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All the United States Tennessee Nashville Dino's
AO Edited Gastro Obscura

Dino's

East Nashville's oldest dive bar will bring you back to life with animal-style bar fare.

Nashville, Tennessee

Added By
Diana Hubbell , Rachel Rummel
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CAPTION
Cheeseburgers are the ultimate late-night feast.   https://www.instagram.com/dinosnashville
The sign at Dino’s.   Courtesy Dino's
  https://www.instagram.com/p/Ck07fonOhp0/?igshid=Y2I2MzMwZWM3ZA%3D%3D
  @dinosnashville
Cowgirl boots and disco balls.   Diana Hubbell for Gastro Obscura
More Dolly Parton.   Diana Hubbell for Gastro Obscura
The walls are caked in years of graffiti.   Diana Hubbell for Gastro Obscura
Dino’s stays open long after most bars call it a night.   Diana Hubbell for Gastro Obscura
An original cardboard cutout of Dolly Parton watches over the proceedings.   Diana Hubbell for Gastro Obscura
Neon, everywhere.   Diana Hubbell for Gastro Obscura
Dolly Forever.   Diana Hubbell for Gastro Obscura
Inside Dino’s.   https://www.instagram.com/dinosnashville
Dino’s has beer.   Diana Hubbell for Gastro Obscura
Dino’s through the ages.   via Metro Nashville Archives
A burger assembly line.   https://www.instagram.com/dinosnashville
A menu at Dino’s.   https://www.instagram.com/dinosnashville
An animal-style cheeseburger with bacon at the bar.   Rachel Rummel for Gastro Obscura
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The watchful eyes of Dolly Parton preside over the disco ball-bedecked interior of East Nashville’s oldest dive bar. Her face, drawn, collaged, and printed in Mattel-pink is everywhere between the graffiti-plastered walls and under the strings of Christmas tree lights. One especially large cardboard cutout, a gift from local artist Brett Douglas Hunter, has been repeatedly stolen and returned with great drama to the bar.

Dino’s, which has been serving cheap beers and bourbons until the hazy late-late hours of the night since the 1970s, feels like a timewarp, even if it’s had a few subtle, behind-the scenes touch-ups over years. 

In 2015, Nashville restaurant duo Miranda Whitcomb Pontes and Alex Wendkos stepped in to run the joint. Luckily, the pair knew what made Dino’s so special in the first place and chose not to mess with it too much. The vibes remain impeccable and the cheeseburger is as good as when Anthony Bourdain dug it. Order yours “Animal Style,” with plenty of mustard, pickles, sauce, and onions, plus a fried egg or bacon, if you’re feeling it. Don’t skip the fries.

Like any great dive, Dino’s hits best long after its competition calls it a night. Come hang with other East Nashville industry types getting off their shifts until 3 a.m. seven nights a week. Or if you prefer to drink under the harsh light of day, stop by Dolly’s Lemonade Stand, a giant lemon crowned by a sculptural rendition of the country diva, that serves as a satellite bar Thursday through Saturday.

In 2022, not long after her namesake lemonade stand opened, Parton herself swung by. She left a signed photograph that says, “Dino’s, I will always love you. Love, Dolly.”

Related Tags

Diner Midnight Munchies Fries Burger Unique Restaurants & Bars Bars

Know Before You Go

Dino’s hosts all sorts of events, collaborations, and pop-ups, so it’s worth checking the bar’s Instagram in advance.

Community Contributors

Added By

Diana Hubbell, rachelrummel

Published

June 29, 2023

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Dino's
411 Gallatin Ave
Nashville, Tennessee, 37206
United States
36.181158, -86.749278
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