Clarke’s

Get the mac and cheese… Whoa! Some of the best I’ve had.
Eat here on a Sunday

An Irish pub that’s a wee bit swank, not filled with idiots, serves good food, and has a decent beer list? South of Fifth? Sign me up. As much as I wanted to deny it, SoFi is becoming a go-​to for me and I don’t know if that’s entirely a good thing. In movie parlance: I’m going to need a bigger boat. Until that day comes, I’ll hang out at haunts like Clarke’s and see what daydreaming, eating, drinking, and side-​eying get me.
I came here knowing much of nothing about what to expect. I’d already been day drinking at a Brickell establishment but needed some food in mah belly before calling it a night. I also needed a nice cider. My buddy suggested Clarke’s and away we went. First thing I noticed, it’s not a dump. Sometimes when you combine the words pub + Miami + drinks you tend to = dump. Clarke’s is classy. Expect dark woods, white tablecloths and proper silverware. I don’t know why I was surprised: we’re in SoFi!* Aand, since I was in SoFi, it made sense to have a pub experience that was worthy of the zip code. What does that mean? It means a lobster melt. A.LOBSTER.Melt. Done. Do not pass ‘go.’ Give me $ 200. You’ve found a winner. Succulent, buttery lobster in a roll is almost always a win just on description. Luckily for business and customer alike, the taste backs up the word. The roll was served warm and packed with lobster. There was no need to root around for the good stuff. Every bite filled my mouth with gigantic sea roach and I loved each chew. To top off the gluttony, imagine nearly a plate full of lightly-​seasoned fries and a cold cider at the ready, and you have the makings of a choice end of a long day. I’ve gotta do this more often… and so should you.
*Yes, I know that even SoFi has places of ill repute. I’m not a fan.

Luke warm French Onion Soup
I have a suggestion for the cook, when you take the soup out of the cooler, pour it in the bowl, pour the cheese on top and put it under the boiler, heat the soup up first!

Luck O’ The Irish is cast upon Clark’s. I passed this place 500 times before I even thought to try it. I thought it would have been your typical no-​politics no-​religious discussion local irish bar.
I was wrong the food is excellent bar fare and even better when you need a quick bite without running into the SOBE crowd. No tourists either. Dont worry about the pretty people either… they dont go there. (not sure f I should have written that… could be a poor reflection on me as well… ehh Im leaving it in)
Great place to take your Goumada if you’re hiding out from your wife

a year and a half later and after coming back at least a dozen times since, i must update and upgrade my review on clarkes. must admit that service has gotten so much better which is essential to me when im to decide where to go for dinner, especially at a place thats not precisely cheap. i am particularly sad that i have not seen again the light-​eyed, cute, petite waitress who took care of me and my friend one evening about a year ago or so but oh well. ive been back to clarkes enough times to already recognize a few regulars. its also nice to see the owner hanging out and definitely putting an eye to whats going on.
the food is still delicious. ive had many things of their menu, most recently the short ribs. jesus christ. so freakin good. the mac and cheese im pretty sure it contains some type of narcotic substance in it as it is super addictive. i know they have a lobster night but i still havent tried that out. there are only two reasons why i cant give clarks 5 stars. one is their gazpacho, not good. bland. and the fact that tables are way too close to each other. i dont like people overhearing my conversations, especially when im talking shit about them.

Stumbled in here by accident and been back ever since. This is my place to relax after a long day of work. nothing fancy but somewhat classy. The bartender/​owner i think, hes very nice. Place is next fogo de chao and parking can be a pain but other then that this is my go to place to get way and enjoy a glass of wine or drink.
mac and cheese (⁵⁄₅) best dish here
Meatloaf: (⁴⁄₅) its good but just meatloaf. now the mash potatoes are heavenly.
special: Grilled Mahi Mahi with butter spinach (²⁄₅) ehh bland
Claims with chorizo and galic bread (⁴⁄₅) pretty good, the chorizo was a little tough
Special: Shrimp Creole (⁵⁄₅) juicy large plump shrimp. =)
Overall: (⁵⁄₅) my bar crawl.

Much like the thought of Jon Stamos dressed like a biker appeals to some, this South Beach gastropub does it for me. It’s a safe fantasy because the reality is… there’s no danger in Hells Angel Uncle Jessie or Clarkie’s. I’ve been to many an Irish pub and have seen my share of blood, sweat and beers, especially the ones across the pond. They have a certain element of raucous danger that’s not limited to –
1. Soccer hooligans indiscriminately catapulting Carlsberg lager bottles.
2. Getting a face filled with lead courtesy of the Boondock Saints while you have a ridiculous Belhaven Stout ‘stache on your face.
3. Or even worse, Will Hunting one-​upping you in front of the person you fancy like he did to Clark in Good Will Hunting.
It’s not even a full-​blown bar. It’s more of a Gaelic-​themed restaurant, an upscale Bennigan’s if you will. There are more tables than places to sit at the bar. Plus there are over 100 varieties of wine on the menu. Your usual pub stocks red or white. I’ve had all of their offerings and here are some of the highlights, and one diss –
Their much loved Mac n’ Cheese is something I can’t get behind, it’s more like macaroni in Alfredo sauce topped with breadcrumbs. The house-​made Parmesan and herb-​crusted crisps and Caramelized Onion Dip should be the the first thing out of your mouth after hello. Introduce a loaded baked potato and a cup of cream to a food processor and you’ll have their Potato Soup. The Shepherd’s Pie is essentially a meat and potato Frisbee accompanied by a side of gravy, and seems like a rather uncomfortable item for a shepherd to carry around in a lunchbox.
In many pubs the Full Breakfast isn’t really that full. The chef picks and chooses according to availability, but not at Clarke’s, they give you the lot — Rashers (Canadian bacon), Bangers, Black pudding (spiced blood sausage) White pudding (pork and oatmeal sausage), sautéed mushrooms, fried beefsteak tomato, grilled potato bread, homefries with crispy onions, Heinz baked beans, and 2 eggs to tickle your fancy. Splatter it like a Dexter crime scene with HP Brown Sauce and chase it down with a shot Jamie (Jameson Whiskey). You’ll be weezing and unable to move like some mobster stapled your fanny to the seat. Lasses bring maternity pants, lads sweatpants, and young kin a pillow, blanket, and binkie.

Well poured and tasty Guiness, went here for some food as well, the fish and chips were so-​so. Service could have been better in general, but the staff was very nice. I would come back for drinks only.

Wow an Irish Pub in Miami that’s not a:
1) Sports bar
2) Meat Market
3) Live music venue
4) Hip hop dance club
pretending to be a pub! Located South of Fifth, this is pretty much a locals joint and a great place to come for some casual drinks or grub.
The traditional Irish dishes are well represented with Fish & Chips, Corned Beef, Bangers & Mash, the usual pies, and of course the Irish Breakfast. Although I was a bit disappointed to see Ahi Tuna, Chicken Wings, and Curry on the menu, I have to admit the «Irish Spring Rolls» which were egg rolls containing corned beef, cabbage, potatoes and mustard were delicious.
Also delicious was the Shepherd’s pie. On the suggestion of my buddy I ordered it with melted cheese on top which added an additional layer of goodness (and calories).
We ordered some Mac n Cheese for the kids but ended up eating most of it. This is some seriously good stuff with a crust of bread crumbs hiding some creamy, piping hot decadence.
If you are sick of the Brickell 5 irish pub scene then stop by Clarke’s for some laid back drinks & a meal.

Good, home made corned beef hash.
Good mac and cheese.
Bloody marries weren’t bad for $ 5.

For my 400^th review I wanted to write a 5 star review. How lucky I am that I just discovered this long standing neighborhood establishment.
Clarke’s, how could I have missed you all these years?
I’d heard about it but assumed it was an Irish Pub serving bar food and cigarette smoke. What a pleasant surprise to learn that this is a beautiful clean restaurant/​bar where you can relax, have a drink, watch the game, and eat some good food.
This is a restaurant that really «gets it»
From the moment we walked in we were greeted by a friendly hostess and allowed to sit where we chose. We chose a banquet against the wall where we could watch the Heat vs Knicks game as well as the people coming and going. Lots of locals and professionals.
The waitress was courteous and patient while we chose from the extensive menu and asked about some of the dishes. We were served a chilled bottle of filtered water (no extra charge for that either)
My Blue Moon was served with a fresh slice of orange and a separate glass.
We ordered the smoked fish chopotle dip (today’s special), the famous mac and cheese, and the brussel sprouts. Everything arrived quickly, and was very fresh, tasty, and plentiful. We enjoyed every bite and still had lots of food left over.
Better late than never, Clarke’s. I can’t wait to come back…

2÷22÷12 — It was Wednesday night and I met up with a friend to have dinner at Clark’s Irish Pub and the place was packed. (located in the the SOFI area of the beach)
We order as appetizers:
1) Irish spring rolls with corned beef, cabbage, potato & grainy mustard (A MUST TRY)
2) Spinach & artichoke dip (The Best Spinach Dip I can remember having in long time)
3) Macaroni & cheese –
Main Course we shared:
1) Grilled steak sandwich — sauteed onions & horseradish mayo
2) Fish & chips — The fish was fishy and I should have sent the dish back. The next time I’m craving fish and chips, I’ll go back to «ELWOODS» in downtown Miami.
We ended the night with blueberry cobbler with vanilla ice cream. The dessert made up for the fishy fish and ended the night with a good taste in my mouth.
The service was slow and needs improvement.

I’m living proof you can review a bar — and give it a high rating — even if you only drink a coke! After nursing half of my drink next door at Jeronimo’s I didn’t want to run the risk of any drop of liquor coursing through my system, so I sat to order a burger — and a coke.
These guys do well done right. My deliciously large burger was brought open face allowing me to filter out my culinary enemy of lettuce. While well done, the flavor of the meat still came through. The tomato slice was cool, crisp and bright and the melted Swiss cheese was evenly spread. Fries were also to the Sergio Standard (crispy /​nongreasy) and served with full cups of both ketchup and BBQ sauce. The only reason I’m taking off half a star is because I was craving red peppers and they didn’t have but that’s a very minor issue. My after dinner espresso was right up there with the homemade one from Mima.
Ambiance was classy casual, and while leaving me alone to read my iPhone and glance at the TV (yeah occasionally I enjoy solo dining) my bartender was attentive. The owner was also, and its cool to see she recognized the apparent regulars. I was also treated to the «dinner theater» of two patrons having a pushup competition. In the restaurant. Dressed in non-​gym clothes.
I hope to be recognized by the owner soon!

This place is the Cheers of South of Fifth. Lots of locals and lots of temptations. Some of my favs:
— Chopped salad with tuna
— Onion dip and chips
— Spinach dip
— Baked potato soup
— Spring rolls with mashed potato
Nice wine selection too!

I wanted to go to Hogzilla, even with all the bad reviews, I still feel drawn to try them. But alas Art Basel has congested the traffic and the pedestrian (a stupid one at that) almost bounced off my hood (true)! God was telling me me the Unilocalers maybe right. I’ll leave Hogzilla for another time.
To settle my nerves hating SoBe traffic, I followed my Irish blood to Clarke’s. The thing about Clarke’s is the moment you walk in your no longer on the beach, your in a great neighborhood bar, with Chicago or New York feel, the ambiance is great.
Service was also great, our server was quick and friendly, unfortunately she forgot to tell us about the specials and we didn’t even go there, I wish she had, because the Pork Shank Oso Bucco sounded real good. However, I had the Shepherd’s Pie and was impressed with there version, My mom had the Chicken Pillard and too was excellent.
Over all Clarke’s is a great place to hang and parking is still prevalent.

I find it amusing that I keep going back to certain newly-​discovered (to me) places, and realize months later that I have yet to Unilocal it. Clarke’s is one of those places.
I remember hearing years and years ago (before I knew about Unilocal) that Clarke’s had a great burger, but never got around to trying it (and still haven’t — oops!). But Clarke’s is so much more!
A great place for a drink no matter what night of the week. A great place to grab a bite with friends over strong drinks (with an amazing waitstaff). A great place to watch the game (whatever the game may be that night). And a great place to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.
I’ve done all of the above at Clarke’s and had great times there. The drinks are strong — if you like martinis — get a Ketel dirty martini, you won’t regret it. The flamin’ hot cheeto mac & cheese is a Clarke’s special that will forever live in my heart. Here’s hoping they bring it back and make it a permanent addition to the menu. The cheese plate is outta control — like more than 2 people could eat (seriously). And the fish & chips — mmm! — they don’t get much better than that in Miami. Oh, and the Irish spring rolls — potatoes, corned beef, cabbage, and a mustard dipping sauce — strange but deee-​lish!
Prices are reasonable, but parking is a chore, just like anywhere in the South of Fifth area. There was a DecoBike stand about a half-​block down, but I think they moved it elsewhere (and re-​dedicated the metered spots to cars, natch).

Great pub atmosphere with dark wood, brick walls and stained glass widows without the smoke. Great menu of comfort food at reasonable prices. We only came for dessert and drinks but will definitely be back for dinner.
The crowd, wait staff and bar tenders are friendly.
The warm chocolate brownie is AWESOME. It’s more like a flourless chocolate cake or soufflé, not as dense as a brownie. They top it with just the right amount of vanilla ice cream, chocolate and caramel syrup. Eve though it is a generous portion, it was so good that I almost ordered a second one.
Another plus, metered parking spaces are usually available, rare in SoBe as we all know.

After finishing a long and tiring job of an engagement session, all I wanted to do was find a restaurant, sit down and relax with a good meal. I had Clarke’s in mind after a bit of research. It seemed appealing because of the type of food offered, the agreeable prices and the good reviews. So we picked our table to be served, and ordered drinks and the N.Y. Pretzel. Both were extremely good.
We ordered the Steak sandwich with horseradish on the side and the parmesan truffle fries (that I heard were something you must try while dining here). Once the order came out we had fries on the plate with our sandwich AND the parmesan truffle fries on the side… Woops, guess I did not make it clear that I wanted the truffles in replacement of the regular fries. We didn’t know whether or not to eat them because we were so hungry or wait to have her take one away and not charge us extra. But our waitress was no where to be found… Awkwardly staring at our food and around the restaurant she finally showed, and seemed a tad bit put off about the error, but did take the truffles off the bill and let us keep them too.
Picking up the sandwich I noticed mayonnaise… Ugh, the menu did NOT say there was mayo or I would have asked to not put it on the sandwich. I was so hungry and didn’t want to wait any longer for the waitress I just scraped it off and went on eating the mediocre sandwich. It just seemed to be missing something… Some spice? Seasoning? Salt? Heat? (Pretty much all the same flavor profiles) The fries were just subpar as well. I added tons of salt and pepper to the parmesan truffle fries but they were still had a strange glorified cardboard box taste with no seasoning. Never the less, the plates were gobbled up because we were starving, but the food did NOT live up to my expectations.
I think all the Miami hype just makes this a glorified Irish Pub because of it’s location. Want a good Irish Pub, go to Field Irish Pub in Fort Lauderdale: 5 times better! I had the same order of fries and a steak sandwich and it was phenomenal. Overall, I think it’s pretty bad when you come in and want to relax and take your time, but when you really need the waitress and she’s not there, it kind of takes that feeling of relaxation away. Come to think of it, I asked for the horseradish on the side and it was never there… Oh well. Won’t come back.

Ack — I have to knock it a star down. The brunch menu is still great — and I love the place for brunch. It’s the dinner menu that’s lackluster. The burgers were good though — but that’s pretty much it. And you can get great burgers anywhere now in Miami (Hello B&BJ!)
But see the previous review I wrote about the brunch — I’d still return for that.

I waited until after my 3^rd Clarke’s visit before writing a review. Why, you ask? Because I really thought this place was too good to be true, so I was patiently waiting for something to go wrong in order to critique it. Again… Why, you ask? I just don’t find it all that normal to find food and service of this caliber at a Miami Beach resto /​bar /​pub.
If I were rating it just on the food — I would probably give it 4.5 stars. However, because they are so consistent, they are truly deserving of the 5^th. The service has been impeccable on all 3 of our visits and I always leave feeling satisfied and happy.
This past Saturday, I had the warm roast beef sandwich for the first time — it was AMAZING! Order that with a side of their horseradish sauce and you will not be disappointed. Have also tried their mac-​n-​cheese (yum!) and their shepherd’s pie (a staple and definite must try).
This is the kind of place that I could eat at on a regular basis — So glad it’s beach season, because that means I’ll be back very soon!