Turning Point Cafe

What can one say about The TP? As perfect as it gets for music. The place has not changed in 30 years and it should not. You get musicians on the way up, in the middle, on the top and on the way down. Everyone has played there at one point or another. Food is just OK but it is not about the eats!

Turning Point is a humble little dive where the best bands play, apparently. The admission fee was a bit steep, I cannot lie. But, once the band begins to play, it’s all worth it. I saw Popa Chubby — just a fantastic performance. Bluesy, and funky — I had an absolute blast! I didn’t eat much, just homemade chips and salsa, which were very tasty… and a glass of vino. Popa Chubby not only got the crowd jumpin, he had them laughing and dancing around in their seats. Which brings me to the draw-​back. The place is fairly tight. So, real dancing probably isn’t going to happen. But, outside of that, its a fun relaxed atmosphere. Even if you go alone, you feel like you’re part of the crowd. I will go back, and if you love music as much as I do, I recommend you hit it on a night that they have a band. Good stuff!

This is about as «hole in the wall/​dive vibe as you can get! Yet that’s the charm of the Turning Point. It hasn’t changed since 1840, or whenever. I’ve been hearing bands here since the late 1980’s. It hasn’t changed since, except for some of the people that work there, except for the white bearded man that takes your name when u walk in he’s been there since 1840ish. He might just bean apparition, I don’t know.
If u want to see performers 2−3ft in front of you & a perfect sound venue, this is the place to kick back & enjoy a fun night.
James Hunter is one of the best live performers around. Turning Point is a great place to hear him rock!

Feels like you’re in Vermont.

Food upstairs did not impress, but good times have been had downstairs seeing some famous performers. If Manhattan isn’t your bag (well, you’re probably a dope) here’s a nice suburban joint to enjoy live music in a cozy-​ish basement setting.

Great music venue — excellent service. The owner was very friendly and helpful. Loved the background music playing before and after the show. The restaurant upstairs was outstanding Tex-​Mex!

One of my favorite spots to drop in on and perform. I’ve made it a destination trip from NYC many times. And I’m coming back next week to see my buddy Jamie Block.

The music and atmosphere is great. I went for dinner upstairs first. The food was excellent. There was a delay in getting our food because of a large party and they were very apologetic. They gave us a free drink, reserved our seats for the show (which were perfect seats) and bought us another round at the show. I couldn’t have asked for anything more. I am sure I will be back.

I love this place to see some great musicians. It is like going to the basement in someone’s house and seeing a great show. What’s also great about this place is the people that go to the shows. They are usually very knowledgeable fans which also makes it fun. There’s usually a meet and greet after the show where the artists are selling their wares. A really great place to see a show. Always a lot of fun…

This is a great hidden gem near NYC. You need a car to get there, though. Piermont is a lovely town and this venue is an awesome place to see live music. I just saw the Robert Ross Band show on Saturday night and it was awesome. He even went around talking to everyone. If you have a chance to get out here and see a show, I highly recommend it!

I love this place. The clientele is typically a lot older than I am, and I couldn’t care less about the music in the basement. I just love good food and good atmosphere. The restaurant is apparently an old house and the main dining areas are what would have been the living room and parlor. On a summer night you can get a seat on the porch, which is a old fashioned lemonade porch. You can eat an amazing crab cake or burger, sip at a beer, and watch the world go by. Desert is just as good, and after you’ve finished you can wander one of the most quaint little river towns on the Hudson.

I can’t believe I just made it out to this place for the first time recently, seeing as how I grew up in White Plains and have been a folk-​rock fan for ages and ages. My fiancé and I went to see Peter Mulvey, who is one of my favorite musicians.
I have to say, the Turning Point wasn’t quite what I’d expected. That’s probably because I’m from Westchester, and more used to venues like the Watercolor Café, which is more of a restaurant with live music; Turning Point, on the other hand, is more of a music venue that just happens to have food. Of course, I write this as someone who has only been to the downstairs portion of the place. I am aware that there is also a restaurant upstairs, but since you can’t hear the music from there and you have to pay more for the food up there, I wasn’t particularly interested!
We enjoyed our burgers and grilled chicken during the concert, at the back end of a rectangular table maybe 10 feet from the stage. I am short, so I was worried the taller people in front of me would block my view; luckily, that was not the case, since I like to be able to watch guitarists’ fingers when they play.
The only word I can think of to describe the concert space is rustic, though I know that probably isn’t quite right. It definitely isn’t cushy, though. The chairs are not so comfortable, and the tables are a little rickety. But who cares?! It’s all about the music!
The food was good, too, and very low-​priced.
I’ll be back, hopefully soon!

Ever wish you see and hear live music in your basement? Played not by your cousin and the kid across the street, but by nationally-​known recording artists like Richie Havens, Keb Mo, Kenny Rankin, Jorma Kaukonen, Tom Rush, Tom Chapin and Steve Forbert. Among the artists who have played this single room with a capacity of maybe 60 are the following members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: Mick Taylor of the Stones, Dave Davies of the Kinks, John Entwhistle of the Who, Roger McGuinn, Gene Clark & Chris Hillman of the Byrds, Pete Seeger, Bonnie Raitt, Robby Krieger of the Doors, Eric Burdon, Richie Furay of Poco and Buffalo Springfield, RIck Danko, Levon Helm & Garth Hudson of the Band.
A lot of big names and great music to enjoy from maybe 5 feet away.
The restaurant upstairs has a respectable menu, several levels above what one might expect in a bar with live music. By itself, the food is okay, but not really so good that you should make a trip for that alone. If in the neighborhood, it’s not a bad choice. But it’s not quite up to the level of several other restaurants in the immediate area, although the view of the majestic Hudson River from the porch is nice, especially in the fall. If you come here from some distance, you’re coming for the music.
One trick is to reserve tickets for the show downstairs while making dinner reservations upstairs: you get automatic seeding in the wait line for show seats. Last night the two of us had barbecue pork with couscous and scallops w/​sauteed spinach (hers, not mine; death to sauteed spinach, I say). Then we descended to our front row seats to hear the Kennedys — not the Dead Kennedys; the typical music at the Turning Point is folk-​rock, acoustic or blues, not grunge or smash-​mouth.
This place may be secret to the mainstream, but people who know music in the NY area and elsewhere around the country know The Turning Point. Check their website for upcoming shows; the best artists are often sold-​out well in advance. If so, and you just want a place for tonight, call them anyway; quite often there are last-​minute cancellations (by the listeners, not the artists … those days are over, thankfully).
Definitely worth the trip from Manhattan or elsewhere.