Tony Soprano
"The lobster roll...Pearl Oyster Bar."

Regina Schrambling, Gastropoda.com
"The best mood altering experience in town is lunch at Pearl."

Travel & Leisure,
"New York's Top 50," Pearl Oyster Bar

findyourcraving.com
"Rebecca Charles has a city full of fans, not just for her lobster rolls but also for everything about her charming little seafood restaurant, Pearl Oyster Bar...Pearl’s lobster roll is the standard to which I hold all lobster rolls. Served in a hot dog bun, the mayonnaise mixed lobster is fresh and delicious. The side of shoestring fries also tastes great with malt vinegar. Mary’s Fish Camp, The Mermaid Inn and BLT Fish all have a rendition of the lobster roll, but I consider Pearl’s the classic and the best!"

"Habitues of this Village 'fantasy of a Maine clam shack’ can’t say enough about Chef Rebecca Charles's 'deservedly legendary lobster roll' or her 'flawless' preparation of ‘whatever the fish of the day is' …" Zagat Survey, 2006, "27", Best Regional

citysearch.com
Seafood lovers will have a hard time ordering the wrong thing--it's all done just right… The lobster roll can't be missed--chef and owner Rebecca Charles still makes the best one in town.

Time Out NY, "Are You a Real New Yorker?"
Signature Dish, The Lobster Roll

"Seafood Heaven," Washington Post , Tom Sietsema
"The staff is in perpetual motion trying to keep up with the hordes of people who descend on this sliver of a seafood spot...briny oysters...chowder made sweet with clams and smoky with bacon, and a lobster roll that is mostly chopped lobster, lavished with a toasted bun and a haystack of shoestring potatoes. Each of those dishes is a standard bearer, though each faces stiff competition from the blackboard where daily specials (skate and bass on a recent visit) are hand-printed.

Mario Batali
"Rebecca Charles's food at Pearl Oyster Bar sings the clear song of joy and gustatory delight at the operatic level of La Scala...my favorite lunch spot on the planet..."

Adam Roberts, TheAmateurGourmet.com
"... she asked, rather logically: "Well, was it the best you ever had?"...It really was...I mean the meat was so fresh...And the mayonnaise herb mixture had a perfect balance.The brioche roll was the perfect vehicle for everything. And the french fries were my favorite sort of fries---skinny and salty."

Clotilde Dusoulier, ChocolateandZucchini.com
"I loved Pearl's version... even though I'm sure this is a sandwich to bite into with rapture, your hair all tangled up from the salty seashore wind, not minding about the mayo on the tip of your nose or the lobster pieces that tumble down on (or into) your swimsuit top, I have to confess that this being New York and all, I quickly abandoned the perilous, un-ladylike method and ate it with fork and knife."

Continental Magazine
"In a mile a minute metropolis with enough constantly changing zany dining options to boggle the mind of the most adventurous foodie, one simple gem in New York's West Village stands out by staying the same. ...Its sameness, however, comes pretty close to perfection."

Adam Platt's Top Six Oyster Dishes, New York Magazine
"When it comes to fried oysters, the true fiend takes comfort in numbers. This buttered hot-dog bun is submerged in a towering mound of crispy-fried goodness. Eat one at a time, with a spritz of lemon."

Dave Freedenberg, "NFT" famousfatdave.com/thehungrycabbie.com
When Tony Soprano woke up from his coma the first thing that he wanted to eat was a lobster roll from Pearl Oyster Bar. One bite of that massive roll and you'll understand why. The meat is plentiful to say the least..."

Luscious Lobster Rolls, New York Magazine, Rob Patronite & Robin Raisfeld
There's nothing like a properly made lobster roll (bring out the Hellmann's, please) to chase away the winter blues. Pearl Oyster Bar: The paragon, famously served on a Pepperidge Farm "top-loading" hot-dog bun.

10best.com
There's a reason this small, intimate storefront eatery is called Pearl. It's a rare find that is absolutely perfect. Honestly priced and honestly the best seafood south of Maine.

augieland.com
I have to tell you that, in my somewhat humble opinion, the best lobster roll to be had is simple, straightforward, and is at Pearl Oyster Bar on Corneilia Street.

Ruth Reichl, "Ruth's Roll Call," Gourmet
"Where does the quintessential restaurant critic most love to eat in New York? '...we spent many nights hunkered down at the bar at Pearl Oyster Bar. My favorite meal... is a few salt-crusted shrimp, a bucket of steamers, and a perfectly cooked lobster.'"

Josh Freedman, TheFoodSection.com
"The lobster rolls lived up to their reputation -- warm buttered and toasted hot dog buns split and heaped with big chunks of lobster meat... deliciously plump and crunchy fried oysters (which were a first for me). "

Gael Greene
"A meal at Pearl Oyster Bar is like a day on a beach in Maine."

Zagat New York, "27" for food, top 25 in Manhattan, Best Regional
"...once you bite into Rebecca Charles' creations, you can't help but agree that you've finally found a restaurant that's actually "worthy of the hype."

New York Magazine
New York's Best Oyster Roll