Lamonte: A Williamsburg Bistro With All-Day $10 Martinis and $2.50 Oysters
Lamonte is the Williamsburg move when you want cheap oysters and a real martini without the downtown markup. The happy hour runs all day Sunday through Thursday and until 7pm on Friday and Saturday: $10 martinis, $10 bubbles, and oysters and shrimp cocktail at $2.50 a piece. It sits on Driggs Avenue right off North 7th, one block from the Bedford Avenue L.
It is a bistro that leans into the nightlife side of Williamsburg — New American plates with French technique and a few Argentinian touches, a cocktail program that knows what it is doing, and a room that gets louder and livelier as the night goes. The draw is the math: a $10 house martini plus a half-dozen oysters lands around $25, one of the better value stacks in the neighborhood. It holds a 4.3 across 460 Google reviews.
The Happy Hour
All day Sunday through Thursday, and until 7pm Friday and Saturday. Same prices start to finish.
- $10 martinis — house vodka or gin, stirred, straight up
- $10 bubbles — by the glass
- $2.50 oysters and $2.50 shrimp cocktail — shucked to order, no minimum
- $28 plate — two vodka shots, four oysters, four shrimp and pickles, every day all day
The honest caveat. Food has to be ordered alongside an alcoholic drink, so you cannot walk in and order a dozen oysters on their own. And “all day” means from open — Lamonte opens at 5pm Monday to Thursday, so a Wednesday at 3pm is a locked door, not a $10 martini. Deals shift; check Lamonte’s own happy hour page before you go. Six oysters and a martini comes to $25 before tip — worth comparing against the rest of the neighborhood in our Williamsburg happy hour guide, and against the city’s best cheap shellfish in our guide to $1 and $2 oyster happy hours in NYC.
The local move. Sunday is the only day the phrase “all day” fully earns itself — doors at noon, deal on until close, and the room is quiet enough to actually sit at the bar and talk. That is the cheapest long afternoon in Williamsburg right now.
What to Order
Oysters first, obviously. After that it is an American bistro list with French technique and Argentinian edges: cast-iron provoletta, tagliata, empanadas, skirt steak with chimichurri, fried calamari, mussels and toast, and the Lamonte double cheeseburger. Brunch runs weekends — eggs benedict, Belgian waffles. The drink list does not stop at the martini either: there is a natural wine list, and an N7 espresso martini that is the right call once the happy hour window shuts. If two of you are splitting the difference between drinking and dinner, the $28 plate plus a steak covers it. The full list is on Lamonte’s food menu.
The Room
Lamonte sits on Driggs Ave right off N 7th St, one block from the Bedford Ave L — about as central as Williamsburg gets. The space plays bistro early and bar-forward late, the oyster-and-cocktail crowd giving way to a music-driven night, with original photographs of music legends on the walls. There is seating out front and a backyard patio that goes early on a warm evening. It is a first-date room, a friends-visiting-from-out-of-town room, and — thanks to that all-day window — a solid after-work landing spot before the weekend crowd shows up. One rule that catches people out: after 5pm, entry is 21 and over.
One thing about the block: there are two Lamontes on Driggs now. This one — the bistro and cocktail bar, the one with the happy hour — is 557. Across the street at 558 is Lamonte Pizza, the same owner’s pizzeria, open since summer 2026, doing New York slices, grandma pies and Argentinian empanadas. If you are standing on the corner working out which door, the $10 martinis are behind 557.
Who Lamonte Is For
| Occasion | Why it works |
|---|---|
| A cheap raw-bar session | $2.50 oysters and $2.50 shrimp, no minimum, all day Sunday to Thursday |
| A martini that isn’t $19 | $10 house vodka or gin, no time limit five days a week |
| A first date | Bistro early, low light late, and a backyard patio when it is warm |
| Two people, drinks and dinner | The $28 plate plus steak frites splits cleanly |
| After work near the Bedford L | One block from the train, and the deal is still on when you arrive |
| Eating at home | Pickup and delivery run off the same kitchen — order the oysters, skip the room |
How to Plan Your Visit
Weeknights the bar takes walk-ins and the all-day window means there is no clock to beat — just remember the doors open at 5pm Monday to Thursday. Weekends are different: the deal stops at 7pm Friday and Saturday, the room fills after that, and a table is worth booking. Kitchen hours run 5pm to midnight Monday to Thursday, 1pm to 2am Friday, noon to 2am Saturday and noon to midnight Sunday — so a Sunday afternoon is the quietest way to eat $2.50 oysters. Remember the food-with-a-drink rule when you order, and that after 5pm it is 21 and over.
More NYC Happy Hours
Cafe Landwer · Williamsburg
A Williamsburg Mediterranean Café Where Happy Hour Starts at 2:30
Lamonte Pizza · Williamsburg
Grandma Squares and $4 Slices a Block Off the Bedford L
Maison Premiere · Williamsburg
Williamsburg’s Legendary Oyster Bar and Absinthe Café
Lamonte FAQ
Does Lamonte have a happy hour?
Yes — all day Sunday through Thursday, and until 7pm on Friday and Saturday. It is $10 martinis (house vodka or gin), $10 bubbles, $2.50 oysters and $2.50 shrimp cocktail, with no minimum on either. Lamonte requires that food is ordered alongside an alcoholic drink.
What time does Lamonte open?
5pm Monday to Thursday, 1pm Friday, and noon Saturday and Sunday. That matters for the happy hour: “all day” starts when the doors do, so Sunday is the longest run at the $2.50 oysters.
Where is Lamonte?
557 Driggs Avenue in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, right off North 7th Street and one block from the Bedford Avenue L.
What’s the vibe?
Bistro early, bar-forward late. Original photographs of music legends on the walls, a room that gets louder as the night goes, seating out front and a backyard patio that fills fast on a warm evening. After 5pm, entry is restricted to guests 21 and over.
What should I order?
Oysters first. After that it is an American bistro list with French technique and Argentinian edges — cast-iron provoletta, tagliata, empanadas, skirt steak with chimichurri, fried calamari, mussels and toast, and the Lamonte double cheeseburger. The $28 plate plus a steak covers two people splitting the difference between drinking and dinner.
Does Lamonte take reservations?
Yes, and it is worth booking for a weekend dinner. The bar takes walk-ins on weeknights.
Does Lamonte do takeout or delivery?
Yes — Lamonte runs pickup and delivery off the same kitchen, so the bistro menu is available to order online as well as in the room.
Is Lamonte the same as Lamonte Pizza?
No, but they are related. Lamonte is the bistro and cocktail bar at 557 Driggs Avenue — the one with the all-day happy hour, $10 martinis and $2.50 oysters. Lamonte Pizza is the sister pizzeria directly across the street at 558 Driggs, from the same owner, doing New York slices, grandma pies and Argentinian empanadas. Same family, two different rooms. The happy hour is at 557.
Is Lamonte a good late-night spot in Williamsburg?
It is one of the more dependable late rooms near the Bedford L. Friday and Saturday the kitchen and bar run until 2am, and Sunday through Thursday until midnight, so you can order a proper plate at 1am on a weekend instead of settling for a slice. The room gets louder and more music-driven as the night goes. After 5pm, entry is 21 and over.
Does Lamonte serve Italian food?
Not really. Lamonte is an American bistro with French technique and a few Argentinian touches — empanadas, chimichurri skirt steak, tagliata, cast-iron provoletta. If it is Italian-American you want on this block, that is Lamonte Pizza across the street at 558 Driggs.