The Best Piano Bars in New York City

No list of notable piano bars in New York would be complete without Bemelmans Bar at the Carlyle Hotel. The legendary Upper East Side destination is named for illustrator and T&C contributor Ludwig Bemelmans, the creator of the Madeline children’s books, who painted murals of Central Park on the walls in exchange for room and board. No reservations are taken, so expect a wait for one of the prime tables or bar stools—there have been lines to get in nearly every night since Bemelmans reopened on May 11, 2021 following its pandemic-required shutdown. Once inside, lucky guests can sip on martinis served with sidecars and savor the live music of pianists and jazz trios. And those still lamenting the closure of '21' Club will be happy to know that its executive chef, Sylvain Delpique, has landed at Dowling's at the Carlyle, the restaurant next door.

35 East 76th Street

Opened in the West Village in 1951, The Duplex is one of New York's earliest piano bars. Over the years, a long list of famous performers, including Joan Rivers, Barbra Streisand, Rodney Dangerfield, Richard Pryor, and Nathan Lane, have graced its stage. The bar now has four distinct spaces: outdoor cafe seating overlooking the intersection of Seventh Avenue and Christopher Street (the perfect spot for West Village people-watching); a piano bar on the main floor where live piano is performed from 9 p.m. until 4 a.m. on weekdays and 5 p.m. to 4 a.m. on weekends, 365 days a year; an upstairs bar with live drag shows and dancing; and a historic cabaret theater with different shows each night of the week. Don't be surprised if you run into a Tony winner or two.

61 Christopher Street

The Nines opened earlier this year to the delight of many, including the staff at T&C, which dubbed it "a Bemelmans for the fashionable downtown set." Restaurateur Jon Neidich says that at first, he was on the fence about adding putting a piano—much less a baby grand—in the room. "Once I had gotten there," he says," it seemed like 'Well, if I'm going to do this, let's just go all the way and commit!'" The result is a transportive experience that evokes the hotel bars of Europe that inspired Neidich, who, through Golden Age Hospitality, also owns Le Crocodile in Williamsburg and the Happiest Hour in the West Village. While classic cocktails are on offer, the signature drink is The Nines, a tasty concoction of reposado tequila, mezcal, yellow chartreuse, passion fruit, and yuzu. And if you're in the mood for a snack, don't miss the twice-baked Kaspian potato, served with creme fraiche and topped with 30 grams of Osetra caviar.

9 Great Jones Street

Tom and Anthony Martignetti, who also own the East Pole restaurant in the neighborhood, were regulars at Lexington Bar and Books, the predecessor for more than 30 years in the space that is now Melody's Piano Bar. The Martignettis updated the room with palm-covered Versace wallpaper, a black lacquered wood bar, vintage art deco fixtures, a working fireplace, and a skylight. Now, guests can sip cocktails like a Davy Is Still in the Navy (light and dark rums, orgeat, pineapple, passion fruit, served over crushed ice in a hurricane glass) while listening to live music seven nights a week starting at 6 p.m. "It is off the beaten path for the younger crowd and we like it that way," say the brothers, whose popular downtown spots Southside and Brinkley's closed in 2017 after a decade-long run. "We wanted to build a bar where you can go in any night of the week and run into friends, which is the most authentic sign of a great bar in New York City and occurs only rarely these days."

1020 Lexington Avenue

The West Village building that houses Little Branch has been a bar for more than 100 years. Chet Baker played one of his last gigs there when it was called the St. James Infirmary Jazz Club, and when it was known as Milk Bar in the 1970s and 80s, Madonna worked the coat check and acts like the Rolling Stones and the Ramones were reported regulars. Today, as Little Branch, the cocktail bar features live jazz Sunday through Thursday from 8:30 to 11:00 p.m. No reservations are needed and there is no cover.

20 Seventh Avenue South

Tucked into a nondescript facade on a quiet block, Brandy's Piano Bar might be the best-kept secret on the Upper East Side. The hidden gem, which opened in the 1960s, has hosted open mic performers including Billy Joel, Frankie Avalon, Huey Lewis, and Jimmy Fallon. It's a thrilling experience to sit down in the packed room before the show starts, have a cocktail waitress deliver an ice-cold martini, and then, minutes later, watch as the waitress—a former cast member of Broadway's Mamma Mia—takes the mic and belts out "Shallow" from A Star Is Born in a duet with the bartender. Brandy's has music seven nights of the week from 9:30 p.m. until closing. When asked what differentiates Brandy's from other piano bars, owner Jim Luzar, who started as a bartender there in 1980, says "it's the total lack of pretension. A lot of wonderful people work here, but it’s also kind of a neighborhood dive bar and I wear that like a badge." One of the signs on the windows reads "Same Old Brandy's." It's clear why people want it to stay that way.

235 East 84th Street

Unlike many of the other bars on this list, Sid Gold's Request Room prides itself on playing pop, rock, soul, and punk music. Guests are encouraged to step up to the microphone and lead the crowd in a singalong of their favorite songs. Don't expect karaoke backing tracks though. "The live piano accompaniment is the magic of Sid Gold's," says its owner, Paul Devitt. "People sing, singalong, make friends, and make memories." The bar is separated into two sections: a marble bar in the front and an energetic karaoke area in the back.
165 West 26th Street