Situated right at the bottom of the coast of Florida, it’s safe to say that Key West is one of the best locations in America to find tasty oysters.
Trying to find the best oysters in Key West is no mean feat, especially if you’re visiting on vacation or are new to the area.
That’s why we’ve put together this helpful list of the best oysters in Key West to get you started! You can rest assured that you’ll be able to find the tastiest, freshest oysters around in these restaurants.
We’ve reviewed over 50 restaurants to find the best oysters around in Key West. So you’ll know that you’re in for a treat when you step foot into one of the restaurants we’ve reviewed in more detail below!
Let’s take a look at the best oysters in Key West.
Best oysters in Key West
Alonzo’s Oyster Bar
700 Front St, Key West, FL 33040
305-600-3405
https://alonzosoysterbar.com/
There’s something special about Alonzo’s Oyster Bar. This is the place to go if you want to find the best oysters that Key West has to offer.
All of the seafood that’s offered on the menu at Alonzo’s Oyster Bar has been caught fresh off the water and is delivered right to your plate.
There is such an impressive selection of both seafood and non-seafood dishes that you’re sure to find something to suit everyone. Even the fussiest eaters in your family!
The oysters are the star of Alonzo’s Oyster Bar menu. Right from the small plates to larger options, there’s something to suit every oyster hungry palate.
Start off with the baked oyster combo before getting more adventurous. This particular dish features spinach, key lime garlic, and buffalo oysters to really get you in the mood for some tasty shellfish.
Larger parties that are passionate about shellfish should opt for the range of seafood towers. These have an abundance of oysters on the menu, as well as a range of other seafood to tempt your taste buds.
This includes king crab, clams, peel and eat shrimp, calamari, mussels, lobster tails, and more depending on the seafood tower that you opt for.
You can even opt for an oyster specific tower if you’re really passionate about your oysters.
The raw bar menu has an impressive selection of oysters for you to choose from. This includes Blue Point, BeauSoleil, Kumamoto, Island Creek, and Hammer Head.
Each of these oysters will vary in flavor and texture depending on the environments that they’ve been farmed from.
No matter what kind of oysters you’re after, it’s safe to say that Alonzo’s Oyster Bar will be able to cater to your every shellfish need. There’s also a range of other great dishes on the menu to suit every palate.
Half Shell Raw Bar
231 Margaret St, Key West, FL 33040
305-294-7496
http://halfshellrawbar.com/
If you’re looking for a range of both raw and cooked oysters, then the Half Shell Raw Bar should be your next stop. This restaurant boasts an impressive seafood menu to give you lots of choice.
What’s really interesting about this particular restaurant is that it’s the only seafood restaurant in Key West that has its own fish market!
So you’ll know that you’re eating truly fresh seafood that’s been caught hours before by the Half Shell Raw Bar fishing fleet.
Not sure where to start? Why not give the Raw Bar sampler a go. This gives you 2 raw oysters, 2 raw middleneck clams, and ¼ lb of peel and eat shrimp.
We’d recommend giving the gulf oysters a try from the Raw Bar menu. These have been voted as the best local oysters by Food & Wine Magazine, so you’ll know you’re eating the good stuff!
These oysters are served both regular and steamed. There’s also garlic cream oysters to try.
The starter menu has plenty of choices, too. Choose between oysters Rockefeller and the oysters sampler. The oyster sampler gives you 2 oysters Rockefeller, 2 Andouille oysters, and 2 garlic cream oysters.
The oysters Rockefeller gives you 6 fresh Gulf oysters, which have been broiled and then topped with the Half Shell Raw Bar’s signature Rockefeller mixture.
If hot oysters are where your taste buds are tempted to roam, then the Half Shell Raw Bar has you covered. Choose between the tempting oysters and chips, or the fried oysters.
There’s also a range of other great seafood dishes on the menu to satisfy all of your fish cravings.
Thirsty Mermaid
521 Fleming St, Key West, FL 33040
305-204-4828
http://thirstymermaidkeywest.com/
The Thirsty Mermaid will be another great stop on your tour of all the best seafood restaurants in Key West.
This particular restaurant is proud to feature fresh local seafood on its menu, including a tempting selection of oysters from both the East and West Coats.
These tend to rotate daily so as to take advantage of what’s available on the market. There’s also a full raw bar so that you can make the most of the oysters available in Key West.
The raw bar features a range of market oysters. These are charged at market price, which can vary from day to day depending on the oysters available.
Seeing as the oyster selection is dependent on the market, you can rest assured that you’re buying the freshest oysters around.
There’s also a choice of platters if you want to sample a range of other great seafood as well as oysters. Choose between the Mermaid platter or the Mermaid royale platter.
There are also oysters on the Happy Hour menu. For just $5 you’ll get ½ dozen Apalachicola oysters.
This will be great for those who love to eat oysters and want to fill up on their favorite snack for a more reasonable price.
When it comes to the main menu, there are two central oyster dishes for you to choose from. These are oysters Rockefeller, and fried oysters.
This gives you the perfect choice between raw and cooked oysters, so you can enjoy your favorite shellfish any way you fancy.
Conch Republic Seafood Company
631 Greene St, Key West, FL 33040
305-294-4403
http://www.conchrepublicseafood.com/
The Conch Republic Seafood Company prides itself on serving you the freshest seafood around. This particular restaurant works to deliver you fresh dock-to-dish seafood for you to enjoy throughout the year.
So you can rest assured that you’re getting the freshest possible oysters around!
The oysters take center stage on the raw bar menu. You can choose between raw or steamed oysters. Oysters are steamed in the Conch Republic Seafood Company’s signature clam broth to give it that extra pizzazz.
You can also choose between ½ dozen oysters or a dozen. Whichever takes your fancy!
If you prefer your oysters cooked, then you should opt for the baked oysters off the specialty menu. These oysters have been freshly shucked, then topped with braised callaloo and parmesan cheese.
Once the oysters have been baked, they’re finished with a drizzle of roasted garlic aioli.
There is also a range of other seafood and non-seafood dishes on the menu.
This makes the Conch Republic Seafood Company the perfect choice for those who have fussy family members. There’ll be something for everyone at this particular restaurant!
Pinchers
712 Duval St, Key West, FL 33040
305-440-2179
http://www.pinchersusa.com/
There are several great Pinchers restaurants dotted throughout Florida. The Key West location is just as impressive as its sister restaurants, and gives you plenty of oysters to choose from across the whole menu.
You’ll be spoilt for choice when it comes to Pinchers!
The raw bar highlights the finest oysters that Pinchers have to offer. These particular oysters have been harvested from the Gulf, so you can rest assured that they are beautifully fresh.
You can choose between having them served regularly, or whether you want them steamed. There’s also a choice of ½ dozen oysters or a dozen oysters - whichever takes your fancy.
In terms of hot food, there’s also plenty of oysters to tempt you. Why not opt for fried oysters? Or perhaps a po’boy sandwich takes your fancy.
This has been crammed with tasty grouper nuggets, shrimp, and of course, oysters.
You can choose between whether your main ingredients have been deep fried or sautéed before they’re put on a hoagie roll and completed with lettuce, tomato, and a side of Cajun mayonnaise.
There’s also a range of other great tasting seafood on the menu to suit every palate. You could opt for the raw bar oysters to start your meal, and then finish off with another shellfish entirely if it took your fancy.
In summary
And there you have it! You now know the best places to go in Key West to find the tastiest oysters. Why not make a real trip of it and visit each of the restaurants that we’ve reviewed in more detail above?
No matter what type of oysters you’re looking for, you can rest assured that you’ll find them in one of the restaurants above. You’re now armed with all the shellfish knowledge you need to make the most of the fresh, local oysters that Key West has to offer!
