Blue Gene's gay bar, in the Church Street District

Of the several gay bars along Church Street in Nashville's West End, Blue Gene's (1715 Church St., 615-329-3508) is the most laid-back - it's a true neighborhood bar, drawing a mix of guys and also quite a few women. The crowd is less collegiate and more age-varied here than at some of the louder, busier clubs in the area, and it tends to be most popular early in the evening. Neighbors include Vibe nightclub and Outloud Cafe and Bookstore - Play and Tribe nightclubs are a couple of blocks away.