"James Harden’s Midtown restaurant has all of the components of a typical clubstaurant. Thirteen has a sea of moody backlighting, Brent Faiyaz blaring through the speakers, and a $40 valet. You can spend the evening in either the main dining room, which is mostly velvet banquettes and a few resin statues of cartoon bears, or the Thirteen Lounge, which is just a shrunken version of the dining room. During brunch, you’ll actually have elbow room to enjoy your pleasantly sweet cookies and cream waffle. And it’s still possible to appreciate the flavor of the shrimp and grits under a cloud of pineapple hookah smoke. But if you’re more concerned about having a full-on-party atmosphere, come for dinner. During the evenings, the music is cranked to its maximum volume, and you’ll feel like you’re partying like a celebrity. photo credit: Thirteen photo credit: Thirteen photo credit: Thirteen Food Rundown photo credit: Thirteen Cocktails The drinks are arguably some of the best parts of Thirteen. The yuzu lemon drop keeps the saccharine sweetness at bay with the warmth of added ginger. And order a mimosa flight during brunch. photo credit: Thirteen Belgian Waffle The waffles here have edges crisp enough to give your hair a lineup, while still keeping a fluffy bounce inside each bite. And if you feel like tapping into your inner eight-year-old, order the cookies and cream waffle that could pass as a straight-up dessert. photo credit: Gianni Greene Shrimp & Grits While there’s nothing wrong with this dish, it’s just not memorable. But this will work if you want a few pieces of shrimp seasoned with a random burst of cayenne." - Gianni Greene
