Highline Ballroom

(212) 414-5994

431 W 16th St (9th and 10th Avenue)
New York, NY 10011 40.743306 -74.006849

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Neighborhoods: Chelsea, Midtown

www.highlineballroom.com

Highline Ballroom

HighLine Ballroom

What People Are Saying About Highline Ballroom

The Editor

Katie Heffernan

Citysearch

In Short – The High Line track cuts across 16th just down the street, and this two-story concert venue's industrial homage is evident in exposed metal beams and soot-grey ceilings. But rather than rust, fans will find hardwood flooring, three bars, plenty of energetic staff, diverse popular acts, strikingly vivid light shows and sound that makes ears ring hours after. Most elevating about the experience, though, is the intimate space that allows patrons to feel like they're in the front row, even when they're stuck in the back. –

5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

07/26/09

Very good place for concerts of upcoming artists

by ymiyazawa at Citysearch

It's actually a great place for concerts. I will be attending to one on Aug. 2 for A Special Matinee with Yuto Miyazawa, the 9-Year Old YouTube Guitar Sensation.

It's gonna be awesome!

  • Pros: Overall Venue Quality
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

08/27/08

Nice Music Venue

by Fredg14 at Citysearch

My friends & I saw a show recently at Highline Ballroom and had a very good experience. The venue itself is very nice, and, unlike the last reviewer, I thought the sound and lighting were very good. Maybe he caught an off night. In any case, I'd definitely go back to Highline to see another show

  • Pros: Venue, Sound
1 Star Rating: Poor

08/01/08

This place is a joke . . .

by BrianAC15 at Citysearch

Highline Ballroom was ridiculous. Since they're on 16th street they think they're some trendy Meatpacking club when they're really just a crappy concert venue. To start, the doorman was overwhelmingly obnoxious, not only to us but to everyone entering, including people who were performing that night and had all access passes. Good job. Second, they serve drinks in glasses as opposed to plastic cups common at comprable places, which might sound nice at first but really couldn't make much less sense when you're trying to stand and move to the music at a show. Plus there's a totally unnecessary restroom attendant in the bathroom, yet another lame attempt to be classy and trendy.

All of these problems would be forgivable if Highline actually allowed the performers to put on a good show. But no, the lighting was sub-par, shining blinding beams into the audience's eyes every few seconds, and, most insultingly, the sound was a joke. There wasn't one moment when the vocals weren't either too high or too low, and at the end of their set one of the performers even said "Thanks to the Highline Ballroom for making us sound like we're in outer space." To their credit, the place is very nice looking, but frankly I'll take friendly staff and a concert I can hear over tiled walls and wood floors.

The bottom line is, avoid this place unless you really need to see whoever is performing there. And if that is the case, be warned that you'll be treated like you're a nobody at a chic club when you're really just another guest at a trashy concert venue that can't even get sound and lighting right and doesn't deserve your business.

  • Pros: Nice looking
  • Cons: Obnoxious staff, bad sound, tries way too hard to be trendy

The Details on Highline Ballroom

Know Before You Go:

Sharing the building with supermarket Western Beef, it can be easy to miss.

Where to Sit:

Tables line the balcony and sides of the stage. If your show is sold out, get there early to avoid craining your head over the crowds.

On the Menu:

Well drinks come in at $7, wine around $9 and bottle service starting at $200. For dinner, there's everything from filet mignon to Florida red snapper ($20-$30), as well as smaller appetizers.

Specialty Cocktails:

Like the diverse lineups, the cocktails go around the world and back--from the pineapple-doused East India martini to the namesake High Line with bourbon, honey and lime.

The Extras:

Twenty-five cents from every ticket purchase will be donated to Friends of the High Line, a non-profit that supports its preservation and reuse.

Category:

Bars & Clubs, Ballrooms, Bars & Pubs

Payment Methods:

American Express, Visa, MasterCard

Bar & Pub Special Features:

Bar Menu

Bar & Club Type of Music:

Folk & Bluegrass, Alternative Rock, World, Punk, Ska, Funk, Soul & R&B, Rock & Pop, Hip-Hop & Rap, Electronica, Hard Rock & Heavy Metal

Bar & Club Special Features:

Live Music

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Highline Ballroom

431 W 16th St (9th and 10th Avenue)
New York, NY 10011

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