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Eater's Ultimate Oyster Happy Hour Guide

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More and more oysters are popping up locally— oyster farming has been encouraged to preserve and clean the Chesapeake Bay watershed, as well as to restore its formerly robust oyster populations. And now is the best time to enjoy them, even though the rule of only eating oysters in months with an "r" in them is outdated due to improved technology. But during the summer spawning season, the flesh becomes mushier and and milky.

Oysters display a unique range of flavors — brine, mineral, cucumber, sweet, iodine, melon. And what better way to explore the range of flavors than to try all the oyster happy hours around town? Here's a roundup of the deals, from $1 oysters to half-priced raw bars.
—Jamie Liu

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Black's Bar & Kitchen

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Chef Jeff Black's restaurants have become a force in the oyster world with two signature oysters. And at Black's Bar and Kitchen, Chesapeake Bay oysters are 2 for 1 or $1.99, Monday-Friday, 4-7 p.m.

Clyde's of Gallery Place

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Clyde's (Gallery Place, Tower Oaks and Tysons Corner) feature happy hours when all raw bar items are half price. Choose from a variety of platters with oysters, Jonah crab claws, lobsters, shrimp, and littleneck clams. The deals run 3 to 6 pm and 11 p.m.-1 a.m. on weekdays.

Old Ebbitt Grill

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Old Ebbitt Grill holds the same raw bar happy hour as its sister Clyde's restaurant, and the classic restaurant's oyster bar is a great setting to enjoy half-off raw bar options, including oysters, from 3-6 p.m. and 11 p.m.-1 a.m., weeknights.

Hank's Oyster Bar

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Hank's has always been the go-to specialty oyster happy hour around town. And with three locations, it's relatively easy to get to one for $1 oyster happy hour. The Alexandria location's happy hour runs Tuesday-Friday from 5:30-6:30 p.m., and the deal runs Monday-Friday at the Dupont and Capitol Hill locations from 5-7 p.m.

J. Paul's

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Along with $1.50 oysters (minimum order of six), J. Paul's is the only place with oyster specials that also serves duck fat fries. Also available Monday-Friday, 4-7 p.m., $3 rail drinks and drafts, and $5 cocktails and wine.

Legal Sea Foods

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Legal Seafoods might be a chain restaurant, but with respect to raw oysters it means a steady supply chain of great oysters. Get half a dozen for $6, Monday-Friday, from 4-7 p.m.

Pearl Dive Oyster Palace

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Enjoy oysters in royal fashion at Pearl Dive Oyster Palace with 2 for 1 oysters during its Monday-Friday happy hour from 4-7 p.m.

Sea Catch Restaurant & Raw Bar

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In the middle of pricey Georgetown, Sea Catch is a savior. Get $1 oysters and half price drinks during its happy hour, which runs Monday-Friday, 5-7 p.m.

Senart's Oyster & Chop House

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For more than just oysters, Senart's runs the gamut with lobster for $14, and a four-piece jumbo shrimp cocktail for $8, daily from 5-6:30pm. And of course a half dozen oysters are $7 or $12 for a dozen.

Always ready with a great happy hour deal, Urbana features oysters for $1 during happy hour, daily from 4-7 p.m. And on the first Friday of the month from now until May, oysters are only 50 cents each, or get six oysters and a pint of Port City for $6.

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Black's Bar & Kitchen

Chef Jeff Black's restaurants have become a force in the oyster world with two signature oysters. And at Black's Bar and Kitchen, Chesapeake Bay oysters are 2 for 1 or $1.99, Monday-Friday, 4-7 p.m.

Clyde's of Gallery Place

Clyde's (Gallery Place, Tower Oaks and Tysons Corner) feature happy hours when all raw bar items are half price. Choose from a variety of platters with oysters, Jonah crab claws, lobsters, shrimp, and littleneck clams. The deals run 3 to 6 pm and 11 p.m.-1 a.m. on weekdays.

Old Ebbitt Grill

Old Ebbitt Grill holds the same raw bar happy hour as its sister Clyde's restaurant, and the classic restaurant's oyster bar is a great setting to enjoy half-off raw bar options, including oysters, from 3-6 p.m. and 11 p.m.-1 a.m., weeknights.

Hank's Oyster Bar

Hank's has always been the go-to specialty oyster happy hour around town. And with three locations, it's relatively easy to get to one for $1 oyster happy hour. The Alexandria location's happy hour runs Tuesday-Friday from 5:30-6:30 p.m., and the deal runs Monday-Friday at the Dupont and Capitol Hill locations from 5-7 p.m.

J. Paul's

Along with $1.50 oysters (minimum order of six), J. Paul's is the only place with oyster specials that also serves duck fat fries. Also available Monday-Friday, 4-7 p.m., $3 rail drinks and drafts, and $5 cocktails and wine.

Legal Sea Foods

Legal Seafoods might be a chain restaurant, but with respect to raw oysters it means a steady supply chain of great oysters. Get half a dozen for $6, Monday-Friday, from 4-7 p.m.

Pearl Dive Oyster Palace

Enjoy oysters in royal fashion at Pearl Dive Oyster Palace with 2 for 1 oysters during its Monday-Friday happy hour from 4-7 p.m.

Sea Catch Restaurant & Raw Bar

In the middle of pricey Georgetown, Sea Catch is a savior. Get $1 oysters and half price drinks during its happy hour, which runs Monday-Friday, 5-7 p.m.

Senart's Oyster & Chop House

For more than just oysters, Senart's runs the gamut with lobster for $14, and a four-piece jumbo shrimp cocktail for $8, daily from 5-6:30pm. And of course a half dozen oysters are $7 or $12 for a dozen.

Urbana

Always ready with a great happy hour deal, Urbana features oysters for $1 during happy hour, daily from 4-7 p.m. And on the first Friday of the month from now until May, oysters are only 50 cents each, or get six oysters and a pint of Port City for $6.

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