Category Archives: 125th Street

You’re invited to Food & Drink Boulevard in Harlem May 10

Posted on April 30, 2012 | Leave a comment

The Frederick Douglass Blvd Alliance based in Harlem came together this past January and already they are hard at work creating events for us Harlemites to enjoy and to help others. First on their to do is the Food & Drink Boulevard event taking place on May 10. On that evening patrons can enjoy $5 drinks and appetizers at several Harlem dining establishments by purchasing tickets for $10 in advance on Eventbrite.com. And proceeds made that evening, a portion of it will be donated to The Boys and Girls Club of Harlem. See you on May 10 along Frederick Douglass Blvd!

Leave a comment

Posted in 116th Street, 125th Street, 5 and Diamond Harlem, bier international, business, Cedric French Bistro and Bar Harlem, Chocolat, Community, drinks, entertainment, Events, food, Frederick Douglass Blvd., Harlem, Harlem Tavern, Lido Italian Restaurant and Bar, Melba's Restaurant Harlem, restaurant row, restaurants

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Lenox Social becomes Corner Social in Harlem avoiding legal drama with Lenox Lounge

Posted on April 24, 2012 | Leave a comment

As most of us know already, last week the owners of the former Lenox Social in Harlem decided to change its name to the Corner Social because that’s where they are actually located in Harlem, i.e. on a corner, and to avoid confrontation with the historic Lenox Lounge. It has been a smooth transition from what I have heard and patrons are flowing in at a steady pace to that “Corner” on 126th Street and Lenox. And if you’re wondering-like I was-if the former Lenox Social and Lenox Lounge ever really came to blows in court, I have confirmation from the Corner Social’s peeps that it never happened and there was never any settlement around a trade infringement. The folks behind Corner Social told me they decided to change their name because they wanted to “take the high road” and move on with building a successful dining and bar establishment in Harlem!

So there you have it. No court drama ever happened between the two entities. We can now all move on, which most of us have, and party on at the Corner Social and Lenox Lounge in Harlem!

Leave a comment

Posted in 125th Street, Bars, drinks, Harlem, Lenox Avenue, Lenox Lounge, Lenox Social

Tagged , , , , , ,

New York Magazine says wet your whistle at two Harlem bars on Lenox Avenue

Posted on April 13, 2012 | 6 comments

New York Magazine reports in their “Your New Favorite Bar” section there are two spots in Harlem they recommend to “wet your whistle.” They are: Ginny’s Supper Club, aka the lower level of Red Rooster, and Lenox Social, the new establishment getting picked on by Lenox Lounge!

NY Mag says Ginny’s  is a place where “the young and old can wet their beaks…and you’ll be able to see Asian and French influences.” The weekly magazine calls Lenox Social a place where “there’s something for nearly everyone, with a sturdy comfort-food menu, friendly scattershot decor, and a multipurpose space that simultaneously qualifies as sports bar, group-meeting ground, and quiet dinner destination in Harlem.”

So there you have it!  Two places to check out in Harlem-and on Lenox Avenue-this weekend if you need some ideas on where to go!

6 Comments

Posted in 125th Street, Bars, drinks, food, Harlem, Lenox Avenue, Lenox Lounge, Lenox Social, Red Rooster Harlem, restaurants

Tagged , , , , , , , ,

See Harlem restaurant grades on NY Health Department Ratings Map

Posted on April 9, 2012 | 3 comments

If you were wondering how Harlem’s eating establishments make the grade with the New York Health Department, it’s all right here in a simplified ratings map. The New York Times just updated the page April 5. See how your favorite Harlem restaurants stacks up. I certainly did!

3 Comments

Posted in 116th Street, 125th Street, 5 and Diamond Harlem, Bars, bier international, Cedric French Bistro and Bar Harlem, Chocolat, drinks, food, Frederick Douglass Blvd., Harlem, Harlem Tavern, Lenox Avenue, Lido Italian Restaurant and Bar, Melba's Restaurant Harlem, New York, New York City, NYC, Red Rooster Harlem, restaurant row, restaurants

Tagged , , , ,

Two Harlem restaurants win 2012 Food & Drink Award by Time Out New York

Posted on April 9, 2012 | Leave a comment

Two Harlem restaurants recently received the 2012 Food & Drink Award from Time Out New York, except the weekly magazine doesn’t know it according to their published online article (See photo left). Red Rooster, located on Lenox Avenue between 125th and 126th Street was named Best New Neighborhood Joint. And Earl’s Beer and Cheese, located in SPANISH HARLEM since the restaurant is above 96th Street on the East Side, was named Best Pint-Size Powerhouse. TONY said Earl’s was located on the Upper East Side. Wrong! I am hoping it was a typo given this magazine reports on NYC every week.

Congrats to the two eating establishments. Red Rooster and Earl’s Beer and Cheese, share one common characteristic that I have personally experienced, they are both extremely hard to get into, but well worth the wait!

The full list of winners is listed below :

Readers’ Choice:

Chef of the Year: Seamus Mullen (Tertulia)

Best New Restaurant: The Dutch

Best New Cocktails: Maison Premiere

Best New Neighborhood Joint: Red Rooster Harlem (Harlem)

Best Spin-off: Parm

Best New Pizza: Forcella

Best International Eats: Miss Lily’s (Jamaica)

Best Out-of-Town Import: Fleisher’s Grass-Fed & Organic Meats (Kingston, NY)

Best New Bakery: Dominique Ansel Bakery

Best New Beer Bar: La Birreria

Foursquare Award: The Dutch

Critics’ Picks

Best Culinary Blitzkrieg: Acme

Best Countermove to Comfort Food: Boulud Sud

Best New Gallic Charmer: Buvette

The Instant Classic Award: Il Buco Alimentari & Vineria

The Watch The Throne Award: The Monkey Bar

Best Pint-Size Powerhouse: Earl’s Beer and Cheese

Artisan of the Year: New York Distilling Co./ The Shanty

Best Dim Sum Provocateur: RedFarm

Best Love Letter to the Philippines: Maharlika Filipino Moderno

The Intergalactic Kitten Award: Isa

Leave a comment

Posted in 125th Street, Bars, drinks, Harlem, Red Rooster Harlem, restaurants

Tagged , , , , , , ,

Lenox Lounge in Harlem goes after Lenox Social on trademark infringement?

Posted on April 9, 2012 | 24 comments

20120409-001109.jpg
I am so disappointed right now by Lenox Lounge in Harlem if this article in Crain’s New York proves true. Crain’s reported April 8 that “Harlem’s Lenox Lounge sent “representatives” to the bar [Lenox Social] to inform the newcomers that using the name Lenox Social “constituted trademark infringement.”

Get outta here! Can you believe this? This just smells of pure desperation and greed on one side. Why is Lenox Lounge going after Lenox Social when they can’t even pay their rent, according to a recent article in the Daily News? Shouldn’t the owners of Lenox Lounge worry about saving their own home before going after someone else’s? And why can’t there be a Lenox Lounge and Lenox Social on Lenox Avenue in Harlem? There’s room for everyone to play in the restaurant sand box and who ultimately has the rights to the name “Lenox?”.

This is just sad and making me want to sort of retract my earlier blog post on Lenox Lounge. I really hope this article proves to be wrong or I hope Lenox Social doesn’t end up caving to this potential nonsense and change their name.

This story is clearly not over. Stay tuned.

24 Comments

Posted in 125th Street, Bars, business, drinks, food, Harlem, Lenox Avenue, Lenox Lounge, Lenox Social, New York, New York City, NYC, restaurants

Tagged , , , , , , , ,

The inaugural TEDx Harlem happens March 27

Posted on March 21, 2012 | 5 comments

UPDATE: TEDx Harlem will now be held at Riverside Church, 490 Riverside Drive, Harlem, NY, not the Apollo Theater.

According to Harlem NYC, a 31,000-strong Harlem constituency on Facebook, we are all invited and encouraged to support the first ever TEDx Harlem. On March 27, a day-long conference, taking place at Harlem’s famous Apollo Theater, will “seek to understand, celebrate and empower the informal methods of social innovation that grow organically in Harlem and throughout communities around the world.” A high-caliber of speakers-some from Harlem-have signed on to participate in the TEDx Harlem, such as Thelma Golden from the Studio Museum in Harlem and Marcus Samuelsson of Red Rooster Harlem.

The event will begin at 8 a.m. and end at 5 p.m. The cost to attend is $100. Click here to learn more.

5 Comments

Posted in 125th Street, Community, education, Events, Harlem, New York, New York City, NYC, The Apollo Theater

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Lenox Social in Harlem is open, grand opening expected in April

Posted on March 19, 2012 | 2 comments

If you haven’t heard, a new bar and restaurant called Lenox Social, located on the northwest corner of Lenox Avenue and 126th Street  in Harlem, is open for business on limited hours! Lenox Social had a soft launch this past Saturday night (March 17) and will now take patrons from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. Stop on by and tell us what you think of Lenox Social!

20120319-071755.jpg

20120319-071817.jpg

20120319-071824.jpg

2 Comments

Posted in 125th Street, Bars, business, drinks, food, Harlem, Lenox Avenue, restaurants

Tagged , , , , , , , , ,

Harlem’s Amateur Night at The Apollo heading across the pond to London

Posted on March 16, 2012 | Leave a comment

20120316-133546.jpg
America’s first, original, true singing competition, which started in Harlem and pre-American Idol, is heading East to London. According to the Associated Press, the Apollo Theater in Harlem “is exporting its Amateur Night to London for a limited engagement. The London show on July will pit aspiring artists from the United States and Great Britain.”

“Manhattan auditions will be held March 31 and April 1. Four winners of the May 23 New York semifinals will get expense-paid trips to London. Semifinals to pick four amateurs in London will be held in June.”

If you know of anyone who would want to compete against a Brit in singing, pass this information along. And congrats to Harlem’s legendary Apollo Theater on exporting their Amateur Night to London! Way to go!

Leave a comment

Posted in 125th Street, art and culture, Community, entertainment, Harlem, history, music, New York, New York City, NYC, The Apollo Theater

Tagged , , , , ,

OMG…Lenox Lounge in Harlem could close. Please no!

Posted on March 8, 2012 | 6 comments


According to The New York Daily News, Harlem’s famed music establishment Lenox Lounge “could be on its last set.” The current owner, Al Reed, says the landlord of the property wants $20k a month from the prior $10k. The article states Reed is shopping the place around and that there are interested parties, such as Harlemite and celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson. I hope that is really true about Samuelsson.

Overall, this is sad news to hear. Closing Lenox Lounge would be like closing the Apollo Theater. These establishments are Harlem/American icons. Our community and New York City needs to desperately try to hold on to these treasures. It’s part of NYC’s fabric of life. Lenox Lounge is so special cause of its long history. It’s vintage. I will go as far as saying it should be a landmark and should be preserved. Let’s keep our fingers crossed that an investor views it that way…soon!

6 Comments

Posted in 125th Street, Bars, business, Community, drinks, entertainment, food, Harlem, history, jazz, Lenox Avenue, music, New York, New York City, NYC, Red Rooster Harlem, restaurants

Tagged , , , , , , , , , ,