Raw Bars in Philly for Eating Shrimp Cocktail, Crab Legs and Plenty of Oysters
For those times when you just really need some freshly shucked oysters served on a bed of crushed ice.
Oltremare oysters / Photograph by Gab Bonghi
We happen to live in a city with access to some of the best oysters on the East Coast. And we happen to believe that the best way to take advantage of those oysters is at a raw bar, where they’re shucked to order and served on ice, maybe alongside a classic shrimp cocktail, a few crab legs, and a nice glass of white wine. Whether you’re looking for an over-the-top seafood tower or just a half-dozen cold bivalves, the raw bars of Philadelphia are ready to provide. Here are a few of our favorites. (And scroll to the bottom for a couple of spots down the Shore, in case the hankering strikes while you’re at the beach.)
Oltremare, Center City
Townsend Wentz’s new Italian-inspired seafood venture has a delicious array of raw bar bites on the antipasti menu. The seafood on its own is delicious (a testament to its quality), but hit those oysters with some of that apple-white-balsamic mignonette, or add an extra dab of the pomegranate, buttermilk, and serrano pepper dressing to the scallop crudo, and you’re in for a flavor bomb. 2121 Walnut Street.
Vernick Fish, Center City
It’s kind of in the name — Vernick Fish is fully focused on exceptional seafood. Their raw selection is a good reminder of the importance of sourcing: Just about anyone can serve seafood raw; but here, it’s just plain better. 1 North 19th Street.
Royal Boucherie, Old City
Old City’s Royal Boucherie offers half and whole seafood towers that come with oysters, shrimp cocktail, crab salad, and other treats. The best place to enjoy it is on the upstairs patio. 52 South 2nd Street.
Picnic’s raw bar / Photograph by Mike Prince
Picnic, Kensington
The new sister restaurant to Kalaya, Suraya, and Beddia is no one-trick pony. In addition to being a wine shop and rotisserie, Picnic excels in oyster selection. Bryan Szeliga, owner of nearby Fishtown Seafood, is helping to curate the selection, which comes from up and down the East Coast. 2421 Martha Street.
Pearl’s Oyster Bar, Center City
Pearl’s is a classic. Slurping down a couple of oysters in Reading Terminal is a good accompaniment to watching all the tourists who buzz through the market. And you can usually find a stool at the crowded bar. It may not be Grand Central Oyster Bar, but there is a gritty, buzzy vibe that feels one-of-a-kind. 51 North 12th Street.
Pearl & Mary Oyster Bar, Center City
This lovely, new oyster bar by Michael Schulson’s company offers a big raw bar selection with East and West Coast oysters, a slew of crab options, clams, and lobster. Better yet, go for a tower to try it all. 114 South 13th Street.
Photograph courtesy of Oyster House
Oyster House, Center City
If you were to ask someone where to get raw seafood in Philly, the odds are good they’d say Oyster House. The walls are literally covered in antique oyster plates, and the master oyster shuckers here go through hundreds a day. This conveniently located standby has been around forever serving solid, classic seafood and offers good happy hour deals on oysters and clams at its sceney bar. 1516 Sansom Street.
Rex at the Royal, Graduate Hospital
The Southern coastal influence of Rex at the Royal’s menu shows up in many ways, especially on the raw bar menu, which features oysters on the half shell with a fermented chili pepper and red wine mignonette, and baked oysters with smoked cowboy butter and cornbread crumb. But the real star on the menu is the Royal Plateau, which comes with a dozen oysters, a shrimp cocktail, and a lobster tail. 1524 South Street.
Anastasi Seafood, Bella Vista
A lot of restaurants with raw bars skew fancy — dress-up, out-on-the-town kind of places. Not so much at Anastasi, where you’ll be more than comfortable sitting at the bar, slurping oysters in jeans and a t-shirt. 1039 South 9th Street.
Photograph courtesy of Devon Seafood Philadelphia
Devon Seafood Grill, Rittenhouse Square
Sometimes Devon blends in as one of several fancy restaurants with a nice view of Rittenhouse Square, perfect for sipping and people watching. But their seafood selection nails it. Who can resist a classic seafood tower with cocktail shrimp, oysters, mussels, crab, lobster, and caviar? 225 South 18th Street.
Parc, Rittenhouse Square
The Plateau Classique at Parc is basically guaranteed to make you feel like a million bucks. It comes with oysters, clams, mussels, shrimp, crab legs, and oysters. They say it feeds one to three, but we say it’s time to ball out. Order a tower per person. 227 South 18th Street.
The Olde Bar, Old City
The Olde Bar is known for its oyster service, but head there at happy hour to get them for $2 each and a $9 shrimp cocktail. It’s also worth trying their “crab fingers,” which are ready-to-eat crab claws sautéed in lemon butter. 125 Walnut Street.
Down the Shore
Dock’s Oyster House, Atlantic City
The classic image of a raw bar is fulfilled at Dock’s, where you’ll see their selection of seafood stuck into a mountain of crushed ice. At any given time, they’ll have a dozen types of oysters available, so try one (or two) of each and pick your favorites. 2405 Atlantic Avenue.
The Deauville Inn, Strathmere
The Deauville Inn is the spot to go if you want to enjoy fresh seafood right on the water. They have a handful of different spots to sit, catering to those who want sand between their toes, as well as those who want to avoid sand at all costs. Wherever you sit, their selection of Jersey oysters and other seafood will give you the full vacation experience. 201 Willard Road.
The Lobster House, Cape May
The Lobster House is old-school in more ways than one: Their raw bar selection includes classics like oysters Rockefeller, clams casino, and a whole lot of fresh crab and lobster dishes. 906 Schellengers Landing Road.
Beach Creek Oyster Bar and Grill, Wildwood
If you’ve never had an oyster topped with vodka, sour cream, red onion, and caviar, you’re in for a treat. Beach Creek calls them Prussian Pearls, and once you start eating them, it’s hard to stop. 500 West Hand Avenue.
