I just tried the place for the first time, and I agree with the reviews that say the cocktails are good, and so is the food, but the menu is extremely limited, both in options and portions. I can see why it was easy to get a reservation when it was impossible before. But the place is West Village cramped even with just a few patrons. Bottom Line: Come in for a fancy drink and a small bite of fish, then go get a proper dinner. read more

Service is wonderful and you definitely feel transported with the music. A very small establishment with only four tables. The drinks were excellent. The dishes are definitely very small am way over priced for what you got. We walked right by Carbone's which was half full. Probably should've gone there. read more

The Clam Bar - a woman taking a selfie - Seafood Near Me - New York, New York

Overall: ok but nothing spectacular for the price Atmosphere: small place that has only a few tables and bar stools Service: good Food Uni toast: delicious, but $30?! Razor clam: good flavor, texture and fresh Scallops...nicely prepared and had good flavor Drinks Known for their cocktails and they're good...tried the orange read more

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Knowing this spot is behind the same team as Carbone and The Grill, you can have good faith that the food will be good to great, at an elevated price. Out of the 3, this was the most pricey, granted I had a full dinner here rather than a few cocktails and bites. Luxurious pricing for luxurious eating (see pics for pricing). At $20 per cocktail we only tried the coconut (comes in a real coconut) and peanut butter, both really good and the peanut butter surprisingly complex and interesting. Then to our bites... Clams and Oysters (3.5/5): I'm not the biggest fan of these anyway, but I liked the sweet neck oysters more than the walrus, and the clams definitely were fishy for me. $4-6 pp Trout roe toast (3.5/5): stunning to look at, yummy to eat but surprisingly lacked in actual trout roe flavor. I wanted a little more pop. $22 for 1 order of 2 pieces Uni toast (4.5/5): I appreciated how much santa barbara uni was on here. It is not the highest quality as like a high-end sushi restaurant, but there was no bitterness and I still loved my 4 bites. $30 for 1 order of 2 pieces Goldeneye Snapper (4/5): this buttery fish was just barely seared and paired with smoky japanese mushrooms. Simple great ingredients. A little heavy-handed with the olive oil. $42, comes with 6-7 thinly sliced pieces. Beef Carpaccio (5/5): a hefty amount of sea urchin and caviar dotting a blanket of ultra high-quality incredibly tender beef, this may be the most luxurious thing I've ever eaten. It is an incredible combination served on buttered soft toast. If you're only going to live once (or at least eat here once), get this. $105 for a very large plate. Shareable between 2-4. The interior is beautiful, dimly lit, old world extravagance. Would I come here again? Very unlikely unless it is for a special occasion or on someone else's tab. Was the meal worth it? Depends on what you order. The toasts are quite reasonable, the carpaccio extravagant but probably also takes into account the ingredient quality. Zz's is an experience that made me feel like I was part of the rich club for just a moment, and I definitely did not regret the indulgence. read more

You feel like you've stepped onto a movie set in this hideaway tucked in Thompson. Everything about this place is rich: the foods, the prices, the people. But for the price, a lot was less than stellar; too many clashing flavors in most of the dishes. Even the flaming Coconut cocktail looked good but didn't taste good, and that seems to be a theme here. The absolute must gets: all the toasts (uni, tuna and fish roe), the tuna carpaccio with foie gras, and the apple cocktail with shiso and basil. The toasts are served on this bread that could not be more toasted and buttery. So delicious, of course. Due to the price, I wouldn't come here again, but for a special occasion, very sexy date (or work-expensed meal), this is still a very fun experience. read more

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Ari and the team there are incredible. Run, dont walk, if you like incredible service, style, and top quality (sea) food & drink. These guys really go out of the way and deserve all the kudos. Bonus points for the soundtrack, grapefruit and carrot cocktail, and great raw eats (kanpachi with vadouvan was stellar). read more

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Right next door to sister restaurant Carbone, look for an unassuming entrance with a host standing outside with a list (I'm assuming with names of all the people who have reservations for the night) and windows with a bright blue neon "ZZ". This is a reservations-only, speakeasy kind of place, so remember to email ahead of time to secure a spot. My BF called the day of to surprise me before he left for a long trip overseas and was lucky enough to score some seats due to a cancellation; I was pretty excited to try another michelin star restaurant! The entire place probably only fits about 10-12 people, with a combination of tables and bar seats. There is only one waitress and one bartender from what I saw. They have one menu with their cocktails on one side (all $20!), and food on the other. Along with that comes a teeny menu for oysters that you can mark up with a pencil (you can order them siberian style that comes with caviar, etc for $6 each). Here is what we got to share: TOASTS (comes with 2) Trout Roe - $22 What a sight! These two trout roe toasts were literally glistening in the candlelight. They overfill it, which is awesome, so each bite comes with a ton of flavor. You can really taste the ocean here without it being too salty. YUM. Uni - $30 Not sure if it's because I'm kind of uni-ed out (I still love it but now it's everywhere!), I wasn't HEAD OVER HEELS in love. Still, it was really good, and has a slightly different texture since it's on pretzel bread. SEARED Live scallop, sicilian pistachios, brown butter - $18 I really liked the toasty nutty brown butter taste, but felt like there was too much of it. Makes it a bit hard to taste the live scallop. Came on the half shell. CRUDO Saba mackerel, mint, radish - $29 Pretty good! The mackerel was less fishy than what I remember mackerel to taste like, which I enjoyed. The mint was a great pairing. TARTARE Baby yellowtail, golden beets, Vadouvan - $27 This dish was a standout, but I hated how little of it there was on a gigantic plate. I would've preferred it to be colder too (this was more room temperature). At first, I totally hated on my BF for ordering this dish since it's just yellowtail tartare (which seems like something you can get at a japanese takeout), but the vadouvan indian spice is just genius and really made this dish unique. Not sure I've ever tasted yellowtail like this before! CARPACCIO Chianina beef, sea urchin, caviar - $105 I mean, if we're only here once, might as well #YOLO and go all out, right? I'm actually quite regretful that we got this dish (and I seriously hate saying that) since it's priced so ridiculously, and didn't meet my expectations. Perhaps it was too hyped up in my mind? The beef carpaccio, which takes up the entire plate, really needed seasoning (tastes like nothing unless you spread out the little blots of caviar. I would have wanted maybe sea salt?). Uni was good, caviar was good, and there was also a lot of lobster all over the dish even though it doesn't mention it on the menu. It's a lot of high quality good ingredients, but I'm not sure it all came together. Comes with square pieces of toast, which were delicious by the way (haha easily impressed) - it tasted buttery and subtly sweet. I reeeeaaallllyyyy wanted to get the buddha and coconut cocktails since they come in novelty "glasses", but unfortunately the flavors didn't catch my eye. If I'm going to spend $20 on a drink, I better like what's in it rather than what it looks like! PEANUT BUTTER Bourbon, pineapple, banana AH this was pretty delicious and unique!!! When I ordered it, I had to get reassurance from the waitress that this wasn't too weird haha. The peanut butter really came through and smooothed out the bourbon. I think she mentioned that the bartender was from hawaii so he added this drink recently stemming from his influences from over there and this peanutbutter/coconut cream that he had found. PEACH Cognac, ginger, bitter apertif Tropical drink - good but not as special. Good if you like fruity/beachy drinks! PISTACCHIO Gin, Honey, Cumquat I thought this was pretty unique too. A little too sweet for my taste, but I love how I get to taste new flavors :) Love the smell of pistacchio too! Some things I didn't like: 1. Price - I am totally willing to splurge on a good meal, but I felt like this was overpriced. Yes, it's all seafood and it tasted fresh, but it still doesn't justify the almost $200 bill per person. 2. Pace of meal - Dishes came out SO SLOWLY, which I totally do not understand. Each plate is already so small, and it's pretty much all raw... Great intimate date spot if you're looking for a fancy night out! read more

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ZZ's clam bar Recommendation: 1.Uni toast & Tuna toast 2.Salmon 3.Tuna Foie Gras The portion is sooooo little and the dish is overpriced sooo much. I seldom give three stars but I give three stars due to the overprice and the bad service today. read more

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Everything here was cute, fun, and delicious. It's a tiny place, but it's cozy. Wildest cocktails in NYC: Coconut rum - comes in a flaming coconut Pistachio - delicious Iced coffee - comes with flaming bread but also very good Shots in a fish shot glass - so cute Decadent food: Clam canapé - yum Uni toast - so f delicious and creamy Lobster with avocado in yuzu - good Live scallop with pistachio - very good Beef carpaccio with uni, lobster, and caviar with buttered toast - wowwwwwwww Key lime pie - too sweet read more

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Great spot for a date night but definitely overpriced. The reservation was easy to get--I booked a Saturday dinner for 2 within the same week. The spot comes with a bouncer to make sure you have an actual reservation, because the restaurant itself is tiny (maybe seats 9-10 along the booths, and 4 more along a tiny counter) and there's definitely no space for walk-ins. The service is a bit slow because there's only one guy running the front of house for the 5-6 parties. The food was pretty solid, but not crazy memorable. Between the two of us, we each got a drink and split: - uni toast (served on pretzel bread with a bit of mustard, I believe? I've never had the taste combo before and it was awesome) - tuna toast (delicious but tasted like normal tuna tartare) - trout roe toast (my favorite of the night, served with a sprinkle of truffle on top) - tuna carpaccio (I preferred this one out of the two carpaccios just because the foie gras made a delicious spread and the razor clams added a nice texture) - beef carpaccio (under-seasoned, needed some salt) read more

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Disappointing- came here 5-6 years ago and had an amazing experience. Came back recently and found that almost every facet of their business has gone downhill. Their cocktail menu has severely shrunk and they've done away with their most delicious, memorable, and unique cocktails, like the pistachio, carrot, etc. The cocktails that are left are the same fruity, sugary, over-iced cocktails that you could find at any other bar. 5 years ago, their service staff were on point and were engaging and could offer recommendations on the menu. Their staff nowadays seem disinterested and purely intent on getting customers in/out. Zz's is cutting costs and it isn't what it once was read more

ZZ's just reopened after being closed for private events since the beginning of Covid. This was easily one of the worst dining experiences I've had in a long time in New York. This place was once bustling and hard to claim a reservation, as it is nestled directly next to its sister restaurant Carbone. The menu is severely limited - you could quite literally dine here alone, order the entire menu, and leave feeling empty as a victim of the Irish potato famine. The venue is half the size of my local dry cleaners, which speaks volumes. I would not recommend this for a date spot or even dinner with a friend; you're shoulder to shoulder with the party next to you and they will hear ever intimate detail of your conversation, as you must scream to overcome the blaring music. For God's sake, I felt like I was dining in the bathroom of 1OAK. I also frequented this place in 2015-2016 and distinctly recall being able to order items from Carbone, but it's no longer allowed, which is total BS because the food comes from the same kitchen. Either way, I'll pass on the overpriced spicy rigatoni and leave it for the 17 year old influencers to Instagram. I just thought I wouldn't need a second dinner after leaving this place, but I quite literally railed a burger after that miserable experience. The cocktails are mid; nothing special, and the service was lackluster. I will not dine here again. I also hear MFG is creating a members only ZZ's club in Hudson Yards as a pathetic attempt to join the NYC private club bandwagon. I couldn't think of a worse idea, but I wish them the best of luck. I'm assuming the reopening of this location is a last hoorah before the grand opening of the club, considering it was dead and easy to get a reservation. Save yourself the time and money and don't bother with this antiquated restaurant. By the way, there's no way this venue still has a a Michelin star and if so, it simply has been grandfathered in through some type of deal. read more

The Clam Bar - Problematic Russian art in the interior - Seafood Near Me - New York, New York

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Came here with a girl friend. we saw yelp shows they open at 6. So we arrived at 6pm. The security guy asked if I have reservation, then he told me they open at 6:30. when he finds out I don't, he went back in to check and finally let me in. This place is famous for cocktail, all cocktail price at $20/glass. I ordered the pistachio one, which tastes ok. Plus, it's a really small bar area facing the wall. read more

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KenScale: 8.5/10 ZZ's Clam Bar is a tiny seafood bar from Rich Torrisi and Mario Carbone. Having been very impressed from the duo's Italian restaurant Carbone, I went with high expectations, and wasn't disappointed with the quality of fresh seafood dishes that this restaurant offered. Uni toast is an excellent way to begin a meal. I also tried a couple of clams, which were pretty fresh. I also loved cherry trout crudo with trout roe and fried leeks as well as lobster ceviche with coconut and chili. Both dishes were so refreshing yet offered so much complexity that will leave your mouth deeply satisfied. Kanpachi tartare was also a memorable dish that I couldn't stop eating. For dessert, key lime pie was a great way to end the meal. The restaurant is tiny, seating only 12 people at a time. Be prepared to call for a reservation way in advance. There is a bouncer in front that checks your reservation status, so walk-in is not an option. The restaurant is definitely not a cheap place (as all Torrisi-Carbone restaurants are), but if you're looking for quality seafood (especially raw ones to escape from the summer heat), this is definitely a place worth checking out. The restaurant also has an outstanding cocktail program (I tried Blueberry, Almond, and Smoke, and loved all of them), albeit at a hefty price ($20 for each drink). read more

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Do you like fish? Do you adore great cocktails that are made with care? Then stop what you're doing and call ZZ's for a reservation. It's like eating in your own private restaurant. There are around 12 seats total. There is a bouncer outside and a small sign that takes you into the little oasis that is ZZ's. I had one of the best cocktails of my life here. The pistachio may sound a bit odd, but just jump and try it. You won't regret it! We started with the parrot fish ceviche and it was incredible. The uni toast is served on warm pretzel bread and is a thing dreams are made of. Don't miss it! The live scallop with brown butter was sweet and decadent. Baby yellowtail felt the most like 'sushi' and was wonderful with oyster sauce. A highlight was the tuna with foie gras and bone marrow. Key lime pie to end the meal was nothing short of phenomenal. If this restaurant were in LA, I'd be a regular. Others complain about the portions, but I thought they were perfect, especially if you have a few cocktails. I will absolutely come back here the next time I'm in New York. read more

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Wow. The dimly lit place is extremely small, 10 seats only (few tables and tall chair ledge). There's a small bar area, which is well stocked and frankly, pretty cool to look at, especially when the bartender's doing his thang. The place is well insulated so you don't even hear any of the sounds outside. Intimate, but it's not like they expect you to whisper. The cocktails are $20. Pricey, but man, it's very good. I started with Mint, which is similar to a julep, with their own spin on it. Cuban rum is pretty awesome haha. Then tried the Cardamom, which was recommended by our server, Sam. As someone that doesn't like gin, I thought it was pretty damn amazing. They started us out with a razor clam pressed focaccia crostini and just that one little bite convinced me that we totally made the right choice in coming. It only made me want more. We really wanted the Beef Carpaccio, but for that night, it wasn't available. Totally crushed, we went with Tuna Carpaccio. That night, the carpaccio was tuna + shaved foie + razor clam. Holy hell it was amazing. We satisfied our uni craving with the Uni Toast and it's as tasty as it sounds, but the Trout Roe Toast trumps the uni for me. Lobster Crudo was a new item that night and it's thinly sliced lobster that's drizzled with a mole butter. That mole got a crazy kick to it. Since it was a pre-dinner meal for us, that's all we ordered, and with 4 items, 1-2 drinks for the 4 of us, it was over $400. Service was great. Drinks were great. Food was amazing. Oh yea, get a reservation or else you ain't getting through the doorman. read more

ZZ's Clam Bar absolutely blew our minds. My brother got us a reservation there as he knew we are seafood lovers, but we had no idea how exclusive this place is. I think there are 3 or 4 small tables & some seating along the wall. I've read the whole place only fits 15 customers. There was a guy outside the door who checks your name & reservation. We weren't on his list so he checked with the chef & we were promptly led past the tables to the bartender in the back. The bartender made us some cocktails, which were all delicious & selected based on choice of fruit which was paired with a specific liquor. I got a coconut cocktail (which had bourbon & was served in a coconut), I think my brother got Grapefruit which had gin, & my fiancé got Pomegranate since he loves scotch. While we were at the bar, we were served oysters with caviar, which were so fresh & we were immediately so excited to start our meal. Once a table cleared, we were sat & the plates started coming. The first was a platter of uni toasts & trout roe toasts. I love uni but the trout roe was amazing. We all agreed that was the stunner. Next, I believe we got a plate of horse mackerel sashimi in this spicy red broth/sauce. It was days later & my fiancé & I were still talking about that broth. Then we got sardines; also delicious. We couldn't believe sardines could taste the way they did. Next was a salad of either octopus or squid (shame on us, we couldn't remember), mushrooms & gooseberries? Very good I think we got a different mackerel dish next, we thought everything was fresh & yummy. No fishiness here Then we got the biggest scallop we have all ever seen. Seared, brown butter? SO. GOOD. Last savory course was the beef carpaccio with caviar & uni. They served us a side bowl that had shaved tuna & fois gras. What the hell. We couldn't believe what we were eating. Dessert was a coffee cake & madeleine. Perfect ending to this meal. We were thinking going to a place called ZZ's Clam Bar that we were going to be eating clams LOL. This place is amazing for seafood lovers. Or just food lovers. The flavors were balanced but new and exciting at the same time. We would definitely go back & highly recommend. Get the trout roe toast. Just do it. read more

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One of a kind cocktails and super delicious. Perfect spot for a romantic date or an intimate dinner .

Puh...puh...pricey. This place is great. Very cozy and intimate. Three tables and a couple stools. A bartender and a waiter. Service was very attentive and not in an annoying way. I ordered two cocktails. Both were exceedingly delicious. I wanted to know what made them so good. Every bite here was close to perfection. Although good, I found the Siberian oysters to have too much chive on top. read more

Where to start with this amazing little jewel box of a restaurant! My friend and I were lucky enough to score a table at 8:15 last night - not sure how, but I won't question it! We were greeted at the small storefront, with solid wood blinds and a small blue neon ZZ sign by a man standing outside asking for our name and reservation time. Others outside were upset - you aren't let in unless you have a reservation, but with our reservation in place, we were promptly let in. Understandable that others aren't admitted since there is literally no place for you to be if you're not seated, there are only 9 seats! The restaurant its self is BEAUTIFUL! Thick marble slab tables, delicate, vintage mother of pearl handled flat wear and small oil lamps on each table. A small vintage-style marble topped bar with appropriately clad mixologist behind it. Just dark enough with funky 1950s bossanova covers of jazz standards playing in the background! We started the evening with a cocktail at bar while waiting for the previous party to vacate our table - our first round was comped for our patience (!) despite their only running about 15 min behind. All the cocktails we tried (strawberry, almond, pineapple and apricot) were OUTSTANDING. Well balance and expertly mixed. Each served in it's own specific vessel. I say vessel because the pineapple arrived in a brass pineapple! Everything served at ZZs is 1) raw and 2) in small portions - neither of these are a negative! What we ordered was extremely flavorful and entirely enjoyable. We started with oysters (which seemed obligatory) and then moved on to the main event. Forgive me, I didn't take a picture of the menu so I can't remember the name of the dishes... Scallops: Served on a scallop shell, shaved thin, a bruleed brown butter deliciousness over the top! I wish we had finished with these as they had a bit of a sweet touch to them Lobster Ceviche: with avodado and cumin. Although delicious, the least dazzling of the 4 dishes we tried. Basic but very well balanced. Not too heavy on the acid as civiche can sometimes be Cherry Snapper: For me, the ultimate stand-out dish! Thin little ribbons of fried leek and roe over the top. I found myself scooping up all the little bits left behind after the fish was gone. No shame! Would have liked the plate if I could!! Key Lime Pie: A tiny portion, super tart, with marshmallows torched immediately before serving on top. The perfect light finish to an amazing meal. CANNOT wait to go back - not sure if I'll be able to land a table again, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed. read more

The Clam Bar - Amazing cocktails at ZZs, photo credit to my friend Leslie! - Seafood Near Me - New York, New York

This is a delightful speakeasy, if not a little expensive. It's a small little cocktail bar that seats no more than 15 people, with a variety of cocktails at $20 each and seafood hors-doeuvres at $20 and up. Being a whisky person myself, I ordered the Rye and Peach cocktails. They were both quite tasty but not quite approaching the delicacy or showmanship of the cocktails at Angel's Share. As for food, I ordered all three toasts - tuna, trout roe, and uni. The tuna was my favorite, and incidentally the cheapest. I also tried the cured Japanese Sardine, Stone Fruit, Szechuan, which was probably the worst. There was a caviar and fish dish that was quite tasty, but probably overly expensive. ZZ's is an intimate date bar to splurge on if you like fruits de mer and dark shadowy speakeasies. read more

Wow.. Just WOW! Made the reservation many weeks in advance and FINALLY had the chance to try the heavenly food that this hidden, small, yet FABULOUS establishment has to offer. The exterior of the restaurant is super discreet (no signs, just a curtained window and a door) but when you walk in you're just amazed by the decor. It's like a dark, sexy, intimate, and delicate jewel box. Four white marble tables, plush cushiony chairs, a bar, a chandelier, and vintage tableware. Food: 6/5 Seriously I haven't been so amazed by food in a long time. I have dined all around the world and have had a taste of almost all the most amazing food there is out there and the food here is definitely on par with the rest up there. Note: everything is raw, and mostly seafood. Me and a friend had 4 oysters ($14), 2 clams ($6), uni toast ($15), scallops crudo ($18), tuna carpaccio topped with some amazing white stuff (can't recall what) with warm toast ($2X), and beef carpaccio topped with uni, caviar, and raw shrimps with warm toast ($100). Every single dish was DIVINE and super fresh; lightly flavored but still super flavorful. Drinks were great: all served and presented in creative ways and pretty cups/glasses. Bartender was very generous with the alcohol too. Atmosphere: 5/5 Beyond awesome. As described earlier, it's one of those dark, sexy, intimate places that you'd definitely go with someone important and worthwhile. Good selection of background music that's playing at just the right volume. Service: 5/5 There were only 2 other tables with 2 and 3 other people, so service was excellent. Waitress was friendly, looks down-to-earth, and not snotty at all. Great times. DEFINITELY going back. read more

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I am not one to normally write reviews (this is only my second one) but after eating at ZZ's Clam Bar, I had to. It was hands down one of the best dining experiences of my life. Granted I was using a free dinner certificate for 4 I won at a charity event, but the food, the cocktails, the ambiance, and the staff made everything a very enjoyable night. Cocktails: one of the best places I've gone for drinks. They are pricey at $20 a drink, but are fun and delicious. Some come in very unique cups or vessels, such as a golden pineapple, a laughing Buddha, an actual coconut with a smoking cinnamon stick..You get the point. Food: the plates are small. I would recommend getting a bunch and sharing with your friends so you can try a little bit of everything. You MUST get the Tuna Carpaccio with foie gras and bone marrow. The beef carpaccio was also delicious too, but if you had to choose one, go with tuna. Both uni toast and tuna toast are must haves, as well as the shimaaji tartare. We didn't really know what was the shimaaji, except they tastes like heaven in our mouths. The cherry trout crudo was also very good. Sardines were interesting and unique but not necessary if you had to pick. Live scallops were only okay. We also got a few oysters and clams to share. Ambiance: very small 15(?)-seat restaurant. I loved the dim lighting and intimate feel. Great for dates, or special occasion. It is one of those places where you can just eat, drink, talk and hang out all night there. Service: Cam, our server, was really friendly and joked with us the entire night. Food came out much slower than we expected, but James, the bartender, kept us heavily boozed. We didn't even realize we were there for 5.5 hrs! We did order almost everything on the menu though.. (Our bill for 4 was $1k) In summary, ZZ's climbs to one of the top restaurants for me in New York in terms of food, drinks and experience. But be ready to shell out a lot of $$$! read more

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Best restaurant 2013 & 2014 & 2015 & 2016 Still !! came here for the 16 times now still blown away !! Still the Best cocktails in new york ! Still the Best raw bar in new york !! Blasting billie jean while waiters looking like they just stepped out of a j crew catalog is just AWESOME. Mixologists suits up but shorts on the bottom, LOL way COOL !! Uni Caviar Beef Carpaccio is the still best dish in NYC. read more

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"Borders I have never seen one. But I have heard they exist in the minds of some people." ― Thor Heyerdahl This is a unique place, even in a sea of sui generis. What's to cheer: - Fabulous Cocktails: Really some of the best drinks out there, prepared by the likes of Tiki master Brian Miller. - Small, intimate location - Speakeasy-ish without being douchy - Fresh seafood of course! - Each dish well crafted. What's to jeer: - It ain't cheap - Small menu Perfect place for a small group special celebration. read more

Long overdue review. This was probably one of the most unique and memorable dining experiences. Tiny and intimate space. I think there were a total of 4-5 tables. Very tiki themed. Amazing fresh seafood and very pricey - BUT - completely worth it. The cocktail list (each $20) was exquisitely presented - had the pineapple and friend had the coconut. Dishes of the night were the uni on pretzel toast (perfection); Tuna, foie gras and bone marrow carpaccio (decadent and not for the diet conscious); oysters (good but can't remember it being over the top) and scallops (friend ordered and she loved). Complimentary clam on blini was a lovely touch. Our waiter/host was amazing, friendly and not pretentious. Definitely a special occasion place. A must try if you and aren't afraid to shell out $$$$. read more

The Clam Bar - One of the best meals ever. - Seafood Near Me - New York, New York

ZZ's clam bar was quite the experience!! Some of the dishes were delectable, while some of the dishes weren't quite right. For the amount of $$$ we paid, we expected the food to be OMG amazing! Also, we were seated right next to an obnoxious group of drunk people who kept singing out loud with the music (KARAOKE STYLE), complaining about the prices, and asking for more vodka in their drink. They were acting like they were guzzling beer at their local bar. The restaurant was super small but super cool. We started off with a cocktail each, my husband had the pistachio and I had the flaming coconut. The pistachio drink was really really really good!! My coconut drink came with a smoking cinnamon stick, which really worked well the coconut and rum. For the food, we ordered half a dozen of oysters from their selection, the uni toast, lobster ceviche, the brown butter scallops, a the beef carpaccio with uni and caviar. The oysters were very fresh and good. The uni toasts were buttery smooth deliciousness in our mouths. We wanted more and more!! That seriously was the high point of the night. The beef carpaccio was so decadent. It was so good but we felt so bad eating so much of it with the buttery toasts it comes with. read more

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Uni toast with toasted nuts were generously served but the uni is not in season so it did not give me the "wow" feeling. Tuna carpaccio was too overwhelming with foei gras so mainly tasted the foei gras instead of the freshness of tuna. However, the drinks were amazingly make. Simple yet elegant! read more

Great experience all around! Incredible food, cocktails, service, ambiance. Felt like we were in a speakeasy. Truly recommend. read more

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Really amazing place, I'm so glad that I made my choice to come here! Amazing bar tender Michael to make us the coconut cocktail with cigars on top, amazing waiter to entertain us during the full course of our meal, amazing uni with beef, and even amazing tiramisu. Not to mention their full selection of clam, oyster and caviar! This place was tiny, have to admit at first because they only have ten chairs and four tables. So everything here was in some sense, independent and I was able to enjoy some sort of privacy. However the interaction between us and the waiter was ongoing and warm hence I never felt lonely for even one second! I have no idea about other people's experience, nevertheless this was indeed one of the most remarkable moments in my eating history. read more

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I love ZZ's Clam Bar, a very tiny, very wonderful bar and rawbar / seafood place. Reservations are absolutely required, and the place is a splurge - dress up and have fun! It functions like a speakeasy - there's someone outside with a list - and seats something like 12-16 people at tiny marble tables. It's a bit like a jewel box, and feels like something out of a different, more glamorous era, underscored by their vintage barware collection. The service is amazing as well. They have amazing, super crafted cocktails - some of the best. They serve incredible, fresh seafood, with an emphasis on crudo. If you don't like seafood, this isn't the place for you. The Chianina beef carpaccio with sea urchin and caviar is something that is absolutely and completely over the top and that I dream about. read more

Two cocktails lead to two more, and one dish lead to three others. Aside from having vaporized my 401K, ZZ's was worth every mother fucking penny. Like pleasantries with some airy debutante, cocktail descriptions are more coy than descriptive. Allow me to translate; the 'pistachio' was rich macha-green in color, sporting orange colored specs of nutmeg strewn atop a hefty micro-foam head pillowing protruding burgs of ice. A soft nutty-sweet flavor met homogenized pistachio oil unctuousness met balanced booziness. That's right, tonight it's a menage a trois. The 'peat' is down 'n brown boozy, almost entirely scotch. As I acclimated to its strength, the nuances revealed themselves. The 'peanut butter' is what you'd expect. With a burning cinnamon stick and served in a coconut, the 'coconut' is a lavish affair, but a bit too syrupy-sweet, a bit too caustic-boozy, and not icey or refreshing enough for its context. ZZ's doesn't lend itself to your assumptions, but if I had to make some, I'd be most inclined to try the cuarcao, green tea, and peach cocktails next. As it was with the 'pistachio', more lightly flavored ingredients seem to feature softer, creamier textures, which I am obviously partial to. So, here we are. We just came directly from dinner at Blue Hill, and we just ordered four cocktails, not including the champagne we were served as we arrived, but we probably should try at least one of the dishes here, right? Wrong [shut up, Trump], we're having four and making America great again on our own terms. Our whole life has lead us to this point. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on the playground, sneaking a few extra gummy bear vitamins because they're actually candy, mangoes straight from the tree, homemade cranberry sauce with pomegranate reduction, citrus, and mint, McDonalds drunk at 1:45AM, still sizzling pork belly from the oven, ice cream for breakfast, sashimi tasting menus, a Snickers bar on the summit of some mountain in California -- all of it was for this. All I'm saying is, if you start with the 'live scallop' from the seared section, you're going to order more things. The caramelized brown butter of the live scallop was reminiscent of the sweet sugar crust of creme brulee. The unique use of fried leeks in the sockeye salmon dish from the crudo section was delicious both in ways primal and metaphysical. The 'tuna, foie gras, bone marrow' from the carpaccio section has also lead to the ruin that is now my life, but this dish probably could have done it single handedly; "fuck, that's delicious" doesn't really come close to my actual feelings but literarily I'm at a loss. Honestly, I'm not even emotionally equipped to describe it. The trout roe toast was great. At one point, I spilled some of the roe, and exclaimed "oh my god, what is happening, this is terrible". That's neither here nor there, but just so you understand the irreparable emotional fragility this shit is liable to induce. The small, intimate, glowy atmosphere by way of art deco class meets horror film crass made for a glistening, cozy, and hip ambiance. Service was exemplary. I canceled an upcoming reservation to a renowned restaurant I've been meaning to explore for years about an hour after leaving ZZ's. Not only because after tip I'm now relegated to a lower tax bracket, but because there's just no point; I'm doomed to be forever unimpressed. I am going to die now. Goodnight. Zz. read more

To those who feel the need to point out ZZ's is expensive: It's caviar. Uni. Foie gras. Carpaccio. Tartare. What did you have in mind, mercury poisoning? This is the creme de la creme de la creme, and it's worth far more than the garbage you make excuses for (see: Ubering everywhere while drunk). If you make one reservation this year, take one chance on fine dining, or try one new place... make it ZZ's. The range of evocative flavors, textures, and emotions is bar none. Ideally you'll start with drinks, an oddly fitting "choose-your-own-adventure" amidst low-key, vintage murder mystery-themed decor. Start with the live scallop, sliced thin. It's buttery, nutty, creamy, and weirdly sexy. Next, the sockeye salmon with trout roe and fried leeks. Salivating and plate-scraping will ensue. On to the tuna carpaccio & foie gras. Even the bread will incite panic when you imagine there being no more. And for dessert? Salty roe + sweet honey, piled high on a crispy round. In a drink & dish, the Pistachio (feat. gin, marzipan vibes, green magic, spices) and tuna carpaccio (with sliced foie gras, lemon, and caramelized bread) will raise your standards to irreparably unrealistic forever. read more

The food is good but the waiter spent long stretches of time hitting on my friend and engaging her in conversation while I just sat there. Later the bar cleared out and we were having some fun and requesting songs to be played. No surprise he basically orgasmed over my friend's choices but then told me mine were 'boring' and 'typical rap stuff he hears all the time.' Cool didn't realize I was spending $200 a person to be ridiculed and rejected by a bald waiter I would never even give the time of day to in a normal social situation. read more

After having dinner at Carbone a few doors down, I walked into ZZ's for a drink and fell in love with the place. It's small, trendy, and intimate. I ordered the drink called the Coconut and it literally came in a coconut. The bartender burnt a price of cinnamon and then placed it in my drink. I've got to admit, that made the drink go from a 10 to a 7. Overall it tasted like a burnt coconut sugary drink. I would definitely come back to this place but get a different drink and try out the raw seafood bar. read more

The Clam Bar - Seafood Near Me - New York, New York

ZZ's reinforces why NYC is known for the best restaurants in the world. This place is truly one of the city's finest gems! Having been to MFG's other restaurants (The Grill and Carbone), I came to ZZ's with very high expectations, and WOW did they deliver beyond my wildest dreams. Yes, it's pricey, but you're paying for an all encompassing and luxuriously indulgent adventure. Ambiance: The intimate space immediately sets the tone for what becomes a personalized, transcending experience. Every detail, down to the cocktail's stir sticks, is meticulously thought through and executed. The two magicians running the show, Ari and Troy, offer their full attention and earnest care throughout the duration of your stay. You'll feel transported out of the NYC bustle to a deliciously peaceful haven. Cocktails: - Jalapeno: the perfect ratio of spicy-to-refreshing margarita - Strawberry: smoky mezcal with an exquisite mix of sweetness - Grapefruit: a beautiful adaptation of a negroni using gin, campari and yuzu - Pistachio: An elegantly sweet drink perfect for after dinner using Grappa, Honey and Absinthe - Off menu drinks: Troy will literally make any cocktail, and it will be the best version of said cocktail Food: Key takeaways; 1) expect the highest quality of every ingredient included on the menu 2) the food appears through "the portal from heaven" (you'll understand what this means when you go) - Trout Roe Toast; mandatory start to the meal - Oysters: delicious and fresh, don't skimp on the shishito peppers topping - Hamachi Crudo: Pairs flavors I've never before tasted; ate this silently in awe - Beef Carpaccio: Absolutely pristine and justifies the price. Topped with lobster, foie gras, and caviar, and served with delectable buttery brioche, this is not your typical carpaccio. ZZ's is a biblical indulgence. Can't wait to return! read more

I had been looking forward to the ZZ's experience for weeks. I had been agonizing over where to go for my special anniversary, and I thought I had picked the perfect spot. I was a bit nervous over how expensive the memo was, but I figured it would be worth it. Boy was I wrong. Upon entering the cramped dining area, I was overwhelmed by the stale odor of cigarette butts. We were greeted by the host who cracked some strange and uncomfortable jokes as he escorted us to our table. We later overheard him crack the same weird jokes to the table next to us. The one bright spot in an otherwise dismal evening, the cocktails were delicious, if completely overpriced. We ordered a selection of oysters, and a bunch of small plates, we ended up sampling about half the menu. The flavor pairings were weird and unpleasant. The tuna toast tasted like your average grocery store spicy tuna on top of some heavily buttered day old bread. The seared scallops had a strange, burnt caramel flavor that was disgusting. The Scottish salmon was no better than the average lox from the corner store. I have not pinpointed the source, but some of the seafood was obviously spoiled, as it made me violently ill later that evening. Don't waste your money. Unless you plan to spend the rest of your evening in the toilet. read more

This is one of those places that I have bookmarked for when I accidentally stumble upon a pile of unclaimed ca$h money that mysteriously regrows itself. It's archived for some future Utopia where first world issues like health insurance, prudent retirement planning, and Alzheimers don't exist. Because ZZ's is nothing but pure indulgence, and possibly the greatest threat to your financial bottom line since Obamacare. Like many before me, my mind was blown from beginning to end throughout the three-hour rendezvous with ZZ. The drinks menu is overwhelming only because the options all look equally enticing. After some deliberation I went with the Buddha, because who could resist magical potion in a Buddha belly?! I can't even remember what was in it, only that it put me in a deep state of bliss. Several heavenly uni toasts, scallops, and yellowtails later, I was drunk with love. I recalled the fledgling days of my youth, the nascent buds of young love, the first time I laid naked eyes on my untamed ChildManLover, gliding over the sinusoidal waves of his ginger peaks and valleys. And then the grandmother of all dishes. Layers upon layers of Chianina Beef Carpaccio spread generously, interspersed with sea urchin and topped with caviar. The carpaccio yielded to my tongue without resistance. The sea urchin was as delicate as a lover's touch, and the caviar a product of their love. The holy trinity of sea treasures, together in one place. An explosion of culinary chemistry. I let myself succumb to it willingly, casting away all my worldly worries to be simply and utterly awash in this sea of joy. Rising cost of tuition? Looming water crisis? Such trivialities. Pick up all the litter from your humdrum life and stuff it in the back of your closet. Put on your best suit and head to ZZ's because sometimes, unchecked indulgence is just what you need. read more

Just the absolute best there is. Having been to top restaurants around the world, I can truly say ZZ's is a step above. Every single dish is exceptional - You just can't go wrong. The almost Caribbean speakeasy vibe is so uniquely New York. Staff is superb - friendly, knowledgeable, professional. Yes, a meal here will set you back a few weeks rent - but I'd rather eat here once that anywhere else 5 times. read more

ZZ's is quite simply the best and most surprising restaurant I've been to this year. Like its sister restaurant Carbone up the street, ZZ's only drawback is that it suffers from mismanaged expectations leading to some tough questions from the city's food bloggers. How can red sauce Italian dishes cost $50 dollars?! (Because they actually serve 3 people). How can a calm bar have a menu filled with $50 small plate? (Well, because it is secretly the best sushi restaurant in New York...they just didn't bother to mention that to anyone). Isn't it pretentious that they have a bouncer?! (Yes, until you realize that the boite can barely fit ten guests as a time). ZZ's clam bar is putting out the finest raw fish in New York. As precisely cut as Yasuda before the loss of its eponymous leader and as inventive as Gari before expansion. Add to that a stunning jewel-box of a room and service that is at the same time professional and downtown casual (after hearing us grumble about the size of one of the much-derided--but exceptionally tasty--$20 cocktails served in an elaborate golden pineapple, the maitre d', with hilarious ceremony, dropped off a companion golden pineapple -- 1/10th its size. It was the highlight of the night and indicative of a finely tuned staff that can gauge the tone of a group's meal and react accordingly). Try the coconut, hallowed out, filled with rum and a burning cinnamon stick. Kitchy? Yes. Wonderful? We ordered 4. With the glut of oyster bars and fish shacks opening in the city, oysters had all started to taste the same to me: pretty good. I suspect that a small inlet of the Atlantic has found its way into the back of 169 Thomson Street, because the freshness of our first course of oysters offered flavors and textures that I have only experienced a few times in some out of the way beach-side community. What followed was the best dish of the evening, one of the least expensive items on the menu and the best preparation of uni I have ever had anywhere. Buttery toasted pretzel bread topped with a mountain of uni and a light dressing that yielded a ethereal combination of salty, sweet, buttery and crunchy. It might have been the perfect bight of food. What followed as a untarnished succession of terrific fish preparations with no low points: scallop in brown butter, cured sockeye salmon with rye bread and mustard (a sly nod to Russ & Daughters) and barely seared snapper topped with strawberry which seemed right out of the Gari playbook but with 8 pieces, was a better value. What looked like a pizza was actually raw tuna, fois gras, bone marrow and chive paired with a constantly refreshed portion of buttery brioche toast which reminded me in both taste and presentation of Per Se (they really excel with toast!). Speaking of certain hallowed uptown halls, the last dish is clearly a riff on Eric Ripert's famed dish. Except it's better. Mr. Ripert should hope the Torrisi boys never learn of the land above 14th street! It wouldn't even be a fair fight. ZZ's clam bar is nothing short of extraordinary. read more

The Clam Bar - Oysters and coconut. - Seafood Near Me - New York, New York