Liz K.
Yelp
As a New Yorker, I just assumed that small music venues are tolerable at best, miserable at worst. Tickets sell out immediately and have a bunch of fees that invariably add $15 to the advertised price, the floor is sticky, the restrooms are unspeakable, you can't see the stage unless you're in the front half of the venue, and people shove past you even when there is clearly no room to move forward. But, you know, that's just how it is if you want to see a fun show. El Club turned that concept on its head, and I honestly don't know how I'm going to be able to go back to the hellishness of NYC shows.
El Club is everything a small venue should be. The vibe is chill, the decor is hip, you can buy tickets in cash at the door (no fees!), food and drinks are tasty and reasonably priced, there's seating indoors and in the patio/garden to chill between acts, the bathrooms are covered in fun graffiti and super clean, and the performance space is big enough to fit a sizable crowd but small and narrow enough to feel intimate. My girlfriend and I came for a Lizzo show, which was possibly one of the best shows I've ever been to. She would've been amazing in any venue, but El Club felt special because no one was pissed about not being able to see or standing around all evening. I wish every club could be like El Club!