17 best oyster bars in Boston

Brought to us by Jeremy Sewall, this Fort Point hot spot specializes in fresh seafood—especially fresh oysters. Row 34 offers a wide selection of local bivalves coming straight from the waters of nearby towns like Wellfleet, Duxbury, Plymouth and Chatham. The team at Row 34 loves its beer as much as it loves its shellfish, so be sure to pair your oysters with whichever recommended brew from the long list of small-production, regional craft beers that this place has on tap.

This cozy seafood spot has an extensive raw bar menu that's sure to impress. Named for the commonly used term in the oyster world that denotes the best quality a farm has to offer in terms, the Back Bay brownstone spot sends out some of the finest shellfish around, from scrumptious oysters to seafood delicacies, like dressed Maine lobster, shrimp cocktail and the occasional sea bass crudo special. The wine list is extensive, crammed with oyster-friendly varieties.

Part of local restaurateur Frank DePasquale’s North End empire, this acclaimed seafood restaurant and raw bar is known for its crudo menu. So really, it only makes sense that the oysters here would be first-rate. A stunning selection of fresh seafood is available daily, best enjoyed with a glass of wine while sitting on Mare's sleek patio, which is fortunately outfitted with fire pits and a retractable roof for year-round alfresco dining. If you want to go big, the house shellfish tower is the best way to ball out; it’s loaded with 18 oysters, plus clams, shrimp cocktail, chilled half-lobster and Alaskan king crab.

Neptune Oyster has been one of the city’s most in-demand options for fresh local seafood since opening in 2004. Its vibe is East Coast raw bar perfection, with a simple, retro interior and an excellent selection of seafood. There’s always a line out the door, but, for oyster aficionados, it's worth the wait. Expert shuckers serve an extensive oyster list consisting mostly of local favorites like Wellfleets, Cotuits and Island Creeks, but there are also appearances from West Coast varieties. Splurge on the Neptune Plateau to sample a bit of everything, from oysters and clams, to shrimp and crab claws.

The full raw bar at this South End eatery provides eight to 10 daily oyster offerings, highlighting mainly local bivalves (think Wellfleet, Buzzards Bay, and Yarmouth) alongside a few West Coast selections. Shrimp cocktail, littlenecks, Jonah crab claws, and chilled half lobsters are also available, as are frequently-changing crudo offerings reflective of Chef Colin Lynch’s award-winning program at Bar Mezzana. Feeling fancy? Try their caviar service with white sturgeon caviar, potato chips, crème fraîche.

This Back Bay establishment lives and breathes seafood—and that includes oysters. One look around Ostra’s white-tableclothed dining room and you’ll see that this isn’t exactly the place to find dollar oyster deals. However, it is the spot to splurge on high-quality, daily shellfish specials, including different varieties of your favorite briney bivalves. Buy oysters by the half-dozen here and you’ll have them served with an accompaniment of house-made horseradish cocktail sauce, sparkling mignonette and fresh lemon. For more raw fun, order a plate of tartare—whether it be of the yellowfin tuna, salmon or sea bass variety.

When your entire MO is celebrating fisherman and the ocean’s bounty, a stellar oyster selection should clearly follow suit. Coastal New England crustaceans hold court at this seafood-centric restaurant, with staple selections from Island Creek, Rhode Island’s Ninigret, and Maine’s Unicorn frequently shucked. West Coast oysters also have their chance to shine with a rotating menu. House-made seasonal hot sauce, citron mignonette, and cocktail sauce sit sidecar to your beauties.

While Puritan is perfect for a full feast from the sea, it's also ideal if you just want to swing by and get a quick fix of drinks and a dozen of the ocean’s finest. Owned by beloved local chef and restaurateur Will Gilson, this Inman Square oyster bar is a 30-seat restaurant with 12 seats at the bar for oyster service, along with a seafood-centric menu that consists of raw seafood dishes like crudo, tartare and glistening bivalves, along with lobster rolls, smoked fish dishes, seafood dips, and salads.

Laying claim as the oldest restaurant in Boston, the Union Oyster House (established 1826) is one of the city's most prominent landmarks. A steady stream of famous names and oyster enthusiasts—including Daniel Webster and JFK—have slid into the wooden booths here and feasted upon classic New England seafood dishes. To this day, shellfish lovers (and history buffs) can sit themselves down at this restaurant's raw bar for a view of its skilled shuckers and a plate of fresh, cold Blue Points.

An ode to the seaside clam shacks and raw bars of the New England coast, Little Whale is a set in a charming brownstone with Chef Michael Serpa at the helm. The relatively new addition to his seafood empire, the airy, bright atmosphere with a breezy, nautical feel offers two floors of dining. While a smaller order of tasty bivalves whets your whistle, why not go big with one of their three chilled plateaux - the Newbury, the Grand or the Big Whale, a whopping 24 oysters, a dozen shrimp cocktail, dressed lobster, ceviche, tuna crudo and caviar service.

This cheery, boisterous Harvard Square restaurant aims to deliver your most desired seafood dishes, all impeccably prepared. Amongst its menu of casual New England classics and elevated, internationally inspired dishes, you’ll find one of the most extensive oyster lists in town. If you have any issues choosing which type of oysters you’d like to gulp down, you can always go with the “Tale of Two Oysters” option, where you get two of every kind offered. Folks who want to be extra with their raw bar fanfare can also grab a seafood tower overflowing with a sampling of the restaurant’s chilled items, including clams, shrimp, white fish aguachile, tuna crudo and lobster salad.

If you don't have time to sit in that grueling Cape traffic but still need to get your clambake fix, simply stroll into Summer Shack in Cambridge. This casual spot is cheery, colorful, and has a laid-back atmosphere that makes you want to kick back and, well, slurp some oysters. The Alewife location has an enormous oyster bar, with plenty of bivalves and other raw seafood for you to enjoy. And for folks who prefer their seafood to be cooked, check out the wood-grilled oysters, too.

A Boston reimagining of Eventide Oyster Company in Portland, Maine, this Fenway outpost focuses on freshly shucked oysters with an ever-changing array of pristine oysters and shellfish. Set atop a long ice bed on a rock-walled counter, these beauties are clearly the stars, giving the restaurant a throwback vibe of the great American oyster bar of yesteryear. For a crispier take, try the fried oyster bun sandwich or pair a few chilled raw ones with their famed Brown Butter Lobster Roll.

No one does seafood quite like Ivory Pearl. The Brookline raw bar and fish emporium feeds folks an array of ocean offerings, including shellfish towers, uni service and king crab trophies. Grab a slew of oysters from its rotating selection, as well as other chilled staples like clams, shrimp cocktail and crab claws. You can certainly wash your oysters down with a glass of wine, but part of Ivory Pearl’s whole appeal is the bar’s incredible cocktail program, so we encourage you to opt for one of its original or classically inspired concoctions instead.

This Back Bay seafood spot is known for pushing the limits of customary fish preparations—and for having a whole lot of fun while doing so. But when it comes to its raw bar fare, Saltie Girl keeps it pretty classic. With a selection of shellfish towers of varying size, this place serves its oysters alongside other chilled favorites like shrimp, lobster, crab salad, tuna poke, uni and caviar. Add some tinned fish to the mix for a more substantial snack, or make it a complete meal with incredible cooked specialties like the fried lobster and waffles, or rock crab carbonara.

Legal Sea Foods’ flagship location has three floors, each boasting a different dining experience—and it's on the first floor that you’ll find that prime oyster action. Grab a seat at the raw bar and watch the shuckers busy at work, while enjoying your own order of oysters, of course. This Seaport spot has up to 14 varieties of oysters offered each day, as well as sweeping views of the Harbor, making an ideal place to stop and sample some of the best seafood in town.

For people who love oysters and whisky, Citizen Public House is basically a dream come true. This West Fens oyster bar offers a daily selection of fresh, local oysters like Wellfleets and Island Creeks. With more than 400 whiskies available, you're sure to find some delicious brown stuff to sip alongside your plate of shellfish. For a foolproof pairing, go with the menu's Whisky & Oysters offering, which gives you a pour of Compass Box's Peat Monster and three chilled bivalves. If hard booze isn't your thing, there’s always beer on tap and excellent wines that you can have alongside your raw bar fare.