Dance clubs, live music, rooftop bars, speakeasies, LGBTQ+ nightlife, listening bars and late-night dives across Knoxville, with where to go and what is worth the late night.
Dance Clubs in Knoxville
1 place-
Cotton Eyed Joe
Cotton Eyed Joe is a country dance hall west of Knoxville with a DJ booth built from a real semi-truck, free line dance lessons and concerts on its stage.
Live Music in Knoxville
3 places-
Bijou Theatre
The Bijou Theatre on South Gay Street in downtown Knoxville books touring bands and comedy alongside Knoxville Symphony and Knoxville Jazz Orchestra series.
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Tennessee Theatre
The Tennessee Theatre on South Gay Street in downtown Knoxville hosts touring concerts, comedy and its Broadway at the Tennessee season most weeks.
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Barley's Taproom & Pizzeria
Barley's Taproom & Pizzeria pairs craft beer and pizza with live bands several nights a week in Knoxville's Old City, and only admits 21+ after 21:00.
Book food experiences in Knoxville
Rooftop Bars in Knoxville
2 places-
Five Thirty Lounge
Five Thirty Lounge tops the Hyatt Place on Gay Street, a downtown Knoxville cocktail room behind 15ft glass with a fire pit and skyline views.
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Radius Rooftop Lounge
Radius Rooftop Lounge circles the 14th floor of the Embassy Suites on Gay Street, a 360-degree bourbon bar over downtown Knoxville's skyline.
Speakeasies in Knoxville
1 place-
Peter Kern Library
Peter Kern Library is a speakeasy in the 1876 Kern bakery building on Union Avenue in downtown Knoxville, entered from The Oliver Hotel or a back-alley door.
LGBTQ+ in Knoxville
1 place-
CORE Knoxville
CORE Knoxville on Kingston Pike is the city's designated LGBTQ+ bar since Club XYZ closed in June 2026, with drag shows and theme nights until 03:00.
Late Night Dives in Knoxville
2 places-
Preservation Pub
Preservation Pub anchors Market Square in downtown Knoxville with live music, a rooftop patio and hours that run until 03:00 every night of the week.
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The Half Barrel
The Half Barrel on Cumberland Avenue near the University of Tennessee campus pours bourbon and cold beer with burgers, open daily in Knoxville until 03:00.