Entry No. 41 — the Nashville file — filed under: haunted
Skull's Rainbow Room
A skull-branded supper club in the middle of Printers Alley's old nightclub row, in a space dating to the late 1940s and long run by colorful local nightlife figure David "Skull" Schulman, who was murdered by two robbers in 1998 shortly before his club was due to open — locals say his ghost still runs the room. It pairs fine dining with nightly live jazz and Thursday-through-Sunday burlesque.
The story
Step into Printers Alley, the narrow brick lane that served as Nashville's clandestine drinking quarter long before Broadway turned into a neon circus. Skull's Rainbow Room opened here in 1948, anchored by David "Skull" Schulman—a checkered, hat-wearing character who spent fifty years keeping the liquor flowing and the cabaret stage warm.
That half-century reign ended violently in 1998 when Schulman was murdered inside the club by two robbers right before the doors opened for the evening. The space sat dark for years, but when it finally reopened, the skull emblem remained intact. Ask the bartenders off the clock and they'll tell you Schulman never actually left—his ghost is still said to roam the floor, adjusting lighting fixtures and keeping tabs on the bandstand.
Today, the basement-style room operates as a preserved slice of post-war nightlife. Live jazz quartets play to white-cloth dinner tables while craft cocktails circulate beneath dim cabaret bulbs, culminating in a late-night burlesque revue that feels entirely divorced from the rest of modern downtown.
What it's like
You'll duck out of the alley into a low-lit, heavy-curtained room that smells like seared ribeye and old leather. Arrive earlier in the evening for live jazz and dinner service; the kitchen wraps at 11 PM just as the burlesque dancers take the stage Thursday through Sunday. The room fills quickly, so book a table reservation around 9 PM or 9:30 PM to hold your seats straight through the transition from jazz supper club to midnight revue.
The move: Book a dinner table for the 11pm burlesque set (cover starts at 9pm) and stay through a set of live jazz — order slow, split a plate, and let the two-act evening (supper club, then sideshow) carry the date.
- 📍 Printers Alley, Downtown Nashville
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 222 Printers Alley, Nashville, TN 37201
Hours: Added 2026-07-20 — confirm current hours before you go.
⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.
Pair it with
- Downtown Presbyterian Church — A block away, contrast the subterranean 1940s supper club with an 1849 Egyptian Revival church that doubled as a Civil War hospital.
- Four Walls — Head south into SoBro to trade Skull's historic cabaret vibe for a sleek, hotel-hidden cocktail room reached via dual unmarked elevators.
- Green Hour — Swap late-night jazz for a traditional absinthe drip ritual inside a chocolate shop that turns into a lounge after dark.
- Old Glory — Follow up a night in a 1940s speakeasy by drinking inside the massive brick boiler room of a preserved 1920s dry-cleaning plant.
Good to know
When does the burlesque show start?
Burlesque performances run Thursday through Sunday nights starting at 11 PM, immediately after the dinner kitchen closes.
Who was 'Skull' Schulman?
David 'Skull' Schulman was the colorful local figure who ran the Rainbow Room from its 1948 origins until he was murdered on the premises during a robbery in 1998.
Do I need reservations?
Reservations are strongly recommended if you want a table for dinner and the late-night entertainment, as floor space in the alley venue is limited.
Where is Skull's located?
You'll find it hidden midway down Printers Alley at 222 Printers Alley, tucked between Union and Church Streets in Downtown Nashville.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · Wikipedia
last checked: 2026-07-20