We’re lucky to have a lot of best oyster restaurants in Seattle given the abundance of oysters in the Pacific Northwest. In fact, Washington State is the largest producer of hatchery-reared and farmed shellfish in the US and accounts for about 25% of the total domestic production by weight, according to the Pacific Shell Institute.
Washington is the perfect spot for oysters because these bivalves do best in areas where fresh water meets sea, and we have a lot of that. I actually thought I didn’t like oysters growing up because I’m used to oysters on the east coast that tend to be larger, chewier, and saltier. Pacific oysters, on the other hand, are usually smaller, sweeter, and less briny, making for a pleasant raw oyster experience for beginners and oyster lovers alike.
If you’re like me and can’t get enough of raw oysters on the half shell, here’s my guide on the best oyster restaurants in Seattle. I’ll even shout out which places have good fried oysters and the best oyster happy hours, too.
Best Oyster Restaurants in Seattle
Save this to Pinterest for later because I’ll keep this list of Seattle oyster restaurants and their happy hour deals updated. Happy slurping!
The Walrus and the Carpenter
website | 4743 Ballard Ave NW (Ballard)
The Walrus and the Carpenter is one of my all around go-to Seattle restaurants. I love them so much I included them in my list of the best restaurants in North Seattle and my self-guided Seattle food tour of Ballard.
It’s owned by James Beard-winning chef and restauranteur, Renee Erickson, who owns a few different restaurants around Seattle. The Walrus and the Carpenter was one of her early ones and is styled after the oysters bars in the seaside towns of France. It has a bunch of different seafood dishes, and even the best steak tartare in Seattle, but fresh oysters is its bread and butter.
When you arrive at this small, stylish restaurant you’ll immediately see the raw bar with baskets of local oysters. They’ve pretty much always sourced oysters from Hama Hama Oysters in the Hood Canal, so it’s funny that Renee actually ended up marrying a Hama Hama employee.
I love starting my meal with a platter of raw oysters, followed by some of their excellent fried oysters, grilled sardines, and steak tartare. If you want to recreate this order, I wouldn’t blame you!
oyster happy hour details
The Walrus and the Carpenter’s oyster happy hour runs Monday – Thursday from 4 pm – 5 pm. You get $1 off oysters during this time. They also offer steeper discounts seasonally. For example, I’ve seen tray discounts on Wednesdays during summer and extended oyster happy hour times during winter. Check their Instagram for updates!
Taylor Shellfish Farms
website | 1521 Melrose Ave (Capitol Hill), 410 Occidental Ave S (Pioneer Square), & 124 Republican St (Queen Anne)
Taylor Shellfish Farms is another one of the best oyster restaurants in Seattle to get fresh oysters because it’s one of the largest oyster farmers in the state. One of the best things to do in Skagit Valley is go up to their farm and slurp fresh shucked oysters while looking out at the sea, but now you don’t have to make the drive to get their sweet shellfish.
oyster happy hour details
Taylor Shellfish Farms has happy hour at all of their Seattle oyster bars. The Pioneer Square and Queen Anne locations are Monday – Friday from 3 pm-5 pm (except game days in Pioneer Square). Capitol Hill runs the same days, but from 2 pm – 4 pm instead.
You can get single oysters for $2.25 during happy hour at all their locations. The Queen Anne location also offers the deal of a full dozen for $27.
RockCreek
website | 4300 Fremont Ave N (Fremont) & 89 Kirkland Ave (Kirkland)
RockCreek is hands down one of the best fish restaurants in Seattle, which means they’ve got excellent oysters. I love them so much I included them as a stop on my Fremont self-guided food tour.
The raw oysters here are quite good, but they’re pricier than others at more than $4 each regardless of the style. One interesting spin, though is you’ll find ~$9 oyster shooters. If you, like me, thought that meant it came in a tall shooter glass like the ones that are popular during the hors d’oeuvres hour at weddings, you’d be wrong. They’re actually one oyster on the half shell with a shot of liquor, usually sake!
All of this is to say they have a strong oyster on the half shell program. However, my favorite version of this irresistible bivalve is their fried oysters served during brunch. They’re served with bacon as part of an eggs Benedict that put this spot on my list of the best brunch places in Seattle.
oyster happy hour details
RockCreek has $3 oysters during happy hour at their Seattle location, about $1 off the main menu price. You can’t choose which ones you get, but the chef’s selection prioritizes what’s fresh.
In Kirkland, they offer $18 half or $36 full dozen oysters during happy hour.
White Swan Public House
website | 1001 Fairview Ave N (South Lake Union)
White Swan Public House is one of the best restaurants in South Lake Union. It sits right on Lake Union and has epic views, plus a really mean clam chowder poutine that rivals some of the best clam chowder in Seattle.
But we’re here to talk about why this is one of the best oyster restaurants in Seattle. Like any true seafood restaurant they have raw oyster platters available on their menu. Like RockCreek they charge a flat ~$3.50 per oyster, reduced to ~$3 after your first dozen.
Unlike some of the other oyster bars in Seattle, they have drink specials with oysters. For example, you can get a half dozen with bubbly for a discounted rate.
Another difference is they don’t let you choose your oyster…in fact they don’t even put the style on the menu. This is not so nice for people who are interested in the different oyster farms, but is less overwhelming for the oyster beginner.
Oyster happy hour details
White Swan Public House’s happy hour runs Monday – Friday from 3 pm – 5 pm and you can get $2 chef’s choice oysters.
Westward
website | 2501 N Northlake Way (Northlake)
Westward is another Lake Union spot on my list of the best Seattle restaurants with a view. It’s also another restaurant owned by Renee Erickson, which means it’s Instagram worthy inside.
This seafood restaurant has a lot of shellfish goodies. You can buy raw fresh oysters at market price individually, or you can get a seafood tower with things like shrimp, the best ceviche in Seattle, and more. These start at ~$90, so they’re best for a group!
Oyster Happy Hour Details
Westward doesn’t offer an oyster happy hour at the moment.
Boat Bar
website | 1060 E Union St (Capitol Hill)
This will be the last Renee Erickson restaurant, I swear. It’s just that she owns a lot of the best oyster restaurants in Seattle given her dedication to the shellfish.
Boat Bar used to be called Bar Melusine, but they rebranded during the pandemic and positioned it more as the bar of their connecting steakhouse, Bateau (which has one of Seattle’s best burgers, by the way).
You’ll find a more limited menu than what was available at Bar Melusine, but luckily oysters on the half shell are still a focus. You can expect them to be locally sourced from Hama Hama and just as good as their sister restaurants.
oyster happy hour details
Get $1 off oysters from 5 to 6 pm Wednesday through Monday.
Seatown Market & FishFry / Half Shell
Seatown website | Half Shell website | Downtown locations: 2010 Western Ave (Seatown) & 2020 Western Ave (Half Shell)
Seatown is owned by another famous Seattle restauranteur you might have heard of: Tom Douglas. I used to like to stop in during my lunch break when I worked downtown for their famous fish sandwich. For happy hour we’d go for the $1 oysters at Etta’s, their now-closed fancier restaurant next door. Luckily Seatown also has oysters so you can still get your fix while touring Pike Place Market.
Like some of the other Seattle oyster restaurants, Seatown charges a flat $4.50 fee per oyster with a discounted half dozen or full dozen order. What’s different though is they get their oysters from Penn Cove, an area off Whidbey Island known for mussels and shellfish. You typically need to head to Whidbey Island restaurants or take a Whidbey day trip to get your hand on oysters, but luckily you can find them closer to home at Seatown.
Oyster Happy Hour Details
Unfortunately Seatown doesn’t have happy hour. However, their fancier sit-down restaurant next door, Half Shell, has $2 oysters everyday from 3-6 pm.
Elliott’s Oyster House
website | 1201 Alaska Way (Downtown)
Elliott’s Oyster house is right on Pier 56 near all the tourist attractions on the waterfront. While I don’t usually recommend going to these types of places, it’s a great place to slurp back some oysters with wine and views of Puget Sound.
You’ll find a pretty extensive oyster list ranging from $3.25 to $3.75 per oyster. All of the oysters are from Washington state and the staff will gladly walk you through what to expect flavor profile-wise for each.
oyster happy hour details
Every Monday through Friday from 2:30 pm – 4:30 pm, enjoy $2.50 oysters (max 2 dozen per guest). This is one off the best happy hours in Seattle to get your oyster fix!
Seabird
website | 133 Winslow Way (Bainbridge Island)
Seabird is the more upscale seafood-focused restaurant of the Hitchcock Restaurant Group. It’s been recognized in a bunch of national food magazines for their commitment to sustainably-caught seafood and using produce grown on their farm. You can expect beautifully-plated dishes using fresh, seasonal ingredients. This spot is worth a day trip to Bainbridge to experience Bainbridge’s best restaurants!
Oyster Happy Hour Details
Seabird has one of the longest happy hours around. On Thursdays and Fridays it’s only from 3 – 5 pm, but on Saturdays and Sundays it’s 12 – 5 pm. They offer $2 buck shucks that come in half and full dozen platters.
Frank’s Oyster House & Champagne Parlor
website | 2616 NE 55th St (Ravenna)
Frank’s is one of the OG spots to get oysters in Seattle. It’s inspired by the oyster bars in Boston, so expect an unfussy atmosphere with a focus on sourcing reliably good oysters.
Oyster Happy Hour Details
Frank’s offer $2.50 oysters on their happy hour menu Tuesday through Saturday from 5 – 6 pm.
Vinnie’s Wine Shop
website | 2502 2nd Ave #103 (Downtown)
Vinnie’s is a cocktail bar that has a surprisingly good seafood menu. I still remember the gorgeous seafood tower I got the first time I visit, which was expertly paired with bubbles and natural wines.
Oyster Happy Hour Details
Vinnie’s offers a $2 oyster happy hour Tuesday through Saturday from 4 – 5pm.
Where Ya At Matt
website | various locations (food truck)
No list of the best oyster restaurants in Seattle would be complete without a nod to the oyster ‘po boy. This fried oyster sandwich is everywhere in New Orleans, and chef Matt brings one of the best versions to Seattle through his food truck Where Ya At Matt.
Oyster Happy Hour Details
Not applicable, since food trucks don’t typically have happy hours!
Other ways to get your seafood fix
Once you make your way through the best oyster restaurants in Seattle, try these other fish restaurants and dishes.
- Best Clam Chowder in Seattle
- Must-Try Ceviche in Seattle
- My Favorite Poke Shops in Seattle
- Where to Buy Fresh Seafood in Seattle
- Seattle Fish Restaurants You Have to Try
- Fish with Mango-Tomatillo Salsa (recipe)
- Smoked Salmon Stuffed Shells (recipe)
- Salmon with Pistachio-Cacao Gremolata (recipe)
- Easy Italian Fish Soup (recipe)
