Chez Messy, a spirited tapas lounge in Washington Heights that opened last summer, offers tapas, craft cocktails and flamenco dancing. I headed north with a friend to sample their happy hour, the regular menu and their flamenco dancers.


We got off the 1-train at the 157th Street subway stop, across the street from this whimsical tapas lounge. As we perused the menu, our waitress served us an amuse of a mini cast iron skillet filled with warm, pitted olives with serrano ham and an adorable 3-inch carafe of their specialty sangria. A real treat.

We arrived in time for their happy hour. I’d recommend our cocktails: my Old Forester smoky Old Fashion ($20) and the Mels Messy rum punch ($11).

We started by sampling many of their happy hour tapas with our drinks. Their version of potatoes brava ($6) is not to be missed. They toss their fried potato chunks so lightly in the spicy pimento sauce that they are still crisp. Same with their Buffalo wings ($10 for 5, plus crudites); they toss so lightly there was no need for finger-lickin’.

After happy hour concluded, we kept ordering more tapas.  Also good are their grilled, tender octopus with garlicky potatoes ($18), the large shrimp with chile peppers ($16), the steak with chimichurri sauce ($16) and their blistered peppers.

We ended with their French beignets dusted with powdered sugar served with an espresso creme anglaise (2 for $6) while enjoying the flamenco dancers currently performing Wednesday evenings from 8:30 to 10:30 pm.

Happy Hour details as of 1.03.2024
Hours:  4 pm to 7 pm Wednesday through Friday

What’s happy? Five food selections $5 – $10; wines $12 to $18; three cocktails $11-$13; $5 beer; $9 well drinks.

How happy? ** (two out of three stars)

Chez Messy
Washington Heights
5 Edward M Morgan Pl (just west of 157th Street)
New York, NY 10032
(646) 828-9289
chezmessy.com