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Public Fish & Oyster, Charlottesville, VA

Public Fish & Oyster

4.8
4.8
2624 Reviews
$31 to $50
Seafood

Make a reservation

2 people
8:30 PM
Booked 29 times today
  • Great for happy hour
  • Neighborhood gem
  • Good for special occasions
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 2,624 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
  • 4.9Food
  • 4.9Service
  • 4.6Ambience
  • 4.6Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • Virginia

    Seafood

  • Charlottesville

    Best Overall

  • Charlottesville

    Best Food

  • Charlottesville

    Best Service

  • Charlottesville

    Best Value

  • Charlottesville

    Hot spot

  • Charlottesville

    Great for outdoor dining

  • Charlottesville

    Lively

  • Charlottesville

    Most Booked

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Public Fish & Oyster is a seafood lover's paradise in Charlottesville, renowned for its "top-notch oysters" and "always great service." The menu is diverse, featuring fresh seafood like lobster rolls and crab cakes, complemented by a "spectacular" atmosphere. Patrons frequently return for the "excellent cocktails" and the energetic vibe, though it can be "a bit loud" inside. Reservations are recommended to enjoy their popular offerings, especially during happy hour.

2,624 Reviews
  1. Ricardo

    Washington DC

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Delicious seafood in a fun atmosphere. Gets quieter once happy hour ends.

    Is this helpful?

  2. Erin

    London

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    So delicious and such lovely service and atmosphere!

    Is this helpful?

  3. Betsy

    VIP

    Cincinnati

    12 reviews

    5.0

    12 reviews

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Charming and vibrant with amazing oysters . So many to choose from too

    Is this helpful?

  4. Alan

    New York City

    21 reviews

    4.0

    21 reviews

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Really fresh oysters and seafood. Highly recommend.

    Is this helpful?

  5. Gary

    VIP

    Philadelphia

    25 reviews

    5.0

    25 reviews

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We make a point of visiting Public Fish every time we come to Charlottesville. It’s a lively, fun place to dine, and last night was no exception. Great service. Danny, Alex and Daniel took great care of us. The oysters on a half shell were perfect. And our main courses of halibut and oyster po boy were mouth watering awesome! We look forward to the next time we’re in town so we can visit Public Fish again.

    Is this helpful?

  6. Amy

    Washington DC

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Everything was perfect- delicious food, fantastic service, fun ambiance!!

    Is this helpful?

  7. Elizabeth

    Richmond

    5 reviews

    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Had a GREAT experience at Public Fish and Oyster. The food, as always, was great, yet it was the service that really was excellent. Our server, Cody, went above and beyond to make our evening so enjoyable, and was so friendly and knowledgeable about the menu. The bartender overheard us ordering our cocktails and had our drinks out to us within seconds. It was astonishing. The atmosphere was happy, and energetic, yet the noise level was low enough that we could carry on a conversation, and the restaurant was not overcrowded. It was very pleasant. We were not rushed from our table and had a great meal, with a well thought out wine list. We cannot wait to return.

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  8. Nelsie

    VIP

    Washington DC

    15 reviews

    5.0

    15 reviews

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Perfection! The vibe. The service. There's food. Excellent

    Is this helpful?

  9. Richard

    Seattle

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on December 18, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Great fresh fish and seafood. It does not disappoint! Great service as well.

    Is this helpful?

  10. +Liz

    Montreal

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on December 17, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    As always, excellent service and delicious food! Can’t wait to go back

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

Public Fish & Oyster is rated 4.8 stars by 2624 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a reservation

2 people
8:30 PM
Booked 29 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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