Midwest-style eatery takes over Tin Fish spot on Clematis
There’s a new restaurant at the 118 S. Clematis St. building in downtown West Palm Beach. You know the spot: where Tin Fish used to be before it closed last December.
Rails Craft Brews & Eatery officially opened its doors on Oct. 8.
The owner of Rails is exploring a fusion of Midwestern vibes with South Florida charm.
“We really tried to put together a menu that would fit this market and the area that we’re in, and at the same time keep the theme of what we are.” said David Lawrence, who has two other locations in Fisher and Seymour, Indiana. “We are a fun place with a lot of activities, a lot of entertainment. They’ll get the Midwestern feel.”
Lawrence is excited to have found this location because it keeps the “railroad theme,” which began with his first location in Seymour.
The original Rails opened in 2015 next to the “Crossroads of America,” where the north/ south and east/west railroads intersect in downtown Seymour. The West Palm Beach location is just a few feet from Flagler Drive named for Henry Flagler, who completed the Florida East Coast Railway to Key West.
The menu, created by Executive Chef Mike Frabosilio, showcases the owner’s vision for a Florida-meets-Indiana experience. The chef uses a variety of in-house, fresh ingredients to create simple comfort foods like fried chicken and waffles, burgers and mashed potatoes and fresh Florida favorites such as ceviche, crispy grouper and crab cakes.
“We wanted to create something simple that was attractive and delicious,” said Frabosilio, who has almost 20 years of experience in the culinary industry.
The 4,500-square-foot, twostory building features several areas for customers.
There’s a dine-in area downstairs and a raw bar with oysters, shrimp and fresh fish that’s next to a bar with craft beers, cocktails and specialty drinks. There’s also outdoor seating facing the Clematis water fountains and an upstairs bar with bird’seye views of Flagler Park.