Clay

“Really is the best culinary experience in the area. Every dish is decadent and beautifully designed. A great option in an area saturated with more of the fried same. This and the Spanish Gin tapas spot on 120th are a breath of air! Grateful for their artistry.”

“This is such a gem of a neighborhood restaurant. Food is great. Service awesome (thanks to Miguel tonight!). So relaxed, calm, and just what you hope to find in a neighborhood. And if you want to go deep, they have an amazing wine list.”

“My date wisely chose this lovely spot for dinner last night. Warm and inviting, it was the perfect place for supper on a rainy night. You know how they always mention "pillowy" gnocchi on cooking shows? Now, I finally know what they mean. The mushroom gnocchi was supremely pillowy and delicious. We also had the mushroom and chickpea burger with crispy hand cut fries. My date had a cocktail that he enjoyed. I think it was named "Call me Rose". I had water, which was good because it allowed me to really taste the flavors of the delicious offerings before us. I can't wait to return. You should go!”

“I have a long history with Clay. Despite the perennial challenge of street parking in Harlem, I returned this past Thursday with high hopes. We were lucky to snag a spot right out front and opted for the main floor to avoid the windowless basement. The evening started with promise. Clay has always shone in its wine program, and we committed to a beautiful bottle of Borja Listan Negro ($157). It was the highlight of the night—complex and elegant. The starters followed suit; the Chicken Liver Mousse remains a signature triumph, and the Burrata and Roasted Beets were fresh and well-executed. However, the attention to detail seems to be slipping. The plants around the dining room looked neglected, but the true disaster arrived with the pasta course: the Crab Calamarata. Upon tasting the dish, we were hit with an aggressive sourness and saltiness. We assumed it was just a heavy-handed kitchen error with lemon and salt, so we finished it. That was a regretful mistake. My wife and I both suffered from severe food poisoning symptoms all night. In hindsight, that overwhelming acidity wasn't seasoning—it was likely masking spoiled crab. When you spend over $300 for a dinner for two, you expect culinary safety to be the bare minimum. To enjoy a premium wine and lovely small plates only to be taken down by a compromised pasta dish is deeply disheartening. I want to love Clay again, but a kitchen that sends out spoiled seafood is a risk I cannot take lightly.”

“The food was amazing but unfortunately this establishment seems to rely/invest only in great food instead of customer service. The manager was fantastic and nice, however, the server (slim guy with blonde hair) was extremely rude and impatient. If you do have the misfortune of receiving him as a server, definitely find the manager asap and get someone else. I will be telling my friends, family, and attorney colleagues to avoid this place moving forward.”