The Best Places To Get Oysters In Atlanta - Atlanta - The Infatuation (2024)

photo credit: Cameren Rogers

We’re nowhere near an ocean, but Atlanta has a surprisingly dense roster of restaurants serving up salty bivalves. And around these parts, there’s no “right" way to indulge. Douse each one in so much hot sauce that the half shell turns orange. Utilize an entire sleeve of saltines for a single oyster. Raw dog it. Or get ‘em charbroiled or baked with melty cheese, herb butter, and breadcrumbs. No matter how you eat ‘em, these are the best places for oysters.

THE SPOTS

The Optimist, a West Midtown seafood powerhouse, rightfully remains the most well-known spot to snag high quality oysters. That’s because there's a nice range of options here, including all the usual suspects from Powder Point to Mere Point, and a daily Happy Hour when you can roll up and get as many as you want for $1.50. There's an outdoor dining area which, like the massive, modish dining room, is always full so reservations are a good idea, but walk-ins can usually find a seat at the raw bar, where staff shuck and plate these briny beauties.

The mound of oyster shells in the recycling dumpster out back lets you know what to order at this upscale New American restaurant in Decatur. They have a large, high-quality selection (think buttery Hamamotos and plump Hog Island Sweetwaters), so use this place to impress that friend who is always blathering on about molluscy notes and vegetal undertones. Kimball House even has the fanciest (and our favorite) mignonette on this list—mixing white vinegar, mint, apple, citrus, shallots, and ginger into a fresh and sweet, but also tangy, concoction.

Pretty much everything about this Italian seafood restaurant in Midtown is great, which earned it a spot on our Best New Restaurants of 2023 list. Alici’s Amalfi Coast-influenced menu has crispy tater tots topped with caviar, swordfish crudo, and a daily Happy Hour when these slippery fellas are $1.50. The staff is particularly well-informed, so they can help identify the best picks for your palette—whether you’re into sweet, high brine, or small-sized bivalves. The shucking takes place at the curved raw bar in the middle of the restaurant, so pull up a stool for a front-row seat to the action.

This multilevel Midtown institution is a great option for a supremely casual seafood dinner. Part of their charm is the flea market-esque decor with signs like “Southern cookin’ makes you good lookin." The folksy neighborhood pub appeal could clash with a fancy-looking blue tray of raw oysters, in theory. But it feels totally natural to throw back a dozen, wash it down with their sweet Goombay Smash co*cktail, and eavesdrop on the regulars discussing their undying love for Steamhouse's creamy, chunky lobster bisque—one of our favorites in the city.

We don’t have the luxury of oceanfront vistas, so the concrete parking lot views at this Buckhead joint are nothing to rave about. But if you want to indulge in a few rounds of these oysters while a breeze kisses your cheek, Big Ketch's patio is where to do it. It’s large, shaded, and has TVs, so it's easy to tune out the cars whizzing past on Roswell Road. If the patio isn’t enough to sway you, the uber-casual joint also has the best Happy Hour deal on the list with $1 oysters for a full three hours every weekday.

If raw oysters aren’t your thing (we’re not judging), this Midtown seafood restaurant has delicious cooked options: charbroiled in a savory chipotle butter or fried and topped with a herby harissa sauce. You can join the afterwork army and kick back in Lure's industrial bungalow space with a couple of glasses of half-price wine during Happy Hour and your pick of four or four dozen oysters (still not judging). Plus, you'll want to fill your table with some of their outstanding small plates, like the warm, creamy blue crab dip.

For more than two decades, this pub in VaHi has been quietly serving up respectable seafood with a Cajun flair. Fontaine’s stands out with a DIY shucking option (they come steamed). But if you don't want to work for your food, the raw ones are always fresh, making this the only dive bar in the city where we recommend eating raw seafood. There’s also a variety of tasty broiled options with toppings like bacon, crab, and parmesan. The wooden booths may creak every time you shift in your seat to reach for another oyster, but that just adds to the nonchalant energy here.

A brewery and oyster bar isn’t a combination you hear too often in these parts. But this easygoing EAV hangout didn’t make the list because of the novelty. Their Dirty South-ified baked oysters are amazing and feel more like full meals than appetizers. Where else can you order Oysters Collardfeller (a delicious combo of cheese, tender collard greens, and smoked turkey) or get the shelled seafood broiled with a creamy parmesan garlic sauce and topped with crawfish tails? To wash it down, try the So Peachy sour (our favorite) to round out this truly GA experience.

The Argonaut’s oyster bar has a nice imported selection that ranges from sweet to briny. And you can use the restaurant as either a chill hangout or fancy-adjacent place to grab a superb seafood dinner. The upstairs is littered with TVs, so you can watch a game while you throw back a handful of bivalves. But if you're looking for a change of pace in the very casual Kirkwood neighborhood, get a seat in the lower level as it feels a little more upscale—like an environment where a cloth napkin is essential.

Don’t write off The Optimist’s little sister as the ordinary Anna to a super powered Elsa. Beetlecat is great for a spontaneous oyster splurge because it’s easy to snag a table, the raw bar selection is robust, and the vibe is relaxed. Their prices aren't relaxed, however, (oysters start at $3.85), but it's pretty easy to justify your bill since this Inman Park restaurant is fun: the nautical theme is quirky without being tacky (sometimes Jaws plays on the projector), there’s a donut brunch on weekends, and mezcal shots in shells make for a memorable night. That is, unless you have too many.