Prima

I was bummed when i find out it’s closed! I actually wanted to go again last sunday after my last visit on August, I thought it was cos the weird hours I went, we had the restaurant all to our table, service was friendly, but the second I had their drinks, it’s solid cocktails I enjoyed very much, almost too much that makes me wanna go back, I just wished I found this place earlier in its life (maybe in my life too)! awesome cocktail and oyster happy hours, I’d have to say i like cocktails much better! it’s mixed w great balance, refreshing on a hot summer day! I also like the chic rusty decors w lots of sun shining thru the glasses on mid day, bartender was very friendly!

This restaurant is now closed.
:(

Closed recently, but Summit Bar is still open.
There wasn’t enough business to keep it afloat. It’s a shame. This place had a wonderful Happy Hour and dinner menu.

Love this spot.
Don’t think people know about it.
Kinda obsessed with the HH here.
Classy.

Took my mother here for her birthday dinner with my brother and girlfriend. Made reservation (suggest you do the same) and table was ready. Parking was tricky but I was very lucky (found one on the same block), suggest taxi next time.
Great food and location. Menu was not busy and easy to follow. I had several appetizers to taste and was very satisfied, entrée was great mom had fish, brother pork chop, and I had the seafood tailgate. Mushrooms were a topic of conversations as well as the pork chop. We had both deserts and they were very light to the stomach and easy to walk home too.
Finished with coffee and a nice drive home.

This restaurant is such a gem. I’m not a seafood fan but this place made me believe in only eating seafood. I was not an oyster girl and they made me an oyster girl. By now, I’m sure you get it, their seafood is AMAZING. Everything is so fresh and cooked perfectly. Also, they might have the best bread in all east village/​les. We must of asked for like 5 basket of breads, and no, they did not charge us extra for it. Our server was lovely and everything was just great here. I had the arctic char (my first time) and it did not disappoint, it was very tender and buttery. One of my friends had steak frites and it was cooked perfectly. The meat was juicy and the fries were so good. I must say, that the server mud tot think we hadn’t eaten for days because we made sure not to leave anything in the plates. Everything was so good to leave anything behind.
As to the ambiance, its super cozy and quiet, which is rarely the case in this neighborhood.
I can’t wait to go back!

I read about Prima awhile back on Chowhound and it’d been on my hit list since. I was surprised I didn’t know about it beforehand given that it’s a seafood restaurant in the East Village, and I love seafood restaurants in the East Village. I was also surprised to find it empty on a Saturday night although it filled up later on. The space is pretty nice and I thought the park bench-​ish seating was a nice touch. What wasn’t a nice touch was that there’s only 1 bathroom for girls and guys. I mean fuck, even McSorley’s has better accommodations than that. Another thing that wasn’t so good was that the service was extremely blatant on the upsell. We wanted to get the smaller of their 2 seafood towers, the server insisted repeatedly in the larger even as we insisted we didn’t need it. My friend is a model who had shoots coming up and I wasn’t especially hungry, so that wasn’t happening. We didn’t budge in spite of the lecture, but it was very annoying and our server was then mostly AWOL the rest of the meal. We tipped accordingly. Luckily, the kitchen knows how to cook (or not cook) seafood.
I got a scotch-​based cocktail from their house list which was very good, and the wine list was good as well. Neither of us had never done a seafood tower before, and we both said why the hell not. The «Le Petit» was pretty damned huge. It came with ½ a lobster, 3 whelks, a bunch of periwinkles, 3 shrimp, 11 oysters (4 different kinds), a crab claw, fluke sashimi, 2 little necks, and ceviche. The highlight for me was the ceviche, which was shrimp-​based, well balanced and refreshing. The shrimp, crab, lobster (on the small side), fluke, and oysters (blue point, malpeque, montauk pearl, beau soleil) were all great. I never had chilled whelks before (only scungilli, usually in a hot sauce); these are an acquired taste but they were fine. Similar were the periwinkles (tiny sea snails) which were a royal pain in the ass to remove from their shells but were fine otherwise. This was a pretty epic feast, and the waitress was crazy to suggest something larger than this.
Service snafu aside, there’s a reason this place has gotten bits of hype here and there. It’s really good and reasonably priced somehow. If they could get some plumbing work done and get some servers with tact they might have a following that matches places like Peal Oyster Bar and the Mermaid Inn. I will be back to try some of the fish entrees – especially since they take reservations and the places I just mentioned don’t.

If you like piña coladas and getting caught in the rain… that’s what happened to mike B and me while on a hunt for dinner one night. Walking down 1^st street we got caught in a torrential down pour and ducked undercover outside Prima. Taking a quick glimpse at the menu and décor inside, it looked cute and romantic, and the rain did not look like it was going to stop any time soon… so we went in! It was actually really fun to sit right in the front by the open windows and watch the storm. Nice, friendly service and wide wine selection. Fish was fresh and delicious, only problem was that is did not come as a meal, you have to order separate sides, so the price adds up pretty quickly.

We were there only for a few drinks and oysters during happy hour, but it was a perfect spot for a few drinks and light meal.
Saturday at 6:30pm for 3, the place wasn’t crowded yet, very relaxing and cozy decoration and interior. I liked that the restaurant was very welcoming, and nice spring breeze was coming into the restaurant from the big open windows. Happy hour was until 7pm– half price cocktails and oysters. Their cocktails were very strong and oysters were so fresh! I would give it 5 stars if customer service was a bit better, but it’s a good relaxing spot overall.

Excellent seafood! Had their three tier tower of seafood, the Raw bar Prima, around 100, and plenty to share. Fresh seafood, good service and cute n quaint ambiance.
One thing tho, their three tier seafood sampler is good except wish they would not put cream sauce all I’ve the lobster. It ruined the taste of the fresh lobster, maybe they should consider having the sauce on the side.
Other than that everything else was good.

The thing that pisses me off about this place is that I believe the owners know how amazing the food is that they don’t match it with quality customer service.
Saturday night reservation at 7pm for 7. I arrived 10 minutes early and started at the bar and then was invited to sit at my table. I happened to see that there was happy hour until 7pm, so when I inquired, I was told that the chef is VERY particular about happy hour and that I was not eligible for happy hour. Huh? I just wanted a two for one drink and two for one oyster SINCE I ARRIVED 10 MIN BEFORE HAPPY HOUR ENDED. What does the chef have to do with happy hour anyway?
Next, our waitress was efficient and very informative, but she was NONE to shy to tell us that we were going to be kicked out shortly before 9 so that they could turn the table. WE GET IT, your place is popular, you can drop the pretentiousness.
But…the food is pretty much some of the best I have had in the area… Damnit, I wish it wasn’t, but I could do without on account of the poor service.

At first glance Prima is unassuming. The small signage announcing it is petite could easily be missed. The bright rustic light filled restaurant is sublimely subdue. We were here for a birthday brunch.
The waiter/​host was terrific. He was light on the feet and quick to service. He handled the whole restaurant with ease. The food order taken quickly. Water always refilled. He was one man show We got the Crab Eggs Benedict, Frittata, Steak and Eggs and a trailing salmon everything bagel. The crab cake had a crunchy fried outside but on the bland side. The tartar cream sauce added the needed acidity. It was light but bland. The Prima Frittata was a bit heavy on the potatoes also in need of seasoning. The Steak & Eggs was satisfactory to the person who ordered it. Steak cooked as desired. Can’t really mess up a Bagel and Lox.
I will need to return for dinner service to try the seafood. As for brunch, while it is a nice restaurant and terrific service but does nice cut it? I think you might like to hear nice and easy but then we’re gonna do the finish rough as I would say it.

Honestly, I came here, and it was empty with only 1 table filled. By the time my group finished dinner here though, the place was packed.
They offer Beau Soleil oysters… FTW! Those are one of my fave oysters. I had the Roasted Duck entrée here and was impressed with the duck. It was crispy and juicy and flavorful. Perfect amount. What was a disappointment was that they ran out of the Wild Mushrooms that was supposed to accompany the dish. I opted for the Ratatouille instead, which was good. The fries with old bay are a hit here too.
The drinks are of speakeasy style. They are flavorful and hide the strength of the alcohol well.

Prima is absolutely fantastic. I’ve been here twice now for dinner and both experiences were perfect.
If you’re here for your seafood fix — do yourself a favor and get the tower. The Prima has it all — chilled lobster, periwinkles, sashimi, shrimp ceviche, oysters. All of it was so fresh and on point. In addition to the tower, I’ve tried the octopus, crab cakes, ceviche of the day (mackerel — a bit on the fishy side), red snapper and a side of the wild mushrooms. The mains come with a choice of a sauce (pesto, vierge, tartar, bearnaise and green condiment). The green sauce is my favorite. tangy and a bit spicy.
Cocktails are a must! if you enjoy Bloody Mary’s, definitely do the Floating Mary. probably one of the best Bloody Mary twists I’ve had ever.

Place is small, but they have great seafood. The presentation is not fancy but they really know how to bring out the natural flavor of the seafood. I love their grilled octopus. It is super tender and flavored just subtly enough to make the octopus shine. Fish cerviche is simple, yet delicious.
If you love simple, delicious seafood. This is the right place.

My friends and I threw a surprise bridal shower for one of our good friends. We’ve arrived early and set up the tables with center pieces, party favors and ordered a bunch of appetizers off the happy hour menu while we waited for her arrival. The workers there were really nice and accommodating to our party of 11.
Upon arrival of the bride to be, we had ordered 4 dozen oysters from the raw bar, which consists of a mixture ranging from Beau Soleil, Malpeques, Blue Point and Montauk Pearls. The oysters were really fresh. We had also ordered several duck rillettes, which is duck leg confit served w/​cornichons and toasted bread. The duck confit was really delicious, but I didn’t like the toasted bread that it came with because it was too thick. However, I preferred the complimentary bread with the duck confit instead. We’ve also ordered several crab cakes, which to my taste was a bit on the dry side. And we’ve also ordered some ceviche, which was really delicious and fresh.
For entrée, most people had ordered the hangar steak with frites. People ordered medium to medium rare, but the steaks all came out either too rare or too chewy. I had ordered the berkshire porkchop, which was a bit on the dry side. Overall, the appetizers were really good and the entrees were okay. Maybe the fish entrees would be better off than the steak and porkchop entrees.
As for the bride-​to-​be, she was very surprised while we showered her with love and gifts!

SOOO good! We got the Prima order of the raw bar as well as sea scallops! The raw seafood was delicious — I recall the Prima comes in a three-​tier tower and since seafood feels quite light, two people demolished the entire thing in one go!
When eating the raw seafood, don’t miss the small snails or other small items embedded in the ice — everything is edible (aside from the shells /​pins /​forks /​etc)
The sea scallops were not the best I’ve ever had, though.

On a social networking meetup in the Big Apple, seven of us met up here for Happy Hour. On such a dead summer Friday afternoon, the place had only one other table seated while we were there. The owner/​manager was not that friendly at all. The menu items are definitely overpriced, even for NYC standards.
I had 2 margaritas and shrimp cocktail. My share of the bill was $ 38 without tax & tip. My other friends drank a bit more than me and were amazed at the cash that they had to shell out. The margarita was made exquisitely but definitely not worth the price for the amount of alcohol they provided.
The manager ended up pushing us out, for reasons I can’t remember being my brain was floating around in Margaritaville. I was not impressed by this spot at all and everyone else I was with made a point to say that they felt the same.

Came here for dinner with a Party of 6. On a friday night, it was relatively busy, and the service was accomdating and attentive. The space was cramped and with the high top chairs and tall tables it was awkward eating here.
My overall opinion is that the food here is relatively expensive, the sea food is nothing special since its supposedly their specialty, while the preparation is simple, the freshness of the seafood does not come through.
Had the tasting platter with the teirs of mussles, periwinkles, oysters and half a lobster. With a semi raw platter like this you would think the items will be sweet like the sea, it was pretty disappointing. The mussles were bland, the periwinkles tasted like as* and I’ve had better raw oysters. Also ordered the artic char with a side of «Wild Mushrooms», It was a pan seared filet of fish, for almost 20 dollars and that doesnt include the side.
Tried their signature last drink and a few of their other cocktails (dont remember the others) and I would say they were solid, and would say it was the highlight and overshadowed their food.
The restaurant had a chelsea atmosphere with meh food and good drinks. I would say I’m glad I checked it out but probably wont be coming back here soon.

Wine bar atmosphere, serving perfectly executed, relatively simple, seafood!
Running what I thought was 10 minutes late for our reservation (turned out we were 40 minutes late as I had the time in my calendar down wrong), we were greeted by a very friendly host working the small, busy/​energetic, room with his clipboard (I believe one of the owners). He was super friendly and said he would see what he could do. Within 5 minutes we were seated. I know there was a little luck there, but he handled the situation so well that it started off the evening on the right foot…
Let’s start with the wine list. It’s small, but filled with good quality choices… good value as well… truthfully the whole restaurant, by NYC standards, is a good value… Service was on point and we tried quite a few items on the menu:
–Fluke Sashimi w/​Orleans Mustard and Yuzu dressing – top quality sashimi in a sauce that was bright and acidic yet slightly sweet, the flavors blended perfectly together.
–Mackerel Ceviche with lemon, olive oil and fennel salt – even better than the sashimi – some of the best ceviche I’ve ever eaten. Simple flavors from the fresh fish mixed with lemon and oil and the fennel salt added a slight crunch that made it a pleasure to eat.
–Red Snapper and Artic Char – Show stopping crispy skin and perfectly succulent flesh. The simple flavor was impeccable. We ordered Tartar sauce with one and Pesto with the other. I don’t think we even used the sauces.
–Sweet Potato Mash side dish (don’t remember what it was called on the menu) – This was the lone loser of the evening. It was more like a sauce or purée than a side dish. Tasted okay, but reminded me of baby food.
It’s a small room, and seating is tight. For a couple of young 40 somethings the crowd skewed much younger, but I didn’t feel out of place.
I take away a star for the side dish and the communal seating (again that may be an age thing, just not my thing), but I would definitely recommend Prima. I could see this being my regular seafood place if I lived close-​by.
p. s.–How could I forget to mention the Mille Feuille for dessert – Not to be missed!

I am so glad I stumbled in here this year! Upgrade to a 5 star review :) Here’s why:
This is my second visit, and I am planning a third.
BREAKFAST: The food, as I had hoped, was SO GOOD! I enjoyed — no surprises here — the Eggs Benedict, but this time with a twist! It was served with a crab cake and tartar sauce, a side salad and potatoes. It was filling, savory, fresh, yummy. Guys, I give you my first ¹⁰⁄₁₀ EB rating for this one. They also served the standard EB. My date enjoyed his everything bagel with cream cheese and salmon. It also came with romaine, capers, and red onion. He, too, was stuffed with fresh and savory food. I personally think it is weird that he had to put together his sandwich, but I guess if you are picky about your cream cheese and toppings it makes sense.
SERVICE: The bartender leaves the bar to check in with tables, so sweet! The guy that I can only assume is the owner or manager is actually waiting tables and checking in, too.
DRINKS: I was lame and had they exact same drinks I did last time, but I did also sample the Mancini. It was impeccable. Cinnamon and whiskey? I don’t even enjoy rye whiskey but I liked it in this very strong cocktail. Good job, bar staff!
VIBE: Casual and quiet, good for groups and couples. It was again not full, and I don’t know why! The décor is really nice, and the layout is smart.
This is a must go brunch spot on the LES, for sure! Go check it out for yourself.

To be perfectly honest with you, we were trying to go to Upstate. It was packed, and Prima was around the corner served seafood, and could fit the six of us inside on short notice.
Perhaps Upstate is the best restaurant in the tri-​state area, but I’m personally very glad we ended up at Prima: well-​made cocktails, friendly service, and flavorful food, all in a trendy but accessible atmosphere.
Everything we tried was a winner, from oysters to dessert (do get the mille feuille). The crab cake was stellar, as was the ceviche I sampled. In terms of the main course, I personally prefer when a chef decides* which fish should be paired with which sauce rather than be given the choice to mix and match… but if you’re going to cook the fish so well that it doesn’t need a sauce? I suppose you’re forgiven. And the green condiment is pretty damn good, despite the lack of creativity in the name.
And if it’s still on the menu, get yourself the side of squash purée. It’s DOPE.
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*Where are the decisive people of our generation? Everyone I know, myself included, wants to be told where to go, what to order, what to buy, and who is to blame when all of that goes wrong.

Happy hour cocktails and oysters are great. Love it that it never gets really busy.
Too many times when the line is just too long at Prune, we find ourselves popping here for brunch. But it is the nightly happy hour and oyster deal that I love. Great way to start off a happy evening.
Love their bloody Mary which is done a little differently from the usual. with bubbles!
And yeah to free wifi! just check the password on the board.

Best meal I’ve had in a while. Had the octopus appetizer with a side of mushrooms and the beet salad. Everything was absolutely delicious, and really well prepared. I can’t wait to come back! Oh and ending your meal with their mille feuille is an absolute must.
Their happy hour is from 4−7pm, with two for one cocktails and oysters.