Nublu Classic

First-timers at this remote Alphabet City outpost will have to ask the smokers outside if they’ve come to the right place: Only a blue light marks the spot. Inside, the crowd settles in for the offbeat jazz and avant-garde acts like owner Ilhan Ersahin’s Wax Poetic. Excellent live Brazilian music and dancing are the draws on Wednesday nights. In summer, an exceedingly pleasant backyard garden eases the pressure on the small space. A new sister venue, Nublu 151, also hosts live music just a few blocks away.