Five Iron Golf

The reviews for this place are almost universally positive, so maybe my experience was an aberration, but this was not the best. I came here on Thursday midday with a handful of colleagues for a work lunch/bonding experience. This particular Five Iron location is a short walk from the office (probably five minutes or so) right off Herald Square; the signage is a little inconspicuous from the outside, but we didn't have any difficulties locating it and accessing the premises on the 5th floor (we looked on the map carefully before leaving the office, and I'd recommend the same for anyone else unsure). The actual setup is pretty cool; it's a very spacious facility, which makes sense, with at least two different bar areas, a very nice bathroom and then at least 12 golf simulators with accompanying couches, etc. Definitely could have been more that I didn't see. The primary issue is that the heat was very clearly not working, or at least it wasn't in our section (11). One employee made a remark about the temperature, but we never received an apology nor offer to go to a warmer area. Given that we've been in the midst of an atrocious sub-freezing stretch, it was legitimately uncomfortable/unpleasant, to the point where I ultimately put my winter jacket and accessories back on because I was having trouble feeling my extremities. A huge miss in my book on multiple levels. The actual simulator was pretty cool. I had ZERO formal golf experience coming in, though I've acquitted myself well over the years at various mini-golf outings, but this is a different, more sophisticated beast entirely. One of my co-worker chums is a legitimate golfer who played varsity in high school and has golfed at the Old Course at St. Andrews (which I can tell, even as someone who's a golf bumpkin, is clearly a flex), so he looked right at home in front of the simulator. The closest type of experience I have is high school softball/Little League, so my swing SORT OF mimicked the correct way to go about things, but not really. All that to say, I was pretty bad but it was still fun. I'm not entirely convinced it truly gave accurate representations of what would have happened if we'd been at St. Andrews (I picked that course for the one hole we ended up doing), but no matter. The food I had was mediocre at best. There's some metaphorical window dressing on this menu (a few Indian and Mediterranean food references, e.g.), but ultimately it's just normal bar food, which is fine in theory. I ordered the Hot Honey Whipped Ricotta app. It didn't show up with the rest of the initially-ordered items, nor did it come with the second wave. We had to remind the staffer literally three or four times before it showed up, but it legit took an hour if not longer, and we were getting ready to leave when it made its appearance. The only upside to that? It didn't have enough time to get cold, which happened to the rest of the food very quickly due to the temperature in there. A lot of people got fries on the side, but those were icy within 10 or 15 minutes, unfortunately. They were honestly the best items I tried - cooked thoroughly which is my preference, though they needed ketchup for flavoring purposes. We also got a plain pizza to share, which was pretty bad - it was basically just a frozen, tasteless, rubbery pizza that wasn't even as good as a Celeste Pizza from the freezer section of the supermarket. I'd for sure avoid that section of the menu if you can. The bathroom was pleasant (and warm!). Everyone who visited came back raving about it, which is...unusual in my experience. A lot of amenities in there, like floss and sanitary napkins. It gives it almost a country club vibe, coupled with the bougie lockers in there. I don't see myself coming back, and certainly not when it's this cold. Frankly, I'm more concerned about the lack of accountability/acknowledgment from the staff than even the heating issue itself. Regardless, when your biggest selling point is the bathroom, that's a problem.

Karlene and Cameron (the bartenders) were so attentive and amazing! They offered suggestions when i didnt know what i wanted and made me feel like a regular despite it being my first time visiting! Jeremy (server) was so understanding and helpful with the menu. Will (the general manager) was wonderful! We had an issue with the technology that he quickly fixed and made our night so much better! A wonderful experience overall! I would recommend this to everyone!!!!

Shelby and her team at Five Iron Golf in Herald Square were absolute legends. From the moment I walked in, I felt at home, even on my first visit. They made me feel welcome without ever being overbearing. All the staff were friendly, fast with drinks, and full of smiles. The vibe was perfect: part golf range, part hangout spot, and all-around good energy. I had gone in to catch some Ryder Cup action, grab a bite, and enjoy a few drinks and somehow ended up having some of the most fun hours in NYC. Shelby and her crew made it effortless and genuinely enjoyable. I can’t recommend them enough!

This place is amazing. It s a great place to hangout and wine down afterwords. The server Sam is very kind and provides excellent services and the food is fresh and delicious! Would definitely recommend anyone to come and enjoy themselves here! 😊❤️💕🍻👍🏻

Absolutely amazing experience, Sam, Zac, and Emma made it an experience we will never forget. Came in with a big group, the 5 Iron team made it very easy for us to set everything up given how many people we had. There wasn't a time where they wouldn’t check up on us to make sure we were having a good time. Besides the golfing itself, the amenities there ensured that no one would get bored, the food was great, and the vibes in there only allowed for a fun time. All around 10/10 experience, would definitely return for another fun time.