Zanzibar

A world theme transcends this Hell’s Kitchen bar and lounge, which does double duty as a happy hour haven and weekend hot spot. While a velvet-draped entrance and a red illuminated bar give Zanzibar a clubby flare, the space is accented with a mix of bamboo walls, zebra print banquettes and a hodgepodge of African masks. After work, the happy hour crowd sips fruity cocktails while sharing snacks from a menu of tapas-style Mediterranean small plates. Thursday through Saturday nights, the scene transforms into an all-out party as a DJ spins hip-hop and pop hits.

Editor's Tips

Save Money:: During happy hour (weekdays, 5pm-8pm), get a complimentary beverage with the purchase of any item from the a la carte menu.
What to Drink:: Try the Gin Gin ($12), made with Hendricks gin, cranberry juice, bitters and cucumber juice.
The Extras:: Anyone can be a VIP here. Reserve one of the semi-private alcove rooms, which can accommodate 20 to 30 people.

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User Reviews (100)

ambiance	100.0% positive	“The comfortable cauches are just what you need to unwind.” “The decor is really pretty.” “Other than that, this might be a good pick for a low-key hang-out space with some ambience and sophistication.” “Zanzibar is a fun place with good music & drinks, but it is rather difficult to talk to people through a fireplace (that spans from floor to ceiling) that sits directly in the middle of one of their back rooms.” “The back room is great and cozy.” “Inviting decor and great staff.” “This bar is a lot of fun, pretty big with a good DJ.” “The atmosphere was pumping and the service was great.” “just went to this lounge yesterday and I think It's the most romantic place to take a date or your spouse however, I would prefer you to dine at another place.” “Zanzibar is a nice place, I went there the other day on a date and it was fun.” “don't think this is common ocurrence; the atmosphere appeared semi-mature (20's-30's) and the vibe was cool.” “have always enjoyed the music, drinks and atmosphere, but I would normally eat a meal somewhere else before getting there because they only served appetizer portions, (tasty but small).” “Love the back lounge, the circular fire place is very cozy.” “The atmosphere was simply great.” “The place is beautiful, cozy.” “The crowd is very good looking and fun.” “My friends and I are on the search for the perfect place - the place that isn't snobby - and is chill - and has hot men - so, we came to Zanzibar to check it out - it isn't on the top - but we are glad we found it - the place is lots of fun - its very chi” “Delicious drinks, nice atmosphere and good service are a very good combination.” “This place is nice, cozy and romantic.” “Zanzibar offers plush, comfortable seating, and breezy open views for that Friday night or late night happy hour when you don't want to get too crazy.” “Great atmosphere!” “The atmosphere is very comfortable and we had a great time even by interacting with other customers (apparently this place attracts very cool people!)” “Great decor, nice staff.” “really enjoy the ambiance and the posh setting, music is very dated and up beat.” “love this place so much fun and the drinks are great”
drinks	88.40999603271484% positive	“Great time/great drinks” “Zanzibar is a great place for after work drinks or a late night hang out spot.” “The special drinks, the watermelon martini is great.” “... However, our experience last night was that the service was absolutely horrible, and these people don't know how to make a drink.” “Really liked the signature drinks and the waitstaff was very social and available.” “The hostess did not look pleased to seat us, or just about anybody, the waitress' friendly demeanor was forced, perhaps after overhearing our comments and our drinks were weak.” “Got there about nine, had some food (the crispy shrimp and the lamb chops are to die for) and then moved to the bar.” “Good food, great drinks, nice vibe” “They have geat drinks, amazing food and the best music.” “love this place so much fun and the drinks are great” “You can people watch and sip on some amazing cocktails.” “It's a great lounge in NYC, as opposed to the club scene or a bar.” “Delicious drinks, nice atmosphere and good service are a very good combination.” “when it's not too busy it's a great place to drink, catch up with friends, and meet new people.” “Well, that's the best part, they have some amazing cocktails.” “They have my favorite drink: the watermelon martini and they make it so good.” “really nice looking people having a great time, sipping on great cocktails.” “Weak drinks, Unfriendly staff and poor security” “They have great snacks to go with the drinks.” “The waitress kept the drinks coming and the bartender made us some good mango mojito.” “Anyway, if you like sweet drinks, you should try it.” “All the food is kind of pick-up food; great to complement drinks.” “The drinks are SO pricey though, and not even that good.” “The drinks are great and the waitress are hot.” “Great crowd, great music, the food and drinks don't dissapoint and great friendly service all in one place.” “Prices on drinks are a little expensive, but nothing too crazy” “The drinks were great as always.” “She just wanted to put her purse down to order a drink and this guy says 'someone is sitting here.'” “Great Bar, expensive drinks” “Then the drinks and shots kept on flowing, the finger food was great.” “This bar is a lot of fun, pretty big with a good DJ.” “The bar scene is always lively and the crowd is good looking.” “The special drinks (they were rates one of the top five by Citysearch) especially the Mango Mojito were delicious.” “The specialty drinks are amazing, becareful though they are deceptively strong.” “Zanzibar is a fun place with good music & drinks, but it is rather difficult to talk to people through a fireplace (that spans from floor to ceiling) that sits directly in the middle of one of their back rooms.” “After that we stayed around for some drinks which were very good.” “Aside from those changes the service, atmospher, food and drinks, are all great.” “bad staff and management that make you feel like they are doing you a favor by allowing you a drink and a bite to eat.” “We had a table, got some food, great calamari salad, got some drinks, hung out.” “The waitress was great too, as she ran back and forth with rounds of our b-day shots and drinks.” “It was during the week-end and even though there were tons of other customers and the place was packed we received the drinks on time and the service was very attentive and efficient.” “They have the best specialty drinks around.” “We now enjoy wine in a completely different way.” “Lots of nice people and great drinks.” “We had to ask the hostess for one a few times before we were able to order food, and we ordered all of our drinks from the bar, as no one came aroudn to ask if we wanted another.” “the eruption martini was really good and yes their drinks are small.” “The drinks were so good, our waitress had them comming, she was great, really took good care of us.” “Great bar!” “have always enjoyed the music, drinks and atmosphere, but I would normally eat a meal somewhere else before getting there because they only served appetizer portions, (tasty but small).” “The drinks are always good here.” “We got a nice table, had some decent food and great drinks and people watched.” “Really nice crowd, great drinks, good music.” “It's a great spot for drinks but I wouldn't have dinner here again.” “The drinks are pricey.” “Besides great drinks, they have really good food.” “They offer somewhat unique and tasty cocktails and a good amount of seating if you call in advance.” “They have some fabulous cocktails.” “Simply put, Zanzibar it quite possibly the worst bar I've been to and I have lived in NYC for 5 years.” “The waitresses are very cool and keep the drinks comming.” “Wow we had lots of delicious cocktails.” “The first time I tried out this spot, it was nothing short of a blast; the drinks, the friendly service, the people, the music, the mood.” “Great place for afterwork drinks” “The food was great, and the drinks flowed freely without breaking the bank.” “Aside from the drinks being horribly overpriced and weak, the bartenders and waitresses were flat out rude.” “Their FREE bar food was great and the finger foods we ordered off the menu were delicious too (portion were kind of small, though).” “The food is delish - I recommend any of the Middle Eastern Pies and the Moroccan Red Chickey -- but the cocktails are the shining star.” “The drinks were served by a very nice waitress.” “Good looking people, good drinks, fast waitresses and bar tenders!” “Friendly, proffesional service, great food and drinks at reasonable prices.”
food quality	93.75% positive	“We got a nice table, had some decent food and great drinks and people watched.” “Otherwise, the seats were uncomfortable (ahhh- the back pain), the food was below average and wayyyyyyy to pricey for the size and quality.” “have always enjoyed the music, drinks and atmosphere, but I would normally eat a meal somewhere else before getting there because they only served appetizer portions, (tasty but small).” “would have given this place 5 stars but the food left a very nasty taste in my mouth so 3 starts will have to do.” “The food is pretty amazing too.” “Good food” “They have geat drinks, amazing food and the best music.” “The appetizers and food we ordered were mediocre at best and took forever to be served.” “They got some good finger food too.” “Friendly, proffesional service, great food and drinks at reasonable prices.” “Got there about nine, had some food (the crispy shrimp and the lamb chops are to die for) and then moved to the bar.” “The food was amazingly unique and the music was such a good mix of different styles that each friend of mine has a different music taste, nobody was getting bored!” “am no professional fish eater so when I was given the choice of bones in or having them filet it for me I was really relieved.” “The food was fresh and tasty.” “The special drinks (they were rates one of the top five by Citysearch) especially the Mango Mojito were delicious.” “The crab spring rolls are really good, so are the crispy shrimp.” “The party food is really great too.” “Their FREE bar food was great and the finger foods we ordered off the menu were delicious too (portion were kind of small, though).” “The food was great, and the drinks flowed freely without breaking the bank.” “The finger food was so good, I loved the crab spring rolls and the cripsy shrimp.” “We had a table, got some food, great calamari salad, got some drinks, hung out.” “Good food, great drinks, nice vibe” “also recommend the middle easter pies, the one with shrimp is really good.” “Finger foods were quite tasty as well.” “Not the friedliest staff but really good food.” “love their finger food.” “Wow we had lots of delicious cocktails.” “Aside from those changes the service, atmospher, food and drinks, are all great.” “and some great new dishes like the fish sandwhich and burger have been added.” “The steak is great, cut up to share, which is very nice.” “The food is delish - I recommend any of the Middle Eastern Pies and the Moroccan Red Chickey -- but the cocktails are the shining star.” “All the food is kind of pick-up food; great to complement drinks.” “We had to ask the hostess for one a few times before we were able to order food, and we ordered all of our drinks from the bar, as no one came aroudn to ask if we wanted another.” “Great crowd, great music, the food and drinks don't dissapoint and great friendly service all in one place.” “Besides great drinks, they have really good food.” “Loved the pita burgers.” “We had some steaks and burgers that were realy good.” “We had great food; the mussels are amazing, so is the burger.” “Now not only do they have delicious appetizers but great meals (that will fill you up) as well!” “They offer somewhat unique and tasty cocktails and a good amount of seating if you call in advance.” “The food is really great, the musssels are the best I've had.” “The food is great; try the mussels, really good!” “The food was delicious.” “They have excellent mussles and finger food.” “The food was just perfect, especially the mussels were fantastic.” “Then the drinks and shots kept on flowing, the finger food was great.” “The food is awesome.” “The food was very good and unique; the spring rolls were very good; I loved the crispy shrimp.”
menu variety	91.66999816894531% positive	“Our waitress was friendly and attentive, but the menu was way too expensive for the portions provided.” “Martinis are my favorites, they make a great variety of flavors.” “Their FREE bar food was great and the finger foods we ordered off the menu were delicious too (portion were kind of small, though).” “Great new menu!”
overall	100.0% positive	“The best thing about the place was that the waitress was nice and rushed our order so that we could catch an 8pm show.” “It's a feel good place.” “It's a great place.” “have to say I had a great experience since all my girlfriends were happy and I was definitely satisfied with everything because I had been the one to pick the place.” “Normally a good place” “great place to start the night.” “when it's not too busy it's a great place to drink, catch up with friends, and meet new people.” “Realy great place to hang out after work, and I don't say that a lot!” “Zanzibar is a great place for after work drinks or a late night hang out spot.” “It's really a great place to just relax after work.” “Great crowd, great music, the food and drinks don't dissapoint and great friendly service all in one place.” “great place to chill” “Zanzibar is a nice place, I went there the other day on a date and it was fun.” “The atmosphere is very comfortable and we had a great time even by interacting with other customers (apparently this place attracts very cool people!)”
return potential	100.0% positive	“will definitely go back and I highly recommend Zanzibar!”
service	92.01000213623047% positive	“It was a great spot for people watching.” “The best thing about the place was that the waitress was nice and rushed our order so that we could catch an 8pm show.” “The first time I tried out this spot, it was nothing short of a blast; the drinks, the friendly service, the people, the music, the mood.” “The service was really nice.” “Service is friendly and fast.” “Lots of nice people and great drinks.” “We had to ask the hostess for one a few times before we were able to order food, and we ordered all of our drinks from the bar, as no one came aroudn to ask if we wanted another.” “It's nicely decorated and the staff is really friendly.” “The bartenders are so cool.” “Zanzibar is a fun place with good music & drinks, but it is rather difficult to talk to people through a fireplace (that spans from floor to ceiling) that sits directly in the middle of one of their back rooms.” “The hostess was great, she made sure we got more seats as the group was enlarging.” “The drinks were served by a very nice waitress.” “Our waitress was amazing, funny and very attentive.” “Great decor, nice staff.” “Our waitress was friendly and attentive, but the menu was way too expensive for the portions provided.” “The drinks are great and the waitress are hot.” “Quick service in a very nice surroundings.” “The hostess was really terrific.” “My friends and I are on the search for the perfect place - the place that isn't snobby - and is chill - and has hot men - so, we came to Zanzibar to check it out - it isn't on the top - but we are glad we found it - the place is lots of fun - its very chi” “You can people watch and sip on some amazing cocktails.” “Inviting decor and great staff.” “The bartender was also very attentive which is always a plus.” “Good looking people, good drinks, fast waitresses and bar tenders!” “really nice looking people having a great time, sipping on great cocktails.” “Good crowd, good music and attentive service” “Their staff was so friendly and easy to wwork with.” “The crowd of interesting, good looking people provided a pleasant backdrop to our soiree.” “The waitress were so nice and attentive.” “The waitress kept the drinks coming and the bartender made us some good mango mojito.” “Aside from the drinks being horribly overpriced and weak, the bartenders and waitresses were flat out rude.” “... However, our experience last night was that the service was absolutely horrible, and these people don't know how to make a drink.” “When it's crazy it's a scene - most people will like that, especially for a night out on the town.” “We got a nice table, had some decent food and great drinks and people watched.” “Great place, Cool people” “The staff was very nice.” “The service is always very friendly, but when they are full it takes a minute or two to get your order.” “The atmosphere is very comfortable and we had a great time even by interacting with other customers (apparently this place attracts very cool people!)” “The service was great.” “Weak drinks, Unfriendly staff and poor security” “The waitress was great too, as she ran back and forth with rounds of our b-day shots and drinks.” “The hostess did not look pleased to seat us, or just about anybody, the waitress' friendly demeanor was forced, perhaps after overhearing our comments and our drinks were weak.” “And I was treated rudely by a manager when I had dropped an expensive wrap on the bench there, and called to see if it had been found.” “Delicious drinks, nice atmosphere and good service are a very good combination.” “It's a nice crowd of pretty people.” “Everyone there was so helpful, the manager, the hostesses, the waitresses.” “Great place, people!” “The event manager is great, he got everything moving so fast.” “The staff was so helpful and accomodating, even though the place was busy.” “We had a wonderful, attentive waitress.” “The drinks were so good, our waitress had them comming, she was great, really took good care of us.” “bad staff and management that make you feel like they are doing you a favor by allowing you a drink and a bite to eat.” “loved our waitress, she was great.” “The waitresses were great and very attentive.” “Not the friedliest staff but really good food.” “Our waitress was very attentive and the music was just perfect, not too loud and kept us there longer than we anticipated.” “Lots of nice people.” “Friendly, proffesional service, great food and drinks at reasonable prices.” “Aside from those changes the service, atmospher, food and drinks, are all great.” “Our waitress was amazing.” “Friendly service.” “The waitress was very attentive and so sweet.” “The service is good.” “Great crowd, great music, the food and drinks don't dissapoint and great friendly service all in one place.” “It was during the week-end and even though there were tons of other customers and the place was packed we received the drinks on time and the service was very attentive and efficient.” “when it's not too busy it's a great place to drink, catch up with friends, and meet new people.” “The service was horrible.” “The waitresses are very cool and keep the drinks comming.” “Zanzibar's manager was so friendly and helpful which made planning the party a breeze.” “The hostess was great about making sure we had enough chairs.” “The atmosphere was pumping and the service was great.” “Drinks are good, employees are nice and friendly, and the customers are friendly and with-it.” “The room we got was beautiful and just the right size, we had our own server who was very gracious and provided quick service, and the DJ was hot.” “Our waitress was great.”
value	34.719998836517334% positive	“Aside from the drinks being horribly overpriced and weak, the bartenders and waitresses were flat out rude.” “Otherwise, the seats were uncomfortable (ahhh- the back pain), the food was below average and wayyyyyyy to pricey for the size and quality.” “Our waitress was friendly and attentive, but the menu was way too expensive for the portions provided.” “The drinks are pricey.” “Great Bar, expensive drinks” “Friendly, proffesional service, great food and drinks at reasonable prices.” “have always enjoyed the music, drinks and atmosphere, but I would normally eat a meal somewhere else before getting there because they only served appetizer portions, (tasty but small).” “The drinks are SO pricey though, and not even that good.” “Prices on drinks are a little expensive, but nothing too crazy” “One stormy night they "lost" my expensive red umbrella, amidst a sea of black umbrellas.” “You are not in the mood for a huge line at a club?” “And I was treated rudely by a manager when I had dropped an expensive wrap on the bench there, and called to see if it had been found.”
wait time	100.0% positive	“The service is always very friendly, but when they are full it takes a minute or two to get your order.” “The room we got was beautiful and just the right size, we had our own server who was very gracious and provided quick service, and the DJ was hot.”