No. No no no. This is indecent. My friend accidentally ate a piece of glass that was in her food here. And I understand that accidents happen, but this establishment refused to deal with their mistake. They wouldn't even pay the 30 dollar co-pay from her emergency room visit that had to happen because of their mistake. That is not okay.
Review Source:WARNING: DO NOT GO HERE!!!!!
After many sub-par experiences with this place I decided to give it another chance and drop by for brunch and a drink.
I ordered a salad and with the first bite of the salad I bit down on something hard... it turned out to be a !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!SHARD OF GLASS THAT HAD BROKEN IN MY MOUTH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The bartender was very apologetic, but after a day of feeling ill I went to the doctor to make sure I didn't have any internal bleeding etc. The owners of the restaurant are now refusing to reimburse my $30 co-payment fee. Only $30 they can't give me for something happened because of their negligence!!!!!!
DO NOT SUPPORT THESE PEOPLE!!!!!!!!
My friend ate here and swallowed glass that was in her salad. The restaurant refuses to pay the $30 co-pay from her going to an urgent care doctor, so it shows how they treat and value their customers. Definitely think twice about eating somewhere that wouldn't try to fix a dangerous mistake that they made.
Review Source:DO NOT GO HERE!!!!!!!!
READ: My friend ate a piece of glass that was in her food. Â She had to go to the emergency room, and INWOOD LOCAL refuses to pay her medical bill copay! Â How dare they?! Â I am quite upset about this. Â Out of respect for her, they should apologize and, AT LEAST, pay her medical expense for being the cause of it! Â No words for their incomprehensible rudeness and carelessness!
Can we just take a minute and talk about the miracle that is the sweet plantain sundae made by the chefs at Inwood Local?
In an expression of cultural diffusion, mixing the traditional Dominican sweet plantain with Belgian chocolate and vanilla ice cream, this sundae was a life-changing experience for me as a diner.
The plantains were fried in a way that I've never had them before, just slightly crisp, hot and sweet. The ice cream did melt beneath the slices, but it made it into a creamy, cold, warm mix of flavors. The fresh strawberries, crunchy cashews, and caramel invited a mix of textures that has never been matched in any dessert I've sampled around here.
I am so glad this beer garden is a quick Bx12 ride away. I can easily see Inwood Local becoming a hangout for me (at least it would if I actually had friends that weren't terrified of venturing above 96th street). It's a low-key spot with friendly, relaxed service and a cool selection of craft beers. I had a tasty pear hard cider that paired well with my main dish, the chicken mole with jalapeno cornbread.
I also sensed a slight Indian influence in some of the dishes. The chicken's texture reminded me a bit of tikka. The yogurt and cucumber mix served with the kobe burgers triggered memories of raita.
I think Inwood Local avoids being a hipster joint by its ability to blend cultures and maintain Inwood's modest reputation. I hope it stays that way!
First time attending their afternoon brunch special.....and definitely not my last. Food was amazing! French toast was great. Heavilly crusted with corn flakes, thick yet moist and filled with their signature rum cream cheese. Kobe beef burger was amazing! It was not too big but definitely not too small. Cooked just how I like it (even though i wasn't asked how I would want it...go figure..lol) Yam Fries were amazing as well. not too crispy where the insides were hardened, yet not too undercooked where they were raw. Service could've been better but the food definitely made up for It. All and all a great experience!
Review Source:Perfect spring afternoon spot after coming from Manhattan mini-storage a few blocks away. Â Kobe burger and Bronx lager (which I suspect was not actually made in the bronx, but I will let that go) were terrific. Â Nice touch with the cucumber dill salad side. After we had left, a waitress (not even ours) comes running outside, all the way down the block and, into the middle of the insane broadway crosswalk, and hands my friend the binder he had left by accident. Â Great customer service - thanks!
Review Source:I was meeting some friends for Brunch on a Sunday morning. It was actually
St. Patrick's day. My cousin and I got there early and (of course) got us some Bellini's and white peach sangria to start our day. The place is cute and they even decorated a little for the occasion, my cousin and I got plastic clover necklaces from the bar.. Our bar tender was good, served us quickly and effortlessly.
Once our group of about 15 arrived we were seated towards the back in something like a picnic table. I thought it was kind of cool to be seated on a picnic table in the middle of Washington heights! lol. The food was delicious. I ordered the Kobe Burger and the apple pancakes.
My issue with this place is in the service we received. The server who tended to my group must have been new. I was surprised at the fact that he really just did not get that with a large group, you have write things down and just pay attention. Now, before I continue let me say there were probably 5 tables in the entire back room and two servers taking care of them, so it was not that he was too busy.
It took him 25 minutes to bring me a Bellini, another 10 for me to even order my food. I had to ask the other  server for water because our server was M.I.A for a while. It took about 35-40 for me to get my food, once I got the pancakes and burger my friend volunteered to get me the syrup and ketchup so it would not take another 25 minutes!! He actually went to the front to get it.
After this ordeal, when the bill comes it says: suggested tip on the receipt of $18, so I am thinking this guys sucks, I'm leaving him $14! He is once again M.I.A so I go to the front to pay and they actually manually add the tip w/o my permission. I asked them why does it say suggested tip if you are just going to put it in without my consent?! I left it at that, whatever. As I am walking out my first bar tender asks me how everything was and when I tell her our server sucked, tips are added without consent  in this establishment,  but at least the food was good... she just looked at me dumbfounded and confused. I told her: "if you didn't really want to know you should not have asked!
I am giving them three stars because the place is cool and the food is good. If I ever go there again I will just eat by the bar. No matter what anyone says, this place is NOT GOOD FOR BIG GROUPS!
I barely ever hang this far north in Manhattan, but if I had to guess, I'd say that Inwood Local has to be one of the hippest bars in the area.
Several hard to find craft beers on tap, a nice brunch program, cool music, hip decor, and a general "downtown" feel to an area of New York City often known for its homey, modest attitude. Who knows if it's a sign of gentrification... only time will tell.
I can't understand why this place has such a high rating. I went for Brunch on a Sunday afternoon and the place was entirely busy yet they only had one waiter. We waited quite a LOOONG time for just a menu and a simple ginger ale.. I thought the food would be forgiving... The Lamb Burger was pretty flavorful but the tzatziki sauce that accompanies it.. not so much.. Couscous was bland.. The Kobe burger I ordered was overcooked (I asked for medium raw).. and was overwhelmed with the taste of pure charcoal. I felt like I was eating a burger at a regular barbecue. I can tell that our waiter was pretty overwhelmed and did the best he could under circumstances SO I am hoping it was just a management issue...
Overall, I think the place in general is completely overrated. I don't think I will be going back for sure.
I love that this place is one of the few, if not probably the ONLY beer garden uptown. While I do love the uniqueness and the beer selection, I was left a little disappointed.
The prices don't match up to the food, drinks or service. I went on a Saturday night and the ambiance was pretty dead and boring. Not much going on so we left after 2 drinks. This place might be different on weeknights, but I'd stay away on Fridays and Saturdays.
The staff is very friendly and the customers seem decent and kinda hipster. I liked the experience, but was left unimpressed.
I usually end up at Inwood Local on nights when bad weather cancels my SoHo gallivanting plans but I still need the feeling of a nice night out... which has happened pretty often this winter. But I must say I'm thankful for it because otherwise I doubt that I would've had the chance to get to know this place as well as I have.
I really love the ambiance and the vibe of this place. I definitely get that great "out and about and having a nice time" feeling without the shoulder-brushing crowds or too-loud music you get at most bars in the city. In fact, I've often seen people sit here on a Thursday night just to read a book with a glass of wine. It's a really relaxed, laid-back bar with all kinds of people and an excellent wine and beer selection. I have to say I'm not a big fan of the food here; I've tried the lamb sausages, cajun cat fish sticks and pulled pork slider but all three were pretty underwhelming in flavor. But this place still gets 5 stars from me because it's hands-down the best bar in the the neighborhood. There's no question: I'll be back!
I've been meaning to write a review about this place since I came here on December 8th with a rather large group of friends from HS. We basically did a group thing and paid a set place which included unlimited beer/wine and also some apps that were delicious! Apps included, different types of wings and dips, chicken fingers, sliced cold cuts, cheese and fruits.
The music was great. it changed from 80ps to awesome 90s as well as current favorites. But most of us preferred the 80s that we were very familiar with and nostalgic to our hearts. Later on in the evening, it was changed to latin music which was great. we all gone on the floor - eventho space was sort of tight.
We all had a great time here. It's definitely a cool place to have a gathering. They have an indoor tent sent out in the back with heaters so you wouldn't be cold at all.
very cute place!
Very disappointed in myself for not showing up to a friends Sunday Funday events at Inwood Local. I like a good beer and Inwood Local has a great selection, you just have to know them. You will not find hard liquor or your everyday beers. In other words no Henny or Corona at this place. Straight wine and craft beer. They also have a food menu. I did not try any of the food but it def looked good. The space in the front half of the establishment is a little small if you have a large party. Seating by the bar and seating by the wall with ample room to stand around in between. Could get tight again if you have a big party. The back is set up like a beer garden. Tarp up in the winter, I heard it comes down in the Summer. This particular night I drank Six Point brew Bengali Tiger. Really good beer. At $6 a pop you can't go wrong. Gf stuck with wine the whole night. She did the wristband till 12 or 1am open bar. Â Don't know if this is a norm or if it was because we went for a bday party. You def want to ask.
Couple things to know...
Full menu
Good beer (16 tap) Switched seasonally)
Nice staff
Great location
Decent seating
Nice for dates
Live Dj
If you like beer and want something dif, visit Inwood Local.
Inwood Local (along with Indian Road Cafe) are my favorite spots in the neighborhood. IL has a great menu and  a large selection of beers. Thursday nights are the best nights for music (Beers, Beats & Eats.) This is when DJ Likwuid spins, playing a  wonderful selection of  classic R&B and Old School Hip Hop among other things.
Review Source:I only order in, so I can't speak to the ambience--but if you're looking for something a step up from diners (even the good ones) and you're tired of the Chinese/pizza/chicken that dominates the food scene, this is the place.
It's not an everyday place--the corn dogs that my kids love (they're awfully good corn dogs) are nine bucks--but when I want to splurge a little, it's a nice treat.
I initially posted a rather intense and emotional review of my experience at Inwood Local this past Friday night, but I am now back (with a lot of hindsight) to edit it. Â My friends and I heard something in the music played (a particular word with racial significance...admittedly on an advertised 90's hip hop night; we hadn't come with that in mind, but rather discovered it upon arrival). Â While I understand that the use of certain words (this one, in particular) has become mainstream in certain cultures in genres, we are still upset and offended by their use, remembering the history and original definition of this one particular word.
I was most upset because I have had so many wonderful experiences at Inwood Local (as well as its sister restaurant, the Garden Cafe...a few doors down) over the years with friends, neighbors, and colleagues. Â The word I heard repeatedly in the music came as a shock and not something that aligned with what I knew of the establishment and how it presents itself. Â So, I posted a review here...likely in haste and right after it happened. Â I was angry.
However, I had the opportunity today to sit down with Gus, the owner and discuss the whole incident (which created, thanks to my haste, quite a bit of buzz in the Inwood community). Â I appreciate his willingness to talk in an open, honest, and frank matter. Â We clearly ended on a (friendly) agree to disagree position (since even while understanding its place in hip hop music, I will always have negative thoughts with regard to certain words). Â He did say that now he knows that some folks are offended (My friends spoke with him as well), he will be addressing the issue with his staff and contracted DJs (though he did admit, he can't promise, based on the content of the genre that something won't slip out on a subsequent hip hop night; this is OK. Â Like I said, I'm not normally there then).
Gus was willing to meet in the same spirit that he conducts his business in the community. Â It's a great, neighborhood place (though I generally sit in the back since I think the front is too loud for me). Â The beer list is one of the best in the neighborhood. Â And I love the (relatively new to the menu) pheasant sausage as well as the plantain sundae.
It hasn't been an easy experience, but I want honest businesses to thrive in our neighborhood. Â Gus' attitude and openness in this situation reminds me, that despite this unfortunate misunderstanding), he and Inwood Local are good for Inwood. Â I wish them success for many years to come.
Went there for brunch on 1/13/13
Ambiance: We sat in the outdoor area which is covered by a panel in the winter but allows you to get day light. The only had one TV so if you weren't sitting on the side of the tables that faces the TV you couldn't watch the game; I suggest placing a TV on the other side of the room.
Food: I had the avocado BLT which tasted delish , it was $9 but didn't come with fries so my friend and I shared an order of fries and they were good. My friends seem to like their food as well (chicken fingers , burger and lamb sandwich).
Drinks: they had $4 brunch drinks, which included bellinis, peach sangria, and coco loco. I had the coco loco which was a mixture of coconut syrup , savignon blanc and pineapple juice. It tasted like a virgin piña colada, just  too sweet. My friend got a pitcher of some beer for $15 and that was supposed to be a special but it's $15 for a pitcher really a special?
Service: Our waitress was a bit sarcastic and not the most attentive. Sarcasm is something I don't mind in my friends but i don't necessarily want from the person serving my food.
I wouldn't object to going back but I am not begging my friends to go back either.
It took me a while to check out this place but once I did I knew its the kind of place I've always wanted to have in my neighborhood. The owners have a couple of other establishments in the neighborhood but this place is the only one I really liked. I've been back multiple times since and on different occasions. It's a great brunch spot as well as a wonderful casual drinking spot with friends. The menu is solid and for brunch I really enjoy washing it down with their beer mimosa. The beer menu is stellar and the draft selection is excellent. And when I don't feel like beer then their wine selection is also decent.
The front area gets louder just because of the space configuration so I prefer hanging out at the back on one of the communal tables. It's never been too crowded though so my friends and I have always had the entire table to ourselves. The staff is nice but if you are sitting at the back area then service might tend to be a little slow. But then, why are you in such a rush anyway? Relax and enjoy!
I decided that Darling Coffee (right next door) would be my office for the day and after hours or working, prentending to work and getting distracted from work, I was hungry...and thirsty.
My friend and I hopped into the Inwood Local wine bar, noted the crazy loud music but opted to just deal. We noticed they have an eclosed, possibly heated, outdoor area in the back, but it was still too chilly to enjoy.
We sat at the bar, since all of their 5(ish) tables were taken, and ordered a bottle of moderately priced chianti. I got the lamb burger, which was surprisingly delicious. The right-out-of-the-package whole wheat pita added nothing, but I removed it and knife and forked the crap out of that lamb burger. Juicy, well seasoned and cooked just right. It was served with crispy and fresh lettuce, tomato onion and a huge side of tzatziki sauce. I make special note that it was huge, cause often I find restaurants provide a yummy sauce in a small dish, leaving you with that embarassing moment of having to ask for more. The kind folks at Inwood Local figured they'd give you more than enough to spare you the fat kid compex. Sauce was garlicky, chock full of cucumbers and perfectly creamy. The side of raisin and almond couscous was a bit bland up against the other elements on the plate.
Left full...and possibly deaf.
Overall, I think I may start craving that burger. And will have to return for the huge ass tzatziki.
This place has so much potential but the shitty managment and eeeeh food makes me only give this place 3 stars. If you are only here for drinks then yes, please come- the  music is always dope and there are a nice handful of interesting people that hang out here. Plus the females that work here are always plesant and cool.
The managment on the other hand isn't as friendly and can be down right rude at times. This is especially as dissapointing since this place is the sister/brother resturant to The Garden Cafe (which is awesome!) The food is also a big dissapointment, rubbery calamari, soggy pannini's, bland sweet potato fries. No Thanks!
Food and managment aside this place is cool, to drink and listen to music but please do yourself a favor and eat before you get here...
Second time into Inwood Local -- Â this time it was on the very first day of the year. Â Friendly and attentive staff, with a nice talent to leaving you alone when needed. Â Good, calm bar upfront, and really nice "back patio" area in the back.
With a beer focused drink menu, it's still possible to find some good wines, as a non-drinker, I'd love if they put a few interesting ginger brews on the menu.....
The first time there Husband and I really enjoyed the food - lots of delicious, decently-priced, options.
However, when I ordered a plantain sundae for dessert I was disappointed that the ice cream was melted and soupy...
THIS time however, when I explained that though-last-time-it tasted-good-I-had-been -disappointed-that-the-ice-cream-was-underneath-Âall-of-the-warm-plantains-and-could -they-switch-that-and-put-the-ice-cream-on-top?
She said she would see -- and success! it was so much better!
Our first time there we sat in the back -- a really nice area for groups and well designed in a rustic/simple way. Â Yesterday we sat at the bar and enjoyed the sleepy, cozy nature of a bar the day after a night of partying.
This is our go-to place in Inwood (other than Yummy Thai).  The beer selection is wonderful and the food is even better.  They have a variety of small plates.  and large plates.  The Middle Eastern Cumin Meatballs with Sweet Oregano Tomato Sauce on a French Baguette ($8) is my favorite small plate.  The  Fried Chicken Red Leaf Salad, Gorgonzola, Plum Tomato, Balsamic Vinaigrette ($11) is my favorite large dish.  I am not a huge beer drinker, nor am I very knowledgeable, so I appreciate how friendly and helpful the staff is.
Review Source:The food here is fantastic, unique and pretty normally priced.
I loved their mole poblano chicken with mango/avacodo salsa. Â And the cornbread was really actually quite outstanding... May have been my favorite part.
We had a nice waitress, and some good cider. Â I will definitely be returning.
There was also some fine live music in the front room.
This is a nice bar to go to if you want to try a variety of beers. I didn't really have anything to eat while I was there, but the food that some of the other patrons had looked delicious.
The beer selection, friendly staff, & convenient location uptown make this a hidden gem. I will definitely be coming back to Inwood Local.
I really appreciate this bar to be here in Inwood. Besides my favorite beer "Delirium", they have quite a tasteful selection of beer, and have not large but nice list of wine (starting at around $30).
My burger came with delicious yam fries(as long as I remember, there's an option of taro fries too), it maybe because of the Latin neighborhood. But basically their menu is I assume American Italian.
I usually go to the backside of the restaurant for a bit more outdoor feeling and less loud music so I can talk comfortably with my friends. Yes, they got a bit too loud music in the front area... Please turn down the music a bit... other than that this is a perfect place to hung out with friends..!
Uptown just keeps bringing out the hits. A beer garden is very well needed over here!
The place isnt that big, but it's well designed and has a great staff.
The DJ (at least last night) was cool as shit and has the most unique (and smartest) business card that I've ever seen.
I didnt get to try the food, but drink-wise, everything is done right.
You should probably come here with a small group, then mingle as you go along.
Odds are, if you come with a local, they are going to know a handful of people inside anyway.
It's more like 3.5 stars. I want to absolutely LOVE this place but I'm just not there yet. I've been for dinner several times and brunch a handful more. Dinner definitely has the better food options and everything comes out well prepared, well seasoned and hot. Brunch has been hit or miss. My omeletts are almost always bland and I find I need to have a much heavier hand w/ salt then I like. Seriously guys - a pinch of salt and pepper when your scrambling the eggs goes a LONG way! Also - last time we went our eggs came out cold which is never fun.
Still the food is innovative and dinner (especially the lamb sausage, lamb burger and bacon wrapped scallops) is always great. Beer list is outstanding with more than fair prices and I am especially partial to their list of brunch cocktails. Wheat Beer mimosa? Who knew? :)
My other issue with this place is that the music inside can be way too loud. You want it loud enough that you can hear it over the din but not so loud that I'm shouting at the person across from me. It's definitely quieter outside in the back but the ambiance is so much nicer inside. I can tolerate it being louder in the evening but during brunch when there are only 8 people inside there's NO reason for me to be shouting across the small tables. Please please please work on that!!!!
Overall it's a solid and much needed option in Inwood. Hopefully it continues to make itself a welcome place.
Great beer selection blah blah blah.
Nice outdoor yadda yadda yadda
Most under rated thing about this place is their brunch. Hmmmmmm.
Cereal crusted french toast, hmmmmm Carbs!
Cheddar biscuits. (not as good as RL though)
Potato squares.
Everything here was pretty good.
Fried Chicken Salad was eh though.
Go here if you like your carbs in beer and brunch form.
Finally a beer garden uptown!
I've been hearing my friends ranting and raving about this place.
So I finally went to check it out last night and fell in  love with it!
It's under the same management team that runs Garden Café, so it has the same concept and décor. I love the fact that there happy hour is until mid-night (unheard of!)  I had there guacamole & chips to snack on, it was amazing.
Of course I ran through the guacamole to fast and was given more guacamole at no charge! I also had there brownie/ice cream sundae which was to die forrrrrrrrrrr! Yummy !! That desert is a must !!!!
The only annoying thing was an overly excited OKC fan watching last night's game.
He was loud enough to drown out 10 bull horns... Â
But that you will experience in any sports bar during NBA finals.
So go see what the hype is all about!
I was almost a tad bit wary when my fellow Yelpers gave this place such high and shining marks. No offense meant. I just hate when you see a place that gets four and five stars, you experience something mediocre, then have to be that bitch that writes the "Fellow Yelpers, you really disappointed me!" review.
Now I see they were all right. Yelpers, thank you for leading me to this absolute GEM inside of Inwood.
At the risk of sounding cliche, "It's like, you're in Inwood, but you don't feel like you're in Inwood. You know what I mean? It's like...you're not in Inwood! But you are! AWESOME." (You know what I mean?)
Nestled into a cozy nook on Broadway, right at the end of the line of the A train, there is so much to love! The ambiance is just right: brick walls coupled with dim lighting and candles. It's a perfect place for a date or to chat with your friends over a glass of vino. The wine and beer list is extensive, and the items on the menu were vast and scrumptious. I went for the lamb burger, served in a warmed pita, with cucumber-yogurt sauce and the lentil-cous cous mix, and was pretty much blown away...it was almost too rich to finish, but I still can not find fault with that. The tomatoes were red and ripe, and the lettuce was green and crisp.
The waitstaff consisted of two people this evening, but they were ever so attentive and personable the entire time.
I'm already thinking about what I want to eat there the next time I go...and the time after that...and the time after that...and, well, yes, even the time after that!
I certainly hope Inwood Local flourishes. It is a little bit of fantastic.