Old Bay
The Chesapeake Bay in the East Village

In case you haven't noticed, lately our cravings have turned to the simple, savory pleasures of the sea.
 
Aiming to sate our continuing obsession with mollusks, lobsters and other tasty ocean dwellers is Butcher Bay, a seafood pub from the guys behind Black Iron Burger Shop, opening tonight in the East Village.
 
Butcher Bay is the kind of dilapidated sea shanty that you would pull up to on a schooner on the Chesapeake or wander into barefoot on the boardwalk in Ocean City, MD—just, you know, in the East Village (so please, wear shoes). It's the kind of easy after-work or Saturday afternoon spot where you'll get lost in a tidal wave of beer and finger food. And when we say finger food, we mean handheld comforts: hush puppies, littleneck clams, oysters, Maryland blue crabs, po' boys, seafood pie and, naturally, housemade chili dogs.
 
You'll want to settle at the bar, where the barkeeps will be pouring beers and shucking oysters, and soak in the Americana-tinged surroundings: mismatched chairs, ship lights, peeling paint, cheap beer and the familiar stink of Old Bay...
 
Or hit the ten-person captain's nook, perfectly perched overlooking the galley (as it should be). From there, you can get a sneak peek at the backyard-turned-garden that, by summer, will be home to tomatoes and other veggies.
 
Back there you can go barefoot.