Love the space! It's really inviting and our server gave a very thorough explanation of the menu. It's very easy to over order because you want to try everything, but there were hits and misses.
The Barbecue Shrimp were definitely a trip down taste memory lane. I worked at an upper westside restaurant in the 80s called Memphis that rode the Paul Prudhomme craze and it was one of our most popular dishes. These didn't disappoint. The Oysters Rockerfeller were very good too.
All of the seafood was perfectly cooked.
The big salad was way too acidic with nothing to balance the overpowering vinegar of the giardiniera. We got fried oysters on top and they were nice but there was no sauce that went with them which made them a little ho hum.
I wanted to love the shrimp sandwich because it looks absolutely DELISH -- the presentation is spot on!
The fried shrimp were nice and crispy and the milk bread was nice and light. Maybe if I hadn't already found the giardiniera too much on the salad? It's good, but could use some remoulade or another aioli to balance it.
My BF had the gumbo special. He liked it, but I thought it was a bit one note too.
The complimentary bread pudding is a nice touch.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 4
Daniel Siegelman
Incredibly good
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Fish Dip, Bread Pudding, Shrimp Loaf, Mushroom à La Escargot
Isabelle Ji
Loved our lunch at strange delight! The one entree with three sides for $25 was a hit. I got the blackened catfish and the fish was well seasoned and super tender and juicy. I got the collard greens, sweet potatoes, and watercress salad sides. My favorite was the Japanese sweet potato that came with perfect pairing with crunchy pecans. Highly recommend to try this place.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Elizabeth Schneller
Strange Delight absolutely lived up to its name and hype. The food is delicious and unique and unlike any other restaurant in nyc right now. Drinks, service and vibes were top notch as well. 10/10.
This newish (opened April. 2024) is a real find — great looking space (the front room and back room are equally appealing), great service, and delicious and original food. Don’t sleep on the bread pudding!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Hush Puppies, Crab Dip, Charbroiled Oysters, Bread Pudding, Sword Fish Belly, Chinese Broccoli Salad
Brittany Bradshaw
Exceeded expectations across the board— the food, service and vibe are something I look forward to going back to! Don’t miss the crab dip!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Crab Dip, Charbroiled Oysters, Sword Fish Belly, Chinese Broccoli Salad
Ashanna Als
I never leave reviews but trust this one was earned. I saw rave reviews about Strange Delight on TikTok and decided to take my mother and sister for lunch. The atmosphere, the drinks and the service was amazing, however the food was quite literally the worst. I guess the fact that it was served on a literal green school lunch styled tray should have been enough to tell me what the quality would have been but it was far worse.
I got the collard greens, red beans, cornbread and fried oysters and it was a solid 2/10 at best. Not only was everything cold, but it lacked flavor, considering this is supposed to be a New Orleans inspired restaurant. The cornbread was dry and tasted like it was made from a box. The collard greens were just wet and spicy, no other flavor. The fried oysters were mostly breading and the red beans were just mush with a parsley garnish. My mother got the same as me with the quinoa and was also underwhelmed. And my sister got the salmon and not only was it unseasoned, it was RAW on the inside. I can’t imagine it takes that long to cook a 6oz fillet but I guess. The best thing on the menu was the fries, but I couldn’t imagine how you would mess up a potato. The drinks were a 9/10 so at least that made up for things.
As an apology, we were given 2 snickerdoodle cookies which were so thin that they were see through yet STILL DOUGHY in the middle. Thankfully we did not have to pay for this meal and received multiple apologies from the server, but this was truly the furthest thing from what I expected when I booked my reservation. I didn’t even bother to take pictures because the food was not visibly appetizing either, but here’s a picture of the menu for proof that this is a real review and a screenshot of my receipt because I would never leave something false.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 1
Service: 3
Brynn White
I grew up in the South with parents who took regular culinary pilgrimages to New Orleans, which they initiated me into when I got older. I couldn't wait to check out this place and boy it did not disappoint food-wise, a perfect homage to the classics with some innovation. I had pretty much given up ordering hush puppies in NYC, as I'd never had a very good one.... until now. Also happily consumed the charbroiled oysters, bbq shrimp and crab dip (probably the best thing on the table).
Its a nice festive atmosphere, though a little awkward dining at the counter because they still wait on you from behind. But it seemed like the staff enjoyed working there and was genuinely curious how we felt about the food.
I want to come back for the swordfish belly and with a friend who will do the Ramos Gin Fizz for two with me. Unfortunately however this is going to have to be a special occasion place, it is expen$$$ive (if we came back just to have the crab dip and a drink it would be over $80). I do hope they'll develop a happy hour or special oysters night or something for us plebians in the neighborhood to still get to sample their delicious food more regularly.
I found the staff very apathetic here. Initial reception was lukewarm. We had a brief interlude with a very charming server who I’m sure would have carried the night but sadly he left at half time. His replacement poisoned the well. When I asked for a glass of their driest white, he brought a bottle of rose and poured a sample and it was literally warm. Not just room temp but warm. When we mentioned this, we didn’t even get a response, let alone an acknowledgement of the oversight. He just silently brought over another bottle and poured a sample. I can’t comment on the food when my head is clouded by this apathy. So much for southern comfort. Great reminder to never bother with NYC restaurant hype and to wait a year after opening as a bare minimum.
Vicki
The interior design at @strangedelight.nyc is cute, very NYC style, and the service was one of the friendliest I’ve had in the city in a while. Their food is inspired by New Orleans cuisine so there are oysters, seafood, fried seafood, etc.
Their popular fried shrimp loaf actually reminded us of the sandwiches at breakfast stands in Taiwan, probably because of the milk bread they use.
Overall the food was good but nothing memorable for me, and we got full quickly because of the amount of fried food and heavier dressing.
Great food, and ambiance, though it is pretty pricey.
The freshness of the seafood, unique offerings like the bbq oysters, and delicious crackers made in-house made the cost worth it.
I would have loved to have seen a couple more options for entrees, because I wasn’t in the mood for sandwiches.
The large seafood tour was delicious, and satisfied our group of four, but we weren’t starving, so I could see another group needing more.
The cocktails were very tasty, and fun! There were classics, and unique options available.
Our night ended with a complimentary bread pudding. I’m not usually a fan of this dessert, but I loved theirs.
I’d be happy to come back and visit ?
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Chastity Gorden
made reservations at 5:41pm it’s now after 9pm I and my family have yet to be seated or received any text message which is really disappointing both hostess were very dismissive and every one else who came after got 1 hour wait time and there were in pairs every question i had got shut down we tried to wait patiently although we were told it was a 3 hour wait we were that excited and Patient that we didn’t mind but after close to 2 hours and a half they said we had to wait another 3 hours pretty ridiculous i’ve never experienced any kind of treatment like that at any establishment in this neighborhood and i’ve been here for 15 years just overall disappointed and my family had came from out of town
Samantha Lau
This is a place I’d take my parents and out of town friends to - really good seafood and the service was outstanding. We ordered the charbroiled oysters, BBQ shrimp, swordfish belly and fried catfish sandwich. Everything was so good and I enjoyed the swordfish the most - it was moist, rich and fatty! I think if they toasted the sandwich bread and drained out the slaw a bit better, it would have been perfect. Also I can’t complain about the complimentary bread pudding which was a delicious as well and not too sweet imo.
We sat at the bar which was fun as we got to see the food being prepared. For 1-2 people, the bar is perfect. Next time I’ll try reserving the dining room which is more lounge-y and better for a group. The place has a great vibe overall!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: BBQ Shrimp, Charbroiled Oysters, Sword Fish Belly
Ty Knight
waiters buss tables 24/7 and it interrupts conversations! seafood tower was actually so nasty. and the waiter was so condescending when i told him about the lack of quality in their food. never would visit again; sad bc this place has been on my wishlist for years 0/10 also the decor of the restaurant is equal to a lockerroom or bathroom. 0 ambiance
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 3
Simon
Food is good and a very original menu. There was no service to speak of... no one walked us through the menu (which is not self explanatory) or check in on us once during the night. Still new so hopefully will improve, but that's the thing that would make this an actually special dining experience
Love the space! It's really inviting and our server gave a very thorough explanation of the menu. It's very easy to over order because you want to try everything, but there were hits and misses.
The Barbecue Shrimp were definitely a trip down taste memory lane. I worked at an upper westside restaurant in the 80s called Memphis that rode the Paul Prudhomme craze and it was one of our most popular dishes. These didn't disappoint. The Oysters Rockerfeller were very good too.
All of the seafood was perfectly cooked.
The big salad was way too acidic with nothing to balance the overpowering vinegar of the giardiniera. We got fried oysters on top and they were nice but there was no sauce that went with them which made them a little ho hum.
I wanted to love the shrimp sandwich because it looks absolutely DELISH -- the presentation is spot on!
The fried shrimp were nice and crispy and the milk bread was nice and light. Maybe if I hadn't already found the giardiniera too much on the salad? It's good, but could use some remoulade or another aioli to balance it.
My BF had the gumbo special. He liked it, but I thought it was a bit one note too.
The complimentary bread pudding is a nice touch.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 4
Incredibly good
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Fish Dip, Bread Pudding, Shrimp Loaf, Mushroom à La Escargot
Loved our lunch at strange delight! The one entree with three sides for $25 was a hit. I got the blackened catfish and the fish was well seasoned and super tender and juicy. I got the collard greens, sweet potatoes, and watercress salad sides. My favorite was the Japanese sweet potato that came with perfect pairing with crunchy pecans. Highly recommend to try this place.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Strange Delight absolutely lived up to its name and hype. The food is delicious and unique and unlike any other restaurant in nyc right now. Drinks, service and vibes were top notch as well. 10/10.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Hush Puppies, Fried Shrimp Loaf, Crab Dip, BBQ Shrimp, Charbroiled Oysters, Bread Pudding, Sword Fish Belly, Chinese Broccoli Salad
This newish (opened April. 2024) is a real find — great looking space (the front room and back room are equally appealing), great service, and delicious and original food. Don’t sleep on the bread pudding!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Hush Puppies, Crab Dip, Charbroiled Oysters, Bread Pudding, Sword Fish Belly, Chinese Broccoli Salad
Exceeded expectations across the board— the food, service and vibe are something I look forward to going back to! Don’t miss the crab dip!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Crab Dip, Charbroiled Oysters, Sword Fish Belly, Chinese Broccoli Salad
I never leave reviews but trust this one was earned. I saw rave reviews about Strange Delight on TikTok and decided to take my mother and sister for lunch. The atmosphere, the drinks and the service was amazing, however the food was quite literally the worst. I guess the fact that it was served on a literal green school lunch styled tray should have been enough to tell me what the quality would have been but it was far worse.
I got the collard greens, red beans, cornbread and fried oysters and it was a solid 2/10 at best. Not only was everything cold, but it lacked flavor, considering this is supposed to be a New Orleans inspired restaurant. The cornbread was dry and tasted like it was made from a box. The collard greens were just wet and spicy, no other flavor. The fried oysters were mostly breading and the red beans were just mush with a parsley garnish. My mother got the same as me with the quinoa and was also underwhelmed. And my sister got the salmon and not only was it unseasoned, it was RAW on the inside. I can’t imagine it takes that long to cook a 6oz fillet but I guess. The best thing on the menu was the fries, but I couldn’t imagine how you would mess up a potato. The drinks were a 9/10 so at least that made up for things.
As an apology, we were given 2 snickerdoodle cookies which were so thin that they were see through yet STILL DOUGHY in the middle. Thankfully we did not have to pay for this meal and received multiple apologies from the server, but this was truly the furthest thing from what I expected when I booked my reservation. I didn’t even bother to take pictures because the food was not visibly appetizing either, but here’s a picture of the menu for proof that this is a real review and a screenshot of my receipt because I would never leave something false.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 1
Service: 3
I grew up in the South with parents who took regular culinary pilgrimages to New Orleans, which they initiated me into when I got older. I couldn't wait to check out this place and boy it did not disappoint food-wise, a perfect homage to the classics with some innovation. I had pretty much given up ordering hush puppies in NYC, as I'd never had a very good one.... until now. Also happily consumed the charbroiled oysters, bbq shrimp and crab dip (probably the best thing on the table).
Its a nice festive atmosphere, though a little awkward dining at the counter because they still wait on you from behind. But it seemed like the staff enjoyed working there and was genuinely curious how we felt about the food.
I want to come back for the swordfish belly and with a friend who will do the Ramos Gin Fizz for two with me. Unfortunately however this is going to have to be a special occasion place, it is expen$$$ive (if we came back just to have the crab dip and a drink it would be over $80). I do hope they'll develop a happy hour or special oysters night or something for us plebians in the neighborhood to still get to sample their delicious food more regularly.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Hush Puppies, Crab Dip, BBQ Shrimp, Charbroiled Oysters, Bread Pudding
I found the staff very apathetic here. Initial reception was lukewarm. We had a brief interlude with a very charming server who I’m sure would have carried the night but sadly he left at half time. His replacement poisoned the well. When I asked for a glass of their driest white, he brought a bottle of rose and poured a sample and it was literally warm. Not just room temp but warm. When we mentioned this, we didn’t even get a response, let alone an acknowledgement of the oversight. He just silently brought over another bottle and poured a sample. I can’t comment on the food when my head is clouded by this apathy. So much for southern comfort. Great reminder to never bother with NYC restaurant hype and to wait a year after opening as a bare minimum.
The interior design at @strangedelight.nyc is cute, very NYC style, and the service was one of the friendliest I’ve had in the city in a while. Their food is inspired by New Orleans cuisine so there are oysters, seafood, fried seafood, etc.
Their popular fried shrimp loaf actually reminded us of the sandwiches at breakfast stands in Taiwan, probably because of the milk bread they use.
Overall the food was good but nothing memorable for me, and we got full quickly because of the amount of fried food and heavier dressing.
Restaurantji Recommends
Great food, and ambiance, though it is pretty pricey.
The freshness of the seafood, unique offerings like the bbq oysters, and delicious crackers made in-house made the cost worth it.
I would have loved to have seen a couple more options for entrees, because I wasn’t in the mood for sandwiches.
The large seafood tour was delicious, and satisfied our group of four, but we weren’t starving, so I could see another group needing more.
The cocktails were very tasty, and fun! There were classics, and unique options available.
Our night ended with a complimentary bread pudding. I’m not usually a fan of this dessert, but I loved theirs.
I’d be happy to come back and visit ?
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
made reservations at 5:41pm it’s now after 9pm I and my family have yet to be seated or received any text message which is really disappointing both hostess were very dismissive and every one else who came after got 1 hour wait time and there were in pairs every question i had got shut down we tried to wait patiently although we were told it was a 3 hour wait we were that excited and Patient that we didn’t mind but after close to 2 hours and a half they said we had to wait another 3 hours pretty ridiculous i’ve never experienced any kind of treatment like that at any establishment in this neighborhood and i’ve been here for 15 years just overall disappointed and my family had came from out of town
This is a place I’d take my parents and out of town friends to - really good seafood and the service was outstanding. We ordered the charbroiled oysters, BBQ shrimp, swordfish belly and fried catfish sandwich. Everything was so good and I enjoyed the swordfish the most - it was moist, rich and fatty! I think if they toasted the sandwich bread and drained out the slaw a bit better, it would have been perfect. Also I can’t complain about the complimentary bread pudding which was a delicious as well and not too sweet imo.
We sat at the bar which was fun as we got to see the food being prepared. For 1-2 people, the bar is perfect. Next time I’ll try reserving the dining room which is more lounge-y and better for a group. The place has a great vibe overall!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: BBQ Shrimp, Charbroiled Oysters, Sword Fish Belly
waiters buss tables 24/7 and it interrupts conversations!
seafood tower was actually so nasty. and the waiter was so condescending when i told him about the lack of quality in their food.
never would visit again; sad bc this place has been on my wishlist for years
0/10
also the decor of the restaurant is equal to a lockerroom or bathroom. 0 ambiance
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 3
Food is good and a very original menu. There was no service to speak of... no one walked us through the menu (which is not self explanatory) or check in on us once during the night. Still new so hopefully will improve, but that's the thing that would make this an actually special dining experience
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