Loud guitars and drums on stage leading a roomful of bodies swaying in unison. Who doesn’t love a good concert? From dingy blues dives to nationally renown rock clubs, we present the top 50 music venues in the U.S.
To create this list, we used Yelp data to rank small and mid-sized music venues across the U.S. based on the number of reviews and overall star rating. Check out some highlights below followed by the complete rankings.
Skylark Lounge – Austin, TX
Rank: 1
Go here for: A piece of old-school Texas music and pretty good pizza.
“One of my favorite live music venues in Austin. It is dark, dingy, and divey. Love the atmosphere. The seating is limited and the stage small which makes for a very intimate setting.” – Christopher S.
B.L.U.E.S. – Chicago, IL
Rank: 3
Go here for: An intimate night of blues from Chicago’s finest.
“Real cool place! You feel like you’re part of a special back stage concert with a few of your close friends. Some people may say it’s cramped but I considered it to be intimate. If you want a prime spot get there early but there’s generally room” – Coreen W.
Robert’s Western World – Nashville, TN
Rank: 25
Go here for: A true Nashville experience and the best traditional country music around.
“Robert’s Western World is famous for a reason: it IS Nashville. Everything that Nashville is famous for can be found here.” – Michael S.
Preservation Hall – New Orleans, LA
Rank: 9
Go here for: Experiencing the finest traditional New Orleans jazz in the home of jazz. Your best bet is to buy tickets in advance.
“Honestly one of the best musical experiences of my life. The Preservation Hall Jazz Band is AMAZING and so much fun. They were truly very talented and played traditional jazz so beautifully that the set was over in an instant!” – Bethany A.
Bottom of the Hill – San Francisco, CA
Rank: 19
Go here for: A no-frills, sweaty-good-time featuring the best local and touring bands.
“This place is awesome. Old, divey, neighborhood bar and music joint. The drinks are stiff and fair and come quickly, the vibe is good. If you’re looking for music without the d-bags and bouncers and night club scene, saddle up to the bar for a bourbon and some tunes at this joint.” – Tim A.
Green Lady Lounge – Kansas City, MO
Rank: 37
Go here for: Two floors of live jazz fueled by stiff drinks, seven nights a week.
“One of the things I like most is that virtually daily and multiple times a day you can find live music at this venue vs just the weekends late night like in some cities. For those of us who like to enjoy the earlier times, this is a great offering.” – Pam M.
Red’s Lounge – Clarksdale, MS
Rank: 48
Go here for: Soaking in the blues at a true Mississippi Delta juke joint.
“A truly 100% authentic juke joint. If you are traveling across Mississippi and you stop a night at Clarksdale, don’t miss this place. I attended a show of Terry ‘Harmonica’ Bean that lasted four incredible hours.” – Andrés G.
Meow Wolf – Santa Fe, NM
Rank: 10
Go here for: Great live music several nights a week plus the chance to lose yourself in a truly-unique interactive arts-plex.
“How do you describe this place? It’s very different and unlike anything I’ve ever been to, so it’s hard to compare or describe. It’s like an interactive art exhibit, meets fun house…” – Debbie D.
The Casbah – San Diego, CA
Rank: 14
Go here for: The glorious grit and grime of this San Diego rock club with a punk spirit.
“This San Diego landmark is a treasure and if you want a proper introduction to a rock show in the San Diego area the echoes the glorious days of punk rock past the do not pass this up.” – Sandy H.
Freddy’s Bar – Brooklyn, New York
Rank: 49
Go here for: A rockin’ good time at one of New York’s finest small venues.
“Food is amazing and they serve till the early hours – even on a Sunday. Great staff. Every drink you’d need. Great prices. Same faces. Live music. Solid banter. Fish tanks. Unsettling/wonderful video art on loop. What a local pub to have.” – Mike E.
Top 50 Music Venues In The U.S.
- Skylark Lounge – Austin, TX
- Union Transfer – Philadelphia, PA
- B.L.U.E.S. – Chicago, IL
- The Station Inn – Nashville, TN
- Bernice’s Tavern – Chicago, IL
- Brothers Drake Meadery & Bar – Columbus, OH
- Hotel Café – Los Angeles, CA
- Ryman Auditorium – Nashville, TN
- Preservation Hall – New Orleans, LA
- Meow Wolf – Santa Fe, NM
- The Kessler Theater – Dallas, TX
- The Jazz Corner – Hilton Head Island, SC
- The Spotted Cat Music Club – New Orleans, LA
- The Casbah – San Diego, CA
- Laughing Sun Brewing – Bismarck, ND
- Knuckleheads Saloon – Kansas City, MO
- Pappy & Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace – Pioneertown, CA
- Rambling House Soda Pop – Columbus, OH
- Bottom of the Hill – San Francisco, CA
- Zanzabar – Louisville, KY
- Double Down Saloon – Las Vegas, NV
- The Brewhouse Gallery – Lake Park, FL
- Lagniappe – Miami, FL
- Hungry Brain – Chicago, IL
- Robert’s Western World – Nashville, TN
- The Troubadour – West Hollywood, CA
- Cactus Cafe – Austin, TX
- Great American Music Hall – San Francisco, CA
- Char’s Has the Blues – Phoenix, AZ
- Space – Evanston, IL
- Freight & Salvage Coffeehouse – Berkeley, CA
- Blind Lemon – Cincinnati, OH
- Tipitina’s – New Orleans, LA
- Venice Cafe – Saint Louis, MO
- Terminal West – Atlanta, GA
- Riverwalk Cafe & Music Bar – Nashua, NH
- Green Lady Lounge – Kanas City, MO
- Gruene Hall – New Braunfels, TX
- Crescent Ballroom – Phoenix, AZ
- Original Fat Cat’s – Fort Lauderdale, FL
- The Empty Bottle – Chicago, IL
- The Granada Theater – Dallas, TX
- Happy Dog – Cleveland, OH
- Rockwood Music Hall – New York, NY
- The Fillmore – San Francisco, CA
- The Lost Church – San Francisco, CA
- Valley Bar – Phoenix, AZ
- Red’s Lounge – Clarksdale, MS
- Freddy’s Bar – Brooklyn, NY
- The Little Longhorn Saloon – Austin, TX
Plan on checking out one or more of these fine music venues? Keep the entire list handy in this bookmark collection.
