Public Fish & Oyster

MUST get a reservation here as it is a very small restaurant, otherwise you might find yourself waiting for a spot at the bar. This is probably our favorite restaurant here in cville, and even after many years, it is still consistently amazing! We ordered a dozen raw oysters of different brine levels, and they tasted so fresh. I especially loved the oysters from Breakwaters Newport, RI. My favorite main to order here is always the Moules Frites. Tried the Classic Mariniere, and it was SO DELICIOUS OMG. The sauce was decadent, that I had to make sure to soak up every mussel and the crostinis. And idk how they do it, but their frites are perfectly seasoned and crispy! The portions for this is pretty large, and shared some with my husband too, and is worth every penny. My husband tried the

Very nice place! Small and quaint. Food, service and drinks were awesome. The lobster roll was delicious and the oysters were amazing. Great service, our server was very attentive and made excellent suggestions. Definitely will return.

Had a wonderful dinner at Public Fish & Oyster. The food was amazing! We had the lobster bisque, clam chowder, oysters Rockefeller, fried oysters, crab cakes and the shrimp and grits. We also got the key lime pie for dessert and a chocolate….something. Everything was top tier. Wonderful evening and not over priced.

Had a 5 hr Amtrak layover in Charlottesville I was dreading. This little gem made the stopover worth repeating! Super fresh seafood, oyster selection expertly shucked and curated, lobster rolls to die for, and as a Floridian I can safely say that the Key Lime Pie is off the chain. John behind the bar was the epitome of a gracious host and thanks very much to the gentleman at the door that helped me with my (heavy) bags!

Awesome experience! Were greeted and sat at the bar after only a few minutes on a busy Friday evening. Oyster varieties were amazing and fish specials were cooked perfectly. Our waiter Eric went above and beyond to make our experience enjoyable and unique and the bartender was on point with almost no wait for drinks. Eric even helped us with an itinerary for the rest of the weekend with recommendations. Was refreshing to stop at such a classy place. If you’re just visiting, recommend getting an uber and just walking around. Gets very busy downtown. If I’m ever in town again this will definitely be my first choice for dinner!