The Cecil Restaurant Reviews

We made a reservation for Saturday evening. I did not like the first table offered right by the entrance, but we were seated shortly thereafter without any problem. The cocktails were good, a good start. We shared the broiled spicy giant prawn and the Afro/Asian/American gambo followed by an fish entree. The service was very good, the waiter answered all our questions and was available when we needed assistance. The restaurant is large and somewhat noisy, but has a nice ambiance. It is on the expensive side, but worth it. Overall we had a good time and will return. I recommend this restaurant if you are visiting this neighborhood or if you want to try something different.

We arrived at 7:45 for 8pm reservation for 8 people celebrating mom's birthday. We were told that they were waiting for table to clear and that the patrons were not wrapping up fast enough. At approximately 8:30 we were told it was the kitchen that was backed up so patrons were just getting to order dessert so the manager offered to buy us a round of cocktails for our patience. At approximately 9pm as drinks arrived, the table was ready. We ordered food; at approximately 9:20 bread provided; we were hungry but kept our spirits up. At around 10:15pm we asked waitress for update on the food; she said she would check. The food arrived at approximately 10:40 pm; good but smaller portions than expected. We definitely would have ordered appetizers if we knew the portions would be so small and that our wait would be so long. After food delivered, we never saw our waitress again. When we asked another waiter for her, he told us she had been at work since 7am (6 people called out) so she's probably "dead" somewhere, but he'd check and find her. We told him we gave her a cake and we were ready for it. At approximately 11:20  yet another waiter came and told us that Jennifer left for the night and that he would be our server.  He was nice enough but we were ready to get the cake and go. Long story short when he came out with the cake it was already sliced up and on plates!! My daughter bought a large and beautiful strawberry cheesecake which my mother did not get to see. We were distraught. Even worse, her "slice" was  mush. It wa as if someone scooped it out with a spoon! We were in shock, especially because earlier in the evening we witnessed the staff bring out another table's beautiful, intact cake with candles and about 8 singing staff members. We received none of that! As you can imagine it was a disaster. And after 20 minutes of back and forth with the waiter and manager our bill was drastically reduced.  This was not an easy feat since initially the manager wanted us to pay now and promised when we "returned" we would get free cocktails and a discounted meal.  Our group assured him that as beautiful as the venue is, returning was simply not happening.  Further, the final waiter, who's only role was to bring out the cake, INSISTED that we provide him with a tip. This, even after we shared the horrors of our evening topped off with his ultimate destruction of a very beautiful birthday cake. In the back of my mind I believe that either the cake, which had been stored in the restaurant's refrigerator, had either been cut by someone in advance and our waiter tried to cover it up, or he decided to cut it to expedite getting us out the door. In either case, it was a very wrong decision. This venue seriously suffers from poor management and lack of sufficient staffing. Again, all those people attempted to be kind but the wait for food, missed reservation and poor staffing just could not be overlooked. From beginning to end it was a complete disappointment. The one upside is that the food was tasty and the venue was visually appealing but that all goes out the window when the service is terrible. Visit the bar and leave it at that.

On a scheduled girls trip to NY, we wanted to visit several restaurants we’d heard about. This one was our first and we reserved a table for dinner. When we first arrived, the front room was so loud, we couldn’t hear ourselves think. But then we were escorted back to another area that had a much better ambience. The decor was nice, the staff was great. We enjoyed everything but I won’t order the lamb shoulder again because it was so tough I had trouble cutting it with the steak knife. The music was great until about 9:30 when the mood changed and the music got irritatingly loud. It was a nice outing overall.

African/Asian/American Fusion cuisine was really interesting and excellent!! The service was excellent and the place had a great vibe. We will return.

Good place for a brunch break in Harlem. We enjoyed the concert - and the food. both the south state ones and the burger.

I visited on New Year's night, and the DJ's were great! One staff member, not so much. My husband and I waited at the bar for 5-7 minutes, with any acknowledgment. ...there werent any patrons at the bar. My husband finally got the attention of a worker, with sleeve tattoos, and asked him if the bar was still open. He looked at my husband with annoyance, shrugged his shoulders, turned his back to us, and continued using his phone. We were FLOORED!!! If my friend hadn't invited us, we would have definitely made a beeline out the door. We MAY go back, as we've heard the food is worth trying. And, one bad apple shouldn't ruin the bunch. Attention Tatted Up Team Member: Customer service is the EPITOME of a Great business. You should be ashamed, and the owner/s should be aware of how their team is treating their patrons.

We had wonderful dinners at The Cecil on W.18th St in Harlem. The menu offers an updated mix of Soul Food, Caribbean and African influenced dishes. It was hard to choose from so many interesting dishes and everyone at our table really enjoyed their meals. After dinner, step next door to The Cecil's jazz bar Mintin's.

Some people might think of this brasserie as loud, I think of it as energetic. Harlem's first Afro-Asian American restaurant was awesome. Kudos go to Chef Small. The foods were prepared extremely well, balancing spices and sauces properly. One of The Cecil's goals is to connect diverse communities through food, comfort and hospitality and it succeeded at all levels. Wait staff complemented our overall dining experience.

We were a party of about 15 celebrating a birthday. We have nice seating in an out of the way area. The restaurant was not too noisy so we could carry on a nice conversation. The food menu was from the large group dining menu and was served family style: Salt-Crusted Whole Market (Red Snapper) Fish with Jerk Sauce; Collard Green Salad with Adzuki Red Beans, Candied Cashews, Coconut Dressing; Fonio with Burst Tomatoes, Basil, Okra; Rosemary Macaroni & Cheese; Dessert $40 per person for 10 - 20 people. The red snapper was very fresh and the sauce blended perfectly. Collard green salad was an interesting blend and had a kick to it. My favorite was the fonio. I went back for seconds! Everyone loved the mac and cheese which had an interesting blend of flavors. There was even a choice for the kids who were under 10. Desert was triple chocolate cake which everyone said was delicious The only downside was that the waitress seemed a little overwhelmed by the size of the group. My husband had to order his Jamaican ginger beer three times before he got it. BTW, the beer was fantastic!

I have been a somewhat frequent visitor to the Cecil. I have always found their food outstanding. I have tried many items on the menu and none have disappointed

I went for dinner with my wife and the experience was terrible, the noise in the main dining room was so bad that we could not hear each other from across each other. By the moment we were seated passed about fifteen minutes before we were asked about our water choice. Ten minutes later someone show up asking about our drinks and of course they were out of the wine i selected. The salad was fine but the pork shank was just a fatty uneatable so call piece of meat.... I was presented the check before the dessert was served and i was asked if I wanted coffee.... My suggestion....stay away from this joint....

My friend and I dined at The Cecil last night. Our original plan was to order off the restaurant week menu but we found the regular menu more interesting. Our waiter took time to answer all our questions and we both had an excellent dinner. Portions were generous, presentation lovely, service excellent and ambiance very pleasant in every way. The food has interesting flavors and was very pleasing to our palate. The restaurant was almost full by the time we left. Although we were seated somewhat close to other patrons the crowd there was a respectable group and everyone seemed to follow an unspoken rule to keep their voices on a conversational level so as not to disturb others. There are other restaurants where people drink and get very rowdy and loud but this was not my experience last evening. The restaurant is slightly pricy but this is a restaurant worth the money. I hope to go back sometime soon.

The Cecil is most likely the most unassuming and sophisticated restaurant that I have visited in Harlem over the nearly 2 decades that I have resided in New York City. The decor, artwork and layout of the restaurant is beautiful. The food was also quite amazing. We enjoyed the Lamb dish and the Moqueca seafood soup. As an African American who loves soul food, I highly recommend The Cecil's Afro Asian fare as a wonderful departure from traditional Harlem restaurants.

Wasn't sure what to think when hearing about the "Afro Asian" cuisine served up at The Cecil. It wasn't long into our meal, we we're convinced. It Works! The place is very energized and has a nice feel to it. The menu is very interesting to say the least as are some of the custom drinks they serve up. We were disappointed however that 5 or 6 items on the menu were not available. The service needs a bit of refining but overall OK. We did feel it was slightly overpriced. We would however go back.

After a few hiccups at launch, this was a terrific place. Last visit, big disappointment, and an expensive one. Food; I ordered the dishes I loved last time - three appetizers. Two of them were really terrible, whether due to a change in recipe or sloppy execution, I don't know. And my friend ordered the small order of spicy gumbo, which came without rice, a surprise if you're from Louisiana or have ever visited! It took a while to get anyone's attention, but finally a very large bowl of white rice was delivered. For which we were charged an extra $9.00. Service: too many suave guys gliding around greeting the diners, but far too few actual waiters. Our waiter was obviously stretched too thin. In desperation, my friend actually held her credit card aloft for five minutes in order to get someone to give us the check, and then we waited another 15 minutes for the receipt to get back to the table. Oh, and warning: we split the check between our two credit cards. You know that helpfully calculated "suggested tip" on the receipt which in this case starts at 18% and gives you two even higher choices? On each of our credit card receipts the "suggested tip" for 50% of the bill was the tip calculated on the amount for 100% of the bill. If you happen to have had a couple of drinks, you will each pay not 18% but 36%. Oh yes.

beef suya was out of this world and the devils chocolate cake.... ridiculously delicious. our server Hannah was great

I love the food, the unique spice combinations and then mixing of culture, African and southern cooking, collard green salad, is to go to heaven and back. The lamb dinner is awesome, the Guinea hen is so good. Everything we ordered was perfect.

Gumbo was great. Guinea hen terrific. Rice combination dish was delicious. Service can be a bit spotty and it is noisy, but we had a great time. We will return.

I wandered into this place trying to find the jazz spot. And while unfortunately it was closed, I did stumble upon a wonderful culinary find! A great collection of cocktails, beers and wine. Try the macaroni and cheese. You'll be glad you did!

Next to Mintons Jazz Club in Harlem. We were there with a large group on a night when the live music wasn't on but fantastic food and vibe despite that and the service was great. I would encourage a visit

Our corporate group came here at the end of our NYC trip and were not disappointed. Authentic West African cuisine with an American twist. Great wine/beer list, good service. Check it out the next time you're in Harlem!

A must stop when you are anywhere near Harlem. Everyone in our party was pleased with the food and the service was great.

Our friend knows the owner of this lovely restaurant located in West Harlem. Many of the dishes origin are from African slaves so this makes it very unique. Great bar scene as you arrive and the dining area is behind. Wide open area with some funky fixtures and lighting. You don't need to get overly dressed up, but definitely it is more upscale than casual. Dishes are not cheap, but the food portion size and the quality and taste of the food is excellent. We had three different entrées and each one was fantastic. Two of our party needed doggy bags. Flavours, textures and presentation were all appreciated. Fairly easy to find. Take the 2 or 3 subway to 116th Street. Make reservations.

My sis recommended our family get together to be at The Cecil for a Sunday brunch. From first bite, all of us fell head over heels. Myself and a friend went last night and she too was blown away. The space is drop dead gorgeous. The wine list has all the greats (a bit pricey for a glass...if you are on a tight budget). Everything on the menu was unique, the descriptions flowed fluidly off the tongue and as the food became an orgasmic sensation in my mouth I once again was taken to paradise. The service, the people watching, the music all was so sensational. A utopia of seasonings mixed with a melting pot of Americana! I will return again and again!!!!

We were greeted an welcomed warmly. Our server was gracious and attentive as with her support team. Now the food. The appetizer jumbo shrimp was delicious looking but extremely dry. Our main meals of Gumbo, pork chop and fried chicken were also were presented well and looked very appetizing. The Chop and Chicken were very dry possibly over cooked. The gumbo was lacking in flavor. A very good friend of ours recommended Cecil and swears by it. We'll just to try again with him with us.

Had seen an exposé on this restaurant which looked fabulous and decided to try it during restaurant week. While the restaurant is a bit noisy, the food was beyond expectation. Appetizer of salmon roll and short ribs were really tasty. For main courses we all had fried chicken served boneless over fried rice topped with a fried egg. OMG - OUT OF THE PARK delicious. Desserts were good too. Highly recommend this restaurant.

We had a delicious dinner here on a recent Friday night during NY Restaurant Week. The place was full and there were lots of people celebrating special occasions. We all ordered from the prix fixe menu. The food was WONDERFUL, as was the service. However, it was exceptionally noisy... so much so that we could not even have a conversation among the four of us. Unfortunate indeed. That said, I would go back and hope the restaurant might not be as noisy on another night.

This is an AMAZING neighborhood restaurant in Harlem. The décor ~ very clean lines and wall hangings ~ the service was very attentive. The menu is vey modern and a delight to eye on the plate. I was visiting my daughter and we went for Sunday brunch - which is what I love about NY. I had a salad with lobster, yam waffles with guinea hen(oh so delish) that came with a yam sauce and we started with okra fries. Now I am not a okra fans but these changed my mind. I thought the price was reasonable~approx $40 per person and if you add the Sunday endless mimosa(which was made with coconut milk) add a few $'s more. Make sure you try the collard green salad...ooo whew good! The portion served was more than adequate and filling. Will come back on my next visit to NY~ was to full to try desert. Its also a great vibe place to stop & have drinks with friends. Don't pass this place up a must visit.. :-p

I loved the previous incarnation of the Cecil. This was my first experience since it's been rebranded as Cecil Steakhouse. The service I had here was actually great (unlike what a lot of other reviewers experienced). This review is going to be just about the food. Our appetizers and the bread they served were fantastic. My girlfriend ordered the cavatelli. The pasta itself was great, as was the sauce, however the ricotta was obviously turned (extremely sour, which I confirmed by tasting from several parts of the dish, we alerted a busboy to have the chef double check the batch, but didn't escalate it beyond that). It was odd that a steakhouse had a pasta menu in the first place, so I wasn't gong to judge them just on that. However, I ordered a prime rib and was really confused by how it was prepared. First off, I would be really surprised if what I was served was a 24oz dry weight (even with mushrooms included). I wasn't asked how I wanted it prepared (okay, steak house, I assumed it would be served medium rare). But what came out was seared on all sides and a pretty thin cut (approximately 2/3" at the thickest). I've never seen a prime rib prepared this way. While it was enjoyable, it was an experience closer to a thin ribeye than what I would expect when I see a prime rib on a menu. Being local, I will be back and want to try more dishes they'd be proud of.

What an Amazing experience we had at the The Cecil Steakhouse. From the moment I contacted the restaurant it was apparent that I was dealing with an outfit that believed in exceptional customer service. My contact was Ms Crisatal Vidal . Cristal provided me with menu and wine options for my guests . She was able to work with my budget and accommodate some of my guests dietary needs. She was professional courteous and responsive to my queries. I also wanted to mention that I live in the UK so all the planning was done by phone and e-mail .The food was amazing Kurt our waiter gave us extraordinary service . My guests never wanted for anything and my children whose birthdays we were celebrating were over joyed . Thank you so much for making this an event that we all will remember fondly .

When I heard the term AFRICAN-ASIAN FUSION, I knew I would only be going to brunch to partake of liquid refreshment...lol....BUT WAS I IN FOR A RUDE AWAKENING. THE FOOD WAS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!!!! I loved the OKRA FRIES and that item alone is worth the trip to Harlem. My mother made the BEST Mac And Cheese in the world so I seldom order it in restaurants. Well....very different from my mother's....but DELICIOUS. My entree was THE DEEP DISH CARIBBEAN TOAST......OMG!!!!!!!!! I am now embracing AFRICAN-ASIAN FUSION and cannot wait until my return visit to this FABULOUS restaurant!!!!!!!

Worth the trip to Harlem. Afro Asian fusion with delicious and interesting entrees. The only restaurant where I oder chicken -it's to die for!

I came here with friends for dinner being that I live here and heard great things about it. I will make this short and sweet. The food is AMAZING, delicious,great flavor, beautiful presentation, a gastronomique perfection. Now for my main issue, living in NYC I expect restaurants to be pricey but you get what you pay for with regards to portion size, NOT HERE. This place was EXPENSIVE but to add insult to injury the portion size were made for supermodels. You know the type that smoke and drink coffee and eat 2 grains of rice and are full. I was soooo disappointed when my $40 dollar meal came out in a tiny bowl that I would pour my cereal while watching Saturday morning cartoons. It was HORRIBLE. For the first time in a very long time after eating an appetizer, entree and dessert I left a restaurant HUNGRY. It was so bad I ended up going to a fast food restaurant with some of my dinner companions because they felt the same way. All in all this place is nice and I recommend it to anyone who has money to burn, is thin and trying to watch their figure. To the rest of us go somewhere else or eat a full meal before coming here.

Recently visited Cecil for the second time... The first time was for dinner, a couple of years ago and the food was delicious. I’m pleased to say the food is still pretty good. This recent visit was for brunch; a DJ brunch, which I hoped was not too much of a scene. Thankfully, it was not. While I love good music... I also love the ability and noise level, to easily have conversation. And, I value physical space to sit and walk comfortably. Cecil offered all, plus good food. As expected, the brunch menu is limited to mostly breakfast foods. There’s still a decent variety from which to choose. I had the eggs benedict and filet mignon. Tasty and filling. I’ll be back for sure.

Whether with friends, clients or on date night, The Cecil always delivers!! With their very exceptional well thought out menu, I've always had a memorable dining experience. You can't go wrong!

Food was amazing! abundant choices from menu, a twist of african/asian flavours which make this restaurant unique! Ox Tail Dumplings - A MUST TRY! Service however was a little to be desired... waiters are here and everywhere, ours didn't really return to the table to take main orders, drinks where delivered by various waiters... could do with a little time spent on training staff to achieve a top noch customer service delivery, attention to detail is required in this business/restaurant as they are very different to any other and could make a very strong and hig quality name for themselves! definitely will return!

nice. i have no criticism, because it would be impossible! i had a great time and I'm sure you and your friends will too!

Located on the corner of 118th Street and St. Nicholas Avenue, Cecil's in Harlem offers a terrific brunch and jazz concert from 12 to 3 on Sundays. Our party of six ordered a variety of dishes and each one was excellent. We shared and especially liked the thick cut brisket with fried egg, the gingerbread pancakes and the poached eggs with salmon and yams. The entire lunch for six, with mimosa and bloody marks, coffee and dessert was $167. And that was just the food. The jazz was terrific, not so loud that you could not talk but clear toned enough to enjoy. The saxophone player who doubled as a vocalist, had a voice so smooth it reminded one of Nat King Cole at his best. No guarantee on who will be in the jazz ensemble when you go but plan on it for the food alone and take whatever music accompanies it as a special bonus.

Though it was a busy Saturday night, our host got us seated right away. We let them know that we had a bit of a time crunch because we had theater tickets and our server came right over and kept the meal moving along nicely, without us ever feeling rushed or stressed. The food is a unique fusion of African, Asian, & American cuisines and flavors, very well prepared and beautifully presented. Portion sizes ranged from moderate to generous. The Cecil itself is a bustling open space decorated in dark hues and original artwork, noisy but not too loud for conversation. The bar area and the restaurant were both full of a nice mix of Harlem locals and gentrifying hipsters. I hope we can visit again!

Went to the Cecil during a birthday weekend trip. We chose the location for the menu options and were thoroughly supra see when we encountered a 3 piece jazz ensemble. We enjoyed our food (I had a meal with scallion grits and chicken sausage) and the various choices of tea. We even ordered a side just to continue to hang out and listen to the music. The servers were efficient and accommodating also. Great choice for a brunch with friends or on a date.

If you don’t have the Orka Fries you are missing one of the wonder of The Cecil. After the Afro / Asian / American Oxtail Dumplings and the Roasted Wild Mushroom Salad we indulged on the Pineapple Black Fried Rice with Smoked Country Cut Pork Ribs in Curry Sauce and the Grilled Pork Sirloin with Schechuan Style Chinese Broccoli, Bhutanese Red Rice, Jicama. As my title notes the mixtures of cultural flavors and textures are wonderful – I know the chef is KNOWN for his Mac and Cheese but there are sooo many other things I want to try on this menu

You might want to try this Harlem spot on faith. The menu is not like any other restaurant I've tried and it might be out of your comfort zone. But try something! The duck noodles, the duck dumplings, the grilled octopus, the wagyu burger, the lamb shank, and the brussells sprouts were big hits in our group of 6. The dark, candle-lit dining room and bar lend themselves to a private feeling even if you find you are yellinc to your tablemates. But what we go out for we found here - great food, good service, and a feeling of comfort and happy friendship as we headed home.

These folks have got some work to do. Horrible acoustics in the place make having a pleasant experience very difficult. Food is good if you can tolerate the noise. Service issues with some poorly trained staff. Overall, great potential not yet realized. Too bad. I'm waiting a while before I go back in hopes that these issues are soon addressed.

PROS Nice variety Spacious Pleasant staff Clean and spacious restroom Short walk from C/B or 2/3 116th street ICONS Portion size small Pricey I had dinner with family from overseas. Staff was accommodating, attentive and courteous. The ribs, lamb chops and skirt steak were ordered. We enjoyed every morsel. We were not rushed in the ordering process nor during the wind down. I would return for a special occasion. I would give it a 5 if the portion size was greater. I had French beans with my skirt steak and there were less than 10 on my plate. Black Women Magic cocktail is a must.

The Cecil has great food and amazing staff. They were super friendly and welcoming. The DJ made it all the more special though, with a great playlist and vibes. The outdoor seats were real comfortable and the dibi with fried plantains and rice might be the star of the show.

What an innovative and varied menu, all well executed and served by a well trained and courteous staff in a great comfortable space. The brunch was really at an exceptional high and the cocktails up to to the same level! The price was very reasonable form this level of quality! Very much worth the trip uptown. I can't wait to go there go dinner! Special thanks to Mr. Anthony for his hospitality!

Lovely room, Very eclectic scene. Lots of different types as patrons. Good food but a limited menu. Look at it and make sure there is something you are in the mood for before going.

the food was eclectically delicious. we raved about the small plates of ox-tail dumplings, fried soft shell crab & braised lamb ribs-the brisket egg roll was too dense and a bit flavorless. we also ordered the chili fries as a small plate and they were delicious. 5 of us dined there on 9/7/14 and the entrees were all great! we had the feijoda, benne seed salmon, afro/asian/american gumbo, fried guinea hen & the branzino and all were delectable as evidenced by the empty plates when we finished. the staff, though courteous and professional throughout most of our night, all but disappeared after they served the entrees. it took long to get the dessert menu so we asked for the check once we placed our dessert order. the staff was solicitous from the time we arrived to wait at the bar till we took out seats and stayed on top of water needs and all the other things but the entree seemed to be the kiss of death as far as having their attention-the place was not full and though we observed staff running around and they seemed to be well-staffed, we can't explain what happened. for dessert we ordered the coconut creme cake-don't do it. it was a heavy tasteless roll of glop though the lemongrass ice cream was delightful. overall, we plan to come back as they food was exceptional and though the service turned slow, they were still pleasant and professional once they would arrive.

Really cool place but for: - the sound level ("energetic" is as much an understatement as warm marshmallow could be to reinforced concrete) - the Maitre d' bringing the bill while we have our dessert spoons in our mouths. Besides that, the cuisine is fun and innovative and the service friendly and knowledgeable.

I visited NYC for 12 days and this was my favourite brunch!!! Classic dishes with a twist! I also enjoyed the unlimited pineapple and champagne cocktail!! It is worth making the hike to Harlem. Will return for dinner when back.

Great food. Go read all the Reviews under Cecil's on Trip Advisor. The bar is a nice place to hang out and get a feel for the Harlem vibe. Reservations are a must, particularly for after church brunch.

This restaurant appeared to be well-reviewed on social media and so I gave it a try. I was not impressed with the food. I had the chicken wings. Not terribly adventurous a choice, I admit, but they were tremendously average. I expected more. I also tried the Golden Tofu, which was uninspired. Just sort of blah. I had higher hopes.

On a Thursday evening, two of my friends and I decided to try this place. The hostess was really kind and helped to make our experience pleasurable. We did not have reservations and the place got crowded pretty quickly but she promised to try to fit us in and before we finished our second round of drinks, we were seated. We ordered wings for appetizer but they were just okay For entrées, I had the pork dish because the salmon on the pre fixe menu was not available and my friends had the trout, and the sea bass and we shared everything. All of the dishes were excellent. Drinks were pricey but good. We tried the Blood and Fire, and the Yuri. For dessert we had the coconut lemon cake (not pie) that was on the pre fixe menu but not on the regular menu. Tasty food and enjoyable atmosphere and very good service. I will definitely visit again.

Before arriving, I was a bit intimidated by the menu and hesitated going. I am so glad I gave it a try. Everything was delicious. My dinner date and I began with the broiled shrimp and the macaroni and cheese. Both were excellent! Our entrees were the crawfish and lobster sandwich and the cinnamon guinea hen accompanied by black pineapple fried rice. Both excellent! To add to the delicious food was the amazing service and the very chic decor. Our waiter, Matt, gave us A+ attention from the time we were seated and was very patient in helping us understand what the dishes were comparable to. Our drinks were great too!

My husband and I decided to try out the Cecil during the July 4th weekend. The restaurant was about half full that evening. We tried the tamarind glazed oxtails, macaroni and cheese with ham and carmelized shallots, roasted fish and the skuna bay salmon roll. The roasted fish wasn't memorable and while I liked the salmon roll it was messy to eat. The star dishes were the oxtails and the macaroni and cheese. The Thai 75 cocktail was excellent and they had some interesting wines by the glass. The peanut punch cocktail was cloying sweet. The service was a bit amateurish which surprised me because of the prices at this restaurant. We enjoyed a drink and some music around the corner at Minton's after dinner which was great.

I came here late one night with my mom during a weekend trip to New York. It was definitely a different vibe than what we are used to I'm South Carolina but I thoroughly enjoyed it. The food was really great and we were able to strike up a conversation with the people sitting at the table next to us. (Which could have been because we are southern and talk to everyone lol). The only downside was the amount of noise. It wasn't the music...it was playing at a reasonable level in the background (and the music selection was great...definitely my style). There were just so many people and I feel like most of them were yelling. Overall a very nice experience. Would definitely go back

My first time at The Cecil we were in town to see a concert at the Metropolitan Museum. II was impressed. Waited at the bar for the rest of my party to arrive for dinner. Very friendly and personable bartender. Knew his stuff and even created some of his own special drinks which were incredible. Dinner was fantastic (I had the Gumbo). Others in my party had dishes like Collard Greens salad, Sea Bass, and Oxtail with spicy Black Beans. All dishes got the thumbs-up. Attentive service and upscale atmosphere! I highly recommend the Cecil for a romantic or group dinner.

This restaurant is fantastic. The service is impeccable. The food is imaginative and delicious. There was one item I selected that didn't completely fulfill my expectations but it was still delicious (and I ate half of it -- didn't want to over eat in order to taste all the wonderful things I had selected). The Afro/Asian American Oxtail dumplings are a must. The bar has innovative drinks. I had a hibiscus tequila cocktail that tasted fresh and not sweet. And the service? Wow. Impressed all the way with the quality of service this place offers. Indeed a gem in Harlem. I will tell anyone who will listen about this beautiful place. I hope it remains consistent since I don't know that there is much they can improve on. Lovely in every way.

This place just has one of the most advanced menus and mixes of flavours. We were a big group and decided to take the entire starter menu to share - good choice. Also the mac and cheese is definitely worth trying. I found the desserts less interesting (They sound very exotic on the menu, but in the end are pretty "normal")

After making reservations we showed up to see an other couple waiting and the "host" casually talking on the phone sitting behind the counter. No acknowledgement of our presence whatsoever. When tried to hang my coat he told me that it is his job to hang my coat.....(but not greeting a customer My comment) After he went back to his conversation, we sauntered out of the restaurant. (still not even looking at us) Of course the owner is responsible to properly train a HOST who is the "first impression" of his establishment.

On food alone, I would rate The Cecil excellent, but some circumstances knock it down just a notch for me (namely the noise level and some prices). Our party of 6 met at the bar and were told we could sit at our table "whenever we were ready." Very nice touch. I hate restaurants that rush you along. We enjoyed a round of cocktails before being seated, but, 3 cocktails, 2 wines and a soda came out to $75 plus tip. Oof. But, the pours are very generous and the bartenders very amiable. We were seated in the main dining room. Nice surroundings... a bit dark and very, very loud. I had trouble hearing conversation from the other corner of the table. It was prime time on a Saturday night so that's not surprising, but be warned: this isn't the spot for a quiet, intimate meal. The menu is wonderfully eclectic: southern, African, creole cuisine with heavy spice notes. Oxtail dumplings and pork belly confit were the standout appetizers. Spinach and black lentil salad was also excellent. Half our party ordered from the wok bar and everyone was satisfied. The jerk bass was great! Mac & cheese was decadent. Definitely get a side of the chili scallion fries for table sharing. Desserts were uniformly good, but the cashew tart was sublime! A must-have. All in all a great experience. Very diverse crowd, very homey feeling to the place. More like a party than an upscale dining experience. Some people will be turned off by that but I saw the positive in it. We'll be back!

At least that's the concept for this restaurant in Harlem. The decor is very hip with a cross between African=Aamerican and Asian and there is an attmpt to mix the two culturally in the food presrntation. However the taste is a bit of a miss. Sake braised lamb ribs to start, sounded enticing but the lamb was a bit tasteless under the yogurt sauce with some odd crunch element. Not pretty to look at and an odd bite. Main courses were grilled beef petite tenderloin and fried chicken and watermelon salad. The chicken was unevenly seasoned so one piece tasted like it may have had a touch of salt and nothing else the other was better seasoned with some spice. Watermelon salad while attractive added nothing to the meal.The tenderloin was good but uninspiring and bit overdone in temperature. The desserts saved the day because they were great. I would go back to have drinks and dessert but the other part of the food menu.... meh!

Been here a few times and it never disappoints. The food is a delicioius mix of African and Asian flavors and the menu is inventive. Quite a fun mix of people too - from locals to people who travel just for this cuisine. The service from the door to table through the meal is top notch. A GREAT place to try.

This place has the worst service of all times. Saw our server once, had to beg for water refills, etc. Asked to speak to a manager and she never came. At least after a half hour she didn't so we just left. Would not recommend this place ever.

We ate at the Cecil after reading about it in Esquire Magazine as the "best new restaurant in America". Obviously a designation like that is pretty much impossible to live up to; but this place really is great. The food, the atmosphere and the service were all excellent. Would love to go back again next time we are in New York.

Tried calling for reservations but there was no answer. In truth they did try calling back but we were already on the way. We were quickly seated. The vibe is cool with the bar and the dining area on the right. The music was on the loud side as per the wife. We ordered the lobster pasta for the lady while I opted for the tenderloin. We started with some presecco and ordered a red pinot. Cab wasn't available. The mains arrived and while the pasta dish was quite good the filet arrived at room temp! One job to do! My friend is a chef and advises me to not send back a steak. I probably should have. Shame really it was a good cut. Ordered a couple other drinks including a single malt. Desert which was supposed to be brownie cheesecake, which turned out to be brownie with ice cream. All told we dropped more than 160 bucks here. Ruth Chris type prices. Wish they would have got the steak right. I want it piping hot.

Came here for dinner as the restaurant was located just next to the flat where we were staying. The best way to explain the restaurant I suppose would be "fine dining Harlem style". The food is kind of Afro-American cuisine with a modern/international twist, the clientele mostly locals. We really liked the place - even if the quality of the food didn't quite live up to the promise of the original sounding dishes.

This rating and review would be much better if it were not for the acoustics in this restaurant. I owe it to everyone reading this to say this right at the top, if you plan on having conversation, this is NOT the place to go. There were 5 of us and it was terribly frustrating to go to someone so expensive for a nice night out and not be able to hear anyone other than the person right next to you without shouting.Even if one enjoys the food, this puts a damper on the whole experience. So, on to the food. It was good...interesting....many unique items and combinations. The challenge with that is if there is one ingredient that you don't like, it would be nice to discuss options with the server. When I tried to talk to the server about the stir fry (all the sauce options were not to my liking - pepper or curry), and see if there was an option of just something more traditional stir-fry sauce, he was not able to assist nor did he offer to ask anyone else. He just kept saying "So, no sauce?", despite my repeated attempts. I gave up. The drink I ordered was not available so the server asked what sort of things I liked. When I described what I was looking for, he said he would have the bartender make something, which seemed accommodating. I did not like what they made and it sat, full, next to me. Al one point, the server pointed to it and asked if it was ok. I said I didn't like it. That was the end of the discussion. No offer to remove it from the check or get me something else. We also saw 3 or 4 different servers throughout the meal, so there was no continuity. They were all friendly, but there was not much ability to have a relationship between the noise level and the changes of people. The food was good, overall. The Jambalaya was nothing special. The Bene-seed Salmon was very good. The Udon noodle dish was good. Overall, at an average of $50 + per person, this should have been much better. It was an expensive disappointment.

We went on a Saturday, for brunch. The food was outstanding, we shared the pri pri chicken and waffle, spicy squid, lamb, ox tail, and deviled eggd . The restaurant decor is modern and the patron are a mixture old and young, and multicultural. The food was just delicious!! I would have given it a better grade ,but I feel that paying premium price for a meal should come with courteous waitress . We were left for long periods of time waiting for items for the table. She could have been more attentive, and more welcoming to first time visitors. We are a custom to New York dining, so we know good service from bad service and her services was bad. Her attitude made the experience a little less enjoyable.

We went to dinner at this restaurant because it came highly recommended to us by a foodie who knew we were in the area. Three of us walked in for dinner at about 8pm. The restaurant had at least thirty tables (with about five taken) and we were told we'd have to wait about 20 minutes for a table since we had no reservations???? WHAT? REALLY?!!! We waited by the bar and were ignored, so after 10 minutes, we walked out. We went up the street to the Cedric Bistro and had a terrific meal! Noone should have to be disrespected when planning on spending $150-200 for dinner. We do NOT recommend The Ceil Restaurant on Adam Clay Powell at 118th St in Harlem! :(

excellent atmosphere, great food, excellent service, a place to go if you are near Harlem in New York

Extremely slow service! It took more than an hour to get the order. The food was tasty, though. Ingredients were fresh and dishes presentation was nice. Very loud place on Sundays brunch. Not sure if we will come back!

I really enjoyed my meal here. The lamb rib starter was absolutely amazing and all the other food we had wasn't far off too. Very original flavours. Dessert in the end was a slight disappointment as it ended up being a very english style pudding which was not what I was expecting, and what I can get plenty of back home. The ambience was nice, though a bit noisy in the main hall. We were on the far side, but that felt a bit close to the service area, and not the 'intimate' couples corner it could have been. The bar looked lively.

Original fusion between asiatici african and traditional cuisine - service can be improved - really noisy place - good desserts

Venture north to 118th street into the heart of Harlem and eat great food whilst listening to jazz Mac and cheese , collard green salad , fried fish and chips and eggs benedict with red curry mayonnaise were all super dishes and very tasty. A first for me was deep fried okra in a very light tempura-like batter which was gorgeous Good value and great atmosphere

Cool place, I love African food and this place serves some impressive African cuisine with some Asian and American fusion. Very chic setting, love the Oxtail Dumplings and the Gumbo.

Like this place a lot. Nice vibe. Well designed room. Menu really interesting. Food very good. On expensive side ( a glass of wine for $ 17 ? Really?). Servers were attentive as a team and nice but there wasn't really one person taking care of us. But overall good experience.

We have a few buddies that frequent NY and they recommended Cecil's. It has a very different menu. Somehow they have been successful in combing ingredients together that the average Joe would not have thought of. My dinner came with peanut butter greens. Interesting huh? I was very skeptical but, they were actually fairly tasty. The price tag is a little bit high but, everything in NY is. If you are going out for a special occasion, this would be a good choice.

The service was very slow. We had to wait to be seated for our 7 p.m. reservation, even though many tables went empty the entire time we were there. There were long intervals between getting our drinks and our food, then the server kind of disappeared for a while when we wanted the check. She was otherwise knowledgeable and professional, offering without a second thought to remove an appetizer that arrived with all of the other dishes from the bill. The food was hit or miss. My companion’s wagyu burger and fries were perfection, and the suya short rib appetizer was close behind. The gingered broccoli was also very tasty. The spicy black-eyed peas were indeed spicy, but the brown rice grits were odd in flavor and texture. The fried okra was very crispy but salty to the point of inedible. I have had much better mac and cheese. My Amina bourbon cocktail was excellent, with sweet, spicy and sour notes. The dining room is attractive, with beautiful chairs and interesting artwork. The noise level was deafening. We had to practically scream to hear each other, which was surprising given how close together we were. Even though the restaurant is in a rapidly gentrifying but not quite there part of Harlem, the prices were on par with what you would see downtown, i.e., on the high side taking into account the space and the quality of the food and service.

Highly recommend this restaurant for delicious, unusual food. Very interesting menu, and great service as well. This was my favorite meal during our week in NY.

The food and wine was faultless. Great chef. Service a little patchy Room gets very noisy but at least you're able to have a private conversation even with people close by. I would definitely return. Drinks can creep the bill up. Not a cheap night out but worth it.

This restaurant was recommended by a Chef/friend in Rocky Mount, NC. This place was amazing! The food is African, Asia, American Cuisine. Every bite was delectable. The atmosphere and the service was GREAT!! I love every minute.

We came after service so it was full But the staff got us a table. The food took a little time But it was wurth it. The burger was fantastic and eventuellt the sidedish were Well Spice. All five in the familj were sattisfied with the meals.

Dined here with my family last week and was pleasantly surprised with the delicious menu items. I knew this was a classy restaurant, did not know how wonderful the food was - simply splendid. We shared the oxtail dumplings (melted in my mouth); the mac and cheese (addictive); the calamari (spicy and crunchy). We ordered the salmon (moist and flavorful) and the BBQ ribs (charred to perfection) - and finished with the Boabab and coconut pie - each bite, better than the next. We each ordered an entree (servings are just right). And we shared the appetizers and desserts. Expensive, but worth every penny!!!

Nice décor, nice layout. Busy and bustling so obviously doing well. One thing that doesn’t work is the acoustics – we were a group of 4 and at times we had difficulty hearing each other since it was quite noisy. So some fabrics/ maybe booths to reduce noise needed. Having said the above, the food was good. I enjoyed my brisket egg roll starter (a lot) and the braised goat udon noodles with a spicy satay style sauce. I was too full to have dessert but attempted the Chocolate flourless cake. I didn’t finish since it was quite a good-sized portion. Staff were friendly and helpful.

The mixture of Asian, African and American tastes made my gumbo unusually tasty with creative ingredients. All of us thoroughly enjoyed the plates we ordered. The atmosphere in This Harlem restaurant was vibrant, lively but so loud that it was sometimes difficult to heat each other! An enjoyable evening to be repeated !

Dishes were innovative. We get to choose our own wok. Really enjoyed. The dessert option was disappointing though. Nice ambiance too...

From the hostess to the doorman as we exited, the staff at The Cecil is shades above the rest. Our waiter Thomas was excellent at keeping us attended to and explaining the different food and drinks. He also gave us a tour of Mintons next door which will definitely be visited sooner than later. The food is unbelievably good.. after a disappointing lunch at Streetbird my mouth was watering for my girlfriends bday dinner at the Cecil. Starting off with pate and toast so good I was ready to ask for seconds.. I gave up meat for lent so I teed off on the delicious cooked to perfection wagyu burger which quickly quenched my appetite. The burger was topped with gruyere if Im not mistaken and complimented with their gourmet french fries. My lady had the sea bass which was also cooked to absolute perfection... she ate half and packed the rest for a midnight culinary experience. Their take on kimchi was spicy and sweet it complimented our mains well. We finished off with the West African chocolate ganache with ice cream and couldn't be happier. Up-and-coming chef JJ Johnson is a talent to behold... he appropriated the exact flavors I expected from an afro-asian combination.. we will be back to celebrate with friends very soon. Super slept on spot uptown that I hope really ushers out-of-owners to venture here.. the Cecil is amongst the new crowd of restos popping up in Harlem and leading the charge.

Went up to dine with family and The Cecil did not dissapoint. From the great general manager and host to the wait staff to the bus boys everyone was welcoming and fun. The food is Afro-Asian-American and it is incredible. Try the Thai cocktail, and the Wok dishes are amazing, and the chicken was perfection.

Sometimes everything just works out perfect. The night I visited The Cecil in Harlem it was absolutely the most perfect food I have had in a long time (I found myself taking pictures of my plates halfway through the meal actually) and service was satisfactory but I am definitely going back.

I really like the ambiance of the place and to be next to the hidden gem the famous Mintons is a special treat

The restaurant is in Harlem and offers "African food". The best dishes were the beef dumplings and the lamb chops

If you have to have brunch whom you do not want to talk or listen to, this would be a very good place to go. When we entered the building during brunch, we were practically blasted back out the door by the noise in the restaurant, at least 20 feet away. We gave our name at the desk, and the woman was quite a long time finding it, despite the restaurant's having telephoned and sent e-mails three times the day before to remind us to turn up. The sound inside the restaurant was really painful. It was coming from two musicians and a woman "singer" at a microphone--which was hardly needed. This was not any kind of music, certainly not jazz. It was just caterwauling. I don't know why or how people can sit through this, much less eat, but we decided to leave them to it.

The Cecil is a cool place very crowded and popular. The food is good but not excellent. The restaurant is a bit noisy, the service was good. Service was good and the prawns and the bass I had were nice.

The incomparable Akie Bermiss on piano in the corner; the happy murmur of conversation of friends, families, kids, couples; an atmosphere both spacious and light, and intimate and comfortable; and absolutely fabulous food. I had the Heritage Eggs -- salmon cakes, perfectly poached fresh eggs, collards, a hollandaise capped with a layered spicy blend with just the right degree of tang and hot, set next to mashed sweet potatoes creamy and sweet -- while my friend had the french toast, stuffed with coconut and topped with rum-soaked apples, and we split a bowl of batter-fried okra that was salty, crispy, chewy and creamy all at once. I was enviously eyeing the plate-sized waffles and stack of gingerbread pancakes at other tables and listening to the satisfied sighs of those eating them. Clearly a return trip is necessary. Add friendly-but-professional service and reasonable prices to the list of assets.

We had reservations for 7. They took a bit to seat us, but it was not a big deal. Entrees are ~$30. Not bad. We ordered. After ~ 1/2 hr six of us were served., The seventh was not. We waited almost 15 minutes; complained to five separate waiters., and finally to an assistant manager. By the time it came the rest of the food was luke-warm. We ate. Asked for the dessert menu. Desserts $10 per portion. Coffee $5. Fine, let us order. We waited 15 more minutes. Someone brought coffee spoons. Useful for banging on the table. After 25 minutes or so of waiting we asked for the check. It came in 2 minutes. I guess they wanted the table. I will never use this place again, nor recommend it to anyone. Go at your own risk.

A service and joyous atmosphere with food that is so memorable that we make it our culinary destination each time we are in NYC.

If you are looking for tasty fab food in uptown try this place. The collard green salad has just enough spice to keep you guessing as to their secret ingredient(s), and the oxtail dumpling was tasty, but seemed to loose a bit of flavor from the steam preparation. The udon, lamb shank and salmon were all outstanding and had flavorful bites beginning to end. And, the okra fries and bok choy was simply tasty!

I visited this restaurant recently with friends and my daughter and was very pleased we did. The food was excellent and the staff were friendly and attentive. We ordered the Steak, Salmon and the seafood pasta and all the dishes were exceptional. I would highly recommend this venue as an alternative to eating in mid-town where you are paying through the nose. The bar staff are also great and if you want to experience a great dining experience in Harlem then look no further.

I have eaten at the cecil many times and I would say that is one of the best restaurants in Harlem. The food is amazing and executive chef Alexander Smalls ensures that the food is consistently good, and is frequently available at huge restaurant. My favorite meal is the gumbo! The lounge scene is also lots of fun and a great way to finish up after dinner. Check out the Jazz Club Minton's that is right next door. One of the best jazz clubs in NYC by far!

I had the TREMENDOUS fortune of dining at this AMAZING restaurant during a recent trip to NYC, and the experience was SO OVERWHELMING that it's taken me nearly a month to find the words to express just how GREAT this restaurant is! While there are some many FANTASTIC aspects to this restaurant (decor, wait staff, etc.), ultimately what matters MOST is the food, which is TRULY SPECTACULAR! At the Cecil, the Chef has assembled a menu that will take you on a culinary journey! Every dish is layered with flavors and textures that demand just another bite for further exploration. Whether you're a good connoisseur or even a travel guru, you'll DEFINITELY want to do yourself a favor and DINE HERE! ENJOY!!!

Cecil is a southern cooking restaurant with a number fried food on the menu . This is our first time trying this place and we had a pretty good brunch on Saturday. Some good oxtail pizza , Fried okra , dumplings , spicy squid. Not so good were ribs , shrimp with greets, cheese cake / sponge cake Tapioca pudding was great. Service was ny a nice waitress who tried very hard but she was not very experienced . I would still recoment this restaurant and would go back to try their dinner .

The meals were tasty. The atmosphere was nice and the owner smalls himself came to greet us. may be because I was sitting with a friend of his and a food critic. The sous-chef brought us an extra dessert. we were seated right away. May be because we had a reservation. The food came right away. I was pleased.

Was introduced to this restaurant by an old friend who lives in the area. We spent 3-4 hours here one evening, having drinks, dinner and catching up. Even though, they say it's a "Steakhouse" I ordered the salmon. As some people say OMG, lovely evening out. My new go to place when in NYC.

We ventured up to 118th Street and St. Nicholas Avenue for dinner and found the neighborhood improved and Cecil a lovely wide open restaurant run by lovely people. It's busy and it's noisy. The menu is "interesting" and staff is very accommodating. We were a group of 3. Two of us liked it better than the third

We had dinner at The Cecil on the 1st night of our trip. Loved the look and feel of the restaurant & there was a lively, relaxed atmosphere. Mostly the food was very good; I had the Brazilian fish stew which had some lovely, fresh flavours but was overpowered by salt (I think from the salt Cod in it). My partner had the Oxtail with grits (recommended by the waiter - who was lovely) and I definitely had food envy - the Oxtail is amazingly good! We didn't use the bar area but it had a good atmosphere & had we not just stepped off of the plane I would have happily had a few more of their delicious cocktails at the bar! My only issue would be that it's very expensive and though the food was very good I do think it's a little over priced. Because of the late hour of our arrival we only had a main each and a couple of drinks and our bill was just over US$160.00 (about £110.00) which seemed a little steep.

Surprising combinations, great food in a modern day Harlem setting. The lamb shank looked spectacular and so it tasted. Very friendly service, great music. Recommended.

Loved my bartender's nightly cocktail special on Wednesday April 25 AND the delicious crab cake with quinoa and salad AND and amazing jazz pianist and vocalist. We really enjoyed ourselves here. I think you will too!

Outstanding dining experience! Located in a chic, newly gentrified part of south Harlem just 5 blocks north of Central Park, Cecil offers diners an elegant, modern environment to experience flavorful and imaginative cuisine inspired by African and Asian tastes that combine splendidly to offer the diner outstanding flavors and textures beautifully presented. Tofu pot stickers with black garlic and scallions,Crispy Artichokes with Harissa, pickled grapes and mint fennel, Chili Tofu with piri piri sauce and Collard Green Salad prepared with spiced cashews and a coconut dressing were outstanding vegan options. Our non vegan friends raved about the Oxtail Dumplings, grilled branzino and grilled salmon. The okra fries were a big hit. The restaurant supports local, natural, sustainable and organic practices.

Enjoyed a great meal before our show at the Apollo. ..wonderful suggestions by our server Michelle: spicy chile squid, collard green salad with cashews and coconut dressing (could use a pop of sweet/sour--blood orange? mango? ), tender veal shortribs, pineapple fried rice (black rice with nice heat, sweetness and chewiness). For dessert olive oil cake with baobab ganache, honey lavender ice cream. Drinks are small, light on alcohol and pricey; no draft beers. Would stick to a bottle of wine from their reasonable selection. Will definitely be back...

This was my second visit to The Cecil and my husband's first. i wanted to go back for my birthday this year. I wasn't disappointed. I't's a friendly warm place, full of life. The food is creative, delicious and fun. I read a review that said the portions were small but seriously we were stuffed and brought leftovers home - and we are big eaters. Our only complaint is that it's noisy which unfortunately is not unusual these days. We are a bit older so we may be more sensitive to the noise level. Otherwise it's great.

I like the food here and the interior is very attractive and comfortable. You will not find the food here in any other restaurant plus the plating is attractive. Wonderful staff!

My wife and I went to dinner at The Cecil, based on the recommendation of a friend who has lived in Manhattan for many years. The iconic Sylvia's is always a good choice for a meal in Harlem, and Red Rooster is probably to it spot. But as our friend promised, The Cecil has really great food! And that turned out to be true. The first pleasant surprise was the flat bread that came out while we were waiting for our 1st course. It was served with a spread made of dates & eggplant. Delicious! For my entre, I had Moqueqa, which hails for the Bahia (northern) region of Brazil. I had it once during a trip to Rio. It was fantastic then, and The Cecil matched that. I was pleased. The ambience in the restaurant is pleasant. We were there early on a Saturday evening, and as the evening progressed, the place filled up. The service was friendly and competent. Definitely recommend The Cecil.

My best good friend was making preparations for my Birthday weekend and saw this magnificent restaurant featured in ESSENCE!!! Me being game for just about anything got all gussied up and made the UBER ride from Manhattan to Harlem. The restaurant decor is pure decadence, swanky & hip. The menu is varied and contains an entree for even the pickiest eaters. We ordered appetizers: oxtail dumplings, the "SLAP YO MOMMA" macaroni & cheese (that's my nickname for it *winks*) and the wings. From the delectable taste of the appetizers we knew we were in for a treat. I ordered the WOK with Salmon and the black bean pineapple rice and ohhhhh weeee. That's exactly the sound I made as I devoured it! Alrighty I'm going to stop here before you guys think I'm getting paid (I'm NOT). Everyone from the hosts to the servers were professional and knowledgeable! So grab some Apollo tickets or after dinner head on over to MINTON's next door for live jazz but definitely make sure you check out CECIL's. I have made myself a promise that each time I step in NYC I will be eating here!!!

We had a very nice dinner here on a rainy friday. The service is welcoming, knowledgeable, caring, and does not rush you at all (occasionally, they seemed to be briefly MIA, but overall this wasn't a problem). The food is described as afro-asian-american, and this is actually pretty accurate. I enjoyed encountering ingredients and flavors that were less familiar to me. some of the dishes are better-prepared and more innovative than others, of course, but nothing was bad. the room is lively -- loud but you can manage a conversation -- and the customers refreshingly diverse.

This is a gem of a place. The staff is lovely and patient as the menu has a number of sections. The decor is very nice but the food is the really star. There were so many terrific favorites up the jambalaya was really the key. Extremely well done - I wish I could have eaten more of it (or had somewhere to take it home to!). I didn't have dessert but someone else at our table did and loved it. The people at the neighboring table were very happy with theirs so our table had to try something. A really great spot!

the menu was surprinsigly mysterious and delicious. Things we were used to it were suddenly turned into something even better. We loved it. A little bit noisy when the live band is playing but nice place to hand out , have a good diner with friends.

Having been to the Cecil a few times already, I knew to expect a fusion of African and other cuisines. The meal this past Saturday was outstanding. The collared greens salad was fantastic, being a twist on the ubiquitous kale salad, done with some coconut cream and roasted hazelnuts. The goat meat udon was great, full of flavor and veggies, as was the goat cheese cake. The service was warm and friendly, overall a very nice meal. The restaurant is a bit on the noisy side, so they would be well served to add some noise absorbers in the ceiling or the walls. The bar area is ample and nicely private from the main dining room, making this a nice loungey destination as well. This is a very nice addition to the new Harlem restaurants that have popped up recently.

We were thrilled to go to the Cecil for dinner. We arrived early and has a very reasonably priced drink at the bar- Happy Hour lasts until 8:30 pm. The bar boasts live music, and the three musicians were excellent. The restaurant is beautiful. Dinner was interesting and delicious- the menu is inspired by the African diaspora, so it has an Afro Asian fusion vibe. We started with delicious goat dumplings and carrot salad. Entrees were black sticky rice with pineapple and tofu, and a lobster noodle dish. Dessert was the Cecil's versions of coconut cream pie and sticky toffee cake. Yum all around. The wine list is limited, and I was not a fan of the chardonnary- hence the four star, not five star review. But I recommend the restaurant enthusiastically and will definitely be back!

We had a great time here before heading to Apollo theater. The staff were super friendly, the orders arrived promptly. We sampled a few different items among which were oxtail dumplings, jumbo prawn and the jambalaya. All excellent.

Came on Sat nite. Really good food (salmon, sea bass great - pasta was good not extraordinary). Good service overall but our waitress was generally MIA. (This made it 4 not 5 stars). Festive atmosphere - particularly birthdays ! Not cheap, maybe a tiny bit pricey but overall value for money. Would recommend.

When you pay $36 for a skirt steak and order it on the rare side of medium rare, 2/3 of a fairly skimpy portion should not be medium well. I almost never send food back, but when I did so tonight, instead of bringing me a properly cooked steak, our waiter, who was inattentive at best, brought the same steak back and showed a light on the thickest portion claiming that it was medium rare. He then offered to warm it up, which would have overcooked it even more. At these prices, that is unacceptable. He offered me a “free shot” as compensation, but when I asked for a little more wine instead, he disappeared and never returned until he brought us our check. We then had to wait almost 30 minutes for him to come back to pick up my credit card, easily one of the worst server experience I can remember. I normally tip 20-25%, but tonight our waiter was lucky to get $10 on a $75 check because even that was more than he deserved. I have always heard good things about the Cecil; they were not evident tonight. Not sure I will ever return. Sent from my iPhone

My first time at The Cecil was this New Years Eve 2015 party when I first sampled a few appetizers namely the oxtail dumplings, the hamachi, the sake braised lamb ribs and some special fried chicken wings for the night. I must admit, it was the sake braised lamb ribs that brought me back twice in the month of January. The first time I went back in the middle of January 1/15/15, the service started out a bit spotty but a nice waitress took over and all was well after that. Now the second time I went in on Saturday night 1/31/2015 at around 10:45pm, it was a complete disaster!!! I am EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED and wish I had gone home instead of letting my craving for the lamb ribs take over. I had gone out of my way after running around in the arctic cold all day. THE SERVICE WAS ATROCIOUS!!! To say the least~~ Upon being seated in the lounge area by the hostess, I waited approximately five minutes and no waitress came over. I had to ask the hostess if they knew that I was there (There were quite a number of tables inside the main restaurant, several people were at the bar and five lounge tables occupied). My waitress finally came over and she offered me a cocktail menu. I informed her that I would like to have some hot tea first before I venture on to the cocktail as I was still extremely cold. As soon as she went down the list of teas and I chose ginger, she ran off before I could tell her what I wanted to eat. She brought the tea and then ran off again. I touched the honey and got some of it on my fingers, only to realize that I didn't even have a napkin on the table to wipe it off. I waited another five minutes and no waitress, so I had to get up and go over to the bar to get myself some paper napkins. When the waitress returned I told her that I had needed her and that I saw her dancing and prancing around by the cash register/bar with other staff while I wait to get service! I requested for her to be a little more attentive. I ordered the sake braised lamb ribs and she informed me that they were out of it. Huge let down, as that was the reason why I went there in the first place. Anyway, knowing it was late, I moved on and decided to get something else. I asked her to tell me what else was OUT before I make a decision, she told me that the duck was out (which is for two). I ordered the braised lamb shank and she went to put it in, only to return to tell me that they are out of it! Didn't I just ask her to tell me what they are OUT of??? Okay, let's try again. So I ordered the grilled beef skirt steak, same thing!!! She returned to tell me that the are OUT of that too...Unbelievable. I finally was able to have success with the grilled wagyu burger (I am not a burger eater) but it was late and I was really hungry and just needed to eat! The waitress disappeared again for another five minutes before I could flag her to get my cocktail (Masai) order in. Once I got her over, I told her that I needed her to bring me some utensils because I was afraid that I would be waiting for those once the food appeared. I also requested to see a manager as the waitress' responses and body language was very nonchalant and negative! A tall male manager came over and I shared my experience up to that point with him. He assured me that he would take over and ensure a better experience. When my food came out he brought it over, two minutes later he asked "how is everything?" and I told him that the burger was good. He then said okay, "Waiter X will now take care of you" and he left!!! By now it was 11:30pm before a female manager walked by and offered my some water! SO LET'S RECAP~~ No water, No utensils, No napkins were placed on my table when I initially sat down since 10:45pm!!! I finished up my wagyu burger which was admittedly tasty before waiter X came over to see how I was doing. I told him that I was ready for my check. He brought over the check ($40.28 for tea, a burger, and a cocktail for one), and of course the manager hadn't even offered to comp the $5 tea considering my experience. So his idea of taking care of me, was putting down my food and passing me off to another one of his nonchalant waiters who kept calling me "sweetie"...Anyway, now I was no longer hungry and just wanted to pay the check and leave. I had received a $10 gift card in the gift bag from NYE and decided that I was going to use it since by now I am sure The Cecil will not be getting anymore of my hard earn cash for their EXTREMELY POOR SERVICE! To top it off I watched as five different waitresses and waiters attempted to complete the closing of my bill, before Waiter X took it to to the back, maybe to Minton's? while I sat there waiting for 10 minutes. Again, I had to request for the hostess to check on them as it was now 12am and I needed to head home. Waiter X came back with an attitude and condescendingly said to me, "OH sorry for the wait, as I was having trouble adding your $10 gift card!" Now, why would the Minton's/The Cecil hand out gift cards if they didn't expect people to use them? I spent $175 for that NYE party and got the $10 gift card in the little bag of favors! When I was there two weeks ago, I spent $70+ after work happy hour on January 15, 2015. It is clear that these people are very judgmental and just plain ole RUDE! As another customer said, it is Great Service that brings repeat customers! You can at least try to be Good! The manager could have offered to comp the drink, or something since I had some poor service and he didn't take the opportunity to do that. He asked again "How was it?" as I was walking out and I told him the service was EXTREMELY POOR!!! He still didn't try to fix it as I was walking out. I must also add, while I sat and ate my burger, at least 2 parties (1 with four women and another 2 couples) waiting for their coats complained about how they wish their service was better. They ate in the main dining room. This experience has really broken my heart because I was so excited and planning to take several people there soon (of course that changed!) I would have been a regular since I am in the neighborhood. Nice looking place, but the title has gone to their heads and the waitstaff is so poorly trained! They should also let the hostess know that it is NOT appropriate to sit down on the couch right next to the customers while taking their little breaks towards the end of the shift! Please wait for me to leave!!! Just classless...It is extremely disappointing, decent food, nice ambiance, but lacking in service! SAD...

Cecil is an amazing addition to the culinary repertoire of Harlem. Amazing surprises on the menu and at the bar. Run don't walk to check this place out!

This COULD be a great spot but they really need to improve in a couple of key areas to make this place work. The worst part is the service and staff. We've been twice now, the first time it was a weeknight and virtually empty, only 3 or 4 tables besides ours but both the service and the food took forever. I'm sorry but when you have 3 waiters and only 4 tables you really need to make sure that the water glasses are filled and you actually ask the people if they need anything. You also shouldn't have to wait 45 mins for a few apps.The second time we went was a busy Saturday night and it was mostly full. We asked how long the wait was and were told 'no longer than 20 mins' so we decided to have a cocktail at the front and wait...45 mins later we walked out disgusted. If it's going to be 45 mins then tell me it's going to be 45 mins, don't lie to my face and waste my time, especially when I'm hungry. Finally the diminutive bartender has no idea what he's doing, he makes a lot of noise and puts on a big production of shaking drinks...even ones that are not supposed to be shaken :( but the end product was disappointing to say the least. These shortcomings on the part of the supporting staff are disappointing because the food for the most part was quite good. The oxtail dumplings and the fried okra were both delicious, the calamari was like you get anywhere except served with a painfully sweet sauce, the BBQ brisket egg roll was a mess, nothing about that dish worked on any level. We didn't get to try any of the mains but they looked quite good. We'll probably go back and give it another chance in a few months but right now it's too much money to be shelling out for a subpar experience. Also, as a couple other people have noted, it is LOUD! Too loud in fact, I like a restaurant with a bustle and buzz to it, but if you have to shout to talk across the table that's not a good thing.

Brunch begins at 11. Seating--dirty silverware. The restaurant is empty but they seat the couples coming in one upon the other. Then the waiter squeezes between the tables with his buttocks brushing our table. For starters I order a disappointing sticky bun which was dry and had no stickiness. My husband had 3 deviled eggs which were too loose and were un-impactful. Next my meal--so terrible, brisket meal. Meat cold and tough, rice hard and uninteresting. My husband had the oxtail with roti. Not the roti seen in advertisement. This was flat bread. In addition the bathroom was dirty. Won't be back and this restaurant gets on of my lowest ratings ever.

The Cecil Restaurant in Harlem is just Amazing. The staff is courteous and attentive, the ambience is reminiscent of Jazz & blues and the food is impeccable. I've been there twice and the quality has remained consistent. Will return anytime I'm in town!

next door to Mintons, after our dinner we walked and had several drinks at the Cecil. Terrific crowd. Good bar scene and restaurant was hoppin. They have same kitchen as Minton. Met the owner, Alexander Smalls. A Gentlemen and you can tell, has a keen eye for his business. Very Impressed.

This was the second time we went to The Cecil and again we were not disappointed with the food quality and originality! Unfortunately the food experience is a bit undermined by the excessive noise level in the restaurant. We wish the owners had paid special attention to the acoustic of the place to offer a total package!

This place took me by surprise! The cuisine is interesting and different yet still really yummy! Their collard green salad is amazing and a must try. All of their dishes are tasty! I always recommend this place because there is plenty of space unlike most restaurants so usually you can get a table without a reservation. The ambiance is nice. Once I was there for brunch and they had a DJ which was cool. The drinks are great too! I haven't been in a while because I moved away but it is a definite must try restaurant! Enjoy!

Sold out Saturday night dinner, underlined by the cacophony reverberating off all the hard surfaces. Service was mostly abrupt and rushed - I was asked 3 times if I had finished my drink. Food was mostly good and spicy, but had to beg for bread.

This was my 1st time going to this restaurant. I must say my family and I do not eat out a lot, but a friend told us of this restaurant due to the fact that I wanted to celebrate my husband's birthday. Therefore friends and I went to this restaurant, which is conveniently located to public transportation and via car as well. From the outside you couldn't tell much, but when you enter inside it's nicely decorated and we'll put together. Most importantly the food is excellent. Very flavorful and very presentable to the sight. Truly nourishing. I was very impressed. I know good and flavorful food when I see and eat it, because I am not a person who lives to just eat and eat etc.. I was always a picky eater and still am. My taste bud is very funny. The food has to really have an exceptional taste to it and the sight of it has to be well presentable and attractive for me to be drawn to it, and I can tell you this restaurant got me. Not only was the food good, but the service was excellent as well. For me this is a good place to eat and I could recommend anyone to eat at this restaurant. The entire atmosphere was excellent.

As the manager told us they perfectly screwed up. ;-) Really far away to reach a quality service and food. A long way to the top! Everything was served cold. And when we told them instead of re-preparing the meal they just cool it up, so it was not eatable.. At least the manager recognized it and offer us the meal, which is a nice way act still. Never it doesn't worth the price

The food is good. I wouldn’t say it’s gonna get ranked in the top steakhouses though. What’s memorable are the other guests. They can get a bit loud and rowdy. Birthdays are awful. They play terribly loud hip hop music by 50 cent “It’s your birthday”. In a steakhouse?! But next door, they have a jazz club. It does not compute. Why don’t they play jazz instead? The experience was a bit jarring. Maybe I’m too old but I’m expecting a little civility from my fellow diners, otherwise I probably shouldn’t or maybe don’t belong with this kind of crowd.

Came here for birthday party. Hostess was very nice, as she said, "just a few more minutes" for an hour and 1/2. We had a reservation, which didn't seem to matter to them. The table was empty for at least 15 minutes and they still hadn't seated us. They did not seem at all interested in making sure we had a good experience. Finally left and had a decent meal(w complimentary champagne) at Vinateria where they made an effort. I would not recommend the Cecil

After reading a lot about this place we decided to visit for dinner. This was a great disappointment. This is the classic "pumped" place.

Truly enjoyed The Cecil, my lady treated me to a birthday dinner at this very fine establishment. The food was delicious and the service was great. The decor and ambiance of this restaurant were amazing. It was a very awesome experience for a birthday dinner. My lady nailed it... I truly love the place. Nelson...

I'm missing the fried chicken with peri peri sauce on yam pancake that was once on the brunch menu. I'm also missing the pitchers of mimosa, which have now been replaced by a mimosa bar. The jazz band was excellent!! Love the scallion grits!!!

The restaurant s in a beautiful place, staffed by very friendly people. The food was fresh and creative...incorporated a lovely variety of cuisines. Lots for a vegetarian.

The food was good; the service was friendly; the only drawback was the noise level. I had fried chicken with yam pancakes... excellent.

This was my first time at The Cecil - a family dinner for Fathers' Day. We ordered and shared a lot of dishes: the ginger glazed squid, the collard green salad, the halibut, ribs, guinea hen, and grilled chicken with rice and beans. Everything was very enjoyable and we'll certainly return, perhaps for the Sunday jazz brunch at Minton's next door. Three suggestions to make the experience better. First. the service, though friendly, was unreliable and we waited a long time for our food to be served. Second, far too much salt is used in most of the dishes, especially the halibut and guinea hen. A lighter touch would be an improvement. Third, some of the prices are very high. For example, $38 for the duck entree is simply too much. Happy to have found this place and looking forward to trying it again.

I like the bar and the mixed drink list. The peanut juice cocktail was nice, and drink list is inventive. The food is a touch above average with the dumplings at the bar one of the stronger contenders. Hands only, dish name for rabbit and roti, was good with the spicy peas. And also the short ribs were of note. The other offerings fell a little short, but the wine list is reasonable and varied so if I am in the neighborhood would eat there again and would stick to the dishes I liked.

I must admit I was not tooooo excited to come here as the food was described as African/Asian fusion. I'm used to seeing that mix on the golf course. However, after having one of the finest meals, I've had in Harlem, I welcome the mix on my plate. The decor is simple. Nothing fancy or exciting to the eye. However they make up for it in cuisine. Hot damn, it was a delicious meal! We started with the Chicken Suya and Spicy Garlic Squid. What a great opener to what ended in a solid finish. The squid was arrived hot and stayed incredible crispy til the end. They were tossed in a garlic sweet and sour sauce. The suya was skewered and topped with a tomato relish and fried plantain. This dish was tasty but was my least fave. We moved on to the salmon in an 'African broth' on a bed of 'Asian' noodles. (which side note classifying anything as an African taste is like saying _______, but I digress). Delicious. The broth was a lightly flavored in what tasted like Ethiopian flavours. The fish was a large plump fillet, pan seared to perfection, on top of crispy-ish lo mein noodles. We tried the pineapple black rice with shrimp in a peri peri sauce. Again, large succulent shrimp on a bed of black rice with a faint essence of pineapple. The pineapple flavour could have been a bit more pronounced but I still ate it. The last entree was the braised beef on top of spinach and cous cous. Ummmm...you know when you take a bite of food and look at after eating it cause you can't believe it tastes so good...well that's the reaction. Hello taste buds. We ended the meal with a multi tiered peanut cake and the coconut pie with yuzu lime sauce and sweet potato icecream. The coconut was like a pudding in a buttery crust with coconut flakes. Coupled with the sweet potato ice cream...fuggetaboutit. The meal was paired with a few cocktails and two bottles of South African wine. My only issue with the cocktails where they never hit the top of the glass but rather filled up to the 2/3 line. Not into it, gimme my drink. They do have an extensive wine list with quite a few options from the continent. I liked this place so much that I am actually willing to shlep to Harlem from Brooklyn for another bite that that mixed table.

This is not just the best restaurant in Harlem, but one of the best restaurants in NYC. It's not the cheapest but by no means is it the most expensive for a pretty classy dining experience in terms of food and ambiance. Also, it's not jet engine loud like so many places in the city. I went with two other people for dinner and I can't remember the last time I liked literally every app and entree on the table. Bill was about $40 per person before tax for food. Given that you can eat for far more than that in Manhattan and have a totally mediocre meal, this is a wonderful bargain.

Food was unique and delicious. Great service and lively atmosphere. Definitely save room for dessert

This was my first day in Harlem in over 30 years.....the area has got past its shabby image and this chic fusion restaurant was ideal. Discrete but knowledgeable and helpful staff, excellent fusion food and an atmosphere that was relaxed and pleasant. A cool jazzy vibe, that I would definitely recommend.

Really amazing food with great ambiance. They have live bands sometime. Amazing exotic fusion food. The service was really nice and waiters very patient. Explained us anything about the dishes

We were anxious to try this Harlem-based African/Asian restaurant. The deviled eggs were nice and the mac and cheese was so rich that it would require multiple meals to consume. The best dish of the day was the fried calamari and fried okra in a chile/ginger sauce. The main dish, biscuits with chicken gravy, was good, but not especially inspiring. Drinks consisted of a glass of gruner Veltliner and a house pineapple mimosa (we'll will take the old fashioned type). Overall, a C.

On Saturday, July 23, my husband and I dined with two good friends at The Cecil Restaurant in Harlem. The atmosphere was lacking for my taste but the food experience was sensational. John, the manager was attentive and accommodating, Mimi, the receptionist was sparkling and hospitable, and Matthew, our waiter was knowledgeable, professional and and perfect with his culinary recommendations. We will definitely be back to indulge in the special dining option for 6 to 10 people where you taste every appetizer and entree for one price. It was a lovely evening.

Enjoyed a memorable night of food, fun and friends at The Cecil's, celebrating my friends birthday. Amazing service, music, staff friendliness and deliciousness. Thank you to the entire team for night out of adult sophistication.

This restaurant was recommended by a local bartender. Anywhere recommend by locals has to be good and Ceci restaurant didn’t disappoint. Make sure you book in advance (we did online) When we got seated staff very attentive drinks were ordered and our food order taken. Wow this was up there with the best pasta we’ve had very tasty and good portion size. At the end of our meal we still had wine in our bottle we asked if we could sit at the bar and finish it off so a fantastic end to a great evening at Ceci

The food at The Cecil is to die for, I really couldn't pick a favourite dish but I thought I made a pretty mean Mac n Cheese until I came here! I'm ruined for life now, especially since I Live 9,000 miles away!

Drinks were very good, I enjoyed the food although it is quite heavy food! The hand made bread was very good and tasty but also very oily and heavy, its like good comfort food. Beware though, this restaurant is SO busy, though you can see the staff working hard to please you. It is also very noisy and would not go here for a date as you literally have to shout to hear yourselves. Overall nice upscale restaurant in Harlem, good for a night out, nice drinks.

This is a great place, excellent service from the staff but I didn't like the food. I had a 48 dollars T bone w/ grilled shrimps but there was so much garlic in it, it was bitter. I Won't return. You can get better options with the money you pay in this place.

Went with a party of twelve for a pre-arranged conference meal. Lively place - noisy but nice - with good service. Food was generous and stimulating; my request for 'blue' lamb was replied to perfectly. Wine very good -- had a mouverdre blend - and my bourbon manhattan and follow up armagnac were delicious and well sized. Certainly recommend.

I visited this wonderful restaurant 3 times for Sunday brunch while visiting in NY and let me tell you it never disappointed. Each time I was with a large group so I sampled so much of the menu that it's difficult to comment on one particular dish. I can say that the menu is unique, and everything was fresh and delicious. I could have stopped with the pastry basket because it had such a flavorful variety, with a cup of coffee, it could stand on its own. But then I would have missed the yummy waffles and collard greens. The decor is beautiful and the staff was always friendly and attentive. The chef was even gracious enough to stop by our table. Don't go in a rush because it's a great place to linger over a savory meal.

My family found This place online thinking it looked amazing. Our reservation is at 8 PM. We were not seated till nine. The front desk host was really nice, can’t remember her name, but she was pretty and had a hat. She gave us a round of drinks on the house and some bread while we waited. Now everything started off great. We informed her it was my grandmothers birthday n she said they sing and do this whole shara for the birthday girl as we saw for a few other groups of birthdays and graduations, pretty cool. They waitier took another 40 mins to get our order and we didn’t receive it til 15 mins to 11. So now we have been there since 745 to 11 ( over three hours) finally got the food. Small portions for the price and it was luke warm but after 3 hours of waiting thinking we would eat at 8. We just ate. After the small portions everyone was still hungry but excited for this big beautiful cake, I had bought my grandmother. We wait another 20 mins for the waitress Jennifer whom we find out. Went home. Granted she had been there since 7 am they said but no one told us. Then we had Craig. The DJ was nice it was nearing 12, and he started to play happy birthday but employees sang nothing not like the other groups got. So dj plays the song again when Craig brings out my cake on plates. Cut terribly. Blobs of cake. So my grandmother never got to even see her cake. The other groups had there cake come out full cake they blew out the candles and then was cut. He comes out with blobs of my cake. I was furious at that point spent extra to get this beautiful New York strawberry cheesecake extra strawberries on top with HAPPY BIRTHDAY on top. I didn’t take a picture before b/c I thought I would be able to when she sees it. Craig starts singing and placing the slices of cake on the table. Someone got real lazy and decided to cut it themselves. Then had to wait 10 mins to get forks. After all that I was done. We spoke to the manager Georgio who couldn’t keep saying next next it won’t happen. That did it for me. NEXT TIME??! I have to wait until next year for my grandmother to have a decent dinner and to see HER cake for that we brought for her birthday!! Nope! This place was terrible! They took half of the check off and gave us champagne like that was gonna make the food service or the experience any better. I believe the place maybe, probably has potential just don’t go before a holiday and not at night b/c ppl obviously get lazy and tired. After all that I told my group to pay for the bill including tax but not gratitudy. Craig gets an attitude and he’s like any group over 6 gets gratuity. I asked him why he felt like he deserved a tip. What did he do but ruin my grandmothers birthday? He goes back to Georgie and the manager takes off gratuity as well, and we left hungry and disappointed. Could have had the same food at made at home and a full cake. After all that, I asked for the rest of my cake back which feed 35 ppl and only less than a quarter came back. There were only 8 of us!! And its clear they didn’t use a knife to cut it. If anyone gets compliments it’s the bartender, b/c the drinks were good. The host in the beginning and the dj.

Attended this famous spot after being shut out of our 1st choice. Nice atmosphere and attentive staff. Food was served and although thought was used in its preparation, I received 2 thinly cut pork chops that would have been served as 1. Asked how I would like them cooked (medium), they arrived dry as a bone. I have had better pieces of meat served at Mom-and Pop places. We were rushed for time, otherwise I may have sent them back. In a city loaded with restaurants, and steakhouses in particular, this one disappointed mightily. I'll not be revisiting this site.

A friend took me here for my birthday - the atmosphere is lovely, and the service was excellent, but the food just was outstanding, and incredibly creative. Try the cinnamon scented fried guinea hen - I have never on earth - it is sublime. Portions are quite good too. Everything they served was excellent, fresh, innovative. My only complaint is that the noise level is very high (and the place was only 1/3 full because we had a very late reservation.) If they can make a few tweaks with the acoustics they will have perfection.

okra tempura and spicy salad does attract your attention. Generous portions and good array of vegetarian choices. The Udon with African peri peri induced peanut sauce was something I have never tried before. And they do carry good range of wine

Cecil gave me a big fat juicy steak I swallowed it all in one swift gulp. thank you cecil, I will be returning. yum steak yum

I’m not always uptown, so, I sometimes slack on all the great places that are there. But, this past weekend, I was in Harlem and got to experience dinner at The Cecil. This Afro-Asian-American brasserie (yes, it’s quite the combo) opens into a cocktail bar, with some seating in a cozy environment. Then, through the passageway, it opens up into the main dining room, chic, with large, beautiful paintings around the space. To drink, I ordered the Blood and Fire (Olmeca Altos Blanco Tequila, Jamaican Sorrel, Fresh Lemon Juice). Now, I was a little confused when the drink wasn’t spicy, as its namesake would infer. Where’s the fire? Luckily, our bartender was quick to recommend the addition of some chili peppers to make all that happen. So, I usually love spicy tequila drinks, but, perhaps adding this chili into the drink may have altered its intended taste. Next time, I might try it as is, or, go for the Thai 75, which sounded really great. To start, we had their Spicy Crispy Ginger Squid (Okra, Sweet Chili Peanut Sauce). This was awesome. I love squid, spice, peanut sauce, well, ok, all of these ingredients, so it wasn’t hard to decide on this one. It was really delicious, the squid was fried just right, not too much breading, but just enough to hold the drizzles of sweet chili peanut sauce, which gave it a little kick and smoothed out the flavor at the same time. For my entree, I ordered Citrus Jerk Wild Striped Bass (African Fonio, Okra, Burst Tomatoes, Parsnip Purée). I really enjoyed this dish as well. The bass was tender and delicate, absorbing the savory, yet subtle flavors from the other components. It was my first time having fonio, a grain, which to me was a bit similar to small grain couscous. Set atop the creamy parsnip puree, the textures of all the ingredients went really well together. You can read my full review with photos at http://sprungonfood.com/2015/03/02/the-cecil/

My fianceea friend of mine and I booked a reservation during resturant week to try it out. We were surprised. This is a Afro/Asian fusion resturant. Many, if not most of the dishes utilize common african foods with asian flavor. Because it was resturant week we decided to order fromt he resturant week menu and we tried a few others. We had heard great reviews about the Mac and cheese so ordered it. It was very good. It is cooked with ham pieces and you can order it in a Single or Double size (we ordered a single size for 3 people which allowed for more than a tasing portion). We ordered the Collard Greens salad, which consists of fresh raw chopped collard Greens with a creamy dressing. If you like Kale salads, you will enjoy this one. They also have "a small plate menu from which we ordered the lamb, which didn't surprise us much. We also ordered two side dishes, the fried okra and the black fried rice. The fried okra was pretty good. Normally i shy away from okra because it's slimly but i figured how bad could it be fried. because the breading was so light and crispy the okra had a great crunch to it. it was done very well. Even if you typically don't like okra, you very well may enjoy this dish. The black fried rice was indeed black rice with bell peppers, lima beans,peas and onions in it. No one at the table was particularlly fond of the fried rice. we just felt like the vegtables over powered the rice. We also ordered the curry cod. the fish was a little blan, but cooked well (light and flaky) and the curry congee was a pleasant surprise. I actually enjoyed that more than the fish. the dessert was very uniique. I ordered the BAHIBE: Bahibe Crema, Palm Sugar Plantains, Tamarind Caramel, Talicherry Pepper Ice Cream, Plantain Chip I must say i did enjoy it but it wasn't like anything i ever tasted before. especially the spicy ice cream. very unique. But pleasant. My friend ordered the RICE PUDDING Jasmine‎ Rice Pudding, Roasted Fuyu Persimmon, Passion Curd, Kataifi She loved this rice puddign, which I did taste. I am not a fan of rice pudding, but they did this dish very well. it is worth a try even if you aren't a fan. The servicde was AWESOME. I can't imagine anyone feeling like service was poor. They were attentive and pleasant. Answered all of our questions with out hesitation. The crowd was lively, and vibrant. The regular prices for dishes can be a bit pricey, but there are many reasonable options on the menue to choose from. The drinks at this place are the real kickers. Strong and sophiscated.

This place is awesome! The decor, the service and the food!!! I can not wait to go back. We went with 4 of us for brunch, split everything. We had oxtail dumplings,the Farm egg white omelette, The BBQ duck sandwich, Brisket and Eggs,Fried chicken and Yam waffles and the open faced breakfast sandwich with cured salmon and duck fat mayo.Everything was better then the next!!!!

We went for dinner at The Cecil last Friday upon reading a great review about this restaurant. First of all, this restaurant is situated on a quiet street in Harlem so it took a half hour subway ride from midtown NYC to get there. But, that subway ride was well worth the trip! The food was amazingly good! Nice ambience and loved the art work. The wait staff are extremely charming and friendly. Definitely a nice place to have a romantic dinner.