Restaurant Review: Blacktail

Details: Located at 2nd floor, Pier A Harbor House, 22 Battery Place, New York, NY 10004. Official site is: https://blacktailnyc.com/

Blacktail is a sister bar from the founders of Dead Rabbit, the world’s best bar according to http://www.worlds50bestbars.com/. Accordingly, my expectations were high.

The first thing you notice as you walk in is the decor and the service. I love how this bar looks. It tries very hard to emulate that high-class, old time-y speakeasy feel. Everyone who works here is also very welcoming.

We ordered a bunch of food items and drinks. I think we had some sliders, chicken lollipops, and the Cuban sandwich. Most of what we ordered were around twenty dollars. They tasted all right, but the price they charged for the quality and quantity of food was ridiculous. So much so that if someone were to ask me what’s good to eat at Blacktail, I would say nothing. This is a bar first, restaurant second. Don’t get any of the food here. It’s not fantastic nor is it worth it.

You should however get drinks because that is the main draw of this place. We ordered a bunch of mixed drinks, which were all great. I had the Clairvoyant, a seasonal drink that tasted like coffee and had egg and cream in it. I always wanted to order one of these cocktails with egg in it, but at your local bar, they don’t do that. Even worse, if they do have drinks with egg in it, I wouldn’t trust them enough to make it. Given the reputation of Dead Rabbit and Blacktail, I was willing to give it a try. Drinks generally price around sixteen dollars.

Overall, I liked this place even though I thought it was very expensive. The main draw of Blacktail is the good service, the energy and ambiance of the room, and the quality drinks that you can only get here. I’m glad I tried this place, but I don’t make enough money nor love drinking enough to be a regular here.

Score: 6/10

Restaurant Review: Cafe Habana

Details: Located at 17 Prince St, New York, NY 10012. Official site is http://www.cafehabana.com/

Cafe Habana is a Cuban restaurant on Prince Street, between Elizabeth and Mott. The signs on the walls claim it has the best Cuban Sandwich in the city.

First thing you should know is that the main space is tight, cramped and uncomfortable. The prices are also substantially marked up when compared to the takeout storefront on the side. I recommend going to the takeout storefront which is to the right of the main restaurant. There are some tables inside and some benches outside for seating.

I split a Cuban sandwich (citrus marinated pork, ham, Swiss cheese, and pickle on a hero with chipotle mayo) with a friend and ordered their grilled corn (topped with mayo, cheese, chili powder, and lime. I’ve had these things before and they were as good, maybe slightly better than the other times that I’ve had Cuban sandwiches and Mexican corn. The Cuban sandwich isn’t very complex, so it’s hard to say it’s the best thing I’ve ever eaten. And corn… is corn. There was spicy mayo on the Cuban Sandwich, which I liked.

Score: 6/10 It was good, but not unique. If you’ve got the craving for a good Cuban sandwich and Mexican corn, this is a great place to get it. Just go to the takeout storefront, not the primary restaurant.