Neptune Oyster — Restaurant in Boston

If manager or owner would like to speak with me, please reach out. I would love to share this experience.

Man, I have to say this has to be one for the books. One of the worst and appalling experience I have ever had in restaurant. It’s not the worst, but oh, boy, it’s up there.

We just arrived from Chicago, today, two of my friends (born and raised in Boston, now moved to Chicago) both advised us this was a MUST place to go to, and service and staff are great and food. So we naturally had high expectations. We are from the Midwest and we landed and explored and everyone said go there and wait in line. I have no problem doing that, I’ve done it. No problem waiting in line for good food and service. What I have a problem with is shocking and egregious behavior from those trying to service customers. Particularly the young lady who was the hostess today. We must have been seated around 2pm, we waited 45 mins, very okay with us. We know the rules of the game.

However, this is a place I would never recommend to anyone. The hostess must have not like us, some others, but boy, what she very friendly to others that look just like her. Yes, I know, I’m getting personal. But the way she treated other people compare to myself, my sister, and others was wildly upsetting.

First, my sister has back issues which has her discs providing her great discomfort if she does not have a seat with backing. The hostess, which I did not get her name, was upset at the fact we ask if we can please seat at the table with backing, it was open, and before we could explain, she walked away and murmured “fine.” We must have said thank you to her a total of 4 times (both of us when she brought out food) and when she came around to take some dishes. No “you’re welcome” back from her. But from the tables in front and behind us she could gladly strike up a conversation and tell them they are welcome so many times. She even mentioned right now is super slow for us, so the idea of stress because of the high volume went out the door for us. We are from the Midwest, we try to be as sympathetic and kind and patient but this really got to us.

What made this even worst if how she treated Asian American family who was waiting and the young girl was standing in the door way, it was crowded. I do not blame her, but hostess got bumped into her and she drop some water (frustrating, I bet!) but she stare down this young lady and sigh and walked away. The young lady did apologize profusely.

It’s is completely unacceptable how disrespectful and horrible this hostess was. She ruined our whole experience, and when someone dropping $100 or whatever amount of dollars, have some class and be nice. It’s our first time and first day in Boston, and we are shocked by the insane pathetic display of customer service she displayed. Advice? Do not have someone who is so rude be the first person customer see and are greeted with.

Our waitress, who was named catfish was nice, I have nothing bad to say. She was very helpful and kind, thank you. But the damage was done with the hostess. What a bummer. We order few oysters, octopus, and two lobster rolls. When you get terrible service from someone, you kind of get a bad taste in your mouth after that.

I would never recommend this place. My pals and the reviews I read said impeccable service and drinks always filled, there was long period where our drinks weren’t filled and it took forever to get any sort of refills. Again, our waitress is not at fault, she was fine. Thank you.

But when hostess treats you, your sister, and others that might be the same person as her, it becomes personal. When she can be nice and say you’re welcome to others but not you or your sister or other families that might not look the same as her, it speaks volumes.

First day in Boston, and first restaurant we tried- damn, what a let down. I hope the next 4 days really change and have...

On a recent afternoon in early September, tourists and locals alike lined up on the sidewalk outside Neptune Oyster, the beloved and much-lauded oyster bar in Boston’s North End. As our party of two waited to be sat (Neptune does not take reservations) we gazed longingly through the glass at the people inside already dining on oysters, fries, and sparkling wine. Neptune is charmingly reminiscent of a French Bistro, and cramped enough that we had a clear view of the popstar Dua Lipa and her fiancée, the actor Callum Turner, as they ate at a corner table near the back. Being proper millennials, we had already done an online deep-dive and excitedly placed our order; some local oysters (raw), Jonah crab claws, shrimp cocktail, the razorneck clams, the Johnny Cake, and a lobster roll (cold, with mayo). The oysters were fresh and creamy, with a buttery finish and came with the traditional accoutrements. Similarly, the Jonah crab claws were plump and sweet, a simple pleasure easily elevated by a dunk in clarified butter.

The shrimp cocktail was the first dish that gave us pause; described as braised in old “old bay”, they were disconcertingly rubbery and overcooked, with no hint of old bay that we could detect. Given the price and pedigree of the location, we were surprised but willing to chalk it up to a misfire. Next came the razorneck clams, which were done up in a twist on Clams Casino. The fantastic topping of smoked bacon, chili oil, and parsley induced fantasies of ordering bread just to mop up the extra sauce; however the clams themselves were dry with a slightly unpleasant chew, as if they, too, had been slightly overcooked.

The Johnny Cake came as a relief; a lush cornmeal pancake drenched in honey butter and topped with a small pyre of smoked fish, crème fraiche and sturgeon caviar. Each bite was a perfect balance of sweet and salty, smoky and creamy. The sense of buttery indulgence lingered on our palates long after it was cleared. We finished with the lobster roll, the item we were most excited to try. The lobster was fresh and fluffy, but the seasoning felt nonexistent. Yes, yes, lobster rolls are meant to be a master class in simplicity. However, the mayo ought to be tangy and assertive enough to make an impression. Also, chives, lemon wedges, even just the proper amount of salt, all go a long way in supporting, not smothering, a good lobster roll. We found ourselves flagging down a server so we could request lemon wedges. For those who are particular about their buns; the bun was a split hot dog bun, but not the kind that looks like buttered toast on the sides, which I have to admit is my preference. It was soft and floppy, lacking the necessary structure to contain the generous pile of lobster within. Our roll came with a side of arugula salad that felt like an afterthought and had us wishing we had ordered a side of fries instead (who orders arugula salad with their lobster roll anyway? Perhaps that one’s on us).

The atmosphere was crowded and convivial, and sunlight poured in through the large storefront windows onto the glittering ice of the raw bar. The bartender chatted with the guests on our right about the presence of Dua Lipa, and shared her favorite celebrity to have stopped in (Daniel Day Lewis) as well as her worst (Tyra Banks). We lingered fondly over the last bites of Johnny Cake, but questioned if the wait and the high prices were justified by hit-or-miss food.

Dress attire; dress up or down as you like, all clothing attire levels appeared welcome, at...

Parents with infants and toddlers, they do not have hence provide high chairs. Their space is so crammed and you have to share tables with strangers. Even till here I didn’t complain because it’s just I didn’t know about those. We ordered 200$ worth food and all of the foods simply missed the mark. They’re overpriced, and some aren’t just what they say they are. For example this picture is what I got for ‘Paella’. If anyone has actually been to Spain they can see immediately that this is not paella. The shrimps in this dish were so old and not fresh are all that they would just crush away in a disgusting way in your mouth. And I’ve never had a lobster bisque that is clam chowder color. The cherry on the cake is the services. The two waitresses were the rudest servers I’ve ever met in my LIFE. When the people who were sharing our table left, I asked them politely if we could move to those empty tables because it was very difficult for us to feed our baby and eat at the same time with no high chair, so we wanted to go to the corner sofa. The answer was a cold no, and the reason was because it was hard for them to move the dishes when we ordered 200$ food. I had to ask for the bill and boxes 3 times cause they were not attentive at all. After I finally got the bill, this unbelievably rude waitress asked how everything was so I told her cautiously that I feel like the servers were not so attentive. Then this little girl says in a very hostile manner ‘what do you mean, I was literally there every two second’. On top of how she literally didn’t care about us, this is what she says to a customer’s comment of their services. I told her about the table move request and how I had to ask for the boxes 3 times and she gives me lame excuses saying ‘we didn’t want you to sit below the pictures on the wall so they won’t fall onto your head’ and ‘I heard her speak to you about the table move request and she was pretty kind’. I asked to speak to a manager and they say there is no manager. Wow. I know that they probably won’t care about my experience cause tourists will keep coming to this place and if someone’s this rude nothing can really change them but I hope my review helps some other family with their decision to choose a place to eat. There are simply so many other options in Boston, and any restaurant on the planet would provide...