Beale Street is the heart of Memphis nightlife — a strip of live music venues, bars, and clubs where you can wander from one to the next hearing blues, soul, and rock most nights of the week. B.B. King's Blues Club is the most famous anchor on the strip, named for the Memphis-born legend and still drawing strong acts. Rum Boogie Cafe is another reliable stop, with walls covered in memorabilia and live bands seven nights a week.
Away from Beale Street, the Cooper-Young neighborhood has a more local feel, with craft cocktail bars, coffee shops, and neighborhood pubs popular with residents rather than tourists. The Lamplighter Lounge on Madison Avenue is a long-running dive bar beloved by locals, while downtown venues like The Green Beetle claim to be the city's oldest bar (open since 1939).