There’s always a new boozy venture in New York City. (Or in any good city, for that matter.)
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When I was living in the city, there was a boom in hidden speakeasies. Before that, bars were made from blocks of ice, and you had to rent a subarctic coat to get in.
Now, we’re heading into new territory—one that combines the headiness of TED Talks with the affordable beers from a local dive bar.
Welcome to Lectures on Tap, a new venture that sells out bars around New York City by bringing on guest lecturers, professors, and experts who serve up 40-minute-long lessons on life’s greatest topics.
At the time of writing this article, the next series is taking place in East Village from a professor who will discuss the psychology of infidelity. (Talk about things you want to hear about with a stiff drink in your hand.)
Before that, there were courses on awakening one’s inner witch, myths about Grand Central Terminal, and the history of cannabis, just to give you an idea of what kinds of topics are popular.
That sounds like a tour de force of things New Yorkers are interested in—but I think this venture is also a unique opportunity for anyone visiting the Big Apple.
If you’ve got an interest in learning from experts while also sampling the cocktail menu at a new Lower East Side bar, you need to reserve your spot sooner rather than later.
Lectures on Tap: a closer look
Lectures on Tap started up in 2024 with the simple idea I laid out above: deliver the intellectual punch of a TED Talk in a casual, boozy setting.
(You do not have to drink to join—the bars where the lectures take place always include a mocktail menu and small bites to eat.)
The idea comes from a husband-wife duo who wanted to engage an older, more pessimistic demographic of corporate professionals. To bring back the magic of the golden days, they decided to combine the arts of socializing, drinking, and learning—in bite-sized, 40-minute segments.
Though the project has barely been off the ground for a year, it’s already proved hugely successful.
How to sign up—as a guest or a lecturer
You can learn more about Lectures on Tap directly from their website, which includes information on how to sign up as a lecturer. Here’s what you need to know.
First, sign up for their newsletter (or follow them on Instagram). You’ll get first dibs on sign-ups when they release a new schedule.
You can look for a lecture that tickles your fancy, then buy tickets. As mentioned above, every lecture lasts 40 minutes and includes a 20-minute sign-in and socialization period.
If you want to sign up to offer a lecture, you can do so via the website. Along with experts and professors, the Lectures on Tap crew also signs on storytellers. Creatives are welcome!
Tips for enjoying your Lecture on Tap
The best way to enjoy your Lectures on Tap experience is to sign up for an event that suits yours needs. But remember that every lecture is hosted at a different bar—and New York City is a deceptively massive city.
Even if the trains are running at hyperspeed, it can take more than an hour to get across the city. If you’re visiting New York City for a few days, make sure you sign up for Lectures on Tap that are near your neighborhood.
That being said, I’ve only seen lectures available around Manhattan, from the Lower East Side to the Upper West Side—which are more than manageable for visitors.
