Arlene's Grocery is a bar and music venue in the Lower East Side, Manhattan. It is located at 95 Stanton Street, and has been a bar/venue since 1996.
The former Puerto Rican bodega/grocery store (the facade of which remains)[1] and neighboring butcher shop were turned into a bar in 1995.[2] It hosts a variety of musical acts, although punk and hard rock bands tend to be most common. Local acts usually play at the venue, while their slightly "hipster" clientele often stay within the confines of the separate bar area.
A handful of major New York City bands have played their earlier performances at Arlene's, including the Bravery, the Strokes, and artist Vanessa Carlton.[3] Beyond these now famous acts, Arlene's boasts an image gallery on their site with performances on their stage by R.E.M., Dashboard Confessional, Guster, and the Violent Femmes. Jeff Buckley also performed at Arlene's in 1997.[4]
Arlene's was a filming location for Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, a 2008 film. Among the more popular events held at the venue are the live band Rock and Roll Karaoke every Monday night and Open Mic every Saturday afternoon.[5]