Crab House Nauti Mermaid Brings the Shore to Old City

Nauti Mermaid, a “crab-centric” restaurant, will open in Old City this Friday, July 6. The new eatery, from Jolly Weldon and Amy Tommarelli, is located right under Weldon’s Jolly’s Dueling Piano Bar at 110 Chestnut Street. It takes the space that was previously Eagles player Brent Celek’s Prime Stache.

Damian Tarlecki, who’s from Maryland, is signed on as executive chef. He’ll be bringing the Maryland shore to Philly with blue crabs, soft and hard shell crabs, and snow crabs, plus she crab soup, fried soft shell crab sandwiches, crab cakes, crab cocktail, and a Nauti Blue Boil with blue crabs, shrimp, oysters, sausage, potatoes, and corn in a spicy cioppino broth. If that’s too much crab, go for the fried or grilled rockfish, the ham, or the pork cheek nachos. Oysters also make an appearance during happy hour, when they’re a buck each.

Dishes range from $8 to the low $20s.

Nauti Mermaid [official photo]

To drink, there are a few variations of a fruity frozen cocktail called the Nauti Crush. Beers on tap are local and, in keeping with the theme, from Maryland. The bar also has wine on tap.

Weldon first came to Philly 20 years ago to open the Prime Rib. In the early 2000s he moved on to piano bars, running several throughout the city. The Jolly’s in Old City is new — it opened in April.

For now, Weldon is planning on dinner only at Nauti Mermaid. Brunch, lunch, and late-night service will be added later, after the restaurant settles in.