Pianos NYC
(212) 505-3733
158 Ludlow St
New York,
NY
10002
40.721
-73.9876
Neighborhoods: Lower East Side, Downtown
What People Are Saying About Pianos NYC
The Editor
Kara Zuaro
Citysearch
With clientele decked out in runway-ready rock-and-roll gear, Pianos is a live music club that makes fashionistas feel at home. The regulars buy their designer jeans pre-distressed, wear choppy haircuts in deliberate disarray and enjoy indie garage rock as an aperitif to late-night DJ sets. Sure, the music matters--as long as it's chic. And as trends change, Pianos' fresh, whitewashed walls and expansive bar will continue to create a versatile and stylish space. There's no cover at the door, but it'll cost you to catch the band in the back room, which serves as a dark, sweaty antithesis to the stark cleanliness of the main bar. Seats line the sides of the performance space (which is often standing-room-only), and the ground-shaking sound system helps draw local and national up-and-coming rock bands. Unless there's a private party, you'll find a chilled-out middle ground in the upstairs lounge.
User Reviews
mpete33
June 26, 2009
I normally like hanging out at Piano's and like to go there when friends are visiting. I also like going on Thursday night because they usually got good bands playing. Oh man, but we went last night and the sound was awful. It was painful. There was so much feed back and the sound guy didn't know how to fix it. Also one of the speakers/or microphone was buzzing super loud. And it was so loud that it was painful. I'm not an old lady. I'm not offended by loud concerts, but last night was bad. And there was a cool band playing, but unfortunately we left because of all the feedback on top of the troubling volume was all too much. Pianos needs a new sound guy bad. It was disappointing to come across a cool band and then not be able to appreciate their music because the sound guy does not have a clue as to what his job is. It was so bad that I wouldn't pay to see another show there. And after reading about the racism incident...I don't think I'll go back. There are plenty of bars on that block and lots of other music venues too.
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jhwhit
May 13, 2008
Awful, rude service by uncaring waitstaff. Plus the sound was beyond terrible, and the engineer abandoned his station halfway through the set. A friend had $20 swiped from him at the bar, and the bartender didnt even care, another friend was thoroughly ignored and i "lost" a few items in a bag. Liars and thieves. I've been there three times and all three times I found the people working there to be thoroughly unhelpful and full of attitude. The last time stuff was stolen and I'll never go there again, no matter how enticing the atmosphere and the area may be. People hate hipsters because of places like this; down with Pianos!
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luvnyc401
March 25, 2008
Whenever those nights come along where I'm not sure where to go and nothing spectacular is going on, I know coming here will still be a good time. Theres no line at the door, no cover, drinks are good and crowd is chill. I usually head upstairs, where this a $10 fee to get in, but thats just b/c I prefer the dj up there and small dance floor. It gets very crowded but finding a couch isn't impossible, its usually just the walk to the restroom that gets a little pushy.
read full reviewThe Details on Pianos NYC
Know Before You Go:
The proprietors ditched the dankness of a traditional punk rock bar, but failed to update the dingy unisex bathrooms downstairs.
Where To Sit:
Hang out toward the front of the bar for a shot at scooping the picnic bench table near the window--its prime people-watching point of view make it the best seat in the house, and table service is free of charge.
Category:
Restaurants, Neighborhood Bars, Singles Bars
Payment Methods:
American Express, Visa, MasterCard
