As classic New York City as it gets. Despite having lived in NYC, I never made it here to see & hear Woody Allen play horn. I've always lamented that. So when we were planning our most recent trip back to the Big Apple, I serendipitously discovered that Tony Danza was going to be performing. I'm a lot of things, but a person that's going to pass on the opportunity to see Tony Micelli live is not one of them. Tony Micelli!!! The show was called "Sinatra & Stories." Hubs supported my enthusiasm & excitement. He's a very wise man. Cause even if he hadn't, I might have gone by myself! Kidding, not kidding. The Cafe Carlyle is a supper club, & for performances there are rules. One, if you book a show, you are required to reserve dinner as well, which of course is a separate fee. Two, there's a dress code. Men are required to be in a suit, blazer, or sports coat, & women "a cocktail dress, elegant skirt, or dress pants are recommended." Done & done. The space. It's intimate & elegant, but not at all pretentious. The murals, the bar, there's a lot of history here. Dinner. I ordered a "Jackie-O" cocktail, because, Jackie-O. I just had to. We both ordered the steak for dinner. I wasn't expecting anything more than mediocre food as per the previous reviews. And that was ok; I'm here for the show, dinner was secondary. But, surprisingly, our meal was better than mediocre. We sincerely enjoyed everything. Service was professional yet easygoing; & that was very much appreciated. Nothing can sour an experience faster than pretentious service. Our waiter even (politely) laughed when, after perusing the dessert menu, I opted for a glass of Pinot Noir instead. When he brought the wine & I told him "this is my dessert," he smiled & nodded in amusement. The show. Tony was fabulous. He sang. He told stories about NY, his mom, & of course Frank Sinatra. He succeeded in captivating us for an hour & a half. We had booked this well over a month in advance, & we were given a great table. But, the best table (right next to ours)...we were told it was reserved for regulars. Fair enough. But the "regulars" (a mother & daughter just out of high school) not only got the waiter's birthday completely wrong, which was pretty hilarious, but they were both wearing jeans as well. So, not really regulars, & not dressed to code. FYI, we flew in from San Francisco, we're dressed appropriately, & had I been privy of your birthday, I wouldn't have gotten it so wrong. Just sayin. Dinner & a show, for the 2 of us, was $1000. Worth it. 4 stars. read more

Food is not good. service is worse. Prices are ridiculous even for upper east side NYC. Just awful!

The afternoon tea service is lovely. It's very expensive and it's not as good as Bergdorf Goodman or The Plaza but you do get to sit in a very elegantly decorated room and feel special. The truffled egg salad and the crab salad on brioche are wonderful. The food made me feel beautiful. read more

The food was ok, nothing worth mentioning. The service wasn't that great. Price was ridiculous! The show was great though. We were there to watch Julie Benko. Space was tight, I didn't like having to sit shoulder to shoulder with strangers for my meal. Will not return. read more

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The food was generally okay. Not $95 a head value, and by the time you order sides, and desert we are talking about $150 per head - and definitely not good value for value. I ordered a steak medium rare. It was well done. I thought of asking for it to be re cooked, but it was frenetic and the waiter seemed much more interested in getting us to order more wine than to attend to what we already had. The salad with grapes and cheese was a heavily dressed bowl of romaine, with one grape and some pieces of campbozola....the potatoes gratin were creamy and good, and the bread was good too. The side order of broccoli rabe was tasty and the desert was okay. Again ridiculously priced but I hear this place is a new york institution and so you pay for its history. The show was enjoyable, but I would not come here again to eat. WIth wine this was a $400 meal for two and one could eat a far better meal at that price. read more

Come for the show! We saw Mira Sorvino at the Cafe Carlyle and it was amazing. The space is small and intimate - no bad seats. The food is good, basic French style. We had: - Roast Chicken - very good - Salmon - tasty - Burrata - good - Crudo - good and fresh The service was great and the cocktails were strong! read more

The food was about the worst I've ever had and for the exorbitant price, you think they could get a chef that could cook a steak or a piece of chicken! The place is crowded, the waiter surly. The music was good, but only lasted 1 hour. I am surprised that for a place that would attract the rich and famous couldn't come up with decent food. The day after the show, heading back to Grand Central, we stopped for pizza - 2 slices and a soda for $4 was way tastier than the $300 dinner at Cafe Carlyle! read more

My steak as very over cooked and quite dry. But it was still tasty. The soup was ok. But the show was amazing. read more

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The High Tea was a rip off, don't waste your money. The scones were dry and the pastries inedible.

Enjoyed a wonderful evening at the Cafe seeing Steve Tyrell. Not only is it a fabulous show, the food was delicious & mostly the service is top notch. If you have ever been, you know this is a very busy venue & clientele can be very demanding. The wait professionals are just that professional!! And extremely friendly making everyone feel special. Thank you to them for making our holiday getaway an especially enjoyable night. read more

Cafe Carlyle - Jazz & Blues Near Me - New York, New York

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This old school NY dinosaur has atrophied. aloof, rude, pompous and inept staff. Unimaginative unhealthy food. Slow and poor service. Maybe you have to be Bobby Short to enjoy yourself here. But wait, he's dead! Better keep up with the times, boys. read more

Stephanie Block was the featured entertainer at Cafe Carlyle. Wow is she awesome and talented. She brought her husband Sebastian up for a song as a double treat. Her performance made up for the crowded condition of the room and mediocre food. If you get the chance to see her----go for it. read more

Cafe Carlyle - Stephanie Block at Cafe Carlyle Feb 13th - Jazz & Blues Near Me - New York, New York

I really wanted to like this place but you're paying for a foregone era. The mandated $95 two course menu is uninspired and poorly executed. Our shrimp cocktail were four shrimp on a small white plate with a lemon. Not only would they not accommodate our requested temperature for the filet (rare plus, your choices are rare, med rare and well done) but they overcooked medium rare. Dessert was so unremarkable I don't remember what we had. The only reason to ever go here is someone you love is performing and you HAVE TO see them. Otherwise, take your $250+ and go somewhere good like 54 Below. read more

The cafe Carlyle has a wonderful past filled with great performers. Bobby Short was one of the more notable. Today, the cafe is a price gouging venue for has beens. Don't waste your money read more

I'm a diehard Woody Allen fan so I knew this was something I HAD to experience...i.e. to watch him play clarinet in an intimate, cabaret setting. Only thing is, I wanted the "cheap" seats ($125 per person with a $25 minimum spend per person) which required lining up at 5:30pm for the 8:45pm performance. We basically had to stand in the foyer of the Carlyle Hotel, in between Bemelmans and the Cafe Carlyle, until the door to the cafe was opened at 6:30. And I'm glad we arrived when we did, or we would have missed out on one of the nine (or so) bar seats available...a few of which have a completely obstructed view. Tip: the best seats are on the far end of the bar, but I sat on the nearest end of the bar and could see Woody just fine. So we snagged our seats and our martinis and waited. Thankfully, the bartenders were LOVELY and we had some really nice conversations with them. Eventually we became hungry, but I was hesitant to order anything after reading so many bad reviews of the food. Nonetheless, I tried the lobster bisque and guess what....fabulous! Around 8:45 a door at the far end of the bar opened, and in walked Woody Allen. He initially sat down at a table of his cohorts to prepare his clarinet, while the rest of the band waited for him on stage. The show itself was fine...I'm a huge jazz aficionado, but this is very far from my favourite type of jazz. They play really old dixieland/traditional jazz so you won't recognize most, if any tunes (the only song I knew was Five Foot Two and that's already a deep cut in terms of jazz standards) and Woody's playing wasn't overly impressive. But it was still a fun and mesmerizing evening overall, and at the end, Woody even sang a tune. So you wanna meet Woody Allen? Make sure your bill is paid up so that when Woody rises to leave the stage, you can run out of the cafe and into the lobby of the hotel. He'll exit the cafe from the same door he entered. When we went, there was already a lineup of people waiting outside that door to take pictures with him (frustratingly, these people didn't even pay to see the show!! They just came to see Woody). Make sure you're ASSERTIVE with Woody and you ask for a pic or an autograph because for us, in a flash, Woody was gone, and so was the $500 we paid to see him. read more

If you come here for the food or the service you're doing it wrong. It's about the venue and the performance. Try an Isaac Mizhari night and you'll think it was the best nyc night ever. read more

Simply another NYC institutions that deserves recognition. I have had the luxury of enjoying the late greats Bobby Short and Barbara Cook perform here and both were magical experiences. Later on there have been many great evenings all in the tradition well established by so many legendary performers before, all simply magical. The setting, the vibe the artistry of the performers makes for a truly wonderful evening out. Do check it out, it's worth every cent! read more

3.5 Stars. I want to give this place more stars. But between the prices and the cramped quarters, I can't. I bought my husband tickets to see Woody Allen and The Eddy Davis New Orleans Jazz Band as a gift. When I purchased the tickets through Cafe Carlyle, I was informed we had to dine there as well. That wasn't really my original plan (I thought some jazz and drinks!), but okay, we love food what could go wrong? We walked in right on time for our reservation and were seated at a tiny cafe table in a corner. We shared the booth. It was close quarters, which at first was romantic and sweet. But three hours later feels a little cramped. All the tables were this way. I actually think we were some of the lucky ones. Things could have been much, much worse. The venue is very intimate, I would say there probably isn't a bad seat in the house, unless you are one of the unlucky patrons who is seated with your back to the stage. There isn't really room to turn your chair around, so you are sort of just stuck. Anyway, that wasn't the case for us, so I was happy. We had a pretty good view of the stage, from the side. Not too bad, not great. Like I said, it's small so every seat for the most part is a decent view. We started with the Artisanal "Roof Top" Garden Greens salad. At $18 it wasn't worth it whatsoever. It was tasty I guess, but a complete rip off. We actually split it, thank goodness. I ordered the Bobby Short's Chicken Hash which was advertised as a Carlyle Classic. It was okay, not incredible by any means, but they get credit for it being an unusual dish. Basically pieces of chicken (there was a lot of chicken, it was hearty) and quite a bit of foie gras in a light sherry cream sauce with truffles. When it arrived, I thought it was on a bed of potatoes, but it was not. There were whipped potatoes all around the edge almost as a garnish, which was a bummer. The sauce was good, I would have liked to finish it up with extra whipped potatoes. We shared the creamed spinach side, which, while tasty wasn't the right consistency. It was very watery and seemed as though the spinach had been pureed. More credit is given for the large portions, my husband's beef tenderloin was enormous, and the creamed spinach side was too much for us to finish. The waiters were very professional and kind, they were excellent at squeezing through the almost nonexistent spaces to get to your table. We never had to wait long for another drink, which are worth mentioning: They made a killer martini. Probably one of the best I have had in the city. Right ratio of vodka to olive juice, large enough to keep me happy for a while, a tiny bit of ice on top...perfection. We also got coffee, not the best cappuccino I've ever had, but alright I suppose. We happily watched Woody Allen and his band as he played for about an hour and a half, which was really why we were there. They were very good, especially the piano player. Woody is a complete loon and it shows, we found the show entertaining. I liked that you could continue to get dessert or coffee/more drinks as the night progressed. We took advantage of this by ordering the New York Cheesecake (very well done, I couldn't even eat half the piece, however) and the Vanilla Valhrona Crunch, I didn't try any of it, but my husband smiled while he ate. When we got the bill I was absolutely shocked. With a tip, everything was about $375, which is insane regularly, but sometimes worth it for the best meal of your life. I just couldn't see the justification for it on this meal. It wasn't mind blowing, it wasn't something I would crave to come back to. AND: this was ON TOP OF the Woody Allen tickets at $150 a pop! Not an evening I would hate to repeat, we did have an excellent time, and the food was not bad at all, but not worth the price tag. I would love to go back on someone else's dime, or as a gift to someone special (a mother in law, perhaps?) All in all you definitely get that upper crust old New York feel in there, the service is excellent, the food was okay, the music was a blast. If you have the means or want to save up for it, it's an experience for sure. Once in a lifetime, I'd say. read more

Cafe Carlyle - Woody Allen. - Jazz & Blues Near Me - New York, New York

Was in town on a Monday night and figured I'd stop by and see Woody Allen play the clarinet ... just because. When I got there, I was told there was a $95 charge to sit at the bar. $135 for table service. Or $235 for priority seating. Also, there was a $25 drink minimum (which would have been just under one drink at around $20 for a decent scotch on the rocks ... so technically you'd have to order 2 drinks to meet the minimum.) First of all ... Woody Allen ... you are a great director. But I just paid $190 for a ticket to The Rolling F-ing Stones concert! What on earth makes you think you can charge almost as much to watch you play the clarinet with an average band on a Monday?? The room is cool ... it does look like Old Hollywood and there is a nice vibe. But I could give you 100 places just like it in NYC where you won't have to pay $100 or more just to sit down and have an overpriced drink. Skip this place and go to any one of the other 'glamour' bars in NYC and give them your $20 - $30 per drink. You can go to the Old King Cole Bar in the St. Regis Hotel and spend $25 on a drink and possibly sit next to Bill Clinton for free. I'll save the money on the cover charge and go see the Rolling Stones. Heck, even Bob Dylan charges $65 per ticket. Stick with the movies Woody. read more

Fabulous place great mix of folks live piano bar highly recommend Traditional vibe great ambiance

I am a little surprised how few reviews this high end restaurant got on Yelp. I realized when I dined there. We were surrounded by rich and old folks! I suspect they even know what Yelp is?! But anyway, Cafe Carlyle deserved a great review because the service is superb and the food is excellent. My husband and I came here for our Valentine's Day celebration and it is definitely a romantic and upscale restaurant to take your sweetheart to. The interior decor is expensive looking and the wait staff is all running around trying to please customers. I noticed a lot of older rich folks dining and talking business. I started my meal with jumbo shrimp cocktail. There are about 6 on my plate and they are very fresh and tender. My husband got the steak tartar and it is unique and very tasty. I have never had a beef tartar done this way but it is amazing. For entree, I got the lamb chops and they come with this awesome sauce on the side. The chop is cooked to perfection; it is tender, juicy and fatty. My husband went for their lobster dinner and it is a full size big lobster cooked in butter sauce. We were both really full after entree. Still, we went for our dessert to close the dinner on a high note. I really like my berries crumble; it is slightly buttery but fruity. Therefore, it is not overly sweet and heavy. My husband tried the creme brulee and it is a great choice too if you have enough room for it. We ended our dinner happily and glad we discovered the restaurant thanks to TravelZoo coupon! read more

Entertainment ; 5 stars. Diana Agron and her band were fantastic. To see her perform was the reason for me to go. Food; 2 stars. The worst part of the experience. The presentation was nice, but the overall quality of the food was disappointing and lacking. Drinks; 3 stars. My date found the whisky selection to be lacking, and for such a classy place was disappointed they did not have proper whisky stones for the drinks. I thoroughly enjoyed my cocktail. read more

It's a small space, which lends itself to an intimate performance. But some of the tables, including almost all the two-person tables, seem to be off to the side. And the tables are set up with both diners on the same side, facing into the room. That's good for watching the show, but the tables weren't large enough for that to make dining comfortable. I enjoyed all my food and drinks a lot, although it was a bit pricey for what it was. I'd come back as part of a larger group, but probably not as part of a duo. read more

What a great place to see a performance and what delicious food. Went last week to the 7:30 dinner seating followed by a performance by Isaac Mizrahi. They have a 8:45 PM dinner show as well as a 10:45 PM cocktail show (the late show is not every night). For their 8:45 shows, they have three dinner seatings that you can pick from, followed by the show. The food was delicious and the show fabulous. Looking at their calendar, they have some great shows, so I'll have to catch more of them. read more

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Can't say enough good things! Went to see Sutton Foster, and she was phenomenal of course. The whole atmosphere was so nice. The entire staff exceeded our expectations. Everyone was so kind and went out of there way to make sure we had everything we needed! Also, the food was so good! If you don't already know- it's very expensive, but 100% worth it, especially if you're getting to see one of your favorites! read more

Cafe Carlyle - Organic Chicken Breast with leek and mushroom sauce - Jazz & Blues Near Me - New York, New York

Amazing night woo hoo saw Katherine McPhee and wow was she amazing. I followed her from American Idol , to her tv shows , and broadway .. to see her with her husband perform in that setting was priceless .. haven't been her in a few years due to covid etc. the food , drinks and service were all amazing.. very expensive.. so be prepared to spend ... read more

Great place for a show but I agree with other reviews VERY expensive dinners for the quality of food and service. Easy to spend 75$ PP when the food prices are so high! and the drinks are 20$ each. crazy! The Lena Hall show was 5 stars but I was upset to see that all the bar seats were available when I was there and it said sold out online. I would have loved to have skipped the food. Next time I will call direct and ask about those seats. read more

My oldest daughter gave my husband and I two nights at The Carlyle for our 30 wedding anniversary. I can't say enough wonderful things about this hotel and their customer service was outstanding!!!!! I would highly recommend this hotel for a special occasion . read more

I love the show what disappointed me was that woody Allen on purpose played awful to see if anyone would catch the free art ? He knew nobody there can tell the difference between a good performance and a shity one then when he finished the song everyone clapped as if we was doing it right when indeed on purpose played awful becuadro he knew people were going to there not to hear Dixieland music instead they were there to see him as a movie star and movie director ! Not as a musician something like Miles Davis would do if he realized that nobody can tell the difference a good and a bad performance ! Well done Woody you fooled everyone "free Art" He's manager is a prick did not let me take a picture with him and I was charged $1200 for a table of 4 what a joke ! Moira Steffen read more

Such a great time. We went for a show and the meal beforehand was outstanding. I was pleasantly surprised. It was a real treat to watch a good performance in such an intimate atmosphere - even better to have such a good meal too read more

We went to a show. It was not all that obvious that our already expensive tickets required a $75 per person food minimum. At the end of the show they decided to tell us that we hadn't ordered enough, instead of seeing that we order dessert and a drink and not saying at the beginning that we needed to meet a required minimum. I would have asked for another drink during the show. Then we get our very expensive second round. As we are enjoying our second round, we were very rudely made to feel rushed out of the venue as servers picked up our utensils and napkins. The Carlyle is a beautiful location (why I give 2 stars instead of 1) I ended up tipping less because of the rudeness. I was kind of surprised that for a place with a classy reputation, we weren't treated all that well. read more

Pros: The ambiance is great old school New York. The comedian was hilarious. Cons: The food is bad and over priced. The service is not top notch either. Service example: After our empty plates sat for a long time I asked the waiter to take mine away. He refused saying it was someone else's job. We waited another 15 minutes before the busboy came over and took them. So the waiter refused, and then did not even bother to go ask someone to clear our table. Obviously not a customer first mentality. read more

Let's face it, if you come here on a Monday night, you are not here for the jazz or the food, you are here to see Woody Allen. In case you are telling yourself that it's not true, that you actually like New Orleans Jazz and that the food and drinks must be great considering the prices, let me rate it on all categories. CROWD (4/5) The audience was more amusing to observe than Woody. There were quiet a few balding men in their 60s and 70s with women less than a third of their age. Then there were the rich families with their overprivileged kids who are aspiring actors and artists. There were also some true fans of Woody for whom it wasn't easy to afford the experience and they stayed away from expensive drinks and entrees to keep the costs down. Besides, you are almost guaranteed to meet someone famous and/or ridiculously rich. FOOD (4/5) The food wasn't anything fancy, although very expensive. I liked my medium-rare filet mignon with a side of mashed potatoes and string beans. The drinks were the most expensive I've ever had. $25 for a blini! BAND (2/5) (5/5 without Woody) The music is basically "roots" Jazz. I liked it, and the band was great except for Woody. I think he was having a particularly bad night with his instrument because he was constantly changing and wetting the reed of his clarinet. The notes were not coming out clean and overall he wasn't very good. I do have to commend him on not quitting the performance and sticking with it till the end of the show. WOODY (1/5) This is probably the category you're most interested in. You want to meet Woody. Well, that's not going to happen. Leave you pictures and markers for autographs at home. He did not say a word or make any eye contact with the audience at all during the whole performance. He was quickly escorted in and out with his head down to avoid any contact with the audience. If you are a fan, you probably knew that that was going to happen because Woody is apparently not fond of public appearances. He does this more as a hobby and perhaps to fight his agoraphobia. VALUE (?/5)- The cover charge ($155 in my case) is only about half of what you're going to pay after ordering a dinner (which is required) and one or two drinks. Ultimately that's up to you to decide if the experience is worth the money. For me it was, but only for one time. read more

From September 9th until December 16, 2013, Woody Allen & The Eddy Davis New Orleans Jazz Band will play at The Carlyle Café every Monday night at 8:45pm. Does that seem insane to you? It shouldn't because he's been doing it every autumn for years now. Is this something you should go to? Heavens, yes. This was something that I'd wanted to see in New York for eons. Why did it take me so long to finally go? Well, because of money. Anytime I'd come into a little bit of cash, I usually tend to throw that away on beautiful steaks and/or frivolous items that I'll never need. And then one beautiful day, my boyfriend Nathan told me that he was taking me to see the Wood as my Christmas present. (Also note: I had never mentioned to Nathan how much of a dream this was of mine. So when I lunged at him and asked, "How could you possibly know that this would be the best gift of all time!? I never mentioned it before! How could you know!?" - he responded with, "You talk about this man a LOT.") So we finally went one lovely December evening in 2012 and since it started at 8:45pm, I wanted to get there for 3:00pm. Seriously. We were getting bar seats, and those are first-come, first-served so I really wanted to make sure we were there as soon as possible. We, of course, were the first ones there - but people did start to trickle in by 4:00pm. So... if you're intending on sitting at the bar? Get there when I did. Anyway, the wait was fine and even a little fun since I was anticipating the evening so much (also, we saw Mick Jagger walk through the lobby, which was something), we ate dinner at the bar which was ridiculously good, of course - and the show? Man. Perfect. The music was good and it was the neatest thing in the world to see that man bust out a clarinet. He seemed to enjoy the hell out of it, too. Definitely something I'll remember for the rest of my life. I love that man. Anyway, this isn't even a great story to read or anything - I get that. But if you've ever had any doubts about going to see this, please just do it. Or talk about this man endlessly to your better half until they take you to go see him. The tickets are $195 per person for a real fancy/good table, $145 per person if you want to sit at a table and $100 per person + $25 drink min if you want to sit at the bar (which is extremely limited seating). Go here (http://www.rosewoodhotels.com/en/the-carlyle-new-york/location/things-to-do/events-at-the-carlyle) for more information on online reservations. read more

Fantastic NYC iconic cafe and restaurant. I personally love the cafe in lobby area over the formal dining room. Great for people watching and can relax on the benches. I always get the burger with a side of green vegetable. read more

Pay attention! Be prepared to spend a lot of money! Read all the other less than 4/5 star reviews and they overwhelmingly complain about the price. This is not Walmart! Ok, now that I have gotten that out of my system let me tell you why you should spend it. This is an old style NYC cabaret. Intimate, top notch service, good food and great entertainment. You just can't find this kind of place much anymore. Depending on the entertainment it can be a little tight, but not overwhelmingly so. We went for a night of Herb Alpert and food. The website says "jacket required", but wear a tie. You don't want to look like a lounge lizard. Look around and you will see a mostly older crowd (55+) that reeks of money. If you are related to the Kennedy's (there's a story there too), come by every week. It is that good! If you are a discerning, middle class foodie that likes to be entertained, save up and visit this place once a year for a special occasion. Really, everyone should get dressed up and visit this place at least once in their lifetime. read more

Last night I went to Cafe Carlyle to see Clint Holmes, who used to say in his nightclub act when introducing the song "America Was Waiting": "My mother is a white British opera singer. My dad was a black American jazz singer. Which makes me ... Puerto Rican." Ironically, in June of 20-12, I was treated at Cafe Carlyle like a Puerto-Rican or Black man would have been treated in 19-62 I came to Cafe Carlyle with my friend John Marzullo visiting from Orange County, CA. I was to meet my parents there to see Clint Holmes' Act. The maître d' - Tony (I won't forget his name) was immediately rude with me. His tone was interrogating instead of inquisitive: "Who invited you?" "Anne Johnson, my mother," I replied. "Are you on a list?" "Larry Moss has my mother, Anne Johnson, on a list. I'm in her party." "There is no Anne Johnson on the list," he smugly volleyed. I asked to look at the list. "It's under 'Anne Cramer,' my mother's maiden name. Larry has known her since high school and put it under that name. I can just talk to him." "No," he answered. "You can stand back by the door. I'll check." He then gave a quizzical glance at my companion, John and - instead of checking with Larry Moss - he looked at the list and said, "There are only two reservations per person. There is no space for you." His demeanor was dripping with Noblesse oblige, understated racism. I thought I was perceiving things that were not there, at first. I remained calm and said, "Since you won't let me in to talk to Larry Moss, I'll call my mother and ask her about it." My mother, good law-abiding driver that she is on the way to the Carlyle, did not answer her phone. I talked with John Marzullo who said the place was stuffy and that we should leave. Upon exiting, we came across Clint Holmes' manager, who was jerry-built and patronizing in his faux concern for our not having seats. That, accompanied with the maître d's attitude, was enough for me to leave more quickly. Upon leaving, John Marzullo said to me that he had never gotten to witness that type of racism because it's not part of his experience being white. His words were, "You could cut it with a knife." He was amazed at how civil 'Tony' was to him and how concomitantly rude he was to me. It's Ironic that, although not British, my mother is white and, although not a jazz musician, my father is black. I wonder what Clint Holmes would think about Cafe Carlyle if he knew that a 41 year-old Mixed race black man, or "Puerto Rican," as he put it, who tried to see his show last night was treated like trash off the street. When my mother arrived, she was able to talk to Larry Moss and clear up the miscommunication; his assistant thought she confirmed 4 reservations under my mother's (maiden) name and it wasn't put down by the Carlyle. A simple mistake. My mom called me and said we could come back and sit at the bar. I told her what happened and how I was treated and that I would not be returning there. After the show, my mother gave the maître d' a piece of her mind. I certainly will not be returning to "refined" Cafe Carlyle for any of - as Joan Crawford in "The Women" would say - their "finest insults." read more

Duh - those of you surprised by cover charges! Do your homework; the most sophisticated place near the park on the upper east side and you are astonished by cover charges(?). There are amazing pianists and other music venues (such as Woody Allen) scheduled for public enjoyment - and you don't appreciate it, ooooohhhh pleeeease!!! Grow up. Cafe Carlyle is THE place to visit for the best Martinis in the area, not to mention great service and a terrific ambiance. Granted, their menu is a bit pricey - but wake up and smell the UES! And if you can't stand old money and class, 'hang out' in mid- town! Tourist attractions around Rock Center and Times Square are waiting for your visit. I am 40 - not 60 - and love Cafe Carlyle. When I think of Manhattan and where I'd like to enjoy a cocktail, this is where I want to be. I am not paid by The Carlyle, I'm a real person - in fact I'm a former food writer (for Palm Beach). Regardless, I take umbrage with those who are not familiar and do not appreciate supper clubs and fine establishments of the city - they are becoming a dying breed. All my 30-yr old and 40's friends should experience the Carlyle! If not for dinner, but the best, sexiest cocktail hour of your life. read more

When you think of the Carlye you think of high class, high brow jacket eating style and service that should be top notch. We went for the Debbie Harry show which is classy already. The dinner show required you spend at least $75 dollars before exiting the curtain doors. I figured that shouldn't be too hard to do here. While excitingly waiting for Debbie to come out to enchant us with her voice the meal was like an expensive amuse bouche. I got the roasted chicken and my two friends got the steak. I also started with the shrimp cocktail and everyone else got a house salad with 3 cocktails. The cocktails was not bad. The shrimp cocktail looked a bit sadly plated with 5 'jumbo' shrimps. While I know it is only the café, it could have been at least presented better than the diner on 10th Ave for $26. My roast chicken was super moist and tender at $39, I hope the chicken had a enjoyable life prior. Able to wander free range in the fresh air of Murrays Farm upstate NY before becoming dinner on my plate. The whole 8oz Beef Tenderloin coming in at a whopping $48 was like a Wendy's commercial of where's the beef and the 3oz $16 green salad plate looked like it came from the 9oz $3 dollar salad bag at Whole Foods. The $17 New York Cheesecake was well cheesecake. We could barely get water at our table which we asked for 4 times and finally just gave up. I know, this review is beginning to sound like the Visa/Mastercard commercial. And yes, when the lights dimmed and Debbie took stage and spending time with friends was priceless. Dreamin' is free. Dreamin', dreaming is free until we got the bill. read more

I just have a question. Tried to make a reservation for Alan Cumming, but would not accept a res for 1 at a table. I was told I could stand in line starting at 6:10 for 8:45 show. Only 7 bar seats. My question: can I do SRO, or if the 8 seats at bar are gone will I just have to leave? If you've been here recently, please respond. read more