NYC's Best Old School Jukeboxes
9 photos
<p><em>Nell Casey / Gothamist</em></p><p><strong>Great Jones Cafe</strong> The jukebox at <a href="http://www.greatjones.com/">Great Jones Cafe</a> may be the last (functioning) vinyl jukebox in the City and boy is it a great one. Curated by manager Bill Judkins for the past 22 years, the jukebox reads like a music nerd's Who's Who of "early rock'n'roll, blues, country, 60s soul and 70s funk." You may not recognize many of the names but that's all part of Judkins's philosophy: "There are all these great records that not many people know about and the people who do know about them keep them sealed and nobody gets to hear them. I like to find these great records and put them out there." Judkins has collected over 3,000 45s to date and he's still looking. Stop in to hear Clarence Gatemouth Brown, The Raincoats and "Hot Grits!!!" by Elijah & the Ebonies. Or just do as we did and select random numbers; trust us, you can't go wrong. You also can't go wrong with $3 drafts during Happy Hour and a daily changing menu that features Southern favorites like gumbo, BBQ ribs and jalapeño cornbread.</p><p><em>Price: $1 for 5 songs</em></p><p><em>54 Great Jones Street, NoHo, 212-674-9304</em></p>
<p><em>Nell Casey / Gothamist</em></p><p><strong>Duff's:</strong> If your iPod shuffles between Slayer, Megadeath and Motorhead, then self-proclaimed "metal mecca" <a href="http://www.duffsbrooklyn.com/">Duff's in Williamsburg</a> is the bar for you. Owner Jimmy Duff has stocked his jukebox with all the regular metal characters plus some obscure tidbits for the diehard fans. For an added twist, Duff's rotates through a collection of off-beat CDs, including Pee Wee Herman and TV theme songs. In addition to the jukebox, Duffs provides entertainment in the form of "weird VHS tapes" that are played on two screens behind the bar; on a recent visit, bar patrons were treated to a video montage of nubile young women taking off their bras. Spin the "Wheel of Misfortune" for a chance to win a $5 jukebox credit or a shot of "Coney Island Whitefish" (a shot of Baileys served in an (unused!) condom) among other boozy prizes.</p> <p><em>Price: $1 for 2 songs, $2 for 5 songs; FREE on Sundays</em></p><p><em>168 Marcy Ave., South Williamsburg, 718-599-2092</em></p>
<p><em>Nell Casey / Gothamist</em></p><p><strong>Drop Off Service:</strong> No, you can't get your towels washed here anymore, but you can hear some "good drinking music" while you relax on a couch in this airy, brick-walled bar. Owner Lauren describes the jukebox choices as "escape music... stuff that's easy to listen to when it's loud," meaning Wolf Parade, Bob Dylan and Heart are here alongside MIA, Iggy Pop and Grace Jones. The eclectic selection also includes several soundtracks, most notably John Cameron Mitchell's <em>Hedwig and the Angry Inch</em> and 2009's <em>Pirate Radio</em>. The CDs will be changed out in the next few weeks, moving into more American soul and southern rock to accompany the bar's expanded bourbon list. In addition to the booze, there is also the beer, 27 taps to be exact, including Old Speckled Hen, Hofbrau Dunkel and Keegan Mother's Milk Stout (all $3 during happy hour).</p> <p><em>Price: $1 for 2 songs, $2 for 5 songs, $5 for 18 songs</em></p><p><em>211 Ave. A, East Village, 212-260-2914</em></p>
<p><em>via <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/nickjeffery/434209757/">nickjeffrey</a>'s flickr</em></p><p><strong>WXOU Radio Bar:</strong> With a name that reads as a radio station call sign, you can bet that WXOU Radio Bar will have a serious jukebox. This small watering hole on Hudson Street caters to locals looking for a quiet spot to sip a beer, listen to some tunes and watch the Yankee game. The juke serves up a mix of classic rock, jazz and contemporary albums guaranteed to please just about everyone, especially the regulars who aided in the construction of this 80-album behemoth. The clean, no-frills environment helps perpetuate what the staff refer to as a "classic gin joint with a great jukebox." Nuff said!</p><p><em>Price: $1 for 3 songs </em></p><p><em>558 Hudson St., West Village, 212-206-0381</em></p>
<p><em>Nell Casey / Gothamist</em></p><p><strong>Ontario Bar:</strong> O Canada! For Canadian expats and lovers of hockey alike there is no better place than Ontario Bar in Williamsburg. From the maple leaf-drenched decor to the Molson on tap, everything about this place screams of our brothers to the north, and the jukebox is no exception. Neil Young, Rush, Alanis Morrisette, Barenaked Ladies - all the Canadian mainstays plus the expected Bowie and Beatles to add variety. All of the CDs are handwritten mixes, including many that are made by regulars, notably the John Candy approved "Canfuckingda Canadian Supermix," which features Loverboy, Leonard Cohen and Tokyo Police Club (who knew Canada was so diverse??). While you're jamming out canuck-style be sure to sip on a few of the ten plus Canadian whiskeys and channel your inner Wayne Gretzky with a rousing game of air hockey. </p><p><em>Price: $1 for 2 songs, $2 for 5 songs; bartenders will often set up the machine with free credits</em></p><p><em>559 Grand St., North Williamsburg, 718-384-2835</em></p>
<p><em>Nell Casey / Gothamist</em></p><p><strong>The Library:</strong> This East Village staple stocks more than just booze and books (although both are on hand, you budding Ernest Hemingway, you!); it's the "everything I loved in college and now" jukebox that keeps both barflys and neighborhood bartenders coming back every day. According to the bartender, the selection of punk, ska, rap (and all of their offshoots) is chosen "by committee" and includes several mixes made by the staff. This may be the only place where Operation Ivy, Flight of the Concords, Oasis, Ted Nugent, The Misfits and Run DMC all fit comfortably together. $4 Buds and $5 Kirin Ichiban keep the locals well lubricated while the skull decor and Ms. Pac Man game remind us not to take everything quite so seriously.</p><p><em>Price: $1 for 3 songs, $2 for 7 songs, $5 for 18 songs</em></p><p><em>7 Ave. A, East Village, 212-375-1352</em></p>
<p><em>Jen Carlson / Gothamist</em></p><p><strong>Gottscheer Hall:</strong> Recently <a href="http://bushwickbk.com/2011/03/04/get-your-brats-and-beer-at-gottscheer/">BushwickBK</a> called Gottscheer Hall's jukebox "the best classic rock box in Brooklyn." Which is false only because it <em>isn't in Brooklyn</em>âit's in Ridgewood, Queens. The establishment itself, recently written up in <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/26/dining/reviews/26unde.html?_r=1">the NY Times</a>, is complementary to the tunes providedâit just <em>feels</em> like the kind of place you want to hear some Tom Petty, Dire Straits or Billy Joel at while leaning over your beer. Though note, they also have Lady Gaga in there, as well as some German music.</p><p>As one <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/gottscheer-hall-ridgewood">Yelp</a> reviewer points out, "The jukebox is typically pre-loaded with credits, so anyone can step up and punch some songs in without adding cash." This is true, and if you have to pay, you get a lot of return on your dollar (if we recall, it's 8 songs, but we'll confirm and update).</p><p>If you're in the neighborhood (and <a href="http://gothamist.com/2011/01/12/local_paper_declares_next_big_neigh.php">why wouldn't you be</a>?), a great alternative to Gottscheer's jukebox is the one at <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/cozy-corner-tavern-ridgewood">Cozy Corner</a>, which has slightly less Classic Rock.â <em>Jen Carlson</em></p><p>Gottscheer Hall, 657 Fairview Ave., Ridgewood, Queens, (718) 366-3030</p>
<p><em>via <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/digiart2001/2219925663/"> Digiart2001 | jason.kuffer</a>'s flickr</em></p><p><strong>Jimmy's Corner:</strong> You don't have to be a fan of boxing to enjoy this tiny oasis located just east of Times Square, but anyone who follows the sport will delight in the memorabilia lining the walls; everyone else just comes in for the dirt cheap beer, the old New York nostalgia and the rockin' jukebox. Every great soul, jazz and Motown artist is represented here, along with Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, and let's not forget all the hits from the Rat Pack. Grab a stool at the packed bar to chat with the bartender and munch on some salty bar snacks while you sing along to "All Night Long" and "Luck Be A Lady."</p><p>Price: $1 for 4 songs</p><p><em>140 W 44th St, Midtown West, 212-221-9510</em></p>