Best live music venues for a date in New York
Eat early, catch the set, stay for one more.
88 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 88 live music venues in New York, from Midtown Manhattan to East Village / LES and Flatiron / Gramercy. 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.
Gold Sounds
4.2(21)Bushwick / Ridgewood
Gutter Bar
4.2(13)Williamsburg · $$
The Back Room
4.2(12)East Village / LES · $$
Funny Bar
4.2(5)East Village / LES · $$$$
The Django
4.1(25)Tribeca · $$$
Blue Note
4.0(24)West Village / Greenwich Village · $$$$
The Flatiron Room
4.0(19)Flatiron / Gramercy · $$$$
Jake's Dilemma
4.0(18)Upper West Side · $
Meduza Mediterrania
4.0(5)West Village / Greenwich Village · $$$$
DUMBO Archway
DUMBO / Brooklyn Heights · $
The Overlook Bar
Flatiron / Gramercy
Flûte Champagne Bar
Midtown Manhattan · $$$
msocial Rooftop
Midtown Manhattan · $$$
Vue 180 Rooftop Bar & Lounge
Midtown Manhattan · $$
Tawny
Chinatown / Two Bridges · $$
Claret Wine Bar
Astoria / Long Island City
Showing 73–88 of 88 spots
Good to know
- What's the best place for live music in New York for a date?
- Our top pick is Gold Sounds in Bushwick / Ridgewood, rated 4.2 out of 5. Gutter Bar and The Back Room round out the top 3.
- Which New York neighborhoods have the best live music venues?
- Midtown Manhattan (3), East Village / LES (2) and Flatiron / Gramercy (2) have the most spots in the top 16.
- Are there affordable live music venues in New York?
- Yes — Gutter Bar, The Back Room and Jake's Dilemma are all $$ 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.