The Den

 

2

15

Vonetta Y.

Washington, DC

I went to The Den with my girls, expecting great things. It was my Cali girl's first night in Harlem, so we wanted to make sure she got a proper Harlem experience. Sigh. I wanted to love the place so bad. My food was good. The people were great (although my waitress was a bit of a space cadet; the other patrons were hella cool). But it was so damn loud I couldn't hear myself chew! I could understand if people were dancing to said loud music, but no, just singing nostalgically as they ate, which was fine until I went a little deaf. After screaming"HUH?" and "WHAT?" to each other about 10,000 times while sitting about 6 inches away from each other, we had to go. Maybe its better during the day. But club-loud music at dinner on a Saturday night is just awkward.

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10

28

Anthony B.

Brooklyn, NY

The food is always reliably good. But it's entirely too small. They need to open up the back waiting area to add more seating. Their specialty drinks all of interesting names.

The brunch is can't miss though. Everything is good, either get their early or make a reservation.

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12

45

marias s.

New York, NY

I've been there four times since moving to the neighborhood.  The hip hop, r&B are a great way to wind down after a long day.  The owner is nice and accomodating as well.  The drinks are a bit overpriced for the neighborhood, but they are huge and they don't skimp on the ingredients.  The food is very good as well.  One night I went there was a fantastic jazz group just jammin'.  If you're exploring Harlem, it's a great stop.

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13

18

Rachel H.

New York, NY

Walking to the Den for an afterwork drink and appetizer in the up and coming neighborhood of East Harlem I did not know what to expect.  From the outside it seemed a little cheesy with it's blue awning and white Christmas lights to highlight it's name on a dark block.  However, once I entered the establishment I immediately felt the coziness of a neighborhood joint combined with the welcome mat for new faces in the hood.   It is a tiny space but they make the most of it.  A brick wall on one side is covered with food artwork and along some of the walls there are comfy couches and chairs.  There is limited space, so get there early if you want to get a comfortable seat.  The music is a mix of old school and contemporary R&B and jazz.

Looking at the menu one can't help but find amusement in drink names such as 'sex in the inner city', 'supa fly', 'foxy brown', or 'jungle fever'.  That night I had the drink special, which was 'the wifey', a mix of champagne and citrus juices, with the accent of a candy ring in the bottom of the glass.  The drink was mixed very well.  The candy ring was a little much but I enjoyed that as well.  My friend had the 'foxy brown', a mix of vodka, irish cream, kahlua, frangelico, and chambord.  She said any chocolate lover would love that drink.  

Appetizers were a little overpriced for the portions given.  I shared the Mogul Sampler with my friend, and she also ordered the Slapsumbadi Shrimp.  The sampler consisted of popcorn shrimp, fried catfish fingers, jerk chicken, and macaroni and cheese poppers.    I was dissapointed because it sounds great but the seasoning was just not there...just a little sprinkle of salt from the cook could have cured this problem.  Now, I may be a little biased because I grew up in New Orleans, La. so I am almost always quite critical of the way food is seasoned anywhere but there.  However, I have to give props to the Slapsumbadi Shrimp (shrimp broiled with olive oil, garlic, and melted cheese).  The seasoning was great and the french bread served with the dish was crisp.  

The music set began at 8pm and it is nice though it can get quite loud in such a small space.  It's good for listening because there is not much room for dancing and it is not conducive for talking.  Most of the sets were jazzy, soulful sets, and R&B.  Overall, my experience there was nice but I do recommend that you go there when drinks and appetizers are 1/2 price (I believe this may occur on Fridays) so you can get more for your money.  It is worth getting there early to avoid a crowd and the $7 cover charge on Wednesdays.

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