Red Rooster

My Ladyfriends and I had a wonderful day taking in the play Eclipsed, then sightseeing and ended dinner here. The food was wonderful. Our drinks were wonderful. Every last bite was exactly as described. Our Maitre’D/Host TYNAE was absolutely engaging/​charming/​wonderful. His outgoing personality made us feel relaxed as we wound down our evening.
Thank You for a great experience. We’ll be back and we’re telling our friends!

So NOT worth the hype. The place is way too pretentious for it’s own good, and the ‘tude w the staff doesn’t help. The food is mediocre at best, and most certainly overpriced. Not sure what this place is doing in Harlem because it feels out of place.

I’ve been to Red Rooster so many times over the last four years. What I love the most is that it draws one of the most hip and diverse crowds I’ve seen anywhere in the city. Young and old, black and white and everything in between, college students in jeans and old ladies in pearls and furs. They all flock to Red Rooster.
I’ve had a lot of the food, and it’s all pretty solid. By that I mean you should enjoy your meal, but the food alone isn’t usually anything to write home about. Some favorites include the wings, shrimp and grits, cornbread, and at brunch, the barrio biscuit, which is basically biscuits and gravy. Cocktails are also solid, and I particularly enjoy Strivers Rowers, Bourbon Negroni, and of course you can’t pass up the Obama-​tini, on name alone.
Try to get a table outside or upstairs. The bar is usually packed, and the communal tables aren’t really large enough to seat 6 adults eating dinner… you will be uncomfortably close to your fellow diners. And downstairs in any business feels sad to me, because, well… underground. Upstairs or downstairs, you may be lucky enough to catch a show.
For me, Red Rooster is always a good bet because you’ll have solid food and drinks surrounded by cool people in a cool spot, and that’s a NYC institution for ya!

My boyfriend and I came here after a trip to Bob’s Furniture and before I went to work. He had been raving about it for some time, so I was pretty excited to finely try it. I’ve gotta say that I really enjoyed the old school clothing that decorated the high walls of Red Rooster’s swanky space. The restaurant was really well designed, and I bet could put a smile on just about anyone’s face.
The service was also very friendly and helpful. They responded quickly to my boyfriend and I’s requests, and were very professional when handling our complaints.
Which leads me too the complaints…
I ordered the mac n ‘cheese and unfortunately had to send it back twice for the same issue; it was cold. I had suspicions about it when the first order arrived. It’s served in a cast iron skillet, which normally means whatever is being served in it will come to the table still bubbling. My mac n’ cheese came to the table looking lifeless. Lo and behold, the dish was barely warm. Our waiter was really understanding when I told him, and quickly replaced it with another, however that one was even colder than the first. Ooops! Embarrassing mistake. Thankfully the third was boiling hot and really quite tasty. I really loved that it was served with an arugula salad, which offered a nice fresh and slightly bitter break from the super savory and cheese macaroni.
Back to good stuff! My boyfriend ordered the yard bird, and the few bites I had of it were really delicious. The hot sauce and bechamel served with it were really great additions. I loved how the bechemal was made simplely and had a delicate taste of nutmeg. (A lady next to us ordered the same dish and said the bechamel tasted like vomit, and I think she just didn’t understand the classic use of nutmeg in cream sauces). The hot sauce was GREAT. The base seemed to be roasted red pepper, which gave the sauce a sweet and smokey flavor. I could put that shit on anything. Hehe! Also, the chicken stayed crispy for a really long time. Even after 20 minutes of sitting, it was crispy on the outside and juicy inside. Very impressive.
Overall, Red Rooster did provide my boyfriend and I with a tasty meal and a lovely space to enjoy it in. Their mac n’ cheese mistake was a star killer, but honestly, when they finally got the dish hot, it was very good. I would return to the restaurant given an invitation.

I went to the Red Rooster and met my coworker and her friend Friday night after going to the Inkwell. Red Rooster is a lively, fun place to hang out that has a restaurant and a club in the basement. We went down to the club and had a great time! The drinks were good and the bartenders were excellent! Everyone was courteous and the music was wonderful! This place is popular and gets crowded quickly so it is good to get there early enough… We went down there around 11:30 pm.

Red Rooster is the famous Chef Samuelson’s restaurant and also one of the most well known restaurants in Harlem. I’ve been holding off on writing a review for Red Rooster for awhile and think it’s because I’m still somewhat mesmerized by my experience.
The place has some serious character. It is not everyday that you enter a space that is authentically eclectic. Though many places try to capture the essence of a rarity, they often fail miserably. Samuelson’s design team nailed it from the menu to the staff to the design.
The most important question on the table is, «What’s the food like?» The short answer is that the food is here is great. On the menu, you’ll find some typical soul food clichés such as chicken and waffles, which we didn’t dare order considering the masterpiece that we had just a few days earlier at Amy Ruth’s. However, I imagine that all the menu items are exquisite. Their menu offers a mix of different cuisines, all blended deliciously. What Chef Samuelson does well is add multiple complexities to basic dishes such as Lobster Mac & Cheese, which is what I ordered. My husband had the fried yard bird and raved about how much he loved it for days.
Reservations were honored upon arrival. The staff is diverse and most seemed pretty welcoming. We even saw Chef Samuelson’s wife dining at the table next to us, which means that she must be a fan of the food too. There’s not much in terms of vegetarian options lists on the menu, but I’m certain that the restaurant could whip up a specialty upon request. Cool place, wouldn’t mind visiting again.

First of all, the chef needs to understand what fried green tomatoes are. I had to send the first plate back because there was only one teeny tiny wedge of a tomato on it – the rest was mostly greens and watermelon. But wow, the second one had three teeny tiny pieces of tomato. Are you kidding? Haven’t you seen the movie, dude?
If you say you are serving friend green tomatoes, then slice up some tomatoes and serve them. Don’t cut out a tiny piece and hide it in a salad.
After the disappointing appetizer, I held out hope for the fried chicken. But those hopes were quickly dashed. It was overcooked to the point that I could barely bite into it because it was so hard and tough.
The drinks were good, the service was good, and the check was high, but the food was awful.

Red Rooser has been on my to-​do list for years, so one month ago I pulled the trigger and booked a reservation for Saturday night of MDW. It’s not easy to get a reservation via Open Table for this spot, so my expectations were high.
Sat at the bar for a bit before being seated, and the cocktails were very good. The bartenders were amazing — very friendly and clearly talented. The Yes, Chef vodka cocktail was great!
I was very disappointed, however, when we were seated in possibly the worst seat in the house. In the back of the restaurant there is a very long, shared table, and we were seated at the three seats at the end with our guest’s back to the bustling path to-​and-​from the kitchen. Needless to say we were all being bumped by the staff throughout the meal, and extremely close quarters to the guests next to us. For the expensive cost to dine here, I was hoping for a bit more space to truly enjoy the famed soul food dishes Red Rooster is loved for. That said, our waitress was very friendly, helpful and attentive.
The food itself was very good. The Deviled Eggs and Cornbread were ordered as apps. I passed on the deviled eggs, but the cornbread was outstanding! It’s accompanied by whipped butter and this delicious tomato jam. The Uncle Tito’s Udon Noodles, Yard Bird and Mac & Greens were ordered as mains. The Mac & Greens were very good. Very pricey at $ 18 for mac and cheese with a small plate of greens, but it was enjoyable. The Yard Bird was also good, but definitely have had fried chicken that was far better elsewhere in the city.
Overall a very enjoyable time. Fun atmosphere and décor, and glad that I was able to check it out. Was it worth years of waiting and making a reservation a month in advance? To be determined, but my time here will be remembered as a good night out.

Single con that needs to be mentioned: sometimes the live music is way too loud and ruins opportunity for conversation at dinner.
Buutttttttttttt…everything else is great! The staff is always incredibly attentive, and not that it really matters but they all have distinct style. It fits nicely with the atmosphere of the restaurant, which is appropriately trendy but not overly so à la Williamsburg.
The drinks are great and though the food is not cheap, it is certainly quality. Menu highlights: the cornbread, the pork belly, steakfrites, yard bird. El Hefe is the perfect brunch option.
AND OH MY GOD THE DONUTS. Only on the dinner dessert menu though. The donuts themselves will make your week.
Perfect place for a more «upscale» drink, or a dinner celebration. I love bringing out-​of-​towners and family here. It’s a great experience for anyone who has ugly perceptions of Harlem, too.

Shame on me for not taking a picture. Trying to blend in… with my southern draaaaw. Anyhow, a friend recommended we come here and I was Impressed. I had salmon which came over a mushroom broth with wild mushrooms. What an interesting delicious meal! Every ingredient had a purpose in the dish. Very earthy flavors. Order a side with this, as it won’t leave you full… Just no longer hungry. Nevertheless, worth every penny. Tasted the chicken. Cooked to perfection and likely more filling. Had the Obamatini — okay, but tasted a little bitter. Grapefruit juice dominated the pineapple flavor. Also had the «Yes, chef». It was Great!!! Mint was strong, pineapple was great. Take my advice and order it.

ich war jetzt schon das 2. Mal dort (zuletzt im Herbst 2013), nun vor einer Woche, am Sonntag wieder :-)
man muss reservieren! Besonders am Sonntag. Das Lokal teilt sich in den oberen Restaurant Bereich und den unteren eher heimeligen Bereich.
Oben spielt zu Mittag eine Live– Jazz Bad mit einer/​m Sänger.
Wir reservierten für den unteren Bereich im Keller.
Unten singt meist auch jemand– diesmal ein Gospel Chor, es war echt super!
Bis vor Kurzem gabs einen Buffet Brunch– Das gibts nun nicht mehr– man kann normal aus der Karte bestellen.
Das essen schmeckt typisch amerikanisch, alles ok!
Es gibt Tab– Water zum Trinken, trotzdem, sollte man sich auch was «Normales» zum Trinken bestellen (das Tab– Wasser ist nicht so lecker)
Sollte man in den New York Urlaub einplanen.
Punktabzug eigentlich nur wegen der Preise. Für Harlem doch recht hochpreisig!

We heard some good things about this restaurant. We like Chef Marcus Samuelsson. and were hoping he was there when we had arrived.
Initially, it was a little rocky since we had a 9 pm reservation on a Tuesday night. So we got there at 8:20 thinking that maybe it’s not as packed as a Friday night and we could be seated prior to 9. Nooooooooope! The place was PACKED… even at the bar. They were playing some Merengue music. Some lady started to dance right in front of me as if I wanted to join her. She was trying to get me into trouble with my wife!
So the host said we would be seated closer to 9. We left and had returned at 8:55 and the host still said a table was not available. We finally got to sit at 9:10. Our waitress was so hyper and bubbly that I wanted to have what she had!
We had ordered the Double Dutch Lobster Rolls, which were small pieces, but full of fresh flavor. It had peanut sauce and springish mayonnaise. For the entrée, I got the Blackened Catfish and beans that was «ok». My wife’s King’s Jerk Lamb Shank (with red leaf lentils and pea sauce) was Irie delicious mon!
In terms of the drinks… my wife was not impressed with the Rooster Royale Sangria (that had white wine, pineapple, sage & kronan). She said she had better sangira elsewhere. I had the Brownstoner (nutmeg-​infused bourbon & cherry heering). Now that was good.
Overall…it was a pleasant experience. I wouldn’t mind going back in a few months.

Not what we were expecting.
My girlfriend and I tried this place while visiting Harlem after hearing so much about it from friends and the local hotel staff. We were very disappointed in the service and food. The ambiance was great but that aside the place was overhyped and overpriced. I had the salmon and my girlfriend had the blackened Catfish. My salmon was not consistently cooked and and both dishes were «meh» at best. Amy Ruth’s a couple blocks over was 100x better and more reasonably priced.

5 stars for the food, 4 stars for the wait.
man oh man has harlem changed! i haven’t been up here in nearly a decade and i don’t recognize it at all. i’m not sure how i feel about it but the food scene is awesome if it’s anything like what we had at Red Rooster.
my homegirl from seattle that transplanted to NYC suggested this place (quite insistently) and so we posse’d up from midtown to uptown. hella yankees fans was on our train that day cause of an afternoon game going on so it was mad crowded. we ended up getting to the restaurant right at primetime (around noon) and they don’t take rez! holy crap, this place was LIT! sunny sunday brunch at primetime = an estimated 1hr 45min wait. Blerg! we dropped them our cell number to hit us up while we low key went around the neighborhood to other restaurants to put our names on their lists too to see who would open up first. after about an hour and a half, it was Red Rooster. woo hoo.
they had a live singer blowing some vocals into a mic for our entertainment. i don’t recall her name or anything, tho. too hangry to pay attention at that point. staff was pleasant despite the huge crowd.
none of the above really matters, though. none of it. the food however, that’s why we’re all here amirite?! i’m happy to say the food here was fantastic. we started with 3 orders of cornbread. they serve it with a side of whipped honey butter (pronounced ‘hwipt’). it’s about as close to heaven as my godless, sinner ass is going to get to… and i’m ok with that. the cornbread was thick (but not dense), slightly sweet, and a little corny (not unlike my ideal woman… i’m currently taking applications, ladies! slide up in my DMs), slather it with that butter and you just might swallow your tongue.
for the main, 5 – 6 in our party ordered the chicken and waffles. high five to the chef cause he just about made the best gotdamn waffles i ever had the pleasure of sticking in my mouth. it was super thick so i assumed it was going to be cakey and possibly dry. nah, B! this had a crunchy outer layer that gave way to an airy center. crunch then air. drizzle with some sizzurp or if you a boss, order some of that whipped (say it right) honey butter. word to action bronson cause FUCK THAT’S DELICIOUS. what about the fried chicken, tho? moist. that’s what’s up. i usually don’t fuck with breasts… ahem. but they hooked it up here. batter was crunchy but didn’t overwhelm (which can happen if you have a heavy hand). i drizzled more sizzurp on this. the weakest part of the dish was the red-​eye gravy. i’ve never been a fan of coffee grounds in anything so i was already not gonna like that.
this one meal took up most of our afternoon so we had to forgo some of our other sightseeing but i regret nothing (mainly because i’ve been to NYC before. lol). i’d come back again for sure (though i’d try to come as early as possible, next time).

The place rocked!!! But I do have two small complaints before on to the good stuff pbut most would consider a blessing in Manhattan… They did not rush you at all, in fact at times I was wanting her to come over and move us along! Andd the sangria was weak… Very weak…
However the place is such a fun atmosphere with great pictures and writings on the walls. The menu is just impossible to choose from! I got the chicken and waffles which was a perfect blend of spicy buffalo chicken and savory buttery waffle. My roommates each enjoyed the meatballs with delicious mashed potatoes.
They did have a great happy hour 7 $ glass of wine.
I loved that they had a Kodak photographer walking around to help you keep memory of the night

I want to commend the reservation line staff. I was in NYC last week and was walking x-​town across 125^th with hubby, daughter, bro-​in-​law, & niece. Both girls are 6yo and my niece still has allergies (from my previous review), the most severe of which is dairy. MY little one, having refused to eat bfast at home, was whining the whole walk and so hubby suggested (remembering our good experience last year) we see if Red Rooster could do an order of fries to-​go for us. Yes! They could. As we walked, niece decided she needed to eat some fries too and her dad couldn’t think of a reason fries would cause her any issues. I did run back in to see if they cooked them in peanut oil and they do not. Bear in mind, I had not looked at the menu or asked about allergy ingredients because I was unaware that my niece was going to eat any. Totally MY bad!
After the first two fries, my niece started feeling extremely «funny» and did not look good. We ran home, she got sick, bro-​in-​law gave her an epi, and we contemplated whether a run to the hospital was needed. She fell asleep soon thereafter and her hives/​swelling/​blueness started fading. But it was a pretty scary situation.
Once things calmed down, I called RR and the wonderful woman (unfortunately I cannot remember her name) was extremely apologetic and spent ½ hour on the phone with me determining what we had ordered («Uptown Fries») and what the cause of allergy was. She even walked down to confirm/​speak with the chefs. Turns out the fries are mixed with parmesan & herbs. So we confirmed the cause of my niece’s violent and scary reaction, and I learned a lesson I’ll not soon forget. Always ask, no matter what, when out with Dear Little Niece.
But I’ll never forget the extreme thoughtfulness, compassion, and professionalism of the phone call!

Mon Dieu. Mais quelle ambiance que nous avons trouvé là par hasard. Un super Dj, qui animait avec que des sons afro-​américains des années 50 à 80; Des gens sympathiques, on danse, on parle, on s’éclate, on boit. Nous avons pris une sangria pour 2 pour 32 dollars. Nous n’avions rien mangé. Nous sommes ressortis à la recherché d’un tee-​shirt Malcom X que nous n’avons jamais trouvé. Puis nous sommes revenus déjeuner vers 16h. La même ambiance. Par contre il faut réserver avant et même en réservant à l’avance, il y a 1h à 1h30 d’attente. Sauf si vous le prenez sur le bar, à condition d’y trouver une place. On a vu des hommes habillés en Huggy les bons tuyaux de Starsky et Hutch. Après FBCP, c’est mon deuxième meilleur souvenir de mon séjour à New-​York. La nourriture est bonne. Pas excellent mais bonne.

This place slays. The meatballs absolutely crushed it. They came in a sauce that had a touch of cranberry, which added the perfect amount of sweet to a savory dish. They also came with a few slices of delicious pickles on top and a side of killer mashed potatoes.
We arrived a bit early and were able to take advantage of their happy hour, which runs until 7pm and is only available at the bar. I got the house glass of white wine (Riesling) for $ 6. Happy hour specials are around half their normal prices, which is awesome. During dinner, the three of us got a pitcher of sangria to share (which gave us each about a glass and a half). It was delicious, but would have preferred them to be a bit stronger.
Our waitress was so nice! Food came out quickly but drinks took a while. Also, the place itself is really cool, very authentic. Would highly recommend making reservations, we came on a Monday (with a res, so we were seated quickly) but it was packed. I’m sure walk-​ins would have had to wait a while.

So we had a bit of a rocky start …
But in the end that meant nothing so let me tell you about the good stuff instead!
The manager David was absolutely fantastic, could not help out enough to make sure we had the extra special evening everyone was hoping for.
We started with Prosecco, surprisingly good, and then jumped right into a couple of Southern Comfort dishes. I had my Swedish aunt over for her 50^th birthday so I wanted here to try some stuff from my neck of the woods. Hot chicken with waffles… Wow! Like being back home in Nashville. Perfect balance between the spicy heat and the maple syrup sweetness. Top of the line! The size is perfect for two people to share. The fried green tomatoes was equally fab. Served with pimento cheese, crisp and tasty.
For entrees we tried a number of things. The Mac&cheese was excellent (don’t forget to add Lobster, the Lobster part is generous and really makes this a meal)
Helgas Swedish meatballs was equally delightful. I tried to make my stepdaughter agree with me that my own Swedish meatballs was as good but… Well all I can say is that this is a solid choice for entrée. Creamy, smooth mashed potatoes comes with it, only missed some lingonberry jam.
Some in our company went for steak, one came out well done instead of medium rare… but they fixed that mistake somewhat fast.
Mama P’s fried fish with golden rice was on the other hand cooked to perfection. It had a perfect crusty surface and was still juicy inside. The dish is served with chili sauce, not too spicy, just Asian flavorsome.
For dessert I have to say, have the doughnuts!!! We tried a couple of other alternatives too, but I will not mention them, because you MUST have the doughnuts. No pressure. Ha
I had pre ordered and paid for a couple of bottles of bubbles that where to be served upon arrival as a surprise, however they were not there and I had to ask for them and wait for them to arrive which took a bit of the fun out of that, they where also supposed to be delivered with a greeting card, never saw that one. In the end I guess it was ok. The live music was captivating and the entire restaurant has a very cool vibe and beautiful black and white photos of cool people of all ages.
I will be very happy to be back any time!

Based on recommendation from locals, my colleagues and I decided to try Red Rooster during our business trip to New York. We heard the place is always super packed so we decided to go early and beat the lunch crowd. We were able to get seated immediately.
Great first impression — I love the décor and ambiance! I decided to order the blackened catfish. Yyummmmmm! It was really delicious with the right level of spices. Good portion and beautifully presented. Very happy with my dish. I also got a bite of the Mac n cheese that my colleague ordered. I wish I could eat the whole plate!
Great service as well. Will come back next time I’m in the area.

Living up to all the hype, Red Rooster delivers. Although I succumbed to the unreasonable pressures of an unnamed dining companion to get the Harlem Chowder for Two, which was a noteworthy seafood epic best described as a monster paella without the rice. Good, but seafood is not the correct play here. Instead, the Fried Bird Royale for Two was insanely good. Not your typical buttermilk and battered southern fried chicken. This bird was expertly seasoned with a magical concoction (which included some curry powder?), then dropped in a fryer whole and brought to a perfectly crispy and juicy state. See my pics of both. The cornbread was beyond any I’ve tried, albeit the butter quotient was off the hook and worthy of an American Heart Association warning.
Very hip urban Harlem atmosphere, throbbing music and a great buzz from the patrons from neighborhoods well removed from Harlem and even NYC.
Service was good, even dealing with a very demanding member of our party (also who will remain unnamed).
Will definitely return and explore the menu more than my aforementioned companion allowed. Just too many great choices to limit the table to just 2 dishes.

TL;DR: Go for drinks. Five stars for atmosphere; three stars for food. I wish I could give more but…
At the time of my first Red Rooster visit, I was trying to stick to a no gluten, no dairy diet, which left about nothing on the menu that I could eat. Our waiter however was extremely accommodating in helping me figure out what I could have. I ended up with the dirty rice and shrimp appetizer. At $ 17, it included exactly two shrimp and a small cast iron dish of rice. I’m not a picky eater, but I couldn’t finish it. Just wasn’t for me (not a huge fan of liver… Hannibal Lecter vibes). Some people really like it though…
I felt my first experience was unfair given my dietary restrictions, so the second time around I decided to give the restaurant a fair chance.
This time I visited for a friend’s birthday. We arrived at 7:30. It took us a while for our party of three to be seated and get water on the table, but it was obviously a busy night. (Apparently, the place is popping, even on a Wednesday.) The atmosphere was awesome. There was a DJ playing music that had everyone in the front of the house dancing in their seats (and a few out of their seats). It created a really fun, relaxed, positive energy that I was totally down for.
As for our meal, I was excited to try the jerk lamb shank ($ 30) but after submitting our ticket, our waitress returned to tell me that they were out of lamb (they only had five servings in the kitchen that day). That was a bummer, especially since there wasn’t really anything else I wanted to spend $ 30 on. I ended up with the salmon. It was a huge portion of fish cooked perfectly and served in a broth over three or four slices of turnip and an assortment of mushrooms. The fish was greatly disproportionate to the sides, and while it was good, I didn’t really understand the dish other than it being a very well prepared piece of salmon.
I’d return to Red Rooster for a drink at the bar or maybe to check out the jazz club in the basement ($ 10 – 15 covers), but probably not for dinner.