Mermaid Oyster Bar

Wow — now I know where to be on a Monday night! I Unilocaled for the best HH on a Monday and this was one of the choices that popped up. When I arrived around 6, it was already packed, so I’d recommend a reservation. My friend and I waited about 20 minutes for a table. During the wait, more people popped in asking to be placed on the wait list for the next available table, making me thankful that I got there earlier.
As per the menu, we stuck to the Happy Hour items, and everything we’ve had was enjoyable:
— Oysters: I tried all oysters and they were all fresh. My favorites were the fried oyster, Kusshi and Point Lookout.
— Clam Chowder: My friend thought the clam chowder was average.
— Fish tacos and shrimp cornball were surprisingly good (for me as I’ve never enjoyed them at any other place before)
— Shrimp and avocado slider was all right but my friend loved it; it was her favorite of the night.
— Chocolate pudding: free but rich!
The happy hour is comparable to a good, seafood-​tapas-​like experience that gets this place packed even on a Monday night. Next time I’ll try their regular menu.

Had dinner here the other night with friends. The service was great. Everyone was really warm and welcoming. Happy hour is a steal! Would definitely come back for that. They seated us even though my friend did not arrive on time (she went to the east village location by accident!). I ordered the spaghetti with salad on top. Lots of seafood, and perfectly seasoned. I enjoyed the cocktail and wine I tried as well. My other friend had the lobster roll and really liked it. Lots of lobster. I tried some of her old bay fries and they hit the spot. Would definitely love to return.

Always on the hunt for the best seafood restaurants in NYC that won’t break the bank. Mermaid is in the running (Aquagrill isn’t). Here’s the rundown:
— Calamari Salad (A)
— Fries (A)
— Tuna Crudo (A)
— Tuna Tartare Tacos (A)
— Lobster Knuckles (A-​)
— Brussels Sprouts (B+)
— Octopus (B)
— Happy Hour oysters — complete garbage

Lovely in every way. My boyfriend and I came here for Valentine’s Day. We sat by the bar as we waited for our table. The bartender was awesome and took good care of us. I was drinking the Chardonnay and it was delicious. The oysters were soooo good. The mignonette and cocktail sauces were amazing, even the crackers they gave you were tasty.
We took our seats our waiter Jake was super nice and friendly. I didn’t like how we were seated by the kitchen, they really should remove that seating entirely. Nonetheless we had a great experience. The lobster knuckles «escargot style» were super yummy. The garlic sauce they came in tasted fresh and light. I ordered the salmon over soba noodles. I liked my meal but wish it had more to it. It was a bit too healthy tasting. The actual fish was delicious! I kept seeing these oyster shooters going around so I had to try one, it was fun, I love oyster shooters, but boyfriend did not partake lol.
They give you complimentary chocolate mousse and a fortune telling fish post dinner. I love stuff like this. Overall I had a great time!

Wandering around the city, we came across Mermaid Inn & Oyster Bar during their happy hour, and we were glad! Entering, there is a small room containing a bar and some tables, but there’s a larger room in the back and we were able to be seated– taking one of the last tables. Warning, it gets crowded during happy hour! Chef’s choice $ 1 Oysters definitely draw a crowd and I was pleasantly surpised at the size and quality of the Oysters for such a great price! Happy hour coctails are $ 8 (regularly $ 12), although my drink tasted like juice and was mostly ice. I spoke to the waitress about my drink, but was told that is how it was served. She was pretty rude to me about it and her friendly demeanor than changed and she wasn’t very pleasant the rest of our time there. My husband ordered a gin drink and enjoyed it– no complaints about light on his alcohol. The tuna tartar taco ($ 3) was pretty tasty, and the wonton shell went well with the cold and soft tuna. A nice compliment was the complimentary chocolate mousse at the end of our meal, nice and sweet, and a little creamy. If our service was better, I would have rated it higher because it was pretty decent for a happy hour.

I met a friend at the Mermaid Oyster Bar on MacDougal for their Happy Hour. Oysters are 1.00 each, wine is 7 a glass, cocktails are 9. We had a dozen oysters but we also ordered their oyster appetizer for two, which consisted of 2 oysters ceviche, 4 oyster tacos and 4 oysters Rockefeller. All of it was absolutely delicious! I had a glass of sparkling wine, he had 3. Yes, it was that serious a night, haha. We also ordered some fried oysters to top off the evening. After dinner the place serves a little chocolate pudding cup to every diner. Too cute and definitely not bad.
Service was beyond excellent. I really give our server credit.
Non-​happy hour prices are high but the food is good. Happy Hour runs all night long on Mondays, and is 5 – 7 other nights. If you’re in the Village some night you might want to stop in & enjoy.

So you cannot beat this happy hour. All cocktails are $ 8 and for a maritini that’s nearly free in my book. I got the ‘hot & dirty’ martini which is vodka, olive juice, peppadew & hot sauce. It wasn’t too spicy at all. One thing to note is you can only do their house vodka for the HH special. The white wine special is also Chardonnay which is a bummer because who likes Chardonnay? Not I.
I also don’t like oysters so I ordered the kale caesar salad thinking it’d be a nice light entrée (comes with capers, shaved parmesan & lemon dressing) but it’s actually huge! Still really delicious. We shared the gouda mac & cheese… bomb. The ambiance of this restaurant is really cute, too. And in a great location. The service was spot on and the waiter made sure to give us a heads up when HH would be ending and rushed in our drink orders because, hello… $ 8 martinis. Oh and complimentary pudding for dessert! I will be back for sure.

I make it a point to visit this spot every NYC trip I take! Phenomenal oyster HH and clam chowder that will blow your mind. I would highly recommend the unexpected Hot & dirty; a classic dirty martini with some bright heat!

I really wanted to like this place. Seriously.
Bread sticks? ¹⁰⁄₁₀
Crunchy, thin wafer bread stick things. Deliciously seasoned.
Butter: ⁹⁄₁₀
Simply because they’re individually potted, not the tiny peel back butter things. Lifeprotip: the candle is perfect for heating butter on the butter knife
Cocktail: jalapeño spiced cocktail thing ⁵⁄₁₀
This has to be the weirdest cocktail I have ever ordered. I probably should stop being hasty on the drink order.
Oysters: ³⁄₁₀
These are the smallest, tiniest oysters I’ve ever had!!! Even for $ 1 oysters, especially for chesapeake bay! Cocktail sauce was lacking, should use a higher quality one…
Mini Fish taco: ⁵⁄₁₀?
They were not kidding on the Mini part. One bite.
Cajun Fries: ⁵⁄₁₀
Too thin shoe string, way too lightly seasoned
Pudding: ¹⁰⁄₁₀
Chocolatey, perfect thickness and delicious.
Service: ¹⁰⁄₁₀
Phenomenal server, pretty accommodating where she can be. Except they can’t seat me where I wanted: side warning they have no wifi and if you have T-​mobile, there’s no service in the back.
Why are your complimentary things better than your charge items?! I didn’t stay for dinner, money better spent elsewhere also, people who did had plates the size of my palm so… yeah.

Went here on a Monday night, and will be returning. The $ 1 oysters were great! Not the biggest fan of the clams, but that could just be me, but the oysters are a must order. Make sure to try their Shrimp Corndog too (must have).
The ambience, charm, and service was impeccable.

The Mermaid Oyster Bar is a casual restaurant in the West Village where the big draw is their daily $ 1 oyster Happy Hour. Their chef picks an oyster off the menu and it’s yours for a bargain – the day we went those oysters were listed on the menu at $ 2.75 per. They also have small and large dishes of seafood and meats that you can have as an entrée or share. Best of all, maybe, you can reserve on OpenTable, which eliminates the waits you have at most oyster bars of this kind. The décor is sort of Nantucket casual with plenty of white painted wood paneling.
We showed up at 5:30 pm on a Saturday after making a reservation earlier in the day and were seated immediately. We proceeded to enjoy 3 dozen oysters, a couple of small plates and a bottle of wine. The oysters were fresh and at a dollar per, one of the great bargains in NYC. Once you order everything else though the bill does add up – total tab was around $ 120. Service was excellent and the food came out fast, even though we ordered our oysters a dozen at a time.

Cute beach décor with lit candles to add to the ambiance. Stopped by for $ 1 happy hour oysters. Gave other items on the bar menu a shot — fried calamari, fried oysters, fish tacos and crab sliders. Some were better than others but overall all a good sampling. Service was superb — super friendly staff, prompt and attentive.
Oh — one last thing — love the cracker basket.

I’m not an Oyster fan, if you’re not either, do not fret! There are plenty of other great options on the menu.
First of all though, this place is so warm, inviting and just adorable. I honestly just enjoyed being here for the ambiance. The service was impeccable, on point to say the least. What they do here, they do very well, every aspect seems methodically thought out and they have a perfect theme throughout the restaurant, menu and entire experience.
All of the food was delicious, we opted to choose a selection of smaller dishes so we could taste a variety. On top of this we had complimentary bread stick, cracker type things with butter, very tasty! And at the end of the meal we were given the signature Chocolate Dessert in a tiny mug and a Fortune Fish, very cute way to finish up the meal. I cannot wait to go back!

This is my favourite oyster happy hour so far. I’ve been once with the boy, but like four times alone cause I love it so much. What can I say, Dollar oysters and clams that are unbelievably fresh and perfectly shucked. Meaty-​worth-​it clams and oysters too.
They take care and pride in their work and I can tell, since they give you a lemon in a mesh bag to prevent any seeds from coming out– obviously they care.
Cocktails are delicious and strong and make me extremely happy especially cause they have fun names.
They end the meal with a little complimentary pot de chocolat which is actually a perfect size and taste to end a meal. After lots of fishy seafood, some sweet makes me all kissable again.
I have come time and time again, and I absolutely love this place.
Still, the line to get in is long enough, so do me a favor and don’t go. I want to get in before happy hour is out.

I came here w/​my girlfriend for some gossip and happy hour munchies.
Place was pretty small and tight upon arrival. However if you get there prior to 6:3ish there are actually opened seats for a walk ins. It gets busy onwards. A long narrow restaurant but in the back where the restrooms are located. Surprisingly, there actually additional seatings in a back. It seemed more secluded and calmer versus being seating in front section.
We order dozens and dozens of oysters. They were by far the FRESHEST oyster we’ve had.
** I would stay away from the FRIED CLAM SLIDERS ** Huge Disappointment
— It felt like I was just eating fried batter –_​_​_​_​_​_​–
Dessert was a chocolate pudding w/​a fish fortune teller, so cute. Even though we couldn’t figure out how to read our fish fortune teller. Instead of opening the bag and pulling the red fish out to place it on our palms. We ended up placing the whole thing onto and our palms wondering why nothing is happening. Until one of the waiters came by to to us.
Overall a great dining experience & I would definitely come back.

I came to Mermaid Oyster Bar for two reasons– I had downloaded their oyster app (seriously– a great resource for oyster lovers and so I had heard of the place), and to celebrate my first marathon (I love you NYC).
From the moment we walked in the door we were treated like family. My parents, my best girlfriend and I all loved this place. My dad got the NE clam chowder, my mom got the fritters, my friend got the lobsterpalooza, and I got the lobster roll and Gouda Mac and cheese. We shared plates and it was all just perfect– great flavors, seasoning, etc.
I love a good lobster roll and Mermaid’s did not disappoint. The lobster was tender, lots of big chunks of meat, with a little bit of mayo and a buttered bun that was divine. We also got a half dozen oysters. They were chilled perfectly, cold, and just how oysters should taste– slightly briny and sweet.
After a long day Mermaids was inviting, mellow, and not once did we feel rushed. Our waiter sealed the deal with chocolate pots de crème and a sweet little fortune fish.
If I lived nearby Mermaids would be my go-​to restaurant, especially with their oyster happy hour ($ 1 oysters!!).

Hubby and I decided to head to the city to go to the Halloween parade … After the parade was over it was mayhem in the streets… Streets were blocked off for cars and people … So maneuvering around to make to our car was literally impossible…
Anyways, being that the streets were blocked off and it felt like we were inside a can of sardines assimilating a maze… We decided to just look for a place to get some good food and a drink … Every restaurant was full including the mermaid but we decided to go in because it was the only place that served raw oysters…
When we walked in it was amazing, everyone was dressed in costumes and in a surprisingly good mood to be a Saturday night 30 minutes before closing…
Service was great !!!
Appetizers we ordered oysters and fish ceviche, delicious and fresh…
Entrée… I ordered fish tacos a little pricey for 3 tacos ($ 25 to be exact) but hey I don’t mind paying if it’s worth it and the atmosphere is right…
Hubby ordered flank steak w onion rings and au potato gratin… Ughhhhh he’s food was so scrumptious I was mad and jealous that I ordered tacos… Don’t get me wrong the tacos weren’t bad but that steak was to die for…
Service was great…
At the end of our meal the bartender came up to us asked us how was our meal and drinks… I was astonished because never has a bartender left the bar to attend to us and ask how was our meal?
Did I say service was great?
And to top it off, the bartender gave us free delicious chocolate pudding… Love this place…

Monday’s are happy hour all day!!!
The oysters were only $ 1 each, couldn’t get enough. Fish tacos were $ 3 and delicious. Food was awesome and atmosphere was cool and vibrant.
Only downside was that their hot water was like bath water… I asked for extra hot the second time and they said it was as hot as it could get… That was really bizarre to me…

I love mermaids and I love oysters, so naturally I’ve been wanting to try out Mermaid Oyster Bar for a long time! There are a few seats outside of the restaurant, but when you enter Mermaid Oyster Bar the ambiance was charming, relaxing and gives you the feel of being near the beach.
Mermaid Oyster Bar is known for their 7 day a week Happy Hour… yes 7 DAYS A WEEK! Unfortunately I missed Happy Hour, but will definitely make it a point to return on a Monday when Mermaid Oyster Bar has their ALL DAY HAPPY HOUR. Oysters are $ 1.00 each during Happy Hour, as opposed to their normal price of $ 2.50 — $ 3.50. Mermaid Oyster Bar has mostly East Coast Oysters, however they do offer West Coast Oysters, as well. The oysters are fresh and absolutely delicious!
I was excited to try the mermaid fish tacos which came with three nice sized tacos for $ 23.00. These tacos consisted of beer battered fish, red cabbage, jalapeños and pico de gallo in a soft shell taco! I decided to remove the jalapeños, but it was absolutely delicious from start to finish! I also ordered the smoked gouda mac and cheese which was extremely flavourful with the perfect amount of cheese infused with the macaroni. Each bite got better and before I knew it, we were completely done with the mac and cheese. My BF ordered the charred Portuguese octopus with apples and hot cherry peppers which also tasted delicious. I must say, the food was solid at Mermaid Oyster Bar and our server including the other servers were very attentive.
Towards the end of the meal they give you a sweet treat and a fortune teller fish. Unfortunately, mines didn’t come with a fish inside the fortune teller packet which sucked, but besides that, I had a great experience at MOB. I will be returning in the near future, as I am STILL dreaming about those fish tacos!

My friends and I decided to come here to catch up and take advantage of happy hour here today. We arrived at 6 and thank goodness we made a reservation in advanced, or else we would’ve had to crowd up in front of the restaurant and wait a long time for an available table.
Once we were seated toward the back, our courteous waiter explained what the restaurant offers and the specials. We decided to settle for 40 oysters, 10 clams, a shrimp pasta dish, Mac and cheese and 2 fish tacos. The oysters were fresh and clean and went well with the sauces provided. So were the clams. They both were devoured instantly. The fish tacos were a bit on the spicy side but tolerable. They were also fresh but a tad bit small. Not bad though. Just be sure to order the big tacos or else you’ll get tacos that you can finish in literally one bite. The Mac and cheese was delish and the hint of bacon definitely added a little zing to it. The pasta dish was also great.
Overall, I definitely come back here. Service, ambiance and vibe were all on point. There was even a complementary chocolate mousse provided at the end.

I love this place, though quite cozy and loud, the food and service are on point.
Vibing to the 90’s R&B music that they were playing led me to begin my night with a yummy oyster shooter. We began with two ceviches, one with salmon and the other with yellow fin tuna.YuM.
Next we order half dozen of Blue Island east coast oyster which were fresh, super clean and delicious. We followed that with the mini tuna tartar tacos which were sooooo good! We ordered a side of fries that were OK, i think they had some paprika, which i am not a fan of. Service was great and with the check we received a complimentary chocolate mousse. score. Check out this little gem and if you need to wait for a table, do it.

The Quick: Inviting, beachy décor, killer drinks, amazing seafood, topped off with a great happy hour special.
The Details: I love this spot for food, drinks, and good vibe. The walls are filled with adorable beachy framed photos and cute sayings. The $ 8 happy hour cocktails are incredible– including Bloody Mary’s.
There are great food specials on the HH menu, including $ 1 oysters. The fried oysters (~$ 3/​each) are one of the most delicious things I’ve had in a while. They come with a thick balsamic like sauce; Such a treat.
Overall, a charming lively spot. Can’t wait to return.
The Damage: $ 42 (including tip) each for drinks and multiple apps. We were pleasantly stuffed.

Came here with a couple friends for happy hour. Being a poor college student, I thought the restaurant was too bougie for my tastes. Then again, it’s pretty hard to enjoy any restaurant when you’re earning ten dollars an hour. I definitely want to go back one day. If I win the lottery or something!
Dollar oysters are great. Three dollar fish tacos half the size of your palm are not. The best part, however, is the free fudge you get at the end of your meal. The rich flavor and creamy texture were only complemented by the fact that I didn’t have to pay for it.
You also get this fortune teller fish at the end. That’s pretty cool. Basically YOU GET ALL THE FREE STUFF
Service was great, but he did seem annoyed that we didn’t order anything other than appetizers, which I totally understand. I mean, chances are that you’re only there because all your friends were posting Instagram pics about it.

Happy Hour 7 days a week? Sign me up!
That alone already makes me like Mermaid Oyster bar.
A quick note on the $ 1 oysters, it’s all random but they’re usually from the East Coast. Don’t bother reading the menu about it because it changes by the hour. I got Cheseapeake oysters while I was there but when I was leaving I overheard another table being given Wellfleet oysters.
Stick to the raw items, they’re more bang for buck. I had their cooked items from the happy hour menu such as fried oyster, taco, shrimp slider, clam slider and corn dog. None of it excited me. It’s more worth it to just get oysters instead. The clam slider tasted like fried calamari for me. The fried oyster was eh, wasn’t that great. Not to mention all of these items were in really small portions. The shrimp slider was a bit better compared to the rest but still not as good as the raw oysters.
The chocolate pudding at the end was a nice surprise to end the meal, plus the fortune fish made it even better!
Even though I wasn’t a big fan of the cooked items I’m still giving it 4 stars because its 1 dollar oysters! E-​V-​E-​R-​Y-​D-​A-​Y!