BEST SEAFOOD ON THE UPPER EAST SIDE
When a weekend getaway to the Cape isn't an option, the Upper East Side flocks to restaurant mogul Steve Hanson's (Blue Fin, Blue Water Grill, Ruby Foo's) chic Atlantic Grill, a stalwart for reliable ocean bounty since setting sail in 1998. The wicker chairs evoke a posh beach-club chill in the bar area, where the regulars sip gin and tonics and down oysters on the half shell. With a Pan-Asian sushi bar, a lobster pot and a wood-burning grill at the keel, the kitchen keeps things interesting without navigating into unfamiliar waters. More adventurous diners spring for the likes of nori-wrapped bigeye tuna, horseradishcrusted salmon with roasted Georgia peaches, and the crispy coconut lobster roll with papaya and sake-mustard sauce, while a nightly selection of "simply grilled" fish and remarkably fresh raw selections keep those longing for au naturel fully satisfied. Either way, dessert is a must. Wine Spectator award-winning wine list. Full bar. Serving lunch Mon-Sat, dinner nightly. Latenight Thu-Sat. Sun brunch 10:30 am-4pm.
Where The Locals Eat rating
Top 100 Restaurant, New York City
"Our bright, 200-seat space complete with bistro chairs, framed photos, baby blue walls and skylight might make you feel like you sailed into Cape Cod. You may not have left New York's harbor, but one thing is sure: Our seafood is just as fresh."
– Atlantic Grill website
"Atlantic's menu is a well-edited roster, incorporating prevailing seafood predilections – raw bar, pan-Asian sushi bar, wood-burning grill, old-fashioned lobster house – while avoiding discordant course pairings."
—New York magazine
"There's a sidewalk cafe, cheerful with its bright red awnings; a skylit dining room patterned on a Hamptons/Cape Cod waterside cottage; and a comfortable Bistro bar."
– Newsday.com
How others rate Atlantic Grill
The New York Times
* (good)
Top Pick
Zagat 2009
23 food rating (very good to excellent)