The New Orleans Menu

Where Are The Oyster Bars?

Fred asks:
Can you supply a list of New Orleans restaurants with actual oyster BARS?

Tom sez:
Oyster bars are a pain in the neck for any restaurateur who installs one on his premises. They require special employees to shuck the oysters, for starters. Oyster shuckers with even minimal skill are in short supply, let alone really good ones. Next, the logistical needs of an oyster bar--beds of ice, working with the rigorous laws about raw oysters, getting rid of the shells--are greater than for most menu items.

So, when a restaurant maintains an oyster bar, you know you're in a place that has made a major commitment to the serving of the bivalves.

The trend these days is away from oyster bars, even in restaurants that shuck their own. A good example of this is Drago's, a contender for best raw oyster restaurant in town. But Drago's no longer has a real oyster bar--you get the raw ones at the table.

Here are all the full-fledged oyster bars I know about, where you can walk up and order a dozen and eat them right there, seconds after the shucker pops them open. (If I missed any, let me know!)

Acme Oyster House. Metairie: 3000 Veterans Blvd. 309-4056.
Acme Oyster House. French Quarter: 724 Iberville. 522-5973.
Acme Oyster House. Covington: 1202 US 190 (Causeway Blvd.). 985-246-6155.
Bourbon House. French Quarter: 144 Bourbon. 522-0111.
Bozo’s. Metairie: 3117 21st Street. 831-8666.
Buster's Place. Covington: 519 E. Boston. 985-809-3880.
Casamento’s. Uptown: 4330 Magazine. 895-9761.
Cooter Brown’s. Riverbend: 509 S. Carrollton Ave. 866-9104.
Crescent City Brewhouse. French Quarter: 527 Decatur. 522-0571.
Deanie's Seafood. 841 Iberville. 581-1316.
Desire Oyster Bar. French Quarter: 300 Bourbon. 586-0300.
Felix’s. French Quarter: 739 Iberville. 522-4440.
Grand Isle. CBD: 575 Convention Center Blvd. 520-8530.
Harbor Seafood. Kenner: 3203 Williams Blvd.. 443-6454.
Luke. CBD: 333 St. Charles Ave.. 378-2840. French.
Morton’s Seafood. Madisonville: 702 Water. 845-4970.
Pascal’s Manale. Uptown: 1838 Napoleon Ave. 895-4877.
Red Fish Grill. French Quarter: 115 Bourbon. 598-1200.
Remoulade. French Quarter: 309 Bourbon. 523-0377. Creole.
Schaeffer's. 158 S Military Rd. 985-646-1728. Seafood.

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