42nd Street Oyster Bar
based on 16 reviews
Raleigh, NC 27603
(919) 831-2811
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Category: Restaurants
Tags:
seafood, fresh local seafood, live music, bad oysters that make you sick, great scallops
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Price Range: Moderate, $11-30
Accepts Credit Cards: yes
Parking: Street
Wheelchair Accessible: yes
16 reviews for 42nd Street Oyster Bar
If you're looking for a good seafood place, go to the beach! I can recommend 1000 of them. My experience at 42nd is that it's hit or miss. Sometimes I've had good food (crab legs, steam strimp, lobster tails) and other times the food is at best, awful.
I like the atmosphere (although a bit loud) and the entertainment is pretty decent. I've only eaten at the oyster bar and service has always been good. I would recommend 42nd but if another seafood joint opened up in downtown Raleigh, I think 42nd Street would be in trouble!!
I've always had fresh delicious seafood at 42nd Street Oyster Bar and I've been going since I was a child. Always a fun time to be had there too. Love the decor....just love this restaurant. Wish I had some oysters right now!
I ate there for the first time tonight, have to say the best I have had in Raleigh so far. The scallops were cooked perfectly, the shrimp were steamed to order and service was pretty good for being so late at night, about 9:38 when we sat down on a monday. Could not be happier, and also was very surprised how good the crab cake was, and Im from Maryland. It was fifty bucks for me and my wife, so pricing isn't too bad either. Im very happy and will be back soon.
We got sick on steamed oysters on Dec 19th, 2009- We experienced terrible stomach cramping and then diarrhea and vomiting for 1 1/2 days. This is the response I got from 42nd street oyster bar-- see below. Never offered to reimburse us for our meal. Thank god my kids did not come with us that night.
Thank you for contacting me in regards to your illness. I am sure you are probably aware of the concern we have had with lousiana oysters and I ask that you please contact the wake county health department and give them your information. We hope that you are feeling better and please let me know if I can be of further assistance.
Sincerely,
Hunter Correll
General Manager
42nd Street Oyster Bar
Raleigh, NC 27603
hcorrell@42ndstoysterbar.com
www.42ndstoysterbar.com
phone - 919-831-2811
fax - 919-831-2917
I had not been to 42nd in quite sometime and forgot why I stopped going. I went on a Sunday evening and quickly realized why I stopped. I thought my experience was underwhelming at best. The service was poor even though it appeared to be a slow night. Our waiter had several large tables with little help despite all the folks just standing around and chatting. The steak and seafood were acceptable. The side dishes were pathetic for an upper mid priced meal. Our salads reminded us of a fast food restaurant salad. The twice baked potato was served in a metal dish reminiscent of a frozen food dinner. The mashed potatoes had an odd taste which was unidentifiable to 3 members in my group. Since the service was horrible, I cannot justify returning for the mediocre food. There are too many other places in Raleigh that can provide a better quality meal with exceptional service in the same price range.
This is Raleigh. You have to eat at 42nd to really be a raleighite. The food is beyond good. It's hard to find seafood this good at the coast. The atmosphere is loud, but what did you expect. The wait is long, but worth it. Afterward, go to the little purple house across glenwood, TURKISH DELIGHTS! Best Bak la vah EVER! It will blow your mind!
Some of the negative reviews seem to have been written by the same hand...That said, yes the wait can be long, especially on weekends. Folks won't wait that long for bad service or mediocre food. The food is excellent and so is the service. Best is local seafood from the Carolina coast, and obviously some of the exotic items are frozen from a vendor. It is worth the wait!
The oysters are fresh, plump and delicious and raw oysters were meant to be eaten at an oyster bar! Shucked and slurped! Ummm
Here's the deal- if you want fresh seafood you either have to:
A. Drive to the beach
B. Go to Earp's or City Seafood, buy it and cook it yourself
C. Go to the 42nd street oyster bar.
The boiled shrimp are always good, the steamed oysters are always cooked correctly and the fresh fish is just that- fresh either from NC or SC.
But, the more critical folks are correct- the ambience is not great- it's loud and often hard to get seated. If you're sitting at the oyster bar, sometimes it gets a little smokey from the smokers over at the bar. Also, if you get exotic and order seafood or other dishes that are not local, the quality is not very good- best advice stick with the local stuff! And yes, there are lots of lawyers, lobbyists and other generally loud people, if you want to go somewhere for quiet dinner conversation, this is probably not the place.
The service is always very good- sit at the oyster bar and watch these guys work, there are no slackers. I have yet to have a bad waiter or waitress. The prices are reasonable for what you get.
If you want good seafood without going to the coast... do the Mayflower! I don't mean the small overly crowded one on Capital Blvd. I mean the newer one in Garner on 401. Its huge and roomy. The wait staff is very nice and your seated immediately. Biggest plus is there is a wait for your food, but not terribly long.
I always feel like I'm being watched there. The acoustics make it a loud place so it's not great for light dinner conversation. The food is good, though, and we have a few nice times there.
DISGUSTING!!! My husband and I ordered two dozen raw oysters, one for each of us. He was not able to eat all of his. While waiting for our check we witnessed our server take the oysters to the prep area, replace the eaten oysters, used lemon and cocktail sauce and deliver to another table. So, oysters served to us but not consumed were passed on to another table. Needless to say, we were disgusted! Not only is that disgusting but the some unsuspecting soul paid for oysters we had already paid for. We have told everyone we know of our experience and all were as disgusted as we are. I wonder if they re-serve bread, pasta, etc, too?????? Needless to say, we will never go back. YUK!!!