Cafe Wha?

"Energetic house bands play at former hangout of Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, Allen Ginsberg & others."

Cafe Wha? is a Greenwich Village live music venue and house band destination that has operated on Macdougal Street in New York City since 1959. The Cafe Wha? House Band performs Thursday through Sunday, covering Motown, rock, pop, funk, hip-hop, soul, Latin, and more; the venue also hosts a rotating calendar of jazz, rock, and other genres. Cafe Wha? has offered live music since 1959, and the space served as an early venue for performers including Jimi Hendrix, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, Richard Pryor, and Lenny Bruce. Located at 115 Macdougal St. between W. 3rd and Bleecker in New York, NY 10012, accessible via the W4th Street subway station. Reviewers consistently highlight the house band's energy and range, with guests noting dancing in the aisles, singing along, and sets that mix English and Spanish music across eras and genres; some reviewers flag tight seating and a two-item minimum policy.