Lamplighter Lounge on Madison Avenue in midtown Memphis is the city's defining smoke-stained dive bar, with cheap beer, a pool table and a relentlessly local.
Tip: Cash preferred. No food; the 03:00 close draws midtown when other bars shut.
The Cove on Broad Avenue in Memphis is a pirate-themed late-night oyster bar with a wood pirate-ship bar and live music in the back, open Tuesday to Sunday.
Tip: Oyster happy hour 17:00. Live music most weekends. Closed Mondays.
Young Avenue Deli in Cooper-Young Memphis runs cold beer, deli sandwiches and live music until 03:00 daily, the city's defining late-night beer and sandwich.
Tip: Late kitchen until 02:00 most nights. Live music in the back room weekends.