NYC Entertainment | Nightlife in New York City

Entertainment and Nightlife in New York City
Bartenders in NYC have an uncanny talent for remembering faces. Make sure to tip

Bartenders in NYC have an uncanny talent for remembering faces. Make sure to tip

Entertainment and Nightlife in New York City

Are you looking for the best in NYC nightlife? Well, you're in the right place. Here at NYCTourist.com, you'll learn everything you need to know about entertainment and nightlife in NYC, including how to get in to the most popular NYC clubs, where to find the best bars in NYC, and what cheap NYC hotels are close to New York nightlife hotspots. Whether you're looking for cool, kooky NYC bars or trendy NYC clubs, you're sure to find what you're after.

Here are a few beginner's tips:

  • Dress to Impress: Most popular clubs in NYC enforce strict dress codes. If you don't look like you belong, you won't get in. Check club websites for dress codes.
  • Tip Your Bartender Well: Bartenders in NYC have an uncanny talent for remembering faces. If you stiff them on the tip, they'll note it, and you probably won't get a drink again. Of course, if you tip them well, they'll remember that, too, and they'll pour stronger drinks and take your order first. This is especially true in upscale NYC clubs.

To learn more about nightlife in New York City, continue reading below!

Located in the Midtown West neighborhood of Manhattan, The Royalton New York stands right in the center of it all

Located in the Midtown West neighborhood of Manhattan, The Royalton New York stands right in the center of it all

Hotels Close to Nightlife in NYC

If you plan on doing your share of partying in NYC, do yourself the favor of booking a room in an New York hotel close to nightlife in NYC. Here are a few of our top New York City hotels for partying:

  • The Royalton New York: Located in the Midtown West neighborhood of Manhattan, The Royalton New York stands right in the center of it all, close to popular NYC attractions and the best nightlife in NYC (the world-famous Pacha Club NY stands just steps away). This 4.0-star luxury hotel boasts a lively on-site bar, a 24-hour fitness center, and a breathtaking lobby with an enormous cast-bronze fireplace.
  • The GEM Hotel Chelsea: For those who would rather spend their money on signature NY drinks than on trendy NY hotel rooms, there's the GEM Hotel Chelsea, a cheap NYC hotel close to New York nightlife. This popular NYC hotel stands just minutes away from many of New York City's hottest clubs, including Marquee NYC.
Are you looking for fun things to do in New York City after dark?

Are you looking for fun things to do in New York City after dark?

NYC Nightlife - Cool Bars in NYC

Are you looking for fun things to do in New York City after dark? Do you want to learn about NYC nightlife and nightclubs in NYC? Are you on a quest for the coolest, hottest, swankiest bars in NYC? If so, you're in the right place! Below you'll find two of our favorite NYC nightlife hotspots.

  • The Rum House: Located in Manhattan's Times Square, just steps away from New York City's Theater District, The Rum House is the perfect place to enjoy a cocktail before or after a Broadway show. This upscale bar in NYC is sure to delight music lovers and cocktail purists alike with its leather upholstery, piano players, and high-end drinks.
  • Smith & Mills: One block east of the Hudson River lies the small, pocket-sized bar known as Smith & Mills. At this eccentric Tribeca bar, which occupies a mere 450 square feet, food is served on antique flatware and beer in Mason jars.

To hear more about NYC nightlife, keep reading below!

NYCTourist Travel Info
  Nightlife Info Price
1. Sing Sing Karaoke

This festive St. Marks Place bar is a great place to go for birthday parties, special events, or just any night out with friends.  Between the private karaoke rooms, online play lists, full bar, and bartenders who hit the mic as well, it's easy to see why Sing Sing Karaoke is one of the most popular karaoke bars in NYC!

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2. Onieal’s SoHo

Onieal's SoHo Bar and Restaurant in New York City features a full bar and full brunch, dinner and late night menus from morning until the wee hours, every day of the week.  Enjoy a variety of over 30 beers, a worldly selection of wines, plus any cocktail you can imagine.  Enjoy the lounge area, dining room, or bull up a stool at the bar at Onieal's SoHo.

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3. 40 40 Club New York

40 40 Club in NYC features 5 VIP party rooms, a long list of party packages, multiple 55-75 large screen TVs for watching all sporting events, a full bar and food menu. This huge sports lounge in NYC is owned by Jay-Z and Juan Perez and has custom decor hand-picked to the owners' upscale taste. Custom pool tables, champagne fountain and chandeliers are just a few examples of the luxury found here.

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4. Gagopa Karaoke NYC

Gagopa Karaoke NYC is located in Koreatown in Midtown West and happens to be one of the most popular karaoke bars in New York City. The B.Y.O.B. policy makes this NYC karaoke bar extra inviting. Bring your favorite beer or wine along to help you work up the courage to sing to a room full of your friends!

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5. The Box NYC

The Box NYC makes for a wild night out in New York City. Dress your best and join the glamorous crowd for a dining dinner show that will blow you away. The saucy freak show at The Box NY gives Cirque du Soliel a run for its money, with hoop swingers, puppets, sexy burlesque dancers and more!

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6. B.B. King Blues Club & Grill

Don't miss a chance to see some of the best blues performers in the industry at one of the top music venues in NYC! B.B. King Blues Club & Grill in Times Square makes any night out on the town or special occasion even more exciting. Providing live blues music, delicious food, bottle service and VIP packages, B.B. King Blues Club & Grill has it all!

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7. Barclays Center

Find tickets to any of the upcoming performances at the Barclays Center! Known for its high-quality acoustics and great views from any seat, this stadium one of the top music venues in NYC. You'll find some of the biggest names in music performing here all year long when the Brooklyn Nets are playing a home game.

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8. Terminal 5

Known for good-quality acoustics and intimate atmosphere, Terminal 5 is one of the most popular places to see a show in NYC. Featuring up and coming new bands as well as high-profile musical acts, this is one of the top music venues in NYC.

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9. Roseland Ballroom

Known for its fantastic stage and intimate atmosphere, the Roseland Ballroom is one of the most historic places to see a show in NYC. Featuring young up-and-coming indie bands as well as established musicians, the Roseland Ballroom is a popular music venue in New York City.

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10. Best Buy Theatre - Times Square

One of the top concert venues in NYC! The Best Buy Theatre - Times Square is intimate and charming, with just 2,100 seats and decor of chandeliers and hardwood floors. Despite the smaller size of this venue, it has a state of the art acoustic set-up that is sure to make for an exciting concert-going experience.

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11. Highline Ballroom

One of the best concert venues in NYC! This venue is intimate and elegant, with a capacity of just 400 and decor of exposed beams. Even though this venue is small in comparison with some of the other ones in NYC, it has a great acoustic set-up, food and drinks that are served during the show and amazing views from any location in the venue that are bound to make the show a memorable one. 

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Pacha Club boasts a 3,500-square-foot wooden dance floor

Pacha Club boasts a 3,500-square-foot wooden dance floor

The New York Nightlife Scene and Things To Do at Night in NYC!

We’ve all heard that New York is the city that never sleeps – and it’s true! If hitting the town, checking out the clubs, seeing the lights in Times Square, or just hanging out at a great lounge or bar is your thing, then NYC can deliver. There are hundreds of restaurants that have bars and lounges for early evening entertainment and hundreds more pubs and bars in New York (especially Manhattan) that are open deep into the night. New York’s club scene is broad and varied and is led by Webster Hall in the East Village – one of New York City’s most popular nightclubs featuring five (yes FIVE) dance floors, live music, famous DJs, and an iconic history of entertainers (our nightlife tip is to buy tickets early as this is a hot place to hang out, dance, and party).

Another way to spend the night is dinner and live music at a New York jazz club like Cleopatra’s Needle on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. If you’re into laughing (let’s hope so) then New York boasts some of the best comedians and comedy clubs in the world such as the Broadway Comedy Club, Caroline’s on Broadway, World Comedy Club in Manhattan's Midtown West, Dangerfield’s, and the NY Comedy Club where "Laughter is an instant vacation!" Yes, most have a two drink minimum but that’s nothing compared to the quality of entertainment.

If you’re looking for NYC concert tickets, entertainers or other things to do at night in NYC then check out our up to date NYC events calendar.

Clubs and Nightlife in NYC

Some of the best clubs in the world can be found in New York City. One famous NYC nightclub is Pacha Club NY. Located in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of Midtown Manhattan, Pacha Club boasts a 3,500-square-foot wooden dance floor and four stylishly decorated floors with large open spaces and intimate seating coves. Notable attractions at this popular club in NYC include Pacha's famous shower booths, where bikinied girls dance under colored LED lights, and the jet-setting celebrities who people the ultra-exclusive mezzanine floor.

Another popular NYC club is Marquee NYC. This trendy nightclub in NYC evokes the elegant sophistication of an old-fashioned gentlemen's club with its scuptural glasswear, custom-made ice buckets, 42-foot vaulted ceiling, and 35-foot "wishbone" staircase. With a maximum capacity of just 600 people, Marquee NY is the perfect size for an NYC nightclub, neither too big nor too small.

NYC Event Tickets

Manhattan Inn Piano Bar is a cool and quirky NYC piano bar located in the Greenpoint neighborhood of Brooklyn.

Manhattan Inn Piano Bar is a cool and quirky NYC piano bar located in the Greenpoint neighborhood of Brooklyn.

NYC Nightlife - The Best Bars in NYC

Looking for cool bars in NYC? We've got you covered! Check out these trendy NYC bars with live music and bar food. They're two of the best bars in New York City!

  • Manhattan Inn Piano Bar NYC: Founded in 2009 by Brooke Baxter and Rolyn Hu, Manhattan Inn Piano Bar is a cool and quirky NYC piano bar located in the Greenpoint neighborhood of Brooklyn. This popular NY piano bar offers live music seven nights a week and a full bar that serves quality small plates and full-course meals.
  • Le Poisson Rouge NYC: Founded by musicians on the former site of the Village Gate, Le Poisson Rouge is one of the best places to see live music in NYC. This cool NYC bar features a 28' x 21' fixed corner stage, a 23'-diameter hardwood dance floor, and flexible event space that can seat 250 and stand 700. Aside from signature NY cocktails like the Garfunkel and the Pumpkin King, Le Poisson Rouge serves delicious small plates like quesadillas, nachos, and pizza.