The 55 Bar

Here we have a great little speakeasy with a whole lot of charm. I came here on a Saturday night, and the place was packed by 10pm. Thankfully, my friend and I got their just in time to snag a couple of the last seats in the house. It definitely gets snug in here; claustrophobics, consider yourselves warned. The crowd is a mix of young and old, mostly couples.
The cover charge is $ 10 with a 2 drink minimum per music set. Some nights, they have two sets, so it’ll cost you $ 20 and a minimum of 4 drinks. Thankfully, drink prices were good, but the drinks themselves were only moderate.
The music is phenomenal. High quality artists perform here nightly. My only complaint is that in the small space, the music was a touch too loud.

This was my first time going to a jazz bar.
It was small and music was great.
I will definitely come back when im in this area.

Great concert place at 55 bar. Nice atmosphere and friendly staff. Good concerts at an affordable price (10 bucks the entrance). Cheap pint draught beers (7 bucks) for that kind of place with concert

This place was okay. Not a fan of the two drink minimum between sets– i’d rather just pay a cover.
It was quite empty on a Thursday night when I went, and the crowd was a bit older than I thought it’d be. The ambiance is also a bit dingy, and doesn’t seem like the cleanest place. Very suburban bar type.
Loved the band that played though. Great musicians. Would go again with a bigger group again.

Heard Chris Bergson here and really enjoyed the show. You go here for the music. If you pick an act you like, you’ll have a good time. The dive bar ambiance makes it a great place for a date if you want to keep it casual and look like you’re not trying too hard.
The cover + drink minimum is a little confusing, but our waitress was good about explaining it and a did good job on refills when we needed them. Just wish they had some of the better guys do the early show.

What a wonderful place to hear some great Jazz.
Laid back and friendly.

Fantastic music and a fun «dive bar» vibe. What more could you ask for?

Like many have said, AMAZING music. It’s just a shame that it’s in this venue.
Seats were very uncomfortable and the manager was a little pushy, but nice enough. Very nice wait staff, too, I’ve got to say. It was a shame that half of their beer menu appeared to be sold out, though, and there was something off about the drafts that they did still have.
What really threw me was the drink policy and cover charge. Maybe my recollection is off, but I generally think that either I’m paying a cover or a drink minimum or putting into a «love box» tip jar for the band. This place had all three. It was all cash only, too, which made for an interesting experience.
The worst part was that the cover and drink minimums weren’t per night or per show, they were PER SET. And did the bar have any hesitation about serving a drink 5 minutes before a set ended (and, to be fair, how could they knew when a set would end)? No, but that’s not their problem so chug-​a-​lug and get out NOW, back out in the cold to stand in line again.
I bet the band was just as good for the second set, but I’ll never know.

First, let me be clear. The music I went to hear was great. And without a doubt, the best part of the night.
The service and policies of the bar will prevent me from going back. It occurs to me that the proprietor doesn’t care because the neighborhood has tons of first time visitors. For the rest of us, I share this review.
There was a $ 10 cover and two drink minimum. Not a big deal until you realize that is per set! After the set (less than an hour), the staff began yelling to «clear out» because there was a line of people waiting for the second set. Yelling! Which they needed to do because there was no prior indication that we would be forced out after the first set. Most of my party had just started our 2^nd drink because the set was too short for two drinks. Ridiculous. Do not subject yourself to this space. Support the artists at another spot.

Don’t go here if you want to woo… go here if you want to take a nap. People next to us were sleeping.

Came for a jazz band thing on Saturday night. The band was amazing. Loved their heart and soul. They were hilarious too! Had a great time with my friends singing our little hearts out.
Doesn’t matter if you’re a visitor or live in New York, you have to make your way out here for the live jazz!

Small, intimate venue for live music. We went on a Saturday night and managed to snag the last table (about 15 minutes before showtime). It got pretty filled up shortly thereafter so show up a bit early especially if you have a large group. Music was excellent and the artist interacted greatly with the crowd. Drinks were pretty cheap by NYC standards ($ 8 for a Maker’s Mark and $ 6 for a beer). There is a $ 10 cover and the bar is CASH ONLY so come prepared.
My only complaint was the waitress. They have a two drink minimum per set but she didn’t exactly provide us any real service. We got our first round at the bar b/​c she wasn’t around and we tried to flag her down numerous times throughout the night for refills but she never acknowledged us so we went back to the bar. Not really a big issue for us since we didn’t have to abide by the «strict» two drink minimum but we would have spent a lot more $$ if she was more aware that customers had empty glasses.

My reviews always seem positive. But I don’t like to stay at places I’m having a bad time. My friend just text me out of nowhere. «Show up at 55 Bar, there is a great band playing». I hadn’t heard from him in almost a year but I know him well enough to trust him.
It’s a small intimate place, low ceiling, no stage, and laid back bartenders. The crowd really makes this place. It’s not frilly but the entertainment is great.

There was a 2 drink minimum for the set, but I came about half an hour early and had a few drinks before the show started. After the set was finished, the bartender charged me for the two drink minimum, because I had ordered my last drink about 2 minutes before the set started… I was a bit upset by that, but otherwise the experience was good.
The venue is very intimate, and the talent that evening was not bad.

Dropped by on a Friday night around 10p. $ 10 cover charge. I wouldn’t suggest getting there past 10p as there were only 2 – 3 seats left when I arrived.
Venue was small and cozy. Drinks are priced like you’d expect. Not the best selection of beers. I also saw few signs saying «2 drink minimum per set», however, I didn’t see that enforced. I only had a single drink, as did several people around me.
Only stayed for a set but the music was good and a little different. The band playing that night wasn’t your typical jazz band — more contemporary and their style fused a lot of modern elements from other indie genres. Not complaining though, I quite enjoyed their set. I sat by the bar and had a great view.
Very chill vibe, good for hanging out or a date (not first date though, it’s loud enough to make it awkward talking to someone you don’t know yet).
Pro-​tip: I noticed there is a small table just next to the front door that’s a bit tucked away with bench seating facing the stage… ya know, in case you want that extra little bit of privacy ;)

Tuesday night 10pm
This was my first time going to a blues/​jazz bar in NYC. It’s very small and intimate. There was plenty of seating this night but I’m told you have to get there 30min early to get a table on nights with a popular band. The drinks are pretty cheap, minimum of 2 per table. The night I was there they had a $ 10 cover per person. The show lasted from 10:15 — 11:45pm. It has a very light atmosphere about it and would be great for a 2^nd or 3^rd date.

Enjoyed a lovely evening at 55 Bar during a solo venture in the West Village. I came by based on the other positive Unilocal reviews, and enjoyed the crowd, music, and overall atmosphere of the space.
55 Bar is a small venue just below street level off 7^th Ave. The space seats maybe 100 people total, if that. The bar offered a very small selection of beers on tap (only one the night I went there), which is a bummer when there’s a 2 drink minimum per set.
Speaking of… This bar is cash only, for all drinks and the cover charge. Make sure you hit an ATM beforehand!
I saw a blues group with Sweet Georgia Brown as the lead vocalist, and she was truly an entertainer. She was hilarious, and got the entire crowd engaged in singing and dancing along with her.
I would absolutely return to 55 Bar! It’s a lovely spot perfect for live music.

This is one of my fav Jazz spots! The venue has the best bands. Best nights are Fri and Sat. Last night (Friday Oct 3) I saw The Brooklyn Boogaloo and Leah Siegel. They were phenomenal!!! The ambiance of venue is pretty relaxed very intimate perfect for a date. The cover is only $ 10 this is a cash only bar but there’s an ATM right next-​door.

I went on a Monday evening and it was about 75% full of customers.
The service was fine but the jazz made my day.
Drinks were fine. I had a Jack and Coke that was fine, and a Manhattan that was also fine.
This is a great place to sit back after a long day and unwind.

Hell yes, LOVE this little joint. Emma E in another Unilocal review nails it: «cozy, divey, cheap, and has great music.» Done. That’s all you need to know.
For a $ 10 cover, we caught the lovely Argentinian singer Gabriela Anders and her fabulous latin jazz band on a Thurs at 10pm… and they killed it. Beautiful!

Bar jazz situé à côté du fat cat, l’un des endroits à essayer si vous êtes amateur de Jazz, vérifier la programmation avant d’y aller, les sessions de free jazz peuvent né pas plaire à tout le monde. Attention il faut obligatoirement prendre 2 boissons quand vous assistez au concert.