Capitaine, a new seafood tavern from partners Cody Pruitt and Jacob Cohen, quietly slid into the West Village dining scene on Friday with a tight menu that leans on oyster bar staples and one serious attention grabber, a caviar sandwich. The restaurant takes over the duo's former bistro Libertine and aims to blend casual raw bar plates with larger, shareable mains. Inside, locals will find a compact, cozy dining room with mid-century touches and a menu that mixes everyday comforts with a few splurge-worthy indulgences.
Pruitt and Cohen officially launched Capitaine on June 19 at 684 Greenwich Street, at the corner of Christopher Street, with the kitchen run by chef Mike Gutterman and Cohen overseeing operations and strategy, according to Eater NY. The space has been refreshed with new booths and sapele wood paneling, while a brown-butter Old Fashioned from the Libertine days survives as a quiet nod to the previous bar program.
Menu Highlights
Capitaine's menu leans into a mix of European seafood traditions and classic New York oyster bar fare. The raw bar lineup includes East Coast oysters, chilled razor clams, shrimp cocktail, and Jonah crab claws, while larger plates bring options like a lobster roll and steak frites. The showpiece is a throwback caviar sandwich, Japanese milk bread topped with caviar and sauce gribiche, a wink to a version once served at the Grand Central Oyster Bar. “I’ve been surrounded by duck and butter for the better part of several years now,” Pruitt said, noting that the offerings reflect his recent shift toward seafood, per Eater NY.
Service and Reservations
Capitaine serves dinner every night and rolls out weekend brunch on Saturdays and Sundays from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Reservations are available through Resy, and the restaurant's official website links directly to the booking platform on its homepage, Capitaine.
From Libertine to Capitaine
The switch from Libertine to Capitaine happened quickly. Libertine's final service was May 23, and rather than searching for a new address, the partners chose to rework the existing Greenwich Street space, according to WhatNow New York. Whether the West Village was craving another seafood-focused spot is ultimately up to diners, but Capitaine is clearly banking on caviar, oysters, and a handful of shareable showstoppers to win the neighborhood over.
