Black Dog Pub - Peggy and Marc

Peggy and Marc Driskill opened Black Dog Pub in early March 2026 in Franklin, Tenn. 

 Hamilton Matthew Masters

Sitting in a pink dress, Peggy Driskill suddenly sprang up to hug a patron she knew.  

It was one of the many times Driskill jumped into action as people poured through her newest music venue and eatery Black Dog Pub. Located on West Main Street, Driskill wants the new locale to become an essential element of the neighborhood, which features the Williamson County Administration Complex and Pueblo Real.  

Black Dog Pub music

Musicians play inside the Black Dog Pub in early March 2026 in Franklin, Tenn. 

The moment in time on that rainy Saturday night was a culmination of a two-decade dream and two-year build-out of the business. Music played up front. People sat with beer steins at the bar. Piping hot food came to the tables out of the kitchen. 

“We talked about one day opening a bar that caters to songwriters and all the things the Listening Room does, but in Franklin,” Driskill said. “It started with us going to a pub in North Carolina. But in a town like Franklin, we were missing that. It was like having a hand, and you’re missing a thumb. Something like that needs to happen in Franklin.” 

After having two children and careers, Driskill and her husband, Marc, one day realized it was now or never when it came to opening the pub. 

“We said we would do it one day,” she said. “Today is one day. If we don’t do it now, we will never do it. We started saying that about three years ago.” 

All this time later, Driskill is now living the reality of her idea coming to life. After finding what she dubbed the “fairy house” on the market for lease, Driskill went to work figuring out the layout and vision for what came inside the venue. 

That meant antiquing — once a passion project of Driskill's. She went all over the midstate, looking for pieces to include for the interior design, down to the miniature dog statues on the tables. 

Black Dog Pub bar

Patrons sit at the bar inside Black Dog Pub on West Main Street in Franklin, Tenn. 

The bar is also a find and not newly constructed. Driskill found the structure at a warehouse that took old pieces and allowed people to make them new. 

"The bar is the heart and soul," she said. "It’s a gathering space, and I wanted it to be a neighborhood gathering space. That’s how we came about making the bar what it was." 

Days after opening, Driskill found her outline of the place coming to fruition. 

"Probably 75 percent of the people told me they lived right near here," she said. "It’s exactly what we wanted it to be."

Black Dog Pub menu

Black Dog Pub offers a menu of truffle fries, skillet mac and cheese, chicken skewers and a Portuguese linguica sandwich. 

 

The menu

When first creating the concept, Driskill never envisioned food but later found her plan evolved to include a pub-like menu. 

The menu includes the Portuguese linguica sandwich, a nod to Driskill's roots. It also provides buffalo mac and cheese, chicken skewers and tenderloin steak sliders.

Driskill also put local beers on draft from the Nashville-area, featuring Fat Bottom, Little Harpeth Chicken Scratch and Yazoo. 

It also includes specialty cocktails. 

Black Dog Pub outside

Black Dog Pub sits on West Main Street in Franklin, Tenn. 

 

About the pub

The pub has free and ticketed live shows. 

Outdoors, dogs are welcome. After all, this is Black Dog Pub, named affectionately after their own pups Mowgli, Oreo and Hershey. 

On Friday and Saturday nights, live shows are 18 and up. Bar seating is 21 and up. 

The pub is closed on Mondays, but open: 

  • Tuesday – Thursday: 4 p.m. – 10 p.m.
  • Friday: 4 p.m. – 11 p.m.
  • Saturday: 11 a.m. – 11 p.m.
  • Sunday: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m.