12/22/07

Romantic, hip, relaxing

by daveinator

I've never heard of this place until last night. It seems like it's easy to miss when walking by, but when you walk in you can see that this place is full of character. It's dim lit, romantic, great for relaxing back while drinking some delicious tea or eating some gelati. I didn't get to see the jazz band unfortunately, but they did sound great when passing by. My friends and i sat in the back courtyard seating. (i guess you'd call it a courtyard) It was very romantic. You could see the neighboring west village buildings. I'm sure this would be great during the spring and summer time during the morning with the light shining in through the top windows. I recommend the peaches and cream gelati if you ever go and are looking for a good dessert.

• Pros: Very relaxing and great for a date
• Cons: none

09/27/07

Romantic place to celebrate a special occasion

by mirandaj

My husband took me to this place for my birthday on a Saturday night. We found the place to be cozy and romantic and really enjoyed the jazz trio. The food was great - we shared a salad, a delicious pesto pizza, and a slice of cheesecake, and it was exactly right for the two of us. The wine selection was also good and our waiter was attentive and helpful. The prices of the food and drinks and the cover charge were quite reasonable, especially considering the location, quality and ambiance. All in all, we felt like we were able to celebrate a special occasion in style without breaking the bank.

07/13/07

Love it!

by evema83

I had been wanting to go this place for quite sometime and I finally got the opportunity when my boyfriend took me on a surprise dinner date!. I must say it has been one of the best experiences I have had in quite sometime... we arrived for one of the jazz presentations, which added to the already pleasing ambiance of the restaurant. The performers are quite good and the food and wine list great. I would highly recommend this for a date.. or even to just experience something pleasingly different in NYC. Highly recommend making a reservation, especially on nights with performances

• Pros: Food, wine list, Jazz performances

09/23/06

Dopest Jazz Music Spot

by schmuel

Where else can you go for this type of experience, where everything is so excellent, and yet you don't have to pay Village Vanguard prices and be all formal? This place is very casual in the sense that there really isn't a stage, which makes the music very intimate. I have seen amazing trios here, very creative and hard-swinging, sometimes experimental. Regularly recurring musicians - like artists in residence, they are that good. The iced coffees and so on, pastries, food, are also bizarrely good. For real, this place is great for several things, and can be enjoyed many times.

04/23/06

The Best Food and Music!

by jm1965

I've been coming to Next Door to enjoy the great food, and to listen to their outstanding musicians, for the last three years. And I for one, love the fact that they treat their music seriously. There is nothing worse than having to listen to a table full of philistines who don't have enough sense to understand that the young men and woman performing are talented artists, who are trying to connect with their audience. Who knows, maybe Vittorio should charge Blue Note prices? Maybe then, the loudmouths would realize that the music they are drowning out with their chatter is worth a listen. Keep up the good work Vittorio!!!

• Pros: Great Live Music, Fantastic Food, Romantic
• Cons: NONE

04/20/06

Not recommended

by kleaps

My husband and I took our out-of-town parents here last night for some food & music. We were respectful of the musicians and whispered (if spoke at all) during their performance. However, as soon as I accidentally laughed a little too loud, the waiter rushed over to our table and scolded us for being too loud. Next Door at La Lanterna di Vittorio not only lost out on serving us dessert last night but they've lost all of our future business. They take themselves a little too seriously for mediocre food & music. And it's not like they can afford to keep treating customers that way, as there were less than twenty people in the whole place.

Response from this business

22787– April 23, 2006 at 21:46:11 PDT

It is our policy to remind tables which are being disruptively loud, to kindly consider the other people who are trying to enjoy the music, as well as the musicians who are giving their "all" to the audience. Clearly you were one of those disruptive people, otherwise the waiter, who depends on your tip for a living, would not have approached you. That being said, please accept my apologies if my waiter was anything less than courteous or repectful in the manner in which he spoke. It is not our intention to police our customers, but rather to try to strike a balance between our customer's needs and those of the establishment.

11/17/05

Amazing Cafe - Avoid Wednesdays

by docrags

I love La Lanterna and will always recommend it. However, I went downstairs to Next Door to see the live jazz this Wednesday evening for the first time, and was shocked to find a pretentious atmosphere made up of snooty musicians and high-brow would-be jazz aficionados. Don't know about you, but when I go to see live music, I like to enjoy it, talk about it with the people I'm with, and maybe even make a little noise. If you're not into being shushed with an attitude, and enjoy a little conversation with your food and drink, think twice about Next Door (at least on a Wednesday night). It's a cafe, not Carnegie Hall.

• Pros: Food, Upstairs cafe
• Cons: Attitude

11/10/05

A New York Jewel

by irenesmng

Places like La Lanterna is what makes NYC one of the best to live in. Delicious and reasonably-priced food, lots of character and fantastic music, I cannot wait to go back again.

06/23/05

The Best Live Jazz in New York!

by alfista28

I read about the live jazz performances in Time Out New York and decided to go check it out. I didn't expect to find the most fabulous jazz room in the city! I've been back on different nights every week, and have yet to be disappointed THe kicker is that the food is as good as the music. Go see this place now, before the secret gets out!!

• Pros: Music, Food, Atmosphere

08/14/03

The downstairs location is just part of this jazz bar's charm.

by Contributor

The Scene
Forget running all over the city to experience a full New York evening. A little wine, a little jazz and a thankfully little cover charge add up to a hassle-free night out. Sneak down the back stairs of its sister cafe, La Lanterna, and scope out a corner booth close to the band. The full menu from the cafe upstairs is offered, but the rambling wine list satisfies on its own. Entertain the folks or woo a cute neighbor--with its old wood and low ceilings, Next Door makes for one handsome below-the-street bar.

The Draw
Catch it at its best on Wednesdays and Thursdays when a jazz trio warms up the room from 8pm to 11:30pm. The musicians play just feet from the seats, setting a mellow, intimate mood void of stereotypical jazz pretension. A long list of grappas and liquors supplements the wine list, where bottles range from $22 to more than $100.