Mercury Lounge
217 E Houston St, New York, NY 10002
quick facts
intro
A smaller venue in the heart of the Lower East Side that has a dive bar and an intimate vibe. It’s where you’ll catch artists early in their careers as they are coming up. A lot of notable acts play their first NYC show here!
history
Before housing Mercury Lounge, 217 East Houston Street was home to the servants to the famed Astor House on Fifth Avenue. The two buildings were even connected via tunnel. It then was home to a restaurant and later a storefront tomb seller, before finally being purchased and renovated to become a music venue in 1993. Just like its’ counterpart the Bowery Ballroom, it has been one of the most beloved venues in NYC since its founding. This venue is also now part of Live Nation following the 2017 deal which established the booking company Mercury East.
map recs
Named after the 19th Century French poet, Verlaine is our go-to cocktail lounge for a pregame or after the show. They serve Asian-inspired bites, and you can’t leave without having one (or five) of their famous lychee martinis, especially during happy hour, which is every day from 5-10pm. Open: Tues-Weds 5pm-12am, Thurs 5pm-1am, Fri-Sat 5pm-2am, Sun 5pm-11pm.
When you need a quick and cheap bite to fuel up before your night ahead, look no further than this cozy traditional Tibetan joint. Dine in and sip mango lassi on their sidewalk terrace, or grab some of their famous momos to-go. Cafe Himalaya comes through every time.
Sauced has all the vibes you need before a show. The cozy bar features a wide range of fantastic wines and delicious bites, and, sometimes, fun food pop ups - the perfect place for pre or post show.