Best Oyster Bars in London
Published 12 Jul 2026 · Last Updated 30 Jul 2026
London has a genuinely good oyster scene. You can find them everywhere from a quick counter seat in Soho to a proper sit-down dinner in Covent Garden, and the quality is usually high whichever way you go.
Native vs. Rock Oysters
Oysters usually come two ways: native (in season roughly September to April, richer and more expensive) or rock oysters (available all year, milder and cheaper). Most of the restaurants below serve both, so you can compare side by side. If you've never eaten one, our first-timer's guide to oysters and shellfish covers how to actually eat one without the awkwardness.
A Note on Happy Hours
A quick note if you're searching for oyster happy hours: some restaurants do run early-evening deals, but these change often and aren't something we can guarantee is running right now. Your best bet is to call ahead or check the restaurant's own site before you go. What we can promise is that every restaurant below is a genuinely well-reviewed place to eat oysters, deal or no deal.
Casual and easygoing
1. Chiswick, Hounslow
The Whistling OysterThe highest-rated oyster spot on this list at 4.8 stars, though from a smaller base of around 150 reviews. Oysters and fresh seafood are the whole point here.
2. Canary Wharf / Isle of Dogs, Tower Hamlets
OysteriaRated 4.7 stars from nearly 1,900 reviews. Alongside oysters, it does scallops and full seafood platters if you want to share more than one dish.
3. Whitechapel / Spitalfields, Tower Hamlets
Noisy Oyster Seafood BistroA 4.6-star bistro with over 600 reviews, pairing oysters and fresh seafood with a solid cocktail list.
4. Soho / Carnaby, Westminster
Randall & AubinA Soho fixture with over 2,100 reviews and a 4.6-star rating. It runs a champagne bar alongside its oysters and fresh fish, good for a celebration.
Long-running favourites for a proper sit-down meal
5. Covent Garden, Westminster
J SheekeyA well-known Covent Garden address rated 4.5 stars from over 2,600 reviews. Oysters sit on the menu alongside lobster, fish pie and skate wing.
6. Soho / West End, Westminster
Bentley's Oyster Bar & GrillRated 4.5 stars from over 2,000 reviews. As the name suggests, native oysters are the specialty, alongside grilled fish and lobster.
7. Covent Garden, Westminster
The Oystermen Seafood Bar & KitchenA small, focused Covent Garden kitchen rated 4.5 stars from over 1,700 reviews, built entirely around oysters and fresh shellfish.
8. Borough Market, Southwark
Wright Brothers Borough MarketRated 4.4 stars from over 1,400 reviews. A Borough Market institution serving oysters and seafood platters right by the market stalls.
Want to see every oyster and seafood spot we've listed, not just these eight? Browse the full seafood category with ratings, hours and booking links. Curious how oysters became a London institution in the first place? Read our short history of oysters and the Thames.
Browse the full Seafood restaurant category in London →