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P.J. Clarke's
Categories: Restaurants Burgers Restaurants Sandwiches Nightlife Bars Sports Bars Burgers, Sandwiches, Sports Bars [Edit]
302 E Illinois St(at Columbus Dr)
Chicago, IL 60611
Neighborhood: Near North Side
(312) 670-7500
- Nearest Transit:
-
Grand-Red (Red Line)
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 11:30 am - 2 am
Fri-Sat 11:30 am - 4 am
Sun 10 am - 2 am
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Garage
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Music:
- Background
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Coat Check:
- Yes
- Drive-Thru:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
156 reviews for P.J. Clarke's
Review Highlights
"We stopped in after spending some time at Navy Pier."
(in 14 reviews)
"Fantastic chicken pot pie."
(in 6 reviews)
"Great place to get a meal before a movie."
(in 9 reviews)
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156 reviews in English
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Review from Mark R.
Hackensack, NJ
1/26/2012
I was staying at the Sheraton across the street and walked over here around midnight... the place was packed and we ended up sitting at the bar. I have been to PJ Clarke's in NYC and had a similar feel to it except that I actually ate something this time instead of just drinks...
Good bar atmosphere, good food, and awesome bartenders... These guys know how to take care of their customers...
I would go back for just drinks next time since there are so many other good restaurants nearby... :) -
Review from Tony H.
Chicago, IL
12/29/2011
This place just gets worse. Background: we used to be regulars at this place, as it's close to the office and our boss likes the original one. Over the years though, the service and quality has plummeted. The last time I was there we walked out after being seated and after 15 minutes nobody had taken our order or even visited our table. We decided to give it another chance (it's been a while) last week.
Bad idea. Our waitress was fine, but the service was awful. The food took so long to come out that two of us got to-go boxes. We were literally there almost two hours! Nobody smiles, the managers aren't friendly, and this place reeks of a restaurant that doesn't have to be good because they get a steady crowd from the hotel and/or the cinema. Too bad, because it used to be a favorite. But we won't be going back. -
Review from Glen G.
Mason, OH
11/16/2011
The place is good and had a good crowd on an average weekday night. It has a good location for tourists of all types and believe me you won't go wrong... the food is good and so is the atmosphere. It's just hard to recommend a good restaurant when so many other great options exist in Chicago. It's like a small mid-west town's harvest queen who everyone adores as the prettiest girl in town but then goes to compete in the big city... the restaurant would be great in my small midwest town but in Chicago it's lost alongside the awesome.
Anyway, the service on this particular night was really really slow but I don't perceive it being an epidemic problem here. Just stay on top of the wait staff if it starts heading in that direction! -
Review from Keith H.
Chicago, IL
1/3/2012 1 Check-in Here
OK at best - just stopped in for a quick beer so didnt expect much and didnt get much. Not a favorite and probably wont be back - - -
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Review from Arlene A.
10/20/2011 1 Check-in Here
mediocre/mdōkr/
Adjective:
Of only moderate quality; not very good: "a mediocre actor".
Synonyms:
middling - moderate - indifferent - ordinary - mean
Also see P.J. Clarke's
While there was nothing wrong with the service, the food is just such a non factor here, unless you're going next door for a movie, get yourself to a place with real food. -
Review from William R.
Chicago, IL
1/2/2012 1 Check-in Here
The way this place is set up is very very uncomfortable, and close. They kept seating tables of 6 right next to us with children instead of near the other families, we had to move tables 2 times because I was constantly getting bumped into because there wasn't enough room. UGH just very frustrating, and no one seemed to care.
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Review from Erin W.
Fremont, NE
11/15/2011
In town on business. Wanted some decently priced food close to my hotel (Sheraton). Wandered in after a long day of workshops and a long evening of shopping on Magnificent Mile and everywhere in between.
We were seated immediately but it took awhile to be served. Our drinks were served very quickly so that made up for the lack of initial service. Our server (Alex) was attentive and made sure our refills and other needs were taken care of. We ordered onion strings to share as a group in addition to our individual entrees. They were great - breaded and flash-fried. You could tell these were coated in more than flour - parmesan cheese was a nice surprise here.
Dining partner #1 ordered spaghetti and meatballs. She raved about it.
Dining partner #2 ordered the chicken pot pie. She really enjoyed the velvetty sauce and the fact that the vegetables were not mushy.
I ordered the Southwest chicken salad and it did not disappoint. I probably would try something else on a future visit, but hey, it was good.
I came into PJ's because my dining partners wanted cheap and simple. Not sure if I would return on a future visit. There are so many other places to see and try in this city... -
Review from Karina C.
Chicago, IL
11/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
I've been here several times before or after having seen a movie at the River East. I've had the burger, spaghetti, and club sandwich. My favorite meal so far, though, has been the California Wrap. No cheese, though!
The dining area is uncomfortable for me, so I prefer to eat at the bar side of the restaurant only because it's noisy (but I actually prefer that).
Three stars for the food, but that's about it. The wait staff is nice but there's nothing super special. -
Review from Megan C.
Chicago, IL
12/27/2011
it's a 4am bar, what can I say? I arrived here, after closing another place down - oops ;-) more drinks, bar food, kinda pricey for what it is, but gets the job done.
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Review from beth i.
9/7/2011 2 Check-ins Here
If you're a visitor and staying in downtown Chi-town by the river, PJ's is a great late night (or anytime) find. I arrived at the Sheraton Towers (across the street) a little past 12am and was starving after flying all day and PJ's was the only place open. I had a fantastic Newcastle on tap while I waited for my 3 mini cheese burgers served with huge thick pickles (hehe) for a really good price.
If you've been to Hawaii than the decor and atmosphere is like Murphy's downtown. It's a chill sports bar with a full restaurant on one side and they serve all kinds of great dishes and beers on tap.
I came back on another night and was on the fence about whether to get the House special chicken pot pie or the turkey avo wrap. I had the pot pie and it was just what I needed to put me to bed! Rich and creamy and full of fresh veggies served over a warm croissant.
It's a casual place with lots of character and won't let you down if you need a hearty American meal or a place to eat in the middle of the night. -
Review from Daniele N.
Chicago, IL
10/30/2011
We went here after an event we were attending near by, and I thought the food and the service were pretty decent. My food was yumi, I ordered a Greek salad and added steak. My husband ordered baby ribs and oh my the potato that came along was delicious. Price is reasonable and the girl who attended us vey nice.
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Review from Colleen W.
Chicago, IL
12/7/2011
Not bad, not great. We came for a casual girls dinner out on a Saturday night. We were able to get a last minute reservation, in the middle of the dinner "rush hour", which was nice. Our dinner selections included the chicken caesar wrap, the crab meat burger, a grilled shrimp salad of some sort, and a grilled cheese/mac and cheese combo. The food was just OK. Definitely not worth the price. A $10 grilled cheese better be the best EVER...but it wasn't. This place is okay for something quick if you're headed to the movie theatre next door, or can't get in anywhere else on a Saturday night downtown. But I wouldn't recommend making a special trip here.
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Review from Keith M.
Los Angeles, CA
11/13/2011
Good food. It was very late (midnight, seriously) and I was hungry. They had a late-night menu and I ordered the house salad. For the price, it was very good.
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Review from Morgan A.
6/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
This place is a lot bigger on the inside then it appears! Came here one night before going to the AMC.
It's a convenient place to eat if you're going to a movie or around the neighborhood. They have a large menu and prices are fair. The food is ok but nothing to write home about.
I probably won't go back again but its fine for a quick bite before a show! -
Review from Jessica M.
Chicago, IL
6/17/2011 2 photos
It was a girls' night out and we figured we should go somewhere nearby for some drinks and a mini birthday celebration. We stumbled upon PJ Clarke's upon leaving AMC and decided to give it a try. We ordered:
* Chips with guacamole and salsa
* 2 vodkas with pineapple juice
* Bangkok Margarita
* Cranberry Fizz
* Corona Extra
* 1 more cocktail that I can't recall
* 4 lemon drop shots
The chips came in a big basket with a cup of guacamole and salsa to the side. The guacamole had huge chunks of avocado in them. You have to be careful when scooping them out because there were multiple occasions where our chip would break and sink into the guacamole because of those avocados. I'm not entirely exaggerating either. (Tip: There are no free refills.)
The margaritas and cocktails were averagely priced from $8-13 and they were decent. Unfortunately, we couldn't say the same for the lemon drop shots. Not only were the shot glasses not sugar-rimmed but they also forgot the sugar for the drink itself. These $8 shots were not worth it. -
Review from Juan G.
Chino Hills, CA
6/7/2011
Great sliders!!! Small bitty burgers with a big burger punch, just make sure you order them with cheese. You can order them starting at 4 per order with string fries that are crispy good. The beer (New Castle) on tap was consistently cold and they don't close the bar until after 4am!! Cool atmosphere, and cool deco; a lot of wood on the bar and leather in the booths.
The cool bar tender explained that in Illinois, a bar can sell alcohol at what ever time they want as longs as they don't sell any for five or six hours straight in a 24 hour period. Here I was used to California that stops serving at 2am. I was in haven here, I really felt I was on vacation. Thank you Illinois!
My hotel was just up the street from this place; AWESOME!! -
Review from Kate S.
Chicago, IL
10/20/2011
I really like this place. It's a good place to make your "regular" if you live in the area. Prices are fair, service is always good and food is always good. Salads, burgers, mac and cheese, flat bread pizza--you can't go wrong. Lots of delicious dessert choices too. It's a big restaurant, so there's rarely a wait for a table. Added bonus: if you shop across the street at Dominick's the receipt usually contains a $5 coupon for PJ Clarke's. TV in the bar if you want to watch a game.
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Review from Missy L.
7/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
Good bar to hit up if you are in the area. We stopped in after spending some time at Navy Pier. The bartender and bar back were very nice and checked on our group often....we were sitting at the bar but hey I have been to places where the bartender is right in front of a group of us and still don't bother to take care of us. Anyways pricing was i think typical for a Chicago bar but shots as always are pricey.
-shots of honey whiskey and they kept on coming
-vodka and cranberry
-beers for the boys
-chips with salsa and guacamole
-quesadillas
I was pleasantly surprised how good the food was! I'm not in the area that much but could see myself swinging by again when I'm in the area. -
Review from Jennifer Q.
Chicago, IL
10/8/2011
Good selection for a "bar" type restaurant. Great location for a pre-movie snack. I really liked the outdoor seating and was pleased our server, Erin, was able to get us our food in time for us to eat quickly and still make the movie we wanted to see at the movie theater within walking distance down the street. Sandwiches and fries were pretty good!
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Review from stacie s.
Sacramento, CA
7/17/2011 1 Check-in Here
If it is late at night and you need a place open, then stop by otherwise save your appetite and shop around. The food was just too heavy, the service was too average, I wasn't feeling the love of a restaurant just a hungry kid who needed food. As you can see from the other posters that the food is just ok or below. Key thing about this place, convenience and location (by Embassy suites).
I would like to thank the hostess for seating us earlier than our reservation, especially on a major holiday in Chicago, the 4th of July! -
Review from Mary S.
Arlington, VA
8/17/2011
I've ordered 4 different things here and liked 3 of them:
1) Turkey wrap w/avocado (special), yum! One of the best I've had.
2) Southwest chicken salad, put into a wrap. Waiter recommended it and was right on.
3) Gourmet burger. Nothing too special but good.
I recommend ordering veggies for your side: zucchini, carrots & squash perfectly seasoned with thyme, and um, oregano maybe? If you get veggies, you'll feel less guilty if you order the chocolate chip cookie in a bowl. Of course I ate it all, but more hot fudge and more heat would've made it an even better dessert.
The only thing I didn't like was the Clarke salad, too blah. Coworker didn't like the chicken pot pie or sliders either.
I stayed at the semi-attached Embassy Suites for 2 weeks and came here for lunch several times. Service was excellent and fast every time, my coworker even got his meal for free when the waitress noticed he didn't eat much of it. I would definitely come here again. -
Review from Sarper O.
Chicago, IL
11/2/2011
Great food, friendly staff and quick service. Good salads and appetizers!
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Review from Meg X.
8/16/2011
Missed the movie we were going to see so we went here to grab a bite until the next showing. I had a burger; my friend had the mac and cheese. Both were OK and the service wasn't that great considering the place was only half full.
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Review from Matthew W.
Chicago, IL
5/9/2011 1 Check-in Here
Best part of this place was that the leather booth was very slippery and I could slide all the way down the bench. Lots of fun if you're as immature as I am. Besides that...
A good idea for before or after a movie at the AMC next door. Large menu, fair prices, decent service. Everything about P.J. Clarke's is ok.
I probably wouldn't hang out at the bar on a nightly basis or make eating there a priority but when it's convenient, it's fine in a pinch.
I had the open-faced meatloaf sandwich with onions straws and mashed potatoes. It was good but not great. Definitely a generous portion but the sauce was a bit sweet for my taste.
If you need to grab a drink and a bite to eat, and you're in the area, give PJs a shot. It's not so bad. -
Review from Dan A.
Chicago, IL
10/31/2011 1 Check-in Here
I forgot how good their salads where!
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Review from Ken O.
2/27/2011
Been to this restaurant several times. Always have had good service and a meal that I've enjoyed. Prices are reasonable for being downtown. Remember... location, location, location.
I'm sure I'll be back. Keep up the great job. -
Review from Miranda E.
St Petersburg, FL
4/3/2011
Had the brunch buffet today, and was not that impressed. The selection of food was so-so. I'm not big on scrambled eggs or omelettes, and those were the only egg choices. Although, a chef was standing by to make a made to order omelette, which my friend liked. No eggs Benedict in the chafing dishes though. :( Also, the pancakes were really dry. The edges were inedible. The bacon was really yummy though- crispy and smokey. The fresh fruit was great too. I also loved the complementary small glass of OJ. I just would have liked there to have been more salad choices, like some chicken salad and dressings.
So, lesson learned, no more breakfast at PJs, but I'm sure it's much better for a burger and beer. I would definitely give it another try after a movie next door. -
Review from Taylor D.
Chicago, IL
12/13/2011
fantastic beef barley soup!!!!!!
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Review from Scott N.
Chicago, IL
8/13/2011
Food is meh...price is high for what you get
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Review from Sarah Z.
Chicago, IL
2/22/2011
What is not to like about this place?
It is 11pm and you just saw a movie, so naturally you want a cheeseburger and a slightly dirty martini with blue cheese stuffed olives. Isn't that what you eat after a movie, too?
Oh, and because you are lazy, you do not want to travel far or lose your sweet street parking spot.
If you want something special, get out of tourist city.
But if you want solid, American bar food that is less than a half block away from the largest and cleanest multiplex theater in Chicago, you are GOLDEN. -
Review from matty z.
8/5/2010
I wish I could give more stars to this place based purely ont he quality of the veggie burger--which was handmade and delicious--but the pricing here is out of line.
With no beer under $5 and the bar food starting at $9, I simply won't come back. I shouldn't have expected different prices in that area, but I think Yelp knows by now just how cheap I am.
Offer a freakin' beer special at least!
...but, damn... that veggie burger is good. -
Review from Cher M.
8/25/2010
I've only had breakfast/brunch here, so this is a limited review.
Firstly, the brunch buffet is an all-or-nothing option. It's probably my fault for going to this location (right in the heart of touristy Streeterville) but seriously...ONLY a breakfast buffet? I might've well been at Big Boy!
Because my dining companion and I had no desire to traipse over and around a buffet, we ordered off the menu as best we could, she got a grilled cheese sandwich and I chose Eggs Benedict. Oh and I had coffee to drink (which I swear has a point to mentioning)
The food took, well, forever to arrive. But before it did, we could smell it coming. You know when you're walking outside a fast food joint and you can almost TASTE the grease in the air? The same "odor" was wafting to us from our incoming plates. The grilled cheese was cold, which was odd since the cheese had the apperarence of being melted. I don't know what kind of Cris Angel trickery their doing in the kitchen at PJ Clarke's, but it's impressive (albeit not in a culinary way). My Eggs Benedict were...eh. Just eh. I pretty much broke the yolks and ate the english muffin. A better meal would have come from TEMPO and that place makes me want to head for the hills.
Oh, and that coffee? Lukewarm at best. pretty sure I could have drank cold two-day-old coffee from my house and it would have tasted better.
Next time I want to go out to PJ Clarke's for breakfast, I'll just go back to bed instead. -
Review from Tricia L.
9/2/2010
It was just ok. It's like comfort food in need of steroids.
The chicken florentine came with spinach, sun dried tomatoes, and garlic mashed potatoes and was served in a portion enough to feed a small country. Quantity definitely reigns over quality in this land.
Try to amp up your experience by requesting crayons so you can doodle on the paper tablecloth to your little heart's content. Also noticed that the upstairs area was way cooler than the downstairs. Take note. -
Review from Anna T.
11/19/2010 1 Check-in Here
P.J. Clarke's is a decent place to get a meal. As other reviews seem to indicate, it's nothing special but it is big with a nicely varied menu - something for everyone if you're in a group - and the service is good and the prices are fair.
My boyfriend and I were actually trying to go to D4 but it was closed for a private event, and it was very cold outside, so I just wanted to find someplace nearby and we ended up here. It fit our needs very well: I wanted wine, he wanted beer and a burger, and we both wanted to be warm and get some food in our bellies.
We both started with soup - mine chicken orzo (special of the day) and his french onion. Both fine.
My club sandwich was good and actually the sweet potato fries were EXCELLENT - his burger and mac and cheese looked great, too.
One plus of this place is that you can substitute any side with the sandwiches - but don't tell them I told you this ;-)
For dessert we split the hot fudge sundae, which was pretty awesome - let's just say it included a skewer of roasted marshmallows, so it couldn't really lose.
Bill for two with apps, entrees, dessert and two drinks came out to about $30 pp - not too shabby for a filling meal! -
Review from Katrina S.
Chicago, IL
1/4/2011
Once upon a New Year's Day some friends and I blurrily walked into P J Clarkes for some Brunch before a movie. We were surprised to find a few open tables & room at the bar. We opted to sit at the bar for a lil' hair of the dog in the form of Bloody Mary's.
The Bloody Mary's are average. Maybe I'm just spoiled because lately I've been to some spots that serve killer Bloody Mary's. But if you're gonna do something shouldn't you always try to be the best? I asked for spicy and - not so much. It came with the standard celery garnish & a couple pimento stuffed olives - (Mr. & Mrs. T's Bloody Mary Mix?) like some sad corporate event - meh... None of my faves included like; horseradish, worcestershire, hot sauce, old bay, maybe a bit o' cheddar perhaps a baby gerkin. Is this asking too much? Maybe...
I had the eggs benedict for brunch. It came out luke warm. One egg was cooked perfectly - one was really undercooked. I realize eggs can be difficult but the white was really runny & wet which just grossed me out - especially with a slight hangover. I left it on the plate. The ham was a little tough but their hollandaise is right on w/ just the right consistency & amount of lemon. If only it was warm.... The fresh cut, skin on hash browns are deelish.
I have also been for lunch and they make an excellent grilled cheese with challah & several different cheeses. They also offer some great big, fresh & delicious salads.
The atmosphere is Irish Pub and the service I have experienced is very good.
Summary: Casual Irish Pub with standard pub fare. It's good enough that I will be back but I'm in no hurry. -
Review from Jen C.
8/5/2010
While on a business trip in Chicago, I had the unfortunate experience of eating here...twice.
My first trip was at 2:30pm on a Sunday. The place was empty. Nonetheless, our service was still atrociously slow. Out of three guests, the waiter got 2 of our drink orders wrong and never once refilled our waters.
I had the shrimp salad. It was a big pile of lettuce (SOAKED in dressing) with 4 baby shrimp and 2 stalks of asparagus (where's the cheese/ hearts of palm/ tomatoes/ cucumbers the menu said it came with??). One of my fellow diners had a tuna melt-- the cheese was a neon yellow-orange radioactive congealed mess. Bleeeh.
My second trip here, we arrived at 8pm for dinner with a larger group. Our orders weren't taken until 8:45! Then, we didn't get our food until nearly 9:45! We all had sandwiches or burgers, so I'm not sure what took them an hour to cook it, but by that time we'd been sitting the restaurant for nearly two hours and were about to chew our arms off. My "grilled" chicken sandwich was definitely boiled chicken. The bun was easily twice as big as the chicken and it came with one leaf of lettuce and one slice of tomato (seriously, people?). All of my fellow diners were equally displeased with their meals.
Our waitress came around about halfway through the meal and took our plates without asking. Normally I'd be upset, but the food was so horrible, that I didn't even care.
Save yourself some grief and grab a sandwich at the Panera down the street. -
Review from John F.
Brunswick, OH
7/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
Within walking distance of Navy Pier. Stopped in for lunch and some cold brews. The food was very good but a tad overpriced. Same for the brews. Service is just ok.
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Review from Rhonda G.
2/25/2010
Well it's not St. Elmos but it will do.
Typical after work jaunt for the 9-5ers and I imagine the tourist crowd takes over on the weekends. Food and drink prices are fairly decent for the area (translated: you don't feel like you're getting a deal but you don't feel like you're getting ripped off).
Staff seemed attentive and helpful, which is always a plus at a restaurant right?
I was starving so I ordered the turkey burger and fries. Blue cheese was an excellent topping idea but the burger alone was just ok. I eat a lot of turkey burgers and this one is probably a 4.5 on a scale of 10.
Overall, a nice little place to meet with friends after work.Listed in: Jive Turkey
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Review from Krsna V.
6/5/2007
Two words: Homophobic management
My partner and I went here a while ago after watching a movie at AMC River East. My partner was wearing a sleeveless linen sweater with jeans. I was wearing jeans and a polo. We were, the least to say, casual chic. It looked like we two were the only ones in the restaurant with some fashion sense. We sit by the bar and order drinks and food. The bartender takes our order and everything seems fine.
The bartender returns in two minutes and tells my partner that he has to put a t-shirt on in order to receive any service. My jaw dropped in shock. She then proceeds to say the manager is not comfortable with my partner's sweater with sleeves cut off (now, my partner spent a fortune on that designer sweater). The bartender then proceeds to give my partner a black t-shirt that she pulled from under the bar counter. So, my partner asks if she will not serve us if he refuses to wear a t-shirt. She answers in the affirmative.
I don't even know what to say. I guess the management was not comfortable with two good looking and fashionable guys walking in to their restaurant. Everyone else in the restaurant looked like trash. We told the bartender to cancel the order because we are leaving. My partner still left the bartender a 20% tip because it was not her fault.
I suggest everyone boycott this place.
Update 4/14/08:
I read a review by a fellow Yelper that this place is not homophobic but, it is their dress code. I even got a PM saying that is how the dress code is. To clarify: I did not post this review until I saw other people eating there, wearing sleeveless t-shirts. For a while, I thought they were only adhering to their dress code and not discriminating against us. But, I walked by this place a few times (going to the movies next door) and have noticed a few people sitting in the outside eating area wearing cut off t-shirts. That is when I decided to post this review. If they really want to enforce the dress code, they should do so regardless of the clientle. I still stand by my original review.Listed in: Oh he-ell no!!
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Review from Nam N.
6/23/2009
After a long flight, my self-diagnosed hypoglycemia was kicking in. P.J.Clarke's was the closest restaurant to my hotel so I wandered in to order dinner to-go.
A quick look of the American fare menu and I settled on an order of their sliders and a side of fries. My order was ready in under 10 minutes and I was back in my hotel room ready to eat less than 5 minutes after that. Yet despite my speedy walk back to the hotel, I found that my food was really cold. The sliders were dry and the cheese tasted like plastic. My fries tasted like cold styrofoam (that is, if it mattered what temperature styrofoam is).... No bueno.
Whoever said that it doesn't matter what you eat when you're starving is totally wrong. After eating only one slider and a couple of fries, I decided to save the calories for something worthier.
And that worthy item was the olives in my dirty martini from the hotel bar :)
