7 top-tier seafood towers to feast on in NYC

What's on it? Six East Coast oysters, four dashi-poached shrimp cocktail, “tangsu” tuna tartare and “kkanpung” lobster salad. 

Why we love it: We were huge fans of Sam Yoo's dual-level concept when it opened in 2025: the more rowdy pocha, Golden Hof, and the Korean steakhouse down below, NY Kimchi. Adjusting to the needs of locals and the many tourists around the Rockefeller area, the restaurant condensed down to just one name, Golden Hof, expanding on the bar-like experience. But a few touches from its steakhouse heyday exist, particularly the incredible seafood platter. While it lost a tier, the platter still packs a punch, coming with knuckle-sized shrimp, wonderfully cold and poached in dashi, paired with a gochujang-forward chojang cocktail sauce whose undercurrent of heat beats out regular cocktail sauce by a mile. The bright-red flecks of tuna tartare become that much brighter with flecks of pineapple, slow-roasted and marinated in fish sauce. But the crown goes to the bowl of "gganpung" lobster, whose umami notes of mushroom powder and oyster sauce are so good, you may just need to order the full lobster roll afterward. 

Price: $90

Address: 16 W 48th St, New York, NY 10036

Opening hours: Mon–Thu 11:30am–10pm; Fri 11:30am–11pm; Sat 11am–11pm; Sun 11am–10pm

What's on it? Twelve oysters, shrimp cocktail, six clams, six mussels and potato chips.

Why we love it: Nialls Fallon of Hart's, Cervo's and Eel Bar believes there should be "an oyster bar in every neighborhood, if not on every corner, of New York." He and his teammates, Nick Perkins and Leah Campbell, wholeheartedly agree, and have started spreading the gospel by taking over a corner in Crown Heights with Zig Zag Oyster Bar. While the doors have only been open for a month or so, the corner pocket spot is already making a name for itself for its cool, '80s-esque mirrored interior and quaint tables plied with seafood towers. It is exactly as a tower should be, two-tiered and glorious, with a bottom layer of oysters (last visit, all local) and a snappy horseradish mignonette that can add a tickle or a punch depending on how much you spoon on. The top layer brings even more excitement with peppery, pickled little neck clams and mussels, slicked in a green, almost olive-y salsa verde. The silver chalice of housemade chips that slides in? Now this is living.

Price: $90

Address: 406 Prospect Pl, Brooklyn, NY 11238

Opening hours: Tue–Sat 5-11pm

What's on it? Six oysters, six clams, four shrimp and marinated crab. 

Why we love it: We love an affordable tower. And a seafood tower that's only offered at happy hour for an actual happy price of $45? Yeah, you'll find yourself at Fish Cheeks soon enough. You can always start on the bottom rung, dressing up a smattering of raw oysters and clams with the buzzing nam jim jiew and a toss of fried shallots. But the raw marinated crab is where you'll find us digging in, gloves first. The cold crab gives way easily with a little squeeze, oozing with a creamy, almost custard-like texture. However, this is a crab that has swum in a spicy sea of Thai bird's-eye chilies, lime and fish sauce, whose heat only climbs with time, with the last crab inadvertently soaking up the most heat and sour notes. But by then, you'll already be sniffling; might as well make way for a rip-roaring finisher. Find the tower at both locations during happy hour from noon to 5pm in NoHo and noon to 6pm in Williamsburg.

Price: $45

Address: 661 Driggs Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11211

Opening hours: Sun–Thu noon–10:15pm; Fri, Sat noon–10:45pm

What's on it? Whole Maine lobster, crudo, 12 oysters, clams, and shrimp cocktail and classic garnishes

Why we love it: If a music box ballerina gained sentience and hungered for the nourishment of food you can crack and a bracing martini after so many spins and springs, never untethered from a single fixed place, beautiful, gilded Gage & Tollner would be her destination; the seafood platter, her feast. G&T's two titular options include a half Maine lobster, oysters, clams, and shrimp cocktail, with a doubled-up option that adds fluke crudo. 

Price: $107; $210

Address: 372 Fulton St, Brooklyn, NY 11201

Opening hours: Mon–Fri 5–10pm; Sat, Sun 11am–10pm

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A post shared by STRANGE DELIGHT (@strangedelight.nyc)

What's on it? Local oysters, steamed shrimp, mussels escabeche, fish dip, shrimp remoulade, mignonette, cocktail, ravigote, fried saltines, Zapps

Why we love it: Strange Delight's New Orleans-style romp is a guaranteed good-time with oysters bubbling in black pepper butters and Sazeracs that will leave you properly sideways upon standing. Their seafood towers (yes, plural) follow suit, with iced-out trays featuring smoked fish dip with a mess of dill and lemon and shrimp remoulade with Zapps and deep-fried, Creole-spiced saltines to spoon them up with. Depending on your party (or how much you want to share), there are three tiers; ask your server, who will guide you. 

Price: $39, $78, $134

Address: 63 Lafayette Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11217

Opening hours: Dinner 5pm–close; Brunch Sat, Sun 10:30am–3:30pm

What's on it? Oysters, countneck clams, shrimp, mussels, and crudo

Why we love it: Sometimes splitting a tower with your buds is what the night calls for. But sometimes, a solo date with bubbles and a few oysters is just as good if not better. For the latter, all you have to do is find yourself at Penny's counter and ask, "An Ice Box for one, please?" The solo-friendly selection gives us a little of everything—mussels, clams and oysters on the half-shell, Argentinian red shrimp and crudo. And if you come back on a date or with more people, you can always go for the ice box plus (or plus, plus) and up the ante with razor clams and live scallops. 

Price: $45; $120; $195

Address: 90 E 10th St, 1st floor, New York, NY 10003

Opening hours: Daily 5–10:30pm

What's on it? All the oysters, shrimp cocktail and crab dip

Why we love it: Imagine three of us are on a ship. One is the captain, one is the mermaid queen and one is unknown; unclear, yet, if friend or foe. The stakes are as high as the surrounding seas, but then, so are our spirits, at least for the moment. Seafood towers, like those at recently opened Holywater, unite us. The inland Tribeca restaurant and bar serves two tower levels: La Tour with "all the oysters" and the Celebration, which adds tuna tartare, octopus conserva, charentaise and a spot of Ossetra caviar to the bival-vacious mix. 

Price: $145; $225

Address: 112 Reade St, New York, NY 10013

Opening hours: Mon–Thu 4:45pm–midnight; Fri 4:45pm–2am; Sat noon–2am; Sun noon-midnight