Neptune Oyster

The Scene – With seating for only 35 or so, Neptune Oysters packs an impressive amount of drinking and dining action into a limited amount of space. Upon entering, patrons pass a well-stocked raw bar that's guarded by a statue of the restaurant's namesake. With red leather seating, marble tables, and mirrors covered in listings of daily specials, the interior yields a distinctly Old World vibe. Pleasant servers take the sting out of the well-chosen wine list's high prices. – – The Food – Besides serving standard raw bar fare (hulking shrimp cocktail, breathtaking…

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Editor's Tips

Know Before You Go:: One of the city's most offbeat burgers can be had in the form of the Neptune burger, which sees a patty topped with fried oysters.
Parking:: There's hardly any public parking along Salem Street, so diners are wise to take the T to the Haymarket stop, which is only a five-minute walk.

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User Reviews (35)

ambiance	94.44000244140625% positive	“The ambiance was quite cozy and intimate.” “The oysters were fresh, the European ambience was welcoming and co-owner Kelli was friendly.” “Fresh seafood and great ambience” “Our waitress was very friendly and helpful and made the experience even more fun.” “The location is charming though parking in the North End is less than desirable.” “The places itself is small, as are most North End spots, but the bar is nice and comfortable, seating about 12-14 people, then there are about 10 tables.”
dessert	50.0% positive	“We shared a crab cake appetizer, which was possibly the best crab cake I have ever had.” “don't eat meat or cream and personally dont enjoy food soaked in butter or animal fat- so, it would be nice to have those components removed from my plate before spending 30$.”
drinks	82.04999923706055% positive	“The wine is overpriced and if you think about ordering one of the lower priced bottles think again both times we went they were out of the less expensive bottles(not surprised).” “We also shared a huge plate from the raw bar, including some great oysters, all of which was fresh and tasty.” “This little oyster bar in the North End is a GREAT find!” “fantastic oyster bar in the North End.” “excellent oyster selection, fair prices, good service, great seafood dishes, good wine list, expect to wait” “The knowledgeable staff will help you select good oysters and wine (the house prosecco is excellent and very reasonable at $7).” “Neptune Oyster is one of my favorite seafood/raw bar stops in Boston.” “Sat at the bar which was nice.” “great oyster selection, friendly owners, great seafood dishes, nice marble bar” “If you are looking to have a nice night out and treat yourself to some of the best raw bar around, go here!” “We sat at the bar, ordered from a vast selection of oysters and chose a perfect wine with the help of the wait staff.” “The places itself is small, as are most North End spots, but the bar is nice and comfortable, seating about 12-14 people, then there are about 10 tables.” “The wines are overpriced.”
food quality	86.66999816894531% positive	“Needless to say it was delicious and I was pleasantly surprised with the tasty fries that accompained it.” “The oysters were fresh, the European ambience was welcoming and co-owner Kelli was friendly.” “We ordered assorted oysters which are always fresh and nicely presented.” “The chef needs to come down from his high horse and realize that maybe his food isn't that great.” “My wife had the carpaccio salad which was also very tasty.” “fresh seafood in the north end” “don't eat meat or cream and personally dont enjoy food soaked in butter or animal fat- so, it would be nice to have those components removed from my plate before spending 30$.” “It costs $25 but it has so much lobster meat, fresh and buttery soaked in a nice bun with a big side of french fries.” “We shared a crab cake appetizer, which was possibly the best crab cake I have ever had.” “Very small and quaint, but great food and fantastic service.” “Even though the roll was a nice buttery bread, the lobsters were too salty and the mayo overpowered the sweet lobster taste.” “Great seafood, nice place!” “The food is good when they dont run out of it.” “The hot lobster roll had dry meat and a dry roll which collapsed as one tries to pick it up.” “After consulted Amy Cao, the famous and most friendly food blogger, on where to go in Boston, I have come to the conclusion to try out Neptune Oyster.” “great oyster selection, friendly owners, great seafood dishes, nice marble bar” “great little seafood spot in the n.end” “excellent oyster selection, fair prices, good service, great seafood dishes, good wine list, expect to wait” “As a southerner who doesn't get lobster all that often, I was skeptical over the concept of sticking a perfectly nice lobster in a sandwich, but I was blown away by the lobster roll here.” “The seafood is exceptionally fresh and well-selected.” “In addition to great service, the food was also fantastic.” “We also shared a huge plate from the raw bar, including some great oysters, all of which was fresh and tasty.” “Excellent seafood in the North End” “In all, this is a great place with awesome food and service, but please note that it is very small (~30ppl), very tight and pretty loud.” “Time and time again i give this restaurant the benefit of the doubt and returned, hoping for an enjoyable meal and feeling that my money was well spent.” “The oysters are super fresh and a must for an oyster lover.” “Their seafood is fresh and the sunday risotto specials are great.” “Neptune Oyster is one of my favorite seafood/raw bar stops in Boston.” “The food is overpriced and not that tasty.” “Fresh seafood and great ambience”
menu variety	100.0% positive	“excellent oyster selection, fair prices, good service, great seafood dishes, good wine list, expect to wait” “It just so happened my friend from NYC and his date happened to visit Boston and Neptune at the same time and they went all out to order all the oysters they have on the menu.” “The raw oysters were fantastic and there is a wide selection.” “We sat at the bar, ordered from a vast selection of oysters and chose a perfect wine with the help of the wait staff.” “great oyster selection, friendly owners, great seafood dishes, nice marble bar”
overall	100.0% positive	“Great seafood, nice place!” “In all, this is a great place with awesome food and service, but please note that it is very small (~30ppl), very tight and pretty loud.”
return potential	50.0% positive	“The first time I dined at this establishment i had one of the best meals of my life (hence, the reason for my return).” “Overall we had a very bad experience and would never go back.”
service	72.91999816894531% positive	“great oyster selection, friendly owners, great seafood dishes, nice marble bar” “Very small and quaint, but great food and fantastic service.” “The service was terrible and I think the waiter knew it so he added in 20% gratuity for himself.” “The places itself is small, as are most North End spots, but the bar is nice and comfortable, seating about 12-14 people, then there are about 10 tables.” “The waiter was rude.” “Like many people had said, the lobster roll was not good at all!” “In all, this is a great place with awesome food and service, but please note that it is very small (~30ppl), very tight and pretty loud.” “We sat at the bar, ordered from a vast selection of oysters and chose a perfect wine with the help of the wait staff.” “The service is awful we asked for a substitute for a vegetable and were very rudely told no.” “Our waitress was very friendly and helpful and made the experience even more fun.” “The oysters were fresh, the European ambience was welcoming and co-owner Kelli was friendly.” “In addition to great service, the food was also fantastic.” “After consulted Amy Cao, the famous and most friendly food blogger, on where to go in Boston, I have come to the conclusion to try out Neptune Oyster.” “excellent oyster selection, fair prices, good service, great seafood dishes, good wine list, expect to wait” “Great oysters, friendly staff” “The knowledgeable staff will help you select good oysters and wine (the house prosecco is excellent and very reasonable at $7).”
value	55.56000232696533% positive	“Time and time again i give this restaurant the benefit of the doubt and returned, hoping for an enjoyable meal and feeling that my money was well spent.” “ordered scallops they had great flavor but, the portion was tiny for the price.” “We also shared a huge plate from the raw bar, including some great oysters, all of which was fresh and tasty.” “The wines are overpriced.” “The food is overpriced and not that tasty.” “The wine is overpriced and if you think about ordering one of the lower priced bottles think again both times we went they were out of the less expensive bottles(not surprised).” “Way too expensive” “Food is good but the prices are not” “excellent oyster selection, fair prices, good service, great seafood dishes, good wine list, expect to wait”

05/03/11

Great Food, Great Service!

by jamessteph at Citysearch

This place has great food and great service. Thank you for a wonderful experience. I recommend it to everyone!

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08/30/10

A Great Surprise

by josephryanallen at Citysearch

I was in Boston this past week for work and ate at Neptune Oyster one day for lunch. I was pleasantly surprised with the place, it's somewhat small but cozy and the staff was very friendly. A coworker and I sat at the bar and ate. I got a bowl of their Clam Chowder which was amazing and we shared an order of the West Coast Oysters which were really good. For lunch I ordered the Main Lobster Roll, hot with butter, which is the most amazing sandwich I have ever tried, which is why I ate here another two times before I had to leave. I highly recommend coming here and trying the Lobster Roll.

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08/13/10

favorite restaurant in the city

by rtwill at Citysearch

I have been to hundreds of restaurants in Boston -- this one is by far the best. Quaint atmosphere and fresh food makes this a must stop for any local or tourist in the area. Put your name in early and they will call you on your phone when your table is ready.

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08/03/10

Way over priced and always Out

by Cisco20 at Citysearch

I have to admit that I do like the food when when have it but I stopped coming here mainly due to the way overpriced wine list and the lack of food inventory. It does not matter how early you get there at night. they are always out of something. Mainly the Lobster Roll. I mean really... Its not like the restaurant is located in Iowa. The entree prices are a bit over the top as well.

Pros: Location, food quality
Cons: Wine and food Prices, Always out

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07/15/10

Worth the wait

by Bostontransplant at Citysearch

I was told by a food snob-friend that Neptune Oyster had the best lobster rolls in town. I figured I would try it out since he's so hard to please. The restaurant itself is small and on a nondescript street in the North End. If you didn't know it existed, you would probably walk right past it. Inside, the small restaurant reminds me of a well kept diner so I was unimpressed when we first got there. The waiting list was long so we left our number and had a drink down the street. We returned when they called and got a seat at the "bar" area. We ordered some Wellfleet oysters which were great. We ordered some fried clams which were also great. Then we both had the "hot" lobster roll, which meant that it would be warm lobster meat with melted butter on a roll. It was amazing. The lobster meat was piled on high and there was plenty of claw meat (my favorite). It really was the best lobster roll that I had tasted in the New England area. The french fries were great too! I can't wait to go back and try the cold, traditional lobster roll. The only real negative experience I had was the service. The guy behind the bar wanted to take our order at his leisure (e.g., get our oyster order first then ask us what we wanted for dinner later). I preferred to order everything right away. He seemed unprepared by that. He also made a slightly condescending remark to us, probably guessing we were younger than we were. Other than that weird service, we really enjoyed ourselves.

Neptune Oyster

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What People Are Saying About Neptune Oyster

Eric Grossman

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Editor's Tips

05/03/11

Great Food, Great Service!

by jamessteph at Citysearch

08/30/10

A Great Surprise

by josephryanallen at Citysearch

08/13/10

favorite restaurant in the city

by rtwill at Citysearch

08/03/10

Way over priced and always Out

by Cisco20 at Citysearch

07/15/10

Worth the wait

by Bostontransplant at Citysearch

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