On a mobile device? Try our mobile site, optimized for faster browsing.
Categories: Dive Bars, Gay Bars, Music Venues [Edit]
Neighborhood: West VillageChristopher St (1)
W 4th St (A, C, E, B, D, F, V)
Christopher St (PATH)
I've always hated the question, "so what do you want to do tonight?" because I always have to lie about the answer. While my mouth might be saying, "sure, I'd love to get all dressed up and spend a lot of money on cocktails and dance to electronica", my heart is thinking "drink at home and watch/sing along to 'Seven Brides for Seven Brothers'". I no longer have to compromise!
Marie's Crisis is a teeny tiny little place with a very sweet staff and the most incredible crowd . . . you know, the kind of crowd that knows every. single. word. to "Show Me" from "My Fair Lady". Impressive.
In order to fully appreciate Marie's Crisis you really do have to enjoy the fine art of the showtune. The drinks are cheap (cash only) and the people watching/listening is priceless, but that may not be enough pull for some of your friends. Go with a like-minded crowd who will really be into it for the full effect. New York, I love you.
I fall in love with this bar all over again as soon as I open the front door and hear the piano. Drinks, cheap. Crowd, priceless. (Monday nights are the best.. as Bway is black and you often have a lot of the actors/actresses/choir out and about singing their hearts out!)
I am personally insanely obsessed with the musical Oklahoma!.. and most of the piano guys know this when I come in, and always accommodate my need to sing "Surrey with a fringe on top..."
There's really no judgement here.. from the amazing opera singers to an off-key brood of happy drunks.. It's a place to sing your heart out nd have fun.
.........chicks and duck and geese better scurry.........
Show tunes...
I forgot this place was here and on a recent jaunt through the village we popped in to initiate some friends that had no idea about these sort of bars -
Show tunes are what is served up here and the rocking group of people that always are singing away crack me every time.
A great place to kill an hour people watching - or singing if you are so inclined - always a fun time there.
I have to say, the crowd is always fun - never a hassle here from anyone - ever.
Dark and with Christmas lights all around that just add to the zaniness.
Go.
There's no place like Marie's Crisis. I adore Broadway and showtunes so I am in Heaven here. Non-stop great performances by wonderful New Yorkers brimming with talent. I'm 55 years old and I went on a night (a Wednesday) when the pianist and crowd were very young and they mostly sang newer showtunes which I was unfamiliar with, so I didn't get to sing along any, but just watching those marvelously talented kids made me feel good for the future. Many people on Yelp say don't use the bathroom here, but I visited the bathroom and found it to be fine. Maybe they've cleaned the bathroom up a bit recently. It ain't the Ritz restroom but I've seen MUCH worse. My only complaint is that it can be really hard to get any kind of beverage here; they obviously make money on the piano tips, not the bar, since the bartenders ignore customers trying to get a drink. Next time I will try to find a night when older gay guys like myself predominate so I can hear more of the showtune classics that I love.
Wow I was not expecting to walk into a Broadway sing-a-long when I entered this crazy bar in the west village. Speechless at first, I settled in, grabbed a beer and found a corner spot where I could chat with my friends, and see and hear the action. This much is for sure: My voice doesn't even come close to the sound level that some people have. There are Aretha Franklins among us. People lead secret lives in places like this.
Totally fun kind of place to hang out. Extremely small. I think my bathroom is bigger and it was packed to the gills! And everyone was singing along! if you are looking for somewhere that provides show tune sing a longs you have to hit this place. Only 3 kinds of bottled beer and I didn't venture into the bathroom. But it's everything a dive bar should be including the Christmas lights strung around the ceiling. And they carded me which always boosts a places rating in my book, just for ego purposes.
At a mere five in the afternoon, my aunt, cousin and I decided that a little piano bar never hurt anyone. Turns out, it was quite the educational experience for me--- things I learned:
~My cousin has an amazing voice. Why he hasn't been discovered by Broadway beats me (nevermind that he lives in L.A.).
~An amaretto sour just isn't an amaretto sour without the cherry on top. I guess this is true of most things in life--- the cherry on top completes the experience... or drink, for the matter at hand.
~Gotta pee? Hold it. Wait for the next bathroom you happen along...
~Close to Barrow Street Theatre, if you need a pre-show drink.
All in all, this is a charming little bar. Christmas lights create a nice little rainbow of color across the ceiling beams, and the entire bar (all six of the inhabitants) introduced themselves when we popped in -- very friendly group, in a comfortable little dive.
I went here pretty early on a Tuesday night, and there were already a group of regulars hanging on the piano belting bad broadway numbers. Talented, marvelous losers. Theater students or theater wannabes. Everyone had great energy, and each song was a group event. I'm not a singer, and I don't like showtunes, but I loved this place's spirit.
My buddy Smitty knows the bartender that works here on Saturday nights starting at 5 (or whenever he feels like opening the place up). SO, we meandered over here for some early evening refreshments. There were 4 of us, the only ones in the place, so it made for some fun times. He warned us that there was a literary pubcrawl about to come through, and come through they did!
About 15 or so peeps on this mission from the book gods to explore NY's pubs that have had literary influence ( I guess T. Paine used to kick it in here....T. Paine, he of "Common Sense" fame, not T-Pain, the dude with the d-locks and the vocoder) showed up. The leader of the group started giving his schpiel about the bar, and I immediately suggested to Smitty that we get up and act out a scene from Spaceballs.
Come here early on a Saturday evening so you can admire the bar in all its dingy glory before the piano crowd gets in. Some of the dirtiest bathrooms you'll ever see - if I was a lass, I'd bring along some seatguards in me purse.
this is by far the neatest dive bar i've ever been too. imagine a bunch of gay men singing to chorus songs with a live piano player in the pit. enough said, right?!! the ceiling is adorned w rainbow xmas lights. what a pretty sight! do your feet hurt from trekking around east village? looking for a chair? forget about it!
Dear Marie,
I'm not sure what crisis you had, but I'm going to assume that you're well because everyone here is celebrating your conquering nature. Or you were one of those (like me) who insists on people throwing a party when you die. Maybe it was an existential crisis and you've decided that everyone's connected and no one's connected a la Huckabees. Whatever it was, I must thank you.
Amanda
Even if you're not into musicals or Broadway, you will get sucked into the fantastically crazy energy of this place. I don't know how you can go and have a bad time. Prepare yourself to sing even if you don't know the words - it's better than karaoke and more fun any other piano bar known to man.
First opened in the 1850s as a prostitutes' den, which lasted through Prohibition. The "Crisis" came from "The Crisis Papers," which laid out why America had to break from England, written by Thomas Paine, who died in the same building. Feel free to inquire about the alleged ghosts, you will get an ear full. For the past 35 years, it's been a super fun piano bar, where Broadway performers and wannabe Broadway performers sing the night away. "Do you your hear people sing?" yes it's "Guys and Dolls". So "Tomorrow" when you go, "Make them hear you" when you sing along. Great place! Gets a bit overcrowded by middle aged gay men on the weekends, but always tons of fun!
Sometimes you have to announce your arrival back to New York by getting drunk and singing "Suddenly Seymore" at the top of your lungs at 1am on a Monday night. And thankfully, Marie's Crisis is there for you.
I have an odd relationship with Piano Bars in that despite my penchant for all things musical theater, I don't happen to frequent them all that often and when I do, it's almost definitely after copious amounts of alcohol.
But this I will say for Marie's Crisis. Though it is undoubtedly disgusting - under-the-bottom-shelf liquor, truly nasty bathrooms, a complete absence of decor or lighting beyond what you'd find in a typical suburban basement - everyone is always welcome. Between the queeny middle-aged regulars and the newbie BFA in Musical Theater students...
Ahem... There's a place for us, somewhere a place for us....
Thank you - don't forget to tip your pianist. Seriously, girlfriend is working hard for the money.
Love it! This is an awesome place!
You really feel like a family in this place. Also, once (just once), they made me the most delicious "sex on the beach" drink.
OMFG I love you!
Authentic piano bar filled with fantastic people and cheesy show tunes you can sing to for hours. Plus a hilarious staff. If you've ever been mildly obsessed with musicals and you just need to belt it out GO HERE!
I will treasure this establishment in my heart forever.
Crap, you make me miss being in theater...
I came here with some Yelpers after the karaoke event at Stonewall Inn. As soon as we got in, I knew the place was going to be fun.
There was this guy playing the piano and everybody was singing along to the broadway songs that he was playing! It was really cool because everybody seemed to know the lyrics to all the songs!
The shots were pretty cheap and huge! I bought 3 tequila shots which only cost me $12.
I don't think I've ever sang so much in a bar before. Haha!
This is a fun bar despite the owners best efforts.
The place is a bona-fide dump. The bar is stocked like a low-class Bar Mitzvah. Now the CBGB's is closed, the bathrooms at Maries Crisis' are the WORST in the city. The liquor is watered down and I wouldn't drink from one of those glasses without rubbing purell on the rim.
But then the brilliant piano players begin and the crowd starts to get giddy and then some chubby tragic girl attempts a song from Sunset Blvd. and we all clap wildly even though we know we're only prolonging her agony. The next thing you know it's two AM and you are touched by the old-timers and inspired by the young kids and amazed at the skills of the pianist....and it's just great.
It's the last great night you might spend in NYC.
Fav. Nite?? Tuesday for Franca, the gal who puts the 'Queen' in Show Queen.
I died and went to heaven.
This fag hag has never uttered the sentence "This is too gay for me" in her whole life until she stepped into Marie's Crisis. Then she put on her PMS hat and sang her heart out to Barbara Streisand with some New Jersey housewives on coke.
This is one of my favorite bars. Even if I'm not a broadway show musicals expert, I love taking a drink with friends there (quite cheap) and seeing all kinds of different people: old, young, straight, gay, girls & guys , etc
OMG, the place has been taken over by college kids! At least on the Tuesday night I was there. Not that that is a totally bad thing--- but the kiddie's idea of a good musical is Urinetown! Not to mention songs from Disney animated features...AAAH! Lot's of young theater-major boys trying hard to be straight. I know that story mister-sister! And , the accompanist didn't have enough confidence to POUND properly! Give her a Vodka/Red Bull. She didn't know she just has to fake it.
I would never give this place a bad review considering the joy it has brought me on every other trip to NYC. I was so sad to see the bathroom door was replaced. I had scratched my name on it every year since my first time...when I took an impromptu road- trip to New York
I still may have my ashes spread here, but I will have to check it out on a weekend night. Then I may give it back it's 5th star! This place used to be as gay/straight-friendly as it gets, but the breeders certainly have taken over the whole West Village...
I long for the nights this joint was so packed, I was only being held up by the crowd and the Long Island Lolita (who just tongued me) standing next to me... as I would almost pass out singing...mid number! Oh I finished, you better believe it---with a more exagerrated gesture than Patsy LuPont in Gypsy!
Thanks for the memories Marie Crisis!
Very funny. Don't expect gorgeous guys; instead, a friendly bar, with happy people singing in a old-fashioned style.
Dark, dingy, and fabulous this little (dump) treasure of a bar shelters Broadway 's dreamers and rejects. The crowd huddles around an old upright piano signing their desperate to be discovered hearts out - and I love it. There is just something about cheap booze, drama geeks and a piano that works for me.
So what do you do when you're on a date and the guy brings you to a piano bar packed with gay men singing showtunes? Do you question.....especially when he requests "Age of Aquarious"? No, you buck up, belt it out and think he is wonderful for bringing you to Marie's Crisis. This was a true experience, one of those NY stumble upon something great nights. I need to brush up on my Gypsy...........Drinks are cheap, crowd is lively and diverse.
I went on a Saturday night about midnight - there wasn't a cover, just a 1 drink minimum. The place was packed - standing room only. The server immediately recognized I was new and promptly asked if he could get me a drink. Wow.
I don't know if I have ever had so much fun in a bar in my entire life! Everyone centered around Adam, who was playing piano, and all sang the lyrics to just about every Broadway showtune there ever was. (I kept asking myself, "How the hell do these people KNOW all of these lyrics?" It was so strange!)
But I met loads of great people and had a fantastic evening. I regret leaving at 2am to go to Cubbyhole as it just paled in comparison.
If you're in NY for a weekend, this is a great place to check out. You won't be disappointed!
Me: Jewish girl raised on a steady diet of Judy Garland and Barbra Streisand. Developed gaydar at age 5 thanks to my mother's involvement in the opera world and my hairdresser who has been together with his partner for longer than my parents have been together. Used to torture my younger brothers by singing and playing "The September Song" on the piano for hours repeatedly on end. (They still reflexively cover their ears when they hear the words "follow" repeated.) Posses an uncanny ability to remember lyrics from shows I only heard one or twice. Like to belt in the middle of a crowd of people also belting.
So, basically, what I'm trying to say is that Marie's Crisis is one of my favorite spots in the city. The first time a friend took me here, I said I would stay an hour or so...and ended up staying until 3am. Oops! I love that here, it is okay to know all of the lyrics to Chicago, perfectly normal to know the spoken word dialog in the middle of some Broadway songs, and best of all...women don't get hit on. Such a blessing to have a hideaway like that.
Yes, it is fun to sing in my a cappella group of women and all alone in my bedroom with a hairbrush as a microphone...but there's something about singing along with extremely talented men that tops both of those. Don't have a good voice but still always wanted to be a Broadway star? Come to Marie's Crisis...there are so many good singers belting along that they'll never know you're off-key.
First time at Marie's this past Saturday night. We were in NY for a show. Went out to SambaSushi for dinner after and I thought, "Man I'm gettin' old." Food was great but the friggin' music was enough to make me want to beat myself to death with a brick. After dinner we wandered into Marie's at the suggestion of a friend who had been there before and ended up hanging out all night with Parker Posie. Gotta tell ya, this place is HILARIOUS! We had an absolute blast! There is nary a showtune the piano player doesn't know. They could film a movie set in 1972 and they wouldn't have to change a thing but the hair styles. Can't wait to go back.
I must confess, I had no idea what this place was. The only thing I knew is that Thomas Paine, or Thomas Edison or St. Thomas of Aquinas, or some Thomas dude died here.
Walking in, I was surprised to hear people singing with a piano right in the middle of the floor. It also doubled as a mini-bar, because there were glasses on the sides. I come in, and I'm hearing "All That Jazz" from "Chicago" and I see fellow musically-inclined Yelpers Lynn and Yosh really getting into it. I just started singing along, and really enjoying myself. (NO, not that way, you bastards!)
Had an amaretto sour because there was no midori sour. NO MIDORI in a bar?!?!?! The hell is that about? Thats okay, because that's when the piano player started pulling out selections from "Little Shop of Horrors". He even played "Skid Row", how great a song is that!?!?!?!
But yeah, everyone was around the piano, men with their arms around each other, I swear I......
oh, excuse me..
*talks to friend*
Marie's Crisis is a gay bar? NO ITS NOT!!!!! its a place where all of these guys are singing show tunes, with their arms around each other. What's gay about that?
*comes back to writing review*
Well now, I had no idea that Marie's Crisis is considered a gay bar, I really did not. No wonder the guy next to me, with a white sports jacket, had his arm around me for a few more seconds than I was comfortable with, and kept whispering sweet nothings in my ear. But enough about Adrian......with a right hook, BAM!
I cannot believe that I JUST learned about this bar. I went there this week on my birthday (I had heard about it on a walking tour) and it was AWE-SOME! All these guys gather around the piano in the middle of the room and just sing showtunes!! If you give the piano player a dollar she will play whatever you want. A guy who I met was in from London and went up to request "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" for me on my birthday. Of course the "chorus" did sing Happy Birthday Dear Christina while I was waiting in line for the bathroom in the basement, and I missed the whole thing. Whatever.
Anyway, this is SO much fun for a more interesting and different kind of night. If you have any friends who love musicals, definitely bring them, but I really think that anyone would have a great time here! The bartender was also really nice and gave me a free drink for my bday.
One caveat: Don't go on a weekend because apparently it gets crowded. The guy on line with me for the bathroom said that Tuesday and Wednesday are the best nights to go.
Raise your hand if you're dating someone who loves showtunes?
That's what I thought.
Musicals and showtunes are something that I've never really connected with. Punk, rock n roll, indie alternative? I understand that. Throwing yourself around in a dank club and getting smacked around by people twice your size? I grew up on that. Listening to your cd player at ear splitting volumes? I do it all the time. Standing around in a piano bar surrounded by hundreds and hundreds of gays and straight women singing showtunes? That...so very strange.
But awesome too.
Marie's Crisis is a small underground club with wood for walls, not many seats, a ridiculously old bar, bad lighting and one of those places where no beers are on tap. The drinks are relatively cheap (if you get them at happy hour) and the piano is amazingly well tuned. There are seats at the piano. I don't know showtunes but since I got there early, I took a seat. By 10 pm, the place was packed. Dexter, the piano player, played beautifully (and from memory) tens of showtunes. He even played a lot of Cabert (which I know from the movie). Everyone and their mother sung along. And even if you don't know the words, you sung along anways.
The great thing about Marie's Crisis is the "solo" performances. People are able to make a request to sing a song, everyone is shushed into silence, and the person sings. And then everyone claps. And everyone can sing well. It's unbelivable. Shushing people in NYC and having people actually shush! So very strange.
Since I moved to New York, I've had one successful boyfriend. Now he's a best friend instead (an upgrade in this case,) but whatever. Anyway, we met here.
I was all green and naive and had no knowledge of New York nightlife, and this kid I went to high school with, forgot about, and ran into on a slutty website took me here because he's a singer.
I got a drink and stood by him and suddenly, everybody started singing! It was so weird, I felt like I was on Mars. There was this gay pianist playing songs from Gypsy, and I was like "What the hell, why does EVERYBODY in here know these songs?"
Anyway, if you know me, you know I can't hide my feelings, so at one point the pianist actually STOPPED PLAYING and looked at me and said "Hey, smile! Aren't you having a good time?" And I was! I was just lost. Anyway, EVERYONE looked at me as we exchanged some banter, and I was suddenly meeting guys left and right. I went home with one of them, and the rest is history.
Wow, ok HERE BEGINS THE REVIEW because not everything is all about me... I suppose. The point is, this is the type of experience you can expect at Marie's Crisis. The people here are totally fab and singing their hearts out. They're accepting and friendly, and when you go, you're not just with your friends. You're sharing the experience of every person in that bar.
If you're not into the Broadway thing, prepare to be lost, but it's still a great time if you know what you're getting into.
I also like going here because I feel comparatively pretty. It's mean and shallow, but there it is.
Anyway, I haven't been here in ages, so who wants to go?
joy in a box
So a straight guy walks into a gay bar....
I was a bit astounded by this place. I mean, where else do you find a bunch of people gathered around a piano, singing along together. OK, so they are showtunes, and no I don't know any myself, but if I did I could see how this place could be fun if I did. Think of it as live karaoke where everyone can sing and a place where everyone WANTS to know your name.
The negative stars:
- Beer selection is limited to America's finest "premium" beers, Bud, Bud Lite, Coors, a Heine (bad joke, I know), or Amstel or something like that.
- The bathrooms (at least the one that worked) was absolutely gross.
Sing showtunes around a centrally located piano? Why in the world would I EVER do that? But I totally did, and absolutely had a BLAST!
Can't wait to come back!
A friend of mine invited a few of us to join her here one Thursday evening a couple weeks back. I was really impressed with this piano bar. It's pretty much the definition of a hole in the wall. It wasn't too crowded for a Thursday, but the best part was how you could tell this was a place for regulars. People singing by the piano, or up at the bar, and they all seemed to know each other and were extremely friendly.
I believe they have happy hour specials because my cosmo was only $5 and my friends glass of wine was $3. The drinks were really good! Chris, the bartender, adds some special to the cosmos.
I really enjoyed myself here even though I know nothing about musical theater. I got to sit back and listen to other people sing and play piano while chatting with my friends and some of the regulars. Overall, a great place to spend a night out with some friends.
It's crowded. Not good for having a conversation with the cutie next to ya. And loads of straight ladies are there. But who cares, it's Marie's Crisis, and it's fantastic!
The best thing about this place is that it never tries to be anything other then a great place to sing, feel a sense of community and maybe have a drink (but even that's secondary to the actual experience).
L-O-V-E this place!
Sweet...this place is sweet.
It's a total dive...hole-in-the-wall...blast!
REALLY strong drinks...super-friendly staff...gay or straight, come one, come all.
I got the best compliment EVER at Marie's...
"You sure you're straight? 'Cause you know how much ASS you could get in here if you weren't?"
Bless you, nameless stranger!
Sing along to your favorite show-tunes, torch-songs, ballads, pop-songs...whatever...ummm, well, as long as the piano player can play it.
There's usually a gaggle of straight-girls bunched together sitting at the piano...
But I highly recommend just getting in the crowd and mingling...it's really alot of fun.
And contrary to what most straight guys seem to think...just 'cause you're a dude, in a predominantly gay bar...does not mean you're going to get hit on every 5 seconds.
You'll never find friendlier people to be around than the folks at Marie's Crisis.
Check it out...it's a blast!
Just, make sure you're drunk first! Makes it that much more fun...and makes you more likely to sing along!
But a word to the piano player...I've been twice, and BOTH times, I've heard the soundtrack to the "Sound of Fucking Music"!
ENOUGH! "That is just one of my NOT favorite things!"
Wow
everyone loves this place huh?
I think it's OK - it's a good old run down piano bar to get a drink at.
Personally, I think we were there on a quiet night and I wasn't really in the mood for it.
That shouldn't take away from the fact that it's still really good and has nice people and good drinks.
It's very small and not very comfortable. Meh.
This place is a blast, see for yourself
http://www.youtube.com...
A dark, dingy, basement bar with a piano player that packs them in every night of the week. Some Enchanted Evening, you'll hear everything from Sondheim to Rodgers and Hart, with voices - both on-pitch and off-key - raised to the rafters in raucous attempts at harmony. A gay bar that embraces everyone, as long as you know your Broadway show tunes. Sing out, Louise!
Plan your Holiday Party at…
Neighborhood: Williamsburg - North…
Happiest Hour Ever Mon-Fri 4-7…
Neighborhood: Financial District
Neighborhood: West Village
Category: Gay Bars
Neighborhood: Park Slope
Category: Gay Bars
Neighborhood: Upper East Side
Category: Bars
Neighborhood: Chelsea
Category: Gay Bars
Neighborhood: West Village
Category: Gay Bars
This used to be called "Let's Get Drunk and…
just some of the ones i love and adore - and other…
Cool things to do in New York, other than walking…
Now that I'm back to pounding the pavement full…
These are the places that you have to visit, so…
Loading...
