As a performer, playing live is essential, and open mic nights are the easiest way to put your songs to the test in front of real people. New York has a long open mic tradition, from the folk clubs of the 60s to today’s Brooklyn bars, and on any night of the week you can find somewhere to play. Are you a singer-songwriter ready for your first gig? Looking to meet other musicians and join a jam session? An open mic is the place to start.
Playing alone in your bedroom is very different from playing on stage. An open mic is a low-pressure way to see how you feel in front of an audience, get over stage fright and meet the people who book shows in your neighborhood.
Updated October 2026. Many NYC open mics listed online have closed or switched to comedy, so we checked every one below: each had a current listing or announced dates when we checked. Days and times change often, so look at the venue’s page before you go.
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How do open mics in NYC work?
Most NYC open mics use a sign-up sheet that comes out 15 minutes to an hour before the show. Some go in order of arrival, others draw names from a hat, so arriving early doesn’t always guarantee an early slot. Expect 1 or 2 songs, or 4 to 7 minutes. Many are free; others have a small cover or ask you to buy a drink. And many “open mics” in New York are comedy nights, so always check that the one you pick is for music.
Whether it’s your first time playing live or you just want more practice, here are the 10 best open mics in NYC to check out, from Sunday to Thursday, plus two bonus jams for the weekend.
1. Pete’s Candy Store (Williamsburg)
Where: 709 Lorimer St, Brooklyn · When: every Sunday, 5pm to 8pm · Sign-up: from 4pm
Pete’s Candy Store is a cozy Williamsburg bar whose Sunday open mic has filled its little back music room for over 20 years. Bruce Martin hosts, and it’s free. The list fills up fast, so get there for the 4pm sign-up. One tip: the same room runs comedy mics on weekend afternoons, so make sure you come for the 5pm music one.
2. Random Strangers Jam at Shrine (Harlem)
Where: Shrine, 2271 Adam Clayton Powell Jr Blvd, Manhattan · When: every Monday, 8pm to 10pm · Sign-up: in person by 7:45pm
This one isn’t about playing your songs: it’s about playing with strangers. Every 5 to 10 minutes, half the band sits out and 2 or 3 musicians from the audience take their place to improvise a psychedelic funk rock jam on the spot. No covers, no standards. Shrine’s listing says drums, keys, amps and mics are provided, so bring your own instrument. The organizers describe it as a free jam session.
3. The Joy of Ranting at The Windjammer (Ridgewood)
Where: 552 Grandview Ave, Ridgewood, Queens · When: every Monday, around 9pm · Sign-up: in person from 8:45pm
Run by the Footlight, a Ridgewood arts space, and usually hosted by Tim Shea, The Joy of Ranting is a friendly mixed-media open mic: songs, poems, comedy and whatever else you’ve got. The motto is “impress us with your weird”, and the weirdest act can win $5. It’s a good Queens option for trying something new in a relaxed room. The night takes the odd week off around holidays, so check Footlight’s page first.
4. FRIGID Open Mic (East Village)
Where: Under St. Marks, 94 St. Marks Place, Manhattan · When: every Tuesday, 9:30pm (doors 9pm) · Sign-up: at the door
FRIGID’s Tuesday night is one of the most eclectic open mics in the city. Names are taken at the door and drawn from a hat at 9:30pm (late arrivals go to the end of the list), and each act gets 7 minutes, with a light to warn you when time is nearly up. Music, comedy, storytelling, magic, dance and clowning are all welcome: the only rules are no mess and nothing that breaks fire codes. Tickets were $7 plus fees on the fall listing.
5. An Beal Bocht Cafe (Riverdale)
Where: 445 W 238th St, Bronx · When: every Tuesday, 9pm
Up in Riverdale, this Irish cafe and bar hosts a weekly open mic with Eric Sullivan every Tuesday. It’s one of the few regular music open mics in the Bronx, and a friendly neighborhood room to start in. If you play traditional music, come back on Sunday afternoon (3:30pm to 6:30pm) for what the cafe calls the Bronx’s longest-running Irish trad session.
6. Otto’s Shrunken Head (East Village)
Where: 538 E 14th St, Manhattan · When: every Wednesday, from early evening · Sign-up: on the night
Otto’s Shrunken Head is a tiki bar between Avenues A and B whose Wednesday open mic for musicians has become so popular that the old late-night jam was dropped to make room for it. Performers usually play 2 songs. Start times have varied between 5pm and 6pm, so check Otto’s events page for the week. Order a tropical cocktail and enjoy one of the most fun rooms in the East Village.
7. Brooklyn Music Kitchen (Clinton Hill)
Where: 177 Vanderbilt Ave, Brooklyn · When: every Wednesday, house band from 8:30pm · Sign-up: sheet at reception from 7pm
Ever wanted to play your own song with a full band? At Brooklyn Music Kitchen’s Wednesday open mic, you can perform with the BMK house band, solo, or over your own backing tracks. To play with the band, request up to 2 songs online by Saturday night for the following Wednesday: the first can be any song, even an original (send a link), and the second comes from the band’s list. The band takes up to 10 requests a week. Whatever you choose, you still need to sign the sheet in person when you arrive, and get there early.
8. Jalopy Theatre (Red Hook)
Where: 315 Columbia St, Brooklyn · When: every Wednesday · Sign-up: sheet at 6pm, names drawn at 6:30pm
Jalopy calls itself the only home for folk and traditional music in New York, and it’s also the team behind the Brooklyn Folk Festival. Its Wednesday open mic welcomes everyone: names are drawn from a hat, and each performer gets 1 song or 4 minutes. Depending on bookings, it takes place in the theater or the tavern. Perfect for folk, bluegrass, old-time and acoustic songwriters.
9. Ashford & Simpson’s Sugar Bar (Upper West Side)
Where: 254 W 72nd St, Manhattan · When: every Thursday
Sugar Bar was opened in 1996 by Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson, the soul songwriting duo behind “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough”. Its Thursday open mic is still going, with a different host each week. It’s a great room for soul, R&B and jazz singers. Check the Entertainment page on the Sugar Bar website for this week’s host, and call ahead for times and cover.
10. Smalls Jazz Club late-night jam (West Village)
Where: 183 W 10th St, Manhattan · When: every night, 11:45pm to 4am · Entry: no cover for musicians
For jazz musicians, the late-night jam at Smalls is a rite of passage. After the last set, a different host leads a jazz jam every night until 4am, and musicians get in without paying the cover. It’s standards-based, so know your tunes and wait to be called up. Smalls also runs afternoon jams on some days.
Bonus: two weekend jams
Tone’s Bluegrass Jam at Sunny’s (Red Hook): every Saturday night from 8pm to 1am, this historic waterfront bar at 253 Conover St hosts a bluegrass jam where everyone is welcome (21+). Bring your banjo, fiddle or guitar and join the circle.
Vocalist Jam at Jazzcultural (Theater District): jazz jams rarely make room for singers, but this new venue from the Smalls team runs a Vocalist Jam in its cafe on Sunday afternoons (2pm to 6pm). No advance reservations. Check the Smalls/Jazzcultural calendar for dates.
5 tips for your first open mic in NYC
- Check it’s a music night. Many NYC open mics are comedy only, and schedules change. Look at the venue’s page or Instagram the day before.
- Arrive for sign-up. Even with a hat draw, you have to be there when the list closes.
- Play your strongest song. With 1 or 2 songs, pick the one you know inside out rather than the one you finished last night.
- Be ready fast. Tune before you go up and keep your setup simple: the night moves quickly.
- Stay and listen. That’s where you meet other musicians, find collaborators and sometimes land a gig. Have a QR code or link to your music ready.
| Read also: Best Open Mic in London: The 10 best places to be heard in London
Now that you know where to play an open mic NYC, it’s time to test them out! If you’re looking to book shows or get guaranteed feedback from professionals in the music industry, check out Groover.