These Nashville Businesses Turn Into Bars at Night
These three Nashville businesses offer one experience during the day and something entirely different once the sun goes down. Check them out!
We all love a hidden entrance. An unmarked door. An off-menu order. While the businesses on this list don’t make a secret of their after-dark offerings, their spaces do serve double duty — offering patrons one experience during the day and something completely different once the sun goes down. Check out these three Nashville businesses that transform into bars at night.
Tempered + Green Hour
Neighborhood: Germantown
More Info + Hours: temperedfinechocolates.com + greenhournashville.com
A pioneer of this concept in Nashville, Tempered Fine Chocolate has been open since 2015 in Germantown, operating as a breezy confectionary and café throughout the week and transforming into Green Hour, an intimate, dimly lit cocktail and absinthe lounge a few nights a week.
When the doors are open to Tempered, you can expect a charming space with a smattering of tables, flooded with natural light – both inside the café and outside on Germantown’s iconic brick sidewalk. The daytime menu consists of coffee and espresso drinks, pastries, and, of course, a fully stocked counter lined with house-made truffles, chocolate bars, toffee, and more.
But every Thursday through Sunday at 7 p.m., “the green light turns on,” and the doors open to an entirely different experience. Guests are invited to cozy up at tables or one of a handful of spots at the bar for intimate conversation and cocktails, all tinged in the hazy glow of a green light. The menu offers up absinthe flights, craft cocktails, and wine — any of which could be paired with a recommended chocolate.
Space is limited, but a spot is worth the wait. There are usually a couple of savory small bites available, but the food menu is limited, so plan on a meal before or after drinks. The neighborhood is easily walkable, and there’s a wide variety of outstanding dining options, but we recommend neighborhood favorites City House and Henrietta Red, both of which are about a minute’s walk away (reservations recommended).
Blind Barber
Neighborhood: The Gulch
More Info + Hours: blindbarber.com
Back in October 2023, Blind Barber opened its first Southern outpost on the outskirts of The Gulch, following locations in Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, and Philadelphia. True to its name, the storefront operates seven days a week as a barber shop by day, outfitted with three barber chairs and offering haircuts, shaves, beard shaping, blow dries, and styling. And, as a bonus, patrons can enjoy a complimentary cocktail with their service – even when the Backroom bar isn’t open.
Manned by a friendly host, an unmarked door in the barber shop leads to their Backroom speakeasy, open only Thursday through Sunday, from 5 p.m. into the wee hours. The scene is set with retro-chic vignettes throughout the space, offering a variety of seating, all anchored by a dramatically lit bar. While Germantown’s Green Hour is tinged in green, Blind Barber’s Backroom is bathed in moody shades of red.
You can reserve a table in the Backroom if you’re hoping to ensure a seat, but if you’re looking for intimate conversation, you’ll want to stop by early in the evening, as the atmosphere will likely get more crowded and lively as the night goes on. (That DJ booth ain’t for nothin’!)
The cocktail menu features signature drinks you can find at any Blind Barber location, plus a few Nashville-only menu items like the Southern Charm, made with bourbon, Chinola Passion Fruit, lemon, angostura, and mint. Even the mocktail offerings are carefully crafted!
Grandpa Bar
Neighborhood: Marathon Village
More Info + Hours: grandpabar.com
While the concept of coffee shops with boozy offerings isn’t new to Nashville, Grandpa Bar is unique in that it perhaps leans a little more towards bar than coffee shop (hence, the name). Located on Herman Street in the same building as the Apex Marathon Village apartments, the space offers a full menu of coffee, espresso drinks, and teas, and it’s well-lit and friendly for remote work during the day.
But unlike many other coffee shops in town that offer a sparse selection of wine and cocktails, Grandpa Bar’s booze menu is jam-packed with options — a variety of Old Fashioneds, espresso martinis, margaritas, sours, highballs, shots, top-shelf bourbons, beer, and even a choice of three house wines.
During the day, you’ll find folks communing with friends and laptops, enjoying lattes or the gourmet hot chocolate that has already earned itself a following. By night, you can expect a bustling bar atmosphere, sometimes even with live entertainment like open mic nights for both music and comedy, writers’ rounds, and more. And for those in-between hours, they even offer a happy hour every day they’re open from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. with a limited selection of cocktails, beer, and wine.
Happy exploring!
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Alissa Harb
Alissa Harb is StyleBlueprint's Managing Editor, based in Nashville. A lifelong Tennessee native, Alissa has over 13 years of experience in digital media and loves writing about food, travel, and entertaining. She is a lover of dogs, true crime, and ordering for the table.