Dinner
Live music & drinks
Catch live country music at one of Nashville's most iconic honky-tonks, directly behind the Ryman. The bar area on the main floor is the spot most often cited in Hank Williams sighting reports.
- Duration:
- 2 hr
Haunted Dining / Bar
Tootsie's Orchid Lounge
Iconic Lower Broadway honky-tonk opened in 1960 by Hattie Louise 'Tootsie' Bess directly behind the Ryman — where Hank Williams Sr.'s misty figure has been photographed near the bar and Tootsie herself reportedly taps her fingers when she doesn't like the show.
422 Broadway, Nashville, TN 37203
Age
21+
Cost
$
No cover; food and drink at typical Lower Broadway honky-tonk price points. Tip jar for performers expected.
Access
Limited Access
Multi-story pre-1900 commercial building; stairs to upper bars; main floor accessible from Broadway sidewalk.
Equipment
Photos OK
Est. 1895 · Iconic Lower Broadway honky-tonk and Nashville country-music landmark · Direct backstage connection (via alley) to the Ryman Auditorium during the Grand Ole Opry era · Associated with Patsy Cline, Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, Roger Miller, and other country songwriters · Founded by Hattie Louise 'Tootsie' Bess in 1960
The building at 422 Broadway is a pre-1900 commercial structure on Nashville's Lower Broadway entertainment strip. In 1960, Hattie Louise 'Tootsie' Bess took over the existing bar, which she painted with orchid-colored paint and renamed Tootsie's Orchid Lounge.
The lounge sits directly behind the Ryman Auditorium — then the home of the Grand Ole Opry — and the alley between the two buildings became the most famous shortcut in country music. Songwriters and performers would slip out of the Ryman's back doors between sets to drink and write at Tootsie's. Patsy Cline, Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, Roger Miller, Faron Young, and dozens of other country figures spent significant time at the bar in the 1960s and early 1970s.
Hank Williams Sr. is also strongly associated with the property and Lower Broadway generally, though Williams died on January 1, 1953 — seven years before Tootsie took ownership. The Williams association comes from his earlier presence at the Ryman and at the prior bar in the same building.
Tootsie Bess died on February 18, 1978, after eighteen years operating the lounge. The bar continued under subsequent ownership and remains one of the highest-profile honky-tonks on Lower Broadway, with multiple stages of live music daily.
Sources
- https://ghostcitytours.com/nashville/haunted-nashville/tootsie-orchid-lounge/
- http://what-when-how.com/haunted-places/tootsie%E2%80%99s-orchid-lounge-nashville-tennessee-haunted-place/
- https://www.whiskeyriff.com/2025/10/31/the-ghost-of-hank-williams-is-frequently-spotted-haunting-downtown-nashville-including-the-ryman-auditorium-tootsies-orchid-lounge/
White misty figure resembling Hank Williams photographed near the barFigure resembling Williams in slacks and cowboy boots seen in the alley behind Tootsie's (2002 sighting)Finger-tapping on the bar attributed to Tootsie Bess during performances she dislikesPhantom country music in an empty barUnexplained equipment blackouts
Per Ghost City Tours' Nashville coverage, Tootsie's is haunted by two spirits — Hank Williams and Tootsie Bess herself. The Williams lore centers on a white mist resembling the singer that has been 'spotted by the bar at Tootsie's and even photographed on several occasions,' which patrons describe as Williams trying to order a drink. The most-cited sighting occurred in 2002, when a customer leaving Tootsie's reported encountering a man in the alley behind the building who, on closer look, resembled the long-dead Williams — dressed in slacks, a long-sleeved shirt, and cowboy boots — walking the opposite direction before disappearing.
The Tootsie Bess lore centers on the bar's namesake, who died on February 18, 1978 after eighteen years operating the lounge. According to Ghost City Tours: 'Tootsie's ghost seems to come alive whenever there's a performer in the room. If she likes the show, she won't make a sound; if she doesn't, she'll impatiently tap her fingers against the bar.' Staff and musicians also report phantom country music when the bar is empty and unexplained equipment blackouts.
The Williams ghost is also reported at the adjacent Ryman Auditorium and along the alley between the two buildings, making it one of the most consistently named Lower Broadway hauntings — covered repeatedly by Whiskey Riff, Ghost City Tours, and Nashville Ghosts.
Notable Entities
Hank Williams Sr. (d. January 1, 1953)Hattie Louise 'Tootsie' Bess (d. February 18, 1978)
Media Appearances
- Ghost City Tours — Tootsie's Orchid Lounge feature
- Whiskey Riff — Hank Williams ghost coverage (2024, 2025)
- Dixie Spirits / 'A Most Haunted Honkey Tonk'
- Occult-World — Tootsie's profile
Plan Your Visit
2 ways to experience Walking Tour Booking Required
Nashville haunted bar crawl stop
Tootsie's is a standard stop on Nashville Ghosts and Ghost City Tours haunted-pub-crawl itineraries, focused on the Hank Williams and Tootsie Bess lore.
- Duration:
- 1.5 hr
#tennessee
#nashville
#haunted-bar
#honky-tonk
#lower-broadway
#ryman-auditorium
#country-music-history
#hank-williams
Sources & Further Reading
Every HauntBound history is researched from documented sources. We clearly separate verified historical fact from paranormal folklore.
- 1.ghostcitytours.com/nashville/haunted-nashville/tootsie-orchid-lounge
- 2.what-when-how.com/haunted-places/tootsie’s-orchid-lounge-nashville-tennessee-haunted-place
- 3.whiskeyriff.com/2025/10/31/the-ghost-of-hank-williams-is-frequently-spotted-haunting-downtown-nashville-including-the-ryman-auditorium-tootsies-orchid-lounge
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Tootsie's Orchid Lounge family-friendly?
Adults-only environment due to liquor service and crowded honky-tonk atmosphere. Lore itself is folkloric and not graphic. Overall family fit: Low.
How much does it cost to visit Tootsie's Orchid Lounge?
No cover; food and drink at typical Lower Broadway honky-tonk price points. Tip jar for performers expected.
Do I need to book in advance?
No advance booking is required, but checking availability is recommended.
Is Tootsie's Orchid Lounge wheelchair accessible?
Tootsie's Orchid Lounge has limited wheelchair accessibility. Terrain: Multi-story pre-1900 commercial building; stairs to upper bars; main floor accessible from Broadway sidewalk..