only to the New Daisy on Beale among local rock clubs for the size of its music hall. Newby’s features a wide variety of live music from old rock to jam bands, all of which appeal to students from nearby University of Memphis. Newby’s also plays host to national acts, which have included Michelle Shocked and Los Lonely Boys. Other musical guests include the Charlie Mars Band and Jordan Knight. Newby’s back patio sometimes has live acoustic music as well.
30. Nocturnal
City: Memphis, TN
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (901) 726-1909
Address: 1588 Madison Avenue
Description: Nocturnal is a new midtown club and bar housed in the old home of The Madison Flame. Friday and Saturday nights resident DJ Mary Jane spins a variety of house, techno, old school hip–hop, and more. Nocturnal caters to the trendy yet casual clubber and has quickly become popular with the 20s crowd in Memphis. They only serve beer. Sometimes cover is $10 when they have guest DJs and special shows. They usually close around 2:00 a.m.