- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
Mermaid Oyster Bar
Category: Restaurants Seafood Seafood [Edit]
79 MacDougal StNew York, NY 10012
Neighbourhood: Greenwich Village
(212) 260-0100
- Nearest Transit:
-
Houston St (1, 2)
Spring St (A, C, E)
W 4 St (A, B, C, D, E, F, M)
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 5:30 pm - 11 pm
Fri-Sat 5 pm - 11:30 pm
Sun 5 pm - 10 pm
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Romantic, Trendy, Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
274 reviews for Mermaid Oyster Bar
Review Highlights
-
"Fantastic happy hour and great bartender ( Angela." In 92 reviews -
"The lobster roll and oysters are amazing." In 51 reviews -
"Old bay fries - classic must have." In 20 reviews
Loading...
274 reviews in English
-
Review from Daniel P.
New York, NY
Great Spot! The Mermaid Oyster Bar is a 1st Class Operation from-head-to-toe. Yep. They do everything right; from the Tasty Seafood, service, wonderful warm and welcoming decor that is just perfect to their Oyster Happy Hour which is The Best in Town. Yeah! And the Happy Hour isn't just Monday to Friday or M to Thurs, but 7 days a week. They call it the Happy Hour and a Half as it runs from 5:30 to 7:00 .. And if you want a seat, you'd better get there early, like 5:30 as this place fills up fast and is totally packed 7 days a week when thee happy hour time rolls around. Wonderful Fresh Shucked East Coast Oysters for just a Buck a Pop, West Coast Oysters $1.75 a piece. Yeah Baby, Fresh Oysters on the 1/2 Shell for just $1.00 ... You gotta love it! And you may want to get a nice Bloody Mary ($7 at Hap Hour) or a bottle Alagash White or glass of White ($6) to wash the oysters down with.
Great service, real good Bartenders (Kelly is awesome). When you get your check, they give you a Fish Fortune and nice little Espresso Cup of Chocolate Mousse on the House. Yes the little touches and attention to detail combined with perfectly prepared fresh seafood great service and wonderful ambiance and vibe make The Mermaid Oyster Bar a true Gem.
One more thing, the Music they play is awesome; Great Classic Rock, R&B, and Popular Music from the 60s, 70s and 80s with No "Crap Rap" or Garbage they make nowadays and for the past 15 years, just great R&B, Rock n' Roll, and Classic Pop.
Thanks Mermaid, you've created the perfect ambiance. Daniel ....... -
Review from Jennifer S.
Brooklyn, NY
5/20/2012
Happy hour oysters!!!! am I in heaven?.......Loved the west coast oysters we had at happy hour prices. fresh -smooth and not too briny.
++++ Other Things we loved
Shrimp Cocktail - shrimp were huge and really fresh
Tuna Crudo- big chunks of tuna and avocado- the lime and jalapeño complete the dish (we ordered a second one!)
Hendricks Gin Cocktail with cucumber & mint- so refreshing.
Room is really cozy and cute.
Our server was great- Knowledgeable, friendly, and on top of things.
Extra benefit: they have an oyster app you can download for free. It has good descriptions of west and east coast oysters. -
Review from Nicole R.
New York, NY
5/3/2012
Came here with my family on a Tuesday night. We got seated in the back room which was perfect because our table of 7 could actually all hear each other as it wasn't very crowded. We ordered 30 oysters to share, varying between East and West Coast. The waitress was super helpful in providing suggestions and we really enjoyed them all. My mom and I ordered a few things to share. Definitely don't miss the old bay fries, yellowfin tuna crudo, fried brussel sprouts, or the lobster knuckles "escargot".
What I love most about Mermaid is the relaxed atmosphere. Great place for a date or a drink with a friend, especially in the summer when it opens onto MacDougal Street. The place just has a happy feel to it. Have also been here for the all you can eat Maryland crabs which is so fun! -
Review from Goaty P.
New York, NY
5/2/2012
This place is a gem. The restaurant is nicely set up and clean. We came here for happy hour and ordered 3 dozen east & west coast oysters. While the east coast oysters were good, west coast will always be better. :) Delicious either way.
Also, their shrimp corndogs are delicious!
Will be back. -
Review from Lena X.
4/26/2012 1 Check-in Here
Oyster happy hour is one of those things I got into this year, and I made a list of places to try. I only got to #2, which is here, and I don't really feel the need to further explore anymore.
Oysters are usually pretty good and always fresh, though if you don't know your oysters, there is a slight chance of misinformation regarding tastes from the people behind the bar. Not a usual problem though. The drinks and wines on the HH menu are pretty good too, and don't forget to get your free appetizer with your Yelp check-in here! Oh and it gets crazy crowded on weekends. -
Review from Bill K.
Albany, NY
4/29/2012
Went here on a Friday night for happy hour. It's an awesome place to hangout and eat or have a few cocktails.
Beer and Wine - average selection
Mac n Cheese - average
Mermaid Chopped Salad - delicious and fresh ingredients
Old Bay Fries - must get!
East and west coast oysters - both were good, but west were better than the east and worth the extra $.75/oyster.
Overall, a great experience. -
Review from Brittany H.
New York, NY
4/17/2012 1 Check-in Here
Good oysters... great happy hour menu (yes, even on weekends), good small bite offerings, and pretty good bloody marys. this hits the "happy hour" spot... so I have not been here for a full dinner meal here.
Very casual eatery...in pristine, clean condition. there are a few spread out all over Manhattan (West Village, East Village, UWS...)
this place seems more of an appetizer hangout rather than a full blown dinner (judging by ... not sure how i feel about their entree menu...but maybe i'll give it a shot. But judging by other tables, people here go for the oysters... The atmosphere is lively though...so get your raw bar and cocktails on! -
Review from Eric C.
Manhattan, NY
5/16/2012
The soft shell po'boy on the menu looked like it would hit the spot. A nice crab sandwich and fries? What appeared before me a few minutes later was a unique scene not necessarily for the faint of heart. It appears that my dinner walked bravely to his fate as my meal, appearing whole in deep fried crispness between his lightly toasted bun, served open faced. It took me a moment to get over the surprise of seeing crab body and claws in perfect form, but the first bite eliminated all worries. Crisp, flavorful, not too salty or strong. The buttered bun accented the crab itself, and provided a richness not normally reserved for sandwiches. The old bay fries were crisp and well seasoned - with the exception of an errant fry or two, none were too salty and none were too... flaccid, for wont of a better term.
My friend's lobster roll was quite good as well, though perhaps not quite as unique as the whole fried soft shell crab.
The gouda-infused hush puppies were good, but perhaps less special than their name suggests. Save room for oysters instead - while the ones we had were small (one selection from the east coast, one from the west), they were a great way to start the meal.
Demerits? Somewhat of a small menu, including beer selection - though the ones they had selected all matched my tastes (a toasted lager, an IPA, and a pilsner). That said, I feel that as long as I can find what I want, I'd rather come here than swing by Grand Central Oyster Bar - larger, but perhaps less charming. -
Review from Hope D.
New York, NY
4/8/2012 2 Check-ins Here
The first time I went here I came around 9:30 on a Friday night, and there was a half hour wait.
The food was great, but our server rushed us and made us feel like we needed to race through our meal so he could have his next table.
The bussers were on it though! My water glass was always full, and there was never an empty plate left hanging around for too long.
We liked the food so much, we came back for happy hour the very next day! Our second server was super sweet and helpful. Again, the bussers were awesome and brought me those delicious mutli-seed crackers they serve with butter. mmmmm.
The dishes we loved: tuna tartare, mac and cheese, peppers, all the east coast oysters (besides Montauk), brussel sprouts, and calamari!
Check in on yelp for a free appetizer, and enjoy the complimentary pudding at the end of the meal.
I highly recommend coming early for happy hour to sample the food, it's a total bargain! Regular dinner in the evening? Not so sure... -
Review from Olivia P.
4/2/2012
Overall the food was good, but I guess I was expecting something a little more wow, based on the 4-star reviews. I will preface by saying I did not have an entree and had oysters and several starters instead but based on what I had, it was good, but nothing that would want me to come back.
Service, was a bit lacking. We had reservations but it was 15 minutes before they had a table for us. We got our oysters right away, but an hour had passed and we didn't have any of the other food we ordered, even though we noticed, people that had arrived after us, already had their starters and main dishes. Well turned out - our waitress completely forgot to even put our order in. That was a total fail, especially when we didn't have any of our food comped. Instead, she put in an order of some fried peppers for us (because it was the thing that comes out quickest and which I didn't really enjoy eating anyway) so that we wouldn't sit there further feeling hungry while we continue to wait for our food after she put the order in. I think the right thing to do is comp the rest of our meal given the situation.
Maybe the east-side location is better, but would not go back here if it meant having to wait for a table. -
Review from Yan M.
Brooklyn, NY
4/17/2012 6 photos
If you are an Oyster-Holic, this is a place for you!!!
By far the best Oysters in New York!!! -
Review from Studmuffin S.
Manhattan, NY
4/11/2012
Meh. Food was good but waiter was off. Came here with two friends. Our waiter tripled our oyster order on us. Kept pushing us to order more drinks, and said some weird things to us.
Regardless, food was good, a pretty young crowd while we were there which was good, fish was fresh, oysters were good, enjoyed the decor and our time, but the waiter was bad. -
Review from Eagle N.
Charlotte Amalie, VI
4/10/2012 1 Check-in Here
Okay this place is not bad and I will admit in the NY metro area its my favorite for the oysters happy hours.
Menu is basic nothing to rave or brag about.
I wish they had more selection of oysters but they have a selected few.
I know its not fair to compare to Ellitots Oysters in Seattle or Rodneys in Toronto or even Grand Central Oyster but of you call yourself a oyster bar you should have more selections.
I love the appetizers especially the old bay fries and the calamari .
Restrooms are always clean and staff is always friendly.
Its a great bargain for Happy Hour give them a try but expect nothing special if your have been to some of the better Oyster Bars in the world -
Review from Alison H.
Happy Hour at Mermaid is where its at!
Try to get there early, we arrived at 5:30 and got a seat.....by 6 the entire place was full.
Service was great our bartender was so so nice and even gave us a complementary mini dessert.
3 Fish Tacos
4 Lobster Rolls
12 Clams
Calamari
2 Sangria
2 White Wine
Hush Puppies (free check in offer)
Bill was $100.
.........HeavenListed in: Best Happy Hour
-
Review from Sallina Y.
Queens, NY
3/11/2012 9 photos
his review is based on the happy hour menu and sides. I would like to come back to try an entrée, but I probably won't be able to resist the happy hour menu...
What we ended up getting:
$1 Oysters
Brussel Sprouts -
MIni Fish Tacos
Shrimp Corn Dog
Lobster Sliders
Hush Puppies
Lobster Truffle Mac and Cheese -
Everything was delicious! The oysters were fresh, the shrimp corndog was coated with an awesome, crispy batter, and the brussel sprouts were so, so good that even my friend who didn't like brussel sprouts ended up loving them. As for the lobster truffle Mac and Cheese... it was as delicious as it sounds! I can never go back to plain Mac and Cheese. It'd better have BOTH in it!
There's no dessert here but you do get a complimentary chocolate mousse at the end of the meal. -
Review from Tamar D.
3/1/2012 1 Check-in Here
This is happy hour:
*8 drinks...or was it ten?
*48 oysters
*Kick-ass waitress with the best brunette and red lips combination I've ever seen outside of Hollywood
*$180 later
*Two drunk and happy-ass chicks skipping down Bleecker -
Review from Emma C.
3/5/2012 3 Check-ins Here
What's NOT to ADORE about $1 east coast oysters during HH daily from 5:30-7:00p? And the best part is, you can make reservations during HH as well! Interior decor is shabby chic with a nautical theme. All the appetizers (I can say I've tried every single one of them) is amazing. Best ones are the shishito peppers, kale salad, fries, and chicken skewers. The lobster roll isn't the best I've ever had, but you won't even notice while you're gorging on 30 fresh, eye-rolling-to-back-of-head oysters.
SERIOUSLY. Come here now. Preferably with your significant other. In the evening time. You know what they say about oysters. ;) All fish head and tails point to LURRVEE! -
Review from Lauren K.
3/7/2012 1 Check-in Here
Yum. This is a review for the Tuesday night steal, just a heads up.
On tuesday nights, mermaid oyster bar does a $22 deal: a lobster roll, sixpoint beer, and fries. It's pretty delicious. The lobster roll is slightly more mayo-ey than I usually prefer, but delicious nonetheless. The fries were good too, nothing to write home about.
I had a sixpoint sweet action which was standard as well. Check in there and you get a free side. All in all, a very good deal! -
Review from Danielle J.
West Village, Manhattan, NY
3/2/2012 5 Check-ins Here
I'll be adding to the other raving reviews about happy hour -I'd heard it gets packed at hh, so was worried arriving at 6 pm would be risky without a reservation, but we were the first to be sat in the back room, and service was great!
$1 oysters, discounted bar food, and $7 cocktails (wine and beer likely on special too, not positive), and my friend had told me they're great about coming to ask if you want anything additional at 7:05, for happy hour pricing.
Ordered a dozen oysters and a bloody immediately, while my boyfriend ordered a dark and stormy, mini fish taco and shrimp corndog (not sure if thats the accurate name). He ended up ordering another fish taco and having hush puppies (free side with yelp check in! if only it were free oysters or cocktails for me..), while i ordered the hot and dirty martini, and another 6 oysters. Only reason I'm giving 4 instead of 5 stars was that i wasnt too wild about the hot and dirty - despite it sounding like similar martinis which i adore. It sounds bizarre to explain, but the drink itself was somewhat bland, with a spicy aftertaste (loved the spicy part, not so much the actual bland initial taste). Boyfriend got another dark and stormy and I got 6 more oysters = ~$66 pre tip.
Absolutely adorable ambiance, very hamptons-esque and beachy. Literally want to come back every.single.day. Also the cute fortune telling fish and free desserts are a nice touch - and while I didn't try mine (not a dessert fan), my boyfriend loved his (chocolate mousse with whipped cream in a cute espresso cup). Great new staple to add to my happy hour rotation! -
Review from Yvonne H.
Bronx, NY
3/10/2012 1 Check-in Here
Their happy hour is pretty amazing. I came for the oysters, but decided to try the clams as well. They were $1.25 so I had nothing to lose. To my surprise, I enjoyed them more than the oysters. Another must try item is the bay fries.
Check in to get a free side. -
Review from Christine C.
Manhattan, NY
2/13/2012 1 Check-in Here
Came here with Dan S. and couldn't agree more.
The happy hour $1 oyster specials were of a rarely matched quality. Not to mention the boozy $7 'dark + stormy' and bloody marries!
Memorable sides were the lobster mac & cheese and bacon brussel sprouts.
Definitely a place to bring seafood loving visitors. -
Review from Brian L.
Brooklyn, NY
3/4/2012
Had plans to come here for dinner one evening with friends, but got out of work early so I sat myself at the bar with another person from our group for their amazing happy hour. Ordered a few drinks, shared a few small appetizers (fish tacos were great), and just hung out until it was dinner time. I loved that we got a little cup of chocolate pudding after finishing at the bar AND after finishing dinner. It was so amazing I'm glad I got to have two servings.
Service was excellent, especially the bartender who was attentive without being in your face. We had an issue with our table not being ready on time, and we ended up waiting 25-30 minutes past the reservation time because people weren't getting up from their table. The hostess offered us free drinks which was a nice gesture. Since we weren't in a rush we didn't mind at all and enjoyed the extra time catching up. -
Review from Dan S.
1/13/2012 2 Check-ins Here
In love. With oysters. And this bar.
Came here new year's day for oyster happy hour to learn that happy hour was in effect all night long! Score!
Les huitres!
Personally polished off 4 dozen oysters. Call it training for my next oyster eating competition.
Now usually $1 oysters end up being tired, scrawny little things, hastily shucked and of questionable quality. Not these! All excellent (had a mix of east and west coasters), not a single send back, despite going through about 10 dozen oysters as a group (apparently accounting for 20% of the restaurant's oyster consumption during this time period).
Les accoutrements!
The cocktail sauce had a hint of citrus and something else that I've forgotten but remember was quite good.
Also nice bloody mary's, have my favorite beer on tap, a yelp and foursquare check-in special unlocking a free app (the brussels sprouts, btw, were out of this world!), attentive servers, and a really warm and homey ambiance with seaside decor.
Would be hard to imagine a more perfect venue for my oyster shenanigans. Especially because there was no wait so they could begin tout de suite. -
Review from Yippy S.
Manhattan, NY
2/20/2012 1 Check-in Here
Came here for their happy hour, the bartender/server is so friendly and really shows grace under pressure. Really really nice woman.
Their west coast oysters are to die for, I normally only do east coast but I have found a new love for west coast oysters.
Their cocktail menu is great very short but all sound so yummy, both my friend and I got something - I got their sangria... perfectly made!
Their lobster mac & cheese was really good since it wasn't overly cheesy and I really enjoyed the kale..
Must try place for happy hour but be sure to get there literally by 5 or you'll be waiting forever. -
Review from Aleia K.
New York, NY
4/5/2012 2 photos
I can honestly say I had one of the best pieces of fish here, and I will remember it as long as I can - the roasted local skate..heavenly!! We also got the sampler the oyster were so good, no grittyness or slime, just perfect. I also had an oyster shot, it's like a spicy bloody mary with an oyster in it, if you never had one before. I would not recommend the lobster though - it came in our sampler and it was chewy and bland. Everything else was great. The waitress was friendly and great with the recommendations. I will be back!
-
Review from Tram N.
My baby wanted oysters. Not only that, he wanted oysters at happy hour prices. Normal happy hours end at 7pm but since we were dining on a Christmas Eve, the happy hours were extended until closing, I believe.
Don't forget to check-in, folks! Thanks to Yelp, we got a free side (order anything from the appetizer menu except for the lobster sliders). I got fries... I also ordered a bowl of clam chowder (since it was super cold out). The boyfriend ordered 3 types of oysters... though I forgot which ones he ordered, at a buck a piece (for seafood), we were happy indeed! Cheap prices and a free side? YES!!!
My guy did not like their sangria though.. his face was so cute but he did finish it and fished out the fruits at the bottom. In the end we got complimentary chocolate mousse w/ a small dollop of whipped cream which tasted very good, BTW and fortune fish teller.. now I have never seen this before but it's a piece of paper like, you put in the palm of your hand, in a few seconds, the form starts to change so depending on the "shape" or "position" of your fish.. that is your fortune, so to speak. Mine curled up completely = passionate. My guy's reading came out to: jealousy and boy do I concur. I really wish his face was red or green though.. haha.
Overall experience? AWESOME. He made me try the oysters! And we both had a good laugh during the midst of me overcoming my fear of just touching the damn shell.. the texture was weird but it honestly did taste OK.
My baby loves this place.. I'm glad he took me...
143, baby.Listed in: NYC!!!!
-
Review from Victor W.
1/30/2012 1 Check-in Here
Classy joint for seafood. The place is narrow and small with waits stretching for 30-45 minutes on weekends, but it is well worth it.
The grand platter is a great way to start the dinner. The lobster roll is also fantastic (though it's more like a burger). -
Review from Wing L.
12/21/2011 1 photo
$ 1 oysters? Oyster shooter shots? Happy Hour from 530 - 7? Come to Mermaid Oyster bar! I needed to find a place for a happy hour with co-workers who wanted a good deal and a nice place to boot. The decor of the place is intimate, cozy, warm and inviting; it does NOT have the feel of an oyster bar- it's casual yet sophisticated at the same time.
Their happy hour menu is diverse enough to please everyone's tastebuds (obviously the specialty is seafood, but there are non seafood items on the menu as well).
$1 oysters! Come on, you can't beat that! There's the $1 east coast oysters and the 1.75 west coast ones. Had a taste of both but the east coast beats the west coast. Sorry west coast, love you guys but we do it better in the East.
:: EAST SIIIIIIDE FINGERS UP::
The west coast oysters was a little too salty and gritty for my taste. A bunch of finance/accounting folks figured the extra cost was the freight needed to carry from West coast to the east. Can we put aside accounting/finance for one meal?
The east coast versions was firm and slippery at the same time; dash in some hot sauce, lemon, drink in hand, and slurp them up. Heaven. It was pure fresh sweetness with a hint of acidity. Love. So good, I nabbed 15 of these little suckers. For $1, you'd be stupid not to go crazy.
Get some oyster shots if you're a fan of some spice--think Bloody mary with a nice oyster mixed in. It wasn't too spicy but it definitely had a nice kick. Some of my co-workers even ordered 2-3 each.
Other selections we sampled were the lollipop chicken (good), lobster truffle mac and cheese (creamy and tasty- this was not considered Happy hour), calamari, etc. All the other choices were good but for happy hour, come here for the $1 oysters.
No desserts in the menu but fear not! At the end of the meal, a delicious and creamy chocolate pudding is complimentary. There's also a fortune fish that comes at the end of the meal- really cool addition that kept our co-workers laughing for a good few minutes. Won't spoil it so you guys can experience it yourself.
Next time, will come back for their monday's Lobster roll deal night. 'Cuz that's how I roll. -
Review from Priscilla R.
Bayside, NY
3/18/2012 1 Check-in Here
Dining here was reminiscent of an nautical beach house, loved the nautical theme. Oysters and little necks were perfection. We ordered the baby grand which featured east and west coast oysters, little neck clams, and tuna ceviche. The Lobster roll let me a bit down, the lobster meat was fair, however I did not really love the bun. I thought the brioche roll was a little too dry and overpowered the actual lobster. I actually had to take off the bun to really taste the lobster. I prefer Luke's or Ed's lobster roll. Overall, ambiance, drinks, and oysters were awesome.
-
Review from Nathan L.
12/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
This place has been on my yelp bookmark for quite some time as Ive wanted to try their happy hour oysters. Well, i tried it and I report only good things. We waited 45 minutes for our table to be ready but the host actually told us we could go across the street for a beer and she would call me when our table was ready. That was pretty cool.
When we were sat the east coast oysters were 1.00 and the west coast oysters were 1.75. The brussel sprouts and nuts were cooked perfectly. The kicker was we got it for free just for checking in! There aren't too many places in the city with a great oyster happy hour but this is one of them. check it out and see for yourself! -
Review from Michael W.
San Jose, CA
12/26/2011 3 Check-ins Here
Great happy hour with east coast dollar oysters! The special oyster of the day is constantly changing so you can try several over different visits without breaking the bank.
Being from California I always make it a point to get some west coast oysters to pay respects to my homeland, however I'd be just as happy enjoying the dollar east coast oysters.
Happy hour is from 5-7pm daily. -
Review from Chris V.
Montclair, NJ
3/4/2012 1 Check-in Here
Went to happy hour, and am now jumping on the bandwagon of rave reviews. Oysters and clams were fantastic, as was most everything else on the hh menu. The only complaint I had was that the lobster in the slider was a bit overdone, but the flavors were good. The lollipop chicken wings were perfect, with a classic buffalo sauce (I'm a buffalo wing purist at heart). The calamari was well-seasoned and not overly breaded, and the shrimp "corn dog" had a nice, crispy coating (maybe add a little heat to the mustard, but other than that, it was perfect.) I'd recommend coming here every day of the week...literally every day, especially since they even do happy hour on the weekends.
-
Review from Ali C.
Manhattan, NY
3/29/2012
Memorable bloody mary's and oysters. Would like to go here again.
-
Review from Louis R.
Updated - 11/17/2011
5'9, 177lbs...of 100% unadulterated muscle.
My secret:
6 Mermaid Pilsners, 45 "naked cowboy" oysters, 2 lobster sliders, 6 fish tacos, ceviche, lobster mac n cheese...served by the cutest red-lipped waitress ever.
Sitting by the bar window was money cuz you got to see people drool looking at you suck down the oysters...while waiting to get in.
My 5'4, 105lb date had wine and a salad...and was drooling looking at me tear up my meal(s) as well.
Silly chicks.1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
9/29/2011
Geezus...why did it take me so long to hit this spot up?!
5 stars - Happy Hour prices for oysters… Read more »
-
-
Review from Cecilia Z.
New York, NY
11/3/2011 1 Check-in Here
Amazing happy hour specials with equally amazing oysters and service. Excuse, "Hour and a half" as they call it, since it lasts from 5:30 to 7 pm. I've dined at Mermaid Inn in the EV a few times, so I didn't order much food here, as I also had dinner plans later that evening.
Although I was originally planning to meet with just a couple of friends here, our party grew to 7 people. Even though the restaurant is a bit narrow and the tables relatively small, the hostess had no problem joining together a few tables in the back to accommodate us comfortably. We ended up having about 50 east coast oysters (at $1 each), some mini fish tacos, a few lobster sliders, and several rounds of wine and cocktails. I really enjoyed my full glass of Pinot Gris with the luscious, fresh oysters. The dark & stormy served here is great as well, although not very strong in rum flavor. And just like the Mermaid Inn, they rounded out our mini-meal with complimentary chocolate mousse served in cute espresso cups and those fun little fish fortune tellers.
I'm glad to have discovered this place, especially since it's so close to NYU campus. This is definitely a nice change of pace from the average pub/dive bar in the neighborhood for some happy hour shenanigans.Listed in: Crème de la Crème, Find Me Here, Booze Me Up
-
Review from Camille M.
Elmhurst, NY
12/4/2011
Celebrated a birthday here two years ago, and was very disappointed.
My lobster roll was a hot mess.
Brioche is good. Brioche, needlessly slathered with additional clarified butter, is bad.
Lobster is tasty. Lobster, swimming in mayonnaise, is a gross waste.
I know many people enjoy their lobster rolls this way.
And, to that I say "To each his own.".
But, I prefer a very lightly buttered hot dog bun packed with fresh lobster meat and not much else. After I dined here, I continued my quest for the perfect lobster roll and realized I'm a Luke's girl.
My boyfriend's skate was oily. You would have thought he ordered a deep fried platter by looking at the thick layer of shiny EVOO left on his plate at the end of the meal. Perhaps Mermaid is all about unnecessary decadence, but I just didn't get it.
Best part of the meal? The complimentary chocolate pudding given to us at the end. A darling touch! -
Review from Leanna G.
3/9/2012 1 Check-in Here
We had a reservation, and managed to squeak in for the happy hour special. Fantastic oysters for a buck each is an amazing deal, my friends. The lobster sliders are also transcendent.
-
Review from Charle M.
10/17/2011
I eat out every single meal. Most of these meals consist of oysters- I'm basically subsisting on a diet of zinc and mercury at this point. And, as oysters are generally the price of a subway ride apiece, It's kind of like my own personal version of a one woman economic stimulus package. I don't really know how to cook, you see, and I only use a microwave when I feel the need to set foil on fire. So, never.
This has, as I'm sure you can guess, led to severe problems, namely EU-like levels of unaccustomed poverty. Thus, I have come to the conclusion that I should only be eating between the hours of 5pm and 7pm at Mermaid. All oysters are a dollar and wine by the glass is $6. Weekends, too.
My friend and I came here on Saturday and upon being seated, proceeded to eat a modest quantity of 6 oysters followed by a more excessive quantity of 24. God, I wish I were kidding. We also had three glasses of wine each. This was of course followed with (1) a judgy judgy look from our waiter and (2) wild and crazy antics at Wilfie and Nell. That is a different Yelp review altogether.
The cost of our 30 oysters and 6 glasses of wine? A little over $80. Not bad at all. I can still afford my other vices and really, life would be so boring without them.
Sum of story? Go for the happy hour. There are better oysters to be had elsewhere but the price/quality ratio is hard to beat in Manhattan.Listed in: The Walrus and The Carpenter
-
Review from Jarett L.
1/5/2012
My friend and I were visiting NYC recently and we were craving oysters, urbanspoon pointed us to this restaurant and I am so glad it did. It was soo good we went back for a 2nd time!
Our favorite oysters were the kumamoto, st simon and the pacific kiss.
The linguine with rock shrimp, chorizo, watercress, lemon herb butter & migas was one of my favorite entrees they serve with a side of lobster and truffle mac & cheese. DELICIOUS!
Will be back again the next time I'm in NYC. -
Review from Jenn E.
11/15/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Echoing others, the daily happy hour (5:30 - 7) is an amazing deal and with high quality food, excellent service and a cute atmosphere this place easily gets 5 stars.
Be sure to check in on Yelp as it'll net you a free side dish (everything but the lobster mac n cheese) making your meal even more economical. Oysters were amazing, especially the West Coast variety (worth the $1.75 per vs. the $1 per East Coast). Fried brussel sprouts with almonds and bacon were great with a nice mix of textures, lollipop chicken wings were super satisfying, especially with the chunks of blue cheese and cucumbers on the bottom and lobster sliders were solid (though out of everything we had the least exciting / most expensive).
Bloody Marys were strong but had a nice flavor especially for $7 and the complimentary chocolate pudding was the icing (or pudding?) on the top of an oyster/savory deliciousness cake.
2 apps (technically 3 as the lobster slides are priced per slider and we had 2) + 20 oysters + 2 Blood Marys + 1 complementary side dish = $70 plus tax. Awesome. Go back, and frequently.
