The Bronx Hip-Hop Restaurant That You Need To Visit
By Justin Charles
Normally, I take every opportunity possible to take my mom to the coolest places I know in New York when she visits. However, I’ve been slacking recently. For most of my senior year, I was seeking inspiration for places to show my mom, but to no avail. No new museums, restaurants, nothing. Seeing my lackluster performances of late, my mom took it upon herself to suggest a restaurant we should go to called Beatstro.
Located at 135 Alexander Avenue in the Bronx (about a thirty minute train ride from Fordham University), Beatstro claims on its website that it “celebrates the Bronx as well as its rich Puerto Rican and African-American presence.” I had no idea what this meant, but I put faith in my mother and took a stroll to Alexander Ave. When I opened the door, I was greeted with a picture of Bob Marley staring right at me, only comparable to the FatHeads people used to have in their rooms. Next to that, there was a poster of the rock band Led Zeppelin. I was even more confused at that point, but seeing as I had already stepped inside, I’d figured I had to keep moving.
The inside of Beatstro showcases an open kitchen & murals. Photo courtesy of Beatstro.
Weaving our way through the dancers, my mother, cousin and I finally arrived at our seats at the back of the restaurant, right next to the DJ. Now, I will say that I loved the music. However, it was so absurdly loud that the three of us had to scream to communicate. We quickly found that it was probably just better to be doing one of three things—eating, dancing, or singing—and that was fine with us. I opened the menu to see some of my favorite meals, including chicken and waffles, shrimp and grits, and steak and eggs. As it was my birthday, I convinced my mother and cousin to get the shrimp and grits and steak and eggs respectively, while I got the chicken and waffles; this gave me the ability to steal off of their plates. Because of this, I can confirm that all three meals are excellent. Eventually, the music changed to current hip hop and my cousin and I, prompted by my mother, got up and joined in the dancing.
Overall, I loved Beatstro. It was a great experience, and even though it was said to celebrate Puerto Rican and African American cultures, I saw people of every race and culture in the restaurant all dancing to the same music. It was an unexpected moment of togetherness and unity. If you are ever in need of a cool new restaurant, try out Beatstro. You might even see me there.
