The 15 best seafood restaurants in NYC

The sister restaurant to East Village-fave Claud, this shoulder-to-shoulder counter is serving up some of the city’s best seafood. At the raw bar, silky oysters are $3.50 a piece, and the “Ice Box” serves up oysters, countnecks, shrimp, mussels and scallop to the well-heeled crowd. It’s the perfect spot for an intimate date or to impress an out-of-town friend—order the caviar tin, choose a bottle of sparkling wine and enjoy a classic (and classy) New York night.

April Bloomfield’s mostly-seafood restaurant is inventive, understated and actually deserving of its hype. While the half roasted chicken might be the biggest draw, you might find delights like smoked arctic char, braised squid and cod with beans on the ever-changing menu. Ask your server to tell you a little more about the under-described dishes, or just trust the process and order whatever you’d like to learn a little more about. Expect expert sauces, perfect preparations and seafood from a chef at the top of her game.

For the best wild-caught seafood with a view, The Fulton wins by a nautical mile. The Seaport restaurant has views of the East River and the Brooklyn Bridge that stun from the ground floor patio and the upstairs dining room. Its menu includes caviar and oysters, the ever-popular shrimp cocktail, fried swordfish and a whole steamed lobster with drawn butter and fries. It’s all served in surroundings that’ll tickle even longtime New Yorkers, especially with a glass of something sparkling. 

This beloved Astoria staple’s motto? “No Menu. Just Fish.” They’re committing to serving the freshest fish at the best price, so you never know what you’ll get—expect salmon, swordfish, snapper and other seafood surprises.

Saint Julivert Fisherie is a neighborhood charmer and multi-subway-transfer-worthy destination in brownstone Brooklyn. While their menu is always changing, expect dishes like raw cured wild shrimp, squid a la plancha and cod pot pie.

This darling corner spot is a popular destination for both brunch and dinner. Though it isn’t exclusively a seafood restaurant, some recent favorites included the smoked pollock fritters, charred lemon skillet mussels and whole fried black sea bass.

Long Island City’s Astoria Seafood serves up an immersive dining experience at their eat-in market. Choose from its selection of raw scallops, fish, octopus and more, bag it up yourself and choose from preparations like grilled, fried, baked or broiled. And with its option to BYOB, this is as close as some of us will get to cooking at home.

Maison Premiere has character—it also has oysters, caviar and large plates to pair with its fantastic drinks.

Constant cocktail innovator and clever drink name generator Grand Army also serves seafood as special as its maritime interior. Choose a “Lowbrow” or “Highbrow” seafood tower with oysters, crab, shrimp and more, or snack on deviled eggs with roe and a lobster roll with Kewpie mayo while you sip an “I’d Like to Buy a Vowel, Pat.”

A downtown favorite since 2016, Fish Cheeks’ bounty includes family-style seafood preparations in a bright, lively dining room. The spicy coconut crab curry will perk up your palate, and the sticky rice will cool it down. Happy hour runs from noon to 6pm every day, with $7 beer, $11 wine, $13 cocktails and a half-dozen oysters for $12.