East Nashville's Oldest Dive Bar Is Dolly Parton Approved

Dino's Bar & Grill in Nashville, Tennessee couldn't look more unassuming. The single-story, brick building is decorated with a plain, red awning, a faded Coca-Cola marquee that boasts the establishment's name, and dingy windows with painted lettering that proclaims "Ice Cold Beer" and "Fine Food" next to obligatory neon beer signs. Dino's looks old because it is old, having opened in the 1970s. It definitely has the earmarks of a quintessential dive bar, but one that is absolutely adored by the Nashville crowd. Of course, it doesn't hurt that Dolly Parton, the queen of country music, is also a fan.

In 2022, Dino's opened up Dolly's Lemonade Stand on its back patio, an outdoor bar made to look like a giant lemon with a cheeky depiction of Dolly posing on the sign. Upon hearing about it, Parton sent her assistant (who was a regular at Dino's) to the bar with a picture of herself as a gift. She signed it, "Dino's, I will always love you. Love, Dolly." Her personalization weaved in one of her most well-known songs, which was famously covered by Whitney Houston.

Despite Dino's modest appearance, Dolly Parton has been part of Dino's aura for quite some time — even before the owners decided to install a lemon-shaped, Dolly-themed bar. Once you step over the bar's threshold, you can sense her glam in the disco balls, string lights, and several artist-created images of the star with that signature smile and big blonde hair — much like the packaging design for Dolly Parton's line of boxed baked goods.

When the current owners of Dino's Bar & Grill took over the business in 2015, they intentionally didn't change much about the look. Hoping to retain the dive bar feel so regular night owls would continue to feel welcome, management understood that the true appeal of Dino's was good, cheap beer, stronger booze, and uncomplicated, delicious food. If it sounds like a place Anthony Bourdain would appreciate, you're right; He was a fan. But its dark and moody interior, with touches of Dolly Parton scattered plentifully throughout, originally happened by chance.

In 2017, a customer gifted Dino's a giant, painted cut-out of Dolly, which the owners promptly hung on the wall inside the bar. Since then, customers would donate random Dolly Parton memorabilia, from photographs to artwork. But the prized autographed photo from Dolly remains safely hidden away. Customers can experience Dino's (and Dolly) every day of the week until the wee hours of the morning. Dolly's Lemonade Stand is seasonal, with hours that usually fall on weekends; Perfect for those that like to day-drink (or just soak in the sun with a refreshing, frozen lemonade in hand).