Mermaid Inn for the Win!
I love a good happy hour deal. Frank and I wanted to catch up and he suggested the Mermaid Inn (http://www.themermaidnyc.com/uws/). I had been to the East Village location once and loved the selection of snacks and cocktails. It is lovely to find a location that serves up fancy cocktails at happy hour pricing and not just basic drinks (vodka soda or rum and coke).
The happy hour is from 5-7pm daily. Cocktails are $7, Wine by the Glass is $6, and Beer is $5.
I started with the Gone with the Gin, made with gin, grapefruit liqueur, thyme and lemon. It was refreshing and light and FAR TOO easy to drink! I highly recommend it!
Oysters are $1 each during happy hour - a great deal! We got a dozen to split. The two sauces served with them (cocktail and mignonette) offered a nice enhancement to the natural briny ocean flavor.
The Mini Mermaid Fish Taco is made with blackened tilapia, avocado, and smoked jalapeno. At $3 each, they were a bit pricey given the size! They flavor was wonderful though and the fish was super fresh.
We got an order of calamari ($7) which was served with a very unusual dipping sauce. Frank thought it may have had tamarind in it. I'm so used to marinara sauce that is was a change for sure!
For my second cocktail, I ordered the Kentucky Green, made with bourbon, apricot and green tea syrup. I loved how the green tea syrup brought out the flavor of the bourbon. An awesome combo!
Frank ordered one grilled shrimp & avocado slider for $7. It seemed a bit overpriced for the small size. Frank did say the flavor was quite tasty.
The Yelp! Check-in deal is awesome - you get 1 free side even without purchasing an entrée! What a deal at happy hour! Naturally, we got the most expensive side: smoked gouda mac & cheese. It was rich and delicious...and FREE!
When we were finished, we were surprised with a complimentary chocolate mousse! It was the perfect size and the perfect flavor to end our meal with!!
Mermaid Inn gives you a Fortune Teller Miracle Fish when they present the check. It is a nice touch. Love it!
The happy hour here is wonderful! I encourage you to check it out at either the UWS or East Village location! Also, there is outdoor seating but it was too hot!
Cheers,
Liz