upstate craft beer & oyster bar

Valentines day Disaster

⭐️ One Star — Speed Dating, But With Oysters

I’ve been coming to the Upstate Craft Beer & Oyster Bar for years, but apparently loyalty means nothing when Valentine’s Day rolls around and management decides to run the restaurant like a fast-food drive-thru with tablecloths.
Their “romantic” policy: you have exactly one hour, in and out. Sounds doable, right? Except…
• It took 20 minutes for someone to take our order.
• Another 10 minutes for food to arrive.
• Which left us about 30 minutes to eat…
• And then — surprise! — we were politely but firmly asked to leave.

So let me get this straight: we spent half our time waiting, and the other half chewing like contestants on a competitive eating show. Nothing says “Valentine’s Day” like inhaling oysters with a countdown clock and a waiter circling the table like airport security. I’ve had dentist appointments that felt more relaxed.

The staff acted like this was totally normal, as if couples dream of celebrating love by being rushed out the door with half a cocktail left. This policy doesn’t feel festive — it feels greedy. It doesn’t say “we value our customers.” It says, “We value flipping tables and maximizing cash flow.” Which is fine — just don’t pretend it’s hospitality.

Longtime, loyal customers should not be herded out the door like it’s last call at a bus terminal. The food is not good enough to justify the ridiculous experience. The message was loud and clear: this night wasn’t about hospitality, romance, or repeat guests. It was eat, pay, rotate. Mission accomplished - you have rotated these loyal customers too.

So If you’re looking for a place to enjoy a meal, conversation, and maybe a moment of joy, look elsewhere. If you want to feel rushed, mildly insulted, and aware of the passage of time, this is your spot.

If the goal was to create an unforgettable Valentine’s experience, congrats — We will never forget how unwelcome we felt.

We won’t be back.

Plenty of places serve beer and oysters without treating dinner like a timed exam.

Tip for future diners: Bring a stopwatch and stretch beforehand. You’ll be sprinting through your entrée.

Atmosphere: 1

Food: 2

Service: 1

Let me start by saying this: we love Upstate Craft Beer & Oyster Bar. We’ve been coming here regularly for years. We were here last Valentine’s Day. We bring out-of-town friends here. Since last summer alone, we’ve probably been 3–4 times. It’s been our go-to for oysters and an easy, reliable night out.

Which is why this one stung.

We had a 7:30 p.m. Valentine’s Day reservation (booked through Resy), arrived on time, and walked into a packed restaurant — totally expected on February 14. We were seated and told we “only had an hour.” I admittedly brushed that off. The reservation confirmation said two hours, and as repeat customers, I assumed we’d have a normal dinner pace.

We ordered drinks and a round of oysters, then our mains. After dinner, we asked for another round of drinks. While I was in the restroom, my boyfriend was told we needed to give the table back because our hour was up.

When I returned, I asked about it directly and was told the same thing — that we had to leave the table. They offered to move us to the bar, but there were no seats. And let’s be clear: the “bar” here seats maybe 6–8 people and functions more as overflow dining seating than a place to actually perch and continue your evening.

I said we wanted to stay at our table. The response I got was essentially, “I can’t deal with this,” and then a manager came over and reiterated that we had to give it up. I asked how anyone is realistically supposed to enjoy oysters, dinner, and drinks on Valentine’s Day in one hour. She told me I knew it was a one-hour reservation because she mentioned it when we sat down. She kept apologizing — but wouldn’t budge.

So we paid the bill. We didn’t tip. We exchanged a few final words on the way out.

My partner and I are fine. Our Valentine’s Day survived. But it looks like we’ve unexpectedly broken up with this restaurant.

It’s especially disappointing because when we first came for happy hour oysters back in 2023, the service was rough — but we gave it another shot. And another. And another. Over the next 2–3 years, we’ve come back dozens of times. You can check Resy or Yelp for the receipts. We’ve supported this place consistently and recommended it often.

That won’t be happening anymore.

It’s a shame when a small business treats a loyal, repeat customer — or frankly, any customer — like they’re disposable, especially on a night that’s meant to be enjoyed, not rushed out the door on a timer.

Atmosphere: 1

Food: 4

Service: 1

They Close no one was there wasting my hour drive thank you

One of the East Village's best kept secrets. This casual, chill restaurant consistently has the freshest and best selection of oysters in New York City at very fair prices, especially during their happy hour special.

The crabcake and tuna tartar appetizers are our favorites, as well as the cioppino and the branzino special (when they have it). Also the tuna entree is large and really delicious. I love the scallops here and the fettuccine with clams. To be fair, all the seafood here is amazing!

The space itself is not fancy looking and gives off the vibe as a hidden away spot, but certainly one loved by people who appreciate great food.

The staff is super sweet as well! Whenever I go, I feel like there's always a bunch of regulars who have also discovered how amazing this place is and sort of want to keep it a secret.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

We had a great experience. We came for a nice seafood dinner, and it was a really good value for the money! We didn't know about the oyster happy hour, but it's a great deal! It was the best start to the evening. The marlin appetizer was great, and the tuna steak with wasabi mashed potatoes and scallops was delicious. The atmosphere is relaxed while the service is attentive. We were very happy to have found this place.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 5

Service: 5

Been here a number of times, the oysters are great and you have a few different options. I also got the tuna tartare and the squid ink and uni pasta (which I had before) they were both great.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

This was our first time here, and everything was outstanding — the bone marrow, squid ink pasta, clam fettuccine, and mussels were all absolutely delicious. However, what truly made this experience exceptional was Sam. She was always smiling, incredibly kind, and explained everything with such care and clarity. Her professionalism, warmth, and attention to detail were truly impressive. Sam embodies what great service should be, and she made our visit unforgettable.
She is a true asset to this restaurant.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

This is a very small restaurant so important to make reservations. I love sitting at the bar only 4 seats lots of space for the food. The bartender let me sample several beers to help me decide which I thought was so kind. Food is gooood clean And nice variety although. It's I fish specially they offer steak and a bone marrow dish so 2026

I've been here twice now and cannot wait to go back again. The food is delicious and the oysters are so fresh! The beer and the drinks are also very amazing. The service is great and the atmosphere is awesome. I also really loved the music they had playing both times.

It's a small joint and fills up quick so I recommend making a reservation and showing up a little before it, just in case. Other than that I can't recommend this place enough. If you love beer and oysters than this is definitely the spot for you!! If you aren't huge into beer and oysters, then the drinks and other food options on the menu are also really good. Both times our server finished off our night with something small, free of charge. I thought that was really nice of them to do, especially both times I was there.

I don't usually leave reviews but this place definitely deserves it! Also, their happy hour is a killer deal!!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Happy Hour Oyster Selection, Craft Beer, Tuna Tartare, Whiskey Cake

Fantastic food, friendly service, will definitely be back

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Great Happy Hour Oysters! You get 6 oysters and a beer for $13 and $17 if you get a wine, instead. Food was great but lacks in variety and came in small portion. Ended up getting 3 dishes even after having a dozen oyster per person.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 4

Service: 5

Probably one of the best meals I've had in a long time. We got the tuna tartare, crudo with caviar, and then the surf and turf and the clam pasta. They were all UNREAL. We also got 12 oysters to start and the dirty martini was insane! Can't wait to go back. Servers were incredible and the owner made sure we were welcomed and celebrated a birthday in style!!

Awesome small space with great selection of oysters and delicious seafood dishes. Nothing over $25!

Excellent all around 👍🏾

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Love Upstate! Happy hour is 5-7 and you get 6 oysters and a beer for $13, plus a little piece of cake comes with the check. All of their food is great and reasonably priced. I would recommend making a reservation or having a back up plan as they are usually pretty busy.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5