J’s Oyster
Seafood restaurant · Portland
5 Portland Pier, Portland, ME 04101
Highlights
Coastal classics & fresh oysters on the pier
Coastal classics & fresh oysters on the pier
"A working-waterfront blue-and-white bistro that’s been a neighborhood fixture since 1977 and a favorite of Anthony Bourdain, this place offers an authentic, communal seafood experience where you might sit shoulder to shoulder with the lobstermen who caught your meal. Begin with steamers and a cheap beer, then order the lobster roll with tender, unadorned meat piled on a grilled split-top bun with a leaf of lettuce—the mayonnaise is served on the side to let the lobster’s flavor take center stage." - ByBriana Bononcini
"J’s Oyster feels right out of a nautical urban legend where ship captains rushed over for seafood and pints of beer after docking at the pier. It’s a tiny, U-shaped restaurant right on the water that’s perpetually packed with regulars slurping down oysters, so come by early for lunch before it gets too busy. Start with some steamed clams or jumbo scallops, and make sure you get one of the lobster rolls piled high with hunks of meat dropped off at your table with a “here you go, hon.” This spot feels like one of the only old-school places left in town, and you’ll leave so charmed that you’ll want to come back for a big bowl of clam chowder tomorrow. " - Alana Dao 2, Team Infatuation
"J’s Oyster feels right out of a nautical urban legend where ship captains rushed over for seafood and pints of beer after docking at the pier. It’s a tiny, U-shaped restaurant right on the water that’s perpetually packed with regulars slurping down oysters, so come by early for lunch before it gets too busy. Start with some steamed clams or jumbo scallops, and make sure you get one of the lobster rolls piled high with hunks of meat dropped off at your table with a “here you go, hon.” This spot feels like one of the only old-school places left in town, and you’ll leave so charmed that you’ll want to come back for a big bowl of clam chowder tomorrow." - Gabe Bergado
"The locals led us to J’s Oysters, which is where Anthony Bourdain and all the foodie cognoscente go, and which looks like it probably looked 30 years ago. And even through the, 'Ewww, oysters smell like fish' — yes, darlings, that’s right, they live in the sea — I managed to get all the kids to try the creamy, briny delights. Also, just to boast, because I’m becoming that mother who is proud of her adventurous eating children, they all tried the steamer clams, giving the guys a little bath in the cooking juice and soaking it in butter." - Travel + Leisure Editors
"Those searching for a taste of “Old Portland” need look no further than this iconic waterfront seafood joint, where the chowder is thick and the beers on tap are made by the grandfathers of Portland’s beer scene. Order up a bucket of steamers and contemplate the simple life, before Bon Appetit and James Beard came to town." - Kate McCarty
