New Life For Historic Jack’s Oyster House In Downtown Albany?

Jack's Oyster House has been a staple in downtown Albany since 1913. The building is even older. Having been closed since 2022 and on the market for a little over a year, it has been sold.

Why Did Jack's Oyster House Close?

Jack's Oyster House was a restaurant in downtown Albany frequented by politicians, CEOs, and lobbyists. The restaurant was a casualty of the COVID-19 pandemic. Brad Rosenstein, the third-generation owner, put the historic restaurant up for sale, hoping that someone would re-open it.

Brad Rosenstein told the Albany Business Review,

"Now that the restaurant is changing hands, I'm excited to see what they do. I've heard rumors they're going to continue with the name in some form, so they're either going to bring it back to the way it was or something similar. We'll see."

The name "Jack's" was included in the sale.

Rosenberg also said that it would be great for downtown Albany if they carried on the name and the restaurant. This was also a factor in the sale of the restaurant and the building.

What is the History Behind Jack's Oyster House?

Jack Rosenstein was once an oyster shucker at a different restaurant and then opened Jack's Oyster House on the corner of Beaver and Green Streets in Albany. Coffee, back then, only cost pennies, and the most expensive meal on the menu was just thirty-five cents, according to their website. Then he moved it to State Street, and the one-hundred-fifty-seat restaurant has been an iconic staple in downtown Albany ever since.

We will wait and see if the new owners will reopen Jack's Oyster House in downtown Albany. Let's hope so.