Top ten places to get raw oysters
For this Top Ten on where to get the best raw oysters, I enlisted the help of Happy Eater and Beer Blogger Extraordinaire Rob Kasper and listened to the advice of various people who commented under my earlier post. I couldn't include all the suggestions because I wanted to offer a variety in terms of price and location, so do check out what others had to say. And please post below if I left your favorite out.
Here's my list: ...
* Blue Sea Grill next to Power Plant Live. The raw bar has always been my favorite part of this chic restaurant. Right now the selections are Chesapeake Bay oysters, Blue Points from New York, Island Creek oysters from Canada, Moonstones from Rhode Island and Cape May oysters.
* Faidley Seafood in the Lexington Market. This was where Happy Eater Rob had his best oysters in December, $8.40 for a half dozen "primes" from Oxford.
* Mama's on the Half Shell in Canton has salty Chincoteagues for $6 a half dozen during happy hour. Otherwise they are the same price as the Blue Points ($9.50). If you don't want them raw, the oyster stew, fried oysters and oysters Rockefeller are fabulous.
* McCormick & Schmick's in the Inner Harbor. When I called last week, I was told they had "about ten" varieties, and they cost about $10 or $11 a half dozen.
* Nick's Inner Harbor Seafood in the Cross Street Market, a favorite if you love traditional Baltimore places, had oysters from the Chesapeake Bay, Chincoteague, Va., and Louisiana for $7 a half dozen when Rob visited.
* McGarvey's Saloon & Oyster Bar in Annapolis offers Delmarva oysters from private beds. Normally they are $13.50 for a baker's dozen, but from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday until April 15 they are $5 a dozen or $2.50 a half dozen.
* Ocean Pride in Lutherville has been getting big, salty "primes" from the Delaware Bay for the past three or four months. They sell for $7.99 a half dozen except on Wednesday nights from 6 p.m. to close, when they are half-priced.
* Oceanaire Seafood Room in Harbor East says on its Web site "on any given day dozens of the freshest, most flavorful varieties can be found on our menu. Wellfleets from Massachusetts. Malpeques from Prince Edward Island. Kumamotos from Oregon." I called Friday and there were eight, with prices ranging from $2.15 to $2.50 apiece.
* Ryleigh's Oyster Bar in Federal Hill prides itself on offering a good variety, anywhere from four to eight kinds. A half dozen costs between $9 and $13 except at happy hour Tuesday through Friday when they are $1 each.
* Woodberry Kitchen in Woodberry/Hampden. I'm including this first because I was just there and I know the oysters are good now, and second because local oysters are a separate category on the menu. I love that. When I ate there the offerings were Choptank Sweets, Rappahannocks, Stingrays, Snow Hills, and Olde Salts. Prices fluctuate.
(Photo courtesy of Rob Kasper)
Comments
Nice roundup. I agree on Mama's oyster stew -- I can't resist that stuff. I'm still all about Ryleigh's happy hour deal.
A Chowhound poster also mentioned Ikan in Belvedere Square. In fact, we had a whole thread on this recently: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/474662
Posted by: Jon Parker | January 8, 2008 7:46 AM
I accidentally posted this on last week's column. So here it is again:
A little ways north-east of town, but my favorite place to "get" oysters is Richard's on Rt. 22 in Churchville. They carry choptanks, chincoteagues, blue points, and PEI oysters, and the choptanks, (my favorites) sell for $15.00 / 3 doz. You can't eat there, but at that price I don't mind standing over the kitchen sink with a shucking knife and a cold beer.
They also sell shucked oysters for around $12.00 / pt., and on Tuesdays those are 20% off.
Posted by: Charles | January 8, 2008 9:36 AM
Cross street market has better oysters than anywhere else I've tried. They are fresh-n-cold. Never a bad or metalic tast. OH SOOO GOOD!! With one of their double deuce Heinekens
Posted by: Necie | January 8, 2008 9:54 AM
Very suprised Nick's at the Cross Street Market isn't on here. They are hands down the best.
I thought it was.
Posted by: Buck | January 8, 2008 10:43 AM
Shultz's in Essex has excellent oysters also, they have a terrific raw bar.
Posted by: Louie | January 8, 2008 2:03 PM
Note to Buck--
You might want to re-read the list. Nick's is the 5th one on there.
Posted by: Bob | January 8, 2008 4:07 PM
Interesting, I read the list and wondered why Nick's wasn't on it as well. I now see it, but I think Nick's along with Mama's and Ryleigh's can get bypassed by one's eyes because they don't have a website. The other seven restaurants have hyperlinks, which bonds their respective names in a bright blue.
Posted by: Robert from Cross Keys | January 8, 2008 8:28 PM
The oyster prices reminded me of cruising down the Florida's panhandle coast not too recently and seeing a sign advertising, "Apalachicola oysters 65 cents 1/2". Sounded like a bargain, but even more so when we went in and found out that meant one dozen on the 1/2 shell. True story, (OK Elizabeth was a teenager.)
Brother Bim
Posted by: Frank H. Smith III | January 8, 2008 10:48 PM
Chain wise, I thought Oceanaire is the best. I want to correct my early post of the PEI oysters :)
Posted by: Eric | January 9, 2008 2:03 PM