The best live music bars in NYC

Stepping into St. Mazie, you’re suddenly transported to a 1920’s saloon, a 1950’s house party, or a busker on the streets of 1930s Harlem – depending on the night. Swing, jazz, and blues can greet you on any given evening at this Williamsburg joint. No tickets are needed, and we’d advise surprising yourself with the band roster: it’s part of the fun. If you want to get up close and personal, stage-side seating can be booked between $10 and $15.

Pop in for an old-school cocktail like the Brown Derby or Mazie’s Gimlet, enjoy a small app like deviled eggs or shishito peppers, or stay for a sit-down dinner and order Mazie’s famous burger (with grilled pineapple, a fried egg, and pickled beet) or truffle gnocchi with mushrooms. For private events, book the whole main dining space for up to 150 seated guests, or have a more intimate affair in The Cellar (max. 50) or the Garden space (max. 40).

This basement jazz joint is modeled after the underground clubs of Paris, with vaulted ceilings, exposed concrete, and a much nicer smell than its inspiration. Leather seats and cabaret tables face the stage, which is always decorated with pianos, a drum set, and mics in preparation for the night’s acts. Each night has four shows performed by two musical acts, split between evening and late-night shows.

All this pomp and jazz comes at a a price: a $35 entry fee is required, plus a two-drink minimum, which you can order from two different cocktail bars. Choose from complex drinks like the vodka-based All Heart, which has lilet rose, raspberry brandy, grapefruit, and lemon, or opt for a non-alcoholic drink made from Ghia, Seedlip, or Lyre’s alternatives. And what’s a show without dinner? Order small plates like tuna tartare or devilled eggs to share, or opt for an indulgent Django burger or lobster mac & cheese.

In the year 2000, The Strokes played one of their earliest shows at Arlene’s Grocery, a small bar hosting local music acts. 24 years later, a Toronto-based cover band called The Brokes played a sold-out show in the same venue. Now, if it’s good enough for The Strokes, and it’s good enough for The Brokes, it’ll probably be good enough for you. If it’s not, I’m not sure what to tell you.

Though the neighborhood has gone through many changes since rock bands like The Strokes led the way, Arlene’s Grocery remains an artifact of a bygone era, and the acts that play it are chasing that gritty, noughties nostalgia. It’s the perfect place to go if you want to be one of the first 1,000 Spotify listeners of a band and brag to your friends that you knew them before they were cool.

You can book private pre-show (or post-show) events in The Butcher Bar for up to 75 guests and enjoy a private bar, a DJ booth, and a cozy fireplace.

This classic, 20s-inspired jazz bar only opened in 1996, but it feels like it’s been around a lot longer than it has. You’ll find bartenders wearing newsboy caps and plaid vests, old-school murals, and live swing or jazz between Tuesday and Sunday. It’s free, but you’ll want to stay for a cocktail – get The Bearcat, with peach & rosemary vodka, fresh lime, and ginger liqueur. They also run a supper club, so the dinner menu is more than the typical bar snack: lollipop lamb chops, black sea bass, and pesto gnocchi are options.

Happy Hour offers snacks and $12 cocktails, and if you want a more private affair, you can book the Speakeasy room for exclusive meals, drinks, and live music a few times a month. Or, there are multiple space options for rent – the full front room/stage (max. 100), the private speakeasy room (max. 65), and a few semi-private areas so you can still enjoy the night’s band.

This retro-futuristic discotheque and cocktail bar only opened in April, but its signature cobalt blue is already bleeding all over Allen Street. Only Love Strangers is a cool kid spot, with a name borrowed from a Faye Wong song and live jazz three days a week. The menu is seafood-forward, with some of the best oysters and caviar you can find on the East side, and includes Mediterranean-inspired dishes like mezze platters and fried chicken with labneh. For parties, order a $95 seafood tower with all the fixings. The cocktail menu is refined, with martinis as their specialty, along with specials like the Groove with lemon vodka, pineapple, and sage.

The interior is a world of blue – blue tile, blue sofas, blue walls, blue carpet – with accents of stark white and chrome reflecting the light from the disco ball in the center of the room. There are three main spaces to rent for parties: the Jazz Room (max. 40), the Disco Room (max. 50), and the main bar (max. 40). If blue isn’t your favorite color, it will be after a night here.