Harlem
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Neighborhood covering the north section of Manhattan Island.
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RM 112.14
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Top ways to experience Harlem

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

4.0
4.0 of 5 bubbles1,197 reviews
Excellent
507
Very good
471
Average
155
Poor
37
Terrible
27

Jace D
London, UK108 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2019
I lived here for a month while apartment hunting and I have to say, it's really not a place you want to visit. There needs to be some major work done here to make it nice and tourist friendly. On our first day we witnessed THREE fights on the street within 15 minutes, and over the month we stayed we encountered lots of moments which we definitely don't wish upon visitors. I would stay down in Manhattan or check out Brooklyn instead, unless you're a super savvy tourist or local.

Perhaps the area is improving, I dont know how it was before...but around Wholefoods I do feel its a bit safer, but overall I must say I found my time in Harlem really uncomfortable. Sorry Harlem
Written 4 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

BrakiWorldTraveler
Belgrade, Serbia19,530 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2022
We were arriving by car from Boston, so made Harlem our first stop in NYC. This was our third time in NYC, but the very first one in this northern part of Manhattan.
Seeing so many movies and listening to stereotypes about Harlem, I wanted to get my own impressions.
Honestly, it's an average neighborhood with very few things to see, rather to experience the local atmosphere. We drove around, then parked at various places and did some walking.
I'd point out the Striver's Row as the most beautiful street in Harlem, the Abyssinian Baptist Church - very nice outside, but was closed, the Apollo theater and the lively 125th St - pleasant to walk, felt safe, but unusual seeing many street cardboard stands selling used clothes and fake items in front of regular stores.
To conclude, far from a must see for first time visitors - include it if you've seen all other attractions or you have a lot of time in NYC.
Written 19 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Lgalla1970
Buenos Aires, Argentina57 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020
We went to a mass on Sunday 10.45am to listen to gosspel songs to First Corinthian Baptist Church. We were received with open arms, smiles, they accommodated us very quickly, the mass started at the expected time (it lasts 2 hours though you can leave before, but to tell you the truth, I don't think this is nice). We stayed till if finished. I bought a black Hoody saying "Be Human", When leaving I realized I had forgotten my mobile somwhere inside... When I went to the balcony upstairs where my seat was, the lady had taken it already and asked me to unlock it to make sure it was mine. BLESSING FOR HER!
Beautiful mass! Beautiful experience! Loved it!
Written 28 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Patricia L
14 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2022
I took the one-hr. walking tour described in Frommer's. Although it was a rainy day, I got to "see the sights" which I reached on the subway. Highly recommended! Although I was a little hesitant, a resident assured me I'd be perfectly safe and I was. The people on the street were kind and pleasant. I was reluctant to visit any of the many churches on a Sunday mornning since I had read parishioners resented intrusive tourists which I opted not to be.
Written 5 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

TWB
Cincinnati, OH2,487 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2022
This was my fifth visit to NYC, first time on foot in Harlem. Rented an Airbnb on West 131st. Parking was insane, but that was because we were there during the African American Day Parade unbeknownst to us and the neighborhood was packed. What a lucky time to visit - the parade was fantastic and the energy was unforgettable. We walked miles and were not ready to leave. Very pretty place.
Written 8 June 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Belugafingers
Liberty, NY33 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2013 • Solo
As a Harlem local, these are my top 5 suggestions:

5. Visit the northern part of Central Park which starts at 110th St. Enter at 110th St and Lenox Ave and walk around the lake. Referred to as the Harlem Meer this is a much over-looked part of Central Park by most tourists but one of the most beautiful. The walk around the lake is about .75 of a mile and at the south part of the lake you'll find the Botanical Garden which is absolutely amazing in the Spring.

4. Experience the local cuisine, whether it's the "old school" soul food institutions of Sylvia's or Amy Ruth's. I prefer Amy Ruth's personally, the chicken and waffles or the honey chicken are my go- to dishes. Or the "new school" restaurants like Marcus Samuelsson's Red Rooster which is hand's down the best restaurant in terms of food and ambiance. Other good options are Harlem Tavern, Lido, Cedric, or Billie's Black. All are good and have a nice Harlem flavor.

3. Check out the churches. Harlem transforms on Sunday's - cars are double-parked on all of the streets and you'll see everyone dressed in their Sunday best. As an outsider be courteous, they are places of worship, not a tourist attraction - it helps to smile and say "hi" to people.

2. Walk around the neighborhood and take in the history. Walk up Lenox Avenue and see the brownstones lining the wide avenues. Check out the main shopping hub of 125th Street and see the Apollo theater. Walk up Frederick Douglas Boulevard and see the development boom that's happened over the past 10 years. Walk all the way across 125th Street to the Hudson River to the newly revitalized waterfront and park. While you're there, stop at Dinosaur BBQ and experience some of the best ribs in the city!

1. Check out the entertainment. Tons of great little jazz bars- Minton's playhouse, Lenox Lounge. Try to go see a show at Apollo Theater. Check out the Thursday Uptown Comedy Show at MIST Theater on 116th St (only $15 a ticket). Check out the downstairs of Red Rooster, Ginny's SupperClub. There is a lot of local talent and an energy uptown that you can't find anywhere else in NYC.
Written 19 March 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Dave S
Hebron, lsrael169 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2015 • Solo
Many people, even native-born New Yorkers, seem to "know" only one thing about Harlem - that it is dangerous, and should be avoided. This "knowledge" is, in fact, far from the truth - Harlem is a beautiful district, well worth several strolls just to see the architecture. While the ugly, reddish-brown high-rise slabs of municipally-subsidized housing that people associate with the area are definitely present, as they are in most sections of New York City, these are in no way representative of Harlem. And while Harlem is undeniably associated with African-Americans, it is today very much mixed; southern Harlem is mostly white, central Harlem is the domicile of the black elite, and northern Harlem is largely black, but with more and more whites moving in every year. No part of Harlem is particularly dangerous today, at least during the daytime. Note that in Harlem, 6th Avenue is alternately called Lenox Avenue or Malcolm X Boulevard, 7th Avenue is Adam Clayton Powell Jr Boulevard, 8th Avenue is Frederick Douglass Boulevard, 10th Avenue is Amsterdam Avenue, and 9th and 11th Avenues do not exist; nevertheless, locals often still use the old, numbered monikers for the avenues. While walking here, always bring along a copy of the architectural guidebook AIA Guide to New York City.
125th Street is known as Downtown Harlem. Do not miss the Apollo Theater, which once was the "in" place to perform for any aspiring African-American performer, from Duke Ellington to Little Richard.
Two sections of Harlem are spectacular even by Harlem standards(!). One is the area of small streets immediately west of Marcus Garvey Park (Mount Morris Park), which have beautiful old townhouses similar to the Upper West Side or large sections of Brooklyn. The other is the area known as Strivers' Row (St. Nicholas Historic District), now mostly the provenance of wealthy African-Americans, 136th Street to 139th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues, with fine old townhouses from the 1880's and 1890's. But there are lots of other interesting buildings, on most streets.
Another major point of architectural interest, despite its remote - even by Harlem standards - location, is the 369th Regiment Armory, on the west side of 5th Avenue between 142nd and 143rd Streets. Built from 1921 to to 1933, it is the only armory in New York City which does not recreate a pseudo-Medieval style; rather, it simulates the Art Deco style prevalent during the period. This is also where the storied 5th Avenue comes to a somewhat inglorious end at the Harlem River; Empire State Building can be seen down the avenue, almost 8 km (5½ miles) away. Here is also an interesting military memorial. Overlooking the Hudson River, between 137th and 145th Streets, is Riverbank State Park, the only State-owned park in Manhattan, with free entry. Built on top of a sewage-treatment plant, and built to assuage local residents' understandable misgivings about the facility, it is a beautiful place, with spectacular views from up high, of the New Jersey Palisades; Lower Manhattan, and even One World Trade Center, are visible 13 km (8 miles) away - but chances are that the friendly rangers are unaware of this! The above-mentioned Marcus Garvey Park - between Madison Avenue and Mount Morris Park W, 120th Street to 124th Street - is known for the fire watchtower at the summit of Mount Morris, which rises suddenly from the otherwise flat plains of Harlem; one of a dozen similar towers built in the 1850's in Manhattan, this is the only one that remains.
Aside from these two parks, Harlem's parks are all steep ridge parks; all are safe today. Morningside Park - between Morningside Drive and Morningside Avenue, from 110th Street to 123rd Street - occupies the steep slope from Morningside Heights, the mostly-white neighborhood where Columbia University is located, down to Harlem; check out the view of Harlem from the 116th Street entrance, which sports a statue of Carl Schurz, the most notorious of several Germans recruited to kill Southerners during the War Between the States. St. Nicholas Park - between St. Nicholas Avenue and St. Nicholas Terrace, from 127th Street to 141st Street - also slopes from west to east; do not miss the lovely Hamilton Grange, at the latter street. Finally, Jackie Robinson Park - between Edgecombe and Bradhurst Avenues, from 145th Street to 155th Street, slopes similarly. From Amsterdam Avenue to Broadway, 153rd Street to 155th Street, is Trinity Cemetery (entrance only on the latter street); inside the entrance is the gravesite of John James Audubon, who documented America's bird life in the early 19th century.
While 110th Street (Central Park North) is the lower border of Harlem, 155th Street is the upper end. From here up, it is Washington Heights, a district with much fewer points of interest (this said, the area is certainly not devoid of interest). This street also marks the upper end of what was originally envisioned as the City's grid system; the commissioners believed that the City would never spread this far north, and moreover, the topography here is difficult for a grid system.
East Harlem - once called ltalian Harlem, later Spanish Harlem - from Park Avenue to the East River, between about 110th Street (or even 96th Street) and 124th Street (the Triborough Bridge), is different from Harlem in that it was never a prestigious residential area. Today overwhelmingly Hispanic/Latino, and especially Puerto Rican, it too can be an interesting area for a stroll, despite the relative paucity of architectural interest. Note the "botanicas" - stores selling voodoo items, thinly disguised as Roman Catholic religious items.
All in all, Harlem is a great area to explore. Do not miss it!
Written 5 March 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

The Five Road Trippers 🚙🎡🎢🧳
Long Island, NY16,129 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2019 • Family
We passed through Harlem the other morning. There is so much going on here. Harlem got a bad reputation back in the day. My grandmother grew up on Madison & 110th Street. Our great great uncle owned candy store here back in the 1930s. Our family had roots here back in the day. I would love to spend the day exploring Harlem and tasting some great soul food. There is plenty to do and see in Harlem. If you are a history buff, this is one of the most historical places in NYC.
Written 30 July 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

PapiSwing
Brooklyn, Ny63 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2012
I love Harlem. I'm just not sure I'd recommend it to many outsiders. Bordering North of Central Park you have Spanish Harlem (El Barrio) to the East and Harlem to the West.
Of its Attractions I'd say Sylvia's Restaurant, The Apollo Theatre, Jazz & Comedy Clubs, Museums including Spanish Harlem's famous "Museo del Barrio" (by Central Park), among others. My only advice... If your not with a tour guide, Travel via Taxi. Harlem is in its heart a residential community. Your Safety should be in your upmost mind. Especially at night.
Written 21 September 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Brian T
London, UK8,033 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2022 • Friends
If you mention you are going to visit Harlem in Manhattan, you are certain to get the raised eyebrows and the head shaking, usually form people who have never been. It’s probably one of the most maligned, poorly-represented and incorrectly-portrayed areas in New York, yet is is a great part of the city to visit. It’s certainly had its rough decades, but the neighbourhood is experiencing a new renaissance. And like in many parts of the world, this area is as safe, if not safer, than any other neighbourhood if you use the same "street smart" mentality and common sense you would use where you come from.

Harlem was originally a Dutch village, formally organised in 1658; it is named after the city of Haarlem in the Netherlands. Harlem's history has been defined by a series of economic boom-and-bust cycles, with significant population shifts accompanying each cycle. Today Harlem is the centre of African American culture in New York City and a vibrant part of the city; it’s a hotbed of black music, art and culture. But Harlem has been home to many races and ethnic groups including the Dutch, Irish, German, Italian, and Jewish, and as well as being a predominantly black neighbourhood, it present a fabulous diversity and thus offers the the visitor a diverse and eclectic area to explore.

There is lots to see and experience in this neighbourhood. I spent almost a full day walking its streets, taking in its sights, and visiting a couple of cafes and restaurants. I visited with a New Yorker. It was a successful exploration for sure. One of the keys to our success was carefully planning. We had quite a list of local things to see, so mapped out a walking route so that we could see all we wanted to see, and get the feel for this vibrant community city.

Here’s our four favourite spots:

Striver’s Row: It’s a delightful historic district located on both sides of West 138th and West 139th Streets between Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard and Frederick Douglass Boulevard. The distinct architectural styles with a mix of red brick, yellow brick and brownstone are beautifully maintained, adorned with a tangle of wrought iron. It’s a visual treat.

The Apollo Theatre: This legendary theatre which opened in 1914, has launched careers and popularised genres through its devotion to showcasing black talent. The likes of James Brown, Ella Fitzgerald, Sammy Davis Jr, Billie Holiday and Lauryn Hill found their starting point here.

Harlem’s “Walk of Fame”: On W125th Street by the Apollo Theatre, the “Walk of Fame” is an uptown Manhattan take on Hollywood's "Walk of Stars" that commemorates African-American musical icons with plaques embedded into the sidewalk.

The Cathedral Church of St John the Divine: This massive cathedral has been under construction since 1892, and is not yet finished. One of its chapels contains a bronze three-paneled altar with gold-leaf decoration, designed by Keith Haring just before his death.

But don’t limit yourself to those. Wander, and take in some wonderful street murals, local markets and businesses, little museums and art galleries, and an abundance of cafes and restaurants. We had coffee at a delightful coffee shop in the Hamilton Grange area, and an excellent lunch at the iconic Harlem restaurant that is Sylvia’s.

Many streets and avenues in Harlem are co-named for its famous leaders and residents like Lenox Avenue co-named Malcolm X Boulevard., 125th Street co-named Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevaqrd., and Eighth Avenue co-named Frederick Douglass Boulevard.

It’s a wonderful place to explore; we learnt a lot, and found the locals informative and welcoming. Stay safe, stay aware, and enjoy your visit.
Written 5 October 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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HARLEM (2024) All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

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