The Bluebird Cafe

Definitely not worth the hype. Worst Management and Customer Service I have seen.
On a Sunday, my 3 friends and I arrived at 5:40 and waited in line for the 8:00 show. When we arrived, the staff assured my friends and I and several people behind us that we would definitely make it into the show. On numerous times, the staff came out to assure my friends and people behind us that we would definitely make the show. Their assurances were the reason why we took the time to wait for the show. However, once it came time to get into the show, and after over a 2 hr wait, that was not the case. The «bouncer» told us that only 1 person could get in from our group because they «ran out of seating.» We were the first group to get turned away.
Suggestion: why not give everyone in line a ticket so people do not have to mindlessly wait?! There were so many people who did not wait in line but still got through the door.
The «bounder» told us that he could let us in to take pictures and purchase merchandise. So we waited. From the door, we could hear the stand-​up comedian. I’m sorry, but isn’t the Bluebird Café known for its music and not comedy?! When the first act started, we could hear the music from the door the music was anti-​climatic. We were not impressed. That’s why we decided to not stick around even though we could hear the music outside the door.
After talking to my über and lyft drivers about the Bluebird Café, they were not excited about the experience, I should have been warned about the experience. They specifically said that Bluebird Café was only hyped up due to the show, but it’s not worth the wait.

100% worth the wait. My husband and I decided fairly last minute to try to get into the early show on a Tuesday. We waited in the 90 degree, sunny weather for a little over an hour and barely made the cut, but it was soooo worth it!
Pro tip: you can make reservations a week out, do that.
Food and drinks were decent and the music was fabulous. This is exactly what we wanted when we came to Nashville, not the craziness of lower broadway. This place is a must go.
Also, if you watched the TV show Nashville this might now be what you expect. But in a great way (in my opinion).

Worth the wait!
My mom and I waiting in line for 2.5 hours to get into the early show. It was 90+ out and really muggy. But, all that heat and sweat was worth it. Once we got inside the vibe of the venue was buzzing with excitement. Each and every person was excited to be apart of the upcoming show.
We saw a songwriter association show. The music was better than most songs on the radio and that isn’t an exaggeration. Each song was original and the singers voices were amazing.
Next time I’m in Nashville, I’ll make sure to go to another show here. If you have a few hours to spare, get down there and check out a show!

I visited Nashville for Memorial Day Weekend and knew I had to pop by the Bluebird for Writers Night. Since Monday was a holiday, there was only one that weekend, and everyone had the idea to go early. I got to the Bluebird at 5:30 PM and was one of the last to make it in for the 8 PM show (even though during the initial count, I was #60 — I think people saved a lot of spots for their friends to jump in later and the performers also had some guests). The wait was pretty long and hot, and there was no shade so bring a fan and parasol and something to do! I’m sure most nights aren’t quite as bad.
That being said, the wait was worth it – especially for 3.5 hours of music and stories. The Bluebird is truly a songwriter’s venue. Steve Goodie was a hilarious host, setting the stage well and even performing the most hilarious song. All 8 or so performers were good singers… but truly amazing songwriters. I felt so many emotions that night from writers of diverse experiences, ages, and hometowns.
Just as I thought the show was over, they bring on a featured songwriter — Don Schlitz! He was gracious enough to entertain us for hours with hilarious stories and songs he wrote, including «The Gambler,» «Forever and Ever, Amen,» «When You Say Nothing At All,» «You Can’t Make Old Friends,» among others that the crowd sang along to together.
The inside is rather crowded, and I would strongly recommend against getting the garden salad (veggies were plain and chicken was nasty). I would gladly pay $ 7 and a couple hours of waiting for one of the most memorable musical experiences!

Made it to the famous Blue Bird on Hillsboro Pike. Woo! I love places like this because it’s not what you think from the outside. From the outside it just looks like a taco shop back in San Diego that has like 4 tables. But it seats about 70 at a strip mall. How’s that for not judging a bird by it’s bird cage?!
This is where the magic happens. I luv being around artist who are paying their dues and trying to make it. This place is so legendary they don’t take reservations and they pack in all the time for Songwriters Nights. There’s a wall of a lot of people who have played there. This is where the «Songwriters» perform who wrote and created hits for other artist and themselves. Everyone from Taylor Swift, Keith Urban, Faith Hill and omg Carol KING!!! Carol King played here. «gasp!» So awesome. And now Mel M from Unilocal has took a pic in front of the entrance at the Bluebird Café =) If you’re into Country and or love music and always wanted to visit Nashville. You will want to stop here for street cred.

I would go here every night if I could. Made it to a 9pm show on a thursday night. It is great to see such a huge fan base at this place!
I had made a reservation 1 week prior to h
The show. Tickets sold about 5 minutes after they came available, which is crazy. I had never heard of the names of the people performing but after leaving, I will own some of their CDs now!
Cover charge at the door and a $ 7 minimum inside. It’s easy to spend $ 7 by simply ordering a drink. The oven was broken the night I went, but they still had some food options available too. I wouldn’t say it’s worth eating here, especially if you are visiting from out of town. Nothing on their menu is worth while.
The music and performances make this place great. Like I said, I would definitely come again and again.

Seriously pretentious. Club is in strip mall. Acted like I was crazy when I showed up and wasn’t there two hours early. Crowd was listening in parking lot. Go early or don’t bother. Door attendant with mullet seriously needs a reality check.

I’m so glad I got to experience the Bluebird Café. It’s a small place situated in a random strip mall you would never expect it to be. We went for the Sunday night writers show. I was a little worried beforehand that we wouldn’t get there in time and make the cut. But luckily we got there about an hour and 15 minutes early and got a spot in line. I believe we were around number 50 at that point and good thing because they were only allowing in 75.
As others have said you don’t come here for the food, not that I can speak to it as we didn’t order any. But what seemed to be coming out of the kitchen were some simple sandwiches and your standard fare of fried snacks. Since there is no cover charge or tickets they asked that we spend at least $ 7 on food/​drink which was easy enough to do with a glass of wine.
It is very intimate inside and we got the last two seats in the place together at the bar. Everyone else’s party had to split up into single seats situated throughout. But that doesn’t seem to matter too much as you’re there to listen to the music and not socialize. I thought all of the writers/​performers of the evening were fantastic (probably because they have to audition to even perform there). It was a great way to hear some new and upcoming music. Definitely check it out if you have the time!

My husband and I visit friends in Nashville on a fairly regular basis, and our hosts scored Bluebird Café tickets for us (which is no easy feat, as others have mentioned), on Friday night. It was such a great experience! The setting is very intimate, and the music was great!
We did not try any of the food, as we had pew seats, but did have a couple of drinks, which were nothing to write home about; and quite expensive.
Don’t come here for the food or drink though, come for the music. Inside you can see pictures of many greats who have played there in the past, and it just feels like a special place. I cannot wait to go again!
Oh, and one last thing, get all of your talking out before the music begins, as there is a SHHHH! policy that they are pretty serious about.

I’m only taking 1 star off because the process to get booked here is so difficult and I’ve easily booked every other venue in town at least once… but alas, the Bluebird is a Nashville original! Just a word to the wise… do NOT talk. this is a listening room! You will never have a bad night of music here… it is very tiny so if you’re claustrophobic this may not be your thing… I think sunday nights are great but any night there’s a good show.

The Bluebird Café has the best new music in town! I love going and hearing these singer/​song writers perform in the round. There is something special about hearing a songwriter perform their music live. I’ve been three times and each time has been wonderful. Now the food is not that great… but hey, it’s a music venue. I was there to hear the music.

The Bluebird Café didn’t bowl me over. I’m sure if we’d seen an artist we really knew and liked, it would have been an entirely different experience altogether. We were just happy to have scored reservations while in Nashville.
I do think it’s important to arrive early whether you have a reservation or not. We had reserved pew seats, but requested table seats (if any were available after all the reservations were seated), and sure enough, we got to move up to a table. Much better than those uncomfortable pews!
The venue is tiny and seating is extremely tight. We shared a table with two other couples. The kitchen burned my quesadillas twice, so I strongly advise eating somewhere else beforehand. I can’t imagine anyone comes to the Bluebird for their food anyway.
My best advice for the Bluebird is to keep your expectations in check!

The Blue Bird Café is incredibly cool and what a great vibe! It was really cool to be in a place that holds so much history of music legends. We had reservations and didn’t have to wait outside in line too long. Our server was wonderful. Watching «in the round» was very cool and it really does feel like you are «sitting in your living room listening to music with family». Wonderful experience.

Bluebird Café is an interesting place. Famous for live music, Bluebird Café is great under the right circumstances. The venue is entirely context dependent on which artists you see and whether or not your have reservations.
First, if you want to visit Bluebird, get reservations. It’s a pain, I know, but it’s the only way to go. On the night we attended, about 90% of the venue was filled with reserved seats. The remaining 10% went to the line outside, which was at least 50 people deep. Needless to say, the vast majority were left out.
The tight seating had one great side benefit. I watched with glee as multiple people tried to sneak inside the building before being caught and escorted out. The woman who «wanted a quick picture» suffered the same fate as the dude who «just had to go to the bathroom» — the host politely escorted them out and dropped them at the back of the line where they belonged. It was the most entertaining part of the night for me!
Our group had a reservation, so we were seated quickly. We had a great view of the stage, and ordered some food and drinks. I know that most people come to the Bluebird for the music, but the nominal per-​person minimum makes food a small part of the experience. I had a black bean burger that was excellent, but the rest of our table met with less success with the pork sandwich and other items. The food was underwhelming, but again, that’s not the big reason why you come, so it’s a minor demerit. The staff continued service during the performances, but it was more difficult to get the staff’s attention (as you would expect). My suggestion is to arrive and eat early, then sip a drink during the music.
The reason people come to the Bluebird is to hear live music. I’ve heard all of the legendary stories of epic performances in the «listening room» setting. However, on the night I visited, the artists left something to be desired. I don’t want to criticize anyone who performs and puts themselves out there for others to listen to. However, I will say that the group we saw was not up to the standard that I expected from the venue’s reputation. The other guests with me had visited the Bluebird multiple times, and all agreed that this was the worst performance they had seen. Without going into specifics, the music was more juvenile than I expected, and the constant pandering to «Nashville» TV fame was extremely annoying. I get it, you’re on the show… You don’t need to remind me every 5 minutes!
I read an article online that described happiness as someone’s expectations minus her reality. Under that framework, Bluebird Café didn’t measure up on the night I went. However, I would go back and hear a different set of artists perform. To summarize, only visit if you have reservations, and hope that you hear a strong artist or two. Without the good music, there’s nothing to fall back on.

Plan ahead and order tickets & be patient when you still need to wait in line to get in. Great live music brings in the crowds. They’re so well known, they’ll allow you to have your photo taken inside if you’re unable to get tickets & entrance.
Awesome spot!

What’s NOT to like about the Bluebird Café? Other than the fact that purchasing tickets is akin to an Olympic event where time is of the essence, which I didn’t deduct stars for, it’s a fantastic listening room with a calendar of A+ performers. As mentioned, it’s a listening room, and the audience respects the performer/​s (who they are in close proximity to considering the limited space) by not talking when the performance begins.
P. S. Try the coconut cake. You’ll thank me later.

Get there early if you want to get in. For most of the shows the doors open at 5. I got there at 3:45 and I was already number 55 in line. They only seat 90 – 100. If you don’t get in you can wait in line to step in the entrance and take pictures. It was awesome, a must-​do, but it takes planing and time!
If you get there past 4:15 your chances of getting in are slim. It is a very small, intimate venue. You are crammed in there. We didn’t have a cover charge, but there was $ 7 minimum food/​beverage charge.
The menu is small but you should be able to find something. We ordered Mozzarella Breadsticks and Sweet Potato fries for an appetizer. They were both amazing! I would recommend the mozzarella breadsticks (only 3 of them, but they are big).
I ordered the pork sandwich and chips. The pork was very tender but I like mine with a little more BQQ sauce. I was full I didn’t even eat the chips. Music was great! We saw Kevin So.
NOTE: just because you get in for the early show that doesn’t meant you get to stay for the second show. They kick you out after and make you stand in line again. Basically there is no way to see both shows.

On the plane ride over to Nashville I sat next to a local who told me that her #1 must do for visitors was a trip to to the Bluebird Café. Sadly I hadn’t made a reservation beforehand, so I convinced my friend to take a chance on the no reservations show on Sunday.
The Café, a 90-​seat music club that opened in the early eighties, is famous for intimate, acoustic shows. Some performers are established singer/​songwriters, and others perform hit songs written by other artists. We arrived about 45 minutes early for the show to a SUPER long line, but luckily we made it inside right before the cutoff (seriously — we were numbers 88 and 89)!! There is no cover but there is a $ 7 food and drink minimum per person. I ordered a few beers. The food that I saw and tasted was nothing special. I’d eat beforehand and stick to drinks.
The space really was intimate and people were nearly sitting on top of each other. Groups were sharing tables and some people were seated up against the walls. We were just a few rows back from the band, Two Story Road, a husband-​wife duo with some amazing credentials. They played a mixture of covers and original songs and were pretty incredible.
The shows are only an hour at The Bluebird, but it is for sure worth the wait. If you are going to Nashville I would see if there’s a show you can buy tickets for ahead of time (I think they release them 1 week in advance and they sell out almost immediately). Otherwise, get there about an hour before and be prepared to wait for a great show!

Oh gosh, if you really had just one day in Nashville, where would you go that evening for live music, the Grand Olé Opry or the Bluebird Café? That’s a tough call, but since neither Jamie W. nor I have ever been to Nashville before, we went with the Opry with no regrets. An excellent concert that turned out to be the pinnacle of time management as the show was done at 9:15PM sharp. Did we dare try to traverse the city for a half-​hour to attempt to catch the 9:30PM show at the Bluebird? Why not, what did we have to lose? After all, we were leaving town in the morning.
So off we went to discover that the Bluebird Café is in a strip mall off Hillsboro Pike. Like Joseph and Mary in baseball caps, we were hoping there could be room for us. We wouldn’t have minded standing next to the restroom, but alas, there was a handwritten sign taped on the glass door that said no one else would be allowed in since they were sold out. It reminded me of that scene in «Hans Christian Andersen» when Danny Kaye got locked in the closet by Farley Granger, an ironic point since both actors were in the Hollywood celluloid closet if you know what I mean. Danny was put in the closet to prevent him from giving the slippers to his beloved ballerina, the subject of his unrequited love.
I didn’t have any shoes on me to give to performer and well-​regarded composer Gary Burr, but we were able to peek through the window and see a bit of his performance that night. The owners were kind enough to have speakers out into the parking lot (photo:
). I know who Burr is because he’s now in a country trio with his wife and my old favorite Kenny Loggins. «Even though we ain’t got money, I’m so in love with ya, honey.» Burr has an almost-​as-​pleasing voice. All we needed were a couple of naugahyde recliners from Bradford’s Furniture next door except they were closed. Too bad there was an agitated guy on his cell thoroughly upset that he couldn’t get in. Chill bro, this is Nashville. Good music is everywhere.

I loved this place!
Although I initially heard of Bluebird from the TV show «Nashville», this spot was verified as legit by some friends who are locals. So on our recent trip to Nashville, my husband reserved us tickets to an «in the round» session. Note on reservations– MAKE ONE. They open about a week in advance of every show. Even on a Thursday night, every seat in the house was taken. Ticket prices were reasonable– less than $ 20 per person.
First thing to note is that the Bluebird is not located in downtown Nashville. You will need to either drive or get a cab/​Über/​Lyft to get here. Also, it’s in a strip mall, so there aren’t many pre– or post-​show dinner/​drink options. But none of that matters cause all that matters is the awesome music going on inside.
Inside, I was shocked how small this place was. But it added to the experience. On the night we visited, the songwriters were a group of three men and one woman. Although I had read up on them prior to arriving, I was surprised at the number of songs I knew. The woman songwriter penned the Lee Ann Womack hit «I hope you dance». It was cool to hear the people who actually write the songs performing them.
Seats are cramped and you will probably sit at a table with strangers, but it didn’t feel claustrophobia. If you can, get a seat at the bar— you can see more since you are elevated. Drink prices seemed pretty standard for Nashville– there is a per seat minimum (maybe 7 or 8 bucks?). They also serve food– I would probably eat prior to the show– the food just looked like standard bar food.
This is a must-​visit spot in Nashville– make sure to get your reservations ahead of time– and get ready for some great music!