Our company hosted a fair well to a coworker. That bar was packed! There were a large group of 50 of us and a few patrons. We all showed up at the same time and John single handedly took care of us all! He had tabs and drinks going without breaking a sweat. He was incredible to watch. Did I tell you that he could sing! It was karaoke night and as he restocked the bar he would walk past belting out beautiful notes. I can't wait to return and hope he is working again!! read more

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chill local dice bar in midtown! had no idea this place was there so it was a nice surprise. I was there on a Sunday evening so it was really quite but will def be back read more

There is nothing like a night with Nick Prez. I can't remember when I've had so much fun. Being there with him all night makes you sad when they say "last call". It is definitely one of those gifts that keep on giving. The very next day you are still basking in the after-glow of a fabulous evening. Unfortunately I only get to NYC/Boston about 4 times a year but you can bet when I do I go find Mr. Nick Prez. read more

This bar was such a disappointment. It was low energy and unwelcoming. It needs a huge reboot!! I wouldn't know where to begin. I guess rebrand and renovate? Midtown needs more gay places. read more

I stopped by Uncle Charlie's to grab a drink with one of my colleagues prior to an educational dinner. I didn't know much about the bar, but it looked cool and was close to our office and the restaurant, so we figured we had nothing to lose and headed over. Located up a flight of stairs, UC's is a decent size - you're immediately greeted by the bar upon entry and to the left is additional seating along with a piano. One of the hallmarks of UC's is a live pianist, but they didn't have one when we went so we sat down at one of the side tables close to the bar. Decor is modest/typical of a bar and they had some great tunes playing in the background. We didn't stay long, but I did order a Bacardi and Coke which was pretty good - nothing outstanding (I mean, I wasn't that adventurous), but solid. Service was good - we were taken care of promptly and everyone was friendly. Overall I had a short but good experience at Uncle Charlie's - I would return if given the opportunity. read more

Wow, this was one of the top experiences here at NYC. The pianist was so good, the bartenders were SOOOO sweet, and the atmosphere was amazing. I am a solo traveler and would recommend visiting! read more

I think it's fate that Jamie W. and I stayed at a hotel that was barely a block away from this second floor walk-up piano bar. That's because on our last NYC trip, we discovered Marie's Crisis Cafe in the West Village right after we saw "Into the Woods" (review: https://bit.ly/3MAZR2M). I was in the mood to Sondheim-isize with the Broadway-obsessed patrons around the piano on "Children Will Listen". Uncle Charlie's is like Marie's but less divey with less group singing. It had more of a retro-vintage vibe in a 1950's-era romcom like you would expect to see Doris Day singing "Roly Poly" to Rock Hudson in "Pillow Talk". Oh, just Google it, will ya? Jamie and I were already a bit sauced from a couple of hours at The Duplex, so we figured this would be a good choice for after-drinks drinks since we could stagger back to the hotel if necessary. We sat at a high top table for two that that was close enough to the piano player to enjoy his terpsichorean skills... But far enough away not to be wrangled into performing. Not just show tunes either. Jamie had to forcibly stop me from volunteering to sing "Taking Chances". That song was stuck in my head since we saw "Titanique" at Asylum NYC a couple of nights before, and I was drunk enough to think I could get away with Celine's long-note wailing during the choruses. I held back while several others wailed to Adele and Lizzo. Surprisingly the well drinks were cheaper here than at Marie's. Even more surprisingly, we held ourselves to just one round at $16 each (photo: https://bit.ly/3Tri718). More people trickled in, regulars probably, because they knew to sit in the back room where they could drink and provide catcalls to the ad hoc singers in relative anonymity. Jamie and I politely clapped no matter how off-key they were. Wait, is it my turn now? "What do you say to taking chances? What do you say to jumping off the edge? What do you say? What do you sayyyyyyyy?" DRINKS - 4 stars...good and stiff, appropriate pre-performance libations AMBIANCE - 4 stars...mid-century retro with a big piano...though the TV screens were distracting with the Padres slamming the Mets SERVICE - 4 stars...Juan Carlos and the server were friendly and attentive TOTAL - 4 stars...if you have a song you need to sing and don't care who's listening to you RELATED - Hungry or thirsty in NYC? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: http://bit.ly/2YS9ELs read more

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Always a good time. Mostly regulars and friends. Music is amazing, drinks are well priced. Great environment, great service, great vibes.

This place has a very warm and welcoming atmosphere. It's a bit like a living room away from home. The piano player was very good and engaging, he's there on Tuesdays which is when I was there. read more

Terrible attitude of one particular bartender! Which I later discovered is the manager! Yelling at a customer and I came in with bunch of friends and spent ungodly amount of money but this one particular individual was yelling and screaming at us. Too bad this place was starting to be our favorite but we won't be coming back as long as that man working there! read more

Right across from my hotel, I wanted a low-key place to have a drink before heading back to my room. Mind you it's only 9:00 at night. I was unaware that it's a gay bar and I found a table away from the piano in the bar area. The crowd was already having a great time and the ambiance was good. Had a couple of drinks (not used to NY prices anymore), but they were pretty powerful so only stayed for two as I had to navigate down the stairs with a bad knee. The crowd was very friendly, met some very nice people in the hour I was there. I really enjoyed my time at Uncle Charlie's Piano Lounge. read more

Juan Carlos is an amazing server and Tim is a great piano man. Bravo! Sing your heart out! read more

Uncle Charlie's - Gay Bars Near Me - New York, New York

If you're looking to relax, look elsewhere. UC isn't exactly a piano bar. It's more like karaoke with shrill singers and a piano over-amplified to ear-shattering volume. My phone app recorded 85dB! I had one drink and left, seeking peace and quiet elsewhere. read more

Quiet gay bar tucked away in midtown that ramps up the excitement with good friends and great atmosphere

Service was a little slow as he was focused more on what I assume were locals. However, there wasn't that many there to where the bartender couldn't get to me quicker. He was friendly and the atmosphere was laid back. read more

Amazing bar that we stumbled upon by complete accident. Big on the inside, and a great patio with a stunning view. Friendly staff, who brought our drinks to us outside. Will go back each time I'm in the city. read more

Uncle Charlie's - View from the patio, midtown East, Chrysler building. - Gay Bars Near Me - New York, New York

Uncle Charlie's is a gay piano but actually with more of an emphasis on karaoke off key drunks with gravely sounding barroom tenor voices than a piano bar. It's also a bar which I can assure you I will never return nor recommend except to congenitally tone deaf drunks. My visit here was just one horrible nightmare. I had thought any New York piano bar, especially a gay one, would be top of the line in musical abilities and talent. But in this case, just the opposite. Some over the top in your face drunk queen got up to sing Hey Jude almost entirely off key, super loud, and just would not stop. It went on and on. Myself and others at the bar were plugging out ears, but it continued. Finally, after howling complaints from everyone seated at the bar, somebody finally got up and grabbed the microphone from him. Amen-Hallelujah! I thought I had been saved, but not so, as the next several singers were just a bad. When you enter, you have to climb to the second floor. There are two bars in the place, which makes getting their cheaply made weak to near alcohol free overpriced drinks easy. It also has an outdoor patio that somewhat lacks in décor, luster and is about the size of an average men's room. I've been to a lot of piano bars, particularly gay piano bars at various places all over the world. By comparison I can say without any equivocation that Uncle Charlie's is the worst I've experienced. read more

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I don't drink, so it wasn't really a place that was for me. But I came here with some friends to celebrate a mutual friend's birthday. I order the typical orange juice, it was good. I also ordered a virgin sex on the beach, it was not so great. It tasted like grape medicine. We came in as a party of 23-25 people. This bar was a little small and tight spaced, so most of us had to stand up. But overall, we did have a great time. On the bright side, there was complimentary peanuts and pretzels! read more

Uncle Charlie's - Gay Bars Near Me - New York, New York

Here from Las Vegas with my girlfriend. Searched for "dive bar"and found this place. Had a great time the last two nights. Juan Carlos is the best read more

I loved the relaxed atmosphere and piano lounge. The happy hour specials are amazing! Who knew such a great bar was only minutes away from Grand Central? Highly recommend for anyone in the area and beyond! read more

Really great piano bar with guest singers who sound like they just got off from their Broadway musical job to swill a little scotch and belt out a tune or two. Seriously, the singers are amazing. The pianists are really talented too. The bartenders are super friendly and the drinks are good. Oh and they have an outdoor smoking area, if that's your thing. Great fun place for relaxing or to bring a date. The atmosphere is fun, friendly and warm, regardless of whether you can sing or just have a song in your heart. read more

This is a sort of hidden treasure Piano Bar for everyone - (except bigots - they should go somewhere else - like Mars) - and the folks behind the bar as well as the piano are amazing. read more

I only remember Uncle Charlie's in Chelsea many years ago. Remember great food, attentive service, friendly customers. Hope all are still true. NL read more

I like this place a lot ! Great times here and nice people ! Staff is great and very nice ! Atmosphere is great !!! Love the music and videos !! Giving it a 3 Star because what kind of place does NOT have a Happy Hour ! Every bar in Manhattan has a Happy Hour ... gets regulars to come early . Are you just cheap ?? Or doing so well that you don't need more business. It's not just me ... I have 4 other friends that always want to meet after work for drinks and would love to come here , but we go elsewhere because they have Happy Hour . read more

Fabulous service from AMAZING manager! Incredible team! Went for a friend's after-wedding celebrations and we're blown away by the accomodations. The live piano performances through the evening were just waht we needed! Love love love! read more

Our experience at Uncle Charlie's was nothing like the friendly Uncle Charlie's of the "old days". Uncle Charlie's used to be a friendly, charming, neighborhood setting. But maybe that was just how it seemed to me back then 'cuz I lived in Manhattan then. Now, as we live in California, we were seeing Uncle Charlie's from the perspective of the "non-regular". It was not nice. The vibe here seemed decidedly exclusive and unfriendly to "outsiders". Gay bars used to be places where everybody was welcome in from the cold, cruel, homophobic world. Uncle Charlie's now seems to have a "who are you?" attitude. We hoped to enjoy cocktails, sing along to a lively piano, and meet some friendly people. Instead, there was a tension here. It was too loud to have a conversation, let alone engage someone new without yelling. We snagged a couple of seats at the bar and, after a good bit of time being ignored, the bartender finally responded to a request for what turned out to be $15.oo cocktails. Yow! When the piano player started it was less than charming. He had to play way too loud to overcome an uninterested, inattentive crowd. The shape, dynamics, and acoustics of Uncle Charlie's precludes it from being a classic piano bar of any merit. We left. read more

You remember the last time you cruised Craigslist for sex? You finally agree to go to the guy's apartment, hop in a cab, get to his building and looking at the outside you start getting your regrets? You buzz the buzzer, and walking into the building, the only thought passing through your head is, "What a freaking dump! This guy must be a total loser!" Yet, when you knock on his door, you are incredibly surprised to see just how nice his apartment is, not the mention that he is really hot. Do you remember that moment? Yeah...me neither, but that's exactly what it's like walking into Uncle Charlie's bar. The place is...well...nice. Granted, walking in the door, I felt as if I had been transported back to the late 60's when gay bars were illegal. Red cellophane on the windows, and the bar being a freaking flight of stairs up on the second floor of the building (warning...those things are a bitch if you had too much to drink!), they really made the place look nice. Post work happy hour consisted of the bartender, a 50 something year old DJ working the multiple IPOD machine throwing back tunes of the 80's (Did they just play Sade?) and as soon as I sat down, they offered me a nice bowl of peanuts. The front bar is your traditional wood grained bar, complete with the regulars sitting in their particular stools, yet even they were friendly and welcoming, with one offering me a bite of his sandwich he got from down the street. Seeing that I was meeting a date here, I chose to not take a bite of his onion loaded sandwich, and instead had some peanuts while sipping my vodka tonic. Not as strong as the townhouse, but strong enough to be sipped. This was a first date...I wanted to be somewhat sober. My date arrived 14 minutes late...and I found myself more impressed with the bar and less with him. This is what happens when you get asked out while at a bar. You say yes without really thinking and regret it later. I would sincerely regret this guy. The middle area of the bar is a piano lounge, where a performer was warming up for his show later. "Yo! Sparkles....shut the hell up so I can hear this date speak to me", I thought, and ironically, the bartender shut the glass doors so he could no longer be heard. Sadly, I was then able to hear my date...and just how stupid he was. I would have rather heard the performer warming up again. Seeing that this guy and I had NOTHING in common, I ditched him and went to the back patio. Yes...a back patio...with real growing plants!!!! I honestly didn't think plants grew in New York City! From outside, I saw my date leave. In fact I saw several people leave all at the same time. Sitting next to another patron I asked him about this. "They're all on the train to Connecticut" he explained. It made sense, seeing how close the bar is to Grand Central Terminal. This bar would be a fabulous place to meet a man for that train ride home. Except I already am home. And I think that was the problem. Uncle Charlie's for me was just like a Craigslist hookup (Oh shut up...you've all done it.). It's fun at the time, but about 30 minutes after you leave, you're really not interested in going back. In fact...you kind of forget it happened in the first place. It ended up being just a one time thing. I'm going back to the West side. read more

Uncle Charlie's - The front bar - Gay Bars Near Me - New York, New York

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If I could give zero stars I would, this place is horrific The bartender and the pianist were literally insane! One of the worst experiences I have ever had at a bar. DO NOT waste your time or money the drinks are garbage! This place needs to be shut down!! read more

Uncle Charlie's is a legitimately great piano bar with Broadway aspirants and pros singing but it unfortunately suffers from a mild identity crisis in the front hall. It's a pity too. The piano bar is really fun and the singers, for the most part, are really good. Many probably just got off their shows as you can tell from their perfectly-set Broadway hair. It's a nice intimate setting with friendly banter all around. If you are shy, you probably should find a corner as you might be encouraged to sing but it's an entertaining experience regardless. Unfortunately the thumpa thumpa from the main hall is a major distraction and horribly out of place. It's a weird combination. They do however have a great, tranquil lil' patio out back with a view of the Chrysler building. If and when Uncle Charlie decides to do away with the "oomps oomps" music, it will be a great chill spot to relax, enjoy a drink, gaze at the stars, and enjoy some fancy singing. read more

My husband and I, longtime fans of Marie's Crisis and Don't Tell Mama, we're interested in checking this place out, esp as it billed itself ( on the sign, no less) as a piano lounge and was only three blocks from our hotel. But, alas, we arrived on a Sunday evening to find no piano player, overly loud recorded music, and a fairly inattentive bartender. All in all, a rather disappointing experiece. A note to management: if you're going to promote yourself thus, then bring the piano, bitches! read more

So this is not a "My Three Sons"* tribute bar! I should have known something was up because they spelled Uncle Charley as "Uncle Charlie", but I kinda was still expecting Chip, Ernie and even little Dodie** to appear. And I was hoping the ghost of William Demarest***, the actor who portrayed Uncle Charley on the show, would be hanging out by the piano. Anyway, met a beer club friend for beers here after work and actually had a nice time. They have $3 drafts during happy hour and though the beer selection isn't great, they did have a good Amber Bock, Sam Adams and Stella. Some people were having a birthday party and they gave me a piece of cake. That was nice (though cake was a tad dry, I smiled and ate it). So who can complain? Three dollar beers and free cake...works for me! ______________________________________________________ *Some of you have probably never heard about this long running sitcom...here's info about the show: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Three_Sons ** one of the most awkward-looking child sitcom stars in history http://www.yourememberthat.com/media/13081/Child_Actress_Dawn_Lyn/ *** the incomparable William Demarest, see his melodic voice and stunning haircut at :20 http://youtu.be/Dxa1H5Y-Rto read more

I haven't been back in several months, because the owner told the pianist not to play any songs I requested until I ordered a drink. Excuse me! I'll order a drink when I'm thirsty! If you're establishing a minimum or a cover charge, then be upfront about it! Although the ambiance is otherwise nice, I don't want to have to deal with owners shaking down their customers for $4. read more

Was in NY for the first time. This was close to the hotel. Glad I chose it. Great place and fun environment. Friendly staff!!!

Came in on our last day of vacation and I wish we would've come in sooner! The best staff and piano player on a Saturday night... 10/10! Definitely recommend! read more

Nice bar in midtown East without too many frills. Happy hour $7 well cocktails. Great, attentive and friendly bartenders give it an extra star (Giovanni was great, thank you!). Want to come back later on when the piano players are there. Will be back! read more

Great happy hours 4-10pm. Mon and Tue they play 80s & 90s Music Videos for happy hour. Giovanni is behind the bar shaking those cocktails. read more

Uncle Charlie's - Gay Bars Near Me - New York, New York

"Who's you uncle?" This review may be slightly biased because I typically come to this bar 3-4 times a year and most times I am pretty drunk (after 10-11pm). But, this is a standard gay bar with no frills which can be nice every now and then. Plus, sometimes it is a good experience to explore LGBT nightlife above 14th street. The bar is kind of broken up into 3 sections - the main bar, a piano bar and a patio. If you plan to sing at the piano, just have your piano-based song down cold. I think that the patio stays open till 10:30 and it is mainly a reserve for the smokers of the establishment. So, if you are allergic to smoke or do not like it then you probably should not go back there. The drinks are pretty standard and reasonably priced. Manny is a nice and standup bartender. I do not think that the weird Bulgarian waiter, who also moonlights as a prostitute, does not work there any longer. He actually asked to show my friends (two females) and me his "Bulgarian sausage." All in this is a very simple bar, which is perfect if you are looking for a simple night out or want to do something near Grand Central. read more

It's great that Uncle Charlie's is here. Without it, there wouldn't be a gay bar for blocks and blocks around. It's a tricky kind of neighborhood around Grand Central Station. Very workday, not very charming. Uncle Charlie's seems to serve an itinerant crowd of afterwork locals & commuters. It's friendly, and not too relaxed. The piano entertainment is a distinctive touch. Though the patio is mostly a smoking spot, it's nice to have a chance to get outdoors and enjoy a unique view of the beloved Chrysler Building. Sit in the tables in back for excellent waiter service, and say hi to Gil! read more

I've been coming to Uncle's Charlie for past 2 years. An amazing atmosphere and happy hour specials are great. If you like to listen to people singing accompanying the piano this is the place. The staff is very nice. They make you feel welcomed alL the time. And if you're a frequent customer they even make you feel like friends. read more

Sweet Jesus. RUN. RUN AS FAST AS YIOU CAN. For some reason, someone thinks that people with zero vocal talent screaming off key is entertaining. There isn't enough alcohol in all of Manhattan to make this place worth 10 minutes of your time. If you're looking for one of those quaint, fun piano bars where everyone sings, it's not here. There's a modestly decent piano player who is a good singer. It's the other employees and customers who can't sing. It's not fun. It's not cute. It's awful. Painful. This place lost the balance between a bad singer making things seem fun and simply obnoxious destruction of an atmosphere. RUN. FAST. read more