Oysters — you either love them or hate them. If you happen to be an oyster lover, you've come to the right place because we've got the best oysters in Toronto, including lots of daily deals and buck-a-shuck offerings (while supplies last). If you really love them, we even found a Toronto seafood restaurant where you can get 100 oysters for $100 — you're going to want to scroll down for that.
Have you ever wondered what oysters are exactly? You're not alone. Sustainable seafood expert Jason Kun of Island Oysters taught us all about the briny beauties. He says that you should chew them (*gasps) instead of shooting them back, and he settles the debate if they're really an aphrodisiac or not... we'll let you guess.
The next time you're dining out at one of Toronto's top restaurants, ask if they have any oyster specials, you might get lucky. If not, we have you more than covered with an oyster deal for every day of the week. Happy slurping, errm, chewing?
Know a restaurant with oyster deals? Send an email to: meredith.hardie@twentytwomedia.ca
Best Toronto oyster deals: Monday
Burdock Brewery
1184 Bloor St. W.
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Start your week right with half-priced oysters every Monday at this Bloordale Village gem. Burdock Brewery's oysters typically go for four bucks a pop, so you do the math on what's half of that. We'll give you a hint: It's a pretty great deal. Make sure you try their craft brews and seasonal snacks, too.
Best Toronto oyster deals: Tuesday
Leña
176 Yonge St.
Oyster lovers can get their fill of briny beauties for $2 a piece starting at 4 p.m. on Tuesdays (with a bottle of wine) from this stylish South American restaurant right in the heart of downtown. Oysters come with a classic mignonette and executive chef Anthony Walsh’s ‘Nasty Sauce’ laced with Scotch bonnet for an extra kick.
Island Oysters
1165 Bloor St. W.
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Check out Island Oysters on Bloor Street West for sustainable oysters (complete with helpful tasting notes) sourced from Canada’s east and west coasts. Every Tuesday, they do “Shuck Fifty,” that’s $1.50 for Malpeque oysters until 8:30 p.m. You can order oysters to-go or dine inside their recently opened new space with a menu of tasty seafood bites.
Boehmer
93 Ossington Ave.
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An Ossington strip staple for years, Boehmer looks more like an art gallery than a restaurant. Swing by on Tuesdays for a dozen oysters for $24 — and 50 per cent off bottles of wine. If you're craving more seafood, they have a stellar black cod and grilled goods like scallops and a half lobster tail.
Best Toronto oyster deals: Wednesday
Danforth Sidebar
161 Danforth Ave.
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Stop by Danforth Sidebar for a slice of pizza and a cheeky cocktail before or after catching a show at the Danforth Music Hall next door. Better yet, stop by on Wednesdays for buck-a-shuck from 5 p.m. to close
Best Toronto oyster deals: Sunday
Melrose on Adelaide
270 Adelaide St. W.
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Every Sunday, this cute, candlelit spot has buck-a-shuck oysters from open to when they run out. They’ve been known to shuck as many as 1200 oysters in one day. P.S. Bottles of Prosecco are $45 on Sundays, too.
Foodism's favourite oyster deal
Bar St. Lo
26 Market St.
Feel instantly cozy inside this intimate, brick-walled hideaway beside St. Lawrence Market. We’ll let you in on a little secret: Bar St. Lo has buck-a-shuck oysters EVERY DAY from 5 p.m. – 7 p.m. Sorry for yelling, but this is a big freakin’ deal. Try their craft cocktails, too.
Best Toronto oysters: Multi-day deals
Pearl Diver
100 Adelaide St. E.
Have you ever thought to yourself, "I could really use 100 oysters right now." Well, run to Pearl Diver on Thursdays and ye shall find exactly that. This homey Old Town fish house has 100 oysters for $100 every Thursday from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. They also have 12 shucked oysters for $26 every day from 4 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Watson’s
388 Richmond St. W.
A long-time favourite with downtown’s after-work crowd, Watson’s serves good times, killer cocktails and buck-a-shuck oyster specials every Sunday from 7 p.m. – 2 a.m. and Monday from 6 p.m. – 2 a.m. They also have half-priced bottles of wine on both of those days. Come for the deals but stay for all kinds of tacos from delicious birria to tangy chicken tinga.
Jump
18 Wellington St. W.
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Every weekday this Toronto stalwart — it’s been around since 1993 — has $2 oysters from 2 p.m. – 6 p.m. (with a bottle of wine). Jump is also known for their delicious handmade pastas and one of the best selections of scotch, whisky and bourbon in the city.
Pure Spirits
17 Tank House Lane
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During Prohibition, the building that now houses Pure Spirits was a hush-hush whisky distillery. Today, the oysters and seafood at this Distillery District hideaway are too good to be kept secret. Their oysters are flown in from all over North America and abroad, and are $2 from Monday to Friday, 3 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Oyster Mine
2035 Yonge St.
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This midtown oyster bar has an awesome selection of seafood and $1 oysters Tuesday to Thursday from 4 p.m. to close. Start with oysters before diving into a menu of fresh catches. We're big fans of their three-course monthly prix-fixe dinner menu.
John and Son’s
56 Temperance St.
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John and Son's has all the classics you'd expect to find at a seafood joint: New England clam chowder, shrimp cocktail and, of course, oysters (the name kind of gives that away). Monday to Friday, oysters are $2 from 4 p.m. – 6 p.m.
O&B Café Grill, Yonge & Front
33 Yonge St.
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In the warmer months, O&B Café Grill's wraparound patio is usually bursting at the seams with suits and a lighthearted energy. Keep the good times going with $2 oysters from 2 p.m. every Tuesday to Saturday (with a bottle of wine).
yonge-and-front.obcafegrill.com
Biff’s Bistro
4 Front St. E.
You know what goes really well with a hot plate of coq au vine or boeuf bourguignon? Oysters — surprise! Biff's is downtown's answer for French faves and $2 oysters from 2 p.m. – 6 p.m. every day (with a bottle of wine).
Diana's Seafood Delight
2101 Lawrence Ave. E.
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You can't miss Diana's. The Lawrence Avenue East fish market looks like a large boat anchored in a sea of concrete. Inside, an emporium of imported and Canadian seafood awaits. They have around 30 varieties of oysters, which you can get for a buck all-day on Monday and Tuesday, and noon to 4 p.m. from Wednesday – Sunday. While you're browsing, pick up Diana’s own brand of mignonette and cocktail sauce.
Bar Neon
1226 Bloor St. W.
This Bloordale haunt is the definition of a neighbourhood spot. Its laid-back atmosphere and lived-in retro space are as comforting as their house-made bread. Get your fill of contemporary Mediterranean mezze and half a dozen buck-a-shuck oysters every day from 3 p.m. – 5 p.m. (when you order any drink).
More awesome places for oysters in Toronto
Oyster Boy
872 Queen St. W.
Oysters for a picnic in Bellwoods? Why the heck not when Oyster Boy is a 30-second walk away. Or, stop by for dinner and watch the finest oysters from small farms in Canada’s east and west coast get shucked by their expert team. Try shucking yourself at their ‘Shuck U’ classes.
Rodney’s Oyster House
469 King St. W.
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You can't make a list of the best Toronto oysters without this OG on it. The King West restaurant is well-known for their wide variety of oysters, from B.C.'s Fanny Bay to P.E.I.'s Sweet Blue. Their menu is always changing, but you can usually expect a selection of nine to 26 different types of daily oysters (about $3 a pop).
