Lipstick Lounge lesbian bar, in hip East Nashville

On the main drag of the city's endearingly offbeat and historic East Nashville neighborhood, the homey Lipstick Lounge (1400 Woodland St., 615-226-6343) is not only the city's most popular lesbian bars but one of the most popular lesbian bars in the South. This very cool little spot draws a primarily Sapphic crowd, but that's not to say the friendly management doesn't welcome everyone. As the owners say on the bar's website, "If you're human, you'll fit right in." This bustling two-story bar opened in 2002, and it's become a fixture of this wonderful, counter-cultural neighborhood ever since - some gay-popular neighbors include Rumours Wine Bar (which also has a branch in the similarly quirky 12th Avenue South neighborhood), Marche cafe and fine food store, and Margot Cafe. The entire place is done in bright and bold colors, and you'll find an upstairs area with video games, cafe tables, lounge-y chairs, a plasma-screen TV, darts, and plenty of other diversions. Lipstick's kitchen serves tasty burgers, fried chicken sandwiches, BLT salads, baked Brie, hot wings, and particularly tasty breakfast fare (at night - it's not open for breakfast, so don't knock on their door at 10 in the morning), including well-regarded French toast. On the main level there's a bar with an itty-bitty dance floor, occasional live music acts, and legendary karaoke on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights (hey, in this town, people know how to sing). If you're new in town, visiting for a few days, or just trying to meet new friends and get a sense of the community, don't miss this place.