The Mermaid Inn
Seafood restaurant · Chelsea
227 10th Ave, New York, NY 10011
Highlights
Lobster rolls, $1.50 oysters, and $10 cocktails daily
Lobster rolls, $1.50 oysters, and $10 cocktails daily
"At this point, The Mermaid Inn is pretty much synonymous with solid, not trying-too-hard first date spot. There are lots of small plate options, plenty of drinks to choose from, and a happy hour deal that means you can afford to get a few of both. But take our word for it: you probably don’t look as good eating an oyster as you think you do." - Marisa Dunn
"The Deal: $2 “Chef’s Choice” Oysters You should get to the Mermaid Inn happy hour early. If it’s a nice day out, their Cape Cod cottage-themed dining room will get more and more crowded until it spills out through the French doors and becomes impossible to tell the difference between the dining room, patio, and the street. But that’s OK, because you did the planning. You sat down at 4:30pm, and you’re already on your third round of oysters from one of the most reliable seafood restaurants in Manhattan. Pair them with a hot sauce martini to mirror the cocktail sauce that’s dousing your oysters." - willa moore, neha talreja, will hartman, sonal shah
"The fact that The Mermaid Inn’s UWS location is just a seven-minute walk from the northwest tip of Central Park feels like divine intervention. If restaurants were deities, Mermaid Inn would be some kind of all-knowing, all-loving, being that could make all your wildest seafood and alcohol dreams come true. In addition to oysters, lobster rolls, and crab cakes, this seafood spot offers to-go drinks like margaritas to martinis every day." - nikko duren
"The lobster meat is, of course, the most important part of a lobster roll. But at Mermaid Inn in Chelsea, butter is also key. Their buttery brioche bun at this classic oyster happy hour spot is well-toasted and finished off with a generous pour of melted butter, resulting in something like a big, semi-soft crouton. Inside, there’s fresh, tender lobster meat mixed with minimal mayo, relatively big slices of celery, and a blend of salt, pepper, paprika, and onion powder. The fries on the side are a big draw too—like slightly well-done McDonald's fries, but with Old Bay seasoning." - willa moore, bryan kim, molly fitzpatrick, sonal shah
"If you’re in the mood for oysters, lobster rolls, and cocktails, firstly we want you to know that’s a very reasonable mood to be in. Secondly, you can head to Mermaid Inn’s sidewalk patio for weekend brunch, as well as daily dinner and Happy Hour." - hannah albertine
