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 (2771)

$31 to $50

Seafood

513 W. Main St, Charlottesville, VA 22903

Make a reservation

2 people

Jul 20, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 50 times today

About this restaurant

Good for special occasions
Neighborhood gem
Lively

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.

Dining areas

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$31 to $50
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

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AI Beta

Our AI assistant, Concierge, is here to answer your questions about this restaurant.

Revivals, Rappahannock River, VA$3.30
mild brine, mineral
Newport Cups, Newport, RI$3.30
medium brine, clean stone finish
Moonrises, Dennis, MA$3.30
medium brine, light ocean finish
Wellfleets, Wellfleet Harbor, MA$3.30
medium brine, seaweed finish
Beavertails, Narragansett Bay, RI$3.30
high brine, salted-butter finish
Katama Bays, Martha's Vineyard, MA$3.30
high brine, intense sweet flavor
Wild Bills, Damariscotta River, ME$3.30
high brine, buttery

More Raw Bar

add to your tray of oysters or on their own

Colossal Shrimp Cocktail$3.50
lemon, cocktail sauce
- each$3.50
- five piece$16.00
Middleneck Clams, Eastern Shore, VA$2.75

Seafood Towers

available friday, saturday and sunday only

Neptune's Tower$75.00
(2-3 guests) eight oysters on the half shell, four middleneck clams, five cocktail shrimp, smoked trout dip, daily crudo, cluster of snow crab legs
Poseidon's Tower$145.00
(4-6 guests) sixteen oysters on the half shell, eight middleneck clams, ten cocktail shrimp, smoked trout dip, daily crudo, two clusters of snow crab legs

What 2,771 people are saying

Public Fish & Oyster reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

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
Great for fine wines
Charlottesville
Great for outdoor dining
Charlottesville
Lively
Charlottesville
Most Booked

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Public Fish & Oyster is a seafood haven offering "freshest briniest oysters" and "outstanding service." Diners rave about the "great food" and "amazing selection of oysters." The vibrant atmosphere and attentive staff, like Ian and John, make each visit memorable. A "must-visit" for seafood lovers in Charlottesville.

2,771 Reviews

S
Stuart
Virginia2 reviews
5.0
Dined 5 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Excellent. Ian was responsive. The food was incredible. Thank you.
Is this helpful?
N
Natalie VIP
Virginia81 reviews
3.0
Dined 5 days ago
1. Overall 3
2. Food 4
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 2
The food and service were very good. However, this is the loudest restaurant I’ve been in probably ever. If you don’t mind the noise and being jammed in? Go!
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M
Meagan
New York City3 reviews
5.0
Dined on July 12, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
A delicious and fun find! We loved the oysters and vibe, and the entrees. Our waiter was really nice and friendly. We sat inside, and while cramped, it wasn’t a problem. Was a very lively place! We were in town one night and made a reservation in advance.
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W
William VIP
Washington, D.C. Area26 reviews
5.0
Dined on July 10, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Really nice vibe. Very atmospheric and authentic. Great food and service. Very much enjoyed it.
Is this helpful?
J
J.T.
Virginia1 review
5.0
Dined on July 5, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Chris was awesome and extremely knowledgeable. Lidia was great even if it was her first day! Food was excellent as usual!
Is this helpful?
J
Jared
San Francisco Bay Area7 reviews
5.0
Dined on July 5, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Third time eating here. Every time we go, we are blown away. We got the specials and the 4 of the offered oysters. The snapper was incredible and the rock fish was great. This is on the list of places we take visitors for dinner every time. Can’t speak highly enough of the service and the ambiance of the place.
Is this helpful?
J
Jeff
Philadelphia County2 reviews
5.0
Dined on July 3, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We had an amazing experience! Coming in from Philadelphia not knowing what to expect and the experience far exceeded our expectations. The food & drinks were delicious, the vibe was great as well but our waitress Chenelle was the best part! She was social, comforting & extremely fast & attentive to us.
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T
Tina VIP
Charlotte46 reviews
5.0
Dined on July 3, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 3
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The waiter Eric was amazing. There was a new chef and a couple of the entrees were cold. Had to send them back. Once we got them they were good. Happy hour specials were incredible.
Is this helpful?
J
James
West Virginia8 reviews
5.0
Dined on July 3, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Enjoyed oysters Great food AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
Is this helpful?
N
Nora VIP
Virginia35 reviews
5.0
Dined on July 3, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Our server, Ian, remembered us from our last visit to Public Fish and Oyster, and we remembered his great service. All the food and drinks were perfect: the Old Fashioned and the beer, the lobster bisque, the salad, the lobster roll and asparagus. Perfectly cooked and seasoned. I especially enjoyed the oysters on the half shell, lovely, fresh, and perfectly briney. We always look forward to our meals at PFO and can’t wait for our next visit.
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FAQs

Public Fish & Oyster is rated 4.8 stars by 2771 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a reservation

2 people

Jul 20, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 50 times today

513 W. Main St, Charlottesville, VA 22903

Dining areas

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
Price
$31 to $50
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

About this restaurant

Dining areas

Additional information

Featured in

A Guide to the Best Date Spots in Virginia

Ask Concierge
AI Beta

Menu

Raw Oysters on the Half Shell

Revivals, Rappahannock River, VA$3.30

Newport Cups, Newport, RI$3.30

Moonrises, Dennis, MA$3.30

Wellfleets, Wellfleet Harbor, MA$3.30

Beavertails, Narragansett Bay, RI$3.30

Katama Bays, Martha's Vineyard, MA$3.30

Wild Bills, Damariscotta River, ME$3.30

More Raw Bar

Colossal Shrimp Cocktail$3.50

Middleneck Clams, Eastern Shore, VA$2.75

Seafood Towers

Neptune's Tower$75.00

Poseidon's Tower$145.00

What 2,771 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Review summary

FAQs

How is Public Fish & Oyster restaurant rated?

Is Public Fish & Oyster currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Dining areas

Additional information

Featured in

A Guide to the Best Date Spots in Virginia