Southbound bar and Nightclub

The amount of drug’s getting sold in there is ridiculous. As soon as you reach the back of the club you’ve people constantly walking up to you asking if you need anything substance. The bar staff be on drug/drunk to the point they don’t even realize they charge you for someone else tab or will make up a total to give/scam you. The bouncer are UNPROFESSIONAL, if they know you you can get in free (even if you’re underage) but if not they will push you to the front to pay. Security inside the club don’t have the proper training at all when it comes to procedure please seek out training intel from Cotten eyed joes or Hannah’s because they do a pretty good job when it comes to handling situations and being more professional Southbound you’ve security dancing around, flirting with all the girls, walking behind the bar to get a shot, etc it’s ridiculous as soon as a fight break out they don’t tried to break it up they wanna test their fighting skills out by joining into the fight. Manager let themGet away with it all if brought to her attention. Southbound hasn’t been the same since the new lady owner. If I could give 0 stars I would!!!

I came here for a birthday trip. When I got to the door I was turned around due to the shoes I had on which were flip flops. They told me that sandals and flip flops were prohibited in the establishment. I had other shoes inside the car which my fiance went to get. I stood there with the rest of my party and watched as other females (white) got in with sandals on. When a person from my party asked the bouncer what was the difference inside the shoes. The other bouncer said the shoes I was wearing was the same shoes he wore in prison. I am a black African American female and he was a white male. That was was the most racist comment that anyone could say to me. Ive never been disrespected and to compare my shoes to someone whose been in prison just baffled me. He didnt like my response and immediately flashed the police officers to come and have us removed from outside by the establishment. When the police officers came over and I told them what he said they told to me to contact the owners on Monday. Im going to do this and take it a step above them as well. This place needs to hire people who are not racist to work at this establishment and I will be reporting this to every news media and social media too. He need to be fired each and everyone of them at the door.

Well out friends came in tonight and got denied at the door, because he couldnt hear what dude was saying he is hearing impaired and your bar needs to be shut down for people who cant really hear! You got two mister clean looking guys out there being disrespectful. Show some common curiosity.

Rude, disrespectful, disgusting and quite literally psycho staff. My friends and I purchased VIP and walked into our reserved area and were literally attacked by some brunette giant on a power warpath within 2 minutes bc SHE was confused by her sloppy ID checker who had my credit card. I’m a 37 year old mother and half of us weren’t even drinking. The staff were definitely intoxicated and/or high. They laid hands and pushed most all of our group. The worst place and people I’ve ever experienced. The owner should shut down and reevaluate.

The bartender was rude! Politely said, excuse me, may I place a order and he shook his head at me and no, and walked to the other end of the bar and proceeded to take somebody else’s order and also told another gentleman that he wasn’t gonna take his order all because we said excuse me. That bad behavior and bad for business! The bartender was a white guy with long curly hair!

The only reason I chose 1 star is because I had to so I could type the review. Southbound gets zero stars. The staff is rude, the service is horrible, and the bouncers are out of hand with how they act. I’ve worked in several bars over the years and the way this staff treats patrons is beyond ridiculous. Go to Hannah’s! Much better service and atmosphere.

The ladies that work there were awesome and a good little spot for that r&b and hip-hop style dance club

The bartender is racist, she told the security we are causing problems at bar because she thinks she should be getting more tips from us s The bartender told someone in our party that she isn’t getting enough tip. She is a racist person and there were other people buying drinks that were not tipping and we tipped but she wanted more . The security said there was no manager on duty to speak with. I believe we were racially profiled by the blonde bartender that is at the bar to the left. She was very unprofessional, unfriendly and made it seem as if we were bothering her so she didn’t deserve a tip anyways but we still tipped her. She lied to the security and told him that we were arguing with her. The short security with a lot of beard is very rude .

If I could give it 0 starts I would. The staff act like it’s some prestigious establishment, like be real it’s a mediocre club in the lamest city in Tennessee.

Similar to other reviews, I also encountered a racist bouncer. I will not return and would encourage other folks to not visit this establishment which clearly has biases.

It’s so racist!! we tried to get in but the bouncers decided to act weird and throw some racist gestures and words! I can’t comprehend this as a tourist and it’s shame on who ever run this place. They decided to not let us in because how some of my friends looked. I expected more of Knoxville

The bouncers ruin the experience. They didn’t give me back my REAL ID for an hour because they were on some kind of power trip and the only person I could actually get to listen to me was the kind girl at the front, highly invasive screening process + some sticky fingers and guys who are high on the most level of authority they get from their mediocre lives. 0/10

I come here a lot but last night was HORRIBLE. It should never take 30 minutes for someone to get a drink at a bar. I stood at the back bar waiting to order from one female brunette bartender(i think she’s new) and she keep avoiding us. After being skipped for the 20th, I told her that I had been standing there for 20 minutes and she told me “well you come back here and make the drinks”. I’m a bartender myself and I could have made my own drink and everyone at the bar in less time it took her to make one drink! I was very patient/kind and to be greeted with rudeness was insane especially after I patiently sat there with no problem. At this point I moved onto another bartender and she got me drinks in 10 minutes, she was a short blonde and very friendly. It’s sad that bartenders avoid and destroy relationships with good tippers.

As a local we call this club roofie because if youre a female, you have to be careful (as you should be anywhere but this place is frequented by a lot of college guys and some unsavory male clubgoers). Ive lived here a decade, Ive slowly seen this club go downhill. They used to have multiple levels open, the back was open etc. Now it seems the upstairs is closed and so is the back/outdoor area. They play decent music, the floor often seems sticky, bathrooms are set back and VERY tight. A little renovation would really help this place, I think the owners have kind of just given up and you have to wait a very long time for drinks! Like others said, if you dont know somebody or you arent a hot chick and you smoke, youre going to have a hard time getting back in after your cig. I dont have this issue, but Ive seen it happen to others. There are better bars in Knoxville, but if you just want to dance, this place can be kind of fun. Just come prepared to wait, witness fights and get claustrophobic in the bathroom...

Bouncers suck stole my stuff and wouldn’t admit to it. When confronted they called their cop friends and bullied me and my group off.

If they played the music they used to it would be packed! They won’t even take any requests because the owners want a certain type of music played! You should listen to the crowd that is coming into your establishment if you want repeat business!

Horrible bouncers. Awful staff. Bad music and drinks. Would not recommend to my worst enemy.

⚠️Smokers beware⚠️We arrived before 11pm, before the covercharge. Several people in my party were charged 5.00 re entry fees (each time they stepped outside to smoke).I have a major problem with this. I am a 57 year old woman who enjoys the club, but not everyone can afford the Re-entry fee for smoking. I have been coming to Southbound for nearly 20 years.  I have seen the wristbands, stamps and even the other floors have been used as a smoking area, (including the outside rear of the building).   Need to go back to stamp or wrist bands OR provide a smoking area.⚜️⚜️⚜️I am no stranger to the nightclub scene, Considering I am fron New Orleans, I grew up in the nightclubs.⚜️⚜️⚜️

The club is good. Music is decent and the drinks are good. Only reason I’m giving it 2 stars because when I went to smoke I had to wait in line 20 mins to get back in. Next time I wanted to smoked I asked if I could smoke and come right back in and the bouncer said I had to get back in line if I wanted to get back in the club. Never have I had to wait in line to get back in the club after going for a smoke. That’s what the stamp is for.

Great bar. And ignore the dummies here who don’t use common sense coming to a bar. Who goes to clubs with gym shorts on!!!! Anyways. Saturday nights and holidays(st pattys day, Halloween, & New Years) tend to be more crowded. Fun bar if you’re into a mixed crowd and awesome bartenders. Minimal drama and a lot of fun. Only thing is the DJ can be a little redundant on the selection of songs, but not a deal breaker here. Advice… dress like you’re going on a date and not like you’re going to workout please. Probably the best Mixed crowd 21 and up bar in Knoxville.

Music is always Selena Gomez and other songs in that category the best u get is maybe a couple nicki Minaj or cardi b songs mostly music that I do not wanna dance too it’s gotten so bad and is just no fun anymore I hate that Knoxville don’t have a verity of clubs unfortunately this is the best we have

Lmfao, what a trash bar. Rude bouncer gave me static over my clothes, yet no dress code policy is posted anywhere. So, I, the designated driver for the group, had to sit in the car for an hour and a half when it was clear from the door there were many others inside in less classy attire. Wont be back here, ever. I dont give af if I move to Knoxville, I wouldnt give this place a recommendation to anyone. Only time I will ever mention this bar will be to let people know to stay away.

That bartender in the back was having a bad day and she was so rude about ordering drinks. We ordered 2 drinks and she was getting soo upset saying I ordered 3. Be professional. Dont make such a hassle out of nothing. She kept on saying she was not suppose to smile as a bartender. Lets get a new bartender in here that does smile!!!!!! You would never get tips as a rude bartender.THIS IS A CUSTOMER SERVICE JOB. I was a bartender for years and shes one of the worst services Ive had in my life. I am not going to believe in racism, but pure BAD SERVICE. 2.8 stars for a reason!!! The girl in front even tried to shortchange me 10$Went again and that Bouncer is always an ass. Dont recommend this place at all.

Bouncers are shady. They will extort you regardless of having no clothing policy. I showed up with camo shorts and believe me i have seen worse walk into that club. The bouncer asked for 30 bucks fo entry. Do not go to this place.Add:My friend the other night talked to the cashier about change cause they still owed him money. He was not being hostile in any way. Out of no where the bouncer shoved him aside and away from the cashier.Management needs to get this bouncer situation under control. Your bouncers are reckless and they dont seem to know where the lines are much less do they seem to be able to comprehend a situation before taking action in a controlled manner.

Some friends and I out celebrating a birthday last night, when walking to get into line an officer sees one of my friends and tells the doorman not to let him in.. we asked what the issue was and they just told him to leave with no explanation. Come to find out the officer arrested my friend years ago and recognized him. So our night was ruined, because the officer made it personal! Unsure if I’ll ever go back, or even recommend to others. I’ve been going here for years and never had a friend or myself treated this way and profiled. I hope employees and management read this and does something about it. 👎🏾

We went there a couple weeks ago the bouncers are on a power trip and Like to touch the patrons without just cause....I use to be a bouncer at this bar and it has changed dramatically,the bouncers will put hands on you and tried to intimated our group of 4 guys and 4 females and us males ended up getting jumped by about 8 or 9 of their bouncers and the weaker punk bouncers who started it couldnt even fight so they stayed back while the other bouncers skuffled with us...place is a joke anymore and a bunch of wannabe gangsters....

Terrible. Both times Ive been theres been no one there. The last time we went even though no one was there they denied us because one of our friends had Nike shorts on. Keep in mind that we were coming from a local bar crawl in the area. Whats a better way to bring business to the neighborhood then to turn away paying customers who are looking for a fun night? Bad business. After 3 strikes we will not be back again.

Was there for my first time and loved it. Very good music and atmosphere.PD: Do NOT go in shorts, sleeveless or anything sport like. Policy are strict with that. Usually is about $10 to get in. Have fun!

Came with 10 people and I was turned down for “basketball shorts.” Didn’t realize we were going to a “classy club” at 2am 😂👎Plus apparently 50% of the guys there had on “the right kind of shorts.”Looks like a cool place to get trashed at 2-3am but apparently they’ve got higher standards than all the other bars.

The bouncers are horrible. They wouldn’t let my friend in because he had a “jersey-like” shirt on. No team number or name was on it. Then he I.D me and felt I didn’t look like MY driver’s license. To validate, I was asked what year I graduated high school (I guess he can’t differentiate time) because then I was asked to show my Facebook page to confirm my identity. How stupid can you get. Such a peon. We were with a large group of people and he didn’t see anything wrong with losing all of that money. I will never go again. The place isn’t well kept anyway.

Never in my entire life have i been treated the way they treated me. Treated me horribly and one of the bouncers shoved me. I use to come here but I will never be back and I hope this place gets closed down.

RUDE BARTENDERS. Went there for a bachelorette party and the one bar tender literally walked away when we came up to the bar then another bartender came up and was extremely rude to us. DJ wouldn’t play any songs we requested when we were the only people in there. All around a terrible bar. I highly recommend you never even consider going to this place. Don’t waste your time and take a chance on ruining your good night

Terribly expensive drink prices. The music is nothing special. I get the impression the crowd here can get violent quickly (heavy police presence, people fighting with bouncers, etc...). I had multiple rude and confrontational interactions with scummy guys who were disrespecting women. It was not a welcoming or comfortable atmosphere and I will not be going back.

Bouncers are so rude and basically try to scam you to pay them re-entery if you step outside. also tried to steal my friends real ID

Expect a mix crowd most nights. Game nights are eventful. Drinks are fairly priced. Bar staff folk are energetic. Security knows what theyre doing.

We started off at Hannas cafe which was great but waiting for the 2nd floor to open for the hip hop music we resides to visit next door to the soundbound club. Which was a huge mistake. We stood in the rain for awhile waiting to get to the door. The people in front of us and the others in from front of them was let to pass without a search. Men and women. When we got to the door they allowed me to pass without a search but due to my husbands nationality they stopped him right away. Asked him to empty his pockets and agree to a pat down. We was shocked about this due to we all had wristbands to get in. I agree the guards there have a huge issue with other races. Which shouldnt be allowed. Im very surprised their still in business seeing as over half of knoxville arent American. We wont ever go there to visit AGAIN. And let me note that its not about being searched. Thats fine thats their job but if your going to search then search everyone who enters. Not just pick and choose who you want to fill up on.

Good atmosphere, good music if you like rap and hip hop music. Drinks are overpriced, but the bartenders are always nice and remember your drinks each time you go up. Some bouncers are really great, however there’s always one bouncer that sees My id and asks me a million questions, this past time he tried telling me and my fiancé our Ids were fake and almost didn’t let us in. Then we have one bouncer who sees me and says “ya I recognize you, I see you often!” And let’s me right in. I’ve seen so many people get turned away by the rude bouncer thinking he knows they’re so fake when they didn’t have a problem getting in anywhere else! It’s ridiculous.

The bartender told me I had to leave after 3 shots.. worst experience I’ve had at a club in a long time. This place is awful! I’m from Florida I’ve never experienced such unprofessionalism in my life but I guess this is what you get in Tennessee lol

Came in on business trip and had vip reservations for sat March 11th. Nice place but a few of the security were rude as hell to us , second floor wasnt opened, kept harassing us in vip about every little thing , didnt have our own server like was supposed to so had to go get our own drinks then on top of it we pay $75 for vip and get kicked out and was told to leave after spending about $75 in liquor per person in our group just cause one of them fell sleep on the couch in vip I mean really we are vip and paid for it and he passed out on couch not bothering no one and we all having fun so hell with it we left this was about 130 am and went to another club . WONT BE GOING BACK THERE ! Plus to dang crowded only thing good was the dj there !!!

They won’t let people in from other countries which makes no sense at all. You need an American ID only to get in, no passport or anything. On top of that the club stinks and the stereo system sucks. It sounds like the speakers are blown or something.

Theres a kinda chubby bartender, white male that is very rude, I think he has anger issues. The place has potential but the some of the staff is corrupt, the security guys at the entrance, the new female manager, the short black officer should all be fired in my opinion

My friends and I were treated very poorly at this bar. I’ve called and asked to speak to manager several times and no one will get back to me. This bar along with Hannah’s and Wagon Wheel are all owned by the same company and I do not recommend them unless you want rude staff and your night to be ruined. Never in my life when I have went out was I treated the way I was by their staff.

It suck, we was stop at the door ,my husband had a pair of $300 pants on with one little hole thats how they come and he would not let him in ,but u got people in there with boots to there knees and hats on and the shirts . Its not on there Web site ,not from here , they need to do something about the door man he dont like whites ........ if I was the owner he would be gone , and I own two clubs .not professional.

I never go out. I finally do to Southbound on Saturday, just because it was 90s Night. We get dressed up in our 90s attire, stand in line, pay a cover & walk into Taylor Swift playing. How upsetting. I asked the DJ why he was not playing 90s music, he said he did earlier, for 2 hrs. So, I dont understand why it was called 90s night when only 2 hrs of that kind of music was played. I heard not 1 song from that era while I was there. How disappointing. Southbound always lets me down. Thats why I never go there. Yall need a new DJ cuz he sucks! The music is bad at Southbound. DJ is terrible

Had a pretty decent time with the people I went with had a couple people ask me if I wanted to go back and do some drugs with them but other then that it was a decent time

The bouncers asked a girl to leave and started pushing her and her friends out the door. The place was crowded so I can imagine it was thought for them to leave immediately. Bouncers should not be aggressive, grabbing, and pushing towards women. And the drinks sucked

Tried getting a drink the entire night and the bartender totally ignored me then when I approach her she called security. She was very unprofessional and for a first timer I would not recommend not even the dead there.

Drink are a little over priced for the quality. Pours seem to vary from bartender to bartender. Mens bathroom could use some work. Friendly crowd and staff. Good music!

I really loved this club! The music was good. The atmosphere was happy and fun. It was packed with beautiful people. Ill definitely go again when Im in the area.

Its ok. Friday nights are the best time to go especially in the fall. UT pride! Love it. Saturdays are a little bit crowded and people are too handsy so ladies beware. Overall its a nice place to jus dance. Even if U dont know how.

Anybody that’s been kicked out writes horrible reviews, but it’s a super fun place to dance and grab a drink! They do have a dress code, so dress to impress.

My friend was not allowed in for wearing nike shorts which couldnt be seen underneath her shirt even though i was wearing leggings. there was one person inside.

By far the worst club I’ve ever been to. Music, Staff, and Atmosphere 0/10.

This place is too loud. The lights are overstimulating and the music. Something seems wrong there, as if it is sin itself.

Awesome place one dumb bartender tried to cut me off when I wasn’t even that drunk just went to the other bar overall enjoyed my time and enjoyed the environment

This bar is very racist and the only bar that plays hip hop in Knoxville so they pick n choose who they have in

Never been turned down before wouldnt let me and my girl in because of her shorts??? I mean its a dance club

I have never been to this place. But the pictures on google are of 3 different people. Standing in 3 different times zones. 10 out of 10 don’t recommend

They encourage people to pee on the dance floor because they don’t have adequate restrooms. Disgusting.

Negatives-Overpriced drinks, sketchy atmosphere/patrons.Positives- Decent music and indoor smoking.

Good Music but the crowd is a little too hands on for my liking. I had several issues with folks being too friendly with my wife and some of my girl friends.

This place is literally where the trash of Knoxville go, there is not a lower bar than Southbound. I am surprised I didnt catch an STD walking in there. It is the definition of ratchet.

Drinks are a little pricey, but great music and a good place to meet people on the weekends.

Worst experience of my life - a man attacked my wife and the bouncers attacked me as I was rescuing my wife from being choked- DO NOT go to this venue

Slowwww and dirty

The club scene is ok drinks are a little expensive and bathrooms are atrocious

Great staff and crowd but drinks are little overpriced

Loved the experience here! Have to go back and check this place out again!

Great spot, cool place to mingle, good music as well.

Its a good place to escape from everyday work habits

Dj food musikGood prices in drinks.

We lit this place like a Christmas tree!

I love this place!!!

Fun!

Wasnt even allowed in!

It is so amazing!!! !!

Too disappointed

Lame music.