KenScale: 8.5/10 Visit: June 2026 Whenever my wife Jun and I visit New York City, we lean toward going back to our old favorites instead of checking out new places. With limited time we typically have in the city in any given trip, we would rather go to places where we know the people working there and know the excellent food coming from the kitchen. One place that I have wanted to check out for a while, though, is Penny, which seems to have become a much hyped seafood restaurant (and a sister restaurant to Claud in the same building; we have yet to visit Claud either) with glowing reviews everywhere. When we were in the city earlier this month for my work commitment, we finally checked out Penny, and wow the restaurant delivered! The concise menu at Penny consists almost exclusively of small plates designed for sharing. We started the meal with an ice box of different raw seafood items such as oysters, shrimp cocktail, mussels and scallop crudo. Each piece was fresh but nothing to be impressed with. But then the tuna carpaccio arrived. This simple looking dish completely changed the tenor of our dinner. We certainly have eaten a decent amount of tuna carpaccio at other restaurants, but Penny's version was probably the most ideal version of the dish, with an impeccable combination of chewy texture and citrusy flavor that made me keep saying "Wow!" Every dish that followed made its own statement. While it was rather small in portion for a $22 price tag, the baked razor clams were addictively delicious. Jun doesn't even love mackerel that much, but she couldn't stop admiring the beautifully cooked piece with radish that the kitchen brought out; it was definitely one of our favorite dishes of the night. The freshness of the beets accompanied by trout roe was spot-on, and halibut with ramps also would not have been out of place at a fine dining restaurant. After all the wonderful savory dishes, we had to finish our meal with the famous ice cream sandwich. I couldn't recall then whether I had seen an ice cream sandwich that looked like what Penny put together with ice cream in between two thick slides of bread, but I certainly didn't complain with the beautiful outcome. Even if you are full toward the end of the meal, this is a must-try dessert. Not surprisingly, getting a reservation at Penny is quite difficult. The restaurant is primarily for walk-ins with limited seatings available 14 days in advance; the turnover is relatively quick so if you avoid prime-time hours, you may not have to wait a ton of time. The casual vibe of the restaurant, with a long counter table and alluring lighting, makes for a fun night on all types of occasions. The wine list at Penny is also very impressive; if you are a fan of Champagne, the restaurant has a killer bubbly list with many grower Champagnes in the relatively reasonable price ranges. Now that we have visited a very large number of restaurants together, we have found that the hype behind a restaurant does not necessarily match the quality of the food coming from the kitchen. I'm happy to report that Penny absolutely lived up to its hype and we can't wait to go back again or check out Claud in the near future next time we visit the city. read more

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We managed to grab a last minute reservation here and we are so glad we went; I can see why it was ranked 19 in NA's best restaurants. Every seat is bar seating, which makes the restaurant feel super intimate. Further to that, there were spots at the window for walk-ins and it was fun to see a party of 3 standing, eating and drinking. The raw fish dishes are prepared right in front of you which adds to the intimate experience. The service in here was the most memorable during our time in the city, and our waitress made us feel truly welcome in the restaurant. We will be back when we return to the big apple. You should order the tuna tartare. read more

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This restaurant is SUPER expensive, the portions are TINY, and every single dish tasted like it was finger food and belongs on a charcuterie board. It's lots of salami-like fish slices swimming in olive oil and topped with pickles. Their brioche bread looked so good but it tasted kinda dry, with a sandy/dry cotton texture. I expected it to be soft and fluffy like a hawaiin roll or cotton candy! I don't mind paying for expensive food--I frequent fine dining restaurants all around the country and I'm from LA--but this has gotta be the poorest valued restaurant I've had in a long time. The food was not satisfying what so ever and I had to get take out after. read more

Incredible spot for some amazing seafood. Great vibes with bar seating only, The dishes are simple but very high quality and everything we tried was delicious. You really can't go wrong with the menu, but some of my favorites were the scallops, brioche, shrimp cocktail, and lobster. read more

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I have a lot to comment on about the food and drinks at Penny, but the TLDR is that it was all mostly pretty great, though pricey. -Sesame brioche + butter: soft, warm, fluffy, sesame-flecked slices of heaven that we enjoyed as an appetizer as that's when it came out. I wish we still had some left when the seafood rice came out later in the meal in order to sop up the delicious remaining sauce. The accompanying salted butter was great as well and melted right into the bread. -Seafood broken rice: An indulgent, peppery dish of seafood pieces - including lobster, I think - and soft rice. The sauce was something like a beurre blanc and was a great pairing for seafood, of course. My gripe was that there could've been more seafood or even just more rice because we had extra sauce at the end. It was so good (and pricey) that I just loaded it onto my fork. -Ice box (oysters, countnecks, shrimp, mussels, crudo): Everything was good, but I might've been slightly disappointed in this revered-by-the-entire-internet $42 offering if it hadn't been for the totally mind-blowing shrimp cocktail. I don't typically feel too strongly about shrimp, but I absolutely will extoll these: they were tender, ice cold, and very flavorful. We actually ordered the separate shrimp cocktail on top of the shrimp served with the ice box because you only get two, which just wouldn't have been enough. -Halibut and kohlrabi: The fish was nicely prepared and tender; the dish was tangy, crunchy, and buttery. Not a standout dish here, but it helps to fill you up, although the portion could've been bigger. -Ice cream sando: this is an actual ice cream sandwich in that it is made with actual brioche. The flavors apparently used to be strawberry and balsamic, but it's now changed to carrot cake. It reminded me of orange marmalade and was also on the salty side. Overall, I thought it was good, but not revelatory. I've heard that this is as much of a wine bar as it is a seafood establishment, but to me it felt that the focus was more on the food side. So many restaurants in the city have extensive wine lists nowadays that it's easy to take it for granted, but it helps that the drinks are almost entirely wine-focused here, as Penny doesn't serve liquor. We settled on their lone bottle from Slovenia, a Chardonnay. It was minerally and also a bit buttery in the way Chardonnay just is, even though it was probably unoaked. We enjoyed it a lot. Service was chill; you interact with a lot of different staff doing their thing as all of the seating is bar seating. read more

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PENNY!!! The hype is real. Probably the freshest, brightest seafood I've had in New York City in a while. Came here with a friend and sat at the chef's counter (yay!) and tried a good portion of the menu. The menu appeared a bit simple at first, but the server explained that the key here is the freshness of the fish, which is what really makes the flavor stand out - and there is nothing I appreciate more than REALLY delicious food due to peak freshness. We tried the raw bar and a few other seafood dishes. My only regret is not getting a dish that was more substantial, because we left a bit hungry. But other than that, everything was outstanding. The volume was at a reasonable level as well. I would definitely come back! read more

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SOOOO good. ice box was perf to try everything out between two people. service was attentive and quick to answer any questions. definitely need a reservation as it was busy. the brioche was amazing!!! the wine i forgot which was amazing as well lmao and went well with the food it was some riesling the stuffed SQUID was fire forgot to take pics of the tuna carpaccio but so good!! for dessert the ice cream sandwich was perfect like not too sweet and not too filling WILL BE BACK read more

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I loved the ambiance of the restaurant. I did feel rushed because the waitress kept trying to take the dishes away although we were still working on them. They also recommended way more dishes than we needed because we needed up getting fewer dishes than they said and we were full by the end. I was also sad that they did not have stuffed squid. Otherwise, all of the dishes were delicious. I especially enjoyed the mackerel although the portion was so small. The ice box was worth getting in my opinion. You get to try different fresh pieces and all of them were really delicious. I would probably get that again. The brioche bread was nothing special but still good to get with everything else. read more

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Came in for a pre-dinner happy hour by myself on a Saturday. Got some oysters and the shrimp cocktail, both of which were incredibly fresh and delicious. The one chef gave me a pointer to dip the shrimp in both the garlic aioli and the cocktail sauce, and WOW she nailed it. So yummy. Service was prompt and all of the staff were such good vibes. Alex is a wonderful Somm that really knows his stuff and picked a great wine for me, the Schiller Frizzante. I crushed the whole bottle and was very happy with my experience here. Thanks to the Penny team! read more

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Seafood lovers, Penny is a must try! Honestly I had a Deja vu to this counter service oyster spot in San Francisco (Swan Oyster Depot not sure if it's still open) but the quality of the seafood is just beyond at both places. - We got the ice box at Penny and everything was super fresh and tasty. I'm generally not a fan of clams but these were SO GOOD. - The Brioche was magical..fluffy with real butter on the side . You must try it when you dine here, it'll blow your mind. - We also ordered stuffed squid. Not sure about the stuffing..it had a crunch and I didn't like the consistency. - Chocolate mousse cake was top notch. Very rich flavor, best to be enjoyed with a hot tea. Which they do have! And the tea is served in a kinto pot:) Overall such a good experience. The host was a sweetheart too! read more

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Penny had been on my radar for quite some time! I got a reservation day of for a Sunday at 10pm which was perfect because I had a night off from working night shifts. When we arrived even for 10pm on a Sunday, the place was still pretty busy-- and I can definitely tell why they are so beloved now. Firstly, the ambiance is absolutely perfect! The continuous, bar-only set up makes it feel so homey and intimate while being spacious enough to be comfortable. You can see everything being prepared in front of you and feel joined in the experience with your neighbors even a few seats down which makes it feel even more open and familial. They have a phenomenal wine selection! My fiancé ordered a glass of one of their Spanish white wines which was refreshing, and had a strong grape flavor without being too sweet. For food we tried: - Oysters: perfectly smooth and silky, not too salty. Came with some vinegar with pickled onions that just complemented the oyster beautifully with a little gentle acidic squeeze of lemon. So refreshing and cool from the ice. - Sesame brioche: somehow the only carb in our meal but it was so delicious that really no other carb was necessary. This brioche is a masterpiece: fluffy, with the perfect balance of the sweetness of the batter and savoriness of the thick salt crystals over the creamiest salted butter. Felt like eating a cloud. You cannot come here and not order this. - Market vegetables with lobster aioli: super fresh veggies including tomatoes, potatoes, green beans, etc. These came with a creamy and tangy aioli that was super addictive. The flavor of the lobster was very subtle and I wish it had been a bit more punchy, however still very good and satisfying as a side to munch on between bites of other dishes. - Tuna carpaccio: this was a phenomenal dish. The tuna was as fresh as it can get, it was dressed in a very subtle marinade that allowed for the natural flavors of the tuna to come through. The onions and olives added a perfect tangy punch. Simple but so well executed! Loved how perfectly thin the tuna slices were. Would get this again. - Stuffed squid: life changing dish. Probably in my top 3 that I have had this year. The squid was chargrilled to perfection, was tender, and well seasoned. This came completely stuffed with a spicy tuna sausage that provided the perfectly pillowy inside. The sauce was rich, and had deep smoky flavors. It reminded me of harissa. Truly outstanding! - Swordfish: I do not love swordfish at baseline but this was another amazing dish. The fish had the firmer texture of swordfish but somehow cut super nicely. The fish was bursting with umami flavors from the sauce and the smokiness of the grilled peppers. The combination was bright, perfect for a summer day. - Chocolate mousse: smooth, rich, sweet. Balanced out by the mild bitter earthiness of the olive oil, and the sharp sea salt. The hazelnuts added the perfect nutty complement. Perfect way to end the meal! Very light and satisfying. Additionally, the service was impeccable, we felt very well treated without being rushed out or hovered over. I absolutely loved Penny! Their menu is very limited but they do their dishes exceptionally, the quality of their ingredients justifies the prices for me. It's such a cute little spot with versatile ambiance: cute and surprisingly quiet enough for a date, lively for Friday drinks with friends, sophisticated and clean for an outing with parents or family. Some of the food here has been the best I've had this year! Truly worth every Penny. I highly recommend. read more

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Excellent food, service (thank you Jade and Madison!), and great energy. We loved the freshest seafood and fun food combinations, and of course, the Penny martini. We always love a bar seating and could see the real care and precision that went into the food. We will definitely return! read more

A seafood lover's dream tucked away in the heart of New York. Penny delivers the kind of pristine, ocean-bright flavors that remind you why simple done right is sublime. I arrived early and was greeted by a friendly host at the door. I enjoyed some beverages while waiting for my reservations - yes, Penny is fully packed all the time. Uni - briny, buttery perfection. Razor Clams - clean and crisp with just the right bite. Live Scallop - impossibly sweet and silky. Beau Soleil Oysters - fresh and balanced with a gentle salinity. Countnecks - meaty and satisfying. Mussels - plump and fragrant in their own broth. Shrimp - sweet, snappy, beautifully fresh (this was my FAVORITE item in the icebox) Crudo - delicate, bright, and pure finesse. Confit Oysters - rich, inventive, and deeply savory...perfect with the crackers Stuffed Squid - good...tender with layers of umami. A masterclass in restraint and precision -- Penny doesn't shout, it hums with quiet confidence read more

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I had really high expectations coming to this wine bar-- as a seafood lover and wine lover + having seen this place rated so highly in many foodie lists, I was expecting something spectacular. To sum it up: great vibes, ok service, ok (but too salty) food, ok wine. - Ice box +: 8.5/10 (razor clams were amazinggg. Oysters were good. Shrimp was good for the fire bite, but too salty. Countnecks... had a really strong ocean flavor so if you're not into the salty/ocean smell, you'd probably hate it. Mussels were good but veryyyyy vinegary and sour.) - Brioche bread: 9/10 (great bread but the salt on the butter made it too salty!) - Stuffed squid: 7/10 (idk it was way too salty... maybe because everything else was salty too?) - Wine: 8/10 (we had 3 glasses of different white wine and they were all.... Ok. Idk not the best wine selection for glasses, so maybe try going for the bottle wines) read more

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Delicious seafood but a bit pricy. All the raw foods were great: icebox, brioche, kinmedai, and tuna carpaccio. They had a great dressing that complemented the food well while being light. The tuna carpaccio, icebox clams, and icebox and mussels were probably my favorite. The stuffed squid was good overall, but I didn't like the stuffing that much. The brioche was also fantastic while warm (but less so after it cooled down--so eat it quick!) Great service and decor. All bar seating, so it's great for groups of two (also because portion sizes tended to be perfect for splitting between two). Pricewise, there was some shock at ordering a ~$25 kinmedai and getting two pieces, but it's to be expected for a nice seafood restaurant in New York. read more

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Wow wow wow - waited a couple of weeks to write this review to let me thoughts marinate. At the time. I considered a great meal, but the fact that I'm still thinking about it means it was an AMAZING meal. Went solo at 8pm on a Friday and there was an hour and a half wait.... Still worth it. And the fact that it was only bar seating made this a very pleasant solo date spot. Tuna carpaccio - fresh, tangy, meaty, delicious Beets + trout roe - I think this was my favorite dish, it was so refreshing and every bite was a mix of textures and flavors. Scallop - amazing and fresh but could have skipped it, very small Mackerel + long hots - the fish just melts in your mouth. Divine. Lemon merengue ice cream sandwich - WOW. I almost didn't order it and that would have been a tremendous regret. The ice cream was silky with concentrated hits of lemon that added depth to the flavor. And all of this between two pieces of the softest brioche ever. Pricey but definitely a meal I will never forget!!!!! read more

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If you thought that snagging reservations at sister-restaurant Claude required careful planning, even greater diligence is needed to book spots at the all-counter-seating Penny. My partner and I enjoyed a September 2025 birthday dinner at Penny and the present hype surrounding it, is...well...justified. Sigh. Seafood, raw or simmered, is THE star in production that is Penny. Ordering one of the "Ice-Box" offerings of raw shellfish is sumptuously de rigeur! All plates are petite in portion and exquisite in both flavor and freshness. No spiciness or chilli-heat or fish-sauce is deployed to mask the inherent flavors of the fish items. Penny's "Clams + Smoked Potatoes" elevates the simple New England clambake to soaring heights. We were seated at the less-populated rear counter with a full view of the cookery. Staff was friendly and speedy. Zalto glasses always seem to better the taste of wine and such was the case here. As for ambience, I wasn't paying much attention. After dining at Penny, many of your near-future seafood meals will pale in comparison. Start saving for your subsequent visit to Penny. n.b.: the trick to getting a reservation is to book as soon as Penny opens its two-week booking window on Resy. read more

Penny - View to the front long counter, from the rear corner - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - New York, New York

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Lucked out with a same-day reservation and returned with my boyfriend for another amazing meal. This time, we ordered: + Shrimp cocktail + Mussels x 2 + Razor clams x 2 + Sesame brioche with butter + Stuffed squid + clams and smoke potato + Ice cream sandwich + chocolate mousse Mussels and dessert were the absolute best bites. The ice cream sandwich had rhubarb and it was insanely good. Shrimp cocktail, brioche and clams main were not far behind. I've decided the stuffed squid is a skip - it's good, but other things are better. Get both desserts. read more

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Food: 4 Decor: 4 Service: 4 Came here for dinner after walking in about 20 minutes before opening and was first in line. Overall, solid dinner and would definitely return. Ice Box Oysters / Countnecks / Shrimp / Mussels / Crudo, 42 5/5. Very fresh assortment of sashimi. The scallop was my favorite. Snapper + Apple Cider, 21 for half portion 4/5. Sashimi was very fresh. Stuffed squid, 21 3/5. 2 large stuffed squid. One of their most popular dishes, but it was actually one of my least favorite. Ice cream sandwich 5/5. Tasted much better than I expected. The sesame sourdough bread was quite tasty paired with the ice cream. Service was great. read more

The menu isn't super large but there are a good number of things to try. Really liked the brioche bread and seafood rice. We also got an ice box and stuffed squid. Everything tasted really flavorful and fresh. Good service as well read more

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I loved Claud, so I decided to give Penny a try. It was delicious. Highly recommend the broken rice, baked razor clams, and trout. For dessert, I got the ice cream sandwich and a chocolate mousse. I was initially skeptical of the combination of ice cream and brioche, but it somehow worked quite well. The vibes are intimate, and the service is friendly and knowledgeable. read more

Amazing service, ambiance, and food! Did think it was a bit on the pricier side for the portion sizes but the quality was great. My favorite was the Tuna Carpaccio. And the Sesame Brioche is a must! It pairs so well with the seafood and the inside of the bread is soooo fluffy and light. read more

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Food: 4.7/5 Service: 4.5/5 Ambiance: 4.4/5 The food is delicious. The seafood in the ice box is fresh. The bread is served warm with an ample amount of butter on the side. I appreciate the richness of the oysters confit Even though it's a small amount of food. Delicious though. I think they put a little lemon juice in the broth to temper the richness a little. The stuffed squid was really good. Pro tip: save a piece of brioche to soak up the leftover sauce from the squid dish. It tasted kind of like a spicy chimichurri sauce. Dessert options were cream cheese ice cream sandwich with carrot jam or chocolate mousse. All seating is bar seating, but they have hooks for your bag and there are two sets of bar seats at two different heights. The host saw that I was less than comfortable at the high bar seats and he suggested that he move me to the lower height seats, which I happily accepted. The bathroom has SHABONDAMA Bubble Guard Hand Soap. read more

Penny - Stuffed squid - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - New York, New York

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The service and food are top tier. The staff are very attentive and pay attention to small details. The utensils and water are changed often while dining. The staff even gave a sip of sparkling sake for our anniversary! The sesame bread is reminiscent of Japanese milk bread. It is crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. The salt flakes on the butter add a very nice touch. I would come back for this bread alone! The ice box plus consists of clams, oysters, mussels, shrimp, razor clams, scallop and a crudo of the day which was stripe bass. There are three sauces - garlic aioli, cocktail, and shallot mignonette. Favorites were the shrimp, scallop, razor clams, and clams. The shrimps were very plump and fresh. The scallop was juicy and had nice citrus flavors with a kick. The razor clams were seasoned well and had some wasabi that worked well. The clams were really fresh. The ice cream sandwich isn't too sweet - there is a mix of cold, sweet, saltiness! The bread is light and fluffy and the strawberry jam is a nice touch. It is worth a try! read more

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I managed to get a reservation at one of the hardest restaurants to get into other than Tatiana's. I had a 5pm reservation when the places opened up so I had to leave work early to not missed this reservation or they will charge $50 for cancelation less than 24 hours or not showing up. When I arrived, the restaurant is located on the 2nd floor about Claud. The place was small and there were only seats in the bar. There are places where you can hang your coat and belongings. My server was knowledgeable and great. I noticed that they do change their menu from time to time based on the reviews I have read. Nevertheless the dining experience was quick. For my meal, I started off with a glass of the Muscarat. I ordered the sesame Brioche with Salted Butter, confit oysters and stuffed Squid. The brioche met the expectations that I've read in reviews. It was reminiscent of the bread I had at Crown Shy. I do recommend the bread especially dipping the confit sauce and harissa vinaigrette. The confit oysters were great and a must order. It comes with 4 oysters, seasoned crackers and Creme Fraiche. The Creme fraiche was thick and tasted amazing when I spread it across the cracker then topping it off with the oyster. The stuffed squid was also worth ordering. The squid is stuffed with tuna and swiss chard. The dish had a little kick but it was deceivingly filling. I was starting to get full but just enough to indulge in their infamous brioche ice cream sandwich. This dessert was a pick me up after consuming the bread, seafood and wine. The brioche beautifully absorbs all the the flavors and textures of the ice cream with strawberry. This is worth experiencing just once. I'd like to return with a friend to try their ice box. read more

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Came here for an early dinner at 5:45 and it was packed inside! The menu is pretty small but everything we had was pretty solid all around! You do have to like seafood to come here! But I liked that they had a good mix of raw and cooked seafood! I will say the portions were pretty small and the bill will definitely add up quickly if you're super hungry and trying to stuff yourself! My favorite thing was probably the baked razor clams and the sesame bread! It's like Japanese milk bread so it was incredibly soft inside and so warm! All the searing is bar style so if you're going wine big group I don't know how great the experience will be as you can only sit side by side! Definitely a nice spot for a little date or a solo meal as well! read more

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I had a short visit to Penny while waiting for dinner at Claude downstairs (I loved Claude, which is part of the same group!). I might go back with a big group to try more things. It was okay; I was expecting more based on what I had heard. The sesame brioche is out of this world...highly recommend. I have Hamachi crudo almost everywhere I go; it is one of my favorites. At Penny, I had an equivalent dish. It was okay and a very small portion for the price. Lastly, I had a glass of wine, again, a small portion for the price. The staff was okay. The hostess was wonderful, but the bar/serving staff didn't make me feel welcome. Maybe I wasn't ordering enough :) read more

Food was just okay. Cannot understand the stellar reviews. Oysters were what you would get any local bar for happy hour, shrimp were soft and slightly fishy, and the bass marsala was a tiny serving of fish that cost almost $50.00. It felt like a tourist trap. read more

I adore Penny. Been there twice on two different trips to nyc. If you love oysters, their mignonette was special. Ask about it. All the crudo is imaginative and scrumptious. We sat on a low seat at a prep station. Most are bar seats. Their salad had horseradish in the dressing which actually worked. The cooked razor clams were a miss. You need the mouth feel of that clam. We should've gotten the razor clam which is an addition to the dish called "the icebox" I will definitely go back to Penny when I go to New York this fall read more

Really great seafood! It's so yummy that my only grief is I wish the portions were larger! Great for a date night or catching up with friends. read more

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We had a 6:45pm reservation on a Sunday. The place is small and intimate and very chic. There's only bar seating which is lovely and unique. We got oysters, clams, the bread, tuna carpaccio, razor clams, and stuffed squid. All of it was 10/10! Some of the freshest oysters I've ever had. Our waitress was kind, friendly, and helpful. We can't wait to come back - we have our eye on the lobster for next time. read more

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It's so damn good. Amazing staff, amazing food, love the intimate interior. Worth the splurge. Make a reservation! (Though my friend and I got very lucky and did a walk-in... Ate at the window counter while standing... And halfway through our meal, 2 seats opened up at the bar and they kindly let us sit there for the second half of heaven.) read more

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A delicious, unique seafood experience in downtown New York City!! Penny was on my friend's list of restaurants to try so I made sure to set a reminder to try for a reservation on Resy: A limited number of reservations are released one week in advance at 9am!! They also take walk-ins but we didn't want to rely on that for a Friday night. All of the seating is at a bar. Once we settled in, a super lovely server greeted us. We tried to order martinis but found out the restaurant only serves beer & wine - which was fine because the white wine was superb. We ordered the Ice Box and it was splendid. All of the meals are actually made right at the bar - unless it's a hot item, and it's made in the back. If you love seafood and have the budget, don't hesitate to check this place out! read more

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Everyone here is dressier than your Bible-thumping grandma on Good Friday, but don't let that visual snobbery deter you from a satisfying seafood experience here. First, be prepared to spend. This is Manhattan seafood, after all--you're going to pay for quality. With that out of the way, start your meal with the Sesame Brioche + Butter + Anchovies. The bread with melt in your mouth, and the anchovy spread is creamy, briny goodness. Next, splurge and get the Ice Box PLUS--you'll get more portions and more diverse offerings. We gorged on periwinkles (a pain to dig out, but satisfyingly chewy), tender lobster and shots of vichyssoise in addition to the raw items included with all Ice Boxes. The Dressed Razor Clams were wonderfully seasoned, and the Confit Oysters were perfectly cooked. However, my favorite dish (aside from the raw seafood) was probably the Trout + Lovage. Not everyone can cook trout properly--this was tender and flaky and accompanied by a fantastic sauce. Look, I'm running out of adjectives and my keyboard is getting covered in drool remembering our meal here. Just come. Spend like it's the apocalypse. Worry about the consequences later. read more

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My friend and I were lucky enough to snag a Friday night reservation at Penny. I was seated right away and looked over the menu. They have a huge wine list if you want to go the bottle route or they offer several wines by the glass. We decided to go the glass route, so I went with a German white (which was natural and had a nice, dry flavor). Foodwise, the waiter recommended 5 plates, so we did the Ice Box, Brioche, Squid, Tuna Carpaccio, and Scallops. All the items were fresh and tasted great. The flavors were simple, so it allowed the seafood to really shine through. The Scallops were our standout of the night. Ambiance is very nice and cozy. The restaurant is only a bar (no table seating), so it lends itself to groups of 2 (maybe 3). Though you're sitting near others, it's not overwhelming or noisy. Service was great too. Our waiter was friendly and attentive. You also get to watch them prepare the food right in front of you which is great fun! My reason for a 4 star review is the price vs. portions. It's extremely expensive for the amount of food you get. The ice box is portioned for two and is basically 1 oyster, 1 clam, 1 shrimp and 1 mussel per person for $40. The scallop serving was 2 scallops cut in half for $48. Though the food was excellent, I left there still a bit hungry having spent over $100 individually. Overall, I'm glad we came in to try the delicious dishes and enjoy a fun atmosphere. Penny is definitely a great for a celebratory dinner! read more

Bread goes crazy. Oysters confit sleeper hit. Everything was solid - stuffed squid was herbal, earthy, and delicate at the same time; octopus and potato salad was pleasantly acidic, balanced, and substantial. Ambiance is nice, classy and elegant yet still casual. Service is impeccable - super friendly and attentive staff. Wine program on point. Can't wait to come back to eat 5 servings of bread and oysters confit. read more

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Good food with less than good prices -- seriously the prices here were absurd. I stopped by off of walk in @ 5 PM on a Friday evening and was seated immediately. We ordered: - Ice Box: Decent seafood, but minuscule portions. For 30 dollars you're essentially getting 2 clams, 2 mussels, 2 oysters and a scallop. Wouldn't get again. - Stuffed Squid: A decent dish, no major complains here for the price point. - Bread, Butter, Anchovies: The bread and salted butter was great, and not too expensive. The anchovies weren't worth it at all though. For 6 dollars we were given a measly four anchovies on top of our butter. Absolutely would recommend skipping the anchovies. Penny itself is quaint yet lively, with kind service. I wouldn't stop by again, but if you're in the area, looking to splurge, in the mood for a quick snack, and the wait isn't too long, I don't think it's a bad place. read more

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Penny is known for their wine and seafood. And yes, both are fantastic (definitely get the oysters). The sesame brioche though is sensational. It's fluffy as cotton candy and right-out-of-the-oven warm. The salted whipped butter melts instantly on contact with the bread. You can add anchovies for an additional $6 but it is wholly unnecessary. For a second round of the brioche, I highly recommend ordering the ice cream sandwich - it s a big scoop of a seasonal ice cream (corn and blueberry jam when we were here) between two thick slices of the same brioche. Not an ice cream sandwich you'd find anywhere else. read more

After just one visit, I fell in love with Penny and I'm eager to return. Since Penny is on the same squad as Claud, I knew I had to give her a try because I adore Claud. This is the place to go if you want a great glass of wine and some delicious seafood at the bar. We had the Ice Box, which contains oysters, countnecks, shrimp, mussels, and crudo, on our first visit. The ice box is well worth the $39 price tag. Along with the confit oysters, we also ate the sesame brioche with butter and anchovies. We tried the chocolate mousse and ice cream sandwich, both of which were delicious, so I wouldn't miss dessert here. Everything is quite straightforward but incredibly tasty. This is a terrific place for sharing dishes. You can also savor a delicious dinner at the bar by yourself. Penny is simply fantastic all over. While I adore Claud as well, I might possibly like Penny more. I will most certainly return. read more

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So glad we finally got to Penny! It is a deep skinny space with only bar seating. Open kitchen which is cool to watch all the makings. The oysters were some of the freshest/cleanest I've had, delicious along with the shrimp! Our servers were attentive and nice, suggested the carrots that were tasty. The stuffed squid was delicious as were the scallops and mushrooms that we could have eaten so many more. If you are a seafood lover go! read more

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