LES-Born Meatball Shop Expands to Hell’s Kitchen With a Cocktail Bar

Dos Toros isn’t the only drunk-food chain adding a westside outpost to its downtown and Williamsburg locations. The Meatball Shop, which started on the Lower East Side six years ago, opens its seventh location in Hell’s Kitchen today. This one comes with a brighter, cleaner design and an adjacent bar. The bar as tastefully named as you’d expect from the guys whose mantra is “EAT MY BALLS” and who offer BALLS t-shirts. They’re calling the place Sidepiece.

If you actually do have a sidepiece, I guess Hell’s Kitchen is where you’d bring them to avoid being seen by any respectable person. That said, the Meatballers have tried to make this place good and classy, by tapping Rene Hidalgo (previously of Gramercy Tavern and Milk & Honey) as beverage director. His cocktail menu’s conversation piece is the Trenchtown, a fruity rum drink for two that’s served in a giant glass garnished with pineapple fronds, a mess of mint sprigs, and party straws. Seriously, look at this thing (pictured with the meatball nachos):

In addition, there’s a signature wine, growlers that you can fill with offerings from Gowanus’s Other Half Brewery, and housemade sodas that you can combine with booze.

The showstopper on Sidepiece’s food menu may be the meatball fondue, served on a silver platter. Dunkables include apples, roasted broccoli, focaccia bread, bacon strips, and mozzarella cubes.

Check out the rest of the menu here.

Meatball Shop, 798 9th Ave., Hell’s Kitchen; 212-230-5860.