By early evening, the walking trail around Lake Ella is busy with joggers and skaters, the shops and cafes on its west side are still open, and the day's heat has begun to ease. Later, people drift toward the streets around the two universities and toward the small commercial districts where the city's bars and breweries sit.
Tallahassee is a college town and a state capital at once, so its nightlife is shaped by students, university staff, state workers and the lobbying and professional crowd that the capital brings in. It suits people who want an easy, low-key evening built around a pub, a brewery or a lounge rather than a large clubbing strip, and who are happy to move between a few separate districts by car or rideshare.
Where to go out in Tallahassee
1. The All Saints district
A small district centered on All Saints Street, where the Fermentation Lounge sits in Unit 113. The lounge is described as hip but down-to-earth, with a wide selection of wines and beers and harder-to-find items such as mead, sangria and ciders.
This suits a quieter, drink-focused evening rather than a loud one. Note the unit number if you are trying to find it, since the address is a specific suite within the building.
2. The brewery and beer-garden scene
Several breweries anchor evenings here. Proof Brewing Co on South Monroe Street is a very large brewpub with a beer garden, and Amicus Brewing Ventures on South Gadsden Street, by Cascades Park in the old city waterworks building, offers a beer garden and flights.
This is the shape of night that works for groups who want room to spread out and a choice of beers rather than cocktails. Both are daytime-into-evening venues rather than late-night ones, so plan them as the first stop of the night.
3. The Tennessee Street strip
West Tennessee Street is where Bullwinkle's is located, at 620 W. Tennessee St. This is the student-oriented end of the city's drinking, close to the university side of town.
It suits a casual, high-energy college night. Because the source names the venue but gives no hours or prices, check current details before you go.
4. The Sixth Avenue pub
The Leon Pub on East 6th Avenue is a smoking-friendly pub with dozens, if not hundreds, of beer selections from around the world.
This is the pick for a long, unhurried session built around beer choice, and for anyone who does not mind a smoking room. If smoke is a problem for you, choose one of the breweries or the lounge instead.
5. The Pensacola Street club
Bajas Beachclub, at the intersection of Pensacola Street and Ocala Road, is described as a trendy, yet sketchy, night club.
This is the closest thing in the sources to a conventional club night, and it suits people who want music and dancing rather than a pub seat. The description is a caution as much as a recommendation, so go with people you know and keep your expectations modest.
6. Lake Ella and the north side
Lake Ella, in north central Tallahassee on US 27 just south of Tharpe Street, is bordered on its west side by small shops and cafes, including the Black Dog Cafe. The paved trail circles the lake and people walk, skate and skateboard around it.
This is an early-evening option rather than a late one, good for a coffee and a walk before the drinking part of the night begins. The surrounding park has picnic shelters and hosts community activities.
How a night out unfolds
The sources do not describe local dining or going-out times in detail, so the timing here comes from the venues themselves. The breweries close the early part of the evening: Proof Brewing Co runs Wednesday to Friday from 4PM to 10PM, Saturday 2PM to 10PM and Sunday 2PM to 8PM, with happy hour discounts on its own pints Wednesday to Friday 4PM to 6PM; Amicus Brewing Ventures runs Thursday 4PM to 10PM, Friday and Saturday noon to 10PM and Sunday noon to 8PM. That suggests a night that starts in the late afternoon or early evening and winds down around 10PM at the breweries, with the pubs, lounge and club carrying the later hours. The Tallahassee Skate Park, for what it is worth as a pre-night activity, is open from sunrise to midnight.
Festivals and events worth timing a trip around
- Columbus Day — October
- Halloween — October
- Daylight Saving Time ends — November
- Election Day — November
- Veterans Day — November
- Thanksgiving Day — November
- Black Friday — November
- Christmas Eve and Christmas Day — December
- New Year's Eve and New Year's Day — December into January
- Martin Luther King Jr. Day — January
Frequently asked questions
What kind of night out is Tallahassee best for?
A pub, brewery or lounge night. The sources point to beer selection, beer gardens and a wine-and-mead lounge rather than a large club district, with one night club listed on Pensacola Street.
Where can I go if I want a beer garden?
Proof Brewing Co on South Monroe Street and Amicus Brewing Ventures on South Gadsden Street both have beer gardens, and Amicus also offers flights.
Is there anywhere to go out that is not a bar?
Yes. Lake Ella has a paved walking trail, shops and cafes on its west side, including the Black Dog Cafe, and the Tallahassee Skate Park is open from sunrise to midnight.
When do the breweries close?
Proof Brewing Co closes at 10PM Wednesday to Saturday and 8PM Sunday, and Amicus Brewing Ventures closes at 10PM Thursday to Saturday and 8PM Sunday. Both are closed earlier in the week.
Check the current hours and addresses for the places that interest you, then build your evening around one district at a time so you are not crossing the city between stops.