Restaurant Details

Oyster House is the last of Center City’s great fish houses, a genre that once dominated Philadelphia. Tradition is safe with third-generation owner Sam Mink, who oversees the white room hung with antique oyster plates and a lively raw bar where regulars spoon through creamy chowder and, in winter, sherried snapper soup; slurp the best-shucked oysters in town with crisp martinis; and feast on steamy lobster clambakes and the quirky Ye Olde Philly lunch delight of fried oysters and chicken salad. Oyster House’s continued allure with younger generations, though, relies on its ability to evolve, with a stellar happy hour, support for the nascent local oyster industry, and a kitchen that can also deliver compelling modern plates. A Szechuan-inspired tuna tartare and branzino with chile-corn sauce were recent highlights, while the classic butterscotch pudding — a dessert dating to this location’s 1976 debut — proves some classics don’t need updating.