I know about Jazz at Kitano and St. Peter's Church on the East Side, but I was always under the impression that most of the action was on the West Side. I have already covered Jazz at Lincoln Center...
This concept may be somewhat out of date...because scenes are always shifting in New York...for all I would know, the hottest new jazz places are in Brooklyn ..but a look at Yelp listings insists that the Jazz Scene in Midtown West is still going strong....
Well, here is Yelp review of Birdland and then a list of Jazz Places in Midtown West
Birdland
144 reviews
Rating Details
Categories:
Jazz & Blues,
Cajun/Creole,
Southern
[Edit]
315 W 44th St(between 8th Ave & 9th Ave)
New York, NY 10036
Neighborhoods: Hell's Kitchen, Midtown West, Theater District
(212) 581-3080
- Nearest Transit Station:
- 42 St - Port Authority Bus Terminal (A, C, E)Times Sq - 42 St (7, 7X)Times Sq - 42 St (S)
- Delivery:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Dressy
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Price Range:
- $$$
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner, Late Night
- Music:
- Live
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Sat, Sun
- Happy Hour:
- No
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- Yes
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Ambience:
- Intimate, Classy
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
About This Business:
Great live music! Local, national and internationally renowned talent in an intimate Upper West Side setting with world-class sound. Blues, rock, R&B,… read more »
144 reviews for Birdland
Review Highlights What's this?
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"They also take requests through the Tommy Igoe webpage." In 8 reviews
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"Talented musicians, fair priced food and faire for Manhattan." In 19 reviews
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"named after famed saxophonist Charlie Parker, birdland is a must-go..." In 5 reviews
Rating Distribution | Trend
144 reviews in English
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Review from Justin P.
- 3 friends
We visited Birdland for the Sunday night Latin big band and it did not disappoint!
The menu consisted of delicious Southern-style cuisine. We were eating light that night, so we split the crab cake appetizer and each had a fish entrée. The crab cake was among the finest I've had and each of our entrées had a unique flavor and were well cooked.
Now to the MUSIC! The band was top notch, featuring the city's top musicians heard on many recordings today. Saxophonist David DeJesus is leading the band these days, in place of Arturo O'Farrill, and does a fine job. Birdland is a little larger than other clubs, so it wasn't too loud and you could hear everything clearly.
Make sure you arrive early! The best tables go quick, but most tables have a great view of the stage. -
Review from Stan P.
- 5 friends
We went for Jim Caruso's Cast Party on a Monday night, no dinner, just drinks.
The show turned out to be a who's who of Broadway shows, with several of 2013's TONY nominees up on stage singing whatever song they felt like. But wait, there's more, past TONY winners were there including Rupert Holmes in a huge surprise appearance.
Tickets were $20 with a $10 dollar food or drink per person minimum, and at those prices, sign me up since there is no way in the world you are ever going to be able to see that caliber of performers at that price. -
Review from Amanda J.
- Elite '13
- 31 friends
I came to Birdland on a non-jazz night so take it with a grain of salt if you are coming for the jazz.
I came here with a group of friends, and we all dragged our butts to midtown from our respective boroughs for a fun night out. It was $27/ ticket for a side section to see Miranda Sings, and there was a $10 minimum for food/drink per person as well. The Manhattanites didn't bat an eyelash, but this Queens dweller was feeling like the ticket price was a little steep for an hour long show. We really enjoyed it, though, so it was worth it.
The set up is ok, although we did have an awful lot of pre-teenagers floating around which kills any kind of atmosphere. From beer to cocktails, everyone was happy with their drinks, and nothing was watered down. We also had a hummus appetizer that would have been best split between two people instead of four, but it was pretty good. Naturally, the prices are steep, but it is to be expected.
The only real complaint was that they started seating people really early, and we almost didn't get a table together when we got there a 1/2 hour early. The site specifically said they would not start seating any earlier than a half hour before the show.
I would definitely come back to Birdland for the jazz, but I'll probably have to hit the lottery before I can afford it again.Listed in: Yelp 100 Challenge- NYC -
Review from Dave J.
- 17 friends
I went there for the first time in 2010 when I was an exchange music student here in New York. In may there was John Scofield's band playing jazz standards with Mulgrew Miller, Ben Street and Kendrick Scott. I saved money to be able to go every night even if it was only to the first set.
The first night the manager asked me how come that I booked every night and I explained that John Scofield was my hero so that night he let me stay both sets. The second night I went in and there was a post-it with my name on my favorite chair at the bar (where you're standing close to the band) and he also let me stay both sets. I ended up going every night both sets for a week and it was an experience that I will never forget. I don't remember the manager's name but I will definetly always be thankful to him and the crew over there. One of the best experiences of my life! -
Review from Athena C.
- Elite '13
- 569 friends
This is a very nice Jazz club. They serve food and alcohol here to keep you busy while listening to performances here. Service is good and performance is usually pretty top-notched.
The admission is usually $10 to $20 so it is not too steep. It is a good place to go on a date or with fellow music lovers! -
Review from Jen K.
- 36 friends
Saw Monty Alexander perform his set at Birdland. Fortunately, we had pretty good seats, we could see the keyboard and his magic displayed. Nice ambiance but the service is a bit slow. At least the drinks are strong and nice chill atmosphere to listen to great jazz,
The cover is a bit steep at $40 especially since we felt compelled to order drinks.
The location is quite convenient being that it was right next to Broadway where we caught a show beforehand. Quite a nice place to go after watching a show.
It is too bad that the current location isn't original to where the Jazz Greats have performed but a lot of talented performers have played here nonetheless. -
Review from Kevin W.
- Elite '13
- 143 friends
It's got the name, but does the venue deliver? I'm happy to say that it does.
You've probably heard of all the jazz legends that have stepped foot in here. The place has a really cool vibe, and what I like most is that it doesn't feel totally jammed like many other jazz clubs. You can sit down, have a nice dinner and grab drinks without feeling crushed by your neighbors. The seats are comfortable and the sight lines are all good for the most part.
The drinks there are fine and the $10 minimum is fairly reasonable even for light drinkers. One cocktail runs you about $12 so you can get by with one drink if you're not looking to get smashed before a show (and why would you at a jazz bar?). My only issue is that if you're stuck on the far left and right of the stage and you're in the back, you'll have some issues with the line of sight but that's pretty much in most places. The reason why it feels more noticeable here is because the venue is very wide (and not very deep), so unlike other clubs where it may be a long line of chairs looking straight ahead, this is more like seats spread across width-wise across the stage (instead of length-wise). That's why you might get some sight issues, but it's a minor problem since you're there to listen to the music anyway.And now for the Midtown West Jazz Scene Overall...
Jazz Clubs Nyc Midtown West, Manhattan, NY
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1. Birdland
$$$ Jazz & Blues, Cajun/Creole, SouthernHell's Kitchen, Midtown West, Theater District
315 W 44th St
New York, NY 10036 (212) 581-3080Birdland is definitely one of the fancier jazz clubs in NYC. it's big enough to hold bands like the Maria Schneider Jazz Orchestra, but also small enough for a trio to fill the whole room -
Midtown West, Theater District
1650 Broadway
New York, NY 10019 (212) 582-2121Seems like some of the naysayers don't really know how jazz clubs work. Fact is, Iridium is one of the cheapest places in NYC to see major jazz artists. Shows usually cost $30 or $35 -
3. Bar on 5th
Midtown West
400 5th Ave
New York, NY 10018 (212) 695-4005Simply perfect. This chic bar oozes NYC style! Live Jazz performances including a grand piano create a true pleasurable experience. I highly recommend dinning at Ai Fiore located in the Setai -
4. Swing 46
Hell's Kitchen, Midtown West, Theater District
349 W 46th St
New York, NY 10036 (212) 262-9554Thank you fellow yelpers for this wonderful find! My good friend Freddy R. and I wanted to go to check out a jazz club during our short stay in in NYC. Unfortunately this place is located -
5. Jazz Standard
$$$ Jazz & Blues, BarbequeFlatiron
116 E 27th St
New York, NY 10016 (212) 576-2232Great music and drinks, food is decent and pricing is right for NYC. My first time in Jazz Club in NYC and I am totally satisfied by the service, venue and the entertainment. -
6. Russian Vodka Room
$$ Lounges, Russian, Jazz & BluesMidtown West, Theater District
265 W 52nd St
New York, NY 10019 (212) 307-5835Wow, this will be the 94th review of this place so, I really can't say anything more about RVR. It's just like NYC, it's a place that you're going to like or not so much for you. For me, as -
7. Sake Bar Hagi
$$ Japanese, Jazz & BluesMidtown West, Theater District
152 W 49th St
New York, NY 10019 (212) 764-8549because it was August.( FYI for tourists August is the cheapest time to come to NYC but weather may be a gamble.) But apparently Japanese tourists know about Sake Bar Hagi. I saw Saki Bar… -
Midtown West, Theater District
237 West 42nd St
New York, NY 10036 (212) 997-4144suggest grabbing something before the show. I did enjoyed the house beer, has a light, fruity after taste. Overall, i dont think this is the best place to see a show. It's a jazz club… -
Upper West Side
33 W 60th St, 5th Fl
New York, NY 10023 (212) 258-9595display outside. I have been to a few of the other clubs in NYC within this price rating like Joe's Pub in Astor Place and The Jazz Standard in the Flatiron district, and so far Dizzy's is my -
Upper West Side
33 W 60th St, Fl 11
New York, NY 10023 (212) 258-9800Went to a jazz concert here and was amazed at the jaw-dropping venue. It's got the NYC street movements and shiny buildings as backdrop, which somehow makes the music sound so current
This list is continued ( it goes on and on, to my amazement)--to see the rest, go to
http://www.yelp.com/search?find_desc=Jazz+Clubs+Nyc&find_loc=Midtown+West%2C+Manhattan%2C+NY
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