Location: 16 West 36th Street, New York, NY 10018
Cuisine: American
Cost: $$
Overall: A laid back restaurant where you can have a night out that feels as relaxing as staying in. The perfect place to take your game night to more interesting heights.
Summer is officially over, but don’t fret, the fun doesn’t have to end. Bring good times indoors with our friends at Clinton Hall. Since their official launch in 2013, we’ve visited several of their locations and we’ve never had a bad time. The family-friendly bar and restaurant are known for its playful atmosphere, extensive beer list and delicious menu of comfort food favorites. Clinton Hall’s main purpose is to get people together. To further their mission each establishment has communal tables, shareable snacks and a collection of popular board and card games. If you stop by the 36th Street location you may even get the chance to try your luck at Drag Bingo!
We stopped by 36th street last week to sample some of their new treats. The culinary team at Clinton Hall is always trying new and interesting variations on classic dishes. For instance, their Instagram worthy “The Famous Doughnut Grilled Cheese”, features an enormous cheese-filled doughnut suspended over a steamy bowl of tomato soup. The new dishes offered range from keto-friendly “Cauliflower Thin Crust Pizza” to a decadent Philly Cheesesteak oozing with Cheez Whiz. We mixed a few classics with the newbies…
Fried Pickle Chips
Every starter at Clinton Hall is portioned to share. While enjoying an intense game of Uno we popped these crispy little chips. The pickles are deep-fried and drizzled with a finger-licking Chipotle Ranch dressing. The pickles are surprisingly mild and not nearly as salty as one would expect instead they are savory and addictive. The dressing adds a subtle bit of heat and creaminess.
The Crispy Chicken Stack
Summer 2019 was a chicken sandwich war, it comes as no surprise that Clinton Hall would add one to its menu. Like most of the dishes, they served the humble sandwich gets an extreme makeover. This thick pile of tender fried chicken is topped with fried pickles, rainbow slaw, crushed hot cherry peppers and drizzled with Mike’s hot honey. It is a messy but beautiful sandwich. The spice level is just right and you can taste each element no one item outshines the others.
Bacon Bacon Bacon Burger
If you love bacon like we love bacon you have to have this insanely rich burger. Not only is it topped with strips of crispy bacon and a dollop of spicy bacon jam, but the patty is also half bacon! we have been blessed by the bacon gods. The patty is juicy and incredibly delicious on its own but the jam and extra bacon take it all to a new level of greatness. This isn’t a new item, but it was changed slightly, they removed the mustard (thank you! thank you! thank you!). With all the sweet-salty savory flavors the omission was a good and necessary call. The sourness of the mustard would have been too much. The upgraded burger is just pure perfection!
Clinton Hall Dry Aged Burger
The dry-aging process intensifies the beef flavor and makes the meat more tender. Clinton’s Hall’s dry-aged burger is a prime example of the merits of dry aging. Every bite was tender, juicy and full of beefy flavor. The half-pound burger patty is served with swiss cheese, crispy onions and a creamy horseradish sauce.
Beer!
Clinton Hall’s beer list is a rotating collection of local and craft brews. We recommend the Erdinger Oktoberfest for a mild wheat beer. If you prefer sour fruity flavor go for the “Mikkeller NYC We’re Going To Need A Bigger Mango” or the number 17, either way, prepare for a mouth-puckering dose of sour goodness.
The new Fall menu also includes Crispy Cauliflower Signature Tacos, Maryland Style Crab Cake, Spicy Miso Brussels Sprouts, just to name a few. If you’re looking for a fun casual night out, Clinton Hall is an easy choice. The food is great, the drinks are good and you can take a break from your glowing screens and enjoy some old school human interaction. Clinton Hall definitely satisfied our carnivorous appetites, but rejoice plant-based brethren, they have treats for you too. Some of their meatless options include “Crispy Cauliflower Tacos” “Beyond Veggie ALT” and more.
For more information on Clinton Hall, head over to clintonhallny.com.