Mermaid Inn
10 people recommend, 2 warn against itcounted across its outletsvia r/FoodNYC, r/AskNYC15 comments cited below
What people say, in short
Mermaid Inn draws recommendations across its New York outlets. Diners praise the oyster happy hour and lobster rolls, but value and execution divide opinion. One commenter finds the happy hour poor value; a diner who lives on the Upper West Side finds the oysters small and bar seats hard to get. A diner who enjoyed a lobster roll would have preferred it hot.
Address
The Mermaid Inn, 335 Columbus Ave, New York, NY 10023
At a glance
- Best for
- Budget
- Opinions divided
- Yes
Nearby on this map
Other places on this map closest to Mermaid Inn, as the crow flies.
The evidence
Every point below is paraphrased from a real public comment, ordered by how much the community engaged with it. Caveats and negatives are kept in — follow any link to read the original for yourself.
- Recommendsu/jaded_toast in r/FoodNYC · Apr 2026taste
Suggests the place, recalling it was recommended when craving fried calamari, and notes its happy hour food options.
- Mixedu/No-Trifle859 in r/FoodNYC · Jun 2025taste
Enjoyed the visit, but the lobster roll came cold, which they'd have preferred hot; they still finished it.
- Recommendsu/redheadgirl5 in r/FoodNYC · Aug 2026price
Suggests Mermaid Inn for its happy hour.
- Recommendsu/Hopeful-Mirror1664 in r/FoodNYC · Dec 2023taste
Named with Mermaid Oyster House; oysters praised as among the best, with an unbeatable happy hour.
- Recommendsu/BubbleEntendre in r/FoodNYC · Aug 2026price
Adds that Mondays run all evening as happy hour there.
- Recommendsu/wdrub in r/FoodNYC · Apr 2026taste
Praises the oysters and shrimp cocktail, plus the drinks, calling the place extraordinary.
- Caveatu/Drach88 in r/FoodNYC · Jun 2025value
Says the happy hour has become a ripoff; a one-bite shrimp slider felt overpriced for what it was.
- Recommendsu/Remarkable-World-234 in r/FoodNYC · Apr 2026
Lists Mermaid Inn among places the commenter found great; no dish named.
Show all 15 cited comments
- Caveatu/Lilyny865 in r/FoodNYC · Aug 2026portion
Says Mermaid Inn is popular but its oysters are small and seats at the bar are hard to get.
- Recommendsu/happy123z in r/FoodNYC · Aug 2026taste
Calls Mermaid Inn a favorite happy hour and says the lobster rolls are hard to skip.
- Recommendsu/Mrsrightnyc in r/FoodNYC · Mar 2026taste
Says Mermaid Inn is decent for basic rolls in the city.
- Mixedu/foodfunmenyc in r/FoodNYC · Oct 2025taste
Enjoyed the oysters at happy hour before the pandemic, but found other dishes underwhelming.
- Mixedu/Bodega_Cat_86 in r/FoodNYC · Jun 2025
Gives the Mermaid a pass amid generally weak Manhattan seafood, while calling the local scene shockingly bad.
- Recommendsu/turkeybone in r/FoodNYC · Aug 2026
Calls Mermaid Inn the OG.
- Recommendsu/_allycat in r/AskNYC · Aug 2024taste
Relays hearsay that this place's lobster roll is good.
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Freshness
Details last checked 11 Nov 2026. Recommendations reflect what people said at the time; confirm current details before you go.