Shell, yeah 🦪

A guide to oyster restaurants in Charleston

Choose your mollusks by salinity at 167 Raw. | Photo by CHStoday

It’s September and seafood lovers know what that means: Oyster season has begun. (Don’t fret about the ones you ate this summer — you can enjoy them year-round.) We’re shellebrating the season with a list of where to get ‘em in Charleston and why.

Before you dig in: These are only a handful of the many amazing oyster spots around town + some of them may fall into multiple categories.

The steal

The Darling Oyster Bar, 513 King St. | Score $1 oysters seven days a week from 4-7 p.m. + sip on the London Fog cocktail through Sun., Sept. 25 to support the Brighter Days Ahead campaign.
Rappahannock Oyster Bar, 701 E. Bay St. | Get $1.25 in-house oysters when you dine in on Sundays from 1 p.m. to close. That oyster pan roast with champagne cream sounds pretty amazing, too.
O-Bar at Oyster House, 70 State St. | House oysters are $1 Monday-Friday from 4-7 p.m. and Saturday-Sunday from 4-6 p.m. Grab some hushpuppies with pecan praline butter while you’re at it.

The variety

167 Raw Oyster Bar, 193 King St. | Choose from a daily oyster selection of different regions, sizes + salinity levels. Try the sampler with four oysters, four clams, and four shrimp.
Chubby Fish, 252 Coming St. | Whether you like crisp and clean or salty and sweet oysters, there’s something here for you. Pro tip: Arrive early for the best chance of snagging a table.
Amen Street Fish & Raw Bar, 205 E. Bay St. | Sample four rotating varieties of local oysters including Lowcountry Cups and oysters from all over the East Coast.

The unique

Pearlz Oyster Bar, 153 E. Bay St. + 9 Magnolia Rd. | Do an oyster shooter with pepper vodka and spicy cocktail sauce — take it in one gulp. Then order the baked oyster Rockefeller with crawfish, lump crab, and bacon.
Leon’s Oyster Shop, 698 King St. | If you’re over the raw scene, grab the fried oyster roll with avocado, comeback sauce, and chives or the world-famous char-grilled oysters with lemon, parsley, butter, and Parmesan.
Delaney Oyster House, 115 Calhoun St. | We want to try the Oysters Delaney with caviar, cream, and champagne and the seasonal dressed oysters with prickly pear mignonette.
The Ordinary, 544 King St. | The oyster slider with nuoc cham (Vietnamese fish sauce) + fresno mayo on a freshly-baked Hawaiian roll is anything but ordinary.

The shuckable

Lowcountry Oyster Co., 2147 Heriot St., Unit G | Order delivery or pick up 50 or 100 single oysters at Heriot Street. Beginning in October, pick up a bushel. Take a tour of the farm in Green Pond, SC.
Crosby’s Fish & Shrimp Co., 2223 Folly Rd. | Order a 100-count box of single oysters from the James River or Core Sound. Starting October 1, grab a local bushel.
Abundant Seafood, 4731 Mixson Ave., North Charleston + 248 Magwood Ln., Mt. Pleasant | Once October rolls around, order clusters for an oyster roast or pick up individual oysters.

Now get shuckin.’

This story is pearl-fect for your friends and family, so share below.

Click here to have your event featured.

Today

Sponges: From Caribbean Coral Reefs to Charleston Streams | Wed., Sept. 21 | 12-1 p.m. | Addlestone Library, College of Charleston, 205 Calhoun St. | Free | Chris Freeman, visiting assistant professor of biology, will discuss his research on key adaptations that sponges have for survival on Caribbean coral reefs. 🪸
Awendaw Green Barn Jam | Wed., Sep. 21 | 5:50-10 p.m. | Sewee Outpost, 4853 U.S. 17 N., Awendaw | $10 | Join Awendaw Green every Wednesday at the Barn Jam, an outdoor concert event featuring several bands performing original music each week.

Thursday

Live Under the Oaks | Thurs., Sept. 22 | 6-8 p.m. | Mt. Pleasant Towne Centre, 1218 Belk Dr., Mount Pleasant | Free | This local live music series is back for the fall — enjoy Jared Petteys and the Headliners and & Lobster food truck.

Friday

The Charleston Battery vs. Rio Grande Valley FC Toros | Fri., Sept. 23 | 7-9 p.m. | Patriots Point, 40 Patriots Point Rd., Mount Pleasant | $12+ | Cheer on Charleston’s professional soccer team on Hispanic Heritage Night.
Oktoberfest @ Two Blokes | Fri., Sept. 23 | 4-9 p.m. | Two Blokes Brewing, 547 Long Point Rd., Ste. 101, Mount Pleasant | Free | Enjoy German-style beers, live music by the Hans Schmidt German band, and food from Krystyna’s Authentic Polish food truck. 🍺

Sunday

Evening of Remembrance | Sun., Sept. 25 | 4-7 p.m. | McLeod Plantation Historic Site, 325 Country Club Dr. | $75 | Join the Charleston Symphony Orchestra for a special fundraiser to support the Charleston County Parks Foundation’s Cultural History Fund.

We have a monthly guide filled with events + activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.

For tickets to local and regional events, check out our 6AM Tickets resale marketplace.*

100+ MORE EVENTS

Weather

88º | Sunny | 11% chance of rain

Sunrise + sunset

Rise: 7:06 a.m.
Set: 7:19 p.m.

Tide

Low: 11:23 a.m.
High: 5:21 a.m. + 5:45 p.m.

Development

ICYMI: MUSC Health Sea Islands Medical Pavilion recently broke ground. The pavilion, located on Seabrook Island Road near the Bohicket Marina, will serve Kiawah, Johns, and Seabrook islands and the surrounding area — with the goal of bringing health care to community members in need. (MUSC Catalyst News)
A multifamily development is the works in North Charleston. NYC-based real estate manager CP Capital + Charleston-based real estate company Greystar will develop Montague Corners. The 336-unit community will be located off I-526 and construction is expected to begin in October. (Charleston Regional Business Journal)

Environment

Garden & Gun Magazine is leading a new editorial initiative. The Champions of Conservation program is highlighting 10 people helping to conserve Southern ecosystems to ensure a more sustainable future. Read about these individuals + their efforts here. 🌳 (Garden & Gun)

Biz

Social Venture Partners Charleston will host the Empower Charleston Showcase at The Cedar Room on Thurs., Oct. 27, spotlighting six local nonprofit organizations. These nonprofits will make their pitch to investors, donors, and Social Venture Partners. Three strategic partnerships will be selected + announced.

Eat

Downtown restaurant Husk recently welcomed a new head chef, Ray England. The former Tavern & Table chef crafts up dishes with Southern-sourced ingredients like heirloom tomato salad with peaches + peanut crème fraîche. Make a reservation. 🍅 (Charleston Magazine)
Mex 1 Coastal Cantina announced its new game day menu to be served every Saturday + Sunday starting this weekend. Make room for menu items like jalapeno popper queso, BBQ pork quesadillas, and buffalo shrimp tacos. Are you really at Mex 1 if you don’t get a margarita pitcher, too?

Pets

Charleston has a new Halloween tradition, and it’s pretty paw-some. WagOWeen — an inaugural dog costume contest — invites the community to trick-or-treat along King Street with your furry friends on Sun., Oct. 9, in conjunction with 2nd Sunday. All proceeds benefit The LENS Foundation. Register your pup or business for the event. 🐕

Drink

Sip, sip, hooray. Congrats to Victoria Kennedy of Five Loaves Cafe for winning this year’s Summerville Sweet Tea Cocktail Contest. The cocktail, “Summerville Vibe,” features sweet tea + berry simple syrups, Firefly vodka⁠, lemon juice⁠, and soda water⁠. See the cocktail + recipe. Enjoy. 🍹

Family

Congratulations — you’re having a baby. If you’re anything like most new parents, there’s one big question on your mind: Now what? Get yourself baby-ready by registering for a new-parent Zoom class on Sept. 27, led by Roper St. Francis Healthcare nurses. The best part: There’s a class just-for-dad + just-for-mom. 🍼 *

Content marked with an * is brought to you by our advertising partners and helps make this newsletter free.

Charleston on top again

Charleston RiverDogs win the championship

Charleston crowned champs as the sun sets on the season. | Photo by CHStoday

It’s official: The Charleston RiverDogs are Carolina League Champions. The Dogs made history Tuesday night securing a 6-2 victory over the Lynchburg Hillcats and are back-to-back champions, having won the Low-A East Championship last year.

Tatum snapped this shot during game one of the series Sunday night and later spotted the team’s Director of Fun Bill Murray making his way through the crowd. Already stoked for next year? Grab tickets for the 2023 season.

Sports Business Journal recently named Charleston the No. 1 minor league sports market in the country — recognizing the RiverDogs, the South Carolina Stingrays, and the Charleston Battery.

Spice Girl mug* | $14.24+
Warm and Cozy soy candle* | $28+
5 ft. felt pumpkin garland* | $25.89+
Football season doormat* | $43.20+
22" fall wreath* | $36.27+
Platform ankle boots* | $63.98+
Amber glass mug set* | $20.99+
Decorative faux fur throw blanket* | $17.99+
Pumpkin kitchen towel* | $15+
Pumpkin soy wax candle* | $7.20+
Free People James Mule* | $168+

THE WRAP

	Today’s issue was written by Tatum. Editor’s pick: Is anyone else here a plant lover but also a plant killer? Just me? Brookgreen Gardens is holding a fall plant sale this Sat., Sept. 24 at the arboretum. The sale will feature native plants seen in the botanical garden, including shrubs, perennials + annuals and is free with garden admission. Take a drive to 1931 Brookgreen Garden Dr. in Murrells Inlet this weekend to explore the garden and take home a new green friend for your windowsill. Bonus: Brookgreen’s horticulturists will be on-site to answer questions, which gives hope to all the plant killers out there. 🪴 Missed yesterday’s newsletter? Take a closer look at historic preservation in Charleston, here.
Read More