Best Charleston Restaurants: The Ultimate Oyster Lover’s Guide
Where should we eat tonight? Hands down, this is one of the most common questions tourists ask us. And since Charleston is basically a foodie’s playground, this can actually be a very challenging question: Do you want the hottest new spot on the block? A Charleston classic? A James Beard-nominated chef? A particular dish? A trendy Charleston raw bar?
More often than not, visitors to the Holy City are on the hunt for some fresh-caught seafood and local oysters. And obviously, at Grit & Grace Studio, we’re oyster fanatics, so we decided to put together the oyster lover’s dining guide to Charleston restaurants.
What’s not to love about an oyster? They’re delicious raw, fire-roasted, deep-fried to a golden brown, steamed, baked, and even slurped down as an oyster shooter, for the more adventurous. (We also think they’re lovely as a gilded oyster jewelry dish and displayed on your coffee table, hint hint, but we digress.) Whether you like ‘em shucked or on the half shell, we’ve got you covered!
Best Raw Oysters in Charleston
Nico Shem Creek
Nico Shem Creek, one of our favorite Charleston oyster bars, is the brainchild of French Master Chef Nico Romo. The fresh, contemporary vibe and creative, exceptional cuisine will thrill the pickiest of foodies, but it’s their curated selection of the country’s most coveted oysters that will keep you coming back again and again.
Try the Lowcountry Cup for an assertive salinity and mild brine or the Island Creek oyster for a briny beginning with a sweet finish. Looking to spice things up? Kick it up a notch with Nico’s tuna oyster, a raw oyster topped with raw tuna and citrus relish.
photo credit: Andrew Cebulka
The Darling Oyster Bar
Fancy a side of old-fashioned Charleston charm with your oysters on the half shell? The Darling Oyster Bar channels a vintage meets modern aesthetic in their lovingly restored, 115-year old King Street storefront. Don’t let the Instagram-worthy space distract you from their impressive menu, however.
This Charleston raw bar boasts small and buttery Beausoleil oysters from New Brunswick, Canada, plump and mild James River oysters from Virginia’s Chesapeake Bay, and briny, earthy Roddy Rocks oysters from nearby Beaufort, SC. You’ll also find a wide selection of fresh seafood and modern takes on Southern classics.
photo credit: @gamengeats
167 Raw
Home to a daily selection of fresh oysters and the “big boy” sampler platter, Charleston restaurant 167 Raw has got you covered whether you’re craving a taste or a meal. Oyster connoisseurs will love the oysters French with caviar, creme fraiche, and a chive garnish.
The dressed oyster, a rotating creation, is a thrilling culinary adventure, and recent offerings include the yuzu oyster (Asian pear gelee, ikura, Madagascar peppercorn, and Brassica flower) and a uni oyster (with nuoc cham, Santa Barbara uni, radish, and saté).
Located deep in Charleston’s historic district, 167 Raw was named one of Time Out’s 21 Best Seafood Restaurants in America. “Though 167 Raw is a Charleston star, its roots are in Cape Cod, where partner Jesse Sandole’s family runs a seafood market—which no doubt explains the restaurant’s distinctly homey, fishmonger-esque vibe.”
Best Oyster Dishes in Charleston
Hank’s Seafood
In a city of endlessly rotating restaurants, Hank’s Seafood is a cornerstone: this downtown spot just celebrated its 21st year of serving up some of the best seafood in Charleston.
Start your evening off with Hank’s mouthwatering oyster stew or oysters casino, a delightful concoction with buttery, garlicky breadcrumbs and bacon, or grilled oysters with red wine mignonette gastrique, crispy andouille, and arugula, before moving on to a wide selection of Lowcountry favorites.
photo credit: @platethis
The Royal Tern
The Royal Tern is a mecca for oyster lovers and pescatarians alike. Feast on the delectable salmon and oyster tartare with seasoned ginger, or delight in their baked oysters with horseradish, jalapeno bacon, and bread crumbs.
Save room for the signature Royal Tern Oysters, with tomato, bacon, cream, and spinach, or try the oyster bahn mi sandwich or fried oysters for a more filling experience.
Husk
The Husk menu is forever changing and adapting to the freshest and most flavorful foods in season, so check before you go, but their fire-roasted White Stone oysters are worth waiting for a reservation. This craveable dish features fire-roasted oysters topped with green garlic butter, pepper mash, and lemon vinegar, and will still leave you plenty of room to chow down on a hearty entree afterward.
Make an evening of it, and stop by the Husk Bar next door: you’re sure to love the craft cocktails and historic Charleston interior, with its rough-hewn details and century-old exposed brick.
Best Charleston Oyster Roasts
Lowcountry Oyster Festival
If you’ve ever dreamed of competing in an oyster eating contest, this is your oyster roast, folks. Named one of the top 20 events in the Southeast by Southeastern Tourism Society, the Lowcountry Oyster Festival is the world’s largest oyster festival.
Enjoy watching (or competing in) contests throughout the day, listening to live music, shucking local oysters, and drinking adult beverages at this rain-or-shine Boone Hall event. This event is also a charitable fundraiser, benefiting local area hospitals and non-profits.
photo credit: @foodpeopleluv
Dill Sanctuary Oyster Roast
You never need an excuse to tuck into oysters, but if you did, the Annual Oyster Roast at the Dill Sanctuary benefits the Charleston Museum. The Dill Sanctuary is the largest area of privately protected land on James Island, and this 580-acre wildlife reserve rests on the magnificent Stono River, offering up breathtaking views while you shuck oysters over a community table. Enjoy the fruits of the Lowcountry waters to the sounds of live music, and bring your own chairs (and adult beverages) to make the most of the day.
photo credit: Charleston Museum
SEWE Ducks Unlimited Oyster Roast
One of Charleston’s most well-attended festivals, SEWE (Southeastern Wildlife Exposition) is three days of herding dog demonstrations, dock dog competitions, wildlife expos, art shows, cooking demonstrations, fishing and hunting presentations, and, of course, marine education programs. (The Oysters and Our Marshes event was our favorite, obviously!)
Last year, SEWE hosted not one, but two oyster roasts, setting our hearts aflutter: the Ducks Unlimited Oyster Roast, an annual event, featured steamed oysters, an open bar, live music, and an auction on Friday night, and the South Carolina Waterfowl Association 25th Annual Duck Shuck Oyster Roast kicked off on Saturday night with a casual evening filled with oysters, raffles, and music.
Charleston Oyster Social
Support small businesses and Charleston’s local mariculture at this signature oyster event at Bowens Island. Renowned chefs will plate up delicious local oysters; enjoy them grilled, raw, dressed, and roasted.
Bowens Island, A Lowcountry fixture since 1946, has an authentic, rustic, no-frills atmosphere, as well as some of the best views of Charleston’s waterways. All proceeds benefit the SC Shellfish Growers Association and Lowcountry Local First.
photo credit: Cameron Wilder
Best Fried Oysters in Charleston
Warehouse
The fried oyster deviled eggs are one of the things that first put Warehouse on the map, and they’re still serving up these delectable bites in their updated 1940s grocery space in downtown Charleston.
Plan to order a craft cocktail and snack on your deviled eggs topped with hot, crispy fried oysters and traditional chow chow before heading out downtown, or settle in with some friends and order a fried oyster bahn mi as the night’s festivities get underway at this lively bar.
photo credit: @girleatscharleston
The Ordinary
On the hunt for the best fried oysters in Charleston? Treat yourself to an elegant evening at The Ordinary, a contemporary Southern seafood hall housed in a breathtaking space on historic King Street.
One of the best restaurants in Charleston, The Ordinary has the sort of menu that will have you thinking, “One of everything, please,” but make sure you start with their fried oyster sliders with nuoc cham and fresno mayonnaise, served on a delicious Hawaiian roll. Dubbed Charleston’s “Fancy Seafood & Oyster Bar,” you’ll want to peruse their raw oyster selection as well!
Leon’s Oyster Shop
When “oyster shop” is in the name, you know the fried oysters are going to be good. Leon’s Oyster Shop is a hip, fun Charleston restaurant known for their fried chicken, oysters, and good company. The fried oyster roll is a savory sandwich with lettuce, tomato, avocado, comeback sauce, and chives, and we think it pairs beautifully with their rosé slushie.
We would be remiss not to give Leon’s raw bar and char-grilled oysters a shoutout, alongside their playful drink menu, which features sections such as Cheapish Wine, Frozen!, and Day Drinking.
photo credit: @laceytoneyphotography
82 Queen
While 82 Queen’s she-crab soup is one of Charleston’s iconic dishes, the fried oyster salad also deserves a nod. Savor Lowcountry oysters over crisp greens dressed with a creole mustard vinaigrette and sprinkled with bacon and smoked gouda.
The stunning hidden courtyard sits underneath an ancient, sprawling magnolia tree; you’ll feel like you’re in a secret garden in this beloved Charleston restaurant.
Best Oyster Shooters in Charleston
Amen Street Seafood
Hands down, you will never find oyster shooters that are more creative than the rotating concoctions poured out by Amen Street Seafood bartender Vince Lendacki. The recent “Quench Press” featured a Single Lady oyster topped with grapefruit-ginger mignonette and a chaser of Revelry Brewing’s Quenched American Wild Ale.
This St. Patrick’s Day, Lendacki came up with the Piggy Back: a dressed Irish Point oyster with a bacon-infused Jameson “pickle-back.” Keep an eye on the Amen Street Instagram and Lendacki’s feed to see what’s up next!
Pearlz
A happy hour favorite among Charleston raw bars, Pearlz Oyster Bar shucks and slings oysters on the half shell during their busy happy hours, but they also have a number of infused vodkas to take your oyster shooter to the next level.
Keep an eye out for their “Chicken Soup” infused vodka (spoiler alert: there’s not actually chicken in there) to add some flair to the classic oyster shooter.
Oyster House
Feeling extra frisky? Give the Oyster House oyster shooter flight a whirl - and Uber on home.
Their classic oyster shooter (house-infused peppercorn vodka, special sauce, and a raw oyster with a pickled okra garnish) is a delicious Charleston staple, but the spicy and blueberry shooters will keep you on your toes.
It’s not technically an oyster shooter (or maybe it’s just the world’s largest oyster shooter?), but the Bloody Plus a Buddy is a fabulous upgrade for your Charleston brunch game. The classic Bloody Mary is topped with a delicious raw oyster, which we prefer to simply call “a match made in heaven.”
photo credit: Victor Garcia
Savor your oysters raw, steamed, chargrilled, fried, roasted, or in a stew, just as long as their shells are recycled after your plates are cleared!
We hope you enjoy this comprehensive oyster lover’s guide to Charleston restaurants, and we hope the number of oyster dishes available gives an insight into just how many of these delectable mollusks are consumed every single day across the Lowcountry.
While a great number of Charleston oyster bars and seafood spots recycle their oyster shells instead of tossing them into the landfill, many restaurants still do not. Oyster shell recycling is crucial to replenishing our oyster reefs, which provide marine habitat, act as a natural breakwater to protect our shores, and improve our water quality. You can learn more about the importance of oyster shell recycling through the Grit & Grace Studio in-house program, and we are proud to share that we have recycled more than 5,000 gallons of oysters back to the Lowcountry waters.
We recycle 10 oyster shells from Charleston restaurants for each oyster shell gift sold!
One Love & Blessings,