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Harlem dinner recommendations?
Posted: 10:43 am, September 23rd, 2009 in Eating Outside Midtown
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33 Comments
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I'm too lazy to look up where the Apollo actually is, wanna help with an address/cross streets? :P
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The obvious choice is Sylvia's...if you can get a reservation....
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isnt dinosaur bbq in harlem?
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Yvo - Oh sure! 125th, btw. 7th and 8th.
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Thanks, I go with what Samwich said then, I was going to suggest it but Harlem is kind of big right? So I didn't want to look too foolish. Dinosaur is like 127 I think and Riverside. Very close to the water. Get the pulled pork.
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Goats - I've heard Sylvia's is to be avoided by anyone not from the midwest. Any merit to that theory?
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I can attest to both Sylvia's and Dinosaur. Don't know how quick either will be, though. You might get special attention if you shiver some pickles. Just sayin.
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Dinosuar SUCKS these days. I went to Cuse, home of the original, which used to be much better than what I got at the Harlam location 2 weeks ago. No joke, got the worst case of diarhea from their crap food!!!! I pooed 9 times within 12 hrs, including at 4 am when I awoke with gut wrenching pain! My friend did as well! Had the 6 hot wings app, plus the tres hombres combo, which I barely touched. Ribs were fatty and not well smoked, Lean brisket was also fatty and gross---pulled pork was ok. I brough it home and fed most of it to Max, my pooch.
Sylvia's is very good! Anyone who tells you otherwise is lying....
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Try Melbas on 114th and Frederick Douglas. Serves soulfood like Sylvia's. She won a Bobby Flay throwdown with her chicken and waffels.
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maybe you wouldn't have gotten diarhea if you hadn't ordered "crap food.' har har har.
shivery, you best end up getting chicken and waffles if you go to sylvia's. they do it right.
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I second Melba's. I used to live up there and there are a ton of great spots to eat at. If you want good ole soulfood, Melba's is the place to be. She's the niece of the actual Sylvia. Her place is nicer and the food is better. She uses strawberry butter for her chicken and waffles. And the best part is, she's almost always there. Service there is definitely the better because it's smaller and not a tourist trap. After epic fails at Sylvia's and Amy Ruth's, Melba's is well worth the buck. I also have a friend who works at Nectar Wine and Bar that's great for a quick drink. And if you want an after show cocktail, check out the classic Lennox Lounge. Iconic.
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Dinosaur seems overrated to me. I went there a year or so ago. I was unimpressed. I'll go to virgils any day over Dinosaur. Virgils is easier to get to, and tastes darn good for "fake barbecue".
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ive never had a bad meal at Dinosaurs. then again, i havent been there in over 2 years.
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best soul food in my opinion is Manna's. And it's close to the Lenox Lounge. I've heard it's superior to Sylvias.
Neighborhood: Harlem
2331 Frederick Douglass Blvd
at 125th St
New York, NY 10027(212) 749-9084
http://www.yelp.com/biz/mannas-soul-food-buffet-and-salad-bar-new-york
it's not fancy though, if that's what you're looking for.
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Honestly, my favorite NYC BBQ is RUB---followed by Hill Country. Haven't tried virgils, as I always wind up at the boxing bar next store before I make it in there....
I loved Dinosaur NYC when I first tried it about 2 yrs ago, but I am done with it after last time....SOOOO disappointing. Sides suck, mains suck....wings weren't even as good as they should have been....
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Goats - I second that, though switching the order. RUB is great (though I like my bbq warm, not room temp).
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Amy Ruth's on 116th and Lenox has wonderful soulfood and a cute atmosphere. If you're into vegetarian/vegan but not looking for something fancy, Uptown Juice Bar on 125th between 5th and Lenox has amazing food, there is a place to eat in the back. The BBQ drumsticks are incredible.
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Adam, you are right. The pulled pork at RUB is usually served pretty close to room temp, though I guess it never bothers me, since it's pretty good stuff. The wings are served hot--that I remember from last time as I am pretty sure I burned my mouth, since my patience is thin when food comes to me.....
Sadly, I only had Hill Country one and a half times. I hit the All you can eat Monday night event a few months back, but by the time we got seated (after an hour and a half wait), they had run out of almost everything. Qhat I did have was pretty good,some chicken, a beef rib, some fatty brisket stuff, but if I got the full assortment, i am sure I would have enjoyed it more. They do make some damn good devilled eggs--I think I ate 8 of them.....maybe 10.
(the half time was me picking at my g/f's lean brisket when my work ordered it when it first opened--I was too cheap to pay 15 bucks for a small meal--but I will say their lean brisket is f'ing amazing from what I remember). -
Cosilicious - I read about Manna's and thought it sounded awesome. And just in case you couldn't tell, fancy isn't really my bag.
PattyRiceCake & mghu777 - Melba's sounds awesome. I'm a big fan of chicken and waffles and generally find Bobby Flay to be a twat. Can you say that on this site?
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@ Goats: That boxing bar is called Jimmy's Corner and one of my favorite dive bars in the city. Consistently great for the avg joe like me. Not only do I enjoy the decor (I'm a boxing fan myself), but the owner (Jimmy, go figure) is always there. He's a normal dude and former boxer who's willing to bring you drinks when the waitresses are too busy, or give up his table when the place gets too crowded. You gotta love that. Cheap drinks, great crowd, good service. What more could you ask for?
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No! Jimmy's is terrible! Don't go there! It doesn't need any more people, it's crowded enough as it is!
:)
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@Shivery - I also got a recommendation from someone else (outside of Planet ML!) who grew up in Harlem and seconds Amy Ruth's, so let me throw that in. But I am counting the seconds until I can go back to Manna's. It's something like $4.95/lb! BBQ chicken, sweet potatoes, mac n' cheese, peach cobbler ... oh man. They have stuffing, turkey, cranberries too. Maybe even pickles!
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RE: "I pooed 9 times within 12 hrs, including at 4 am when I awoke with gut wrenching pain!"
While I sincerely feel for you (and hope that you recover quickly), what the HELL were you thinking about when you decided to eat BBQ in Harlam (sic), New Yawk???
Barbecue in New Yawk City? Get serious! You have NO idea what you are eating OR how many cockroaches have done their 'thang' in your Dinosaur 'Que.'
You want to eat Barbecue? Pack you duds and move to Atlanta where Fredricka lives. She will whip you up some FINE 'Que.' Just ask 'BigBear'.
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Since there is a little BBQ talk, I will take this opp to say Fette Sau is so far and away the best BBQ in NY that all else pales. Though I do like RUB's burnt ends and PP.
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Shoo, troll! Go back under your bridge in Arkansas. Shoo shoo shoo!
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@ "mghu777"
Obviously since you have ONLY been posting here for less than 2 months, you are not aware that DocChuck lives in Columbia, Maryland, (Howard County) - the wealthiest county in the entire country, according to Forbes Magazine.
Now, if you will, Shoo shoo shoo yourself back under your rock, mghu.
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Docchuck, I am not calling you "bigbear," but if you can get your wife to make me some good Cue, I will stop by your house on my next trip to Atlanta (assuming that's where you bunker), get drunk, chow down on your food, and poop/puke in your toilet, or on your floor--b/c that's how we do in New Yawk, and you clearly have a thing for us New Yawkers!
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I agree, in part, about Dinosaur. I was in Cuse for work and was very disappointed about what I had. Completely overrated. At the Harlem location I did enjoy the wings and the Korean ribs, which I would recommend.
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I am in disagreement here. I'm a BBQ fanatic, and I think Dinosaur has the best pork ribs and the best grilld/smoked wings in the city. It's not as good as the Syracuse location, but it's still great. Perhaps they've had a shift since the last time I was there (March?), but I have never been disappointed at Dinosaur.
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The wings at Dinosaur NYC are what hooked me 2 yrs ago, but now, no. They weren't as good. Not nearly as smokey as they were. They actually had a slightly curryish taste!!! YUCK!
I went at 5 on Fri before labor day. IT wasn't packed yet, and I had prompt service. I was shocked at the lack of quality. My friend (who is also a doorman in my building) took one bite of ribs and spit it out. He thought they were too "salty" which I don't get, but he's a jahovah witness (he prayed before he ate--wierdo!), so you know something's already wrong with him to begin with. The fattiness and lack of smoke flavor is what pissed me off. And the brisket--yuck! FAttycentral!
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"Goats", you are a bit confused, me thinks. I don't live in Atlanta, and every native Southerner KNOWS that Atlanta is the cesspool of the South.
In fact, I would rather live in New Yawk City (even with your infestation of bed bugs) ANY day than live in Atlanta.
I actually live in Maryland (Columbia), Texas (Houston), North Carolina (Seven Devils), and sometimes in Arkansas.
I don't have a "thing" for you New Yorkers --- I am just amused by the fact that some of you think that New Yawk City is the center of the universe.
And, whether you folks like it or not, NYC and good barbecue is an Oxymoron.
I have eaten at the Syracuse Dinosaur location and I will say that their food is edible, but SOOoo far below good Carolina pork barbecue OR Texas beef barbecue that the difference is like night and day.
PS: 'BigBear' is Fred's boyfriend, not mine --- LOL!
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I actually agree with DocChuck about BBQ, not Hawtlanta (Why do you have to troll on everyone). As a Texan, I am little disappointed in what passes as BBQ in New York. It's too pricey for what it is. Being on the coast, I don't think New York has historically been a bbq town. Most of the food primarily focuses on seafood, ethnic foods, and fine dinning.
The closest thing I have come to home is Green Apple BBQ up by 1st ave and 112th St. Mmmm, maple butter. They also cover a lot of your major bbq styles. They got their Texas brisket and sausage, Tennessee ribs, and your Carolina pulled pork with the mustard vinegar sauce, and all the fixins. Best bbq I've had here in the city. But that's only because I haven't tried Fette Sau just yet.
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New York City most certainly IS the center of the Universe! The sooner the rest of the world accepts that, the better we will all get along!
Hi guys! I'm going to a show at the Apollo tonight and am wondering if anyone has any favorite places nearby to grab some quick, cheap eats?