World City Guide

Nightlife

The bars and clubs of Memphis are so lively that some people come here for the nightlife alone. There is little differentiation between bars and clubs, as practically every venue has live music at least a couple of nights a week. Beale Street is the hub of activity and is lined with clubs that stay open until the early hours. While drinks in Beale Street clubs might be a bit pricier than at other outlets, they are not outrageously expensive.

Clubs charge a small admission fee but on Friday and Saturday nights you can buy a US$10 wristband that will get you entry to all the clubs along the street. Dress can be as casual as you wish, although you might want to make a bit of an effort, seeing as the Memphis crowd loves to dress to impress – and flash their flesh. The minimum legal drinking age is 21 years old and you might be asked for proof of your age. Some bars on Beale Street are open till 0500.

Nightlife is not restricted to Beale Street, however. The Pinch Historic District in Downtown has several popular restaurants/bars and the area around Overton Square in Midtown is also worth investigating. Weekly updates of events in the city can be found in the Memphis Flyer (website: www.memphisflyer.com), a free local paper.

Bars: While it can hardly be termed just a bar, the lobby of the luxurious Peabody Hotel, 149 Union Avenue, in Downtown Memphis, is an essential stop for anyone visiting the city. It is the most elegant venue in town and the very best place for people watching. The busiest nights are Thursday evenings, during the summer, when rooftop parties are held. Attracting a young, fashionable crowd is Sleep Out Louie’s, 88 Union Avenue, a popular oyster bar and place to pose. More down-to-earth places are Silky O’Sullivan’s, 183 Beale Street, an Irish theme bar where you can get a chilled Guinness, and Zinnie’s, 1688 Madison Avenue, a well-established, no-nonsense bar in midtown Memphis. If you want a burger along with your beer, head for one of the branches of Huey’s, said to serve the best burgers in town. You can find them at 1927 Madison Avenue, in midtown, as well as 77 South Second Street, Downtown.

Casinos: Apart from a state lottery implemented in 2004, gambling is banned throughout Tennessee. But you only have to drive south over the Mississippi state line (about 30 minutes by car) to reach all the casinos you could wish for. Tunica (website: www.tunicamiss.org) is one of Mississippi’s thriving gambling resorts and has a clutch of 24-hour, Las Vegas-style casinos situated on riverboats built on permanently docked barges, such as the Gold Strike Casino Resort, 1010 Casino Centre Drive, Robinsonville, and Grand Casino-Tunica, 13615 Old Hwy 61N, Robinsonville. The legal gambling age at Tunica is 21 years – a picture ID or passport is recommended. There is no dress code.

Clubs: Don your Stetson and head for Denim and Diamonds, 5353 South Mendenhall Road, East Memphis, for a night of line dancing. Old-fashioned cars are out in front of the red, white and blue building that houses Raiford’s Disco Lounge, 115 Vance Avenue, where there is smoke and mirrors, and the dancing stretches into the wee hours. Another good dancing alternative is Club 152, 152 Beale Street, downtown’s premier place for techno, house and alternative dance music. Live music and the hottest local bands are popular with the younger set. Backstreet, 2018 Court Street (website: www.backstreetmemphis.com) is the largest gay club in Memphis.

Live Music: Practically everywhere in Memphis has live music at least a couple of nights a week, so your main problem will be deciding where to go. Beale Street is the starting place for anyone wanting to check out the Memphis scene. Perhaps the best known but also most touristy place is B B King’s Blues Club, 143 Beale Street (website: www.bbkingbluesclub.com) owned by the legendary musician.

More popular with the locals is Ernestine and Hazel’s, 531 South Main Street. This one-time brothel is now a lively joint with late-night rhythm and blues and rock music. You can also try Rum Boogie, 182 Beale Street (website: www.rumboogie.com) which attracts national big-name blues bands. For the ultimate in cool blues, take a taxi to Wild Bill’s, 1580 Vollintine Avenue, a smoky, no-frills juke joint that’s so good the locals like to keep it to themselves.