I genuinely cannot speak highly enough about this place. You know when you find a gem in your neighborhood that you just can't stop coming back to? Well that's flex mussels for me. I absolutely love this place, and on my most recent visit I had the oysters which were some of the best I have had, the delicious Parmesan mussels, the coconut mussels, and the calamari. The oysters were incredible, super briny and meaty. The Parmesan mussels are absolutely delectable and we went through multiple bread baskets sopping up the broth. The coconut mussels are great, nothing wrong with them whatsoever, I just prefer the Parmesan and the calamari was perfectly crispy and big pieces. Service is always the question mark here with it never being great but never being bad. And that was my experience on my last visit. Ambience is lovely and perfect for whatever kind of night you're having. This place works for a date night or a quick casual dinner. Overall, I will always come back to flex mussels as they never disappoint and would recommend anyone else do so. read more

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This meal hits the spot on a cold winter day. The fact that they have happy hour even makes it more amazing . The mussels are large in size and served in a wonderful broth nicely seasoned. It's perfect for dipping the bread into. The service is great and they always check on you. You easily could walk in and get a seat at the bar, but play it safe and make a reservation if you are a large party. read more

It was really busy on the weekend but I didn't have reservations since I wasn't sure if we were going to dine here. 20 min est. wait wasn't that bad. We were seated upstairs.. l think it's comfier than the main floor. The tables on the main are incredibly close to each other. We got a few drinks plus sparkling water. I ordered the Lobster Bisque mussels and L always gets a lobster roll at seafood restaurants. He thought it was a lil too acidic but I took a bite and it was fine. Maybe a lil too saucy. It came with a good amount of fries. I liked it but I preferred my mussels. These mussels were really tasty. L doesn't care for them but he said the mussels at FM were really good. Broth wasn't too strong. These were cooked perfectly. The bread was soft but really cold and salty. I had some sips of the broth but left most of it. We were really full. We actually ate somewhere else just before heading to FM or I would've ordered more drinks. We did order the 6 donuts in several flavors. We only had room to try 2 and took the rest home. Definitely better at the restaurant... the donuts are really just okay; it was good to try once. The drinks were good. Our servers were very nice. Would come back again for muss read more

Flex Mussels - Lobster Bisque - Seafood Near Me - New York, New York

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Was recommended this place on our recent trip to NYC. Located on the Upper East Side this is a must for you seafood lovers! Come for lunch, brunch or dinner and you won't be disappointed. Decked out in sea side decor there is plenty of indoor space and covered outdoor space for colder weather. Highly recommend reservations! Oysters, mussels, lobster, breakfast items, fish entrees and salads. There is something for everyone! Wine, beer, cocktails and mocktails there's a drink for everyone. And while we didn't get a chance for dessert, we saw some delicious looking plates go by. Friendly staff greeted us, our waiter was very knowledgeable in the mussel selections. Portions are generous and you'll go away happy! I will be back on my next NYC trip. read more

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Flex mussels is consistently always good! We started our meal with the scallop special which was served over a butternut squash puree which was delicious. For mains, we had the fra diavolo, classic, and New England clam chowder mussels. We've never tried the clam chowder mussels and they were packed with flavor! We obviously also had to get fries which always pairs well with mussels. If you're a mussels lover, this place is a must try! You also have to go for happy hour as they have such good deals! read more

Flex Mussels - New England clam chowder mussels - Seafood Near Me - New York, New York

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Came here randomly for happy hour and everything was really good! I had my dog so we were able to sit outside to eat. Standouts were the truffle parm fries (good truffle flavor pulls through, but not too strong) and the sauce the mussels were in were very flavorful. Donuts were yum as well, they were warm and airy! Would come back again for happy hour as I believe the mussel & fries combo was only $25. Service could be a bit more friendly - our server seemed like they didn't want to be there/were annoyed with us. read more

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Walking into Flex Mussels on a Friday night at about 9:30. It's busy with lots of people, but they were still able to seat us immediately. There was an option of indoor or outdoor, but the whole restaurant was open air. Their late night happy hour starts at 9 and has a great $25 mussels and fries deal. The mussels were fresh and have a few options of sauces. We went with the classic white wine garlic which came with crusty bread to dip in. Overall, had a great time and would love to come again. The happy hour prices were really good read more

Flex Mussels - Inside - Seafood Near Me - New York, New York

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This restaurant is quite a find. My in-laws from the south were in from out of town and wanted to try this place out. There is an option to dine outside, but we ended up going inside. The decor gave the place a homey feel. The mussels here were out of this world. I ordered the seafood boil which had a hearty serving of mussels, shrimp and crawfish. The seasoning was great which went well with the bread that was served alongside it. I recommend the fries as a nice side, though they came out a little slow. read more

Flex Mussels - Gumbo Mussels - Seafood Near Me - New York, New York

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Wow. 11 years ago you could get a meal for $60 + tip. Flex Mussels was one of my favorite restaurants on the UES and going back tonight I can confidently say that the quality of the food is still there. The space I previously visited is now Hoexter's, and this version of Flex Mussels is much bigger with an outdoor space, large interior, and upstairs area. The service is still good by all accounts, but because of how many tables people are covering, it's not what it once was and that's why we're at 4-stars now. Back in 2014, the second your bread basket ran out there'd be a new one being placed down. While it may not be the best decision to put away multiple buckets of that delicious bread with whatever your mussels have taken a bath in, it was still awesome. To that point, the size of the restaurant made it so once the food was placed down, it was harder to really monitor your bread needs and by the time our waiter checked on us, we felt finished with the meal (the mussels were gone, the broth had cooled, and our fries had disappeared). This lost star is no shade to the waitstaff - they're really great. It's just that Flex Mussels is no longer that vibey hole-in-the-wall feeling restaurant it once was and that's ok. The food is still as good as I remember and that dessert was something I missed (truly one of my favorite desserts of all time). It's gotten *way* more expensive, but I suppose everything has. read more

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Overall, the mussels were fantastic. Would highly recommend the Parma and the Thai mussels. A bit on the saltier side, but the bread helps tone it down. However, the Little Flex from the raw bar was not satisfying for $42. You only got six oysters and two shrimp cocktail with some smoked fish dip. Service was fantastic. The restaurant had dim lighting, perfect for a date night or dinner with friends. read more

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Great happy hour deals for the weekend!Mussels and truffle fries for $25. The bread was delicious too read more

Flex Mussels - Parma mussels - Seafood Near Me - New York, New York

Kevin has renewed my faith in great service and delicious food! He was an excellent host and saw to our needs before we knew ourselves! The entire wait staff, host at the door, and the food was superior! Thank you for this massive about face - Easter is, afterall, about coming back stronger. read more

This right here is something I've really gotten one too many times lol. This is My guilty pleasure as they aren't always nice to me in here but that happy hour mussels and fries combo... smh. THE best! $27 for a FILLING, Fresh & Tasty meal. Always. They are consistent with two things: great food and crappy service. lol I've tried all of the flavors except the Parma, and would recommend every single one. read more

Flex Mussels - Classic Mussels - Seafood Near Me - New York, New York

Kids friendly, Happy hours! The restaurant offers $8 small martini and $10 spritz. If you love to drink, you can go here all the time. Cheeseburger sliders, fish tacos, and and creamy mussels were very yummy. They have plenty of spaces on the ground level and second floor which I both visited. I see small kids all the time here! read more

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Great neighborhood spot! We went to dinner on a weekday and it was pretty chill. We got half a dozen oysters, and just told our waiter to pick some for us. We ended up getting 2 oyster types: Montauk and Irish point. We don't normally love oysters, these were fine. We got 3 pots of mussels and fries. They were quite a bit of food. All the mussels were so good!! The fries were small matchstick, very crunchy. The mussels comes with bread that was tasty, and you can get more bread as well. Overall, we had a great time. The happy hour menu looks so good, we would totally come back for happy hour another time! read more

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The service is almost always horrendous here. I've now given this so many chances and I just can't justify it anymore even though it's so close. The last time I went the host was incredibly rude, a time before that they were out of most of the oysters on the menu for brunch at 12pm. This last time 40 percent of the mussels were unopened. That's an absurd thing to serve a dish that almost half of it is inedible. The broth today was way too salty. We did let the server know but they shrugged their shoulders and just took it away. Photo for reference. I'd definitely pass and hit another seafood place like Crave or Seamore's in the area. Habitually bad service and food lately. The oysters were good though and well shucked. read more

Flex Mussels - All unopened in addition to 6 other unopened in the side dish. - Seafood Near Me - New York, New York

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Whenever I am in New York I try to come here at least once. It's no longer a secret, Flex is fire and it's always busy and full of locals, including the park avenue crew. I recommend any of the mussel dishes, the Parma style are my favorite. The branzino is among the best I've had in nyc, and my boyfriend loves the roasted half chicken, for those who are more into turf. Do not leave without dessert, their homemade doughnuts are a surprisingly pleasant way to end a meal, small little gooey blissful puff balls. read more

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TLDR: great service, fresh seafood and amazing flavors. MUST GET-- fungi mussels, San Danielle mussels, whipped ricotta and broccolini Came here for dinner with some friends and it did not disappoint. Servers were attentive, food was great and vibes were just amazing. Each bucket of mussel comes with bread (not sure if it's unlimited but I definitely dipped a lot in the broths... Rating the mussels from best to worst: San Danielle: prosciutto was a nice touch and made this dish extremely aromatic. The broth was perfect for the bread Fungi: a generous amount of mushrooms, mixed with the extremely flavorful smoked bacon all tied together with a rich cream sauce. Had the perfect amount of richness that was not too overwhelming Thai: not the worst but definitely lacking in some flavor profiles. Probably would avoid ordering this in the future Dijon: after reading some reviews, this seemed to be the dish to get but was very disappointed. There was little to no flavor and the broth wasn't that good... Other dishes: Branzino: two different sauces that provided two different flavor profiles. I want a huge fan of the green sauce but that wouldn't stop me from ordering it again. Cooked perfectly. Whipped ricotta: this was an amazing dish. Wish I would've asked for more bread sooner... Fries: they were okay.... Broccolini: was a nice addition to the meal, especially with the breadcrumbs read more

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Good happy hour. Okay Martinis and really good service. Their $25 mussel and fries deal during their happy hour is such a steal. The inside is nice and if you sit at the bar you can see them shuck oysters in front of you. I got the calamari, oysters of the day (love that there's no real minimum for how many you can order) and then the mussels and fries. read more

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Flex was a nice change of pace, it felt like a bit of Belgium in NYC with the mussels and the overall atmosphere. Service was outstanding, they were great about checking in and even providing extra bread for dipping in the various sauces. Food itself was good -- the mussels dish was great, and they have maybe a dozen different options for flavors to try. You should be coming here for the mussels dishes, and you won't be disappointed by them. For appetizers, we had the ricotta and the tuna crudo. The crudo was simple and delicious, but the whipped ricotta was a bit off -- consistency was more like a yogurt than a whipped dish, and they take it in a savory direction with the onions, making it more of a sour cream dip than anything else. I'd avoid this dish, personally. Overall definitely worth a visit for the mussels! read more

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An update to my review is about one of the Bartenders who is newer here. His name is Steve. He makes not just wonderful cocktails but also something about the way he makes a coldbrew taste so refreshing and look pretty is cool. He is not just an awesome bartender but he is a wonderful guy in general. He makes wonderful Cape cod spritzers. Great spring/ summer cocktail that Flex Mussels offer on their menu. Also, this restaurant has a great mix of music for the most part. read more

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Another Saturday night dinner date brought us to Flex Mussels. Overall, it was a mixed experience. We started with the Tuna Crudo (ponzu, mandarin orange, jalapeño, chive oil, sea salt). The tuna itself was very fresh, but the flavors felt a little flat compared to other crudos we've had. The "Burnt Fingers" (crispy calamari, shrimp, oyster, shishito pepper, Calabrian chili aioli) was a hit for my boyfriend, though not for me, I suspect it may have been fried in seed oils, as it left me feeling unwell. The Kumamoto oysters were fresh with the exception of one that tasted off and made me second-guess it after swallowing. For our main, we went with the special mussels in red wine and butter, which were absolutely delicious. In hindsight, we wished we had just focused on more mussels, the namesake of the restaurant, since they were the standout dish of the night. The special also came with a strip steak and chimichurri; while cooked nicely to a pink medium, it lacked depth of flavor. Service, however, was excellent. Our server was friendly, attentive, and quick to refresh plates between courses, which really elevated the experience. read more

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Strong drinks, highly recommend the Refresher!! Thai moules-frites were spot on & the vibe you would expect! read more

Flex Mussels - Seafood Near Me - New York, New York

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My girlfriend live near Flex and she has been ordering the parmesan mussels with fries for years and never orders anything else. I decided to try the thia coconut mussels and they were so tender and delicious. I didn't have one closed shell in my whole order. The service was very attentive and water glass was always topped off. I asked for ice in my water and it appeared immediately. Our server was so nice and told us it was five minutes to happy hour ending on a Sunday evening so we ordered and the portions were perfect. We started with a dozen oysters and they were tasty and just the right size and texture. I would skip the calamari next time it wasn't very crispy and a little bit chewy but the chili dipping sauce was really tasty and had a nice bite. I would definitely order the Thai muscles again. I love the flavor of the lemon grass and ginger. The curry was perfect. They also bring you this nice basket of soft chewy crusty bread dip in the bowl to sop up all the wonderful flavors at the bottom. I ordered the sand and sea tequila cocktail off the happy hour menu. It was so delicious. I ordered a second one immediately. We sat outside. It was a beautiful evening and watched all the beautiful people on the upper East side, walking by. It was a great dining experience all around. read more

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Fast and friendly services. The lobster rolls were good not great and the cocktails sounded better than they actually were. Compared to other places its a decent lobster roll. read more

Flex Mussels - Lobster roll - Seafood Near Me - New York, New York

The mussels here are absolutely delicious and they come with fresh bead so five stars for that and for the service which is kind, quick and straight to the point. The place can get super crowded and the tables are too close to each other (in my opinion) so that makes it a little bit weird since everyone can hear each others conversations but I totally understand making use of whatever space they have. With that being said, it can get loud. The drinks are refreshing and good despite being alcoholic and the guac while it wasn't the best I've ever had it wasn't bad so try at your own risk. I'd totally come back for the mussels and the drinks. read more

Nice location and ambience ; pricey for portion size, and taste is just average. I recall the older Flex Mussels location gave a larger and more flavorful pot for less money but that's inflation and probably Trump's absurd Canadian tariffs read more

Cannot say enough good things about flex! First, the space is beautiful and they also have tons of outdoor seating if it's nice out. Our server was super attentive and knowledgeable about the menu. There were so many creative cocktails on the menu (I loved my tequila drink!). The food was phenomenal. We ordered a few oysters to start (they have both east and west coast oysters) and the ricotta toast (don't miss out on this!). As for the mussels, they have so many creative choices-not your typical red or white wine decision. We ordered the Dijon and I LOVED them! The bread that came with them (and the ricotta) was thick, crusty and delicious. Also an fyi-happy hour food specials are only at the bar (oyster/drink specials are at any table). Truly have nothing bad to say about flex-can't wait to come back! read more

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The happy hour oyster deal is great! ($1 oysters). Happy hour runs daily 4-6pm; sun-thurs 9-10pm; fri-sat 9-10:30pm. We sat at the bar and got pretty decent service. It's a nice place to get drinks on a bite or sit and have a seafood dinner. read more

Flex Mussels - Oysters - Seafood Near Me - New York, New York

My husband is a mussel fanatic so I can't believe it took us this long to get to Flex Mussels. It's definitely a new favorite! We are both quite picky about our mussels -- freshness, texture, flavor -- and Flex's are among the best we've had. My waiter recommended the Fungi to me and it was a real standout with creamy broth, lots of chopped wild mushrooms and smoky bacon, and of course the perfectly cooked mussels. The old bay fries are excellent too, crispy and skinny and well seasoned. Dessert was a pleasant surprise too, with the unusual selection of gelato and sorbet -- we chose a trio of dark chocolate and cherry gelato and blackberry sorbet and all were outstanding. Other flavors like bourbon pecan, blood orange and honey crisp apple sounded great too! read more

I have been thinking mussels in America just aren't any good, always gritty. I wanted to test this theory so tried Flex. And yay, I finally found great mussels in New York! Delicious, fresh mussels, not gritty at all, yummy sauce and fries. Will definitely return. read more

Flex Mussels - Dijon Mussels with old bay fries - Seafood Near Me - New York, New York

Flex Mussels in New York, NY. It's raining and cold out in NYC today...what a perfect day for hot steamy mussels from @flexmussels! The Prince Edward Island mussels are super fresh and all of the broths are insanely delicious. I recommend to try all of their classic & unique mussel flavors and always end with their famous donuts. The service is always amazing! Insta: @thehungrysw PARMA MUSSELS- parmigiano cream, lemon, scallion, toasted garlic, crispy shallot. CRAB GUACAMOLE WHIPPED RICOTTA BACON MAC OYSTERS LOBSTAH FLEX DONUTS read more

Flex Mussels - Seafood Near Me - New York, New York

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Walked in on a Sunday and we were taken care of by Aidan in a super-courteous and warm manner. Food was fresh (obviously gotta get the mussels) and fairly-priced. A new go-to for seafood for us in the UES! read more

we frequently visit flex mussels when we're in town, the food is always consistent and delicious and the service is great. We were happy to see that they added other menu items . we will definitely try those on our next visit. read more

Came for happy hour on a Saturday early afternoon and it was surprisingly empty. When we ordered our food, I could see why. Most of it was just ok. The oysters needed to be cleaned better (most of us had some with sand in it), the lobster rolls were fresh but was lacking something, and the salmon over rice was not a favorite. The best thing was the fluke tartare and miso baba ganoush. Drinks were ok too. Service was also almost non-existent, considering we were the only large table there. Out of so many places that do happy hour, Flex really needs to up their game. read more

Came here on a Saturday, a party of 5 with no reservation and they were very accommodating. We loved our dirty martinis with blue cheese olives. The burnt fingers were a great appetizer and of course the mussels were on point! The music was great and at the perfect volume Our server Taylor and the manager John were the best! read more

We arrived and informed the hostess that I am allergic to seafood, and would bring something else for myself so I could join my husband. She understood and seated us at a nice outside table. He ordered enough food for two people so we didn't really see a problem. As we were eating an employee with a phony French accent told me they do not allow outside food. I couldn't understand the rest that she babbled, but I put my food away and he finished his mussels and oysters. I really wasn't going to deal with her angry demeanor. The employee continued to talk about us and point even though I put the food away immediately. It was very unpleasant. read more

The food here is great!! The staff is attentive, knowledgeable , and the service was quick and professional. I had not eaten here in a while. After revisiting I was wondering why I waited so long. If seafood is your thing, don't miss out on this gem! read more

Flex Mussels - Guacamole with lump crab. - Seafood Near Me - New York, New York

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Fun neighborhood spot for oysters and mussels offering quality and variety that will keep you coming back for more. The new location is on an upper east side corner so is more bustling than the previous one tucked away on the side street was. Inside was a bit loud but outdoor seating was comfortable. The service was on point especially in terms of clearing away mussel shells throughout the meal. There was a nice selection of oysters and we were able to order a mixed platter. At ~4 dollars each I was happy with the quality of the oysters and shucking (I did have one or two bits of shell). Not a single oyster was obviously subpar. The mussels were cooked well and essentially all of them opened up in the broth. On this occasion I had the Thai and Fungi - both were delicious. The bread they bring is fresh and half the fun is dunking it in the broth. The other half is trying out the wide variety of flavors available. Three of us were totally full after just the oysters, 2 orders of mussels, and some fries at a total of ~60 per person after tip. Overall great spot with tasty seafood and good service which has a lot to offer return clients, between a rotating roster of oysters and a wide selection of mussels. read more

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Absolutely love this place ! The mussels are fantastic and so is their Mac n cheese ! They do a great happy hour and have a great vibe !! Indoor and outdoor seating and the waiters are always professional read more