The food and cocktails are genuinely excellent -- a clear highlight worth noting. However, the service has been a consistent disappointment across multiple visits. Waitstaff are frequently inattentive and difficult to flag down, and when they do engage, the experience feels rushed rather than welcoming. What's more, management appears to be part of the problem rather than the solution -- unwelcoming in their demeanor and seemingly indifferent to the overall dining experience. I definitely would not recommend this restaurant to the families with young children. read more

I had a magnificent experience at Clay. The ambience was intimate, cozy, and classy with low dimmed lights and modern furnishings in a clean neutral palette. It's a perfect date night spot to share deliciousness with a loved one. My friend and I shared three flavorful dishes-- a radicchio salad, the Confit Duck Leg and the Paccheri, a pasta with house- made pork sausage and broccoli rabe. The duck was so tender it fell off the bone. The pasta was intricate and tasted perfect when it was first served then veered a tad salty as it marinated (but still great). The salad was gorgeous on its own but even better accompanied by the mains. The duck was probably my favorite, but every bite complemented the next thing so well, that all of my senses were thoroughly engaged. I truly was having such a deep experience with the food that at one point I asked my friend to stop talking so that I could properly take in all the flavors. Oops. She loved the food too, so thankfully she understood. We topped off the meal with the buñuelos. We liked the sauce, but I'd say it's not memorable. I liked my orange wine, and my friend was indifferent about her drink. It was a pricey dinner but such a worthwhile experience. Can't wait to go back. read more

Clay - Radicchio with pear, spiced walnuts, and parmigiano salad - New American Near Me - New York, New York

Going to keep this review simple and to the point. Food Pork Belly: 10/10: Melt-in-your-mouth tender. So much flavor. Deeelicious! Grass Fed Burger: 8/10; Seasoned and juicy, but worth ~$30? I think not. The fries were crispy and salty like I like them, but they were only a step above frozen fries. Chocolate bunditos: 8/10: Smooth, sweet snd chocolaty. Bunelos: 6/10: The server described these as a round beignet or donut, but as a native New Orleanian, it's not like a donut or beignet. It's more like a hush puppy, but not a good one. Service: 7/10 Our server was efficient, but sooo dry. I've come to the conclusion that my customer service expectations are just too high for this city. Ambiance: 7/10 Felt like I was in someone's unfinished basement. Too spartan for my taste. read more

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Clay is a popular option for an elevated meal uptown, which had been suggested to me by multiple people before we came for dinner on a recent frigid evening. The downstairs area is an especially cozy, inviting space. The food is safe but well-executed new American cooking. We shared the popular gnocchi, which was perfectly textured, and the chickpea mushroom burger, which was on the plainer side but had a hearty, fulfilling flavor. I enjoyed the thick-cut fries on the side as well. I would pass on the nut and buckwheat appetizer next time. This honestly felt like something you'd be served on a flight (but probably in business class, to be fair). read more

Clay - New American Near Me - New York, New York

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There is a lovely stewardship at hand here with the manager of this location who is carrying forward a legacy of excellence and love in the neighborhood. You can feel it as soon as you enter. The vibe is immaculate and the service feels high end but homely. And as soon as the food landed I knew we were bout to be in for an impeccable meal. This is the spot you been looking for. The must hits: - Seasonal greens (I'd get extra dressing next time) - The filet mignon special they had was RIDICULOUS - Market fish was insane. Tender with a crisp outside and succulent flavor all the way through. - Collards (not as smacking as my nana's but they did their thing. read more

Clay - A daily special - New American Near Me - New York, New York

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This was decent upscale American food in a nice space. Beets - solid. The mix of different types of beets gives varied textures, and balanced tartness and sweetness with earthiness. The miso cream was a nice creamy and savory note, and the orange slices brightened everything up nicely. Mushroom chickpea burger - not bad, but I've had better. The chickpea party was well seasoned, but it and the buns fell apart really easily. I also felt that the burger needed some pickles or other sour element - the sauce on the side provided some, but it also added a ton of richness as well. The fries were nice, but not as crispy as I would've liked. But overall it's a hearty portion. Budino - rich and chocolatey, plus some crunch from the crumb and the airy meringue, and some fruitiness from the berry sauce. I loved the decor here - there are books everywhere, which makes it feel like you're just eating inside someone's kitchen. The meal came to about $109 after tax and tip, which is about expected for a slightly higher end meal for two. read more

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Great service, excellent ambiance and nice menu for drinks and food. They carry small batch liquors and beers so not your big names but great curation of flavors. Perfect little bistro vibe and feel. A must try uptown! read more

Clay - Grass Fed Burger w fries - New American Near Me - New York, New York

Absolutely, yes! Immediately, yes! What a lovely American restaurant located in Harlem! Dimly lit, perfect for a date night with an intentional menu in a staff that knows their business. The upstairs area was full, so we dined in the basement which gave off upscale wine cellar vibes, very chic. We ordered the pork belly and beets as our appetizer, and the duck and steak for our entrées. I'm not typically a fan of beats, but these were prepared deliciously with a vinaigrette accompaniment that really set it over the edge. I'm also not a big port eater, but the way I tore into that pork belly would have you thinking that I keep swine on my fork. It was seasoned and cooked beautifully. My date had the steak and ate his entire thing. But the real star here was my duck leg. Aside from duck confit that I had in Paris, this is the best duck I've had in New York. The waitress told us that they have a very special cooking time and process for the duck, and I tasted every bit of intention in every bite. Crispy, tender, juicy, just an all-around absolute yes. Couldn't recommend Clay more! read more

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I've lived in NY my whole life - and NYC for 2 years - and honestly this was one of the best restaurants I've been too. The ambiance is amazing. Dimly lit, not too loud, perfect for a "catch up" evening with friends or even a date. Everyone is dressed nice (I'd say business casual) , which also adds a nice touch. The food is amazing. Can definitely tell it is very fresh - was nice size portions however did not feel gross after eating so much. The drinks were also spectacular. I will definitely be coming back again. This is a perfect spot if you are looking to celebrate a special occasion. I took my friend here for his birthday last night and we couldn't stop raving about it! read more

Clay - Burrata - New American Near Me - New York, New York

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We've been here several times. Food is consistently great, the wine list is strong, and the ambiance is so mellow and welcoming. Service was great, and we appreciated the attention that our server Miguel provided. Will be back for more! read more

Beef tartare really is a staple at Clay for me. Every dish was really tasty and was left fully satiated at the end. HIGHLY recommend for any date night, or occasion. read more

really cute place that's unassuming and has two floors. All of the food is formed to table and extremely fresh. The service was great, and all of the drinks were also delicious. Everything tasted really fresh and they changed their menu seasonally so you can always go back and try something new. read more

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Clay is a fantastic spot in Harlem near the Apollo. Made a reservation for dinner for 2 on a Friday. We ordered an incredible Spanish white, then tried: + Chicken liver + Radicchio with pear and spiced walnut + Paccheri with pork sausage, broccoli rabe + Gnocchi with butternut squash + Chocolate budino The highlights were the chicken liver and paccheri. Definitely want to return to try more dishes (and wines)! Vibe was great, too. read more

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Wow wow wow what a surprise! I was really impressed with Clay. Every dish we had was excellent and hearty. I really enjoyed their food and wine selection! If you make a reservation you'll likely get to sit downstairs which is a really magical and private spot. Couldn't recommend this place enough! It's a smart place to come for a date or special occasion. read more

Clay - New American Near Me - New York, New York

Clay has become one of my favorite places overnight... 5/5 all around. The space itself is beautiful and very modern. It gives a woodsy vibe in the middle of the city, dimmed private feeling space. There's a downstairs, which is where I was with my family and an outside space. My family decided to have a private party here last night and they were SPECTACULAR, PHENOMENAL, OUT OF THIS WORLD. All the waiters were extremely on point with pouring our drinks and ordering our food on time as a group. They did a marvelous job at controlling our group of 15 and everything was beautifully timed because of the staff! The food was perfectly cooked. I had the best steak and the best watermelon salad (that I am now obsessed with). I recommend ANYTHING on this menu. Including dessert. Everything was so delicious and worth every penny! Thank you again to the staff and to the cooks for making our time so memorable. I cannot wait to come back here on a regular day with my friends! read more

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This is a cute place, it is great for a date or a nice dinner with friends. The space is inviting, warm and modern. The waitress was very hospitable and provided excellent, detailed recs on things to order. Super helpful. Great service. Great menu options. Had the bucatini and chicken, with donuts for dessert. Drinks were good, too. Everything was fresh, light, well-made, tasty, flavorful. I loved this place and will definitely be back. read more

Wonderful dinner at Clay! I have celiac and they were very accommodating to my dietary needs and questions about the menu- almost everything could be made gluten free. We had fantastic service and lovely wine selections too. read more

I never wrote this review because I don't want the mindless masses to discover this place and start trekking up to Harlem when Clay inevitably gets a rave review, Michelin star, or some other well-deserved accolade. So I'll whisper this next part: The Chicken Liver appetizer is rich and divine. You literally can't go wrong with a single entree but pasta lovers will love the unique Calamarata, duck lovers will drool over the Confit Duck Leg, beef lovers will squeal over the succulent Grass Fed Strip Steak, and pescatarians will swim for joy with the Red Snapper. Or, you can do what we did, and share a bunch of entrees family-style. Want sugar? Both the donuts and the fruit tart are made to perfection. Simple ideas perfectly executed...What more could you want? Complement all that deliciousness with the frothy Traveling Light, and you've got one of the best farm-to-table restaurant meals the city has to offer. Now shhhhh! You never heard me type! read more

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Service was quick & accommodating. My friend and I both got the chickpea burger and it was quite delicious and had a healthy portion of fries. I do think it was overpriced @ $24 for a burger and fries (especially since there was no meat) but I'd recommend if you want to try something super flavorful and want to make the trek to Harlem! read more

Sat at the bar, had amazing service. Care was taken with my gluten intolerance and Jay provided great wine suggestions.

Wonderful restaurant. We were a group of five and sat upstairs. We had the beet salad, steak, duck confit, and paccheri, among other dishes, all delicious. Great atmosphere and excellent service. Can't wait to return. read more

Finally stopped by Clay. We popped in around five and it wasn't too busy and we were able to get a seat outside with our dog! The service was great, and everyone was very attentive and kind. The Mocktail was not good at all but everything else was lovely. The food took quite a while but all of the food was good! Super fresh and the potatoes were excellent. The orange sauce was amazing we got an additional side of it! The patio is tucked away enough that you're not getting in the way being on the sidewalk. It's pretty pricey but overall it was good! Glad we stopped by! read more

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Lovely ambiance and very good food. It's pricey. We had good service. I would sit upstairs as the basement lacks windows and charm. They could upgrade their chairs - sitting on a hard plastic folding chair is not inviting nor on par with the prices. read more

I would not recommend this place to a friend, and will not plan to return. My wife and I ate there last night with another couple. We ordered nuts and olives for the table, a bottle of wine, I had a cocktail, and we each had an appetizer and a main, and we shared two deserts. The bill was $150 per person all inclusive. My main course was the $24 hamburger, and as I started to ask for red onion I was abruptly interrupted by the supercilious waiter: "all our burgers come with red onion on the side". He was clearly impatient. The tone was angry. My wife had to ask three times to identify the bottle of wine he recommended on the menu, and finally after he called him back to the table he took the menu out of her hand and impatiently said the name was different than what he had described, but he assured us it was good and the price was $105. He eventually returned to open the bottle and pour a taste for my wife. As he poured, she took the glass in hand but was in the middle of a sentence that she wanted to finish before sipping the wine. He immediately started verbally agitating for her to stop talking and taste it, rushing her to finish her sentence. This was truly. bizarre. She had to look up at him and tell him she would just be one second. He then poured the other three glasses but not hers, set the bottle down, and left. She had to reach across the table and pour her own. When the meal came I saw that my burger was accompanied by a tiny cup with mushy wet picked red onions. I flagged down the waiter and asked if I could have a raw red onion instead. He dismissively said "we don't have any red onions" and walked away. I do want to add that the hostess of the restaurant was superb. She was engaged and perceptive, seemingly everywhere all the time, trying to making things better. Despite her efforts and a good vibe in the restaurant, with good food, I felt this was an expensive and insulting experience. read more

Another night at Clay was still brought in with welcoming vibes and really good food. Their burger is huge and perfectly cooked. I think they no longer serve potato wedges but they were the perfectly seasoned compliment to the hearty burger. The pork belly had nice flavor combination but might have benefitted from less sauce options underneath and around it, and the blood orange donuts are still a top tier dessert. The only issue I had at this particular dining experience was a lack of attentiveness. The bartender seemed to be in great conversation with two patrons at the bar that are cocktail orders came out after both our appetizer and main courses came out. We brought it to the attention of our server after our appetizers came out but still ended up waiting even longer. It wasn't a particularly busy night, so to have to wait that long and also not really receive any real apology was slightly off putting and didn't really seem like the Clay I knew. Hopefully, this was a fluke, and the service will be back up to par upon my eminent return. read more

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The overall rating is accurate - no culinary breakthroughs, but a solidly enjoyable experience nonetheless. We kicked off with the olives, nuts, pickled beets and radicchio salad as starters, continued to the short rib buccatini, veg burger and butternut squash gnocchi for mains, and topped off with the blood orange mini doughnuts. No dish sucked but no dish made our palate glands water uncontrollably. Staff was welcoming, food arrived quickly and the ambiance is warm and cozy, esp. the bottom floor. Air circulation isn't at its finest down there, so you may want to stay on the top floor if you're Covid-conscious. read more

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Love this place. Great happy hour offers and an especially good choice for eating at the bar. Excellent bartenders!

Found a spot close about a block or two away from the Apollo theater. Great ambience. good for date night. I had a duck confit, which was really good. my daughter had the Pasta, which was slightly undercooked. The hostess was extremely courteous, however they lost a couple star because it took 45 minutes for our entrées to appear on a Thursday right read more

Clay - Duck confit - New American Near Me - New York, New York

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Service. I asked for a bottle of water for my 18 month old son. The waiter says that he only has sparkling. So I tell my wife that I can go next door and buy a bottle of water and come back. Suddenly the waiter says on a very condescending voice: "I don't allow outside food". And we tell him that's it's for the baby. And he repeats "I don't allow outside food" and just abruptly leaves. Then 30 seconds later, he comes back with a smile saying, I spoke with my manager, and "you can go buy your bottle of water". By this point, I'm confused, so I confront him about how rude he was. But instead of apologizing, he says "are we going to have a problem here?" Then I proceed to speak to the manager about the incident. Told her how rudely we were treated by her employee, and instead of apologizing to me on his behalf, she starts talking to me about their restaurant policy on outside food.... By this time, we lost our appetite and left. Not sure what everyone here thinks and whether you have toddlers, but does bringing a bottle of water from outside (because the restaurant don't sell it) warrant to be treated like garbage by a server? And btw, their downstairs area smells like mold. They obviously know about it too as they have air filters running. Very unappetizing. This could be a health hazard. read more

We have lived two blocks from Clay for two years now, and finally got around to dining there for dinner tonight. They have expanded outdoor seating into the street so it is very safe to dine during Covid. All the wait staff wore masks and tables were sufficiently spaced. We ordered drinks to start, which were delicious. My daughter got a daiquiri served shaken and I just got a glass of cider. For an appetizer we shared the pork belly with grilled radicchio and it was so good. My daughter said it's the best pork belly she's ever had. For entrées, she ordered the Calamarata with crab and crispy garlic, and I had the black bass with root vegetables. Both were exquisite. We were full after that so we skipped dessert. We will be back for sure. read more

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Hospitality is defined as "the friendly and generous reception and entertainment of guests, visitors, or strangers". Restaurants are in the hospitality business. Clay is not. Clay managed to turn my birthday dinner into a Curb Your Enthusiasm episode. Our server continually ignored our requests, screwed up our wine order on a level that reached comedy (this wine is a blend of three grapes, Chinon, Loire and Cabernet Franc) and scowled at us the entire meal. Next the manager informed us that the wine we eventually ordered had run out. But it was not the wine we ordered. At the end of the meal our daughter, who was cold, asked if they could turn down the AC. The turned the heat up blasting to 77 degrees. I was scared to order a desert, who knows what might have happened. And then there is the QR code menu which no one has bothered to tab. One long document including the wine list which takes forever to scroll through.... Its a shame because the food is actually quite decent. As noted in several other reviews going to Clay is a bit like playing Russian roulette (my that has a more emphatic meaning now). You don't know whether the server has a loaded chamber or not. Who in the world would charge a cancellation fee to someone who has been diagnosed with Covid as the appear to routinely do? This goes down as the rudest service I have experienced in a restaurant in my life. What a way to spend my 68th birthday. So sorry my son and daughter had to buy this as my present. And by the way, we all have worked or work in the hospitality business (wine, event planning and hotels). Dine at your own risk. read more

Clay - Ribolatta - New American Near Me - New York, New York

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A nice restaurant in Harlem. The food was delicious and well presented. Portions not big. The prices are high. Most appetizers $18 or $19. Most entrees $38-$40 + tip + tax. The server knows nothing about wine. He told us that wine was from Nevada when he saw "NV, California" written on the wine list. Then with another bottle he said it was "the same producer" but when we got the bottle it was from Spain. read more

Food is absolutely incredible! All homemade, locally sourced and perfectly delicious dishes. Would highly recommend

Beware. The $50/person cancellation policy is firm. Two people in my party of three had fevers and sore throat Saturday afternoon. Not wanting to chance potential Covid spreader situation, we were forced to cancel within 24 hrs of our Sunday reservation. The next day however, the manager made it clear Clay will charge me the penalty for cancelling. We compromised and modified the reservation from party of three, to party of one. I showed up for a quick salad. I'll tolerate a $25 check, than pay a $150 cancellation fee read more

Clay - Watermelon tomato salad $18. - New American Near Me - New York, New York

Last night was my second time visiting Clay and I am super impressed. It is located on a quiet residential street in Harlem and has such lovely charm. The inside is very pretty with lots of live plants and candles for each table. Tables are spaced nicely so you don't feel on top of anyone. Their outdoor set up is also well spaced and comfy. We started with cocktails (traveling light and good morning heartache) which were unique and delicious! They had a nice variety of wines on their wine list and we enjoyed a bottle of sparkling after cocktails. The food was fantastic! We started with the pork belly which was probably my favorite part of the entire meal. It was crispy and juicy and paired well with the apple, cabbage, and mustard seed on the plate. The steak tartare was also tasty and delicate. The watermelon and tomato salad was light and refreshing. For mains we split the gnocchi and bucatini with sides of mushrooms and collard greens. The gnocchi had nice fall flavors but the bucatini was the better of the pasta dishes in my opinion. Desserts were also tasty and not too heavy. Clay will definitely be added to our rotation of frequented restaurants! read more

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Andrea is doing an incredible job serving the neighborhood and maintaining covid precautions. Dined outside last week and found they were very safe: - menus are contactless - scan a qr code with your phone - guest tables are outdoors and 6ft apart - servers maintain distance from the table but when they do need to come closer to pour water, guests are invited to put their masks back on to keep the servers safe. Covid precautions aside, their drinks and food were as delicious as I remember. Since we were dining outdoors, their hot spiced cider sounded perfect -- and it was! The calamarata was fragrant and delightfully briny. I ate every last morsel. A great reentry into dining under covid for me! read more

Went here for my Birthday Brunch and was pleasantly surprised by this Harlem jewel. Simply amazing brioche French toast! I'm usually not a French toast girl so I opted for the delicate beet dish instead. My nephew, who'd been to Clay before insisted I try his French toast and man o'man did I regret not ordering my own. Coffee was fresh brewed. Wine selections pretty solid and service was pleasant. The space is intimate and well designed. Hostess stand, full bar & dimly lit setting suites this place well. I'd definitely recommend for brunch, evening drinks or date night. ~Christy read more

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I wanted to love it. I know, I know - plenty of Yelpers start their reviews off like that but it's true...I did wanna love it. But sadly, I didn't. I didn't even like it. And if not for it being my birthday and several family members surprising me at dinner, the experience would've hardly been enjoyable. And service was slooooooowwwww but our waiter was very nice. Frustrating though because there was only one other table filled for about half the duration of our meal. What we had: Olives (....they were olives) Chicken Liver (not horrible but the bread served with it made it taste much, much better) Pork Belly (best dish of the night - right amount of crisp to the skin and flavor in the fat - earned one of my two star rating) Paccheri and Short Rib Ragu (blander than expected) Strip Steak (good - came out ice cold the first time around but they wasted no time fixing it and were very gracious about it) Lamb Special (I LOVE lamb - this was horrible and very gamey - my auntie left most of it on her plate) Black Bass - a smidge overcooked but sauce was very flavorful Mini Doughnuts (amaze-ballz...earned the second star of my two star rating) Chocolate Budino (just ok - the chocolate was very rich but also kinda dry) Traveling Light cocktail - weird Port of Call - just as bad Midnight Sun - same I was looking to host a 15-person birthday dinner in their private room downstairs and I'm sooo glad we tried it out first. To top it off the manger quoted me $5000 for 3hrs on a Saturday night...say what now?? Said she had to charge the cost of what they would've made during those 3hrs. Smh. I simply smiled read more

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Clay is good. It was a classic good restaurant. The food was tasty, the decor minimal yet chic, and the waitstaff attentive. My sister was enjoying her wine throughout the night, and complimented the restaurants Wine Director for the options. My mother loved and recommends the duck. The chicken, was very good. If you like delicious wine, Duck, or chicken. Clay is the good choice. read more

Clay - The Chicken - New American Near Me - New York, New York

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Ive been here a few times now and it is worth every star. Food, service ambiance is incredible. Owners take pride in their knowledge of wines, and their advice is great. This is a must try read more