We were barely seated at the bar when a guest sashayed towards the bar seat next to my husband and I, leaned in to the bar, and asked the bartender if he can get a dozen oysters and a lobster roll to go. You hear a lot in a city but I’ve never heard a to go order for shucked oysters (and I lived on the Upper East Side of Manhattan). If this is the to go order, I’d love to hear what this man orders when he dines in. Needless to say, dinner at Leo’s Oyster Bar was off to an entertaining start. I guess overhearing such a bougie request was embarrassing enough to the staff that they felt we needed complimentary champagne because and I was more than happy to douse my memory and forget with some bubbles.

I have to admit that the place was on the list because it’s an oyster bar with lots of pink. After trying Marlowe, a sister restaurant, and loving it, I felt less vain about coming here. In brief, the food and the ambiance did not disappoint.

We shared a dozen oysters with two ‘Fancy Oysters’ with pickled tomato and horseradish. Their cocktail sauce was homemade with green chilis and possibly some yellow tomatoes — it was amazing. The trio of caviar introduced me to another way to enjoy caviar, which is on lobster tempura. The classic blini was taken up another level with the addition of truffle oil.

The tuna tataki served with lotus root chips on a Himalayan rock slab was aesthetically great but lacked any strong flavor. We split the grilled ribeye, which the kitchen cut for us and it was fantastic.

I would certainly recommend Leo’s Oyster Bar and if you’re a party of two, ask for a bar seat by the oysters. If you’re more than two, ask for a table in the main dining area where the bar is.

Oysters to Go at Leo's Oyster Bar