Oyster bars are a dime a dozen in New York. And, like a lot of things in this city, it takes effort to avoid the tourist traps. So, if you’re looking for great oysters in NYC, we recommend trying one of these places:
Maison Premiere
This is a pretty cool bar that has a replica of the Napoleon topped absinthe fountain from the Old Absinthe House in New Orleans. Happy hour is typically packed with 24 varieties of oysters for $1 and the cocktails are really delicious. It’s a true tribute to old-fashioned oyster houses with five star ratings.
Mermaid Oyster Bar & The Mermaid Inn
With three locations in Manhattan alone, they’re still quite good. Because they believe that “the flavor of oysters changes often based on weather, region, and method of cultivation,” they created the Oysterpedia app to help assist patrons in ordering from their ample selection.
Aqua Grill
Named ‘Best Raw Bar’ in NYC by Zagat; you only want to dine at a raw bar that’s considered to have the freshest selection in New York, like this one is. The entire menu is outstanding and it’s a place where running into celebrities like Amy Poehler isn’t uncommon.
John Dory Oyster Bar
Located inside the historic, turn-of-the-century Ace Hotel with an incredible view of the city. Chosen by Zagat for being the best oyster bar closest to the Empire State Building in 2015. It’s an authentic oyster bar with a cool, bright interior and two bars: one for drinking cocktails and another for watching them shuck your oysters while you wait.
Grand Central Oyster Bar
The Huffpost recently named them one of the ‘Best Oyster Bars in America.’ Opening its doors in 1913, not only is it one of the oldest oyster bars in America, this place knows what people want when it comes to bivalves, serving around 2 million annually.
Story by Jessika Brown © Fashion IQ 2015