Minton’s in Harlem, where Dizzy Gillespie jammed, offers a Sunday brunch with live jazz. We headed up there recently to dine leisurely while listen to the music in this historic place that’s on both 
National and the New York State Register of Historic Places.
The music (with a $10 charge per guest) is great, the food and libations not so. The server warned of the spicy smoky Mary ($12), that was beyond bland. The bartender apologized that he had nothing at the bar to spice it up.
After reading Pete Well’s review where he gave Minton’s one star, I’m thinking that the chef hadn’t made it in that day and they picked a kitchen worker to throw together the food. The country breakfast ($16) included unseasoned tasteless grits, topped with an overcooked scrambled egg with a dry chunk of cornbread and a small merguez sausage, missing the menu-stated scallions from the grits and herbs and cheddar cheese from the eggs. The Asian omelet ($14) was no better. The salt and pepper we requested to help flavor the food arrived 15 minutes later. The best thing, actually the only food we ate, were the beer-battered, crunchy okra fries ($8).
So go for the great jazz, just skip the food.
– bonnie
Minton’s
206 W 118th St
New York, NY 10026
Leave A Comment