Tern Club Bars & Clubs in Knoxville – GayOut Guide
Gay Bars & Clubs LGBTQ+ Friendly

Tern Club

Google (287) 4.7
Tripadvisor (2) 5.0
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What reviewers say

Visitors frequently praise Tern Club for its expertly crafted, delicious, and unique cocktails, with many highlighting the impressive rum selection and friendly, attentive staff. However, some patrons have experienced issues with deceptive marketing regarding happy hour times and concerns about staff handling payment and tips.

97
/ 100
GayOut Score
G4.7 🦉5.0
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Address
135 S Gay St, knoxville
📞
Phone
+1 865-312-5530

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About this place Tern Club

Tern Club sits on South Gay Street in downtown Knoxville, serving well-made cocktails without the pretension usually attached to high-end bars. It’s listed as a gay-friendly mainstream spot, not a gay bar; the street name is just Knoxville’s main downtown thoroughfare. The staff is friendly, and the food menu is small but functional. You won’t find a sprawling list of dishes, just enough to keep you from leaving hungry. The drinks are the main event, and they’re done right. Hours matter if you’re planning your evening. The bar opens at 16:00 Tuesday through Saturday, closing at midnight on midweek nights. Friday and Saturday stay open until 01:00. On Sundays, doors open earlier at 14:00. Monday, it’s closed. It works well for after-work drinks or as a quick stop on a night out in the Old City and downtown. Don’t expect a late-night club atmosphere. Expect good service, solid cocktails, and a quiet corner to sit in.

Opening Hours

Monday Closed
Tuesday 16:00-00:00
Wednesday 16:00-00:00
Thursday 16:00-00:00
Friday 16:00-01:00
Saturday 16:00-01:00
Sunday 14:00-00:00

Features

Gay Gay-friendly (straight venue) LGBTQ+ Casual Food served Mixed LGBTQ+ Chill / Relaxed Local favorite Cocktail bar No dress code Card payments accepted Walk-ins welcome Evening venue Late night (after midnight)

Insider Tips

Community Reviews

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Google Reviews

Verified by Google
4.7
★★★★★
287 reviews

Based on 287 Google reviews.

Frederick Zorniger
Frederick Zorniger May 2026
★★★★★

This place has mastered the craft of mixing cocktails that are both strong and delicious I’ve had every cocktail on the menu and every one has been exquisite Bartenders are super chill heads that take pride in there mixing 100% consistency every time blows my mind OMG Cobra Fang

Annie Hunt
Annie Hunt May 2026
★★★★★

We came at a slower time, and everything was fine until the end. I’ve worked for restaurants and I know how those handhelds work. You tap your card, choose a tip, and sign. The server tapped my card, selected his own tip (very quickly as if he was hoping I didn’t notice), and then he asked for just my signature. I’m guessing he’s used to getting pretty drunk people who don’t pay attention? I always tip well, but it should be the customers choice regardless. For a place that presents itself as if they have high standards, this was extremely disappointing. Make sure you’re paying attention so you don’t get robbed here.

Christina A
Christina A May 2026
★★★★★
Jordan Diller
Jordan Diller Apr 2026
★★★★★

Came in on a Friday afternoon to grab a drink, the sign out front said happy hour 4-6 weekdays, then the bartender said that happy hour is actually Sunday- Thursday, so not weekdays. The drinks were fine and the vibe was nice. Didn’t like the deceptive marketing though.

Beckett Bathanti
Beckett Bathanti Mar 2026
★★★★★

Have been here twice now as we pass through Knoxville and this place is definitely a gem, turning out excellent classics and originals alike. We stopped in late on Saturday March 14th and did not account for the St, Patricks Saturday night crowd. It was super busy and bustling, but our bartender was fantastic. We sat at the bar and he was pleasant and welcoming, all the while crushing tickets and handling walk-up customers. Had a few tiki staples and Tern Club's own bitter rum-spiked carajillo, all terrific.

Brandon Venable
Brandon Venable Mar 2026
★★★★★
Clint Green
Clint Green Mar 2026
★★★★★

Top notch crafted cocktails with unique approaches but uniformly balanced. It's getting hard to impress me, but all four cocktails I had were worth a try and worth me trying them at home. Ryan is speedy (and busy) but did a great job making me feel at home. Price points are on target - these are value cocktails

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Last updated on 2 November 2026

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