An Early Look at Mermaid Oyster Bar in the West Village

Local bivalves: Peconic Bay and Blue Point oysters

Mermaid Oyster Bar, new sister restaurant to the Mermaid Inns, was described by owner Danny Abrams as being "meant to invoke the feeling of being on vacation at the beach."

Maybe the soundtrack gets there--fun stuff everyone likes such as Tom Petty and Young MC--but the place itself is city-like, polished and fairly pricey. General early impressions: The oysters are beautiful, the fries crisp, the service friendly and efficient, the lobster sandwich very overpriced (now that you can get a fat $13 lobster roll at Luke's Lobster...), the saltine-crusted oysters soggy. Free dessert--a tiny mug of excellent chocolate pudding--is a nice touch, as it is at the Mermaid Inns. For best results right now, sit at the bar, order a Hot and Dirty (a martini with olive brine and Tabasco) and a dozen Long Island oysters (Peconic Bay and Blue Point), which have the twin advantages of being local and the cheapest on the menu.

Well-seasoned lobster salad on a tender brioche bun, plus crisp fries--awfully tasty, but priced at $26. Aren't lobster prices at all-time lows right now?

79 Macdougal Street
212-260-0100