Upstate

Went here on a weeknight and the place was still relatively packed but we did not have to wait for a table. Ordered the crab cakes to share, then the scallops, and finally the fettuccine with clams. The crab cakes were good but a bit salty –the salad balanced it out given that the dressing was sweet. The scallops were delicious and it came with mushroom risotto. My favorite was the fettuccine with clams — it was AMAZING!!! Cheesy pasta and the buttery clams –great combo! Forgot to mention, they finish the meal with a complimentary whiskey cake, which is delish. The attentive service along with the tasty food I can’t wait to go back and check out other items.
Ps the seafood here is very very fresh because they order from the market daily and there aren’t any freezer on site!

great place if u like seafood.
I love the idea of being able to taste oyster from different places.
Very fresh
The scallop rice was too salty will avoid ordering again but over all good seafood! Will visit again

We wanted to go to this place but they were booked for long hours and it shows that this place is somewhere you want to dine.
We found this place via Google and looking for seafood in New York. And this place was on top ten.
I took my friends to this place and they all love it. What I like the most is Happy hour Oyster specials.
The service is really good and we got slices of whiskey cake along with our check.

So we came across this restaurant by googling best saefood restaurants in NYC, and this came up in the top ten on a website I cant remember. I took my boyfriend here for his bday yesterday and I cant wait to leave a review.
He had oysters, he is a big seafood lover growing up in the New England area. So for him with seafood its very hard to impress him. He loved the half dozen oysters he ordered, some from the east coast and some from the west coast which the west coast he was shocked of how fresh, full of flavor it had as well as tasting the freshness of the ocean.
I did not have the oysters because I don’t really care for it, I guess I’m missing out on something great lol. But I had the crab cakes with arugula which was dressed in this habenero honey? OMG took me to a whole other level. The crab caked were so fresh and lightly breaded, not oily with grease which i loved. My boyfriend had the sea urchin as an appetizer which it was his first time so he cant judge to anything previous but he mentioned it was quite good.
As an entrée I had the fettuccine clams, AH MAZZING accompanied with this white wine called «La Fresnay Muscadet» which complimented my dish very well. and my boyfriend had the ciopponi something of that spelling which had clams, mussels, shrimp in this tomato broth, and that broth along with all the seafood in it was very very very delicious and he had that dish with this beer called the «Flower Power».
Our waitor I wish I remembered his name but he was a sweet heart and was very knowledgeble of the menu and what drinks went well with the dishes and he was just great overall, money well spent. Cant wait to go again.

There are no shortages of Happy Hour oyster specials in NYC. No, Upstate’s Happy Hour oysters aren’t $ 1 each.
Instead, for $ 12, you’ll get 6 oysters and a speciality beer of choice. Great deal for beer drinkers because you can keep ordering oysters and drinks together! But don’t stop there! The fettuccine with clams is a popular dish for a good reason — it’s creamy and doesn’t skimp on the clams. Just look around, EVERY table has a bowl of this.
I just wish they gave bread to mop up all the sauce afterwards. Another great thing about Upstate is the free whiskey cake that they give you with your bill. Resembling pound cake, this was the perfect end to a wonderful meal. If only it was on their menu!

Very nice Valentine’s dinner spot! It’s small and cozy, they took no reservations but our wait was half hour. We got all the oysters from the Happy hour specials. Yummy. I kept seeing and hearing about their clam linguine so that’s what we ordered and it was great!
The service is really good and we got slices of whiskey cake along with our check.

Holy seafood heaven! Husband and I are visiting NYC for a romantic valentines weekend. We were worried about a long wait at this no-​reservation restaurant, but no one on Unilocal seemed to mind a 2 hour wait for the spectacular food that Upstate serves. Saturday night around 7 we were quoted 30 mins and waited 20 (disclaimer — it was negative 15 windchill). We had a drink in a nearby bar, then returned to Upstate with our table waiting for us.
I read a lot of great reviews on the service. Our server was great! A dead ringer for Dane Cook, in both looks and slight dicky-​attitude. He had us order everything at once so he/​the kitchen could pace our meal well. I appreciated that!
We had a dozen oysters — he helped us choose. All were amazing and fresh. So worth it. We also ordered the Uni — which came with crusty bread, salmon roe, a carrot purée, and an egg yolk. Seekingly random mix, but the sweet carrot and egg complimented the salty Uni and roe. Mix it up and spread on the bread. So good.
For our mains, I had the fettuccini with clams and Jake had the scallops with mushroom risotto. The fettuccine is a must-​try. Best thing I’ve had in NY so far. The scallops were perfectly seared and the mushroom risotto was so rich and delicious.
I can’t stop raving about this place — great ambiance and even better food.

Stopped in here randomly last night walking home. They were having their sort of soft launch opening. The owner and his friends, plus a couple of kiwi girls were enjoying drinks and chatting.
It didn’t occur to me at first the name had drawn me in here, and when we got to talking, it turns out all of us — except the kiwis — were in fact from upstate! Me from Albany, and a couple of the others from Syracuse, and around there.
Enjoyed the chatting, and enjoyed the black as night bitter ale I had. Will be sure to come back again.

I got done with work and my girlfriend told me we were going to this place called Upstate, on 1^st and 6^th. I live very close to that intersection, yet had never heard of this ‘Upstate’. I love seafood, and eating at places in my neighborhood. So I, as you can imagine, was giddy.
So we found it, at 1^st and 6^th, just like she said and like everything else says. It’s there. It, in fact, exists. I walk right by it everyday. Every. Freaking. Day. Head in the clouds blind to the world, thinking about this, worrying about that… strolling by incredible establishments such as these! F*cking iphones man.
So. The restaurant. I was thrilled to find out that while Upstate majors in fish/​shellfish, it minors in craft beers. Perhaps we instead call it a… double major? I ordered a Red Devil IPA. It came quickly, and I drank it quickly. Our waiter, who was awesome, (Pirates hat, genuinely acted like he gave a shit about our experience) came back and we ordered the Fettuccine and Clams, and the Beer Steamed Mussels.
They were both tremendous. While looking at the fettuccine, I was worried it wouldn’t be enough… the explosive flavor combinations made it all okay. Cheesy, buttery, garlic, salty. Amazing. The mussels were gigantic. Again, I was worried about quantity, but they give you as much bread as you want, and we happily finished off the beer broth by taking turns dunking slices of bread into it like a pair of savages.
Another IPA and a plate of complimentary Whiskey Cake later, we’re agreeing the check isnt as bad as we thought it might be, and parting the thick curtain that takes us back out onto 1^st avenue.
4 stars because the restaurant feels a BIT cramped, and our food took a BIT longer than I thought it should. But I’d prefer both of those things to their opposing counterparts. (Nothing scarier than a big empty restaurant where you get your food 3 minutes after ordering)
I’ll be back!

I had some expectations for Upstate because of all the wonderful things I’ve heard from people and also from the reviews on Unilocal.I was extremely looking forward to eating the Fettuccine with Clams.
Of course, I ordered the Fettuccine with Clams, and I had the Salmon Tartar as well. The Salmon Tartar is delicious. Both food was well presented and I enjoyed it. However… I was disappointed when I took the first bite of the Fettuccine with Clams.
The Fettuccine with Clams was extremely salty. It felt like the chef poured a whole cup of salt. I should’ve asked the waiter to change the dish to the scallops, but I didn’t want to be rude. I hope that was the chef’s mistake, but both my friend and I found the dish to be extremely salty. I was unhappy and disappointed.
Not my best experience at a restaurant.

Great place for good beer and among the best oysters around.
Try the grilled Octopus. It is amazing. I’ve been here time and time again, and they never disappoint.
Get there early, though. Like when the doors open. Or be prepared to wait. It’s a small spot (and as you can see from reviews, insanely popular)

Great place. Been a few times, but not recently. Came at 5pm on a weekday and there were plenty of seats. Great hh deal with 6 oysters and a wine or beer for $ 12! Oysters are very good and you get to choose from 3. Not the most amazing but fresh. The fettuccini with clams is a must get! I was pretty disappointed that I only got 8 clams (yes I counted!!) but when I perused through other pics of this place on Unilocal everyone clearly got a lot more clams than me (like 10 – 12). I felt a bit ripped off but Ah well. Our waiter was nice enough to bring us a plate of toast points so I could sop up all the extra oil and garlic (prob due to my missing clams… Yes I’m slightly bitter but my heart will eventually heal).
Also ordered the Uni, salmon roe and egg yolk dish and it was divine! Creamy, rich and perfect. Crab cakes were delicious as well. Will definitely be back! Come early right when it opens to be able to def get a seat. When we left there was already multiple parties waiting.

This place is awesome. Pretty much as good as it gets when it comes to chill, laid back environment and damn good seafood. Reasonably priced, be prepared for a wait (esp if you come during HH which I’ve heard is a great deal). My friend and I came here after HH on a weeknight and waited about 30 mins.
What we ordered:
Fettucine with clams — I can understand why this is considered the «wife’s» house favorite. Everything about this dish is perfect. Portion size, flavor, pasta al dente, just loved it. Get this!
Scallop special — definition of buttery. Each bite was an explosion of flavor. Get this!
Roasted oysters — perfect start to the meal. Could have eaten 10 of these. Get this too!
Can’t wait to go back again!

Getting seats here is hard. I must admit I tried going here at least 5x before caving in to actually waiting for my table. It’s not too terrible because you get to put down your number and they’ll text you when your seats are ready. Wait time is about an hour. The best thing about this place is the happy hour oysters and beer. Happy hour is from 6 to 8pm everyday and it’s 6 oysters from a certain menu and a beer for $ 12. I recommend sitting at the bar. The bartenders are full of beer and oysters knowledge. They also let you try some beers if you are extra cool.
Let’s get down to food:
— Oysters: best selection I have ever encountered in the city; love them all and I literally tried them all on the menu
— Beer: great selection as well
— Fettuccine with clams: this is so good that I did not want to share at all; I need to come back here and write a better description
— Scallops with risotto: this dish was okay but did not compare at all with the fettuccine with clams
— Slice of rum cake: complimentary dessert; perfect way to end a perfect meal (wish they gave a bigger slice though)
I will definitely be back for the oysters and fettuccine with clams!

It was my turn to pick a restaurant in my circle of friends, and this was my pick.
I actually was very excited about it, since Upstate has been on my list of bookmarks for awhile. Upon arriving here, we were greeted immediately, which is a testament to the friendly and great service here. The space is tight here, but the vibe and lighting boasts a dark, bar meets resto dining environment.
My friends and I did not try any of the wide selections of beer available. However, we did try a variety of their menu.
The menu is split into two sections: 1) Shared Plates 2) Entrees. Price ranges for both are equally the same– around $ 15-​$ 18.
Here are list of dishes I’ve tried:
Shared Plates
1. Salmon Tartar: Huge fresh chunks of salmon; tartar in the poke sense; highly enjoyable and fresh.
2. Uni Toast: small section of uni, raw egg, roe to slather on toast. The presentation was beautiful, however, no delivery on taste. Everything blended together, and nothing stood out.
3. Crab Cakes w/​salad: Crab cakes were good, but the honey on the arugula salad overpowered everything.
Entrees
1. Fettuccine w/​clams: very light, garlicky, delicious.
2. Scallops w/​mushroom risotto: scallops were very fresh, but the risotto did not make much of an impression.
Everything here was just okay, and also– for the price point, the portions were very small. For the price, I could do a bit higher for larger portions elsewhere. For that reason, save this place if you are interested in trying something new, but if you’re hungry, beware… you might leave hungry.

I guess upstate seafood is… better?
Bookmarked for literally the last year, I finally stopped in to Upstate last week, and boy was the wait worth it. The weeknight wait for a table was about 40 minutes (and they use a handy app to let you know how many people are ahead of you on line). We hopped to a bar next door and not before long, found ourselves at a cozy table in the restaurant.
We started off with beers and oysters. I can’t remember the name of the brew, but my unfiltered wheat beer was the perfect pairing of the night: smokey, a lil spicy, and easy to drink, it went well with our oyster assortment (which was totally randomized based on our server’s rec). The oysters themselves were very fresh, and we had a nice combination of sweet, briny, and meaty. I eventually switched to just using the mignonette sauce to get more of the oyster flavor with every bite.
For larger plates, we split the crab cakes and trout gnocchi. The cakes themselves were quite tender and moist and fell apart nicely when poked. The bed of arugula salad was an incredible pairing, especially with the spicy honey dressing: think honey, but way less viscous and with a kick. I want to pair that with every seafood dish I have from now on. The trout gnocchi should really be called trout with a few gnocchi. The pasta was very tasty and tender, but it only came with four pieces, which I thought was a little meh. The trout itself was cooked very well, and I loved the grape tomato /​grated cheese accompaniment.
Service was above par for the neighborhood, as was price point based on portion size. It’s a cute date spot and their happy hour special looks like an amazing deal, especially if there are no restrictions on the oysters (6 oysters + beer = $ 12). I would definitely be back for that.

YES.
Upstate, if you took reservations (or I didn’t have to wait 90 minutes as a walk in at 6pm), you’d be close to, if not, my number one place south of 14^th Street. But I can certainly say that if you bring your patience, you will be rewarded.
Upstate offers some FANTASTIC food, mostly from the sea. Oyster list is quite large and we had a few awesome ones. Crabcakes were amazing (and I don’t know I’ve ever said that about a crabcake) and the scallops with brown rice risotta and pasta with clams entrees were fantastic. Wines by the glass were top notch for the price. I really don’t think you can go wrong here. I’ll definitely be back.

There’s usually a long line waiting for the oyster happy hour throughout the week, I was lucky to stop by on a raining Sunday evening and we were immediately seated and greeted. It’s a compact restaurant with wooden tables, very cozy and contemporary design, the servers wear black, kinda chic and also fun to talk to.
We were provided with a list of oysters from the coast areas to check off, unfortunately by the time we got there they were sold out of some of the oysters on the list, but I prefer Cape Cod oysters and we were able to order some. That tray of presentation is beautiful, the server told us to start around the clock, very tasty and fresh, the cocktail sauce was a little overwhelming but if you just do a tiny dab it’s perfect. I ordered the fettuccine with clams and also steamed mussels, they come in metal bowls, very interesting, but most importantly very tasty! Except for the occasion sand inside the clams, I could live with that.

GO FOR THE HAPPY HOUR! It’s from 5 to 8pm everyday and you get 6 fresh oysters with 1 beer for 12 dollars. It is a great deal if you come with another friend because then you get to try all three types of oysters served at this restaurant during happy hour. I liked all three and eating them with little bit of ketchup and ginger just was amazing!
The place is small and very comfortable. Great to grab a drink with over some oysters during happy hours. This was 2^nd or 3^rd time here, and it tastes the same and feels the same as it did when I first visited.

The oyster happy hour was great and we felt right at home. The place was surprisingly small, which has a couple tables for seating and a bar. The hostess and waitress were accommodating, straight forward but a bit pushy.
The appetizer ceviche was a very small portion, but it bursted with citrus and seafood flavors. The white wine I ordered was crisp and cool, with flavors of green apples. The oysters came with a variety of sauces, which made the experience even more enjoyable.
The seafood dish I ordered came with bread to dip in the broth. I went through the shells quickly and there wasn’t much left over except the broth. Maybe I should have ordered a pasta dish.
Overall, the dishes had tons of great flavor but the portion sizes were smaller than expected (plus the tables were tiny). We left the restaurant and ended up ordering more food at home later that night.

Upstate was definitely not crowded on a Monday evening, I’m so glad that my friend visiting has picked this place as Upstate has been on my list for a very long time.
Just as other Unilocalers mentioned, the best deal here was the happy hour bargain — six oysters plus a drafted beer for only 12 dollars. I actually did the calculation, the total price for all above should roughly be 22 – 24 dollars, depending on the types of oysters you order.
Oysters were indeed fresh and almost melted in my mouth. Six was for sure not enough… also looking forward to the little neck clams and other seafood dishes offered here! Happy hour is only between 4 – 7 pm on weekdays.

Before I start talking about the food, the place is very small so you may have to wait. The long wait time isn’t the «fault» of the staff but of the patrons ‘enjoying a night with food and friends. We were lucky to be seated right away. So it’s all about timing; nah, mostly luck.
Their Crab Cakes are some of the best, if not the best, CCs I’ve ever eaten. They are moist, savory and full of flavor. They don’t fall apart too easily, bound just enough to hold its shape but not so much that you’ll feel like you’re eating a heavy hockey puck.
I’m not a big fan of muscles because they leave a weird taste in my mouth but these beer steamed muscles are awesome. I couldn’t stop dipping bread in the juice.
Oysters were good, not amazing, but that might be because I ate a few forkful of their fettuccine with clams. It might have overpowered the clean taste of the oysters, well good fresh oysters at least. Next time, I’ll make sure I start with the oysters.

Small restaurant with about 10 tables.
We came around 6:30 at a Tuesday night and were told that there is a 1 hr wait. But they waved us in after a few minutes. They offer 6 oysters and a beer for $ 12.
We had the special fish and the scallop. Both were pretty good. The vegies in the fish dish were one of the tastiest vegies we’ve ever had. The portion size is quite small. But enough.
They give you free whiskey cake for dessert.

The most amazing hidden gem in east village. They oysters were amazing as well as their local/​craft beer selections and their service… the best service ever!
We will most likely come here again and I highly recommend it.

I don’t care who or where you are; if you have good seafood, I’ll be at your doorstep very very soon. Upstate drew us in with their reps and hit the nail on the head. We ordered oysters to start, she got the Fettuccine with clams, and I got the Cioppino.
Our oyster selections consisted of the Stony Brook and the Wild Rocky Point. What complex algorithm and experiences did we utilize to pick these specific oysters? Absolutely none. It just further emphasizes that you can throw darts blindfolded at this oyster menu and still end up with rock star oysters. They were all super plump, exploding with juices, and of course, delicious. Nothing less.
The cioppino was one of my rare excellent decisions. The broth was seasoned perfectly, not overly salty at all. The seafood in this dish featured a wide range, so quantity was on point. The fish was flaky and tender, and all the shellfish were sizable. That bowl was cleaned.
One offense is clams with little meat. Don’t worry about that in the Fettuccine with clams. A picture is worth a thousand words, so just go look at pictures of their clams and decide for yourself. The sauce isn’t heavy at all so each bite retains all the flavor from the clams.
Also, complimentary whiskey cake at the end. So delicious!
Our dishes were perfectly cooked, great quantity, and at a relatively cheap price for what you’re getting. Get it while it’s hot!

Wow. Why has it taken so long to get here (other than the fact that I moved 300+ miles away from nyc)!
This place is a treat. A seafood lovers gem. A smaller/​cozier pearl that reminds you that in the vast ocean of great eats in this area, there is still that cultivated place that exceeds many expectations.
Came here prepared to wait, as they don’t take reservations, but checked in with the host, gave my mobile number, and was called within 15 minutes! The thing I love about the small space is that it seems people come here for the food and even if you may want to stay longer, you save that for the bar afterwards.
The service is excellent and with the speed and knowledge of the most skilled east village server, we started with a dozen oysters (get here early bc you will miss out). The thing I really liked is that they listed how easy it is to eat (in terms of brinyness and etc) which was nice.
We then got the uni tartare type of dish which was AMAZING. It had us running our pinkies along the plate to get the last morsels of the Uni/​roe/​egg/​carrot purée mixture: P
The diver scallop risotto was the perfect size between 2 people as the 4 large plump scallops rested on the very well flavored mushroom risotto.
However…HOWEVER, the star of the show was the clams and fettuccine. Holy seawater and high tide! How could something so simple be so good?! We looked around in between bites and noted we made a wise selection as almost every table had ordered the same dish. Kudos to the chef!
After such a fulfilling meal and beer selection, I toyed with the idea of getting dessert to extend the awesome dinner and alas, with the slice of whiskey cake– I didn’t even have to think!
Loved the speed and tempo of the place to match with the excellent food.
Can’t wait to return :)

I knew this restaurant is small, but I didn’t think it would be that small. Although their website says they cannot accommodate a party greater than 6, I wouldn’t suggest coming here with more than 4. There were 3 tables that can fit 4 people, about 6 for duos, and the rest were bar seatings.
I arrived here with the husband at 5:12pm on a Sunday and it was completely full. We were quoted a wait time of about 45 minutes. Wait, didn’t this place just open a few minutes ago? Weird. Perhaps it is their very popular happy hour special ($ 12 for half a dozen of selected oysters and a crafted beer) that gets everyone here early. The happy hour lasts from 5pm-​7pm and is every day of the week. I wouldn’t normally wait this long to eat at a restaurant but I’ve bookmarked this place for a while now and was set on coming here. Anyway, true to their estimation, the hostess texted us shortly before 6pm to say our table is ready.
We ordered one happy hour special, the crab cakes as an appetizer, and for entrees: the fettuccine with clams and the scallops with mushroom risotto.
I am not going to act like I know much about oysters because they all taste the same to me after I top it with my beloved horseradish and cocktail sauce, but they tasted fresh and were served with the quickness.
To me, the real winner were the crab cakes. Oh my the crab cakes! The outer portion of the crab cake has a delicate crunch while the inside is filled with crabby deliciousness. I love it when you can really taste the sweetness of the crab. The arugula salad it came with was drizzled with a spicy honey dressing and was just wow. I never thought a honey dressing would work but it sure did. That appetizer was no doubt the highlight of the entire meal and I highly recommend it.
Mmm. When the scallops entrée was served, the aroma of the ocean immediately hit my nose. The scallops were perfectly seared on the outside with a nice salty crisp while the inside were buttery soft and just melts in your mouth. I thought the mushroom risotto really tied the whole dish together really well.
Of everything, I found the fettuccine with clams to be a let down. While I thought the clams were deliciously garlicky and plentiful, the pasta itself was mediocre. Even with the cheese mixed in well, I found the pasta to be lacking in flavor and just plain oily. The pasta was also slightly overdone for my liking.
We received complimentary whiskey cake when we asked for our check, which is always a nice touch. I love free stuff! While the whiskey cake had great flavors, it was so dry that I felt like I could’ve choked on it.
Overall, I thought the food here is really good although I don’t see myself coming back as it was not necessarily life-​changing. Plus it is not worth the long wait especially in LES where there is a great restaurant in every corner. Prices are very reasonable. Nonetheless if you have time to spare to wait around and love seafood, this may be a place worth checking out.

New York hat uns sehr begeistert, so sehr, dass wir am einen Tag 10 Stunden durch Manhattan gelaufen waren um dann doch im East Village dann mal ein Hungergefühl zu bemerken. Der Blick in die Unilocal-​App ließ nur einen Schluss zu: Upstate.
Wir waren zum Glück nur zu zweit, sonst hätten wir da erstmal keinen Platz bekommen. Es ist ein sehr kleines Restaurant, sehr schön eingerichtet, gemütlich, obwohl man quasi Seite an Seite mit dem Tischnachbarn sitzt.
Hier gibt es alles, was der Meeresfrüchteliebhaber begehrt. Muscheln, eine Austern-​Happy-​Hour, Fisch, alles merkbar frisch und gekonnt zubereitet.
Dazu gibt es ein Craft Beer oder Weine.
Ich würde es sofort jedem weiter empfehlen.