Guide to 7 of the Best Cabaret Venues Near Times Square

Are you a musical theater fan visiting New York City? It can be overwhelming navigating through ticket links and subway maps to plan out your trip. If you’re trying to cram as much theater as you can into a visit to Manhattan, we’ve put together a short list of cabaret and jazz venues that are walking distance from Times Square, so you can fit an extra show in before or after a Broadway show and make the most of your time in New York. Check out the list below.

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54 Below

Walking distance from Times Square: 9 minutes

Pitch: This club has one of the best cabaret stages in Manhattan. Ever since they pivoted to a non-profit model a few years ago, they’ve been expanding the scope of their programming. They offer an exciting range of events from songwriters debuting new work to intimate solo shows with A-list Broadway stars, as well as tributes to “forgotten” Broadway, like an upcoming concert reading of Dames at Sea. Others are just plain fun – Sunday drag brunch, up-and-coming performers singing their favorite pop songs (think tributes to Taylor Swift and the TV show Glee) and more.

Check out their current upcoming shows here.

Price range: $ to $$$

Ticket prices normally range from about $20 to $100 depending on the show. There is a $25 food or drink minimum per person. (View their menu here.)

Discounts: 54 Below has a ticket initiative, designed to make cabaret more accessible to a wider audience. A limited number of $15 tickets for select shows are sold first-come, first-serve online only with no food and beverage minimum. Each Monday, new $15 tickets are added for shows for the following week. $15 ticket orders will be capped at two tickets per person. They encourage you to pay regular prices if you are someone who can pay more but please make the decision that reflects your capacity.

Learn more about the program and see a list of current shows with subsidized tickets here.

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Green Room 42

Walking distance from Times Square: 14 minutes

Pitch: This club has a mission towards accessibility for New Yorkers and tourists of all income levels, with no food or drink minimum and tickets regularly priced as low as $20. (If you do want to partake, they have a full bar and menu available from the Green Fig.) You can see a wide range of emerging talent here with fun regular series – one of my personal favorites is At This Performance..., which highlights standbys and understudies from current Broadway productions. (They have to be just as good as the regular stars, so you can see a sample of selections of songs from shows on Broadway for a fraction of the ticket cost – and it’s a joy to watch how much fun they have doing songs they rarely get to perform.) Susie Mosher’s bi-weekly Lineup variety show also presents a potpourri of emerging talent and established stars, and Hadestown stars Reeve Carney and Eva Noblezada are regulars at the venue.

Check out their current upcoming shows here.

Price range: $ to $$

Ticket prices normally start at $20 for side/back seating, though more established stars or premium seating might run you a bit more. There is no item minimum.

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Birdland

Walking distance from Times Square: 5 minutes

Pitch: This is one of the best jazz clubs in NYC, with some of the most established jazz talent in the world coming through. There’s a wonderful range of styles and eras of music presented within that, with star singers like Jeff Harnar, Julie Benko and Karen Mason regularly coming through.

Check out their current upcoming shows here.

Price range: $$ to $$$

Ticket prices normally range from about $25 to $100 depending on the show. There is a $20 minimum on food or drinks (per person.) (View their menu here.)

Discounts: Students can receive 50% off at LATE SETS ONLY on weekdays with presentation of a valid student ID. To book student tickets, call or email.

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Don’t Tell Mama

Walking distance from Times Square: 5 minutes

Pitch: This piano bar is right in the heart of Theater Row. They regularly host up-and-coming talent in their back room, and there’s always a piano player in the front lounge area. It’s the perfect place for a little entertainment before or after dinner when you’re checking out a Broadway show.

Check out their current upcoming shows here.

Price range: $$ to $$$

Tickets are often in the $20 range. There’s a $20 item minimum (must include two drinks). DTM is cash only.

Discounts: Many shows include a $5 cover charge discount for MAC members.

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The Laurie Beechman

Walking distance from Times Square: 9 minutes

Pitch: This venue regularly hosts a mix of star talent doing solo shows, new musical theater work, parodies, and more. See stars like Lorna Luft, Donna McKechnie (original cast of A Chorus Line), and new work like Finding Dorothy Parker, a sparkling revue and whirlwind tour of Dorothy Parker’s hilarious and wise material performed by some of the funniest women on Broadway.

Check out their current upcoming shows here.

Price range: $$ to $$$

Ticket prices range from about $18 to $65 depending on the show. There is a $25 food & beverage minimum.

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Carnegie Hall

Walking distance from Times Square: 12 minutes

Pitch: The iconic Carnegie Hall’s main stage is renowned for its wonderful acoustics and historic performance history. The venue has three stages where you can see a wide range of talented comedians, musicians and singers of every type ranging across every genre.

Check out their current upcoming shows here.

Price range: $ to $$$

Tickets can range from $20 to $200 depending on the show.

Discounts: Carnegie Hall has many discount programs – read an overview here.

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Dizzy’s Club / Jazz at Lincoln Center

Walking distance from Times Square: 16 minutes

Pitch: This venue boasts a great view of Central Park and Columbus Circle, and top-notch jazz musicians and vocalists. Regular programs include Songbook Sundays, a bi-monthly program exploring a deep dive into Great American Songbook songwriters.

Check out their current upcoming shows here.

Price range: $$ to $$$

Ticket prices are often in the $30 to $60 range. Dizzy's Club requires a minimum food and/or beverage purchase of $25 per person.

Discounts: Many shows at Dizzy’s offer student cover charges for $20 or $25. (The item minimum still applies. Limit two tickets per order)