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    John Jay Dining Hall

    3.8 (16 reviews)
    ModerateAmerican
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    Chicken tacos
    Kevin C.

    For a cafeteria, this place is pretty good. There are some buffet lines that get changed out every day -- and in case you don't like what they're serving today, you can always get the same mediocre sandwich. Since they serve such a wide variety of food, I'm just gonna try to list off as many as I can think of: - Brunch is the typical scrambled eggs, shredded potatoes, pancakes, and steamed vegetables. Sometimes they even combine the eggs and veggies! It's OK because the food is kept warm by steam, not heat lamps, so you'll never have crusty eggs or a pancake that feels like a biscuit. (Served 11 AM - 2 PM.) - Lunch and dinner menus follow a similar pattern each day, though with different dishes. There's usually some kind of rice/pasta, beans, steamed vegetable medley, and a grilled or baked meat dish. - Milk, fruits, and yogurt by the toaster, if you're after them gainz. The apples are usually mushy, but everything else is great. They always have apples, bananas, and oranges, and rotate through sliced oranges/grapefruit and various melons. Wilma's Grill is amazing, and deserves its own section: - They have smoked salmon bagels for weekend brunch. This is the best! Pick between two kinds of bagel, four flavors of cream cheese, and they'll make a salmon sandwich. - Taco bar on weekend nights is amazing. Plus you can go back and get AS MUCH GUAC AS YOU WANT! Or maybe I'm just a big fan of Mexican food. And now, back to our regularly scheduled cafeteria food: - Salad bar with leafy greens, tomatoes, mushrooms, tofu, tuna, etc for those who like being healthy, along with cold dishes / antipasti. - Build your own sandwich station: a bunch of bread lunch meats, cheeses, veggies, and spreads. Plus a panini press! **Pro tip: get an omelet, then put it in a sandwich and throw some guac in there.** - The sushi is not that authentic. Sometimes they put avocado in it, but usually it's filled with apples, celery, and cream cheese. When they have tuna, it's cooked. This has made a lot of people very angry and been widely regarded as a bad move -- it's an "innovation" that should be cut from the menu. - Desserts include cookies, cake, ice cream, and brownies, although I've never tried them because I'm not a big fan of sweets.

    people sitting at tables
    Kirill S.

    I am being just a tad facetious. However, John Jay is a privately operated eating establishment that is open to the public. Admission gets entrants seating among a gaggle of Columbia (mostly) freshmen, as well as all you can eat crappy, wilted lettuce, hit or miss salad bar vegetables, depressing looking burgers, and food service pizza. Most of the entrees tend to be bland and loveless. However, weekday mornings feature Wilma's delightful omelettes, the cranberry muffins are delicious, there are lucky charms, the bacon's bacon, the mac and cheese is surprisingly solid, and occasionally, the entrees can actually have flavor.. You probably won't eat here unless you have to, or are partaking in some ironic scavenger hunt.

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    10 years ago

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    8 years ago

    Great salad and soup selection. Desserts could be improved. This is as good as a dining hall can be.

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    Review Highlights - John Jay Dining Hall

    They serve a lot of fun desserts every day, but I really like how the food is healthy and the salad bar is always fresh.

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    The Ellington

    The Ellington

    4.6(382 reviews)
    0.5 miManhattan Valley
    $$
    Casual dining
    Romantic vibe

    I enjoyed a really nice Thanksgiving meal here. The place was beautifully decorated…read more We had a pre-fixed Thanksgiving meal so I'm not sure what the regular menu is like but I'm sure it's just as good. We ordered two fish dishes (salmon and swordfish) and they were both delicious. The only thing I didn't really like was the rolls were ice cold and so was the butter. Wasn't something I was excited to eat on a cold Thanksgiving evening. The table next to mine was reserved for people who were dining alone and I noticed the waiters and owners made a point to chat with them and make sure they were okay. I look forward to coming here again one day.

    Made reservations for brunch, but wasn't needed. The place was rather quiet on Sat, but it was also…read morefreezing outside. Got a cozy window seating and loved the ambiance thanks to their floral interiors along with holiday ligthing right next to our table. Noise levels on the quiet side and easy to have conversations. They have a decent kids menu, and the Chicken Fingers ($10) were perfect for our little one. Huevos Rancheros ($19), and Vegetarian Omelette ($19) which was served with home fries and tossed salad was a good portion. Kimbo Coffee ($4.25) was actually pretty good although would've loved it to be warmer. Refills were slow to come. Food was inline with our expectations. Food arrived within 8-10 mins of placing our order, so yeah, really quick! Our initial server/waiter wasn't that attentive but their crew members were definitely more alert. Overall, pretty decent experience.

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    The Ellington
    The Ellington - CHICKEN FETTUCCINE

    CHICKEN FETTUCCINE

    The Ellington - GUACAMOLE & CHIPS

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    GUACAMOLE & CHIPS

    Calaveras Corner - Birria Nortea

    Calaveras Corner

    4.0(42 reviews)
    0.4 miManhattan Valley

    NYT 2/18/26 blurb re: Cavaleras Social opening UES, Florence Fabricant recommended the enchiladas…read moresuizas. I called their UWS Amsterdam location to inquire if their suizes same as UES, answered yes, so up I went. unsmiling waitress behind the bar for some reason had an "attitude", odd because I was the only person in the restaurant. ordered the suizes with chicken, and decided to also order the guacamole & chips, just to compare v. other Mexican places. Well, upon tasting the suizes, a C- at best. the guac also "average", not worth a detour. adding" insult to injury", asked for small container of salsa verde, which she provided. but, as leaving, also asked for small container of salsa roja to which I also like to compare v.other salsas I've had. I was told it would be extra, and that she had thrown in the salsa verde "gratis" - 2oz "gratis" - give me a break??? I have been to many Mexican restaurants, I have NEVER been denied either when ask, always been accommodated - simply good customer relations and KIM: we're talking about 2oz, nothing more. I just don't get it. So, a waitress makes a decision to tell a potential customer, she would not throw in 2oz of salsa Rojas - totally alienating. Obviously will never return - just moronic! I'm not telling anyone not to go, but why would u?

    Excelente ambiente y el servicio de sus trabajadores es magnífico!! Hemos vuelto por su por la…read morebuena atención ... muchas gracias calaveras corner

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    Calaveras Corner
    Calaveras Corner
    Calaveras Corner - Skinny marg, rum & coke & corona

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    Skinny marg, rum & coke & corona

    City Coffee & Bar

    City Coffee & Bar

    4.4(48 reviews)
    0.5 miManhattan Valley
    Sports on TV
    Live music

    I've been coming to the City Coffee Bar since 2025 and it's a great place. The ambiance is amazing,…read morehas a new and friendly feel to it and the staff is very attentive. I usually sit at the bar and have a drink with my food at happy hour and chill as long as I want. There's a great variety of food offered here from breakfast platters, to salads, to loaded fries and sliders and all the food I've had so far is really good! My go to is usually some loaded fries and an espresso martini at Happy Hour. It's a cafe by day and lounge at night and sometimes features a DJ on weekends. Definitely a great place to be and I can only see this place growing and being a staple in the Upper West Side. I recommend this place to ppl all the time and now I'm recommending you!

    City Coffee & Bar festive after hours spot. "AFTER HOURS IN CITY COFFEE BAR…read moreUpper West Side: Where Nights Come Alive Welcome to our nightlife atmosphere where the nights pulse with Latin rhythm, Afro beats, handcrafted cocktails flow, and the energy never fades. Here, every evening is a celebration of flavor and vibe - from the city's best Espresso Martini to smooth mojitos and spicy margaritas that keep the night alive. Feel the beats of our live DJs, the warmth of the crowd, and the irresistible Latin flair that turns ordinary nights into unforgettable memories. This is where life tastes better, music feels louder, and every moment becomes a vibe." - Website The Service is impeccable and the place is always packed and alive! It's a place that never sleeps. Toast it up, because it's definitely worth it.

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    City Coffee & Bar - Sports bar, happy hour

    Sports bar, happy hour

    City Coffee & Bar
    City Coffee & Bar - Our tender, juicy New York Strip steak is grilled to perfection and paired with succulent shrimp for the ultimate surf and turf experience.

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    Our tender, juicy New York Strip steak is grilled to perfection and paired with succulent shrimp for the ultimate surf and turf experience.

    Smoke Jazz & Supper Club - Grilled Branzino! (01/31/25)

    Smoke Jazz & Supper Club

    3.8(469 reviews)
    0.4 miManhattan Valley
    $$

    This was my first visit. I will say for positives that the food is great. I had the chicken breast…read moreand subbed out the lentil salad for potatoes, and the server was good about making that requested substitute. The cheese plate was good and the server made great selections / recommendations for us on cheese to try. The server was very attentive. The music was great. It's a fun and lively place to get some food and hear some great jazz! However, they do not show online when choosing a seat that there is a column in front of the seats over to the right hand side of the venue when you enter, right by the stage if you choose those seats.

    I had one of the most disappointing and frankly unacceptable experiences at Smoke Jazz & Supper…read moreClub on March 28th for the 10 PM show. Let me be clear, the main redeeming aspect of this place is the talent on stage. The musicians were exceptional and deserved far better than the environment surrounding them. I ordered a scotch neat, something I'm very familiar with, and immediately knew something was off. When I politely flagged down a waiter, he responded with visible annoyance, as if I was inconveniencing him by being a paying customer. I explained the issue and simply asked if it could be checked or replaced. Instead of addressing it professionally, he walked away without a word, returned holding the bottle and my glass, and said, "this is what you were poured," before carelessly tossing the drink back onto the table. No apology. No explanation. Just attitude. It escalated from there. When I confronted him about his behavior, he denied it outright and then doubled down with an aggressive, confrontational stance, getting in my face and effectively threatening me. His exact words? "If I tossed your drink on the table, it would have been all over you!", and "Man, shut yo ass!" Completely unprofessional and unacceptable in any setting, let alone an establishment that positions itself as upscale. The manager's response was just as disappointing. Instead of addressing the behavior of his staff, he blamed me, asking why I "chased" the waiter and suggesting I should have gone directly to him. That's not how basic customer service works. I tried to resolve the issue directly, respectfully, and without escalation, something his employee clearly had no interest in. I was thinking if I talk to the waiter first, he wouldn't get in trouble with his manager. To make matters worse, the manager continued to defend the waiter rather than de-escalate the situation. At that point, it was clear this wasn't a one-off issue; it's a reflection of how this place operates. I paid my bill and left. For a venue that attracts world-class jazz talent, it's astonishing how low the standard of service is. This place is doing a disservice to the artists who perform there. I will never return, and I would strongly caution anyone expecting a professional, respectful experience to look elsewhere.

    Photos
    Smoke Jazz & Supper Club - Looks like there's going to be a puppet show.

    Looks like there's going to be a puppet show.

    Smoke Jazz & Supper Club - Grilled Branzino sautéed spinach - 1/3/2026

    Grilled Branzino sautéed spinach - 1/3/2026

    Smoke Jazz & Supper Club - Inside seating

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    Inside seating

    John Jay Dining Hall - tradamerican - Updated May 2026

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