The Uptown Garrison — Restaurant in New York

I live super close by and the Garrison used to be an uptown institution for my wife and I, but after the COVID years, something changed and things have gone drastically downhill.

We've eaten through their menu numerous times, but frankly their quality and consistency have nosedived, and the new, muted flavors no longer match their newly inflated prices. I understand that industry competition, rising rents, and inflation have changed the game in recent years, but when you reduce the quality so heavily whilst charging so much more for something so basic ($22 for a tiny filet-o-fish clone; $17 for a chopped salad with no protein--what?!), it begins to feel borderline insulting. Garrison needs to go back-to-basics and understand what made them so popular with locals initially.

I would've happily paid $23 for their old burger, but the last two times I've ordered the newer one it's been a dry, overcooked mess that can't even hold a candle to what it once was early on. Compare to Rolo's (Ridgewood) grass-fed beef, double-cheese burger which is butchered and grinded in-house for $20.

Charging $8 for a side of lukewarm, somehow simultaneously soggy/stale fries that taste like they were from a freezer bag and kept luke-warm under a heat lamp just hurts my soul.

Their avocado toast (which was previously topped with thick-cut, house-made candied bacon; compared to the new stuff that's akin to Bodega bacon) used to be something special, but now it's just a depressing experience that you could easily make yourself, especially for the hefty $20+ price tag.

I know that the neighborhood is in dire straights for quality food gems, but somehow the Garrison has lowered the bar that they once set.

I honestly felt embarrassed after recommending them to out-of-town friends, and post-meal seeing how disappointed everyone was has made me swear off suggesting them ever again, and that hurts. I'm more than happy to pay for the dollar signs ($$$) if the quality reflects the cost, but most of the flavors no longer meet the mark.

It's no longer worth the convenience to come here as a local, as I'd rather journey downtown for a less expensive, more flavorful meal that I don't have to roll the dice on.

The only things I'll concede that they still manage to nail are their breakfast sandwiches and breakfast pancake (and sometimes their coffee in the mornings; depending on the barista of course; employee turnover rate here is extremely high so you'll see a new face almost every time you come). You should never order over-easy/medium eggs ($6) here, as they'll come out unseasoned and covered in a mystery oil for whatever reason--just zero flavor. You can absolutely do better at home.

The pizzas are pretty hit-or-miss and can be either soggy or overcooked depending on the day--sometimes decent, sometimes not, but chronically under-salted. For $20+ for most personal-sized pies, it just doesn't feel worth the gamble.

Most of all, I sorely miss their old bartender lead (Courtney), as the newer mixed drinks are pretty middling and typically don't hit the highs that they once did. I appreciate what the new lead is trying to do from a creative perspective, but most of the time it just doesn't coalesce in the flavor department; he seems to be allergic to tried-and-true flavor profiles.

Expect to wait long periods of time between rounds of drinks, as there's normally only one bar staff member any given evening and they appear pretty overwhelmed making drinks for the entire restaurant and bar at the same time and at times yours will get lost in the shuffle.

I dearly miss the old Garrison. It's a major bummer that it's become increasingly difficult to want to come back here as time goes on with how stale and expensive it's become. I hope they can find their inspiration once again to care about what they serve the neighborhood, but for now I'll be steering clear. I just hope they can survive in the long run; I just can't merit (or afford) spending another dollar here until they fix...

Coffee-shop by day and restaurant by night. The Uptown Garrison is one of Washington Heights newest addition to the restaurant scene. The Garrison has been open since November of 2017, and is already a hit with the neighborhood. This beautiful establishment is decorated with wooden ceilings, eclectic light fixtures, and an intricate tiled floors.

The Garrison opens everyday at 7am and offers a daytime menu that includes soups, sandwiches, coffee, and FREE WIFI! I can see this quickly becoming a go to spot for freelancers, students, and others during the day. Dinner and cocktail service starts at 5pm and their menu includes their signature Buttermilk Fried Chicken, Brick Oven Pizza, and Wood Fired Squash.

Any time I visit a restaurant I typically try their signature cocktails and take the server's suggestion based upon my liquor preference. My server had recommended the vodka based Ginger Mint Lemonade if I prefer white liquor. The cocktail was so smooth and refreshing that it didn't last long because it was so delish! The pricing for their cocktails are reasonable, and the particular one I ordered was only $10. $10 specialty cocktails drinks do exist in Manhattan!!!! My second choice was the gin based cocktail called The Business, but overall the Ginger Mint Lemonade was my favorite.

For dinner my husband and I started with the fried potatoes which were seasoned perfectly and came with aioli. The aioli was so good and I would literally love to dip everything in it. We decided to just split a pizza as well since we were not very hungry. We opted for the Italian Sausage pizza inwhich they used house-made Italian sausage. Also, my husband is somewhat of a picky eater, and likes to stick to the basics. The pizza was the perfect size for sharing between two people. The Garrison has 12 different types of Brick Oven Pizzas to select from, and includes some vegetarian options as well.

While I was there the server forced me to order dessert. #ThingsDomNeverSays. The server mentioned on their dessert menu they had bread pudding, beignets, and then whatever else she said after that did not matter. I heard beignets and I was all about it. This pillowy decadent dessert left my husband and I almost battling to the death for the last one.

Overall I am truly glad I made the trek to The Heights for this amazing establishment. The servers were attentive, personable, and had great recommendations. This is a great place to grab a cocktail or a cup joe, have an intimate dinner, or even bring the kiddos. It is also located give or take a block from the 181st stop on the A train. Have you been to The Garrison or have a favorite restaurant in...

What an incredible addition to the Washington Heights food scene! We were on our way to eat at Saggio--another local favorite--when we noticed The Uptown Garrison and decided to give it a try. We are glad we did! It instantly became a favorite. We had pizza and cocktails on our first visit, but we can't wait to return during the day, when coffee and pastries are served.

The pizzas are incredible. The crust is impeccably baked; a mild initial crunch compliments a fresh, doughy interior that is not too thick and not too thin: just right. We had the margherita and prosciutto pizzas. The latter is the best I've ever had. The incorporation of lemon juice on top of a mountain of arugla, fresh burrata and prosciutto strips is just perfect. My mouth is watering as I write this review.

The pizzas could serve one hungry individual or two less hungry individuals. We shared a salad and had one pizza each, and we were full by the end of the night.

The cocktails also were refreshing and unique, and though we sat in the dining area, there is a large, U-shaped bar area making Uptown Garrison great to come just for drinks.

The decor, with its subway tile-lined walls, mosaic tile flooring, and dim, industrial lighting, give it a chic, trendy, almost romantic downtown NYC feel, and you might feel transported to a Chelsea or the West Village in this hip (but spacious) restaurant. Carefully curated music played at an unobtrusive volume--from Adele to Otis Redding to "Girl From Ipanema"--rounds out the warm, comfortable feeling of dining inside.

Space is plentiful, and the restaurant is kid-friendly! At 5:30-7:30pm while we were there, there were plenty of high-chairs with children enjoying their meals, and guests and staff were not bothered by their presence. That said, you could come here and never even notice children are present (if children aren't your thing...). Due to the split level of the restaurant, you could enjoy a drink at the bar or a table in the lower section, away from the larger dining area where more families seemed to congregate. I'm sure as the night wears on, the amount of children wane--but it is nice to know it is a family-friendly space!

Wait-staff were friendly, enthusiastic, and helpful.

Overall, I was pleasantly surprised to find The Uptown Garrison gracing the wonderful neighborhood of Washington Heights. We will most...