Best oyster bars in Los Angeles

Is there anything more alluring than a crown of fresh oysters on the half shell gleaming on a throne of crushed ice — especially in the summer? Luckily, here in Los Angeles, we’ve got easy access to Pacific oysters sourced from nearby Baja and as far north as Washington state, as well as coveted East Coast varieties that are flown in fresh daily. And thanks to refrigeration and rigorous regulations around oyster cultivation in the U.S, the old adage to only eat oysters in “months ending in the letter R” no longer applies, making oysters a treat we can indulge in all year long.

When it comes to flavor, terms like salinity and brininess get thrown around a lot. What you’re tasting in oysters — the mirror that reflects where the oysters come from — is the level of salty ocean water that has filtered into the oyster. Rainwater and brackish water, in places such as Washington state, soften the saltiness, whereas East Coast oysters might have a higher level of salinity.

“The spectrum [goes] from sweet to ultra briny,” Ryan Croxton, co-owner of Rappahannock Oyster Bar, explained. “That’s going to largely be driven by how close the oyster was to the ocean — the farther away, the sweeter.” Salty oysters can still be sweet, but proximity to the ocean is a good measure of salinity levels.

Mark Reynolds, founder of Jolly Oyster, with locations in Culver City, Ventura and L.A.’s Sunday Smorgasburg market, likened the taste of oysters to a waltz, with the first step the development of saltiness, the second of sweetness, and the final step delivering flavorful, fruit-like finishes — especially for Pacific oysters, which Reynolds said, “instead of being mouth-wateringly savory, have more of a cucumber-like finish.”

The beauty of oysters lies in their simplicity. They can be slurped with a squeeze of lemon and a couple shakes of hot sauce, a vinegary mignonette, or baked or broiled Rockefeller-style with butter, bread crumbs and herbs. Joe Laraja, general manager at Virgil Village’s Found Oyster bar, recommends trying different toppings side by side. “You get to see how they’re different and find what you like.”

And then there’s drinks. For Croxton, Champagne and oysters are a winning combination. He also suggests white wine. “A lot of folks enjoy a Muscadet or any crispy, dry white wine — highly acidic wines with a lot of minerality pair particularly well with East Coast oysters,” he advised, listing Bloody Marys and gin and tonics as great cocktail options.

Whether you’re looking for dollar oysters, East or West Coast varieties, or fun toppings that enhance the bivalves’ naturally briny flavors, the options are plentiful. From Venice Beach to the San Gabriel Valley, here are the best spots to get oysters in Los Angeles this summer and beyond.