Today is National Oyster Day and despite being over 150 miles away from coastal waters, Austin has over a dozen spots with fresh, mouth watering oysters sourced from coast to coast perfect for shucking and slurping. Whether you like your oysters raw, grilled or smoked, area restaurants have a delicious selection ready for the most cultivated seafood lover. Here are my top 12 spots.
Photo by Nick Simonte
Central Standard
Guests can enjoy $1 off oysters and select appetizers, as well as half off cocktails, beer, and wine by the glass.
1603 S Congress Ave, Austin, TX
Liberty Kitchen
With a great raw bar and fine selection of oysters, the restaurant draws in crowds for its $1 Well Fleet Oyster Happy Hour. The Happy Hour takes places every Tuesday-Friday from 3-6 and features $1 Well Fleet Oysters, $2 oyster shooters and $3 gumbo with fried oysters.
507 Pressler St #700, Austin, TX 78703
Clark’s Oyster Bar
It’s that cute little upscale-casual spot on West 6th with an open kitchen, marble-topped bar, plus indoor & outdoor seating. Clark’s offers a fantastic selection of fresh oysters on an a la carte menu. Go crazy and mix it up with your favorites.
1200 W 6th St, Austin, TX 78703
Perla’s Seafood & Oyster Bar
Sit on the patio and slurp up some East Coast and West Coast oysters by the half dozen.
1400 S Congress Ave, Austin, TX
Deckhand Oyster Bar
Head up to North Austin for some of the best oysters in one of the most underrated spots in town. Choose from a super fresh fusion of Gulf oysters both raw and broiled.
Alcomar
Add a little Latin spice to your oysters with Alcomar’s tasty selection of condiments from orange habanero mignonette, and Cholula cocktail sauce. I love raw oysters but my favorite is the Wood Grilled Gulf Oysters & Mojo Butter Oysters with bacon and manchego cheeese.
Garbo’s Restaurant
Head to Garbo’s for their $26 Oyster & Wine Study, which comes with four of the same oysters paired with four 2 oz. glasses of different wines. Their selection of oysters rotate depending on the season and time of year but they’re always delivered and served fresh.
Monger’s Market + Kitchen
Monger’s offers daily tasty oysters and seafood every day served up by Chef Shane Stark, and is among some of the freshest in town.
2401 E Cesar Chavez St, Austin, TX
Lonesome Dove
Tim Love keeps the Gulf Coast of Texas grilled with The Grilled Gulf Coast oysters topped with Manchego & Serrano.
419 Colorado St, Austin, TX 78701
Foreign and Domestic
Tuesdays at Foreign and Domestic means $1 Oysters. Do you need any other reason?
Quality Seafood Market
Get them grilled or get them raw, Quality seafood is a classic spot Austinites have loved for years. I dare you to find a fresher batch of oysters anywhere else in town.
Lucy’s Fried Chicken
Skip the fried chicken and go for Lucy’s 4 different selections of their half-dozen Texan wood-fired grilled oysters.