10 Best Places for Oysters in Boston

Chef Barbara Lynch is well-known and famous for her simple Boston restaurant treasure at the Boston South End, which has a huge patio and is located a floor below street level. Here is where the oysters are the star, and you can order the oysters in waves with a glass of wine and gorge on unending oysters in the sanctuary of the garden.

Just remember not to order too much as oysters are a dish that is meant to be eaten ice-cold. So try only a dozen at a time and, if required, alternate it with the other starters that are also famously devoured here.

B &G Oysters is located at #550 on Tremont Street of Boston-02116. Call them on 617*423*0550. They are generally open from Tuesdays to Fridays from 11.30 mornings to 11 in the night, on Saturday from noon to 11, on Sundays from noon to 10 and on Mondays from 11.30 to 10 in the night. You can also look up their website bandgoysters.com for more details or information.

Here’s an indication of what is best and an indicative price list. The starters have the sea fare that tastes superb. Their Fried Oysters are a delicacy that comes with the B&G tartar sauce costing 16 USD. New England Clam-Chowder with spicy crouton and bacon costs 14 USD while the sherry creamed Lobster Bisque is around 21 USD and the Fried Calamari with spicy lemon aioli costs 16 USD. The Charred Octopus with almond Romesco and Maricopa beans would set you back by 23 USD, and the steamed clams with tarragon and Narragansett broth a very reasonable 16 USD.

Mare is an organic seafood Boston restaurant jewel on the North End of Boston where pasta tends to rule the roost. But the Mare offers seafood and sets itself apart with its focus on fishing that is sustainable. Its raw oyster bar and an excellent Italian menu of unique dishes make it the favorite of Bostonians who can never get enough of the food here.

Highly recommended are the Zuppa di Mare and the Rock Crab Spaghettoni along with a platter of seafood or the well-presented Pan Roasted Halibut and Grigliata di Pesce. Of course, Italian flavors that stay true while being accompanied with the best sea fare, best oyster toppings, and quality wines.

A window seat, an octopus salad starter, all-Italian authentic accompanying dishes, and a reasonable bill allows you to enjoy the oysters. The Mare is located at #3 on Mechanic Street of Boston-02113. Call them on 617*723*6273. They are open from Tuesdays to Saturdays from 5 pm until 11 pm. Their website is mareoysterbar.com.

Here’s what is unique on their menu. Th Pan Seared Salmon costs 27.99 USD, the Grilled Swordfish 28.99 USD, and the Truffle Crusted Tuna costs 38.99 USD. The accompaniments on these dishes are Italian and could be grilled eggplant, white bean pureé with kale, tomatoes, beans, or sweet baby peppers and olives as in Italy. You can try the Alaskan Cod Loin for under 30 USD, the Grilled Mediterranean Branzino under 40 USD, and the Lamb Rack under 50 USD. The other strongly recommended dishes are the Zuppa di Mare, Grigliata di Pesce, Grilled Veal Chop, 7-Spice Brick Oven Chicken, Maine Baked Stuffed Lobster, and the Filet Mignon.

Island Creek Oyster Bar encourages the local osiers who sell Duxbury oysters and also other varieties of clams and oysters from all over. Yes, it is an oasis for oysters to local Boston restaurants. Though a lot younger than the historical and older oyster bars, this place quickly caught on and became famous for its sheer quality and variety. It’s not only the oysters that are worth a try, but their vast menu of shellfish is also a must-try. Reservations are hard to find at the Fenway area eatery the Island Creek Oyster Bar as their list includes coast to coast varieties of oysters and clams. You will need to call in well ahead or trust your luck in getting seated when you walk in. The Island Creek Oyster Bar has also been quick to expand, and just in case you cannot find a reservation at the Fenway location, we suggest you drive to their Burlington location since the food and oysters cannot be missed. The Island Creek Oyster Bar is located at #500 of Commonwealth Avenue at Boston- 02115. You can call them on 617*532*5300. They work daily from Mondays to Saturdays from 4 in the evening till 1 in the morning. On Sundays, they work from 10.30 mornings to midnight.

The sister restaurant of the fashionable Boston restaurants of the always full Island Creek Oyster bar, Row 34, is simple and well decorated though being the newbie on the block. Row 34 in Seaport District and catering to the Fort Point Channel crowds believe in simplicity when serving you fresh seafood. Enjoy their menu as well as the raw bar with a glass or more of chilled beer. The pairing of oysters when eaten natural is an art by itself and needs flair to taste the mussel when it is just at the right chilled temperature and generally washed down with a large swig of craft beer. The side starters of oysters are not necessarily the only item on the menu. Their main lists stretch your tastes and imagination with food cooked craftily and with the right accompaniments. And yes, they take reservations. They are located at #383 of Congress Street in Boston-02210, and you can call in for reservations on 617*553*5900.

Noticed the names of the best Boston restaurants? Union Oyster House in Boston makes you feel like a patriot who loves the local oysters and is hugely popular for being an old, simple, and delicious oyster bar in Boston. Of course, the younger bars would like to get there, but the Union Oyster House heads the historical table.

The Union Oyster House is rightly located at #41 Union Street of Boston- 02108. You can reach out to them at their web address unionoysterhouse.com or telephone them on 617*227*2750. From Sundays through to Thursdays they are open from 11 am to 9.30 pm, and on Fridays and Saturdays, they have extended working hours that last from 11 am to 10 pm. Their bar, though, is daily functional from 11 am to midnight, and no cover charges are present for admission to the oldest and most respected oyster bar.

Let us introduce you to their menu. The Broiled Boston Scrod costs 19.95 USD. The Homemade Lump Crab Cakes with lemon aioli, the Pan Seared Haddock with a potato crust, the Fried Select Oysters and clams cost just a mere 21.95 USD. The Atlantic Oceans Grilled Salmon Fillet 20.95USD and the Pan Seared Shrimp or Scallops an inexpensive 20.95 USD. If you would instead go traditional, try the Old Fashioned Fish Cakes at 15.95 USD or the Crispy Fried Butterfly Shrimp with coleslaw for 21.95 USD, The Lobster Pot, or the house favorites also called the Union Favorites all less than 30 USD for the vast and almost complete meal. The Broiled Sea Scallops or Grilled Swordfish are also in the same cost range of being less than 25 USD per platter. But if you want to try the lower-priced plates of side dishes do experiment with the Charbroiled Tenderloin, Grilled Marinated Chicken Breast, and the Ye Olde Seafood Platter of Fried Clams, huge lobsters, fish, oysters, Calamari, and shrimps cooked and served with accompaniments like rice, fish cakes, oyster sauces and such.

The first-floor seating at the Legal Harborside, which is a legend among the Boston restaurants and is excellent for food with an ocean view is seen through the ceiling-to-floor windows of this sedate but classy oyster restaurant is exceptional and different. The raw center bar allows the diners to watch the exact process of tending to oysters and the way the water is changed. If you don’t want to be seated at the bar, then take a table and enjoy the process of shucking the oysters before you and your family gobble down one platter after another. It does get crowded, so remember to make your bookings well in advance and ask for patio seating. Not up for bar-side accommodation? No problem! Legal Harborside, Floor 1, has many tables, most perfectly placed to enjoy the view. Grab a seat, and watch as your oysters are freshly shucked, then dig in and relax because this restaurant will transport you to paradise.

Legal Harbourside is located at # 270 of Northern Avenue in Boston-02210. You can call on 617*477*2900. Their dining hours are from Mondays to Saturdays from 5.30 in the evenings to 11 pm, and on Sundays, they are open only till 9 pm. Their fish market section is open Sundays to Thursdays from 11 am to 10 pm and on Fridays and Saturdays from 11 to 11 pm.

The costs of their dishes are moderate in the pocket. The raw oysters certified at their in-house labs, the cherrystone, and littlenecks clams are fresh and ready to be eaten even at their raw bar. The Shellfish Platter costs a mere 34.95 USD for the small platter and 59.95 for the large plate that includes clams, shucked oysters, snow crab, littlenecks, and the saucy shrimp cocktail. The small tray of the Rhode Island Stuffie costs a mere 6.95 USD while the Steamers with butter sell for 18.95 USD. The Mussels Sauteed costs 14.95 USD only.

Neptune Oyster gives you the widest choice of Boston restaurants coast-to-coast oysters that make the oyster lover's bar an entirely different experience in dining. The zero-frills and all-oysters bar has a zero-reservation policy that believes a good appetite is created and feed you well once you seat yourself. The long wait is well worth it for those priceless entrees, champagne accompaniment, and the New England clam chowder for diners who need some seafood fixes once in a while. Neptune's sleek and straightforward décor, their no-nonsense raw bar and their lobster roll beside the seasonal and vegetables-inclusive platter specialties take it to the top of our list of oyster bars.

Since they do not take reservations, you will need to arrive early and await your turn to eat. They are located at #63 on Salem Street of Boston- 02110. Please call on 617*742*3474 for more information as they stay open daily from Mondays to Fridays from 11.30 mornings to 9.30 pm. The weekends of Saturdays and Sundays are also working times from 11.30 to 10.30 pm. The raw bar starts every day at the same time but generally functions for an extended hour of service on all days. Strongly recommended dishes are the Littlenecks, Crab Claws, Cherrystones, and Razor Clams.

Their website address is saltiegirl.com, and you can call them on 617*267*0691. They are located at #281 on Dartmouth Street in Boston-02116. They function daily from 11.30 to 11 pm on Thursdays to Saturdays. On Sundays, they are open from 11.30 to 9 pm and on Mondays to Wednesdays from 11.30 to 10 pm. The Saltie Girl pampers her customers and accepts reservations too. Don’t be surprised at the valet parking or the rather long wait for food as seating is limited, and the customers gorge on food and repeat orders. The wines and food are both beyond compare and some of their must-try dishes besides the oysters for which they are already famous among the Boston restaurants and are the crispy flat breads and the delectable mini desserts,

Opened in 2003 the Saltie Girl’s Seasons 52, in all- American flavors and cooking of kinds of seafood at their peak. Be it the raw, charbroiled, grilled, boiled, blanched, or perfectly cooked the rustic cooking methods, ovens, and roasting techniques imbibe that food with the flavors that see repeat customers gravitate for more. The vegetables, classic wines, the mixology techniques of food and wine, the exciting cocktails, and the perfect dining experience is what you are promised here. And, they live up to it!

The Citizen Public House oyster bar is at the same Fenway Park location but is totally different on the oyster bar and tasting scene. It’s not a Boston restaurant regular bar but a tavern where the pickles, accompaniments, and side dishes are just as famous as the main fare. And its location near the Fenway Park makes it a must-visit just before or after the game especially when the Red Sox are to play in their hometown. The menu does not overwhelm you but the simplicity and taste of the dishes at the social oyster tavern and bar sure does! Enjoy the oysters, socializing, the game and of course the burlesque game day reservations and oysters chilled with the house beer. Their prices at the upscale location are definitely not designed to break the bank. Just take the oysters with a dash of salt as it is the freshest and most delicious at the Citizen Pub on #1310 of Boylston Street in Boston-02467. Yes, during the rush days and when the fever for the local team is high you may need to reserve your places on 617*450*9000 or citizenpub.com

On an ending note, we hope you now have easy access to all details of the top ten oyster- best Boston restaurants that serve you oysters on the shell in a variety of ways that have become iconic and yet a modern excellent dining experience. Be it small and informal or very seasoned and formal, we hope you will try out our list of ten places of the salty oysters, which are no longer a rarity on the Bostonian restaurant scene. We also hope you will find a pearl in one of them. So enjoy the oysters raw, smoked, or grilled at any pearl of our choice.