Cleopatras Needle

The owner and some other male worker kept making passive remarks within ear shot of my “brown” girlfriend. I am white she being originally from India. I guess when she refuted their gross advances, the owner got a little strange. We were not even there 30 minutes. Gross

Simply the best that NY offers. Since first seeing Cleopatras Needle on the Food Network, I have made it my duty to go whenever I was in town. It is also my top recommendations to people who wanted to enjoy some real grassroots jazz and very good drinks.No cover charge and a great late night set made for some great times!I look forward to the relocation, but will miss the intimacy of uptown. I would love to bring a group to the new location in May of 2022. Birthday time!

Interesting place. A clash of decorations that make the place both celebratory and cozy. GREAT. FOOD (had the steak kabab) and the live music was an awesome bonus. Not bad for a $40 dinner that was fun, comfortable, delicious and jazzy 🎷

A locally owned small joint with excellent kitchen and a bar to die for. Enjoy the best of NY musicians jamming to the notes of jazz with passionate voices. Order the Special Coffee to warm up your body and soul from the chilly Northeast winter. I would definitely recommend and will surely come back on my next trip to New York.

Dazzling, colorful place. Have a seat by the window enjoy the upper west side view of Broadway. The cold vegetable pasta is very delightful during the summer with a nice glass of wine. The spinach pie also always great especially with a side of tahini sauce - very rich!

Most affordable live Jazz place around. Local musicians seem to play. Cover was free (Tip), and min $10/ person which was reasonable. However, the server was very impatient and horribly rude. Food was less than mediocre. We had vegetable soup ( from can soup?), pita bread, rice pudding ( the rice was very hard) and a tea. The only thing it was pleasant was music. I dont mind paying good quality food. It makes me upset when food quality really sucks and service was terrible.I heard that they are closing. It is too bad because it is a great venue for Jazz. If they offer more quality food and better service, it could have been different, I think. If it was not for the music, I would not be there for sure.Sounds like the owner cant take the truth.

My husband and I met here a bazillion years ago and return often. I cannot imagine how this place gets poor reviews. We are always treated well and have an enjoyable time. The pitchers of Sangria are to die for and the food is delicious. Always great music and great people. Its nice to listen to great music, but still be able to have a conversation at your table without shouting. The owner has never been rude, and I seriously doubt a jazz club is going to be racist. Seriously??? Ignore the bad reviews and give this place a try.

Very nice ambience and great music. Food no edible (except for the French fries!) and bad drinks (juice even terrible). Waitress checking phone while we waited for our check, completely ignored. I will go back for French fries and water to listen to the good music. ;)Update: i initially put 3 stars in this review. But after readying the cheap, terrible and egocentric attitude of the owners reply I am changing to 0, oh well 1 star. His reply to my joke that I will go back for french fries and water (because no decent food is served) should have been: sorry, about your waitress checking the phone and food experience. We are working on it. Thats it! Oh, and I didnt include in my review that the was a group next to us and one of them returned their dish with meat because it was not good. I hate to put bad reviews and I have changed after a good reply from the owner but Im not doing it this time. Good luck with your business!!

Was there last week. Listening jazz was great experience; also very nice ambiance and decor. Unfortunately the cocktails we tried were not so good, looks like they use some cheapest alcohol. Prices are sometimes higher than what they list on the website. Also I recommend reading owners (aka bartender) responses to other reviews here: even the slightest criticism is not tolerated.

The food was poor in quality and had no flavor. The grape leaves were out of a can and was sitting in oil for too long. The Hummus was watery and was just had no texture.

Excellent jazz by a variety of rotating artists. No cover and no minimum. Reasonably priced Middle Eastern menu. Seven days a week. I have been going here off and on for many years. The vocalists have rarely been good. The musicians however are always first rate.

I love this restaurant!The food is great, the desserts are on point, and above all - the music is of quality! The band deserves more tips than what it gets, and the guest singers are more often than not, on point as well.(You can sing, too! Just look at their repertoire list by the stage, choose, then sign up... If not, print sheet music at home for yourself and the band (percussion, bass, piano) - and if the piece is common/popular, just ask)The décor and lighting are homey, quaint, yet appropriate for this style of jazz bar... beautiful! Especially in this Christmastime 😊!I was served by Hannah, and she is just a dear - we struck a chord! Really great person, she deserves a raise 👌!I met John, a senior NY resident saxophonist in the prime of his old age here, and we talked about music for a bit. He got up to play with the band every once in a while.I felt like part of the family in the restaurant with Hannah and John (whom I assume is a regular at the establishment), and the experience overall was definitely more than what I bargained for when I looked this jazz bar up online among a list of many on Google Maps. Im glad I chose Cleopatras Needle to spend my fathers birthday night at.

I would definitely recommend this place! This restaurant is a very good place for dinner, birthdays and any occasions. The live jazz is every night with very talented musicians and no cover charge, the foods are very tasty, they have full bar with lots of drink selections with reasonable prices, and the ambience is very romantic. All in all this is place is awesome!

We got there on a Friday night and were received by an older guy who asked where wanted to sit, but was quite annoyed that we needed a moment to think. Then we requested some space at the bar which was empty, but he said it was for other people and told us to sit on the other side. The whole thing felt like an unpleasant experience. He definitely needs to improve his hosting skills. We then ordered a couple of drinks and appetizers which were totally horrible. Babaganoush decorated with one slice of tomato and one slice of badly peeled cucumber-less inventive than what a 5 year old could do. We honestly thought it was a joke. And fried calamari for $18, which tasted like frozen food with some red sauce on the side with doubtful origins. Definitely waste of money and time. Only good thing was the Jazz music!

Nice informal place for jazz. Bar is nice though not the best selection of beer and wine. Music is free at least when Ive been there. Only place Ive been too where you can watch the yankees play and listen to live jazz😀

Was here for a stop as we wandered through the Upper West Side. Thankfully it wasnt a long one.The jazz music kept us for a whole 30 minutes, it was nice. But this is a review of the restaurant. Any place that argues with your customers when they offer feedback immediately gets a one star from me.The menu doesnt make much sense, and the service is lazy. We were able to squeeze in our cocktail orders (which werent anything to write home about) once the bartender peeled himself away from his regular customer who was clearly more important than us. Wanted water but we werent tended to again so we couldnt have left faster.I wholeheartedly expect an inflammatory response from the owner too based off of his reaction to others who are critical.

Chilling Jazz restaurant bar. Excellent service.

The worst customer service ever. The worst drinks. Everything was just bad. They even charged our card without us giving our authorization and refused to void the transaction. The manager and the bar tender were extremely rude, and would not even talk to us. This is the worst bar i have ever been. It is a pity to host music, at a place that they do not know about basics in hospitality. Would not recommend this place to anyone. There are so many bars out there with proper service.

Stumbled on some live jazz less than a block from our hotel. Very informal - musicians in and out of the jam session. We had some lovely Mediterranean appetizers. My frozen margarita was weak, but I am usually more surprised than not when I find someone who can make a decent one, so I wasnt upset. Nice unplanned, casual experience.

I think this is the hippest place in town theres qualitylive music every single day and a decent jam session every single night. The house musicians are excellent without exception. The food is good. The atmosphere is open and inviting ....the people are very nice...honestly ....its my favorite place!

It was ok nice place to go for a dinner date. They have live jazz music . its a nice atmosphere. It get pretty packed on a Friday night so it was no tables but they always have bar space available. Food is a decent place .

My wife, 7 yr. old son and I caught an awesome live jazz set while we had an amazing dinner, no cover, reservations or wait. Relaxed, welcoming, great spot Im excited to have found!

The worst experience my friend and I had with this place!Stay away- the owner of the place is the most unpleasant, rude and spiteful man.If you like to be insulted, if you want to feel unwelcomed and be treated worse than a dog, by all means, go there! I used to love Cleopatra’s Needle - I heard so many great jazz performances there and on my visit to NYC I proudly invited my friend who loves jazz to Cleopatras Needle. Little did I know - the place had become a joke recently since a new owner had bought it. As we walked in we were informed that there was a $10.00 minimum- my friend and I were blissfully smiling and thought it was totally fine - cover charge for great music - absolutely! We walked in, after a fabulous dinner at Mana - it was around 8:30 and we were not ready to go home yet. We wanted so much to hear a couple of wonderful musicians who were booked to play there. The place was empty; possibly 4-6 people , a friendly hostess who ushered us to the bar and later apologized for her bosses despicable behavior after he got into a fight with my friend - I have never seen my friend get angry with anyone before! When we got there, we explained to the hostess that we wanted to hear the music and that we already had a dinner.We sat down at the bar ready to give our $10.00 plus? for probably 20 minutes of live jazz and happily go home. THEN we saw a sign that said that we could not order ANY desert, any sodas, any coffee or tea and could not have any appetizers unless we ordered a dinner! My friend looked at drinks and sadly lamented preference for non-alcoholic drinks, which were not available. If only this dishevelled old man (the owner) would work with us by helping us spend our money on an apple or some peanuts or pretzels? Or suggest a non alcoholic option for a drink- we would have happily paid him $10.00 or more and would have gladly stayed for a short music fix. Instead, the owner proceeded to insult my friend and said that we should come back when we start drinking again and that he would not serve us and that we should get out! Horrible experience, nasty man - we’ll NEVER come back and be aware - he could sour your evening too! And if you are a musician- don’t be surprised if he cheats you out of your money as I heard he has a habit of doing.

The bar stinks of stale and left over food. The bar tender was pathetically rude. We ordered 2 sangrias and our other friend said she would decide later. Bartender got really aggressive and said he would charge 10 dollars for a glass of water. If we didn’t accept that we can leave. The man was the only server and it seems he had a long day. It was shocking and very very rude. Go there only if you want to spoil your evening!

Very enjoyable. Good music, good drinks. Look forward to going back!

Nice friendly spot. Love the live jazz. But...please tell me why, why!?!?! The mediocre food. Its new York City. 2019. Upper west side. Come on!!! New York we can do better! Even the salad was bad. Of all the food we got only the stuffed eggplant was good. It was even great! But everything else. Ugh!!! I am a East Village gal born and raised so I expect better from the restaurants on Manhattan island!!! And no fresh mint for a hot tea. Why??Vegetarians beware*****The falafel is cooked in the same oil as meat!!! Hello! This is not vegetarian then! Please change that on the menu.

**update on 3/26/19: take note of the completely offensive and unprofessional response from the owner. I just noticed that he has done this to all reviewers who complained about his behavior during their respective visits. The complaints were all legitimate and his responses only serve as further proof of the abusive and intolerable behavior we endured during our unfortunate visits.Never in my life have I encountered such a rude and obnoxious person than the bartender, who also claimed to be the manager. We (my 2 sisters and niece, celebrating birthday) sat at the bar and reviewing drink menu. My niece asked for a glass of water. The bartender announced that he would be charging her $10 for the water. We were confused since we planned to drink. I told the guy that we intended to drink. He then said that if we weren’t able to understand the policy we could leave! I then responded by saying that he was being rude and that such behavior was new to me, he then said that “I’m glad I’m showing you something new!” I asked him if he really did not want our business, to which he answered that he was not interested in serving “coffee, tea or water.” We had no idea what he was talking about since we were interested in cocktails. We decided to leave, because he was so bizarre, confrontational and belligerent. If you want service, go somewhere else!

I went there with my family celebrating my fathers 51st birthday as first-time tourists, and was really surprised with how familiar everything felt inside.From the decorations and design, the audience and musicians, they were all very welcoming and warm, if I could describe it that way in the context of the winter cold😂. I really loved the waitress, she went out of her way to even write down tourist-friendly places to visit while in NYC and happily talk to my family, further accentuating the familiar feeling I got from being there.She was really cute too, her manner and kindness made my night a lot better than it already was and Ill genuinely miss that when I leave NY.The house musicians (pianist, drummer, bassist) were very, very masterful and varied in their jazz playing styles, over ~300 songs and instrumental pieces listed down on their setlist catalog and not one of them sounded half and half; they played their set pieces as professional as if it were a studio gig.The way that the lead vocalist/lead position is always switching out for different people keeps things very fresh and entertaining, it also keeps things moving smoothly as if it were a mix playlist.This was my first time in a real jazz bar and my first time in NY, and all I can say is: As a musician and as a tourist, this place blew my mind. I will definitely come back here next time I visit NY and hope this special place stays the same.

Came in with a group of five planning on spending the evening there. One person in our party who doesnt drink ordered an orange juice. She was told there was none and that if she wasnt going to order a drink she must leave. It was stated that there is a 10 dollar per person minimum on live music nights. I assumed as long as our group of ran a tab of more than 50 it would be dine. Another person orforde a beer that was 8 dollars and was told there was a ten dollar per person minimum. She ended up paying 10 for it just to get him of her back. Two others ordered drinks that cost more than ten. Needless to say we finished our drinks and left. The 1st round cost 44(well 42 plus the two extra bucks beer scam) for five of us. Our next round would have put our group well over the ten per person minimum. Oh well, the next three rounds were just purchased at another bar. Shame because I have been to CP before and its a cute place with good music. Now I will never return.

I thought it is a nice place since there were a good singer on stage. However The bar man who is the owner of the place is not smiling and is rude to the customers. He was not patiant and was angry about me asking him questions about the drinks. He is an old angry man with such an angry face that i just had to go out of his place and find another place for the evening. Not recommended. All people are old as is the bar man who shows hateread to the customers. Not fun.

Sat for over 50 minutes and didnt even get a water refill. The table next to us got their meals and was in the process of ordering dessert when we decided to walk out. The musicians were great though.

If i could put 0 stars i would. Tonight , was horrible. I was sitting at the bar and ordered food for the first time. The band went on break shorty after I walked in, and there was a guy coming and sitting at the bar, the owner refused to serve, as they a previous argument. So, coming here for the music, the owner decided not to let the band play again, until the customer leaves. Of course the customer didnt leave. I asked the owner, what time the band comes back and he said that the band wont come to play anymore until the customer is gone, and if I want I can leave!!! This is the worst customer service I experienced and so rude. In addition, the hummus was 8 dollars and it was served on a saucer and was tiny! So disappointing. I told him that he rather upsets all the other guests that are paying, then letting the music play and just ignore that person. Once I told him that, he said yes okay and walked away. I WILL NEVER COME BACK HERE AGAIN and since working in the service industry I will tell my customers to stay away from this restaurants. Apparently the owner doesnt need daily customers!!! Just take a look at previous reviews and how the owner replies and attacks people say they are dirt and low life! I think this tells you enough. SHOCKING! So basically I am expecting now for the owner to insult me too.

I love this spot - its a hole-in-the-wall local jazz bar with a very neighborhood feel. No need to dress up! Its super casual, the drinks are delicious, and the performers are great.

Charming place, good music. Okay service. TERRIBLE food. They should take the menus out of the front and advertise only as a jazz bar, not a restaurant. My friend had to put mayonnaise on her spinach pie because t was dry and my moussakah had potatos on it (guess what, I don’t eat carbs and it wasn’t on the menu) and was overall disgusting.

Food is average. The owner isnt the nicest person on earth either. Just cares about money and thats it. Treats the musicians there like dirt. The jazz on the other hand is great and wildly varied.

Fabulous food, amazing musicians daily. No cover, just have a few drinks if you like and Cleopatra-style food. Look for my friend Katie Cosco on jazz piano! Sometimes people sit in on vocals or instrumental. A very cool place. And even tvs too. Try it here. Very unique place. Singers jam Sundays.

That was unfortunate.So, the Jazz players were great....obviously talented. They earned and received my tip. There was no waiting and the server was acceptably pleasant.We ordered a Kabob and a ceasar salad and it arrived in an appropriate amount of time. The salad was very good and I consumed it with pleasure.The kabob plate however was lacking any seasoning. It was flat, flavor wise. The rice was unseasoned....just rice. The kabob veggies were seared but not cooked. The meat, which the menu described as marinated, was flavorless, overcooked, and tough.We asked to return the kabob plate and replace it with a cup of soup which was all the appetite we had left and the waitress apologized and returned the dish to the kitchen.A couple of minutes later, this happened....a manager approached our table and directed the waitress to inform us that we HAD to each spend at least $10 and we had not met that requirement. He repeated the rule you must order something moreand left us with no apology for our poor meal or interest in our dining experience.We were quite put off by this, but ordered a Baklava to meet our minimum. Well, it arrived with dobs of canned whipped cream and a steak knife. After sampling, and dicing up our freezer burned desert, we scooted the plate away and asked for our check.The check came as expected, without the Kabob added, and with the soup. We paid, tipped the band, and made our way home.I understand the need for a cover/minimum. I also understand why there was no waiting and empty tables on a Friday night. I love seeing businesses succeed and support those that do. I just cant support uncaring, impersonal service and poor food.Poor food = minus two starsUncaring management = minus two starsGreat music = plus one starEquals a two star night.

**UPDATE**The unbelievably passive aggressive response by the owner made me literally laugh out loud!! This person can not handle criticism. Im disappointed I didnt check the reviews before I came to this place a few weeks ago. The way they talk about their achievements like theyre still relevant. Wake up! Its NYC, there are way better bars that have amazing live music and great food.AVOID AT ALL COST.The bartender is old, and does not answer questions very well. I also couldnt get over the menu. What is it supposed to be? They have Mediterranean dishes, but also they randomly have garlic bread as an appetizer. When we asked the bartender that its a little strange (light heartedly) he got very defensive. Idk about you, but a place that serves baba ghanoush and garlic bread is a little off. Are you American style or Mediterranean. Pick one. And if youre gonna infuse the 2, do a better job. Oh and we also never got water because the bartender didnt pay attention to us. Probably because we didnt order any food and looked young. Not cool.

One of my favorite NY spots. We were there twice in the last week. For those who havent been, they have a piano trio starting music each night around 7 and players wander in for a jam session that goes until the wee hours. The food is pretty good as well. No cover! No minimum!Another thought on the Needle. You can go to the big name places (Smalls, Village Vanguard, Birdland, Iridium, Jazz Standard, etc.) and hear big name players but the music at the Needle is just as good, you can sit closer, talk to the artists during the breaks and have an authentic experience without paying 100s of $$$. I love this place. NYers, please keep supporting the restaurant and musicians so it will be there when I come back.

Was so disappointed in how I was treated. I was told it was a $10 minimum for a card and was then charged an extra 10 for my boyfriend. We tried to order another round to make up the difference and were refused. The vocalist was phenomenal and I’m sad we didn’t get to listen to her set.

I came from Boston to NY anticipating a delightful New Years with friends Ive known practically all my life. They recommended this place because of the atmosphere and jazz. We went and had the worst time of my life. The owner was more than rude. He was loud and agressive. The bartender was likewise and we were treated terribly. Had I read the poor reviews, we never would have gone. A prior review called the owner racist and sexist and that came to be so true. We were 3 black women who were humuliated by this establishments owner. In all my years on this earth I have never experienced such an horrific man. If you use your money in this establishment, you are supporting someone who feels he has the right to treat his customers any way he chooses. And, by the way, I am a senior citizen. Please do not support this establishment. Make your voice heard!

The waitress was not courteous at all and didnt bring utensils or any food accompaniments until asked multiple times.She threw silverware on the table, when asked for water she plopped a pitcher of water on the end of the table for all to pour.Very poor waitress service.However the musicians and music was great...

Its such a shame that the owner and staff are not welcoming to this little NYC jazz venue. The jazz provides a great vibe and the owner provides a lousy one! We decided, after a few visits that we will take our money to a place like, Smoke or Paris Blues, that appreciates their business.

My friend and I visited On labor day. The hostess/waitress immediately informed us that there was a 10.00 min. The sign on the station clearly stated no cover. Next we ordered coctails and the same waitress informs us that the patron margaritas were 18.00, ad if we were going to change our order because of the price. Then we ordered 2 ceaser salads and what was brought out wasnt a true ceaser. We questioned the salad and was told there was no mistake. Lastly, we were ask to add the tip to the bill before they even ran our card. We told them to run the card and the tip would be in cash. Smh. The music was good but the food and service was horrible. I will never eat there again .

Update.. TERRIBLE neighborhood jazz bar. the bar service is really, really bad, and the food is pretty awful. Music was great. I hadnt been here for a few years and I was definitely more impressed with the service. UNFORTUNATELY, its one of the last remaining places in Manhattan to see a live jazz band without a cover. Perhaps on other nights the bartenders are less slothful but on one Thursday night I attended he was slow, inattentive, and abusive to his patrons. I believe hes the owner. The bar is an old New York institution as we locals like to say; old New York meaning what the city was like before Guiliani and gentrification. There was a world class entertainment and arts community before corruption took over. This place is really a dive bar dressed up to look like its classy (I LOVE a good dive). Its truly New York replete with the old neighborhood denizens, crazy as they are. The owner being the craziest. I definitely do not recommend it due to the attitude of the owner behind the bar. Hell eventually ruin this institution... Go to Smoke on Broadway and 106th.

Hadnt been in years and wont be back for twice as many as the owner was so rude when I complained about my drink - rum and coke - coke was flat = drink was tasteless - instead of offering to make me another - good customer policy - he removed my silverware from the table and told me to go elsewhere. Really? Needless to say I obliged immediately.

Great experience. Iv been here a few times and Ive eaten different dishes. The appetizers are good. Some of the dishes that I really enjoy are the spinach pie, Kabbehsinaya, Moussakh and all the Kabbab dishes. This place is great and coupled with festive decorations make for a nice atmosphere. If you love live jazz music and you want to have a good time, this is the place to be.

Have experienced The Needle before and its been OK ... maybe a 3-4 on eval scale. This time my wife and I arrived just before the end of Happy Hour and sat at the bar, which was nearly vacant. I ordered a glass of wine and asked for a glass of water with lemon. My wife ordered a glass of wine. We indicated that we would be dining there and were looking forward to the music. I had to ask twice for any lemon in the water and when I asked for a 2nd glass of water with lemon, the owner-bartender reacted by saying thats money.... we dont give away lemon. First of all the tiny slice of lemon provided was unusual and I said its fairly customary to ask for lemon with water, if its not automatically provided or asked for by the waitstaff. The owner, obviously disturbed, complied by again saying something like we dont give away lemon. We did say thats ridiculous because were also going to have dinner and many drinks here over the course of the evening. After a few minutes, the owner/bartender (who had asked for a credit card in order to keep a tab) produced our card and bill and asked us to leave and find other places who give away things. We both found this appalling and were happy to leave. We had done nothing to provoke this response. We will not be going to Cleopatras Needle in the future and will be glad to share our latest experience with others. Incidentally, some others sitting at the bar observed this interplay and commented to us that this was horrible, unaccommodating service.

I cant believe my experience here on Tuesdays Jam Session. There was the good and the UGLY. The good was the music was fantastic and performed by around 15 diff musicians playing together randomly. The ugly was, when not playing, the fellow musicians stood RIGHT IN FRONT of the stage blocking my view. I mentioned it once and even bumped a guy but I guess they dont understand. Took my experience from a 9.5 to about a 5.5...really pissed me off.

I enjoyed the vocal session so much.The food is so good.But the bartenderess kept screaming.It broke the comfortable atmosphere.Its a big problem.Please be professional to the customers.

A nice and very serene atmosphere. The food was good and very affordable. Loved the different jazz performances. Just an easy place to be.

Place isnt terrible with the live music and all but the drinks are overpriced for how small they are.Edit: Apparently if you have any criticism youre not allowed back. Bitter, grumpy owner.

The live music in this place was very enjoyable, but the food was only “okay” in presentation and taste, and I waited 30-45 min from I entered to I received the attention of a waiter. I would not recommend this venue as a restaurant.

Great jazz. No cover charge. Comfortable seating. Spacious, especially for an NYC jazz club. Perfect for an after hours show after a Lincoln center show. Convenient to :) the subway.

Love the festive looks year round and the jazz. Staff friendly. Stick to hard liquor for drinks. Can recommend stuffed grape leaves, fried chicken, moussaka and lasagna.

Great restaurant with live Jazz. The music is not too loud so you can still have conversations. Staff is friendly and fast and the food is great.

Just left the place horrible experience. This older guy gives no greeting asks if we have a reservation. We say no and RUDELY points to a table and says sit here. Gives us menus 2-3 minutes later and stands around us waiting. Not saying a word and then walks off. We left. WILL Not recommend this place.

I loved the atmosphere, the food was terrible the owner, manager was a profiling duck head who discriminated against certain ethnic groups. Miss the music.

Very pleasant surprise. We started with the bruschetta. Excellent warm toasted bread which tastes like it was baked on premise. Tomatoes are delicious with the right seasoning. Very delicious!We had the lasagna and the special of the day which the name escapes me. Fresh hand made pasta noodles, tomato sauce with italian bacon. Wife devoured it! The lasagna, very delicious! The pictures look a bit deceiving, its about size of a bocce ball or 5 pound exercise ball. Its not enough for a couple of two if youre wondering, its enough for a big guy.The basil panna cotta dessert. Woah... must order! Words cannot describe it. Never had anything like it!FYI -- the table for two, its cramped. Need more table real estate, perhaps 6 wider, even 3 would make a big difference. Bread, appetizers, with plates and water flask already crowded the table with no space. I felt like I could knock a plate or the flask over. Next time, Im just going to dine at the bar with bigger table space.

Great spot for no-cover jazz every day of the week. The bar can get crowded Fridays and Saturdays during dinner so be sure to get there early or catch the late night set.

Good atmosphere, mediocre food. The hummus was tasteless and the pasta and lasagna were lukewarm and forgettable. Jazz was what Id call white people jazz, more of elevator music type of deal.

I went there with my bestfriend, and we loved it there! The place has a great atmosphere and is very nicely decorated, awesome location, exceptional service, and the food is amazing! We really enjoyed our time there and will definitely go back there again!

The live music and late night hours is a big plus. The spaghetti and meatballs was delicious. Chicken marsala was good too. Cocktails are strong.

Beautiful spot in Central Park. Cool historic piece. Art made over a thousand years ago. Hopefully this giant stylus will make you want to go inside the Metropolitan Museum of Art and see the rest of NYCs Egyptian artifacts. While in the park, be sure and see other cool statues nearby, such as the finest one of Alexander Hamilton in the city. Plenty of beautiful scenes all around! I come through here every chance I get.

Wow. I was planning on coming here until I read the responses of the owner to these negative google reviews! Flat-out rude (after the more recent and notably bizarre form letter responses, I mean. P.S. Your social media game needs work.)Maybe try actually listening to customer complaints (and try to improve) instead of oh-so-cleverly telling them to hit the road - because your lack of humility and abysmal customer service just caused this potential customer to also hit the road.

Atmosphere is great, music is superb, the food however is horrid. Greasy, nasty chicken, rubbery eggplant, terrible service. What a shame considering the music is so good.

I have eaten here many many times when in NYC and it is never a bad experience. I travel back and fourth to India and many other countries and this is still one of my favorite restaurants on the planet....Thanks for great service always!!

I am not here yet because I wont be coming to NYC until spring. I lived in Massachusetts. I cant stand the cold, so Im living in TexasBut my boyfriend is there tonight. He is a bass player and will play there next week. He drove on 95N and arrived last night.I look forward to visiting because my grandfather came from Zanthos.Excuse my long message.Sincerely,Angela Marchese

Good local music, eclectic crowd, a chill jazz (not top level entertainers but some are wonderful) experience. Drink costs are fair, food is good.

Ive been here a dozen times to hear live jazz. Quality performances every night of the week and a great food and drinks selection. Try the spinach pie!

Perfect for a Friday night of Jazz and Blues. Letting oneself go into the spirit of the music, enjoying with all the senses. Dancing. Eating. Singing. Why not?

This is a midscale restaurant on the Upper West Side. Used to go here before it became really well known, when the UWS was not as touristy. Sitdown restaurant, mostly couples and some families. Great mediteranean food. Most nights there is live music, usually jazz, sometimes more eclectic. Mostly locals but lately have been seeing more tourists and visitors from other parts of the city.

I love this place! I am not in the area often but try to make the happy hour when I am. Best chocolate martini in the city. The staff is kind and the atmosphere is relaxing.

This spot is classic NYC for all the wrong reasons.My friend had ordered a rum and coke. The smallest drink came, it was not good. Coke was dead and it had lots of water in it. She told the waiter who then brought over the manager or owner. I know this man cuz he’s been there for many years.He argues with my fired about why she didn’t like her drink then said he wouldn’t serve anymore. I was appalled and asked why. He got mad at me and said he wouldn’t serve her and he would also not serve me.That’s when we got up to leave and he said yes we should leave. I had already ordered food which had not yet arrived. We left immediately. The man is an ass and the quality of the food and drink is rather low. Find some place else to eat and drink.

It was our worst restaurant experience. The food was average and expensive. The waiter was unfriendly and rude and after some time we had to change the table because one of their favourite customers came in. And also when we went out, he said nothing, no goodbye or another friendly word. A really bad place to be.

Lovely live jazz band with a beautiful vocalist. Wonderful performance in an intimate setting. Will definitely go back again.

Mediocre food. Ordered a beef shish kabob”.... The meet was dried and overcooked and served with French fries - the cheap kind that not even supermarkets sell. Supermarkets sale higher quality French fries. All in all, the $18.95 food came with a tiny piece of green pepper, inexpensive tomatoes and onions. A real rip-off. The result of my experience: I exchange the plate for a Cleopatra Salad with grilled chicken. Another disappointment - Dont waste your money eating at Cleopatras Needle. Food really sucks and overpriced. Dont get fooled by the dark jazzy atmosphere. The people who come here regularly dont order food they only drink. Suggestion: Get better cooks. The staff knows the food sucks but they are too busy serving drinks and dancing to even notice.

My girlfriend and I toped by around 10 pm to have a drink.Service at the bar is terrible, barmen was rude and treated us like we were not welcomed there. Ignored us for long time before rudely getting our drinks.Never going back.

The food is really good, atmosphere is warm and the live band is really nice. We had a relaxing enjoyable dinner here.

Love this place especially on Wednesdays. Great little jazz band and open Mike night for volunteers. Upper west side has great singers.

Cleopatras used to be my living room when I lived on 93rd and West End. I once moved to Boston and was away for six months; when I came to NYC I went straight to Cleopatras and, as soon as the waiter saw me, he said: It is good to see you back. We missed you. I have brought there every single friend and family member who visited me, and some of my best dates and relationships started at Cleopatras too. It breaks my heart that it is closed. I keep hoping that it will reopen one day; it was once a place that I called home.

We spent a wonderful evening ! Good food, attentive service and a great jazz jam ! If you like jazz, and you’re in the neighborhood, go for it !!!

Excellent live jazz 7 nights a week!Good spanikopita. Very friendly, warm crowd.A gem on the UWS

Went for my birthday and was Happy this was the place.. wonderful live music and ambiance..very special night 🤗😍food was also tasty..

The bar and the music have its charm. The mixology lacks the spirit of those trying to impress as the barmen are a bit slow yet they hold the old charm of the place together

Love love love this place! Most Authentic jazz bar in town, and incredible raw talent on open mic nights. I’m addicted!

Nice, reasonably priced Mediterranean food with live jazz. Great date night spot. Couscous was delicious!

Definitely a good place in the UWS to listen to young jazz bands (free live music) and to taste a good beer.Edit: by chance Im back in the city, and will visit you again

Historic New York Jazz Restuarant. If you can sing your love visiting this place and have your chance to sing on Broadway.

Glad to see this place is still up and jumping! Great feel and experience. Especially like the jam sessions. Guests can sign up and jam with the band.

While I have never eaten here, their specialty is live jazz and open jazz nights, which are great fun!

Expensive drinks, and Im not a huge jazz fan. My wife is though, so we drop in from time to time. Beer selection isnt great.

This place is so beautiful and JAZZ which is fantastic. If you have a girlfriend/boyfriend, you must go to that amazing place. I really recommend this place so DO NOT THINK TWICE!!!

Nice place. A lot of vegetarian options. Food is very tasty, and it always has live jazz, which is awesome and relaxing

Incredible Jazz performances nitely. One of New Yorks best kept secrets so I wont say anymore so it doesnt get flooded!!!

Great music . good food. Chill.

Read the articles. Maher Hussein said it. NYC is waging war on small business with lockdowns, taxation, and minimum wages that corporations can afford but not small businesses. My heart not only goes out to Cleopatras Needle, who I loved, but the 130 million excess starvation deaths expected in the developing world due to lockdowns disrupting global supply chains. Hope this is temporary for y’all at the Needle... a few pixels of American soul float away every time one of these places close, and the culture that was once clear becomes a little blurrier. Love.

The food is amazing ! And the environment is a nice place to go with friends and enjoy your meal and listen to jazz.

Great little place to hear live Jazz. They open the large front windows on warm evenings and you do some good NYC people watching.

Loved the place, I had really good time, the food was excellent, great service and lovely ambiance. I highly recommend it and Ill sure be back soon.

Went for drinks on a Saturday night and liked the place a lot. The live music was good and we still could have a good conversation

Horrible food and quality of drinks. Waiters are slow and retarded as they do not remember your orders and have to come back to ask again

Great Music! Open Mic night is amazing. Good food, reasonablly priced

I dont know if that joint is any good, but it has been immortalized in a comic book about Gil Scott-Heron and thats already not bad

Hides behind a computer and just calls people names from the shadows. Calls everyone cheap and sleezy behind a keyboard , while operating a cheap and sleezy joint. Hilarious! The irony

Want think my wife for bringing me to Cleopatra Needle from my birthday she know this is one of my favorite places to come to listen to live jazz in karaokeFood this great I recommend friends and family to come.

The music and groups playing are 4-5 stars in how much I enjoyed them. Drink and service is 3 star.

Lovely jazz! Intimate and charming setting.

Twice I have been there. Bartender and owner do not make customers feel comfortable. It is to pricy and they seem to not care.

Place was almost empty on a Saturday night, but they had nice live jazz.

Had a wonderful time with a friend visiting from Dublin. Hes an entertainment lawyer and appreciated the performances.

I hope Cleo’s opens again. This was a cool place for late night jazz

JAZZY JEFF WAS HERE AND HE LIKED IT

Dont know about the food or music... but service was bad and no notice from any of the staff.

Amazing band. Grumpy service.Post-script: wow, your response just underlined my comment. And lost you two stars.

Hey people, check this out.Cleopatras needle refused a guidedog the other day and made the man and his dog sit by the door and the window while the dog sat outside the window on the ground. This person had a disability in which his dog is his eyes. To place the individual all the way out by the way by the door because they refused allow the SERVICE animal in. That is a violation of the ADA. This establishment needs to learn the law because this is a form of discrimination.

I had a great time. Good food, good music, and nice atmosphere.

Authentic jam sessions, bar with plenty of drinks and late night food including vegetarian, all in one place

Small...good live jazz .... But food not so great.

Wonderful open mic. Drinks are expensive, but good Mediterranean cuisine.

If youre looking for a good and affordable Live Jazz place, this is the one. I would recommend the Jam Sessions.

Good music. Bad service. Expensive. Small portions. Friendly atmosphere.

Great place to hava a some drinks and food and listen to good live music. No cover!

Really cool & serene place, especially if youre in2 Jazz!

Very nice Jazz which is what you should come for. Terrible Beer. Good Coffee.

Great food and original cocktails

Love sitting by the open windows. They have live music and food..what more can I ask for!

Great time with my perfect gentleman. He did his thing. Peace

Delicious food, warm live music, friendly owner and staff.

Nice place. No cover, live music, pretty good food.

Friendly service, no cover, good food. This is a rare find for such an expensive neighborhood.

Nice place.very pleasant for a cozy dinner eve.come here for the live music!!!

Love the music here nice people and beautiful atmosphere to celebrate birthday with friends and family

Good music, friendly barman what more can you ask for.

Musicians are mistreated and not paid as they should.For me its enough to go eat somewhere else...

Nice place. Great atmosphere. Enjoyed live music.

The food is so-so. Theres jazz very night, but the players are only quasi-pros. Disappointing.

Nurse she’s an amazing person. An excellent

We had an amazing Italian meal there, with some amazing calm music

Owner was horribly rude to customers. Its incredible that he gets away with such foul antics.

Great food and music, but a slow place.

Unfortunately the food is not as good as the music and the wine is way overpriced.

Good food and drinks but the service was not friendly

Good food. good service. Great Jazz music.

Yay, good cocktails and no cover jazz in the neighborhood!

It was so clean The variety of food and drinks awesome Very cozy the help awesome

Very cute inside. Cheap for the upper west side. Smallish portions.

Good place to work on my skills amd play with talented jazz greats.

Good food...I ordered pasta alfredo....was good...not too salty, it was just right

I truly enjoyed performing here with the Dan Furman Trio!

Really nice ambient, delicious food, nice music!

Entertaining...had a blast! Would have liked larger portion of babaganhoush!

Great place, no cover, stop in for a drink and some music.

Nice place, dessert was delicious, and music was lovely.

Alot has changed in the 20 yrs, since first visiting. Music still outstanding

Swing-Jazz and Bop musicians play for singers every night

Nice location, great music, service could be friendlier.

Excellent food music atmosphere!

Music was very good. Fun place!

Please do not come here. Owner does not care a bit about music, only profit.

Good service, good food and pleasant music

Great food and music. Good vibes.

A neighborhood staple for many years, and the food is pretty decent.

Relaxing place to listen to some jazz and have a glass of wine.

Life jazz music love it! Cleopatra’s needle beer 🤤

I stumbled upon this hidden gem and really enjoyed the live music and the wine list.

Great service, desert and drinks but the chicken Marsala was disappointing.

Great food and awesome music

Cocktails could be better. Appetizers.....so do

Good music and a fun atmosphere !

So good. $10

Happy hour every day of the week.

Its good sometimes the prises r to high but oh well

Live jazz, Mediterranean food, great Martinis

Good but need to wait longtime u need appointment

Go for drinks and to listen to the open mic jazz.

Great music and friendly vibe

Nice and chilled spot for the late night owls.

Really enjoyed dinner and music!

The food was not good the service was lousy.

Nice atmosphere and great music

Solid place to place to hear live jazz

Ok food, fun music

Great food great music

Loved the live jazz music.

Good food and nice service!

Nice bar and slow jazz

Fun but definitely loud

Good jazz music on tuesdays

Good food & music

Love the Jazz music in here!

Nice jazz music and martinis

Come for the live entertainment, not the food.

Great music and great people

This was a great spot!!!

Live jazz

Very rude bar man.

Overpriced , below average food

Awesome place,Awesome Jazz