Maison Premiere

"We don’t fawn over cocktails, as our general feelings on the subject are that most of them are fine, not worth the crazy price points, and certainly not worth getting excited about. Maison Premiere’s cocktails, that’s a different story. If you want to drink fancy in NYC, there is no place better to do it than MP. They put on a show we’re totally fine with buying tickets for, over and over again. In addition to being in a class of their own when it comes to drinks, they also own the best daily selection of oysters in Brooklyn. Maison Premiere has evolved a lot since we first reviewed it back in 2011, but they still take themselves very seriously, and our feeling that they could play a bar on the set of Deadwood remains very accurate. God damn, we miss that show. Maison Premiere is both exactly the same and very different than it was when it first opened. It’s still an adult fun house of raw seafood and absinthe, but it’s added other elements as well. There’s now a full menu of cooked food, a sleeper brunch situation, and an amazing patio out back. There are times when that whole old timey bar in the modern day schtick feels tired and played out. Not at Maison Premiere. As far as we’re concerned, no one has ever done it better. The careful attention to detail is impressive. Their bar is a work of art, and the bartenders wear three-piece vintage suits. The absinthe fountain is a near perfect replica of the one that once dripped in the Olde Absinthe House of New Orleans, and they even have pulleys to flush the toilet. Pro tip, if you’re there for a real meal, do not under any circumstance let them try and seat you at one of the front “tables.” There is no room for raw bar there. Wait it out for the back. It’s character driven restaurants like Maison Premiere (and Marlow & Sons, Post Office, Fette Sau, Rye etc.) that make Williamsburg one of the best places to eat in NYC. When Maison Premiere opened, they were trying really hard to be something special. Now everyone is trying to be them. Looks like their plan worked. Food Rundown Oysters One of the best selections of oysters you’ll ever see in NYC. West Coast. East Coast. Canada. It’s stupid in the best way possible. The move? Come for oyster happy hour: 4–7pm Monday–Friday and 11am–1pm Saturday-Sunday. $1 oysters. See you there. Razor Clams They gut the long clams, cut them up into a ceviche-like salad with peppers and goodness, and then put them back in the shell, ready to eat. So good. Blood Clam Ceviche Suck the blood. Slurp the clam. Repeat. Fluke Crudo Our favorite of their excellent crudo offerings, the combination of fresh fish and pickled pineapple is a good mix. Asparagus Morels Little nuggets of olive oil-drenched asparagus tops, with morel mushrooms and poached oysters. A fascinatingly delicious dish that took us by surprise the first time we ate it. There’s some magic going on here. Order it. Lobster Roll SKIP. SKIP. SKIP. Too much roll, not enough lobster. Not even close to enough lobster. Also, just not really good. Red Snapper A silky slice of white fish served in a clam broth and some vegetables. Always a good choice. Drinks It doesn’t matter what you get, it’s going to look and taste fantastic. Brunch Saturday and Sunday brunch outside in the back garden is such a strong move. They make a mean Duck Confit Hash and the Poached Oysters & Periwinkles with Poached Eggs is decadent and delicious. Absinthe-Cured Gravlax is on the menu, too. We like the sound of that." - Andrew Steinthal

"Maison Premiere is another one of our go-to bars in the neighborhood, and, like Hotel Delmano, it feels older than it actually is. This classic cocktail place is a little larger than Delmano, and there’s a seafood-heavy dinner menu with an extensive list of oysters. Typically, you don’t leave here without eating some of those, but you can also just sit at the u-shaped bar and order a cocktail from a bartender in suspenders. Expect a wait if you’re trying to hit this place at a peak time." - bryan kim

"Le Maison Height: 10 inches. Price: $135, which includes 12 oysters, 4 shrimp, 3 littleneck clams, 3 topneck clams, half Jonah crab, half Dungeness crab, half lobster. Against the slightly clandestine appeal of Maison Premiere—the discreet entrance, the well-spaced tables, the hidden, lush courtyard with its own bar out back—the two-tier no-frills seafood tower might look almost disappointingly straightforward. There are no surprises here. But dip that pre-cracked Dungeness crab (the Jonah crab is a distant second) in the garlicky butter sauce, bite into the meaty oysters and mixed clams, and add a few sips of any of the excellent cocktails, and $135 starts feeling like a justifiable indulgence. (The smaller La Petite Maison is $90.) Pair with an impeccably blended Jungle Bird cocktail, with two potent Caribbean black rums, or a tropical Margarita de Jamaica for an elegant night out." - molly fitzpatrick, willa moore, neha talreja, will hartman, kym backer, sonal shah

"Maison Premiere, founded in 2011, is modeled on a New Orleans absinthe cafe. Yes, it’s a fun place to drink. Among plates, consider oysters, crudo, caviar, bowls of mussels, and lobster rolls. The absinthe service alone is worth a visit, but the selection of oysters is formidable." - Eater Staff

"When people talk about Maison Premiere, it’s usually because of the cocktails or the toilet with a chain you have to pull in order to flush. But the old-school absinthe house is also one of the top raw bar spots in the city. The selection of oysters is vast and diverse, and if you order yourself caviar service—starting at $85—a few of those oysters will come on the side. For a less extravagant night out, you can always just do a single oyster with caviar for $21." - bryan kim