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Alison

4.2 (177 reviews)
ModerateBeer Bar, American
Open • 10:00 am - 10:00 pm
Updated over 3 months ago

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ALISON ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Casual
Outdoor seating
Good for groups

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Recommended Reviews - Alison

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Chicken Schnitzel
Bri K.

Had a wonderful team lunch at Alison. It gave casual french cafe vibes. They were so accommodating to our large party. The food looked and tasted delicious. I arrived little late to lunch, but managed to get a good serving of the appetizers, calamari and hummus & pita bread. I simply wanted more from the few bites I got. Crispy yet soft the calamari had my heart and serving the pita warm was a nice touch. They were great at replenishing the pita with the generous amount of hummus we received. My main course was the chicken schitnzel with mash. It tasted nice and was seasoned well. I did feel the chicken dried out a bit so a heavier sauce would help out. Overall a 10/10.

Chris A.

Lovely space with such cute decor. Food was also super yummy with many traditional dinette options. Service was a little delayed and slow, I believe due to the server to the number of people. But overall attentive.

Farro salad with kale, feta, onions, avocado, and added chicken...
Robin H.

Great spot near the Museum of the City of New York. Casual spot with inviting atmosphere. We were there at brunch time so there were some couples with young kids. Sat outside which was nice. Super waitress! My friend had an omelette which she loved and I had a delicious farro salad. Would definitely go back if I were in the neighborhood.

Alison Burger
Ashley P.

I stopped by Alison because it was within walking distance of Mount Sinai, which made it super convenient. The spot serves American-style food and has a relaxed, casual vibe. Mark was our bartender, and he was fantastic, super friendly and knowledgeable. He walked us through the menu, which doesn't offer a full liquor selection, just beer and wine, but he made great recommendations. They have a happy hour from 12-7pm which was a nice bonus. The Old Bay fries, chicken wings, and chicken sliders were definitely worth trying--seasoned well and great for sharing. Just a heads-up: the wings and sliders are sold individually, so plan your order accordingly. I also tried the salmon burger, which I wanted to like, but it was a bit too soft and could've used more seasoning. That said, the overall experience was great, good food, excellent service, and a solid spot if you're in the area. I'd come back again, especially for happy hour and chicken sliders!!

BLT on Sourdough
Sarah T.

I'm coming back! It's such a welcoming restaurant, love the decor, very well lit. What really got me was the hospitality, how they checked up on you, gave you an estimate time of your food. And then when the food came....it was delicious and fresh ingredients. My friend had the salmon over coconut rice, which I didn't take a picture of, so flavorful. The salmon was cooked perfectly and the skin,oh my goodness I was in heaven. Definitely coming back to the Harlem location....thank you two gentlemen, that ran the restaurant on point.

Interior
Sharisse B.

I will be reviewing this venue for two different visits this month. My first visit this month was on one of my Summer Fridays, where I only worked until noon. I arrived uptown and decided to go have lunch. I looked at the menu and this restaurant had a great lunch special. The lunch specials are any sandwich with a soup or salad for $18.50. When I arrived, there were about 10 people in the restaurant. There is a sign that informs you to wait to be seated. I was seated and the sever Marc took my order. I went with the Grilled Salmon sandwich with a salad. Marc was nice, attentive, and very helpful. The salad I chose was the Manchego & Arugula salad. The salad came out before the sandwich. It was sweet, nutty, and delicious. My only suggestion for the salad is to be on a bigger plate because the salad was falling off as I ate it. The Grilled Salmon sandwich was delicious. I was there so long that happy hour started. I had the Hibiscus Mule drink on the suggestion of Marc. I never had Hibiscus before. It was a great suggestion because the drink was delicious. My lunch experience went very well. My second time visiting the venue this month was for Happy hour this past Friday. When I arrived, I entered and waited to be seated. I was asked by a lady, where do I want to sit. I informed her that I wanted to sit at a table. I ordered the Narragansett Lager, 2 lamb sliders, old bay fries, and the Shimp Baja tacos. The customer service I received during this visit was so different from my previous experience. I don't remember my server saying hello or his name. I had to flag him down if I needed something. It was the same number of guests as the last time I was there, 10 people. I realized when I ordered the lamb sliders I didn't ask how they are traditionally cooked. Nate, whose name I know from the receipt mentioned that the sliders are made medium or medium well and they come out a little pink. When I received my sliders, they were well done. Once I received my food he didn't check in on me. I had to flag him down for some ketchup. He checked in on me about 20 minutes later. When it was time to pay, I was planning to leave an 18% tip due to the service. However, the machine started at 20% for the tip.

steak and eggs chicken sandwiches
Mizan R.

Rustic vibes and very snug cozy seating area when it's packed for brunch. we got steak and eggs which was fantastic. the mayo potatoes did throw me off. and got the crispy chicken sandwich with old bay fries. the french fries were top tier however the sandwich was sloppy the breading didn't really stick and it was all over the place. i had better chicken sandwiches and it was not a good pick in my opinion. the chimmicurri was fantastic on the steak the service was kind and on point. i don't think i'll come back here but it's worth a try to check out if you're in the area B+ 7/10

Buffalo Wings
Ashley M.

I was in the area after an appointment so I decided to come here for Happy Hour. The menu looked good and I decided to give Alison a try. The initial greeting by the hostess (I am not sure if this was her actual position) was lackluster and left much to be desired. Even as I left, I wasn't thanked for coming or wished well from this same individual. I only mention this because she was at the door both when I entered and left so I expected some type of greeting/farewell. I ended up sitting at the bar and the bartender was amazing. She had great energy and gave solid recommendations. I ended up going with the buffalo wings and old bay fries off the happy hour menu and the calamari off the standard menu. I was a little nervous about the old bay fries but they were great and the aioli it came with was 10/10. The calamari was fried nicely and had just enough seasoning to not be bland. The wings were pretty good and the amount of sauce was spot on. I ordered a hibiscus mule for my drink and it was balanced and refreshing. If I was in the area, I would come back because the food and drinks were good. Hopefully I have a better experience next time.

Barramundi
Sujay R.

Pulsd deal has become a little more limited but the volume and quality of the bottle of wine made up for it

A friend and a good glass of wine in the very mellow interior
Kat P.

This is one of my favorite spots when I come to the city now. I've tried different foods on the happy hour menu, but I'm a french fry girlie so I will always recommend those. Alison has some great fries. What I really loved was the rose I had, a french one by the glass. My second time there I had wanted to try out the Slovenian one but they were out, so I went with the one that was amazing the first time, the Côté Mas Rosé Aurore. I love a rosé that isn't too dry, or sweet, or acidic. I hate a vinegar aftertaste. This one is smooth, crisp, refreshing, and full bodied, but not sweet, I absolutely love it. Dim, soft lighting melts cortisol and gives a really mellow vibe, Looking forward to going back!

Champagne
Charles B.

Brunch = Alison! Such a wonderful and charming place! My boyfriend and I live in East Harlem and decided to check out Alison for Sunday brunch and we were not disappointed. The Vibes at Alison are immaculate! From the old brick to the funky neon sign in the window this place slaps! We had reserved a table and ran a little late, however, we were greeted and sat immediately just the same. The service was fantastic across the board! The server came to our table a few minutes after we were sat to take our drink order, I had the champagne, while my boyfriend had the ice-coffee (champagne was fantastic, the coffee was not good). From there we placed our order and here is what we had: - French fries (so good! Fried to protection) - smoke salmon toast (my boyfriend said that he cannot stop thinking about how good this dish was!) - Chilaquiles (so spicy! But delicious, I would definitely order this dish again!) I would rate Alison one of the best brunch spots I have been to in a while! Thanks for a great start to my Sunday.

Briana W.

I loved the vibe at Alison. Service was great. We sat outside and it was lovely. I had the salmon toast and it was delicious! We had Bellinis that also tasted great. Prices are reasonable. Would definitely visit again.

Alaskan Salmon, Barramundi

Yummy The salmon was a little salty but the flavors were great and the beans complemented the fish well. The sauce on the Barramundi was excellent, it had the perfect amount of spice. We also had the croquettes and the Sunday oyster deal. Nice ambiance to the restaurant, plus a cute outdoor seating area.

Steak Tartare (August 2024)

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4 years ago

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4 years ago

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5 years ago

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3 years ago

Great food, ambience and service. No attitude, easy access and a great neighborhood spot.

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5 years ago

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2 years ago

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7 years ago

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3 years ago

I like the atmosphere and happy hour. Live music on Wednesdays is really nice too. I wish the male bartender is more welcoming.

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7 years ago

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4 years ago

Fantastic brunch with some really yummy & healthy options! We had the burger and farro bowl and left full and happy

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6 years ago

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3 years ago

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3 years ago

Great service, lively ambience. The food was relatively good (great buffalo shrimp- scallop ceviche was not so great).

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6 years ago

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5 years ago

Gem in East Harlem. Great food. Great prices. Great service. Shrimp ceviche and Birria were our favorites.

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Page 3 of 5

Ask the Community - Alison

Is there happy hour times? if so, what days? Thnks

Tuesday - Friday 3pm - 6pm

Is this place kid friendly?

If your kids behave:)

Is this eatery minority friendly? Looks like a nice place to eat.

Yes!!

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Harlem Hops - Swipe Right - Old Fashioned

Harlem Hops

4.5(167 reviews)
1.6 mi•Harlem
•$$

Wow!! Completely blown away. The beer selection, both draft and in cans is incredible. By far…read morethe best selection of beers from incredible breweries that you can't get anywhere else. If you enjoy hazy IPA's this is especially incredible. Taylor the bartender was fantastic and met owner Kim who was so welcoming. This is must visit if you're on a beer trip to NYC or a beer fan in the area. Can't say enough good things. Cheers!

Harlem Hops is an African American owned and operated beer bar offering beer from local breweries…read moreand other breweries where the owner seeks and hunts. This is a place to find rare beer not ordinarily seen elsewhere. This was my first visit and I must have walked past Harlem Hops innumerable times along Adam Clayton Powell Jr Boulevard in Harlem. This time I caught myself walking past on a beautiful Saturday with a five second delay and turned around and walked into Harlem Hops. Initially I thought I'll have a beer and keep it moving. I ordered a canned Hefeweizen, Deep Fried Highlighter Hefeweizen. Yep, that's the name and it was great. It supposed to have a banana note, but that was barely detectable. The clove note was there and it rode the top of this summer Hefeweizen nicely. Given this is one of the canned beers, they may have this anytime. Then I had American Pale Ale on tap, another great choice for a summer day: crisp, refreshing, cloudy light amber in color and unfiltered reminding you of a Hefeweizen. It has a slight citrus fruity flavor to my palate. There are sixteen taps. The taps change with the kegs, the season and what the owner sources from local breweries and beyond. Meanwhile, I'm having good conversations with folks who are regulars and the woman behind the bar, giving great recommendations. I forget the woman's name, but she is great. You can sample whatever they have on tap. She is good at understanding your taste profile and making recs. They also have a limited food menu. There is a backyard patio or garden and one can sit outside in front on the sidewalk. The dark interior is nice and cool on a summer day. The bathroom was clean as well. Four stars!

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Harlem Hops - Bar ambiance

Bar ambiance

Harlem Hops
Harlem Hops - Bar

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Bar

Arts and Crafts Beer Parlor - So cozy! Literally have these same lights in our home ^_^

Arts and Crafts Beer Parlor

4.2(94 reviews)
1.3 mi•Morningside Heights
•$$

Friendly, easy place!…read more Not really a fan of their lunch sliders, was still hungry (and I don't even eat that much food at a time, in the first place); not sure if I was food poisoned by this either So obviously, review is only for their beer selection. I'm choosing to ignore the food part.

The owner seems nice, and I genuinely like what this place brings to that corner. But honestly,…read morethis will probably be our last time here. The bartenders often have a weirdly grouchy "bro" energy that makes you feel like you're bothering them just by ordering a drink. Last fall, one guy was even playing music that sounded like a Christian radio station. The lyrics literally had the word "Lord" in them. It felt less like a neighborhood bar on the UWS and more like I'd wandered into a roadside bar somewhere in the Bible Belt. Another bartender always seems completely checked out. It's hard to flag him down, so we end up sitting there with empty drinks until he eventually notices. On our most recent visit it was a beautiful day outside, but we decided to sit inside since we were planning to order a bunch of food and settle in for a while. The basement was musty and dark and all the windows were shut. We politely asked if they could open a window or turn on the AC for a bit just to air it out. The response was a flat "No." That was it. When we asked why, he said if he did that someone else might complain, and then he just walked away. He kind of just waived us away, it was the weirdest interaction. That was the last time we overlooked the attitude. We normally like to hang out and spend $120-$150 here, but at that price we don't want to feel like we're an imposition.

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Arts and Crafts Beer Parlor
Arts and Crafts Beer Parlor - #doorgoals

#doorgoals

Arts and Crafts Beer Parlor

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Mess Hall

Mess Hall

4.2(178 reviews)
1.1 mi•Harlem
•$$

Mess Hall is one of my go-to spots in Harlem! It's hard for me to find a bar where I feel totally…read morecomfortable going solo, but Mess Hall is the exception. Their happy hour can't be beat - drink specials until 8pm! The drinks are strong, the prices are right, and the vibe is always chill but fun. The space has a cool, laid-back feel, and if you go in the summer sit in the front sidewalk seating. Or their cute backyard. The staff are all great and genuinely kind people.

This is another somewhat new spot in Harlem whose vibe I can't quite grasp, mainly because I'm not…read moresure who they're trying to attract. It feels like a coffee shop, bar, café, lounge and pre-party stop all at once. The bar staff were "nightclub friendly", they had party energy that this place doesn't warrant. They'd make fun hosts for a great party. The space itself is confusing in an interesting way. It's cold from the tiles and exposed pipes, yet warm from the wooden walls and historic decorative figures. Maybe the idea is that you show up with your group and shape the experience into whatever you want it to be. Still, I'm of the opinion that it's a shared effort. If I'm coming out and spending my money, I deserve an experience. Let me know who you are, and I can decide if you pass my vibe check. This mystified, vaguely eclectic, "we're different but won't say how" approach makes it harder to give new places a chance. I don't see a long shelf life for this one, but hey, I'm just a customer. Came, saw... ehhh.

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Mess Hall - Mess Hall Bar

Mess Hall Bar

Mess Hall
Mess Hall

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The Good Good - breakfast sandwich with bacon

The Good Good

4.6(142 reviews)
0.8 mi•East Harlem
•$$

Food was deliciously seasoned, especially if you like a little spice. I thoroughly enjoyed the…read moreplantains and cod fish fritters. Both were fried, but surprisingly not greasy, which was great and didn't leave me feeling guilty for eating them during the same meal. The sautéed greens and jerk mushrooms were to die for. Delicious, and just spicy enough to catch your attention with the first fork full. The decor is beautiful, there's ample seating, and all of the staff are friendly, professional, and accommodating. It's intimate enough to come to on a date, inviting enough to come to dine solo, and spacious enough to accommodate your party of three or more. I'm impressed, satisfied, and hooked. I'll be back soon!

Very busy place with a supercool personality. I loved the decor and music choices. We went on a…read moreSaturday at opening time and by the time we left the restaurant was packed. The service was super helpful and we went for a few of their most popular dishes. Jerk mushrooms and Brussels sprouts: I'm putting them together because I found similar problems in both. First, they came at room temperature and tasted like they were barely reheated... not a good start. Second, both lacked flavor... tastes very plain. Last - just my opinion - I don't think the ingredients in both appetizers worked well together. I didn't enjoy either of them. Codfish fritters: disappointing. A very small serving of fritters that tastes like they had very little cod in them. They were more doughy than fishy. Branzino: although the fish was delicate and cooked perfectly, I wasn't a fan of the butter peri-peri sauce, which I found (again) lacking flavor. Hot honey fried: this was a solid dish, and the batter was sweet, spicy and crunchy as advertised. Overall, after reading the reviews my expectations were high. However, I'm not gonna lie, I was disappointed. Almost everything we ordered had problems, and considering their high price tag ($150 for the above), we were expecting more creativity and surely much higher quality. Sadly, I can't say I'd return, mostly because after having their most popular dishes, I'm not curious to taste other options on their menu.

Photos
The Good Good - Cute ceiling fans

Cute ceiling fans

The Good Good - Cod fritters & coconut fish sandwich

Cod fritters & coconut fish sandwich

The Good Good - Taking Dry January Into Full Swing: (The 'Hey Kool Aid!')

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Oh Craft! Beer

Oh Craft! Beer

4.9(20 reviews)
2.4 mi•Harlem

Where the heck did this spot come from? It felt like it appeared out of thin air. One day it was…read morenot on my radar and the next thing you know my friend brings me there and now I keep dropping by like I live around the corner. I have gone with friends and I have gone solo. It works perfectly either way. This place is like your essential neighborhood dive bar, but with taste. If Tom's Restaurant had a cool, younger cousin who knew everything about beer, it would be this spot. It has that loyal following energy, the kind of place people in the know appreciate long before it becomes famous on a tourist list. They are known for their craft beer and let me tell you, they have a ton of it. I am not even into craft beer like that, but I like to experiment. At the rate I am going, it will take me about a year to get through all the options. Maybe two years if I behave responsibly. The food is great too. I think they have special days with unique menus or events once in a while because the times I went, something interesting was happening. Even on normal days, everything was on point. The fries alone are worth stopping in for. Simple, delicious, and dangerous. And the meals are well portioned, which is rare for a craft beer bar. What I really like is the vibe. You can come alone and mind your business or you can chat with a friendly patron. It does not matter. The spot builds community without trying too hard. In good weather they have a bit of seating out front. Do not let the neighborhood scare you off. The staff is excellent and the atmosphere is homey and comfortable. I am giving these folks a solid five. They deserve it. I need to drop by again soon for some comfort food and a drink. Cheers.

oh craft! is truly a hidden gem in the neighborhood. Great rotating beer selection, food options,…read moreand they just added a good selection of wine. The new owner is a really great and humble guy, and the place itself feels very homey.

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Oh Craft! Beer
Oh Craft! Beer - Ipa

Ipa

Oh Craft! Beer - Outdoor seating

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Outdoor seating

Alison - beerbar - Updated May 2026

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