Best Oysters in New Orleans: Raw, Chargrilled and Fried

The best oysters in New Orleans can be eaten four ways: raw on the half shell, chargrilled with garlic butter and cheese, fried in a po-boy or baked in a rich sauce such as Rockefeller. The bars range from old tiled counters to busy French Quarter rooms.

Sit at the bar, if you can, to watch the oysters being opened. Order a half dozen raw and a half dozen chargrilled and share.

What are the best oysters in New Orleans?

There is no single winner, because the city's oyster habit is really several habits. A raw bar is for people who like their oysters cold, briny and plain, with a squeeze of lemon, hot sauce, horseradish and a saltine. A chargrill is for people who want smoke and butter. A po-boy or loaf is for people who would rather have a sandwich.

Oysters here mostly come from the Gulf, and the flavor is mild and salty. If you have only eaten oysters from the cold waters of the Northeast, expect a softer, sweeter bite.

Who serves chargrilled oysters in New Orleans?

Chargrilled oysters are a local invention, made by putting oysters on the half shell over an open flame with garlic butter and grated cheese until they bubble. The classic version is brushed with garlic butter and dusted with Parmesan and Romano, and several French Quarter oyster bars serve it. Order a half dozen at the bar and compare.

Ask for bread. The butter that collects in the shell is the best part, and you will want something to mop it up.

Which oyster bars in New Orleans are worth a visit?

The French Quarter has long raw bars and lively rooms, and when one has a line the next door often does not. An old-school tiled room on Magazine Street is the place for hand-shucked oysters and an oyster loaf, and a Napoleon Avenue restaurant with an oyster bar adds Rockefeller and Bienville dishes to the menu. Check the opening days and season before you go, and rate the dish you order.

Hours change, and some of the oldest places close for part of the summer, so check before you go.

How is an oyster po-boy or loaf different?

A po-boy is a sandwich on New Orleans French bread, and the oyster version is fried until golden, dressed with lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise and sometimes pickles. An oyster loaf is a related older form, with fried oysters packed into a hollowed loaf of bread. Both are filling and are often shared.

If you only have one meal for oysters, a plate of raw plus a fried sandwich splits the difference.

When is Louisiana oyster season?

Oysters are traditionally eaten in months with an "r," which means September through April, and winter is thought to be best for flavor. Today most restaurants serve them year round, and the quality depends on the supplier and the weather. Ask what is coming in and which beds it came from.

Storms and low salinity can reduce harvests, and a bar may not have a favorite variety every week. A good shucker will tell you what is fresh.

Which sauces and sides go with oysters?

The table at an oyster bar usually has lemon, horseradish, cocktail sauce, Louisiana hot sauce and crackers. A little goes a long way: a very good oyster needs only a squeeze of lemon, while a bigger or milder one can take horseradish and hot sauce. A mignonette, a sharp sauce of shallot and vinegar, is common at fancier raw bars.

On the cooked side, the sides are bread, fries and sometimes a cup of gumbo or a salad. Many people add a plate of boiled or fried shrimp to share. If you are ordering for a group, start with raw, move to chargrilled, and finish with something fried, in that order, so the delicate flavors come first.

How to order at an oyster bar

Sit at the bar if you can, because you will see the oysters opened. Order a half dozen of raw and a half dozen chargrilled, and plan to share. Add a drink; local beer and a dry white wine are traditional matches.

If you are unsure, ask the person shucking which ones taste best that day. They know. Tip them for the show.

What else should you eat in the neighborhood?

Oysters rarely come alone in New Orleans. Brunch, pralines and a muffuletta all compete for your time, and the brunch in New Orleans guide covers the morning side. The Magazine Street restaurants guide is a good lunch plan, and the Gulf Coast seafood guide puts oysters in a bigger regional picture. The US guides page lists more cities.

The best oyster is the one you remember, so write it down. The Mosey app lets you rate each plate by dish, add a note about the shuck and the sauce and build a New Orleans oyster list for the next friend who visits. Rate the half dozen raw and the chargrilled ones as separate dishes, and tag a bar Outdoor seating or Group Dining, so the list tells a visitor which room suits which night.