Island Creek Oyster Bar (CLOSED)

Located in the heart of Kenmore Square, the original Island Creek Oyster Bar is an ideal spot for sampling the namesake bivalves. Sustainably farmed year-round in Duxbury Bay, the oysters are sweet, briny, and always fresh. The noisy, continually-packed space blends the rustic aesthetic of an oyster farm with the polish of next-door neighbor (and sister establishment) Eastern Standard. A long, convivial bar anchors the front, while tables filled with locals, suits, trendsetters, and students stretch toward the rear of the restaurant, where the back wall is lined with cages filled with oyster shells. Jeremy Sewall's lengthy, seafood-focused menu includes "Cousin Mark's" lobster (from York Harbor, Maine), Rhode Island striped bass, Montauk bluefish, grilled Maine salmon, Cape Cod scallops, and more. Landlubbers are well-served thanks to roasted chicken, grilled steak, and an angus burger topped with house-cured maple bacon.