Reviews of Harlem Shambles (Butcher Shop)

Trung Nguyen

To kjh lk - I’m so sorry that store refused to help you when you were threatened by that crazy man outside. There are different levels of nasty - and to refuse to let you inside their store, or call the police or even acknowledge that you were in trouble - is as low as human nastiness can get. I will never shop there again, and neither will any of my family or friends or their family or friends. No reason to financially support such cowardly losers.

jen lee

The best butcher in the city and everything is locally and organically sourced.

Rodrigo Gerardo

A little pricy but worth it for the excellent quality and friendly service

Laksen Ratnapala

If you live in the neighborhood and want to buy fresh meat from a knowledgeable butcher then come here. This is a very clean establishment with great people. Yes, you are going to pay more for your meat than you would at Best Yet but if price is the only factor when you are buying meat then Harlem Shambles is not for you. I really wanted to try some of their meat pies but every time i visit they are sold out. This is definitely my new spot when I want quality cuts, fresh sausage or a hard to find meat. You could definitely shop at whole foods and get the same quality but this is a shop for someone that is local that doesn't want to travel.

Luke Morrison

Love these guys! Very friendly and helpful. Love stopping at 125th St subway stop and picking up some good meat on my walk home down Franklin Douglass Blvd towards 110th st! They even have farm fresh eggs.

Thomas Robinason

Perfect Butcher Shop in Harlem

Sam Kret

Love this place. I come back for old favorites, and they always have a few unique cuts/options on hand to keep things interesting. The staff is knowledgeable and helpful, and I learn something new on most visits.

Arthur Ware

Great quality friendly service, they wear ties!

Michael Rocha

Finally a real butcher in NYC! Great meat, great sausages! They have real Merguez!!

Marguerite Powell

Bought a stuffed chicken here for dinner. The deboned cornbread, jalapeño and crayfish. Did just as the instructions said and was fully satisfied with the outcome, nice and crispy on the outside and moist and delicious on the inside. Would recommend to anyone and looking forward to try the wide variety of very tasty food from here.

Al Cohn

Delicious tasting beef and it's both grass-fed hormone free. Thank you for providing a necessary option to the community. Quality food, a healthier option than " same old, same old " should not represent gentrification but community service . It's a given beef given hormones and corn-fed will be cheaper, yet long term health factors are worth the extra couple of dollars here. Staff is helpful. Specialty items are available here too such as pasta, cheese and sauerkraut. These brand items are unavailable at very local, within walking distance stores in this area. Union Square Market and Whole Foods will sell these items for less making it a convenient luxury to purchase here. These items are also free of additives and preservatives. Always great eating their steaks and burgers. Your expectations will be higher next time you order beef in a restaurant as a result. Prepared items such as chili and roast beef taste great. Miss those meat pies though. Would like them to make additional prepared foods available too. Bring back the smoked chicken wings !

Daniel Pincus

I’ve been to this butcher about 20 times over the past few years. I would really like to give it five stars, but I can’t. The meat products are top-quality and a bit expensive. That’s exactly why they should do something to soften the blow. If you make a significant purchase and ask for a few scraps of what you see on the cutting table, they should give it to you at a steep discount, just to be nice. To share the love. The best shopping experience is when the seller and the buyer share their love of the product and have fun sharing that love. For starters, they could have an Ends Bin of remainders and scraps of this and that for, say, $4/lb. Also, there are no tidbits to taste. Go to Arthur Avenue in the Bronx, and every Italian butcher has a tray of cheeses and salamis for tasting, some only on the weekends. Fun. Generous. Entice. Share. Love. I’m sure the fine fellas here could re-envision the shopping experience they offer.

Tracy van Cort

Minus one full star for pretentious hipsterism, but they do sell good meat.

Jessica Yoos

Always got great meat here, including cuts I couldn't find at the grocery store. I love that it is all from local farms. Yes, it is pricey, but I would rather pay for higher quality, grass fed, etc. Also, they have been very flexible in terms of only giving me the parts of the chicken I wanted for soup. Always friendly service.

Marilyn Taylor

Best butcher shop in New York! The meat is wonderful and you can trust that it's grown the way nature intended. The staff are so friendly and helpful.

Amanda Sandwisch

This review is for their new location in the new Essex Street Market, Essex Street Shambles, which opened last month. It doesn't look like they're on google maps yet. This is where I discovered them. I'm so happy I can buy 100% grass fed AND grass finished beef. Their prices are appropriate for grass fed beef. Most beef in grocery stores that are labeled 100% grass fed are not actually 100% grass fed. Even though all of their beef is 100% grass fed, it still has very good marbling, or at least does whenever I happen to go there. I've gotten their ground beef and a few different cuts of their steaks including denver cut, pave, and dry aged strip steak, and ground beef. They were all very good and flavorful and tender. Today I also got a dozen eggs and so far soft/medium boiled two of them and they were really good. The whites had an amazing texture and flavor and the yolks were super flavorful. The butchers there are always very nice and knowledgeable and have nice hats and beards.

Theresa Quintong

The team is great! Very professional and accommodating. Nice variety of quality meats and other treats. Lucky to have this place in the neighborhood. Prices are also very reasonable. I like the openness of the space.

Carolyn De Melo

The meat is of great quality and variety, but it's unbelievably expensive. Also, when I went, they had lost their baker so I didn't get to taste the pasty they usually advertise.

Andrew Y

The real deal. The quality of the meat is exceptional, they are friendly and helpful, and they absolutely know what they're doing. A gem.

Oz As

Fresh meats, best service...

Michael Fleming

Excellent meat but very expensive

T.J. Barber

When I want to try attempt to cook a meal with cheeks, pork butt, or another cut of meat I've never heard of, this is the butcher shop I go to. The staff is beyond helpful and friendly, always willing to offer you suggestions and/or tell you another recipe to try. Their uniforms remind me of stepping back into time and not only do I think I'll be getting an amazing cut of meat, but possibly a cocktail as well. Their prices at time are a bit much for my budget, but I'll gladly splurge here and there when it comes to them.

Luciano Vincenzo Gregoretti

Probably the only Slow Food certified butcher in NYC, Harlem Shambles has the best meat I’ve found in the East Coast. You will find delicious and rare cuts from animals sustainably raised. My suggestion is try everything, including their dry aged pieces which are expensive but worth every penny!

Nina B

These guys are worth a walk uptown. Real, old-fashioned butcher shop with 100% locally sourced pasture-raised meats. Supporting NY State farmers and selling super high quality meats that don't cost much more than supermarket beef -- they've got my dollar.

Vanessa Sanders

Nice place a little pricey but worth it especially if you're looking for meats you normally can't find at the market

kevin brink nielsen

The Shambles is top notch and thoroughly the real deal in all things meat. The products and service are always above par. This info is from many visits as I'm there at least once a week.

Karen Young

My go-to for meat. Quality and flavor and service and price. It is not cheap meat but not fancy prices like other gourmet markets either.

Gretchen Priddy

Can’t wait to try this sirloin! Team was super helpful and friendly. Shop was clean and tidy. They’re so informative and make sure you get what you want — price, flavor, tenderness, etc.

Khalil Singleton

The service and quality of the meat is phenomenal

Tobias Metzner

Local, grassfed and dry aged meats. Snout to tail whole carcas butchering. In house made beef and pork bacon. Great service

Therese Giasson

From far the best meat you'll find in New York these guys are true profesional butchers, you can ask them any question, and they receive whole animals, not just parts like all the supermarkets, really worth it, and the taste, mammamia, troppo buono (too good!)

abby sever

best place in harlem!love the team and product!we are so lucky to have them here.

Jim Austin

Sorry guys--but for the moment at least, this place is a hipster scam. I don't mean that they don't mean well, or that they don't think they're doing a good job; I'm sure they do, and they're obviously having fun. But this is apparently still a game to them; some young folks have decided to play at being butchers. But to do that you need to know something about your craft--and I don't just mean how to cut a steak. You need to be able to buy it well, process it cheaply, and sell it at a price that makes it a good value for customers. None of that is happening here: What we've got is a bunch of young men running around in hats and beards and playing at being serious craftspeople. I think they mean well, and maybe they'll even learn their craft eventually--they just don't understand yet how hard this is.Or maybe it isn't that hard--maybe they have enough gullible customers who are willing to pay them to play. They'll only learn if someone holds their feet to the fire and makes them understand they need to offer value--good products at a decent price--to compete in the real world, at least in this part of town, where there's a limit to the number of monied hipsters lurking. Here's hoping that happens, that they get over playing at being a business and get serious about offering value to customers, because this neighborhood could really use a good place to buy meat.

Davey Volner

Best butcher uptown.

Denise Johnson

Best meats in harlem

Corinna Lai

One of our favorite butchers in NYC

James Lefevre

Nice butcher. Friendly staff and really good quality meat.

K E N N E C T E D .

Fantastic butcher shop that has great product and wonderful customer service.

Aaron Klingensmith

Great shop with knowledgeable, helpful staff. Really great selection of meats as well. If you're trying to eat high-quality, but not overly expensive, local meats, this is the store to go to!

Dan Saperstein

Fantastic local shop - great service and quality cuts of all varieties of meat. It will be pricier than a supermarket, but you're getting a much better (and LOCAL) product, plus service that is unparalleled. Not sure how to cook it properly? They're more than happy to offer some tips and recipes to make sure you are more than satisfied with your purchase. This place is a true gem and worth the journey.

Dom Crockett

Best nose to tail butcher in Manhattan.

Andrea Psoras

This is one of my favorite stores. I love the meat and pork there and the eggs are very fresh. these hold up well during travel in the cartons. For years since it came to the 'hood, I have been shopping there from EBT card user to buying the high end cuts of meat! great pork sausages and good prices on this too, considering the hogs are range fed - like the Amish country and Lancster - which you cant get this at this price in Manhattan.

Michelle Virginia

Their ribeyes, beef kabobs, chicen kabobs, and boudin are amazing. The wife and I are trying the boneless chicken with rice and cornbread dressing for Thanksgiving so will update review once cooked...but coming from Hebert's, I expect nothing but the best!!!

David Won

Neighborhood gem. Staff is knowledgeable, and the meat is still hanging on the rack. Arguably one of the best butchers in the city.

Dane Bryan

Beautiful high quality meat in a friendly atmosphere. They’ve got steak cuts, lamb, chicken, sausages. Got a few 2” cuts of bone in ribeye that I’ll cook up this weekend and I can’t wait! If you’re in the area and have a chance to check it out please do so you won’t be disappointed.

Diana Kudayarova

Where have you been all my life? A++ am now a regular

Daniel Osgood

The meat tastes much better than I’ve found anywhere else. Makes me seem like a much better cook than I am. It just comes out like in a fancy restaurant when I put it in a pan.

Joseph Gilch

Super knowledge butchers. Good meats. I like the bacon.

Enrico Zanardo

Great hipster butcher! I got a whole chicken and it was delicious.. Very nice service too

kjh lk

GOOD BYE SHAMBLES !!! Sept 24 Morning I was in front of Shambles getting ready to purchase meat when out of nowhere a crazy man started yelling at me and threaten to hurt me. I asked the men inside of Shambles for help and they literally turned their backs on me. I had to confront this violent man by myself and pray. The man final decides to walk away towards 115th street and then decided to come back threatening to kill me. Once again I asked Shambles for help and let them know that the man was coming back for me and if I could please come inside with my dog. They turned around once again and gave me their backs. I even pleaded for them to call the police and nothing as if I didn't even exist. At least call the police or let me in and lock the door. I flagged down a police car just in time and out of shock I just went into the store and purchased my meat and walked home with my dog trying to figure out what happened. I realized the most disturbing part is not the violent man but the men at Shambles who have decided to ignore me, a frequent customer. Since you have decided to give me your backs now I will give you my back. I will never ever spend my money in a store that makes a decision to look away when a person is in danger and pleading for help. How would you feel if this happened to your mother, sister daughter? It was only by the good grace of GOD that I am okay. GOOD BYE SHAMBLES.

Avril Jenkins

Didn't know until i got home that they sold me a smelly chicken!! Never going back there again!! Expensive! !

James West

They custom cut a brisket for me to smoke. Trimmed to my specifications, then weighed it. Always service with a smile and knowledgeable about their products. Favorite butcher shop!

d calvin williams

i just pan fried in olive oil, sausage from harlem shambles. incredible...the quality, outstanding. sausage only from harlem shambles from now on... d calvin williams

Michael Terwindt

A classic butcher with top quality cuts. Service with style.

Thee Rich Martin

The Meat is Great! You gotta order the bacon and the Denver steak cut.

Joel Fish

Five stars for this excellent butcher shop in Harlem

Martha Wilkie

Very high quality grass-fed/pastured upstate NY meat. Cool place!

Meagan Miller-McKeever

I try to stop by Harlem Shambles once a week. The meat is always fresh, the service is prompt, and they can answer most questions about how to cook the various cuts. Worth the walk any day.

tom kiwi

Excellent experience here! Amazing meat and great dedication to the craft. Mike was awesome. Thank you for your help.