Birmingham bars and nightclubs we really miss: Our top 5

Birmingham has loved and lost many bars and nightclubs over the years. Even after decades have passed, some of those breakups still sting.

If we could climb into a time machine and change history, we’d bring back plenty of beloved nightspots that shaped the city’s entertainment scene, presented amazing musicians and gave folks opportunities for socializing.

Here are our top five picks for bars and nightclubs that closed too soon in the Birmingham metro area, plus a host of honorable mentions. Just mention these places, and you’ll hear fond reminiscences from Alabama people who’ve been there, partied there and lived to tell the tale.

Bottletree Cafe

What and where: Indie music venue and restaurant at 3719 Third Ave. South, in Birmingham’s Avondale neighborhood.

When: Merrilee Challiss and her brother, Brad Challiss, founded Bottletree in 2006, taking over a low-slung building that previously housed a furniture store, Za Za Zann, and a nightclub, Misconceptions.

Although Bottletree developed a loyal, vocal following — and earned kudos from publications such as Esquire, The Washington Post and New York magazine — the venue faced financial challenges from the get-go. Bottletree closed its doors in March 2015.

Noteworthy: Bottletree was a creative haven for live music, movies, comedy shows and art exhibits. For most of the venue’s tenure, the Challisses teamed with Brian Teasley, a musician and concert promoter who presented shows at Bottletree through his company, Secret History Productions.

With Teasley’s help, Bottletree quickly became known for its cutting-edge sensibility, booking bands and solo artists that ranged from Americana to hip-hop to Japanese noise rock.

Another important part of Bottletree’s aesthetic: A mostly vegetarian cafe that offered an eclectic menu and specialized in an award-winning, meat-free chili. The artsy, eclectic decor at the venue earned kudos from visitors, too.

Quotable: “Like trying to capture something as elusive as a haint in a bottle, so is the task of having to define the spirit of Bottletree,” Merrilee Challis said in her official closing statement.

“The collection of stories and memories shared, underscores how much Bottletree is more a multi-faceted and kaleidoscopic spirit, reflecting and meaning many different things to many different people. When the light catches the prism just right, and you squint your eyes just a little, you can see rainbows.”

At the location now: Joyland, a retro-styled fast-food restaurant, opened in October 2024 in the former Bottletree building.

Brothers Music Hall

What and where: Legendary music venue with a brief but significant tenure, in the old Hollywood Country Club building at 665 Rumson Road in Homewood.

When: Brothers Music Hall was founded in 1978 by concert promoters Tony Ruffino and Dan Nolen. The two were joined by Gary Weinberger, who had worked with Ruffino during his college days on the University of Alabama Program Council.

Over the next three years, Brothers Music Hall earned a reputation for punching above its weight, bringing big-name acts to the Birmingham area, and presenting noteworthy local performers. The venue closed in 1981, reportedly because the building was in need of substantial repairs.

Noteworthy: The amazing lineup at Brothers Music Hall is like a glittering time capsule. Stars such as the The Police, Elvis Costello, Dire Straits, Bob Marley & the Wailers, Pat Benatar, the Ramones, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Patti Smith, Warren Zevon, John Prine, Amazing Rhythm Aces, John Cale and George Thorogood & the Destroyers played at the venue.

Also, one of Birmingham’s largest concert promoters took shape at Brothers, via Ruffino’s New Era Productions, later known as Red Mountain Entertainment. (The company was bought by Live Nation in 2018.) Nolen, one of the partners at Brothers, has his own place in Birmingham music history. In 1982, he opened The Nick, one of the city’s oldest (and coolest) dive bars.

Quotable: “Brothers Music Hall — I saw Bob Marley on his last U.S. tour, Elvis Costello on his first, Jerry Jeff Walker, Dobie Gray and many more there in its brief, shining moment,” Jay Randall said via Facebook.

At the location now: The Hollywood Country Club building is gone, after being destroyed in a 1984 fire. There’s a Marriott hotel on the site, known as the Courtyard Birmingham Homewood.

Blue Monkey Lounge

What and where: Cozy cocktail bar known for its fancy martinis and other specialty drinks, at 1318 Cobb Lane, in Birmingham’s Five Points South neighborhood.

When: Blue Monkey opened in 1997, courtesy of Todd Kane, a restaurateur who also brought the Azalea restaurant to Birmingham. The bar had a 22-year run in Five Points, nestled into an ultra-cool spot in the entertainment district. Blue Monkey closed in 2019.

Noteworthy: Blue Monkey was a favorite with revelers in Southside, who liked the large outdoor patio, nook-and-cranny interior and wildly eclectic decor. (The place boasted leopard prints, zebra skins, East Indian artworks, beaded-shade lamps, stained-glass sconces and more.)

The overall atmosphere was dark and funky-sophisticated, like a kitschy bunker or hipster grotto. There were deep, comfy couches in cozy corners, often filled with kissing couples. The drinks menu was extensive, and the well-crafted cocktails arrived in generous pours.

The Blue Monkey Martini, a signature libation, was sweet, potent and electric blue. Some of the cocktails came with a classy sidecar, a “little bit extra” that arrived in a long shot glass floating in a goblet of ice. Smoking was permitted, by the way, until a city-wide ban in public places took effect in 2012. The haze at Blue Monkey could be intense, especially in the cigar room.

Quotable: “Enter the Blue Monkey and feel as if you’ve left the rest of Birmingham behind,” The Birmingham News said in a 2003 review. ”Conducive to romance, great place to people watch. Nice mix of people. Dynamite drink selection.”

At the location now: The site is in limbo, along with a nearby building that formerly. housed Cobb Lane Restaurant and later, Delta Blues Hot Tamales. Auburn University’s Urban Studio developed a plan in 2021 to revitalize Cobb Lane, but there’s no word on it being implemented.

Ona’s Music Room

What and where: Jazz club founded by Ona Watson, a charismatic R&B singer, bandleader and well-known figure on the Birmingham music scene. Ona’s Music Room initially was located downtown at 423 20th St. South, then moved to Pepper Place, at 2801 Second Ave. South.

When: The downtown incarnation of Ona’s Music Room opened in 1996. After a 15-year tenure in that spot, the club moved to Pepper Place in 2011. Ona’s closed four years later. “We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for supporting Ona’s Music Room and for supporting live music,” Watson said in a Facebook post in July 2015.

Noteworthy: Ona’s was a welcoming late-night haunt and an institution on Birmingham’s nightclub scene. The club presented a wealth of musicians on its stage, and was intent on giving a showcase to area talent.

Artists such as Taylor Hicks, Ruben Studdard and Eric Essix were regulars at Ona’s Music Room, along with Mart Avant’s Night Flight Big Band, Big Daddy’s New Band and the Little Memphis Blues Orchestra. In 2001, USA Today touted Ona’s as one of “10 great places for a jazzy night out.” The club’s genial owner was a big draw, as well.

“I’m trying to be a good host and make people feel comfortable,” Watson said in a 2011 interview with AL.com. “This may sound strange, but I try to think of it as being a musical hospital. When you come to Ona’s I want to make you feel better. I want to be the doctor of music.”

Quotable: “Ona’s Music Room, 20th St version,” Mart Avant said via Facebook. “That’s it. TWO American Idol winners got their start there, and there was no cooler vibe this side of the Village Vanguard in NYC. Ona gifted more musicians a place on that stage than all the other Bham clubs combined.”

At the location now: The Collective, a hair salon, has taken over Ona’s spot at Pepper Place. The downtown location became Crescendo Bar & Lounge in 2012, but that club also has closed.

Moonlight Music Cafe/Moonlight on the Mountain

What and where: Intimate concert venue known for its stellar lineup of singer-songwriters, folk artists and Americana bands, founded by Birmingham music lover and photographer Keith Harrelson.

When: Moonlight Music Cafe opened is doors in 2003 in Vestavia Hills, at 628 Montgomery Highway. The first Moonlight, which lasted for three years, operated like a regular nightclub that sold tickets and booze, although smoking wasn’t allowed and the bar menu was limited. (At the time, Birmingham’s regulations for smoking in bars and restaurants were far less strict.)

Fans moaned when the venue closed in 2006, but Harrelson revised the Moonlight concept in 2010 — no booze sold, donations collected for the musicians — in Hoover’s Bluff Park neighborhood, at 585 Shades Crest Road. Harrelson declared his intention to retire in 2016, and the Moonlight found new owners. The venue bid its final farewell in 2018.

Noteworthy: Musicians relished the welcoming atmosphere and warm sound at the Moonlight. Audiences seemed to feel the same way, settling into the space for performers who ranged from Steve Forbert to Three on a String.

At heart, the Moonlight was a listening room, meant to please adults who’d “been there, done that” on the gritty bar scene. Acts included Americana bands, singer-songwriters, jazz groups, blues singers, pop-rockers and bluegrass ensembles. The vibe was respectful, healthy and peaceful.

Quotable: “The Moonlight isn’t really for sale,” Harrelson said in a 2016 interview with AL.com. “This isn’t an ice cream shop or a paint store, where there’s an inventory and a profit-loss statement. … It’s not a job. It’s not a business. It’s just a personal enterprise that brings me a great deal of joy.”

At the location now: Dear Emmaline, a children’s clothing store, is at the Moonlight’s former location in Vestavia. The Wild Roast Cafe took over the Moonlight spot in Bluff Park in 2019, and closed in September 2024.

More bygone favorites we miss

When asked to share memories of favorite nightspots they’d like to have back in metro Birmingham, several folks were quick to chime in via Facebook.

“22nd Street Jazz Cafe,” George Griffin said. “It had an ambiance that so many venues lacked at the time. I can’t tell you how many out-of-towners I met there. I think they would ask cab drivers to take them to a cool place to hear jazz and blues.”

“Ropers in Hoover,” said Lynn T Kurtts. “Country dance bar. I remember Tim McGraw was there just as a up-and-coming artist once. You could dance on the wood floor with a bar all around it. It was a fun place to dance … have a beer & hear country music. I liked Patty Loveless during those years (‘90s) and the DJ didn’t have her CD … so I let him borrow mine. He played her often.”

“I always enjoyed Grundy’s Music Room,” said Shawn Ryan, former pop music writer at The Birmingham News. “Jerry Grundhoefer was a great guy and brought in some jazz and blues musicians who wouldn’t have come to the city otherwise. He also understood my lack of jazz knowledge — it was incredibly obvious — and was always nice to fill me in on the finer points of who was playing and why the musician was important or maybe just why the person had a popular following.”

“Dugans! Plus they had the best cheeseburgers,” said Shannon Thomason. “I always ordered with a split of fries/onion rings and a bottled Coke.”

“Stillwater Pub,” said Janel Jones Challiss. “Where my husband & I met. But truly such a special place that offered live music most nights for FREE, often local bands but very talented musicians. The owners were such good people & the atmosphere was always so welcoming & fun. If the music wasn’t what you wanted, there were also pool tables & Golden Tee in the back.”

Other bars and nightclubs that made a lasting impression in Birmingham? The list includes Louie Louie, Joe Bar, Cane Break, Hogan’s, The Burly Earl, The J. Clyde, Cadillac Cafe, Arte Nuda, Crazy Horse, Old Town Music Hall, Highnote Rock N’ Horse Lounge and the Hippodrum.

Gip’s Place, an old-school juke joint in Bessemer, earned kudos, as well, for its authenticity and welcoming vibe. “There is no color here,” owner Gip Gipson liked to say. “No black, no white, only the blues.”