Good drinks and great raw bar- they have over 6 to choose from- I tried all and was very happy! The kale salad was delicious and the lobster roll was good, but probably not something I would order again as i did think it was slightly over priced (for what you actually ended up with) Overall a great place for both its decor and cuisine. read more

Went to dinner with my gf and another couple. Ordered oysters, octopus, fish stew and mussels. The service was horrible - just the worst. Our food took forever to come out without any explanation or apology. The waitress never offered us additional cocktails, or even a glass of water. The food was mediocre at best. The octopus is allegedly Portuguese (menus have to stop puffing up the ingredients like this)... The French fries accompanying the mussels were not enough. To add insult to injury, the waitress added a coffee and cappuccino to the bill which we didn't order. In the end, we went to Milkflower for pizza, after spending $300 at Mar's without tip. Def not coming back. read more

Mars has been on my list to try for some time and took my husband's birthday as a good reason to splurge. Happy hour prices are great (loved the horseradish vinegar mix with the oysters). Shrimp cocktail was good but I'd rather have had more oysters. Grilled Octopus was delicious but a little pricey esp where you can find that elsewhere in Astoria. Mussels in white wine were plump and tasty and the spicy spaghetti a nice touch with the seafood. The strawberry cheesecake was unique and kind of more like a pudding - we both loved it. Our desserts were comped by surprise, which was a nice way to end the evening. Good service and friendly smiles. read more

Awesome spot, great dine-in for family or couples, great food and great drinks. Customer service is really good, attentive and very polite. Will visit again and will definitely recommend. read more

Overpriced and pretentious, belongs in Williamsburg circa 2006. . Nothing celebratory or appetizing about it, but great for contemplating Death over a perfect sidecar. If you can ignore the hipster to your right braying about his screenplay. Weird, cos I love the sparrow. read more

Man, oh man. The interior alone is gorgeous. When you pair that with friendly service and delicious food, you know you're in for a treat. I came here on a Friday night, so of course this place was loud and crowded. Despite that, I had no trouble getting service, and the wait time for my food was not bad. My date and I first split half a dozen assorted oysters. This was my first oyster experience, and I now have cultivated a deep love for oysters. I ordered the lobster roll and my date ordered the Long Island duck. Um, can I just say holy flipping cow? The lobster roll was pretty big (the size of my face, and they were not stingy with the lobster) and was prepared... Well, deliciously lol. The lobster was perfectly cooked, and the mixed greens it came with complemented the lobster well. The duck... Best duck I've had in a very very very long time. The skin was crispy, but the actual meat was barely cooked. It was tender, chewy and I may have had a foodgasm when I tried my date's duck. The pumpkin flan was a bit of a let down, though. It was kind of bland, and I wouldn't really recommend it. That being said, we got complimentary fries (my date has a friend that works there). The potatoes are fried with rosemary and perfectly seasoned. If that alone doesn't impress, then there's something wrong with you. When you pair the fries with their aioli mayo (ugh, there was another ingredient in there, but I can't remember what it was!!) it's game over. The food price range varies, but there's something for everyone. Not sure about the drinks as I only had water, but I think they are reasonably priced. I wouldn't mind coming down to Astoria from Manhattan as long as I came here to eat. read more

Oyster bars and happy hours keep popping up around Astoria and Mar's is one of the most recent members of this group. We sat on the patio and enjoyed $1 oysters during their happy hour. The place was still gaining popularity, and a bit quiet. Our server was quiet and knowledgeable. read more

The place had a cool 40s look other than that I can't say much else was good. The food was ok. I ordered the seafood stew which was no stew, It wasn't even a soup! The seafood was cooked good but it was in a bland broth and there wasn't much in the bowl. I ordered the added lobster and don't mind paying extra for it but overall it wasn't worth it! I paid way too much for the price for what the dish was actually worth. The waitress had an slight attitude and never brought the bread I asked for! I left still hungry, felt overcharged, and mislead by what the meal was supposed to be and what I actually got! I would not visit again. The waitress is lucky my friend left the tip because I would have left nothing at all for the service! read more

I have visited this place for a happy hour few times and it is definitely great deal. Dollar oyster , you simply can't beat that. For that alone I would have given them 5 stars. And now I have to get to the rest of the menu, few things I tried were beyond not appetizing. Burger, I mean combination of veal and lamb in the burger with the slice of pointless lemon and basil , I am trying to find the right word...well there is no word for it.It was the worst burger I ever had.My kids love burgers and they also made comment it was the worst burger ever. I have had my share of burgers from Minettas Tavern black label burger to ABC Kitchen burger and so on... But this burger needs to be replaced by the same delicious burger they serve in Sparrow Tavern. ST's burger is off the hook! And than let me mention celery that comes with mussels ( in the sauce). I mean come on! I think I even saw some carrots or maybe even peppers there, I think I blanked out at that point, and I can't even remember exactly or I do not want to remember. It was just not good. I mentioned to the waitress that the food was way better in ST and all she said was that this was more upscale food. Nothing upscale about the recipes they use. They need to rethink few of these items on he menu. On another occasion I had lobster roll and sweetbreads and it was good. I do have to point out that bartenders are very nice and drinks are good too . Please rethink your menu! read more

My favorite local spot for food, ambiance, cocktails! The guys behind the bar are great too! Professional and friendly (but not too much). I always choose Mar's if I'm looking for a great experience and don't mind spending money for a very good meal! read more

Love this place ! Dope food ! Amazing vibe ! Cool staff ! Will go again !the seating was very quick I loved the music selection , the ambiance was great , very intimate old bar feel , cool date spot read more

Paul is the most charismatic bartender I've ever met. He's got a great knack for conversing with patrons and giving the bar area some personality. Get a platter of happy hour oysters and sip that wine on tap. You'll be glad you did. read more

Great! The space Mar's is currently occupying has been vacant or under construction for what seems like the past three years. So when Mars opened recently, it's good to see that it was worth the wait. The decor is what is the most striking and memorable- it's a kind of prohibition style that feels like a mix of the nearby Astor Room and Dutch Kills further over in LIC- looks old, smells new- all good things. In a month it will feel like it's been there for years. We just went to have a drink and oysters before dinner, which is really all you can get right now. Arriving just before 7pm, we were able to get in on the happy hour special- $3 beer, $6 wine, and $1 oysters- damn fine deal. I vouched for the oysters (from NY, but don't remember specifics) and a tequila. Everything was really solid. Nothing but great vibes from this place, and I sincerely hope it will cement itself as a cornerstone of the neighborhood. Best of luck! read more

I'm rarely in astoria, but it's hard to go wrong with a seafood gem. We ordered the fish stew and it was amazing. Perhaps better described as a seafood bowl. The remaining seafood liquor was hard to part with even after we finished 2 bread baskets, sooooo good. I was originally going to get the moules and frites so we ordered a side of french fries and kale salad to start. The kale salad was bitter and tart and crunchy with nuts that completed the symphony of flavors. It was a substantial size and very filling. Love the ambience, the dark wood bar and miniature christmas tree is festive and welcoming. Hope to catch oyster HH next time! read more

(This review is based on only the atmosphere, drinks, and service. I'll update my review when I eat there - which I absolutely will.) Went with a friend this past Saturday night. Perfect experience, starting right from when I thought about going from a recommendation from another friend who really liked it. I was concerned about being able to get two seats at the bar (or a table) for just cocktails on a Saturday night at 9:15pm. So I tweeted to them asking what it was usually like at that time. Within the hour they not only responded, but told me they were going to hold two seats at the bar. AMAZING. You don't see this level of both customer service and engagement too often, so I was already sold as long as they delivered on the environment and the good drinks, both of which they did. When I arrived I told them my name, the extremely charming and friendly hostess (Nur?) mentioned that someone there told her I tweeted to them and had two seats saved for me. The rest was a slam dunk... The drinks were perfect. The employees were all very friendly, i.e. hostess and bartender (guy with white-ish hair, very cool). My friend didn't know what she wanted for a beer, so he made some recommendations, and gave her a couple of different tastes over the course of evening to make sure she liked it before ordering. Mark of a bartender who knows what they're doing and takes 30 seconds to go that extra few steps to ensure you have a good experience. Can't wait to go back to try their food, especially the oysters. read more

Great brunch-- looking forward to trying dinner and oysters. If you ever went to Sparrow by old beer garden, this is the same owner. The interior is sooo cool without trying too hard to be a hipster den-- just super elegant and charming. Love the bar. read more

Decor is vintage beautiful. Service is awesome. Bartender makes the best Bloody Mary I've ever had. Mar's chowder, kale salad, and oysters are a brunch must-have. Second time I've had oysters here and all three selections were top notch. Their brunch pancakes are INSANELY good and i'm picky with my pancakes. Not too sweet, perfectly cooked. Wasn't too wild about the mussels off the dinner menu last time I was here though. Still everything here is so good that I still give five stars. read more

Not in the habit of routinely posting restaurant reviews -but my experience last night needs to be recounted! Our evening was special - to celebrate a friend's restored health. Mars came to mind. Our party of three were excited - when seeing the menu and photos in advance. Service was ok - but THE FOOD WAS A HUGE DISSAPOINTMENT!! And huge roaches read more

We came here after a Yelp event at the Astor Room and was pleasantly surprised to find a quaint and romantic seafood restaurant around the corner. We started off with fried oysters and I must say, it tastes nothing like oysters...in a good way. I personally don't eat oysters. I'm not a fan of its natural smell, tastes, and texture. It makes me vomit when I think of it. Like ew! But when it comes to deep frying it, it's another ball game. The batter almost tasted like fried chicken and I ate it like I just ate the bones. Let's talk about their 1lb lobster roll. I never had such a huge lobster roll in my entire life. It almost look like I was eating a lobster salad bowl. However, I do wish they added a little more mayo dressing to it to give it a little umpfh. It is market price and just so happen, the prices of lobsters are relatively low this season. For $26, it wasn't too shabby at all. Whether you come here for their food or drinks (they have a bar area), you'll find yourself pleasantly surprised to know such a Manhattan-esque restaurant exists in this part of the neighborhood. read more

Don't miss this spot! Worth every penny. Service and staff are professional and treat customers as royalty. I have had so many delicious dishes here and the menu is never boring, changing seasonally. Oysters are top notch. read more

Wow, what a treat! Albeit a bit pricier than the it should be in its neighborhood, I have to say it is a welcome addition to Astoria! I am a big fan of the raw oysters they had on hand, the clam chowder was delicious, and it has a really cool vibe. The waiters and bar staff were very friendly and I would love to come back again! read more

Came here last night for happy hour after walking by it a couple nights with the gf. We ended up getting a couple of drinks and the $1 oysters, which were the cupcake oysters that night. The oysters were delicious and fresh. Besides, for a dollar each, you couldn't really have gone wrong. Overall, we loved the environment, very vintage feeling and we'll definitely be back again for more oysters and to try out the rest of the menu (which looked delicious btw) read more

Came here for brunch, food was delicious and I need to come back here to see the night scene.

My party of three stumbled upon Mar's without a reservation last night after being treated badly down the block at El Boqueron, which was our intended destination. The hostesses and staff could not have been nicer, cheerfully accommodating us and our request for a table away from the front door on a cold night. The menu is very interesting and diverse. Wines by the glass were limited but the ones we chose were very good. We all had Kale salad. The salad was delicious, made from fresh ingredients, and the portion was huge - it definitely can be shared. Main courses were the Cornish hen, beautifully prepared, the Lemon Burger, a concoction of lamb and veal served with a slice of lemon, and the lobster roll. The burger was interesting and tasty, though not a "Wow!." The lobster roll was made from an entire 1 lb. lobster, watercress, Granny Smiths slices, mayo, lemon and basil. I wasn't sure if I was supposed to eat it as a sandwich or with a knife and fork. I opted for the former, which was the right choice. The watercress almost completely masked the other flavors, so I removed most of it. With this better balance of ingredients it was delicious, and I thought the price of $29 was reasonable. We were too full for dessert, so we just had cappuccino, which was pretty standard in a good way. Overall, we really enjoyed Mar's and will return in the future. I need to remember to thank the host at El Boqueron if I happen to run into him. read more

Absolutley amazing time! Bartender was friendly and we enjoyed everything we ate. Did not try the fries which looked amazing. Will be going back next time we are in the neighborhood. read more

Everything is good. Lemon burger and scrambled eggs and feta I really enjoyed. Truffle fondu is amazing! Cocktails are good, although wished they offered some lighter options. Can only drink about one in a sitting, seem a tad sugary (but still really good). Decor is aaaamazing! read more

I'm not even sure how this place got 4 stars. I have been wanting to come here for a year and decided to come here for my birthday celebration with my family (and a baby). Maybe it was because we didn't order any alcoholic drinks or oysters but the service was horrible. It wasn't even packed but it took us three attempts and half an hour just to get bread. The waitress ignored our table as she walked around to other profitable tables. We ended up getting served by the bartender. It took 35 minutes just to get our appetizers. Luckily the wait for entrees was only 5 minutes but only half of them were good. I had the Mars lobster roll with 3 pieces of lobster for $27. I have had much better and cheaper rolls. The steak for 2 is small and 1/4 of it was steak fat. This place probably tailors to younger crowds who have lots of money but I would not be coming here again, even with friends. read more

Dinner was excellent, atmosphere was great. We are definitely going back. My husband and I was here today celebrating our 1 year Anniversary, he actually chose the place which I glad b/c I'm so indecisive when it comes to it. read more

Great for oysters, especially during happy hour! Great beer, too.

Grest food, excellent service, but the portions were small for the prices.tbe dessert was excellent, the drinks were great too

LOVE Mars Bar. Have been here a few times, and a great addition to Astoria. Delicious cocktails, good food (cocktails and small plates are better than the general food, though) and super cute decor. I *think* that most of the decor has been refurbished from old pieces. Has a fun, speakeasy vibe and feel. They have a great oysters happy hour that you can't beat Also, a great spot and quiet for a first (second, third) date. read more

I looove the food and drinks at Mar's, and I've enjoyed going there for years, and even ordered delivery during the pandemic to get my fix. I would typically give a five star rating, but today's service was disheartening. We went for happy hour - after brunch but before dinner - because all we wanted was oysters and some cocktails. Unfortunately, one drink was all we could get. Our first round of oysters arrived before our first drink, and they were nearly gone when drinks arrived. My boyfriend ordered a beer, so nothing fancy. Then we ordered a second round of oysters and no one once asked if we needed more drinks, or how the food was, etc. We gladly would have stayed for several more drinks and rounds of food, but we were too frustrated by the slow (or lack of) service. The oysters and drinks were fantastic, as always, so I hate giving a negative review, especially during this difficult time. I wanted to show more support by spending more money!! read more

My favorite thing about living Astoria is our very lively restaurant scene. After leaving the Great Yelpsby event at the Astor Room our group decided to try out Mar's for dinner. The restaurant is pretty poorly marked but fortunately for them they're the only restaurant on that block. Upon entering their restaurant, you get this almost 1920's kind of run down (but new) feel. In fact it was the perfect vibe for our 1920's party we had just left. Although I would say the decor of the restaurant was very nice, it felt like I was suddenly on the LES rather than the very Euro centric fist pumping scene that Astoria can be (e.g. 30th ave). We started off with the fried oysters to start and the gf and I split the steak frites for two. In retrospect I wished I had ordered the paella since we were in a seafood restaurant but the steak is as you would expect. It was the perfect size for sharing between the two of us and I appreciated the fact that they included a small ramekin of salt so you could season it to your taste. All too often I either get steak under seasoned and way over seasoned like I'm eating a salt lick. I was however a little confused by the rosemary leaves that were thrown in since it was in such a small quantity it didn't seem like they actually wanted you to put it on your steak. It seemed like an afterthought to dress up the salt. The frites were ok, but I wish they had been crispier. Our oyster appetizer was fantastic. I'm only giving a three stars since the steak was nothing special but I think I would need to come back here for the seafood to truly evaluate Mar's. Needless to say, I'm glad this restaurant is in the neighborhood and hopefully make it more lively on this side of town. read more

Loved this place when we were in Astoria. Loved to get wine in tap. Miss it now that we r in valley stream.

Outstanding. The food was so freaking good. A perfect date night out. Service was super friendly and knowledgeable, food was incredibly well prepared. Happy camper over here. read more

I should've known that when a place serves oysters called "Cupcakes" as their happy hour special, it's not good news. We ordered two dozen and it was a bad idea. I love oysters but this time I was just struggling to finish. It was just so briny and left a weird aftertaste in my mouth that I'm just trying to forget about. My drink wasn't impressive either. They had interesting choices, but the quality itself was questionable. I had the "Water Lilly" which had gin, lemon juice, creme de violette and something else I can't remember. I thought I was tasting lemon flavored cough syrup. Despite the fails at the oysters and drinks, our waitress was super amicable. And the decor is very New Orleans rustic, which I loved. But crash courses in mixology are needed. read more

Excellent raw bar. We've ordered 2 of each of the 12 items on the raw menu and loved everything. I followed up with extra Conway Cup oysters and Cherrystone Clams as I especially liked those two kinds. My first raw Cherrystones and I really liked them bc they're good size, meaty and briny! Steak tartare was delicious as well, but took forever to arrive (well after we finished our other main dish - mussels). Not sure why. Mussels on the other hand weren't impressive at all. The broth was too salty and had too many ingredients/flavors in it. The wines by glass weren't great either. We've tried 2 of 3 available whites and one red. Interior design is very impressive but the supermarket across the street with bright lights shining into the windows kills the views out of the window and makes outside seating less attractive. There was a funky aroma (a wet dog kind - I actually like dogs, so I was fine with it :) near the bar/restroom area. Service was Ok until it got busy and the only waitress was obviously stretched. I'd come back for the raw bar and steak tartare. I'd also try one of their salads next time. read more

Came here on Valentine's Day and was very disappointed. It was 4 course Prix Fixe menu. We both got what they called the lobster bisque but was most definitely not lobster bisque. It was some watery red soup that didn't have any lobster in it and the portion couldn't have been smaller. The person next to us sent it back because of how small the portion was. Before we finished our red water soup they brought us our dessert by accident. After sending the dessert back we got our second dish which was the best dish of the night. Ravioli stuffed with mushrooms. Before they even cleared our dishes away they brought our main courses. I got the steak and fries. The steak was cooked really well but very under seasoned l. By under seasoned I do t think there was any. The fries were also somehow not great. They were mushy and honestly seemed like they were reheated. My girlfriend got the scallop. It was one scallop that she couldn't even finish because she thought it tasted so bad. Onto the dessert. It was just alright. It was probably a portion for one person but they tasted ok. I got a glass of wine that was ok, and my girlfriend got a cocktail that was really good. She ended up getting 2 of them. The kicker to all this mediocre food was the bill. It cost around $210 before tip for the two of us. Way overpriced. Also they had a grade pending for their sanitary inspection. You can look look up their violations online. Won't be returning. read more

This place a cool little joint, it's a Parisian dive vibe the bartender has skills to make you the real classics. Food is fantasic, just about everything on the menu is done well. Fantastic $1 Bluepoint Oysters and a very tasty lamb burger. They often have a small 3 piece jazz band playing. Very Astoria hipster scene read more

Great restaurant! In a "relatively" quaint section of Astoria, where there is moderate parking, which is a plus. The Cod Croquettes and Little Neck Clams are delicious. I also tried the Water Lilly cocktail which was light, summery and tasty. I ultimately took off one star because their prices were a bit high and the chairs in the outdoor seating were slightly uncomfortable. Overall, it was a nice find and I would go back. read more