Clover Club

An odd review for me to write.I stumbled in, for one thing. I'd tried to visit a friend. Their absence - through no fault of theirs - left me in the wind in Brooklyn. Why not Clover Club? I'd heard good things.The craft cocktail menu isn't crafted for off days. Not a flaw. Just a function of how they are written: to spark curiosity, provoke questions, get you thinking about why this particular name or why that unfamiliar ingredient. To delight you, ideally. I found myself in front of an obviously brilliant, effortful menu, and felt abruptly guilty that I didn't have the energy to engage with it.I ordered a daiquiri variation. Anything with autumn vibes. I say 'ordered', but what came out was mumbled, a reflection my night thus far.After a short wait, the bartender gave me a sharp nod. "Your daiquiri is on its way."Something probably showed on my face. "Sir?" he prompted."I, uh, I asked for a daiquiri variation, with maybe Fall-ish flavors?" I replied, before I could stop myself.There's something cringeworthy about "um actually"-ing a bartender. You want to curl up and disappear, to an extent. I've been behind the stick as well, and I hate it when that happens to me. Worse, I suspected that perhaps my daiquiri was already built, but just hadn't been shaken yet.-You shouldn't have mumbled, earlier- I thought to myself. -So, what, if the man thinks you've ordered a daiquiri? A daiquiri would be perfectly serviceable. Well within the bounds of what you deserve.-What I said was:"Sorry for the inconvenience. I must have miscommunicated."He laughed, an effortless absolution. I couldn't help but be charmed."Listen," he said, his tone all cheek. "Rum is my favorite spirit; I want you to have a good time with your drink. Don't worry about it."Just like that, I was no longer a stranger who had walked in out of the cold.I was a guest, and felt it.What I got, I was told, was a cocktail called the Sugarhill Gang. A drink passed down from Brian Miller, to Ryan Liloia, to my bartender himself. When I asked for his name, he affected embarrassment that he'd neglected to give his own name in service of honoring his mentors.Again, I was charmed. In a bar scene where sharing social media handles often takes center stage, the interaction felt touchingly grounded and sincere.As an aside to the sappy stuff: the drink tasted heavenly. If you've ever pondered if rum, Calvados, and orgeat would get along, ponder no longer!What was meant to be a quick stop turned into two joyful hours at Clover Club, chatting at the bar, sampling the menu, and leaning fully into my impromptu night out. Andrew (for that was the gentleman's name) kept the conversation lively, bouncing from the Mpemba Effect to how heat dispersed differently in oil vs. water. He recommended that I check out For the King II on Steam, and without missing a beat also walked me through the backstory behind why a more spirit-forward Manhattan demands a side of aged Gouda (no spoilers - ask for the details yourself; it's worth it!).At some point in the night, I asked Andrew if I'd gotten the lineage of the Sugarhill Gang correct, showing him notes I'd taken on my phone. My ears are fluent in everything except names, it turns out. Not only had I gotten all the names wrong, what I'd heard didn't even have the right number of syllables."May I?" he asked, judgment-free. Deft fingers danced across the screen to set me straight.The Hot Pearl Diver, a rich, buttery delight, wrapped up my night perfectly. It's a must-try if it's on the menu - it's rare enough to see a good tiki classic in a non-tiki bar. Seeing one reimagined as a Hot Toddy is truly a treat.The cocktail expertise of the Clover Club staff is oft-mentioned, but it's the warmth and humanity accompanying it that made my visit exceptional, even for a first-timer. Though I've spotlighted one bartender, everyone I encountered, from the the hosts to the barback to the server to an engaging cameo by co-owner Christine checking in on her staff, was generous with their time in making me feel welcome.What was left of my sad night? All gone; swept away by a downright splendid time.Thank you, Clover Club! May you keep charming the nights of your patrons for many nights to come.

Food and drinks are always great here. It's pricey but worth every penny. Service issues always top notch.

Stopped by for a quick bite and a drink here. They have a few options for bar snacks, more options for small bites, and larger plates. I ended up getting the deviled eggs which were so good. Each with its own topping. They included bacon jam, chili crisp, smoked trout and trout roe, and beet chip. Bacon jam was the fave.

Regal, elegant, classic. Clover club is a solid, well run prohibitionist style bar that stays tried and true to the classics. Utilizing storied techniques, ingredients, and styles you will find the menu riddled with house cocktails that are reminiscent of classics.I got some chips, the tiger lily, and the boa constrictor.The crisps were great. Light, crispy potato chips with a creamy garlic aioli. A great savory snack to end my night. The drinks were great. The tiger lily is a mezcal crusher. Easy to drink, yet the funkiness of the mezcal still prevails. But, the boa constrictor was my favorite. An unlikely friendship has been born with bourbon and green chartreuse. Earthy and herbal with some bright citrus to help balance everything out. This is a drink I would order time and again. I highly recommend, even if bourbon is not your preferred spirit.The bartender was great. Chatted it up, and sold me on the crisps, lol. The bartenders definitely contribute to the classic ambience. Dressed to the nines and stirring drinks with precision. Walking through that door is stepping through a time machine. I storied bar, and for good reason. Put it on your list whether you're visiting or a local

I can't believe it took me this long to come here when it's been on my bookmark forever. Came here on a school night, you can easily pass by mistaken it for a restaurant along the block, I asked for seat on the back room, where there's fire place, a bar for seating and without bartender, it's more cozy and secluded in the back. Ordered 2 whiskey based cocktails and it turned out amazing. we settled on one of the couches in the back and it's quite comfortable. didn't order any foods but would love to return for more cocktails!

What a lovely date night spot! We came here on a weeknight and the space is dark and intimate. It was 9pm and I was excited that their kitchen is open until 11pm, so yay for that.We ordered a Clover Manhattan ($20) for her and a Bonfire Old Fashioned ($21) for him. Our drinks took over 15 minutes to arrive. When we asked about them, they said that they may have forgotten to put our drink orders in. When the drinks did come, they were delicious cocktails though. I loved that the Manhattan came with a side of aged Gouda, which was my favorite. The drinks are strong, which I liked as well. We also ordered some food which came out soon after. We had the Mac and Cheese with Smoked Bacon ($16) and Buttermilk Flatbread "Hand"wiches ($17). The Mac and cheese was yummy but I wished they used a different type of pasta. I did enjoy the handwiches, which came with two. I got one chicken and one steak and liked how they're on a scallion-like bread. This also came with crisps that completed the meal.I really enjoyed the vibe of this spot. Their food and drinks were all great and would order again too. Just a tad disappointed that they almost forgot about our drinks though, but I'd be back.

The vibes here are very dark, intimate, and romantic. It seems nice for a date night. We ordered the fries which I wished were a bit crispier but still flavorful. The cocktails were a bit watered down for my liking, but I'd come back to try other ones!

I've been here a few times and I'm never disappointed. Most recently was Christmas Eve w/ my girlfriends. If you think people were in their homes w/ families...think again. LOL! It was a lively vibe for a group but definitely moody enough for a date. I definitely come for the cocktails. They get it right often...especially my go to, gin gimlet. We also had a few off the menu...- Blue Velvet- El Vaquero- Port of Call...all were tasty. We had to grab bites w/ said cocktails. We got the hand sammies w/ chicken & steak, deviled eggs, and fries. The bougie friend got her steak tartare...LOL! All good and definitely satisfying. I'll be back of course!

Great service! Best bartender! Fun drinks. Nice bar to sit at, and even nicer tables!

Very cozy dinner-date spot on Smith, a little pricy but nothing too crazy! I was craving some steak and was planning on heading over to Gage & Tollner but it was both PACKED & LOUD this past Monday night. Based on the volume, we decided to try our luck over at Clover Club where I had my eye on their Steak Frites. Our party of 3 was quickly seated, most folks were seated outside but we nabbed a nice spot by the open patio doors to get that cool evening breeze. Our table ordered the Steak Frites (medium), Chicken Handwiches, & Stuffed Squash, along with a few drinks. Of the items I tried, here are some thoughts:- Steak frites: really tender and enjoyable! I usually go for medium rare but this was perfect and not overdone. The fries were nicely crisped and the (unexpected) salad rounded out the meal nicely- Handwiches: ordered chicken but came out as steak on very tasty pita bread and this was very enjoyable! Not more than pure steak but still solid and would be good for lunch. Also came with a side of potato chips - Sweet Pea mocktail: super refreshing! I love drinks with crushed ice and this was fantastic.Overall, the noise level was good for catching up with friends/family over dinner and I would not say no to coming back again! It is more of a bar than restaurant, but I thoroughly enjoyed my meal. Since it IS a bar, their drinks are solid! The only downside for me was the dim lighting, I couldn't see my food very well but at least it tasted good!