Nightlife in Long Island City

Selected by Nightclub & Bar magazine as the Nightclub of the Year in 2011 and designated a city landmark in 2008, Webster Hall's four floors hold more than 125 years of history, from the Grand Ballroom to the Balcony Lounge. The building’s iconic framework has hosted such major acts as Prince and Mick Jagger, and served as a speakeasy, a lecture hall, and a mentor to troubled teenage buildings since its construction in 1886.

Originally established in the years after World War I, McGarry’s Pub & Restaurant still evokes the charm of a bygone era. From the moment guests step through the cheery red façade and belly up to the gleaming wood bar, they are transported to a simpler time when cars couldn’t shift gears or text automatically. An equally easygoing atmosphere permeates the beer garden, where wrought-iron tables beckon beneath umbrellas. Indoors and out, a hearty menu of classic Irish pub fare sates patrons’ appetites, offering plates such as shepherd’s pie, fish 'n' chips, and burgers. Brunch is served on the weekends, and beer, wine, and cocktails can be poured whenever someone suggests a toast to their festive surroundings.

Slabs of slate glisten in candlelight atop rustic wooden tables, where white slivers of artisanal cheeses or curlicues of charcuterie fill each stony plate. Nearby, One Stop Beer Shop's tap-pulls and bottle openers unleash foamy rivulets of imported and American beers from breweries such as Hofbrau, Leinenkugel, Rogue, Bellhaven, and Harpoon, whose names and compatible astrological signs are announced on a wall-mounted chalkboard menu. Lively happy hours pour discounted brews and spirited specialties, such as shots of whiskey or vodka chased by vials of pickle juice or borscht, and weekly special events, such as beer-pong and trivia night, test patrons' physical and mental dexterity. One Stop Beer Shop also preps growlers of popular brews for pickup and neighborhood delivery orders.

Black and white photos of Audrey Hepburn and Paul Newman dot the walls of Off the Boulevard Lounge, offsetting the fresh faces of the lounge's newly minted management team. The antique photos speak to the decor's overriding theme, which blends styles central to bygone eras with modern touches through rich mahogany furnishings, lush flora, and atmospheric black lights. Market-fresh ingredients anchor a trim menu consisting of sophisticated American fare, which diners chase with cocktails in the lounge or at the full-service bar accented by coiling orchids, bamboo, and flickering flat-screen TVs. Open breezes swirl around shafts of sunlight in the bistro's outdoor garden adorned in kaleidoscopic panoplies of flowers and paper lanterns that daub the private space in a soft glow as twilight paints the sky in a gauzy azure.

Steampunk ornamentation colors Georgian-era furnishings at Downhouse, an ornate hangout where vivid fluorescents melt over evocative murals, progressive artwork, and vintage accents. The creative menu complements the unique interior with house-made crepes and made-to-order demi sandwiches piled with veal tongue, roast beef, and lightly cured salmon. With stomachs sated, patrons can peruse the calendar for any number of live events, from tango dancing on Tuesdays to the disc- and bowtie-spinning talents of a DJ on the weekends.

The 125-seat Eastville Comedy Club brings crowds back to a simpler time with retro stylings that include teal walls and a tile-backed stage that creates the illusion of watching standup at a subway stop or in the bathroom of an unusually hospitable host. While guests laugh along to the quips of such greats as Louis C.K. and Jim Gaffigan, bartenders pour Blue Moon, martinis, and sodas, among other drinks.