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Public Fish & Oyster, Charlottesville, VA

Public Fish & Oyster

4.8
4.8
2604 Reviews
$31 to $50
Seafood

Make a reservation

2 people
7:30 PM
Booked 35 times today
  • Great for happy hour
  • Lively
  • Neighborhood gem
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
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Executive chef
    Dylan Allwood
  • 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

What 2,604 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

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • Virginia

    Seafood

  • Charlottesville

    Best Overall

  • Charlottesville

    Best Food

  • Charlottesville

    Best Service

  • Charlottesville

    Best Value

  • Charlottesville

    Neighborhood gem

  • Charlottesville

    Great for outdoor dining

  • Charlottesville

    Lively

  • Charlottesville

    Most Booked

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Public Fish & Oyster in Charlottesville is a seafood lover's paradise, renowned for its "excellent oysters" and "fantastic service". Diners rave about the "fresh and delicious" seafood, including standout crab cakes and lobster rolls. While the dining area can be "crowded and loud," the vibrant atmosphere and attentive staff make it a must-visit. Enjoy an extensive menu with creative cocktails and a top-notch oyster selection.

2,604 Reviews
  1. Douglas

    Washington DC

    27 reviews

    3.0

    27 reviews

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 2
    On a Monday evening, it took between 30-45 minutes to deliver the main courses after the appetizers were served . When asked the reason for the delay, the answer from the waitress was “Our kitchen is really small “. Really!?!?!

    Is this helpful?

  2. Kelley

    Richmond

    13 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    13 reviews

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 3
    Can't get the patio right. Either freezing or hot air blowing directly on you.

    Is this helpful?

  3. Jamie

    Seattle

    2 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    John is outstanding. Wonderful service. The food is always amazing.

    Is this helpful?

  4. Ben

    San Francisco

    5 reviews

    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Probably the best seafood we have eaten and it’s not even near the ocean!!! Service was impeccable!!

    Is this helpful?

  5. Alexa

    Detroit

    29 reviews

    5.0

    29 reviews

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The food is so delicious and the service was amazing! Highly recommend to all.

    Is this helpful?

  6. Ken

    Richmond

    10 reviews

    5.0

    10 reviews

    Dined on November 19, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    We showed up (very) early for our reservation and they accommodated us. Their raw oysters were ice cold, briny, fresh, clean and already loosened from their shells…just the way they should be. Perfection.

    Is this helpful?

  7. Lauren

    Tampa

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on November 18, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Wonderful service and food. We were visiting from out of town and really enjoyed the cocktails and food 🙌

    Is this helpful?

  8. Richard

    Richmond

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 13, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The lobster rolls were amazing 🤩!! Look forward to having the Public Oyster experience, and the oysters were awesome.👏

    Is this helpful?

  9. Ann

    Richmond

    20 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    20 reviews

    Dined on November 12, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 2
    Our waiter was outstanding.He had a great sense of humor, he showed pictures of the specials on his phone.

    Is this helpful?

  10. Chris

    San Antonio

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on November 11, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    What a pleasant surprise. Outstanding shrimp cocktail, delicious oysters and crab cakes to die for! Great service. We’ll be back.

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

Public Fish & Oyster is rated 4.8 stars by 2604 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a reservation

2 people
7:30 PM
Booked 35 times today
Google Map for Public Fish & Oyster

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
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