Mermaid Inn Review

June 05, 2003 Keeping the East Village beat... We're hardly the first (Eric Asimov, DailyCandy and Gothamist, among others, long ago beat us to the keyboard), but it bears repeating that the Mermaid Inn (2nd Ave. @ 5th/6th) is far and away the East Village newcomer of the year. We arrived at 8pm on a recent Saturday night and wiled away the 1:15 wait time—the Citysearch photo gives a good indication of what the place looks like at 5:15pm—sucking down oysters at the bar. In point of fact, the joint was hopping—a former Miss America contestant was even in the house. Once at table, the whole fish we consumed was terrific, and the after-dinner surprise even managed to captivate our post-ironic crew. (N.B. The success of no-reservation Mermaid Inn, on the same block as no-reservation Frank, ensures that terrible bars that should have died long ago—e.g., Global 33—and mediocre restaurants—hello, East Post—will continue to thrive as holding pens for the mobs awaiting superior cuisine nearby.)

Agreed about Global 33...we went there pre-Mermaid and it's as forgettable as ever. Wasn't there a fire there, one that should have shut it down? More evidence that the city is overrun by businesses who stay open only because they are money laundering fronts.

Posted by: Jen at June 5, 2003 11:02 AM

Yup, a fire took the place out. Then they had the gall to re-open a few doors down.

Posted by: Lock at June 5, 2003 11:09 AM

Hi:

We're thinking about taking my in-laws to the Mermaid Inn for my mother-in-law's birthday. I think there's somewhere nice nearby where we could sit out our wait. Am I right? Is that place Atlas on the same block? Or some dessert place named after two women?

Posted by: Alec Appelbaum at June 5, 2003 02:00 PM