Archive for the ‘Restaurant Reviews’ Category

Poké City: Downtown’s Hidden Gem

Wednesday, November 15th, 2023

Despite my close proximity to the Orange Line and easy access to the Downtown area, I don’t get out there much. Best $1,000 loan same day no credit check today. It is really such a great area though, with so many hidden gems and delicious varieties of food to try. I am so happy that I was able to get myself out there the other day to try something new with Poké City!

Poké City is a Hawaiian sushi bowl restaurant just a few minutes walk from Faneuil Hall. It is on Broad Street, which is a sort of quaint, business-centered area of Downtown. The area was super cute and rather quiet, so much so that it didn’t even really feel like Downtown at all. It was a sort of peaceful place, and I really enjoyed exploring this “new” corner of town.  They also have a Cambridge location for my friends across the river!

The logo itself is really cute—I like their tropical vibe, a lot of their menu items center on fruits like pineapple and mango, which makes it a unique kind of cuisine to find in Boston. 

I am ironically not really a fan of sushi, so I brought a friend that actually does like fish who happens to work in the area. She said that her coworkers grab lunch here all of the time, so I was excited to know that it was a really popular place, and she was eager to see what all of the hype was about. 

The inside was really nice and clean, and we sat down in front of the window so we could look out onto the nice city street. We went in the early evening hours, so the sun was just beginning to set, which made our view really beautiful and peaceful. The staff was also really nice—we were having a tough time deciding what to get but they were super patient with us while we figured out what we wanted! 

We both wanted to get signature bowls, but it would have been really easy to make your own customized bowl here. The ingredients are behind the counter, assembly line style, so it is super easy to personalize your order and make it so that it’s perfect just for you. I love this type of restaurant because it gives you the option to create your own, or you can enjoy one of their pre-designed bowls if you aren’t familiar with the type of food. Because I had never had this style of poké, I was happy to have some guidance through their signature dishes!

Teriyaki Bowl

I ended up getting the Teriyaki & Shrimp Bowl, which comes with chicken, shrimp (I ordered without), pineapple salsa, cucumber, sweet corn, seaweed salad, scallion, cilantro, sesame seed, teriyaki sauce, and rice. It was really delicious, and I loved the combination of the tropical pineapple salsa paired with the savory chicken; they went so well together and were so different from what I usually eat. They also added some extra carnitas chicken for us to try, which was SO good! It was nice and soft and full of flavor, I would definitely recommend it. My bowl was delicious, and not too spicy for my Irish palette. 

My friend ordered the Spicy Salmon Bowl, which was too spicy for my Irish palette, but was delicious nonetheless. This bowl came with salmon, mango, edamame, red cabbage, scallion, tobiko, furikake, sriracha aioli, and rice. Despite being a bit too spicy for me, it had really great flavor that even I could appreciate. It was actually surprising how much I liked it considering I do not really like fish or spicy food, so I guess that speaks to how great these flavors work together to create such a unique and delectable dish! I have basically no spice tolerance, but it seemed to be just the right amount of spice for my friend, because she ate the whole thing up!

Spicy Salmon Bowl

Overall, we had a really great time there. The building was clean, the food was delicious, and the atmosphere was very relaxing and tranquil. We lingered there for a while even after we finished eating because we were really enjoying the pleasantness of the area and of the restaurant itself. This is definitely somewhere that I am certainly going to return to, and I definitely recommend bringing a friend to sit and chat with you! 

Thank you so much to Poke City for the delicious food and hospitality. You will definitely be seeing me again soon!

There is truly nothing like eating some good food with your buddies while the sun sets on the city, so bring a friend and your student ID to buy one get one 25% off! 

By Erin O’Brien


Erin is a student based in Boston, MA studying Communications and Studio Art. She is drawn to telling stories about love and friendship, with themes of humanity and connection at its core. In sharing her personal truths, she hopes to provide readers with nuggets of learned wisdom and college survival skills


For over 20 years, the Campus Clipper has been offering awesome student discounts in NYC,  from the East Side to Greenwich Village. Along with inspiration, the company offers students a special coupon booklet and the Official Student Guide, which encourages them to discover new places in the city and save money on food, clothing, and services.  

At the Campus Clipper, not only do we help our interns learn new skills, make money, and create wonderful e-books, we give them a platform to teach others. Check our website for more student savings and watch our YouTube video showing off some of New York City’s finest students during the Welcome Week of 2015.

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Restaurant Review: Filthy Flats in Brooklyn

Saturday, November 4th, 2023

It feels like it’s been forever since the last time I got to sit down and write a restaurant review. Midterm season was crazy, as I’m sure many of you can relate to, and visiting Filthy Flats was one positive moment in the whole mess of it.

I’m pretty new to Brooklyn, so I was super excited to have the opportunity to explore some downtown restaurants for the first time since I moved. Filthy Flats in particular is located on Court St. right next to Columbus Park. I spent some time walking around before stopping into the store and the area is super nice. There’s seating inside Filthy Flats, but everything they sell is packaged in to-go containers, so you can also take it to some of the outdoor public seating nearby. 

Exterior of Filthy Flats facing Columbus Park

Filthy Flats opens daily at 7am, but their whole menu is all-day for any fellow late risers. I stopped in around 10 am, which I would consider the early morning, and of course started with a breakfast flat. Most of their breakfast flats have some combination of meat, eggs, and cheese, but there’s also a couple avocado options for fans of that. I, however, went for an all time classic: a Bacon, Egg and Cheese with two fried eggs, covered in melted cheese, and topped with bits of chopped bacon.

If you’re like me, you have a terribly hard time pulling yourself out of bed in the morning for class. I started the semester strong with a substantial breakfast every morning before class, but let’s be honest— post midterms I’m lucky if I’ve eaten anything before I run out of the door to catch the subway. Thus, this flat was probably the best breakfast I’ve had in months. As a big cheese fan I appreciated that they did not go light on it. The bread underneath was also a really great compliment to the toppings. It was more than just a slice of bread or half bagel. It had a really nice crunch to it and the whole breakfast flat was definitely enough to make up a solid meal, especially when paired with a juice or coffee from the drink menu.

But if you’re not in the mood for breakfast, or if you’re visiting later in the day— fear not. True to their title of the “home of the open faced sandwich,” Filthy Flats has a great selection of other flats. They have breakfast flats, specialty flats, pizza flats, and even dessert flats. I also tried the BBQ Chicken flat off their specialty menu and it was delicious.

While the Bacon, Egg and Cheese flat was good, the BBQ Chicken definitely had that extra oomph to it that really makes it one of their specialty flats. The BBQ sauce they use has a delicious sweet quality to it, and it compliments both the chicken and the red onions perfectly. As if that wasn’t enough, there’s also ranch dressing on top which adds a whole extra layer of flavor. Lastly, the BBQ Chicken flat again has a healthy portion of cheese on it, making it overall just an ideal item.

Bacon Egg and Cheese and BBQ Chicken Flat

If you perhaps happen to hold a flawed view on cheese, or any general dislike for a particular food item, it is possible to ask to make changes to your order. I appreciated that they had various options for the bread you can get your flat on, including whole wheat and gluten free. There’s also a handful of meat-free options for any vegetarians out there, so I feel confident that I could take anyone here with me and they’d be able to find something they like. 

Overall, Filthy Flats is a fantastic restaurant to stop into the next time you’re in downtown Brooklyn. They have a really great vibe, and you can tell that they’re already an important part of the community less than a year after opening. I highly encourage you to try not only their more traditional open face sandwiches, but also some of their creative options— like Cranberry Chicken Salad or Strawberry Cheesecake from the dessert menu!

And to any Brooklyn friends make sure you use this coupon with your student ID when you visit to save 20% OR use the code “filthy20” online ✅✅✅

If you want to see more about my trip to Filthy Flats check out my video on the Campus Clipper TikTok page!


By: Peter Schoenfeld

Peter Schoenfeld is an illustrator and self proclaimed food fanatic from New York. His work errs on the side of silly, goofy, or wacky, and he has a particular interest in both printmaking and painting. As a current junior at the School of Visual Arts, Peter doesn’t have much free time– but when he does he’s always looking to try new food!


For over 20 years, the Campus Clipper has been offering awesome student discounts in NYC,  from the East Side to Greenwich Village. Along with inspiration, the company offers students a special coupon booklet and the Official Student Guide, which encourages them to discover new places in the city and save money on food, clothing, and services.  At the Campus Clipper, not only do we help our interns learn new skills, make money, and create wonderful e-books, we give them a platform to teach others. Check our website for more student savings and watch our YouTube video showing off some of New York City’s finest students during the Welcome Week of 2015.

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Come to SmashBurger with an Ex-Vegetarian

Wednesday, October 25th, 2023

After being vegetarian for four years I have recently started eating meat again, and let me just say, I am so glad to be back to burgers. The other day I went to SmashBurger, which is in Back Bay just a few hundred feet from the Copley stop on the Green Line, and it was truly so delicious. I was coming from the Orange Line, but it was just a few minutes walk from the Back Bay stop, which was super easy. It’s also in a great area, with Newbury Street closeby and lots of opportunities to shop and putter around. 

The building itself was under a bit of construction, but its interior had a sort of clean, modern look. They were also decorated for Halloween! They had decorative cobwebs and spiders, and as a girl who loves Hallwoeen, I was thrilled to see them so festive! The menu was pretty extensive, but not overwhelming, but it did take us a minute to decide what to get. Once we settled on what we wanted, we got our order in and sat down to wait! It didn’t take long at all, and they brought our food out in these cute little wire plates, diner-style. 

I got the double smash burger, which is seemingly the signature burger there, and it was so good! The burger itself tasted really fresh and was cooked well. I don’t really like tomatoes or onions, but wanted to get it without any substitutions just to get the full experience. Honestly, I was surprised how much I liked it with everything on it, I think it just all tasted so good together that my hatred for tomatoes couldn’t even phase me. My milkshake was also really good, I love a strawberry milkshake with a burger and it all paired really well with each other. The shake was also sort of gorgeous, sporting a whipped cream top and some type of strawberry syrup garnish which added some extra flare. They had some extra so they also gave my partner a little milkshake with the excess which was really nice of them!

We also got a crispy chicken sandwich, which must have been made fresh because it was super hot when we got it, but it was cooked perfectly and so yummy when it cooled down. The real star of the show had to be the fries, though. We could literally not get over how good they were. They were the perfect type of thin-cut fries where they are crisp but not hard, and tender but not soggy. They were also really flavorful on their own, so I even forgot to eat them with sauce because they didn’t even need any! 

Another thing I really like about it is the staff environment. They were nice to us, but what I appreciated most was the good energy they had towards each other. The staff here seemed to be in good spirits and seemed to genuinely enjoy each other’s company, which sort of added to the good vibes of the place. 

Overall, great eats and great atmosphere there! You can use the coupon below to get 15% off when you visit with your student ID, so go enjoy!

By Erin O’Brien


Erin is a student based in Boston, MA studying Communications and Studio Art. She is drawn to telling stories about love and friendship, with themes of humanity and connection at its core. In sharing her personal truths, she hopes to provide readers with nuggets of learned wisdom and college survival skills


For over 20 years, the Campus Clipper has been offering awesome student discounts in NYC,  from the East Side to Greenwich Village. Along with inspiration, the company offers students a special coupon booklet and the Official Student Guide, which encourages them to discover new places in the city and save money on food, clothing, and services.  

At the Campus Clipper, not only do we help our interns learn new skills, make money, and create wonderful e-books, we give them a platform to teach others. Check our website for more student savings and watch our YouTube video showing off some of New York City’s finest students during the Welcome Week of 2015.

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Rapid Revival Restaurant Review: Bastard Burgers

Tuesday, June 20th, 2023

Long time, no see! Although I know I promised I would do reviews more often, it turned out I was doing them without Campus Clipper approval, so I was arrested and spent several months in Sing Sing before escaping during the recent dust storm and blackmailing the staff into authorizing my reviews by holding their air conditioner hostage. But anyway, Bastard Burgers.

Bastard Burgers is a place where they serve burgers for bastards, so I may not be the right person to review it since as far as I know my parents were married when they had me. I did feel at home though, the place goes for an aesthetic of mostly metal and black paint like they never quite got out of the grunge era, and while I don’t actually know what grunge music sounds like I like how the word sounds when I say it.

Double Yankee Burger with Ziggy Fries and Bastard Sauce

I had the Double Yankee Burger with the Ziggy Fries and Bastard Sauce. The Double Yankee is the most “basic” burger they have because I’m a coward. It was extremely and unnaturally flat, like it had been placed in a hydraulic press and then sat on by an elephant before being served. It tasted pretty good though, so I can’t complain. The cheese tasted very cheesy, which you’d think would be normal for cheese but is actually quite rare. I normally hate zigzag fries, they seem way harder to make than normal fries and generally don’t taste any better. Unfortunately for me these were fantastic, they had a perfect ratio of crunch to squish and tasted incredible. The Bastard Sauce is purportedly an unholy combination if somewhere around twenty different ingredients, but to me it just tasted like tangier mayonnaise. Fortunately, I like mayonnaise.

Verdict: 7.6/10 bastard children

Try the Burger of the Month with this coupon!

By: Alexander Rose

Alexander Rose studies satire at NYU Gallatin and wishes he was actually just Oscar Wilde. He is interested in writing, roleplaying games, and procrastination. Describing himself in the third person like this makes him feel weird.


For over 20 years, the Campus Clipper has been offering awesome student discounts in NYC,  from the East Side to Greenwich Village. Along with inspiration, the company offers students a special coupon booklet and the Official Student Guide, which encourages them to discover new places in the city and save money on food, clothing, and services.  

At the Campus Clipper, not only do we help our interns learn new skills, make money, and create wonderful e-books, we give them a platform to teach others. Check our website for more student savings and watch our YouTube video showing off some of New York City’s finest students during the Welcome Week of 2015.

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Restaurant Review: Beatnic – West Village

Wednesday, November 23rd, 2022

College midterms are full of papers, tests, group projects and, if you’re like me, countless painstaking drawing and painting assignments. Now that they’re over though, I feel comfortable enough to reflect on them without any of the immediately impending stress. Usually I’m the kind of person who considers myself good at staying on top of my diet. Moving out of my home and living on my own in the city 500 dollars loan now starting at seventeen I have found it important to make sure to balance my food and make sure that I’m eating enough of the right things. Still, when midterms roll around I always find myself falling back into some old, less healthy habits. Thus, I’m glad that I recently had the opportunity to visit Beatnic, a vegan restaurant in the West Village that offers deliciously healthy food. The inside was super spacious, and gave us a good view of the streets outside. I don’t live close to the West Village, but my friend, Adrienne, does and she pointed out some shops and told me some stories about it while we ate.

Interior of Beatnic

Catching up with friends after weeks of stressing out over work is nice, and getting food with them is even better. The first item we ordered came highly recommended, and is definitely one of the things here I’m most excited about. Beatnic has an item called Chicky Dippers, which is obviously a spin on your typical chicken tender, but made completely vegan. Just based on first impressions, the two look similar. The Chicky Dippers have that same kind of elongated, round shape and a fine breading coating on them that looks like it has a nice crunch. Much like the outer appearance, the first bite does not disappoint. The taste is more or less what I expected. It’s honestly quite similar to chicken tenders, but it has a unique texture that highlight’s its ingredients. It also comes with a nice dipping sauce on the side that definitely adds some extra flavor. Overall, this item went beyond my expectations and I was really happy with it. I feel like it’s the kind of thing you might like if you’ve gone vegan but miss some of the old classics, or even if you eat meat but are looking for a healthier option to the deep fried chicken options you find elsewhere.

For the main part of the meal, I went with a salad. Pretty classic. The one I ordered is Beatnic’s popular Quinoa Taco Salad which had a perfect combination of ingredients. Honestly, I probably haven’t put this much greenery in my body since before midterms, so it felt like the right move for me. The base of the salad is, of course, lettuce, but there’s a wide range of other ingredients and also a great dressing to top it off. As someone who lives off tortillas, my favorite part was the taco component; they added a wonderful, crunchy selection of colorful tortilla chips that really made the salad for me. There was also a healthy portion of avocado on one side. Personally, I eat almost everything, but I tend to avoid avocados when I can. However, I’m probably pretty isolated in my dislike, so it was easy to remove them from my salad and pawn them off to Adrienne, who I guess is a big fan. I did have to play it careful with my tomatoes though. We both love them so I had to keep an eye out and make sure she didn’t try and make any moves.

Breakdown of Beatnic’s Quinoa Taco Salad

Adrienne gets a bit more adventurous with her order by trying one of their vegetable burgers. The Guac Burger is another popular item at Beatnic, and I can see why. Again there’s a lot of levels and flavors at play. The base burger is made from black bean, mushroom, and brown rice. It’s really incredible to see how all those ingredients can come together and make something so cohesive and delicious. The toppings also work really well with the burger. On it there’s classics like lettuce, tomato, onion etc. and then some fun items like the taco chips from before and guacamole. It tastes just as good as any other burger out there in its own, unique way and also leaves you feeling much better afterwards. No heavy ingredients and loads of grease that are hard to digest.

Overall, Beatnic was a great experience for me, even as a non-vegan. I think eating green is something everybody should really remember to try every once in a while. It’s always good to eat food that makes you feel good, especially in the midst of midterms (and upcoming finals) because that’s usually when you need it most. Plus, to any vegan friends, they have a great range of menu items that’s hard to find at other restaurants, so be sure to pay them a visit!

Whether you’re vegetarian, vegan, or just looking for something healthy, be sure to use this coupon and your student ID when you visit in store: 

If you want to see more about my trip to Beatnic check out my video on the Campus Clipper TikTok page!


By: Peter Schoenfeld

Peter Schoenfeld is an illustrator and self proclaimed food fanatic from New York. If he’s not trying new food, he’s drawing it (and if he’s not doing either of those things, then you can probably find him curled up on the couch watching dramas). As a sophomore at the School of Visual Art he focuses on creating art that connects people to his personal passions– like eating!


For over 20 years, the Campus Clipper has been offering awesome student discounts in NYC, from the East Side to Greenwich Village. Along with inspiration, the company offers students a special coupon booklet and the Official Student Guide, which encourages them to discover new places in the city and save money on food, clothing, and services. At the Campus Clipper, not only do we help our interns learn new skills, make money, and create wonderful e-books, we give them a platform to teach others. Check our website for more student savings and watch our YouTube video showing off some of New York City’s finest students during the Welcome Week of 2015.

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The Art of Eating Chapter 6: Cuban/Mexican Food (Café Habana)

Monday, October 17th, 2022

For as much as I loved to complain about the summer heat, the first wisps of fall are already in the air, and I can’t help but start to miss the warmer weather займ на карту мгновенно без отказа 10000. On this particular Wednesday afternoon it’s only the end of September, but the short walk from my apartment to Café Habana already leaves me feeling a bit chilly. I typically walk past Café Habana with some degree of frequency during my regular week. There’s always a lot of people surrounding it both inside and outside, so I’m excited to finally go and give it a try. Today is no exception to my past experience– even though it’s a bit later in the afternoon the store is still basically full. Once inside, I stop by the counter first where the friendly staff directs me to a table in the corner. Right off the bat, everyone there is super nice and helpful. From the workers behind the counter, to the lady taking my order, and the servers walking past who check in on me, the whole staff seems really welcoming. With such a great environment, and colorful walls decorated with lively paintings, I can already feel my excitement about the meal growing even more.

Interior eating area of Café Habana

After a few minutes inside it’s easy to let this exciting atmosphere (and the protection from the wind) start to warm you up. With one worry out of the way, it’s time to take a look at the menu. Café Habana has a wide range of items; from burritos, to tacos, to platos fuertes, Café Habana even has breakfast until 1 pm on weekdays and brunch on the weekends. But of course, I have to start with their famous corn which perfectly combines flavors like cotija cheese, chili powder, and lime. It’s easy to see why this item is so popular. Everything mixes together perfectly making it both unique and delicious! But grab your napkins because it’s the kind of food that gets on both your face and your hands when you’re eating. It’s been a long time since I’ve enjoyed the actual process of eating food so much though. It reminds me of being young eating corn on the cob on a hot summer day with my family. Just like the rest of the restaurant, Caf´é Habana’s corn is fun and energizing from start to finish.

Café Habana’s famous seasoned corn

After eating the corn I almost feel warmed up like normal, but it’s time to move on to the main event. Their next famous item is the Cubano, a sandwich that flaunts Cuban classics like roast pork with chipotle mayonnaise and fries on the side. On days like this, it’s hard to beat such a classic sandwich. Much like their corn, the flavors are all familiar, but they make it special. Nothing is unbalanced and all the different parts work in harmony together. The Cubano is also another item to pick up with your hands- but hold on tight! The pork wrapped in ham is likely to fall out if you’re not careful about it. The pork is so soft that it just melts in your mouth and completely compliments the smooth ham around it. But not only is the meat inside steaming hot and delicious, the bread around it is toasted as well. Just holding it already alleviates any lingering cold feelings and eating transports you back to summer days. 

Cubano sandwich with meat inside and fries on the side

Overall, both the corn and the Cubano are instant classics. I really love their handheld vibe because it warms you up fast on a chilly fall afternoon– but don’t be afraid to get messy with them! Café Habana has a great and welcoming vibe that warms you up in more ways than one. It’s a perfect place to visit for the start of fall!

If you’re planning on making a trip to Café Habana soon make sure to use this coupon with your student ID to get 15% off your order of anything on their menu!

And to anyone looking to see more of the inside of Café Habana or clips of the food they serve there make sure to check out my video on the Campus Clipper TikTok page!


Peter Schoenfeld is an illustrator and self proclaimed food fanatic from New York. If he’s not trying new food, he’s drawing it (and if he’s not doing either of those things, then you can probably find him curled up on the couch watching dramas). As an incoming sophomore at the School of Visual Art he focuses on creating art that connects people to his personal passions– like eating!


For over 20 years, the Campus Clipper has been offering awesome student discounts in NYC, from the East Side to Greenwich Village. Along with inspiration, the company offers students a special coupon booklet and the Official Student Guide, which encourages them to discover new places in the city and save money on food, clothing, and services. At the Campus Clipper, not only do we help our interns learn new skills, make money, and create wonderful e-books, we give them a platform to teach others. Check our website for more student savings and watch our YouTube video showing off some of New York City’s finest students during the Welcome Week of 2015.

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The Art of Eating Chapter 5: Japanese Food (J’s Kitchen)

Wednesday, September 14th, 2022

It’s officially the start of September which means that it’s also officially the start of the fall semester! Recently I finally moved back into the SVA dorms after four months away, and I was shocked at how hard it was to transition back. It feels like I was just here, but yet it’s also completely different. For me, one of the biggest adjustments is losing access to a kitchen. Yes, my dorm has a kitchen for the whole (20 floor!) building, but it’s just not quite the same. SVA also has no dining halls, which means a lot of my meals this semester will involve my small dorm fridge and microwave. Even if you do have a college dining hall, it’s still easy to miss getting meals straight from the kitchen during the school year. That’s why I’m at J’s Kitchen New York this Wednesday to seek out some of that more homey cooking that’s so hard to get once school is back in session.

Right off the bat the interior of J’s Kitchen has the perfect, inviting vibe I’m looking for. Throughout the restaurant there are plants everywhere: hanging from the ceiling, decorating the tables, placed on the floor, etc. Beyond that, the rest of the store is very simple. The decorations are few and far between, but it doesn’t feel empty or anything, just neat and welcoming. Furthermore, another nice thing about J’s Kitchen is that you can actually see their kitchen in the back behind the counter. The cooking area there is also very clean and neat, but obviously much more lived in, with signs of the chef moving about to make the food. It’s definitely exciting to be able to see people actually cooking once you order your food bringing a certain personal quality to eating out that you don’t get everywhere.

Interior of J’s Kitchen with kitchen area in background

Once said kitchen finishes preparing your food, they bring it out to you, which was also very nice. We ordered at the counter, so I was expecting to have to go pick it up. Instead, the staff was super friendly about it and both brought out our food and took it back when we were finished. As expected, the food is steaming hot when it arrives at our table. It already smells more delicious than anything I could procure in my dorm room, so I’m excited to dive in. For my lunch I ordered the main star of J’s Kitchen, the Tokeru Wagyu Hamburger with Teriyaki Sauce. Just to start, the size of it is impressive. I feel inclined to ask for a fork and knife just to deal with all of it. Still, not only is the burger seriously tall, they provide you with a side of fries and (very cutely) two mini pickles. Lots of food. The teriyaki sauce was definitely a solid call because it is so good and adds a really great layer to the burger which is super soft and warm and delicious inside. It’s totally the kind of food that warms you up and makes you feel better if you’ve been missing home. Their curry is also another favorite. For me, it feels like the more classic comfort food that I would seek out. It’s similarly very flavorful and warm– and it comes with a lot of options for cutlet you can pair with it, like chicken, pork, and beef. If you’re still looking for vegetarian options, they have those too with the same great quality and taste. Everything comes direct from their kitchen, so you can be sure that it will satisfy any craving you have for homey cooking. 

Tokeru Wagyu Hamburger with Teriyaki Sauce

Overall, J’s Kitchen is perfect for any student looking for some high quality meals in the midst of leaving home and going back to living on their own at the start of the year. Their food is delicious and the atmosphere in the restaurant is really welcoming. I absolutely recommend people to go there for their classic Japanese food favorites, or look for something new if you’re up to it! You can’t go wrong!


Planning a visit to J’s Kitchen New York? Be sure to bring your student ID and show this coupon when you go to get 10% off your order:

If you want to see more about my trip to J’s Kitchen check out my video on the Campus Clipper TikTok page!


Peter Schoenfeld is an illustrator and self proclaimed food fanatic from New York. If he’s not trying new food, he’s drawing it (and if he’s not doing either of those things, then you can probably find him curled up on the couch watching dramas). As an incoming sophomore at the School of Visual Art he focuses on creating art that connects people to his personal passions– like eating!


For over 20 years, the Campus Clipper has been offering awesome student discounts in NYC, from the East Side to Greenwich Village. Along with inspiration, the company offers students a special coupon booklet and the Official Student Guide, which encourages them to discover new places in the city and save money on food, clothing, and services. At the Campus Clipper, not only do we help our interns learn new skills, make money, and create wonderful e-books, we give them a platform to teach others. Check our website for more student savings and watch our YouTube video showing off some of New York City’s finest students during the Welcome Week of 2015.

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The Art of Eating Chapter 4: Japanese Fried Chicken (TORI BIEN)

Thursday, September 1st, 2022

With September just around the corner I’m sure a lot of my fellow students are starting to feel the pressure of returning to school after these months away. For unfortunate students, like me, you might be cramming trying to brush up on some necessary skills again before the fall semester starts. Still, it’s important to take breaks and always good to spend time with friends before seeing them off to wherever they might be studying. Most of my friends leave me alone in New York once the school year starts and travel to different states for university, so the end of August always feels like a bit of a goodbye. As a (albeit temporary) goodbye to the city as well, it feels only right to have a day on the streets with good food and good company. On Tuesday I’m with my friend, Catherine, who won’t be far from New York this school year, but also won’t have the time to visit often for the next few months. I alone in my friend group enjoy walking tens of thousands of steps across the city, and since she’ll be gone, I make it an excuse to drag her around for the day. We stop into a lot of cute shops to cool off from the heat, but for lunch we make our way to 9th street and drop in to TORI BIEN for some food. The inside of the store itself is rather small– there’s no seating there, but conveniently they have benches placed outside, so you can choose to sit on those and eat if you want. It’s a cute restaurant with the perfect vibe for our afternoon out! 

TORI BIEN exterior with benches for customers

Despite not having indoor seating, the food at TORI BIEN comes already packaged once it’s cooked, so it’s not inconvenient to bring it somewhere else. My main meal, the Kara-age Onigiri Bento comes in, well, a cardboard bento box with all the components neatly separated. It’s cute and reminds me of the lunches other kids used to get when I was still in school. Catherine’s meal also comes partially in a box, but the fries she ordered are separate from it in a little paper bag that reminds me more of the lunches I used to get when I was younger, with my mother’s signature, disposable paper bag. Still, everything is easy to grab and take with you. The food itself also has more of a handheld vibe. My box of food comes with items like onigiri, a triangle shaped rice ball, and boneless fried chicken. The onigiri is super delicious. It’s perfect because the seaweed wrap gives it a nice crunch, but the rice inside is the perfect, soft consistency. It has fish flavoring too, so it’s not bland. The fried chicken is super crispy and I love that it’s boneless because that makes it easier to clean up when I’m done!

Handheld fish onigiri with seaweed wrapper

Catherine and I decide to rest on the bench for a few minutes and eat there before we continue our journey through the streets of New York, but there’s also a couple of nearby parks if you’re looking for more of a true picnic vibe. Catherine also orders fried chicken, TORI BIEN’s specialty, but it comes in a sandwich instead of loose, like my box. There’s a layer of sauce on the top of the bun, but the meal still isn’t messy. It’s similarly good to just grab and eat; and even if it wasn’t, they definitely provide you with sufficient napkins. The sandwich itself is wrapped up in a nice, thick sheet of paper that makes it convenient to hold as well.

Kara-age Sandwich with sauce, fried chicken, lettuce, and pickles

Overall, no matter where you chose to eat your meal from Kara-age, the flavors are delicious and it’s perfect to enjoy with friends. They offer an assortment of fun options and everything is perfect to take on the go!

Planning on taking your friends out on an end-of-summer picnic or just looking for some great Japanese fried chicken? Use this coupon code when you visit TORI BIEN to get 15% off your order with your student ID:

If you want to see more about my trip to TORI BIEN check out my video on the Campus Clipper TikTok page!


By: Peter Schoenfeld

Peter Schoenfeld is an illustrator and self proclaimed food fanatic from New York. If he’s not trying new food, he’s drawing it (and if he’s not doing either of those things, then you can probably find him curled up on the couch watching dramas). As an incoming sophomore at the School of Visual Art he focuses on creating art that connects people to his personal passions– like eating!


For over 20 years, the Campus Clipper has been offering awesome student discounts in NYC,  from the East Side to Greenwich Village. Along with inspiration, the company offers students a special coupon booklet and the Official Student Guide, which encourages them to discover new places in the city and save money on food, clothing, and services.  At the Campus Clipper, not only do we help our interns learn new skills, make money, and create wonderful e-books, we give them a platform to teach others. Check our website for more student savings and watch our YouTube video showing off some of New York City’s finest students during the Welcome Week of 2015.

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The Art of Eating Chapter 3: Egyptian Food (Zooba)

Thursday, August 18th, 2022

Somehow, even the city that never sleeps manages to feel lethargic as heat continues to roll in throughout the early weeks of August. Still, sitting across from Zooba on Kenmare street I can feel the afternoon taking on a hint of excitement looking at the brightly colored murals and illuminated interior of the restaurant. The shade of the park across the street gives me a bit of relief from the brightness of the sun, and it’s a perfect waiting spot for me while my sister comes to meet me. Once she makes it, it’s time to get back up and finally go into the actual restaurant that’s been catching my eye for the last ten minutes. Right off the bat the interior is like a breath of fresh air from the summer heat. There’s a lot of space in there and it’s definitely adequately air conditioned. But more importantly there’s an energy in the restaurant that the streets outside were lacking before. Every wall is plastered with brightly colored images and the station in the middle is lit up with LED lights that blink and flash wildly. Zooba absolutely has some of the most fun restaurant decor out of the many NYC restaurants I’ve been to since I moved here– and that’s quite a lot. I’m already feeling excited about the atmosphere, but the food is what I’m looking forward to most!

Interior of Zooba with seating and decorated wall

As a native New Yorker and an adventurous eater, my sister has also tried food from (basically) every continent before, but Egyptian food is new to both of us. As per employee recommendation, we decide to order some customer favorites to try out the cuisine. To start out both my sister and I immediately gravitate towards the same brightly colored beverage. The hibiscus limeade at Zooba is a striking fuchsia color with an equally striking taste. Still that isn’t the only thing on the menu that comes in flashy color. My sister practically lived off hummus when she was younger, so ordering the fava bean hummus is a no brainer. When it comes it’s a nice, bright green which actually goes quite well with the color of our beverages. Green and pink. Always a classic color combo. To accompany our wonderfully colored hummus they provided us with a couple pieces of round, flat bread. Honestly, I’ve put a lot of things in hummus before, but this one is one of the best. It has enough texture to get a good grip on the hummus, but it’s not totally bland like some store bought pita chips you usually get. 

After wrapping up with the hummus it’s time to unwrap our main meals. The sandwiches at Zooba come covered up by paper that is just as creatively decorated as the store itself. My main item also came recommended to us by store employees and is something I’m particularly excited about. I decided to order a hawawshi burger, which is a typical Egyptian street food dish. It usually comes with meat and an assortment of toppings inside a piece of pita bread, but mine also has a truly incredible amount of cheese on it. Likewise, my sister’s order comes stuffed into a round pita. However, instead of the thin meat that comes with the hawawshi, hers has three round pieces of Egyptian falafel inside. According to her it’s very similar to falafel she’s had before, but there are definitely different flavors in there: like roasted harissa cauliflower. The toppings are also a bit different, which gives Zooba’s falafel a unique quality over some of the other more common falafel sandwiches in the city! 

Cheese hawawshi wrapped in paper and fava bean hummus

Overall, Zooba is a great restaurant to check out if you’re looking for something you can’t get anywhere else in NYC. All the food was super great and the atmosphere was perfect too. I definitely recommend visiting and ordering something you’ve never had before!!

To those who are looking to try some new food, or just want a great deal, use this coupon and discount code when you visit the store or order online:

If you want to see more snippets of the food and interior of Zooba you can also check out my TikTok on the Campus Clipper page!


By: Peter Schoenfeld

Peter Schoenfeld is an illustrator and self proclaimed food fanatic from New York. If he’s not trying new food, he’s drawing it (and if he’s not doing either of those things, then you can probably find him curled up on the couch watching dramas). As an incoming sophomore at the School of Visual Art he focuses on creating art that connects people to his personal passions– like eating!


For over 20 years, the Campus Clipper has been offering awesome student discounts in NYC, from the East Side to Greenwich Village. Along with inspiration, the company offers students a special coupon booklet and the Official Student Guide, which encourages them to discover new places in the city and save money on food, clothing, and services. At the Campus Clipper, not only do we help our interns learn new skills, make money, and create wonderful e-books, we give them a platform to teach others. Check our website for more student savings and watch our YouTube video showing off some of New York City’s finest students during the Welcome Week of 2015.

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Rapid Revival Restaurant Review Returns Reinvigorated: Marinara Pizza

Tuesday, August 9th, 2022
MARINARA PIZZA, New York City - 1376 Lexington Ave, Carnegie Hill -  Restaurant Reviews - Order Online Food Delivery - Tripadvisor

Okay, this one’s a bit of a cheat. I had actually eaten at Marinara before I did this review. In a city full of pizza places, this is a place that has a pizza. And it’s a pretty good pizza!

But before we talk about that, we need to talk about the garlic thingies. I love these things, even though I only ever have like two of them and I’m always served five and I don’t even know what they’re really called. Regardless, the ones at Marinara are okay. They’re crunchy on the outside and doughy on the inside, which is good for biscuits but less good for these guys. At least they taste like garlic,

But the real start of the show is the pizza, which is everything you want out of New York pizza. It’s hot, it’s greasy, and it’s damn tasty. I ordered a pepperoni pizza which they didn’t have so they added pepperoni on top of a regular pizza and it tasted like it was supposed to be there. I don’t even have naything clever to say. Eat this pizza.

Verdict: 9.25/10 Unknown Foodstuff Names


By: Alexander Rose

Alexander Rose studies satire at NYU Gallatin and wishes he was actually just Oscar Wilde. He is interested in writing, roleplaying games, and procrastination. Describing himself in the third person like this makes him feel weird.


For over 20 years, the Campus Clipper has been offering awesome student discounts in NYC,  from the East Side to Greenwich Village. Along with inspiration, the company offers students a special coupon booklet and the Official Student Guide, which encourages them to discover new places in the city and save money on food, clothing, and services.  

At the Campus Clipper, not only do we help our interns learn new skills, make money, and create wonderful e-books, we give them a platform to teach others. Check our website for more student savings and watch our YouTube video showing off some of New York City’s finest students during the Welcome Week of 2015.

Share