Mercury Lounge

Mercury Lounge is one of those places I’ve passed many times but never given a second thought. It just sort of became lost in the piles of bars, pubs and eateries in lower Manhattan. However one of my favorite artists was playing here so I made the trip down to check it out.
Mercury Lounge is sort of misnamed in that not many people can really «lounge» in the place. The front section is a bar, with a narrow corridor leading to the performance room in the back. The two are separated by walls and a door to keep the sound contained. Across from the bar are the rest rooms. The bar is typical, lots of dark wood, average range of liquor. The night I went they only had one red wine (again, typical).
The back room is larger and has a small bar off to the side. There are also seats (this is where the lounging can occur) against the walls. The middle is left open for standing room only. The stage isn’t high up and if you get there ahead of time you can be close enough to the stage to get a good view. The sound system was good and the lighting was good enough to see the stage while keeping the audience area dark.
My main complaint is that it was around 60 degrees outside (in April) but inside everyone was sweating up a storm. I felt two blasts of A/​C then nothing, as if the A/​C decided it couldn’t handle us and went to go get a drink instead. It was very strange.
I’d go to Mercury again if an artist I liked was playing there but otherwise I don’t feel compelled to go back any time soon.

I went here a few months ago to see my friends band play. The bar was pretty standard for a dive venue, but the music area itself was nice. The bar and stage are separated by a wall so the people who don’t care about the music don’t ruin it for the people who want to dance and have fun. The sound was pretty good too, and overall I had a really good time. There was quite a bit of room for a small place. Overall I’d come and see a show here again.

This is what happens when you start phoning in your Unilocal reviews. Copy/​Paste Text Message Reviews:
:I had 3 heavy-​handed double rum & cokes. So after the equivalent of 6 drinks I’m loose.:
:God. Did you have fun?:
:They put on a good show. I’m mixed about the venue though.:
:Why?:
:No consistent coat check, big gaps in the music lineup.
I’ve gotten used to and spoiled by Rockwood I guess. It’s probably not fair to compare the two until I know if Mercury Lounge is supposed to be a real music venue or just a bar with a really large back room.
And that’s my whole review. Word for word!:
:Lol!:
Don’t judge me. They’re better than my Forensic Facebook Reviews.

They packed way too many people in this small concert spot. Not an enjoyable night.

Clanky and tinny sounds emanate here from Brooklyn and Manhattan music acts. Narrow hallway with coat racks, gives way to low stage in back. Beers moderately priced. Don’t come for high-​end martinis and cosmos. Bring your gang of friends, beer up, dance and enjoy the music.
Sidenote: this place used to have a lower cover. They have tripled it now to $ 15. Good party location on Houston street.

The Mercury Lounge is a good spot for a small venue. Drink prices were a bit pricier than the NYC Standard. Security seemed a bit unfriendly and I watched them kick a handful of people out. Not sure why to be honest. They were in front of me and then one by one got taken by security.
The sound was better than most small venues I’ve been at.
The lights on stage right and stage left were too powerful for a small venue. Maybe I have sensitive eyes, but I had to put my sunglasses on at some point.

This place is so disappointing. Security was rude. Service was terrible. The security guy abuses his authority. He made things up to get my friend kicked out just because he believed he saw my underage friend was drinking, which in fact she wasn’t. He didn’t even listen to what we said, and refused to check the camera. The way he talked was unreasonable and arrogant. And the drink was horrible too. The one star is for the band and the stage room. The band manager is helpful and knows what he is doing tho

Security was rude and the manager was brutal. She only believed her security which he made something up and kick my friend out. Their drinks were terrible too. Do Not Come To This Place anymore and I would tell my friend too. They both doesn’t listen us to explain and mean as well. One star for the band. The band were really good tho. I was disappointing with this place and would never come back.

The bar/​venue itself isn’t anything special but it is a great for an intimate show with a band you like. I was fortunate enough to see Corb Lund and was able to get very close to the stage. There isn’t too much room but the acoustics are really good. No trouble hearing all the instruments or vocals. I recommend going if there is someone you want to see.

Mercury Lounge
NY: Manhattan: LES
11pm Saturday 26^th September 2015
Three Stars
This is a good dive bar to watch a concert. We came here to see Sundy Best, which is Eastern Kentucky Duo who combine Country, Bluegrass, Folk, and Twinge of Rock into Western Pop feel. It was a $ 12 Cover. If you want to take a smoke break make sure you get a stamp. The band was scheduled for 11pm so they went on a midnight. We enjoyed some Bourbon in small plastic disposable cups from the bar at the entry way. They played some top forty hip hop between performances. The back room with the stage is rather open with couches on the side. The sound system was loud but well calibrated. When the concert began, we enjoyed $ 5 PBR cans from the girl stationed inside. Drinking PBR was the right call. However Pabst always weirds me out, because its the cheapest drink you can buy at a bar but its wholesale cost is like 50 cents per can. Overall, I would come back to drink and watch something else.

I like how mercury Lounge is a place you can go for a drink as well as go for a show. I think the display outside doesn’t do the inside justice.

I’ve been to this space several times. It’s small, intimate and a great place to see a band play. Extra bragging rights if you get to see a «big band» play here, before they «make it». Or, if your in a band, i guess this would be a great place to «break the ice» to the NY scene.
Either way, if a band your into is playing here, go for it. Will sell out fast, so if its something you really don’t wanna miss, get tickets quick when its happening here.

I was super excited to visit this local music venue after living in the the area for two years and never stepping foot inside! It’s unfortunate that my immediate experience with Mercury Lounge was super negative due to the doorman and ticket checker who were both incredibly rude to my friend and I.
The venue itself was fine — drinks were cheap (for NY standards) and the space is small and intimidate — perfect for a live concert. I’d go back but not expect 4 star service or even human decency.

This place has a narrow long bar after the entry, and then a nice sized room in the back with a stage where they have all kinds of interesting bands play. I saw a friend play the back room with his band and it was great — nice sound, fun crowd, pretty lights.

Great no-​frills tiny music venue that features a ton of up-​and-​coming acts and international bands. It’s basically like your friend’s basement as a kid, but turned up to 11. Okay, more like 7.
Sound system is okay. The lighting isn’t the most versatile. The stage is low and you can really get in there for photos opportuniities (securty doesn’t care what you shoot with).
Bars outside and inside the music area. Not the best beers, and not the best prices. But par for the course for the area.

This was a fun little lounge. I watched Andy Allo here, a great artist who has worked with Prince. The venue was dark with nice lighting, the sound was great and a nice intimate music concert.

Came in over the weekend for a Lighthouse and the Whaler show. Tickets for this show were cheap, 10 bucks online. Will call was painless — just told the door guy our names and checked off the list, and walked right in. There’s a bar right at the entrance and you walk past that to get into the main area. First thing you’ll notice is that the venue is fairly small — good in that there’s really no bad place to be and you get an up close view of the stage. It does get cramped and can get a bit warm. Get there early if you want to be right at the front.
All in all a small, intimate venue that’s a great place to catch your favorite bands up close.

Listened to an early show here on Saturday, all three bands were very good! Surprisingly the place was almost empty around 7ish, and didn’t get crowded even by 9pm. Felt a bit sorry for the musicians, as they were definitely good enough to gather a crowd! Overall, nice experience, great music, lots of space to dance!
(the only minus is a cocktail in a plastic cup. why why why?)

I’ve seen a few shows here, most recently about two weeks ago. I enjoy myself every time, but the drinks are really expensive for this type of place — doesn’t make sense to me and many other apparently.
Tickets are always decently priced and it’s a small venue. When a good band comes around it’s a cool atmosphere.
If you’re here for just the music: 4 stars
If you want to buy a few drinks: 3 stars

This place is a normal, small, Lower East Side bar.
Music we saw was fun but it was mostly whatever. Also their drinks (which they serve in plastic cups) were way over priced. None of the staff was particularly nice.

I was here to watch my colleagues band. Great ambience to enjoy good music.
The band was supposed to start playing at 7.30 p.m. but the place didnt open till 7.45

I like coming to shows at Mercury Lounge, but since the music venue portion is in the back, it can get rather tedious getting by the crowds at the bar before and after shows. It’s definitely a good, smallish venue, with a more intimate vibe than somewhere like Bowery Ballroom.
I enjoy taking photos at concerts, and I’m happy to say that you shutterbugs will have no problem at all shooting here. Just be courteous of other concert-​goers, and don’t be that guy that uses a flash (seriously, don’t). The down side: when I was trying to leave after shooting a show for a friend, some crazy drunk girl barreled into me, smashing my bag into the wall next to me. Ended up having to get my lens repaired for a cool $ 150.
All in all, it’s a good place to catch your favorite lesser-​known (underground?) indie rock band.