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

2242 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

Sep 30, 2023

7:00 PM

Booked 28 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

Victory Points, Gloucester, VA$3.00
low brine, creamy
Revivals, Rappahannock River, VA$3.00
mild brine, buttery
Savage Blondes, Savage Harbor, PEI$3.00
medium brine, stony finish
Gowanbraes, Souris River, PEI$3.00
medium brine, crisp & stony
Harvest Moons, Duxbury, MA$3.00
medium brine, buttery finish
Les Saint Simiones, Duxbury, MA$3.00
high brine, champagne-like finish
Mayflowers, Dennis, MA$3.00
high brine, creamy finish

More Raw Bar

add to your tray of oysters or on their own

Colossal Shrimp Cocktail$3.25
lemon, cocktail sauce
- each$3.25
- five piece$14.00

What 2,242 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
4.8Service
4.5Ambience
4.5Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

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

2,242 Reviews

J
Jojug
Washington DC
12 reviews
vip
5.0
12 reviews
Dined 2 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
The best oysters! So many kinds to choose- Cold and really fresh! Channel( our server) was very helpful, knowledgeable, and pleasant We love this place!
Is this helpful?
w
willgoagain
Charleston
51 reviews
vip
5.0
51 reviews
Dined 5 days ago
overall5food5service4ambience5
Willcomesgain Oysters were delectable the moules and frites were outstanding and the pan roast was very good both quality and valur
Is this helpful?
F
Frustrated
Richmond
7 reviews
vip
5.0
7 reviews
Dined 7 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
Incredible meal with family! Oysters were delicious and we had fun with the yummy oyster shooters! The lobster rolls were huge and fresh and as good as our favorite restaurants in New England when we lived in Rhode Island! Service by Allyana was excellent-she was sweet and attentive! We will be back for sure! Thank you for a great night!! ♥️
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OT
OpenTable Diner
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 7 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience4
Waitress was amazing. Timely, thorough, positive and truly has a gift. Explained everything, didn’t rush us, very intuitive. You’ve got a real gem. Food was excellent. Simple crab cake meal but piping hot, best crab cake ever.
Is this helpful?
C
Critic
Richmond
91 reviews
vip
4.0
91 reviews
Dined on September 16, 2023
overall4food3service5ambience4
Cooked Mussels were very small, and the classic liquid they came in was bland
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J
Jungmi
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on September 16, 2023
overall4food5service3ambience2
Food was great but the restaurant was too small and not enough space. Not a fancy place for an event or occasion.
Is this helpful?
TN
TonyN
Houston
12 reviews
4.0
12 reviews
Dined on September 16, 2023
overall4food5service5ambience4
Food is very good, oysters spectacularly good and fresh! We will always go back for more!
Is this helpful?
KL
KimberlyL
Richmond
16 reviews
vip
5.0
16 reviews
Dined on September 14, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
It was a beautiful September evening under the tent at Public Fish! We had a fantastic waiter and great food. The burrata appetizer was happily shared among three people and it features a huge amount of fresh-grown ripe tomatoes. The crab cake entree was probably the best in Charlottesville. I enjoyed the Mahi menu addition with a pineapple salsa with spinach. Highly recommend the key lime pie. Was definitely homemade and was not too sweet and not too sour.
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LL
LawrenceL
Edmonton
7 reviews
5.0
7 reviews
Dined on September 12, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great seafood, especially raw oysters. A wonderful selection.
Is this helpful?
N
Nikkay
Richmond
21 reviews
5.0
21 reviews
Dined on September 11, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great business dinner - everything was superb and the faculty candidate loved it.
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JL
JanetteL
Raleigh
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on September 11, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
Ask for Channel. She was very knowledgeable and helped guide our decisions for an amazing experience.
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
Washington DC
6 reviews
vip
5.0
6 reviews
Dined on September 11, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Service was excellent and the food was amazing! Will be coming back!
Is this helpful?
LD
LauraD
Richmond
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on September 10, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
This was our first time at Public Fish & Oyster and we were so impressed with the service and food that we will definitely be returning. Everyone from the hostess, the bartender, waiter and even the patrons were gracious to accommodate my mother who has a walker. Every part of our meal was delicious and we now have a new favorite oyster place.
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RD
RD1978
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on September 8, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Public Fish & Oyster is our new go-to place for Happy Hour. From 4-6 daily, oysters are just $2 each and lobster rolls (as good as anything you can get in Maine!) are on the menu. Great food, drinks, and wait staff! Just be sure to make a reservation because Happy Hour there is always packed.
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NE
NEIGHBORHOODCHAP
Richmond
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on September 7, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Have lived in Charlottesville for a long time but this was our first time dining at Public. We loved it - the service, the food, the ambiance. Everything exceeded our expectations. We will be back and I am sure Public will become a regular in our restaurant rotation.
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WG
WendellG
Richmond
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on September 7, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Perfect as always. Happy hour cannot be beat! And don’t sleep on the fries.
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
Greensboro
4 reviews
vip
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on September 3, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
One of the best meals I have ever had!
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on September 3, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Incredible food, outstanding service, the best happy hour. You can tell there is a lot of love and care put into their menu. I look forward to many more wonderful dining experiences at Public.
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on September 3, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
We loved our dinner and our waitress was fantastic
Is this helpful?
KD
KDee
Philadelphia
17 reviews
vip
5.0
17 reviews
Dined on September 2, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
The best oysters. Great selection and delicious entrees too. Could eat here again and again.
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k
ksla
Richmond
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on September 1, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Food was amazing as always! Oysters and shrimp to start for the table, entrees delicious 😋 Kevin was a great waiter, cocktails also a big hit. Can’t have a bad night at Public!
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RG
RalphG
Richmond
9 reviews
vip
4.0
9 reviews
Dined on August 31, 2023
overall4food5service5ambience4
#1 Best seafood restaurant in Charlottesville and very consistent...been here several times,,, never disappoints. Great fresh seafood, outstanding lobster rolls and handcut fries. Place was jammed (as usual) and tables are close together and a bit noisy. Parking can be challenging but we will be back again soon
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PG
PatG
Portland
2 reviews
3.0
2 reviews
Dined on August 31, 2023
overall3food5service3ambience2
Could not talk over noise at our inside table. Disappointed our scallops were not warm and our oysters came out at the same time as our meal. Mussels in green curry and shrimp po boy we’re delicious.
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KT
KarenT
New Mexico
5 reviews
5.0
5 reviews
Dined on August 31, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
We loved Andre! He was spot on, never hovered, and let us know of delays. The oysters were scrumptious! We also had a lobster roll, ( yummy), and mussels. The drinks were delicious. We will go again!!!!
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m
mhbmhb
New York Area
6 reviews
5.0
6 reviews
Dined on August 29, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
We went for happy hour. Do make a reservation, there are not many tables. Excellent oysters and price@$2.00. The CT Maine lobster roll @$29 MP was buttery delicious with plenty of lobster. Attentive and cheerful service. Will return!
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LS
LauraS
New York Area
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on August 21, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
Happy hour was excellent - oysters & lobster rolls! We are originally from the East Coast - so we loved the lobster roll with hot butter. We also loved the first round of oysters so much that we ordered more. Very enjoyable evening!
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CB
CB25
Raleigh
6 reviews
vip
5.0
6 reviews
Dined on August 21, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
Great and fresh seafood. Our waiter Andre was fantastic. Awesome local spot for cocktails, beer and food.
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DW
DanielleW
Washington DC
5 reviews
5.0
5 reviews
Dined on August 20, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Food and service are always phenomenal. Best mussels I've ever had. Oysters are fresh. Key lime pie is the best!
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BG
BillG
Richmond
3 reviews
2.0
3 reviews
Dined on August 20, 2023
overall2food1service3ambience4
Calamari was too salty to eat. Crab legs were cooked to death. Bread was day-old. Otherwise, the Neal was fine.
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BR
BRbr
Charleston
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on August 20, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great food, great service, great atmosphere ... a culinary hat trick!
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VJ
VictoriaJ
Denver
20 reviews
vip
5.0
20 reviews
Dined on August 19, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
I love this place! We come here every time we are in town. Really great food and lovely service.
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P
Philo
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on August 18, 2023
overall4food4service5ambience4
Excellent seafood in a lively setting. oysters were outstanding. PFO pan roast had excellent shellfish and a tasty sauce. Small but well chosen selection of draft beer. Fries were perfectly cooked. Seared scallops were fine, but nothing special. New England clam chowder was OK, but I’ve had better. Excellent service, even though we were late for our reservation (we called to let them know). Would definitely come back again, but maybe try a fish special or the mussels next time.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Washington DC
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on August 17, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Delicious!! Fresh, vibrant, and beautiful ambiance. 10/10 recommend
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DD
DianeD
Coastal Georgia
6 reviews
5.0
6 reviews
Dined on August 17, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
We booked this restaurant because of recommendations from our innkeeper. It didn’t disappoint! Our server was prompt and friendly! She helped us select oysters and brought us sparkling wine on the house because it was our anniversary. I also ordered the Maine lobster roll and my husband got clam chowder and caprese salad. Everything was delicious! We thoroughly enjoyed our meal there and would highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys oysters and seafood.
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S
Semifoodie
Richmond
6 reviews
4.0
6 reviews
Dined on August 16, 2023
overall4food5service5ambience3
Reservations are almost mandatory at this local favorite. The oysters on the half shell were perfect. We went during Happy Hour just so we cou;ld order the lobster rolls. Generous with the lobster and perfect. This was our 4th time there and we will be back.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Richmond
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on August 15, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
First time dining there. Great service. We dined indoors. Dining area was a little tight however the servers were excellent and we enjoyed the food.
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
Richmond
11 reviews
vip
5.0
11 reviews
Dined on August 15, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Exceptional meal as always, PFO never disappoints. We tried some of the new additions to the menu and were delighted by them! Alanna provided excellent service with recommendations throughout the meal. Perfect evening thanks to the whole team.
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AW
AnnieW
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on August 15, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience3
Our first visit to C-ville. This place we found on line after a recommendation from a friend and what a gem! The Happy Hour fills up quickly so make a reservation. The wine list was excellent (Happy Hour on that too!) The service was very good and hat's off to the Oyster Guy...Excellent!!
Is this helpful?
M
Mike
Washington DC
100 reviews
vip
4.0
100 reviews
Dined on August 13, 2023
overall4food4service4ambience4
The owner was very nice to let us move up our arrival time. We sat on the patio and enjoyed two dozen oysters on the half shell and then split a lobster roll. All of was great. Really good vibe and the place was hopping,
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w
willgoagain
Charleston
51 reviews
vip
5.0
51 reviews
Dined on August 13, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Had 3 diff PEI oysters a crab cake scallops and the trout dip. Everything was outstanding Just plan on some extra time to find parking on any day other than Sunday A trip well worth the price
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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 2242 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

Sep 30, 2023

7:00 PM

Booked 28 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

Menu

Raw Oysters on the Half Shell

Victory Points, Gloucester, VA$3.00

Revivals, Rappahannock River, VA$3.00

Savage Blondes, Savage Harbor, PEI$3.00

Gowanbraes, Souris River, PEI$3.00

Harvest Moons, Duxbury, MA$3.00

Les Saint Simiones, Duxbury, MA$3.00

Mayflowers, Dennis, MA$3.00

More Raw Bar

Colossal Shrimp Cocktail$3.25

What 2,242 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