Skinny Dennis
East Nashville honky tonk known for country, Americana, roots music, and regular two-step nights. A casual spot for live music, line dancing, cold drinks, and a down-home feel on Gallatin Pike.
What to Expect
Skinny Dennis is named for Outlaw Country bassist Skinny Dennis Sanchez, the 6'11" upright bass player immortalized in Guy Clark's "LA Freeway." The Nashville location opened on Gallatin Pike in early 2024 as a second outpost of the original Brooklyn bar that's been running since 2013, and Nashville Scene named it the best new honky-tonk in the city almost immediately. The room is a big horseshoe bar with booths along the walls, a proper dance floor, a game room, and a backyard with an outdoor stage. Hot peanuts hit the bar the second you sit down. The dance floor is the main event on most nights, with two-step lessons every Wednesday at 7:30pm and Sunday at 7pm, both free. Live music is nightly and the booking is serious about traditional country and Americana: Chris Scruggs, Emily Nenni, Jesse Daniel, Joshua Hedley, and Kristina Murray are all regulars. Order the old fashioned on draft or the Original Willie's Frozen Coffee, served in a blue bodega cup and named after co-owner Zephaniah OHora's dog. Sully's Smoke Shack handles food on the patio. Rideshare is strongly encouraged; on-site parking is minimal.