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. Milk & Honey

Lower East Side Manhattan's Milk and Honey Bar is a stylish throwback to the speakeasies of 1940s New York City. Moustached bartenders in suspenders muddle cocktails by candlelight, and ladies and gents in high feather converse with one another as jazz music fills the room. Reservations are required to enter this exclusive Manhattan bar.

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2. Citizens Brigade Theater NY

The legendary Upright Citizens Brigade Theater NYC is one of the best comedy clubs in New York City. Featuring live improv comedy nightly, this NY comedy bar in Manhattan offers cheap New York entertainment and gut-busting laughs you won't find anywhere else.

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3. 230 Fifth

230 Fifth NYC Bar in Manhattan is the largest rooftop bar in NYC! Featuring a chic, colorful indoor penthouse lounge, as well as a heated outdoor rooftop garden open year-round, 230 Fifth Rooftop bar in NYC is a must-see for first time tourists in New York City.

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4. White Rabbit NY

If you are on the Lower East Side and are looking for a fun, colorful crowd in a relaxed atmosphere, check out the White Rabbit Lounge. With a spacious lounge area and dance floor, the White Rabbit NYC is a great place for groups and big parties, and the laid-back feeling lends itself to the bar, where the knowledgeable and friendly bartenders provide creative cocktails.

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5. Rum House NYC

One of the few classic bars left in Manhattan's theater district, The Rum House has finely crafted cocktails and that special New York City feeling. With a piano player and a newly refinished interior that hasn't lost it's NYC charm, The Rum House is a must-visit for anyone looking for the quintessential NY experience.

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6. Rattle N Hum

Few bars in NYC offer the kind of diverse craft beer selection found at the famous Rattle N Hum Bar NYC. This popular New York bar in Midtown Manhattan features 40 different craft beers on tap, and is the perfect spot for NYC tourists looking to unwind after a long day of sight-seeing in NYC.

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7. Bowery NYC

Known for its high-quality acoustics and small, intimate atmosphere, the Bowery Ballroom NYC is one of the best places to see a show in NYC. Featuring high-profile music acts, as well as young up-and-coming indie bands, the Bowery Ballroom NY is a popular music venue in New York City.

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8. Southside NY

Dance the night away at the Southside NYC Night Club in Little Italy Manhattan. One of the most trendy NY hot spots for party enthusiasts in New York City, Southside NY features great music, strong NY cocktails, and of the best crowds you'll find at a night club in NYC.

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9. Santos NYC

Young NYC tourists searching for a party in New York City need to look no further than Santos Party House in Chinatown. Featuring live music performances on a nightly basis, Santos NYC is a popular NY nightclub that attracts some of New York's most famous DJ's. Enjoy a wild night in Chinatown at Santos Party House NYC!

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10. SOB's

Looking for a specialty cocktail to sip and a place to dance once it kicks in?  Check out S.O.B. club in West Village for a firecracker margarita made with jalapeno-infused tequila, orange liqueur, and a fresh citrus squeeze or orange and lime.  Dance the night away to Latin, Brazilian, and Haitian beats as the live performers keep the crowd moving until the early hours of the morning.

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11. The Clover

With an extensive mixed drink menu divided into 9 categories, Clover Club Brooklyn offers a refreshing cocktail for every palate. The Cobble Hill neighborhood bar's exceptional drinks, savory snacks, and wildly popular weekend brunches have been known to persuade even the most stubborn Manhattanites to make the trek across the river for a taste of Clover Club's acclaimed food and drink.

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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.