Neptune Oyster
63 Salem St
(between Cross St & Hull St)
Boston, MA 02113 (617) 742-3474
- Hours:
Mon-Wed, Sun 11:30 a.m.-11:00 p.m.
Thu-Sat 11:30 a.m.-12:00 a.m. - Price Range: $$$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: No
- Good for Kids: No
- Takes Reservations: No
- Delivers: No
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: No
- Good for: Dinner
- Alcohol: Full Bar
70 Reviews for Neptune Oyster
This place kicks the ass of B&G Oyster. None of the attitude, but all the atmosphere. Simple is usually best, and Neptune has that perfected.
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I'm from San Francisco, this was recommended to me and I trekked out there while visiting my son to check it out. It's very small, the place is the "hole in the wall" type of eatery that one hears about (but I'm going to say it had Old World Charm, because I think that's the intent). It was down an alley (a marked street that was very narrow?...alley like but not an actual alley OK?) and I'm not sure exactly where I was, but it was not a high end of town, in other words, not Beacon Hill. That being said, we ordered the Lobster roll, and then a bunch of other stuff, like the Lump crab cocktail, and other seafood. The server was this little guy I think was of Italian ancestry, but I didn't ask, he just seemed to be to me. He was very patient, and was right there getting us whatever we wanted and was really a gentleman. I felt it was worth the visit, I just wouldn't rave about it because it was so small and in iffy sort of neighborhood (to me, not necessarily bad though). Probably perfectly safe, but you might not want to take a first date there, unless you are very confident. WE did not get sick and I think the food was really good and that's coming from someone who eats out at a lot of seafood places....now however, I will do a review on Legal Seafood, a chain in Boston...
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One of the best restaurants I've ever eaten at in my life. I've had the clam chowder (BEST I've ever had!) the oysters...well, you may as well go grabbing them out of the ocean yourself, the (hot) lobster roll (died and went to heaven...) and the jumbo sea scallops...absolutely out of this world. I love this place. Every single little thing about it. The tile, the marble, the lighting, the bar (my favorite place to sit!) the beer, the music! All of it is just perfectly right. I agree with "Tom H." re: the service...right there but not hovering. I'm not sure how the other reviewer didn't notice the oyster pricing (it is on the "chalkboard" AND on the "scorecard") but I'll bet the waitress was wondering, too! I think perhaps it is a good, safe thing I don't live in Boston...I could O.D. on Neptune Oyster! If I could give it more than 5 stars, I would.
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Warning: You're better off taking your food to go!!! (read as, service is PAINFUL)
We ate here last night and our experience prompted me to join Yelp...plus it's about time I offered something up after enjoying this site and its reviews for so long!
Back to the point: the service at Neptune Oyster was not just completely underwhelming, it was plain rude. Our bartender
(young brunette, don't look at her sideways or ask any questions she doesn't feel like answering or you'll get the skunk eye) couldn't be bothered to reach over after we sat down at the bar, asking my husband to pass her some dirty napkins and plates. When my friend asked her how the pricing on oysters worked, she glumly responded, "it's up there" pointing to the chalkboard and walked away. And when we handed in our scorecard tallying up the oysters we wanted to order, she came back after looking at it and basically told my friend her handwriting was illegible forcing my friend to explain the cheap golf cart pencil they gave her broke.
Our meals were delicious and well-prepared but is it worth the aggravation? I think not!
Oh, and they practically locked 6 of us in at 11:15pm forcing us to duck under the metal security door to get out....guess they had places to be!!
Benamin Franklin once said, "He that can have Patience, can have what he will". This is the quote that comes to mind upon my visit to Neptune Oyster.
When you first walk in you cannot help but notice how small and crowded it is...patience Lizz. You cannot help but notice how loud it is (probably because the place is lined with subway tiles and also has a tin ceiling)...patience Lizz. It is only 6pm and there is already a wait...patience Lizz.
And I am happy to report that my patience definitely paid off! I not only enjoyed my most favorite oysters in the world (Fanny Bay Oysters), but I also enjoyed some new varieties. There is this little gem of an oyster that I highly recommend called Kumomoto. They are small, but their flavor is unforgettable. Yum!
I also enjoyed an extremely fresh crab salad and two glasses of lovely white wine. Everything was superb.
Sadly my dinner companion was not in the mood for fish, so he had the only non-fish thing on the menu; the cheeseburger (well, that is not fair, there is also a $35 rib-eye). There are no non-fish apps, so just be aware in case one person in your party does not eat fish.
I definitely will go back, but I will make sure I also bring my patience. Maybe i will try to go earlier and linger at the bar :)
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Recommended for: Amazing and fresh seafood, oysters.
Food 5, Service 5, Ambiance 5.
What a fantastic place! Now, I'm not just saying that because I was asked by two very attractive women to join them at an Oyster bar, then for cocktails and then to a party... oh no... ;) Needless to say, everything about our experience was top notch.
First, the ambiance. While it was a bit cramped by the doorway and the table arrangement is a bit different, we decided to sit up at the bar and enjoy our meal (which was funner I think than if we had a table). The inside is a New England nautical theme with oysters, nets, dark wood, and a large mirror behind the bar to give the place more space. Lighting was perfect and the sound inside was conducive to great conversation while not really hearing others.
Service was also top notch. Our hostess gave us some good recommendations for the oysters, our main courses and even assisted me in picking out a great bottle of wine to go along with our meal.
As for the meal - superb! We started off with 15 oysters (divided among 3). We went from salty to less salty and believe it or not, the one that had a hint of sake - was the best of all according to the group. The oysters were among the freshest I've ever had and we all had a mischievous look in our eyes after consuming them all in the span of 10 minutes. After getting our blood going so to speak, we shared 2 large dishes. L ordered the scallops with a fantastic chestnut stuffing in the center. While the scallops were cooked perfectly and suculent, we were all in awe over the chestnut... I ordered the braised lamb shank with lobster stir-fry. The lamb was tender and fell off the bone; complimented well with the sweet potato mash. The lobster was cooked perfect for the stir-fry and the mushrooms and shoots it had with a light pinot sauce was equally foodgasmic; S shared both mine and L's food. We were full, but not overly stuffed.
I think hands down the best seafood and oysters I've had in New England. This will definitely be a go-to spot for me to recommend to friends, family and of course, myself!
Sean Approved: Absolutely Positively Yes!
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Lobster Roll:
- Big, fat, tender, juicy pieces of knuckle and claw lobster meat.
- Dressing including any or all of: Mayonnaise, lemon juice, BUTTER.
- More butter for dipping if desired.
- Warm toasted bun.
- Vegetables such as lettuce if desired, otherwise stuff with more lobster.
Excellent lunch to break up a work day:
- Neptune Oyster's cool, chic yet not pretentious decor
- Comfortable seating
- Sparkling plates and silverware on clean, welcoming tables
- Friendly staff, tall glasses of cold water
- Great company for good conversation
- Yummy seasoned french fries. They seem like they'll taste strange since they look so dark and crunchy, but they're actually decent.
- Delicious, buttery, fat-sized, oh-so-satisfying lobster roll crammed with oodles and oodles of tasty, fresh, wonderful, generous servings of lobster crammed into a warm and toasty roll. Mmm.
Serves up joy and yum-factor satisfaction.
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There are about a score of fresh oyster/clam selections with 2 different complimentary sauces. The oyster's range around $2-2.80 each.
The grilled oyster appetizer is nice, but too salty.
The muscles appetizer was cooked with ground sausage and is very good and filling.
The restaurant is small and cramped.
God (or nature) makes the oysters, and Neptune brings them to you fresh. But don't forget the rest of the food-- i've been there twice and both of my entrees were outstanding, as were those of my friends. The service was exactly the way i like it, friendly, helpful, and unobtrusive. Hell, there isn't anything I don't like about this place. Probably my favorite place to eat in the city.
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Outstanding raw bar boosted by great, French-tinged, richly-flavored treatments of cooked seafood, and terrific seafood-friendly wines.
A challenger to the North End's Italophilic status quo, Neptune had the cojones to open up a raw bar with an amazing menu of cooked dishes that show worldly sophistication and a lot of refined, French-leaning technique. The raw oysters ($1.70-3.20 a pop) are bicoastal and superb, always expertly shucked with nary a grain of shell or sand. But you'd be missing out terribly if you didn't let the chef cook something for you, too.
Every day of the week offers a new little revelation, some perfectly composed, beautifully plated dish with a streak of complex, deeply-flavored sauce. There's so much to love here, I hardly know where to begin: maybe the ham hock hash ($12), an appetizer of chewy, slightly gelatinous offal with beets, fingerling potatoes, a fried egg, and softly warmed goat cheese. Or a vitello tonnato ($16) turned into a sandwich, riffing on the classic Italian summer dish with roasted veal and tuna (here a tartare instead of the traditional poached), pepped up with a cucumber salad and spicy mustard. Terrific frites on the side are a big plus. To my utter amazement, the burger is actually fantastic, too.
Specials of the day are generally amazing, like Monday's lobster spaghettini ($34), which features a lot of lobster meat in a rather spicy marinara with parsley and bread crumbs. I have a quibble with the lobster roll ($22): I find that the eggy, charred brioche overpowers the delicate, bulging pile of lobster meat in both styles: Connecticut, hot with melted butter, and Eastern New England, cold with a bit of mayo.
But mostly I find this food transporting, if a big costly for everyday eating. I'm not surprised that nearly every time I dine here, some locally-famous chef is chowing down a few seats away. Unlike many North End places, Neptune actually deserves its nightly lines; all the more reason to go at lunch, when no one stands between you and its remarkable food.
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Father of the Ocean, do these people know Neptune personally? Every oyster has always been as fresh as cold, sea air on an early, winter morning and as if Neptune himself selected each mollusk. The mollusks are divine along with everything else on the menu - except their lobster roll bread. Curse words couldn't express my genuine appreciation and respect for their culinary accomplishments.
Eat Love Here!
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This is where you taste divinity in the form of a warm lobster roll drowned in butter. My minestrone soup was so fresh that the herbs floated to the top, a layer of HERBS. A little tip: the fries are a bit brown and crispy so I always opt for some green salad on the side instead.
As for the pretentious people with all their shiny platinum, cashmere and clunky keys that other yelpers talk about, IGNORE. Just try to notice anything when one of their plates is in front of you. Impossible, too riveting.
During courses you might notice the nice tiled walls, prosecco concoctions written on their tilted down mirrors, retro red booths, cute but clueless student serves and how with their maybe ten tables you were lucky to have wandered in during OFF HOURS and cheerfully found yourselves a seat.
Oh, and be prepared to spend some mooooola.
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Like my mother always told me, Big things come in small packages. This is true to Neptune Oysters. This little hole in the wall serves up a wide selection of the freshest oysters ranging from both coasts.
I use this tiny restaurant as a benchmark to which all other raw bars are to be compared. First off they have a huge chalk board behind the bar. This menu displayed on the chalk board is forever changing. The worst thing a raw bar/ seafood restaurant can do is print they're menu. This would imply they are getting the same product all the time and who knows how long its been sitting around. Not at Neptune. To order oysters, you get a tiny piece of paper ( with a mini-golf pencil) with that days selection of oysters printed on it. This mini print out details what type of oysters they have for that day and a breif description of the flavor characteristics of they oyster.
My favorite oyster i've had there is called a Kimamoto i think. Its from the Pacific Northwest and tastes like cucumber. Yum... They have other amazing food aside from oysters. I once split a lobster and blue cheese salad with a friend. It was soo suculent, that every time i go back, i always try to convince others to split that salad with me.
There is no need to dress up here, but if you want to feel a little classy, get dressed up so and get some champagne and a wide array of oysters and feel like the rich and famous.
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What the shuck? Was I at the same oyster bar you guys are talking about? After reading these reviews, I'd be scared to go near the place. Makes it sound like yuppy hell. Out of town Yelpers -- here is the deal on this place. Out of this world fresh oysters. I know. We have an oyster bed in our backyard and we eat 'em serious fresh every chance we get. This place is one of the first restaurants I've ever been to that comes close to "just out of the water" fresh. People wearing jeans slurping 'em down by the dozen. Ice cold beer on a hot summer night and an awesome place to people watch. Alot of fun and I will definitely go back
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A fresh atmosphere is delivered up here with your oysters. The best thing about Neptune is that the menu gives you a break-down of the the taste of each oyster that you can explore new tastes, or return to familiar ones. And if you're an oyster virgin, the servers are very open about discussing different options and what you might enjoy. The staff are more than helpful: they fetched a loaf of bread for me so quickly when my blood sugar dropped while I was there. Also, try their selections of fish if you cannot fill up on oysters, their chief does wonderful things with salmon.
Uh... WOW! This place is amazing! Definitely makes my list of top places in Boston.
Went here for a going away dinner for someone at work. Started at the bar because we were waiting for one person to show up. I think it may have been a good thing. Ordered up some raw bar goodies and wine. The oysters and raw clams were delicious. You order them on a sushi-style sheet which has accurate descriptions of the distinctive flavors of each oyster. If you need more info, the staff is super knowledgeable about the oysters. We each ordered wine by the glass. They have an extensive "by the glass" list and the staff is also super knowledgeable about the wines. And this was only the beginning...
When seated, we split two apps at the table--the fried clams were light and delicious, but the salt cod salad stole the show. In addition to salt cod, the salad also had some crispy lamb and pancetta, so delicious! The menu here was quite creative--combos of ingredients that you never would think of and may sound a bit weird, but somehow turn out amazing. I picked cod again for my entree. It was cooked up with an artichoke crust, served over whipped potatoes with a berry, smoked mussel and citrus salad. I ate every last bite of this, and would have licked the plate if I wasn't out at a nice restaurant with folks I work with. The other most memorable dish of the night was the sturgeon, which was served up with black currant caviar jam and a plum graham cracker panzanella--the coworkers couldn't stop raving about it.
The place is small and they don't take reservations, so I recommend that you go early. Also, it is a bit pricey, particularly if you want to sample lots of oysters. Luckily for me, someone else picked up the tab. Unluckily for me, I now want to go back once a week and there is no way I can afford that on my own! Anyone want to buy me dinner?
This was a major change.
My usual bring the bratty "GIMMIE SEAFOOD I'M IN BOSTON! WHINE WHINE LOBSTER ROLL. C'MON LET ME GET SOME CHOW-DA IN A BREAD BOWL" out of town guests place has always been Union Oyster House or some dingy place like No Name Restaurant/Summer Shack.. or pasta seafood places like The Daily Catch. Those places aren't bad.. they just don't do it for me personally. In fact.. I don;t really hear running excitement of the mouth from the tourists either. They just turn silent and kind of let me take them to neighborhood hole in wall's after that.. which is good for me.. but sort of saddening.
Neptune Oysters gon' dit it and killed it... in a living sense way.
I've got to tell you.. Yelp did a good job placing this as one of the top Seafood in Boston places. I've also got to tell you how pissed off I was when we sat in this tiny place and looked at the prices. I felt uncomfortable for bringing two other people with me here.. but blah blah blah..
as soon as we started eating and the glasses of wine followed..it was all monopoly money and Rich Millionaire was back in business. The mood in there made me feel like cash too. Jazz, that white tile against the dim yellow brown-ish sexy lighting in large leather booth night time clean 40's diner ---oh baby.
Liked the easy to order check off oyster list with simple descriptions.
I recommend going hobo style and splitting half's of the oyster burger and HOT lobster roll's with another.. try both. SOOOOOOO GOOOOODDDD.
So stuffed. So going back with every single one of the losers who come to visit.
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Incredibly fresh seafood and the Neptune Burger is one of my favorite burgers in the city.
The restaurant is a bit small but thats common for the North End eateries, and is well worth the wait if there is one. Need to get my friends together for a hell night which consists of a table paying a flat price as the chef keeps bringing entree after entree to the table until someone taps out.
If you want seafood and are sick of the classic tourist hangouts of Legal Sea food and Union Oyster house check out Neptune Oyster.
tastiness: :-)
wallet: $@#!%!
wait staff: :-)
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Oh. My. Gawd.
I was pretty blown away by this place last night. It was as if some higher power created a restaurant just for me (except it would serve beer... guess not everything can be perfect).
They have an oyster list that's just as extensive as their wine list, and I wanted to try one of each... unfortunately, I only have so much money, so I only ordered a few of them. Each oyster was even better than the last. I was trying to find a favorite, but it's like asking a parent to pick their favorite kid. It can be done, but you just don't want to have to make that choice.
I had the neptune burger after my sampling of oysters, and it was amazing. A big, beefy burger topped with fried oysters? YES PLEASE. Not too bad for $13 either (It was the cheapest entree item on the menu. Order anything else and expect to pay at least double that... but know that it will be worth it, no matter what it is). I also tried a little bit of my friend's lobster roll, and whoa mama!
I want to live here and eat oysters all day long. Is that okay, Neptune Oyster?
***EDIT*** I just went again this weekend, and they DO serve beer!!! They just don't have them listed on the menu, but they're right there on the bar in full view (unless the place is packed with people, which it usually is because it's so tiny).
This place really IS perfect!!!
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oyster burger OMFG
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This review covers two restaurants, namely B&G Oysters and Neptune Oysters, and only one dish at each of these restaurants, namely their lobster rolls. Why, my dear friends, would I go to these two places with the sole purpose of trying out their respective takes on this classic New England dish? Because it's a crap-load of lobster on a bun... that's why.
With that said, the styles of these two lobster rolls are completely different: warm and buttery vs. cold and mayonnaise-y. Obviously, the cold version is the "classic" lobster roll, and there has been a plethora of posts about how a warm roll is akin to going to the Democratic National Convention and proclaiming that George Bush Jr. is the best president ever. I have never been a traditionalist, so I am reviewing these dishes for what they are.
First the similarities:
1. You get a lot of lobster... not just enough to fill the bun, but enough to REQUIRE eating a good number of fork-fulls before picking the damn thing up and trying to take a bite out of it. Unfortunately, I learned this the hard way, and ended up spilling about a tail's-worth of lobster meat onto my plate when I tried to take a bite from the get-go.
2. Each goes really well with a beer, preferably something that can stand up to the natural butteriness of the lobster meat. I suppose you could get a nice acidic white, but a nice New England draught (Geary's Winter Ale at Neptune and Tremont Ale at B&G) seemed like the perfect accompaniment to me.
Differences:
1. B&G: cold lobster in a light aioli with lemon and chives sprinkled on top. The lemon gave the dish the perfect amount of acid to balance the lobster. Not really mayonnaise-y at all. Lobster chunks broken up to just the right size so when you take a bite out of the roll, you don't have to chew through a piece of lobster or get an overly large piece in your mouth.
2. Neptune: warm lobster in butter on a toasted brioche bun. The warmth allowed me to fully enjoy all the natural (and added) butteriness of the lobster. Often times large chunks of lobster that were obviously crab or tail meat. While a bit harder to eat, the large chunks gave me the impression that there was some dude in the back who cracked open a fresh lobster, chopped it up a bit, put it in the bun and splash some butter on it.
The service in each place was great. The decor was a bit different, with Neptune sporting marble tables and an old-school oyster bar feel, while B&G had a more modern touch with a nice open kitchen in the middle of the restaurant where you can watch them do their magic.
Both of these places are must-go's, even if you only like lobster a wee little bit. I'll be back next time I'm in town, but I think I'll bring some cholesterol-lower medications just in case...
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came with with some friends for wine and conversation (no food), but was extremely impressed with the atmosphere of this place. also, my friend designed their logo.
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Came here for dinner and to try a duxbury oyster after reading the reviews on here. I also ordered Monk fish and my friend had the Marlin. Gotta say, they did Monk right! It had the texture of lobster, yay!! I tried a slice of Marlin and it was delicious! I'll definitely be back. Warning though, parking around here sucks!
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A friend was visiting from Los Angeles and we were commiserating over LA's lack of true Italian cuisine and seafood sans fusion flare and avocado. After reading Annie P's review, off we were to the North End and Neptune Oyster to satisfy our unsated predilections.
Neptune Oyster is small and they told us the wait for two would be 45 minutes. We left a cell number and wandered about until the call came as is customary for a dinner wait in the North End. The crowd was a little older and more well dressed than us and we were sat at a communal table - *uncomfortable*. However, all were there to take respite from the cold with raw aphrodisiacs so love was in the air. We ordered a lovely bottle of riesling and several Oysters to start. We took the chef's recommendation on the oysters which happened to be pemaquid oysters from Maine with a strong shallot sauce - fresh and savory, mmmm. For dinner we split the special of the night which was a combination of flash seared marlin and tuna tartar. The marlin was covered with an avocado (what?!?) wasabi relish and the tuna was topped with a liberal dollop of caviar. The fish was delish and had such a naturally soft, buttery texture.
If you've got someone from out of town who demands Boston Seafood, don't take them to some raucous crab shack, take 'em to this North End niche for a memorable Boston seafood experience.
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I can't begin to tell you all how much I love this place. It is in the North End and it does not serve Italian food so don't go in expecting linguine and veal parmigiana...it's all about the oysters, which I love. If you have never tried one, this is THE PLACE to begin, because they have such a wide variety and oysters really do taste different in flavor and texture, depending on where they are from. The atmosphere is very authentic bistro feel and I like watching the staff opening the oysters right in front of you, so you know they are fresh.
I have never been SOOOO sick! I had a horrible case of food poisoning after eating here. I had the crab meat salad and the scallops. However, I just tasted the scallops (they had a liquorice taste which I did not like and were not cooked through) and switched with my boyfriend who had fish - so, it had to be the crab because the fish was cooked through. I was sick within an hour of eating and sick throughout the night. I enjoyed the atmosphere, and we had a really nice waiter - but I would not eat there again after the agony that followed. Also, terrible parking situation, which is normal in the North End.
I REALLY wanted to like this place - but in the end, I was too sick to ever go back.
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I ended up here on a whim friday night and boy was it memorable. My friend and I were sorta hungry and wandered in around 7pm. The place was fairly full but there happened to be two seats at the bar so we sidled up.
The decor of this place is great. Its cozy, timeless, tasteful it feels vintagey and european, carefully detailed but simple and understated.
My experience here was nothing but positive. The bartender was incredibly sweet and totally laid-back for friday night dinner scene. She excitedly relayed the recent celebrity clientele Justin Timberlake and Kate Hudson, but was decidedly as polite and friendly to us as I'm sure she was to them.
We felt no pressure to order an abundance of food or to drop wads of cash. We sampled oysters all excellent, that came via a handy and descriptive menu, location, price, flavor profiles for each type. My friend got the veal and tuna tartare sandwich an unlikely combo, it was awesome served on toasted brioche with a grainy mustard, cucumber salad and solid fries. I literally pored and lingered over the menu, everything sounded delicious. There were tons of unusual flavor profiles, food combinations and several cuisine influences. Far from standard seafood house options.
I decide on squid diavola which was grilled and then stewed in a spicy delicious tomato sauce with beans and isreali couscous.
I would definitely go back here with more of an appetitie so I could really eat my way through the menu. For an unplanned Friday night this was by far the most memorable meal of the summer, not bad for wandering off the T after work.
Please be advised, the funniest part of this review occurs in the final paragraph.
Wow. How do I begin?
BF and I meandered our way into this catacomb for lunch on a sunny Sunday afternoon. Interior feels very "San Pelligrino meets Frank Sinatra" to me. Actually I felt like I was in an old Orangina poster. I liked the look.. and although tiny, I appreciated the modest and tasteful decor. Seating was tight, and limited, so we were gestured toward the bar stools facing the gaggle of wine bottles surrounding the bar. Not my first (or second) choice for seating as said stools typically make my ass numb after several minutes. I tolerated it.
The menu is annoying. Designed, presumably, by someone with OCD whom enjoys counting. Example of ONE entree (not actually from the menu):.... Striped Bass with navy beans, bacon, asparagus tips, stuffed squash blossoms, anchovies, Japanese pickles, artichoke hearts, fingerling potatoes, pomegranate seeds, plum segments, finished with creme fraiche and a dash of pepper. Did you count them?..... C'mon you know you want to. I damn near fell asleep before I could finish reading the entree descriptions. Why must you bombard an entree with a plethora of accompaniments menu maker man,? Why don't you just sell cornucopias?
As silence is golden, so too is menu editing.
To start, My guy ordered an assortment of Oysters (no slimy gray boogers for me thank you) and an appetizer involving bacon and something or other (It's been a while and I can only recall 5 ingredients or less). He enjoyed the beer... the oysters and the app.
We waited too long for our entrees. I was notably cranky when they finally arrived. And I was hungry. Normally, the sensation of hunger acts as a bit of a buffer for mediocre food... The axiom is "everything tastes good when your hungry" Wow... whoever thought of that one obviously never met me.
No amount of hunger makes food taste good to me. You are reading a review written by a person who chose to forgo eating for an entire day rather than consume McDonald's "food" (sadly the only thing around on a long stretch of highway in the Australian Outback).
Did I mention the bartender/waitress was eyeballing my honey?
Water refills were slow? and I kept bumping elbows with the tourist sitting to my left?
Anyway... back to the Entrees. I ordered the Monkfish. I love monkfish. and I love unusual food pairings. I can't stress enough how much I love originality and experimentation in my dining experience. But what I ordered was dismally disappointing. The fish was overcooked (and Monkfish turns into a wet softball when it's overcooked) and musty tasting. True it's a heavier tasting (oilier, earthier) fish, but it didn't seem fresh at all. Then I had another issue to deal with.... which was the pot luck mess that was situated under my fish. I had intimations upon ordering my 16-ingredient-laden entree that things might get a bit harry, but to my defense, all the entree descriptions were verbose, methodically listing the ingredients like a pack of sugar free gum. I mean the only thing they forgot to put in there was a finger (though I'm sure they'd give me the finger now... ha ha ha). There were olives, there were black beans (which clashed tragically with the olives) and there were things I've willed myself to expunge from my memory. Man. It was the most schizophrenic dish I have ever had. Either they always serve crap like this to people or the "B-team" was on the job that day. I like to believe the "A-team" wouldn't let a dish leave the kitchen looking (and tasting) the way mine did. sodden. sad. bleakly stewing in its own pity. The worst part was that 1 or 2 ingredients overpowered the entire dish, rendering the other ingredients simply asinine, superfluous.
My BF suggested "Maybe you ordered the wrong dish. Right, I said "How silly of me to order seafood at an Oyster Bar"
But the truth is...if you can't make every dish on your menu excellent then you shouldn't be offering it to the paying public. It shouldn't matter what you order at a restaurant. Attention should be dispensed equally to all offerings be it vegetarian or claws and paws.
I understand rent is high in the North End.... but don't be abusive. I subscribe to the belief of "You get what you pay for" but this is a unique experience.... I got a whole lot more than what I wanted yet I didn't get what I wanted at all... which was a delicious, well prepared, thoughtful dish.
What kills me the most about reading the rave reviews of this place is that everyone exclaims "OMG the Oysters Are AMAZING!!!!!"
Guess what??? They don't MAKE the oysters. You know who does make the oysters? God does. God makes the oysters. So maybe this place should be reviewed about what they are actually responsible for.... which are cooked dishes.... dishes that are confused and painfully, not artfully complex.
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So I will start this review out by saying that I did not eat at this restaurant.
With that said, I was surprised that with a 4.5 star rating this restaurant felt just about as claustrophobic as an overcrowded closet space. I had to scoot my seat in twice in the few minutes I was there to let people through the main entrance - the proportions of which seemed more fitting for a back exit! Decor doesn't seem to be their thing either. I was surprised by tables and chairs that were more fitting for a diner than a fine seafood restaurant.
Then there was the problem of their poor supply of seafood. They were out of lobster meat even though it was only 6:30 on a Saturday evening! Now I don't know about you, but the North End probably receives the greatest bulk of its patronage on a Saturday evening and they're telling me there's no more lobster?!
The hostess was not all that polite either and didn't show up until after we decided to finally seat ourselves after standing, waiting and ultimately feeling ignored by everyone that seemed like they worked there.
While I'm sure the food has much to offer given the rave reviews, I must play devil's advocate and say that until Neptune gets a better floor plan, learns how to more effectively match their food supply to the demand of North End patrons - the inclusion of cocktails wouldn't hurt either - and give their customer service a major overhaul I will have to rate this as I would any other sub-par restaurant, 2 stars.
If you expect good service, comfortable eating conditions and a fully stocked menu Neptune is not for you.
Did not have a chance to have the oysters! Will definitely come back for that.
So what are the five stars for? The FANTABULOUS Ciopini (seafood stew). The spices were just right, large shrimp, clams, mussels... yummmmm. The atmosphere was great, friendly co diners too. Not touristy which adds to two stars right there!
If you visit Boston, this is a must!
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Everything at this place was yummy! We went for a late lunch and the waiter was super friendly...we had some mimosas, oysters, a lobster roll and the yellowtail crudo was to die for. The waiter gave us a delicious dessert wine after our meal...on the house. I can't wait to go back next time i'm in boston.
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i love oysters and these were the best so far that I have found in Boston. Just mosey on up to their bar and you can order both familiar oysters (ex. Wellfleets that everyone knows) or exotic ones. You can sample different sauces and wash the whole muscular package down with an awesome wine selection. Incredibly fresh - right from the sea and shucked before your very eyes!! They have superb lobster rolls as well. I have come here since they opened.
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One of a handful of Boston area restaurants to offer an expanded and kick-ass list of a variety of oysters and clams. Try a West Coast oyster next to an East Coast oyster and you'll discover subtle differences in flavors. You'll also understand why their raw menu reads like a wine list, dropping words like "hints of melon", "clean finish", "briny flavor", etc.
Tiny downsides: their crudo ("raw" in Italian) specials, served in small salad form, seems to be getting a little more greasy than when Neptune first opened up. Also, the menu's pricey but other than that this place is nearly perfect. Don't miss their fried offerings; the breading is divinely light.
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In Roman lore, Neptune is a god (named after the Greek deity Poseidon.) In Boston, there is a god of seafood restaurants named Neptune Oyster. From their much heralded lobster rolls to their fantastic chowder to the city's best selection of oysters, a seafood lover cannot go wrong. Sturgeon, monkfish, and sublime ciopinno. I've been here for business lunches and dinners with mi amore. It's a great setting for either occasion.
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in my search for the ultimate lobster roll in boston, all of my sources insisted, nay, demanded that i try this place. i was not disappointed. i had it warm. it came tossed with butter (perhaps a tad too much) on brioche, with fries. it was everything i hoped it would be and more. my companions had the clam chowder and a roasted celery salad, both of which received an enthusiastic thumbs up. i feel the tiniest bit of guilt because one of my dinnermates is a vegetarian, and all she could eat was some lettuce and my fries. but honestly only a smidge -- i would push my grandmother down the stairs for another lobster roll.
parking is a bitch, but the restaurant is located close to the haymarket station on the green line. it was crazy busy when i went (saturday night, regatta weekend), and the wait was an hour and a half. i'd do it again in a heartbeat.
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Came here with friends who were visiting from out of town. We heard it was a top rated restaurant in the country. It was quite amazing! It was a very memorable experience- and I want to go back very soon! I loved it! The oysters were Fantastic!
The oysters are excellent. They served probably 10 different types, from CT, MA, RI, ME, and WA, along with of course, two sizes of clams on the half shell. If you are an oyster fan, you will definitely appreciate the freshness an