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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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