Best nightlife in Soho: The hottest clubs and music venues

City Winery

• Price band: 2/4

Unabashedly grown-up and yuppie-friendly, this slick new club launched by oenophile Michael Dorf, founder of the Knitting Factory, is New York’s only fully functioning winery, as well as a 350-seat concert space. Acts tend to be on the quiet side, but that doesn’t mean the shows lack bite. Younger singer-songwriters like Keren Ann and Diane Birch have appeared, but the place is dominated by older artists (David Johansen, Los Lobos).

S.O.B.’s

The titular sounds of Brazil (S.O.B.—get it?) are just some of the many global genres that keep this spot hopping. Hip-hop, soul, reggae and Latin beats all figure in the mix, with Seu Jorge, Zap Mama and Wyclef Jean each appearing of late. The drinks are expensive, but the sharp-looking clientele doesn't seem to mind.

Don Hill’s

Smack in the middle of the exclusive-club district, on the western end of Spring Street, is a rock & roll throwback to the days when girls wore their hair big and boys wore tapered pants and snapped their fingers. Velvet-rope discos be damned—this metal-head (or would that be mullet-head?) mecca allows you to dance to the best of the ’80s bands. Saturday is Britpop night.

The Jazz Gallery

It’s a tad snug, but the acoustics at this jazz haunt make it a prime place to get intimate with the music. The Jazz Gallery’s weekend showcases have become draws for folks like Orrin Evans, Jason Lindner and Vijay Iyer.