However you write it, 63 Clinton, Sixty Three Clinton, or, the restaurant at 63 Clinton Street, this restaurant on the Lower East Side is something special. Helmed by quite a few alums of the Chef’s Table at Brooklyn Fare (back when it still had a Michelin star), Sixty Three Clinton is similar but different. This is the review.

Atmosphere

Sixty Three Clinton is like Cindy Crawford in the early aughts walking in in a t-shirt and jeans with not a stitch of makeup. When you’re that beautiful, it doesn’t really matter what you’re wearing. That’s Sixty Three Clinton, and its bare-bones-yet-warm-and-inviting dining room is almost street cred for the food experience you’re about to have. The dining room reflects New American, with simple wooden tables, leather seats, and painted white brick. There’s also a white marble bar and a similar white marble countertop that overlooks the kitchen. For me, those were the money seats and it’s where we posted up for our dinner to see them smoking, assembling, and combusting our meal. Overall, Sixty Three Clinton gives off upscale modern bachelor pad vibes.

Speaking of Cindy Crawford, there aren’t really any Cindy types dining on the tasting menus next to you. Instead, you have a Downtown foodie crowd. People aren’t at Sixty Three Clinton to pick up, they are there to eat.

Food + Beverage

They are essentially creating art out of the most basic ingredients. The food at Sixty Three Clinton is generally 7 courses of brilliance for the relative bargain of $112. I want to jump right into the almost life-changing cabbage which perfectly illustrates this, but let’s start at square one. The breakfast taco shows that the chefs have skills. They make a Japanese egg, hash brown, and trout roe on a soft taco which has smoke, savory, and salt. It primes you for the brilliance that’s to come.

Go for the Supplements

I went a few months ago when there were truffles on the menu at a supplement. There was also uni and caviar on the supplement list, and the answer to all of the above was a resounding “yes, please”. That’s my suggestion if any of these ingredients are your cup of tea. I think I’ve worked my entire life only to eat that much caviar in a hand roll that they make for you table side.

Highlights of Dishes

I went pescatarian on the menu but my friend went for the full-on tasting as recommended. Both of us swooned – something that never happens – at the simple yet complex preparation of the dishes. The sea scallop at the time had turnip, white miso, yuzu, and horseradish. Now, I can talk about that cabbage, which was prepared with nori, comte, and hazelnuts. I was in food nirvana at the combination, and almost put over the top with the cheddar biscuit and homemade butter served alongside.  I am not a big dessert person but their palate cleanser of a key lime crémeux on oat crumble was a winner. They also had an eggnog-baked Alaska which I devoured.

The Nutshell on the Food

This is not the first rodeo of team Sam Clonts and Raymond Trinh, who are alumni of the Chef’s Table at Brooklyn Fare.  They play on so many flavors at Sixty Three Clinton that they somehow work together in harmony. It’s like watching Picasso create a painting. Sixty Three Clinton is a memorable culinary experience. For me, it’s one of the best-tasting menus I’ve had in a long time.

Service

It must be an unwritten requirement that to work at Sixty Three Clinton, you have to be a cool foodie. The entire team reflects the vibe-y Lower East Side and what they’re passionately cranking out at Sixty Three Clinton. It is hard to make a restaurant successful and I have no idea what the economics looks like at 63  Clinton. However, service-wise everyone acts like they’re in it for the love of the game. You feel that it’s personal. Case in point: it was my birthday and the team brought out a birthday card that everyone signed. This kind of care is the thread from start to finish.

Overall: 8.4/10

I would come back again in a heartbeat.

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FAQs

Q: Where is 63 Clinton located?

A: This is not a trick question. 63 Clinton is located at 63 Clinton St, New York, NY 10002 on the Lower East Side of Manhattan.

Q: What are the hours of operation at 63 Clinton?

A: The hours of operation of 63 Clinton are as follows:

Q: What kind of food does 63 Clinton serve?

A: 63 Clinton serves a tasting menu-only format meal that is New American cuisine focused on seasonal ingredients.