oysters

Chubby Fish, Charleston, 12/5/25

~ hsnixon ~ 2 Comments
building – 252 Coming St, Charleston, SC 29403-5433

Chubby Fish holds about 40 guests, so large parties are limited as well as timing for each party.   Founded in 2018 by Charleston native, Chef James London, they offer small plates of Lowcountry food with a spotlight on seafood.  The daily changing menu is on a board above the bar in back by the kitchen.  There is no printed menu so take a photo to look at if you need to.  This place is extremely popular and takes no reservations so people start lining up about an hour before opening to secure a space and to reserve one for later in the evening.  You can choose between tables, counter, or standing tables.   They offer beer and wine but not a full bar.  (However next door is a bar Seahorse where you can wait).  Music was in the background and service was friendly, helpful and efficient.  We had read that they will ask you to leave after an hour as they turn the tables but we were never told that we couldn’t order more as our time was up.   Nevertheless diners need to be mindful that someone is waiting for your seat.  It’s definitely worth the effort and is a solid recommendation for your next meal in Charleston. Continue reading →

Little’s Oyster Bar, Houston, 11/27/24

~ hsnixon ~ 5 Comments
building – 3001 S Shepherd Dr, Houston, TX 77098

Little’s Oyster Bar is in the Montrose area of Houston.  It is a chef-driven  restaurant from the Pappas Restaurant Group. Chef Jason Ryczek highlights Gulf Coast seafoods along with selected caviar, lobster and seasonally changing items.   Opening in the location of the Little Pappas Seafood House it’s anything but little.  A long marble topped bar runs the length of the room which is mirrored with an outdoor patio room.  There is a good sized parking lot adjacent to the building.  Inside you’ll find loud music with fairly bright lighting complementing the wood and brick walls and partial carpeted areas on the floor.  We were there with family and as the place filled I’d swear they turned up the music.  Service was good but not great but the food was mostly good, fresh and pricey.   If you want seafood it’s a good place to go but expect variable flavor. Continue reading →

18 Central Oyster Bar & Grill, Rockport, ME., 9/27/24

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
exterior – 18 Central St, Rockport, ME 04856

18 Central Oyster Bar & Grill looks over Rockport Harbor and is owned by Chef Patrick Duffy and his wife Jessica.  The couple moved to Rockport from Boston in 2011 to run the Shepherd’s Pie restaurant, which closed in mid-2016.  With a first run at the property, they decided to open their own raw bar and restaurant in that location.   After several months of renovations, they launched the new venture.  It’s a good-sized place with patio seating, overlooking the harbor.  The first part of the space is the bar and raw bar and a partially open kitchen fills the rest.  The floors are old wood matching the tin ceiling above.  The walls are wood and brick while art, historic photos and boat sails hang as decorative touches. The lighting is quite low and there was no music in the background.  The tables were well-spaced yet small and service was fine after a slow start.  The menu responds to seasonal products and the food was quite good.  This place is worth a visit when you’re in the area. Continue reading →

Snuff Mill Restaurant, Butchery & Wine Bar, Wilmington, 4/3/24

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
exterior – 1601 Concord Pike Suite 77-79, Wilmington, DE 19803

Snuff Mill Restaurant, opened in July 2021, was a small place tucked into a large U-shaped shopping center.  They advertised themselves as “farm-to-table” and they did reference where each of the meats were locally sourced.  Butchering was done on-site and a counter at the entrance did have items for sale.   Many other ingredients are also locally sourced.  The small tables were closely packed and had paper on top of the cloth.  Along one wall were raised tables with bench seating and there were about 4 seats at the counter in front of the bar where people also ate.  Even on a Wed. night they were doing a brisk business and when you make the reservation you are told you have the table for no more than 2 hours.   Faint music was in the background and art was on the walls.  Service was good, friendly and fairly quick.  There were a number of specials in addition to the menu.  We had a wonderful meal and I would easily recommend going there but check their website to see who becomes the next driving culinary voice.  Chef/partner Robert Lhulier parted with co-owner Bill Irvin and left the place the day after we were there. Continue reading →

Green Point Seafood & Oyster Bar, Dallas, 2/26/24

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
exterior – 3219 Knox St, Dallas, TX 75205

Green Point Seafood and  Oyster Bar opened in the fall of 2023.  It was named for a South African beachside neighborhood with familial ties to owners, brothers Greg and Nik Katz.  Greg was also the force behind Beverley’s in Dallas.  Nik had most recently been the general manager of food and beverage at the Adolphus hotel in Dallas.  They wanted to work together for a long time and now have this place which is open daily for lunch and dinner.  It’s a large space with a U-shaped bar dividing the rows of booths and tables.  Art was on the walls and lots of large flower arrangements give it an elegant yet comfortable feel.  It’s in a crowded area but they do have complimentary valet parking at the end of the block.  Be sure to get your ticket validated when you’re in but there are lots of free spots just a lot of cars competing for them.  Service was first-rate and super friendly and the food was quite good.  I was meeting a friend for lunch so we didn’t try nearly enough things but I bet I’ll be back to try more.  It was good. Continue reading →

The Schooner Restaurant & Lounge, Netarts, OR., 6/25/21

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
exterior

The Schooner Restaurant and Lounge is located at the boat launch for Netarts Bay on the Tillamook Coast.  The source of most of their oysters is from the bay next door and the rest of their seafood is mostly locally sourced.  During lunch we watched a number of small boats launch into the bay and clam diggers hunt for clams.  They are quite popular and there was a line when we arrived at the opening hour.  Most wanted to sit on the large outdoor deck but we chose inside where you could watch the kitchen and wood fired oven.  Indoor the bar is separate from the dining area that has a combination of copper topped tables and booths.  Service was hurried and poor – for example we were told when the server arrived that the daily special was all gone (15 minutes after they opened) then later were told it was still available but she could not change the order we placed. Continue reading →

Huitrerie Regis, Paris, 12/2/16

~ hsnixon ~ Leave a comment
img_7351
exterior

Huitrerie Regis is a tiny place that soon after opening has a line to get in, as they are reputed to serve the best oysters in town. That’s the main thing they serve and they come in a couple sizes and varieties but they also have sea urchin, clams and shrimp.  All the trays come on a bed of seaweed and ice and are served on an elevated stand on the table. They offer several wines to go with but with the limited options I imagine the line moves fairly well but there are only 7 tables for two.  We chose to each have a La Dégustation which features a dozen of their most common oyster, Fines de Claires No. 3, a glass of wine and coffee.  The table is set with bread, butter, a vinegar sauce, packaged hand wipes and nice cloth napkins. The staff were very friendly, fun and spoke plenty of English. I found it humorous that their young helper had a pizza delivered for his dinner! Their oysters were ultimately fresh and tasty but certainly not a stuffer meal. Continue reading →