Where to get drinks before and after a Broadway show

A pre- or post-show drink is a classic part of the theatregoing experience — discover the best places for drinks and happy hour in the Midtown Theatre District.

Whether you're going to a Broadway show with a big group of friends, a single date, or solo, a pre- or post-show drink is a great way to unwind during your night out. Catch up with your people before heading to your venue, or go to a bar or restaurant afterward to talk about the play or musical you just saw. It's practically a ritual for theatregoers.

It's no surprise, then, that there are lots of excellent bars and restaurants in the Theatre District — many of which have happy hours, so you can get your drinks on a budget. Most also offer mocktails and other specialty drinks for the sober and under-21 crowds, and their food offerings are just as varied.

Check out our recommendations for the best drinks and happy hours in New York's Theatre District. We've listed the nearest theatres to each, but since most Broadway theatres are within a 10-15-minute walk of each other, you can try whichever bar interests you without being too far away from your show.

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Jasper's Taphouse & Kitchen

There are two important things to know about Jasper's: Happy hour is every hour except 8-11 p.m. on weekdays (4-8 p.m. and 11 p.m.-close on weekends), and the happy hour drinks are some of the best around. If it's the summer, get the frosé, which is infused with watermelon vodka for an extra fruity kick. Otherwise, the $9 margaritas can't be beat.

Alongside the drinks, the food is classic, all-around tasty pub fare: sandwiches, salads, apps, and some large plates. Food isn't included in happy hour, but there are multiple weekly specials: discount tacos on Tuesdays, half-price wings on Wednesdays, and $6 espresso martinis on Thursdays.

Address: 761 Ninth Ave. at the corner of 51st Street
Price: $$
Nearby theatres: August Wilson Theatre, Neil Simon Theatre, Studio 54, Ambassador Theatre, Eugene O'Neill Theatre, Circle in the Square Theatre, Gershwin Theatre

Lady Blue

This 1970s-inspired restaurant is named for a theatre character: Lady Blues of Harvey Fierstein's Torch Song Trilogy. Besides the Broadway connection, we're huge fans of Lady Blue's happy hour with $8 cocktails (we recommend the lemon drop martini or old fashioned) and discounted appetizers.

Additionally, Lady Blue's weekly specials include $8 mojito Mondays, 2-for-1 martini Tuesdays, and $10 spritz Thursdays. The restaurant also has rotating partnerships with various Broadway shows, offering themed drinks and desserts. If you show your same-day ticket stub from the current featured show, you'll get 10% off your bill.

Address: 363 W. 46th St. between Eighth and Ninth Avenues
Price: $$
Nearby theatres: Lena Horne Theatre, Barrymore Theatre, Richard Rodgers Theatre, Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, Booth Theatre, Golden Theatre, Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre, Imperial Theatre, Music Box Theatre, Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre, Samuel J. Friedman Theatre, Al Hirschfeld Theatre

Yard House

Yard House may be a chain restaurant, but with its convenient location right in Times Square and over 100 beers on tap, it passes the test as a top pre-show drink spot.

If you're also there for food, the poke nachos — loaded with ginger, truffle, cilantro, avocado, and ahi tuna flavors — are the house special for a reason. Split them with the table, or enjoy them as a dinner for one.

Address: 575 Seventh Ave. between 40th and 41st Streets
Price: $
Nearby theatres: Nederlander Theatre, New Amsterdam Theatre, Todd Haimes Theatre, Stephen Sondheim Theatre

Pink Taco

Pink Taco is perhaps the most Instagrammable place on this list. Everything is pink, including the tortilla chips, taco shells, and classic margaritas. Even better than the margaritas' color: They're strong, and they're only $10 during happy hour (3-6 p.m. on weekdays and 9 p.m.-close on weekends). Various other drinks are discounted then as well.

Address: 7 Times Square on the corner of 41st Street
Price: $
Nearby theatres: Nederlander Theatre, New Amsterdam Theatre, Todd Haimes Theatre, Stephen Sondheim Theatre

Mom's Kitchen and Bar

Kitschy, colorful, and cute, Mom's is a Hell's Kitchen favorite for every meal from brunch to dinner. The restaurant and bar offers drink specials themed to a different Broadway show each month, and you'll get 10% off your bill with a same-day ticket to that month's show.

Any month of the year, we'd recommend the cheese curds and the 3-6 p.m. weekday happy hour. Think $5-7 drink specials — plus supersized bulldog margaritas (which come with a Coronita) for $15. Multiple mocktails and milkshakes are also on the main menu. This isn't your mom's happy hour — it's better.

Address: 701 Ninth Ave. at the corner of 48th Street
Price: $$
Nearby theatres: Walter Kerr Theatre, Longacre Theatre, Ambassador Theatre, Eugene O'Neill Theatre, Circle in the Square Theatre, Gershwin Theatre, Lena Horne Theatre, Barrymore Theatre, Samuel J. Friedman Theatre, James Earl Jones Theatre

Jimmy's Corner

A hole-in-the-wall bar sandwiched between luxury eateries, Jimmy's Corner is New York's best-kept secret in plain sight. You're not going to get a fancy cocktail here, but you will get a well drink for less than $5, and that's a rarity for NYC.

Address: 140 W. 44th St. between Sixth and Seventh Avenues
Price: $
Nearby theatres: Minskoff Theatre, Shubert Theatre, Broadhurst Theatre, Majestic Theatre, St. James Theatre, Lyric Theatre, Booth Theatre, Golden Theatre, Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre, Imperial Theatre, Music Box Theatre, Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre

VIV Thai

Go for the Thai food, stay for the happy hour. You can make two meals out of one order of pad thai or pad see ew — or just get an order of the chive pancake or crab rangoon appetizers if you're not too hungry.

But if you go before 7 p.m., be sure to get either a glass of wine, martini, or margarita from the $8 happy hour menu. The latter two come in a variety of fruit flavors, and the lychee martini is a fan favorite. As the drinks tend to be on the strong side, you'll surely get your money's worth — but if that's not your thing, the non-alcoholic, milky Thai iced teas are a great choice.

Address: 717 Ninth Ave. between 48th and 49th Streets
Price: $
Nearby theatres: Walter Kerr Theatre, Longacre Theatre, Ambassador Theatre, Eugene O'Neill Theatre, Circle in the Square Theatre, Gershwin Theatre, James Earl Jones Theatre

Hold Fast Kitchen & Spirits

Another favorite spot among the frequent theatregoing crowd, Hold Fast is a cozy, casual spot for drinks and bites. Think the local watering hole of a rural town, but dropped into Midtown Manhattan. Tacos, burgers, salads, and appetizers are the name of the game alongside an extensive cocktail and mocktail list.

The restaurant gets its name from a quote by poet/playwright Langston Hughes: "Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die, life is a broken-winged bird that cannot fly."

Address: 364 W 46th St. between Eighth and Ninth Avenues
Price: $
Nearby theatres: Lena Horne Theatre, Barrymore Theatre, Richard Rodgers Theatre, Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, Shubert Theatre, Booth Theatre, Golden Theatre, Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre, Imperial Theatre, Music Box Theatre, Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre, Samuel J. Friedman Theatre, Al Hirschfeld Theatre

Rudy's Bar & Grill

Established in 1933, Rudy's Bar & Grill is a Hell's Kitchen institution, known primarily for offering a free hot dog with each drink purchase. The dive bar only takes cash, doesn't take reservations, and is great for a chill, cheap outing. Beers range from $3-12, and pitchers are $12-30.

Address: 627 Ninth Avenue between 44th and 45th Streets
Price: $
Nearby theatres: Minskoff Theatre, Shubert Theatre, Broadhurst Theatre, Majestic Theatre, St. James Theatre, Lyric Theatre, Booth Theatre, Golden Theatre, Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre, Imperial Theatre, Music Box Theatre, Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre, Al Hirschfeld Theatre

Glass House Tavern

Glass House Tavern is a go-to Broadway industry spot, so you'll never know what actor, writer, director, or producer might be sitting next to you at the bar as you eat your risotto balls (a favorite among the restaurant's regulars) and sip your cocktail.

The atmosphere is sleek and chic, and the cocktail menu is small and steady. That is to say, it's only eight drinks long and doesn't often change, but those eight drinks have been tailored to perfection. Why fix Glass that isn't broken?

Address: 252 W. 47th Street between Seventh and Eighth Avenues
Price: $$$
Nearby theatres: Lena Horne Theatre, Barrymore Theatre, Samuel J. Friedman Theatre, Richard Rodgers Theatre, Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, Walter Kerr Theatre, Longacre Theatre, Al Hirschfeld Theatre, James Earl Jones Theatre

For more recommendations, check out our guides on where to get fast food, sit-down lunch and dinner, and dessert, plus our roundup of the all-around top restaurants in the Theatre District.

Photo credit: Helena Yankovska via Unsplash