Best $2 Oysters In US
Where to Find $2 Oysters (or Cheaper) Across America
Life is too short to pay full price for oysters. Whether you’re a die-hard bivalve obsessive or a curious newcomer, these are the best $2-or-less oyster deals across the country — from big cities to destination spots worth traveling for. Dive in.
New York City
New York is the undisputed capital of oyster happy hours. The competition is fierce, the selection is world-class, and the deals are very real.
The Mermaid Inn — The gold standard of NYC oyster happy hours. Chef’s choice oysters are $2 each during happy hour with multiple locations across Manhattan. The West Village original is the most atmospheric.
The Mermaid Inn Chelsea — $1.50 oysters and clams during happy hour, alongside $10 cocktails and $8 draft beer. A slightly better deal than the original if you’re counting.
Cull & Pistol — Michelin-acclaimed and tucked inside Chelsea Market. Happy hour runs Monday through Friday 4–6pm with the full oyster list at half price — depending on the day’s selection that puts most oysters well under $2.
Maison Premiere – Known for its cocktails and oysters, Maison Premiere often features $1 or $2 oysters during happy hour.
Grand Central Oyster Bar – An iconic spot with great deals, particularly during happy hour.
Lure Fishbar – A stylish SoHo seafood venue with quality oysters, especially during happy hour.
Upstate – With a deal for 6 oysters and a New York craft beer for just $12, this is hard to beat.
More NYC spots confirmed for $1–$2 oysters: Valerie, Ama Raw Bar in the West Village, Fish Cheeks, Blue Seafood Bar, and Jane Doe Lounge all run regular oyster happy hour deals worth checking out.
New Orleans
New Orleans has oyster culture baked into its DNA — and the prices reflect a city that takes its shellfish as seriously as its jazz.
The Blind Pelican was hands down the single greatest oyster deal in America with 25 cent raw oysters during happy hour 4–8pm, every day of the year, with a drink order. Unfortunately it has closed, but fingers crossed it re-opens some day.
Sac-a-Lait — A more refined option for those who want the deal with the ambiance to match. Happy hour runs 5:30–7:30pm with half-price Gulf oysters. PSit at the bar to qualify.
Boston
Boston has $1 oyster deals available every single day of the week — you just need to know which spot to hit on which night.
Encore Boston Harbor — $2 oysters in the bar and lounge Monday through Thursday from 5pm until sold out. Arrive early — these go fast.
Batifol (Kendall Square) — Dollar oysters daily 4–6pm. Consistently excellent and one of the best values in the city.
Loco Taqueria & Oyster Bar (South Boston & Fenway) — Dollar oysters every Monday 11am–12:30am. An all-day deal on Mondays — rare and worth taking advantage of.
Warren Tavern (Charlestown) — Dollar oysters Monday through Friday 3–6pm. One of Boston’s oldest bars serving one of its best deals.
Trillium Brewing Company (Fort Point) — Dollar oysters Monday through Friday 2–4pm. Beer and oysters — the pairing nature intended.
Chicago
Chicago punches well above its weight for a landlocked city. The oyster happy hour scene here is genuinely excellent.
The Press Room (West Loop) — $2 oysters Tuesday through Thursday 4–6pm, alongside $8 Old Fashioneds and martinis. A speakeasy-style basement wine bar — great vibe for a midweek treat.
Volo (Roscoe Village) — $1 oysters Tuesday through Saturday 4–6pm on a covered patio with private cabanas. One of the best happy hour settings in the city, full stop.
Uvae (Andersonville) — $2 oysters and shrimp during happy hour, with $5 glasses of cava to wash them down. The cava pairing alone makes this worth the trip.
Washington, D.C.
DC’s oyster happy hour scene features fresh local oysters as low as $1 each after work and during late-night specials.
Old Ebbitt Grill — DC’s oldest saloon and an absolute institution, steps from the White House. The oyster happy hour runs daily 3–5pm and again late night 11pm–1am — one of the rare spots that does a legitimate late-night oyster deal. A must-visit when in the capital.
Seattle
Seattle sits at the epicenter of West Coast oyster farming — the Pacific Northwest waters produce some of the sweetest, most delicate oysters anywhere on earth.
Elliott’s Oyster House — A Seattle institution and one of the best oyster programs in the country. Arrive at 3pm for $1.50 oysters, with progressive pricing that increases as the evening gets busier. The move: order multiple dozens at the 3pm price early and settle in.
Portland, OR
Portland’s farm-to-table ethos extends to the raw bar — and the deals here reflect a city that takes quality seriously at every price point.
Old Pal (SE Portland) — $2 oyster happy hour every Thursday through Sunday 4–6pm at this intimate neighborhood spot rooted in Pacific Northwest sourcing.
Portland, ME
Don’t confuse the two Portlands — Maine’s version is one of the great underrated oyster cities in America, sitting right in the heart of some of the world’s best cold-water oyster territory.
Blyth & Burrows — Buck-a-shuck Wednesday Oyster Social: $1 oysters, $1.50 shrimp cocktail, and $2 Jonah crab every Wednesday from 4–9pm. A legitimately great deal in a legitimately great oyster city.
Los Angeles
LA has quietly become one of the better oyster happy hour cities in the country — the scene has exploded in recent years.
Messhall Kitchen (Los Feliz) — Dollar oysters every Tuesday night during happy hour, alongside dollar tacos. A dog-friendly patio and some of the friendliest staff in the city.
Café La Boheme (West Hollywood) — $1 oysters with apple ginger mignonette every day 5–8pm. The garden patio is one of the best happy hour settings in the city.
The Churchill (West Hollywood) — $1 oysters every Wednesday 6–11pm with three rotating varieties to choose from.
EMC Seafood and Raw Bar — $1 oysters daily 4–7pm, and again Sunday through Thursday 10pm until close at $1.25 during the late-night happy hour. Two happy hours a night is a rare and beautiful thing.
San Diego
San Diego is a sleeper hit for oyster happy hours — genuinely one of the best cities on the West Coast for deals.
Lionfish (Gaslamp Quarter, Pendry Hotel) — $1 oysters Monday through Friday 4–6pm. East Coast oysters, no minimum, in one of the most beautiful dining rooms in the city.
Paradisaea — $1 oysters Wednesday through Sunday 4–6pm, featured in the 2025 Michelin Guide. Michelin recognition at dollar-oyster prices — a remarkable combination.
Fort Oak (Mission Hills) — $1 oyster Mondays at the bar or patio. A local institution and a great reason to make Monday your favorite day of the week.
31Thirty One (North Park) — Premium Baja California oysters at $1 each Tuesday through Saturday 5–6:30pm on a rooftop. No reservations — arrive early and stake your spot.
San Francisco
SF is one of the richest cities in America for oyster happy hours — you could do a different spot every night for a week and never repeat yourself.
Bar Crudo (NoPa/Divisadero) — $2 oysters of the day by the half-dozen or dozen, plus $5 beers. Also $2 herb and jalapeño marinated mussels. A neighborhood gem that rewards regulars.
Little Shucker (Pacific Heights) — $2 oysters by the half-dozen or dozen during happy hour, sourced from Tomales Bay and Brunswick, Maine. Plus $10 wines and $7 beers.
Mission Rock Resort (waterfront, near Chase Center) — $1.50 oysters Tuesday through Friday 3–6pm with a six minimum and 24 maximum, plus $7 wine and $10 sangria. The waterfront setting makes this one of the best overall happy hour experiences in the Bay Area.
Marin County, CA
Mill Valley — Bungalow 44 — $1 oyster happy hour Sunday through Thursday, featuring locally sourced Marin Miyagi oysters. Cozy New American spot in the heart of downtown Mill Valley — the product is as local as it gets.
Sausalito — Seafood Peddler — A Sausalito institution right on the marina. Happy hour runs Monday through Saturday 4–7pm with several types of oysters at $1.99 each. The marina views alone make it worth the trip.
Larkspur — Picco — Featured oyster happy hour running Monday through Friday with $2 oysters on the half shell. One of Marin’s most beloved neighborhood restaurants.
Sonoma County, CA
Petaluma — Central Market — $1 oysters, $5 wines, $3 beers and free pizza at the bar from 5–6pm Sunday through Thursday. A one-hour window from one of Sonoma County’s best chefs — don’t dawdle.
Valley Ford — Rocker Oysterfeller’s — Oyster Mania Monday with half-off all oysters all day long. Valley Ford is a tiny town on the Sonoma Coast — this is a destination worth making. Pair it with a drive through the coastal hills on the way back.
Windsor — Grata — Chilled oysters for $6 during happy hour Monday through Friday 4–6pm, with $5 Prosecco and $4 house wine. Just over our $2 threshold but exceptional value for wine country.
Healdsburg — Harmon Guest House Rooftop — $1 oysters every Monday during happy hour with sweeping views of downtown Healdsburg. One of the best settings in all of Sonoma County.
Healdsburg — Bistro Lagniappe — $2 roasted oysters Wednesday through Sunday 4:30–5:30pm at the bar, alongside $8 house wines. Brand new as of June 2025 and already a standout.
Napa County, CA
Napa — Chispa — $2 oysters daily during happy hour, alongside $10 margaritas and palomas and 20% off wine. A daily oyster deal in Napa is rare — don’t overlook it.
Napa — Hog Island Oyster Co. — Half-off oysters at $1.50 each during happy hour Tuesdays and Wednesdays 5–7pm. Going straight to the source doesn’t get better than this — Hog Island farms their own oysters on the Sonoma Coast and serves them here in their Napa bar.
Nashville
Nashville has quietly become a serious oyster city — the explosion of the restaurant scene over the past decade has brought in top-tier product from both coasts. From $1 oysters on rooftops to champagne pairings downtown, Nashville’s oyster happy hours punch well above what you’d expect from a landlocked city. StyleBlueprint — Nashville’s go-to local dining and lifestyle guide — maintains a regularly updated list of the best oyster happy hour spots in the city, worth bookmarking for the latest deals.
Houston
Don’t sleep on Houston — the city sits right on the Gulf Coast and the oyster deals here reflect it.
Liberty Kitchen & Oysterette (River Oaks, Memorial, Rice Village) — Daily $1 and $2 oysters during happy hour across multiple locations. One of the most reliable oyster deals in the city with Gulf Coast fare to match.
Eunice — $1 oysters during happy hour daily 3–6pm, consistently ranked among Houston’s best oyster bars. The room is beautiful and the product is exceptional.
La Lucha — 75 cent Prestige oysters on the half shell plus half-off cornmeal-crusted oysters Monday through Friday 3–6pm. Pair with a St. Landry Sidecar and call it an afternoon well spent.
BB’s Tex-Orleans — Half-price oysters weekdays 3–6pm at all Houston locations including Pearland and Webster. Classic Cajun energy with a Texas twist.
Clark’s Oyster Bar — One of Houston’s top-rated oyster happy hour spots with a polished room and a serious raw bar program. Verify current pricing before you go — the quality here is consistently excellent.
Naples, FL
Naples is a surprising standout — great variety and genuinely competitive pricing for a city of its size and wealth.
Violí (Mercato) — $2 oysters Monday through Friday 3–6pm alongside $5 beers and $9 cocktails.
Warren (10th Street South) — $2 oysters daily 3–7pm at the bar, with $5 beers and $8 wines. A daily deal is rare and valuable.
Truluck’s — 25% off oysters Monday through Saturday 4–6pm and Sunday 3–6pm. Depending on the menu price, this often lands under $2.
Pinchers (Tin City) — Daily 3–6pm with discounted oysters, clams, shrimp, and wings plus all-day 2-for-1 draft beers. The most casual and fun of the Naples options — great waterfront setting.
Miami, FL
R House (Wynwood) — $1 oysters during The Wynwood OG Happy Hour in one of Miami’s most vibrant neighborhoods.
The Shelborne by Proper (South Beach) — Half-off oysters served with champagne mignonette during Aperitivo Hour. South Beach prices at half off is still a deal worth making.
Also worth checking: The Lazy Oyster, The River Oyster Bar, Monty’s Raw Bar, Mignonette, and Edge Brasserie all run confirmed happy hour oyster deals in Miami — verify current pricing before you go.
Charleston, SC
Charleston’s oyster culture runs deep — the lowcountry marshes and tidal basins surrounding the city produce some of the most distinctive oysters on the East Coast, and the competition for your happy hour dollar keeps prices honest across the board. Multiple spots in downtown Charleston and on Shem Creek run $1.50–$2 oyster specials daily. Check Charleston’s local dining guides for current spots — the scene here is consistently excellent.
A note on prices & hours
Oyster deals are a moving target. Prices shift with the seasons, happy hour windows come and go, and occasionally a beloved spot closes or changes its menu entirely. Every listing in this guide has been researched and verified to the best of our ability — but the oyster world moves fast and we strongly recommend calling ahead or checking a restaurant’s current social media before you make the trip. There are few things sadder than arriving at 4:02pm to find happy hour ended at 4. Think of this as your living guide — we update it regularly, and if you’ve found a deal we missed, drop it in the comments. The more shells in the pile, the better it gets for everyone.
