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Watchlist // Lower East Side
brunch · Lower East Side, ManhattanNO. 07 / 1960

Clinton St. Baking Company

James Beard-winning pancakes with maple butter that draw weekend brunch lines to this Lower East Side bakery-restaurant since 2001.

4 Clinton St, New York, NY 10002

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//The line

Clinton St. Baking Company does not take same-day brunch reservations. Its own reservations page says the host starts a walk-in list at 9am for guests arriving in person and closes it "when we hit full capacity." The same page states plainly that the restaurant "cannot quote wait times over the phone." A firsthand account at Shelly in Real Life notes the list is text-based: they take your number and message you when a table is ready.

The reported waits are long. The Infatuation writes that during weekend brunch "it's not uncommon for people to wait two hours" for the pancakes. A firsthand account at Shelly in Real Life puts weekend waits at anywhere from an hour to two and a half hours, and describes arriving at 11am for a party of three and waiting close to 2.5 hours. That account also notes the dining room is small, seating fewer than 15 parties at once.

The workaround, per those sources, is to go early or go midweek. Shelly in Real Life reports the doors open at 9am and the room is full "by 9:05am" on weekends, and that arriving at 8:30 on a Saturday still meant being one of the last tables seated. The Infatuation is blunter: "weekday breakfast was the move." If you can't spare the wait, that account says the adjoining bakery counter sells cake, muffins, and coffee with no line. damnlines does not have a camera at this venue; the numbers above are reported by others, not measured by us.

//When the line peaks
Weekend mornings: the dining room fills within minutes of the 9am open, per a firsthand account at Shelly in Real Life. Saturday and Sunday brunch: waits of about two hours are common, per The Infatuation. Late weekend morning (~11am): a party of three waited close to 2.5 hours, per Shelly in Real Life. Weekend afternoons: The Infatuation reports a long wait even at 3:30pm on a Saturday.

Patterns as reported by press and regulars — not measured by damnlines.

//Getting in

Reservations: Per the venue's official site, reservations for up to 5 guests are booked via the Resy app and released 30 days in advance on the hour, requiring a credit card and phone number; same-day brunch reservations are not accepted, and parties are only seated once everyone has arrived.

Walk-ins: Per the venue's official site, walk-in guests can get counter seats and a portion of the dining room on a first-come, first-served basis starting when the host begins taking walk-in names at 9am, and the walk-in list closes once the restaurant hits capacity; weekdays and dinner hours tend to have better availability. The Brooklyn/DUMBO outpost is counter-service only with no reservations.

Official site →

//FAQ

How long is the wait at Clinton St. Baking Company?

The restaurant itself says it "cannot quote wait times over the phone." The Infatuation reports roughly two-hour weekend brunch waits, and a firsthand account at Shelly in Real Life describes waits from an hour to about 2.5 hours. damnlines has no live camera here, so treat these as reported, not measured.

Does Clinton St. Baking Company take reservations?

Yes, for up to 5 people via Resy, released 30 days out and booked on the hour. But its site states it does not take same-day brunch reservations. Walk-ins get counter seats and part of the dining room, first-come, first-served.

What time does Clinton St. Baking Company open, and when does it fill up?

The host starts the walk-in list at 9am for people arriving in person, per the venue's reservations page. A firsthand account at Shelly in Real Life says the room is full "by 9:05am" on weekends.

What is the best time to go to Clinton St. Baking Company to avoid the line?

The Infatuation's advice is that "weekday breakfast was the move," and the venue says walk-in tables are easiest on weekdays and at dinner. Weekend brunch is the crush.

Can you skip the wait at Clinton St. Baking Company?

Not really for a table, but the adjoining bakery counter sells baked goods and coffee with no line, per Shelly in Real Life. The walk-in list also texts you when your table is ready, so you don't have to stand at the door.

Can you walk into Clinton St. Baking Company?

Yes, per the venue's official site, a walk-in list opens at 9am for counter seats and part of the dining room, first-come first-served, until the restaurant reaches capacity.

Sources: The Infatuation: Clinton St. Baking Company review · Clinton St. Baking Co. official site: Reservations & Walk-In Policy · Shelly in Real Life: NYC — Clinton Street Baking Company

Clinton St. Baking Company — The Line & How to Get In · Lower East Side, NYC | damnlines