Gramercy Theatre

I have to say, being a concert buff, I am pretty well acquainted with many of the larger concert arenas in New York City; however, this was the first time I have ever been to the Gramercy Theatre. I attended a concert in January. It’s a very small and intimate venue with plenty of perfect views. The back of the venue is styled after a movie theater and features rows of elevated seating. For this particular concert, I decided to grab myself a seat instead of taking advantage of the standing room offered by the lower level. The view was perfect; however, the seats are a story all of their own. Cloth chairs aren’t the most comfortable and their age really shows. The worn out upholstery made for a painful experience — especially sitting there for 3 hours. In addition, the particular seat that I was using reclined all the way to the legs of the person sitting behind me. Broken chairs are the worst!
The show itself was great. The sound was pretty good and there was great bass. One of the disadvantages was the fact that the service charge was nearly ¹⁄₃ of the price of the ticket itself! If you ask me, that is a bit ridiculous!
Drinks are moderately price and I believe for most shows they offer a 2-​for-​1 «Happy Hour» deal. So make sure to take advantage of that early on during the show.

Excellent venue for a smaller show.
Went there a while back for the first time to see a band and I was very impressed with the place as compared to other places I’ve been to catch shows like this.
Though I chose to sit for the show, the floor was spaced pretty well with a visible incline which makes viewing from the floor better than most other places if you’re not in the front. The seating was comfortable, though limited leg room. Whenever the big guy behind me would get up and sit down again, I could feel it on my back. The stadium style seating made it perfect to see everything without anyone’s head blocking a view. You could sit just about anywhere and still have a great view. The rails to go up to the seats do need a tightening though.
I was under the weather, so I didn’t get a chance to sample a drink, but if they were pricey, in this sort of venue and being in Manhattan, it’s expected. The bathrooms were gross, but that’s also expected. I’m not one of those people who care about acoustic sounds in venues since it really doesn’t make the greatest difference, but everything sounded just fine from where I was. Any staff I dealt with were friendly.
Located on 23^rd street, it’s in an ideal location from mid town and a nice walk from Grand Central without having to get on the disgusting subway (though there is a station on the corner). Really, a perfect size place that doesn’t feel too crowded and I would certainly return to catch another show anytime.

I’d never been here before until I came for the O-​Town concert last night (O-​M-​G) and did not realize how small this place really was! It’s actually a really casual place and not too large, so you actually get kind of up close and personal with the bands playing.
Upon entering, the coat check is downstairs (I opted out of this and was glad because there was a massive line at the end of the night) and the merchandise is also downstairs, along with the restrooms. Straight in is the stage, where there are two bars to the left and the right along with minimal seating area on the left. Towards the back, you have some normal theater-​styled seats, but why would you want to sit when you can be on the FLOOR with O-​TOWN!!!
Great intimate space and if it’s general admission, make sure you get there semi-​early so you can be close to the stage!

I had been to a few shows at gramercy theatre a couple years ago. I didn’t have the best memories of the venue but when an artist I like added a show there on my birthday eve I had to go. I traveled from MA which is not the shortest commute. Since I was visiting NYC for a limited time I wanted to spend some time checking out shops. We called the venue to ask for set times and the young lady who picked up the phone rudely said «we do not give out set times.» Wtf! I do not understand the logic behind this. Most venues post set times on Facebook or have them on their outgoing message. This really angered us. So I rushed over to the venue and the artist I wanted to see did not go on stage until 2 hours after I got there. My night in NYC was ruined making me sit through a brutal opener and co-​headliner.
The venue itself is nothing to write home about. It has a floor but it’s very narrow and not too many people can get in the front row. If you’re short you might be screwed if you get there late. There’s a large section of seating but even the closest seat is far from the stage. The women’s bathroom had several stalls but it was disgusting. After the show they had ran out of toilet paper and paper towels and did not bother refilling them.
I would definitely hesitate to return to gramercy theatre. I only recommend it if you’re local and one of your favorite artists is playing.

I really enjoyed this venue — went to see Bayside last weekend. Its definitely not a huge venue — but its not exactly «intimate» either.
What I enjoyed most was the stadium-​type seating. Once the crowd-​surfers and mosh-​pit got to be too much, I happily sat down and enjoyed the rest of the show.
Coatcheck = $ 4 cash.
The drinks are EXTREMELY expensive ($ 14 for a tall Bud-​Light). My friend bought/​downed a FourLoko at the bodega next-​door.
No re-​entry. Security were all very friendly when I inquired about my lost glasses.
The womens bathroom smelt gross, but was pretty clean.

Was there tonight December 19^th for Todd Rundgren. Had standing room tickets. The problem was the bar was set up on either side of the floor so it was hard to get to and you had idiots that were standing and blocking you. One guy in a beard I hope he reads this was a jerk and I was standing at the bar drinking my beer so as not to get it spilled in the crowd he was elbowing me. I told him if I thought I was going to move because he was pushing me I wasn’t. Wanted to punch him in the face but didn’t want to get thrown out. Standing room means you don’t have an assigned spot so let people get to the bar. They definitely need to have a better set up. I don’t recommend this venue especially when people have no courtesy.

Gramercy is my 2^nd Favorite concert venue in the NYC area. I’ve seen so many great bands here. From Darkest Hour to Northlane I’ve had too much fun at this place. The GA area is solid because you can stand pretty much anywhere you want and still get a solid view of the band your seeing. Since about 600 people can fit on the show floor. Plus you can sit down and view the bands also at you’re own leisure. Props to Gramercy for that.
I do have a couple of issues with Gramercy though. The staff really needs to be better overall. The bathroom near the merch table needs a seriously fix up also. But they’re are an extra two bathrooms nearby. Plus my big issues with all NYC venues. Expensive and low quality alcohol. You never feel like you’re getting your moneys worth if you buy liquor here. But then again, like me and most other people I mostly just come for the music.
But overall I always come back to Gramercy for high quality music. So many great artists always come by to play some great music. Its a nice small place that I could reccomend to all music fans.

I think Gramercy Theatre is a great venue for intimate GA shows. I came here to see a slate of alternative bands and had a great time. There was a period where the sound guy didn’t have the mic loud enough to hear the vocalist of one of the bands, but that only lasted for 2 songs and he fixed it. I thought overall the staff is friendly, we were let into the venue on time, and all of the acts went out on time– so everything is really organized at this venue. I also like that even with GA shows you have the option to stand in the pit or sit up in the back in theatre style seating. I will be back next time a good show is booked for GT!

Not bad. I came here last year to watch Sam Tsui performing with KHS. I really liked it! The venu’s bathroom is tiny and small, but relatively clean. Ventilation was bad. I read about the ventilation issue via previous Unilocalers’ reviews so I was somewhat prepared. However, someone passed out during that concert and I think that person was okay. Sam Tsui saw that happening and took a break from performing to make sure that guest was okay. I was in the standing area but there were seats in the back, which i was confused about. It was a concert and I didn’t know why people were sitting down towards the back? And do you pay extra for seats?
What was also confusing was its coat check process. I bought advanced coat check for $ 5 alongside my concert ticket. When I arrived at the venue, I saw walk-​in coat-​check available for $ 4. What?

Love this venue. Interesting décor downstairs where you can just chill and relax, get a drink and checkout/​buy merchandise. Mainroom is nice and air conditioned, has stadium seating in the back to the sides if you wanna get a good view and need to sit. I like how the floor is ever so slightly angled, so the front towards the stage is a little lower than the back area, so your view is never really obstructed. Also conveniently a block away from the 23^rd St. Station.

This is a nice quaint theater for comedy, stage shows or special screenings in the heart of the Gramercy section of the city. Came here last week for a one man show and definitely enjoyed the ambiance of the the theater and the history of it.
Would want to come here again for any shows that I happen to be interested in. Not to mention they have a full bar which is also a plus.

Gramercy’s alright. It’s an OK spot to see music acts, but it’s not one of my favorite venues in Manhattan for a few reasons.
– Just never got into the acts that get booked (but that’s a music preference thing)
– The floor plan is a little weird for me (the seating in the back and the standing area in front seem too close because it’s a small space)
– Drinks are way too expensive
Of course, there are positives.
– The people who work there do a good job, are nice, and helpful (that’s my experience)
– It’s clean more or less (no sticky floors — you know you’ve been to venues in NYC where your shoes stick to the floor)
…Yeah, it’s an A-​OK rating from me. If you find a well-​priced show at Gramercy Theatre that you’re interested in seeing, check it out for yourself. If you have time before the show, consider beforehand getting drinks — maybe during a dinner — around the Union Square area nearby (a few blocks south).

Gramercy Theatre hosted the crude and borderline insane and genius Margaret Cho on March 7^th and it was amazing!
The staff and crew are incredibly professional in this intimate setting, and they answered the #1 question all women want to know when they stand on line for a prolonged period of time — where is the bathroom!!! It is to your immediate right when you enter into the building as you descend a few stairs. They were clean and had several stalls; awesome plus.
One star was removed for the price they charge for liquor; just get a ginger ale instead and possibly wear a hip flask. My friend got two jack and cokes for $ 30 — holy crap! Definitely decide to be thirsty afterwards.
The overall theatre is great, and the lounge that we got to meet Margaret in the downstairs area was pretty comfy and sweet. I could definitely see it used as a night club when there isn’t a live show around.

Though I only experienced it for comedy last week I can only imagine how a great place this would be to see a musician. The venue holds about 4 – 500 with seating for about 100 in the rear and the sides (though the sides seem to be for VIP’s). The rest is standing room. Sound was pretty good and there are bars both in the main showroom and the downstairs. Downstairs bar is the far more efficient of the two simply because of the traffic of not being on the floor. There are some TV’s and a lounge downstairs as well if you want to get away from the crowd for a while. Coach check is also provided downstairs as well.
The staff can be a little stiff and unwelcoming but that could be due the weather and having to work outside in some cases. That shouldn’t be an excuse though. There also aren’t a lot of places to eat around here so grab a bite somewhere else before heading to a show here.
All in all a great place to see live entertainment. I look forward to checking to see who’s in town at Gramercy every time I come to NYC.

I’ve been coming here for years, even when it was dubbed «Blender Theater» — technically my best friend and I were the first concert-​goers to enter when it was redone as a concert hall (this was years ago when we were first in line to check out Stellastarr*).
It’s a wide open space that would probably be considered to be a «medium sized» venue by NYC standards. A decent variety of acts play here each week from death metal, to crappy pop, to musicals, burlesque shows, etc.
The security team and box office staff has always a pleasure to deal with and I’ve never had a bad time here. While it’s no Terminal 5 in the quality of acts booked or Roseland who’s venue space was much more beautiful and with better acoustics — I’m still happy whenever there’s anything I want to check out making a NYC stop here.

Apparently Gramercy and staff enjoy seeing guests freeze their fingers and toes off. Came for a girl’s night to catch a show of the Chippendales tour on a Friday night …
Arrived a few minutes before reported door time –the tickets said 8pm– only stand in line, for no reason as this was a show with assigned seats, NOT general admission. It was about 25 minutes after 8pm that we were let in. After that, it was smooth sailing as far as scanning tickets and bag check. This was my first time at Gramercy so I wasn’t aware of their seating arrangement ahead of time which led me to be extremely disappointed with my seat.
I purchased three seats in the middle of the row in what they call the «loge». Being up close and personal wasn’t really my intention anyway but I have a major problem when my view is obstructed by two baldies in the DJ/​audio booth. How about a little disclaimer beforehand during my actual purchase?! And I’m sure it’s the same for most if not all events that go on here. That said, avoid rows EE, FF, GG and perhaps even HH, seats 104 – 107 as the booth blocks part of the stage.
There was plenty of time to waste as the show didn’t start until after 9pm. In the meanwhile, I visited the bathroom which was clean but small for the most part. The drink specials were great, creative but pricey. The staff, however, was rude. At one point one of the guys practically pushed aside a lady who was kind enough to take a photo of us girls. No «excuse me» or «sorry». Outside the guards were unfriendly and barked orders instead of speaking to us politely.
Because of our view, we decided to just ditch our seats and stand on the «floor» behind the last row. At one point I was actually standing on the first step for a better view. And we weren’t the only ones to do so. The staff didn’t bother us at all about us standing so that made up for their flaws.
Small venue with some obstructed seats and rather unpleasant staff/​guards. Good thing I went for the half-​naked dancing guys instead of atmosphere.

Came here for my first rock metal concert. The folks are friendly and the venue space is very spacey. There’s seating available at the back, movie theater style for those who can’t stand for long periods of time. Merchandise is sold before and after the show downstairs. There’s a bar but drinks are a bit expensive.
My friend and I were close to the stage. There was a bit of a mosh pit happening behind us, but don’t be too afraid! The people around us shoved back and the mosh pitters never got aggressive outside the circle.

Came here to see Pete Yorn in early Nov of 2014 and I had a fab time! I love small venues like this for music – reasonable ticket prices and intimate atmosphere being the two primary draws. It was also interesting that this place happened to be around the corner from where I used to live in the late 90s when I was going to school here. Bummed this place wasn’t around then, and I forget what this place used to be, but the well-​worn interior makes it feel like it’s been here forever (or at least since the 70s). At any rate, I did love the drink specials named after the performer’s songs (for the record, I had the «Life on a Chain», which was a Pabst Blue Ribbon tallboy with a well shot – yeehaw! Living the high life in Manhattan, let me tell you! Pete sounded awesome and I had a great time. Wouldn’t hesitate to go back for another show here.
STEPH JUDGEMENT: Awesome little venue for intimate shows.

Came here for a concert, and as with most venues of this size, there’s a line. Mind you when they say 6pm doors open, they simply mean that’s when they let VIPs in. With the line wrapped around the block, it’s apparent that they let in small batches at a time to fill in the concert hall as a crowd-​control measure.
About a half hour in, we arrived at the door to be bag checked (for water). hmm, Really? Then it becomes apparent… The venue is on the stuffy side, and for good measure once the event started it became hotter and hotter. (One person did faint in the audience) Coat check-​in is downstairs and washroom facilities flank both sides of the venue… they weren’t remarkable but serviceable. Of note is a bar on the right wall making expensive drinks available to the masses. I’d consider it if the drinks aren’t as pricey as they are.
An hour into it and the first performance kicks off with another 15−20mins separating them from the headliner. All in all, the sound isn’t quite what I’d expect. Maybe they need to invest in a better sound system because it ought to be rocking, and it wasn’t, in my view. Perhaps this was tempered by the artist on stage? Also, the venue was split between stadium seating and standing room only. I didn’t mind either as the sight lines were fine for me (I’m a tall person)… but if I’m not mistaken, reserved seating might cost a bit more and this is definitely worth considering.
Overall, a solid 3.5÷5 experience. It truly depends on the acts being booked. I trust there will be shows here that warrant your attention. Your mileage truly may vary but suffice it to say, I’m not a fan of standing room venues. Next time, I’ll invest in better seating arrangements.

It’s tough to separate a venue from the show you see there, so I must admit I’ve only been to this theatre for a standup comedy special. If this was indicative of every night at Gramercy Theatre, then:
They book quality talent.
The drinks are entirely too expensive.
It’s an intimate and outstanding place to see a show, with very few bad seats.
The staff is efficient and professional and rightfully think my wife is too good-​looking for me (they wanted to put her up front for the taping, and all but told me to hide my hideous face behind her when the cameras came around).
All in all, I’m a fan (yay!).