Conveniently located in the heart of Times Square near Penn Station and Port Authority, The B.B. King Blues Club & Grill offers music fans a unique experience. Owned by the Bensusan Family, proprietors of the world renowned Blue Note Jazz Club, the club features world-class musical talent and consists of two distinct spaces: the Showcase Room & Lucille’s Grill. B.B. King Blues Club & Grill offers music fans a unique experience. Owned by the Bensusan Family, proprietors of the world renowned Blue Note Jazz Club, the club features world-class musical talent and consists of two distinct spaces: the Showcase Room & Lucille’s Grill. The main space or "Showcase Room," is classical in form and spirit: two-tiered, horseshoe-shaped seating (booths & tables) centered around a 30-foot stage presents up close and personal views of all performances. The 40-foot bar is a haven for the reserved listener, while the 32-foot dance floor gives the energetic concertgoer room to shake. The atmosphere is enhanced with two 8-foot big video screens on either side of the stage. The menu mirrors the diversity of the city with a hint of Southern fare and is available during all seated shows. Aside from the "Showcase Room," Lucille’s Grill is one of Manhattan’s best-kept secrets. The mahogany framed, bi-level bar & grill offers an intimate yet casual dining atmosphere. Colorful contemporary art create the perfect environment for a memorable lunch or dinner. The menu highlights southern cuisine: fresh grilled seafood, classic salads, and hearty steaks accompanied with seasonal vegetables and mashed potatoes.

Sleep No More

Founded circa 1973, The Nuyorican Poets Cafe began as a living room salon in the East Village apartment of writer and poet, Miguel Algarin. Algarin, a college professor at the center of this blossoming arts community, was dedicated to bringing new work into the public eye. By 1975 it became clear that there were many poets and too much energy for Algarin's living room. William Morrow Inc. had just published an anthology titled “Nuyorican Poetry”. Miguel Piñero's “Short Eyes” had just won two awards as best play of the 1974 season. Poetry, the vital sign of a new culture, needed to be heard live. So Algarin rented an Irish bar, the Sunshine Cafe on East 6th Street, which was christened The Nuyorican Poets Cafe. By 1980, the overflow of audiences led the Cafe to purchase an “in rem” building at 236 East 3rd Street to expand its activities and programs. A non-profit organization, the Cafe has emerged as one of the country's most highly respected arts organizations and has become an acclaimed forum for innovative poetry, music, hip hop, video, visual arts, comedy and theatre. The mission of the Cafe is to create a multi-cultural venue that both nurtures artists and exhibits a variety of artistic works. Without limitation, they are dedicated to providing a stage for the arts with access for the widest public. The Cafe's purpose has always been to provide a stage for the artists traditionally under-represented in the mainstream media and culture; promoting their work while building an audience and providing an ongoing support system for them as they grow. The Nuyorican organization provides cultural programming to the whole of the East Village community. Their programming includes poetry and prose readings, theatrical and musical performances, and visual art exhibits. The weekly Poetry Slams are a hugely successful popularization of poetry conducted in mock epic contest judged by people selected at random from the audience. Their lesser known Theater Program has been awarded over 30 Audelco Awards and was honored with an OBIE Grant for excellence in theater. Theater events are held early evening from Thursday through Saturday with frequent Sunday matinees. The up and coming Latin Jazz Jam Session on Thursday nights fills the Cafe with its own special flavor and has been a weekly “Critics Choice” at New York Press for six consecutive years. Their Fifth Night Series has produced over 40 films from screenplay readings since its inception in January '94. Their Hip Hop events include an open mic and competitions for poets, freestylers and emcees, as well as collaborations for story tellers and jazz musicians – becoming a legendary hotbed for new talent. Finally, every month the comedy troupe, Nuyorican Rule, brings its humor on the urban, social, political and familial Latino experience to the Cafe.

Webster Hall has managed to soldier on over the years, while most of it's big club competitors long since called it a night. Their location in the East Village helps, and the club is something of an annex for less studious minded NYU students. Young crowds and cavernous space with many dark corners means you can expect the usual bacchanalian drives of the uninitiated, but ready to party, youth to find their outlet. With 5 or more unique environments throughout the building and a 1,500 capacity theatre space on the second floor, Webster Hall regularly hosts performances by the biggest artists in the world. Artists such as Ray Charles, Paul Simon, Green Day, The Killers, Prince, Nine Inch Nails, Micheal Bublé and Mick Jagger are among the notables that have graced Webster Hall's internationally recognized stage in recent years. Additionally, Webster Hall hosts the official NYC Halloween Parade Afterparty and New Years Eve Ball annually Webster Hall has a remarkable and long history. Built in 1886, designed by renowned architect Charles Rentz, Webster Hall was described as the "Jewel of the Village" by Eugene O'Neil. It was where the original bohemians, like Emma Goldman, Marcel DuChamp and Margaret Sangor, created unique costume balls to benefit nascent social and political causes. It was not unknown to witness Emma Goldman, the outspoken exponent of Anarchist philosophy on one night herald the cause of free love and birth control, and on the next, see the refined atmosphere and grace of a society function celebrating the nuptials of two of its elite. Based upon the bacchanals in Paris and called such names as the "Blind Man's Ball," "The Pagan Rout", and "The Futurist Ball" they created the reputation of Greenwich Village which exists today. As Floyd Dell recalled,"they were spontaneously joyous and deliberately beautiful, focusing in a mood of playfulness the passion for loveliness which was one of the things that brought us to the village." It was the birth of the modern nightclub. During prohibition, the balls moved from the social and political trends of the past to the hedonistic attitude of the "speak." Protection largess was lavished upon local politicians and the police who could turn a blind eye to the merrymakers who attended despite, or perhaps because of, whispers that the venue was owned by the infamous mobster Al Capone. Appropriately enough, prohibition's repeal was the cause for one of Webster Hall's most legendary celebrations "The Return of John Barleycorn." But the depression and new political orthodoxy ended nightlife's first golden age. In the 50's, R.C.A. Records recognized the extraordinary acoustical integrity of the building and converted it into their East Coast recording venue, Webster Hall studios. Carol Channing recorded "Hello Dolly," Harold Prince recorded "Fiddler on the Roof" and luminaries such as Julie Andrews, Elvis Presley, Tony Bennett and Frank Sinatra added their presence to the panoply of stars that the venue had witnessed. On May 1st, 1980 The Ritz opened as the famous showcase venue for emerging rock acts. Tina Turner, Eric Clapton, Prince, Sting, Kiss, B.B. King, and Guns n' Roses all performed on what was routinely called,"the best stage in New York City." The Ritz was the first nightclub to feature a video component, which soon set the trend across America. The Ritz relocated in 1986 giving the opportunity for Webster Hall to be born. In 1990, the Ballinger Family from Toronto, Canada, rewrote the rulebook on New York nightlife. They restored the luster of Webster Hall, fusing state of the art audio, video, and lighting technology with the spirit of the past. The original color scheme was painstakingly recreated and once again Webster Hall is a shining jewel of New York City.