This is a dive bar that I frequent regularly. In recent visits, I have seen lots of updates that are very appealing: getting rid of the tall backs of the booths, moving around hanging decorations and artwork. This bar is very fun for all!!! The artwork has always been pop art and I think they could showcase other gay artists from Nashville to switch it up; maybe there's a contract with the artist. The Divine prints are amazing, as are the black light sugar skulls. Lots of LGBTQIA icons depicted. The smoking area is just right, small and intimate, and the bar has a reasonable amount of seating for how many people attend. The owner is super nice and dedicated; everyone else who works there are good guys. Drinks are what to expect from a dive bar. Free condoms. (Stay safe!) Four stars because it's very dimly lit, for that sultry vibe, and crammed with interesting things to look at. (Guess that's good if there's someone you don't want to look at) May be time to cut back the tree and paint a bit though? Be back soon!!! read more

Awesome Church street dive that caters to the gay community. Everyone is welcome here. From fun dance nights, to crazy karaoke, this spot has it all. Drinks are cheap and happy hour specials run daily. They have a very loyal regular clientele with a queen and all. Worth checking out. Never a dull moment! read more

I love the Jell-O shots, 2 for 1's and the sexy friendly staff! This is a great place to pre-game before a night out on church street and a great place to come back to sober up and eat! Great menu as well! read more

This is a really chill, intimate lounge right next to Tribe and Play. I like to call it a lounge instead of a bar, because it has a really warm, swanky feel to it. Anytime I go to a new place, I always notice the decor and ambiance first thing, and I was really impressed by how lush and colorful it was at Canvas - very inviting! It was pretty sparse in terms of customers - not so much that it was a drag, but just enough that I could actually have a conversation. I sat at a round booth with my friends, and the bartender was really lovely and enthusiastic (he'd just started). The DJ was decent and took requests, and it looked like there was a little area for dancing in the back, but no one really partook. My only complaint is that the mixed drinks are a little weak! read more

I have been to Canvas about five times and I keep going back for several reasons. First, the atmosphere is pretty relaxed and it seems that everyone is accepted. In short, minimal attitude. It also doesn't feel like too much of a meat market. There's a nice mix of ages, but 30+ predominate, which is dandy by me. The drinks are pretty good and a good value. Bartenders are speedy even if they don't always go out of their way to be super friendly. The music is eclectic and one can dance there without getting too self-conscious. read more

Cory and Cameron are the best bartenders in town! Steve hosts the greatest karaoke! They do a great job of adhering to Covid safety measures. read more

Surprisingly not bad, considering the state of the gay community in Nashville. I went for The first time last night with some friends and for the most part really enjoyed myself. The staff was very nice and very professional though some of the other customers there seemed pretty typical of what you would think of a standard gay community, i.e., please don't judge us we are who we are it's not right but they are more than ready and quick to judge you. This is why I don't get along with most others in the gay community and I do not consider myself a part of Gnash was gay community although I am proudly openly gay. I would definitely go back to Canvas read more

Great place! Only got to meet Seth and Joey, but both were super friendly! Can't wait to go back to visit.

Came here tonight with my wonderful wife who'd never been to a bar as such. Everyone was awesome, the food was really good, even though the chef had a full house contend with. The staff, especially Corey were just amazing, a complete credit to the establishment and probably one of the main reasons why the place is a success. We can't thank you enough for such an awesome night. Awesome job to everyone involved, I'd have been so blessed to have staff like you guys back in the uk. Thank you, Brandon read more

Great, friendly neighborhood gay bar. Good drinks and service. Only thing missing is a Pride Flag in front.

I love this place. Stopped in whole visiting Nashville. Cute-artistic place. Andrew was amazing!! Would love to have this place in my city... #pride read more

See all

I don't think that a Canvas bartender (Tim,) should approach an out-of-town visitor/patron at another gayborhood bar and say to them the clothing they are wearing makes them look pretentious and caddy. We went to Canvas on Friday night and loved it, except there was no crowd. After this situation, I understand why. Meeting Tim tonight made me understand why Canvas is "JUST" making it. Someone needs to exfoliate this situation... read more

This place reminds me of my favorite back home bar, super great atmosphere and drinks are well priced and made. Bartenders were all super friendly and made us feel welcomed to the city. Definitely a one size fits all bar! If you're looking for a good place to happy hour, you won't be sad you went here. read more

There were about 6 of us that couldn't find a place open to sit down and eat. We stopped at this place and the chef had made us one of everything on the menu. The food was amazing !! Great ending to the night ! read more

LOVE THEIR HAPPY HOUR! Two for one , yesssss! Everyone was really friendly. We ran into a group ( Under the Chandler ) and they film there often and we had a blast ! Bah ! I can't wait to come back. read more

I recently visited Canvas during happy hour. The bartender, Vince, was so friendly and welcoming. We had such a great time talking with him. I loved the decor, esp. the salon chairs and phone booths, but by far my favorite thing about the bar was that there was no tv. I enjoyed all of the interacting the bar patrons were doing because everyone was not staring at music videos on a tv. The bar was also non-smoking, which is a big plus! The food was a little of a disappointment. We ordered chips and salsa, which they were out of, followed by a vegetarian pizza, which came out with bacon all over it. Overall the experience was awesome, and I am looking foward to visiting in the future. read more

As a tourist I highly recommend coming here. I left my hotel nearly and stopped in here to have a couple drinks before my dinner plans. The staff knew I wasn't local and was extremely friendly. My drinks were poured on the stiff side (which was perfect) and they were very talkative and offered their opinion on what to do while in town. It was a great start to my first day there. If I'm in town again I will stop by again! read more

Love this bar!! Everyone is friendly! Very eclectic all the way around! Bartenders are quick and very friendly... did I mention they're hot !! read more

The bartender was so mean. I turned in a phone I found and he threw it on the back counter and said "I don't care". My friend asked for something strong and fruity and acted clueless and was so rude. For me a bartender creates the mood of the bar. He ruined it immediately for me. read more

I was told about this place from a guy I work with, he thought I would like it. I also heard good things about it from others. The atmosphere was nice, but apparently the a/c was out because it was very hot. My biggest complaint was how I was treated differently and I felt uncomfortable immediately upon arrival. .I waited for a drink( a bad drink at that) for at least 20 minutes, well I waited 20 minutes to be acknowledged. I have never had this issue in any other bars around town. My friend and I were not acknowledged yet other white patrons were waited on in a timely fashion. I felt like I was back in a time warp where blacks had to sit at the back of the bus and drink out of different water fountains. The crowd ( not racially diverse) nor the music were user friendly as well. I will stick to friendly bars where I can be acknowledged in a respectful amount of time. Bars like Tribe, Play, Traxx, etc. read more

I absolutely love this place...cozy without being too WARM, intimate without being creepy, decorated artsy and balanced...just really cool. I feel comfortable at this place and so does everyone I've ever been here with...I'm having my birthday group meet here for the fantastic DJ Chris Mitchell and the fantastic drinks. Get some Drambuie guys!!! (they got Drambuie by the way!) ; ) read more

I loved this place. It's an awesome lounge nestled on Church Street. I went in on a Friday night and fit right in. You can totally go in with friends and have great drinks and conversation. I loved the music as well. The bartenders were friendly and made us up a special drink. I will be back to see what's going on in Canvas whenever I am on that side of town. read more

I discovered Canvas Lounge when a buddy of mine did an art installation there. He asked me to set up my sound system so he could have live music during his show. I was immediately impressed with the warm vibe and approachable staff. Everyone working there took the time to say hello and talk to me (I couldn't leave my mixer area). Tribe and Play are a little too pretentious for me and I feel very comfortable with the chill atmosphere at Canvas. The guests were not uptight or too good to meet new people either (one of my biggest gripes about Tribe and Play). I have gone back over and over and meet new folks every time I'm there. Canvas is definately Nashville's friendliest gay bar. read more

I stopped in here one night with some friends before we went to Play and we loved it. If you're wanting to meet up for drinks but want a place cozier than Tribe, try Canvas. The DJ there is also really good! read more

I've been to Canvas twice now; and I have had a good time on each occasion. Canvas is housed in a comfortable, well appointed space. The atmosphere is friendly and upscale without being pretentious. I haven't tried the food yet; but a friend did and said it was excellent. I look forward to many good times at Canvas. I hope you discover it soon as well. read more

Great friendly feel, even if it's your first time. Bartenders are hot. Drinks are great and not overpriced. Food is excellent (for a bar.)

nice to have as an option in the gay area of Church Street - makes for a nice little district. REALLY ENJOY the monthly (i believe) Sunday evening performances by the Dickson Chicks. Wish there was a better solution for the smokers (myself not a smoker) other than rolling the giant garage door up and down every time one of them wants to enter/exit smoking patio. read more

I love the bar and the atmosphere is great. They have old table top Pacman games and local art on the walls. The crowd is just a tiny bit cliqish sometimes but nothing too bad. The bar does a great job representing the 'other' end of church st and is definitely worth checking out. read more

Oh it's a gay bar, alright. The first time I was there I was offered a b.j. in the bathroom... TWICE! And I thought the bartender was going to take flight, he's so gay. Not that there's anything wrong with that... I just don't think they should be saying it's not a gay bar when it clearly is! read more

I went there on a Friday. The place was packed but not so much where we couldn't move around. The drinks are strong. The bar tenders are friendly. Their was an area for dancing. The decor is awesome. read more

Had a wonderful experience here. Being a gay bar does not exclude anyone else who's a friendly patron, the service is amicable. I felt very comfortable in this small bar and the dance floor is the perfect size for a lowkey evening. I love it here and will return. And the 80s portraits on the walls are a stellar addition. read more

I went here on 4th of July at the end of a glamour nun drag show, which I was sad to miss. After the show the place cleared out and people went elsewhere, so it wasn't too crowded, which on the one hand is good, but it might have been more fun with more people. The vodka soda was strong and the bartender was fun! Also it def deserves props for the table PAC man! If I were from the area I would absolutely frequent this bar! Thanks for the good time! read more

Fun! Ambiance is excellent, plenty of choices for seating...you HAVE to do phone booth photos if you visit! Great drink specials! ENJOY!

I don't know why no rules in this place! People go to smoke outside and open a huge garage door that don't close well, and when it's 20 degree outside, it's not pleasant. Not mentioning that some people still smoke inside! Drinks were very watery. read more

What a great place to hang out. The people were really friendly and the guys serving drinks were really nice!! We are going back TONIGHT!!!

My absolute favorite bar in Nashville. Helpful, attentive, kind and funny bartenders who are good at what they do. Clean, homey space that welcomes all and makes you feel comfortable. A great place to meet new people and/or hang out with friends, on a street that doesn't get too crowded. Highly recommended. read more

I was there this Monday with a friend who took me there for the first time, I like the place specially because the bar tenders were so friendly and hot too. It makes such a difference! Nice drinks and good atmosphere. read more

I've been to Canvas many times and the owner is a really cool guy and the bar is a place to hang after work and take a friend and just chill...good food and a great hot spot in the city to meet a great group of people in the city. Dale Perry read more

Who doesn't love the gay district? I go here all the time. It is definitely my favorite place to dance on a Friday night in Nashville. If you go enough, then the owner and the DJ get to know you. It'll even get to where the bartender knows your drink order before you even have to order. DJ Monkeypop is awesome and will play anything you wanna hear. You wanna hear Cher? He'll play you a melody. It's a place where you can go in and meet a lot of friendly people and even make some new friends. Granted, the dance area is kinda small, but there's never that many people dancing. Plus, if you're one of those people who just has to keep moving when drunk, then you can have the whole floor to yourself. The good thing about Canvas is that it's a great place to just go and let loose. People there really don't judge you, so if you have terrible dance moves go for it! Girls don't have to worry about getting hit on because let's face it it's mostly guys looking for other guys! read more

Good drinks. The bartender was great! Friendly! Thank y'all for the hospitality.