"Inside Llewyn Davis," a Coen Brothers film featuring John Goodman and Justin Timberlake that traces back to the Greenwich Village folk scene of 1961, opened in limited release across the U.S. Friday.

Directors Ethan and Joel Coen reportedly drew inspiration from the former Brooklyn folk singer Dave Van Ronk, who settled in Greenwich Village during the 1960s and released the album "Inside Dave Van Ronk" in 1963.

After a borderline ludicrous wait, part of Greenwich Village was finally named a historical landmark in December.

In honor of Greenwich Village and the brilliant musicians who sprouted (and continue to sprout) from the area, here are the top music venues you must visit in the Lower Manhattan neighborhood.

Honorable Mention: Zinc Bar

Zinc Bar was formerly Club Cinderella, which housed legends such as Thelonious Monk, Billie Holliday and Frank Sinatra back in the 1940s.

It hasn't missed a beat since those days, either.

The venue hosts live nightly music, attracting jazz aficionados, old timers and NYU students, making for a diverse and interesting crowd. On the weekend, African and Brazilian bands take to the stage.

Zinc Bar boasts solid acoustics and its layout allows customers to watch from the bar away from the main performance area if so inclined.

The combination of great music, atmosphere and history places Zinc Bar in the top five.

5. Groove

For R&B, funk and soul music, head on over to the appropriately-named Groove on MacDougal St.

First of all, the place gets major props for tapping into the genre's best musicians and performers. It continues to introduce up-and-coming groups, while keeping a cast of established rotating musicians on hand.

It also boasts a social atmosphere that tends to attract big stars. Shaquille O'Neal and Michael Strahan have been spotted at the Grove, as well as Chaka Khan, Lisa Lisa, Peter Guns and Lord Tariq.

This is a place you can walk into, without any sense of what's on the schedule, and have a great time.

4. NYU Skirball Center for the Performing Arts

In addition to being a great community-building venue that hosts university events, the 860-seat NYU Skirball Center for the Performing Arts also provides for live music, theater, dance and opera.

The center is beautifully designed with comfortable seats and plenty of leg room, and the acoustics are impressive. It has a wide-open feeling with lots of fluorescent light, providing a relief for those tired of the traditional concert hall setup.

The NYU Skirball Center is not only a top music and theater venue, it also gets bonus points for its positive, communal environment.

3. Cafe Wha?

Cafe Wha? has been a local favorite since the 1950s, housing some extraordinary talent since the booming days of Greenwich Village.

It was the original stomping grounds of figures such as Bob Dylan and Jimi Hendrix…as well as Bruce Springsteen, Peter, Paul & Mary, Kool and the Gang. The success of comedians Richard Pryor and Bill Cosby also sprouted from this historic venue.

Cafe Wha? currently features three house bands that sometimes surprise audience members with a random famous musician. For Brazilian dance music, as well as jazz and samba, stop on by on Monday. Tuesdays house soul music. Last but not least, the Cafe Wha? House Band finishes off the rest of the week with a wide variety of music, from reggae to rock.

2. Fat Cat

Fat Cat offers it all, from music to games to art space to educational programming.

In terms of the music, Fat Cat has a pulse on the emerging artists of a variety of genres spanning jazz, latin, classical and world music. The venue also has a unique way of doing things, placing up-and-coming artists next to legends of the genre to foster challenge and camaraderie.

A lot of people come here for the relaxed, chill vibe, as Fat Cat's old couches give it a coffeehouse feel.

If you are looking to meet different people and great music, Fat Cat should be on your bucket list.

1. Smalls Jazz Club

Smalls Jazz Club hasn't been around since the 1960s, but it has made its own history since opening up in 1994.

Smalls started out as basically a basement with no liquor license. Owner Mitchell Borden would allow anybody to come by at any time of the day or night for $10. That gesture opened up a newly energized, vibrant culture of musicians, many of whom are loyal to the venue to this day.

If you are looking for great music and a welcoming atmosphere, without the obnoxious people, you absolutely must check out Smalls Jazz Club.

Know some other great venues in Greenwich Village for music lovers? Hit me up at rrudnansky@travalliance.com. Follow me on Twitter @RyanRudnansky.