Tennessee speakeasy named one of the 'coolest' in the South. How to get inside

Although Prohibition was repealed nearly a century ago, the allure of the speakeasy remains. Tucked away behind unmarked doors and hidden entrances, these secretive bars offer an air of exclusivity, appealing to those who enjoy being among the few who know how to gain access. One Nashville-area spea

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Although Prohibition was repealed nearly a century ago, the allure of the speakeasy remains.

Tucked away behind unmarked doors and hidden entrances, these secretive bars offer an air of exclusivity, appealing to those who enjoy being among the few who know how to gain access.

One Nashville-area speakeasy is drawing regional attention after being named one of the South's coolest and chicest speakeasies by Southern Livingmagazine. Here's what to know, including how to get inside.

Southern Living names Franklin speakeasy one of the coolest in region

Amendment XVIII Cocktail Club, a Franklin speakeasy, was named as one of the chicest in the region by Southern Living.

Hidden behind Mellow Mushroom at 317 Main St. in downtown Franklin, Amendment XVIII Cocktail Club embraces its speakeasy roots with a name that nods to the Eighteenth Amendment, which ushered in Prohibition before being repealed in 1933.

The intimate cocktail lounge serves

a menu of “Prohibition classics and originals,” including signature drinks such as a milk-washed cosmopolitan and the Velvet Brew, alongside small plates like rum-glazed shrimp, classic meatballs and a pimento cheese plate.

Guests can also catch live jazz every Sunday, while Songwriter Tuesdays return Sept. 29, according to its website.

To enter, visitors enter through the alley behind Mellow Mushroom and open an electrical switch box mounted on the wall, where a hidden lever triggers a green light that alerts staff.

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Southern Living's coolest speakeasies in the South

Miscellanea Spirit House (Oxford, Mississippi)
The Red Ribbon Society (Asheville, North Carolina)
Dirty Laundry (St. Petersburg, Florida)
Nightbird (Oxford, Mississippi)
Amendment XVIII Cocktail Club (Franklin, Tennessee)
The Apothecary at Brent’s Drugs (Jackson, Mississippi)
8 Reale (Orange Beach, Alabama)

Diana Leyva covers trending news and service journalism for The Tennessean. Contact her at Dleyva@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee speakeasy named one of the 'coolest' in the South. How to get inside

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