Best live music venues for a date in New York
Eat early, catch the set, stay for one more.
98 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 98 live music venues in New York, from Midtown Manhattan to Astoria / Long Island City and SoHo / NoHo / Nolita. Editors' picks come first, then the rest by rating, and the plans below build a whole evening around the best of them.
The list
Editors' picks first, then by rating.
Cellar Dog
4.0(20)West Village / Greenwich Village · $
The Red Lion
4.0(17)SoHo / NoHo / Nolita · $$
Barawine
4.0(11)Harlem · $$$
Pig Beach BBQ Queens
4.0(5)Astoria / Long Island City · $$
Funny Bar
4.0(5)East Village / LES · $$$$
The Red Room KGB Bar
4.0(5)East Village / LES · $$
LIC Bar
3.9(21)Astoria / Long Island City · $
Jake's Dilemma
3.7(18)Upper West Side · $
Meduza Mediterrania
3.6(5)West Village / Greenwich Village · $$$$
DUMBO Archway
DUMBO / Brooklyn Heights · $
The Overlook Bar
Flatiron / Gramercy
Flûte Champagne Bar
Midtown Manhattan · $$$
msocial Rooftop
Midtown Manhattan · $$$
Vue 180 Rooftop Bar & Lounge
Midtown Manhattan · $$
Tawny
Chinatown / Two Bridges · $$
Claret Wine Bar
Astoria / Long Island City
Cafe Wha?
SoHo / NoHo / Nolita · $$
The Bitter End
SoHo / NoHo / Nolita
The Cutting Room
Flatiron / Gramercy
Beacon Theatre
Upper West Side
The Sultan Room
Bushwick / Ridgewood · $
Birdland Jazz Club
Midtown Manhattan · $$$
The Iridium
Midtown Manhattan · $$$
Carnegie Hall
Midtown Manhattan
Showing 73–96 of 98 spots
Good to know
- What's the best place for live music in New York for a date?
- Our top pick is Cellar Dog in West Village / Greenwich Village, rated 4.0 out of 5. The Red Lion and Barawine round out the top 3.
- Which New York neighborhoods have the best live music venues?
- Midtown Manhattan (6), Astoria / Long Island City (3) and SoHo / NoHo / Nolita (3) have the most spots in the top 24.
- Are there affordable live music venues in New York?
- Yes — Cellar Dog, The Red Lion and Pig Beach BBQ Queens 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.