ZZ’s Clam Bar

My husband and I visited ZZ’s on a Saturday night. We tried four different cocktails and four dishes– the cocktails were really, really good. The quality of the food cannot be doubted– it’s really good, but some dishes fell a little flat. The uni toast was tasty, but I’ve had better uni dishes in this city. I found the cherry trout underwhelming. The live scallop and brown butter dish was very good.
The atmosphere missed the mark for me (not reflected in rating, as this is purely subjective). The service was great but I just felt the combination of it being so, so small and really trying to pull off the speakeasy-​style wasn’t my favorite. It did really just feel like eating nice food and drinking excellent cocktails in a very tiny, darkish room wasn’t that enjoyable. It’s definitely worth a try, just wasn’t my favorite.

Beware: they can run out of uni. They did run out of uni.
We arrived at 10 on a Saturday. No uni. No apology.
The rest was fine but we wouldn’t have come had we known there would be no uni.

Everything here was cute, fun, and delicious. It’s a tiny place, but it’s cozy.
Wildest cocktails in NYC:
Coconut rum — comes in a flaming coconut
Pistachio — delicious
Iced coffee — comes with flaming bread but also very good
Shots in a fish shot glass — so cute
Decadent food:
Clam canapé — yum
Uni toast — so f delicious and creamy
Lobster with avocado in yuzu — good
Live scallop with pistachio — very good
Beef carpaccio with uni, lobster, and caviar with buttered toast — wowwwwwwww
Key lime pie — too sweet

The beef-​lobster-​uni-​caviar carpaccio — the best things in life on a plate. How can that be anything less than 5 stars?
They also make a mean cocktail (or in our case, four). If they have room (though the place is teeeny), you can also walk in for a pre-​game drink without a reservation, like I observed some dapper couples do on a Friday night. #lifegoals

I have to say the food and drinks here are amazing! One of the best meal we have in NYC so far. We ordered uni toast, scallop with brown butter, saba mackerel, and chianina beef+uni+caviar carpaccio. Everything is delicious and our favorite is the carpaccio dish.
****The main negative part is they have a major problem in booking reservations. We reserved a table a week in advance online and came on time on the day at 9:30 pm. The place was completely full at the time and the waitress told us to wait at the bar (standing: no seat) and our table would be ready soon. We end up waiting for ONE HOUR until 10:30pm (starving to death) just because the table before us wanted to have another round of cocktails and chat for longer while the waitress didn’t dare to remind them about us reserving the table after them. This really ruined our whole experience (as first-​time customer’s impression) having to wait for an hour after the reservation time. I think they should be mindful and respectful of every customer’s time by managing the booking reservations more strategically either you have less time slots or you should have a strict time interval for each customer. I hope they can improve their front of house system because their food is amazing and I wish to return!

Super cozy spot! Reservations only and there is a total of 15 seats in the house. Nice service with great cocktail presentation. Cocktails are on point, but not as inventive and complex as say Attaboy. Overall great experience and I highly recommend for a date night, but a bit steep (even by craft cocktail standards) at $ 20 a pop.

ZZ’s clam bar was quite the experience! Some of the dishes were delectable, while some of the dishes weren’t quite right. For the amount of $$$ we paid, we expected the food to be OMG amazing! Also, we were seated right next to an obnoxious group of drunk people who kept singing out loud with the music (KARAOKE STYLE), complaining about the prices, and asking for more vodka in their drink. They were acting like they were guzzling beer at their local bar.
The restaurant was super small but super cool. We started off with a cocktail each, my husband had the pistachio and I had the flaming coconut. The pistachio drink was really really really good! My coconut drink came with a smoking cinnamon stick, which really worked well the coconut and rum.
For the food, we ordered half a dozen of oysters from their selection, the uni toast, lobster ceviche, the brown butter scallops, a the beef carpaccio with uni and caviar. The oysters were very fresh and good. The uni toasts were buttery smooth deliciousness in our mouths. We wanted more and more! That seriously was the high point of the night. The beef carpaccio was so decadent. It was so good but we felt so bad eating so much of it with the buttery toasts it comes with.

What I love the most about ZZ’s Clam Bar is their beverage director Thomas Waugh’s exquisite drinks menu which includes divine cocktails like the Almond– Waugh’s refreshing take on a mai tai, made with three kinds of rum plus Curaçao, and lime.
ZZ’s proves that serious food, made with ingredients flown in from Tokyo’s famed Tsukiji fish market, can pair well with whimsically presented cocktails served in coconut shells or ceramic Buddhas. You will often see ZZ’s mixologists mixing up potent original cocktails that are served in antique vessels that are elaborate and unusual but beautiful.
ZZ’s head bartender or rather tiki master Brian Miller is constantly creating new drinks like the Banana – a twist on a Blue Hawaiian that uses tequila infused with banana chips, blue Curaçao, and a dolphin-​shaped garnish made out of a banana.
Drink this: Waugh’s Pineapple. This cocktail is a rum, house Limoncello and chamomile combo which is served over cobbled ice in a brass pineapple. It is a tropical bliss with a sultry edge.

Long overdue review.
This was probably one of the most unique and memorable dining experiences. Tiny and intimate space. I think there were a total of 4 – 5 tables. Very tiki themed. Amazing fresh seafood and very pricey — BUT — completely worth it. The cocktail list (each $ 20) was exquisitely presented — had the pineapple and friend had the coconut. Dishes of the night were the uni on pretzel toast (perfection); Tuna, foie gras and bone marrow carpaccio (decadent and not for the diet conscious); oysters (good but can’t remember it being over the top) and scallops (friend ordered and she loved). Complimentary clam on blini was a lovely touch.
Our waiter/​host was amazing, friendly and not pretentious. Definitely a special occasion place. A must try if you and aren’t afraid to shell out $$$$.

This was my second Major Food Group visit. First was Santina and now ZZ’s. My girlfriend and I only planned for one drink before dinner elsewhere. After reading great reviews and knowing their reputation, we figured why not give it a try. We made a reservation for 630PM drinks before our 730PM dinner res. There are about 14 seats and an incredible bar area being manned by one bartender. The host taking our orders couldn’t have been more friendly, knowledgeable about their menu, and attentive. Service was excellent. The drinks aren’t cheap, but you pay for what you get and what you get at ZZ’s are incredible carefully constructed concoctions of flavors with arguably one of the best presentations for cocktails you will ever experience.

I went there for a private dinner and it was spectacular. The place is like the appetizers– small yet perfect combination of taste and elegant touches.
The cocktails were delicious and refreshing with crushed ice.
There were too many courses to review but some of the stand outs were the Uni toasts, homemade croutons for the Caesar (yes the croutons are worthy of a mention– one of our party said she would forever refer to it as «the place with the croutons», the ribeye and the cheesecake.
It was truly a special evening.

Love this restaurant as much as torrisi! Such delicate and sophisticated dishes! Very fresh of course!!!

Took my wife here for her 35^th and had an amazing experience. One of the most unique dining experiences you can ever have. Half cocktail bar half exquisite seafood lounge. Body and Michael take you on a whimsical libation and culinary journey well beyond your wildest dreams.
Pistachio cocktail and uni toast are a must.
Can’t wait to come back.

This is one of those places that I have bookmarked for when I accidentally stumble upon a pile of unclaimed ca$h money that mysteriously regrows itself. It’s archived for some future Utopia where first world issues like health insurance, prudent retirement planning, and Alzheimers don’t exist. Because ZZ’s is nothing but pure indulgence, and possibly the greatest threat to your financial bottom line since Obamacare.
Like many before me, my mind was blown from beginning to end throughout the three-​hour rendezvous with ZZ. The drinks menu is overwhelming only because the options all look equally enticing. After some deliberation I went with the Buddha, because who could resist magical potion in a Buddha belly?! I can’t even remember what was in it, only that it put me in a deep state of bliss. Several heavenly uni toasts, scallops, and yellowtails later, I was drunk with love. I recalled the fledgling days of my youth, the nascent buds of young love, the first time I laid naked eyes on my untamed ChildManLover, gliding over the sinusoidal waves of his ginger peaks and valleys.
And then the grandmother of all dishes. Layers upon layers of Chianina Beef Carpaccio spread generously, interspersed with sea urchin and topped with caviar. The carpaccio yielded to my tongue without resistance. The sea urchin was as delicate as a lover’s touch, and the caviar a product of their love. The holy trinity of sea treasures, together in one place. An explosion of culinary chemistry. I let myself succumb to it willingly, casting away all my worldly worries to be simply and utterly awash in this sea of joy.
Rising cost of tuition? Looming water crisis? Such trivialities. Pick up all the litter from your humdrum life and stuff it in the back of your closet. Put on your best suit and head to ZZ’s because sometimes, unchecked indulgence is just what you need.

Wow.
The dimly lit place is extremely small, 10 seats only (few tables and tall chair ledge). There’s a small bar area, which is well stocked and frankly, pretty cool to look at, especially when the bartender’s doing his thang. The place is well insulated so you don’t even hear any of the sounds outside. Intimate, but it’s not like they expect you to whisper.
The cocktails are $ 20. Pricey, but man, it’s very good. I started with Mint, which is similar to a julep, with their own spin on it. Cuban rum is pretty awesome haha. Then tried the Cardamom, which was recommended by our server, Sam. As someone that doesn’t like gin, I thought it was pretty damn amazing.
They started us out with a razor clam pressed focaccia crostini and just that one little bite convinced me that we totally made the right choice in coming. It only made me want more. We really wanted the Beef Carpaccio, but for that night, it wasn’t available. Totally crushed, we went with Tuna Carpaccio. That night, the carpaccio was tuna + shaved foie + razor clam. Holy hell it was amazing. We satisfied our uni craving with the Uni Toast and it’s as tasty as it sounds, but the Trout Roe Toast trumps the uni for me. Lobster Crudo was a new item that night and it’s thinly sliced lobster that’s drizzled with a mole butter. That mole got a crazy kick to it.
Since it was a pre-​dinner meal for us, that’s all we ordered, and with 4 items, 1 – 2 drinks for the 4 of us, it was over $ 400. Service was great. Drinks were great. Food was amazing.
Oh yea, get a reservation or else you ain’t getting through the doorman.

Really amazing place, I’m so glad that I made my choice to come here! Amazing bar tender Michael to make us the coconut cocktail with cigars on top, amazing waiter to entertain us during the full course of our meal, amazing uni with beef, and even amazing tiramisu. Not to mention their full selection of clam, oyster and caviar!
This place was tiny, have to admit at first because they only have ten chairs and four tables. So everything here was in some sense, independent and I was able to enjoy some sort of privacy. However the interaction between us and the waiter was ongoing and warm hence I never felt lonely for even one second!
I have no idea about other people’s experience, nevertheless this was indeed one of the most remarkable moments in my eating history.

Know before you go:
–Yes, cocktails are $ 20. Welcome to Manhattan. A meal for 2 (assume 2 drinks each, 5 – 6 menu items, tip) will set you back $ 400 – 500. If that bothers you to the point you won’t enjoy it, skip this one. It’s a special occasion place– sometimes that special occasion happens to be getting a reservation :)
–The space is intimate. Of a capacity of about a dozen diners I’d say it was only ½ to ²⁄₃ full the whole night. No wonder reservations are hard to come by.
–The pace is sloooow. Don’t come starving, in a rush, or with someone you hate lol.
–The menu is entirely raw fish. Most dishes were accentuated with some textural element and butter. Obviously, I was in heaven. They have 2 – 3 selections for a handful of categories– «toast» «ceviche» «crudo» etc. it doesn’t look like much but you will be full by the end of the meal, it’s so wonderfully rich.
We went in winter 2015. Drinks– we tried the cilantro, iced coffee, marsala, and apple. Of note were the cilantro, which is SPICY and served in a pepper; and the iced coffee, which is served on fire in a tiki mug. Apparently the pineapple is served in a golden pineapple urn, the coconut in a coconut. Fun.
Food– Started off with a canapé. Also had all the toasts, by accident– we ordered trout roe and uni and they brought out tuna and uni. What a serendipitous mistake! They brought out the original order of trout roe and I have to say we enjoyed the tuna the most! Next was the raw scallop with brown butter. We had the special ebi– japanese shrimp with raw bodies and smoked heads (how? Sorcery!). The cherry trout with trout roe and fried leeks hit all the right notes– buttery soft trout, salty roe, crispy leeks. The beef carpaccio with uni and caviar is worth the decadence– don’t let the $ 100 price scare you away.

Fantastic meal here. I never enjoyed raw oysters until I tried them here, and now I’m sort of an addict (although I settle for $ 1 happy hours now). Definitely try the PISTACHIO cocktail. it is amazing and I need to learn how to make it. For food, the uni pretzel toast and their foie gras carpaccio are my top picks. Very small, intimate restaurant.

Do you like fish? Do you adore great cocktails that are made with care? Then stop what you’re doing and call ZZ’s for a reservation. It’s like eating in your own private restaurant. There are around 12 seats total. There is a bouncer outside and a small sign that takes you into the little oasis that is ZZ’s.
I had one of the best cocktails of my life here. The pistachio may sound a bit odd, but just jump and try it. You won’t regret it!
We started with the parrot fish ceviche and it was incredible.
The uni toast is served on warm pretzel bread and is a thing dreams are made of. Don’t miss it!
The live scallop with brown butter was sweet and decadent. Baby yellowtail felt the most like ‘sushi’ and was wonderful with oyster sauce. A highlight was the tuna with foie gras and bone marrow.
Key lime pie to end the meal was nothing short of phenomenal. If this restaurant were in LA, I’d be a regular. Others complain about the portions, but I thought they were perfect, especially if you have a few cocktails.
I will absolutely come back here the next time I’m in New York.

One of New York’s best, most original, most expensive cocktail bars.
ZZ’s space is immaculate, tiny and difficult to access without a reservation. Like its sister restaurant, ‘Carbone’, just a few doors down, ZZ’s channels and refines the fundamentals of the old world. In Carbone’s case, it’s old school Italian-​American food. In ZZ’s case, it’s 60s, continental cocktail clubs.
ZZ’s cocktails come listed as single-​word titles: ‘pistachio’, ‘squash’, ‘butter’, ‘cranberry’, giving an indication of what to expect. Few of the cocktails have more than three ingredients, many have a subtle nod to tiki without spelling it out, and all of them floor you…
…At $ 20 a pop, they’d better.
The ‘Cranberry’, for example, made with rye whiskey, Pinot noir, exotic pepper and a grilled lemon, takes you to a place that no other beverage can. And when the kitchen sends out a complementary amuse bouche of marinated clam toast — a bite that’s more divinely satisfying than the $ 18 sea urchin lardo crostini at Marea — all of your worldly cares will melt like the crushed ice in your glass.
Personally, I had several reasons not to try ZZ’s. I don’t get Torrisi. I can’t stand Parm. I’m not rich… But the only reason/​question you should have to try/​not try ZZ’s is this: how much are you willing to pay for one of the best cocktails you’ve ever had?
For me, ZZ’s sets that threshold at $ 20 –and delivers in every possible way that it should.