Cornelia Street Cafe

The Cornelia Street Cafe presents several sets of music each night. There's a lot of variety: jazz, folk, rock, spoken word, solo piano, etc. The cover is reasonable, usually $10 or less, so it doesn't hurt the budget too much to take a chance on something you're not familiar with. The space feels like a throwback to the Greenwich Village of the 1960s; it's a long, narrow room with a few tables and straight-back chairs. The musicians run the gamut from people just starting out to old pros trying out new material to quite well-known musicians doing something other than what they're famous for playing. The crowd is a mix of cafe regulars, friends of the band and fellow musicians. More than one performer has told me there's something about the space, "something in the walls," that brings out something special in their playing. I've never eaten here, though the food has been recommended highly. There's a nice selection of wine by the glass, and a drink is often included in the cover charge. There's also a full bar. The staff is friendly. Not incredibly efficient, but not annoying.