5 to Follow: Nashville Bars

If there’s one thing Nashvillians know how to do, it’s unwind. To that end, Music city boasts some of the best brews and bars in the South.

But more than just providing Nashvillians with above-par food and lounge-worthy patios, some of our bars have taken their personalities into the social sphere. And since bars are naturally gathering places, it only stands to reason that people would form online communities around their favorite watering holes.

So let’s take a look at the Nashville bars who use social media to successfully spread their messages.

• 12 South Taproom. Leading the mustachioed staff revolution, 12 South serves up surprisingly good food alongside local and imported brews. Their flatbreads, sandwiches, and – most importantly – fresh oysters make them a culinary powerhouse. Whatever they put in the cocktail sauce (cilantro?) is addictive. And they harness social prowess in an interesting fashion. By contributing to their neighborhood in real, actual person (the novelty!), they are constantly garnering unsolicited compliments. It’s an unassuming and highly successful way to make a name for yourself. Plus, they tweet like this:

Follow them on Facebook and Twitter.

• Corner Pub. One of the most classic choices for best bar in Nashville, Corner Pub is a weekly destination in multiple communities. Green Hills, Midtown, Bellevue and Mt. Juliet each have their own iteration, and most use social media to post specials and events daily. They don’t have a Twitter account, and there is an important lesson to learn from that: If you don’t have the time to update it, don’t create it. Sometimes simple is best.
  Follow them on Facebook.
• Sam’s Sports Bar & Grill. While I am only a sports fan in the sense that I shed orange tears when the Vols inevitably disappoint me every fall, I know a good sports bar when I see one. Sam’s not only has TVs in every corner, a killer karaoke night, and trivia on Thursdays, but it also has delicatessen-quality food that just happens to come with a frosty beer. Aside from sharing upcoming events socially, Sam’s also partners with charities to boost their reach, which means they’re socially smart and also just plain good people. Food tip: Cajun Pepperoni Pizza. Just do it.
  Follow them on Facebook and Twitter.

• 3 Crow Bar. Another contribution from the eclectic folks on the other side of the river, 3 Crow Bar has been an East Nashville staple for as long as anyone can remember. And yes, that may be because everyone has had too much to drink, but that’s kind of the point. Boasting another one of the city’s rowdiest trivia nights (Thursday there as well), 3 Crow posts maximizes the social real estate by posting funny and eye-catching photos to convey their messages. Tell me this doesn’t feel like Monday and make you want to grab a drink after work.
  Follow them on Facebook and Twitter
  
• M.L. Rose (aka The Melrose). While they have undergone a name change in the pursuit of expanding their locations, to many people the Melrose is just the best neighborhood bar around. We can personally attest to the fabulosity (yeah, it’s a word… if you watch The Real Housewives of Atlanta) of the loaded waffle fries and the Bushwhackers. The ridiculous beer selection goes without saying. And the M.L. Rose is a great example of maximizing social media’s reach to spread messages with a purpose, with its owner Austin posting videos to hip you to what’s going on. But for many of us, the charm of the M.L. Rose lies in the fact that “sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name.”
  Follow them on Facebook and Twitter.

*You really thought we were going to get through a Bar post without referencing Cheers? You don’t know us very well.

Nashville is a thriving creative hub of local pride and talented businesses. As marketers by trade and Nashville enthusiasts by choice, Parthenon wants to celebrate organizations employing creative marketing, advertising and social media efforts in our hometown!

This story is the sixth in a series that highlights excellent Facebook pages, Twitter handles, YouTube videos and Pinterest boards that show Nashvillians contribute much more than honky tonks, hot chicken and country music. Check back to see who you should be following in Parthenon’s Socially Savvy 5 to Follow.