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On our first night in New York, we dined at P.J. Clarke’s because it was right by our aunt’s apartment. Established in 1884 and named after its Irish bartender, the restaurant is a traditional American saloon that seems to be the equivalent of an old French bistro. It serves classic dishes and is great for kids and seniors alike – the servers were great at amusing my cousin’s two little kids. Now there are three P.J. Clarke’s locations in New York City, with two more in the US and a couple even in Brazil. Although famous for their burgers, we only ordered sliders for the kiddos!
The restaurant itself is a classic New York establishment that has lasted two world wars, Prohibition, and the Great Depression. It has seen such famous faces as the Kennedys, Liza Minnelli, and Buddy Holly, and serves standard (but delicious) fare like burgers, New England clam chowder, steaks, and chicken pot pie.
The marble oyster bar that serves fresh, local New York oysters.
The enticing dessert menu, although we passed on these because we had two birthday cakes and a pavlova waiting for us.
To start, I had the deliciously creamy tomato soup served with a crispy cheese bread stick. It was quite filling and left me barely enough room for my Caesar salad entree.
The six of us ordered a few sides, including grilled asparagus and these amazing rosemary, fennel, and shallot home fries. The combination of herbs nicely complemented the buttery potatoes and sweet shallots.
The kids ate sliders and French fries, while my aunt had the fish tacos as a main.
My cousin’s husband ordered the King George Shepherd’s Pie, pictured above, and to be honest, I can’t even remember what my cousin ordered. Oh well.
Visit one of P.J. Clarke’s several locations:
THIRD AVENUE, NY
915 Third Avenue, at 55th Street
New York, NY 10022
LINCOLN SQUARE, NY
44 West 63rd Street
New York, NY 10023
ON THE HUDSON, NY
Four World Financial Center
New York, NY 10281
