Summer calls for delicious raw seafood, so (raw) bar hop around New York City and treat yourself to the most extravagant seafood on the island.
See Also: The 8 Most Decadent Seafood Towers In NYC
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89 South St. / 212.838.1200 / Website
There’s nothing quite like a raw bar with a waterfront view, and the Fulton is undoubtedly one of our favorite spots to indulge. Seafood platters, crudo, shrimp cocktails, sashimi, clams, oysters and caviar await, and you really can’t go wrong with any of the selections. We recommend bringing friends so you can share multiple plates.
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298 Bedford Ave., Brooklyn / 347.889.5710 / Website
Brooklyn’s most-celebrated oyster bar is the premier(e) of all things seafood. This melt-in-your-mouth raw bar is totally worth the Uber bill from Manhattan to Brooklyn. You can’t go wrong with any of the crudo, from Yellowtail to fluke and scallops, before moving on to caviar service and, of course, plenty of oysters to go around.
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155 Grand St. / 212.343.3236 / Website
Ed, we would like to personally thank you from the bottom of our hearts for creating a beachy lobster shack that transports us straight from downtown Manhattan to salty shores out East. The atmosphere is super casual and laid-back, but the food tastes—and is—expensive. If you ask us, it’s illegal to come here and not get the Maine lobster rolls, the tuna tartare and the oyster shooters.
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142 Mercer St. / 212.431.7676 / Website
The name of this yacht-like seafood restaurant says it all, as this hot spot is home to an extensive menu of raw bar offerings that are sure to lure you in like a siren call. Not only is the raw bar out of this world, but the world-class sushi selection is absolutely delightful. We highly recommend the grand shellfish plateaux, which comes with 12 oysters, eight clams, eight crab claws, Alaskan king crab, lobster, scallop crudo, tuna tartare, mussels and seafood salad.
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89 Macdougal St. / 212.260.0100 / Website
Calling all Mermaid Inn Lovers! The critically-acclaimed seafood joint has an even better oyster bar in Greenwich Village. Rest assured, you never have to go on a Caribbean vacation again, because the world’s most delicious raw bar is located in your backyard. The downtown eatery offers mouthwatering tuna crudo, jump shrimp, clams, ceviche, and of course, oysters. You’ll probably want seconds, thirds and maybe fourths, so be sure to come hungry.
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172 Waverly Place / Website
Don’t get us wrong, we love the bagel platter for two, but we’re in it for the raw bar. The West Village’s honorary hungover spot serves some of the best seafood in downtown Manhattan. The raw bar’s extensive menu features multiple varieties of oysters, a shrimp cocktail, a 1/2 lb of king crab legs, littleneck clams, smoked mussels and lobster salad.
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Pier 25 Hudson River Park / 212.660.6312 / Website
Most people come here for Instagrammable views, but we come here for the salty oysters and cold, crisp rosé. The oyster selection is extensive, including choices from near and far, such as British Columbia and Moriches Bay. If you’re here for a good time and a long time, order the Grand Banks Pan-American oyster experience with every type of oyster imaginable.
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80 Spring St. / 212.965.1414 / Website
We don’t typically associate French cuisine with a raw bar, but New York City’s most-coveted French bistro is home to some truly delicious raw bar selections. Just because Balthazar doesn’t refer to their sky-high seafood tower as a raw bar doesn’t mean it can't compete with the city's best. The lobster tails, clams, shrimp and oysters are so fresh they taste like you’re eating them while underwater.
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1 Delancey St. / 646.450.2557 / Website
Nowadays, you’ve probably heard of Sel Rrose thanks to its outpost in Montauk, where celebrity sightings and the Hamptons’ finest abound. Lesser known is Sel Rrose’s rustic-chic oyster bar on the corner of Bowery and Delancey. We are frequent regulars of the two-dollar oyster happy hour, which is one of our favorite deals in NYC. We also love to splurge on the seafood platter, complete with a dozen oysters, five shrimp and six clams.
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240 Central Park S. / 212.582.5100 / Website
Marea might be temporarily closed for renovations, but that doesn’t mean it’s not one of our favorite raw bars in the city. With plenty of oysters and caviar to go around, we love this spot for an elevated afternoon meal. Be sure to enjoy some of the crudo as well, such as the tonno with yellowfin tuna, oyster crema and crispy sunchoke or the alfonsino with tea-smoked golden eye snapper, smoked fish garum aioli, cucumber and fennel. The restaurant is slated to reopen in September, so follow its Instagram for updates!
Photography by: Bruce Chapman
