It’s a pretty good location, especially compared to the smaller stores in the city, but I have a few complaints. First off, I see people bring dogs in here all the time. I’m allergic to dogs. The carpets upstairs trap the allergens, and the dog allergens contaminate the books as well. This effectively makes it so I can’t buy any books here unless they JUST came out; otherwise, they’ll get contaminated and if I buy them they’ll contaminate my other books. New books should be kept clean and safe for all readers. This location needs to enforce a no pet rule for the sake of everyone who has allergies.
I’m also concerned about the shelving in the manga section. The top shelves facing the window are uncovered, which causes the books on them to become unevenly and severely yellowed over time. Depending on who the cashier is, they won’t let you even get a discount on these books. This isn’t a problem for me in particular since I only buy new releases, but manga often appreciates in value over time. The shelving in this area is not conducive to that.
I will also say that a lot of kids come sit in that section and read the books without paying for them, and damage them in the process of reading. I do often see employees try to discourage this behavior, but that is another thing that keeps me from coming here.
All that said, the selection is pretty good, and the layout is much better than the UES location’s. There are just some fatal flaws keeping this from being my preferred location in the city.
This is by far the best store I visited this holiday season. They answered the phone to help me find the perfect last minute gifts. Once I arrived everyone in the store was so nice and helpful. It was super crowded with the line going all the way the first floor. Even with all the people every person who was working was nice and helpful. It brought the magic of the season.
The workers here are incredibly kind and diligent. I usually order my books online and my orders were always ready either within the day or the following day and they made the process easy and quick
Coffee is always hot n fresh. Their pastry selection ranges from sweet to savory and it’s a good selection. Never been dissatisfied and always a friendly staff.
absolutely lovely Barnes and Noble, very inviting compared to the cramped 5th Avenue location. only issue is their very small movie section, but the gifts on the mezzanine are expensive, as are the books on the second floor. I'd rate this location quite well
Barnes & Nobles fantastic bookstore & some have cafes. The one in NYC Brooklyn Prospect Park without a doubt has very satisfactory customer-friendly helpful polite services. However the NYC 45 th St & Fifth Ave is hit or miss with customer service. The cafe should display more large visible signs that patrons CANNOT SIT AT TABLES THERE IF THEY DO NOT PURCHASE THEIR FOOD! I was approached by a B&N Employee & when I reacted she got upset gas-lighting my reaction. She then calmed down. In the future, I hope to just buy books & read standing up in areas outside their cafe! **Especially in this changed political & social climate, everyone needs to be sensitive in their reactions to ALL PATRONS! I do however appreciate all the Barnes & Nobles staff in trying to improve their customer services!
Great bookstore especially since the renovation. The staff is knowledgeable and kind. They have a great selection of books and it is a fun place to browse and find the perfect books for anyone on you gift list.
Oddly felt like more like a movie set of a barns & noble. I couldn't even sit to read. Energy is off somehow. The café is reminiscent of an airport Starbucks with a dash of primary school cafeteria. What is happening here? The highlight was an elderly woman reading the new testament out loud and riffing on it.
Love this Barnes and Noble. It has a cafe at the second floor which carries Starbucks coffee if you are a fan. Also has a cafe area where you can sit and read or work. They have charging stations. I love their anime section also.
This Barnes and Noble is great! The cafe has lots of seating, and they recently added MORE outlets (very exciting), making it a great place to study/work. Great selection of books and other goods as well. They get docked 1 star because the bathrooms are locked and require a receipt code to enter - a new policy in the last year or so. This area desperately needs more public restrooms, and it's hard when you're there to browse the books because you can't use the restroom until after you've purchased something.
The Barnes & Nobles on Broadway between 83rd and 84th Streets is so welcoming and well designed that this is excellent evidence why the bookstore chain has been growing and expanding. Besides for their selection of wonderful selection of both new nonfiction and fiction books, they have great games, puzzles as well as an entire balcony of greeting cards and other gift related items.
I was overjoyed to visit my beloved Barnes & Noble! With the loss of so many bookstores in NYC, including my own family's 50+ year old bookstore, it was a welcome site! Great staff, a good choice of books, games, puzzles and novelty items and an overall friendly atmosphere.
Great experience, 3 floors of good reads and some merch for big franchises like Harry Potter. Definetly recommend to visit if you're in the area and like books.
Spacious and beautiful branch of b&n! Clean, organized ans smells good! Ample of choices for books here. Cafe here serves starbucks coffees. See images for reference.
Beautiful store. Two spotlessly clean floors, with escalator or elevator up. Sit on the floor and read for hours; no one will object. Walk around to the dozens of sections and you can literally get lost. Thousands of books. Cafeteria with seating, and clean bathrooms available. Place has been here for many years, and hopefully for many years to come.
Love this store. Outstanding service. I was chasing special editions and I got excellent assistance in contacting nearby stores to reserve the books I needed. Great accessories department as well. Enjoy!
Loved this place. A full of nostalgia. I came here almost after 12 years. Before Amazon it used to be go to place to buy books. I really loved that they’re still maintaining this place. I felt like the reflections of life before everything was accessible in internet.
Classic bookstore on the Upper West Side. Good selection of books in every category. I found what I was looking for. They have a small cafe in the second floor (left side). They are undergoing some constructions on the first floor but do not interfere the please of sitting on a chair and read one of their books in the quiet space of the second floor. The staff was friendly. Highly recommend!
An upper west side staple. Great selection of books and small gifts. Staff is always helpful and courteous. They have a small Starbucks cafe hidden on the second floor.
One of a dying breed. Love barnes and noble before they shut down. This is one of the few to keep the memory alive.
The place was clean, plenty of areas to sit and packed with great reads. Loved the seat by the windows to read with a view of nature. Definitely a spot for creativity.
I absolutely love Barnes and Noble. They have so many cool things, and so many books, in a warm atmosphere. Some stores even have a coffee shop. The bathrooms are not always the best, but that's because people use them irresponsibly and make a mess, while also using them when not purchasing anything. They have elevators in case you are in a wheelchair and need them. Very quirky stuff and cool totes, planners and cozy reading socks.
Again, love bookstores, cafes, libraries and museums. And NYC, Is a truly wonderful cultural center for all of them. We are so extremely fortunate, to have grown up in this labyrinth reservoir of knowledge. This is another one of my favorite Barnes & Nobles, l completely agree with the other reviewer, who said "this place is huge ". And I also have great appreciation, for the multiple-level high arches ceiling architecture. Reminiscent of an ancient mountain monastery, contemplation repository for absolute knowledge, enlightenment. And the cafe, is a cozy enchanting enclave of an enclosure, secretly hidden, just below the mezzanine level. Again the staff, for their tremendous guidance, is truly exceptional What's not to love/please like
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