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Chemin à la Mer

A Dozen of the Best Oyster Specials in New Orleans Right Now

Where to find the best deals on oysters to help you get your fill this fall

by Clair Lorell Updated
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by Clair Lorell Updated
Chemin à la Mer

With a majority of the nation’s oysters harvested from the Gulf of Mexico, oysters are more than just a food in South Louisiana — they’re a way of life and a matter of civic pride. Even so, indulging in a dozen local beauties can quickly add up. Never fear: Here’s a selection of picks for happy hour oyster specials that won’t break the bank. This map includes a number of options that offer once-weekly, all-day specials — Sidecar and Cooter Brown’s, for instance — in addition to those spots that offer daily oyster happy hours. Here’s where to find the best deals on briny, ice-cold raw oysters in New Orleans right now, because if you haven’t heard, oysters are always in season.

Did we miss an oyster happy hour in New Orleans? Let us know.

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Parlay's Bar

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This beloved neighborhood pub is back after a major fire in 2020, and so is a generous, daily raw oyster special. Slurp freshly shucked P&J oysters for $11.99 a dozen from 3 to 7 p.m. daily, alongside enthusiastic, mostly Lakeview or Lakeview-adjacent residents.

870 Harrison Ave, New Orleans, LA 70124
(504) 304-6338
(504) 304-6338

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Clesi's Seafood Restaurant & Catering

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There are several weekly specials at this Mid-City seafood favorite, including Taco Tuesday, FryDay, and Oyster Monday. To kick off the week, this friendly neighborhood spot offers a pretty good special: Buy a pitcher of beer or a bottle of wine, and get BOGO on a dozen raw oysters — that means buy one dozen, get one dozen free. Come hungry.

4323 Bienville St, New Orleans, LA 70119
(504) 909-0108
(504) 909-0108

Also featured in:

Luke

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Luke, the elegant brasserie located in the downtown Hilton hotel, has long been known for its fresh raw seafood — including being one of few spots in town to splurge on a seafood tower. No need to splurge at happy hour, however — the restaurant’s beloved special offers $1.50 Gulf oysters on the half shell from 3 to 6 p.m. daily, as well as half-priced cocktails, wine by the glass, and draft beer, as well as half a dozen fried oysters for $12.

333 St Charles Ave, New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 378-2840
(504) 378-2840

Also featured in:

Trenasse

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Oysters on the half shell are a steal during the InterContinental Hotel restaurant’s happy hour — $7 for a half dozen. Visit the fun Trenasse any day of the week between 3 and 6 p.m. to catch that and other $7 small plate and cocktail specials.

Intercontinental Hotel, 444 St Charles Ave, New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 680-7000
(504) 680-7000
Trenasse

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Chemin à la Mer

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Chemin à la Mer in the Four Seasons is one of the city’s best new raw bar destinations, and that includes a stellar Oyster Hour. Now seven days a week, this deal can be enjoyed from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Oyster Bar, in the Purple Grackle Bar, and on the terrace, all located on the fifth floor of the hotel. A rotating variety of oysters from the Gulf go for $2 each; pair them with $10 glasses of wine and spritzes.

2 Canal St, New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 434-5898
(504) 434-5898
Chemin à la Mer

Seaworthy

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Unlike most spots on this list, and in New Orleans broadly, Seaworthy sources oysters from beyond the Gulf, including denser, brinier varieties from the East and West coasts. The famed oyster happy hour runs daily, from 4 to 6 p.m. Slurp select oysters and sip wine by the glass for half off each.

630 Carondelet St, New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 930-3071
(504) 930-3071
Rush Jagoe/Seaworthy

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Cooter Brown's Tavern

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Known mostly for its extensive draft beer selection, this longtime Riverbend college decompression zone and sports hangout also serves up well-sized sweet Louisiana oysters. On Tuesdays, Cooter Brown’s has half-price oysters from 3 p.m. until midnight. There are plenty of TV screens to catch whatever game is on.

509 S Carrollton Ave, New Orleans, LA 70118
(504) 866-9104
(504) 866-9104
Cooter Brown’s

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Sidecar Patio & Oyster Bar

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At Sidecar Patio & Oyster Bar on Constance Street, it’s easy to be overwhelmed by the vast oyster selection, which includes varieties from the Gulf, West Coast, and East Coast. The choice is easier on Wednesdays when a combo of six Gulf oysters and six dealer’s choice oysters (from various coasts) go for $15 — so half-off — from open to close, 5 to 9 p.m. Limit two per table at a time.

1114 Constance St, New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 381-5079
(504) 381-5079
Sidecar Patio & Oyster Bar

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Superior Seafood & Oyster Bar

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Popular among tourists for its prime corner location on St. Charles Avenue, the locals know that this sprawling spot is anchored by its marble oyster bar. They also know that the heart of that oyster bar is the stellar daily happy hour, which brings $1.25 oysters to the table from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., daily. Along with that comes deals on house wine, draft beer, and large frozen drinks for the price of a small, including the favorite frozen French 75.

4338 St Charles Ave, New Orleans, LA 70115
(504) 293-3474
(504) 293-3474
Superior Seafood/Facebook

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Basin Seafood and Spirits

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Basin somewhat flies under the radar on bustling Magazine Street, but locals in the know count on it for consistently fresh seafood products, expertly prepared — royal red shrimp, puppy drum, and soft shell crab, to name a few. This includes raw oysters, of course, and on Monday, the restaurant offers them for a ridiculously good price — they’re 75 cents a piece with the purchase of a menu item, from 3 until 9 p.m. A separate happy hour runs weekdays from 3 to 6 p.m., fyi.

3222 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70115
(504) 302-7391
(504) 302-7391
Basin Seafood and Spirits

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Boil Seafood House

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Boil beckons seafood lovers to its spacious, family-friendly dining room or balcony overlooking Magazine Street with a sprawling menu covering crawfish, crab, shrimp, lobster, mussels, and clams. There are also oysters here, easy to forget, and they’re on special during happy hour offered from 3 to 5 p.m.: Raw oysters are $7 for half a dozen; $14 for a dozen.

3340 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70115
(504) 309-4532
(504) 309-4532
Josh Brasted/Eater NOLA

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The Blue Crab Restaurant and Oyster Bar

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Buck-a-shuck oyster deals are few and far between these days, even in New Orleans. But Blue Crab, one of a handful of seafood restaurants right on the lake that offers solid, fresh, and no-frills seafood, is a rare exception. In fact, raw Gulf oysters go for 90 cents a piece during Blue Crab’s happy hour, which runs Tuesday through Thursday from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Chargrilled versions are $1.25 a piece during happy hour.

7900 Lakeshore Dr, New Orleans, LA 70124
(504) 284-2898
(504) 284-2898

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Parlay's Bar

870 Harrison Ave, New Orleans, LA 70124

This beloved neighborhood pub is back after a major fire in 2020, and so is a generous, daily raw oyster special. Slurp freshly shucked P&J oysters for $11.99 a dozen from 3 to 7 p.m. daily, alongside enthusiastic, mostly Lakeview or Lakeview-adjacent residents.

870 Harrison Ave, New Orleans, LA 70124
(504) 304-6338
(504) 304-6338

Clesi's Seafood Restaurant & Catering

4323 Bienville St, New Orleans, LA 70119

There are several weekly specials at this Mid-City seafood favorite, including Taco Tuesday, FryDay, and Oyster Monday. To kick off the week, this friendly neighborhood spot offers a pretty good special: Buy a pitcher of beer or a bottle of wine, and get BOGO on a dozen raw oysters — that means buy one dozen, get one dozen free. Come hungry.

4323 Bienville St, New Orleans, LA 70119
(504) 909-0108
(504) 909-0108

Luke

333 St Charles Ave, New Orleans, LA 70130

Luke, the elegant brasserie located in the downtown Hilton hotel, has long been known for its fresh raw seafood — including being one of few spots in town to splurge on a seafood tower. No need to splurge at happy hour, however — the restaurant’s beloved special offers $1.50 Gulf oysters on the half shell from 3 to 6 p.m. daily, as well as half-priced cocktails, wine by the glass, and draft beer, as well as half a dozen fried oysters for $12.

333 St Charles Ave, New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 378-2840
(504) 378-2840

Trenasse

Intercontinental Hotel, 444 St Charles Ave, New Orleans, LA 70130

Oysters on the half shell are a steal during the InterContinental Hotel restaurant’s happy hour — $7 for a half dozen. Visit the fun Trenasse any day of the week between 3 and 6 p.m. to catch that and other $7 small plate and cocktail specials.

Intercontinental Hotel, 444 St Charles Ave, New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 680-7000
(504) 680-7000
Trenasse

Chemin à la Mer

2 Canal St, New Orleans, LA 70130

Chemin à la Mer in the Four Seasons is one of the city’s best new raw bar destinations, and that includes a stellar Oyster Hour. Now seven days a week, this deal can be enjoyed from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Oyster Bar, in the Purple Grackle Bar, and on the terrace, all located on the fifth floor of the hotel. A rotating variety of oysters from the Gulf go for $2 each; pair them with $10 glasses of wine and spritzes.

2 Canal St, New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 434-5898
(504) 434-5898
Chemin à la Mer

Seaworthy

630 Carondelet St, New Orleans, LA 70130

Unlike most spots on this list, and in New Orleans broadly, Seaworthy sources oysters from beyond the Gulf, including denser, brinier varieties from the East and West coasts. The famed oyster happy hour runs daily, from 4 to 6 p.m. Slurp select oysters and sip wine by the glass for half off each.

630 Carondelet St, New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 930-3071
(504) 930-3071
Rush Jagoe/Seaworthy

Cooter Brown's Tavern

509 S Carrollton Ave, New Orleans, LA 70118

Known mostly for its extensive draft beer selection, this longtime Riverbend college decompression zone and sports hangout also serves up well-sized sweet Louisiana oysters. On Tuesdays, Cooter Brown’s has half-price oysters from 3 p.m. until midnight. There are plenty of TV screens to catch whatever game is on.

509 S Carrollton Ave, New Orleans, LA 70118
(504) 866-9104
(504) 866-9104
Cooter Brown’s

Sidecar Patio & Oyster Bar

1114 Constance St, New Orleans, LA 70130

At Sidecar Patio & Oyster Bar on Constance Street, it’s easy to be overwhelmed by the vast oyster selection, which includes varieties from the Gulf, West Coast, and East Coast. The choice is easier on Wednesdays when a combo of six Gulf oysters and six dealer’s choice oysters (from various coasts) go for $15 — so half-off — from open to close, 5 to 9 p.m. Limit two per table at a time.

1114 Constance St, New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 381-5079
(504) 381-5079
Sidecar Patio & Oyster Bar

Superior Seafood & Oyster Bar

4338 St Charles Ave, New Orleans, LA 70115

Popular among tourists for its prime corner location on St. Charles Avenue, the locals know that this sprawling spot is anchored by its marble oyster bar. They also know that the heart of that oyster bar is the stellar daily happy hour, which brings $1.25 oysters to the table from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., daily. Along with that comes deals on house wine, draft beer, and large frozen drinks for the price of a small, including the favorite frozen French 75.

4338 St Charles Ave, New Orleans, LA 70115
(504) 293-3474
(504) 293-3474
Superior Seafood/Facebook

Basin Seafood and Spirits

3222 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70115

Basin somewhat flies under the radar on bustling Magazine Street, but locals in the know count on it for consistently fresh seafood products, expertly prepared — royal red shrimp, puppy drum, and soft shell crab, to name a few. This includes raw oysters, of course, and on Monday, the restaurant offers them for a ridiculously good price — they’re 75 cents a piece with the purchase of a menu item, from 3 until 9 p.m. A separate happy hour runs weekdays from 3 to 6 p.m., fyi.

3222 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70115
(504) 302-7391
(504) 302-7391
Basin Seafood and Spirits

Boil Seafood House

3340 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70115

Boil beckons seafood lovers to its spacious, family-friendly dining room or balcony overlooking Magazine Street with a sprawling menu covering crawfish, crab, shrimp, lobster, mussels, and clams. There are also oysters here, easy to forget, and they’re on special during happy hour offered from 3 to 5 p.m.: Raw oysters are $7 for half a dozen; $14 for a dozen.

3340 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70115
(504) 309-4532
(504) 309-4532
Josh Brasted/Eater NOLA

The Blue Crab Restaurant and Oyster Bar

7900 Lakeshore Dr, New Orleans, LA 70124

Buck-a-shuck oyster deals are few and far between these days, even in New Orleans. But Blue Crab, one of a handful of seafood restaurants right on the lake that offers solid, fresh, and no-frills seafood, is a rare exception. In fact, raw Gulf oysters go for 90 cents a piece during Blue Crab’s happy hour, which runs Tuesday through Thursday from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Chargrilled versions are $1.25 a piece during happy hour.

7900 Lakeshore Dr, New Orleans, LA 70124
(504) 284-2898
(504) 284-2898

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