Best Time to Visit Broadway Honky Tonks in Nashville

Booking choice: The guided pub crawl, from $29 per person. Check dates Compare the options below

Most visitors only see Broadway after dark on a Saturday, and then wonder why it is wall to wall. The doors are open from about 10 am, and the music starts as they do.

This is a guide to picking your hour. It uses the bars' own pages, a nashvegas.com guide and the timeanddate climate page.

The quick answer

Monday to Thursday from about 10 am to 3 pm is the calmest, and the bands are already playing. Friday and Saturday nights are the loudest and the busiest. The guided pub crawl at $29 takes the planning out of a busy evening.

The Nashville skyline at sunset with a lit pedestrian bridge over a river and its reflection in the water — The skyline and river at sunset.

What is the best time of day for the honky tonks?

Late morning to mid afternoon if you want room. After 8 pm if you want the full roar.

Robert's opens at 10 am and says its house band Kelley's Heroes plays Wednesday to Saturday from 6:30 to 10 pm, per the Robert's Western World FAQ. Tootsie's lists a 9:30 am opening. Daytime is for finding a table. Night is for standing room.

A wide panorama of a crowded bar lit in purple with screens, a stage and guests at tables — A wide view of a busy bar room under purple light.

Five stops with drink specials and a team game, on the evening when everything is full.

Check dates for the guided pub crawl

Are weekdays better than weekends?

Yes if you want space. Weekday daytime, Monday to Thursday, is the calmest, and weekends get busy by the evening.

The nashvegas.com guide puts the calm window at 10 am to 3 pm, Monday to Thursday. Friday and Saturday nights are the loudest, with queues at the large multi-storey bars. If your trip only covers a weekend, go in the afternoon and again late.

What about summer, winter and festival weekends?

Summer is hot, winter is cool and June brings CMA Fest crowds.

July highs run around 89 to 91 degrees Fahrenheit and January highs near 48 to 49, per the timeanddate climate page. CMA Fest ran June 4 to 7 in 2026, per the CMA Fest report. Expect fuller streets and, per the nashvegas.com guide, possible ticket requirements at some venues on festival weekends.

When	What to expect	Plan for
Monday to Thursday, 10 am to 3 pm	Calmest window, bands already playing	Easy tables and short bar waits
Friday and Saturday night	Loudest and busiest	Queues, headliner covers at large bars
July and August	Highs near 89 to 91 F	Water, shade, air conditioning breaks
January and February	Highs near 48 to 49 F	A coat for walks between bars
CMA Fest weekend	Crowds across downtown	Book ahead, check venue covers

A neon-lit street at night with blurred crowds and streaks of car headlights — The strip at night, when it is busiest.

How do you avoid the queues?

Go early, go midweek or pay for a skip-the-line entry.

Queues form at the doors of the big bars on weekend nights. The VIP bar crawl lists skip-the-line entry and cover included at each of four stops. Otherwise, arrive at opening for the smaller bars, which rarely have a line.

Where do you park and how do you get there?

Rideshare is simplest. If you drive, expect $30 to $50 in downtown surface lots on event nights.

Garages are often cheaper, and The Gulch, SoBro and Music Row are a 10 to 15 minute walk, per the nashvegas.com guide. A reported rideshare pilot sets pickup spots near Broadway on Thursday to Sunday evenings, per the Fox 17 report. Walking a block or two away from Broadway before you order a car usually helps on a busy night.

A night-time view down Broadway with crowds on the pavement, neon signs and a lit street — The strip at night from the pavement.

Is it safe on a weekday or at night?

The street is busy and lit at all hours, and being in a group helps. Keep an eye on your drink and your phone.

Broadway is crowded rather than empty, which suits most visitors. Late-night public transit is limited, so plan your ride home before midnight. Travelling alone is easier in a crawl group than at a table by yourself.

What do the bands play and when?

Live country covers and originals all day, with house bands set by the bar.

Most bars have a band from the first hour, and the lineup rotates through the day. Robert's lists a Wednesday to Saturday house band in the early evening. Check the bar's own page for tonight's schedule, because it changes.

An acoustic guitar and cowboy boots against a brick wall on a wet pavement — A guitar and boots against a brick wall.

Which time should you pick?

Daytime for tables and talking, evening for the crowd and a guide.

Weekday daytime: go on your own, order lunch and listen.
Friday or Saturday night: book the guided pub crawl, or pick the VIP bar crawl.
A hot afternoon: try the two-step class indoors.

For cover rules and hours, see the cover charges guide.