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Hi Life Bar and Grill
Categories: Nightlife Bars Restaurants American (Traditional) Restaurants Breakfast & Brunch Bars, American (Traditional), Breakfast & Brunch [Edit]
477 Amsterdam Ave(at 83rd St)
New York, NY 10024
Neighborhood: Upper West Side
(212) 787-7199
Announcement
WInter Specials: $6 Winter Vacation Frozen Margaritas,$5 Hot Toddy & Hot Buttered Rum, $3 Hot Cocoa.There is always a Good Deal at Hi-Life!
- Nearest Transit:
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86 St (1, 2)
79 St (1, 2)
81 St - Museum of Natural History (A, B, C)
- Hours:
Mon-Wed 4 pm - 2 am
Thu 4 pm - 3 am
Fri 4 pm - 4 am
Sat 10:30 am - 4 am
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Late Night, Dinner, Brunch
- Best Nights:
- Tue, Fri, Thu
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
89 reviews for Hi Life Bar and Grill
Review Highlights
"...Basket of Homemade Blueberry Muffins and Cinnamon Toast."
(in 3 reviews)
"The strawberry butter in the bread basket was killer."
(in 5 reviews)
"...a great spot for half price sushi and good beer if you're..."
(in 4 reviews)
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89 reviews in English
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Review from Danielle W.
New York, NY
11/4/2011 1 Check-in Here
I was actually really excited to go to Hi Life because I have been walking by a lot and saw people always enjoying themselves inside. My bf and I decided to take a gamble and eat a Hi Life. We were seated immediately and everyone in the bar&grill seemed to be having a great time. The special on Thursday nights are: order a fish, steak or chicken entree and get a complimentary martini or Cosmo.
I ordered the Tuna (rare) and the bf ordered a burger. Our meal came out incredibly quickly. My tuna was cooked perfectly with a great honey soy sauce glaze on top with creamed spinach and grilled veggies. Everything was delish. The bf's burger had avocado and cheese and onions paired with some sweet potato fries. Also, really really yum!
Really fun atmosphere, will definitely be back to have a few brews at the bar. Loved the feeling of being inside something that wasn't just your typical sports bar or typical bar & grill. Will be back to try their wings, which looked really yummy!! -
Review from Christopher B.
New York, NY
2/5/2012
Definitely good food and a fun atmosphere for a pre-theater dinner. Nice decor and at least on the early dinner side, it was bustling but not overwhelming. My companion and I were able to converse easily, which is always good for me.
The problem was with the reservation. I had booked a table through Open Table, and when I got there, I was told I had not. Even the email confirmation I showed them was unpersuasive. Like I can or would make that up! They seated us anyway but never resolved the reservation thing, and the hostess was at best ungracious about it. Fortunately our excellent individual server and the good food made up for it, and we had a pleasant time. I'll definitely go back--especially because the sushi is exceedingly fresh and it's nice to have it as an appetizer with a more traditional meal. Smart.
After several back and forth emails with Open Table, they resolved the issue. Still, it was an unnecessary hassle and the only drawback on a nice evening. -
Review from Shauna And Rob I.
Manhattan, NY
10/17/2011
nice decor inside, a-kind-of sushi bar meets diner feel. The logo is a play on the yankee logo, a martini glass instead of a Y.
The booth seating was nice when he had brunch here recently. The huevos rancheros were good but nothin special. the kirin on tap was a pull.
The service was solid. -
Review from Brandon H.
Knoxville, TN
2/4/2012
My friend and I stayed at a hotel around the corner. Other bars we tried were too crowded. This place had two seats available at the bar, we were quite lucky.
It's a good place to go for drinks and chat with friends. We ordered potato skins (sans bacon for my half) and they were as good as potato skins can be.
The bar tender was attentive and friendly. -
Review from Kirsten S.
New York, NY
Updated - 1/2/2012
I love coming here for Monday or Tuesday night 50% off sushi! Anthony Bourdain would cringe, I'm sure, about Monday fish being served raw, but it's not half bad! And to stuff yourself for about $12 per person (including tip), it's hard to complain! Try the Amsterdam Avenue Roll.
Listed in: Eating my way through the…, Libation Nation, Manhattan Dining on a…, When I Say "Su", You Say "Shi"
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/17/2011
I am very wary of places that serve a random mix of cuisines PLUS SUSHI, so I put off going to Hi… Read more »
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Review from Taryn C.
1/5/2012 1 Check-in Here
I've walked past this gem of an establishment about a million times - didn't go in till last week...wondered why it took me so long! All I can say is $5 cosmopolitans and good looking food. We didn't eat there, but I'm looking forward to when we actually can. My friend and I started the night off here, then we left to go someplace else...but wished we had stayed there!!
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Review from Krystal-Kiwi L.
Manhattan, NY
1/2/2012
Really liked this place. They have so many specials.
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Review from Ernest I.
New York, NY
1/1/2012
Sushi sushi sushi.
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Review from Amanda W.
New York, NY
10/10/2011
Wanted to try a new spot for brunch, so searched around on NY Mag and liked the description of Hi Life. OpenTable had a reservation (gotta love the free dining points!) so we decided to go there.
Once we arrived, the waitress was going to seat us in the dark inside room, but we mentioned that we made a reservation. She said that she had saved us a table in the open air section of the restaurant, so we felt like VIPs off the bat. Nice table in the corner of the open air atrium-type place. Also it was a beautiful day, so that didn't hurt.
Bread basket was stellar. Blueberry muffins for boyfriend, cinnamon toast for me! Perfect combo. Although the toast could have used some more cinnamon, but still tasty.
I ordered the Paul Bunyon, which was supposed to have 3 mini pancakes, eggs and bacon. It came with all that, but with an extra pancake and home fries. No complaints from me! Food was good, standard brunch fare. I also had a $2.95 Bellini, since the Mimosa was made with fresh squeezed OJ and I don't like pulp.
Boyfriend had huevos rancheros, which he said was good but he's had better. His Bloody Mary was good though.
All in all, solid brunch spot. We'll be back. -
Review from Jess L.
6/1/2011 1 Check-in Here
*** brunch review ***
Spontaneously came here for brunch with two girlfriends on Memorial Day. Outdoor seating is the biggest perk of this place, I think. Furthermore, our waitress was really sweet and nice.
The brunch menu isn't anything astonishing, though, and the quality is with a bar that's trying to do brunch -- and only moderately succeeding. The eggs were bland. The bread basket was a nice touch, but nothing about it was particularly spectacular. Lastly, the bloody mary for $2.95 (first brunch drinks were all $2.95) was decent but watered down by the end.
Pretty sure I wouldn't recommend this place for brunch unless you were just looking for outdoor seating. -
Review from Joel L.
Manhattan, NY
1/2/2012
Love the place, love the staff, love the sakitinis, great prices on sushi, cool music, great feel to the place... love the velvet Sinatra... stop in anytime for a good drink and great conversations
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Review from H D.
Brooklyn, NY
7/11/2011
Outdoor seating is the best part about this place.
The food wasn't bad but i wasn't expecting much anyway. It's good if you're hungry and don't want to wait too long for a seat because most of the restaurants around it are usually packed.
The bellini was tasty with just enough sweetness-only $3. -
Review from Ben F.
New York, NY
12/1/2010 1 Check-in Here
Food: good the first time, decent the second. potato skins sound like a good idea but they were dry as sand. dont do it! I had the steak twice, double starch, veggy looked over cooked at the next table.
Service: The girls are nice, first time i was there we thought our server was gonna sit on our laps (alittle strange, considering i was there with my gf and she felt that "rappy" vibe also. I would have rather given the tip to the line cook that made my steak then to her, but what can you do.
If you dont mind waiting 20mins for a table, if your a duece they will make u stand like a dick instead of giving u a booth. didnt think that was cool cause we waited for nothing and got the booth anyway. meh, check it out at least once not many good places on the upper westside. Of course xcept for ARTIE'S the chef there is adorable! -
Review from Einat N.
New York, NY
5/11/2011
I have walked past Hi-Life several times never thinking much of it. Is it a bar, restaurant, what exactly? Why do they also serve sushi? I got confused.
Then, I read their brunch tag line:
Your First Brunch Beverage Is Only $2.95 with Entree. Hand Squeezed O.J. Or Grapefruit Juice, Mimosa, Bloody Mary or Bellini. Brunch Includes Basket of Homemade Blueberry Muffins and Cinnamon Toast.
Um, what?! You had me at yummy bread basket, you WON me at $3 for my first drink!!!
We went with a few friends and I was pleasantly surprised at the low prices for brunch items. Smoked Salmon Benedict for $12, fantastic!
Here is what came: THREE eggs! Who does that? I barely finished this dish. The strawberry butter in the bread basket was killer. The cinnamon toast reminded us all of something mom used to make when we were kids. Ah, nostalgia :-)
Another great thing about brunch here was the lack of long line. We were seated pretty quickly which just enhances the whole brunch experience.
Definitely give the Hi-Life a chance if you are in the neighborhood!
Be Happy NYC! http://www.behappynyc.com/ -
Review from Andria O.
Manhattan, NY
3/13/2011
We were in the mood for brunch. Hi Life had a sign outside advertising the first drink with brunch for $2.95. That's all we needed to pick it.
For the bar setting, the brunch was pretty good. Salmon scramble was fresh, salad it came with wasn't wilted. My friend's crab cakes were good as well, she said.
Not sure how they are late night yet, but I would go back for brunch. -
Review from Carly H.
Manhattan, NY
7/15/2011
Meh. Like many reviewers before me, I can't figure out what type of place this is. Is it a steakhouse? A sushi shop? We went for brunch and had mexican. Greasy, uninspired mexican. They definitely overcharged us for a side of avocado. And they serve water out of vodka bottles which is weird.
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Review from Shea D.
6/29/2010
So...what happens when you're on the UWS and there are no options? Why, the Hi Life Bar & Grill is what happens!
A small group of us were looking for a place to grab a bite to eat and a pint after a friend's race in the Corporate Challenge in Central Park two weeks ago. Everyone else in the challenge had the same idea, and we found ourselves running into pub after pub after bar that were maxed out. The fact that Hi Life not only had a place to sit, but had place to sit outside for six people should have tipped us off, but desperate times call for desperate measures.
Some "Hi Lights" from the Hi Life:
- the busboy dumping one of our pints all over the table and my girlfriend, and sort of ignoring the fact that he did so
- the manager rushing over and saying "oh we'll take care of it no problem," and then trying to CHARGE us for the replacement...the only reason they didn't is because we caught them at it
- the soggy popcorn shrimp that I was served...
- on that note, the ravioli that was literally drenched in oil that my girlfriend had ordered
The Hi Life wasn't so atrociously bad that it warrants 1 star. But there's no redeeming qualities about this place that made it just an "okay" experience. It was pretty much a "meh" experience. No Hi-Lights about this place to report...hyuck hyuck hyuck. ;-) -
Review from Peter F.
New York, NY
2/27/2011
Walked in on a Monday evening with my monkey sister.
We both had burgers and sushi. I must say, the spicy fries that come with the food is oh so savory!
The sushi is acceptable but definitely not great. The taste was there but the rolls were made sloppily. Perhaps because it was 50% off and 5 minutes till the chef was leaving?
The burger was cooked medium, and exactly the way I ordered it.
I really like the decor as well. It has a really down to earth feel with an eclectic mix of random Asian and American paraphernalia. I would love to eat here again! -
Review from Yasmin Z.
New York, NY
9/27/2010
Hi Life is a neighborhood brunch staple for me & my husband. We come here on warm spring and summer days to dine alfresco and enjoy the gorgeous UWS. My favorite part of every meal here is the bread basket they bring out: cinnamon toast and blueberry muffins with strawberry butter. We've unabashedly asked for more when our food takes longer than expected. Dont judge.
They have typical brunch fare: eggs, pancakes & french toast, fruit, yogurt, sandwiches, some salad options, etc. First drink with any brunch entree is $3. They pour water from grey goose bottles, which is always fun when you bring someone there for a first time and they get all wide eyed when they see that.
The inside decor isnt very interesting- sorta dark, you kinda feel like you're inside a boat or something. Best thing about Hi Life is that there is seldom a wait (a nice break from the hour long wait to snag a table at Good Enough To Eat down the block). -
Review from Sumit D.
6/22/2011
I have only ever eaten brunch here, and it is fantastic. The basket of homemade blueberry muffins are to die for. I seriously crave them from time to time. I miss this place now that I have moved down near Union Square.
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Review from Ian C.
7/23/2010
I once remarked how weird it would be to go into an Irish bar and find Japanese food on the menu.
While Hi Life may not necessarily be an Irish bar, it's still a bar and it serves sushi. Kind of funky, actually. I wouldn't know how the sushi is because i didn't order it... more like i didn't really want to. I was a little afraid of the quality, but other people ordered it and seemed to like it, so whatever.
A friend ordered the pigs-in-the-blanket and they were really good-- the pastry around the mini hot dogs was light and airy and very tasty. If i saw that on the menu, I may have got them for myself. But my eyes zeroed in on the fries--they were ok. The dipping sauces are good and this is coming from somebody who doesn't generally dip fries in anything (not even ketchup!). The drinks are ok... they have an interesting mix of beers and while I didn't order the dirty martini, the martinis are pretty good (i had a sip).
Anyway, not a bad place to hang out with friends and to grab a quick drink or two. -
Review from Angel K.
New York, NY
6/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
Seriously thrown off by the blinking martini glass on their awning but the daily specials are prettttty freaking amazing. The Wednesday 3 for 2 appetizer special was yuuummmm - except that nasty strawberry daq alcohol special they had going on. Very interesting crowd and semi decent food. On a rainy random day ... why not?
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Review from Lindsay K.
New York, NY
6/17/2007
American burger bistro fare and ... sushi? What the hell? I came for drinks and sat outside. The service suuucked but the atmosphere was nice, and the inside looked like a really great pub throw-back. I still don't understand what's up with the sushi.
I'm adding on a star for the gumball machine in the ladies bathroom. Oh, Hi Life, your randomness is just so endearing. -
Review from Tanya L.
Boston, MA
5/22/2007
This place always caught my eye, so eventually my friends and I went.
I still suffered from wait: is there a better place nearby envy?!? A nearby tapas restaurant up the street looked cleaner with a better aesthetic ambiance.
But back to Hi Life. It didn't have low-lifes there :)
Sitting outdoors at a table placed over an uneven sidewalk outside, I sort of leaned into them. But it wasn't too bad, even in these lackluster settings, and the service was friendly. The pesto mayo with fries is good, but the vegetable dumplings are bland-o-rino.
What salvages this is that the kahlua mudslide - served in a big glass mug - has a nice, icy, yet thick consistency for sipping. So clearly we had an eccentric mix of food. I couldn't tell if the decor inside was faux vintage or really vintage, but it would be nice if it actually was from the Rat Pack era. -
Review from andy d.
New York, NY
11/18/2008
Unpretentious, unexciting, unexpensive, but not unappealing.
It's a strange sort of place that looks like it might fit in better in small town Minnesota where I'm from, than on the Upper West Side. Maybe that's part of the reason I like it. The other part has to do with the above reasons.
Bonuses: Consistent service, cheap brunch drinks, and Fajita Thursdays! Whew-hoo! -
Review from Dan B.
2/5/2011
Hi Life is a place of contrasts: they have glaring weaknesses and applaudable strengths. The biggest weakness is the price. Cobb Salad for $14.95? That's a funny joke. The Cobb Salad wasn't even a good cobb salad, the chicken came in rubbery cube form and it was lacking bacon and the avocado and bleu cheese didn't taste too good. They also have lemon chicken for $17.95 which tastes decent, but leaves you still hungry when you're done eating it. The best food in new york in most cases seems to be inversely proportional to the price, especially in yuppie areas of New York, where people don't have the grounding to reality to be able to judge whether they're being ripped off or not.
Everything here is typical Upper West Side overpriced. You pay way more than they deserve to be getting, that's for sure. You can get 2 drinks and an entree here and easily drop 50 bucks. That's insane, there are better uses for a $20 bill than to drop it on a salad alone. They definitely must think their clientele is made outta suckers. On the other hand, they are open late, they deliver, they have decent appetizers (all slightly overpriced but not egregiously overpriced), and the setting is quite comfortable. On top of that, they have some pretty interesting tropical cocktails such as Rum Runners and Singapore Slingers. This is definitely one place to go in the area if you're craving a daquiri or something similar to a daquiri. The service, however, is mediocre at best. Like I said, this is a place of sharp contrasts. It seems so chic yet the aura is definitely relaxed, for instance. Regarding the service, the server had an irritated expression and rarely even spoke a word. We said, "Thank you" after everything she brought hoping to get that one "you're welcome," but it never came. I was like a man waiting for an M11 bus. It was hopeless. It was never gonna come, but I kept waiting like a good soldier. -
Review from Marlo G.
9/18/2007
I've heard so much about this place from a particular arrogant foodie--said the sushi was great.
While I can't comment on the sushi (I'm a vegetarian), I can say I love Hi Life! Went here with some girl friends for a late night dinner. We had dinner outside--staff was friendly and helpful!
The pasta dishes were FRESH with CHUNKS of garlic! You'd never expect to find this food at a bar open til 2 am!Listed in: Where the boys are!
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Review from Hilary G.
7/14/2010
An ecclectic little gem hidden in the upper west side, Hi Life is a fun little restaurant, cheap and delicious! The salads are yum, the sushi is awesome, the burgers and fries are fresh and savory, and the staff is friendly. My little sister even begs us to take her there so she can see the fish in the entry way! It's both cozy and swanky.
Super fun, super quick, super cheap.Listed in: My Favorite Places
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Review from Jeni Y.
San Francisco, CA
12/8/2006
This place had a fun atmosphere. But it felt more like a pub than a sushi joint. I came here on a first date, and had thought he took me to a bar for food (and he was late. which wasn't cool). But we sat right next to the sushi chef, and both of our sashimi plates were surprisingly pretty darn good.
I just don't know how I feel about eating raw fish at a place that also served pasta, caesar salad, and chicken pot pie. -
Review from Anthony F.
Astoria, Queens, NY
7/6/2010
As noted in Shea D.'s review, a group of us ended up here after exhausting all other options around Amsterdam Ave after a huge corporate race finished up in Central Park.
While I don't think the place is as bad as Shea D. does, it's still by absolutely no means great. This most likely has a lot to do with the fact that they automatically serve malt vinegar with their fries! Any place that does that, does right by me. My burger was ok at best though, doing it's job at providing me sustenance, but little else.
A busboy did drop fries into Margot G.'s drink, though in his defense, the part of the sidewalk we were sitting in was uneven, and they did accommodate our large group by pushing tables together outside. That said, when they replaced Margot's drink, they also charged us for it. Had Margot not looked at the check, we wouldn't have noticed. After pointing it out, the manager said she would take care of it. This apparently just meant removing the one charge. They should have comp'd Margot's drink.
Overall: so/so food, great fries with vinegar, good service getting in, but lame follow through.
Despite finding it ok, I won't be back. -
Review from Elaine K.
New York, NY
8/8/2010
I've been here like 10 times and I am not the type of person to repeat restaurants! It's the Monday and Tuesday night half price sushi that gets me here every time and will keep me coming back!
Half price sushi? At a bar and grill? Yes and it's GOOD. Not the best ever but extremely tasty and cheap too! This deal applies to sushi, sashimi and rolls. They have all the standards and some funky rolls too.
My fiance has had other stuff here and he says it's good. He has had a burger and a flatbread pizza.
The beers on tap are solid and good too. Definitely a great spot for half price sushi and good beer if you're around this neighborhood!Listed in: My Neighborhood
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Review from Linda V.
Austin, TX
5/29/2008
Uhhh, this place is random as all hell. So it's a bar and grill...but everyone around us was getting sushi. And their menu? Fajitas, pastas, sushi, and burgers. So. incredibly. random. I can't comment on the food, as we came here for drinks. The three guys I was with split an appetizer called "salmon and tuna lady fingers." It looked completely unappetizing. Essentially, it was wonton crips topped with raw salmon and sushi and a dollop of what appeared to be spicy mayo? Nobody seemed particulary impressed.
I think you should stick to the beer here. I had a margarita, and it tasted of water. Seriously, it had no flavor and seemingly no alcohol. I sent it back and I will say that the waitress was very courteous and did not try to make me feel bad or anything along those lines. The other person who got a mixed drink said it was really watered down.
Meh. I'm hardly ever on the UWS, and I don't see myself coming out of my way to eat or drink here. -
Review from Craig S.
New York, NY
9/15/2009
My girlfriend and I have loved Hi Life both times we've been. It's not anything that's going to knock your socks off, but it's good comfort food at good prices and they run a lot of drink and food specials to boot.
The first time we went was for a late dinner after a comedy show down the street. The burgers were tasty and we took advantage of the $5 frozen margaritas, which was nice for a Friday night when a lot of other bars aren't running specials. The second time was when we were looking for a good weekend brunch place and everything else in the 70s and 80s was completely packed. We decided to hit up Hi Life again because there was no wait. We were rewarded with free muffins and cinnamon toast, and again the food was solid. Our out-of-town guests loved it.
As others have said, the menu is huge and all over the place (sushi, fajitas, burgers, pasta) but I think that's part of why I like it. I can definitely see this becoming a regular place for us. -
Review from Lauren C.
New York, NY
3/22/2007
God, I do love drinking cocktails outside.
Even when it's pretty much raining.Listed in: The Happiest of Hours, There is no substitution for…
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Review from Kate F.
2/22/2010
In the same vein as the two other brunch staples that share this corner of the UWS, Good Enough To Eat and Fred's, Hi-Life serves up a totally very good brunch on the weekends.
Highlights for me were the cinnamon toast that comes to the table with your brunch order, the bloody mary (lighter than most, served with a huge olive and lemon) and the crispy crabcake that makes up the base of the "Benedict Arnold". Homefries were crispy too, always a good thing. Everyone I was with enjoyed their meal and finished their plates - omelets, pancakes, and the rest of it were all hits.
It's nothing singularly fantastic, but on this corner of the UWS where lines often run long for brunch, Hi-Life's lack of wait and it's unpretentious and very filling brunch is much appreciated. -
Review from Maria R.
New York, NY
3/27/2009
What better way to be devastated and cry over my gout diagnosis than to go and eat the number one food the doctor told me not to?!? I hobbled over here because I was in the area and heard they had oysters.
My absolute favorite thing in the world to do is dine outside, so I appreciated their outdoor area. It wasn't the best but I don't care, I was outside. Their daily specials were a bit confusing since some were after a certain time, others would only work in combination with something else- and their selection varied from fajitas to sushi to pasta, seeing as how this was a somewhat divey bar I wasn't sure what would be good. I ended up just getting a ton of blue point oysters which were wonderful, alongside my glass of chardonnay.
Aside from the specials the prices were not too great- I can get better oysters at Aquagrill for less. I'd say just go for the beer specials/half price sushi. -
Review from Jennifer C.
New York, NY
1/14/2010
Ok I'm in love with Bar Hi Life. Maybe it's the quirky fishtank entry-way, padded-walls, or diner / divebar / I-don't-know-what-I-want-to-be vibe going on. Maybe it's the Colgate banner hanging above the bar. Or maybe it's the plethora of well priced specials, like half priced sushi rolls before 7pm, or a huge platter of fajitas for $14 on Thursdays, or tasty pasta specials for $13. Granted this is not Nobu-esque sushi - in fact it's more like grocery store-esque sushi, but it's so cheap and where else can you go and order 5 sushi rolls for 2 people and walk out the door for less than $20?
This place is somehow just so pleasantly refreshing. I love all the creative specials and deals that change day-to-day. Don't expect fancy food, but this place is awesome for just what it is: a go-to, all-purpose neighborhood joint. Bar Hi Life, don't change baby. -
Review from Che W.
New York, NY
9/6/2010
I've been here before and had a decent brunch experience, but yesterday everything was off.
The complimentary muffins looked and tasted like a dried out afterthought. My poached eggs were good, but were not served with toast and I had literally 4 slices of home fries and a "salad" so pathetic (as did everyone at my table), we presumed they were running out of mesclun. I asked for toast immediately but it never came, and I was charged for a meal I barely touched.
It always sucks when you leave a restaurant still hungry. -
Review from Dan F.
1/28/2008
Interesting little no frills place with a nice atmosphere and a good vibe. The first thing when that came to mind on what positive to say about the place oddly is the salad dressing allocation to the lettuce. Each piece of lettuce is well tossed for each leaf getting near identical and proportionate amounts. Every piece of lettuce was included and it wasn't overly saturated. Any wabbit would have been proud. The salad itself was average in tastiness but very skimpy size. I'd say the french onion which was above average. I always order French Onion when I see it on the menu and appreciate to no end a good French Onion. They even barely burned the cheese on top and it game piping hot which is hard to find.
Bottom Line: Honestly not much to say about this place except its a nicer average diner. I personally didn't think it was worth the money as my meal was $12 dollars (salad and the french onion) and I left hungry. No real complaints though. -
Review from Kiki V.
New York, NY
8/17/2007
I realized last night when I got on the 1 train and voyaged uptown to meet a friend at Hi-Life that living downtown is really different than what's going on uptown, and that the multitudes of white, straight couples holding hands and walking around sort of reminded me of Brooklyn and that I really needed to get uptown more.
Thursday nights there is a DJ who spinns from iPods and will grant two requests of yours, no matter what. The music was generally pretty mainstream and safe with a few obscure songs thrown in.
The coolest thing about it was that if you bring your iPod and make a three-song "On the go" playlist, the DJ will play it. (My selection, based on the crowd, was an Amy Winehouse "Rehab" remix with Jay Z, "I Got A Man" by Positive K and "Pussy" by the Brazilian Girls.)
The bartender, Anita, is a total doll and ALL of the staff and patrons were very pleasant, down-to-earth and friendly.
I love the fish tank, gumball machine in the toilet and the fact that Natalie Portman was sitting outside with friends and no one seemed to notice. It's always nice to enjoy a night out and go unnoticed. If you need that sort of thing.
