This was my first visit. I will say for positives that the food is great. I had the chicken breast…read moreand subbed out the lentil salad for potatoes, and the server was good about making that requested substitute. The cheese plate was good and the server made great selections / recommendations for us on cheese to try. The server was very attentive. The music was great. It's a fun and lively place to get some food and hear some great jazz! However, they do not show online when choosing a seat that there is a column in front of the seats over to the right hand side of the venue when you enter, right by the stage if you choose those seats.

I had one of the most disappointing and frankly unacceptable experiences at Smoke Jazz & Supper…read moreClub on March 28th for the 10 PM show. Let me be clear, the main redeeming aspect of this place is the talent on stage. The musicians were exceptional and deserved far better than the environment surrounding them. I ordered a scotch neat, something I'm very familiar with, and immediately knew something was off. When I politely flagged down a waiter, he responded with visible annoyance, as if I was inconveniencing him by being a paying customer. I explained the issue and simply asked if it could be checked or replaced. Instead of addressing it professionally, he walked away without a word, returned holding the bottle and my glass, and said, "this is what you were poured," before carelessly tossing the drink back onto the table. No apology. No explanation. Just attitude. It escalated from there. When I confronted him about his behavior, he denied it outright and then doubled down with an aggressive, confrontational stance, getting in my face and effectively threatening me. His exact words? "If I tossed your drink on the table, it would have been all over you!", and "Man, shut yo ass!" Completely unprofessional and unacceptable in any setting, let alone an establishment that positions itself as upscale. The manager's response was just as disappointing. Instead of addressing the behavior of his staff, he blamed me, asking why I "chased" the waiter and suggesting I should have gone directly to him. That's not how basic customer service works. I tried to resolve the issue directly, respectfully, and without escalation, something his employee clearly had no interest in. I was thinking if I talk to the waiter first, he wouldn't get in trouble with his manager. To make matters worse, the manager continued to defend the waiter rather than de-escalate the situation. At that point, it was clear this wasn't a one-off issue; it's a reflection of how this place operates. I paid my bill and left. For a venue that attracts world-class jazz talent, it's astonishing how low the standard of service is. This place is doing a disservice to the artists who perform there. I will never return, and I would strongly caution anyone expecting a professional, respectful experience to look elsewhere.

First time at Rustica and I thought the place was extremely cool. It was decorated with a very…read morerustic appeal, almost like you were visiting somewhere other than NJ. Maybe Vermont or Maine. Service was good by Alejandro & Tomas. We had Saratoga water that is my favorite and the bar drinks were delicious. I had a margarita and my husband had a vodka old fashioned. We had mussels and shrimp cocktail as appetizers which were good. I had the lemon chicken dish for dinner that I enjoyed. My husband had surf & turf which he liked but thought it was small and there was shell on the lobster. He did enjoy the rolls. We ordered truffle fries but got sweet potato fries. They were good so we ate them, but it would have been nice to try the truffle fries. All in all the dinner was nice as the ambiance was lovely. There was also live music. I liked it but it could have been a little lower. We would go back and try some other dishes. Cool to check out!

came here for birthday. Saturday was live music at 7:30. restaurant was half empty when i got…read morethere- for a saturday night probably not a good sign. parking lot is very small but you can park on the street too. portions were really big. food was mediocre- i felt like the food was reheated- the mussel was so tough i spat it out. Service was decent. Decor was in like an old world vibe. Would i come back? maybe if the food improves.

Beautiful space with a view of Central Park South. Great acoustics. There were risers with office…read morefurniture like chairs. They were reasonably comfortable and there was plenty of room. Great medium sized jazz venue.

Do enjoy jazz, but don't regularly go listen to a live performance except on a really special…read moreoccasion. My friends had an extra ticket to "Big Band Afrobeat to Afrobeats: Ulysses Owens Jr. with Michael Olatuja" in Jazz at Lincoln Center's The Appel Room. My first time here, I was really excited. The room has a great view over Columbus Circle and, equally important super acoustics. Overall, it was a sensational evening and recommend you check out their programs. To add, our tickets enable us to head afterwards to the adjacent Dizzy's Club without a cover, where there was a fantastic small jazz trio. An amazing evening!

THE BEST!! Brie makes everything fun and gave us an awesome night! We love her and will be back!read more

This is a fun place for both dinner and entertainment. We stopped by for dinner on a Friday night…read more The servers were really kind and attentive. We started with strawberry soju drinks. We ordered the Thai vegetable spring rolls, chicken pad see ew, and basil chicken. All the dishes were flavourful! My favourite was the basil chicken. I appreciated that the atmosphere was relaxed and it wasn't crowded.

Great food, great service, great live music. Would definitely recommend. Try to get a reservation…read morebecause this place gets packed!

I have resided on the UWS for over 38+ years, and have a love relationship with Prohibition fine…read moredining & Jazz venue since 2003. A soulful music haven, paying homage to the 1920's flavor; with impromptu melody goodness. During one of my frequent hangout appearances, Chaka Khan graced her presence, shut the house down & blew the roof off the building. The delectable food, savory flavors and my favorites are: Tuna Poke Crisps, Lollipop Lamb Chops, Crackling Pork Shank, Wild Mushroom Gnocchi, and "Pro" Pie for Two. There insanely delicious flavored cocktails are: The Bootlegger Old Fashioned and Frozen Cosmo; not watered down. Trust me, their electrify, high energetic toxicating vibe is suitable for all who are curious, daring and want pure fun from a live bang or gut wrenching melodically sound from his, her or their voices, puts a spell all over you; and I LOVED IT The staff, deserve an open blank check or countless gratuity for keeping their attention on you, so you want for nothing. Just enjoy the food, cocktails and the live band; so you can drift into the atmosphere and feel it wrap around you lovingly. Oh, I highly recommend Prohibition, just because...treat yourself, don't cheat yourself.

I would recommend this cozy intimate venue The staff was…read moreamazing and friendly and knowledgeable. Although the place is small,it's like your in someone's living room and they are giving you a private show. I also like the fact that its BYOBB . So you are not being overcharged for drinks. My wife and I went to the early show which worked out well for us. Parking was on the street which was a little challenging but we managed to find parking but do give yourself extra time for that. Bills place has an array of excellent experienced musicians and I would recommend it.

History in motion, this place is recognized as the spot where Billie Holiday was discovered. Bill…read morewas not there the evening we went and the show started almost 30 minutes late. The quartet did well together as it was clear they were 4 separate musicians. Ice would be marvelous. But this is a no frills or amenities joint. The metal chairs in the back are very uncomfortable. Definitely a great place to hear jazz.

Definitely a hidden gem! If I hadn't looked it up on Yelp first we would have walked right by…read morewithout noticing it on while walking by. The unassuming outside hides a tremendously cool inside. As soon as we walked through the door, we were greeted warmly by Dinara (sp?) who was effortlessly cool in her own right. A young lady ( whose name I didn't catch) promptly seated us. It's not a huge space, but we didn't feel cramped. There was a bar up front, tables along the side walls and a stage in the back. Apparently they have live music nights and open mic nights too. When we went there was 80s/90s music playing and it was very cool. The decor is unapologetically Black and I love it! The restroom is clean and contemporary. The service staff is amazing and attentive. They gave us cornbread with berry butter. Very tasty! My only complaint is that they could have given us each a piece instead of giving us one piece cut into 2. Lol! But it was free! And if that's the "worst" part of the experience then you know it was an overall good time! I was wavering between whether or not to get the collard greens and asked if they were sweet or bitter or spicy. Our server went and got a small sample for me to try because it was hard to describe. I was grateful for her willingness to let me try them. By the way I did order them and they are more savory than any of the above. It's a gentle savory flavor. I also got rice and beans and teriyaki salmon. The beans weren't exactly what I expected. They were black beans which I don't typically associate with soul food. They weren't bad although next time I think I'll get potatoes. My dining companion got lamb chops and collard greens and mac and cheese. She loved everything and at it right up! The food presentation, flavor, and portion size were all good. I didn't leave feeling overstuffed but I was satisfied. The servers checked in on us an appropriate amount of times (we didn't feel rushed or under surveillance but they made sure we had what we needed). The manager/owner stopped by to make sure everything was good and chatted with us. All around good vibes & good eats--I would go again. Highly recommend!

Thursday, 07May26 - A night of celebrating Taurus' at Ashford & Simpson's Sugar Bar Lounge - and…read morewhat a celebration it was. So much joy. So much talent. Thank you, Valerie Simpson, and your late husband; Nickolas Ashford, for creating this amazing venue. The guest host for the evening was the incredibly talented Olutayo. Olutayo is joy exemplified. His vocal range, dance moves, entertaining facial expressions...infectious. I fell in love with this man and did not hesitate to tell him so. Beyond his talents was Olu's ability to manage / juggle the night's open-mic entertainers with such grace. From the lyrics of En Vogue and Salt-N-Peppa: "Whatta Man, Whatta Man, What a Mighty Good Man!" All of the entertainers were incredible. What a range of singers, dancers, a poet, a violinist. And the band! The band! The band! Come on!! Outstanding. I was seated next to Darius, one of the several background vocalists that were positioned throughout the lounge. We became fast friends in this space filled with exuberance. Darius was a delight. He was also a big brother to me, making sure no one blocked my view of the performance. Thank you, Darius, that was so kind of you. I had such a wonderful time being in the company of all these amazingly talented people. It was a 6-hour dopamine rush that should not be missed. The dinner that was served was top-notch. I had the Sea Bass. My friend had the Golden Fried Chicken. Both meals were delicious. I had the ginger mocktail with rosemary and blueberries - so yummy I had two. Dessert was key lime pie - suffer we will. Our server; Vickie, was a delight and amazing to observe as she maneuvered around the performers and kept us and everyone around us well served and continually hydrated. Vickie is to be commended for how hard she worked throughout the evening. I made sure our tip reflected our appreciation of her. Put the Sugar Bar on your bucket list when visiting NYC. You'll leave there feeling you have experienced Heaven on Earth.

Great experience and would definitely recommend going here…read more The host was able to fit us in on a Friday night with no reservation- the old fashioned and UWS sparks cocktails were amazing! We ordered the sliders and club sandwich which were both delicious- the truffle fries are definitely worth upgrading to as well. The live jazz music was another huge plus! Loved the entire atmosphere. I highly recommend this restaurant for food, drinks and amazing service!

While in the area a friend brought us here for some drinks and jazz. As soon as I walked in I knew…read moreI was going to love the experience, it's got that upscale jazzy feel, in a relaxed lounge. Our serve, Adalia was EXCELLENT! Engaging, helpful, attentive, and knowledgeable about cocktails and the menu. The drinks we tried were all great. The jazz trio that was playing was really good to listen to. Definitely will return!

On 4.18.26, the weather here in NYC was pleasant with a calm breeze, so upon leaving the theatre, I…read morehad decided to "treat myself," for a change and has an early supper at THE EAST POLE, were several of the staffers, including the CHEF JOE, suggested that I head on over to MELODY' s PIANO BAR . . . the dim, comfortable, piano playing was perfect night to send the evening. The drinks were exotic, refreshing. The only nip-in- the-bud for me was: I was a lil' undressed; it its a very cozy, but chic environment. I highly recommend it for a first date, a ladies night out, birthday, and/or anniversary. I will be returning, again, and again!!! SULE, www.nunuradio.com

The experience at Melody's Piano Bar truly sings, from the attentive service to the surprisingly…read moreexcellent food and drinks. To be perfectly honest, I didn't arrive with high expectations for the menu. I carry a certain bias against bar food, even at a place as sophisticated as Melody's, and I was happy to be proven completely wrong. I began with the sliders, and as someone who's never been especially enamored with burgers (miniature or otherwise), I was genuinely impressed. Soft buns cradled well-seasoned double patties, finished with melty cheese and crisp pickles--exactly how a slider ought to be done. Next came the salmon tartare, and once again, Melody's challenged my preconceived notions. Raw fish isn't typically my go-to, yet this dish was nothing short of exceptional. I've had my share of salmon tartares elsewhere, and this one stands out as a favorite. There was a subtle heat, likely from chili oil, balanced beautifully by the deep, savory punch of roasted garlic. I ordered a second plate. I had enjoyed all this while sitting at the bar, enjoying the tunes wafting from the piano, all while receiving attentive service from the bartender, who expertly made the drinks. Melody's doesn't just meet expectations; it exceeds them, making it an easy recommendation for anyone.

Very intimate and Mature atmosphere!! Besides wonderful Jazz sounds, nights of dj Tall Guy spinning…read moreR&B mixing, and dancing. Wonderful Venue

It is a nice cozy hang out for adults. Offers great music and great company nice bar service also.read more