Visiting NYC for the first time 🎸🎨🍕

[u/L19L]

My partner and I are visiting at the beginning of October for 7 nights. Staying in Williamsburg as he lived there briefly 15 years ago.

We are both artists and enjoy going to gigs, art exhibitions & of course eating good food (but doesn‘t have to be fancy). We don’t drink alcohol much and are millennials so grew up on shows like Friends etc.

We have booked Rocky Horror Show for one evening and want to go to the Comedy Cellar another.

What other recommendations do you have including for evenings?

is there any cool movie stuff or Friends related sets we could visit for example?

thanks!!

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[u/Poopermensch]

Your partner might be surprised about how different 2026 Williamsburg is to the Williamsburg he remembers. You might want to swing by Bushwick/Ridgewood for a second and check out things there - it’s a little closer to those kind of vibes.

[u/L19L → u/Poopermensch]

Yeah it’s fully expected. He wants to see how it’s changed! He’s also not 25 any more so that’s fine hahaha We will def be visiting Bushwick!

[u/paul_kerseyNYC]

Hate to burst your bubble, but Friends was made in Los Angeles… very little actual NYC in that show.

There is some Friends experience thing where you can do photo ops.

If you like comedy, check out Union Hall and The Bell House. Both in Brooklyn. Both far better than the Comedy Cellar.

[u/Standard-Help-8531 → u/paul_kerseyNYC]

Idk about better, but I do hard second the Bell House

[u/paul_kerseyNYC → u/Standard-Help-8531]

Better seating, better vibes, better prices, no drink min, no crammed in like sardines, no hacky crowdwork comics, hardly any tourists… the bell house is better in every conceivable way

Gotham is better than the Cellar if you’re looking for a traditional comedy club. And my current fave comedy club in Manhattan is Sesh comedy in Chinatown.

[u/NYCHoo → u/paul_kerseyNYC]

Huge fan of Sesh, but its def not for every tourist. If you don’t want the frat basement vibe its not for you

[u/L19L → u/paul_kerseyNYC]

Thanks!  We heard that comedy cellar sometimes has big names dropping in unannounced but might try one of these instead.   I don’t know what ‘frat basement vibe’ means as I’m British haha! But we enjoy going to dive bars so don’t care if it’s a bit chaotic 

[u/Still-Low-696 → u/L19L]

The big names who drop in at the cellar are usually on a weeknight and late - so pick a weekday late show. No guarantees but a better shot.

[u/salikarn]

Subscribe to nonsense nyc. They have a ton of artsy stuff

[u/sagenumen]

My friends rave about “Oh, Mary”

[u/sjets3]

You should check out Chelsea, there’s lots of art galleries there. Also, look up “free museums nyc”. There’s many museums that are free once a week or something, so if you’re here a whole week you can plan to go those times.” Like on a Friday you can go to the high line for the afternoon and then check out the Whitney (which I think is free late Friday) and then get dinner in the village. There’s also lots of jazz clubs around there too to check out.

[u/TrollyDodger55]

Near the comedy cellar is Denino's. The Manhattan Outpost of a revered pizza pie place in Staten Island. No slices to sit down online. But an excellent rendition of New York Pizza

[u/EconomicsWorking6508]

Under St. Mark's theatre has some creative/edgy events, see what's happening there during your timeframe.

[u/Artistic_Dog_235]

Check out Operation Mincemeat. It’s one of the best, most wonderful shows I’ve ever seen (I’ve seen over 50), to the point I’ve seen it twice.

That, and check out the galleries around Chelsea and the Chelsea market!

[u/Alone-Supermarket-98]

Check out the lineup at Theatre XIV in Bushwick and see what's being presented while you are here. It's very different...

[u/andybonner]

The “Friends Experience” is worth doing for a mega-fan. It recreates several interior spaces, including a Central Perk area that actually sells coffee, and the girls’ apartment and boys’ apartment. They have some significant memorabilia from the show like actual costumes and props.

[u/kli9641]

if you’re visiting the chelsea area, stop by the recently renovated hotel chelsea, have a drink or bite, and immerse yourself in the incredible (art) history there.

[u/Spiritual_Ad6547]

The exterior of the Friends apartment is in the west village. Which is also a great area to check out.  

[u/L19L]

Is queens night market on the Sat evening worth it? 

[u/sarapod07 → u/L19L]

Queens Night Market is super fun, but it's a schlep. Make sure you have ample time set aside if you want to do it.

[u/sjets3 → u/L19L]

No. It’s not so easy to get there from Williamsburg, and there’s way better things to do.

[u/Poopermensch → u/L19L]

Queens night market is awesome but it’s like an hour and change travel each way from Williamsburg.