MANHATTAN:
6. P.J. Clarke’s (1884)

In the midst of all the concrete and steel, P.J. Clarke’s stands out like a big, brick-red thumb. It’s where you can grab a classic burger and feel waves of nostalgia float over you as you sip on a cold beer.

The original building on 3rd Avenue dates back to 1868. Back then, the restaurant – known at the time as Hennings – was owned by Mr. Jennings (his first name is a mystery). P.J Clarke, an immigrant from Ireland, tended the bar under its second owner for years, until he bought the restaurant in 1912. The Lavezzos family then purchased the property in 1948, securing a 99-year lease, which would have saved the business from developers had the family not gone bankrupt.

More recently, restaurateur Philip Scotti and Arnold Penner, with the help of a team of investors, joined forces to save the renowned establishment from extinction. Today, P.J. Clarke’s continues to remain true to its roots: the menu features classic American fare; the tables are cover in red-and-white-checkered tablecloths and old photos line the walls. The timeless atmosphere is perhaps what drew celebrities like Elizabeth Taylor, Jackie Kennedy Onassis, Nat King Cole and Frank Sinatra, among many others, through its doors.