Public Fish & Oyster

4.9

2668 Reviews

$31 to $50

Seafood

Make a booking

2 people

16 Mar 2025

7:00 pm

Booked 43 times today

Experiences are available.

Neighbourhood gem
Good for special occasions
Great for happy hour

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
Area
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

Experiences

2025 UVA Graduation Weekend May 16th-18th
USD 25.00 per person
Prepaid
16 May 2025 - 18 May 2025
For the weekend of UVA Graduation, Public Fish and Oyster will be offering a three course, prix-fixe menu for $85 per person. To reserve a $25 deposit per person is required which will be applied towards your bill the day of your reservation.

Popular dishes

Revivals, Rappahannock River, VAUSD 3.30
mild brine, creamy
Gowanbraes, Souris River, PEIUSD 3.30
medium brine, veggie finish
Les Saint Simones, Shippagan, NBUSD 3.30
medium brine, champagne finish
Northern Belles, North Lake, PEIUSD 3.30
medium brine, umami finish
Moonrises, East Dennis, MAUSD 3.30
high brine, full ocean finish
Shamrock Shooters, Brunswick, MEUSD 3.30
high brine, sweet buttercream finish
Fiddleheads, Lewis Bay, MAUSD 3.30
high brine, salted-butter finish

More Raw Bar

add to your tray of oysters or on their own

Colossal Shrimp CocktailUSD 3.50
lemon, cocktail sauce
- eachUSD 3.50
- five pieceUSD 16.00
Middleneck Clams, Eastern Shore, VAUSD 2.75

Seafood Towers

available friday, saturday and sunday only

Neptune's TowerUSD 95.00
(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, half chilled lobster
Poseidon's TowerUSD 165.00
(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, whole chilled lobster

What 2,668 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.9

4.9 based on recent ratings

4.9Food
4.9Service
4.6Ambience
4.6Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

Virginia
Seafood
Charlottesville
Best Overall
Charlottesville
Best Food
Charlottesville
Best Service
Charlottesville
Best Value
Charlottesville
Neighbourhood gem
Charlottesville
Lively
Charlottesville
Most Booked

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Public Fish & Oyster in Charlottesville consistently impresses with "fantastic food" and "excellent service." Known for its fresh, delicious oysters and seafood, it offers a vibrant atmosphere perfect for celebrations. Despite occasional noise, patrons appreciate the attentive staff and delectable menu. It's a "must-visit" for seafood lovers seeking a memorable dining experience.

2,668 Reviews

JS
JeffS
Washington DC3 reviews
5.0
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great food Outstanding service Visiting from out of town Will definitely recommend to family and friends.
Is this helpful?
m
mimi
Washington DC15 reviews
5.0
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The oysters, mussels, clams and shrimp were delicious! Can’t wait to return again!
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L
Laura VIP
Chicago13 reviews
3.0
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 3
2. Food 4
3. Service 2
4. Ambience 4
The food was very good, especially the mussels and the preparation of the calamari was unique and very tasty. We were disappointed that our favorite dish (scallops) was not on the menu but we did enjoy the crab cake sandwich. Unfortunately, the service (although pleasant) was extremely slow. Our starter did not arrive for 45 minutes after we ordered it. It was also extremely loud (we were seated outside) and it was difficult to have a conversation.
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W
William
Richmond2 reviews
5.0
Dined 4 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 5
Outstanding experience. Celebrated a birthday with friends, and we were all extremely happy with our food and great service!
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
New York City1 review
5.0
Dined 5 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 3
First time visit was very positive. Great service and the lobster rolls were great.
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
Richmond1 review
5.0
Dined 7 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
I love this place, but as someone with hearing loss it’s really hard to join in conversation with members of my party.
Is this helpful?
C
Chris
Richmond17 reviews
5.0
Dined on 3 March 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
I've been looking forward to eating there for a few weeks. The service is personable, the food is outstanding, and the overall experience keeps us coming back time and time again.
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
Richmond2 reviews
5.0
Dined on 2 March 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Best meal we've had in awhile with large portions! They accommodated a change to our reservation which was very appreciated. The spacing was a little tight, so it was a little loud, but the service was fantastic and the food was superb. Highly recommend Public Fish & Oyster.
Is this helpful?
T
Tim
Washington DC3 reviews
4.0
Dined on 26 February 2025
1. Overall 4
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 3
Our food was great, as was the wait person. We were in the middle row of tables, so had wait staff and patrons walking behind each of us (seated across from one another). And it was fairly tight quarters. So it was a little unnerving. We’ve eaten before on one side tables, so folks are only passing on one side (again close quarters). Seating & close quarters was as expected. Food was fantastic. Place was busy even on a Wednesday evening. Definitely will go again.
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G
Greg
Chicago2 reviews
5.0
Dined on 25 February 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Food was very good. A bit noisy in the main dining area, but they have another area in the back and under the tent. We were under the tent and very comfortable.
Is this helpful?

FAQs

Public Fish & Oyster is rated 4.9 stars by 2668 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a booking

2 people

16 Mar 2025

7:00 pm

Booked 43 times today

Experiences are available.

513 W. Main St, Charlottesville, VA 22903

Dining areas

Additional information

Cross Street
6th St. NW
Area
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 booking

Dining areas

Additional information

Featured in

A Guide to the Best Date Spots in Virginia

Experiences

2025 UVA Graduation Weekend May 16th-18th

Popular dishes

Sea Scallops

Key Lime Pie

"Caesar" Salad

Menu

Raw Oysters on the Half Shell

Revivals, Rappahannock River, VAUSD 3.30

Gowanbraes, Souris River, PEIUSD 3.30

Les Saint Simones, Shippagan, NBUSD 3.30

Northern Belles, North Lake, PEIUSD 3.30

Moonrises, East Dennis, MAUSD 3.30

Shamrock Shooters, Brunswick, MEUSD 3.30

Fiddleheads, Lewis Bay, MAUSD 3.30

More Raw Bar

Colossal Shrimp CocktailUSD 3.50

Middleneck Clams, Eastern Shore, VAUSD 2.75

Seafood Towers

Neptune's TowerUSD 95.00

Poseidon's TowerUSD 165.00

What 2,668 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 bookings?

Make a booking

Dining areas

Additional information

Featured in

A Guide to the Best Date Spots in Virginia