Public Fish & Oyster

Name: Public Fish & Oyster
Address: 513 W. Main St, Charlottesville, VA, United States, 22903
Telephone: (434) 995-5542
Price range: $31 to $50
Rating: 4.8

4.8

2130 Reviews

$31 to $50

Seafood

Top Tags:

Public Fish and Oyster serves only the freshest and responsibly sourced seafood. We believe in the complete dining experience and our knowledgeable staff is eager to provide you with the best dining experience Charlottesville has to offer.

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

Jun 10, 2023

7:00 PM

Booked 33 times today

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Cuisines
Seafood, Contemporary American, Oyster Bar
Hours of operation
Mon–Thu, Sun 4:00 pm–9:00 pm Dinner Fri, Sat 4:00 pm–9:30 pm Happy Hour Daily 4:00 pm–6:00 pm
Phone number
(434) 995-5542
Website
http://www.publicfo.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Executive chef
Dylan Allwood

Location
513 W. Main St, Charlottesville, VA 22903
Neighborhood
Charlottesville
Cross street
6th St. NW
Parking details
Parking is available in our shared lot adjacent to the restaurant. In addition there is ample street parking and a free city lot a block away in the Ambemarle Hotel lot.
Public transit
Bus line and trolly service right outside our door.
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Featured in

A Guide to the Best Date Spots in Virginia

Popular dishes

Victory Points, Gloucester, VA$3.00
mild brine, buttery
Les Saint Simones, Shippagan, NB$3.00
medium brine, toasty
Salutation Coves, Lower Bedeque, PEI$3.00
medium brine, clean finish
West Bays, Nantucket Sound, Massachusetts$3.00
medium brine, light ocean finish
Little Beauties, Assateague, VA$3.00
high brine, mineral
Big Rocks, Harwich, MA$3.00
high brine, full ocean finish
Malpeques, Malpeque Bay, PEI$3.00
high brine, veggie finish

More Raw Bar

add to your tray of oysters or on their own

Colossal Shrimp Cocktail
lemon, cocktail sauce
- each$3.25
- five piece$13.00

What 2,130 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.8

4.8 based on recent ratings

4.8Food
4.7Service
4.5Ambience
4.5Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

Virginia
Seafood
Charlottesville
Best Overall
Charlottesville
Best Food
Charlottesville
Best Value
Charlottesville
Hot spot
Charlottesville
Neighborhood gem
Charlottesville
Great for outdoor dining
Charlottesville
Lively
Charlottesville
Most Booked

b
beachy
Baltimore
45 reviews
5.0
45 reviews
Dined 5 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
Only available time was 5:15 which surprised us as that’s the middle of the highly acclaimed happy hour. Waitress was awesome. Oysters and lobster roll Dee lish an I had salad as my side very good but hubby had the French fries and omg! Not usually a fan but there’s are worth trying. Sat outside in tent on a beautiful evening. Just perfect!
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
Nashville
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined 6 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
One of the best meals I’ve had in a very long time.
Is this helpful?
SD
SashaD
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined 6 days ago
overall4food4service4ambience4
Very good oyster and seafood bar. The lobster rolls hot are amazing. Although we ate 36 oysters out of season they were pretty good. I would cut down on the salt water or at least drain them prior to serving. Good experience but very expensive. I'd go again.
Is this helpful?
CD
CandaceD
Richmond
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined 7 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience4
Consistently very good food, cocktails and service! Definitely one of my favorites here in Charlottesville. And if you’re ever able to squeeze in up at the bar you’ll be treated like royalty .
Is this helpful?
G
Gwen
San Francisco
6 reviews
5.0
6 reviews
Dined 7 days ago
overall5food4service5ambience4
Great food and service! Oysters were lovely! I also loved the smoked fish dip!
Is this helpful?
KD
KimD
Richmond
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined 7 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
Best seafood in Charlottesville, incredible service, best wine and drink pairings. The oysters are out of this world good, as are the crabcakes!
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on June 2, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Always an “above and beyond” experience here, same goes for their sister restaurant down the street, which we were lucky enough to dine at earlier this week.
Is this helpful?
G
Genta
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on May 28, 2023
overall4food4service4ambience4
May be because of the season (May), but the quality of the oysters are not as good as expected. This place is very busy and we need to be patient to communicate with the waiter.
Is this helpful?
AB
ArbaB
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on May 28, 2023
overall4food5service4ambience3
Excellent food, best clam chowder ever. Down side....couldn't carry on a conversation due to the noise.
Is this helpful?
F
Foodie1092
Philadelphia
34 reviews
vip
4.0
34 reviews
Dined on May 26, 2023
overall4food3service5ambience5
Always fantastic service. Oysters Rockefeller recipe has changed, not as tasty as before. Other than that, fantastic as always.
Is this helpful?
CB
ChristineB
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 24, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
We had a ball! Enjoyed the seafood pot, mussel curry and oysters. Ambiance and staff were gredat.
Is this helpful?
B
Bill
New York Area
6 reviews
3.0
6 reviews
Dined on May 22, 2023
overall3food3service4ambience4
Overall a decent place. My steak frites was over cooked while my sons was good. My wife ordered the seafood “hodgepodge”. That dish was tasty but lacked enough seafood other than mussels.
Is this helpful?
m
marlowes
New York Area
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on May 19, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
An exceptional experience. Always look forward with delight when we come to town!
Is this helpful?
J
Jenn
Richmond
23 reviews
4.0
23 reviews
Dined on May 18, 2023
overall4food4service4ambience4
Early dinner before a concert. We ate on the patio which was nice but a little loud with the next door restuarant's doors wide open. The food was good. Maybe a little dissapointing based on the reviews. I had a lobster roll and all I tasted was mayonaise. Husband had a hamburger which was fine. Key lime pie though was outstanding.
Is this helpful?
BJ
BJentley
San Francisco
6 reviews
5.0
6 reviews
Dined on May 15, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Holy moly, this place was great. Sampled 4 different oysters, I had the salmon and my wife had the hodgepodge. Maybe the best salmon dish I’ve ever had at a restaurant. The cocktails were pretty dang good too. Oh and the olive oil cake was a fantastic was to wrap the meal. The touch of citrus in the whipped cream elevated the cake to a new level.
Is this helpful?
CW
ClaudeW
Las Vegas
4 reviews
3.0
4 reviews
Dined on May 12, 2023
overall3food2service5ambience5
Peel and eat shrimp over cooked and disappointing.
Is this helpful?
S
Sixfootgirl
New York Area
1 review
2.0
1 review
Dined on May 11, 2023
overall2food3service4ambience1
Indoors is so crowded and noisy as to be unbearable. A server brushed up against me as they were passing through and shot me a dirty look as if I had intruded on their space. Food was OK, service from our server very good... but just not enjoyable experience.
Is this helpful?
n
nwoods8
Washington DC
18 reviews
vip
2.0
18 reviews
Dined on May 11, 2023
overall2food2service3ambience5
Great vibe upon entering. Shrimp overcooked, very chewy, leathery. The dual crab cakes should be called the dual crab “crepes” so thin and flavorless. If I stacked them one on the other they would have been about three quarters of an inch tall. No taste of Old Bay at all!!! Please if you’re selling crab in the Mid-Atlantic area PLEASE puts some Old Bay on the crab.
Is this helpful?
VJ
VictoriaJ
Denver
18 reviews
vip
5.0
18 reviews
Dined on May 10, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Really delicious food and friendly service. They were very helpful accommodating my multiple food allergies. I love this place.
Is this helpful?
NT
NoraT
Richmond
28 reviews
vip
5.0
28 reviews
Dined on May 9, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Preferred reservation time, friendly, efficient service, fresh and deliciously prepared seafood.
Is this helpful?
C
Chris
New York Area
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on May 8, 2023
overall5food4service5ambience5
Great. Oysters are a must. Great cocktails too. Would go back
Is this helpful?
J
Jordan
Jacksonville
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 5, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Excellent Restaurant! Phenomenal oyster selection, food, drinks, and flawless service.
Is this helpful?
CO
CatherineO
Richmond
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on May 4, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Delicious! We went for happy hour and there were great deals and amazing lobster rolls. The service is kind and amazing!
Is this helpful?
G
Gman
Richmond
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on May 4, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Never disappointed with the food or service. Eat here several times a year and always look forward to doming back.
Is this helpful?
HH
HHIrepeat
Raleigh
21 reviews
5.0
21 reviews
Dined on May 3, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Small and special. This restaurant provides outstanding food and drink. Freshest oysters that were shucked perfectly..not even the littlest piece of shell. The flounder special was excellent as were the moules et frites. The drinks were delicious. All topped off with watchful, friendly service. Now on our list for frequent dining!
Is this helpful?
ML
MaryLow
New York Area
117 reviews
vip
5.0
117 reviews
Dined on April 30, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
Excellent food and service. Good drinks and amazing bartenders. Close quarters but an energetic and happy vibe
Is this helpful?
I
clayI
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on April 30, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience3
First time for us at this establishment and it won’t be our last. Our server Andre was fabulous. Attentive, friendly and informative. The Blue Point Oysters I had to start out were wonderful. We then shared a Steam Pot and Grilled Brussels Sprouts and everything was just perfect. They have a fabulous selection of both oysters and seafood!!!!
Is this helpful?
K
Katielovesfood
Richmond
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on April 28, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
We had an excellent time at Public Fish and Oyster. The food was AMAZING. If you like seafood, send it. Our waiter was phenomenal, and made the dining experience very pleasant. They heard we were getting married soon, and they gave us complimentary champagne! Definitely going back!
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
San Francisco
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on April 26, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Amazing service and amazing food!
Is this helpful?
WS
WilliamS
Richmond
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on April 24, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Fast seating, quick, friendly, professional service, great food
Is this helpful?
f
francophile
Philadelphia
105 reviews
vip
4.0
105 reviews
Dined on April 24, 2023
overall4food5service4ambience3
Happy hour with $1 off all featured varieties of oysters was terrific. Loved the moondancers. Also liked the lobster roll, but the fries were too salty.
Is this helpful?
D
Designer
Western NC
14 reviews
vip
5.0
14 reviews
Dined on April 23, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
The waiters were so attentive. Food especially oysters were amazing. We had the best seat in the house. Lovely people. Incredible vibe.
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on April 23, 2023
overall3food3service4ambience4
Good attempt but food just not up to par. Not terrible but not great.
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on April 20, 2023
overall3food3service3ambience4
This was my second time there. Unfortunately we found a curly hair in the main dish. They were kind of weird about it. Not particularly apologetic
Is this helpful?
DJ
DianeJ
Richmond
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on April 18, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Not to be missed on a visit to Charlottesville. Food, cocktails,service all fantastic!
Is this helpful?
LV
LindaV
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on April 18, 2023
overall4food4service4ambience3
Oysters and food are fabulous, but could have better white wines, ie. New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
Richmond
6 reviews
vip
5.0
6 reviews
Dined on April 16, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
The oyster selection is always fantastic and so fresh. Love the rotations and local choices too. Menu never disappoints whether a classic like the moules frites or something special. Great service and nice to be able to sit out in the patio when the weather is good.
Is this helpful?
MN
MattN
Washington DC
8 reviews
vip
5.0
8 reviews
Dined on April 15, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Stellar seafood uniquely prepared. Well worth the visit and hope to come back on another visit to Charlottesville
Is this helpful?
CD
ConstanceD
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on April 15, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
Outside dining was much quieter than indoors. Creative food very good service.
Is this helpful?
TL
TLawrence
Pittsburgh
26 reviews
4.0
26 reviews
Dined on April 13, 2023
overall4food5service5ambience3
Great Happy Meal filling up an Undergraduate who loves mussels and shrimp and oysters. Must visit on Parent/Grandparent trip.
Is this helpful?

Safety precautions

Cleaning & sanitizing
- Surfaces sanitized between seatings
- Common areas deep-cleaned daily

Screening
- Sick staff prohibited in the workplace

FAQs

Public Fish & Oyster is rated 4.8 stars by 2130 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

Jun 10, 2023

7:00 PM

Booked 33 times today

513 W. Main St, Charlottesville, VA 22903

Additional information

Cross street
6th St. NW
Neighborhood
Charlottesville
Hours of operation
Mon–Thu, Sun 4:00 pm–9:00 pm Dinner Fri, Sat 4:00 pm–9:30 pm Happy Hour Daily 4:00 pm–6:00 pm
Cuisines
Seafood, Contemporary American, Oyster Bar
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Casual Dress
Parking details
Parking is available in our shared lot adjacent to the restaurant. In addition there is ample street parking and a free city lot a block away in the Ambemarle Hotel lot.
Public transit
Bus line and trolly service right outside our door.
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
Executive chef
Dylan Allwood
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://www.publicfo.com/
Phone number
(434) 995-5542

Featured in

A Guide to the Best Date Spots in Virginia

Public Fish & Oyster

Make a reservation

Additional information

Featured in

A Guide to the Best Date Spots in Virginia

Popular dishes

New England Clam Chowder

Little Salad

Alaskan Snow Crab Legs

Menu

Raw Oysters on the Half Shell

Victory Points, Gloucester, VA$3.00

Les Saint Simones, Shippagan, NB$3.00

Salutation Coves, Lower Bedeque, PEI$3.00

West Bays, Nantucket Sound, Massachusetts$3.00

Little Beauties, Assateague, VA$3.00

Big Rocks, Harwich, MA$3.00

Malpeques, Malpeque Bay, PEI$3.00

More Raw Bar

Colossal Shrimp Cocktail

What 2,130 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Safety precautions

Cleaning & sanitizing

Screening

FAQs

How is Public Fish & Oyster restaurant rated?

Is Public Fish & Oyster currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Additional information

Featured in

A Guide to the Best Date Spots in Virginia