Harlem Soul Food and Jazz Evening Tour

New York City, United States of America

Take a tour of Harlem, then dine on soul food and see a jazz show at a famous Harlem club. There's no better way to explore the full range of Harlem's diverse ethnic history, music and food!

Harlem has evolved into one of the city's hip neighborhoods, full of bars, nightclubs and restaurants. Harlem is also a center of jazz and bebop music. Many famous artists have performed at Harlem's Apollo Theater including Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker, Ella Fitzgerald and James Brown.

This evening tour takes you behind the scenes of Harlem and covers all aspects of this famous neighborhood. You'll explore Harlem's musical legacy, its churches, spiritual centers and swinging nightlife.

After your tour of Harlem, you'll be treated to a traditional, home-style soul food meal at a local restaurant. Then, after dinner, you'll catch a jam session at a local Harlem jazz club, where two free drinks are included and the music is red hot!

On Mondays, you can dance the night away at Harlem's renovated Cotton Club, where you'll sway to the beat of a local swing band. Dance lessons are available on Mondays.

Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is "Soul Food"?
A: Soul Food is traditional African American cuisine that originated in the South in the United States. Today it has become a highly sought after cuisine. It consists of spicy ribs, collard greens, fried fish and chicken, freshly cooked corn bread, and a few side dishes like black eye peas, okra, or macaroni and cheese to mention a few. There is no separate vegetarian menu, however, some of the food, including the greens, corn bread, okra and macaroni and cheese are vegetarian.

USD $135.00

Traveler Reviews

Review by: Clarel S	April 2012
Excellent evening. Our guide was great and quite informative. The food at Sylvia's was as good as ever, especially the chicken._br/_ Although, I was a little disappointed with the size of the Cotton Club, the evening was most enjoyable and they had a great range of entertainment._br/_ Recommended.

Review by: Michael S	January 2012
Fantastic tour, lots of fun. The guide was interesting and informative, food - excellent, and the Cotton Club is just special, a real treat for the senses. Our tour group of about 10 all got along great, and we all had a wonderful time. Everyone should do this tour, it's a feast for the senses.

Review by: Rosemary O	November 2011
Excellent event, the food at Sylvia's was fantastic and the music and dancing at the Cotton Club was enjoyable.

Review by: Faye	October 2011
Bus tour guide was excellent. Soul food was okay but a bit hurried because we had to be at the club. Music was great but we were all put in a side area so felt a bit out of it. Only go if you really like the music.

Review by: JB	October 2011
A very ordinary experience, the soul food dinner was poor, the show was ok except the seats the tour have where at the back and had no view of the stage. We moved seats to get a view of the band which was the best part of the evening.

Review by: annemari	October 2011
Food was good and jazz as well

Review by: K P R	September 2011
One of the highlight of our trip to New York. Do this tour on a Monday as you go to the Cotton Club. We were so lucky the well know heavy weight boxer Joe Fraser who must be in his 80s was there and sang a couple of numbers. The only downside was that we were not there long enough. Well worth the trip.

Review by: kitty	September 2011
This was a great night. The tour guide was very good and knowledgeable. The Cotton Club was a great experience and we would recommend this tour.

Review by: Sarah-Isabelle M	August 2011
It was amazing as I was visiting for my dad, that was back in Australia dying of Cancer and he's a big Jazz buff.Got lots of pics for him. John the general manager was so nice and had some lovely gifts for me to take home to dad. _br/_ It was also amazing to finally get to eat at "Sylvia's" for dinner.

Review by: Sheila	July 2011
A superb tour. Sylvia's was great and loads of food. The Cotton Club was excellent. We didn't want to leave at midnight - could have stayed all night.

Review by: Gayle P	July 2011
food just ok, guide brilliant have a new idea about Harlam fantastic buildings great part of the city I would have missed if not on tour. The Jazz bar was fantastic quality jazz all the way.

Review by: Anonymous	May 2011
It was not entirely bad , the show at the cotton club is really bad but that night there was an amateur dancer who was extraordinary and that rose the level several stars but it was mere coincidence. The wine was horrible and in the restaurant that was very nice the food was just correct.

Review by: Susan K	January 2011
When we got to the place, everybody spoke French. It would have been nice if they mentioned that the tour was by a French owned company. Nevertheless it was an ok tour, we saw parts of Harlem, didn't much enjoy the soul food place sylvia's. And the cotton club was ok.

Review by: Alan B	December 2010
Great tour guide (Peggy) whose linguistic skills readily accommodated our Italian friends. Soul food plentiful. Dancing at the Cotton Club a buzz

Review by: Jayne M	December 2010
A different type of evening. Good company and the Cotton Club show was excellent.

Review by: linda c	November 2010
ok but not alot of time in club also entertainment was very poor

Review by: Catherine D	November 2010
Was a lot of fun. Food was okay, not great but was typical for Soul food I guess. A little disappointed that the Cotton Club was closed but Shermann's was great for our jazz experience..

Review by: Jennifer L	November 2010
We were really looking forward to the Soul Food on the trip and was not disappointed - we went to Sylvia's which was delicious, fried chicken, corn bread, rice and greens. Harlem is fascinating and the Cotton Club Jazz show was brilliant - a really good experience. Peggy the Tour Guide was friendly and knowledgeable. We really enjoyed the tour and it gave us a taste of the history of NYC, Harlem and Jazz.

Review by: Bronwyn M	October 2010
Great tour didn't see as much of Harlem as we would have liked due to poor visibility due to the weather otherwise it was a great night out

Review by: Isobel B	October 2010
The guide was informative and friendly. The food was pretty ordinary, perhaps 'cause serving a crowd. It was a delight to visit the cotton club. But saddening to see it is just for tourists and the seating unbearably hard.

Review by: Kelly G	October 2010
Truly one of the highlights of my New York trip! The food was great and the entertainment was even better! I will definitely do this again on my next trip to the big apple.

Review by: Richard S	August 2010
excellent trip throughly recommended. Excellent guide great food very worthwhile. Good value and very worthwhile. Best trip of the week.

Review by: Melissa E	July 2010
Great night out in Harlem - Cotton Club on a Monday night is highly recommended for authentic jazz experience

Review by: Anonymous	July 2010
This tour presents a pleasant variety to any vacation plan. Sylvia's Soul Food was good, but I really enjoyed the music and dancing at the Cotton Club. I wished that we could have gone into the Apollo Theater, and made a couple other stops, but the focus of the trip was well met.

Review by: Stefi G, Greece	March 2010
Just don't miss this!

Review by: Maria Eleni K	March 2010
Just don't miss this!

Review by: Karen S, United Kingdom	February 2010
Had a great time.Tour guide was really interesting and had loads of information about the area and people. Soul food was okay but not really to our taste, but that doesn't mean it would be the same for you. Cotton Club was amazing, lots of good music, dancing, audience involvement and a great atmosphere.

Review by: Anonymous, Australia	January 2010
The second time we've done it. Even better this time, especially as attended the Cotton Club.

Review by: Anonymous, United States of America	November 2009
The guide was very informative I would not have ventured into the area by myself in the evening, so the tour was very helpful. The dinner could have been better coordinated and the menu improved. The visit to the Cotton Club should be better coordinated.

Review by: Tania W, United Kingdom	September 2009
We booked this trip thinking it went to the Cotton Club, found out on the night that they only go to the Cotton Club on a monday and rest of time goes to Mintons Playhouse. We went to Silvia's for soul food, which was excellent and would highly reccommend. Mintons playhouse was good and the staff very friendly, a good way to see Harlem at night!

Review by: Cheryl S, Australia	September 2009
The tour guide was fantastic, it was well organized and the night was good!

Review by: Anonymous	September 2009
We booked this trip thinking it went to the Cotton Club, found out on the night that they only go to the Cotton Club on a monday and rest of time goes to Mintons Playhouse. We went to Silvia's for soul food, which was excellent and would highly reccommend. Mintons playhouse was good and the staff very friendly, a good way to see Harlem at night!

Review by: Dimitris K, Greece	August 2009
The best experience in all of our trip! Amazing! Totally worth it! The best restaurant in town and, of course, the legendary Cotton Club, which remains as glorious as it was!

Review by: Tony F, United Kingdom	August 2009
Well organised tour round Harlem. Soul food meal in Sylvia's was enjoyable, service in The Cotton Club could have been better. Entertainment was good in the club, as was the guide.

Review by: Kate M, Australia	August 2009
Food was nice and jazz was good, but overall probably not worth that much money. Tour guide was OK, not great as he was distracted by talking to one tour participant in a language she was studying. We were the only people at the club, which was a shame as it lacked atmosphere. Also we did not go to the Cotton Club, which was disapointing.

Review by: Anonymous, United Kingdom	May 2009
The evening was good, but it was spoilt by the meal that did not live up to our expectations. If you like lots of overcooked chicken and fish then fine, but frankly given it was supposed to be the home of soul food in Harlem it would have been more fresh from KFC! The tour was OK, but no one could see out of the front of the bus, so much of what was described could not be seen. Finally, I think only about 20 of the group were actually dropped at the point they requested on Broadway as the guide and driver seemed more intent on getting rid of us and squeezing us for a tip.

Review by: Anonymous, Ireland	April 2009
Fantastic trip, good food, great music, excellent guide.

Review by: Anonymous, United Kingdom	December 2008
We had a great time and would recommend it to anyone. Our guide was great, the food very good and the Cotton Club afterwards had a fantastic atmosphere, we were all made to feel part of the community.

Review by: Susanne P, United Kingdom	October 2008
Excellent evening - would do it again. Great value.

Review by: Tania C, United Kingdom	July 2008
Our guide was great, she was very enthusiastic. W got a good look and feel of Harlem, she was passionate about its history and I could feel the soul in this part of the island that is so different to downtown. The food was great and it must have been good as the place was full of locals. The Jazz Club had a feeling of history and the band played real jazz, not the commercial sort. The club was nearly empty apart from us which was a pity but we were told that it was the tourists that generally kept these places going, so it seemed sad that New Yorkers are missing out on a part of their history as well as a great night out. Many thanks, would certainly do it again if I come back to New York.

Review by: Susan W, Spain	December 2007
A real jazz treat, food was excellent and Cotton Club was fantastic. Not commercialized in any way, a great way to spend an evening in New York.

Review by: Jan J, Sweden	December 2007
Excellent guide.

Review by: Susan B, United Kingdom	September 2007
We had a great guide who was knowledgeable about the area. The food was really good with a friendly wait staff. The Cotton club was not what I had imagined, but it was a great night out all the same.