Cafe Wha? Tours
164 Reviews

With live music 7 nights a week, Cafe Wha? is a New York institution. This basement venue in Greenwich Village once welcomed the biggest names in music and is now a popular spot for tourists and anyone looking for a fun night of music.
The Basics
Cafe Wha? opened in the 1950s, when Greenwich Village was the center of New York’s beatnik scene. Owned by impresario Manny Roth in the early 1960s, the basement club welcomed many young singers at the beginnings of their careers: Bob Dylan hitchhiked from Minnesota to play at the club to a rapturous audience, and Mary Travers from Peter, Paul and Mary was a waitress here.
Today the club has three house bands that alternate nights and play a mixture of R’n’B, soul, funk, and rock. The bands often welcomes celebrity guest performers, so you never know who you might catch onstage. Visit this classic venue to round off a New York pub crawl or a tour of Greenwich Village.
Things to Know Before You Go
- Be prepared to pay a cover charge to enjoy music at Cafe Wha?
- The performance space is located in the basement, down a steep flight of stairs, and may not be suitable for wheelchair users.
- Cafe Wha? is not suitable for children.
How to Get There
Cafe Wha? is located at 115 Macdougal St. in Greenwich Village. To reach the club via subway, take the A, B, C, D, E, F or M train to West 4th St./Washington Square. You can also reach the area via bus; the M55 stops at 6th Ave and West 3rd St.
When to Get There
Cafe Wha? hosts live music 7 nights a week. It’s best to reserve seats in advance, especially on the weekend. Shows usually start around 9pm.
Visit Washington Square Park
Before heading to Cafe Wha?, spend some time in Washington Square Park, the heart of the village. The square, which sits in the center of New York University, has long attracted students, musicians, and nonconformists, and has been the site of many of the city’s most famous political rallies. Take some food to the park and enjoy lunch on one of the benches, or just spend a few minutes people watching.
Address: 115 MacDougal St, New York, NY 10012, USA
Admission: Varies
7 Tours and Activities to Experience Cafe Wha?
Sort by:Featured

NYC Half-Day Private Walking Tour With A Customized Itinerary
See New York City through the eyes of a local with this completely personalized tour that's like having a savvy friend to show you around. Get matched with a like-minded host based on a pre-tour questionnaire, and enjoy a custom itinerary design around your interests. Whether you want to hit up the biggest Manhattan landmarks, go hipster in Brooklyn, find the best New York pizza, or stroll through the lesser-known neighborhoods, your guide shows you the way and takes the stress out of NYC sightseeing.
…More
From
$124.67
Price varies by group size
From
$124.67
Price varies by group size
Face masks required for travelers in public areas
Face masks required for guides in public areas
Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff

Greenwich Village Small-Group Walking Tour
Delve below the surface of one of Manhattan's most popular neighborhoods during this in-depth walking tour of Greenwich Village. See the place artists, writers and radicals called home and learn about the impact this corner of NYC made on music, pop culture, literature and politics. Your guide will share how Greenwich Village became the proving ground for workers rights, gay and civil rights, and more.
…More
From
$37.34
From
$37.34
Face masks required for travelers in public areas
Face masks required for guides in public areas
Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff

Private Greenwich Village Tour
Uncover the stories and secrets of New York City’s famous bohemian heart on this private, 2-hour walking tour of Greenwich Village. See the cafes that launched the careers of groundbreaking artists and musicians, and trace 20th-century history at the site of events that sparked civil and workers’ rights movements. Get tips on where to find the best pizza and cappuccino in the city, and spot recognizable pop culture landmarks like the ‘Friends’ apartment.
…More
From
$74.67
From
$74.67
Face masks required for travelers in public areas
Face masks required for guides in public areas
Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff

Greenwich Village, Chelsea, and High Line Private Walking Tour
Get to know Greenwich Village and the High Line Park in Chelsea, as you explore this vibrant part of Manhattan with a private guide. On this relaxed walking tour, stroll through some of the borough's most distinctive neighborhoods. Your guide gives you a deeper understanding of the history, culture, and public art of the area.
…More
From
$400.00
per group
From
$400.00
per group

Rock & Roll Tour of New York City
I've lived the rise of Punk Rock in NYC during the 1980s. I played some of the little clubs and have many friends who were more successful musicians.
…More
From
$384.00
per group
From
$384.00
per group

Famous Artists of Manhattan Private Exploration Game
Freewheel through the streets of Greenwich Village, following in the faded tracks of the numerous artists that lived here (Barbara Streisand, Bob Dylan, Edgar Allen Poe, Jimi Hendrix, John Coltrane, George Carlin and many, many more).
Solve clues to discover the places where poets and musicians lived and performed. See where Dylan Thomas had his last drink and where Barbara Streisand first debuted. Ready to roll?
See Washington Square Park, the epicenter of the hippie movement and the stage of the Beatnik Riot. Enjoy the musical aura that radiates from Electric Lady Circus, the recording studio Jimi Hendrix set up just before his death. Find yourself at The Bitter End, a venue that claims to be New York City’s oldest rock and roll club.
Each clue will lead you from one place to another by providing you with exact directions. As you solve the challenge, the secret story of each place is unlocked.
…More
From
$9.26
Price varies by group size
From
$9.26
Price varies by group size
Social distancing enforced throughout experience
Regular temperature checks for staff
Paid stay-at-home policy for staff with symptoms

Private Tour of the Beats, Rockers, Punks of the West Village
We will explore one of the great epicenters of cultural energy in the U.S. from Mark Twain to the Ramones, Billy Holiday to Jimi Hendrix, this neighborhood fostered creative forces that would define epochs and change the world.
…More
From
$450.00
per group
From
$450.00
per group
Things to do near New York City
- Things to do in New York
- Things to do in Brooklyn
- Things to do in Newark
- Things to do in Long Island
- Things to do in New Haven
- Things to do in Philadelphia
- Things to do in Amboseli National Park
- Things to do in Baltimore
- Things to do in Boston
- Things to do in Salem
- Things to do in Washington DC
- Things to do in Niagara Falls & Around
- Things to do in Montreal
- Things to do in New Jersey
- Things to do in Connecticut