Classic NYC bar to see bands. Maybe legendary... Decent space, good sound and lighting. While they do have an $11 beer and shot special, $9 drafts does seem high. They dont sell food here and unlike other venues that dont, they dont allow outside food??? Cool space and location but docked a star for the too-cool-for-school staff (guys youre not, youre a late night bouncer or Monday night bartender). Manager should explain that it doesnt cost extra to be nice and btw theyre in a service business - oh, and it could help tips...

I love The Mercury Lounge! I tend to listen to and support smaller artists, so this is the place I usually end up at when I want to see a band. The venue is intimate, the lighting is cool, and the sound engineers usually do a better job than they do in Texas (lol). The drinks are reasonably priced for the area and the bathrooms are decently clean as well. I’m sure I’ll come back here in the future!

Saw Dawn Richards here and the venue was packed to the brim. Very New York venue, dirty and small...and it was beautiful. It’s not a venue you want to have to go to the bathroom in but it’s great if you want to be close to the act you’re there to see.

My first Red Party! I had so much fun. This was a great venue for a decent sized gathering.

Startles the line between music venue and bar the good thing bar is front of house with dedicated performance space in the rear. Sound was good, typical NYC a few couches along the side walls but for all intents and purposes a standing room.Photos: The End of America by Perry Stein

Nice place to hear good music, saw run river north here along w common souls, tickets were very affordable

The Merc lounge is the Lower east sidess cathedral of indie rock and rising stars. It was my old stomping ground back in the day. I was thrilled to see my cousin Kevins amazing band Kate Usher and the Sturdy Souls band play there recently. They truly rocked the hallowed walls of this great downtown music den.

First time seeing somebody perform at this venue so take my review with a grain of salt but ... my main complaint would just be the drinks , personally i didnt feel they were mixed well. The bartenders were nice just didnt feel like they were amazing. But the venue itself is a decent size. I like that they had couches lining the walls, very comfortable. I would possibly go back to this venue if I wasnt drinking

Great little venue, intimate atmosphere. Lauren the bartender took great care of me. Will definitely catch another show here on a future visit.

Great inexpensive venue for smaller artists.Sound quality of the show I saw was mixed. Some artists had very clear and well mixed sound whereas others had a mix I didnt like.

Intimate venue for intimate performances. A great place for anything from jazz, to hard rock, anytime theres a show, expect to have a great time. Will never forget my visit.

Just went there for the first time last night to see this incredibly talented reggae band called the Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad. Great space on the Lower East Side

I’m reviewing this from the aspect of a performer:We loved being at the Mercury Lounge! The staff were friendly and super helpful, allowing us to get in a bit early to set up. The biggest shout out I have is for the sound guy with the venue. He was a mega champ with knowing about the space, helping with the change over between bands, and getting things rolling fast on the console. Due to that, I definitely would love to come here again.

Great venue for up and coming acts. Its a small place so it keeps that small show feel but with a heavy sound. Youre close to the stage and some acts will crank it, so dont forget some dampening ear plugs. That way you can keep that high frequency hearing range so you can hear all the dog whistles or something I dont know.

Cool spot for live music! Decent space in the back where bands play.

Wow, Never listen to the Complaints.... Yes its small, yes its old, yes its crowded... But for the price and the experience to be almost able to touch the artist performing...... Ive never Enjoyed an intimate evening with a musician like that before...Freya Ridings couldnt have been a better experience....I will be back Mercury Lounge.....

A great venue for great artists! Saw Thin Lips open up for the Bad Bad Hats and had the time of my life!!!

The Mercury Lounge is a long walk from the train, but this is still one of the best intimate rooms to catch an up-and-coming act before they hit the big time. The sound of the room is fairly good with decent sight lines and a small number of seats on the sides. The bar is seperated from the performance space to cut down on the noise.

Small front area and a nice space in the back for small gigs. Id go to another show if I knew about one there, but I probably wouldnt stop in otherwise

Great NYC landmark. Simple professional drinks and a great show. Then a sandwich at the deli on the corner. No paparazzi Awesome!

Great selection of drinks and a nice little place for a gig

Up close & personal experience with the musician, small venue but intimate atmosphere. Loved the concert!

Awesome venue! I saw Octave Cat here recently. Sound quality was great, music was great, venue was clean and comfortable. Drink prices were actually very reasonable for a nyc venue, but I took off one star because the bartender was very unwilling to make any adjustments to the beer/shot specials, even though we were the only patrons when we asked. When it was clear I couldn’t mix the beer/shot, I decided to instead splurge on a top shelf drink. I used to bartend (and like to monitor my consumption) so I pay attention to how much is poured, and I got just over a single, for a $22 double :(. Here for the music, not for the drinks, so I’ll be back for sure.

A live music institution on New York City’s Lower East Side for 25 years. The Strokes and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs were among the bands who launched their careers here. The venue is intimate, all sight lines are excellent, sound mix allows you to hear lyrics and instruments, and musicianship is of the highest quality, whether by well-established musicians or emerging artists, local and on tour.

The venue is cozy for meeting friends and grabbing drinks at the bar but large enough for a healthy amount of people to stand in and watch the band perform

Mercury Lounge is a pretty nice, cool and intimate space for drinks and performances. I went there a couple weeks ago for the Blutopia tour and saw the performances of Cherry Pools, Tillie and Micky James. The room was smaller than the average venue I’ve been to, but still it wasn’t crowded and there was air conditioning so it didn’t get hot in the room. The stage decor and lighting were excellent! I really enjoyed my time in here.

Great place for live music

Small and intimate experience. I liked that the bar was able to be closed off from the show room,in case you needed minute to get a drink. There are seats along the wall of the showroom. The bathrooms were pretty clean and the bartender (female) was really nice. All in all Id absolutely want to go to another show here.

Ive seen tons of shows all over Atlanta and this is easily one of my favorite venues. Its small enough to feel intimate, but not so small that Im claustrophobic. And I love that they put out free water towards the end of every show - every venue should do that!

Intimate live venue located in lower Manhattan. It has been around for many years. Numerous local and international bands regularly play on its stage. There are no barriers, so that the audience can actually get close to the musicians. Tickets to shows usually cost less than $20. There are bathrooms available, and there is also a bar. Staff are professional and friendly. There are also couches lining the walls near the stage.

Intimate venue, excellent for seeing favorite artists

Great venue. Super I intimate

Gr8 rock venue with multiple talents streaming in every week...reasonable drink prices.

Great hangouts and awesome spot to jam....see a favorite band

Great venue and quality service. We enjoyed the night and would definitely return. Also, The Clarks put on an amazing performance.

Fun venue if the right band is playing, but tight, small, so get there early

Acoustics are horrible. The only good spot in the all place is at the bar. Drinks are very adorable.

Good music venue cozy and holds a lot of people but not overwhelmingly large and the bar is well separated with swinging doors from the stage area in the bathrooms are decent. Also in a great location so after the show or before the shows or you can go have for dinner or after show meals and various restaurants and bars. Very recommended.

Great venue and nice vibe. I saw outasight there.

Still a great venue for great bands. Tookes-The brother and sister duo killed it.

Saw cuco here, so glad I bought tickets, it was an amazing show and performance!

Nice venue, excellent location, friendly staff. Somewhat limited bar (freezing cold night, and couldnt get an Irish coffee because no coffee) but there were several wine options, and at least 4 beers on tap. Im a newbie to venues of this type. Theres only a row of upholstered benches along each wall. Its a watch the band standing kind of place

Sang here for the United States debut of The Pub Choir! A great cozy venue. Perfect for medium-scale festive events.

The place is ok,just need cleaning between shows and a better customer service. That singer Paul Beaubrun was on fire .Make your forget about everything .His music is life .I had a wonderful night .Thanks to him.Just forget about the place go for the artists and have fun

Great sounding venue. Management courteous.

Clean and nice. Small at the same time. All around nice place

One if the best NYC venues for live music. I love the Red Party

Great atmosphere. Skilled bartender. Fun music.

My sister performed here and it was a cool experience. Nice bar that you walk through that doesnt have terribly high drinks and nice venue for the band to perform. It was cool to learn the history of it as well. Also down below where the bands wait in the green room was pretty cool to see all of the graffiti of past bands.

I went for my friend Andy Pops performance. He was awesome and commanded the stage and he was very interactive with the crowd. I would have to visit the bar on another occasion to get a real feel of the crowd but it felt very tight in the bar area. I think I only had 1 drink, it was strong and good.

Ive seen a few shows here, most recently about two weeks ago. I enjoy myself every time, but the drinks are really expensive for this type of place - doesnt make sense to me and many other apparently.Tickets are always decently priced and its a small venue. When a good band comes around its a cool atmosphere.

Very cool place to go to to see bands of all genre from heavy metal to rap/hip hop, etc. And to have some drinks and hangout for a little bit.

I was commuting to this place directly from my work and had my electric skateboard with me. The lady told me I couldnt bring it in. I had no idea what to do. After a few minutes the lady asked me if that thing is electric. I said yes. She took my skateboard and kept it somewhere and said that thing is so cool but dont bring it in next time. 5 stars..

Great Defunk show last September

Small punk atmosphere.perfect concert venue. Saw Anti Flag. Harkened back to the CGBG days.

Went to the Spring Fling 98 and it was AMAZING. I just felt bad that that bartender was all by herself dealing with all of us. I hope she gets a huge bonus and/or raise because she was fantastic.

Nice venue for love music, intimate space, in the East village, easy to get to, bar inside.

Awesome venue for up close and personal experiences with the bands playing!

Nice chill venue with good music and better bands

First time in New York and it was AMAZING . The place is so cool. Theres a parking garage RIGHT BEHIND the venue that made it so easy for us ( its kind of expensive tho ) the bathrooms were super clean and had posters for up coming shows. The bar was very roomy, great drinks. The staff was super cool as well! The stage area was really big surprisingly . Couches to sit on. Candles. It was a really great place and experience I would totally make the 5 hour drive again

Such a great place to see local artists!

Awesome venue. I’ve been going there for years and it’s always on point.

A great venue, intimate setting and great sound.

Cool venue. And you can get up close to the stage. I went this past Saturday and the show was awesome. Great sound system and that first DJ was not playing games on turntables at all. A few acts didnt show but it was for a great cause and worth the money. Eat before you go there because all they have is snacks if youre hungry.

I was holding my friends drink as he was busy with something else. I didnt have a bracelet so this guy working there basically kicked us out. I had a ticket for the Joan show and we didnt even get the chance to see them perform.

Its actually not a bad music room and good sound system. The man running the sound, etc. Did a fine job. As far as the bar, overpriced substandard product. This is not a food venue. Front end staff didnt seem to care about anything. Not sure if I would give a second try. BTW the music act we went to see was excellent.

Venue was nice but staff was very rude. New York... And the dude mixing sound was terrible. Otherwise good vibes and good times. Mashiach now.

Such a cool small little bar. I saw my favorite band their and was so close to the stage bc it was such a small intimate event

Its a small and intimate space to see live performances. Its a good place to see a show if you dont mind standing through it all. There were seats along the sides where the wall is.

A great, intimate venue.

Great sound sight lines and still a neighborhood bar feel ! Love it! A NYC institution

Great place but they surely can work on getting a better ventilation. It gets really hot when crowded

Cool small venue. Great spot to find up and coming bands

Loved the dance area, it does get pretty packed though. Bartenders were friendly and service was good.

Place is fine but more importantly I’m the 666th review

Cool intimate spot! Tiny venue with a pretty nice front bar area. You can buy tickets at the door without any fee (you dont actually get a ticket though ) or online with a fee (that makes sense right?..) and they put your name on their list. Fun place!

Nice place it’s a nice intimate setting to watch your favorite band acoustics could be better but overall a decent experience. Get there very early if you want to sit on the couch for the opening act. Stand up front and get the small band experience.

Nice cozy venue. Very carefree kinda vampy vibe when I was there.

Great place for intimate music gigs.

One of the few stellar small music venues left on the island!

Nice small venue for musical groups. They could have sold alot more beer if servers walked around with pre-poured beer. Two Parking garages both on Essex. First one just around the corner from the Mercury but $$$$. Second one municipal parking garage $. Three blocks from first.

Fantastic music venue, came here to see Joanna Teters and Braxton Cook (with Jeremiah Hunt on bass, whooeeee). Great lineups, great focus on real musicians

Unique venue very tight bar area. A nice small room to be in. Very interactive for the artist if they are so inclined. We saw a great show there and I think it had everything to do with the size of the place. The bar wench was a little bitchy. No big deal I wasnt there to see her.

Saw Corinne Bailey Rae perform here. Its a beautiful and intimate space for performances.

Small venue good place to see a show

This place throws the best post-punk parties and events in Manhattan, hands down

This is a great little venue cant wait to come back to see another show.

Got rid of their legendary PA system (on which I previewed Kaki Kings debut LP before it was released) for some 2-bit nonsense. Another one bites the dust. AVOID.

Excellent sound system. Intimate dark vibrant venue that has some of the best shows in the city, especially for the price. Smaller than a Bowery or Williamsburg hall of music, it brings out an intimate side of musicians that other venues don’t.

Decent stage and sound and light systems. Crowded standing mainly but tickets were very reasonable.

Great service, great sound, what more can you ask

Great venue. Feels like the Strokes might show up uninvited. Check who is playing before just showing up. I once showed up and paid covers to what turned out to be a seriously dreadful emo party and Im trying not to repeat that night.

Super cool and cozy. Saw half•alive here. Nice bar.

It is fun, divey. Went for a show. I like how close you are to the stage, but the acoustics are a little rough. The beer is good too.

Friendly staff. Chill atmosphere. Great live music and sound system.

Only been here a couple of times, but each time was a blast. Not super big, but hasnt been crazy crowded either. All the bands I heard play here were great. And when the bar was too full, one of the service ladies actually went out of her way to take our orders and bring the drinks to us. Also met a beautiful woman there so, that might be bias but, heres the extra star.

Saw Kat Cunning. The main bar area is separate from the show area. There was some seating around the sides of the showroom but otherwise it is standing room. The sound was great. There is a small bar in the showroom for a quick drink.

The space is very large. Great for live bands. Separate back room.

I saw Ama Lou, Nov. 5 with guest Marco McKinnis. They were both AMAZING. The venue was pretty small but there was no problem getting in and out

Saw a great So So Glos show there last night, with Bodega, Emmerson & The Clammy Hands, and Baglady