The Mermaid Inn

If you’re looking for great oysters at a great price in NYC, look no further. Mermaid Inn has awesome happy hour deals at great times (all day Monday, 5−7pm Tuesday to Friday and 4−7pm Saturday/​Sunday).
Personally (if going with one other person), I would recommend splitting a lobster roll and getting oysters. The snack (crackers with butter) that they serve before the food comes out and the complimentary dessert are both A+ as well.
You’re missing out if you’ve never made a trip to Mermaid Inn. Plain and simple.

Very interesting that they moved from next door and it still feels homey and warm and very comfortable. The service is great as is the food.

AMAZING! One word… amazing.
95% of the restaurants I go to overcook fish, even when I request rare. Mermaid Inn… perfection. The salmon was pan seared, with a nice crisp on the outside and just right on the inside.

Great casual
Place with wonderful lobster roll. Oysters and more and warm friendly service. We will be back for sure.

Excellent food and excellent service.
If you want an incredible experience and meal look no further.
The oysters and tuna crudo are amazing. The entrees are also great, especially the pork chop, which you wouldnt expect at a seafood restaurant.
a MUST GO TO!

Happy hour oysters are only a buck each. And they were delicious with mignionette and cocktail sauces. Come early and get some. Happy hour cocktails weren’t too shabby themselves. Ordered more appetizers (mussels, calimari salad, wedge salad) than entrees (schnitzel). Good food here.
The décor and ambiance are comfortable. And the service was professional and performed with a smile.
One of the better seafood dinners I’ve had. No hesitation in giving five stars.

I’ve only come to the Mermaid Inn for happy hour so that’s what this review is for.
The calamari is decent and the chowder is well seasoned. My issue is that it gets a bit pricey without having any real reason to up the numbers. The service is nice and it’s especially refreshing to have space to move around with their new expansion.
An okay place to stop by for happy hour!

I’d give it 4.2 or 3 if I could.
From the moment of reception the attitude was pleasant and welcoming, and the restaurant was tolerant of our party’s partial delayed arrival due to parking issues.
Our server was friendly and professional and went the extra mile. Bloody Marys were pleasantly spicy, (could of have been bigger) and there were no complaints abut the bellini.
Our selection of East Coast oysters were crisp and cold, the cowboys were the best. The soda bread is of good quality,
I thought that my shrimp and grits didn’t quite cut it. A bit more scallion, a bit more sausage and a bit more spice. The grits had the proper texture. Tuna nicoise salad worked well. My son and daughter shared a benedict and a lobster roll and enjoyed both. The lobster roll seemed pricey, but it does come with an abundance of Old Bay seasoned fries.
A well run, professional and ultimately satisfying restaurant.

They have the best lobster sandwich and big choice of oysters. But it’s always line to take a seat so it’s better to make a reservation before.

We ate there for the first time last night.
All I can say is WoW!!! What a find RESTERANT
Service was great! Food was Fantastic!
The Salmon dish was the best i have ever had.

Was just in last night and can’t say enough about how amazing this spot is. Chef Mike Cressotti is a true pro, absolutely one of the best in the business. The octopus is perfectly prepared with subtle undertones and a tangy bite that are unlike anything I’ve ever had. The crab cake is perfectly seared and contains mostly crab — nob reading to weigh down amazing taste on a bed of deliciousness. The lobster roll is the best I’ve ever had outside of Maine, and in a refreshing twist, stands alone with a spicy kick that allows it to be different from every beach side lobster joint and become something cosmopolitan yet familiar. Everything I had was out of this world and a new best version of dishes I’ve loved since a seafood filled childhood.
The oater selection and preparation is enough to impress any raw bar snob, with delicious and obscure picks that are varied enough for a real tasting menu experience. Expertly prepared and carefully presented, anything off the raw menu is going to floor you. Just do it.
The service was impeccable, from the minute I walked in. The hosts made me feel like an old friend and the servers were quick to tend to any need with a smile on their face. Waiters wandered off their own tables to clear plates and refill waters so we never had to wait. I felt leaving like I wanted to hug everyone in the joint besides tipping them. It’s a true family atmosphere and really made the evening special.
If you aren’t sure this place lives up to the hype– stop wondering and just try it. This restaurant is everything I was told and more. A truly outstanding experience I can’t wait to have again.

This place is spacious and well laid out. The hostess was friendly and helpful. We were seated pretty quickly (reservations available) which is hard to find for brunch in a sunday. But i suppose being way uptown helps. It took a bit to order but once we did it came quickly. I had a cast iron frittata which had bacon, broccoli and cheese it was decent. The pancakes were fluffy but a little grainy. My friend seemed pleased with her french toast. Well priced and overall a good spot.

Amazing brunch! Wait was about 30 — 45 minutes on a Sunday — Let’s be real that’s pretty legit for Sunday! Another place wanted us to wait 2 hours! They take down your number so you can walk around or have a drink somewhere until your tables ready.
We were kind of seated in a cramped table for 5 people. For drinks — The Mermaid Mary’s were just ok — could really use help on making a better bloody. I recommend the harvest sangria instead. You can definitely taste fall in a cup!
Food —
For the starter we all shared the Baby Grand Platter and this includes 6 clams, 6 oysters & Tuna Crudo (pretty much avocado, fresh ahi tuna and squeezed lime) — AMAZING. If you can come during happy hour I think it’s like $ 1 an oyster. Fresh and meaty!
My friend had the lobster roll, which indeed, was pretty good. The toast was buttery just as it should be, the lobster fresh and plentiful and came with seasoned fries. $ 28 kinda pricey but kind of worth it.
I got the New England corned beef bake — also very good. Came in an iron skillet with potatoes kale and cheddar mixed and two eggs to top it — runny and perfect.
My other friend had the Cast Iron Frittata– pretty good. But not as good as the rest of the items we had.
Please, please, PLEASEEEE get the smoked Gouda Mac & cheese side. It will NOT disappoint! There’s even bacon and kale in it. Amazingly creamy and melted in your mouth.

There’s a small but good selection of oysters here, and the grilled brook trout with roasted cauliflower, tomato, capers, ricotta salata & lemon oil is delicious. Decent portion size and the fish is grilled almost to perfection — flaky but tender, and the skin is slightly crisp, but a little more grilling would offer a greater mouth feel. Flavor is mild enough for those who fear fishy fish too.
The great thing about this seafood resto is that the flavor of the fish and crustaceans are allowed to shine; none of the items we ordered were over-​seasoned or sauced (though be forewarned, the grilled octopus is spicy!).
The free chocolate pudding and the cute plastic «dancing fish» fortune teller is hilarious, entertains kids and adults alike. Choose a table by a wall with lamps during prime dinner time hours, for better ambiance and to better hear your partner over the buzz. Sweet little mid-​scale seafood dining experience — highly recommended!

This is one of the few places I go back and forth between 3 and 4 stars and here is why.
I have now been here a few times with friends and I think our experience here has been mixed with some of the servers being great and relaxed and others like my last time there who were basically so annoying and insistent about asking us if we wanted to order more of things that my friend and I decided to leave quickly.
And I think the up and down really applies to the cocktails during happy hour too. Some of the wine my friends and I have tried is good others not. As for the cocktails do yourself a favor and get the gone with the gin. It is all kinds of perfect. The hot and dirty is definitely an avoid for me. SO spicy and it really just tastes like spice and straight alcohol not great.
That said, come here to fill the oyster void. Every time I have come the oysters have been cheap and delicious so they win in my book for that.

FOOD: sadly my trout grill marks were burnt and gave a bitter burnt taste to the entire entrée. The cauliflower on top was good though. The spaghetti was garlic style and nice they were able to split it in two plates to share in our group. Oysters and clams were good, but too bad we missed their happy hour $ 1 oysters that ended at 7pm. Shrimp was HUGE like on steroids. Seared calamari was good especially not being fried they were mixed in a salad and a nice light flavor. The best part of the meal for me was the complimentary chocolate pudding that came in cute little white mugs with a handle. Fish fortune teller plastic strip for fun similar to a Chinese fortune cookie.
INSIDE: Bathrooms are nice! Unisex where each toilet has its own enclosed room. No door just walk in to where the sinks are. Fancy inside more upscale not a seafood shack that’s for sure. Bar area too with more dining in the back and to the right. Apparently this is a new location next to their previous location, which looks empty now. Darker lighting here.
OVERALL: Seems like a good place for oysters, clams, lobster, but my trout was not good so I’m sorry my rating is just three stars for A OK. Service was fine no complaints there.

Nice place to have happy hour oysters. The rest of the happy hour food is OK but your best bet would be to order oysters then entrees from the regular menu. The staff is friendly and the food was good. The restaurant gets packed at happy hour so get there early or make a reservation.

This place is amazing! The food, the vibe, the food, the food, the service, the management. Come here, come all.
Try the octopus. Spicy.
Delicious delightful and damn awesome.
Cocktails are great!!!

I came here with my family a couple years ago for my birthday brunch. We had been having difficulty selecting a place because a lot of the restaurants in the area did not take reservations, but I believe this was one of the places that did. We had a fairly large group and they were able to accommodate us comfortably, so I definitely recommend it for groups and it is kid friendly as well.
The food was excellent. I remember having the lobster eggs benedict and loving it. I liked the atmosphere, service was good, and the prices were very reasonable. I highly recommend coming here, especially for brunch.

Me gusta el Happy hour y la atmósfera la comida los vinos siempre tienen una selección buena de vinos

You can’t beat $ 1/​oysters during Happy Hour! Make sure you call for reservations!
We came on a Friday evening for Happy Hour and started off with a dark & stormy which consisted of dark rum, ginger beer and lime. It was a light and refreshing beverage. My cousins and I shared 2 dozen oysters ($ 1/​ea), calamari ($ 7), mini cup of soup ($ 3.50) and warm brussel sprout salad ($ 12).
I never cared for oysters but that day, I had more than my share of oysters. They were fresh and didn’t taste fishy. With a squeeze of lemon and some tabasco sauce, the oysters were addicting! The calamari weren’t too oily or rubbery. It had a good amount of breading. The brussel sprouts were just okay to me and I didn’t try the soup since it look like it was a shot of soup rather than a cup of soup. Next time I come, I’ll be sure to order more seafood.

Lovely time here on the Upper West Side! Heard so many things about their happy hour, especially from my co-​workers who raved about the fish tacos, shrimp sliders, and shrimp corndog. Unfortunately no corndog at this location but the mini fish taco ($ 3) was suuper crunchy and i loved the sauce. Kinda small for the price but look at the dollar sign level, yknow?
Happy Hour oysters were small but really tasty. They cleverly wrap a lemon in cheesecloth so you don’t get seeds when you squeeze! Brilliant little touch, but I wish they had cleaned the oyster shells more thoroughly as they were chipping when i went in to slurp.
My friend ordered the Fish Tacos entrée and I got the Garlic Spaghetti (without shrimp, $ 18), both of which were fantastic. The fish tacos were wrapped in my favorite corn tortillas, topped with purple cabbage, and were made with good fish. Wish they had upped their slaw game a little for more crunch and sour bite, but still a veritably good choice.
The pasta was actually the star of the night however. Light olive oil, crisp breadcrumbs, and lovely multicolored cherry tomatoes to add some brightness. Executed wonderfully.
The seating was cramped and the outdoor table I was placed at was sitting atop the basement access door so our table rattled every time I positioned myself. If I had sat anywhere else, it would have a been a perfect evening.
They really go out of their way to give you a full experience, ending the evening with a complimentary chocolate pots de crème and a plastic fortune-​telling fish to giggle over. Want to come back for dollar dollar oysters again!

I can’t say that my most recent experience at The Mermaid Inn wowed me. I’ve been there before several times and was not impressed at all by my visit there last night.
Firstly we ordered the panzanella vegetable salad, which wasn’t a true panzanella. I expected lots of chunks of cornbread croutons but we got six paltry squares. The salad was ok, I wasn’t crazy about it overall.
Then we waited (and waited) for our entrees. Finally, the waiter came to us but instead of our food, he handed us our check and our two complimentary chocolate puddings. We explained that we hadn’t received our entrees yet and then proceeded to wait 15 more minutes for our entrees. Bizarre.
My fish tacos were fine. Compared to previous times I’ve had it, the fish portion was small and thin, but overall it was good. The chocolate pudding was nice.
Overall, it was a mediocre experience both service and foodwise. I probably won’t return, there are much better seafood places to experience.