Sing Your Heart Out: Nashville Karaoke Bars

This content is taken from the upcoming book Nashville Local’s Guide for Visitors and Newbies, which you can support on Kickstarter by clicking the link above. This article may contain affiliate links, which compensate me a bit for my time at no extra cost to you.

Nashville isn’t just the home of country legends and live honky-tonk tunes—it’s also a paradise for karaoke lovers! Whether you’re chasing the thrill of belting out a classic on Broadway or looking for an intimate lounge where you can sing your heart out, Music City has a karaoke spot for every vibe. From dive bars with rowdy crowds to upscale venues with private rooms, the karaoke scene here is just as electric as its live music scene. Ready to take the mic? Let’s explore the best places in Nashville to unleash your inner superstar! 🎤✨

Where to Sing Downtown

I will start with a map of various karaoke bars downtown, as that is where most of you will be. I will then move out into other areas of the city, focusing on some of the better joints to get your sing on.

Here are the spots on the map above, all either on Lower Broad or within a few blocks.

Wanna Be’s is at the bottom of Tequila Cowboy and wedged between Luke’s 32 Bridge and Jason Aldean’s Kitchen + Rooftop Bar. Generally no lines to get in, although the waiting line for Aldean’s will pass across the door, so you might have to wait when the line is moving. Nice stage and acoustics, but a negative in waiting queues getting as long as 4 hours on busy nights. Open to 3 AM night and opens at 6 PM Mon-Thurs, 11 AM on Friday and Sat, and noon on Sunday. Goes to 21+ at 7 PM.
AJ’s Good Time Bar – On the 3rd floor is the karaoke lounge, which opens for karaoke at 6 PM Mon-Wed and 5 PM to close Thurs-Sun. Not the best option for under 21, as you would only have an hour of karaoke over the weekend before they go to 21+ (6 PM).
Big Shotz, on 2nd Ave N, has live music downstairs and karaoke up. Can grab a bite at the Stillery, next door, before you singing debut.
Wild Beaver Saloon – Located at the corner of Commerce & 3rd, this bar does karaoke 7 nights a week and also has a mechanical bull. As this is a block off Lower Broad, the drinks are a bit cheaper than they are in the star bars on Lower Broad.
Lonnie’s Western Room is located on Church St, just outside of Printer’s Alley. This is a dive bar karaoke experience – Thursday: 7:30 PM – 1 AM; Friday & Saturday: 6 PM – 3 AM. Drinks are cheaper here than other karaoke experiences in the city.
Ms. Kelli’s Karaoke Bar is located in Printer’s Alley, just above Fleet Street Pub. This is one of the easiest to get into rotation, as there is a $5 charge per song you request. This is a 21+ establish all the time.
Blueprint Supply Co. Underground Cocktail Club has a unique spin on karaoke. On Thursday, you can sing with a live band. Scan the QR code to look at the songs. You can either pick one from the list or do it Nashville Style with an iPad for lyrics and the band doing the best they can to play the tune. A riskier way to do karaoke, for sure, but if you nail it you will have the crowd on your side.

Other Areas of the City

Midtown:

Cross-Eyed Critters in the Graduate Hotel – also the home of White Limozeen with its “lego” dolly statue – has one of the more unique karaoke experiences with an animatronic animal band.

East Nashville:

The Lipstick Lounge, which sits 3 blocks east of 5 Points on Woodland St in East Nashville, is a lesbian bar that has a great karaoke night. All welcome as long as they are not d*cks. HOURS: Sun: 10 AM – 1AM; Mon – Wed: 6PM – 1AM; Th-Fr: 6 PM – 3AM; Sat: 10 AM – 3 AM.
Lowbar is a great neighborhood bar that has karaoke every Friday and Saturday at 9 PM – 3 AM. You can also pregame your set at the menuless, speakeasy Attaboy, which is across the alley. Also consider some Hot Chicken from Brave Idiot food truck, across the street from Attaboy.
Love and Exile hosts Toxic Karaoke some Tuesdays. As this wine bar is a bit smaller, you do have to RSVP to guarantee a seat, but there is no cover.
Up near Inglewood, you will find Sid’s Gold Request Room, which is a piano lounge that also has live piano karaoke. Some Monday’s you can sing to tunes played by my friend “Krazy” Kyle Hankins, who is the organist for the Nashville Predators. Consult their schedule here.

South Nashville:

The quintessential spot in South Nashville is the dive bar Santa’s Pub, which has karaoke nightly. This is a cash only bar, although there is an ATM if you do not have cash on you when you go in. This is the place Ed Sheeran visited after his record-breaking concert at Nissan Stadium.

Also see the article on Open Mic nights if you are a songwriter or performer.

Peace and Grace,