B.B. King’s Blues Club & Grill

B.B. King’s closed at the end of April 2018, due to rising rent. B.B. King’s Blues Club & Grill is located on 237 West 42nd Street, Manhattan, between Seventh...
B.B. King's Blues Club & Grill

B.B. King's Blues Club & Grill

Cracker

B.B. King’s closed at the end of April 2018, due to rising rent.

B.B. King’s Blues Club & Grill is located on 237 West 42nd Street, Manhattan, between Seventh and Eighth Avenue. Right off of Times Square and Port Authority, it opened in 2000.

The actual space is located downstairs, and is divided between the restaurant Lucille’s and the actual B.B. King’s. B.B. King’s is a large space, with an extensive bar to the left of entering, the stage opposite to the right. The area in front of the bar is separated from the stage floor by a few steps and railing – usually there are seated tables on either side of the railing. There are further tables, including inlaid booths, to the right and left of the stage. The set up ranges from all seated to mostly standing, though leans in favor of the seated. One can order food from seats throughout a performance, though the staff can seem overworked when demand is high (such as just before the show begins).

As would be expected from a venue on 42nd Street, right off Times Square, B.B. King’s is bright and touristy, but also higher-market. This gives good lighting and sound system, but also relatively high drink prices (if wide variety). The acts and crowd also naturally lean well into the older end of the market. The seats can create a bit of an awkwardness to get to/from the stage floor. The kind of place more likely to be visited by parents coming in from the suburbs than their hipster kids, but unabashedly works for what it is.

 

Capacity: 550 seated, 1,300 standing

Address:

237 West 42nd Street (Between Seventh and Eighth Avenue)

By Subway:

A, C & E trains to 42nd St./Port Authority Bus Terminal – walk 1/2 block east on north side of 42nd Street
1, 2 & 3 trains to Times Square/42nd St.– walk 1/2 block west on north side of 42nd Street
N, Q, R & 7 trains to Times Square/42nd St./Broadway – walk 1 block north on 7th Avenue, 1/2 block west on north side of 42nd Street

 

QRO Coverage:

-Cracker, with Camper Van Beethoven, January 15th, 2017 – live review, Cracker photos, Camper Van Beethoven photos

Camper Van Beethoven

 

B.B. King's Blues Club & Grill

Click here for venue’s website

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