A Look Inside: the new oyster bar at the end of the Drive

The first new place to open on the Drive this spring took over the building that used to be a t-shirt shop and a poke spot before that. Concrete floor, white walls, twelve bar stools, six four-tops, and a small back patio with string lights and a view of the back of the building across the street. They knocked out the old wall to the kitchen and the whole back of the room is open — you can watch the shuckers work.

The setup. Twelve oysters on the menu at any given time, sourced day-by-day from the Gulf and the East Coast. There’s a chalkboard. They’re not going to read it to you — go look at it. The bar shucks to order and the price is by the piece, which is the right way to do this.

The pour. Beer is local-heavy (Idyll Hounds, Big Beach, Coast Brewing) plus the usual suspects. Wine list is short and reasonable. Cocktails are a half-page — they’re not trying to be a craft cocktail bar. Get the gin and tonic with cucumber.

The thing to order. Six Murder Points (Alabama oyster, briny, small), six Apalachicolas (gulf, sweeter, bigger), the smoked fish dip, and whatever the soup is. Bread basket comes free with the dip. We had it three days in a row and it was a different soup every day.

The vibe. Bar is the play. The tables are fine but the bar puts you four feet from the shuckers, and the shuckers are good — both of them have done time at places you’ve heard of. They’ll tell you where each oyster is from if you ask. They will not tell you their favorite. They have a favorite. You’ll figure out which.

The details. Open Wednesday-Sunday. Closed Monday and Tuesday for now (which we hear is “subject to change once the summer turns on”). No reservations. Cash and card. The address and the phone go on the Place page once they’re confirmed and the menu is on their Instagram, which is the only place it’s on right now.

We’ll go back. Likely tomorrow.

— Kathy