Washington DC is a fantastic city. Being home to The White House, The United States Capitol, and the Lincoln Memorial.
You will certainly not be short of sites to see while visiting. It is rich in political history, and the National Mall and the Washington Monument are both sites you will not want to miss out on.
While there is much to keep you occupied on your trip, you do not want to forget about the different restaurants to visit.
There is a huge choice of amazing restaurants to choose from. Being close to the coast, Washington DC is not short of great seafood restaurants.
You certainly do not want to pass up the opportunity to eat at an Oyster bar.
There are so many great options that serve fresh and mouth wateringly good oysters. Though it was a difficult choice, we have whittled our choices down to the 5 best in Washington DC. You do not want to miss out on these!
Pearl Dive Oyster Palace
1612 14th Street NW, Washington DC 20009
202-986-8787
pearldivedc.com
When it comes to oysters, Pearl Dive Oyster Palace is one of the best places. They offer a fantastic selection of fresh oysters, that are mouth watering, and spectacular. They are one of the best oyster servers in Washington DC for a good reason.
While they have a main menu, they offer a happy hour, where they serve locally sourced oysters, mussels, and drinks for a lower price. If you are looking for an early evening treat, this is a great option to consider.
The oysters served are fresh, and they are available fresh, and grilled, depending on your preference.
There are a number of different menus to choose from, depending on the time of day you visit the Palace. There is a daily menu, a brunch menu, and special holiday menus offering seasonal options too.
There is a good amount of choice, including wood grilled oysters, Rockefeller, and plenty of non oyster options too.
There are dishes such as steak & eggs, and chowder. The variety is great, and Pearl Dive caters to a wide variety of tastes. The oysters served are fresh and sourced locally near Chesapeake Bay.
Pearl Dive is a fairly new restaurant in Washington DC, being only 9 years old, but it is well loved. It is a popular choice for many.
They also offer delivery through DoorDash, if you would prefer to eat at home. The restaurant itself is cozy, well designed, and has some outdoor bar seating too. You can choose to have carry out in addition to this.
Rappahannock Oyster Bar at Union Market
1309 5th St NE, Washington DC 20002
202-544-4702
www.rroysters.com
The Rappahannock Oyster bar is a great place to visit in the afternoon or evening if you are looking for an option that is not too smart, and are looking for a more casual vibe.
While the food is fantastic, the location is just as great. This oyster bar is situated in the Union Market which is a fascinating building, with plenty of different stalls to visit.
This bar has been held in very high esteem, and is seen as one of the best options in Washington DC, even featuring in the Wall Street Journal!
Not only is this one of the best places for oysters in the Washington DC area, it is seen as one of the best in the whole of America. The quality of the service is fantastic, and we would certainly recommend paying this bar a visit.
The laid back atmosphere is great, and alongside the food, there is a great choice of craft beers, cocktails, and wines to choose from too. When it comes to the oysters they serve, they are fresh, delicious, and locally sourced.
They offer raw oysters that are sourced from the Rappahannock river, and Rochambeau oysters too. These can be purchased individually.
They also offer a selection of grilled oysters. We would certainly recommend trying the Barcat Oyster Chowder. It is full of flavor, and is a great dish.
While their menu is not the largest featured, this allows them to perfect the dishes on the menu. The selection is great, and there are a good range of options to choose from.
While they do have limited opening hours, you should not be put off by this, their oysters are too good to miss out on!
Hank’s Oyster Bar
1624 Q Street, NW Washington, DC 20009
202-462-4265
hanksoysterbar.com
There are three different Hank’s Oyster bars to choose from, and this is a popular restaurant for seafood. It is easy to see why, as the food is delicious, and the service is great.
They offer fresh oysters that have been shucked. These are well priced and are not overly expensive. When you take into consideration how fresh they are, the price is impressive. There are also fried oysters available too.
If some family members are not so keen on oysters, there is a larger menu to choose from that includes some great seafood dishes, such as crab cake, and lobster. There are also options such as surf n turf available too.
There is a good amount of choice, and the restaurant itself is friendly and welcoming. The service is great, and there is a good selection of different wines, beers, and cocktails to choose from.
While this is a restaurant, they do offer collection and delivery too. If you want to eat on the go, or would prefer to take your food home or to your hotel room, this is a great option to consider.
They are also available for private events. This is great if you live in the local area, and are looking for a seafood joint to host a party for you.
Old Ebbitt Grill
675 15th Street NW, Washington, DC, 20005
202-347-4800
www.ebbitt.com
Old Ebbitt Grill is in a great location, and is a fantastic option if you are looking for a wider variety of food in addition to oysters. They offer a wide range of options suitable for all the family.
Old Ebbitt Grill is well-known for their Oyster Riot. This is a big party that is hosted once a year.
Thousands of local oysters are eaten, and the International Wined for Oysters competition winner is drunk. It is a great and prestigious event that is famous in the area.
Given this, this restaurant certainly knows how to serve great oysters.
Their food is also available for takeaway in addition to eating within the restaurant.
They offer a wide variety of oysters served on the half shell, such as Duxbury, Model tea, and Osprey. You certainly are spoiled for choice. There are also options to eat dishes such as shrimp, burger, and sandwiches too.
When it comes to their opening hours, they are open particularly late. If you enjoy eating food later in the evening, this could be a great place to end your evening.
It is worth noting that the restaurant kitsch does close 1 hour before closing.
The Salt Line Oyster + Ale
79 Potomac Ave SE, Washington DC 20003
202-506-2368
www.thesaltline.com
There are two chains of this restaurant, one in DC, and the other in Ballston. Their main focus is on serving fresh oysters that are locally sourced.
Their restaurants provide an open and airy atmosphere. The service is great, and there are plenty of choices.
They offer a wide range of raw seafood options, including a rotating selection of local Chesapeake and New England oysters.
In addition to this, they offer fantastic seafood towers to share with friends and family. There is a wide variety of choice, and the ale they serve is also fantastic.
They also offer “Happy Afternoon” between 12-4pm on a Friday where oysters and some beverages are half price - which is a great addition!
Summary
We hope that you will enjoy the choices that are included in our article. These really are the best places that serve oysters in Washington DC.
The food served is incredible, and the service is fantastic. The servers all go above and beyond to make your visit a positive experience, and we would certainly recommend these choices.
As there is a range of different types of restaurants included in this article, there should be an option suited for everyone, from families and couples, to friends.
Being so close to the coast, all the oysters served are as fresh as possible, and you will certainly be impressed with the quality of the food served.