Taste Of The Sea: Metro Detroit’s Oyster Options

January 11, 2024
a dozen oysters on ice with lemon, seafood

We may be far from the salty shores, but luckily enough, several restaurants throughout Metro Detroit are committed to sourcing fresh seafood every day. These places offer many varieties of seafood, with oysters standing out on the list (but if you want a complete seafood feast, check out these spots). If you’re looking for fresh oysters without having to travel, these restaurants are bringing the sea to you. 

BAR PIGALLE

2915 John R Street, Detroit

In the heart of Brush Park, Bar Pigalle stands out for its historic setting, French-inspired cuisine, and creative cocktails. The raw oysters here can be ordered as a dozen or half, and are served with the house hot sauce and mignonette. Executive Chef Norm Valenti tells us, “We have an amazing oyster program here at Bar Pigalle, and we like to keep our options ever-changing and emphasize the freshness of the oysters. We buy small amounts and keep our options open. We have a great relationship with Motor City Seafood and they provide us with the latest available species from some of the best farms in the nation.”

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bowls of raw oysters on ice with lemon and bottles of sauce from bar pigalle
Photo courtesy of Bar Pigalle

BRINE OYSTER HOUSE

15033 Kercheval Avenue, Grosse Pointe Woods

Brine Oyster House brings the feel of New Orleans to Metro Detroit with live jazz on the weekends, a wrought iron balcony, and fresh seafood with unique twists. The fresh oyster selection changes daily, with options for East and West Coast oysters. Additionally, one of the mini bites includes the Breathing Rock Slider, featuring fried oysters, red cabbage slaw, seaweed aioli, and hoisin sauce. Another oyster meal Brine Oyster House offers is a beef and oyster pot pie, which would be perfect for a chilly day. It has stout beer braised beef, oysters, and root veggies, all within a croissant crust. 

THE SARDINE ROOM 

340 South Main Street, Plymouth 

With one of the best happy hours around, The Sardine Room is the place to get your oyster fill for an incredibly reasonable price. Happy hour is from 4 to 6 p.m. daily and features Buck-A-Shuck oysters, which as the name insinuates, cost you $1.25 – $2 per depending on market pricing. For dinner, the classic oysters come served with lemon, atomic cocktail sauce, hogwash, and a classic mignonette, or you can get the platter royale and an oyster shooter. The platter has oysters, shrimp, lobster claws, and all the trimmings, and the shooter is made with horseradish-infused vodka, house spicy bloody Mary mix, and a freshly shucked oyster. And on the snack menu, you’ll find Southern dressed oysters, made with panko and creole butter. 

TOM’S OYSTER BAR

318 South Main Street, Royal Oak 

An area staple for more than 30 years, Tom’s Oyster Bar is known for its fresh oysters and seafood. You can get oysters in several different ways, each one equally as delicious as the next. For raw on the half-shell fans, you can get them on either the Cold ‘N Smoked Array or the Grand Tower, which each come with a variety of other seafood. If you’re looking for cooked oysters, check out their Oysters Rockefeller with creamed spinach, asiago, bacon, and more, or the Pan Fried Oysters. And if you’re into a treat from the south, the Louisiana Seafood Po’Boy is overflowing with fried seafood, including oysters. For the seafood lovers out there, owner Nick Ritts tells us, “February is Lobster Lovers month at Tom’s. Our feature boards are brimming with lobster features and people come far for it.”

three tiered seafood tower from tom's oyster bar with oysters, crab, and shrimp
Photo courtesy of Tom’s Oyster Bar

BOHEMIA DETROIT AT THE DETROIT CLUB 

712 Cass Avenue, Detroit

A secret gem downtown, Bohemia Detroit at The Detroit Club is steeped in history. With a menu section focused on the sea, the oysters are a standout selection. These East Coast oysters on the half shell are served with classic accoutrement. The Fruit de Mer is also a great choice for the table, with East Coast oysters, wasabi ahi tuna, colossal shrimp, and king crab. Served with horseradish, cocktail sauce, and Tabasco on the side, you’ll be debating ordering another dozen for the table. 

PENDY’S

20930 Mack Avenue, Grosse Pointe Woods

Feeling like a welcoming, yet laid-back private club as soon as you enter, Pendy’s is a great place to stop in for happy hour or dinner. Oysters are available as an appetizer for dinner and on the bar menu. Select either a half dozen or a dozen fresh North American oysters to order, which are served with cocktail sauce and mignonette. This local neighborhood restaurant has a great selection of seafood overall, including swordfish, scallops, whitefish, mussels, and more. 

VOYAGER

600 Vester Street, Ferndale 

Voyager is a small space nestled just off Nine Mile in Ferndale and has some of the best seafood in the area. The menu is created to reflect the season and the cocktails are mixed to match. Here, there are a few oyster options set out to satisfy. There are the East and West Coast oysters, paired with house mignonette and lemon. As for entrees, choose from the oyster mushrooms with flavors of black garlic and scallops, or the broiled oysters prepared at ‘chef’s whim’, perfect for those who like to change things up. Finally, there are seafood towers available that include oysters, shrimp, Dungeness crab, mussels escabeche, and more.  

This article has been updated to include new information. The original article was published on January 4, 2023, and was authored by Katie Goncalves.

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