Gin Fizz Harlem

Though I had high hopes, I have to say that this place is not great. It certainly has a cool ambiance (which is the only reason I give it 2 stars), but $ 14 for terribly made cocktails uptown is a bad deal regardless of décor. Had a Manhattan– it was made with Rittenhouse rye and martini and rossi vermouth. That should be about $ 8 – 10. If you’re making it with quality vermouth then I’m ok with being charged more. Overall I won’t be back and won’t recommend it. if you want a well made cocktail in Harlem head to 67 Orange.

The only reason I had fun here was because of the friends I was with.
This place and its owner are incredibly racist, unprofessional, and rude.
I rolled up with my boyfriend and our friends– another couple. My one friend had RSVPed for a Prince tribute party that Gin Fizz was throwing, which is why we were there. The three of us were walking in when my boyfriend got stopped and told he couldn’t come in because he was wearing sneakers. What. So my friend who RSVPed pulled up the event invite and pointed out that nowhere did it say anything about any kind of dress code. This also isn’t a club. They called the owner out and he said «ok sure you can come in, just take off your hat». So now it’s about his hat? My bf is black btw and I am certain that had something to do with it. I mean, I was wearing Vans slip-​ons and my other friend (also a white female) was wearing jeans and a t-​shirt and no one cared about that. The poor guys in line behind us didn’t get in at all because unfortunately they didn’t have anyone with them (read: anyone white) to stick up for them. They were all super handsome and well dressed but because they were «wearing sneakers» (i.e. black & not wearing suits) they weren’t let in. They pointed out how casually we were dressed and yet we got in and the bouncer still wasn’t having it.
We get in, and what do you know! The place is FULL of people dressed casually, in sneakers, in hats of all types. So what the hell was that about?
Then they tell us we aren’t allowed to stand at the bar to order drinks and put us at a table in the corner. Our waitress was awful and it took nearly 30 minutes to get service. A couple of black women near us told us they were having the same issue.
I approached the waitress and she was like «well you can talk to the manager» I was like «?? or you could just serve us?» and she wouldn’t. Then the manager tried to tell some story about how another waitress just didn’t show up to work so he was understaffed etc etc. I brought up the dress code thing and asked him to explain how he tried to keep my bf out when there’s multiple people inside dressed in sneakers and hats and he didn’t really know how to respond.
Then he said, he would comp us drinks. Ok great. Let me tell you– it took nearly an hour for us to even get these «comped» drinks from the slow and rude as hell bartenders. When we finally got them I was exasperated and just said «we’re not paying for these thanks bye» and went back to my table.
The DJ who was there and the drummer who accompanied him for the Prince tribute night were both great and very entertaining and I love Prince and it was great to be somewhere honoring him with my friends but other than that this place was wack as hell.
I don’t get how you own a spot in Harlem (this guy was some sad looking white dude in a cable knit sweater) and treat people of color like this. Deplorable.

*******Look at the demographic of people who had positive things to say about this place. I literally felt like this place was set in the 1960’s all they were missing was the «colored» or «whites» only section signs. It was disgusting. Shrine or Sillvanas are the venues to visit if you enjoy live music in Harlem … This place sets Harlem back 50 yrs and should be shut down… How do you have a venue in Harlem and none of your waitstaff is of color? Even the new sushi restaurants in the neighborhood hire Black people!!!
A few of my friends and I left another neighborhood bar and decided to check out this place for the live music. Unfortunately, the service was terrible. I asked the waitress to charge my phone and her response was «we don’t do that». I decided to just ask the bartender and she obliged with no problem. When the server came back I told her the bartender had no problem charging it. Her response was «well maybe she has time I dont. «And walked away. Never asked what I would like to eat or drink, just left. Of course I complained to the owner his response? «oh don’t worry about her she will be getting fired soon anyway lemme buy you a drink» WTF ?! Am I the only one who see’s a problem here?! I’ve worked at countless restaurants and would never tell a patron I don’t have time for them, and I wasn’t to impressed with the owners response. I was also turned off that NO people of color work at the restaurant. How do you open a business in Harlem and not employ anyone from the neighborhood? (every employee I spoke with had a similar accent to the owners. A clear sign of nepotism if you ask me) It’s one thing to be discriminated against downtown but I won’t stand for it in my own neighborhood. Disgusted ! I will never return.

Nice spot for a date. Drinks are not very good and are overpriced. One of the bartenders was more interested in the entertainment instead of doing his job.

An amazing hidden spot in Harlem. Brings out the character of the neighborhood and makes you feel like you time traveled. Singers/​band were fantastic and the ambiance is so so cool.
Drinks are eh, but place is worth the stop. Hookah available inside.

Beautiful ambiance and décor, has a rustic retro feel, strong cocktails and good customer service.

Super secluded and candle light spot. Best place to bring a date. Very speakeasy and mobster esque. Everyone is dressed sexy and the girls are dope. Music is classy as well. Only spot in harlem that I like to go out to.

Wednesday night’s «Taste of Lenox» was definitely a good look! Music was on point. The crowd was very sexy but relaxed no pretense! The host Jenny was on point I had a blast! Will be going back, and that says a lot on a work night!

Not a place to go on a date! The staff desperately cling to any available looking guy in the place. Once the waitress realized that my date wasn’t alone she refuse to service our table. She would not bring any food or check on the table. I mentioned the service to the manger to no avail. Avoid this spot unless you are single!

So much fun. Great music, great service and the best dressed crowd. Put this place on your list!

Went here for the first time last night. Such a great spot!!! All the staff was super friendly and helpful. The cocktails were good and came out in a timely fashion. My favorite thing was the music and the ambiance. The musicians were great and open to having input and interaction with the crowd. I’ll definitely be back

Came into town for the Thurs night Harlem Sessions and all I can say is it was a creative explosion. This isn’t your typical jam session. They incorporate music from all genre overlaying on top of jazz. SO interesting. The night I was there I saw a fabulous tap dancer, a rapper and some of the best jazz musicians all working together to make a sound that was totally unique. The bar staff was very accommodating and down to earth. Needed to charge my phone and they let me plug in behind the bar. I came in a stranger and left as a friend. Thank you for a wonderful evening! Coming back next week, for sure.

Visiting for the first time. I can say that it’s great for a date night. Perfect place for you and the significant other to relax and listen to some live music in a cozy and intimate atmosphere. Great crowd, very lounge vibe, and hookah. I will be back

The ambience is great and live music is wonderful-​very typical of Harlem. I’m not sure if it’s because the place is new, but the drinks are not good. At all. Overly sweet, or too strong. It’s not the best place for a cocktail. Food is delivered from the French restaurant below. It was okay, but it didn’t really fit the experience of gin fizz. Combining jazz/​Harlem Renaissance style club with straight French cuisine, didn’t work for me. I’d prefer them have some more creative options for food. Again. Drinks are bad. After a horrible gin fizz (I know that’s the name of the club) I just got a dirty martini, but it wasn’t dirty enough. The waitresses are very nice and attentive. They’re all models. They’re all very nice. If not for the ambience, live music and good service, I would have rated this a 1.

Went in for drinks prior to a reservation at Red Rooster and was not disappointed. A great vibe walking in. Bartender was extremely friendly and accommodating. Wish we stayed for the music. Our group had cocktails and no complaints. Will come back!

Harlem Sessions on a Thursday night was one of the highlights of my time in NYC. The music was amazing. I’d just come from Minton’s which was very professional but old school trad jazz and tagged along with some of the musicians who were going to Gin Fizz. There they showed their more personal and innovative styles. It was some jazz, funk, soul, some less categorisable spoken word type stuff… really interesting, organic and heartfelt. Staff were helpful– I didn’t have much cash on me and asked the barkeep for the best drink he could do for my last 12 bucks… and it was a beauty. The place had such a cool speakeasy vibe. A real gem.

Visited for the first time last week. As a Harlem resident I am always happy to see new additions to the neighborhood.
The host welcomed us and instantly started looking for a table. I appreciated the sense of urgency in getting us seated.
Super charming wait staff! Great cocktails, will for sure be back. This is the perfect date night venue.
Side note: There is no need to have the waitresses in miniskirts and ⁴⁄₅ inch heels. They are beautiful just as they are.

Super cute. Great vibes. Gorgeous staff and incredible sound and talent!

I’m so happy I discovered this hidden gem. This chic spot is a welcome addition to the neighborhood. It’s sexy and intimate. From the doorman to the man who seemed to be the manager everyone was welcoming. It felt almost like a family — like Cheers. It has the friendly Harlem neighborly vibe with it’s own sexy style. Even though the music was a bit too loud for my friend and I to hear each other, I’ll definitely be back to indulge in the vibe of this spot. I can’t wait to discover more of what they have to offer.

Very beautiful and élégant place. Bartenders and staff all seem very professional (the cocktails are great!!). The new sexy Harlem spot that was much needed! Keep up the good work!