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23rd St-Broadway (R, W)
23rd St-6th Ave (F, V)
23rd Street (PATH)
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Came here for a friend's birthday and they had provided the nice back room for our party. It was nice that they didn't mind, that like most parties some people bailed and thus the reserved seats needed also shrunk. (Then again it was pretty empty)
When you imagine a typical oyster bar, that's pretty much what you get here when you first enter and that's perfect. Then when you wander into the back room where they stash the parties, it feels like we're eating in someone's basement dining room complete with fireplace. The sound system was at this peculiar volume which resulted in it sounding like The Killers were holding band practice next door.
The waiter we got was extremely friendly and had a great humorous personality to him, which always makes a dining experience more enjoyable.
The chef who's also the owner (of which the Shaffer part of the restaurant name comes from) also came out to introduce himself and some of the things that were on our cold appetizer plates.
I'm a West Coast transplant and so was delighted to see a familiar offering of oysters from the waters of British Columbia where I'm originally from. On top of that this is probably one of the few places I've been to where they'll ask you how you want your salmon cooked in terms of temperature/doneness so extra points for that.
Although none of the dishes really blew me away, they were all well prepared and tasty. When coupled with the pricing, the taste and price didn't justify a value I would come back for. However, if I was wandering around the neighborhood I might definitely drop in for the oysters and various mollusks.
OK, was not impressed at all!! Sorry other reviewers but I've been all over the map eating oysters and when we walked in we were the ONLY ones there, and they hardly had any oysters [Oct 27th, 2009] and out of the 4 we selected the West Coast were the only ones that were good.
I will have to seek out another local for oysters...was very sad!!!
Absolutely loved this place. I suggested Shaffer City simply because my husband loves oysters and it was a friends birthday. Its conveniently located, and although I must have walked past this place a thousand times, I never noticed it?! Once inside, you immediately feel at ease, and I loved the fact that all of the staff were super friendly. I could see this place becoming my favorite after work hang out.
The food was amazing (to say the least) the oysters were fresh, the appetizers we had ( duck quesadillas) were so amazing, we ordered a second and each of our main dishes were top notch. I would recommend any thing on the menu, its impossible to go wrong when everything was so good! Great food, great atmosphere, and great service.
I'm really not a oyster or seafood specialist, but I recently started working next door, and decided to take my first stab at 'The After Work Crowd' at SC.
The place was a bit more upscale than I'd predicted while window shopping. The happy hour is key.
They have an amazing beer selection whivh is 50% off along with wine during happy hour. They're also serving $1 oysters during that time, and there's a nice little bar munchies kinda menu.
For a nice, kind of expensive place, its very warm, cozy and welcoming. and the happy hour is a great way to get some great beer, wine and oysters for cheap.
Great selection of oysters from both the Atlantic and the Pacific. I have to admit that I had a hard time distinguishing between all of them (we had six types in all), but the experience made me determined to become an oyster connoisseur someday.
The soup of the day was a creamy zucchini puree with scallops - quite possibly the best soup I've ever tasted. Too bad it's not a regular on the menu.
The only downside is that it's not exactly cheap; you'll be paying $3 per oyster, which adds up in a hurry. Fortunately, they have happy hours during which certain oysters are $1.50 each. I'd definitely like to come back with friends sometime for that.
Stopped in a second time Thursday night after running some errands in the area, and I'm still very impressed with Shaffer City. The staff and owner clearly love oysters, are very knowledgeable about them and the micro brews on tap, which are often local and regional selections. I tried the Blue Point IPA from Long Island which was very crisp and refreshing. Two new favorite oysters as well: Cortez Island oysters from British Columbia (large, and just the right amount of salty), and Pemaquids from the Damariscotta River in southern Maine (crisp and clean).
This is definitely a place I would recommend to others in search of a local-style oyster bar in the city, and I would make a special trip here (as opposed to just being a "in the neighborhood" spot).
Came here on a Saturday night for a little dinner/snack before seeing a movie in Union Sq. I love… Read more »
Great draft beer list, sizeable oyster menu, good after work hangout place.
I was wishing that it was a bit busier, but we went post-happy-hour in the middle of the week. Will try again.
Oysters are $2.50-3, and $1 during happy hour.
Didn't try the oysters here, but want to promote the correct promotion they have:
A selected type of oyster is $1 Tue-Thurs, 4-8pm.
There was much confusion reading past reviews about what the real deal was (half price? what days? WTF?)
Anyway, I tried a few of their other seafood items which were kinda small and forgettable for my tastes. The beef sliders were good though. It's a real after-work type of crowd, so unless you're big into oysters, I wouldn't recommend going out of your way for this place.
I highly recommend Shaffer City Oyster Bar & Grill. It's an unpretentious restaurant with a wide selection of oysters. It has the feel of your neighborhood bar, that happens to serve good food. That being said it feels like this restaurant is confused with its identity; on one hand a high end seafood restaurant, on the other a neighborhood bar. I'm not saying a restaurant can't be both, but with the current economy, those who are willing to spend the extra buck is also looking for the high end atmosphere. So for someone like me, someone who is looking for good food without having to get decked out to do so, this place is great but I'm concerned that maybe that's why others head to your typical name brand seafood restaurants. The scallop risotto and New England Clam Chowder were delicious. I'll definitely head back and I hope others do too to keep it going.
Talk about a mid-week slam-dunk! Shaffer City comes up HUGE on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays with half-price oysters (delicious!) and killer drink specials. Jill's sister Joni was in town last week, so we all headed over to enjoy a few sliders, oysters, calamari, fish & chips, and (more than a few) glasses of Pinot Grigio. NICE.
Bookmark this baby!
Went here on a recommendation from a fellow oyster lover for fresh oysters and drinks.
Goodbye Essex! No longer will I need you for your Happy Hours and cheap $1 oysters on Thursday nights. Goodbye to the long line, and waiting for a table, and pre-made watered down Happy Hour drink specials!
I arrived earlier than the rest of my party so I and sat at the bar and enjoyed the half price glass of Pinot Grigio and half a dozen Blue Point oysters. All the wines by the glass were half price on Thursday night, and they have a selection of oysters that are also half price, and 2 beers on tap that were $5. Both bartenders were very accommodating and let me try the Pinot Blanc & Grigio that were offered before I chose my glass.
This place started getting busy around dinner time (after 6) but it still wasn't crowded and there some tables available. I let them know my party was running late and they held my table.
The owner was there and he was sociable and sat down with us for a bit after we got our table. He was looking through my work portfolio since he has an eye for art.
For dinner we had a dozen oysters each and just decided to share apps since nothing on the main entrees really jumped out as us. We tried the PEI Mussels, Mixed Organic Baby Greens w/Truffled mushroom vinaigrette, and the Salmon Tartare which was served with fried pita chips. Everything was delicious and very fresh! We were probably here for a good 2 hrs and never did we feel rushed to leave (such as the case at Essex).
I'll be returning again for Happy Hour & Oysters which is Mon-Fri!
Thumbs UP:
1. Great selection of oysters, so if you're big on oysters, there's a large selection to choose from. $3/per oyster. Staff is very knowledgeable in this area and makes good recommendations.
2. The Scallop Risotto was delicious.
Thumbs DOWN:
1. In addition to the oyster menu, there's a separate page for starters as well as main courses. I went for the Crab Cake Sliders, which were too greasy and rather tasteless.
2. Wine by the glass was a tad expensive. Should've gone for an entire bottle instead.
dozen after dozen we couldn't get enuff!
This is my favorite place for oysters. And I LOVE oysters. And I've converted a fair number of people to Shafferism since I've discovered this place.
As has been said by others, the selection and quality of oyster is great. My approach has been to choose 6 or so types of oysters and get two of each. One to try au naturel and the other with either the mignonette sauce, horseradish or simple lemon. Hardest decision is usually East Coast vs West Coast (always). The wine list and beer list complement oysters very well.
I've also had cooked food (no fun) at Shaffer and it is excellent as well. The waitstaff is very helpful and professional and will guide newbies through the oyster selection without making them feel like idiots.
It's not inexpensive at $2-3 an oyster but that's fair price for oysters around town and compared to Pearl's Oyster Bar, the quality is much better.
I loved this place. We had dinner there on a Friday night and the service was great, the food delicious and the portions not skimpy. This is something that is always a good thing, especially before a night out. The drinks were also strong.
I recommend this for an after work dinner spot, not sure what time, and if they have one, Happy Hour is, but I'd go there again!
Shaffer City is a great place for oysters lovers. They have a big selection of oysters and the employees are very knowledgeable about them. They will make sure you enjoy you time there.
This place was out of this world delicious!! I didn't look at any prices as I was on the companies money so I can't comment much about price other then it was worth it.
We started out with crab cakes, shrimp cocktail, and their famous tray of oysters. I don't eat oysters but my fellow diners didn't leave anything on the plate! The shrimp was shrimp, nothing fancy- but the crab cakes were crabby- just the way I like 'em. You could actually taste the crab and not too much breading. We only got 2 and they were pretty small so unfortunately for my pals I ate them all :)
For my entree I ordered the sweet potato gnocchi with scallops and shrimp. The sweet potato gnocchi was incredible. Sweet and then covered in a white cream seafood type of sauce. The scallops were cooked perfectly and the shrimp was also covered in that yummy creamy sauce. It was so good that I am going back to eat it again tonight for dinner. I am on business travel here and don't know when I will be back again but I feel as if I can't live without that meal at least one more time.
We drank a pinot noir that was $120 a bottle and light and smooth. If it were a winery I would have brought home a case.
I left fat and happy and slept like a baby. It was like a good orgasm.
Wow, what an amazing selection of oysters! I became an oyster expert after dining at Shaffer's.. and so will you! The waiters are personable and funny, and have endless suggestions and ideas when it comes to pairing their seafood and wines.
Aside from the oysters, they had a really nice steamed mussels dish, and a nice selection of fresh fish as well.
Perhaps this is not the place to impress a friend who doesn't care about oysters. That's not me. I care. And so when I came to Shaffer's, I was impressed by the following:
1. The selection of oysters. They have a variety (usually around 10) each of Atlantic and Pacific oysters.
2. The quality of oysters. Each tasted like it had just been plucked from the ocean. Best of all, great care was taken in shucking - the oysters were brimming with liquor, indicating that not a drop was wasted, and there were no shell bits floating around. Even the cocktail sauce was handmade and tasty. Clearly, they were not phoning this in.
3. The staff. When I choked on something going down the wrong pipe, Mr. Shaffer himself was tableside in 30 seconds to make sure I was okay. He gave instructions and once he determined what had happened, explained thoroughly that I should just sit calmly and sip water as it would take a good five minutes to recover. No one had ever shown that much attention before when this has happened to me in the past.
I agree that this is not the coolest atmosphere ever, but who gives a crap when you're eating the best oysters in NYC?
Fried calamari,
Has great texture to it, it's tender without being mushy, similarly it doesn't suffer from being too chewy. I can go through a few orders without tiring my jar. It's listed as being served with a spicy tomato sauce. I received the tomato sauce, however, it wasn't spicy. That worked out fine for me, as I can't enjoy overly spicy dishes.
Their batter is very good; a crispy, rightfully oily, slightly flavorful batter that adhere's to the calamari with attraction.
A fantastic, laid back joint that's great for dinner after work. Grab a beer, order a plate of oysters and relax. Nibble on the yummy apps (I recommend the salmon cakes.) With entrees at under $20, it's a crowd (and wallet) pleaser.
Honestly, the place seems nice. They have about 10 little indie brews on tap. The two I had were delicious. The bar area is probably smaller than people would like - maybe 10 stools - and the restaurant section seems too delicate and quiet to just sit and have a drink. I saw several groups turn around and leave in the hour I was sitting there.
But here's the main problem. 1) The beers are little mugs. Probably 10 oz. Not pints. 2) The sign out front says: "Happy Hour! $5 Tap Beer" And then in a separate section of the sign in smaller letters it said, "barley wine" along with some food specials. Any reasonable person would expect that it is $5 for all tap beers. Which, by the way, for a 10 oz. glass is still a pretty lousy deal.
Well, when we got the tab and discovered we were being charged $8 per 10 oz. beer, we had a question - what about happy hour? Oh no, the $5 only applies to the barley wine. He (the owner or manager) dismissively tried to explain that the sign isn't intentionally misleading, but I'm not having it.
It seems like a nice enough place if money is no object. But being duped into drinking tiny $8 glasses of beer is not my thing. I shan't be returning.
Good oysters, ice cold Heineken's and friendly bartenders/wait staff make for a decent night out. Saying this their oysters at $3 a pop can cost you. Try grabbing a seat Monday through Thursday after 4p.m. when oysters are half off for Happy Hour.
It is generally not a good sign when the most entertaining part of a restaurant is not the food. It is like going on a first date and having the most entertaining part of your date be the first-date-couple-next-to-you's awkward "Are you a cat person or a dog person?" conversation. Ack. So, yeah, kinda bad sign, that the most entertaining part of Shaffer's was the aqarium with all sorts of funky fish, an eel, and one poor soul that was getting slowly eaten by his friends. To their credit, they do have a ton of different oysters, but some were smaller than a pea. The truffled vinegarette salad was over- salted/dressed/and powering and the clam chowder was small and watery. The mussels however were plump and yummy, the service was nice, and there were no adjacent cat person-dog person conversations.
Monday night $1oysters. We ate a dozen a piece and then ordered the mussels and a salad. Maryanne was our server and bartender and she was great--took excellent care of us. The owner stopped by to make sure we were happy, and of course we were. I'll be back!
This has to be a heaven for oyster lovers. Located in the Flatiron District it has been an attractive restaurant. They have cheaper rates and more quantity. I would definetely go there once a month.
This is the place to go for a great variety of oysters! And their menu for cooked foods is equally delicious. Friendly owner too.
I was fortunate to get a dinner for two as a gift to Schaffer's. It's all about getting there for early dinner and chatting it up with the owner who is hilarious.
Fresh and delicious oysters, tuna and salmon tartare was delish, steamed mussels were EXCELLENT, not gritty and the clam chowder was not to heavy, balanced.
I don't think I'll ever be able to afford a dinner here on my poor ass salary, but this was a wonderful way to end the day!
I used to work right across 5th Ave from this place and saw that it was supposedly the 2nd best place in NYC for oysters according to AM New York (or was it Metro?). Anyhow, I ventured in and the bar was cool in a stodgy sort of way, the oysters were good, but the place left me feeling like I was there at the wrong time. The food was generally non-descript. Does anyone remember Glouster House in mid-town from years ago? It kind of reminded me of that - stodgy old fish house where your grand parents take you.
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