American Social: More Than a Bar or a Restaurant

And we didn't blame him for asking for a slice. That balsamic drizzle was beautiful, and we suggested he should probably try some of it. He laughed it off and went back to his entourage, which had just finished off the quite-crispy Parmesan truffle fries and an order of the pretzel spears.

We went on to the trio of sliders ($12), which had a success rate of two out of three. The short-rib slider boasted warm bacon onion chutney, and the burger version was adorned with Maytag blue cheese — both the kind of miniburgers you'd want to eat while watching the Dolphins lose. But the Miami roast pork with mojo had the texture of undercooked pulled chicken, nothing like the Noche Buena-style pork you'd expect.

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Ahi tuna spinach Niçoise salad. View a slide show of American Social Bar & Restaurant.

Location Info

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American Social Bar & Restaurant

721 E. Las Olas Blvd.
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301

Category: Bars/Clubs

Region: Fort Lauderdale

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Details

American Social. Open 11:30 a.m. to midnight Monday and Tuesday, 11:30 a.m. to 1 a.m. Wednesday, and 11:30 a.m. to 2 a.m. Thursday to Sunday. 721 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale. Call 954-764-7005.

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More About

• Paul Greenberg
• Rick Mijares
• Tallahassee
• Food and Cooking
• Eating Out

By now, I had switched to a glass of the Graffigna Malbec ($6 at happy hour) from a wine menu that features all the regulars, a Mark West pinot noir, something from Erath. Nothing to disappoint, but then most will probably be ordering from the specialty cocktail list, with its array of exotic ingredients, or going for the taps. There's even a novel concept up by the front windows: an array of do-it-yourself beer taps activated with a special key fob available from the bartender. Tie it in with a credit card and you're refilling at your own speed. Nobody was trying them, though. Instead, the bar was three-deep, with a 4-to-1 ratio of guys to girls, all the well-coifed types you find at YOLO. No female lacked suitors, like the girl at the end of the bar, crowded around by three Brooks Brothers men who paid attention to her as if she were curing cancer.

Weezer was making "hep hep" sounds from the blaring music when we turned to our prosciutto and mozzarella panini ($12). It came on airy ciabatta already cut into squares, fries on the side. This presentation, chopped up into small servings, was as representative as anything of the end goal here. It came ready to share, passed around by a group of coworkers or friends marveling at the key fob beer taps.

The guitar ballad "Yellow Ledbetter" came on as a young woman walked in with her parents, took a look at the packed bar, and turned right around. Mom would not appreciate this noise, and Dad, he'd wonder what kind of restaurant doesn't serve a steak. But then, American Social isn't a dinner club. It's a social club, and as that, it shines.