New York City may not be known for cowboy hats and rodeos, but there are still plenty of honky tonks where you can enjoy country music with friends. From jukeboxes to mechanical bulls, these honky tonks offer something for every country fan!
Country musicians have their own distinct sound. From pop sensations to rock hits, country has reached new heights of popularity.
New York City
New York City may be best known as a world capital of Broadway and opera, but it also boasts many bars that specialize in country music. These establishments make great places for casual gatherings with friends or romantic dates alike and often serve delicious food and beverages to complement live performances of country tunes. Enjoy sipping your beverage while dancing the night away!
New York City is home to an abundance of live music from big name performers to up-and-coming musicians, spanning all genres from bluegrass to jazz. New York venues are especially renowned for hosting talented musicians who regularly sell out.
Manhattan may be known for its historic jazz clubs and landmark venues, but Brooklyn offers its own distinct scene with bars that showcase local talent. On a typical Saturday night strolling the borough you may hear fragments of live music playing from cars, bars and other locations.
Doc Holliday’s is one of the best places in NYC for country music fans, providing them with an uplifting musical experience at this roadhouse-themed bar in Hell’s Kitchen. Here, country fans can clap along as Doc plays classic country hits that will surely get your toes tapping!
Skinny Dennis in Williamsburg, Brooklyn offers NYC’s premier honky tonk experience with 18 beers on draft and signature cocktails available; vintage jukebox music plays nightly – an unmissable musical treat that never gets old! Since February 2013, this bar has hosted live country music.
Little Branch, a Brooklyn dive bar reminiscent of a Speakeasy, offers up cocktails and classic whiskey cocktails while featuring local artists as part of its rotating roster of talented performers. Bluegrass fans particularly enjoy visiting this bar every Monday for its weekly jam session!
Mona’s Bluegrass in the East Village provides an intimate setting. Although divey at times, this bar serves as an opportunity for New Yorkers to experience some old West culture while listening to Nashville musicians play live! Plus, its crowd is friendly.
Las Vegas
Las Vegas may be famous for its glitter and glamour, but the city also has an intimate side that many might not expect: country music bars offering more relaxed environments than the typical Las Vegas clubs while providing live music and dancing performances – these bars make an ideal place for social gatherings while offering drinks and great atmospheres to start any evening out right!
Stoney’s Rockin’ Country in Town Square offers one of the best opportunities to hear country music in Las Vegas. Boasting a dance floor and state-of-the-art sound system, this bar also hosts weekly dance lessons on Thursday, Friday and Saturday as well as offering $2 drinks on Wednesdays.
Horse Trailer Hideout in Las Vegas offers an idyllic country music-inspired bar experience, providing a relaxing escape from the city bustle. As one of the newest bars in the area, this venue showcases local country artists. Additionally, this establishment features elevated wines and craft cocktails.
There are many bars offering country music in Las Vegas, and it is essential that you check their schedule and event listings prior to visiting one. As these establishments may contain multiple genres (pop or rap can often be heard), be aware that many country bars in Vegas boast excellent lineups of local bands.
Reeves Brothers, Rhyolite Sound and the Acoustic Five Piece Band are popular country bands in Las Vegas that perform classic and contemporary country songs. Another excellent choice is Saddle N Spurs which offers both live country music shows and karaoke at their bar; its atmosphere is lively but fun while at the same time giving back to charity.
The PBR Rock Bar at Miracle Mile Shops in Planet Hollywood is another wonderful country bar in Las Vegas, featuring a mechanical bull and dance floor as well as two DJ booths, four full-service bars, and even a frozen drinks bar.
Los Angeles
Country concerts at large venues are enjoyable, but sometimes it’s nice to experience their music in an intimate setting. Los Angeles boasts many fantastic bars and restaurants that provide this opportunity, from old-school steakhouses to sleek underground cocktail bars. Here are some of the best places for live country music performances in Los Angeles.
Cowboy Palace Saloon in Los Angeles offers an authentic country music experience, featuring relaxed business casual decor, pool tables, line dancing lessons and basic beers and cocktails available throughout its extended happy hour hours of Wednesday to Saturday. There’s also an optional cover charge after happy hour ends for added entertainment value.
This neighborhood hole-in-the-wall boasts an illustrious past of breaking local and touring country, blues, Americana and rock bands into success – including rising artists Sam Morrow and Alice Wallace alongside established acts like Rick Shea and Dale Watson. Furthermore, Sunday afternoon showcases showcase local acts in an intimate family environment.
Though its name might suggest otherwise, this bar boasts an elegant interior complete with a huge wooden dance floor and state-of-the-art sound system. Decor is inspired by road trips through California, Arizona, Utah, New Mexico and Texas while there is also a rooftop deck equipped with bar facilities as well as an illuminated sign reading “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere.”
The Brandin’ Iron boasts itself as Orange County’s premier country western venue and certainly lives up to this billing. Attracting both mature patrons during weekday performances featuring traditional country music as well as younger audiences on Fridays and Saturdays for two-step and country girl dance lessons, The Brandin’ Iron is certainly living up to its promise!
Tower Bar may be best known for attracting the entertainment industry crowd, but it also features more intimate performances, with jazz pianists serenading patrons by cozy fireplaces. This bar’s unique ambiance never gets old – its excellent acoustics allow patrons to hear singer-songwriters and up-and-coming talent; Blackbird Revival holds regular live concerts there as well.
New Jersey
New Jersey boasts several bars that excel at what they do – you probably know them from past experiences; those which you stumbled into with friends, where you met a potential date or found comfort after having fun; those which left hazy memories or gave rise to new adventures the following morning.
Mike’s Wild Moose Saloon in Hoboken offers traditional country bar fare with taxidermy animals displayed around, as well as an outstanding happy hour. Further south in Gloucester Township lies The Stone Grille (renamed Favorites Sports Bar). Both bars remain top picks for country club atmosphere.
Skinny Dennis in Williamsburg brings the essence of country music right into downtown NYC with its real jukebox and giant hog wall hanging. On Wednesday nights you can even learn country line dancing!