← Best live music venues in New YorkDate night guide · New York

A night of live music in Midtown Manhattan

Eat early, catch the set, stay for one more.

17 spots · Jump to the list

Live music takes the pressure off a date: there's always something to react to, and nobody has to carry the conversation. The list runs from jazz clubs to bars with a band in the corner. Check the lineup before you go, eat beforehand, and leave time for a drink afterwards to talk about the set.

This guide ranks 17 live music venues in Midtown Manhattan. Editors' picks come first, then the rest by rating, and the plans below build a whole evening around the best of them.

Nights people planned here

Published date nights with a stop on this list.

Make a night of it

Routes around the top spots on the list, with the best-rated places nearby for the rest of the evening.

Around Baretto

3 stops, all within a short walk

1
0.3 mi
5:30 PMDinner
Barolo East
Barolo East

Restaurant

214 E. 49th Street, New York, NY 10017

Midtown Manhattan

4.9

2
0.8 mi
7:00 PMThe show
Baretto
Baretto

Cocktail Bar

60 E 49th St - New York, NY 10017

Midtown Manhattan

5.0

3
8:30 PMNightcap
Monkey Thief
Monkey Thief

Bar

754 9th Ave, New York, NY 10019, USA

Midtown Manhattan

5.0

Around The Flatiron Room Murray Hill

3 stops, all within a short walk

1
0.9 mi
5:30 PMDinner
Maki Kosaka
Maki Kosaka

Restaurant

55 W 19th St, New York, NY, 10011, US

Flatiron / Gramercy

5.0

2
0.6 mi
7:00 PMThe show
The Flatiron Room Murray Hill
The Flatiron Room Murray Hill

Cocktail Bar

9 E 37th St, New York, NY 10016

Midtown Manhattan

4.8

3
8:30 PMNightcap
Clemente Bar
Clemente Bar

Cocktail Bar

11 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10010

Flatiron / Gramercy

5.0

Around The Rum House

3 stops, all within a short walk

1
0.3 mi
5:30 PMDinner
Pure Thai Cook House
Pure Thai Cook House

Restaurant

766 9th Avenue, New York, NY 10019

Midtown Manhattan

4.9

2
< 0.1 mi
7:00 PMThe show
The Rum House
The Rum House

Bar

228 W 47th St, New York, NY 10036

Midtown Manhattan

4.7

3
8:30 PMNightcap
The Gaf West
The Gaf West

Bar

401 W 48th St, New York, NY 10036, United States

Midtown Manhattan

4.9

Live music venues in Midtown Manhattan

Editors' picks first, then by rating.

Good to know

What's the best place for live music in Midtown Manhattan for a date?
Our top pick is Baretto, rated 5.0 out of 5. The Flatiron Room Murray Hill and The Rum House round out the top 3.
Are there affordable live music venues in Midtown Manhattan?
Yes — The Long Room, So & So's and Haswell Green are all $$ or under.
What should we do before or after?
Make it a night of live music: dinner, then the show, then nightcap. The plans on this page pair each top spot with the best-rated places within about a 20-minute walk.

More nights in Midtown Manhattan

Live music venues in other neighborhoods