We analyzed the Society of Thoracic Surgeons Database to investigate risks and optimal timing for coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) after clopidogrel administration. Patients were categorized based on clopidogrel use within five days and further stratified by days from the last dose (0 to 5 days). Controls were patients who did not received clopidogrel within five days of surgery. The primary outcome was operative mortality, and secondary outcomes included mediastinal re-exploration for bleeding and blood product utilization. Among 148,317 isolated CABG, 19,553 (13.2%) received clopidogrel within five days. Minimal differences in operative mortality (2.8% vs 2.1%, P<0.001), but higher rates of mediastinal re-exploration (3.5% vs 2.1%, P<0.001) and blood product utilization (72.7% vs 56.8%, P<0.001) were observed in the clopidogrel group. The adjusted odds ratio of operative mortality peaked on the day of clopidogrel administration but was comparable to controls thereafter. The odds of re-exploration was highest on day 0, decreasing gradually to a plateau after day 3. Patients operated on day 3 after clopidogrel administration had similar odds of operative mortality and mediastinal re-exploration for bleeding and shorter total and preoperative length of stays but higher blood product utilization compared to day 5. CABG within five days from clopidogrel is associated with modest increase in operative mortality and re-exploration for bleeding and substantial increase in blood product utilization. Risks decreased with increasing time from discontinuation, plateauing after 3 days from clopidogrel. CABG at 3 days yields comparable outcomes as 5 days, reducing the waiting period.