If there’s one place I’ve been hearing a lot about this summer, it’s Cle.
Situated in the heart of Hamra, this restaurant/pub is a gorgeous spot with a lively indoor area and a beautiful outdoor garden. It’s really unlike anything I’ve experienced in a while as it just feels like a secluded little paradise in the middle of bustling Beirut.
However, while the atmosphere is fantastic, the service is unfortunately plain terrible. Our waiter rarely checked in on our table and our food literally took forever to arrive. We ordered five different dishes (since we were a table of five after all) and they all arrived at separate times. Thus, we ended up spending half the night waiting for each other’s dinners to arrive. One of my friends even ended up eating alone because his order was forgotten. Suffice to say, it was a total disaster.
Of course I’d be willing to overlook the timing predicament if the food was worth it. Sadly, each of the dishes: the gourmet burger, the salmon salad, ginger chicken, grilled salmon, and the mini burgers, were below average. It’s unfortunate really but not a single one of us enjoyed our meal. The general consensus was that the food was bland and tasteless. My burger proved to be especially mundane while the side of rice that my friend received with her salmon was beyond horrible (she insisted I taste it and I completely regret that decision).
Conclusion
All in all: great atmostphere, charming vibe, highly disappointing food. If you’re on the lookout for a night of drinking, Cle is the perfect choice. If you’re hungry however, steer clear.
Nad Rating
C-