Magnolia is our four-bedroom Crieve Hall pick — the family and friend-group house that comes with its own private karaoke bar downstairs. Set on a quiet, tree-lined street in Nashville’s classic mid-century neighborhood about six and a half miles south of Lower Broadway, Magnolia gives you fenced-yard privacy, a covered gazebo with a firepit, driveway parking, and a genuine residential neighborhood feel.
Sleeps up to 9 across four bedrooms plus the convertible king daybed in The Lounge. Dog-friendly. Close to some of Nashville’s most beloved local restaurants — think Arnold’s meat-and-three, Smiling Elephant Thai, Catbird Seat, RH Green Hills — in a quiet residential setting.
The Lounge: Your Private Karaoke Bar Downstairs
Most vacation rentals hand you a couch and a TV and call it a common area. Magnolia has The Lounge — a fully designed basement entertainment space that is the reason groups keep booking this house year after year. When you don’t feel like going out, you genuinely don’t have to. Everything is already downstairs.
Bar fridge, glassware, the works. BYOB and set it up properly — this is the pre-Broadway pit stop before the rideshare.
Full karaoke setup plus guitar, mics, tambourine, and bongos. Someone in your group has been practicing. Let them.
Extra-large sectional for movie nights, watching the game, or just piling on after a long day of eating and walking.
The convertible king daybed is your ninth sleeping spot. Doubles as the sectional anchor when it’s not in use.
Firepit in the fenced backyard under a covered gazebo, plus a custom built-in charcoal grill and outdoor speakers. Firewood, starter logs, and charcoal are not provided — grab them at any nearby grocery or hardware store.
Outside: The Magnolia Mural Photo Op
Painted on the exterior of the home is a custom magnolia mural — hand-painted, larger than life, by local old-school graffiti artist Troy Duff. It’s the group photo of the trip, already staged. Bachelorette parties, family reunions, milestone birthdays — every group leaves with the same shot.
The custom magnolia mural on the exterior of the home — the built-in group photo of your trip.
Crieve Hall: The Nashville Neighborhood Locals Actually Live In
You didn’t book a hotel on Lower Broadway. You booked a home — a real one, in a real Nashville neighborhood, on a tree-lined street where people actually live. That’s Crieve Hall. And once you spend a day here, you’ll understand why locals who move in rarely leave.
Magnolia has been Loni’s personal home since 2004 — the flagship property that launched Music City Magnolia. Every design decision, every neighborhood recommendation, every quirk of the house is something she has lived with and loved for two decades. This isn’t a rental someone flipped last year. It’s the home the whole company is named after.
About six and a half miles south of downtown, tucked between Melrose and 8th Avenue South. Easy shots in every direction — Green Hills to the west, 12 South to the north, Berry Hill to the east.
Mid-century Americana. Wide lots, mature shade trees, brick ranch houses that haven’t been torn down for tall-and-skinnies. Neighbors wave. Streets go quiet after 10 p.m.
Rideshare to Lower Broadway is about 12–15 minutes on a normal night. Drive yourself and park easily anywhere in Melrose, Berry Hill, or 12 South. And here’s the local secret: Magnolia has back-road access to BNA airport that skips the interstate traffic entirely — about 15 minutes door to curb on most flights.
Pedal taverns, mechanical bulls, or rooftop bars on every corner. What you will find: exceptional food within five minutes and the Nashville that Nashvillians actually choose.
Magnolia’s four-bedroom layout is designed for family groups and friend trips of up to nine.
Best Restaurants Near Crieve Hall & Green Hills
Here’s the thing about eating near Crieve Hall: you are genuinely well-positioned. The Melrose corridor and 8th Avenue South run through some of Nashville’s best neighborhood restaurants — the kind food writers know and locals go back to. Legendary meat-and-three lunch counters to Michelin-starred tasting menus, often within a ten-minute drive of each other.
Neighborhood Icons & Meat-and-Three
- Arnold’s Country Kitchen — Nashville’s most famous meat-and-three, and the one you actually want. Cafeteria line, chalkboard menu, everybody eating fast. Get there by 11 a.m. or expect to wait. Choose your meat, choose your three sides, sit down, and think about how much you underestimated Nashville’s lunch scene.
- Yogi’s Pizza & Ice Cream — You might be able to walk to this one. Yogi’s sits in the heart of Crieve Hall at 4825 Trousdale Drive — Neapolitan-inspired pizza from a local owner who lives in the neighborhood and opened this place during COVID because he believed in it. The ice cream is the mandatory second stop.
- Calypso Cafe — Nashville’s favorite healthy lunch spot. Rotisserie chicken, Caribbean-inflected salads, the famous Black Bean Salad, house-made dressings by the pint. Fast, filling, genuinely good for you. Thompson Lane location is closest to Magnolia.
Best Thai in Nashville
- Smiling Elephant — Voted Best Thai in Nashville four years running by both The Tennessean and Nashville Scene. A small, family-owned spot on 8th Avenue South with pad thai that will ruin all other pad thai for you. Fills up fast at dinner — arrive early or expect a wait.
- Deg Thai — The newer local favorite. Bright, casual, and full of the dishes you actually want — crispy pork belly, khao soi, the noodle basics done right. Loni’s neighborhood pick when Smiling Elephant has a wait.
Best Lunch Near Crieve Hall
- King Tut’s — The Nashville institution for a Mediterranean plate — gyros, hummus, tabbouleh, everything from scratch. Portions are big, prices are honest, and it’s just down the road.
- Brothers Burgers — Genuinely great smash burgers, thick shakes, fries done right. No frills, no attitude, no line at the wrong time of day. This is the lunch stop.
- Kalamatas — Nashville-local Mediterranean chain with the best falafel and Greek salad in this part of town. Fast, fresh, and doesn’t feel like a chain.
- Judge Beans BBQ — The dive-bar-and-barbecue spot where they’ll save a seat at the bar for a lost regular. Ribs, brisket, and a beer while a Predators game plays on the corner TV. Do not sleep on this place.
- Hattie B’s Melrose — Yes, hot chicken. The Melrose location almost never has the line the Broadway one does — this is the one to hit. Order the medium if you’re new; the hot if you’re brave.
- Mas Amigos — Upscale neighborhood Mexican with fresh ingredients and a strong margarita program. The unfussy-but-good weeknight option.
- Baja Burrito — An OG Nashville staple. Locally owned, cafeteria-line burritos and tacos built how you want them, fish tacos with a cult following, patio in Berry Hill. Nothing fancy, everything right. It has never stopped being cool.
Special Occasion & Fine Dining
- The Catbird Seat — Nashville’s chef’s-counter tasting menu institution. Small room, seasonal menu, book weeks (sometimes months) ahead. This is where you go for the trip’s anniversary dinner or the parent-in-law-impressing dinner.
- RH Green Hills Rooftop — The restaurant on top of the Restoration Hardware gallery in Green Hills. Courtyard dining with olive trees, chandeliers, and a menu that punches above its retail-store address. Great for a long lunch or a low-key dinner.
- Urban Grub — Elevated Southern in 12 South with a menu that actually delivers — steaks, fresh seafood, a serious cocktail program. Our move: sit back at the bar on the patio with our favorite bartender, Scotty. Great for a nice dinner without needing to go downtown.
Best Bars Near Green Hills & Melrose
Crieve Hall’s proximity to the Melrose / 8th Ave South corridor means you have excellent neighborhood bar options within a short drive.
Nashville’s most iconic dive bar has been running since 1944 — same underground spot on 8th Avenue South, same no-nonsense vibe. Pool, ping pong, shuffleboard, darts, cheap beer. It’s in the basement of a building with no signage. The lack of signs is the sign you found it.
Named after a Kevin Bacon movie and built on the site of a former bowling alley (the bar is literally made from a salvaged bowling lane). Great breakfast and lunch all week, dinner Thursday–Saturday. The Bloody Mary at brunch is correct.
The dive bar with barbecue and a Predators game on the TV. They’ll save a seat at the bar for a lost regular. This is where a Crieve Hall night usually starts or ends. Not fancy — that’s the point.
The original Green Hills location on Hillsboro Pike — a genuine local sports bar with big-league loyalty. Smokin’ Mondays fire up the smoker for slow-smoked pork, beef, and chicken from 5 p.m. The April crawfish boil is a Nashville tradition. Every game on every screen. This is where the neighborhood watches the Preds.
A karaoke Christmas trailer-bar run out of an actual double-wide off Nolensville Pike. Cash only. Christmas lights year-round. Nashville songwriters, industry folks, and everyone who’s discovered they love karaoke sing here — and it’s known for secret shows and pop-ups by big-name artists who want to play a room no one’s watching. One of the most Nashville places in Nashville.
One of Nashville’s most celebrated cocktail bars — James Beard-recognized, running since 2009, now on the fifth floor of the Bill Voorhees Building on 8th Avenue South. The menu is a novel; the bartenders know what they’re doing. Limited reservations, mostly first-come first-served — go early. This is the special-occasion drink spot.
The NYC and Charleston favorite is opening a 12 South location. Cocktail-forward, no-nonsense drinks, a serious bar program. Worth watching for when your dates land.
The Berry Hill location on Bransford Avenue — Tennessee spirits, tasting flights, small-plate Southern food. Bottomless mimosas at weekend brunch are the not-so-secret headline. Family-friendly early, cocktail-forward after dark.
The Greenhouse Bar — An actual glass greenhouse turned bar in Green Hills. Plants everywhere, filtered natural light, drinks that lean botanical and seasonal, brunch Wednesday–Sunday. Photographs beautifully and tastes even better. If your group has anyone who doesn’t love dive bars, take them here.
The Greenhouse Bar — an actual glass greenhouse turned bar in Green Hills.
Coffee, Bakeries & Slow Mornings
Mornings at Magnolia tend to unfold slowly — the granite kitchen bar seats all nine of you, so there’s no rush to find a cafe. But when you’re ready to venture out, you’re in one of the best pockets of Nashville for coffee and bakeries:
- Crieve Hall Bagel Co. — Sourdough bagels made from scratch, practically in your backyard. Opens 6:30 a.m. seven days a week. Go early and pray you score a cinnamon roll — they sell out fast, and this is where the neighborhood goes Saturday morning. Join them.
- Two Hands — The Australian-style café now open in Nashville — pristine flat whites, a bright plant-filled room, and steak and eggs that will ruin every other steak and eggs for you. Go here when someone in the group wants a serious espresso and a proper plate.
- Peren Bakery — Loni’s favorite bakery in Nashville. Croissants that taste like Paris. Morning pastries, quiches, and a rotating menu of the kind of things you’ll try to buy two of. Small, careful, and worth the drive.
- Fenwick’s 300 — The modern diner in Melrose opens at 7 a.m. weekdays and weekends. Full American breakfast menu, Bongo Java coffee, a proper Bloody Mary, and that salvaged bowling-lane bar. You’ll go once and want to go back every morning.
- Gluten Free Goose — A dedicated 100% gluten-free bakery about a 15-minute drive from Magnolia — biscuits, cinnamon rolls, breads, cookies, made-from-scratch pastries. If anyone in your group is gluten-free or celiac, this is genuinely the best answer in Nashville and worth the drive.
Music, Nature & What’s Nearby
Magnolia sits at the intersection of several of Nashville’s most interesting neighborhoods — close enough to downtown that nothing requires a long commitment, quiet enough that you actually feel like you’re staying somewhere residential.
Nashville’s most walkable neighborhood strip — boutiques, coffee shops, restaurants, and that mural everyone photographs. Sushi San, bartaco, and the beloved Las Paletas popsicle shop are all here. A 10-minute drive north of Magnolia and always worth a wander.
The legendary songwriter-in-the-round venue in Green Hills — a quick drive from Magnolia. Room holds about 100 people. This is where Nashville’s songwriting community performs — a completely different experience from Lower Broadway. Tickets go fast.
Nashville SC’s home stadium and one of the country’s newest MLS venues — minutes north of Magnolia. Perfect for a match day or a big concert night. Rideshare it or park in the surrounding lots.
A 1,368-acre state natural area just minutes from Magnolia — hiking trails through old-growth forest, a lake, wildlife (herons, deer, the occasional mink), and a genuine sense of quiet. No bikes on the inner loop. Perfect for a morning walk before a long day of eating.
Lipscomb’s campus is minutes from Magnolia — and Loni’s alma mater. That means this house is the natural home base for Lipscomb graduation weekends, family weekends, sporting events, and campus visits. Ask us for the best pre-game spots when you book.
Shopping Worth the Drive
- Starland Vintage — Curated vintage clothing and rare finds in a warm, well-edited shop. If someone in your group loves treasure hunting, start here.
- The Mall at Green Hills — Nashville’s upscale shopping anchor. Nordstrom, Apple, Restoration Hardware, and dozens of specialty shops in one loop. About 10 minutes from Magnolia.
- Berry Hill Goodwill — IYKYK. The Berry Hill Goodwill has a reputation among Nashville locals for surprisingly good vintage and designer finds. Bring patience and a big bag.
- Phonoluxe Records — The Nashville used-vinyl institution on Nolensville Pike, open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday only. Floor-to-ceiling records, CDs, and music collectibles since 1987 — locals grab a basket because you will keep finding things. Weekend afternoon well spent.
Getting Around & Stocking Up
Groceries & Stocking Services
Stock up when you arrive. Your closest options are Publix at Nippers Corner — the true Crieve Hall grocery — and Kroger on Melrose, both under 10 minutes from the house. Whole Foods Green Hills is about 10 minutes north in Green Hills if you want the fancy version. For specialty and organic items, The Turnip Truck in The Gulch is worth the drive.
Want to support local businesses? Two Nashville-owned services will fill the fridge (and more) before you arrive: Nashville Grocery Gals for grocery, beverage, and drugstore stocking (plus charcuterie boards and brunch bars), and Little Ms. Runaround for fridge stocking, personal bar setup, decorating, and full bachelorette/party planning. Instacart and Shipt also work at every store above if you want the DIY route. Ask us when you book and we’ll match you with the right one for your group.
Getting Around
Crieve Hall is a residential neighborhood — you’ll want a car or rideshare access for most outings. The good news is that parking is free and easy almost everywhere in this part of Nashville. Melrose, Berry Hill, 12 South, and Green Hills all have street parking or surface lots. Downtown is a different story — use a rideshare for The Gulch or Lower Broadway on a weekend night.
Dogs at Magnolia
Magnolia is one of only three MCM homes that welcome dogs, and the fenced backyard makes it the most dog-comfortable in the portfolio. Standard rate is for one dog; additional dogs by request. There’s an excellent dog-walking path along the Ellington Agricultural Center trails just a short drive away.
Noise & Neighbors
Magnolia is in a real residential neighborhood where real people live. The Lounge is downstairs for a reason — indoor karaoke keeps the party contained. Nashville has noise ordinances, and we take good-neighbor relations seriously. Keep outdoor music at a reasonable level after 10 p.m. and you’ll have a perfect stay.
Magnolia at a Glance
Magnolia
Four bedrooms up top, The Lounge downstairs, and a fenced backyard with a covered gazebo and firepit — Magnolia is the four-bedroom family home that comes with its own karaoke bar.
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