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
Reality Finality nailed it: this isn't a good place to go to do anything except see the old lawyers and party apparatchiks who run the state gorging themselves. The (men's, at least) bathroom is a hoot- signs with bad jokes that would've been bawdy in 1943, of the sort the wattled and gnarled old barristers outside will crack when drunk, good old boys with J.D.s they are.
Really, it's pretty much the vortex of all that's wrong with the political aristocracy of North Carolina. Good viewing, though.
Although, also: there was a large group of yuppies having dinner before a night on the town when I ate there. Like twenty, and then kept taking pictures of themselves. Flash bulb every few seconds.
So yeah. Two stars because I have to give them, and I wanted to give it one extra star for the edutainment value.
This place is awesome. My wife and I love to go there. I enjoy the boiled shrimp and trout. She on the other hand enjoys a big juicy steak (doesn't like seafood). Every time we've been the food has been excellent, servers are usually very prompt and correct with our order, and the prices won't drain you dry.
"...and the prices won't drain you dry."
Let me take a guess at your annual household income or the size of your trust fund! HAHAHA!!!!
service was great. Our waiter, Kipton, was a delightful young man who I know will achieve much in life. It was truly a pleasure to enjoy such fine cuisine and receive such caring and outstanding service from the waitstaff. Thank you. Our family will certainly return soon!
The place has been over rated and over priced for years...only those that think they're going to be seen by someone that gives a damn tend to go...politicians, political hacks, gold-diggers, etc., etc. My favorite line from an old girl friend, who used to trawl there...."but he said he was taking me to the governor's ball." My reply was "Which one?" For those looking for a strange urban sociological field trip, have fun. However,this place is far from being a family place...screw their over priced popcorn shrimp, oysters, etc... A better quality of food, service, and people can be found else where in Raleigh.
The popcorn shrimp are great. Kids love them too. Make sure to make a reservation or you will be waiting for a while on the weekends.
Interesting place. You can only get raw oysters if you are sitting at the oyster bar. No one that works there seems to know how to tell time. Double whatever time the hostess says the wait time is! We only go when out of town guests suggest it because of these eccentricities. Great place for sitting at the bar and having some oysters-provided you get there early enough to get a seat at the bar!
Once seated at a table, the service is acceptable. Portions are average and price borders on the high side.
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mike p.
If you're going to rebel against 'everything thats wrong with the political aristocracy of NC", write on a political blog where people are used to seeing one-sided skewed views of society, dont sneak up on a restaurant review and dump your cynicism on us. thank you.
RaleighRoaming356
I agree with Mike P. This review was a stupid. I am a very political person but no one on this forum care. Also. . . The 42nd Street Oyster Bar has somehow revealed all of these deep corrupt things about North Carolina politics. Is this review a joke?
I am also not sure if mentioning that lawyers, judges, and politicians eating in a place is considered a negative. First of all, Lawyers, judges, and politicians have a lot of money that they can choose to spend where they want. So the fact that they choose to spend it here speaks well for the restaurant. And although I do not work in the restaurant industry, I am pretty sure restaurant owners actually seek to attract people of power like lawyers, politicians, doctors, fire chiefs, and judges to there restaurant to get the word spread.
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