What to Order at Jack & Charlie's 118

Jack & Charlie's No. 118 is a New American restaurant in the West Village, run by executive chef and partner Ed Cotton, a Top Chef finalist. The room reads as an old-school New York supper club, with green leather seating, geometric tilework, a fireplace, and a dedicated martini menu, and the kitchen works from a wood-burning oven fired with oak and other hardwoods. The menu spans a raw bar, handmade pastas, and wood-fired steaks and fish, so it is easy to over-order or miss the dishes the kitchen is actually known for. Knowing what to get ahead of time helps, because tables here are hard to come by and you want the meal to count. DinnerElite tracks Jack & Charlie's 118 and emails you the moment a table opens.

What should you order at Jack & Charlie's 118?

Start at the raw bar with the wood-fired littleneck clams casino, a dish both Timeout and the restaurant's own menu single out. The bone-in duck meatloaf is the signature main, described by Timeout as built from a whole duck and around 30 other ingredients. For pasta, the black truffle mafaldine is the splurge choice, with a rigatoni bolognese and a fusilli as lighter options, per the restaurant's menu. The Caesar salad gets repeated praise from diners, and the wood-fired branzino is a strong fish pick. On the steak side, the steak frites au poivre is the everyday order, while the 40oz tomahawk (around $265 to share, per the restaurant's menu) and the Friday and Saturday prime rib, listed as "Jack's Cut," are the occasion cuts. Add the warm cheddar popovers for the table.

How should you approach the menu at Jack & Charlie's 118?

Treat it like a classic supper club and build a progression rather than piling on mains. A few raw bar or bar-bite items to start, such as the clams casino or the baby lamb chops, work well for a table splitting plates. The pastas run rich, so one shared pasta between two people leaves room for a main. The steaks and the prime rib are large-format and priced accordingly, so decide early whether the meal is centered on the tomahawk or prime rib to share, or on individual plates like the duck meatloaf, branzino, or brick chicken. Sides such as the whipped potatoes, maitake mushrooms, and crinkle-cut fries are meant for the table. The prime rib runs Fridays and Saturdays only, so plan around that if it is what you came for.

How do you actually get a table at Jack & Charlie's 118?

Jack & Charlie's 118 takes reservations on Resy, and per DinnerElite tracking, tables are typically claimed an average of 15 days before the reservation date. The room serves dinner Monday through Saturday from 5pm to 11pm and Sunday from 5pm to 10pm. Your best shot is to book the moment the Resy window opens, but prime times and weekend prime rib nights go fast, and cancellations surface at unpredictable hours. That is where an alert helps. DinnerElite watches Jack & Charlie's 118 around the clock and emails you the instant a matching table appears, whether from a fresh release or a cancellation. We send alerts and never book automatically. The one exception is our Expert plan, where a human on our team books hard tables on your behalf.

Frequently asked questions

What is Jack & Charlie's 118 known for?

It is known as an old-school New York supper club in the West Village from chef Ed Cotton, with a wood-fired kitchen, a dedicated martini menu, and a signature bone-in duck meatloaf. The room features green leather seating, geometric tilework, and a fireplace.

What should you order at Jack & Charlie's 118 for the first time?

For a first visit, start with the wood-fired clams casino or a raw bar selection, get the Caesar salad, and center the meal on the bone-in duck meatloaf or the steak frites au poivre. Add the black truffle mafaldine to share and the warm cheddar popovers for the table.

Does Jack & Charlie's 118 serve prime rib every night?

No. The slow-roasted prime rib, listed on the menu as "Jack's Cut," is available Fridays and Saturdays only, per the restaurant's menu. If prime rib is the goal, plan your reservation for a weekend night.

Is Jack & Charlie's 118 good for a group or a special occasion?

Yes. The large-format cuts, including the 40oz tomahawk listed to share and the weekend prime rib, along with sides meant for the table and the supper-club setting, make it well suited to groups and special occasions.

Does DinnerElite book the table for me?

No. We send alerts and you book the table yourself. The one exception is our Expert plan, where a human concierge books on your behalf.