First time I went I got shoved to the ground by some dude, who got thrown out after. The type of crowd that goes there seems to be looking for trouble or easily get in trouble. Drinks are pricy as expected at a dance bar. Have once been told $30 as cover to get in and then I declined and walked away and was tried to get haggled down to $20 - nah not a bar in Knoxville worth $20 to get in the door. Another time it was $10 to get in though? I just avoid going at this point. Better music than Hannah's next door though. read more

I was out with my friends celebrating the 4th of July and we decided to go to Southbound. I was dressed nice (khakis and a nice t shirt) and they refused me at the door because I was wearing birkenstocks. They claimed that I could not enter because of my open toe shoes. As I walked away I noticed three girls walking out and they all had on open toe shoes. When I asked the guy at the door why they were allowed in and why I wasn't, he told me it was because that were women and they had different standards for what they were allowed to wear. As an immigrant, this was very disheartening seeing the blatant sexism and double standards. I would never come here again and I hope the management takes a moment to realign their mission at this establishment to keep this situation from happening to someone else. read more

The bearded security guard with the hat & glasses seriously needs to have his employment reconsidered. My friends that are in the medical field (21&25) were visiting from out of state (NY), and I had recommended we go to Southbound as I've always enjoyed my experience here. Unfortunately, the bouncer denied my friend (21) entry with no probable cause. She showed him her government issued ID, which he glimpsed at and he said he couldn't accept (he gave her absolutely no reason as to why), then asked if she had another way to prove her identity, like a credit card. When she offered to show her bank account, which is chime, he said that it doesn't count as a bank, answer was still no. She then offered to show her social security card and iPhone information, yet he still refused to even look at any of them, and became agitated when we asked what the issue was (leading to his ATTEMPT to call the police over, like he can't handle a cordial conversation with 3 girls that are half his size?) I found his behavior extremely appalling, and I really hope that management will find a better suited person for the position. This man was a complete AH, and took no steps to verify if my friend was indeed 21. read more

Gender discrimination. I identify as a woman and was refused entry until I paid a $10 cover because they said I didn't present as a woman. I asked them what they considered a woman and I was told to leave. I'm currently researching lawyers to see if I have a legitimate case. read more

Not sure why I never came here but I am so glad I did and will definitely come back! I never explored Knoxville's night life after my first bad experience..I paid $10 for an entrance fee. Who charges an entrance fee?! You make money off drinks! I already started off a tad annoyed. What happened to chicks getting free entrance? 0.o Is this how southerners party!? Then the music sucked, no one danced, the people I was with were quite introverts and I practically passed out after my first drink, which I was actually quite happy I did since I didn't want to be in the old city any longer. Then I met Southbound. Oh Southbound..why have I never heard of you sooner? Things happen when you least expect it. This is why I am I live life less narrow now. I was ready to hit the sack near midnight then I receive a text from him saying he went out to the old city. Back track - we made a bet and I was pretty confident he would lose but I was wrong. I was feeling quite shocked? Upset? Who knows. He was out and I was in so that had to change. I agreed to meet up with my gal pals that were meeting up and wow is this place a ball of fun. No entrance fee. Quick line. Great music. Apparently they have 3 floors with different types of music at each level. Tons of people dancing. Very diverse. I didn't even know diversity existed until I came here. Very spacious. Friendly bartenders. Yes, you can order water and not be judged. This girl didn't eat carbs - learned my lesson the first time. Water for me please! Then the jams got us moving. We danced until closing! What a work out! We were covered in sweat and loved every moment of it. Yes there were creepers but they were respectful when you rejected them. There were also a handful of good potentials. The ratio of female to males were quite even. I finally understand how people meet their significant others at a bar. Well I wouldn't really consider this a bar. But you know what I mean! So how's the scenery? Tons of people crowded in the center dancing. Then a ring around that full of guys seeking who to target. Then more guys around the bar searching for someone to hit on. It's kind of funny to observe. How easy is it to talk to strangers and dance with strangers? Well, I'm a chick with a ton of tattoos so not hard.. How's the dress code? Some were extremely dressed up, some just wearing short shorts and a tank, some wearing heels, it varied a lot. Main point is, not formal. Bathrooms are clean. Seating near the bathrooms are cool - in terms of temperature. I didn't check out the other levels since the first floor was my cup of tea. I highly recommend Southbound to visitors that want to experience night life in Knoxville. I had such a great night/morning here and I'm sure you will too! Party hard!! read more

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Bounces are terrible and can't tell the difference between any ID from any state would not go there at all. Only reason to go there is your ID bent by our dumb bouncer most don't have any sort of educational training on which ID is which. read more

Had the worst experience here last night with the bouncer with beard and hat. My friend was celebrating her bday (27!!) and was just joking around with the bouncers by putting her id on her forehead ( from a scene in a movie). We were kind and giggling but they did not think anything else of it. They continued to check out purses and confiscated our THC / delta 8 LEGALLY BOUGHT in the state of TN vapes!!!! Did not care about nicotine vapes ( clearly as the staff was smoking inside??) but threw out brand new in the trash. He was on such a power trip about it and was so incredibly rude. Our other friend with us had been before and said that they're always rude but had never seen this. When we went to other bars after, because no way was I going to give them my money, the bouncers told us that it was illegal of them to do that !!! Don't go here. Give your business to literally any other bar in Knoxville!!! read more

VIP service was awesome! You have to book through southboundoldcity@gmail.com. K was helpful and made our evening super fun.

Last night I decided to go here before going home, to maybe catch a final drink and have a dance. The door was charging $5 for men, and the bar was charging $14 for a double WELL (read: the cheapest stuff you can possibly get) drink. I confirmed the price with another bartender and this was their logic: a well vodka is $5, a double is $12 (WTF?!?!?!) and I obviously paid $2 for the mixer. Wow. The most shocking part is that the bartender was completely perturbed that I didn't agree with her "logic". I've been to many places in this world, but rarely have I seen such a blatant rip-off. This place is your average, dirty, last-resort club. Absolutely nothing special. Go here if you like a complete ghetto atmosphere and your wallet gang raped. If that doesn't sound like your cup of tea, go ANYWHERE else. Also, the "VIP club" upstairs is a complete joke. Don't waste your money here. read more

Southbound Bar & Grill - My $14 well drink. For a minute there I thought I was in Manhattan, but then I looked around. - Sports Bars Near Me - Knoxville, Tennessee

worst club I've ever been to and I've been to some awful clubs living in Kingsport... This places staff is rude, the DJ plays a terrible playlist and the atmosphere is terrible. 0/10 will never be back! read more

A flowered hoodie was a no go for this bar. Yet no dress code is posted. Second time we have had an issue with them.

3 levels of fun. Each with different music and a different theme/vibe. First level is my favorite. If you're lucky enough to swing/reserve(ahead of time) the new VIP area to the immediate left when you walk in, you've got it made for the night. Entrance is always free for the ladies. (Guys get free entrance, too, if you're VIP!) You're a few steps above the entire dance floor, so you get a clear picture of everything that's going down, without necessarily being in the midst of it all. Nice leather couches and cocktail tables, decorative plants and unobstructed access to the bar fill the VIP area. Plus you get a cocktail waitress tending to your every need. The drinks are affordable, music is typically a mixture of Top 40 and some 80's music here and there, and people just LOVE TO DANCE! By 11pm the dance floor is completely packed with locals who love to get their dance on. It's lots of pure, fun loving, good old dancing. There's even an opportunity to dance next to the DJ above the dance floor, if you so choose, ladies. ;) My girls and I love Southbound because it's jamming and just a fun place to hang. read more

Played some good music but had an unprofessional encounter with the bouncer. I realize he may be used to dealing with unruly drunk people but we were neither. The bouncer was in our faces yelling at us for putting a drink on the table in the VIP section. We wanted to enjoy our rare night out away from kiddos but if this is what we have to deal with, my husband and I will just stay home. We did notify the manager of the bouncers conduct. He said he would 'take care of it'. read more

Bush league dance club where I imagine you go because you don't have enough personality to survive anywhere else. I've been all over the world, and yet I've probably never found anywhere more contemptuous than this place. It isn't even a decent meat market, which is baffling as that is a true lowest common denominator version of a bar. Just a bad, generic dance club. ETA: My friend just had his wallet stolen while dancing. Seriously, folks. You can do better. read more

RUDE BARTENDERS. Went there for a bachelorette party and the one bar tender literally walked away when we came up to the bar then another bartender came up and was extremely rude to us. DJ wouldn't play any songs we requested when we were the only people in there. All around a terrible bar. I highly recommend you never even consider going to this place. Don't waste your time and take a chance on ruining your good night. read more

I.D my friend looked her up and down several times before saying she didn't look like her driver's license and was told really lol we thought he was flirting at first then he got rude and that it was a fake and my sister in law said they just took her id and it was real too and then said that that made it seem like it wasn't real more because of the comment made lol. I tried to show her Facebook page to confirm her identity, and so did she. Her id is from 2018 and yes she gained weight since then but she still looks like her id but without glasses. Walked across the street to talk to a officer sitting in the cruiser to confirm her identity which he did and followed us back over and they still said her id was fake looking after the officer seen the same I'd and looked her information up on his computer smh she was upset even after finally getting in on how she was treated and just wanted to get a Uber home after that happened, but we got her to push that aside for a few hours, but it was just sad how I felt they treated her after showing her I'd, debt card, social and all of her social media and still said her identity was fake lol. I told her she should've asked for his since I'm sure he's didn't have a beard I'm sure and now he does and that he probably looked 12 in his like women can't change looks in 4 years . What a great way on treating someone . read more

Music was great; dj played a mixture of old and new. Drinks tasted good, but weren't strong and the lines were long. If your agenda is to get drunk, make sure you pregame before going. read more

So, I'm going to give this place a three. It was cool because it was free and because I'm the last person to rate a club since I really don't do it. Anyway, we made it there after 12a which for me I'd good since my usual Friday night shenanigans are spent looking at the back of my eyelids. Since I'm working hard to get my life together (weight wise people), I thought ok let's go dancing and get some exercise. Well, ever since Hurricane Harvey the weather has been different (hella cold...okay maybe not cold but chilly). We get to the door after walking from the parking lot, which wasn't all that far but hey I had on a sleeveless vest and shirt. Before getting out of the car I grabbed what I thought was my drivers license turned out to be my weapons license but hey same damn difference since the same info is the same. Anyway, I hand my ID to the guy and he looks at it then me and says I can't use this...I'm like y not? He looks again and says yeah nah, I can't. You got another ID? I'm like in the car...but I'm thinking why can't he use this ID, my picture is on it, name, address and my damn weight (excuse me). So now we have drawn attention am I'm like great now I'm looking like the chick with a fake ID. I tell my friend I can't get in and tell her I will just go to the car and get my license and I will be back. Because she's a good friend she wouldn't let me go alone. Anyway, got the ID, came back, tried to hand it to asshole door guard and he just says oh go head. Didn't take it didn't look...nothing. Now I'm ultra irritated...did he work for Fitbit and think I needed extra steps or what? It's too late to be playing games. Anyway, determined not to make this ruin my night we get it, everybody is well under 30...hmmm. I'm not a drinker just regularly tipsy on life so I'm in groove mode. I did take one shot of Jamison (I think that was the name) and it was strong so I will say the drinks were good. They played some good music to groove too but as unlearned early on lames hang in clubs. My friends got approached a lot by guys and girls...I must have looked old to everyone except asshole door guard because nobody approached me...or maybe they just saw me get turned away at the door and thought I was low key underage? Well that makes me feel better. Anyway, I was a little upset that night but the more I think about it...im gonna halfway chill on being pissed at asshole door guard since I'm damn near 40 getting turned away from a 21 and up club. IDK, I choose to see the positivity I guess so yeah since I can't rate half stars a three is what I will give it read more

I am keeping this short, I am not going to waste my time when its not deserved. There's quality and then there's Southbound..... Far from quality. The bartenders flat out are not efficient, friendly, or good. I mean, it does not take a genius to open a beer bottle or even give you a cup of water. You will be ignored. Lastly, the food lady in the back of the establishment serving up bad food is the most rude and disrespectful person period. Southbound is a place that is promising but the quality just isn't there with their employees. There is an ego and superiority attitude problem with their bartenders. read more

This place is absolute TRASH. I walked in and there is not one bit of class in this place. From the employees to the people who go there. I went there and sat at a table that my friends told me to save while they get us drinks at the bar. I sat there when a group of 3 girls walk and sit at my table and I say "sorry but these seats are saved" , one girl goes to my face and tells me she is staying, I just looked at her and just continued to sit. When she didn't like that she didn't intimidate me, she went and got the bouncer whom she obviously knew. He got in my face and said they were sitting there. I told him I was already sitting here prior to them approaching. Without one other word, the man "man handled me" ( I am 5'5 140 pounds) and throws me outside. OVER ME SITTING AT A SEAT I ORIGINALLY WAS IN. I was there a total of 15 mins before getting inappropriately and getting assaulted. There were two police officers out front which I tried to file a police report and refused to do so. I am already seeking legal counsel because there is absolutely NO reason to handle a women like that, especially over something that could have been handled with words. I hope this place gets shut down. Complete trash and treats people like trash. I have heard it is not the first time they treat people like this. read more

I was having fun with my friend the place was nice inside ,then I went for a cigarette and got a stamp on the hand to get back inside,I showed the guard my stamp and he pushed me and told me to in to the back of the line and there were over 50 ppl in the line they should fire that guy the power went to his head read more

Can't really say much about Southbound because we only spent 2 minutes in the place. When we walked in on a Thursday night and doubled the number of people we decided to just walk back out. It was recommend that we try Carleo's down the street instead. November 3 read more

If you're looking for a good time! This place offers some cool hot radio music and an ok atmosphere. It isn't the cleanest and the staff is a little rude. As a guy whose ok with himself, I cannot count how many times I've been sexually harassed by aggressive women here. I mean I've partied at some rough places but if you're looking for high class, this ain't it chief. read more

This has become my favorite place to go to when I want to dance and drink in Knoxville. It plays good and current music, and you don't have that random mix of songs that makes you stop dancing and go- "What the hell are they playing?" Their drink prices are very reasonable and their bar is not that limited, as compared to most places around here. There are 3 levels too, so even though it gets crowded and most people seem to stay on the first level, there is plenty of room if you move up. It does get crowded pretty fast there. Unlike most places in the area that don't seem to fill up till 1am, this place is usually hoppin before that. Overall, they have a good atmosphere, good music, and even their bouncers are friendly. My only complaints is that the levels don't play different music and if you bounce through them you tend to hear the same songs over and over, and also I'm not sure what point or purpose their "dancers" serve; they don't dress or look like dancers and they don't do much but sway side to side and take up space in the club. I'm not a fan of their VIP areas too. The best ones are the ones on the first floor. They actually have nice looking furniture and tables. The VIP areas upstairs don't seem to be that lucky. The first floor is also the best for VIP, because that's where most of the action is and they out look the whole floor. I'm still not a fan of them though. I guess it's because I'm use to what Hawaii calls VIP, but it just doesn't seem like you get much out of it, other than the cocktail waitress comes in handy. read more

went here last night with some family and friends at first i thought the bouncer with the beard was joking he kept looking me up and down but then he started getting up and being super rude was telling me i looked nothing like my ID and i wasn't me that my id issued in 2018 and expiring in 2026 isn't real that he just feels it isn't me. sorry that i wasn't wearing makeup and i've gained 10 pounds since the picture from 4 years ago apparently doesn't make me look like me. i'm 25 years old pulled over by cops gone to other bars and bought alcohol for the last 4 years. i even tried showing him my debit cards and social but he just was like even if you're you i don't believe you. so walked to the cop sitting in his patrol car across the street and was like hey i've tried to get into a place and they're denying me he took my id told me i look like myself and he could obviously see it was me ran my id asked me some questions and was like okay you are you let me see what i can do. so he walks up there. hey size I'm not really sure what the issue is here but this girl is who she is I just ran her ID. I asked her some questions and I have verified that this is her and the guy says oh well I just don't think it's her still. The officer was like I understand this is your club. If you don't want her there that's fine and then the guy was like no she can come in that's fine I don't care she's cool. The officer asked what the issue was showing him my id prior since I'm all of a sudden allowed in and he said oh well I guess she just looks a little tanner in her pic here and started laughing. so i got my id and went into the bar which was cool looking but definitely high on drinks and the music was not good at all and they only played a couple good songs but i still had a good time with my friends. i guess maybe i'll start asking for bouncers ids when i need to go in somewhere to make sure they look like themselves. definitely made me feel bad. read more

We were in from Nashville and came to Southbound with a group of friends the night before a wedding. It was a Friday night around 10:00 and we hung till around 1:00 before heading out. We beat the crowd and didn't pay any cover which was nice. The drinks were good and were priced fairly. The place did pick up starting around 11:00 like other reviewers mentioned. If I lived in the area, I would probably come back to Southbound again. read more

I just went there for the first time. After three beers I ask for the tab and notice there is an additional 50 cents tacked onto the bill. That's not a big deal, however I generally like to know what I'm being charged for. After asking about it the bartender tells me it's a credit card processing fee and points to a small sign posted at the corner of the bar. I mention to him that I am okay with paying it but I would have appreciated him telling me before running my card, as I have cash. His response was "It's posted so there's not much I can do about it. If you don't like it then don't f****** come back." Ironic, since they have "Customer Service" listed on the back of their shirts. Needless to say I'll be a frequent customer. read more

I find myself with a love hate relationship of southbound. Drinks are over priced, however it's the only real modern style dance club in knoxville. The club it's self is nice enough, the sound system is great, however I've found alot of drunk early 20 somethings litter the place with immature attitudes. read more

I had a brain tumor removed back last year. In result of the surgeries, the right side of my face is paralyzed..... I want to a wedding in Knoxville on March 18th 2017 and decided to go out with everyone in the Old City. I can't drink because of medicine I'm on. Both bouncers at Southbound Plus the KPD officers that were standing outside claimed that I could not go in because I was TOO DRUNK!! Let me remind you that I'm on all kinds of medicines so getting drunk is out of the question. I told them what was up because hell there not the first to see my face and be like what the heck. Anyway all 4 of them would not budge on there decision. I was with friends and one came out and said "what the hell, why can't he get in?" The bouncers then started to claim my friend cursing at them was the reason I was not allowed in. Regardless it was BULL. I will never go back there and I hope no one does honestly. read more

Pretty sure everyone who has made negative comments about this place was either not in dress code or causing problems. Come dressed well and respectful, and it's the best dance club in Knoxville! read more

It was the weirdest thing. They played no music from the last five years! I even made a request, the dj would not play one single song from 2015...thank God it as free for ladies. read more

Was having fun until a bouncer used my beer bottle as a dip cup and I told him that was my beer n he got freekin hostile about it left came back with 3 other bouncers and escorted me to the door. That was gross am I wrong? read more