Elliston Place Nashville is a two block stretch of rock clubs, diners, and bars just west of downtown, and it still feels like the working music neighborhood it has always been. Walk it in an evening and you get the short version of the city: a landmark stage, a soda fountain that has served the same street since 1939, and rooms small enough that the band can see every face in the crowd.
Key Highlights
- Elliston Place is the Rock Block, a compact run of live music venues on Elliston Place near Vanderbilt University and Centennial Park.
- Exit/In, open since 1971, is the anchor stage, with The End next door for smaller indie and underground shows.
- Elliston Place Soda Shop, at 2105 Elliston Place, serves breakfast all day, meat and three plates, and hand spun milkshakes.
- Evenings are the best time to visit, when shows start and the bars fill, while weekday afternoons are quieter for the Soda Shop.
- The whole district is walkable in under 10 minutes, and it pairs well with Centennial Park, Midtown, and downtown in one outing.
Where Elliston Place sits
Elliston Place runs along Elliston Place and 23rd Avenue North, a short walk from the Vanderbilt University campus and a few blocks from Centennial Park and the Parthenon. That position explains its character. Students, hospital staff, musicians, and regulars have mixed here for decades, and the street still serves all of them rather than visitors alone. Parking is tight, so most people arrive on foot from nearby hotels, by rideshare, or on a WeGo bus and then walk the strip. The district itself is small: you can cover the main venues, the Soda Shop, and the bars in one unhurried stroll, which makes it an easy add to a day that already includes West End or Centennial Park.
A short history of the Rock Block
Elliston Place took shape as a commercial street in the early 19th century, but its music identity came later. By the mid 20th century the rooms along the Rock Block were booking rock and alternative acts that had few other stages in a country dominated city, and the street earned its nickname. Exit/In opened in 1971 and became the room where touring acts and local bands shared bills, with names from Jimmy Buffett to the Red Hot Chili Peppers passing through before they were famous. The Soda Shop, which opened as a pharmacy with a soda fountain in 1939, fed the same crowd before and after shows. In 2019 the shop looked finished, but local investors moved it one door over to 2105 Elliston Place, kept the counter, the jukeboxes, and the old menu shape, and reopened it in a larger room. The result is a street that kept its two anchors while the buildings around them changed.
What to do on Elliston Place
See a show at Exit/In
Exit/In is the reason most first time visitors come to the Rock Block, and it is still a working club rather than a museum. The room holds a few hundred people, the stage is close, and the calendar mixes touring rock, indie, and Americana acts with local bills. Tickets vary by act, so check the venue calendar before you go and buy in advance for popular nights, since sellouts happen. Doors and show times change by night, and the club runs late, so plan a rideshare home rather than counting on street parking after midnight.
Catch something smaller at The End
The End, a smaller room on the same strip, books indie, punk, and underground acts that would get lost in a bigger hall. Cover charges here are usually low, and the room is a good second stop after an early show elsewhere. If you want to understand the current Nashville scene rather than its history, an evening that starts at The End tells you more than a daytime walk past the venues.
Eat at Elliston Place Soda Shop
The Soda Shop serves breakfast all day plus burgers, fries, and a full meat and three menu with daily specials, according to its own site. The milkshakes, mixed on old Hamilton Beach mixers and served with the metal tin on the side, are the signature order, and the coconut cream pie has its own following. Hours listed for the shop run 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, and 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, so treat it as a daytime stop and confirm hours before a special trip, since they can change. Weekday afternoons between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. are the quietest window; Saturday mornings draw a line.
Bars, record shops, and late night food
Beyond the two stages, the Rock Block holds dive bars, cocktail rooms, and late night kitchens that fill after shows end. Gold Rush, a long running neighborhood restaurant, is known for its Bean Roll and its 1970s era feel. Record shops and small boutiques sit between the bars, and browsing them in the late afternoon is a good way to fill the gap between the Soda Shop closing and doors opening at the clubs. Keep expectations realistic: this is a short strip, not a full shopping district, and the Nashville neighborhoods guide compares it with nearby Midtown and Hillsboro Village for a wider shopping day.
How to get there
Elliston Place sits about 3 miles west of downtown Nashville, roughly a 10 minute drive without traffic. From downtown, take Broadway west to 21st Avenue and then north, or take West End Avenue and turn onto Elliston Place. WeGo buses run along West End Avenue and 21st Avenue South, and the walk from those stops to the Rock Block is short. A standard WeGo fare is $2 for two hours, with a $4 daily cap, according to WeGo. From Nashville International Airport the drive is about 20 minutes. Rideshare is the simplest choice for an evening visit, since street parking near the venues fills fast and nearby garages charge evening rates.
Best time to visit Elliston Place
Evenings, Thursday through Saturday, are when Elliston Place works best. That is when Exit/In and The End run their strongest calendars and the bars stay busy past midnight. If your goal is the Soda Shop, flip the plan: go on a weekday morning or mid afternoon, when you can get a booth without a wait. Spring and fall bring the most comfortable walking weather, and a show plus a walk through Centennial Park makes a good mild weather evening. If you want a second night out, the downtown Nashville guide covers Broadway and the Ryman in the same walkable core. Summer nights are hot and crowded, and winter weeknights can be quiet, which suits visitors who prefer a smaller crowd at the clubs.
Prices and tickets
Elliston Place is one of the cheaper Nashville nights out. The Soda Shop is priced as an inexpensive diner, with most plates in casual diner range, and its own listing puts it in the inexpensive bracket. Club covers vary by act: small rooms like The End often charge a modest cover, while Exit/In prices depend on the touring act and rise for popular shows. Neither venue charges Broadway style drink minimums, and there is no single ticket that covers the strip, so budget per show. Check each venue site on the day, since calendars and prices change weekly.
Nearby things to do
Centennial Park and the Parthenon sit a few blocks west, and the park lawns make a natural pre show walk. Vanderbilt University campus, with its galleries and concert halls, borders the district to the south. The Gulch is a short drive east for upscale dining after a show, and downtown Nashville is close enough for a second stop on Broadway. For a full day, pair an afternoon at Centennial Park with dinner at the Soda Shop area and a late show on the Rock Block, then finish in Midtown.
Practical tips
Wear comfortable shoes: the district is walkable, but the sidewalks are old and the walk from parking or a bus stop adds up. Bring a card and some cash, since small rooms may run card only bars or cash tip jars depending on the night. If you are under 21, check each venue policy before you go, since clubs set their own age rules and they differ by show. Families do best here in the daytime, when the Soda Shop and Centennial Park are the focus, while evenings belong to the clubs. Finally, keep your plan loose: the best Rock Block nights often come from a bill you had not heard of, so check the venue boards on arrival as well as online.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Rock Block in Nashville?
The Rock Block is the nickname for the Elliston Place strip of rock clubs, bars, and restaurants near Vanderbilt University. It earned the name because its venues booked rock and alternative acts when most Nashville stages were country only, and Exit/In remains its anchor club.
Is Exit/In still open?
Yes. Exit/In, which opened in 1971, still runs shows on Elliston Place, with a calendar of touring and local rock, indie, and Americana acts. Ticket prices and show times vary by act, so check the venue calendar before you go.
Where is Elliston Place Soda Shop?
Elliston Place Soda Shop is at 2105 Elliston Place, Nashville, TN, one door over from its original spot. It serves breakfast all day, meat and three plates, and hand spun milkshakes, with listed hours of 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. most days.
How much time do I need on Elliston Place?
Allow two to four hours for a show night, or about an hour for a daytime Soda Shop visit plus a walk past the venues. The strip itself takes under 10 minutes to walk end to end, so most of your time goes to the show or the meal.
Is Elliston Place walkable from downtown Nashville?
It is walkable in theory but not a comfortable walk for most visitors, at about 3 miles from Lower Broadway. A short drive, rideshare, or WeGo bus to West End Avenue followed by a brief walk is the practical choice.
Is Elliston Place family friendly?
Daytime Elliston Place is family friendly, especially the Soda Shop and nearby Centennial Park. Evenings center on clubs and bars, so families should plan daytime visits and check each venue age policy for shows.
Start with a daytime Soda Shop visit to get the history, then come back for a show to get the reason the street matters. If you only have one evening, pick one club, eat nearby, and walk the strip before doors open: that short walk is the Rock Block at its best.