The place had a cool vibe and the food and music was great. It is an incredibly intimate space, which adds to the vibe. There is only one server, which is totally fine due to the size of the place. It didn't need anyone else. However, I couldn't tell if the server was completely rude and hated his life, or if it was an act. He was so ambivalent to all of his tables, and I could see every guest wondering the same thing as we did. He was so condescending in his tone and truly acted like he didn't want to be there. If we knew it was an act, that would be one thing. But no one knew. Again, if this was express, I just wish it was communicated so guests could know what to expect. If it isn't an express thing, I hope the company can see they are missing out in making this place the best it could possibly be. We left and went next door to a sushi omakase and had one of the best meals of our lives. read more

Aesthetic: Hip, Thai Jazz club What to try: Cucumber Breeze cocktail Service: Excellent Parking: None Rating: 5/5, this was a wonderful place to watch local jazz in the city. We didn't eat, but the drinks were incredible! The cucumber breeze soju was one of the most delicious fresh green juice drinks I've ever tried, I would come back just for this! read more

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So happy I stumbled into No Work Allowed while initially looking for another establishment! It is an ABSOLUTE GEM of a space and menu! Very cozy atmosphere and very good bites read more

No Work Allowed - kaprow moo kai dao - Bars Near Me - New York, New York

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Good tomi jazz alternative. Music very loud but good Drinks r good But they don't have typical alc like vodka tequila so just sake based cocktails and wine Food is good shrimp pad Thai and ceviche was fave Cheeky bathroom decor Host was so nice and seated us right away even admits the rain I also didn't really like the performers asking for tips though coming around the restaurant read more

Recommend: Thai Teani (martini), Ume Yuzu (plum wine) The experience here does not compare to Tomi Jazz, but if you don't want to wait in a long line, or simply want to experience another of Midtown's Japanese-inspired jazz bars, then give this place a try. I went on a Friday night, live jazz starts around 7:30p. I ordered a few drinks, including the ones I recommended above. Food is okay, but pricey for the portion size. When the place gets packed, it gets very loud and service is noticeably slower for everyone. The jazz band was good, but when they took a break they went up to every table to ask for tips/donations. I usually tip on my own accord, but would have appreciated not having my meal/conversations interrupted. Overall not the worst experience, but not a first choice considering the other jazz bars in the area. read more

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The ambience is great, the jazz is great, the lychee beer and tako wasabi is great...but the crying tiger steak is terrible. I ordered a medium rare and received a rare steak, the nam jim jeaw was straight-up just too sweet, the steak was filled with so many inedible fatty parts, and the kicker is that the website lists it as $32 but the QR code menu lists it as $45. I assumed the QR code would just lead to the website so I ended up thinking it was $13 less than it actually was and overpaid for a very disappointing meal. No Work Allowed needs to fix this admin issue to refrain from misleading customers. read more

No Work Allowed - Crying tiger - Bars Near Me - New York, New York

Food is just ok but the vibes are definitely here! Given that the space is pretty tight/small, make sure to go early so you can decide how close to the performers you want to be. Service is definitely slow as they cater to many tables and get really busy. Took multiple asks to just get some napkins. It does get pretty loud so it will be hard to talk here. Just come here to enjoy the vibes! read more

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Right on East 53rd St, this place is a great addition to "restaurant row" here. It's a Thai-Japanese fusion Izakaya and the food is solid. How it works - we came on a Friday and it seemed like people ate in waves. That's because they have live jazz (there was a saxophonist, bassist and pianist when we went), and they play in 45-60 minute sets. There's a minimum spend of $15 per person for each set. But that includes food or drinks. So you can spend the whole night here if you want by getting one drink per set. Not bad at all. Food is solid as well. We really enjoyed the flavors of everything, especially the scallops and the noodles. Some dishes have a nice southeast Asian flare to them, like the noodles which were slightly spicy. The only thing that was a little too salty was the grilled mackerel (or whatever fish it was). We left after 1 set but will come back again read more

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New basement jazz bar in Midtown East. Very cute and cozy vibes inside. Perfect for our girls night. Loved the music too. There was basically no line when we went at 7:30pm on a Friday night (unlike its neighbor Tomi Jazz). We were let in to the bar immediately and then got seated shortly after, within 15-20 minutes I'd say. Honestly felt like I got the Tomi Jazz experience from here lol. Their drinks were sooo good. We got the Ume Yuzu and Thai Teani, and both drinks were delicious. We also got the bone-in Karage, truffle fries, crying tiger, and mentaiko pasta. Food was good, a little pricey and small portions. I liked the crying tiger the most. Definitely better for their drinks. However, their service is horribly slow. We asked 3 times for ketchup and they still didn't give it to us, until I had to very aggressively requested the waitress to get us ketchup the last 4th time. They also took forever to give us our check, we had to ask for the check 3 times too. The inside is small and cute, but it's freezing. They definitely need more heaters. Overall, food & drinks & vibes & music were great! We all had a great time. But service definitely needs improvement. read more

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What an adorable, charming, intimate jazz bar. There are a few tables and bar seats, then the band. It's dimly lit and perfect for a date night or a fun girls night. The band was wonderful, and the Japanese menu was a charming contrast. read more

No Work Allowed - Bars Near Me - New York, New York

Great casual place for live jazz. No cover charge and the ambiance is cozy. Service was also decent too, only thing is that the food was average but you mostly come here for the jazz anyways. read more

Got lost and stumbled across here-- very glad we found it! You have to walk down a flight of stairs, so it can be easy to miss from the street. We did not have a reservation, but we came early on a Monday night. They have an interesting menu and I definitely would like to come back to try more. They have a $15/person minimum and a ~75 min maximum on Fridays and Saturdays. Their fried squid with salted egg dip was absolutely delicious. Their salmon curry pasta was also scrumptious, and a little spicy. They are very attentive with their service, but respectful to not interrupt the jazz trio. Super cool spot and go to the restroom for a surprise... read more

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No Work Allowed is a "Japanese izakaya with a Northeastern Thai twist" that offers dinner, live jazz music, small plates, cocktails, and a great time. Live jazz starts at 7pm (Tuesdays through Fridays) and 5:30pm on Saturdays. I highly recommend the Ume Yuzu (8.9/10): This is a shochu based cocktail (Japanese distilled spirit) with plum wine, yuzu liquor, yuzu puree, lime juice, and seltzer. I LOVED this drink. Honestly one of my favorite cocktails that I have had in NYC. If I had to describe this drink in one word, it would be "refreshing." The plum wine adds a nice sweetness to the bright tangy flavor of the lime juice and yuzu. It also is a great sweetness level (especially since I like my cocktails on the fruitier/sweeter side). Highly recommend!! This place is located right next to the very popular Tomi Jazz so if the line for Tomi is looking a little too long, I promise you won't regret popping into here! read more

No Work Allowed - Ume Yuzu - Bars Near Me - New York, New York

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Came around 6:30 on a thursday and it was pretty empty but filled up later. The drinks were good but not great but the food was better. The scallop ceviche was very fresh and light. And the chili garlic pasta was the most flavorful. The crab fried rice and pad thai were good too. Service was a little on the slower side but ambiance and vibe were good with the jazz and decor read more

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Plenty of room for a below street level kind of bar! The staff was very accommodating for my large group of 15+ on a Saturday late afternoon. Fun bathrooms and people enjoyed having options for both Thai iced tea and alcoholic drinks. read more

I came with a big group and we were able to reserve a few days in advance. I wouldn't recommend going as a big group or to go for a place to yap. We were quite loud because we had to be louder than the jazz to hear each other. I got the wasabi raw octopus and enjoyed it! I also got the mentaiko pasta, which was good. The portion is on the smaller side. read more

This place would be 4 stars, but the portion was very underwhelming. I got an entree with an app split amongst others, and I was still hungry after. I would say my dish was very good (slightly saltier than I would have liked, but it grew on me the more I ate). Service was good, and it was a cool place to be with jazz playing nearby. Don't come here if you want to talk very much! Come if you want to just enjoy some music! Order lots too. read more

No Work Allowed - chili garlic pasta - Bars Near Me - New York, New York

Very small and service was very slow. Food was ok, I had their Pad Thai. Bartender didn't seem the friendliest.

This place truly is a gem! We got seated and got a pear tonic and pineapple prik glua to start the night. I decided to try something new and got the raw octopus and it took me by surprise! If you're not into wasabi or ginger- it might not the dish for you, but if you are- this is definitely refreshing and delightful! I love a good truffle fry and if they sprinkled more truffle seasoning- it woulda been even better!!! The pasta was evenly coated in a thick sweet creamy curry sauce and the salmon piece was HUGE!! Definitely worth the price and to top the night off, there was live jazz music playing too!! The vibes were amazing and it definitely had me forgetting about the stress of work on a Tuesday night! read more

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This was such an incredible dining experience and I'm so glad we were able to check it out. My friends and I were originally planning to dine at Tomi Jazz, but after seeing the line to get in we decided to try No Work Allowed instead, and I'm so glad we did! The staff told us that it might be a ~45 minute wait for a table, but after only a few minutes, one magically opened up for us! The seating arrangement in this restaurant is a bit strange... there's essentially a long hallway where tables are placed at, and then a spot in the back that is a bit more private but doesn't have a view of the live music. We were seated just a couple tables away from the band, which we preferred. The live music was incredible and went on during our entire hour-long stay. There is a table minimum, so we ordered some drinks and food which was also amazing. Each thing we tried here - the sweet potato tempura, shrimp pad thai, and krapow moo kai dao - was delicious and jam packed with flavor, but the standout dish that I'd come back for again was the krapow moo kai dao. I'd highly recommend this place for both the food and the jazz! You really can't go wrong here. read more

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Loved it here! Vibes and food was great and the music was perfect. TOBY WAS THE BEST!!!! read more

No Work Allowed - Bars Near Me - New York, New York

For your Jazz fix right next to Tomi Jazz, except without the crippling long line. This was a fun find, just make sure to be there early as it is a very small place and they don't have a lot of seating. If you're here to eat make sure you're ready to shout at your dining companion it IS LOUD But the food is good for a jazz place, they have Asian American fare and happens to be great, if only a bit overpriced. Worth it for the vibes imo This is definitely way more casual than Tomi next door but works the same, no reservations, only walk ins read more

No Work Allowed - Bars Near Me - New York, New York

They just don't want you to be there. What kind of bar would kick people out within an hour when you ordered both drinks and main dishes. Literally after 45 mins, right after my last bite of food, they came took the food away and put down the bill without saying anything. Not even trying to ask if you need something else or "are you done with it". The thing is we were still drinking and the cup is still more than half full. And the staff kept staring at us and wanted us to pay and go. The line outside weren't even long when we left. Giving it 1 star just because the musicians are cool. read more

No Work Allowed - Bars Near Me - New York, New York

Cute hole in the wall, very cozy. Easy to miss when you're walking by but a welcome spot when you get tired of waiting in line for a certain place next door lol. Friendly and welcoming. It seems the bartender was new and didnt seem familiar with our drink but it came out amazing. The Thaitini, which had Thai tea, and I think some type of rum, and a little citrus, was SO good. We didn't get food because we had made reservations elsewhere, but would definitely come back for food here. A very cute place for hanging with friends or date night. read more

No Work Allowed - Thaitini - Bars Near Me - New York, New York

The food was great, but it was thrown off by the servers and performers. We did not feel welcome at all. We won't be back. Similar to some other reviewers, our server just did not seem to want us there. There was a very obvious sarcasm to every thank you or you're welcome. He seemed impatient with other guests, would roll his eyes. You do not have to treat us like royalty, but don't have to be a jerk either. And all that just to be getting peoples orders wrong. But worse was the band. Not the music but the people. At one point the band that was playing got up to ask for tips. Fine I guess but going table to table interrupting our dinner felt pretty bold. Not that the band doesn't deserve to be paid fairly obviously but I'd hope that the restaurant handled that bit better. When a group of girls mentioned that they had just gotten there and weren't ready to tip he actually kept pestering them for one instead of just moving along. I guess they didn't get many tips because after going to every table the drummer sat down and audibly said "these people f'ing suck". The entertainment that's supposed to be one of the draws for this place ended up being one of the biggest drawbacks. The service we had I think could ultimately be excused as an off night but this assured we wouldn't come back. Given our experience was people-driven I do think it's possible to have a good time here. The kitchen and bar staff were great on timing our food and drinks coming out, which again were great. But your experience may vary depending on who's working that night. read more

Such a nice jazz bar. Kind and attentive bartender and amazing vibes. Good music. 1 drink cover.

What a good replacement of Tomi Jazz. Tomi Jazz is wayyyy overrated and the service isn't there. But this spot next to it is a breeze. Less line/ great Jazz Music. Amazing Service . Chill and polite. Iza effin Kaya???? Wayyyy better than Tomi / no bs but I'm a jazz enthusiast OCD. And I got to be in a place that's right! read more

So so cute and a perfect spot for a date night or just an intimate hang out! It's pretty much a carbon copy of Tomi Jazz, just without the long wait (hopefully it stays that way :)). The place is below ground and requires you to go down some steps in order to get to it (the front door isn't super noticeable). We got the mackerel pasta for food and it was amazing, packed with both sour and spicy flavors. The drinks were super refreshing as well, don't remember the name exactly off the top of my head but the yuzu one was really good. The place encourages (not sure if it's enforced though tbh) a minimum spend on food/drink of $15 per person per jazz set. Each jazz set is about 1.5 hours long from start to finish I believe. You are not obligated to stay the entire time though, they seat you whenever there is an available table even if it's in the middle of a set and also allow you to get up and leave whenever. The jazz musicians have an appreciated tipping culture as well! read more

No Work Allowed - Mackerel Pasta - Bars Near Me - New York, New York

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This hidden gem was absolutely amazing! Everything was SO fresh and flavorful! Their menu is very unique- we went when they were also collaborating with Public Village. Highly recommend checking them out! They also have live jazz music Tues-Sat! Service was top tier! read more

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Waited 45 min for our meal even though they brought out my partners meal 30 min prior without any communication on why until I demanded some updates. Very strange staff, weird vibes. Absolutely hated it. Do not recommend read more

Laid back alternative to the line at Tomi Jazz. Stroll in, hear some Jazz, have some grub. We always get the fried oysters and pear sake. read more

No Work Allowed - Bars Near Me - New York, New York

Perry is sooooo amazing!!! We will absolutely be coming back. Came here on my birthday and I fell in love!!!! Come here if you want to have an amazing time with amazing people. read more

No Work Allowed - Bars Near Me - New York, New York

Such GOOD vibes in there! We stumbled across this place while walking around and decided to check it out. The jazz band there was great and provided such a chill ambiance. The drinks were good and strong so you're definitely getting your monies worth. Very friendly service and just a great experience all around. would DEFINITELY recommend and will definitely be back again once I'm in the area! read more

What an amazing surprise. This little neighborhood bar has great wines, great food and live jazz jamming right in the middle of the restaurant. So cool! read more

The jazz band was tight & the food was extraordinarily delicious & reasonable. I loved the crowd control... would definitely return & have already recommended this fine establishment read more

Really mid food and cocktails for the price... felt sad on the inside in a way... jazz was good

Adorable place with little to no wait time for a table!! The staff were friendly and the live music was excellent!

never seen a bar locking the door on people. my friend got there and waited for me on a table they kept insisting he gets 2 drinks while waiting and will not stop the hassle. after we sat down ordered bunch of food for dinner waitress came over and asked again for 2 more drinks after already 4 ordered in order for us to sit at the table. the whole experience was rushed and i did not enjoy this place. i was excited to come after work after it was advertised in IG i did enjoy the musicians but definitely not the service. they practically kicked us out of table because they have patrons. please be aware of this spot read more