Clinton Street Social Club
18 1/2 S Clinton St, Iowa City, IA, 52240
Clinton Street Social Club Menu
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Address :
18 1/2 S Clinton St
Iowa City, IA, 52240 - Phone (319) 351-1690
- Website https://www.clintonstreetsocial.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :4:00 pm - 2:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Accepts Bitcoin : No
Good For : Dinner, Late Night
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Hipster
Noise Level : Average
Music : Live
Good For Dancing : No
Alcohol : Full Bar
Happy Hour : Yes
Best Nights : Fri, Sat, Sun
Coat Check : No
Smoking : No
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : No
Dogs Allowed : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
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Ted B.
It doesn't seem so long ago that this place was sticky with cheap beer and Jaeger shots and girls in unfeasible footwear sliding down the stairs on their mini-skirted backsides. At one time, there was a cage in the corner for people who like to dance in cages. It was also a favorite hangout for the local police's PAULA squad. And if you were turning twenty-one and wanted to regret your birthday or just forget it forever, this was the place to come. Of course, that particular establishment is now defunct and the college kids have to go elsewhere to abandon their dignity. In its place, tucked away above the very popular Short's, is the Clinton Street Social Club. Well, how about this for a transformation! The Social Club is all exposed brick work, dark wood and moody lighting. There are hipster dudes in hats sitting at the bar, and the wait staff exudes the sort of louche ambivalence that keeps the place very, very cool at all times. It's probably several years since I've actually been cool myself, but nonetheless, I didn't feel entirely out of place here. For starters, the décor is actually pretty nicely done, and if you go before sundown and snag a seat by the big windows at the front of the building, you can command a magnificent view across Clinton Street and over to the Pentacrest. The menu is better than average, although as a few other reviewers have noted, the actual quality of the food that's delivered to your table is a bit variable from visit to visit. I was disappointed when they stopped doing those fabulous little goat meat sliders, and even more disappointed when I tried the fish sliders instead. Those had to go back to the kitchen. On the other hand, I've had a couple of very agreeable sandwiches here - including a nice, juicy po' boy - and the appetizer snacks, especially the cheese curds and the fries, pair very well with the small but carefully picked draft beer selection. I understand that the cocktails have a good reputation too, but I'm not much of a cocktail drinker so I can't say for certain. Also, they probably have the best range of American whiskeys in town; it's not a huge or exhaustive collection or anything, but there are some pretty choice bottlings nonetheless. Service is fine, if rather too cool for school, and the prices are about what you'd expect from venues in this category. All in all, the Clinton Street Social Club really classes up this space. It's quite a change from the previous incarnation. Now you can sit on high in a state of relative tranquility and watch Iowa City's latest assortment of student douchebags duking it out on the sidewalk below, and you just know you've graduated to a much, much cooler place.
(4)Alison S.
I'm so glad Clinton Street is in Iowa City. They get everything right: good service, the best drinking selection in Iowa City (good quality libations!), delicious food and a great atmosphere. They've got a variety of small to larger plate options and sometimes my friends and I like to just come to drink and get a variety of dishes to share. Definitely an older crowd -- young professional and graduate student vibe.
(5)P T.
We love this place normally - great atmosphere and classic craft cocktails. Though last night they appeared to be a bit overwhelmed We ended up waiting over 30 minutes for our drinks with no explanation. Sure they will get things back on track as they are something special here in Iowa City.
(3)Boyd K.
Always great tunes playing here - Horace Silver or Miles Davis or other jazz. Live music some nights (not while I've been there thought). Great bar (nice craft beer and craft cocktails). Menu is 3-4 pages of drinks and 1 page of food. The food is very fun - deviled eggs, and brussel sprout salad are favorites. Tonight I had the bacon lettuce bacon tomato bacon sandwhich - tasty. We also shared the hush puppies, which were great. More to explore. Small plates to large. Come for the food or the drinks or both. Decor is fun - second story place, with a pool table and old fashioned feel. Service is great.
(4)Hk K.
Great food...good music..Great service. The hush puppies were perfectly spiced. I had the havana slinger...malbec..both were great!!... Oh and fix I say..Great jazz music!!
(4)Amanda C.
My husband and I stopped here for a late dinner on Halloween night. The decor is sort of 1920's speakeasy. Its casual but also a bit upscale...you don't have to get all dressed up but if you wanted to get decked out for a night on the town you wouldn't feel out of place (although with it being Halloween, I'm not sure if I could really know much about the typical dress code : ) ). We didn't have a reservation, so we put our name in with the hostess and had a drink at the bar. They have a pretty extensive drink list. I had one of their fall specials, the Pear and Ginger Smash. It was excellent! My husband had a tequila and mezcal cocktail (can't remember the name) which he also really enjoyed. We were on our second round at the bar without being called to our table so my husband checked in with the hostess. Turns out she had thought we left! Woops. But, they comped our second round (not necessary but very much appreciated) and took us to a table right away. For dinner we shared an order of the sweet corn hushpuppies, the brussel sprout salad and the roast chicken. We had heard good things about the pork belly and had originally wanted that, but they were out so we went with the chicken instead. Everything was truly delicious. The hushpuppies came with a spicy aoli which really made them special. I recommend doing what we did, and ordering sort of tapas style so everyone can try a bit of everything. They make it really easy to share by how they plate everything, and give you extra plates without you having to ask. I would definitely come back if I find myself in town again.
(4)Veronica T.
I live for Clinton Street Social Club. Best cocktails in town and probably the best fried cheese curds in existence. The wait staff and bartenders are top-notch and the atmosphere is a place where I actually want to spend time. The staff has always accommodated my request to leave out pork where possible, a request that usually receives eye-rolls at other places in town. (We are, after all, in Iowa.) It's quickly become one of my go-to places to bring out-of-town guests, who all leave very impressed. Bottom line: this is an adult-ish bar with great food, killer drinks, and a fantastic staff that don't judge you for bellying up to the bar several nights a week for delicious cocktails and cheese curds that you will only find here and in heaven.
(5)Gail H.
I have eaten here twice while visiting Iowa City and both times I thought it fabulous. I am a vegetarian and they were very willing to make adjustments to items on the menu to accommodate me. The food seems fresh and very flavorful, the wine was a great accompaniment to the meal. The Brussels sprout salad is a personal favorite. I love the location and atmosphere. On both visits we had great service. I love jazz music and they play a fine selection, however, the volume is way too loud for me. I hope they will consider that many people would like to visit while eating without having to shout. Overall a great experience.
(4)Jeff O.
Such a fun semi-swanky bar! It's speakeasy style and pulls it off pretty well. They have a great drink selection with lots of whiskies and special craft cocktails, and specials a lot of the time. Whisky was 30% off on the Wednesday we went, and I think every Wednesday. My wife and I got two drinks that couldn't have been more different. I got the gentleman's bet, which is creamy with rum, Bailey's, bourbon and egg white. I felt it was a little overpriced at $11 for the small amount I got in an up glass. It was also not super cold but it was still pretty tasty and unique. My wife got the Devil's Apple, with Bourbon, Cider, lemon, maple and ... CAYENNE PEPPER! (Served in the rocks). The server said we could request less or more cayenne but after requesting less, it still had a lot of kick! Actually it worked out nicely because I got to enjoy it when her throat started burning! If you got some cajones, go for it! It's delicious and it's really not too too spicy if you ask for less cayenne. Finally we got a peach cobbler with oats, berries and mascarpone cheese (please don't pronounce it MARscapone because the French, and spelling bee officials will hate you). We LOVED this dessert. The Gentleman's Bet paired well with it. Fresh peaches and berries, sweet oats, and creamy mascarpone... Hit the spot. The service was a bit slow but very friendly, patient and helpful. I think the bottleneck was someone training at the bar, so not docking points for that. Overall the vibe was great, drinks pretty good, dessert awesome and next time we'll have to use the pool table!
(5)Rachel L.
Wow wow wow, this place! I walked in a while back but the wait was longer than what I had time for so last night I finally made it back and pulled up a seat at the bar. What a great experience! From the picturesque view of the Old Capitol (being on the second story, you get a lush, tree-level view), to the overall dark yet classy, big-city vibe, I'm already planning my next trip back and I know this will be a new go-to stop when showing out of town guests around! Several Yelpers have mentioned that their cocktails are not to be beaten, so I ordered the Havana Slinger and was sure not disappointed! I was a little worried it would be childishly sweet but dang, what wonderful balance between rum, ginger ale, and citrus! I also ordered the hush puppies and when they were first delivered, they were very dark and a little smokey smelling (read: I thought they were burnt). But upon taking my first bite with a touch of creole aioli on the side, mmmhmm they were spot on! A soft and slightly crispy outside and pleasantly sweet inside made these puppies the perfect partner to my havana slinger cocktail. The staff were all very down to earth and patient with my slow ordering habits (this menu is incredible, I had to read it over several times) and I can hardly wait to return for the dinner side of the menu!
(5)Nate K.
Amazing craft cocktails. Excellent/creative atmosphere. Cheese curds, cheese curds, cheese curds!!!
(5)Justin J.
What can I say that hasn't been yelped before... This joint has great speak easy abeyance. It is a favorite of my wife and me. You can dress to the nines, have quality whiskey(and there are many), and slurp heavenly oysters. Just be sure to carry enough funds to do it right. If you spend less than $80 your probably cheating yourself. I also love that it keeps the bums, and downtrodden hipsters away.
(5)Mary F.
Unique menu items and a classy ambience. I will definitely be back! Pork belly: --- Taste I thought this dish would be savory and rich, and it definitely was. The pork was tender, juicy, and quite fatty as it is the belly meat. There is a bit of orange-fennel slaw and a chili glaze on this. The little peeled orange pieces added a sweet, tart/tangy touch as a complement to the rich pork. The fennel also added a nice crunch. I didn't really notice the chili glaze, but upon recollection I guess it was a sweet glaze that blended in with the orange. --- Portion size: Too big. This is under the medium sized plates on the menu. As you can see above, I don't really have an issue with the taste of this, I just think the portion is too big. I would not order this nor recommend it as an entree for one person to consume by himself or herself. There were three approximately palm-sized pieces of pork on the plate. After about the first or second piece, I started to feel a bit queasy. The dish is just so rich and fatty that I started to feel kind of nauseated. I continued to feel that way until I had some coffee afterwards. So while this tastes good, I wouldn't recommend someone to eat this alone unless you have a high tolerance for fatty food. I would recommend sharing this. However, I feel like this would be best as an appetizer instead of an entree. A few bites of this would be more reasonable in my opinion. Service: Surprising slower than what I was expecting. It took about 35 minutes for my group of 9 (including me) to receive our food, which I understand because it is a fairly large group. However, it took us a while to get our checks for some reason. Overall we spent about 2 hours there for dinner. So I would probably not come here if I had to get a quick meal. However, our waitress was nice and patient with us, and even helped take a photo of us for my friend's birthday.
(3)Matt U.
Finally got around to having dinner here and I'm now mad we didn't come in sooner. Located on the 2nd and 3rd floors off Clinton street, the dark staircase leads you up to where the magic is happening! We've been here 5 times now and it's become our go to for a solid night out. As an aside, it's beyond me where the folks giving Clinton Street poor ratings are going for their meals. More details below obviously, but for us it's been one of the better finds in a long time. Perhaps sticking to the 2 for 20 menu will offer the haters better selections and we'll just keep slumming here - but I digress. To begin, the beer, wine and drink menu is excellent. A great many options including a number you don't see often. It's comparable or better than most places in the area, but what sets it apart are the beer and wine cocktails. The Stout Diplomat (Stout beer w/ a shot of dark rum) is blissful and will let you know that you've enjoyed a stiff drink this evening. The rum takes the bitter away from the stout and the stout takes the sting away from the rum. I imagine the inventor of said drink had a similar experience to when peanut butter and chocolate got together for the first time - great apart...inseparable together. My better half had the champaign cocktail and it too was quite tasty. Great blend of flavors from a beverage I'm normally super excited about. The options for cuisine here are grouped into small, medium and large plates. We've always found the most interesting things in the small and medium range so we tend to order a number and split with the group. The pub Fondue here is unreal! Onions and apples swim within a molten lake of awesome and are graced by a baguette that is simply begging to be dipped in said lake of awesomeness. The bucket of bacon is sheer genius and worth trying once with a group. Next, a fun item we've found a number of times are the deviled eggs of the day. A set of 4 halves, filled with the dreams of unicorns and kisses of angels - most recently this included BBQ as well. We've sampled the "green eggs and ham" and the "BBQ beef" deviled eggs and both were fantastic. The cheese curds and poutine are quite good as well. In the past, we've had the medium plate special and one stood out among others. We had a tomato plate that included tomatoes from the owners garden, some chevre drizzled with basil oil, grilled peaches and crustini. I was skeptical at first, but all doubts about anything here melted away with the first bite. Straight up one of the most memorable food bites I've had. The slight sour and salt of the chevre, with the acidity of the tomato and the sweetness of the warm peach, all cradled by crusty bread. This dish may have been what Vikings were searching for back in the day and is a big reason we're always looking on the specials menu when we come back. Finally, the desserts are generally excellent here was well. Most recently we had a deconstructed creme brulee. Great flavor and great presentation. In the end, Clinton Street Social Club has become our go to spot. The combination of an excellent beer selection, beer/wine cocktails, great menu staples and even better specials makes this one place that is not to be missed. The atmosphere of a speakeasy with decor to match and live music on weekends, make CSSC unique in the area and in the region. For any food lover in search of something a little different that will leave you wanting to come back, this spot is a must.
(5)Kevin D.
I could not say more positive things about this establishment. I recently moved out of town but I try and make it back here every time I come back into town. I love the look and feel of this restaurant above all else. There is no where else in town like it. All of the bar and wait staff are very knowledgable and friendly to the customers. The menu has many unique options that cannot be found anywhere else in town. You can always find yourself a good time here with plenty of seating for dining in, getting drinks at the down or upstairs bar, and free pool and darts any night of the week. They often have live music on most weekends. This place is a real bar with actual fun things to do in a city full of poorly operated and managed bars. Five stars.
(5)Dani S.
What a fantastic replacement for the not so great bar that used to be here! The space is set up nicely and has a great ambiance. I had the Blushing Orphan cocktail, half of a Grilled Artichoke, and the Brussels Sprout Salad. Everything exceeded my expectations. I really enjoyed the comprehensive layout of their menu and the variety of items served. Coming from New York City, the cocktails were more like Manhattan prices than Iowa prices. But, everything tasted great and the service was excellent. I really enjoyed seeing a Cava on their wine list, as Spanish wine is excellent.
(5)Brandon R.
I was so close to giving this place a five star review. The food was excellent. I highly recommend getting the cheese curds for starters. I had the fish and chips and that exceeded my high expectations. Best I've ever had. The lone downfall of this place was that the food took forever to get here. And the seats are a little on the small side and you get kinda sore after sitting in them for awhile.
(4)Derek J.
The beer selection (at least in bottles) here is pretty great. Too bad they didn't have more on tap, but that can be overlooked. Their whiskey selection was quality. The oysters were very tasty (which for me, says a lot, as I'm not a huge oyster fan). These oysters were great! (If a bit spendy). The mixed drinks were also good, though had some room for improvement. The atmosphere here is really solid as well, and then help is very friendly. It was booked pretty solid on a Friday night. We, as walk ins, did need to eat at the bar. This was fine, but some people wouldn't like it. Definitely will be coming here more regularly, when I'm in the mood.
(4)Jin M.
I have been in the social club 4 times, it has never let me down, the 20-30 dollar entree taste at least 40 dollar.
(5)Shane W.
Clinton Street Social Club is billed as a cocktail bar with a real menu and while that's true, the result is that they don't do either exceptionally. It's greatest benefit is in being a place that will hopefully scare away the throngs of college kids. The fries were great - my portabella sandwich was good and my drink was good enough to finish but not great enough to have another. It's a great place to grab a quick drink and maybe a bite, great to hang out for a bit - probably not The Place to go though.
(3)Michelle F.
I'd been inside this place once during the day before they opened to do a photo shoot. Loved the look of the place! Reminded me a lot of a great place I went to in Chicago. Finally got to stop in during business hours this week. I'd read on their Facebook page about their movie Mondays so my boyfriend and I stopped in for after dinner drinks and the free popcorn! It wasn't quite what I'd expected but we still had a great time. The old movies are playing on TV screens at the bar, but there is no sound, just the jazz music playing throughout the bar(which I love!). One tv had subtitles but the one we sat in front of did not. We enjoyed the ambience but it would have been cool to follow along with the movie instead of guessing the dialog(though that was fun for a little while too). I took awhile looking over the drink menu because the selection is very extensive! The bartender was patient with me and very polite. My man got an IPA(he loved it!) and I finally decided on the "Havana Slinger" because the ginger beer and lime sounded good to me! I didn't like it because I felt like all I could taste was the rum--but I know it's because I'm a noob and most people who aren't liquor wusses like me would love the drink! Boyfriend finished it for me and he said I was nuts. I am. But you better believe I ate that whole bucket of popcorn. It had some really great savory seasoning on it. One fell in my purse so I ate it the next day. Just kidding. But I thought about it. We would definitely come back-- I would love to go their for dinner! We love an excuse to dress up and this place has the ambiance for it.
(4)Nick B.
This place is so good that I can't imagine that anyone wouldn't enjoy it. If you don't like what Clinton Street is offering, we have nothing in common. Not only do they have the best whiskey list that I've seen in Iowa outside of the Royal Mile in Des Moines, they have oysters and pork belly. I have been looking for oysters and pork belly and that sort of thing since moving to Iowa City, and damn. It's about time. The ambience is great, the food rocks, and yea, it's gonna take a while to get a mixed drink, but the bartenders are doing a hell of a lot more than throwing well liquor and a soda mixer into a tumbler. It's worth the wait. There aren't a whole lot of places that I've found around here where you can go out to dinner and feel like an adult, but Clinton Street is one of the best. One last thing. Again, I don't understand people saying that this place is a little pricey. Pretty much every place that I've like on this Yelp thing in Iowa City has a few comments about being a little spendy. Hell, I think that there might have been one or two of those about Oasis Falafel. Give me a break. Good food costs a bit. If you're not into that, then just don't do it. A buddy of mine has a sign up in his tattoo shop that reads "Good Tattoos Aint Cheep and Cheep Tattoos Aint Good." I think that could apply here too. If you want to feel like your at a big city bar with good food and have a classy night, this is one of your best options.
(5)Alan H.
This is one of my favs!!! The old one eyed jakes turned into a fantastic restaurant. The bar and drinks are really great. The menu items are fun and unique. Have enjoyed most everything on the menu, cant go wrong with any pick. One of the very best in Iowa city!!!
(5)Mitch L.
Clinton Street Social Club is what Iowa City needs more of. Moving here from a city of around a million or so people, you can find places with well executed drinks and food fairly often. In a college town of under 90k, this doesn't seem to happen as often. I have had a variety of food items here and have never left unhappy. The place has a nice vintage-charm to it, that much of the rest of Iowa City bars lack. I know most places have their own version of "mac and cheese" and everyone hypes it up. In this case, Clinton Street Social Club's mac and cheese is the envy of the rest of the city. It pairs nicely with the shrimp roll. The drink menu is as extensive as it is potent. I would suggest anything on the list. They have several taps and seem to try to go with an English Ale vibe on what they bring in for the taps.
(5)Daryl C.
This is where grown ups come to drink. Tucked away above Short's, Clinton St. is a wonderful find here in Iowa City. The ambiance is great, with a retro warehouse feel and beautiful views out onto the Pentacrest. Their real attraction is the drinks list: many interesting cocktails, my personal favorite being the Grandpa's Coffin (bourbon, scotch, locally made apple brandy, and bitters). They also have a "Murderer's Row" of high-end whiskey should that strike your fancy. I'd say this place competes with Devotay for best cocktails in Iowa City. They also have a well-chosen, if small, beer list, and I have had good times with their wines. The food has been very good. Last night, I had their smoked salmon nicoise salad, which had excellent flavor, and my wife had a tasty vegetarian quiche. They used to carry a really flavorful veggie burger, but appear to have dropped that from the menu within the past couple of months. On another visit, the salmon entrée was also good, though less memorable than the nicoise salad. What's neat about this place is that it's consciously striving to be a new cultural hub downtown. During a visit for Mission Creek I saw that they hosted jazz and poetry readings. They also have darts and pool tables off in side rooms, in a perfect environment for that kind of thing. I see lots of young professionals and UI faculty here, to give an indication of clientele. I will be returning, frequently.
(5)Chenthu J.
Good food, nice ambiance. The menu had a very extensive cocktail list and a much smaller food selection. But it is a "social club" so that's what you should anticipate. The food that is listed however is pretty good. But is it so good that you shell out about 40$ per dinner.... I don't know about that. Fries are rather ordinary... Save yourself the dough on that... Frozen fries from Costco taste better. Great food at a high price.... You're paying for the atmosphere as much as if not more than the food.
(3)Claudia B.
We celebrated our 40th Wedding Anniversary at the Clinton Street Social Club. The food was excellent some of the best flavors I've ever had. The atmosphere and service were also wonderful. I love this place.
(5)Marcus J.
I love the place. Great music, great bar, awesome pool table. Food not overwhelming, though.
(4)Austin B.
Half priced beer happy hours woo hoo!
(5)Andy B.
Clinton Street is more than just a restaurant, but an eating experience. While the menu is small, they have different options for sharing small plates or having full entrees. The cocktails are interesting and the full bar has many options to choose from, including tons of whiskeys. There is a pool table on the second floor, with tables and bars on two floors. As for the food, the Vintage Chedar Burger was juicy, and the toppings all went welll together, with the aged cheddar, grilled onion, bacon, and mustard providing a well-balanced flavor profile. The only problem was that my mouth was not large enough, but it was delicious nonetheless! Make sure to check out their facebook page for ongoing events and specials ( facebook.com/pages/Clint… ) like live music. Eateries like Clinton Street are among the standouts that are helping to nudge Iowa City from the college bar scene to a more balanced, reputable, and inviting place to enjoy, without being inundated with under-age drinkers and watery beer.
(4)Scott Y.
This turned out to be a cool place to kill some time, while I was in Iowa City. It has a laid-back, speakeasy vibe. I was actually pretty impressed with both the quality of the wines, and the staff's ability to make recommendations. The menu was small, but well thought out, and interesting. I had the cheese curds, which are apparently a specialty of the house. They had a good flavor, and I liked that they weren't to heavily battered. All in all, I thought that this place was a nice surprise, and a refreshing change from the typical college town scene.
(5)Cody B.
I will never be back is the proper way to start off this review....I went here last night with high hopes that this would be a great new spot to hit up....the atmosphere is very relaxed and upscale and the drinks are on the pricier side thus why it is called a social club but it was the service that will be the reason I never come back when ordering a drink not only did it take ten minutes for a drink at a place that was next to empty but then the bartender asked my friend if he was okay trying to say that he was passing out even verbally saying so when he was simply looking down at the table and had only had a couple drinks in him then to top it off I continually watched the bartender not only watch and stare down my friend the whole time but also talk about him to several of the other waiters and bartenders who then also gave him dirty looks based on the awesome comments that the bartender must have made to his coworkers about my friend.....I was very displeased and there is absolutely no chance I will be back....I understand having a bad experience but I don't come to your bar to be singled out and be made fun of by your bartenders.....the only reason you got a 1 is because a 0 isn't an option.
(1)Corn M.
i could not help but think through our entire meal that i was eating on the "old" one-eyed jakes dance floor! ha! food was great! i had fish n chips. our table had curds, aspar, poutine and deviled eggs. delish!
(5)Autumn V.
This place is a gem! Came to stay with some friends who are as local as it gets, they suggested this place & It was my favorite in the city! I highly suggest getting casually dolled up & enjoying some friday night libations & dinner at Clinton Location: The doorway is tiny and hidden which actually I think only does the speak easy vibe justice, parking isn't too bad, we found a spot about 2 blocks away with ease, which would have been more then fine except I came during the polar vortex ha. Ambiance: The inside was well thought out, the dim lighting, from the wood work to the typography on the menus, it was designed beautifully. Service: Perfect, our waitress was professional, attentive and knowledgable about the food, drinks and area. Food: between the 5 of us we ordered all the bests, and our whole table was quiet and smiling to themselves as if they just read a sext. it was THAT good. Price: Perfectly fair for the quality and proportions. I would absolutely recommend Clinton Street Social Club
(5)Molly C.
This place has great food.... for Iowa City. I love their cheese curds and their old fashions! I also really enjoy the atmosphere. I recommend!
(5)Anthony D.
I haven't eat there yet, but always have a drink or more there. 5 stars because they have a lot of different beers that we usually can't drink, draft or bottles. They also have a lot of different liquors, whiskey, scotch, vodka, etc... The owner even bought some french liquors after being advised by a friend. The prices are not very expensive, people are very nice and you can even play pool for free. One thing: I love the ambiance there! The music is not too strong and very relaxing.
(5)Kelly J.
I'm not originally from the Iowa City area and I apparently have different standards for high end bars and "gastropubs". The menu was laid out nicely and the French fries were decent. The staff was, I will say, standoffish. They obviously don't like making reservations and absolutely could not make them the same day (it was a Saturday), though the reason clearly has nothing to do with dining room space wanting. Once we arrived, we were told they could not move tables and our whole party could not be accommodated at one table (though we did manage to sneak two extra chairs from one of the 4 empty tables surrounding us). I would like to say directly to the owners/managers, it is exceptionally bad form to keep an open bottle of champagne for 2-3 days and serve it to guests at $7 a glass. If I wanted flat, stale wine I would have stopped by Casey's on my way home (oh, but then I would have found Andre for $4 a bottle, which would have been immeasurably preferable to what I was served). I can't be sure, but my guess is that the owners/managers look down on the typical Iowa City bar crowd, though why you would want to alienate your primary demographic is beyond me. I sincerely hope your wannabe crowed dining room and the $10 bottle of bubbly you just couldn't waste was worth losing 8 (the apparently enormous size of our party that could not be accommodated) potential regulars.
(1)Molly M.
Hands down the WORST service I have ever encountered anywhere. Group of ten for a birthday party. We called in advance to let them know we were coming and a table was waiting for us on the third floor. That was the last pleasant aspect. Please bear in mind with this review, we had 4 people who worked and still currently work in the service industry so we are understanding of things taking time, whether its a staff or kitchen issue, etc. After we were seated we spoke to the server and explained that 2 of us were on the same tab, but everyone else was individual. She said no problem. She then took our drink orders. The special Bourbon menu was also requested at that time as 3 people in our party were interested in ordering (we received it 40 minutes later). Our first round took almost 20 minutes to get to us. There were only 2 other tables upstairs and a bored looking bartender. Our waitress also proceeded to take one drink at a time from the bar to the individual person at the table. It began to become comical after a certain amount of time. Average wait time for a drink was 20-25 minutes after it was ordered throughout the entire evening. When it came to ordering, we had to ask what the special was, and when one member of our party asked what were the "root vegetables", our waitress responded with, "Carrots....um, I don't know, I am a vegan". Baffling. Once our orders were placed, the food took almost an hour to come out. Food was hit or miss, salmon was undercooked, chicken pot pie was cold in the middle, pork chop and shepherd's pie were received well, as were the sliders. At this time, our party decided to not order any bourbon due to the ungodly wait for a drink. Our water was also never refilled and once party member had to ask 3 times for more water. Now the fun part...the check. First check came out, everything on one bill. In addition to her not splitting it as we requested at the beginning, it was also wrong. We politely brought this to our server's attention. She then took out a pen as asked us all individually what we had. She then went back and brought back the same check two more times! While one of our party took to a pen and paper to write it out, another member asked our server to speak with a manager. Our server responded with "For what?". Unacceptable. The manager was polite and apologetic, but did nothing to even try and rectify the situation. We weren't looking for a freebie, but offering to do something would have been nice. It took over an hour to get the check correct. For a large party willing to spend money, this was ridiculous. Had service been acceptable we would have had at least 100 dollars more on the liquor bill, and probably another 100 dollars in after dinner bourbon which was vetoed due to the ridiculous amount of time we had already been there. One member in our party has been a server for over ten years and was fuming. All in all our dining experience took 3 hours. Maybe I would go back to have a drink at the bar. That would be the only way I would ever suggest to try this place out. Vibe was cool, but unfortunately due to the horrendous service there are 10 people who won't be back.
(1)Thao P.
Excellent Tapas and drinks I went Tapa and Bar hopping one night in Iowa City and stopped here with my sister. I love the ambiance and sophisticated aura of the setting. It didn't feel like a typical bar and tailored more towards my tastes. I came here in excitement for the fresh cheese curds. I ordered the Wine Cocktail that had fresh strawberries and other fruits. It was like a wonderful blend of good wine, grape juice, and strawberries! It was quite refreshing. I had the oysters and fresh cheese curds. I absolutely LOVED them. The oysters are extremely fresh and they are already seasoned with lemon juice, garlic and whatever else they put. It's also already prepared so that you don't have to use a fork to take the oyster apart. Every time I had an oyster, I felt like it was pure heavenly delight. I want more! The fresh cheese curds come with a side of ranch. They are indeed fresh and the cheese curds are high quality. Alongside those items, the menu is very impressive. The tapas are at reasonable prices. Hush puppies with aioli are only a mere $3. If you share tapas with a group of friends, it won't be too heavy on the wallet. The only thing I wanted more of was a bit more decor. It felt a little bland and empty inside. Overall, I love this place!
(4)Local F.
Great food, great drinks, great staff. This place is a diamond in the rough....literally.
(4)W C.
Overview: Clinton Street Social Club is a speakeasy with great booze and a schizophrenic kitchen that is equally amazing and disappointing. Location/space: The Social Club is located above Short's burger directly across the street from the Old Capitol. The interior is wonderfully decorated with exposed brick walls and metal accent pieces that evoke a turn of the century speak-easy. The dining area itself is very modest and divided from the bar area by a staircase leading to the third floor. There's also a pool table and occasional live music. The Food: The restaurant serves mainly smaller portioned appetizers meant to be shared among the group of diners. These range from small slider sandwiches and charcuterie to more substantial dishes like Shepard's pies and flank steak. Since the restaurant is still fairly new (within its first year), the food has a bit of a Jekyll and Hyde quality to it: some days its amazing, other days not so much. For instance, the pork belly was luscious, tender, and flavorful the first time I ordered it, but when I talked it up to friends and returned a month later, the pork belly was dried-out, overcooked, and a major letdown after the first experience. Similarly, the first time I ordered the hush puppies, they were perfectly cooked with a crisp golden shell while a subsequent order produced darkened hush puppies that had clearly stayed in the fryer a bit too long. Finally, an unexpected and very pleasant surprise was the apple bread pudding, which had a lightness and balance of flavors that managed to draw warm praise out of a guest who normally hates bread pudding. The drinks: This is clearly the Social Club's strength. They have a wonderful selection of beer, wine, cocktails, and spirits (which includes an awesome collection of whiskey). The Grandpa's Coffin, in particular, is fantastic and worth the steep price. Summary: Clinton Street Social Club is a great downtown bars for those who are looking for a reprieve from fraternizing with undergraduates in a dive bar or club. The drinks is clearly the Social Club's forte, and its food will steadily get better as the kitchen staff gains more experience with the still relatively new menu. In short, this place has the potential to be something amazing. Time will tell whether it can achieve that level on a consistent basis.
(3)Rene V.
The rating is purely due to the location. Literally the only bar in town that can mix a decent cocktail. Like the only one.
(5)Scott S.
Clinton Street Social Club is a great new find for downtown. Their menu includes Duck Confit, Hanger Steak, a Goat slider, and Poutine! The bar on the main floor is a neat crafted wood with the edges left semi-finished. Very good tap list, with the Belgians upstairs. No lunch on Sunday or Monday.
(5)Sara W.
This place gets better each time I go. The first couple times I went, the service - even though both times our servers were incredibly kind - was slow. That was not an issue at all the last time we went, and the service ended up being one of the highlights of the night because everyone (the hostess, waitress and a random worker that directed us to the bathroom) was so friendly and attentive. I needed a reservation for 10 people and emailed the restaurant my request to receive a response only a few hours later from the owner, which was really convenient. I had the summer salad which was delicious and shared cheese curds and a bucket of bacon (both also delicious) with my friends. Overall this is a really great space that I'm proud is in our town.
(4)Erica H.
What a fun little find! We ordered nibbles like the Cajun spiced nuts and cheese curds and drank lots of beer. The atmosphere was very chill, a nice change of pace from the rah rah Hawkeye bars downtown. Our waiter was very knowledgeable about the beer offerings, and they even serve mead! I don't know about full meals here, but for a cozy place to meet up when you just want to get warm and tipsy and chat about nothing, this is perfect!!!
(4)Chelsea D.
Best cocktails in Iowa City. I may sound like a cheese nut, but try the battered curds and the mac n' cheese. Not a week goes by where I don't think about those curds.
(5)Brett J.
Wow have times changed in downtown Iowa City. When I was in college this space was One Eyed Jakes, the best place to go when turning 21. Now this space is an elegant semi-formal restaurant/lounge with a nice casual vibe in downtown Ia City. The bar is very well situated and the menu was appealing. I ordered the oyster po-boy and it was pretty good. It was too big and messy to pick up and eat as a sandwich, but it was good even though a fork was needed. The oysters seemed fresh, so that was a treat. I would recommend a seat close to the window so that you can look down on Clinton Street.
(4)Shannin Z.
I went here for lunch with a group of six. We were seated in the downstairs area and there were two other tables of people when we got there. The place looks nice, although I was sad to see the bar from Jake's is gone. Despite the reputation of the place, Jake's had a pretty nice setup downstairs. Regardless, the new decor is an upgrade for sure. My party ordered some of the garlic nuts, fries, and fried cheese curds as appetizers to share. The nuts came out within a few minutes in a cute jelly jar. Easy to share, very tasty. The fries and cheese curds came out at least 20 minutes later. Warm, but not hot. The fries were tasty, but a bit on the soggy side for my taste. The cheese curds were served in a small bowl, which left the curds on the bottom absolutely swimming in oil. The curds on top were great. For the main event my party ordered mac 'n cheese, the soup of the day, various sliders, mashed potatoes, the heirloom tomato salad, mushrooms, and a burger. These dishes trickled out of the kitchen over the next hour. The sliders were served on ridiculously large plates. Who cares about plates though, the real issue with the sliders was the temperature. Two different versions of their sliders were ordered by three people and every one had the same complaint. The burger part of the slider might have been hot at one point, but the bun was cold. Straight out of the refrigerator cold. Not at all pleasant to eat. The only full-sized burger that was ordered was declared good, but the bottom bun was soaked in oil or grease. Again, not pleasant. The mushrooms were smushy and boring. The mac n' cheese was well received. Lots of flavor in a creamy cheese sauce. The mac 'n cheese orderer in our party was also the person that ordered the soup. Oddly, the soup was one of the last things to come out of the kitchen and had been completely forgotten about by the time it arrived. It was also declared yummy. The very last thing to come out of the kitchen was the mashed potatoes and gravy. This was made all the more frustrating as we had already been sitting in the restaurant for more than an hour and the person that ordered the mashed potatoes had gotten one of first sliders to come out of the kitchen. She'd been done eating for quite a while when an absolute mountain of mashed potatoes arrived at the table. The portions for every other thing we'd ordered had been reasonable, then those arrived. Completely bizarre. Oh, and a note on the heirloom tomato salad, not yummy. Five thin, sad slices of a garden variety red tomato. Boring. The real fun started when the check arrived. We were a party of six women out to lunch at a place that was not busy at all. Our waitress didn't even offer to split the check. When we had two people with credit cards and four with cash, it was a complete cluster %$&# to get the payment situation figured out. Since we wrote down what should go on each credit card we really couldn't see what the problem was. We've all been to restaurants before and we all know that different payment methods are just not that complicated. It sure was @ this place. The drink menu looks interesting and I wish we'd had time to sample some of them, but after an hour and a half for lunch we were ready to get the hell out of there. Try it if you must, but don't go with more than two people and don't order food if your time is limited. Most of our social experience at the Clinton Street Social Club revolved around how odd the whole thing was, but it was social none the less.
(2)Kat H.
Food looked good. Too bad came after 10pm, couldn't order food. They have a great variety of drinks. I got the wine/coke/lemon deal that was good.
(4)J P.
I'm very critical of restaurants, but for some reason every time I go here, I'm impressed more and more. Let's start with the food. The hush puppies are good, served with a spicy aioli and nicely round out a main dish. The duck corn dogs are one of the favorites. I think they are made with natural casings, so don't expect clean bites when you eat them but the taste is worth it. The mustard had hints of the classic Colman's pub mustard with some sweetness to it. The deviled eggs change depending when the chef whips up a new flavor. I had the southwest flavor, which had a good zing to it and an almost corn relishy garnish. I found the flavor of the pork belly to top that of one of my other favorite eateries in the area. My wife has had the brussels sprout salad, and while it is tasty, and the brussel sprouts were quite fresh and not too ripe, it did seem to be a small portion without the zazz of the other dishes we have tried. The decor is in line and superior to the other gastropubs in town. Whoever designed that space vacated by One Eyed Jake's must have peeled back everything to bare bones and painstakingly recrafted it to match the 1800's brick building and tile floors. The bar is made from lumber cut in Cedar Rapids, preserving the natural rough edges of the log. The telephone is a classic Ma Bell phone, the lightbulbs house an Edison style filament, a billiard table is in a corner room just waiting for scruffy hipsters to pounce on. You can see on the ceiling where the (most likely) rotted plaster and lathe ceiling was removed and the joists were married to new rough cut lumber. This design and build was carefully thought out and executed well considering the space they had to work with. The view of the Pentacrest is the icing on the cake. I'm not sure if the windows were enlarged or they just removed the countertop, but I don't recall having such a great vista in my One Eyed Jake's days. No, you cannot get 25 pitchers of beer for $25, but they do have a great selection of tasty on tap beers ranging from Chimay to PBR. The bartenders are knowledgeable down to earth craftsmen (and women) who also sling top shelf liquor that many taverns do not carry in the IC area. Odds are, if there's a fancy schmancy cocktail you like, they'll have it. I stopped trying to critique the bar once I saw the slotted Absinthe spoons and sugar cubes. The service here is impeccable. Like most Iowa City establishments, the wait staff is young, but for some reason they really know their craft. Seeing these pros in action is a refreshing oasis of competence. It's such a difference from other shoddy operations nearby, that I almost had thought it impossible to find such a functional group of people in such a new business. I usually expect my fist few visits to a new business to have mishaps as they work out the kinks, but so far I haven't seen this here. One visit, we were told that the upstairs was closed due to a mechanical failure and that the lower dining room was fully booked, but they calmly told us they would see what they could do, and in about 20 minutes they had a table for us in the totally filled dining room. This might sound selfish, but I was happy to see that CSSC had not made any of the recent local awards for restaurants and I was hesitant to write such a shameless review here only for the fact that this place will most likely just get better and more recognized, making it more and more popular.
(4)Julie R.
The food was not good and service was not friendly. I would recommend there cocktails!!
(2)Barbara B.
Wonderful. Best Sidecar ever, and hubby's Havana Slinger house concoction was also delish. Cheese curds were divine. BLT was packed with perfectly cooked bacon, and the steak sandwich was also very good. Last time I had the mac and cheese and it was profoundly tasty. Non-intrusive wait staff is just the right combination of attentiveness, helpfulness, and leaving us alone to talk. Quirky music adds atmosphere without being distracting. We will be back.
(5)Chandler C.
sucks. eaten here twice, food was terribly disappointing both times. People tell me the cocktails are good but honestly I thought the food here is so inedible it's not even worth giving a third shot.
(1)Larry R.
Wow..we ordered two simple entrees and were rather amazed. I got the Mac and Cheese and she got the fish and chips, both prepared very well and a great deal for the price. Looking forward to trying more on the menu. Only draw back was server was a little inattentive, but it was a Sunday night and she was on her own. Still coming back.
(5)Jason F.
Second trip here. My cocktail was served in a rocks glass, when I asked about what drinks come in shorter "neat" glasses, the bartender responded that any drink can come in any sized glass. I ordered 2 dishes, one came with info that the other was out of stock and the one dish that did come came undercooked. 2nd visit and things were lookin' down. Bartender ordered some duck corndogs for me on the sly and saved the day. Like i said in my previous review, you must be patient while working out kinks. Go here, seriously!
(4)