Searching for seafood near me in New York City often surfaces Aquagrill, the iconic SoHo oyster bar that defined raw-bar dining for two decades. But that 210 Spring Street address has been dark since 2020, when the restaurant closed permanently after twenty-four years. The good news: Brooklyn's Maison Premiere continues to serve a rotating selection of raw oysters seven days a week, with service running until nearly midnight on weekends. If you're planning an evening around bivalves and absinthe cocktails, knowing which venues are actually open and when their kitchens stop shucking makes all the difference between a great night out and a wasted trip across town.
Karpo checks live opening hours, confirms oyster service times, and maps the fastest L train connection to Bedford Avenue for you. Get real-time updates before you travel across the borough.
Why Aquagrill No Longer Appears on Your Seafood Map
Aquagrill at 210 Spring Street in SoHo is permanently closed as of 2020, despite some outdated listings still appearing online. The restaurant operated from 1996 to 2020, building a reputation for serving twenty-five oyster varieties daily alongside exotic seafood delicacies like chilled Maine Jonah crab claws at $8.50 per claw and tiered seafood plateaus. Manhattan clam chowder ran $12, and the dining room stayed open until 10pm on weekdays and 11pm on weekends.
The Spring Street corner location, easily reached via the C or E train to Spring Street or the N, R, or W to Prince Street, was a SoHo anchor for oyster lovers. But after twenty-four years as one of Manhattan's top oyster destinations, the venue did not survive 2020. If you're searching for best seafood NYC and Aquagrill appears in your results, cross it off the list and look to Brooklyn instead.
Maison Premiere Oysters in Williamsburg
Maison Premiere at 298 Bedford Avenue in Williamsburg remains one of the city's most reliable raw oyster bars, open Monday through Thursday from noon until 1am, Friday from noon to 2am, and weekends from 10am until 2am Saturday and 1am Sunday. The full menu runs until 10:30pm every night, but oyster service extends later: until 11:30pm Monday through Thursday and Sunday, and until 12:30am on Friday and Saturday. That means you can order a dozen blueprints or kumamotos well after most kitchens have closed for the night.
The dining room and seasonal garden seat parties up to six guests, with reservations available via Resy up to one month in advance. Walk-ins are welcome at the bar and in the dining room based on availability. For groups of seven to ten people, book the greenhouse dining table separately; larger events require contacting events@maisonpremiere.com or calling 347-889-5710. Maison Premiere's seasonal garden is only open April through November, so book early and specify your garden preference when reserving, as it's not guaranteed even if you request it.
What to Know Before You Order Oysters
Maison Premiere discontinued oyster happy hour, so the promotion is no longer available despite older online references that still circulate on social media and outdated blog posts. The raw bar offers a rotating selection that changes with harvest conditions and seasonal availability, paired with an extensive absinthe cocktail menu that remains a signature of the venue. Weekend brunch runs from 10am to 3:30pm on both Saturday and Sunday, giving you a chance to pair oysters with morning cocktails if that's your preferred timing.
Oyster service ends thirty to ninety minutes before bar closing depending on the night—11:30pm on weeknights and 12:30am on weekends—so if you're arriving late, call ahead to confirm the kitchen is still shucking. The Bedford Avenue location is one block from the L train at Bedford Avenue, or you can take the G train to Metropolitan Avenue and walk a few extra blocks. Street parking is difficult on weekends, so public transport is your best bet when searching for seafood near me in this part of Brooklyn.
Getting to Maison Premiere from Manhattan
The L train to Bedford Avenue is the fastest route from Manhattan to Maison Premiere, depositing you one block from the restaurant. The G train to Metropolitan Avenue works if you're coming from Brooklyn or Queens, though it's a slightly longer walk. If you're starting from the old Aquagrill location in SoHo, expect a twenty-five to thirty-minute subway ride depending on your transfer point. The cross-borough trip is worth it: Williamsburg's dining scene has matured into one of the city's best destinations for bars and nights out, and Maison Premiere anchors the northern end of Bedford Avenue's restaurant corridor.
Street parking near 298 Bedford Avenue fills quickly on Friday and Saturday evenings, and alternate-side regulations complicate weekday planning. The neighbourhood's bar density means foot traffic stays high until past midnight, so if you're driving, budget extra time to circle for a spot or plan to use a nearby garage. Most visitors find the subway simpler, especially if you're planning to drink absinthe cocktails alongside your oysters.
Planning Your Oyster Bar Route in New York City
When you search for seafood near me and land on a list of New York City oyster bars, verify the venue is open before you travel. Aquagrill's permanent closure in 2020 isn't an isolated case; the past few years reshaped the city's restaurant landscape, and even established names disappeared. Maison Premiere's confirmed hours and oyster service times make it a reliable choice, but calling ahead or checking their website ensures you won't arrive during a private event or seasonal closure.
Maison Premiere accepts reservations only for parties up to six guests in the dining room, so larger groups need to plan around the greenhouse table or accept walk-in seating at the bar. The bar fills quickly after 8pm on weekends, and the dining room books solid during prime dinner hours. Arriving before 7pm or after 10pm often yields shorter waits, and you'll still have time to order oysters before service ends at 11:30pm or 12:30am depending on the day. For a spontaneous night out, the bar's walk-in policy and late oyster hours offer flexibility that reservations-only venues can't match.
What to Expect at the Raw Bar
Maison Premiere's rotating oyster selection reflects what's available from East Coast and West Coast growers, so the specific varieties change week to week. The staff can walk you through tasting notes, brine levels, and size differences if you're new to oysters or want to compare regions. The absinthe cocktail menu remains a signature draw, with both classic preparations and contemporary riffs that pair well with briny shellfish. Weekend brunch from 10am to 3:30pm on Saturday and Sunday offers a less crowded window to try the raw bar if you prefer a quieter experience.
The seasonal garden, open only from April through November, books quickly once spring arrives, so reserve early if outdoor seating matters to you. Even when you request the garden, Maison Premiere doesn't guarantee it, so have a backup plan if you're set on dining outside. The dining room and bar offer the same menu and oyster selection, so you're not missing dishes by sitting indoors. For the best chance at garden seating, book a month in advance when Resy opens the calendar, and call the restaurant at 347-889-5710 the day before to confirm your table location.
Please drink responsibly. Must be of legal drinking age.
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Ask Karpo first
Karpo checks whether Maison Premiere's seasonal garden is currently open, confirms tonight's oyster service hours, and maps your exact subway route from wherever you're starting in New York City. We track real-time venue status so you don't waste a trip to a closed kitchen or a permanently shuttered address. Ask Karpo before you head to Williamsburg, and we'll build a route that gets you to the raw bar while oysters are still being shucked.
