Haakon’s Hall

Best burgers in the world. Best vibe in NYC. My old Cheers. I’ll miss you, Haaks.

Came here as many Unilocalers stated they had a gluten free menu created by a gluten free chef, but that was not the case when I visited.
They stated they did not have a separate menu and can only try to accommodate. So my choices were basically a salad with no croutons and a burger with no bun. Needless to say that that was what I ordered.
The salad was nothing special, just a spring mix with an olive oil based dressing on top. The «burger with no bun» was brought to me as a the piece of meat on top of a single piece of lettuce with the tomatoes and such on the side with the fries. The meat for the burger was very juicy and the bartender was nice — those are the only nice things I can say about this place. The server was inattentive, the food as a whole mediocre, and the décor lacked cohesiveness.
Probably won’t be coming back here unless that gluten free chef people were talking about returns.

I feel you either LOVE Haakon’s or just think its meh. If you love it, I’d guess you’re probably come here to drink with your Columbia GS or SIPA buddies and then I can understand why this place has a place in your heart. If you’re just looking to eat or get a beer, however, it is a definitively a middling option.
— Solid place for burgers and other standard bar fare
— Just kind of grungy. Always sort of looks like there was a big party the night before.
— Been here for lunch a few times and the waitstaff isn’t super attentive

Haakon’s is popular among Columbia students as far as I can tell, simply for the location. Certainly, the convenience factor can’t be beat sometimes, and I’ve found myself here a little more often than I would like simply out of laziness in choosing an after-​class bar with some friends. But really, there are so many better bars in this city, and even in the immediate campus area. Prices are not the best, and the happy hour is not particularly cheap. Sure, $ 7 for a shot and a beer can be a good way to get a quick buzz, but both the shot and the beer are really dreadful quality. Additionally, the ambiance leaves something to be desired. Yes, most bars are a little dark, and that is fine. But I always feel like I’m in a cave at Haakon’s…it seems much darker and dingier than your average bar. Sure, there’s nothing wrong with Haakon’s, but there’s really nothing right with it either. Avoid if you can help it.

Possibly the best burger in the city and you cannot beat the price. Half pound burger for $ 5 between 4 and 7. Amazing deal

DAY DRINKINGG.
Yes. If you ever want to day drink, this isthe place to be. And yes, I am typing ths while I am slightly tippsy.
Ok apologies. Now I am more sober. But I refuse to edit my last paragraph in order to preserve the full «flavor» of this review.
I cam here at around 5:30pm with a frd and we got two half Pound Hamburgers and I got a beer and a couple shots to go with it. From 4pm to 7pm Haakon Hall offers Happy Hour so the burger and the beer was cheap.
$ 5 Burger: Special Pat La Frieda Burger
–Super greasy, but grease goes well with beers
–Patty was crispy outside, yet tender insde
–A lot of ingredients, good amount of Slaw, Fries, Lettuce, Tomato & Onion
–A decent portion, but big eaters might want to order some fries or sides to go with it
$ 2.75 Beer: Explosion BOOM Chocolate Stout Porter
–BAD, but expected for a $ 2.75 beer
–Cocoa powder tasted sour, bitter and roasty
–Weak chocolate taste
–Don’t know why Randy the bartender recommended it
$ 3 Shots
–Nothing special, just shots
Nice 70s music in the background. Got a pool table and a Jukebox. Perfect place for day drinking and super early pre-​gaming.

Took friends who were visiting here for drinks and some bar food. The bar is fairly spacious but full of small crowds of people all staring intently at their cellphones. The drink selection is reasonable and the food fairly generic, albeit well executed. It’s a good place to go on a weekday night when you know you’ve got to stagger back home drunk and be up and about the morning after. However, nothing really stands out to make this place very exceptional.

Cheap bear and cocktails, good for CU students. What’s better, they don’t check your ID even on a weekend night. Just ask someone to buy you a drink.

THIS IS PURELY TO SPECIFY FOR GLUTEN FREE ASPECT. I give it a middle ground rating so it doesn’t affect the rating overall too much.
I have not been to this restaurant but I do want to specify for the Celiac’s out there that they no longer have gluten free items (except for a beer) on the menu. I keep wanting to go here but the two times I have called the person who answered very kindly informed me that they no longer have gluten free menu items. Burger, no bun… sure. French Fries — no. Put into the frier with the wings (breaded).
While I had pleasant experiences when I have called to inquire… if you are gluten sensitive or a Celiac, don’t expect to eat food here. Enjoy a beer perhaps though!

Haakons has some good happy hour specials and it’s a family-​run place with a friendly staff. I’m a fan of some of their home-​brewed beers which are on tap for happy hour – in particular the Haakon’s Hall Ale.
The restaurant is divided into two halves – a sports bar atmosphere on one side and the more sirene sit-​down atmosphere on the other.
I wish I could comment on the food, but I’ve only ever had the fries (they’re great).

They don’t have as many Norwegian items on the menu. They have revised the menu to be more bar-​like. We met the first owner, who was very nice and interesting. We had the sangria and cucumber martinis, both of which were excellent.

Great location for any Columbia student… outdoor seating in season.
My menu did not look anything like what is on the website. In fact I did not even realize it was a Norwegian restaurant… if I had I would have tried something besides a burger. It was good.
Probably worth a trip back.

Came here last night under the delusion that I could out drink some army rangers. (I cannot.)
This is one of the «easy access» bars near school where my friends and I often go after being mind-​effed by teachers all day. It’s a very chill restaurant/​bar that also serves interesting food along with classic pub grub. One of the owners was working behind the bar last night and he was doing a good job making sure everyone was having a good time. $ 4 drafts are available but the drink of choice for last night was the Haakon Special (a black and tan with a shot of whiskey).
Always a good time.

I’ve found the food at this restaurant fairly tasty on multiple occasions, and even my German girlfriend had good things to say about their Bavarian Platter. But hey, this is New York, and a good restaurant isn’t just the food, right? My overall read on this place is that its run by people who try very hard but come up short (sorry guys, not a personal comment).
The negatives? Well, the service needs work in a lot of ways.
*I agree with previous posters — the bartender can come off so strange as to make the drinking experience a negative one. I was happy to call the previous incarnation of this place my local bar, and I now avoid this one like the plague because of this very reason.
*The waitstaff is eager but seems inexperienced. We asked for water, we didn’t get it. Apparently my dinner came with a salad, which perhaps I should have realized, but tell me that before you bring it so I can tell you what dressing (if any) I want :).
*The owner/​manager person on the scene was trying to help and failing. Every previous interaction I’ve had with management at a restaurant, especially owners, is that they may stop by and very politely ask if you’re enjoying your evening. This person hovered within 10 feet and stared. He was also dressed in a trenchcoat and I honestly thought at first it was just a crazy person! Sorry pal!

Had no idea this was Norwegian food… I had a good solid burger that was the size of my head (that came with delicious fries) and my friend enjoyed his chicken pot pie thoroughly.
Note: don’t walk through the floor/​ceiling open windows thinking it’s a door. I did.

Surrounded by subtlety, they exercise none; their e-​letter arrived in all caps, obnoxious size 72 font. Echoing Sarah J., it’s pathetic; no, James, Unilocal had nothing to do with my honest denouncement. Stop bothering me («Hi, what did I do to piss you off»).
UPDATE: Received 2 virtually identical e-​mails (in characteristic obnoxiously enormous font) for their 11:30 — 6:30 Easter «dinner». One would’ve been too much. SCRATCH THAT…4 in an hour…2 originals + 2 duplicates, the latter 2 of which were in hot pink & vomit yellow discussing a Spring Fling.
ANOTHER UPDATE: The e-​mails keep pouring in, and my name isn’t Danny. Respect your customers, and realize that not all press is good press. You deserve everything that’s happened to you with the way you handle all these situations.
Following some well-​deserved Eater infamy, a delightful PM arrives:
OK BUDDY
You don’t even have the guts to come and speak to Haakon or Me personally.
Anddd another:
Danny can we invite you to the restaurant so I can offer you a cup of shut the f*ck up jerkoff

The day after I posted my first review of Haakon’s Hall, I received a message from James (the chef/​owner) apologizing profusely for the bad service we had and asking for a second chance. The following week I went back with most of the same group and he made sure the menu item I had asked about was available, the service was friendly and attentive (a different waitress) and he even came out to personally check on us several times. He also offered us an amuse-​bouche that I didn’t have but I gave my portion to the Norwegian guest at our table and he, and everyone who tasted it, thought it was delicious.
Since my original review was not based on the food but only one individual, I decided to update the review after they made sincere efforts to address their customer’s complaints and provided a very positive experience on our second trip.

Hmmm… what does it say about a restaurant when the owner offers you a free meal after reading your less-​than-​favorable Unilocal review, you’re too busy to take up the owner on his offer, then he throws wild conspiracy theories about you across the internet a week later? When I broke up with my high school boyfriend, he tried to bribe me with flowers and jewelry. Then when I finally dumped him he told all our friends I had cheated on him. **Cue flashback** Awkward…
For the record, I’m just a poverty-​stricken grad student, with no Unilocal affiliation, who had not one, but MANY encounters with bad service and mediocre food at this place. The owner’s paranoid and accusatory comments regarding my expression of my own opinion (which is why we all Unilocal,isn’t it?) don’t inspire any further confidence in the joint.
Sorry Haakon’s. It’s not me. It’s you.

HOT, FRESH baked cookies straight out of the oven are beyond divine. The chocolate chip, and chocolate cookies with marshmellows hot and gooey out of the oven are hands down one of this town’s best desserts. This is their signature dessert. Served with milk– plain or chocolate these cookies are a über comforting, delectable treat and well worth the $ 10 price tag.
Our second visit included one of the few Scandinavian dishes on the menu with was meat patties, cabbage stewed in wine, some veggies.
Delish!

Took my mom here for dinner and loved it! Highly recommended
Recommendations:
Food
*I got the Kjoh-​Akaker (norwegin style meat patty, simmered in red wine and aromatic veggies) absolutely delicious! for 12.50, TOTALLY WORTH IT! GET THIS!
*I also tried the French Onion Soup, 4.50, and it was really tasty as well
*My mom tried some sort of fish assortment, and we were pleasantly surprised at the quality and quantity of the seafood. Although I thought the white fish tasted the best.
Ambiance and Service
*Festive, homey, and contemporary (if you can imagine those 3 adjectives together)
*Marco, our waiter, was very kind and frequently checked with us for our needs.
*Great place to take friends visiting the Columbia area