I had heard about the famous Nuyorican Poets Cafe for years and had always wanted to go. I visited Manhattan for the first time and made it a point to stop by. Maybe I came at the wrong time but it was not what I had expected. It was to start at 10pm and they didnt open the doors until about 10:12pm. We purchased our tickets online earlier that day. After standing outside in the cold we didnt have seats. Many people were standing up. I wasnt sure what the capacity was and wondered why we could pay to get in but not have seats. Even still I was a bit excited but we came on a night where one of the Host was trying out his guitar lessons and the order of poets didnt seem to be organized. Ill chalk it up to bad timing. Maybe Ill try again whenever I come to the city.

The vibe here was amazing !! .. so much talent .. the only issue was I waited over a hour and a half in line just to be able to sign up to reserve my spot on the line up. They need better organization of doing things . Timing seemed all over the place . But .. it was all worth it . I’d wait the hour and a half again honestly.

Loved this place for years.It was a must on leave during tactical rotations.

My first time going and it was a great experience. It wasnt much of a cafe in the typical sense and the bar was small. But overall the atmosphere was very chill. The performances were all good. It takes a lot of courage to stand in front of a crowd and bear your soul. Id definitely go again

Rome Neals Banana Puddin Jazz is fantastic. Great music, great people and delicious banana puddin.

Eric Crow Draven brought this place to its feet with a mix of extraordinary poets for his show Naked..best experience ever!

I go here every time that I fisit NYC. Amazing and worth it everytime.

This venue has always introduced me to some of the most thought provoking poets. Some of poets are the best award winning poets of today.I enjoy their events from the poetry slams, to the therapy poetry session held by poet Jaime Lee lewis.

Wonderful place! They have a choice of different wines and beers. Very cool space, with a lot of different artistic and cultural events.

I love this place! The poets are all always really cool, as is the host. I came here with my friend Amodhya for her birthday surprise, and, as she is a poet herself, she had a really good time. We ordered two drinks and got to sit near the front. We also got to judge the poets ourselves and were given a board with numbers.

I visited this iconic performance venue for the first time during my recent trip to NYC. During the Monday night open mic two dozen plus poets, singers and musicians - emerging as well as well-established artists, all talented - took the stage for 4 minutes each. The evening was by turns lively, inspiring, evocative, electric and edgy. La Bruja, our Mistress of Ceremonies, consistently delivered pitch perfect patter that included praise, encouragement and in the case of one ardent aging harmonica player admonishment for his tendency to want to hold a lovely young audience member captive. My Sweetie and I improvised a poetry/ flute duet that elicited praise from our formidable MC and the audience as well. The following evening our New York hostess who has lived in the East Village for nearly 3 decades joined us for a remarkable 21-member Latin jazz big band event. The evening included original compositions by band members as well as other musical works. The venue is extremely intimate, which enhances the enjoyment of the performances immensely. And ticket prices are amazingly affordable at the time of the writing of this review.

I have been to this one of kind spot many times. The poets are amazing. The crowd becomes the judges. Grab a beer or some wine sit down get your finger snaps ready. I promise you will leave impressed and inspired.

The artists are very talented. The venue is small, but they have a great vibe. The bar did not have anything. Just like 3 kinds of drinks, it was very disappointing. They started very late as well.

This is a NYC Gem that has stood the test of time. 35+years and still going. Spoken word artist here bare their souls for crowds of mostly tourists, for roughly $10 a pop. Its democracy at its finest.

Have actually never been inside, but giving two stars because we bought tickets in advance and were still turned away at the door. Same happened to some nice ladies from Texas and a few others in front of us. Bad look.

This Life produced Fantastic poets n comedians. Surprise performance by a Maryland vocalist, beautiful singing n atmosphere

The energy was amazing in the place. The jazz was breathtaking and everyone was very friendly. It was a truly magical night.

Ive only been here once but it was a nice. A decently small spot (lol) with chill vibes and good poetry

Slugs Saloon was a jazz club at 242 East 3rd Street, between Avenue B and C in Manhattans East Village, operating from the mid-1960s to 1972.

Old skool NYC performance space.while not convenient to public transport, worth your while to walk over. glad it is still with us.

Very cool little slam poetry venue that has a very friendly vibe for showcasing the poets. The night we went it was packed with standing room crowds and more sitting on the floor. The show was supposed to start at 10 but they didnt even open the doors until then and things didnt teally start until 10.40 or so, so it was a late evening. Judges are appointed from the audience to judge two sets of 3 poets, each of whom do 2 poems each. The poets were preselected, so its not like anyone can jump up and read a poem they just composed (so there is some basic level of quality). The music before and between sets is very loud (club like atmosphere).

This was my 1st time attending a Spoken Word. Idk why I thought it would be like the movie Love Jones. I felt like it was more of a Rappers Freestyle Friday but on a Monday. And they loved the mic, ... yes we get ur on Instagram. I stayed less than an hour. I didnt hear much poetry just loud music & rappers. There was a female I really liked named Joi something. And I would like to return to recite my own Poetry tho. I did enjoy the different performances and understand that lyricism comes in all forms, it just wasnt quite what I had in mind. Place is very small. To be expected. This is NY. Very limited seating. I was told ppl line up early & sign up to perform there. Only 25 can sign up. 4min time slot. $8 to enter.

I performed here and visited a few shows, great atmosphere and very chill vibes.

My first time here but not my last. I expected to hear poetry but I did not expect to be at one of the greatest parties ever, listening to hip hop, raggae and pop music and dancing with total strangers as if we were good friends, laughing and singing tunes from TV shows from the 80s and 90s and laughing so hard I had tears in my eyes. The spoken word and poetry was so good you wanted to hear it twice. This place is DOPE... cant wait til next Friday already.

My wife invited me there and I didn’t regret definitely will go back when visiting NY again

Amazing experience I thoroughly enjoyed myself, they energy was amazing and the talent was unmatched. I purchased the VIP ticket online and it was well worth it since the outside line was pretty long. Once inside I was able to get a good seat which is pretty awesome considering the place ended up getting super packed with standing room only.

I dont know if Im a good judge or not but I had fun and did my best giving judgemental critique on poets pouring their life blood on to stage at the nuyorican where Def jam royalty cut their teeth.

The host was great! So the poets were fun to watch and listen to. The vibes was so welcoming, cant wait to go back in another visit to New York

Very high quality opening level talent. there is also a large volume of support coming in all over the city with the Nuyorican Poets Cafe as a destination

I’m from CT.. coming to NY and being around such authentic talent really inspired me! This will definitely be my go to spot whenever I visit the city. The energy was amazing, the poets and artists were dope af. It was lit

Great experience! Went there to see The Haunting of Lin-Manuel Miranda. Got to meet the brilliant playwright. Will give 5 stars once they get their liquor license.

Always a good place to visitAlways consistent and I always leave influenced, great for refilling your creative juices

Im biased because my wife and I had our second date at the Nuyorican in 2002. But having visited again in 2019, its a special and unique place. Great music before the poetry begins.

My husband and I ventured here on date night ; we had an amazing time! The poets were amazing, and eclectic !

Great Talent in this place and you are free to say what you want and show off your skills. Judgement Free

Wonderful poets n comedians This Life composes great entertainment

If you love poetry this is the place to be.

Great friendly staff, nice atmosphere for spoken word. Couldnt ask for anything else!

The beauty of being able to stand free and be yourself is absolutely amazing.

I do a lot of traveling between the US and SA and I have to tell you everytime Im in NYC I visit this place. Poetry, wine & beer bit of hip hop, raggae, pop and dancing. So much going on it just makes for a wounder filled night. Love it!

Came to speak on an open microphone. He stood in line for 1 hour, went inside and asked to buy a ticket. bought a ticket. after that, it turned out that it was necessary to come much earlier, to stand in line for several hours to get into the line of 25 people. I am afraid that this is very bad, because there is no information about this on the site. I lost time and my evening. very upset

Love it here! A lot of talent walks through these doors. I come here every time I come to NYC.

The most amazing spoken word experience. I loved being a judge for the famous Nuyorican poetry slam.

Had an awesome time tonight. It was my first time here.

The crowd seems to be changing demographically since I first started attending this place but the talent is still A1 Steak Sauce. Its a great place to bring a date, just try to plan ahead by preparing to wait on line. Advanced tickets online get you in a little faster when they open their doors but waiting at least 45 mins before the door opens should get you decent seats as well. Warning: this place can get packed! So dont come late unless you dont mind trying to peek over everyone from the back or not getting in at all.

A great place to understand the new yorker poetry art!

This place is the spot hand down in all of NYC. Even if youre here for a night, you must come to Nuyorican Poets Cafe. They play the best music and everyone is super chill here.

The wait outside was long, enter at 10:30pm. It stated entrance at 10pm, overcrowded. The show it self was a 5 star, enjoyed it very much.

Always a vibe. I visit from Jersey to support this community.

Nice setting. You require cash to enter though.

Traveled from South Jersey to see the one woman show Call Me Crazy: Diary of a Mad Black Social Worker. It was quite the adventure by train and by uber. Small venue, but the show was outstanding, though the language could be rough. As a retired social worker, when I saw the title I had to be there and I even brought a friend. The staff were warm and welcoming. They serve drinks and the bathroom was clean, two big bonuses. When we left, there were a group of people waiting outside in the rain to get in for the Friday night poetry slam. This place has been around for many years. Hopefully it will remain for many more. Kudos to all involved.

I visited this place twice and LOVED it each time. Brilliant poets recite their work here. It can get really crowded at times, but the crowd is not obnoxious or out of control. Also, performances start late.

This place is great for artists to show off their talent. If you like laid back, down to earth vibes, this is the spot. Love this place. I highly recommend it.

Cute spot, always nice to try out new cornerstones of NY. Worth checking out!

It is very tiny. I appreciate the history and I think it would be worth to invest in updates that would make it more spacious and more efficient without taking away from the authentic bohemian feel and look of the place as it is.

Great vibes, real talent, not too pricey and cool decor.I would definitely recommend this cafe to someone who loves poetry and cool vibe.

Went on a Wednesday night and had pretty low expectations to be honest. But the host and poets who took the stage (via lottery selection) were amazing. Taking off 1 star just because the drink selection is so small (a couple of wine and beer choices) and the chair spaces are extremely tight (and personal space is such a big deal to me) but if youre not a drinker and youre down with rush hour-subway style seating youll likely love the place.

Not enough seats. If you work Saturdays do not go here that night

Very chill place, loved how they treated my friends when they performed. Nice vibe

This place really is all the good and historical feel that we all hear about. I had a great time!!

Nuyorican is an amazing place! The poetry is raw and very real. That is what Nuyorican is known for. HOWEVER! Due to changes in the neighborhood the crowd has definitely changed and the rawness has been watered down. The privilege some people carry is shown on the stage. Newbies to this place wouldnt be able to tell the difference but as someone who grew up in NY and has been to Nuyorican many many times, its heartbreaking. Ill occasionally go hoping to see that one poet who will make it all worth it. The place is small so it gets packed (2 floors), youll see the lines outside. The music is always on point and they also have a bar.

Its a nice established and friendly staff. I LOVE THE YOUNG COMEDIANS AND THEUR PERFORMANCES! I LOVE TO LAUGH AND I ENJOYED THE SHOW! SMOOCHES

Great place to hear some of the best underground poets

Intimate, quaint, & crunk. My kinda vibe.

1st Saturday of the 1st Month in the new year, where host Rome Neal introduced BENNY REUBEN Trio for the Rome Neals Banana Puddin Jazz Jam . . . .

My first time at a Poets cafe and it was a great atmosphere, everyone was very friendly and inviting. Poets did an awesome job, I would go again.

One of the great venues to attend for poetry night, open mic nights, and other performances and events to enjoy for excitement especially for late night performances.

Attended a music show for local artists. The space was intimate. Sound system was good. There was a small bar the wild moderately priced refreshments. Had an overall nice experience.

Im 31 I used to go quite a bit when I was around 18. If memory serves me right the music was always on point. The spoken word is awesome some people take themselves too seriously there but overall its a great atmosphere. Beware sometimes there tends to be somewhat of a college crowd so if thats not your thing steer clear.

Love performing the Monday night open mic!

Cool vibe with diverse audience, great date night and poetry slam.

Excellent time enjoyed the poetry wished the sold more than beer and wine but hey nothings perfect

Pretty cool place, we visited for an open mic. The talent was impressive. Not the cleanest place but enjoyable nonetheless.

Great space and historic vibes. The banana pudding was amazing. Really hit the spot!

Go visit WiseGuy & Gaston every chance you can! Great hosts to the local talent whether music, spoken word, etc.

Loved it for their Monday sessions n open mic nights.

What a great riot! Political, sassy, honest poetry and expression slamming, what a great crowd and such a New York experience. Loved every minute of the poetry slam last night!

The poets performing in the poetry slam were unabashedly revealing moreso they were performing in an intimate setting that allows them to get up close and personal with the audience.

LNAO losing not an option music concert series be lit

Excellent show the had showing The haunting of Lin-Manuel Miranda the play is until June 16th you must see it very educational I would go again.

A very cool place to go watch cool performances. I enjoy the atmosphere every time Im here. The staff are dope and they serve the perfect drinks for a chill night. If youre looking for a place to meet down to earth people, experience new things, or watch upcoming/aspiring artists perform and express themselves this is the place to go. Love it here.

Lovely place, a bit small and over crowd but enjoyable!

Such an amazing experience a friend invited me out and it was nice to do more than just go out to eat or drink such good poets good vibes people who are all there to enjoy the creativity great place

Bought a $25 dollar bottle of wine last night to share amongst the 4 of my friends & never kept a tab. closed out the bill. a 12% content so we were all very sober. Woke up to a lovely EXTRA $34 charge for no reason & no answers from staff. Deff not like back in day & deff not acceptable.

I’m just visiting New York and figured I should do something the locals do. Also, who can pass up poetry? Well, I’m extremely happy I went. The boat was amazing, the poets - new and returning - were amazing, and the building itself fit the bill perfectly. Will definitely return next time I’m in NY.

Best experience ever. The band Killer Blues is amazing!!!!

If youve never been here, a great introduction to this place is the Latin Jazz night. The group was incredible and the place is so comfy and intimate, not to mention that the cover charge is a steal! Perfect evening!

Amazing performances and live events

Nice place just need to work on the smell from the bathroom that flowed through the place

This is an amazing NYC experience. Friday night poetry slam is not to be missed. Smart, funny, serious, energetic and entertaining.

Great vibe and great experience. I went to the Friday night poetry slam and from the host to the performances it was a great night

Dope vibe. Very talented host. Wonderful crowd. My wife and I will be back next 3rd saturday of the month (hip hop poetry open mic)

I loved every second of it the only thing I would say is I should definitely work on their seating situation but all in all I watched a lot of talented and Brilliant poets come up an absolutely kill it. I love the environment and the energy that you get from being in a crowd of people that are all appreciating the Fine Art of poetry. I definitely would like to go back again to see more people perform. Also definitely check to see if there are certain events going on so that you get the most out of your experience thats what I did and I was not disappointed at all.

The music was good BUT, why do call it a Cafe if you don’t have coffee.

Really exceptional experience! This should go on the short list for anyone looking for something unique and culturally relevant to do in NYC.Cant say enough good things about the poets that got up to perform and the special feature from the Nuyoricans mixmaster was phenomenal. Some truly talented people performing at this place

Actually I did not get there for the show my timing was off which was nobodys fault but mine. But the ambulance was just great I just like I just like it its just relax and its just nice I know its going to be good so I will have the dates now and times and as soon as I go I will let Google Maps know for sure thanks for the information to on the address I need directions Rev

Open mic every third Saturday is very fun. The live band is sick. It’s a dope show every time.

Great space and historic vibes. The banana pudding was amazing. Really hit the spot!

Best spoken word place Ive ever visited. Mad intimate, they cram as many peeps in there as possible. Firey slam poets, not a single slouch in the bunch (theres usually one or two thats just kinda okay at events like this, but not here). Feels elite without being pretentious, and it drips with hip-hop. All love.

Great play of Lin-Manuel Miranda