Top 15 Best Bars On Broadway NYC’s

New York City has over 40 theaters in its famous Theater District. When the lights go down and the shows start, magic happens! The crowds get excited. Playbills rustle. Lights dim.

What better way to make your Broadway night special than with yummy drinks? The bars around the theaters help set the mood. Cocktails before the show get you ready for a great performance. Nightcaps after the final curtain let you talk about the show with friends.

The area around Broadway has bars to match anyone’s taste. Some places look old-fashioned and classy. Other fun spots feel like secret hangouts from the Prohibition days. The theater food and drinks perfectly complement the one-of-a-kind entertainment.

Want to mix quality drinks with award-winning theater? As a top spot for arts and nightlife, New York City has so much going on. Keep reading for the best bars on Broadway-area bars to start your next theater adventure!

The Long Island Bar

Address : 110 Atlantic Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11201, United States

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Working Hours : 2 pm–12 am

The Long Island Bar is a neighborhood favorite in Downtown Brooklyn. It has served customers for over 50 years. The neon sign glows, welcoming people going to shows at the theaters nearby. Inside, the diner-style booths and granite bar feel homey – great for grabbing drinks before performances.

You can enjoy inexpensive beer, wine, or cocktails at The Long Island without hurting your wallet. Beers and basic mixed drinks run about $5-10. There are good wine options too, with glasses around $12. Happy hour from 4-7pm on weekdays has even more deals.

You can also fill up on tasty American bar food like wings, burgers, and loaded fries. It’s nice to get your stomach ready before shows. Or come back late and refuel after laughing and cheering the night away, Broadway in nyc.

With good prices, filling food, and a fun vibe since the 1970s, The Long Island Bar is easy to reach near subways and trains. I like to come a bit early, settle in with a cheap drink, and get excited for the entertainment ahead. It’s also a nice low-key spot for recaps and late snacks after the crowds thin out.

Friedman’s

Address : 132 W 31st St, New York, NY 10001, United States

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Working Hours : 8:30 am–9 pm

Treat yourself to Friedman’s lounge inside The Edison Hotel on West 47th Street. It has gorgeous art deco design – think Jazz Age glam with sleek leather sofas and glittering black stone bar. You’ll love sipping seasonal or rare cocktails while sampling gourmet small bites, steps from Restaurant Row theaters.

Knowledge able bartenders can mix drinks suited to you, whether smoky mezcal cocktails or lighter flavors with fresh juices and herbs. Pair them with grilled flat breads or chickpea fritters with spiced yogurt and honey. With quality libations and shareables, you’ll be fully taken care of.

I suggest visiting Friedman’s before seeing August Wilson playhouse shows across the street. Return after for plush seats and victory toasts with unique cocktails worth celebrating.

The Ragtrader

Address : Between 5th & 6th, 70 W 36th St., Park Slope, NY 10018, United States

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Working Hours : 11:30 am–2 am

Hidden down a tree-lined street, The Ragtrader transports you to old New York. Its facade has vintage cafe signs for Bo-Peep Cocktails and Highball Store. Inside, antique tchotchkes along with decorative taxidermy sheep create a quirky 19th-century feel.

Cozy curtained booths invite intimate talks, but the real highlight is expertly made pre -Prohibition cocktails. Friendly bartenders in ties serve authentic recipes from the Jazz Age. You’ll also find artisanal highballs – quality liquor mixed with small-batch sodas, Best Bars for Broadway.

With mood lighting and vintage music playing, The Ragtrader is relaxed for chatting over stiff pours. I like meeting friends before shows at open tables without fighting crowds. Or debrief top moments alone at the bar after, stirring memories over a classic Martini or Manhattan.

This unique Theater District find transports you to historic New York amidst modern hustle and bustle right outside. Its vintage decor and earnest service let you disappear into an old-world storybook scene – perfect for pre-show networking or post-show nightcaps recapping dramatic highs.

Bemelman’s Bar

Address : 35 E 76th St, New York, NY 10075, United States

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Working Hours : 12 pm–1 am

Named after a famous children’s book writer, Bemelman’s Bar at the Carlyle Hotel is classy yet lively. Hand-painted Central Park murals with storybook character Madeline set the magical mood. Glittering gold ceilings, black stone bar, and pretty lamps add glamour that makes any show night feel special.

Creative martinis are the specialty – the perfect Broadway nightcap! Try unique options like the zesty Lychee Martini or cherry-topped Bemelmans Manhattan. Extensive wine offerings from California vineyards to French regions offer ideal show toasts too.

Relaxing live music starts at 5:30 pm nightly with rotating jazz trios and pianists playing smooth lounge versions of classics. Come early to get bar seats near fabulous local musicians. Grab plush booths to catch up with friends before heading to shows. Return after for effortless beats.

With artistic flair, signature drinks, and musical entertainment, Bemelman’s brings upscale yet laidback sophistication to show nights out. Its refined vibe makes a memorable spot for toasting talent and recapping memorable moments.

The Shakespeare Tavern

Address : 24 E 39th St, New York, NY 10016, United States

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Working Hours : 11:30 am–2 am

Inside The William hotel, The Shakespeare Tavern brings ornate wood-beamed British pub charm to Midtown NYC. Iron chandeliers and candlelit nooks evoke an old English feel. Hearty fare like crispy fish and chips or rich shepherd’s pie pair nicely with brews from across the pond.

Sip from 30+ draft beers from Britain and Ireland in beloved styles. Try complex bitters and nutty brown ales from small regional makers. Smooth Irish stouts from Dublin’s iconic Guinness or Samuel Smith’s brands make familiar, delicious options. The authentic setting helps literary-minded crowds feel right at home.

Clever bartenders also mix literary-inspired cocktails. Ponder dictatorships sipping The Orwell with coffee liqueur, rum, and bitters. Daydream on the English moors with floral, foamy The Bronte. Such creative yet classic drinks lend gravitas and whimsy to show nights out.

With sophistication, familiar drinks, and bookish personality, The Shakespeare brings genuine British hideaway vibes to NYC’s culture core. Share pints and hearty pub plates laughing loudly between hushed showings on nearby stages. Return to cozy corners or belly up to the welcoming bar, toasting brilliant playwrights and mixologists alike, Best Bar Broadway in NYC.

The Long Room

Address : 120 W 44th St, New York, NY 10036, United States

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Working Hours : 11:30 am–4 am

Above Midtown’s Library Hotel, The Long Room’s unmarked red door makes you feel like a VIP entering a hidden 1920s speakeasy. Climb the narrow stairs to a moody, bordello-esque space with rich wood walls and high-backed leather chairs circled around banquettes.

Historic New York-inspired punch cocktails are the specialty. Try The Hoffman House, named after a legendary 19th-century hotel, blending rye and cognac. Experience 1920s Coney Island fun with fruity brandy, chartreuse and falernum in The Old Coney Island. Dainty tea sandwiches and decadent skillet mac and cheese perfect pre- or post-show appetites.

True book lovers can browse the Library’s floor-to-ceiling shelves in cozy reading nooks – a perfect trip back through literary decades. Meet a friend for hushed talk in secluded leather chairs before being awed by Broadway’s lyrical talents. Return afterward for a nightcap amidst inspiring reading options surrounding on all sides.

From cocktails restaurants NYC times square & old NYC sites to endless books in hideaways, The Long Room’s nostalgic layers encourage a Golden Age mindset, priming you for the theater magic just outside its doors.

Robert Restaurant

Address : 2 Columbus Cir, New York, NY 10019, United States

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Working Hours : 12–11 pm

On West 44th Street amid theaters, Robert Restaurant brings early 1900s Paris charm with amber mood lighting, leather booths, and hand-painted French countryside murals. Luxe velvet curtains section off an elegant bar and lounge for creative cocktails.

Drawing from vintage Paris guides, the bar recreates classics and crafts new concoctions. Sip the sublime, creamy La Dame Blanche with gin and elderflower. Try the Boulevard, briskly blending rye whiskey, sweet vermouth, Campari and absinthe. Ingredients feel familiar yet fresh.

Dark woods and candlelight encourage lingering into the night after shows. Meet someone special at the bar post-performance. Unwind in plush corners, stirring memories of moving scenes while indulging in lighter drinks and sweet crepes. Robert makes a singular, evocative nightcap spot amongst cookie-cutter tourist places nearby.

Bar Centrale

Address : 324 W 46th St, New York, NY 10036, United States

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Working Hours : 5–11:30 pm

Bar Centrale brings sleek midcentury style to Restaurant Row, an upscale continental escape from neon tourist traps. Inside find gorgeous custom walnut walls, glowing onyx bar, and artsy abstract installations. It feels like a swanky Italian club, but intimately welcoming.

The extensive wine program traverses classic Italian and French regions alongside natural Mediterranean varietals from Slovenia to Greece. Sample unique Italian liqueurs and fortified wines. Pair with cheese or charcuterie to line your stomach before Studio 54 or Majestic Theater shows steps away.

Seasonal cocktails feature Italian liqueurs, wines, and local ingredients. Enjoy the rose wine Spritz & Rose before comedies and musicals. Return afterward to linger over the rhubarb-and-gin Bittersweet Aperol, reminiscing on favorite moments.

With sleek warmth and hospitality, Bar Centrale offers an alluring escape from the masses. Meet for pre-theater negronis, bonding before awe-inspiring spectacles nearby. Reunite afterward over espresso martinis either slow-sipped digestifs, toasting standing-ovation talent.

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Conclusion

From neighborhood bars to hidden gems, New York indulges showgoers’ cocktail cravings before and after Broadway blockbusters. But bypassing crammed tourist spots makes for more memorable nights overall. The unique venues covered fully immerse you in experiences tied to spectacular shows.

Beyond quality drinks, these bars come alive through distinctive ambiances channeling past eras, iconic cultural movements and faraway places. Their intimate feels foster pre-show bonding then fuel lively post-show discussions dissecting scenes.

When that next epic production calls under bright marquees, make your night truly spectacular. Discover the perfect theater companion here – then ‘Break a leg‘ out on the legendary Great White Way!