Minton's Playhouse New York
Historic Harlem jazz club
From Minton’s website:
“Founded in 1938, Minton’s is the place where Bebop was born; the place, really, where the foundations of modern jazz were established."
“Thelonious Monk, Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, Charlie Christian and Kenny Clarke were regular performers there. In addition, Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Benny Goodman, Coleman Hawkins, Lester Young, Johnny Hodges, Ben Webster, Sarah Vaughan, Carmen McRea, Billy Eckstine, Erroll Garner, Gene Krupa, Miles Davis, Art Tatum, Bill Evans and Art Blakey, to name just some of the giants, all played at Minton’s.”
Need I write more?
Minton’s is the kind of place you go to because you can. You're in New York, Minton's is in New York, so you go. Dress well (please don’t wear your baseball cap, frontward or backward), have dinner, listen, talk quietly, drink and be thankful. Respect.
I’ve never eaten there, but you can view the menu here.
Other historic clubs still have a presence: next door to The Apollo, on 125th Street, used to be Showman's, now moved to 375 W 125th St. Minton's has survived at least one move. Lenox Lounge was demolished in 2017. It's where Dizzy Gillespie, John Coltrane and Billie Holiday performed.
You can experience the feel of old Harlem jazz clubs by visiting the American Legion on 132nd Street. It's the real thing and may become stronger even though Seleno Clarke, the leader of the Harlem Groove Band (the house band), died just after Christmas, 2017, 88 years old.
About this spot
Find your way with 300 Insider Tips from our Local Spotters
Nice place right!? There’s so much more to discover:
Discover all other hidden gems in New York
Sea & Sea
Fried fish takeout
"Sea & Sea " in NYC is a traditional-looking fish shop with wet, tiled floors, cool air, grated ice on every hand, busy with customers from near and far...
By
Geoffrey
Dunbar
Pikine
Senegalese restaurant
Come to "Pikine" in NYC to eat shoulder-to-shoulder with Senegalese people!
By
Geoffrey
Dunbar
Modern Bread and Bagel
Extreme gluten-free bagels
"Modern Bread and Bagel" in NYC has surfaced as exemplary, using criteria such as size and texture, seed and salt density. Here are some more top picks...
By
Geoffrey
Dunbar
Patsy's 'El Barrio'
Historic Pizzeria
Patsy’s, famed for its 900°F coal-fired pizza, still thrives in Spanish Harlem, gritty, iconic, and sublime. Thin crust, no tables, just pure NY history.
By
Geoffrey
Dunbar
The Dublin House
Irish Bar Centenarian
"The Dublin House" in NYC has been around since Prohibition and it still is neighborhood-sized. By the end of the night, everyone speaks Irish here...
By
Geoffrey
Dunbar
Pain d’ Epices
French / American patisserie
"Pain d' Epices" is a French bakery in NYC that makes croissants so flaky & buttery, the only way to avoid the crumbs is to 'put your back to the wind...'
By
Geoffrey
Dunbar
Django
Tribeca jazz boîte
"Django" in NYC is proof that the city's jazz club world is recovering. I celler/cavern is intimate enough that after performances I walk over to engage...
By
Geoffrey
Dunbar
Pastrami Queen
Traditional kosher Jewish deli
"Pastrami Queen" in NYC has if not the best, among the very best pastrami sandwiches in the city. It's the kind of American excess you just can't miss...
By
Geoffrey
Dunbar
Grandma's Place
Inclusive Books and Toys
I stumbled across a store about which I had read but never visited—the very inviting and colourful playground of Dawn Harris-Martine), retired teacher, now famous—named Grandma’s Place.
By
Geoffrey
Dunbar
Sisters Uptown Bookstore
African diaspora hub
"Sisters Uptown Bookstore" in NYC is a hidden shop/cultural center w/ an eye-opening trove of books by African diaspora authors. A true neighborhood spot!
By
Geoffrey
Dunbar
Color World
Curb Side BBQ
Color World sets up on the corner of 116th and 2nd Avenue, rain or shine. There they serve beef, pork, goat, oxtail, and chicken for $10 a plate.
By
Geoffrey
Dunbar
Don Alejo Coffee
Coffee, toasts and burritos
Their prices are in keeping with the neighborhood: a plate of two eggs, two pancakes, 'home' fried potatoes and your choice of sausages or bacon, is $12.
By
Geoffrey
Dunbar
Heading to New York?
300 Insider Tips from our local Spotters
Authentic Stories by Real People
Escape the Crowd & Travel Slow 🐌
... for just €9.99
Heading to New York?
✓ 0 Insider Tips from our local Spotters
✓ 300 Insider Tips
✓ Escape the Crowds
✓ Find Spots nearby
✓ Authentic Stories
... for just €9.99
Our team loves New York
Get to know our other Spotters from New York
As featured on:
