The Social List has opted for, well, pure fun for its Halloween menu (which includes kitschy ass food in the best way possible). Never taking itself too seriously, it has also always been on the cusp: As a neighborhood joint that has lasted over a decade, it has not done so by resting on its laurels. Rather, it has been perpetually evolving. Be it is through a redesign. Or a constant menu specials. And revolving door of cocktail menus. Or activating its space with music…
And for Halloween, there is no exception to their continual celebration of special holidays and cultural happenings. Plenty of chilling cocktails, frightening (if not adorable-looking and kitschy as all hell) food, and petrifying vibes all around.
The increasing need for middle-reaching restaurants to amp up their events and specials game.
This Halloween, co-owner Brenda Rivera said there was no choice but to “dive into food as well for Halloween because people want and need more to be lured out,” Brenda said. The menu is a wild array of food that encourages people to, well, play with their food. Evoking the food decorating of the 1970s, there are meatballs topped with mozzarella and black olive slices to represent eyeballs. Black-and-white bowtie pasta with pesto and shrimp as an ode to Beetlejuice. Cheese cut out as ghosts or cats, used on flatbreads and burgers…
Brenda’s reflection holds weight: When talking with Ian McCall of ISM Brewing, I expressed concern about the space’s impressive but possibly burnout-inducing array of events. As a friend, I wanted to make sure he was watching his and his staff’s battery levels. His response was a brutally honest one.
“The times of people like you and me coming in and just buying a pint of beer for the sole enjoyment of beer aren’t much around anymore,” Ian told me. “They want the experiential—so that’s why we’re doing [the things we’re doing].”
In that same vein, it explains The Social List’s leap into food when previous menus had solely been cocktails. And why, each year, the space seems to become more and more decked out.
A look at the Halloween cocktail specials at The Social List…
Los Muertos: Mexican whiskey | Abuelita chocolate syrup | Cafe Nixta | Activated charcoal | Cinnamon glitter
Ghostbusters
Tequila | Blood orange | Orgeat | Lofi Amaro
Witches Brew
Vodka | Matcha | Lemon | Green Chartreuse | Angostura bitters
Pennywise: Infuse Mezcal | Hibiscus syrup | Pomegranate liqueur | Alma Tepac
Silence of the Pumpkins: Vodka | Mr. Black coffee liqueur | Espresso | Demerara | Mole bitters | Pumpkin syrup | Pumpkin whip
Practical Magic: Rose gin | Mezcal | Pamplemousse | Lemon | Strawberry | Orange bitters
Morticia Adams: Tequila | Chile Pasilla liqueur | Elderflower liqueur | Prickly pear | Lime | Activated charcoal
…and a look at the food.
Hills Have Eyes Pasta: Jumbo meatballs | Bucatini pasta | Marinara | Grated parm | Basil | Flat parsley
Bar-boo-q Chicken Flatbread: BBQ chicken | Marinara | Sweet cherry peppers | Cilantro | Red onion | Mozzarella
Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice Pasta: Grilled jumbo Mexican shrimp | Creamy pesto | Baby tomatoes | Black & white farfalle pasta
Binx’s Burger: Handmade all-beef patty | American cheese | Bacon | Lettuce | Tomato | Red onion | Thousand Island | Brioche bun | Garlic fries (served open faced)
Boogie Man Chicken Sandwich: Hand-battered fried chicken | Southern spice | Remoulade | Lettuce | Pickles | Tomatoes | American cheese | Brioche bun | Garlic fries
Halloween Chowder: Creamy clam chowder | Applewood smoked bacon | Potatoes | Croutons (cup or bowl)
The Social List is located at 2105 E. 4th St.
 food, and petrifying vibes.){kind=link}