Arthur's Tavern — Restaurant in New York

We've been coming here for many years. Musicians are always great and we love supporting them. Always donating money and bringing friends and co-workers However on our recent visit Saturday 3/16, the bouncer was completely unprofessional and nasty. As we entered with friends who had never been to Arthurs, he had a face and was not at all welcoming. No problem. We were happy to be out celebrating a Birthday so we brushed aside his miserable demeanor. He made sure to communicate that there was a two drink minimum. No problem for us. We had already been out for drinks earlier, so my friend communicated to me that she could maybe only handle one more drink. I told her not to worry, that between all of us we would reach the required drink minimum. In response to her comment to me, he stepped in front of us as we entered after already checking our Id's and nastily reiterated the two drink policy. I told him not to worry that we would be sure to reach the minimum. He told me not to give him attitude. I pointed out he was the only person giving attitude. He quickly stepped in front of me and said I wasn't going in. When I asked him for his name he yelled "GOODNIGHT" I asked again and he pushed me. I'm a 5'5 thin female. How was this productive or at all necessary? I should've made a police report against him. However I realized it was not worth ruining the rest of the evening for a miserable person. Completely unnecessary and unprofessional. This will cause Arthurs many problems, but it seems management just doesn't care. Unfortunately it is so poorly run that they are allowing a frustrated miserable moron to be at the door. They just lost a classy group who have been loyal customers for over 15 years. We will never return to this place. We are happy to spend money especially in support of the musicians, but not when...

Live music treasure in the west village! I had no idea this place existed until a friend introduced me to it this past weekend. Its a small space with the bar on one side and tiny tables lining the other once you enter. At the far end is the space for the musicians. Its more of a pulpit than a stage which in my opinion adds to the experience. There is more seating along the edges of the performance pulpit if you want to be really up close to the action. Limited standing room is available too, including on the 'dance floor' which is the little little space between the performers and the bar. My description may make it sound as if the place is spacious enough but it is quite small and can get super cramped, something to keep in mind if tight spaces make you uncomfortable.

One of the best things about the place is that it has no cover charge! It does however have a 2 drink minimum as is the norm with such places. Also, the biggest drawback, is that its cash only, which in this day and age is extremely annoying.

The best part, undoubtedly, is thr music and the atmosphere that it creates. I had the privilege of grooving to the tunes of the EJ Sharpe band and they absolutely killed it. The service is friendly but there are only 2 waitresses and a bartender so unless you can catch their attention, good luck getting a drink.

I was wavering between a 3 and 4 star review but had to go with a 4 just because I had a wonderful time and will definitely go back despite some of the drawbacks. Quick recap:

Pros: The music, the music, the music The atmosphere and the vibe Location - hop, skip and jump from the 1 train Service was efficient (for those of us standing in view of the waitresses)

Cons: Cash only 2 drink minimum (with automatic 20%...

Amazing old music spot in west village. Took my mom here because we love jazz and it’s a historical spot. It is a tiny place and seating is limited but we lucked out because we got there earlier (8:30 pm) and were able to snag two spots. I think going here with a large group would be very difficult because you would probably be waiting outside for a while (they have a bouncer who keeps track of capacity. Cash only but ATM downstairs. I had one incident where a bartender broke a glass in front of me and it just broke all in front of me but they made me a new drink right away and apologized. Then I got splash with a lot of beer by one of the bartender and I think they felt bad so they took off a round of drinks which was nice. Stayed 2 hours, paid $54. Honestly their drink minimums are easy to meet in that time anyway so no complaints and since there was no cover we made sure to bring extra cash to put in the bucket the musicians bring around. All of the musicians were extremely talented and got to have their own solo moments displaying their skills—definitely the best jazz bar I’ve been to in the city up to this point. Be aware if you don’t drink alcohol, they don’t have sodas or anything on the menu, but they have mock tails that are priced the same as alcoholic drinks. Bathroom downstairs. Overall: this is a great place for 2-3 people if you love the classic New York jazz scene, don’t mind being squished in with a lot of other music lovers, and want to get the most bang for your buck. There are other good jazz places but Arthur’s is set apart by the talent they provide at a low price point. Keep in mind that they don’t exclusively play jazz, it depends on the musicians booked each night so check the calendar. Will be coming...