Downtown Lake Worth Beach will soon enjoy a fresh dose of cool that mixes cuisine, cocktails, music and art into a hip new establishment when Off The Clock opens on Sunday, Nov. 2. The new spot will be open to all, but will also offer memberships that come with perks including discounts to various dining events and more.
This new restaurant is the creation of Horace Henry and his wife Elizabeth and is designed with ideas gleaned from their 15 years each working in the hospitality industry.
The pair has consulted for restaurants and bars throughout South Florida including Pier 66, Anyday in Boca Raton, Sotogrande, Principessa Ristorante and The Flamingo Grill and is fusing that knowledge with their own vision and passion.
They’ve been in the business for a long time, but this is their first foray into owning a restaurant. “We’re just putting proof of concept into what we’re building right now,” Horace Henry said.
Henry said the new restaurant will be an experience that equally combines cuisine, cocktails, music and art into one incredible experience.
Off The Clock took over the space formerly occupied by Not So Bizaare Café at 921 Lake Avenue. Off the Clock’s look is a complete departure from its predecessor’s funky bohemian vibe and instead offers a vintage cool look with a touch of home.
Already showcased on Instagram in videos and stills, the new interior was inspired by his own home, Henry said.
“The inspiration came from us,” Henry said. “We want to create a music experience while it seems like you’re in your own living room,” he said.
Though the music is integral to Off The Clock, Henry stressed that their food menu and cocktail list carry equal importance.
There will dining on both the first and second floor at Off The Clock, while upstairs will offer more of a fine dining experience. Henry said that the downstairs will focus on light bites, appetizers and cocktails, but that there will be a few tables for full dinners as well.
Henry describes the menu as “French Caribbean.” He collaborated with chef Reggie Burgess, who has worked in the kitchens of Boca Resort and Carbone in Miami, to curate the menu which melds French technique with a Caribbean influence.
Among the dishes he’s most excited about are the salt cod fritters, a twist on the classic Cuban sandwich called the ‘Jerk Cubano,’ the house mac n’ cheese, the yellowtail and red snapper (which will feature different preparations from around the Caribbean) and a tamarind-glazed short rib.
Henry himself is overseeing the new restaurant’s beverage program and said the cocktails are also inspired by the Caribbean, featuring spices and flavors from those regions that will specifically compliment dishes on the menu.
The DJs keeping the beat and setting the mood will be spinning actual vinyl from a stage set behind the bar. “It’s incorporated within the experience,” Henry said. The sets will be a mix of old school songs including funk, soul, disco and neo soul. The program is being led by Laura Puentes, aka DJ Medly, who will curate a rotating group of DJs that will spin on different nights.
“It’s a sense of nostalgia. While you’re enjoying the food, we want you to remember the type of music you used to listen to… everything is curated around that feel. Everything is an experience.”
Off The Clock will have a semi formal dress code. “We will ask that (guests) compliment the ambiance of what we’re doing. Think about what you’re wearing before you step in the building,” Henry said.
There also will be a membership option at Off The Clock which Henry described as “a sense of exclusivity with inclusivity.” Though anyone can walk in and enjoy dinner, drinks and music, members will get an additional 15% off their tab. That 15% also applies to restaurant events like wine dinners, whiskey dinners and art events.
Henry said they are also working to get members exclusive discounts at other nearby places that align with their brand. “We will have perks working for different places.”
The response to the approaching grand opening has been massive, Henry said. He said they had 165 reservations within the first six hours and capped it at that number.
Though he said they can accommodate more than twice that number, “we want to make sure that our staff is completely comfortable to execute in a flawless manner, we don’t want to overwhelm them… We want to build slowly because we believe in quality more than quantity.”
“We’re dedicated in creating elevated experiences that cater to a refined audience who appreciates the intersection of culture, creativity, and luxury,” Henry said.
Off The Clock, Lake Worth Beach
Where: 921 Lake Ave., Lake Worth Beach
Hours: 5 to 11 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday; 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. Friday, Saturday; 5 p.m. to midnight Sunday; closed Monday
Information: otceditions.com
Eddie Ritz is a journalist at The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach him at [email protected]. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today.
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