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Oyster House
Category: Restaurants Seafood Seafood [Edit]
1516 Sansom StPhiladelphia, PA 19102
Neighborhoods: Rittenhouse Square, Penn Center
(215) 567-7683
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 11:30 am - 11 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Trendy
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
233 reviews for Oyster House
Review Highlights
"The buck a shuck happy hour lives up to the hype."
(in 21 reviews)
"A squeeze of lemon, horseradish and cocktail sauce."
(in 12 reviews)
"I love the oyster crackers and horseradish on the bar."
(in 6 reviews)
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233 reviews in English
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Review from Nicole L.
I came here yesterday during Philly Restaurant Week, and Oyster House was a class act from beginning to end. Super easy in makin' reservations, followed by immediate seating in an airy and hip environment. This place is staffed by cute friendlies that know exactly what they're talking about, after we put 'em to the test with our many questions about the food.
Their RW menu was offerin' a pretty wide array of choices which our group shared amongst each other --
apps: raw oysters and clams, calamari, clams casino, baby lettuce salad
entrees: lobster roll, sauteed flounder
dessert: coconut tres leches cake, chocolate torte
Everything was simply amazing and I'm so glad we were able to experience such a wide range of the Oyster House menu. The lobster roll was amazing with a generous scoop of lobster and soft buttery roll; however, its regular price of $26 makes it a little steep considering the overall portion that you get.
Super tip - get a dark and stormy cocktail, which is made with Oyster House's housemade ginger beer. Fantastic! -
Review from Sarah K.
Philadelphia, PA
1/27/2012
Big fan of this spot. The hostess was great (and they always answer the phone - a big plus!) and really nice about scheduling and rescheduling our rez.
Inside, the space is light, airy, fresh, and comfortable. A little noisy, but that's more than made up for by servers who know their way around every oyster in the house and who take the time to really listen to you to give you a great recommendation. A very approachable spot, especially for folks who may be newer to oysters.
The bartenders are great (and are regularly featured in cocktail competitions - with good reason: their sazerac's are a win), and the food is always terrific. My shrimp salad (same as the shrimp roll, but on greens) was rich but still nicely light. Maybe a smidge pricier than I like, but they don't scrimp on the seafood here. All around a great experience. -
Review from Tawny V.
Philadelphia, PA
1/17/2012
This restaurant is great! I enjoyed everything from the decor and music to the food and drinks. Here's what I've tried here:
Lobster roll: they really don't skimp on the lobster and it comes on a buttery French roll.
Grilled bluefish: also awesome; the apples add a little sweet surprise
Manhattan clam chowder: pretty good, but I don't have the need to order it again when I go back
Anchovy appetizer: it was ok. good flavors, but I'm just not a big fan of anchovies.
Raw bar: the oysters were all REALLY good! I don't remember which ones we got, but the staff is always very helpful and have good suggestions.
Mother's ruin punch: awesome! But I'm also biased because I love gin, grapefruit, and sparkling wine lol There was some other stuff in there too, but it was definitely a winning combination :)
They also have a happy hour here. $1 oysters and $5 cocktails?! Sold.
The only drawback I can think of is that it closes at 11pm which I feel is a bit early :( Oh and it also get rather pricey =/ But it's ok, that's what happy hour specials are for :))) -
Review from Tina L.
Germantown, MD
Definitely sit at the raw bar. Amazing happpy hour prices. Remember to tip the shuckers! We were the only ones who did (seems like we set an example). Great small plates full of flavor. We had the smoked bluefish and grilled octopus. Lobster roll bread is to die for. Lobster meat is very tender and fresh.
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Review from Todd F.
Collegeville, PA
2/2/2012 1 Check-in Here
Love this place! Any time I am in the mood for oysters (which is often), we end up here. Whether its for happy hour, dinner or a random stop, this is our go to place for oysters.
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Review from Matthew B.
Lionville, PA
1/8/2012
Happy hour = oystererious happiness.
Girlfriend and I got tipped off to the Friday happy hour special by - get this! - a couple of west coast out of towners at El Vez over one of those outstanding margaritas. A happy hour that extends until 11pm? Buck a shuck? $7 gruner vetliner by the glass? Oyster shooter specials? Holy shellfish batman!
Add to that a cool sushibar-like feel and a hoppin' crowd and we have a winner.
[bad Arnold accent] I'll be baaaaaccckkkkkkk..... -
Review from Sean G.
Philadelphia, PA
Updated - 1/8/2012
We've been to Oyster House multiple times since my first review. Every experience has been fantastic. Great food, great service, and an all around wonderful dining experience. We love Oyster House so much that we even get gift certificates for the restaurant from family members for the holidays. Last night, we took advantage of a gift certificate and headed out to Oyster House for dinner...
We stumbled upon Saturday night Happy Hour which featured on of our favorite oysters for $1 a shuck (the Great Bays). Unfortunately, our dining experience was not like those in the past. The service was pressuring us throughout our meal by attempting to clear our plates even when we weren't done with our food. Our oyster shooters came out warm instead of chilled and went down hard. They brought our food (Lobster Rolls) out before our drinks even came out, let alone our oysters leaving us to wonder how many premade sandwiches they have in the back...
The reason I'm posting this review is not to discourage you from going to Oyster House. Instead its meant to highlight how a restaurant is supposed to deal with a poor showing. The manager was gracious enough to come to our table and apologize for the service issues and comp'd our Oysters and Oyster shooters...
Oyster House is a great place to dine. It has a great atmosphere and great food (see my first review). I was impressed with their response to their poor showing last night. I want to pass along these issues encountered during Happy Hour to you as the consumer. Go support Oyster House but beware of the difference in experience between regular dining hours and happy hour.
Overall: 4.0 starsListed in: The Ultimate List, My 'Last Meal' in Philadelphia
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/11/2010
Price: 3.5 stars
Location: 3.5 stars
Food: 4 stars
Ambiance: 4.5 stars
Service: 4 stars
Recommendations:… Read more »
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Review from brandon r.
Washington, DC
12/31/2011
Loved this place! In Philly for a short visit, my friend and I love oysters so decided to check this place out.
Cute interior, great staff, awesome happy hour deals, and fresh, fresh oysters!
Will come back every time we visit!
Loved it! -
Review from Vanessa H.
Philadelphia, PA
12/22/2011
$1 oysters at happy hour, and drink specials? Nice. Had a great time. Staff was attentive, not pushy, and refreshingly unsnotty about our focus on the happy hour specials. Both beer and oysters were great. One type of oyster goes on special, but they have a good list of others if you want to pick and choose.
I'd come back for dinner (lobstah roll, what). I like the high tables and window seating up front. It's a classy place, but not stuffy. Good date spot. But what's up with the pottery on the back walls? -
Review from Christina Q.
Philadelphia, PA
1/12/2012
Oyster House wowed me during Restaurant Week, in my opinion that speaks volumes! I believe that Restaurant Week is a week of restaurants being in the weeds, so many restaurants fall victim to the crowds. With that in mind I went to Oyster House with lowered expectations. Boy or boy did they hold their own and prove me wrong! Their food was incredible and I cannot wait to go back! Most amazing of all was the lobster roll. Buttery, toasty roll & wonderfully prepared lobster salad. Yum! I wish I could eat this all the time! And to clarify, these 5 stars are not "5 stars considering it was Restaurant Week" it's an unequivocal "5 stars for Oyster House"!
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Review from kathleen d.
Philadelphia, PA
11/8/2011
Don't forget to tip your shuckers! We've stopped into Oyster House on many a Sansom stroll and never, not even once, have we ever received an oyster with even the slightest bit of sand or grit. Lots and lots of perfect oysters from oyster-shucking pros. Buck-a-Shuck happy hour is pretty excellent, but any time's a good time for oysters, if you're asking me.
Great oysters of all persuasions can be found here: briny East Coasters, sweet, wavy-shelled West Coasters... I love them all. I do love an oyster. I try not to drive everyone crazy with my absurd rants about potential East Coast, West Coast oyster feuds as they slosh around in our stomachs after one of our oyster feasts.
I bring the oysters together. Malpeques, meet the oysters of Fanny Bay British Columbia! You oysters would have NEVER crossed paths if not for me. And now you oysters have found some common ground cause I'm gonna eat you all.
So now I've said the word "oyster" thirteen times. Ah, that makes it fourteen. The point is, here's a the spot to try them all.Listed in: Snack Strolling the City
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Review from Beverly K.
Gladwyne, PA
1/22/2012
Three of us had dinner last night and everything was as good as it gets! The seafood was so fresh and well prepared. There were two standouts for me that others haven't mentioned, the smoked bluefish appetizer with endive and the sweet potato fries. They were substituted for the lobster roll fries. The only problem was they didn't have the bluefish entree.
Good, consistent food, service was a 4 out of 5 -
Review from Kelly C.
1/7/2012
free oyster with check in at foursquare!
pricey but delicious! love the roasted oysters, the flavors r unique and appetizing... but they disappear so quickly after one slurp! it's like one slurp.. one bill walks away... another slurp.. another bill runs away... couple more ... check please! .. b4 they make me do the dishes b/c my wallet is empty :P
the order they recommend u eating in for the sampler:
Rockefeller is good~ with its spices.. n not so much cheese or unnecessary flavors..
toscana is my favorite b/c it has garlic :)
the cajun style one.. - most powerful and spicy! good stuff, but one is enough.. i don't know if i can eat multiples of this haha b/c it'll kill all my taste buds in the end.
the southern fried oysters is not worth getting in my opinion... they all shrunk down to the size of a plankton on my plate!
new england clam chowder... YUM~~~ lots of chunks, and creamy! i love it -
Review from Annie W.
Philadelphia, PA
12/7/2011 3 Check-ins Here
This is probably one of my favorite places for Happy Hour in Philly. For a buck an oyster, you can't beat that and I totally crazy for oysters. I could eat like 3 dozens of these suckers alone J their oyster shooter priced at $3 each shot is worth the try. It can be a little strong; I think if I have 2 of these, I will be good. The Kensinger beer is priced at $3 a pint which goes very well with my oyster. I normally have the fried calamari and some raw clams here too. The calamari is very crispy and fresh. As for the oysters, they open it right in front of you - so you know it is definitely FRESH. There is no fishy smell and I normally do not find any shell in it.
The atmosphere and service of this place is wonderful. It had very nice décor and the bartender is very attentive. I always go here during happy hour and it always crowded - if you show here after 6pm - it's hard to find a seat around the bar or the oyster bar. -
Review from pauline l.
Philadelphia, PA
11/13/2011
If I weren't a po' student, I'd probably eat here all the damn time. Beautifully, freshly done seafood. I've come here for restaurant week twice and plan to go again next time! I really enjoyed the clams casino, fresh oysters, and dessert of my restaurant week meal last time, but the lobster roll blew me away -- TONS of lobster meat, minimal mayonnaise. No skimping on portions!
This is one place I absolutely want to come back to in order to pay full price for a rare treat. I think I should suggest it for my parents when they come for my graduation. :) -
Review from Victoria L.
Philadelphia, PA
11/28/2011
Oysters and cocktails here are always great. Lobster rolls are intensely rich, but worth it if you come hungry. The lobster chunks are huge, the roll is super buttery. Never ordered anything here that I didn't like. Service is pretty good considering how busy it is.
I've never passed it during Buck a Shuck happy hour without a crowd. Not exactly the relaxing environment I prefer after work, so I have yet to enjoy that deal. -
Review from elanya m.
Philadelphia, PA
10/16/2011
I went to Oyster house during restaurant week (yeah I know) and had a great time considering the wait.
We had a party of three and we were seated right away but once seated the waitress didn't come over to us for over 15 minutes to even ask for our drink order. I didn't let it sway my feelings on the food which was pretty good. The lobster roll is awesome and tasted pretty good compared to the Maine lobster roll ( from the clam shack) I had a few weekends before. The oysters and clams casino were decent.
The atmosphere is nice but the lights seemed a bit too bright also some tunes might help out as well since the open feeling really does work for the space.
Definitely worth a try if you love lobster rolls. I will be back soon OH. -
Review from John L.
Philadelphia, PA
11/28/2011
My favorite happy hour in all of philly!!! you must go for dollar oysters...its a slam dunk... the oyster shooters and the drink specials are typically fantastic...
From the menu, my favorite item is the lobster roll. I bring people from out of town all the time and they love this joint. Great date spot too... -
Review from Alison E.
Philadelphia, PA
12/12/2011
I was really excited to go here for a B-Day dinner and had heard only amazing things, but I was fairly disappointed. the service was terrible..they forgot my soup..the carafe of wine was definitely smaller than they told you it would be..and the food was just "ehh". I think the service was really what kind of set me off, so maybe I'll give it another try, but the food honestly seemed like something I could have gotten at any local seafood place in the city.
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Review from Erik s.
12/19/2011
For the price point I honestly think you can get a better dinner at plenty of other places, but I'm giving it 4 stars and I still come back. Why? B/c they have one of the best lobster rolls ever - better then plenty of Boston L rolls that I have had. Plus they have buck a shuck happy hours...yeah buddy! Other perks: their sweet potatoes and their oyster shooters -if you want to start the night off entirely the wrong way....it's good times....but large quantity of booze and oysters especially consumed at the same time in a shot glass will ruin your late night and the next morning....and afternoon.
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Review from Diego U.
Philadelphia, PA
11/14/2011 1 Check-in Here
This place is amazing. Not only is the decor really nicely designed, but this place is great if you're in the mood for some clams. I, myself don't really like Oysters but I didn't let the title fool me. These guys serve clams as well and other great seafood dishes. Our waitress was great, and very knowledgeable.
I ordered the the 12x cherry-stone clams, which was more than enough to satisfy my craving and my girlfriend Ashley ordered the steamers which were amazing as well. We both decided to share the Shrimp salad roll sandwich and let me tell you its was so good we licked our fingers clean!
- Great Atmosphere
- Great Seafood
- Amazing for Brunch -
Review from Kevin W.
Conshohocken, PA
9/19/2011 3 photos
Yet to make it here in time for buck a shuck but still trying. I can tell you though that the beer selection is lacking, a lot. I'm pretty picky with making sure I have many beers to choose from when eating oysters and that doesn't seem like it will happen here. The set up was pretty cool and it was a very nice looking bar. I'd like to see much more selection there in the future though. At this point I may have to go to Nineteen for the oysters as they have a much broader (traditional) beer selection.
Bottom line; Worth checking out if you're into the raw oysters scene. Limited beer and liquor selection.
REVISED; Finally had some oysters! Had some little necks too. Both pretty good. Had the James River oysters. Not the best I've had but up there in quality. Went there Saturday night at 9:30 and it was MOBBED. Had to wait for about 30 minutes till some bar seats opened up and then just grabbed them. Service was quick and food was tasty. My GF had the blue fish. It was actually pretty tasty. If you like oysters, give this place a shot! -
Review from Christine B.
Philadelphia, PA
12/2/2011 3 Check-ins Here
Excellent happy hour. I went on a Thursday night around 6. It was crowded, but my friend managed to snag two seats at the bar. During happy hour they have one beer on special, a special cocktail, and oyster shooters, as well as the buck a shuck. The oyster option that night was from James River. They were awesome oysters, and they were fully shucked, just mentioning that because another reviewed said their's were not. The bartender was very attentive. They have a nice draft list. I had a Yard's Love Stout and then the Kenzinger which was on special. Very business professional crowd and it really clears out after 7.
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Review from Christina P.
Philadelphia, PA
9/19/2011 1 Check-in Here
So amazing!
I scoured the menus for the list of restaurants participating in this year's restaurant week , and this seemed to be one of the best deals (4 courses for $35). They also don't take reservations through OpenTable (they normally don't at all, but they are for RW!) so getting a table at a decent time is slightly easier since most people don't know this.
We made an 8:30 reservation and ended up waiting 20 minutes for our table, enduring the fake smiles and excuses from the hostess. I used to host, and I am well aware that "we're setting up your table" means f off for at least another 10 minutes. Anyway, we sat down eventually and started with a half carafe of the house white ($20) which was pretty good and gave 3 of us almost a full wine glass. I will break the amazing food that followed down by course:
Soup: NE or manhattan clam chowder, or snapper turtle soup
We got the NE clam chowder, and it was flavorful and velvety. The waitress asked if it was ok that it contained bacon when we ordered and my friend responded with "is that ok? that's the best thing to happen to me all day!". Bacon made all the difference.
2nd: Salad with sherry vinaigrette or calamari
Trying to get my money's worth, i ordered the calamari which was good and not at all chewy. Served with a pickled long hot and tomato jam. I originally looked over the salad because come on, it's just lettuce, but the sherry vinaigrette was slightly creamy and delicious. I tried my friend's and wish I had ordered it for myself because I needed the room in my stomach!
3rd: lobster roll, crabcake or sauteed flounder
We all got the lobster roll, which was half the normal size but stuffed to the brim with tender lobster. The bun was buttery and crisp, and the mayo was so light that my friend didn't know it was there. The fries were crisp and flavorful.
4th: tres leches coconut cake or chocolate pudding
We all got the tres leches coconut cake and it was a good choice. This moist, creamy little cake was covered in shredded coconut and served with some kind of plum compote. I was almost ready to throw up from being so full at this point but I could not stop eating this.
Minus one star for the less than stellar service that had a little too much attitude for my taste, and for the communal oyster crackers that they leave out in the middle of the table. Someone could have sneezed on those before you. Individual packets please? Just a thought. -
Review from Thor T.
Philadelphia, PA
9/18/2011
Oyster House does Restaurant Week right! The four-course $35 dinner included some good choices, including the generous crab cake and the excellent lobster roll.
Not that all the food was four stars. The New England clam chowder contained too much thickener (it had already congealed upon arrival at the table) and the thickly breaded calamari were overly filling.
In the excellent category were the impeccably fresh oysters (Cape May Salts in this case) and the generous and beautifully done lobster roll - a real treat. Desserts were eminently forgettable, the wine list has some good choices reasonably priced.
The service is efficient, the atmosphere pleasant and light. -
Review from Jessica M.
Woodbury, NJ
8/10/2011 1 Check-in Here
You know all those Joe's Crab Shack commercials that have been on lately? The ones where pots full of colorful and tasty-looking shellfish and mollusks are being passed around alongside golden, sweating beers between groups of smiling groups of friends? That's the kind of dinner my friend and I were looking for, but without actually going to Joe's Crab Shack.
Enter Oyster House's Tuesday Night Dump Dinner.
For just $19 each, the table was covered with newspaper and we were presented with a huge pot filled with oysters, mussels, coins of sausage, shrimp, two small ears of corn, a few red potatoes and one crab each, all sprinkled generously, but unevenly with Old Bay. We added the bucket of Miller High Life ponies to our meal and dug in enthusiastically.
It was definitely a fun experience, but the seafood actually fell a little short. I've never done the Crab Thing before, but my friend is an experienced picker. Her comment that the crabs were overcooked echoed my thoughts about the rest of the pot's seafood contents. The potatoes, corn and sausage were all right on, but not the reason we ordered the meal.
The oyster crackers and horseradish that sat on the table when we arrived were a nice start, and I wouldn't have minded picking on them a little longer while we waited for our appetizer. Said appetizer, the fried calamari, came out unbelievably (and actually a little too) fast, and was served with pickled long hots and a sweet tomato jam. I liked the condiments, but the calamari itself was just average. The combination of all parts on my fork at once was key.
I actually really liked the vibe of Oyster House, and some of the regular menu items look really tempting. I definitely want to try it again, but I won't bother with the Dump Dinner again. -
Review from Lisa G.
Richmond, VA
12/7/2011
Love this place! We were a table of 12'ish and EVERYONE enjoyed their food from appetizers to desserts... and it's hard to please a group that large. Oysters for every palate, perfectly prepared! The cocktails were perfect, too. The service could've been better, but I didn't complain one bit. It was a busy night, we were a large group, and it didn't matter since we were having so much fun anyway. My sister-in-law was in Philly earlier in the week and also ate there and loved it. I'll definitely go back.
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Review from Enid C.
7/29/2011
Philly Mag deemed this place 2011's Best Power Lunch for a reason. I felt so empowered afterward, I had to leave work for a bit just to try and let some of the power diffuse to the rest of the city.
These oysters are the real deal. They are the kind of oysters I get the urge to stuff sand inside, hoping they pop out some crazy pearls that look as perfect as these guys taste. Fresh, plump, delightfully slimy - incredibly refreshing on a hot day. I opted for the Cape May, but be aware that the raw bar menu changes seasonally.
The lobster roll (which, keep in mind, is not particularly large) is a whopping 26 bucks, but just try to divert your mind from that wee little fact as you take a bite of this glorious creation. The chunks of meat are large, tender, and full of flavor. The bun is toasted just right and generously buttered (but not too much!). As far as I can tell, there is nothing else quite like it in Philly thus far. My li'l dining buddy went for the OH burger, which was fine, but was clearly living in the shadow of its more attractive older (lobster) sister.
This place is definitely pricey, but I guess power has to come at some sort of cost. Be sure to come by during the buck a shuck happy hour to get more bang for your shuck. (I'm clever, I know) -
Review from Anna O.
Alexandria, VA
12/12/2011
mmmm. Bartender was extremely knowledge with the oyster menu and most importantly, the best drinks. I tried the "punches" which are their specialty tea infused cocktails. I arrived later in the evening and enjoyed the quiet atmosphere. I walked by earlier and the place was packed. Glad I coud wait several hours while the crowd died down.
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Review from CindyZoo L.
Manhattan, NY
9/28/2011
amazing oysters! This place has a great selection of fresh oysters. I've never had oysters as fresh & succulent as the ones here. I get so excited when I know I"ll be coming here for dinner! The waiters are also very knowledgeable & can help you pick out which oysters you'll probably like.
I've tried the lobster roll & it was good but not extraordinary -- tastes like the ones I've had in Maine. I think $26 is a bit expensive for it . I've also tried the lobster bake -- which was decent as well.
It's also super cute inside with the walls decorated with very pretty oysters plates!
This place makes me happy, so glad I found it! best oysters! =) -
Review from Morgan D.
7/27/2011 1 photo
Oyster House is a Philadelphia institution and it is famous for a reason. The buck a shuck happy hour lives up to the hype. The cocktails are delicious and strong so watch out! I really can probably only contribute two tidbits that may have not been covered already in all the other reviews.
A waitress told us that you can ask for any oysters "grilled". That means that they will throw them on the grill in the shells. They oysters steam in their own liquor and come out tender and smoky. It was a real treat!
At a place with such amazing seafood, i have no explanation for what possessed me to order the burger. I mean, i pride myself on being sort of a cheeseburger connoisseur. But i passed up what could have been a delicious lunch of cocktails and oysters to eat was turned out to be a sub-par burger. It was chewy, the cheese was too salty and pungent and the fried oyster on top was just an afterthought. That is prime lunch time that i will never get back and i truly regret it.Listed in: Burgers
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Review from Thao N.
6/17/2011 1 Check-in Here
The mister and I had our usual oyster cravings, so we decided to see what this infamous "happy hour" buck-a-shuck was all about.
Definitely come at 5 on the dot, if not, a bit earlier to ensure you will get a spot at the bar for happy hour. We thought we were wayyy early because the restaurant was empty. In the matter of 10 minutes or so, the place became a full house.
We started off with some oyster shooters, and we wish we didn't. I had the Chihuahua while he had the New Englander. I mean, they were... interesting to say the least? But they definitely did not settle well in our stomachs at all. This definitely limited our ability to annihilate oysters.
The oysters! They are fresh and shucked right in front of you. A squeeze of lemon, horseradish and cocktail sauce.. and you will be set.
I had a lobster bisque to-go. There was only a small piece of lobster, about a size of a nickel amongst a lot of bisque.. where'd the rest go :( It was ok, nothing spectacular.
All in all, friendly prompt service. I'll be coming back for more oysters. -
Review from Karen F.
6/20/2011
Met a fellow yelper here for dinner and we both sprang for the $26 lobster rolls. Big, meaty and the real deal! Excellent - and the toasted, buttered top-split NE-Style bun was just right.
I subbed tender green beans ($2 up-charge, dang it!) for the fries.
My Arnold Palmer was quite tasty, too, with 1/2 iced tea and 1/2 "rosemary" lemonade. Herbaceous yet refreshing.
I would come back - but for the price (a bit too high) I won't be running back. -
Review from David A.
I was here twice this week. Much better to eat at the oyster bar. Even better to go during happy hour by 7PM and get $1 oysters. They are plump and tasty. A great value. Also tried other varieties from the regular menu and was not disappointed. I love the oyster crackers and horseradish on the bar. Brings back good childhood memories. Crackers are fresh, horseradish has a nice kick.
Good atmosphere. Better experiences this week than my first visit.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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11/11/2010
Nice friendly waitress and fairly lively lunch crowd in bright space set this place up for a… Read more »
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Review from Monica O.
Philadelphia, PA
6/1/2011
My number 2 spot when I get an itch for oysters. Oyster selection and quality here is great. I loved sitting at the raw bar and watching my oysters get shucked and beautifully plated just for my immediate consumption.
So glad I decided to come here for happy hour, especially when they offer a buck a shuck. The hostesses were very nice in getting us seated as quickly as possible even though there was a bit of a crowd. To kill time, I indulged in a Kenzinger beer and ugghh, I've never had to force a beer down like that; it was way too hoppy. Never again.
Loved, loved, loved the oyster shooters and the basket of fries! Can't wait to go back for another happy hour :) -
Review from Ron C.
Updated - 11/10/2011
My wife and I finally made it back last week for the buck a shuck happy hour. Although I am a fan of the British Colombia/West Coast Oysters, the East Coast Oysters that night were delish. $3.00 Kensingers and a bloody mary type oyster shooter were great. Can't wait to hit this up again for happy hour.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/5/2011
Another stop on our Saturday funday. While attending the 6th annual midtown village fall festival… Read more »
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Review from Ben P.
8/8/2011
A new oyster devotee and lifelong Philadelphian, I am embarassed to report that this was my first trip to the famed Oyster House.
It won't be my last.
Very cool atmosphere with lots of open sun, a crisp, modern bar area and an absolutely bad-ass raw bar. You can sit at the raw bar, watching the shuckers do their thing behind the short glass partition. Again, very cool.
We couldn't get a seat there during very the very popular 'buck-a-shuck' oyster happy hour, so we grabbed a table. Table service was excellent. Friendly, knowledgable server, efficient support staff.
Oyster selection was varried. Nice choices from up and down the East Coast and a couple of West Side picks. I got a nice mixed half-dozen and bowl of lobster bisque that was damn good.
For a mid-priced meal, or just some vodka and oysters at happy hour, this is the joint. -
Review from Laura S.
6/26/2011 1 Check-in Here
Sometimes in life, you are seized by a very specific craving. Sometimes this craving is easily satisfied, like when you are on your couch and suddenly crave Thin Mints and walk to the freezer and eat them. Voila, problem solved. Other times, cravings are more difficult to address. Such was the position I found myself in when I began inexplicably craving lobster rolls.
I say "inexplicably" because I had never had a lobster roll. I am not sure what put the idea into my head - but suddenly, it seemed all I could think about was big chunks of lobster on a hot dog roll. I don't usually like mayonnaise-based dressings so couldn't even be sure I'd like the lobster part of the lobster roll (hard to believe). But this was a craving that could not be ignored. Fulfilling this craving was somewhat challenging, as Philadelphia is not New England. Several Yelp talk threads can attest to the difficulty others have found satiating their lobster roll cravings in the area. I went with the general consensus and headed off to Oyster House.
I cannot speak to the general menu, service, or ambiance, as I was on a mission and not attending to these things. I walked in, walked up to the bar, and ordered a lobster roll. I also cannot speak of this lobster roll in comparison to any other, or in comparison to some kind of Platonic ideal of lobster roll-ness. But in my wholly uneducated opinion, I was served an incredibly awesome sandwich. Given, it was full of lobster, so that was not a hard thing to accomplish. The $26 price tag is a wee bit much - but again, lobster. I'll shut my mouth unless I'm shoving the lobster roll in it.Listed in: Ritten-hungry
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Review from David B.
7/7/2011
Let me preface this review by writing: This. Place. Is. Fantastic.
A craving for a good raw bar led me to Oyster House is Rittenhouse. To start off the evening we ordered Shibumi and Cape May Salt oysters. Both were fantastic. Typically I prefer Pacific oysters over Atlantic, but the Cape Mays were splendid, and much more meatier than their Shibumi counterparts. I would order the Cape Mays again in a heart beat.
We ordered a half carafe of red house wine. Good taste and nice nose (I won't attempt to describe either as I'm not a vino sophicate, but the wine was more than suitable for my taste).
For our two main dishes, which we shared, we ordered the scallops and striped bass on the recommendation of our server. Both proteins were excellent (make sure to leave the crispy skin on the bass - delish!), and the accompanying sides paired very well. -
Review from Tom D.
Washington, DC
7/18/2011
Love this place....oysters were delicious, great ambiance and solid service. We had the Shibumi, Miyagi and Cap May oysters -- all were outstanding. Good selection of beers and wines by the glass.
Would return.
