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NYC Live Music Spots for You to Check Out

New York City has long been a mecca for show business, from Broadway to Madison Square Gardens.

retro microphone at NYC restaurants with live music

Some of the most iconic musical performances happen at music venues that still exist today.

You can visit the Apollo in Harlem, where James Brown recorded his album Live at the Apollo.

Radio City Music Hall is a popular destination on any performance lover’s itinerary.

You don’t have to visit these historic venues to hear live music.

You’ll listen to music from buskers in the subways or Time Square, and you’ll hear it at any number of restaurants, serenading a delicious meal.

The following list of restaurants with live music in NYC offers atmosphere and music to accompany your dining experience.


Marie’s Crisis Café

59 Grove St, New York, NY 10014
Phone: 646-470-6040
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Marie's Crisis Café
Source: Marie’s Crisis Café

A pivotal destination for history buffs and music lovers alike, Marie’s Crisis Café is a West Village piano bar that opened in the 19th century.

Owner Mary Dumont named the restaurant to honor Thomas Paine, the instigator of the American Revolution.

Coincidentally, Paine died at the same site of the café before it came into existence.

Today Marie’s Crisis Café offers sing-along Broadway social hours where customers can sing their favorite show tunes accompanied by a live pianist.

The cafe serves reasonably priced  drinks, including wine, beer, and classic cocktails.

I sipped a Manhattan while belting along to my favorite song from Cats.


Skinny Dennis

152 Metropolitan Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11211
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Skinny Dennis
Source: Skinny Dennis

Skinny Dennis is a dive bar and Country honky tonk in the heart of Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

Just as NYC is the most ethnically diverse metropolis, it’s also the most musically diverse city, with a niche venue for every musical taste.

Skinny Dennis has an old-school jukebox playing all the greatest country hits from late greats and a full live music schedule.

If you’re a fan of country or interested in experiencing authentic Southern culture in Yankee territory, Skinny Dennis will supply the tunes and atmosphere to two-step all night.

The bar has an impressive tap list of 18 beers, well-crafted cocktails, and their proprietary Willie’s Frozen Coffee, named for Texas’ country legend Willie Nelson.


Cherry on top

379 Suydam St, Brooklyn, NY 11237
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Cherry on top
Source: Cherry on top

Cherry on Top is a fashionable French wine bar in Bushwick, Brooklyn, with a gorgeous and artsy interior and a great rooftop patio.

Featured in The New York Times, Vogue, and Eater, to name a few, Cherry on Top is owner Cerise Zelenetz’s brainchild. Coincidentally, “cerise” means cherry.

Zelenetz teams up with chef Jordan Anderson to create a sumptuous menu of small plates to enjoy with wine by the glass or bottle while enjoying live performances.

There was a live comedy show when I went, but the acts change from month to month.

I especially enjoyed the inventive small plates, like escabeche mussel skewers and the specialty cheese plates.


Fine & Rare

9 E 37th St, New York, NY 10016
Phone: 212-725-3866
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Fine & Rare
Source: Fine & Rare

Located in Midtown, a few blocks from the Empire State Building and Grand Central Station, Fine and Rare is a fine dining supper club with a festive and upscale atmosphere.

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Eater deemed Fine and Rare one of the top bars in New York. Musical performances from the city’s top jazz performers occur nightly.

The craft cocktails are amazing at Fine and Rare, accompanying an equally impressive multicourse menu with the finest seafood and steaks.

I don’t think I’ve ever had tastier crab cakes made with jumbo lump crab and served with roasted red peppers, honey, baby watercress, tartar sauce, and heirloom tomatoes.


Guantanamera

939 8th Ave, New York, NY 10019
Phone: 212-262-5354
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Guantanamera
Source: Guantanamera

With locations in Queens and Manhattan, Guantanamera is a Cuban bar, restaurant, and live music venue with colorful murals of old Havana Street scenes.

The live music will transport you to a festive Cuban block party, with well-poured rum cocktails to boot. The Daily voted their mojito the best in the city.

The vibrant atmosphere, friendly Latino service, and authentic Cuban drinks and food will enchant visitors with romantic nostalgia.

You can catch live music every day of the week for dinner and late hours.

I tried their famous mojito to pair with a delicious upscale meal of ropavieja, shredded skirt steak in a tomato sauce with onions, peppers, and plantains.


Saint Tuesday

24 Cortlandt Alley, New York, NY 10013
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Saint Tuesday
Source: Saint Tuesday

Quickly becoming a favorite spot for late-night tunes and drinks, Saint Tuesday is a bougie, upscale basement club in Tribeca’s historic button and ribbon factory building-turned-luxury hotel.

The sleek and sensual atmosphere is a modern take on a hidden speakeasy.

You can listen to nearly every variation of jazz and instrumental music, from bossa nova to gypsy jazz, every night of the week.

Their professional mixologists serve award-winning drinks.

The unique cocktail menu even features a bartender’s choice section where you simply tell the bartender your favorite spirit, and they dazzle you with their favorite spontaneous creation.

I wasn’t as adventurous, opting for a Glass House with gin, Aperol, lemon, and cucumber.


Special Club

43 MacDougal St, New York, NY 10011

Located in a cozy, vintage-chic space in the heart of Soho, Special Club is a jazz club and upscale American restaurant.

Special Club
Source: Special Club

Its name describes its atmosphere and all-around dining experience.

The red velvet booths, vintage flowery wallpaper, and mismatched art lining the walls add to its allure.

The Japanese-inspired cocktail menu was a nice surprise, but they also have a robust wine list.

There’s a great deal for a decadent three-course meal for 50 dollars.

However, you’ll have to pay a cover fee if you just want to stop in for the live music.

I was lucky enough to catch a dinner and burlesque show with five courses of sensual food as sexy as the show itself.


Terraza 7

40-19 Gleane St, Queens, NY 11373
Phone: 347-808-0518
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Terraza 7
Source: Terraza 7

If you’re looking for an all-night dance party, you’ll get live music and booze from 7 pm to 4 am every night at Terraza 7.

More than just a music club, Terraza 7 is a community center, café, and all-inclusive activist haven in the heart of the multicultural Queens neighborhood.

They host local acts and community fundraisers, often lending the space to different nonprofit groups for worthy causes.

They serve food for dinner that spans the Latin culinary gamut, from quesadillas named for Alexandra Ocasio Cortez to Spanish tapas.

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I went for the Caribbean musical diaspora night to dance everything from Cumbia to Rumba till the wee hours of the morning, working off a plate of guacamole and blue nachos to the beat.


The Flatiron Room

37 W 26th St, New York, NY 10010
Phone: 212-725-3860
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The Flatiron Room
Source: The Flatiron Room

Winner of Whisky Magazine’s Best Whiskey Bar Award and Thrillist’s vote for the best whiskey bar in New York, The Flatiron Room is an upscale jazz club, whiskey bar, and fine dining restaurant a few blocks from the Flatiron Building in the Flatiron District.

They have some of the most sought-after jazz lineups in the city to enjoy with a craft cocktail and a world-class atmosphere.

The Flatiron Room is a perfect club for a music lover or foodie’s birthday.

The stunning New American menu has an eclectic selection of appetizers, entrees, and whiskey cocktails.

I could’ve eaten their triple mac and cheese all day with Cahill Irish Whiskey cheddar, aged gruyere, cotija, shredded Brussel sprouts, and toasted sriracha panko.


The Nines

9 Great Jones St, New York, NY 10012
Phone: 212-421-5575
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The Nines
Source: The Nines

Featured in Town and County, the New York Times, Vogue, and Surface, The Nines is a gorgeous piano bar and cocktail lounge in NoHo, a few blocks from NYU’s campus.

The interior alone is worth the trip, with its red velvet booths, walls, and crystal chandeliers.

Owner Jon Neidich creates an air of old-school glamour that will transport you to New York in the 20s.

The cocktails, meals, and live piano music are as swanky as the dress code at The Nine’s, which makes sense given its name.

I had a fancy Bourbon cocktail to accompany a small plate of foie gras with huckleberry preserve and brioche.


The Wolfhound

38-14 30th Ave, Astoria, NY 11103
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The Wolfhound
Source: The Wolfhound

The Wolfhound is an Astoria neighborhood Irish Pub with a casual, fun atmosphere and a different form of entertainment for every night of the week.

Whether you want live music, trivia night, or a DJ-fueled block party, The Wolfhound always gives you a reason to celebrate.

They also have ping pong tables and TVs broadcasting your favorite sports games.

For evening snacks and dinner, you can get Irish drinks and tasty American bar fare daily.

Drinks and entertainment are nonstop all night till 4 am.

I went for happy hour to enjoy a great combo deal of a Guinness and burger for under $12.


Tomi Jazz

239 E 53rd St, New York, NY 10022
Phone: 646-497-1254
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Tomi Jazz
Source: Tomi Jazz

Located in Midtown’s Turtle Bay neighborhood, Tomi Jazz is a New York favorite for great music, ambiance, and some of the most incredible Japanese-inspired food you’ll ever taste.

There are live Jazz sets twice a night, every night, and Tomi Jazz is one of the few clubs on my list that is family-friendly.

Tomi Jazz is a first come, first served establishment, and there’s always a line out the door to be seated.

People will wait as long as it takes, which is usually at least a couple of hours. Don’t worry; it’s well worth the wait.

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The food was so incredible that I would wait all night. I had the Japanese Curry rice with ground oxtail, beef, and pork in a spicy Japanese brown curry sauce.


wild birds

951 Dean St, Brooklyn, NY 11238
Phone: 347-896-5056
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wild birds
Source: wild birds

From founder Julian Klepper and Luke Bonner, wild birds is a hip and all-inclusive bar and music venue that pays homage to New York’s homegrown and diverse music scene.

The two partners use their longstanding connections and knowledge within the New York music scene to create unique lineups.

Located in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, wild birds have a boho-chic design with multiple rooms and a fun outdoor patio with Persian carpeted walls.

They serve a modest yet expertly curated list of wine, beer, and cocktails to enjoy while you listen to Jazz, blues, folk, and more.

Secret NYC listed wild birds as the second-best bar with live music in NYC.

I was pleasantly surprised to see that they started serving tacos from Chinlenos on the weekends and pizza from Trazze during the week.


Harlem Nights

2361 Adam Clayton Powell Jr Blvd, New York, NY 10030
Phone: 646-820-4603
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Harlem Nights
Source: Harlem Nights

Named for the historically musical neighborhood location, Harlem Nights is a favorite local bar, lounge, restaurant, and entertainment venue.

Its cozy, no-frills, and soulful atmosphere captures the spirit of Harlem.

They have all-night DJ sets for dance parties on the weekends, and during the week, they have live jazz, open mic nights, and once-a-week stand-up comedy shows.

Harlem Nights’ drink menu features an eclectic mix of cocktails, spirits, beer, and wine.

They also offer a full food menu with all the classic bar fare favorites, from beer-battered onion rings to chicken wings.

I had a tasty mezcal cocktail called the Lonesome Dove, with mezcal, St. Germain, grapefruit, lime, and a smoked salt rim.


Duane Park

308 Bowery, New York, NY 10012
Phone: 212-732-5555

Duane Park
Source: Duane Park

Duane Park is an opulent, high-end burlesque dinner club in NoHo, with the most risqué and sensual shows in town.

The space is stunning, with white marble tables, extravagantly carved walls, and crystal chandeliers.

The burlesque shows feature gorgeous women entertainers in classic burlesque style performances, plus modern acts like hula hooping, and fire dancing.

They offer dinner and brunch shows on the weekends.

The menus are upscale, American meals like steak and potatoes or panko-crusted branzino.

Of course, the food is hardly their selling point.

I was too distracted by tassels and fire fingers to appreciate my roasted duck plate with cherry clafouti and pickled asparagus.


New York City is a premier destination for food and entertainment, and the two go hand in hand.

You can enjoy a meal serenaded by live music or dance the night away at any of the bars, lounges, and clubs on my list of the best restaurants with live music in NYC.

Want to enjoy the freshest oysters in the city? Check out our favorite spots for this saltwater delicacy around NYC!

Did we leave a restaurant out of this list? Make sure you leave us a comment, and we’ll check it out!

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Written by Brian Nagele

Brian attended West Virginia University, then started his career in the IT industry before following his passion for marketing and hospitality. He has over 20 years experience in the restaurant and bar industry.

As a former restaurant owner, he knows about running a food business and loves to eat and enjoy cocktails on a regular basis. He constantly travels to new cities tasting and reviewing the most popular spots.

Follow him on LinkedIn, Instagram, Quora, Google Guide and Facebook.