A Lady Gaga Guide to NYC: Celebrate the pop star at these seven local spots

I’ve been a fan of Lady Gaga since the first time I heard “Just Dance” while driving down La Brea Avenue in Los Angeles in 2008. I was a 17-year old starving artist, and it was refreshing to hear a New Yorker on the radio during a time I was really missing the East Coast. That feeling would be validated even more when I heard her lyrics in “Marry The Night” throwing subtle shade at Hollywood: New York is not just a tan that you’ll never lose.

One of the reasons I respect Lady Gaga so much is that she brilliantly encapsulates in her music what it means to be a New Yorker. She wears her love of her hometown like a badge of honor in her lyrics, her stage performances and her interviews—frequently referencing how much being a ground-up artist in the city has contributed to her success.

This weekend, fans from all over the world will flock to the Big Apple to catch the Mayhem Ball at Madison Square Garden, where Gaga will play six shows in total (August 22, 23, 26 and 27, and September 6 and 7). If you want to go beyond just seeing the show and explore New York through the lens of Gaga, here are a few places in the city with ties to the pop megastar.

The Bitter End

Prior to adapting her stage name, Lady Gaga performed around the city without an alias as Stefani Germanotta. One of the most prominent places she performed before she made it big was the Bitter End. Located in Greenwich Village, the Bitter End is one of the best places to catch up-and-coming artists in the city.

There’s usually some type of cover charge (bring cash), and the venue hasn’t changed much since its opening in 1961—with carpet floors and old-school bartenders. Gaga’s photo still hangs behind the bar from her Stefani Germanotta days (peep the brunette hair), and she even returned here during her 2016 Joanne “Dive Bar” tour.

Joanne Trattoria

Speaking of Joanne, Lady Gaga’s father, Joe Germanotta, runs a restaurant named after his late sister: Joanne Trattoria. Located on the Upper West Side, the Sicilian-inspired menu includes dishes like arancini, Joanne’s Spaghetti and Meatballs and a mix of cocktails and mocktails with names dedicated to Gaga’s music like “Lavender Blonde” and “Blade of Grass.”

Where Joanne Trattoria really shines is through, however, is its live entertainment, bringing supper club vibes back to life. To honor Gaga’s six shows at MSG, Joanne Trattoria will be running “Concert Week Shows” through September 6. Performances include a Sing-A-Long with Broadway’s Grace Romanello on August 22, a Pregame Dance Party with DJ Pat on August 23, “Drag me to Joanne” with Venus Mystique on August 27 and a Sing-A-Long with Janine Vitiello on September 6. Reservations on OpenTable are strongly encouraged.

Pianos

OG Lady Gaga fans will remember her longtime collaborator and performance partner Lady Starlight. In the mid-2000s, the pair frequently performed together and Lady Starlight helped inspire many of Lady Gaga’s eccentric stage costumes. One of their regular performances were Sunday nights at Pianos, a bar on the Lower East Side where they’d perform over-the-top stunts onstage—like lighting cans of hairspray on fire. If you want to see where it all began, head to Pianos to check out nightly live performances.

Welcome to the Johnsons

Though Lady Gaga grew up on the Upper West Side, she proudly lived on the Lower East Side during the formative years of her early career. She references her walk-up apartment in the “Marry the Night” music video, and has frequently referred to Welcome to the Johnsons as one of her favorite local watering holes, where she would drink with other artists. Her love for her roots are not forgotten, as, earlier this year, she headed back to Welcome to the Johnsons with Zane Lowe for “The Mayhem Interview” on Apple Music. The Rivington Street dive bar is known for cheap beer and shot deals and is a great place to head to before, or after, seeing her show at MSG.

Hard Rock Hotel New York

Fans of Lady Gaga will be pleased to know that the Times Square sleeping pad, which opened in 2022, is filled with nods to New York artists. So it should go without saying that Lady Gaga’s presence is certainly felt here. On the ground floor, you’ll find a pair of silver patent leather boots worn by Lady Gaga on January 27, 2018 following rehearsals for her Grammy Awards performance. Many of the rooms have Gaga-inspired paraphernalia, from artwork of her and Tony Bennett on the walls to a large-scale image of her on the sliding door to the restroom.

Plus, Hard Rock New York offers the Wax program, which celebrates the vinyl resurgence. Rooms are equipped with a turntable, premium over-ear acoustic headphones and a curated vinyl collection, where guests can specifically request a Lady Gaga vinyl listening experience. The TVs at Hard Rock New York are also curated to enhance the listening experience; head to the Pop channel to listen to some Gaga songs while you get ready for the show.

Lattanzi Cucina Italiana

Earlier this year, Lady Gaga had a very New York week when she hosted Saturday Night Live. Prior to the big show, she was spotted with fiancé Michael Polansky on a date night at Lattanzi, an Italian restaurant on Restaurant Row. Another plus? The restaurant is currently offering a special through August 31 for Restaurant Week. Enjoy a three-course lunch for $45 or a three-course dinner for $60, with offerings like antipasto misto Romano (a mix of mozzarella in carrozza, bruschetta and artichokes), pollo con peperoni (chicken with peppers) and torta di ricotta for dessert.

Red Eye NY

If you’re headed to opening night of the Mayhem Ball at Madison Square Garden and are looking for a way to keep the party going after the show, on Friday, August 22, Red Eye NY is hosting Club Mayhem: The Mayhem Ball Afterparty. Red Eye NY is a queer-owned nightclub in the heart of Hell’s Kitchen, one of the most LGBTQIA+ friendly neighborhoods in the city. The night, which is produced by Luis Fernando, will feature two floors of odes to Gaga, with music by Joe Michael, Jon Ali, Mack Mackey and Alex Cohen, plus live drag performances by Jupiter Genesis, Bobby LeMaire, Brie Bordeaux and Christine Dior. Beginning at 10pm, and only about a 10-minute walk from Madison Square Garden, it’s expected to be a busy night, so purchase tickets ahead of time.