Stopped in with my pup so excited to check this out. Exceeded my expectations. Elegant space, cool vibe, welcoming adorable owners and baristas. And btw I’d go for the perfect cappuccino and their almond croissant even if I didn’t have a dog. But I do. So basically now we may never go anywhere else.

I mean really, what more can a girl ask for than a coffee shop that also has an endless supply of dogs walking through the door? I love the outdoor space here at Black Lab Cafe, it's the perfect spot to both people *and* dog watch on the Upper West Side!

The food here is amazing! I highly recommend the Lemon Square. It’s not too sour, but you still taste the lemon.

My favorite coffee shop in NY. Definitely a go to place either to have a coffee or a matcha (puppy lavender matcha is very good) while you work, or have a nice lunch (their fish tacos are super good). Staff is SO nice and helpful. Great customer experience. Also there are always so many dogs to pet!!

We were running late for the coffee plans and ended up having dinner- so glad we did! Everything was delicious! We ordered several dishes and all exceeded expectations. I highly recommend both salmon options - the salad was perfect. Service was above and beyond with friendly welcoming staff and timely service. Canine companion rates this place 100 stars.

Cece Jean

Literally my favorite spot on the West Side- their staff is leagues above the rest. Especially Torre, anytime she is there I know the service will be stellar and my night is in safe hands. Couldn't recommend more!

Darsel

I come here for TORRE and Big Bek. Always a great time. Feels like home.

Laurie Banitch Trachter

We hosted our son’s first birthday in the Riverside and common’s rooms and had a great experience overall. Great value for the space and food/drinks. The bartender was friendly and attentive and the staff was very kind and helpful in making sure the setup was what we needed. Highly recommend!

Trevor Costin

Lexi, well fun times roll when she is behind the bar. Great local bar to catch a game. Good vibes! Ask her to turn the music down and sing for you...😆

Ayashii Dove

Jake’s Dilemma is a nice little place to have a couple of drinks with friends. I had a great time the music was the right volume where you can drink and enjoy some finger food and drink.Will be returning.

Samantha Simons

I hosted a private in the event oak room and it was fantastic. It’s a great space and the staff was amazing, food was great, and the folks I coordinated with were prompt and on it! Would recommend hosting an event at Jake’s dilemma!

Ronnie Crawford

I visited Jake's Dilemma for my Nephews Graduation/Going away event. The bar was lively when I arrived, The back section was reserved for our group. The catered finger foods that were served were good and the drinks (Open Bar) were even better..😜🥃 I would highly recommend this place for an after work or weekend meeting spot.

Phil P.

Jake’s Dilemma is a classic NYC bar in the upper west side. Great place for happy hour, sports games, and almost always a good time. A local hang with a vibrant crowd.

Jake's Dilemma never disappoints. This bar is pretty spacious so it's good for going out with groups of friends and the food is always so good. I love their sweet potato tots and grilled cheese, but …

Jake's Dilemma never disappoints. This bar is pretty spacious so it's good for going out with groups of friends and the food is always so good. I love their sweet potato tots and grilled cheese, bu…

One of my favorite bars. I've only gone on the weekends and the experience is amazing from the decent priced drinks, the crowd that comes in, and personally I like the sound track of 2010's hits th…

One of my favorite bars. I've only gone on the weekends and the experience is amazing from the decent priced drinks, the crowd that comes in, and personally I like the sound track of 2010's hits th…

Best bar deals in NYC! My group was here on Monday for my birthday and the drinks were half off all night. The bar was very spacious with plenty of room for my friends and I to watch the MLB Home R…

Best bar deals in NYC! My group was here on Monday for my birthday and the drinks were half off all night. The bar was very spacious with plenty of room for my friends and I to watch the MLB Home R…

Best bar deals in NYC! My group was here on Monday for my birthday and the drinks were half off all night. The bar was very spacious with plenty of room for my friends and I to watch the MLB Home R…

Best bar in the neighborhood for happy hour. They have deals every day of the week and the bartenders were very friendly and nice (especially Wade!). We didn't try any food but we will likely just …

Best bar in the neighborhood for happy hour. They have deals every day of the week and the bartenders were very friendly and nice (especially Wade!). We didn't try any food but we will likely just …

My favorite bar in the city!!! Friendliest and kindest staff around, seriously I love the late night vibes but the people who work there (and good deals/prices) keep me coming back over and over ag…

My favorite bar in the city!!! Friendliest and kindest staff around, seriously I love the late night vibes but the people who work there (and good deals/prices) keep me coming back over and over ag…

Our waitress, Katie, took such great care of us to make sure we had an amazing experience! The pulled pork sandwich and sweet potato fries were a slam dunk at her review!

cheap drinks good food. Chill vibes. Waiter gave us free shots (can't promise that every time)

Great place. Always have a good time there. Bartenders are cool. Staff friendly \nFood good. Nachos, wings, fries etc Large space to hang out in for the night.

This corner coffee shop has a cool vibe inside. After ordering an iced latte I was accosted by two happy dogs, not something I was upset about. There is a nice outdoor patio to sit at. The cafe just opened, so their kitchen isn't open yet. Once they have some food to buy I will be sure to return.

Came here because I used to have a Black Lab and miss her terribly, so hoped for some Black Lab related theme. I'm surprised that they don't even have a pic of black labs on their walls while having some other smaller sized breeds. No tennis balls, nothing Black Lab related, really... The food was ok, but not to come back for. Cappuccino was alright.

Cynthia Rodriguez (Created By Cyn LLC)

On a beautiful Tuesday night, I was looking for something to do in the city that never sleeps. After visiting 2 other bars that had rude or tired employees, we happened to find Jake's dilema. Immediately, we felt at ease, and Wade welcomed us and treated us like the happy celebratory humans we were. This was a beautiful way to discover a new place to hang out while in the city. I am hoping we can start an open mic night or something, so I will be coming back to speak to Wade and the manager about that. My only complaint is having to go down a flight of steps to get to the restroom. It's not fun when you're tipsy to have to go up two steps, down about 12 steps, and then down 2 more steps. Yes, I counted it was actually a running joke all night with us (though my count may be off, I was really tipsy at this point.) Overall, I really enjoyed this place, and it's all because of the bartender and how amazing he is. Thank you, Wade!!!

A.L. Harris

How can you go wrong with $3 bud light seltzer and a $5 tap beer? It’s your basic neighborhood bar on Amsterdam nothing fancy and always has a crowd drinking, playing pool and foosball. Service was great, the bartender and manager were super friendly. Always a favorite stop when in town.

Kyuwon Lee

The server lady whose name is Anita was the best I could imagine—friendly, attentive, quick, you tell me. The bar has a very chill ambiance in a spacious setting. Foods are definitely above average. But I gotta be honest with this dilemma: their draught beers taste watery.

+2

Jake's a cute place, spacious neighborhood bar. I have been for lots of Wednesday trivia as well as once or twice on a weekend. It is fun and sometimes crowded, sometimes not. The bartenders are usua…

I've come here a few times over the years and it's a really large spot that a large group can gather and watch sports and have a good time. As for service, depending on how crowded it is it can be a …

I've come here a few times over the years and it's a really large spot that a large group can gather and watch sports and have a good time. As for service, depending on how crowded it is it can be …

Honestly the 4 stars is for their daily specials (Wednesday is a GREAT DAY). food is typical bar food (7/10).

I came here for a work Happy Hour and had a great time. Their deals are actually pretty unbeatable-- they have 1/2 off the bar every day until 7pm which is honestly a steal. Coincidentally, the day…

I came here for a work happy hour and had a great time. Their deals are actually pretty unbeatable-- they have 1/2 off the bar every day until 7pm which is honestly a steal. Coincidentally, the day…

I liked it, their happy hour goes till 7pm and everyday it's half off the bar. Their chips and guacamole were just okay, but their wings weren't bad. \n\nI'd come back for the drinks.

I liked it, their happy hour goes till 7pm and everyday it's half off the bar. Their chips and guacamole were just okay, but their wings weren't bad. \n\nI'd come back for the drinks.

Trash customer service. Didn't get asked if I wanted any food. While I was sitting at a table I had to go to the bar to order instead of a waitress taking my order on an open tab.

Melissa Naja

Only thing is good is a live music! Food is okay, wine is also okay. Service is kind of slow but even that for the night I went to with my friends was crowded so I kind of put up with it.

+1

Janice Q

Dive bar, no cocktail options at main bar. Went for a private event. Terrible experience. Bartender wasn't very friendly or accommodating. We went last year and had an incredible time with a different bartender. Based on the inconsistency i would definitely never book anything here again.

Kay L

I asked for a dirty martini, and when the drink was handed to me they told me they didn’t have olive juice, so it was just dry olives. The service wasn’t great, and drinks are boring.

Melissa Marino

Stopped in for the 1/2 off bar on Monday nights, which we confirmed with the bartender. Bill came back $10 a pop for a Cosmo and a Black Russian, which would mean full price was 20 DOLLARS. tried to confirm with the bartender (who had switched at that point), but he insisted it was the half-price and wouldn't even look at the bill. Drinks are just so-so, not worth the shady pricing practices with so many other options in the neighborhood!

Erica Kinzelberg

The bouncer was very rude, I showed up for a private party and he would not let my friends and i go in at the same time and then he followed us downstairs (to the private party) to tell us that we could not take a picture in the mirror. The bar tender Beckham was amazing though!

My recent experience at Black Lab Cafe in New York City was far from what I expected. Despite its name hinting at a pet-friendly vibe, I was surprised to find out that pets weren't allowed inside. This decision took away from the cozy atmosphere I was hoping for. Walking in, I immediately noticed the lack of warmth. Instead of the lively presence of pets, the space felt cold and unwelcoming. This absence definitely dampened the mood. On top of that, the service was mediocre. The staff didn't seem very engaged or interested in making the experience enjoyable. It felt like they were just going through the motions. The food and drinks also left a lot to be desired. The coffee was stale, and the pastries were dry. It seemed like attention to detail was lacking across the board. Overall, my visit to Black Lab Cafe was disappointing. It's unfortunate that such potential is being held back by their no-pet policy and lackluster execution. Unless they reconsider their stance and improve their overall experience, I'll be looking for other cafes that prioritize hospitality and inclusivity.

!!No longer dog friendly!! Should have been open and communicated this or tried for partial hours that were dog friendly. Instead just showed up one day (with the pup) and can no longer go in. There were many many other problems with the business that should have been addressed first before banning dogs…strange move. I know the team tries hard but have to be honest here, food is nowhere near good enough to survive as cafe alone. Coffee is fine but not worth going out of your way when there are other great options in the neighborhood

All these one star reviews are completely correct. This place was such a great addition to the Upper West Side. But now that they don’t allow dogs anymore, why bother? There are plenty of places to get coffee and such. Why couldn’t the owners just leave well enough alone? They will certainly my not make more money as a no dogs allowed cafe! That was the whole point in going there!

S Z

Came in to play pool and was offered coke randomly from a patron, which threw me off guard. Explained this privately to security/staff and expressed that I didn't feel safe and they didn't seem phased. They told me he was a regular and didn't do anything about it which was pretty surprising to me. Ended up leaving. As a woman this was a pretty poor experience. I guess this a regular occurrence. Perhaps this is Jake's dilemma. Women please be careful.

Eleanor Cooper

My bf went last night and as a courtesy to the bar he bought a drink from the bar. And tried to make a conversation to the bartender and the bartender got all hostile and toxic when my bf wasn’t even intoxicated. The way the staff treated my bf is unacceptable behavior. We will definitely never be coming back to this nasty place

Hoogivs Aphuck

TABS EASILY GO FOR $30+ PER PERSON run of the mill shitty experience not worth the time-music was overwhelmingly/obnoxiously loud for a pub, the dance floor was oddly sticky, and the bartenders will literally kick you out if you don’t tip because of fragile american tipping “etiquette”

C. Eaton

This place SUCKS big time. We ordered food and after 45 minutes we still didn't get our food. People that cane in after us were getting their food and when we asked what was going no one had an answer. I would not recommend this place