Where to Eat Oysters in (and Around) Boston

By Eric Twardzik
05/31/2023
Where to Eat Oysters in Boston
Row 34 - Brian Samuels

Seafood lovers are well-served in this coastal capital city, where fresh shellfish is shucked at pretty much every bar and restaurant. When nothing will do but the best oysters in Boston, however, head to these select spots.

Interior of Neptune Oyster | Where to Eat Oysters in Boston

Tiny North End raw bar Neptune Oyster is famous, and a long wait for seats is typical. The hype is justified: Dozens of shellfish line the icebox at any given time. Temptingly fresh and lovely to look at, the selection runs the gamut from East and West Coast oysters to Maine sea urchin and Massachusetts cherrystones. A seat at the counter provides excellent shucking theater. Among other must-try seafood dishes like the caviar-topped Johnnycake and lobster rolls, Neptune also serves up one of Boston’s most decadent plate of oysters: “Piggyback,” which tops a slice of blueberry cornbread with a fried oyster, Berkshire pulled pork, and maple-walnut butter.

Oysters from Row 34 | Where to Eat Oysters in Boston

There’s nothing ostentatious about Row 34, an oyster and beer bar set in a noisy industrial space in Fort Point. (Chef Jeremy Sewall and crew have additional locations in Portsmouth, N.H., Burlington, Mass., and a brand-new outpost in Cambridge.) The digs may be low-key, but the approach to bivalves is anything but: The raw bar menu is teeming with fresh oyster varieties—including the namesake Row 34 grown by Island Creek—with choice other picks from around the region. Fried oysters also appear in unexpected places, from filling light and crispy Lettuce Cups to topping a seriously good Bacon Cheddar Burger.

Mahaniyom

Mahaniyom in Boston | | Where to Eat Oysters in Boston
Credit: Brian Samuels Photography

Not your typical Thai restaurant or cocktail bar, Mahaniyom in Brookline Village curates an inviting selection of traditional dishes to complement creative cocktails. Thai-Style Oysters are one such snack, which started as a happy hour special at  Mahaniyom but are now always available due to popular demand. Accompanied by house-made chili jam, seafood sauce, and crispy shallots, local bivalves arrive on ice by the half-dozen. The spicy, sweet, and savory toppings make for uniquely craveable DIY combinations—especially alongside drinks like La Mali La, a floral gin martini made with jasmine and gentian liqueur.

Saltie Girl oysters | | Where to Eat Oysters in Boston

Saltie Girl started as a slender, sleek, and sea-loving raw bar in the Back Bay—but she proved so popular she’s since expanded with a much larger dining room and outdoor patio. (Not to mention, locations in London and LA!) A main draw to the Boston original is the diverse selection of East and West Coast oysters, defined on the menu by tasting notes and served with dropper-bottles full of mignonette and zesty hot sauce. There’s plenty of variety among these briny bivalves, but we always add on a crudo or two, too. Day Boat Scallops with lime and avocado is a particularly sweet seasonal treat.

Exterior of B&G Oysters

Tucked into a subterranean South End space with a stone-walled patio, B&G Oysters is the embodiment of an oyster bar: cool tiles and twinkling lights adorn the place, and, naturally, wine flows. The longtime Boston staple features strong lists of rotating oysters from the East Coast and shellfish-friendly sips, including a signature Grüner Veltliner Cuvée, an Austrian offering with green and herbaceous acidity meant for a briny pairing. Classics like fried clams and lobster rolls exude the precision of a worldly chef who possesses a locals’ love of simple seafood. Even fried oysters are served on the half-shell with homemade tartar sauce on the side.

Oysters from Select Oyster Bar | Where to Eat Oysters in Boston

Decorated with artwork honoring Jacques Cousteau and Steve Zissou, Select Oyster Bar is an easygoing Back Bay gem from chef Michael Serpa (who manned the kitchen at Neptune Oyster before debuting this spot). While the seafood menu eschews traditional New England flavors for a more Mediterranean vibe, the oyster list mostly sticks to local growers, with an occasional West Coast bivalve finding its way into the mix. For a truly Hemingway-esque experience, order one of the towering Plateaux, available in three sizes stacked with everything from oysters and scallop ceviche to fines-herbes Dressed Maine Lobster.

Black Lamb

Black Lamb | Where to Eat Oysters in Boston

When the team behind the South End’s coastal Italian stunner, Bar Mezzana—known for pristine crudo—promised us a modern American brasserie that’s a “love letter to the neighborhood,” we had a feeling the raw bar program would be top-notch. Black Lamb does not disappoint: From littleneck clams to tuna poke, there’s always fresh seafood on the menu—including at least a half-dozen oyster varieties from Maine and Massachusetts. The best part? Two-buck shucks every weekday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., plus all night on Mondays. Our preferred neighbors are the ones who invite us over to lunch on bubbly and oysters, for sure.

Eventide

Eventide Boston Exterior | Where to Eat Oysters in Boston

Eventide Fenway just renovated with a full bar, comfortable booths and large-party seating, and a chef’s counter. The large, industrial space on Boylston Street offers quite a different experience from the celebrated Portland, Maine, original Eventide Oyster Co., but it still shares one major design element: “The Rock,” an icy slab displaying dozens of fresh oysters every day. Choose from the East Coast and beyond, along with house-made mignonettes and flavoring ices. Beyond bivalves, other seafood shack-inspired fare gets Asian-inspired twists, like a Brown Butter Lobster Roll in a bao-style bun; and Bluefin Tuna Crudo with Japanese tare (sauce) and peppery ginger, scallion, and radish.

The Raw Bar at Island Creek Oyster Farm

Oyster lovers can find Duxbury-grown Island Creeks on menus from Boston to the Bay Area, but it’s well-worth the jaunt down Route 3 to The Raw Bar at Island Creek Oyster Farm to slurp right at the source. Spacious picnic tables and well-contained fire pits populate the lawn abutting Duxbury Harbor, overlooking the waters where Island Creek cultivates their world-renowned bivalves. Let the pros do the shucking while you order accompaniments like tinned fish, clam dip, kid-friendly hot dogs, and cans of rosé and New England beer. In 2023, the Raw Bar went year-round with the addition of an indoor space with cozy tables, couches, and a wood-burning stove for laid-back beach-shack vibes. The outdoor Raw Bar is open daily from May through October.

Waypoint

oysters served at Waypoint one of the best Seafood Restaurants In Boston

Choose your own adventure at this coastally inspired sister spot to Alden & Harlow situated on the edge of Harvard Square. An ocean’s worth of seafaring delights is on the menu at Waypoint, ranging from intriguing pizzas and pastas to punchy crudos and caviar service. No meal here is complete without a tray of oysters. Complementing the bitter anise flavor of Absinthe, the star of a signature Cobbler from the bar, a bright and earthy Pickled Fennel Mignonette comes with the rotating selection of oysters. It’s a verdant foil for any salty, briny bivalves.

Dive Bar

Dive Bar Boston

The chill, blue-green, neon lighting sets the tone of the raw bar inside Boston’s coolest food hall. Dive Bar at High Street Place comes from celeb-chef Tiffani Faison, who’s not only a Food Network star and a James Beard nominee but also an expert brandsmith. Dive Bar is a classic New England raw bar and sandwich shop, with fun and funky twists reflecting the chef’s global upbringing and creativity To wit: Oyster accoutrements include Southern-style Comeback Sauce and Lemon Chimichurri Vinaigrette. It’s a prime after-work spot, with a daily oyster happy hour from 4 to 6 p.m.

Updated by Jacqueline Cain

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