Can't believe I forgot how much I love this place. I used to live off 34th Ave and frequented Mars pre-pandemic, but hadn't been back since. I was happy to see that not much has changed -- still the same cozy candlelit interior and sprawling bar that's made for making friends. I was there for happy hour so of course had to get an Oyster Martini. I'm not a fan of Gin, and was happy to taste that all the other flavors drowned out the taste of Gin and Vodka (almost too well). We kicked things off with a half dozen oysters, which were fresh and tasted like the sea (as they should). I was happy that they offered a mix of all the oysters they had available, even if it was just a half dozen. We also tried the anchovies that were on happy hour that came in perfectly wrapped up little bites on skewers, and the fries which were crispy and delicious. We were having such a good time that we stayed past happy hour and ordered octopus, the romaine salad and honey and cheese to share. Props to our server who made sure we had everything we need but ultimately left us girls alone to catch up (and also laughed at my commentary about "real" adults moving to CT). This was not a cheap visit, but everything we had was excellent so it was money well spent. I'll be back next time I deserve a little treat. read more

Mar's - Oyster happy hour - New American Near Me - Astoria, New York

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Menu was so deliciously curated. Started with the oysters and a mars martini for happy hour and ended with everything on the menu. Pls try the sage fries, never had something so unique before! Thank you for the amazing staff, shoutout Tristan for being so kind and patient for our big group. Would love to return for happy hour. read more

Mar's - A Pot of Mussels - New American Near Me - Astoria, New York

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First off, the mignonette martini was amazing!! It's one of the tastiest ones I've had by far so I recommend. Oysters - also tasty and fresh! The selection of the 3 oysters are more towards the savory tastes, they served my favorite variety of oysters (kumamotos) and I loved the NZ ones as well (felt like it was more of a creamier savory tastes than the kumamotos). I really enjoyed the spicy mignonette sauces that were paired with the oysters, especially the one with jalapeno. Staff was amazing and I'd recommend this place as a good place to catch up with your friends or a nice date night! read more

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This was one of the best evenings I've had in Astoria. Mar's offers up exceptional food and expertly crafted cocktails. As a cocktail snob, this is the best cocktail menu I've seen in Astoria. It's exciting to look through and already has me planning my next visit. The food is delicious and features some exciting versions of 'country club' classics. The service itself was attentive and warm. I never had to wait long before being asked if I wanted another drink or the usually painful restaurant process of getting the bill. That was no issue here. The drink: I ordered the 'A Fish in the Sea' martini and my partner ordered a classic boulevardier. My martini was an exciting fishy twist on the classic served with an incredibly delicious garnish. It makes me want to try every variant on their interesting martini menu. The boulevardier was maybe the best one I've ever had. Such a simple drink with only 3 ingredients but they mastered it. I have high standards for cocktails, especially when I usually prefer to save the money and make it at home the way I like, but this bourbon forward boulevardier was well balanced and simply perfect. The food: The oysters were fresh and served with a delicious mignonette which paired perfectly with the martini. I would come back and get two dozen next time. The pate was fresh and paired great with the freshly charred bread. The highlight for us was the crab cake, probably the best crab cake I've ever had. It was tender and served on a bed of mustard seed which paired perfectly. I would get two of those next time because it was not one I would want to share. Ending with a standard crème brûlée, I would happily try one of there dessert cocktails next time. I wanted to take the time to write a review like this because I rarely do and I believe Mar's is deserving of it. I can't wait to go back and get another world class martini. read more

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A bit pricey Oysters for happy hour, but definitely worth coming by for the drinks. Not many places have happy hour even on the weekends! Opted for a martini that came with the oyster and that was A+. They have West Coast, New Zealand, and East Coast oysters for sale. Tried all three and definitely prefer the first two varieties. read more

Mar's - New American Near Me - Astoria, New York

3 ppl on a Sunday night. None of us had been here before but we each had always wanted to! Lovely space, delicious food and drinks. Made a last-minute reservation (less than an hour before) via Resy. It's a lovely, dark space (went after sundown, not sure how it looks during the day). It was comfortable and it was easy to hear each other speak. We sat at a table, a few people were sitting at the bar. It looks like this would be a great place for a date night. Our server was wonderful! She was nice and patient and gave great advice/made great suggestions. Winter 2024 food menu (included a photo). We only ordered small/medium plates and shared all the food: baby kale salad, crispy brussels sprouts, mushroom medly, sauteed clams, steamed mussels (great portion and delicious broth). The reasons for less than 5 stars: The cocktail I wanted wasn't available because certain ingredients used for it were out. (The server was very patient though when I asked questions about alternatives until I finally found one I wanted with a similar spirit as the base.) The carrot cake was a little dense, had a bit of an overcooked taste. The server did tell us the clams dish was a small portion, but it was very small! 3 clams total. Definitely want to come back, especially to try one of the hot cocktails. read more

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Dropped by for happy hour and it was overall OK! I'd stop by for drinks again, happy hour or not, but I wasn't very impressed by the food. We grabbed West Coast oysters, a gazpacho, some beers, mussels, tempura mushrooms, and some fries. Not everything was on the happy hour menu but it was just about dinner time, so why not. Service was helpful and checked in on us often; we sat outside on a very warm day, and the cold beers were so very welcome. The oysters were fresh enough but very sandy. Gazpacho and mussels were just OK. The tempura mushrooms and fries were surprisingly so good - but I don't know how much I can rave about fried finger foods at a restaurant. Anyway - I'm definitely coming back for a drink and fries, but may skip the actual meal. read more

Made a same day-res for dinner on a Friday night. Great neighborhood spot! I tried: + Curious George cocktail + Cold snap cocktail + Kale salad + Steak tartare + Fish and chips + Sweet potato fries The highlight was the fish and chips, and the only miss was the steak tartare. Service was good. read more

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· We had a 5-star experience at Mar's (3421 34th Avenue) yesterday. I wasn't up to Oysters, but escargot, steamed mussels, and some of the best fish and chips I have eaten in a long time came our way. This was review #96 for the year and well worth the experience. We had been cruising the eateries along 34th Avenue and had a specific goal of getting to Mar's around 2 pm. That we achieved. Mar's is one of Astoria's top fish restaurants (though they do serve burgers and some sandwiches), Mar's has as on old time feel like you are in a small sea schack with its green awning and wood paneling. The patrons up at the front could have been out of Hemingway's novel. They fitted the part exactly! It had been years since I had eaten snails, and almost forgot what they tasted like. That was just our starter. We then ordered a combination of steamed mussels and fish and chips. I was amazed at how soft and fluffy the fish was and not too salty. That's just what I was looking for in a lunch entry. Yes, we very much enjoyed our 'life ' at Mars'! One final note. Mar's has one of the smallest unisex bathrooms you will ever see in a toilet. read more

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So I will say I absolutely love the food, I thought it was outstanding however when we sat down for brunch we were immediately informed they were out of the steak frites, waffles and endive salad. Honestly, that was disappointing considering the brunch menu is somewhat small and those are probably some of the best items off the menu . We order 1/2 dozen oysters to start followed by the chicken skewers and Parisienne omelette with a side of the herb fries. The chicken skewers were supposed to come with broccoli rabe but had spinach instead which was fine because I love sautéed spinach and theirs was great. The omelet was also very good, thin vs the usual thick and overpowering. It had ham and gruyere. Cooked to perfection The spot is very cool, it has a cozy atmosphere and was welcoming, I would highly recommend. I also must say I don't feel there Instagram photos represent what they served at all or at least not for the brunch menu . We will be back to checkout there regular diner menu which might be a better representation of what i saw based off of their photos read more

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Ok.. this place looks like a hole in the wall. It's a bit Victorian and eclectic all at the same time. I couldn't tell if the stain on the wall was a water leak or intentionally made to look.. rustic but the food here is phenomenal. Stopped by for a lunch date with my bf. We ordered 30 oysters, the herbed fries and an order of chicken breast skewers. The oysters were fresh and only $2 on Sunday, the herbed fries ($10) reminded me of shoe string fries (but it was fried potato heaven) and the skewers ($18) were marinaded so well that I forgot I was eating chicken breasts. The food is a bit expensive imo but.. if you're ever craving oysters, do give this place a try! read more

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yum!!! i had a rlly fun time here and i will def be back for the oysters :))) the food: got oysters (happy hr!!) & burger with sage fries & the heirloom tomato salad. oysters are rlly juicy and fresh!! the burger i would recommend getting cooked medium rare, the sage fries were thin and crispy and flavorful. the heirloom tomato salad was my favorite though! super fresh and the tomatoes were as bright as the sun!! the service: really really kind and attentive!!! read more

Mar's - New American Near Me - Astoria, New York

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This spot was good, not great! Honestly, I'd return to have a drink at the bar well before I'd return to have dinner here again. The drinks were incredible! I loved the shift drink and the oyster mignonette martini was not only a great martini, but so fun with its oyster presentation. The food was good, but nothing I'd go out of my way for again. The best bite was the eggplant dip, though the portion was very small. The octopus was beautifully plated, but so over-cooked that it was hard to cut, let alone chew. I feel too bad to send back food, but this one probably warranted sending back. It was hard to eat. The scallop crudo was really light and fresh, but nothing to write home about. Next time, I'll have a drink at the bar and skip the meal! read more

I wanted to like this place I really did. Attempted to come here twice but the food is mediocre at best. Especially for the price. Came here last Friday and ordered the octopus. The octopus itself had no flavor but they added some black tar on the plate which had a horrible taste. Then we got the steak for two which was not, being that it was plated but a big glob of fat and tasted almost burnt. The best thing was the side of mushrooms they give you with it because the asparagus was not it. We had to leave here and go across the street for food. I gave two stars because our waitress was really sweet and attentive. read more

The cocktails were absolutely delicious. We tried the Aperol spritz and gimlet that comes with a spoon of ceviche. 1. Gimlet + ceviche: goes extremely well together. A little bite of the ceviche followed by a sip of the gimlet was absolutely delicious and refreshing. 2. Kumamoto oysters: sweet and delicate tasting. They didn't cut open the oysters properly so there bits and shard when we tried to eat the oysters. 3. Escargot: I'm not sure what's up with the bread slices as it was small and very thin and very small and wasn't even a hole piece as there were holes in them and did I mention really small? I feel like when a dish has melted butter and is meant to dip in, some substantial amount of bread would be needed. The escargot itself was good, but there was a burnt taste to the butter which gave it a bitter after taste. 4. Calamari: there are fried chick peas also added to the dish which was a nice change in texture but the dish itself lacked salt. 5. Charred romaine: I actually quite enjoyed this dish as it was light, savory, and the nuts were a great touch. We would definitely come back for more cocktails and maybe try a few more dishes. read more

The inside has an old fashion vibe which I liked, but the place is definitely beat up and could use a facelift. The staff had attitudes and the food was subpar. While we were there the bar tender sneezed, wiped his hand on apron and continue serving drinks without washing hands at all. Extremely small portions and not worth the price they charge you. Got fish and chips which did not have much flavor, breading was too thick, not crispy and fish was chewy. Will not be going back to this place read more

Mar's - Fish & Chips - New American Near Me - Astoria, New York

Very nice clean eclectic place to dine - super nice service - excellent desserts and food is very good and Mediterranean- Right in the heart of Astoria by Kaufman studios excellent location - Area is not too quite but not too busy either - love the late hours and always a crowd in the evening for dinner - my mom loved her Mussels here and she was never a Mussels fan. read more

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Good vibe, it was quiet on Sunday evening. Drink menu is pretty varied, can't say that about food menu tho. I got hamburger, it could be a little more flavorful. Delicious mussels. Overall it was a decent meal. I would come here again simply for the drinks and service. Staff is friendly and knowledgeable. read more

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I love Mar's and I am constantly surprised when I come by that it's not busier. I have never had a bad dish here. The mushroom toast is one of the highlights for me from the menu. It's mushrooms, shallots, a fried egg, and burrata on a piece of toast. The umami flavor is out of this world! I've had it on two different occasions and was pleased to see that they switched out the kind of mushrooms each time. My mother and I dream about their mushroom toast. They switch out the menu regularly and it's always fun to see what's new. I haven't been outside of brunch hours, but I am excited to come back and try lunch and dinner! read more

Great happy hour and a cute place for date. Feels cozy inside. I enjoyed the clam chowder and crab cake the most.

Their service, staff, happy hour, and quality for price are all fantastic! I'll definitely be back. read more

Mar's - New American Near Me - Astoria, New York

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Went here for a great happy hour of oysters and cocktails! From the hostess to our server...the service was great, friendly and quick. Everything was delicious! The space is smaller but it doesn't hinder the experience. Can't wait to go back!! read more

Went here with a couple friends for happy hour. They have HH oysters for $2 on weekdays from 4-6pm. The vibe of the place is sort of dark and cozy. The place was mostly empty on a Friday early evening around 5ish. I started at the bar with a cocktail to wait for my friends. Props to the wait staff, my friends were running late and I was trying to time when they would arrive with being able to order oysters during the happy hour. The server was very understanding and accommodated me making several orders in a half hour period. By the time my friends got there (at 5:50 lol), two dozen oysters and an order of sage fries had come out. They had just enough time to order their drinks before happy hour ended, so it worked out. The oysters were fresh, a fairly clean taste, not too salty or briny. The sage fries were great. The sage is a nice touch. The fries also came with an aioli that was addicting. The cocktail was a special that had orange and elderflower, and it was sweet and refreshing. Not sure I would go out of my way to come here, but it's definitely worth a stop if you're ever in Astoria. read more

This review is purely for their happy hour. Happy hour is from 4-6 I believe. Been kinda hard looking for HH oysters in Astoria; they have HH oysters at $2. The oysters weren't shucked very welll and weren't that meaty, but flavors were good and the vinaigrette paired with it is amazing. They have a small happy hour selection of beer for $6 too. Service was good. We were seated pretty quick and they took our orders pretty quickly too. Mind you, we were in a rush to really make it for happy hour LOL read more

Very nice , great ambiance and food, good attention detail and friendly, great for a special date read more

Mar's - a bar with a lot of lights hanging from the ceiling - New American Near Me - Astoria, New York

Delicious food and unique cocktails that will knock ur socks off our local favorite with staff who provides attentive service and have become a huge part of why we come back time and time again . Has a sultry ambiance with dark wood bar that makes me feel like I'm not in NYC read more

Had a great brunch - snacked on the Lobster Roll and Sage Fries while sipping in a delectable Water Lilly cocktail - our server Chris was amazing - great suggestions and fantastic personality! read more

Mar's - Water Lily - New American Near Me - Astoria, New York

The food was subpar. Came for weekend lunch. Got the crab cake, mussels and the mushroom medley. The crab cake was laughable to call crab cake and for the price they were charging for nothing but filler and mush. The muscles lacked flavor and made up in sand. The mushroom medley was an over charged sandwich that could've been assembled better from Trader Joe's. Two types of mushrooms is barely a medley. The staff was nice however. read more

I lived next to this restaurant for about 6 years, but finally ended up going yesterday. The menu had never seemed super interesting and the price point was a little high for just a casual meal. I also got takeout from this place last December, so reviewing that as well. All in all, the food was fine, but don't think the taste or portion size justify the price. If I went back, I would get the steak tartare (might opt for the 4 oz ($34) vs. 2 oz ($18)) again, since it is very well seasoned. It comes with a quail egg, cornichons, olives, and 3 slices of bread. The grilled octopus was good as well, and I think the coffee creme brulee ($10) was very tasty. I've also gotten the moules frittes, calamari (enjoyed the bell peppers and chickpeas, but thought the batter on the calamari itself was a bit too thick), fish & chips, and charred vegetables (which I did enjoy, but pricey at $17). read more

Food was good, service was terrible. We arrived early and waited over an hour for our food even after very politely flagging the time constraints we were under. The waiter was very rude in response. So, yes, bad service cancels out good food. We won't return. It was also way too loud and not the coziest ambiance for a dining experience. read more

Intimate setting, great cocktails and snacks. Portions are a bit smaller than expected but very good

Mar's deserves nothing less than four stars, but we also probably won't be back anytime soon given the prices. The atmosphere was rustic-romantic and comfortable and there was an eclectic mix of patrons, from groups of 30-somethings at the bar to significantly older couples/friends at tables. People were generally dressed smart casual but there were also people in sweatshirts, so it seems to that you can wear whatever you like and fit right in. There were a few hitches with the menu/service. A couple of things we tried to order from the menu were unavailable, and I was a little bummed that some of the items listed on the website were no longer being served. We ordered four different types of oysters from Prince Edward Island, but instead were given two of those and two varieties from VT and CT. That was fine, but as it turned out, the oysters from the U.S. were pretty bland. On the other hand, the alpine and sweet petite oysters from PEI were excellent. I felt like I was licking the ocean, and I mean that as a compliment. We also ordered the fish tacos and mushroom risotto. The fish tacos at $8 per piece were great, but pricey. The fish (cod) was melt-in-your-mouth and accompanied by subtle citrus flavors, juicy cabbage, and a citrusy-spicy creamy sauce. The corn taco wasn't dry like many of the taco shells I've had. The creamy mushroom risotto had a powerful truffle aroma, but the truffle flavor was just right. The risotto was cooked very nicely. I had two drinks: a cocktail and a glass of Bordeaux. I can't find the name of the cocktail anywhere but it was composed of bourbon, scotch, maple, orange bitters, and orange peel. It was simple but very good: smoke, sweetness, and citrus. We shared the chocolate ganache. It was very, very good. The dark chocolate and light crumbly cookie bottom were accompanied by sea salt, a caramel drizzle, and, amazingly, fried sprigs of rosemary. I believe tonight marks my first fried rosemary sprig. Finally, we ordered coffees, which were a bit burnt. All in all, we did order numerous items but still ended up with a $160 bill, which is just a bit more than the two of us want to pay for a typical night out on Astoria. read more

Mar's is a small, unassuming corner bar in Astoria, overshadowed by Kaufman Astoria Studios across the street. I had passed it dozens of times but it wasn't until recently that I actually walked in. We were there at the tail end of brunch and before dinner began, so it was definitely more on the empty side. There were two people sitting at the bar, and two tables finishing up brunch. I had two drinks here - a mimosa that had a generous pour of champagne as well as an old fashioned, that I specially requested. He had a mimosa as well as one of their ciders. We were happy with our drink choices and best of all, the bartender was not overly talkative nor did he pressure us into buying more drinks or food. Overall, a nice, quiet experience but seems more like a stepping stone before heading to other places nearby. read more

It's 12 hours since we left the restaurant and we are ready to go back again. My bf and I came here for a date night and we both enjoyed our experience. Everything was perfect from the ambiance to the service and the food. The minute we entered the restaurant, we felt welcomed. The hostess was so nice and sweet and gave us 2 options for seating. The waiter was also friendly and helpful. We loved hearing the stories from the bartender about how our drinks were created. As for the drinks and food, everything was delicious. I highly recommend the Leather and Lace. You will be presented with the drink and the waiter will spray the drink with fresh rose water. My bf recommends the Shift drink if you like tequila. Appetizers were ordered the baby green salad and 1/2 dozen oysters. For the main course we had the NY strip for 2 with a side of sage fries. Everything was freshly made, perfectly cooked and delicious. We can't stop talking about it and can't wait to go back. Thanks Mar's for a perfect date night! read more

Never again. Customer service was a real turn off. First, they "lost" my reservation despite confirming that I had booked it via Resy and then they wanted us to dine on these dingy-looking table and chairs away from the restaurant on the side-street because we had brought a service dog. I had requested to have them dine us on the patio, but they refused to accommodate citing their "policy". Would not recommend, especially if you're bringing a service animal. read more

0/10 would not come back. Totally overpriced and portions are so small. We didn't get our second round of drinks until after our entree was over, even thought we ordered them when our appetizers came out. And on top of that, our waitress barely came by to check on us. This restaurant would never make it in Manhattan or any location that has competing cocktail/dinner restaurants. Astorians only come here because there isn't another spot like it. But trust me, your time and money is much better spent literally anywhere else. read more

I've been eyeing this quaint spot and finally visited last night. We wanted to grab a bite before starting our night. We wanted to do the steak for 2 but being that it was so late they had already sold out (which is definitely understandable). So instead we ordered the regular single serving steak meal since that's what my boyfriend wanted. I asked for medium rare but it was pretty much cooked like an ahi tuna. A crust on the outside and raw on the inside. The oysters were salty and I couldn't figure out if it was because they were east coast or not fresh. Lastly the drinks. We will absolutely be back for the drinks but that's probably it. read more

Mar's - East Coast Oysters - New American Near Me - Astoria, New York

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Overpriced food for 6/10 food plus super slow and indifferent service - won't recommend or return. To elaborate the ridiculous slow service we received a bit more, we waited at least 45 mins to get our entrees served (waitress didn't even acknowledge the wait we had), and waited for another 30 mins to try to get our check to the point we had to get up and find our waitress inside to pay. The entire time she didn't check on us once, nor did she acknowledge and pretend to apologize for the long wait. There weren't even that many patrons in the restaurant. read more

Starting with the positives this place had a great vibe on a Friday night with delicious drinks and the food (we ordered the calamari and moules frites) was also delicious. The servers were also attentive. The reason we wouldn't come back is because the value of what we paid for vs. what we ate and drank. For almost $110 we got two small cocktails (and to be more accurate we had just about 4 sips of each cocktail and that was it. I had the Manhattan and my partner the lavender cocktail). In terms of the food the calamari appetizer should have just been considered a fried chickpea appetizer with peppers and some calamari. Lastly the meal was a decent size and the fries stole the show. Again, this place was good but not good enough to drop some money and leave hungry. read more

I very rarely write a bad review of a restaurant, especially now when they've suffered for two years to stay open. Given that, one would assume the restaurants would be trying to put out the best quality meals and service to get back on track. This was my third time at Mars. The first two experiences were great; both for food and service. While a bit pricey, the food was so good it was worth it. However, third time was not the charm. We waited over 30 minutes for our food while folks who came after us got their food and left before ours even came to the table. The wine the waitress suggested for me to try came about 15 minutes after we ordered it. The loukeniko my husband ordered was a $17 appetizer. It was ONE sausage cut in half with a large stem of broccoli on the side. That's right, one sausage. $17. I ordered the steak and fries at $39. For $39, I expect more than 4 slices of steak. It was maybe about 3-4 oz of steak and I think I'm being generous. We finished our food and immediately asked for the check, not wanting to be there anymore. The waitress who served us stood near the bar and barely looked in our direction. After about 15 minutes, we asked for the check again. Finally our server brought the check and that's when she decided to apologize for the delay in us getting our food. The optimal time would have been after serving our food, to come and ask how everything was and apologize for the delay. Apologizing while dropping the check is clearly you trying to woo us into a better tip. We left a 15% tip, which was more than I wanted to leave. The food was absolutely delicious which makes me even more sad to write this review. I'm big on customer service and Mars lacked it tonight. Unfortunately they lost two customers tonight. Astoria has LOTS of options. Act accordingly. read more