The Best Spots to Slurp Oysters in San Francisco (From Cheap to Luxe)

The Best Spots to Slurp Oysters in San Francisco (From Cheap to Luxe)

By

We San Franciscans love...no, looove...our oysters. We like them with happy hour prices and drinks specials that are gentle on our wallets, but we're also willing to shell out for the really good stuff. Here are our favorite local places to throw back a dozen.




Gaspar Brasserie

Gaspar offers fabulous French delights. Stop by weekdays from 4 to 7pm for Social Time in the elegant Cognac Room, where you can pair $1 oysters with $3 pomme frites and $1 deviled hen eggs. Pair these with specials on sommelier-selected wines, or go for a cocktail: We like the Ma Cherie (vodka, lemon, honey-ginger, hibiscus tea) and the Champagne cocktails with curacao and bitters. Take your best suit to the bar. // 185 Sutter St. (FiDi), gasparbrasserie.com


Petit Crenn

Dominique Crenn's new Hayes Valley restaurant may be best known for the large, massive fish that presents itself during nightly seatings, but we can't stop thinking about a smaller, more delicate morsel. On our first visit, the small, plump shigoku oysters tasted as though they had been lovingly massaged with flavor—in this case, preserved Meyer lemon and apple cider gelee—rather than having been simply sloshed with sauce. The result is a rich, cohesive mouthfeel we don't usually associate with briny oysters. Paired with a glass of Champagne or two for the ultimate aphrodesiac. // Petit Crenn, 609 Hayes St. (Hayes Valley), petitcrenn.com



Leo's Oyster Bar

For a little love in the afternoon, we can't think of a better spot to sneak away to than Leo's. Beginning at 3pm, there is plenty of Champagne and excellent cocktails to wash down dollops of osetra caviar and raw delights. The selection of fresh oysters includes our favorite St. Simones served with classic mignonette, as well as Hammersleys topped with refreshing bits of melon and celery ("Eloise") or pickled tomato and horseradish ("Fancy"). If you stay long enough, you can soak up your brine and bubbles with a delicious dinner beginning at 5:30pm. Lobster rolls? Oh yeah. // Leo's Oyster Bar, 586 Sacramento St. (FiDi), leossf.com


The Dorian

Head out of the office a bit early to experience this Marina culinary and cocktail destination, The Dorian. Tuesdays through Fridays from 5 to 6pm, you and your coworkers can team $1 oysters with half-off bottles of sparkling and rosé wines or $4 pale ales. // 2001 Chestnut St. (Marina), doriansf.com


Café Du Nord

When the clock strikes midnight, happy hour begins at the new and improved Cafe du Nord, now under the ownership of NeTimeas Group (Flour + Water, Central Kitchen, Aatxe). Go for an affordable but quite classy late-night snack of half-priced oysters ($3.50 regularly) and half off Champagne of the real French variety. // 2174 Market St. (Duboce Triangle),cafedunord.com


E&O Kitchen and Bar

If you find yourself feeling a little peaked from too much shopping in Union Square, stop by E&O for three-hour happy hours Mondays through Saturdays, from 3 to 6pm. Dollar oysters go well with $4 beers and $6 glasses of wine. Refuel, and then tackle Wilkes. // 314 Sutter St. (Union Square), eosanfrancisco.com


Hog & Rocks

Visit this Mission hotspot during the week for its popular happy hour from 5 to 6:30pm. You can balance the lightness of your $1 oysters with $5 chicken liver mousse toast and Kennebec fries. Or, go all out with the chef's choice dozen and a bottle Roederer bubbly for just $30. // 3431 19th St. (Mission), hogandrocks.com


Bar Crudo

Stop by Bar Crudo Tuesday through Sunday (5 to 6:30pm) for $1 oysters in a hip environment. Pair your oysters with $4 beers and select white and red wines by the glass. // 655 Divisadero St. (NoPa), barcrudo.com


Waterbar

On a gorgeous day, who isn't looking for oysters with a view? Gaze upon the Bay Bridge at Waterbar, where a 6-hours daily happy hour will leave you absolutely giddy. Order a different $1.05 oyster each day. // 399 The Embarcadero, waterbarsf.com


Fog City

Fog City is a classic Embarcadero destination with delicious eats, drinks, and a lively happy hour scene. On weekdays from 4 to 6pm $1.50 oysters are served with a killer view of the Bay. // 1300 Battery St. (Embarcadero), fogcitysf.com



Sous Beurre Kitchen

Sous Beurre serves up refined, affordable Southern French cuisine. Starting at 5:30pm every Wednesday, you're in for $1 oysters with an optional glass of bubbles for $5. Hurry in as this fabulous happy hour ends when they run out of oysters. // 2704 24th St. (Mission), sousbeurrekitchen.com


Zuni Cafe

What can be said about Zuni that hasn't been said already? There's no happy hour, no special deals. Just one of the largest selections of the choicest oysters in town—and the sublime satisfaction that comes from slurping them down with crusty bread and a glass of Bandol at a sidewalk table on a pretty day. What bill? // 1658 Market St. (Hayes Valley), zunicafe.com


Novela

Cure for the Monday blues with Oyster Mondays at Novela, where you can find $1 oysters and 20 percent off bottles of wine. // 662 Mission St. (SoMa), novelasf.com

Related Articles
Now Playing at SF Symphony
View this profile on Instagram

7x7 (@7x7bayarea) • Instagram photos and videos

Neighborhoods
From Our Partners