NYCGuide
The Best Oyster Happy Hours In NYC
photo credit: Lily Brown
If oysters grew on trees, we’d be planting those things 24/7. Unfortunately, they grow in the ocean—where it’s cold and dark and full of squid so large we all just call them “giant squid.” And maybe that’s why oysters are so expensive. The good news is, oyster Happy Hours exist. Here’s our list of the best ones in NYC.
THE SPOTS
photo credit: Willa Moore
When: Daily, 5-7pm
The Deal: 13 oysters and two Happy Hour drinks for $33; $4 beers; $8 glasses of wine; $10 cocktails
We don’t want to exaggerate, but this might be the best oyster Happy Hour in the entire city. This Bed-Stuy bar is a certifiably sexy spot, with a marble counter and cozy tables in the window, and it’s where you should bring someone you’re deeply in love with for parallel bivalve slurping. And when Happy Hour ends, there’s no need to leave—follow your oysters and cocktails with a slice of thick pan pizza, and maybe a pitcher of negronis.
photo credit: Katherine Lewin
When: Daily, 4-7pm
The Deal: Half-off oysters; Half-off glasses of sherry; $12 martinis
At this Spanish seafood bar in Greenpoint you’ll find a transistor radio playing indie music, a cartoon poster of a wine-drunk penguin, and a pack of neighborhood people wearing glasses and baseball caps seated in tiny wooden booths. Come for drinks and snacks with a date or a friend during the daily Happy Hour from 4-7pm, when oysters are half off and martinis cost $12.
photo credit: De Graux Imaging
When: Daily, 3-6pm
The Deal: $2 oysters; $5 chicken slider; $12-$14 cocktails; $12 wine; $10 beer and shot; $7 beers on draft
Nobody Told Me is a neighborhood cocktail spot on the UWS, with tropical wallpaper and drinks with ingredients like corn and strawberry shrub. If you can slip out of work a bit early, get a seat near the big windows up front and enjoy $2 oysters, discounted drinks, and sliders from 3-6pm.
photo credit: Andrew Bui
When: Daily, 12-6pm
The Deal: $11 for 1/2 dozen oysters; $21 for a dozen oysters; $13 specialty cocktails; $11 wine; $7-$9 beer
At Fish Cheeks, a popular Thai restaurant in Noho, you’ll probably encounter a wait, but the food will be worth it. Come by during the afternoon Happy Hour when there’s less of a wait, or head over at 5pm for the same deals.
photo credit: Chris Stang
When: Monday-Friday, 4-6pm
The Deal: Half-off full oyster list
When we’ve got the itch to throw back a dozen oysters and some beers in a place without windows (we have very specific cravings), we like to come to one of our favorite spots in Chelsea Market. The Happy Hour is the best way to dive into oysters at Cull & Pistol.
photo credit: Noah Devereaux
When: Daily, until 7pm
The Deal: $1.50 select oysters (minimum 6 pieces)
ROKC (Ramen, Oysters, Kitchen, and Cocktails) is a cozy Harlem spot with a nice rotating selection of oysters and cocktails that are truly unlike any other cocktails we’ve had elsewhere. You won’t find those drinks on their Happy Hour menu, but you can get select oysters for $1.50 until 7pm.
photo credit: David Lee
When: Daily, from 4-6pm
The Deal: Half dozen oysters for $10, dozen oysters for $20, $2 off house cocktails, $11 classic cocktails, $11 wine, $6 beer
For oysters and wine in a bright, plant-filled dining room, consider Otway in Clinton Hill. It’s got outdoor seating during the warmer months, and it’s never too busy. If the clock strikes six and you’re not ready to leave yet, Otway has a full dinner menu with things like chicken schnitzel and boquerones on a fried sourdough that’s made down the street at their bakery.
When: Daily, 3:30-5:30pm
The Deal: $1.50 Blue Point oysters, select appetizers discounted
Marseille bills itself as one of Broadway’s favorite dining destinations—and while we’ve never spotted Lin Manuel Miranda there reviewing sheet music over steak frites, you will find plenty of theater goers having pre-show meals at this Hell's Kitchen restaurant. There are no drink specials to go with your discounted oysters, but they do knock a few dollars off their dinner menu classics like escargot and duck liver mousse.
When: Tuesday-Sunday, 3-5pm
The Deal: $2 oysters; discounted snacks; $10 select cocktails; $9 wine; $5 Narragansett lagers
On paper, The Clam doesn’t seem like the most exciting place to leave work early for on this list. It’s indistinguishable from any other generic West Village restaurant, and its discounted prices are on the higher end, at $2 each. But this place lives up to the shellfish in its name, exceeding expectations with high-quality oyster options and other intriguing seafood specials, like $3 jumbo shrimp yakitori and $5 buffalo clam strips.
When: Daily, 5-7pm
The Deal: $2 oysters; $10 wine
Oysters along the waterfront are a no-brainer, and The Osprey is our favorite waterfront hotel restaurant for indulging in overpriced but delicious food. Almost everything served here is local and sustainably sourced, including the shellfish and $10 glasses of wine. Afterwards, take a sunset walk in Brooklyn Bridge Park.
photo credit: Greenpoint Fish & Lobster
When: Daily, 12-6pm
The Deal: $2 East Coast oysters; discounted drinks
Those working the night shift deserve discounted oysters, too. You can get dollar oysters from 12-6pm every day at Greenpoint Fish & Lobster, as well as other establishments (Threes Brewing on Franklin and The Hugh in Midtown) where this fish market and restaurant sells their food. At the original location, they’ll shuck them in front of you, and you can also get some clams and uni.
When: Tuesday-Friday, 4-7pm; Saturday-Sunday, 2-7pm
The Deal: Half-dozen oysters for $12; dozen oysters for $24; 3 clams for $6; 3 cocktail shrimp for $12; $12 select cocktails; $6 beers, $11 tap wines, $30-$60 carafes of wine
Oyster enthusiasts, here’s a very specific life hack just for you. At Mar’s in Astoria, Happy Hour oysters go for $2 a piece, and select cocktails go for $12. But the $12 mignonette martini? It’s also served with an oyster. That’s like a deal on top of a deal. Happy Hour clams and shrimp are also available.
photo credit: Sea Wolf
When: Daily, 4-7pm
The Deal: $1.50 oysters; $8 beer; $7 wine; $9 painkillers & frozen drinks; $9 snacks
Sea Wolf is a fun place to hang out when you want to feel like you’re on a quick getaway to that other coast across the country. The beachy vibe, nightly DJs, and ode to surf culture make it a fitting place to keep the oysters and frozen drinks coming as the sun starts to set.
When: Daily, 4-6pm
The Deal: $12 half-dozen oysters; discounted snacks; $12 select cocktails; $10 select wine; $9 select sparkling; $5 select beer
This is a little cafe on the ground floor of The Standard in the East Village where you can grab a drink and a few oysters any time of the day. They have a huge outdoor space with a bunch of patio tables out front that isn’t usually too crowded, so keep this place in mind for all your last-minute seafood needs.
photo credit: Noah Devereaux
POWERED BY
When: Daily, 4-6pm
The Deal: $1.50-$2 oysters; discounted food and drink; $35 bottle of Conquilla Cava
If you’re looking to eat delicious food and hang out in the mid-50s on the East Side, there’s no better place to do so than Crave Fishbar. Their menu is filled with seafood hits, but the oyster Happy Hour is particularly excellent, as all their assorted oysters are between $1.50 and $2.
photo credit: Gabi Porter
When: Daily, 5-7pm
The Deal: $1 oysters (max 12 per person); $6 Narragansett; $10 select wine; $14 select cocktails; $8 tots
Bar Belly is the ideal post-work hang for when you don’t want to commit to a full meal. Have a drink and eat oysters solo, or stop by with a few friends and grab a seat outdoors for Dimes Square people-watching. It’s also the perfect place to wait for your table at Cervo’s.
photo credit: The Wayland
When: Monday-Friday, 5-7pm
The Deal: $10 half-dozen oysters; $18 dozen oysters; $7 oyster shooters; $12 burger and a beer; $8 fried oysters; $10 select cocktails; $4-$5 select beer; $9 select wine
The Wayland is the ultimate all-purpose bar. You can use it for first dates, after-work hangs, and rowdy Saturday night drinking. But you should also be using it for weekday Happy Hour, when they serve a dozen oysters for $18 and have discounts on their excellent cocktails.
photo credit: Noah Devereaux
When: Daily, 3-7pm
The Deal: $2 oysters, $10 cocktails, $5 draft beer
It’s hard to come across a normal bar on the Lower East Side. You know, something without a gimmick. Like couches covered in plastic. Or arcade games. Or a toilet-less bathroom. Black Crescent has none of those things. It’s just a normal-looking room with good food and a great oyster Happy Hour.
photo credit: Emily Schindler
When: Daily, until 7pm
The Deal: $1.50 oysters, $20 carafe of wine, $9 house wines
A Lower East Side staple for more than a decade now, The Ten Bells is one of those bars that’s always a good time. It has a ton of character, is always filled with regulars, and has way better food than a fun wine bar in this part of town really needs to have. On top of that, they serve $1.50 oysters during Happy Hour. They have another location in Bushwick with an even better deal.
photo credit: Noah Devereaux
When: Monday-Thursday, 6-7pm, Friday-Sunday, 5-7pm
The Deal: $2 oysters; $16 for 6 oysters and a glass of bubbles; $6 house wine; $5 house beer
St. Mazie has become one of our favorite bars in Williamsburg. It has a fun, retro feel (without feeling kitschy), a pleasant back patio, and good live music most nights. Hit it during Happy Hour to take advantage of all of the $2 oysters.
