Laurie Beechman Theatre

Great little cabaret spot. Expected great food, but was underwhelmed. The two entrees we ordered, Steak Frites & Salmon were both undercooked! We didn’t want to disrupt the performance to complain, and we couldn’t fully see the food. My daughter had a few bites of her steak and we told the waiter afterward that it was too rare and she couldn’t even chew it. He had no reaction and didn’t seem to think he should do anything with that info other than mention it to the kitchen. We did bring the steak home, thinking maybe reheated it would be better. Turns out it was some strange grizzly looking thing that was folded over to look like a thick steak!

Loved this place. The staff was very friendly, I went to a comedy show/​Burlesque show. The space was nice and cozy, stage area was a nice size where you can see at any angle.

Try the risotto balls.
I had a great waiter, who was also very funny. I got my food with a few good jokes. Had a great time.

It’s a very nice little stage area and it is perfect for a cabaret show.
The food is okay, but I recommend you come early to be able to eat before the show.
During the show the room is so dark, you will not see what you’re eating.
Because the sitting is a restaurant style, it is challenging to have a good view of the performers, unless you are on one of the three front tables.
It is more of a community restaurant, in the sense that you will share your table with someone you don’t know.
It fairly well located, near Port Authority and a walking distance from Times Square.
The service is totally discreet and almost anonymous. You’ll see the waiter for the order, the serving of the dishes and the bill.
Over all it could be better, but I think they’ve been doing the same system for years and are not gonna change.
Hopefully you’ll see a good show.

Great venue for cabaret, underneath the West Bank Café. It’s not luxurious, but it’s comfortable, and every seat is a good seat.
This is the kind of place that theater (pronounced with three syllables) people frequent to cheer on their friends. The last time we were there, the audience created an impromptu chorus (in multi-​part harmony and operatic range) to support the delighted performers. A real only-​in-​New-​York experience.
Because of its association with the restaurant, the food and drink options are actually pretty good. The prix fixe menu is reliable, and the service is friendly and caring. (Be aware that they tack on a 20% service charge, and then add a line for «Additional Tip,» which I’m sure has tricked any number of distracted diners. It’s really not a very nice ploy.)

Talented Performers and Delicious Menu!
Enjoy Dr. Sue’s Entertainment Blog:
«Dirty Little Songs» is Cabaret Fun!

I go for the Drag shows. I’ve seen Shangela, Jinxx, Alaska, BenDeLaCreme, Tammie Brown, etc.
It’s a tight fit but it’s fun! Love the food!

This theatre was underneath the restaurant. There was a minimum of 21 dollars that you had to spend, which didn’t seem outrageous considering the area.
The stage is small and the worst seat is still really close to the stage. It was well lit, and the sound was really great even though the show wasn’t so great.
I ordered the burger with fries and they were good. The waitress was really great with refilling my water glass, that night I was drinking water like a fish!
My father had a pasta dish, and my grandmother had the risotto. The risotto was a large portion and she could finish it but she said it was tasty.
Considering it is right near Times Square I thought the pricing was fair. $ 18 dollars for the risotto, is pretty reasonable considering how everything is overpriced in Times Square.
I wouldn’t come here for dinner alone without seeing a show. But the upstairs area had a bar, and a full restaurant. I am sure they serve different food upstairs but it’s kind of average looking.

Saw «Le Scandal» for Valentine’s Day. What a great time! Service was great, food was delicious, and the show was fantastic! I’ll definitely be back!

What a cute hidden gem in midtown. Great mix of shows for whatever you’re looking for: RuPaul’s Drag Race winners, broadway stars after their shows, comedy or good ol fashioned cabaret and jazz music. Try the risotto balls!

A mellow little spot to see good Drag shows in NYC! Ticket price plus food made my night here cost over $ 50. Food came out fast and the 20% service fee seemed fair. I won’t go here for the great food, its fine/​bar food… but for the overall entertainment experience and value seems good.

This was my first time here. I got invited by a friend who is into community theater. It was a cute little place that looks like a café and downstairs is the actual theater. The prices were very reasonable for Times Square area. I ordered the bacon cheese burger with fries and had a glass of wine. The food was awesome and the talent was wonderful! I mean those singers were amazing belting out these songs! The only complaint I had or maybe was my fault lol but The gratuity was included so I tipped an additional 25% and didn’t realize it till my friends were trying to decide what to tip on their cards, while I paid with cash. So I assume he was a happy waiter. I work in the hospitality industry and I like to tip well because I have a similar job I hate when that happens lol maybe it was my wines! Other than that it was a really nice New York experience to have I would def go again.

I’ve experienced LBT as an audience member, a performer, and a producer. I’ve had mostly positive experiences with both the back and front of house staff on all three levels.
I’ve also been to a good number of cabaret/​performing spaces throughout Manhattan, in midtown, uptown, and downtown. This is one of the better options. Spacious, good technical equipment, excellent technicians, and good sight lines.
All cabaret is expensive, and I can really only think of one that has exceptional cuisine, and offers a top notch dining experience. Still, LBT offers very solid service, some really good cuisine options, and is priced just the same as other venues, with a much wider selection, due to the food coming from West Bank Café.
My only gripe are the off stage spaces. But, hey; at least they have them!
Solid option for all to consider.

I don’t know if the West Bank Café is the same as the food served at the Laurie Beechman Theater but this review is for the latter. The service is horrible. I get that there is a show and it must be difficult to place orders etc. When you arrive over 1 hour before a show, it should not be that hard to place an order, yet waiters walk around clueless. Focusing on 1 table is not going to get you anywhere. Well actually it does for these folks because a mandatory 20% gratuity is added to your bill, which is against NYS law. Parties of 8 or more can only have a gratuity forced upon them. So for shitty service, you are stuck paying 20%. Check your bill so you don’t OVER TIP.
The sad thing is the shows are great!

The four stars are based off the fabulous performance we saw: Joan Rivers. However, the star missing is due to the lousy waitress service, rude hostess and microwaved food. I ordered food only because there was a minimum and thought the quality would be better for a nice theatre.

I love it for its programming. Everything else about it is OK – it gets the job done.
The fact that this is the place Joan Rivers uses to try out new material on small crowds is reason enough to make this a notable venue. I’ve seen her here only once, but I want to go again and I recommend it for anyone who thinks they can handle it. It was about to $ 50 to watch a living legend who, in her 80s, is at the top of her game. To see this show is a unique opportunity, available only here.
Other programming leans heavily toward drag acts. I have seen the Warhol superstar Holly Woodlawn here, plus one RuPaul’s Drag Race winner and one RuPaul’s Drag Race loser.
The theater itself is perfectly adequate. Despite the fact that it’s in a restaurant’s basement, it’s comfortable, and not as cramped as many cabaret venues that seat the same number of people. The staff has got everything right each time I’ve been here. One drawback is that when they do two shows in a night and you come for the second, you might have to line up on the stairs, which is awkward, or out on the sidewalk, which can be cold.
The menu features mainly grease, and the minimum adds to the cost of your night out, but bite the bullet and swallow the grease and remember how unusual and wonderful it is to have a place to see acts like this.

Giving this place five stars because I went to go see the beloved Joan Rivers… I have waited so very long to see her… it was just amazing!
The space is so freeking small… the AC was blasting and I couldn’t sit without being moved by the waitresses every five seconds.
The food was okay, it wasn’t the greatest but it did well for the evening.
The space is intimate and perfect for the show. I loved it… hated the rest of it but LOVED the space for the show. I was so happy! Thank you.

I clicked to update and it seems my review is gone! Grrr. That happens to me very rarely.
I can’t say enough glowing things about this theater which I’ve been several times, once for an AIDS benefit through Cabaret Cares.
Every time is more fun than the last and I plan to come every Thursday I’m in the city for Broadway Sessions!
It’s the best kept secret in the city for musical theater. Only 5 dollar cover and 15 food/​drink minimum.
Last night the cast of Motown came after their show and it was an incredibly fun and intimate experience with the cast –which is clearly family by this point – cheering each other on as they took the stage for the sheer joy of singing (AFTER a performance).
The emcee was spectacular, one of the best I’ve ever seen (including Duplex where they are always great).
The food is always good at West Bank as well (oh, maybe that’s where I reviewed this last time).
West Bank and Joe Allen are the great theater hangouts in the area and I am just in love with this place!

Stepping into the Laurie Beechman Theatre reminded me of being back home in good ol’ Charm City Baltimore. You must walk through the West Bank Café to go to the basement for the awesome show that awaits you. My boyfriend and I went and saw the awesome drags perform Distorted Diznee. such an awesome twist on all the Disney movies I have grown to love so much. Even my bf enjoyed himself and I don’t think drag shows are typically his kind of thing!
There is plenty of laughs, good food and great energy at this theater. I will say the space is small and crowded, so there’s not much wiggle room… but why do you have to move when there’s a great show right in front entertaining you? Enjoy the show, eat the food, don’t worry about the costs, tip the ladies and relax… because the show is totally worth it!

To enter this theater you need to walk through the West Bank restaurant, walk to the back and go down the stairs. They have a full menu, friendly servers, and wine that they will fill very full.
General admission means you get to sit, but not in the front. This is a very small theater, so front row seats are not necessary.
I ordered the risotto balls (which comes as a set of 10 with a dip for $ 10). Large portion, took me 2 hours to eat it.