Maison Premiere — Restaurant in New York

I live in the neighborhood and have been coming to Maison Premiere for special occasions since before the pandemic. This time, it was for my parents’ 50th wedding anniversary. We’d been before, and as big oyster fans, they were so excited to return.

Unfortunately, the service was off from the start. It felt like we walked in during a chaotic shift change—after being seated, no one came by for quite a while. There were four of us, but we only received two cocktail menus and no food menus. We had to flag someone down, who handed us two more menus. Not a huge deal, but definitely not the vibe you want kicking off a milestone celebration.

Eventually, we got a dedicated server and placed our orders. I was especially looking forward to the tableside Sazerac—something I’ve ordered many times and always loved. Part of the charm is the storytelling: the ingredients, the ritual, the history. It’s usually a little bit of magic.

This time, it was… awkward. The maître d’ arrived with the tray, said nothing, made the cocktail with his back to me (the one who ordered it), and didn’t acknowledge us at all during the process. Total silence. When he finished, he asked—terse and flat—if we had any questions. Only after I told him I was disappointed not to hear any of the usual details did he rattle off a brief explanation.

Honestly? Pretty lame for a $34 cocktail, especially on what was shaping up to be a $500 meal. It felt rushed and weirdly dismissive—not the elevated experience I’ve come to expect from Maison Premiere.

The oysters were top notch, as always, and the crudo was fresh and complex. Food-wise, everything was excellent. But the service? Let’s just say it never really recovered. Our server was… fine. She took our order, but didn’t crack a smile all night. You’d think the energy might match the occasion a bit more—especially when you’ve told them in advance it’s your parents’ 50th anniversary.

There was a small “Happy Anniversary” sign on the table when we arrived, which was a nice touch. But when I asked—discreetly—if they could put a candle in the dessert, I got a bit of a shrug. First it was “no,” then “maybe,” then eventually “okay.” It was unnecessarily complicated for something so simple. And honestly, would it have killed them to comp a dessert more candle-friendly given the occasion and our tab?

All in all, this was the first disappointing experience I’ve had at Maison Premiere—and the maître d’ really soured the evening. I get it: people have off nights, maybe something personal was going on, or maybe he just doesn’t like performing the tableside ritual anymore. But if that’s the case, don’t offer tableside service at all. It missed the mark, and I won’t be...

My evening at this restaurant was a rollercoaster of experiences, and I'm keen to share every detail with you. My long-awaited late-night date here was something I had been anticipating for ages, having marked this spot on my list quite some time ago. Living in Long Island, I always hope for a seamless dining experience, especially given the travel involved.

Our arrival on a busy Saturday night was met with the news of a fully booked venue and a staggering wait time of a couple of hours, despite visibly available tables and bar seats. Although discouraged by this and the unusual policy of not being allowed to wait at the bar, we decided not to give up and headed to order a drink. Here, we encountered John, the bartender, whose behavior was less than professional, to say the least.

Refusing to let this ruin our night, I took matters into my own hands. I found and booked an open reservation online, then approached the manager, Gloria. This marked a significant turn in our experience. Gloria was understanding and swiftly addressed our situation, offering us wine while we waited for our table, which was quickly prepared.

From that point on, the service was impeccable. The oysters and clams were exceptional, the drinks delightful, and the lobster roll and sashimi were top-notch. A special thanks to the waitstaff and Gloria for showcasing the true quality of this restaurant. While the initial interaction with the hostess and John was deeply disappointing, Gloria's intervention salvaged our evening.

I highly recommend trying the food and wine here. Despite the rocky start, the quality of the meal and the latter part of our experience are reasons...

4.20.19 - wow, it's almost been a year since our last experience at MP. It hasn't missed a step and it's good to see Molly, Sean, and Juan still there. The service has not missed beat; the food is still prepared well; the same crowd and looooooooong wait if you don't make reservations.

Oyster Happy Hour is best on Friday with a large selection, whereas the weekend selection is reduced to 4 or 6 (?) varietals. Still, pretty darn good. Side note if you like clams, they consistently have really meaty and juicy Cherrystone clams, which isn't anything special, but nice to have.

The back has not been built yet, but it will be in May. Hence, the wait time for a table can be up to 3 hours, so you're better off calling ahead to check.

4-stars only because I rarely give anything the max reward...

6.1.18 - waited 35 minutes after arriving at 6 on a Friday; sat at bar and put in almost 3 dozen oysters and clams before 7 for happy hour; two cocktails and a beer later we were ready to move on for dinner.

5.11.18 - should be a 5-star, but I'm generally stingy about 5-stars, and the cocktails just missed the mark.

If you don't show up by 1530 it's packed and a seat will be about 1 hour wait. The staff is incredibly nice, but what makes this place extra is the variety of oysters for happy hour. You're not limited to one type like many other oyster happy hour spots. At MP you are offered up to 10 varietals.

The cocktails are also superb, but nothing special to the palate. They look beautiful, but you can probably get superior cocktails for similar price at Angel's Share or Mace.

Nonetheless, MP is definitely a place to frequent, but...