Cocktail barGerman brewery beer garden$$$happy-hollerTue-Wed 15:00-00:00; Thu 11:00-00:00; Fri-Sat 11:00-01:00; Sun 11:00-00:00; closed Mon
Schulz Brau beer garden on Bernard Avenue in Happy Holler, the German family-owned brewery's outdoor space, pours authentic German lagers and weisse.
Signature drink: Schulz Brau German lagers and weisse
Food: German bar food
Tip: Beer garden runs weather-dependent; check the brewery's Instagram before driving over on a borderline day.
Cocktail barBrewery taproom$$$north-knoxvilleMon-Thu 15:00-21:00; Fri-Sat 12:00-22:00; Sun 12:00-20:00
Elst Brewing taproom on North Central, the dog-friendly Belgian-leaning craft brewery patio, runs saisons, farmhouse ales and rotating seasonals in North.
Signature drink: Belgian-style saisons and farmhouse ales
Food: Snacks; food trucks rotate
Tip: Dog-friendly outdoor patio is the draw; food trucks rotate so check the chalkboard for the night.
Cocktail barBrewery taproom$$$old-cityMon 17:00-22:00; Tue-Thu 16:00-22:00; Fri 16:00-23:00; Sat 12:00-23:00; Sun 12:00-21:00
Crafty Bastard at Emory Place, the downtown Knoxville taproom HQ on a corner lot north of Gay Street, runs a rotating tap list of Crafty Bastard brews.
Signature drink: Rotating Crafty Bastard taps
Food: Food-truck rotation
Tip: Food trucks rotate nightly; check the taproom Instagram before walking up.
Cocktail barAperitivo bar$$$old-cityTue-Thu 16:00-23:00; Fri-Sat 16:00-00:00; closed Sun-Mon
Brother Wolf on West Jackson, Aaron Thompson and Jessica King's Italian aperitivo bar below Osteria Stella, anchors the Old City's cocktail tier with amari.
Signature drink: Italian aperitivo cocktails and amari
Food: Light bites and snacks
Tip: Sister venue Osteria Stella is upstairs; pair the aperitivo with the Italian dinner for a one-stop Old City night.
Cocktail barNeighborhood cocktail bar$$$downtownMon-Sat 16:00-00:00; closed Sun
The Public House on West Magnolia, the no-TV no-live-music neighborhood bar, runs a serious cocktail program and a tight Southern-inflected food menu.
Signature drink: Craft cocktails and small wine list
Food: Southern-inspired bar plates
Tip: Walk-up only; the bar opens at 16:00, the kitchen runs the full night menu.
Cocktail barScottish pub$$$old-citySun-Thu 17:00-00:00; Fri-Sat 17:00-02:00
Boyd's Jig and Reel on South Central, the Old City Scottish session pub, holds one of the largest single-malt Scotch lists in the world with live Celtic.
Signature drink: Single-malt Scotch whisky
Food: Scottish gastropub
Tip: Sunday and Monday Scottish music jam sessions are the most authentic windows; the whisky list runs over 1,000 bottles.