The Ellington: Contemporary American Cuisine with Rotating Live Music on the Upper West Side

Located on the corner of W 105th Street and Broadway, you'll find The Ellington, a charming neighborhood joint serving contemporary American fare. Bustling with locals, the vibe is welcoming while the atmosphere is pleasing with warm lighting and brown tones providing a down-to-earth tavern feel.

We visited the restaurant during the 124th birthday celebration of Duke Ellington which featured his granddaughter Mercedes, the Duke Ellington Center for the Arts, and a variety of musicians who all performed in his honor. There was jazz music, singing, and even tap dancing, all making for a fun party.

While that evening was a special performance, The Ellington does has rotating live acts every Sunday evening from 6-9 pm. Musicians from all over the city come to perform here, helping to enhance Sunday supper even more.

During our visit, we tried one of the signatures Duke Ellington drinks made specifically for that event, called the Sophisticated Lady mixed with gin and rosemary simple syrup. It was light, refreshing, and not too sweet. For the regular cocktail menu, there are plenty of other sophisticated sips to choose from, such as The Isidor made with bourbon, passion fruit puree, and ancho liqueur along with wines and beers.

The dinner menu is vast with a wide selection of American-style cuisine in several different categories, such as small plates, flatbreads, salads, bar snacks, and large plates, all dependent on what you're craving and how hungry. We started with the grilled octopus that was served on a chickpea puree and falafel bites with a Tzatziki sauce for dipping. Both delicious and on the sweeter side.

For our main dish, we chose the sautéed sea scallops and shrimp served atop lemon pepper couscous with a side of asparagus. The dessert menu isn't huge but has the major staples on it which include New York cheesecake and flourless chocolate cake. We tried the popular golden warm lava chocolate cake that was doused in a strawberry glaze paired with vanilla ice cream and was not disappointed.

On Sunday evenings to coincide with the live music, there is the Sunday roast Dinner for two priced at $70 which includes a bottle of wine, roast chicken with mashed potatoes, and carrots with gravy.

If you're on the Upper West Side and looking for a cozy restaurant with traditional hearty dishes, The Ellington is the spot. Plus, the live music every Sunday really makes it worth the visit.

The Ellington is located at 2745 Broadway, New York, NY 10025. For menus, hours of operation, and contact, please visit https://www.theellingtonny.com/ or call (212) 281-3011.

(Photo courtesy of The Ellington and Carissa Chesanek)

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