6 late-night dives in Memphis, editor-picked by TableJourney. All Memphis nightlife.
Earnestine and Hazel's ★ 4.6
south-main · 531 S Main St, Memphis, TN 38103
Earnestine and Hazel's on South Main downtown Memphis runs Soul Burgers and a jukebox until 03:00 daily, a former brothel and pharmacy and the city's defining late-night dive.
Tip: Cash works fastest. Upstairs the old brothel rooms run quiet most nights.
Bardog Tavern ★ 4.2
downtown · 73 Monroe Ave, Memphis, TN 38103
Bardog Tavern on Monroe Avenue downtown Memphis is a long, dark dive with red-brick walls, sliders and Italian subs, plus downtown's earliest weekday breakfast at 07:30.
Tip: Kitchen runs late most nights. Tuesday $5 soup of the day is a local rite.
Lamplighter Lounge ★ 4.1
midtown · 1702 Madison Ave, Memphis, TN 38104
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 crowd.
Tip: Cash preferred. No food; the 03:00 close draws midtown when other bars shut.
The Cove ★ 4.3
broad-avenue · 2559 Broad Ave, Memphis, TN 38112
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 until late.
Tip: Oyster happy hour 17:00. Live music most weekends. Closed Mondays.
Young Avenue Deli ★ 4.2
cooper-young · 2119 Young Ave, Memphis, TN 38104
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 room.
Tip: Late kitchen until 02:00 most nights. Live music in the back room weekends.
Itta Bena ★ 4.2
downtown · 145 Beale St, Memphis, TN 38103
Itta Bena is a hidden upstairs late-night room above B.B. King's on Beale Street in Memphis, named for the Mississippi town B.B. King was born in, with Southern dishes.
Tip: Open daily 17:00 to 22:00. The unmarked Second Street door is the easy entrance.