
The Clover Club
210 Smith Street
Brooklyn, NY 11201
(718) 885-7939
http://www.cloverclubny.com
Hours:
Monday to Thursday: 5:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m.
Friday: 5:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m.
Saturday: 2:30 p.m. to 4:00 a.m.
Sunday: 2:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.
Brooklyn Cads don’t have to schlep across the East River anymore to enjoy a classic or specialty cocktail. Flatiron Lounge cocktail vixen Julie Reiner has opened up a gin-u-ine cocktail lounge on Smith Street in Boerum Hill section of Brooklyn.
The
Clover Club is a 78-seat lounge and private (as in no standing) back parlor which can hold 30 patrons. The decor is Victorian influenced but feels like Brooklyn, with rich dark wood interior, mosaic tiles, maroon leather banquettes, and elegant antique lighting. The bar, where the Loungerati set spend most of our time, is 19th century restored mahogany wood bar, which according to Reiner "was hand-salvaged from a house in an old coal mining town in Sugar Notch, Pennsylvania."
The artisanal cocktail menu is divided into nine categories of both classic and innovative mixed drinks, including Bucks & Mules, Juleps & Smashes, Sours & Daises, and Punches. Here are some of the highlights: The
Clover Club based on the 1909 recipe from the original Bellevue-Stratford bar in Philadelphia (Gin, Dry Vermouth, Lemon, Raspberry syrup, egg white), the
Bramble (a Dick Bradsell invention, Gin, Lemon, Sugar, fresh blackberry puree), the
Bohemian Fizz (Gin, Elderflower, Lemon, Soda) and the
Jersey Julep (Applejack, Mint, Maple Syrup). Also, they whip up your classic Gin Martini, Manhattan, Sloe Gin Fizz, Sazarac, and countless more standards with gusto. Add in some small plates like the Deviled Eggs of “lick your plate good” steak tartar and you are staying for a while!

The cocktail pedigree behind the bar is impressive as the menu.
The Lonsdale in London.
Pegu Club and
Flatiron Lounge in New York. These are some of the names on the resumes of the talented team of bartenders. Flatiron alum Giuseppe Gonzalez assumes the role of head of the class. Despite being an award winning mixologist (last year he won the 2007 Vinos De Jerez Cocktail Competition), Giuseppe prefers to be called a bartender. See the profession runs in the family and he is his father's son. Gonzalez helped design the menu and delivers his hand crafted cocktails with a smile and without pretension. He represents the vision of the club which is refinement and style without being contrived.
The jewel in the crown is the back parlor room which seats up to 30 guests. This semi-private area is separated from the front of the house by heavy tapestries and a smiling hostess. The room is decorated with velvety Victorian parlor furniture and I'm sure come winter time, it gets real cozy by the elegant marble fireplace. The objective of the parlor is to allow patrons to enjoy a more intimate experience – sort of a speakeasy in the back room of a lounge...now that is a curtain I can get behind!
-Review by Fredo Ceraso
Subways
Closest:


to Bergen Street
Check
Hopstop for exact subway directions.
Hoof it or Cab