Profile

Fresh from a punchy, historically accurate renovation in 2000, the zebra-striped, Art Deco Lenox Lounge continues to shine as a Harlem landmark. Opened in 1939, this cathedral of jazz regularly hosted Billie Holiday, Miles Davis and John Coltrane back in the day and currently offers some of the best live music in the city for a reasonable under-$30 cover. Marquee names like Hank Johnson and Carrie Jackson pack the house on the weekends, although regular Patience Higgins also manages to fill both the swank rear room and the chattier, TV-laden front area during her every-other-Monday sets. The crowd is a spunky mix of local hipsters, students, and tourists here for the great jazz and reasonable drinks. Lenox Lounge also has a small but competent kitchen that spins out soul food dishes as well as the typical complement of sides like macaroni and cheese and sweet potatoes. One caveat: When things get busy (which they often do), the service goes rapidly downhill. Luckily, the music quality rarely falters. — Mike Sanfilippo