Silver Dollar sparkles in Clifton

The new Silver Dollar is bringing honky-tonk verve to Clifton. The Southern and Middle American menu is punctuated with Mexican influences, and the bar selection has a heavy whiskey and tequila presence, with more than 50 whiskeys, all from Kentucky.

Co-owner Larry Rice says the restaurant is focused around the Bakersfield, Calif., country music scene and Depression-era migration and culture of that time. The Silver Dollar, 1761 Frankfort Ave., was transformed from an 1890s firehouse and features reclaimed wood, exposed brick and unique artifacts such as a map of the area that was hand-painted by a fireman during the building’s early history.

“I’ve always been into antiques because they have such a story behind them,” says Rice, former partner at 732 Social.

Chef Jonathan Schwartz’s menu includes dishes such as empanadas, a fried-oyster sandwich, blue corn-crusted snapper, braised short ribs and chicken and waffles. Bar snacks are approximately $4, while entrees range from $12 to $16.