Rudy's Jazz Room

If you think that Nashville’s music scene is one-note, this stellar subterranean jazz bar will change your mind. The musicians are basically close enough to touch—but please don’t—as they wail away on funk, soul, salsa, and of course, jazz in its many iterations. In a town that loves dark liquor, we appreciate Rudy’s lighter cocktails, like the Night in Tunisia that blends elderflower and citrus. That said, whiskey lovers shouldn’t miss the bar’s takes on classics like the Sazerac and Vieux Carré. The dinner menu has New Orleans favorites like gumbo and a crawfish grilled cheese, along with a late-night menu of stuff like crispy fried pickles and cheesy fries smothered in red beans and rice.