The Commerce Inn
American restaurant · West Village
50 Commerce St, New York, NY 10014
Highlights
Shaker-inspired tavern serving old-school American dishes & cocktails.
Shaker-inspired tavern serving old-school American dishes & cocktails.
"The Commerce Inn may be the easiest to get into among the family of restaurants from Rita Sodi and Jody Williams (who also own I Sodi, Buvette, Bar Pisellino, and Via Carota in the neighborhood), but we also think it’s their most interesting. Influenced by the Shakers, the space has a lot of warmth, looking somewhere between a country store and a tavern. The menu features dishes like cod cakes, chicories, lamb pasty with garam masala, and a pork chop with apple and molasses. Brunch is a sleeper hit here as well." - Robert Sietsema
"Is there anything that Rita Sodi and Jody Williams can’t do? Named for the quiet street upon which it lives, this cozy, vintage tavern may not be as action-packed as its Italian siblings, but the cooking is just as satisfying. Linen-clad tables and wooden floors are a nod to minimal Shaker style and set the stage for hearty fare featuring the likes of potted shrimp, a slew of vegetable offerings, and, finally, all things roasted and grilled. A seared, dry-aged ribeye glossed in butter, garlic, and rosemary arrives buried under an avalanche of lightly fried onion rings. A solid selection of interesting cocktails and a warm host of servers round out the experience. Slip in for breakfast during the week or, come weekend, join the crowds at brunch." - Michelin Inspector
"I went with my friend and we looked around the room and realized that we were, by about 40 years, older than anybody else in the place. But those fried oysters are perfect. They were briny little clouds—crisp on the outside and still really hot. And when we liked them so much, I said, 'Oh, we have to have more. Bring us some more!' They came out in two minutes. I do think it's one of the great bargains in New York. I mean, they charge $3 for oysters, whether they're on the half-shell or fried. I do it at home sometimes. It's a pain. It is not something you do: 'Oh, I think I'll fry up some oysters today.'" - brennan carley
"The Commerce Inn is the third restaurant by Sodi and Williams on this list: but while Via Carota and I Sodi focus on Italian food, The Commerce Inn offers a modern-day reinterpretation of American tavern cuisine with a dark wood interior to match." - Elise Taylor
"The new brunch menu renewed my interest in dining out before 2 p.m.: highlights include off-menu currant scones sandwiched with raspberry jam and clotted cream, and a brown bread–smoked fish spread." - Eater Staff
