Deals on the Half Shell: Dollar Oysters

120 Essex St, New York, NY 10002 (map)

An absolute madhouse during brunch, this painfully hip Lower East Side restaurant was blissfully low-key on a Monday night when my culinary companion and I settled down for a plate of Blue Points. Although delightfully briny, the shallow shells were sadly lacking in the liquor department, and the oysters themselves were on the puny side. As for the presentation, let's just say you won't see the restaurant's oyster plate hanging up at the Met anytime soon. But it's hard to complain about perfectly good $1 oysters served in stylish environs. (Mon 6pm-close) Mollusk meter: 3/5

422 Hudson St, New York, NY 10014 (map)

One warm Wednesday evening, I observed plates of chilled Copps Island oysters in front of most every person perched at the oval bar, a sign that Lelabar's oyster special is no secret. The wine was superb, which I expected (this being a wine bar and all), and the oysters were pleasantly large, meaty and slightly sweet. The atmosphere at this West Village spot, abuzz with the chatter of sharply dressed couples and a few tourists, was perfect for a laid-back night of oyster gluttony. (Wed and Sat, 5pm-close) Mollusk meter: 4/5

142 Mercer St, New York, NY 10012 (map)

Eating at boat-like restaurants like this one is probably the closest I'll ever get to feasting on fresh seafood while aboard a sleek, luxury yacht, which is fine by me, so long as I get to slurp down Lure's gigantic Fire Island oysters for a buck apiece. The ample, mildly sweet bivalves were as big as the iPhones the casually trendy Soho crowd was fiddling with between sips of their martinis. (Mon-Fri 5pm-7pm) Mollusk meter: 4.5/5

247 Broome St, New York, NY 10002 (map)

My oyster experience at this organic wine bar left something to be desired. The empty bar, only slightly livened by the reggae music playing on the owner's MacBook, allowed me to focus on the sloppy presentation of the plate of Malpeques on the table. Not too sweet, not too briny, not too anything, these withered little creatures had to be resuscitated with a good helping of the watery mignonette and lemon. But since Ten Bells' oyster happy hour takes place daily, perhaps I'll return and give it another go. (Daily, Opening-7pm) Mollusk meter: 2/5