traveler of charleston logo

Order Oysters at These 6 Charleston Restaurants

Table of Contents

A favorite culinary time has arrived: oyster season. Order a platter of oysters – raw, steamed or fried – at one of these Charleston restaurants with a reputation for out-of-this-world oysters.

Amen Street Fish & Raw Bar: This renovated space reflects the beautiful, original 1800s architecture in a comfortable, contemporary indoor and outdoor dining space. The menu features an extensive selection of oysters from South Carolina and beyond. 205 East Bay St. | amenstreet.com

Charleston Crab House: This restaurant has been serving up fresh, local seafood since 1991. Enjoy waterfront dining on the intracoastal waterway at the James Island location or dine on Lowcounty seafood dishes while sitting on the rooftop patio at the downtown Charleston location. 145 Wappoo Creek Drive or 41 S. Market St. | charlestoncrabhouse.com

The Darling Oyster Bar: Located in a 115-year-old storefront, this restaurant has a 14-seat raw bar fronting King Street. Or grab a table to order everything from oyster shooters to oyster spaghetti at this dining sensation where the kitchen pays careful attention to local ingredients and sustainability. 513 King St. | thedarling.com

Leon’s Oyster Shop: This award-winning restaurant will not disappoint with its char-grilled oysters or a fried oyster sandwich – all washed down with a drink from the extensive beer, wine and cocktail menu. 698 King St. | leonsoystershop.com

Oyster House on Market: Located in the heart of downtown Charleston’s French Quarter, this restaurant has a patio overlooking the historic Charleston Market and an indoor space that pays homage to the warehouse district’s past with high ceilings and exposed brick walls. Enjoy the incredible fall weather in the O-Bar for happy hour on the patio lounge while sampling oysters from around the country. 35 S. Market St. | oysterhouse.menu

Pearlz Oyster Bar: This eclectic oyster bar house has two Charleston area locations and serves up menu items like oysters on the half-shell and baked oysters Rockefeller along with a wide selection of regional oysters. 153 East Bay St. and 9 Magnolia Road | pearlzoysterbar.com

Save the date: If you’re coming back to Charleston in the winter, don’t miss the Lowcountry Oyster Festival on Jan. 29 at Boone Hall Plantation. Highlights include the oyster shucking and oyster eating contests as well as live music on the main stage, wine, a selection of domestic and imported beers, a children’s area and a food court showcasing a variety of local restaurants.

Visiting Charleston Just Got Way Easier!

TourPass includes all the top tours and attractions & historic sites. Save up to 40% or more on admissions + skip the lines

Charleston FAQ's

Choosing a hotel and where to stay in Charleston all depends on your budget and goals. Do you want to stay Downtown, at the beach or in the outer areas such as North Charleston where you have to drive to get everywhere? For more help on deciding: https://travelerofcharleston.com/articles/hotels/

Charleston has 3 main public beaches which are: Folly, Isle of Palms and Sullivans. Each beach has it’s own atmosphere. The most common beach that people visit is Folly Beach and then Isle of Palms followed by Sullivans Island. For more info on Charleston’s beaches visit: https://travelerofcharleston.com/guide-charlestons-beaches/

Charleston, SC is full of historical things to do. Everything from museums, to public sites and free landmark sites such as Rainbow Row and the Battery can be seen. For more info on Charleston’s top historical sites visit: https://travelerofcharleston.com/places-to-learn-about-charleston-sc-history/

There are many things that will keep the kids and family entertained and educated in Charleston. There are historic sites such as Fort Sumter, a Children’s Museum, Aquarium and the USS Yorktown…a WWII era aircraft carrier you can tour. For more info visit: https://travelerofcharleston.com/charleston-family-fun-activities/

There’s so many  things you could do in Charleston it can be overwhelming. We recommend that first time visitors, checkout the ultimate first-time visitor guide here: https://travelerofcharleston.com/charleston-first-time-visitors-guide/

Spring in Charleston, SC is an amazing time of year to visit. The flowers are blooming and the weather is mild and sunny. For more info, check-out our spring guide to Charleston here: https://travelerofcharleston.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-springtime-in-charleston/

Summer in Charleston is a great time to visit. There’s plenty of things to keep you busy and visiting the beach will probably….or should be on your short-list. Also water-based activities and tours are popular. Checkout this summer guide to Charleston for more info: 

Our 10 Favorite Summer Activities in Charleston

Fall is one of the best times to visit. The weather cools down a bit and the skies are typically blue and clear. In addition there are many great events, festivals and the large crowds of summer have gone back to school or work. For more info on visiting in the fall, checkout this article: https://travelerofcharleston.com/charleston-12-things-to-do-fall/

There are so many great things to do that it’s difficult to narrow the list down. This article does a great job with figuring out the must do things to do in Charleston

7 Can’t Miss Reasons to Visit Charleston, SC Now

The consensus is a minimum of 3-days is needed to settle in and experience Charleston. For instance, many people take 2 days exploring downtown and another day visiting sites outside of downtown such as the plantations, Angel Oak Tree or beaches. Checkout this page for a list of tours and attractions: 

Charleston’s Top Tours & Attractions | Things to do

Downtown Charleston was made for walking and for sure one of the best way to soak up and experience the history first-hand. This article goes over getting around Charleston with and without a car as well: 

Getting Around Charleston, SC

We’re of course partial to Charleston, but here’s the truth. There are many similarities however there are some differences in our opinion: 

  • Both cities are historic and beautiful. 
  • Both cities are extremely walkable. Savannah, with it’s park-like squares maybe more walkable than Charleston. 
  • Charleston has a more established and food scene with many more options. 
  • Charleston has better hotels and shopping.
  • Both cities have equally good tours.
  • Charleston has better beach options. Savannah has Tybee which is great, however it’s 1 beach vibe versus Charleston which has 3 beaches with different vibes. Checkout this Charleston beach guide article: https://travelerofcharleston.com/guide-charlestons-beaches/
  • In Savannah you can walk with alcoholic beverages on the street. This is not allowed in Charleston. This can be good or bad depending on your stance. 
  • Savannah is more affordable.
  • TourPass offers all-inclusive passes in both cities: https://tourpass.com

There are always great and world-class events happening in Charleston. For a calendar of events and things to do in Charleston, checkout our online calendar of events: https://travelerofcharleston.com/events/

Of course there are free money-saving coupons that you can use. Visit the coupons page for a bunch of ways to save: https://travelerofcharleston.com/coupon/

Charleston has some fantastic can’t miss tours such as Fort Sumter, carriage, ghost, harbor, historic and culinary tours. For a full list with more info visit: https://travelerofcharleston.com/attractions/

Checkout the Charleston Relocation Guide page which will guide you during your move: https://travelerofcharleston.com/charleston-sc-relocation-guide/

Additional Places to Explore

Traveler Mag Icon
Receive Charleston Updates

Get the First Timers Guide...it's free

We’ll email our online magazine, map, helpful articles. Unsubscribe at anytime.