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Joe's Pub
Rating Details »
Category: Music Venues [Edit]
Neighborhood: NoHo425 Lafayette Street
(between 4th St & Astor Pl)
New York, NY 10003
(212) 539-8770
- Nearest Transit:
-
Astor Place (6)
8th St-Broadway (R, W)
Downtown Bleecker St-Lafayette St (6, B, D, F, V)
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Music:
- Live
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Sat, Sun
- Happy Hour:
- No
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- No
62 reviews for Joe's Pub
This is a great venue for intimate performances. I came here twice for shows. The first show my friends and I got tickets for but didn't reserve seating, so we were allowed to sit on these plateaus that lead to tables. It's more comfortable than it sounds because they were cushioned for such occasions.
The second time we went, we had reserved tables. Can't really say if it was more comfortable or not, but I do know the food here is pricey. I'm told there is a $12 minimum, but with their prices you'd have to get something over that anyway if you want something to eat. I had a seafood appetizer that wasn't all that great for $15. On top of that, I was missing items from my plate. The waitress (as lovely as she is) compensated the items, but later on over billed us for dessert. Then that was rectified, but then there was a two credit card limit for payment when we had three to split.
Needless to say, I had wish the service to go a little better, but I guess these things happen. But if you can come here without having to pay for food, take advantage of that.
It took me nearly a year to get here; I always imagined I'd be seeing Jay Brannan here every couple of months. When I finally did get to see a show, it turned out to be a Jeffrey & Cole live performance. And it was actually my second time seeing them.
I can't claim to be the number one fan of this venue. I like the people who work here- the girl who sold me ticket was a delight. But when I finally got in to see the show (I was more towards the front of the line for once) the person seating me asked if I wanted to be 'near the front of the stage'. I said yes, obviously... and she put me in a corner. NOBODY PUTS BABY IN A CORNER! But in the corner I sat like a good little bitch. And I should have bitched... because it somewhat ruined my experience. Very pretty interior, though. Homey. I would like to see a concert at some point here because it would be the small, intimate experience I like best.
This is one of those 2 drink minimum places... which I really hate. The drinks were good, but... I just spent more here than I really wanted to. Especially when I couldn't even see the show. I wish I could give more details about the show itself... I was laughing kind of a lot. "Becky" (Max Steele) was there, who they kept introducing as "recurring character and fan favorite" - it really was funny every time. The plot of the show was about an evil nanny who seduces Jeffrey. Cole gets kicked out, but comes back to save Jeffrey in the end. They also punctuated the act breaks with scenes from their show on Logo. I saw both Alan Cumming and John Cameron Mitchell in the line waiting to get in, so that was kind of cool.
I would totally go see a show here again. Just have to save up my pennies. And p.s. not let them put me in the corner ever again.
Went here to see Andrew W.K. and the Calder Quartet so I don't know that much about this place other than it's gorgeous inside- not what I expected from a place with the word "pub" in the title. Dim lights and high ceiling- great for acoustic sounds.
There's a center stage surrounded by tables that patrons can just reach out and touch the performers - which did happen that night. Or more like, the performer reached out and touched the patrons.
Anyhoo, there's another level in the back in front of the bar and for people, who weren't lucky enough to get a table, to stand. The place is small and intimate that wherever you sit, or stand, you'll get a nice view of the stage.
The only reason I give this place a 4 star is because I haven't tried their food.
Dear Amanda,
Glad to have you at tonight's performance of William Fitzsimmons. Although he's a gloomy sort of fellow you seemed to enjoy yourself, the candlelit atmosphere, and that fourteen dollar huckleberry martini. We realize the drink and food prices are a little high - but think of the greater good. First of all, give it up for some of the best acoustics you'll hear in a cabaret space. Secondly, how about that random choir that sang backup, and surprise visit by Jenny Owen Youngs! Thirdly, your seat was a sneeze away from W.Fitz! Yes your head was cranked weirdly sideways the whole show and you were crammed in sitting next to lovers on dates, but aren't you glad you made a reservation?
The Public is a big fat non-profit theatre in New York City who's mission includes making amazing performances affordable or free for everyone. Sometimes free can mean waiting in line for hours on end, or entering online lotteries night after night without luck - but by purchasing that $14 mozzarella panini cut into 8 toasty morsels you've supported the bigger picture. Our chefs see the bigger picture too: an artist performing in an intimate setting while hungry folks have paid to munch, therefor engineering your meal in a way that enables you to take small discrete nibbles in-between songs. Makes you want to cut all of your sandwiches that way doesn't it?
We appreciate patrons like you too - applauding, putting your napkin in your lap, paying with cash, purchasing merchandise, making small talk with strangers outside about how they "came all the way from Long Island to see Zach Braff because they heard he was coming to this show from his facebook status update", and spreading the word about how awesome The Public is.
We hope to see you back for other performances, and if you keep up that snappy attitude of yours perhaps you'll get to wiggle your way backstage and have more heart to hearts and hugs with more mega stars in the future.
Thanks again for your continued support - high fives from Oskar!
Always,
Joe's Pub
I've heard about this place before. A friend of my invited me to his friend's performance recently and the theater itself was very nice. inside it has tables and full bar. More like a high class live performance place.
That's exactly what I experienced here. it was absolutely amazing performance. service was great. drinks were standard price. and it's completely worth of paying to see performance here.
I'm looking forward to come back here to see another one in the near future!!
I first met Joe's Pub with skepticism. I was invited to watch a friend perform. It was a cheap ticket and I invited others to join. One of my friends recommended to reserve a table. The disclaimer was that with table service came a $12 minimum per person. Fees on top of ticket prices? I was a little embarrassed to ask my friends to pay even more. I found out that even if you do standing room, you are still obligated to the $12 minimum. It makes no sense at all other than this is Joe's Pub's money maker. I decided to stick with the plan and got a table. Get a table! You might as well be comfortable if you're gonna pay regardless.
I was a first timer at Joe's Pub and thought it to be pretty. It was nice, similar to Yoshi's in the Bay. And just how my friend had insulted Calle Ocho by calling it Chevy's, I had done the same to Joe's Pub. "Are you kidding me? This is MUCH NICER than Yoshi's!" she said to me. Lorraine D was right. Joe's Pub blows Yoshi's away. It has a flair of sophistication and it also looks hotter than any Las Vegas club without the sleaze. The tables and bar are illuminated and the only dim lighting available were purple and blue spotlights.
We got around the minimum per person by ordering a bottle of wine (chosen from a lacking selection of about 5 kinds of whites and reds) and bruschetta and fries. Our bill came out to $20 a head. It wasn't too bad since we were at an early show and this was our pre dinner to get us through the night. We needed to eat and drink so we weren't just ordering for the hell of it. Again, I will reiterate how ridiculous the table seating policy is. Joe's Pub says it stops seating people at 6:15 PM. This is their ploy to get you to order more. Shows don't start until 7:30 PM. We got to Joe's Pub at 6 and the gates weren't even open yet.
All that aside, Joe's Pub provided excellent sound and an up close and personal experience with your act du jour. I'll take Joe's Pub any day along with all the bad. If you ever have a chance, check out the sounds of Sarah Tracey and The Old Ceremony. It'll be the next best thing to checking them out live at Joe's Pub.
This is the bottom line with Joes Pub: It is a fantastic space to see your favorite performers play, but the $12 minimum and their food menu just plain stinks. How do you screw up cheese quesadillas? How?!!
The sorbet was passable, but not at 7 dollars. I haven't had the cocktails, but they are all priced at $14, so don't expect to get out of this place without spending at least 20.
That said I have loved everything I have ever seen there and will be back in august. If they got rid of that minimum I would come even more often as most of the ticket prices are vary reasonable.
A great place to hear music ruined by a horribly rude staff and overpriced food.
We recently booked a table at Joe's Pub to have a seat for the night's music but after dealing with their hostess, I'll never return to Joe's Pub. We bought tickets to see a great band play at 7:30, which meant that to secure a table we needed to be there by 6:30, which we were happy to do until we saw the food and the price that went with it.
During the course of our meal we struggled through a 20 dollar burnt hamburger that tasted like I was licking a dirty grill and a soggy caesar salad that could never justify being priced like an entree.
While we ate, our waitress got into intermittent arguments with the table next to us about what they had/had not ordered (oh, the ambiance) and after a couple drinks we ended up with the single most disappointing $120 dollar meal ever (2 people). But to top off the entire evening, the second the lights came up on the show the hostess came to our table and spoke to us for the FIRST time: "Do you guys need your bill? Because you need to go." We had already paid, by the way. But the hostess was going table to table driving people out of the room.
Are you kidding? We haven't had time to get our coats on and they are hell bent on ushering out every person that sat through a terrible meal for prime seats to a band.
We gathered our coats, hats and scarves (it was freezing outside) and made our way to the foyer to find the bathroom and get directions to our next stop in the evening. Before we could do either, the hostess came back and told us we needed to leave because they had to turn the room.
At this point, not 5 minutes had gone by from the end of the band's set and we were no longer in the dining area. Another waiter/host came by and was equally rude to us telling us we had to leave immediately and the hostess screamed from the other room that we "had to leave the building, actually."
That's some way to treat your customers.
Avoid Joe's Pub at all costs. They don't deserve your business.
I was slightly horrified when I arrived for the Dolly tribute show at this "Pub" and found a full-on music venue... was it crazy of me to have expected a bar. We were one of the first groups in, but of course we didn't have a table reservation, so we had to pony up to the standing room only bar in the back where we were shocked by the $9 well drinks served in candle holders (for serious). We were all little perturbed by (what I admit was) our lack of understanding of this environment when the hosted squeezed her way through the crowd and made a bee-line directly for my friends and asked if we wanted a table! Heck yeah we do!
Proceed to awesome night with much butt-in-chair dancing and sing along action! I've learned my lesson: reserve a table!
I love Joe's Pub. I had a blast when I saw my boyfriend play there and sold merchandise during The Bjorkestra show with Shayna Steele. I really liked the vibe there, the lighting, and the front door staff were ever so friendly and fun. I love Joe's Pub and look forward to going there much more!
Justin Bond was on the bill at Joe's Pub, so my friend and I forked over the $20 cover and went. I was a little dismayed by the cover charge, but once inside had forgotten my woes and was oohing and ahing over the space. It's reminiscint of a speakeasy, with dark candlelit ambiance, velvet walls, scattered tables and a full bar.
For this San Francisco gal, I appreciated the opportunity to actually be able to SIT at a show -- such a novelty -- and actually be served cocktails and food (gasp). The specialty cocktails run about $12-14 and I'm pretty sure our fries were $10. So, when all was said and done it was not a cheap night on the town.
Still, it's a treat to be able to see one of your fave artists up close, so I'd probably fork it over again depending on the act. A great date place! Sexy, romantic and PDA is practically on the menu.
4 stars for the ambience
2 stars for the food.
I go to a number of shows here. Get there early as they play right on the dot. It's a classy place to hear some indie music. There's a ticket and a $12 food/drink minimum if you want to sit.
The sound is wonderful and there's not a bad seat/place to stand in the house. The rumbling of the subway tracks are only annoying if you're there for a quiet acoustic set, but if you're there to see Amy Winehouse, Kate Nash, or Adele they can easily overpower the rumbling tracks.
But seriously, $10 for a plate of french fries?
Joe's Pub is excellent for shows ... saw the Broadway Boys there and it was a nice venue. BUT it gets two stars for the food. We had brunch... the menu was quite limited and way too expensive for the quality of the meal. Next time I see a show there, I will eat before (or I suppose after) the show.
I'm so torn over what to write about Joe's Pub. I saw one of my very favourite vocalists play here and it was an absolutely kick ass show, certainly in part due to the venue.
Let's start with the good: They book great acts. There are very few bad seats in the place. It's an incredibly intimate sitting in which to see a performer, even more so if that performer happens to be one of your favourites. All of these are big pluses, but the minuses pack a pretty hard punch.
For starters, if you don't make a dinner reservation, you're stuck in the back by the bar. One glance in the direction of the bar and you'll notice that it is far from spacious. We made dinner reservations out of sheer excitement for the show, which leads me to my next issue: the food is ridiculously, deliriously expensive. As are the drinks. And there is a food/drink minimum in addition to the cost of admission -- which isn't even for the whole night, but rather for a particular act. Our show started early and we were out of there before 9, but not before paying a small fortune for our food (which was decent, if overpriced) and drinks.
In Heath R.'s review, he writes that the problem is that "Joe's Pub isn't a music venue. It's a dinner theater that, instead of hosting theater events, hosts music performances. So it acts like a dinner theater: Prices are high, drinks are costly, the seats are an unnecessary inconvenience, and they hope you order a meal to claim your table seating." As he concluded, that makes sense -- if you're going to the theatre. If you're heading out to see your favourite band, though, it's a bit of a nightmare, and certainly not a place those on a budget can frequent.
4 stars for the venue, but 3 stars (I'm being generous) when the expense and various lofty expectations of patrons are factored into the mix.
The plus side: they have great acts. They book great shows here. The sound system is good and there are few bad seats in the place.
The down side: The food on the late night "light fare" menu teeters between terrible and barely passable, which is unfortunate. I would not recommend eating anything here after 11PM unless you're too drunk to care. Given how bad it was I'm scared away from trying anything from their dinner menu. Of course, if you're not going to be eating you might not get a table. Tough trade off. Maybe standing at the bar is the way to go here when catching a late show.
After being herded in and out like cattle then served food that would be just fine in the kind of place that sells pitchers of beer for what they charge here for a glass I'm left disappointed. I know I shouldn't judge a place based on their late night menu, but this was a case of the kitchen not even trying. Not to mention how the service gets in the way of watching the show (through no fault of the servers) because of the layout of the place. To top it off the decor looks like the coolest place in some Podunk town circa 1988. It doesn't even work on a kitsch level.
I'm glad this place exists because this town needs a good venue for the mid-tier acts booked here. Maybe the kitchen does a better job with the dinner menu (I'd say they'd almost HAVE to). The show I saw was great, but Joe's Pub did not strike me as great at all. Two stars.
Even when the show is campy or young at heart, this place makes me feel all grown up.
Beware of the terrible house cocktails, though, and stick to the basics.
I dig Joe's Pub and have wanted to go there for a long time! Named after the Public Theatre founder, Joseph Papp (y'all should be thanking him--without him there'd be no "Chorus Line", "Dreamgirls", "Hair" (and no, I'm not referring to the movies!), or Shakespeare in the Park!), Joe's Pub is a little slice of what NYC and this particular area of NYC was in the 70's - 90's-- a place for performance with a little bit of grit. Joe would've liked it.
This is an intimate space--you'll see the performers sweat, it's that close. The space is comfortable with tables, couches, and cushions...so comfotable that the woman next to us (we were on the couches) was all curled up with her shoes off. There's also a bar along the back wall with tables as well.
Joe's serves food before/during shows and I don't mean bar food. They have beautiful dishes--pasta, meat, fish.
The space is handicapped accessible though I did read on the site that you should call ahead (site specifies a number and the hours during which to call). There are steps going into Joe's, but I take it they have a ramp. Restrooms can fit a chair.
I am so effing torn about Joe's Pub that I'm not quite sure if this review will come out right. On the one hand, I love Joe's Pub. And on the other hand, I hate it. Or at least dislike going there. I guess I'm a reluctant patron. And that's not a good thing.
What do I love? The music and performances that are held at Joe's Pub. Their booking is extremely high quality and consistent, and if you're interested in slightly upscale downtown music, Joe's Pub is for you. I've seen Ethan Lipton, Eleni Mandell, and Loser's Lounge there, and every show has been excellent -- despite the fact that it was held at Joe's Pub, not because.
What do I hate? The venue. I've not gone to a more uncomfortable, standoffish, and expensive place in New York City for music. Let's take last night's Loser's Lounge show as an example. Tickets cost $25. C. has a friend in the band, so we got one comp -- which made going bearable. (We also got to go backstage, and I spied John Flansburgh.)
If you don't have a table or dinner reservation, you're directed to the bar area, which can get pretty crowded pretty quickly. Let's say you order a couple of drinks. C. got a ginger ale. It cost $5. I got a 7&7. It cost $11. Huh? $16 plus tip for a ginger ale and a 7&7?
After we stood by the bar for awhile, I found the manager and asked if any seats were open -- if you wait for the people with reservations to straggle in, you can ask for leftover seats at the end, but it's not really welcomed that you just sit down on your own. Luckily, there were two seats open, and we got two on the edge of the floor. (I do thank the manager.) It was a little close and tight, but I was glad to be seated -- and the show was awesome.
What I think is happening is this: Joe's Pub isn't a music venue. It's a dinner theater that, instead of hosting theater events, hosts music performances. So it acts like a dinner theater: Prices are high, drinks are costly, the seats are an unnecessary inconvenience, and they hope you order a meal to claim your table seating.
When you think of it in that light, it all makes sense: $50 in tickets, $20 in drinks, who knows how much the food costs. But that's a night at the theater. It's a night at the opera.
It's not a night out seeing bands, though.
A little background, so you know Im not just some scorned whiner. Well, not in this case, anyway-
I go to at LEAST 300 live shows a year. For many years I PLAYED live shows at least 3 times a week.. all over the US in all places, big and small. Cheap and fancy and everything in between.
Joe's Pub has got to be one of the WORST venues a person can attend a show at. Let's start with the basic and obvious:
-Much like the Blue Note and other swank NY clubs, Joe's Pub charges a ticket price as well as a drink/food cover. The ticket and cover are for ONE show, not for the night. You can go in at 7:30pm and be out by 8:30. One band. Want to stay for the night? Keep repaying admission and covers. You would think that with 2 and sometimes 3 shows a night where they clear the whole house out and refill it with new patrons that you would be able to get in for fairly cheap. No. The CHEAP nights are $15 a head, before cover.
-The food/drink prices are OUTRAGEOUS. In this city where $3 PBR's are frowned upon, Joe's cheapest beer is 8. Cheapest glass of wine, $12. Food? Why bother? You will pay 4 star prices for shit they probably pull from Soup and Burger across the street. And of course, you HAVE to get something.
-The sound is about as bad as you can get outside of a karaoke bar. There is NO excuse for a venue of this size to have such a bad sound system. They charge plenty for entry and food, how about re-investing some of that money in decent mics and a skilled sound crew? If you are one of the unfortunate to be seated anywhere near the stage, the floating speakers 20 feet overhead will not reach you ears at all. You will hear drums from the stage and whatever leaks from the stage monitors. Front row is the worst seat in the house in this place, trust me. The last show I saw there had feedback and sound issues continually. When the band complained, there was no one even IN the sound booth upstairs. No excuse.
-The subway rumbles bellow the club every 5 minutes or so. I wouldnt suggest seeing any band that is even remotely quiet here, as nothing ruins a song more than the 4 express thundering by a few times.
The list goes on and on. The place sucks, what can I say? There's nothing like being overcharged for crap. How they gained the reputation they have and get the artists to play there that they do is a complete mystery to me. Perhaps the money they suck from you goes to paying artists. It certainly doesnt go to sound equipment, lower ticket prices, decent food or comfortable seating.
PS. Wanna feel like shit? Go to the bathroom. The bathroom attendants are depressing and lay a better guilt-trip than my very talented Jewish mother. But hey.. whats a few more bucks?
This is a really cool venue. We came here to see Kiki and Herb for my birthday. My biggest complaint...the bar seating is not comfortable and conducive to sitting your ass for a long time.
My number one line from Kiki was:
"The thing about addiction is that it focuses you!"
So what so the fact that I was focused on my sore ass all night tell me?
Heath R. said everything I was going to say about Joe's Pub, so read his detailed and accurate review.
They book great bands and the atmosphere is lovely, but they way they try to extort money from you is shameful. You can't really get a good seat unless you make a dinner reservation. The food is overpriced and none too good. The bar area gets crowded and has too few seats/stools. The drinks are also too expensive.
The only reason to come here is if your favorite band or singer is booked and you HAVE to see them and they won't be back in NYC for months or years. Only under those conditions will I ever set foot in this place again.
There's awesome acts that come through here, but the staff and owners can be real douchebags.
Please performers, find somewhere else to play.
I love music, but the staff here is unbelievably rude. And the food - cannot be called food, seriously. I would love to see their kitchen - maybe they are sending out for this stuff from a curbside cart - but no, that would be better, wouldn't it!!
It'd be 5 stars.. 1 star minus from the rude staff. If you deal with that, then it's a really cool place to hang out. If you get reservations you get a table right in the front by the stage. Spring Awakening did a benefit here, and awesome bands love to perform here. Plus is you get to meet them afterwards.
It's like an old place you see in movies: candles lighting the way, soft walls, a bunch of tables with comfy chairs, domed ceiling, and a full bar.
It's awesome you get to sit and eat while watching the show, New yorkers are used to it though. The food tastes really good and sit back and enjoy yourself, but get simple drinks and nothing fancy (virgin or not) and the bill will stay down low.
you can bring kids at the 8 pm shows.. but any later than 11 i don't think they're allowed.
I'm going to be completely subjective with this review...I LOVED the place, first, because I had one of the most romantic dates I've ever had in my life at this place, and it happened to be while I listened to one of my current fave singers (Peter Moren from Peter Bjorn and John.) Plus, Ryan and I had the FANTASTIC luck of getting the best seat in the house due to someone's generous cancellation. So we ended up having Peter Moren about five feet away! It was a great, intimate, and FUN show! The two highlights of the show? Moren did a cover on the AWESOME "Take on Me" by A-HA, and when the show was about to end he called Bjorn, who "happened" to be in the crowd. Cool. Really cool.
The atmosphere is amazing, and for an acoustic performance, the sound was fine. Yes, drinks are pricey but dude, one can expect that in NYC...and if you do a couple of scotchs on the rocks, is not that bad...but yeah, if you are willing to get yippee-yippee with the spiritual waters, this is definitely not the place to do so.
But if you have the chance to watch an acoustic show by one of your favorite singers, don't miss this spot. You won't regret it!
We stumbled in here on a whim and ended up seeing one of the best live musical shows we've ever seen.
In Memphis, seeing a show in a "pub" generally means listening to a loud rock band bash out tunes in competition with the bar and crowd noise, so we were pleasantly surprised to find the "listening" atmosphere that Joe's afforded its acts and guests.
And the acts on the night we visited included Elvis Perkins, another mystery to us beforehand (but an intriguing one to us given the Memphis connotations of both "Elvis" and "Perkins"). We absolutely loved his band's set (can't wait till "Ash Wednesday" is finally released to the masses this month!). The acoustics were fantastic, and our sight line was great--we sat on one of the large sofas facing the stage, a VERY welcome comfort after a day of walking.
This review lists 4 rather than 5 stars only because we did not try the food and drinks (other than a nice gelato) and thus have no reference point.
i like this place because it's cozy, loungy goodness. when a show is sold out (like doveman was on wednesday) be prepared to be bumped a few times if you are in the bar area standing. there's no real bad spot in the place thanks to the tiered nature of the venue. drinks are over-priced. there's a $12 minimum at tables. i'm cheap and stand. i pre-party before i get to joe's.
in any case, it's a great place to see an act before they hit something like mercury lounge or webster hall down the way. saw lykke li here and it was a huge treat before the blow up. scan the schedule. you won't be sorry.
One of my favorite live music venues in the city! The ambiance really just makes this place and I love the gorgeous, old time feeling of the place. It's amazing. The food I thought was amateur, but you don't go to Joe's Pub for the food--you go for the music! Drinks were fine, servers were non existent but I felt they may have been understaffed the night I went so who knows.
went here last night on a friend of a friend of a friend of a friend's suggestion to see jake shimabukuro, ukulele-ist? ukulele-r?-- person who plays a ukulele. . and it was pretty much the most awesome thing ever. watch that: http://www.youtube.com.... anyway, with a name like joe's pub i was expecting some kind of seedy basement dive bar, but no! the dark east village alleyway opened up into a high-ceilinged, perfect-acoustics jazz club type space, where every seat is no more than 30 feet from the stage. yea, the cocktails are overpriced but they come in really classy square lowball glasses! who can say no to that!
Ah, Joe's Pub. My only experience here is seeing some friends of mine play. The venue is posh, in every way (including the prices!) so come prepared (and early if you want a good table.). 10 Red Stripes were $124, and the food bill for 4 people was close to the same. Be careful here and in my experience, watch your credit card statement.
Also, Don't see an 11 piece band like Beirut here, the stage is too small for it.
I have to say that I really enjoyed JP last eve. Good service, pretty good food and with Ute Lemper where else would I be more happy to be?!
May be other reviewers had probs there because they went on spec rather than booking ahead as we did. We booked a table for dinner.
Only thing I would change is not to have dinner and just have drinks: a meal does distract from the performance, noticeable the fork noise lol!
Bad, bad, bad (for anything but jazz).
This space can perhaps be a good match for a jazz concert, but not much else. Most other performances are completely destroyed by the sit-down arrangement that lacks space to rock out and, therefore, essential dynamics.
Two drink per person requirement is moderately ridiculous given that there's already a cover charge, but the most blatant and bizarre dirty trick will occur in the restroom: a sad looking older woman (or a man, depending on the restroom you go to) would not permit you to open your own faucet or get your own soap from the soap dispenser. With a forceful intervention they would bestow these unnecessary services upon you and afterwords nod in the direction of a tip jar.
Beware! If you do not tip, they will curse you as you are exiting the bathroom.
To sum up, I've been there once and hopefully never again.
This is a beautiful venue with outstanding sound that I would never, ever go to if I didn't get on the guest list. It's tiny, swanky as hell, with great seating (if you can get it) with killer acoustics. That said, I recommend drinking before you getting here, because a) the drinks are outrageously priced (hello, lounge pricing!) and b) the best way to get a seat is to get pushy and squeeze yourself in between a couple of pre-reserved tables in the booths in middle and you may need a little boost of courage to do this.
Negatives aside, I have seen some incredible shows here. We're talking "moves me to the point of crying" type shows. (Lavender Diamond, how I love thee!)
So, uh, ask me if I have a plus one some day? Or get your own damn perks.
I love Joe's Pub, I've performed here many times in different situations. If you're in the in crowd in NYC, you'll get invited to midnight parties thrown by socialites, and the crowd is rich, young, and artistic. My kind of scene, where the setting is perfect. Joe's Pub lives for artistic perfection, so the music is always right, the lights and the vibe are so important. It's really a New York experience.
I've also performed for public events here, which is more like theater, and yes, the drinks and tickets are expensive, but it is so worth it, to do it even once if you can.
I've seen live music by friends here before, and I have to agree with the other reviewers that the sound is perfect, the scene is amazing and you can easily see celebrities in there all the time. It's just a vibe that every performing artist should experience, this is what a venue looks like when it totally supports its artists and you can see cutting edge artists here presented in their best light, as opposed to some grungy bar, and you can also see famous artists perform too, like Tom Waits, which I haven't seen, but I hear nothing but great things about seeing famous bands there.
I have to say that I have eaten there, and I was so drunk I don't remember what the hell it tasted like, but my friend who goes there all the time thinks it is the WORST food for really expensive prices. Go figure. Go for the vibe man, and eat dinner beforehand.
We went to see diamanda galas the other night. The intimacy of Joe's is terrific! It's a bit crowded but that's to be expected at such a venue. We did not eat, but we ordered drinks. DO NOT DRINK there! Good lord, at $10 a cocktail (well liquor mind you) you'll be broke long before you'll be passed out. I had a Cape Cod (I know sorta gay), and while I like cranberry juice as much as the next guy, I like my vodka more. My "Cape Cod" (still kinda gay) was just cranberry juice in a tiny glass. I wish I had kids, they could have used the juice more than I.
Great for listening to music though, and the staff is VERY pleasant!
This is a gorgeous venue--absolutely. Very cool, artists love playing here and listeners love the intimate and cozy atmosphere.
My only complaint is that the food prices are a bit too high. The drinks are delicious, a peach martini is $14 and incredibly strong--the food is also delicious, but $14 for caprese that consists of only a few bites is hardly worth it, despite how nice those bites were. I don't mind shelling out for a satisfying and tasty meal, but when you don't get much bang for your buck I tend to think that those determining prices are displaying a little bit of greed.
But, that said, it's a must-see venue that epitomizes the NY music scene.
Love this place. Was there last night to see Amanda Ghost.
It is a fabulous venue-- intimate just like everyone said--beautiful lighting, comfortable, great sound, nice vibe. Tickets are cheap (avg about $15) and dinner reservations only require either a two drink min or $12 per person. Food isn't amazingly good but it is not bad either. I got this grilled chicken dish with arugula...I'll just say it was interesting... My friend got the meatballs which were pretty decent...and the bottle of Chardonnay we got was good and stayed nice and chilled....
I really loved it here--and I am exciting about seeing more shows in the future....I'd go ahead and make a reservation--it's worth it. We got a table right in front of the stage. What's better than getting sprinkled with sweat right from the performer's brow!? Nothing my friendsssss...nothing
As a singer myself (albeit a retired one), I would LOVE to perform here. The sound in venue is fantastic, and the dark, cabaret esque feel brought by the tiny tables, tiny candles and seating arrangement adds a vintagey underground vibe not found in many other current performing/concert spaces.
Despite my adoration for the space and the feel, the drinks are obnoxiously expensive and the service is absolutely piss poor. Our waitress bordered on rude a few times. I'm leaving it at four stars because of how much I enjoyed the atmosphere, but if I wasn't feeling incredibly nostalgic for my performing days, it would be getting three.
I've often heard good music from Joe's Pub while going to shows at the Public. So I was excited to attend a show.....but I was very disappointed. When I bought tickets, I was told that it was "first come, first serve" in order to get a table. But when I showed up 35 minutes before the show, I was told that all the tables were reserved. So my friend and I had to stand around the bar, which was filled with finance and corporate lawyer types who were trying to hook up and didn't care about the music and didn't care about those trying to listen to the music. And a glass of wine is $14. To sum it up--the music was good, but hard to hear over the chatter at the bar, hard to concentrate on while standing for hours in a crowded space, and hard to appreciate when the whole experience is so expensive. Joe's Pub is about the scene, not about the music.
I've got to say that Joe's Pub needs work.
I'm an actor and I love The Public Theatre. And I was really impressed when George Wolfe took the old shop and turned it into a nightclub and live music venue. The space itself is gorgeous, well designed, profoundly well equipped, and books some of the best talent in New York City for incredibly intimate performances. It fully earns every star it gets.
That said, it trips and falls in some pretty bad ways that need to be called out. First, the food prices are ridiculous. The cheapest item on the menu is a $14 salad. The next up is the $19 hamburger. The public theater was founded on a mission to make theatre accessible to the public of New York City. Innovative programming, free Shakespeare in the park, and more make the Public so important to the city. But for someone to buy a $25 ticket to a show at Joe's Pub and not have to stand or sit at the bar, a dinner reservation is required. So patrons go expecting to spend another $15 to $20 on dinner. But by the time you have an entree and a drink, you're already paying $10 more for dinner than you did for your ticket. If you don't get a reservation, you are forced to do a two drink minimum. So all in all, food/drink price knocks a star off. Joe's Pub should be like the Public Theatre itself...reasonably priced and welcoming to the entire city.
The second star gets knocked off because the "seating" situation is incredibly frustrating. You pay your ticket price and then if you want to guarantee a seat for the show you have to make a dinner reservation. You think, "Well, it'll be more money, but I won't have to scramble in at the last minute, hunt for a place to stand, or deal with a bad view of the show." Wrong. At the show I went to most recently, a group of people moseyed in a few minutes into the show and walked across the isle in front of where all of the elevated booths are in the back. They walked around, looking for someplace to stand, whispered loudly to each other and pointed all over the bar, trying to find someplace to go...finally they just stopped and turned to watch the show. They ended up standing in a visual barricade in front of the people who had paid for the $19 hamburgers to have an unobstructed view. Finally, enough people complained that a waitress came by and ushered the group to sit on the stairs...and then took their drink orders! But all of this was going on DURING a one man show. So all of this seating drama is being watched instead of the show. I really felt for the performer who, despite being amplified, looked annoyed that the staff didn't have the audience in and ready by curtain.
I love the Public and I love Joe's Pub. I have seen some great stuff in both venues. And I am not going to offer harsh criticism without real praise for what makes this institution so strong. The programming and space for both places is absolutely wonderful.
That said, let me just offer some constructive suggestions.
Bring the price of food down to a middle-class level. A $10 burger is doable for most and a $5 beer to wash it down with would be a dream.
As for capacity, there should be an absolutely strict number of people allowed in and places for them to enjoy the show without standing in someone else's way or having someone stand in front of them. It is, first and foremost, a performance space and people want to see the performance, not worry about navigating where to sit or stand.
That is my peace. It has been said.
