Penny

"Opening: March Having a tough time landing a table at Claud? You might have better luck at Penny, an affiliated seafood spot opening just above that East Village wine bar. The 31-seat place will serve snacky stuff like shrimp cocktail and tuna carpaccio, with glasses of wine that start at $12. It’ll probably be just as busy as its sibling—but, crucially, it’s mostly walk-in-only." - bryan kim

"Penny entered the small plates scene fully formed, but don’t call just it another wine bar (though they do have exactly 1,000 bottles on their full list). The seafood at this East Village restaurant is exceptional—from the moment we tasted the sweet, red Argentine shrimp in their signature Ice Box, we were on board. The menu is short, but full of delightful surprises, like plump oysters hiding under a cap of puff pastry, or an ice cream sandwich that actually looks like miniature sandwich. Watch from your seat at their long, white marble counter as chefs pluck raw shellfish off ice, pull hot brioche out of the oven, and wrangle live lobsters. In keeping with Penny's breezy, Summer Friday spirit, most seats are reserved for walk-ins, so the earlier you skip out of work to arrive, the better. " - bryan kim, neha talreja, willa moore, will hartman, sonal shah

"Ice Box Height: 3 inches. Price: $39, which includes 2 oysters, 2 shrimp, 2 clams, 2 mussels, 1 scallop. At about three inches tall, Penny’s Ice Box isn't technically a tower at all. Haven't you heard of quiet luxury? At this East Village seafood counter, each Ice Box comes with shellfish so carefully curated that—according to one chef—they spent months dialing in on their shrimp selection. That shrimp is red Argentinian, and particularly swoony with garlic aioli. There’s a $98 Ice Box Plus with fancier things like crab and periwinkles, but the seafood is high-quality enough that even the basic version turns a weeknight into something special. Pair with the sesame brioche and a glass of wine from their extensive cellar after a long day at work." - molly fitzpatrick, willa moore, neha talreja, will hartman, kym backer, sonal shah

"Penny isn’t cheap, but if you’ve lived in this city long enough, you can delude yourself into finding it affordable. The roughly 30-seat East Village seafood spot from the people behind Claud serves $3 oysters, shrimp for $4.50 a pop, and seafood small plates like tuna carpaccio and stuffed squid in a pool of harissa-like sauce. Should you want caviar, there are several options: a crepe-wrapped purse of the stuff for $49 and a 30g tin that costs $68." - bryan kim

"This seafood restaurant—from the people who run Claud downstairs—goes way beyond the standard crudos and into fish-you'll-never-forget territory. The short menu ranges from raw bar dishes to whole lobsters, at least one of which tries to escape from its tank every night. Start with Penny’s version of the seafood tower, an icebox that comes with a luxurious selection of clams, oysters, and some killer red shrimp. Then get the squid stuffed with chard and tuna, and an oyster roast with puff pastry on top. If you don't have a reservation (most of the 31-seat counter is saved for walk-ins), it’s best to arrive around their 5pm opening time. Otherwise, you'll probably have to wait 20 minutes." - will hartman, bryan kim, kenny yang, neha talreja, hannah albertine