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Renzo Gracie East Side Martial Arts

5 ★★★★★ 63 Google reviews · BJJ gym in New York, New York

Part of Renzo Gracie Academy

BJJ gym Free trial Affiliated Beginners welcome Kids & teens Private lessons Competition team

Affiliated academy — reviews and the gym's own info point to a recognized BJJ lineage or affiliation (think Gracie Barra, 10th Planet, Renzo Gracie, Alliance, Atos or Checkmat). If lineage matters to you, ask which affiliation the academy belongs to and under whom the head instructor earned their black belt.

Plan your first class

  • Free trial or intro class most gyms welcome new members with a free trial or intro class — check their site or give them a call to book your first session
  • Beginner-friendly all levels welcome, including total beginners — you don't need to be fit or have any experience to start
  • Kids & youth classes kids and youth BJJ classes — built around discipline, focus, and confidence
  • Private lessons private, one-on-one coaching available — a focused way to start or to work around a busy schedule; ask about availability and rates
  • Open mat open-mat rolling sessions for members to practice live — always optional and at your own pace
  • Competition team a competition team for members who want to test themselves at tournaments
  • Today see hours ·
  • Website & schedule renzogracieeastside.com — book classes and see the live schedule
  • Phone +1 917-336-0339

Hours

Monday 11:30 am–8:45 pm
Tuesday 11:30 am–8:45 pm
Wednesday 11:30 am–8 pm
Thursday 11:30 am–8:45 pm
Friday 11:30 am–7:45 pm
Saturday 9 am–12:30 pm
Sunday 9–11 am

Hours shift for holidays, seminars, and open-gym times — worth a quick check before a special trip.

The classes they run

BJJ classes on the schedule at Renzo Gracie East Side Martial Arts, confirmed in members' own reviews and the gym's own info — not guessed from the sign out front.

🧒 Kids BJJ 18 mentions

“RGES has the best combination between teaching kids technique while also having them do resistance training each class.”

All gyms that run kids bjj →

🔓 Open Mat

“Beautiful gym - have taken a trial class here, as well as being a semi-regular at their Sunday open mats.”

All gyms that run open mat →

🌱 Beginners 6 mentions

“Walked in nervous as heck as I have no experience with martial arts, was greeted by the friendliest staff including Cynthia, Amadeyo, Rob and Professor Chen.”

All gyms that run beginners →

Other martial arts here

BJJ gyms are usually multi-discipline. Here's what else members mention training under the same roof at Renzo Gracie East Side Martial Arts — mined from their reviews and the gym's own info.

🥊 Muay Thai

“They also offer Muay Thai classes!”

Other gyms that also teach muay thai →

Disciplines are mined from reviews and the gym's own info — they show what members have trained, not a formal class guarantee. If you specifically want MMA, muay thai, or wrestling alongside your BJJ, confirm the current schedule with the gym.

What members say

The things reviewers bring up again and again across 63 Google reviews — in their own words.

🧑‍🏫 expert, high-level coaching 7 mentions

“The gym has an incredible balance of professionalism, community, and world-class instruction.”

🌱 welcoming to beginners 18 mentions

“Walked in nervous as heck as I have no experience with martial arts, was greeted by the friendliest staff including Cynthia, Amadeyo, Rob and Professor Chen.”

🤝 no-ego, friendly academy 24 mentions

“Immediate 5 stars for that, friendly, open and engaging, with rolling that was controlled with escalating intensity that remained safe.”

📘 strong technique & fundamentals 7 mentions

“RGES has the best combination between teaching kids technique while also having them do resistance training each class.”

🧒 strong kids program 3 mentions

“My son loved it here from the start but his passion only grows thanks to the amazing coaches.”

🎖️ legit lineage & affiliation 25 mentions

“I started BJJ at Renzo Gracie UES a few months ago having had no prior martial arts experience and I don’t think I could have chosen a better gym to start my journey.”

From the reviews

Top notch! Our 7 year old son began his BJJ training here so this was our first experience as a family. We have (sadly) since moved to Queens for more space for our growing family and have tried other BJJ gyms and nothing compares here.

★★★★★ — Jennie, Sep 2025

Renzo Gracie Eastside is the real deal. Even before opening their doors, they had over 300 people signed up — and once you step on the mats, it’s easy to see why. The gym has an incredible balance of professionalism, community, and world-class instruction. Clean spot, great locker rooms and showers!

★★★★★ — Alex, Sep 2025

This is the place for world-class BJJ. Love training here with great instructors and partners! High level black belts in a warm welcoming environment. Can’t say enough about Mike Jaramillo, Dave Cheung, and staff

★★★★★ — Jeffrey, Nov 2025

I have trained around the world at who knows how many gyms over a 16 year span. I can pretty quickly understand the culture of a gym. Immediate 5 stars for that, friendly, open and engaging, with rolling that was controlled with escalating intensity that remained safe.

★★★★★ — Kevin, Apr 2025

Excerpts from public Google reviews. Read all 63 reviews →

New to BJJ? Start at Renzo Gracie East Side Martial Arts

Renzo Gracie East Side Martial Arts comes up as a beginner-friendly gym — noted on their own site. If you've never rolled or set foot on a mat, that's exactly who a good beginners program is for. A few things worth knowing before your first week. First, you don't need to be fit or flexible to start — you get in shape by training, not before it, and coaches scale the intensity to you. Second, you won't be thrown into hard rolling — reputable gyms build fundamentals (positions, escapes, and basic submissions) for weeks, live rolling eases in gradually, and tapping early keeps every roll safe. Third, all levels really are welcome — ask about a dedicated beginners or fundamentals class time so your first session is alongside others who are also starting out, and leave your ego at the door. Most gyms are happy to let you watch or try a class first, so reach out before you commit.

See their beginner class info

Your first BJJ class at Renzo Gracie East Side Martial Arts

Nervous about walking into a BJJ gym for the first time? Almost everyone is, and good coaches expect beginners to come through the door. Here's what to know. What to expect: a typical first class is a warm-up, then drilling basic positions and escapes with a partner — not hard sparring. Rest whenever you need to; no one will bat an eye. What to wear: athletic wear you can move in (or a gi if you have one); you'll train barefoot on the mats. What to bring: water and a mouthguard if you have one — many gyms lend a loaner gi for a first class, so it's worth asking when you call. As you keep training you'll add your own gi (or a rashguard and shorts for no-gi) and a mouthguard. Live rolling eases in gradually, once your fundamentals are solid. Arrive 10–15 minutes early to sign a waiver and meet the coach. It gets easier fast — most people feel far more at home by their third class.

BJJ is a contact sport. Ease in, tap early and often, listen to your coaches, and if you have any injuries or health concerns, mention them before class and check with a doctor if you're unsure.

Where to find Renzo Gracie East Side Martial Arts

Enter on, 1264 Lexington Ave, E 85th St 2nd floor, New York, NY10028

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Listing verified July 2026 from public business records and member reviews. Something out of date? Report a correction. Own this gym? Claim your listing — it's free.