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All 1,703 New York City Attractions »

Abyssinian Baptist Church

132 Odell Clark Place, Harlem, New York City, NY (Formerly 132 West 138th Street)
212-862-7474
As featured in New York City on a budget
Ranked #366 of 707 attractions in New York City
3.0 of 5 stars 30 Reviews
Type: Religious Sites
Fee: No
Description: One of the churches in Harlem where inspiring gospel music is an integral part of the sermon.
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30 reviews from our community

Visitor rating
    9
    6
    4
    0
    11
Date Rating
New York City, New York
2 reviews
Reviews in 2 cities Reviews in 2 cities
4 helpful votes 4 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 27 April 2012
2
people found this review helpful

This church has a lot to offer IF you want to worship. It is a church and not a gospel review. It is unfortunate that tour operators "sell" attendance to the church and promise them a morning of singing and a "show". Members are allowed to enter before visitors( only right and proper). If some of the ushers outside seem... More

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Porto Alegre, RS
Senior Contributor
26 reviews 26 reviews
Reviews in 7 cities Reviews in 7 cities
6 helpful votes 6 helpful votes
1 of 5 stars Reviewed 23 April 2012
1
person found this review helpful

We got three at 8 AM. First they said that there was a service at nine, we waited until 930 and then they told us that wasn't any service for white people at that time, only at 11. I argued that they told us about the 9 service themselves and that it was specified in their website also. The doorman... More

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See 6 more reviews by DBP_RS_BRazil for New York City
Holyhead, United Kingdom
Reviewer
3 reviews 3 reviews
Reviews in 2 cities Reviews in 2 cities
14 helpful votes 14 helpful votes
3 of 5 stars Reviewed 22 February 2012
3
people found this review helpful

After waiting in the freezing cold 1.5 hours and getting shouted at by the ushers we got into the church. The singing was out of the world BUT my daughters bad knee was by this time beginning to seize up, the service was coming to a close and we decided to discreetly leave. We were seized upon by two very... More

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jtbldb
Senior Contributor
22 reviews 22 reviews
Reviews in 4 cities Reviews in 4 cities
9 helpful votes 9 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 31 January 2012
2
people found this review helpful

I grew up in NJ and did all the NYC stuff my whole life... but how did I miss this? During a recent girls weekend my friend, who lives in Harlem, suggested a visit to the Abyssinian Baptist Church for a Sunday morning activity. This was a surprise suggestion coming from my secular Jewish girlfriend! I jumped at the chance...... More

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See 6 more reviews by jtbldb for New York City
Porto, Portugal
Contributor
14 reviews 14 reviews
Reviews in 13 cities Reviews in 13 cities
6 helpful votes 6 helpful votes
3 of 5 stars Reviewed 15 January 2012
2
people found this review helpful

If you want to see a Gospel Show, don't go there! That`s a Church and that will be only a normal ceremony to them. A worship of God. The Entrance is Free but subject to seat availability. The Lines (for tourists) are huge, there´s another "line" for locals that is empty, and you can not entered there without their authorization.... More

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New York City, New York
Contributor
13 reviews 13 reviews
Reviews in 6 cities Reviews in 6 cities
7 helpful votes 7 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 13 January 2012
3
people found this review helpful

I recently moved to Harlem and was looking for a home church and decided to go here based on a recommendation from a friend, the reviews and history of the church. I went to the service and I enjoyed the message from the Pastor as well as the singing from the choir. I felt at home and will definitely go... More

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See 3 more reviews by Mercedes F for New York City
Brigantine, New Jersey
Top Contributor
61 reviews 61 reviews
Reviews in 8 cities Reviews in 8 cities
5 helpful votes 5 helpful votes
3 of 5 stars Reviewed 2 January 2012
1
person found this review helpful

nice stop in Harlem if you have the time and are there when the church is open.

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See 49 more reviews by Brigantinebeach_bum for New York City
Adelaide, Australia
Reviewer
5 reviews 5 reviews
Reviews in 3 cities Reviews in 3 cities
5 helpful votes 5 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 15 November 2011
4
people found this review helpful

When we arrived at the church at just after 10am for the 11am service the queue had reached the end of the block. Ushers made it clear that if people really only wanted to hear the gospel music, then they should go to other places nearby. Once inside the church you were expected to stay for the entire service, until... More

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See 2 more reviews by Barbara M for New York City
New York City, New York
1 review
5 helpful votes 5 helpful votes
1 of 5 stars Reviewed 12 June 2011
5
people found this review helpful

We arrived at 10am for the 11am service, found a long line and then started to wait, at about 1045 we were told that 250 people would get in, luckily we were in that number, at about 1115 they lowered that number to 150, finally just before 12 they allowed 50 people in and the rest left VERY disappointed. I... More

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hobart
Top Contributor
54 reviews 54 reviews
Reviews in 26 cities Reviews in 26 cities
35 helpful votes 35 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 6 July 2010
8
people found this review helpful

We arrived at the church 2 hours before the 1100 am service and found a line winding around the block. Told we would not gain entrance, we went to the Mother African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church which was built in 1796. It was just around the corner. They also had Gospel singers and it was a great service going for... More

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See 7 more reviews by ushy for New York City

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