If you’re looking for an up close and personal kind of a night out, consider cabaret! These intimate concerts and performances inside nightclubs and dimly lit venues are a great alternative to a night out, and can feature some of the best acts around. Especially here in NYC, where everything seems to be over the top, we’ve got some places that are constantly…flaunting it! Check out our favorite spots for cabaret below and see what’s coming up in their event spaces!
1. The Rose Room: Parlor of Wonder, Midtown
This cabaret show takes place in a hidden speakeasy in Midtown, and that’s barely where the dark intimacy begins. It’s an immersive nightlife experience in NYC that brings classic cabaret into the modern era via unique magic shows, dance, music, and more! The weekly shows at the Rose Room are filled with acclaimed singers, renowned magicians, and luscious libations, making it the perfect overflow or afterparty to your Broadway outing!
🌹 Buy your tickets to The Rose Room: Parlor of Wonder here!
2. The Red Pavilion, Bushwick
Catch a cabaret performance at this brand new Chinese teahouse by day, and Asian Neo-Noir nightclub by night! The Red Pavilion offers an extensive range of programming and culinary indulges, from Sunday dim sum brunches to live Chinese and American jazz on Fridays! When you step into their space, you’ll be awed by the moody Asian neo-noir ambiance, featuring red and green neon accents, traditional Chinese lanterns, ornate Venetian glass sconces, and red velvet curtains. We suggest going Saturday nights, but you can check out their nightlife calendar here.
Where: 1241 Flushing Ave, Brooklyn
3. House of Yes, Bushwick
House of Yes is one of our favorite NYC nightclubs, and it’s mainly because you never know what you’ll find on a given night! This spot is more of a dancey spot than a traditional cabaret sit-down show, but it’s still all the fun! There’s something going on every weekend, including their longest-running variety show, Dirty Circus. It’s wild…and shows 3 hours of raw and raunchy airotics and circus. Check out all of their events here.
Where: 2 Wyckoff Ave, Brooklyn
4. Café Carlyle, Upper East Side
This Upper East Side institution has been around forever, and still remains one of our favorite places for supper and a show. They offer many jazz performances on various evenings, but they also have lots of other cabaret shows too. They’ve seen famous acts like Bobby Short and Elaine Stritc headline over the years, and they continue to bring in famous names! Their intimate interior brings the classic cabaret experience too, thanks to an array of music-themed murals by Oscar-winning French artist, Marcel Vertès. We recommend reservations and jackets are required! Learn more and plan your visit here.
Where: 35 E 76th St
5. The Green Room 42, Midtown
Founded in 2017, The Green Room 42 is located right in the heart of the theater district near Broadway. The funky cabaret club was deemed “Broadway’s Off-Night Hotspot” by the New York Times, and features a lineup of curated nightlife. You can expect to see your favorite Broadway stars live, all while snacking on a delicious menu of food and drink. Past shows have featured artists like Josh Groban, Tina Fey, Katharine McPhee, Sara Bareilles, and many more! Plus, there’s no F&B minimum so you can enjoy as you please! See what’s on here.
Where: 570 10th Ave
6. Zinc Bar, Greenwich Village
Zinc Bar is unapologetically a jazz bar, and their shows are some of the most legendary around NYC. Their Greenwich Village home have been around for years, and on any given night you could be greeted to a performance of Latin jazz, African sounds, or Brazilian bands. The interior is decked out in art-deco and their cocktails are lovely to sip on while you watch a show. The crowd is also pretty diverse, which plays an awesome role into the atmosphere. Check out Zinc’s upcoming shows here.
Where: 82 W 3rd St
7. 54 Below, Midtown
54 Below and its Broadway’s Supper Club offers an unforgettable New York nightlife experience, combining performances by Broadway’s best with world class dining in an elegant setting! They even received a 2022 TONY AWARDS® Honor for Excellence in the Theatre. It’s one of our favorite spots for pre-theatre dinner (nightly at 5:30 pm), or for attending one of their three shows they do per night. The venue can seat up to 140 people in the main dining room and bar, with each table being no more than 24 feet from the stage. It’s intimate, the performers are of the highest quality, and the food and drink is superb. See what’s happening here.
Where: 254 W 54th St
8. The Duplex, West Village
The Duplex is a historically gay bar whose piano and cabaret programming has made them one of our favorite spots for performances. The West Village flagship sits perfectly amongst cute restaurants and is the perfect way to end a night after a delicious dinner! The club has built its reputation as a dynamic platform for new and emerging talent, but they’ve also welcomed legends like Woody Allen and Barbra Streisand over the years too. They truly showcase the brightest up-and-coming composers, singers, and comedians, as well as veterans too. Check out what’s coming up here.
Where: 61 Christopher St
9. Don’t Tell Mama, Midtown West
For over 40 years, Don’t Tell Mama has kept NYC entertained right in the heart of the theater district. The one-of-a-kind venue has four lovely individual spaces: a piano bar, a restaurant and 2 separate cabaret showrooms: a cineplex of cabaret! They’ve seen legendary names like Liza Minnelli, Paul Newman, Joan Rivers, Bette Midler, Rosie O’Donnell grace the stage through the years, along with many more. This play is so theatrical even the waiters and bartenders join in on song! Shows are 7 days and week, and you can check out what’s happening here.
Where: 343 W 46th St
10. Cocktail Magique, Bushwick
Company XIV is behind Cocktail Magique, one of NYC’s sexiest cocktail and burlesque experiences happening right now. This variety show features intoxicating illusions, that are both sexy and sultry. Pair it with a collection of petite cocktails and small bites throughout the show, and the enchanting performance will have you engaged all night long! It’s everything you could want out of cabaret into one: magic, dancers, singing, and food and drink. It’s a must hit. Learn more here.
Where: 17 Wyckoff Ave, Brooklyn