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New Yorkers are fond of the "work hard, play hard" maxim, but the truth is, Gothamites don't need much of an excuse to hit the town. Any day of the week could easily be mistaken for a Friday or Saturday; the bottom line is that when the the mood strikes, there are always plenty of choices in this 24-hour city. Whether it's raising a glass in a historic saloon, a dimly lit cocktail den, or a swanky rooftop lounge; checking out the latest band; or laughing it up at a comedy show, it isn't hard for visitors to get a piece of the action.
The nightlife scene still resides largely downtown—in the dives and speakeasies of the East Village and Lower East Side, the classic jazz joints and piano bars of the West Village, and the Meatpacking District's and Chelsea's "see-and-be-seen" clubs. Midtown, especially around Hell's Kitchen, has developed a vibrant scene, too, and plenty of upscale hangouts dot the Upper East and Upper West Sides. Brooklyn and Harlem are go-to destinations for in-the-know locals.
Keep in mind that when you go is just as important as where you go. A club that is packed at 11 pm might empty out by midnight, and a bar that raged last night may be completely empty tonight. Time Out New York magazine has a good list of roving parties (www.timeout.com/newyork), as does Urban Daddy (www.urbandaddy.com/new-york). Scour industry-centric websites, too, like Eater and Grub Street, which catalog the comings and goings of many a nightlife impresario. New York magazine and the New York Times have listings of cabaret and jazz shows, the latter mainly in its Friday and Sunday Arts sections. Bear in mind that a venue's life span is often measured in months, not years. Phone ahead or check online to make sure your target hasn't closed or turned into a polka hall (although, you never know—that could be fun, too).
On a fabled bohemian block, this Greenwich Village standby has served its share of talent since 1961, with Billy Joel, David Crosby, and Dr. John among the stars who've played here. These days you're more likely to find (much) lesser-known musicians playing blues, rock, funk, and jazz.
Warm summer nights and cold, frothy beers have been savored by locals for over 100 years at the Bohemian Hall & Beer Garden. With pitchers of beer, picnic tables, live music, and Czech and Slovak dishes from the kitchen, this sunny garden is an ideal spot for getting together with old friends—or making new ones over big mugs of Staropramen and Pilsner Urquell. They also have a decent wine menu, as well as hand-crafted cocktails. Some of the outdoor seating is covered, but in the event of rain, the well-worn indoor bar is just as inviting, though comparatively tiny.
The most important book in this exquisite wood-paneled "library" is the leather-bound menu listing hundreds of brandies and single-malt scotches. The bottles are on handsome backlighted shelves, though, and you can learn what makes each of them special by chatting with the spirit sommelier—or by buying into one of the lounge's sophisticated tasting classes.
At this delightful and intimate uptown saloon and piano bar, the singing waitstaff warms up the mixed crowd, getting everyone in the mood to belt out their favorite tunes. In fact, the Brandy's scene is so cheerful that some patrons call it musical Prozac, capable of keeping depression at bay. Live music starts at 9:30 nightly; there's no cover charge, but the bar has a two-drink minimum per person. The daily happy hour is 4–8:30.
Plunked down in the rapidly transforming industrial section of the South Bronx, this neighborhood hangout, with its breezy deck seating, relaxed vibes, and fruity, tropical cocktails, has become a local favorite for DJ beats or just watching football on game day. Stop by for a beer from their rotating list of over 20 craft beers on tap, or for brunch bites, the cheap lunch special ($10.95), or happy hour.
Expect to find established and rookie comics taking the stage at this busy, long-running club, with three rooms on two floors, and multiple shows nightly. Plenty of big names have performed here, including Wanda Sykes, Brett Butler, and Sarah Silverman. It's best to buy advance tickets (always affordable) and arrive early to snag good seats and get your two-drink-minimum orders flowing before comedians start dishing out the laughs.
This sprawling space, with its own taproom and backyard, is as good a sign as any that the Bronx’s time has finally come. It's a true local gathering place, too—one that brings in DJs, hosts basketball tournaments, and acts as a home base for the Bronx-founded Empanology, serving innovative empanadas and sandwiches. The brewery's expansive list of beers created in-house include a mix of year-round and seasonal. They've since opened locations in Manhattan's East Village and Hudson Yards.
This brewery put the borough's once-active craft beer scene back on the map when it opened in a former matzo factory in 1996. There are free tours on Sunday, while weekday Small Batch Tours offer an in-depth look and a chance to try and give feedback on new experimental beers. Tap offerings in its sizable, convivial taproom include their signature Brooklyn Lager and crowd favorite Pulp Art Hazy IPA.
This high-gloss club presents established names as well as comedians on the edge of stardom. Janeane Garofalo, David Alan Grier, and Colin Quinn have all headlined, and sometimes their sets are recorded here for TV and streaming shows.
Underneath the Bryant Park Hotel—and dramatic arched ceilings—is one of the more unexpected and spectacular spaces in Midtown, thanks to its Moroccan decor and Mediterranean-inspired cocktail and light-fare menus. Expect to sip herbally aromatic craft drinks while international pop music plays and fashionistas and media types unwind in style.
It's a restaurant. It's a bar. It's a winery. But above all the new-ish location of City Winery at Pier 57 is a music venue, attracting top-notch artists and comedians. The 350-seat auditorium is an intimate spot to catch a show. Singer Rufus Wainwright, comedian John Mulaney, and musician Norah Jones have graced the stage. Even the late, great Prince put on unannounced shows at City Winery. The in-house eatery serves everything from burgers to seafood to flatbreads and the bar has 12 different wines on tap.
When multitalented actor Alan Cumming opened his namesake club in 2017, the East Village saw a welcome return of queer cabaret culture in a former gay-nightclub space. The club hosts nightly musical and comedy cabaret shows (sometimes multiple shows per night; usually free) by cutting-edge artists. While they're worth a peek, the compact space is often too popular (i.e., crowded) to view the stage—so if you'd like a little elbow room, aim to catch an early show on a weeknight.
Every night, laughter fills this exposed-brick space beneath the writer-friendly Olive Tree Café. The bill features a range of comedians, from hilarious up-and-comers to television and movie personalities like Jon Stewart and Amy Schumer.
The atmosphere here is strictly “corner bar,” belying its storied history: Eddie Murphy is said to have discovered Chris Rock here, for example. The famous stage also helped launch the careers of funnymen Paul Reiser and Jerry Seinfeld, though these days you're more likely to see fresh faces still trying to find their humorous groove.
This family-owned, tri-level Irish pub often hosts live music including Irish bands, both traditional and with a modern edge. Daily happy hours (11 am-3 pm) cover beer, wine, and well drinks, along with burger and brew combos. Full Irish breakfasts are served all day long, for a taste of Dublin just off Times Square.
Opened in 1961, this lovable neighborhood saloon serves what many think are some of the best (and most affordable) burgers in town. Once you actually get a seat, the space feels nice and cozy, but until then, be prepared to drink a beer amid hungry, sociable patrons.
With nearly 20 beers on tap, sports on big screens, and bar food that's anything but boring (everything from shrimp macaroni and cheese to house-made popcorn shrimp), it's no surprise that this neighborhood favorite is packed on weekends. Their brunch menu includes classic soul food with a spin, like the fried chicken and bacon waffle topped with Cholula honey cheesy sauce, and well-portioned salads like the Harlem Goddess salad with lamb lollipops and feta cheese. In warm weather, an outdoor patio gives you a front-row seat to the scene on Lenox Avenue.
This sophisticated, sleek, bi-level dining and nightlife venue is known for its mix of Caribbean and Southern-inspired cuisine. Well-heeled regulars flock here for Sunday brunch (shrimp and grits, or fried chicken and red velvet waffle); late-night noshers come for the food as well as the live DJs and specialty cocktails.
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