Cleopatra's Needle

Simply the best that NY offers. Since first seeing Cleopatra's 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!

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

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 don't 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 can't 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. It's 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 owner's 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." That's it! Oh, and I didn't 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 I'm not doing it this time. Good luck with your business!!