City: Memphis, TN

Category: Nightlife

Telephone: (901) 525-8979

Address: 330 Beale Street

Description: Anchoring the east end of Beale Street, this converted movie theater is the city’s largest rock club, with a 1,000-person capacity and balcony seating above a large, open, standing section. It’s really a venue, though, because it’s only active when there’s a show. Almost all the club’s local bookings and a good deal of its touring shows are hard rock and metal, but the club also books a surprising amount of jazz and other acts that are too big for small clubs and too small for the Pyramid. Past bookings have included Gillian Welch, Fuel, and Galactic. Most shows are general admission, and you can buy tickets in advance from the box office. Credit cards are not accepted.

City: Memphis, TN

Category: Nightlife

Telephone: (901) 525-7800

Address: 203 South Main Street

Description: The lavish Orpheum Theater, built in 1928 as a venue primarily for vaudeville, holds court at the foot of Beale Street in downtown Memphis. At present, in addition to hosting touring Broadway shows and other performing-arts productions, the Orpheum gets upscale, adult-oriented concerts by performers who have included Lyle Lovett, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, and Natalie Merchant. The Orpheum sells tickets at the theater’s box office or at a satellite box office at Davis-Kidd Booksellers.

City: Memphis, TN

Category: Nightlife

Telephone: (901) 521-9675

Address: 1 Auction Avenue

Description: The Pyramid was the city’s main concert and sports venue until the FedExForum opened in 2004. The arena is a 32-story, stainless-steel pyramid, with seating capacity for 21,000 people for concerts. Its management likes to boast that this is the third-largest pyramid in the world, taller than the Statue of Liberty. As of press time the Pyramid is not hosting events and is vacant, awaiting final confirmation that Bass Pro Shops will house their largest retail center there in the near future.

City: Memphis, TN

Category: Nightlife

Telephone: (901) 832-1795

Address: 340 Beale Street

Description: The Double Deuce is the first of its kind, a country-music bar on Beale. The bar is mostly decorated in red, white, and black, but it also has a huge mural on one wall and wooden sculptures to give it a country-western feel. And, you guessed it, there’s a mechanical bull to ride Wednesday through Saturday. Every day features a different event, such as karaoke on Monday, live music with Eddie Smith on Tuesday, and poker on Friday. Saturday also features live music. There is a cover on Friday and Saturday only.

City: Memphis, TN

Category: Nightlife

Telephone: (901) 525-9210

Address: 115 Vance Avenue

Description: Situated a couple of blocks south of Beale Street downtown, Raiford’s used to be a neighborhood dance hall but in recent years has become one of the city’s trendiest hangouts as a younger, more upscale crowd has flocked here. It’s definitely the place for a shot of funkiness—beer served only in 40-ounce bottles and classic soul and contemporary R&B spun deep into the night by the club’s irrepressible owner, Robert Raiford. The beloved sign out front reads no discrimination—and Raiford’s means that, unless you try to come in wearing sneakers, a definite no-no.

City: Memphis, TN

Category: Nightlife

Telephone: (901) 527-0063

Address: 380 Beale Street

Description: This club is always full on the weekends, making it one of the best spots to people watch and dance in Memphis. There are two levels and a huge stage to dance on as well as a good-size lounge area between the main bar and the main dance floor. There are also three VIP lounges if you pay an extra $10 to get in. General admission is $10 to $15. There isn’t an official dress code but Plush patrons are always dressed to impress. Women must be 18 to get in, men must be 21.

City: Memphis, TN

Category: Nightlife

Telephone: (901) 454-4081

Address: 2866 Poplar Avenue

Description: Senses is a big-city dance club whose owners spent several million dollars to make the hottest nightspot in town. With 12,000 square feet of fun, you’re sure to find something you like, whether it’s one of Senses’ six bars, such as the Martini Bar or the Orange Bar; a plasma-screen TV complete with Xbox; an outdoor beer garden; or the dance floor made of reflective vinyl. There’s a $10 cover for the dance floor, and there is a dress code (which is, basically, dress up!).

City: Memphis, TN

Category: Nightlife

Telephone: (901) 276-5522

Address: 2018 Court Avenue

Description: This gay bar for men is definitely a late-night place, which doesn’t crank up until about midnight. Backstreet features a show bar with cabaret performances as well as a lounge area with pool tables and a dance floor. There’s also a patio. Coliseum, the club on the premises, features a huge dance floor. Backstreet serves beer only, so BYOB if you’re drinking liquor or wine. To get to this midtown bar, take Madison and turn onto Morrison past the Blue Monkey. You’ll see the club to the right across the street from the back of the milk plant. Open on weekends until late and some nights during the week. There is a cover for Backstreet.

City: Memphis, TN

Category: Nightlife

Telephone: (901) 272-8801

Address: 1278 Jefferson Avenue

Description: This gay bar for men, at the corner of Jefferson, is actually two bars: a show bar that features a DJ, as well as cabaret shows and karaoke on various nights, and a neighborhood-style bar with a country flavor, pool tables, and a jukebox. In the back is a huge patio and yard. Crossroads is a beer bar, so BYOB if you’re drinking wine or liquor. There’s a modest cover charge on Friday and Saturday nights. The show bar is open at night, Thursday through Sunday, and the other bar is open seven days a week starting at noon. Both sections are open until 3:00 a.m.

City: Memphis, TN

Category: Nightlife

Telephone: (901) 274-8010

Address: 1349 Autumn Avenue

Description: This cosmopolitan gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender bar and dance club is open seven days a week, but the most popular nights are Thursday through Saturday. Generally, the younger crowd filters in around 11:00 p.m. just as the older clientele is leaving. It attracts both men and women and is open 6:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m. Monday through Saturday and 4:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m. on Sunday.

City: Memphis, TN

Category: Nightlife

Telephone: (901) 278-6673

Address: 2117 Peabody Place

Description: This gay bar for women is situated on Peabody just off Cooper Street. Open seven days a week, One More is a neighborhood-style bar that serves beer as well as pizza, burgers, and other fare. There’s a jukebox, and occasionally live music. One More is packed on weekends. Open all day and until 3:00 a.m. every day. No cover.

City: Memphis, TN

Category: Nightlife

Telephone: (901) 272-7600

Address: 1382 Poplar Avenue

Description: This gay bar for men, formerly the Pipeline, features a DJ on weekend nights and videos after 11:00 p.m. It’s casual, with pool tables and darts, an outside patio and deck, and a beer menu with 50 different brews. The Pumping Station has special nights, including local leather night and local bears night, as well as special events such as its Friday and Sunday beer bust and pool and dart tournaments. No cover.

City: Memphis, TN

Category: Nightlife

Address: 1580 Vollintine Avenue

City: Memphis, TN

Category: Nightlife

Telephone: (901) 682-1754

Address: 584 South Mendenhall Road

Description: Paradiso, named after the Italian film Cinema Paradiso, is one of the city’s largest and most comfortable movie theaters, with stadium seating and 14 screens, including an extra-wide 50-foot screen. But what sets this East Memphis theater apart is its Italian look, created with fresco-type finishes and other Italian architectural details. That makes the lobby, with its pizza cafe/coffee bar and concessions that serve chicken tenders and fried mozzarella as well as beer and wine, a comfortable place to hang out before or after the movies.

City: Memphis, TN

Category: Nightlife

Telephone: (901) 725-7151

Address: 2105 Court Street

Description: Studio on the Square, unlike the city’s other movie houses, has lounge areas and tables and serves specialty coffees, beer, wine, desserts, and light appetizers. It’s a great place to hang around before or after the movies. The lobby has several cozy seating areas, one with a faux fireplace, and its decor has a cinematic theme, played out with vintage movie posters and an antique movie projector. This Overton Square theater has five screens that play the latest in foreign and independent films as well as some mainstream movies.