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There are nearly forty islands in New York City, making for a lot of waterside property. While it can be hard to remember when you’re stuck in gridlock midtown traffic or wandering among the high-rises of downtown Brooklyn, we’re lucky enough to be living in a city of islands. From waterfront restaurants to sunset boat tours, there are plenty of ways to celebrate New York City’s waterways. Our favorite? Tucking into some of the city’s best seafood, including raw bar seafood towers, East Coast oysters, luxurious tins of caviar and the currently trending (again!) shrimp cocktail. Whether you’re in the mood for the city’s best lobster roll or a bag-it-yourself experience at a bustling Astoria fish market, we’ve rounded up the 17 best seafood restaurants in NYC.
RECOMMENDED: Full guide to the best restaurants in NYC
Updated July 2026: This summer, we’ve added Carmellini’s latest venture Carne Mare, notable for its spicy lobster spaghetti and crowd-pleasing mozzarella sticks with caviar. Tommy Bahama’s midtown restaurant made the cut for its coconut-shrimp-scented power lunches, along with underground date-night destination Smithereens and the recently expanded aguachile emporium Mariscos el Submarino. How we curate and review at Time Out.
