Nashville Best Of 2026 · Best Nashville Cocktail Bar
The Patterson House
The speakeasy that changed how Nashville drinks. Hand-crafted ice, fresh-squeezed juices, and more than 1,200 original cocktails since 2009 make The Patterson House our pick for the best cocktail bar in Nashville.
The Verdict
Best Nashville Cocktail Bar: Why The Patterson House Earns the Title
Before The Patterson House, Nashville didn’t really have a craft cocktail scene. When it opened in 2009, it introduced the city to speakeasy-style sipping: dim lights, a hushed room, and bartenders who treat every drink as a craft. Cocktails are built with freshly squeezed juices, house-made syrups, and eight kinds of twice-filtered ice.
The accolades followed. Bon Appétit named it a top 10 cocktail bar, the James Beard Foundation recognized it as a semifinalist for Outstanding Bar Program, and Architectural Digest named it one of the best speakeasies in America. In 2025 it moved to a stunning fifth-floor space in The Gulch, adding striking views and a full food menu from the chefs behind The Catbird Seat.
2009
Nashville’s Craft Cocktail Pioneer
1,200+
Original Cocktails Created
8
Kinds of Twice-Filtered Ice
100+
Cocktails on The Long Menu
What to Order
Two Menus, Endless Possibilities
Try something new, revisit a classic, and stay for dinner.
The Short List
A modern, frequently changing menu of original cocktails from the bar team. It’s the best way to taste where Nashville’s cocktail scene is headed next.
The Long Menu
A tribute to the bar’s history, with more than 100 favorite cocktails from its first 16-plus years. Every drink is made with fresh juices and house-cut ice.
Dinner at the Bar
The food menu comes from the chefs behind The Catbird Seat, with everything from light bites to entrées like the dry-aged Broth Burger. There’s also a curated non-alcoholic list.
The Story
The Bar That Changed How Nashville Drinks
On April 15, 2009, The Patterson House opened in Midtown, modeled after Chicago’s renowned speakeasy, The Violet Hour. Under then-general manager Josh Habiger, an alum of The Violet Hour, Alinea, and Craft, it introduced Nashville to the art of the well-made cocktail in an escapist, speakeasy-style setting.
Created by Strategic Hospitality, the Nashville group led by Ben and Max Goldberg, the bar has since crafted more than 1,200 original cocktails. After 16 years in Midtown, it moved in May 2025 to the fifth floor of The Bill Voorhees Building in The Gulch, keeping its signature mystique while adding more space, a bigger food menu, and striking views.
“Sixteen years, countless cocktails, and one unforgettable legacy.”
The Patterson House
Plan Your Visit
Find the Hidden Entrance
The Patterson House is on the fifth floor of The Bill Voorhees Building in The Gulch. The entrance is on Fogg Street, behind the building.
Location
700 8th Ave S, Fifth Floor
Nashville, TN 37203
(615) 810-8200
Entrance on Fogg Street, behind the building.
Hours
Open 7 days a week: 4 pm – 2 am
For a quieter visit, try a weeknight or arrive early. Weekends bring a livelier crowd.
Reservations & Parking
Limited reservations are available for parties up to 10, but most seats are first come, first served. Paid valet runs Wednesday–Saturday, 4–11 pm.
Pull Up a Seat at the Bar
Walk in any night of the week, or snag one of the limited reservations and let the bartenders take it from there.
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