10/27/08

A+++ in every aspect

by lou4453

I dined at the providence oyster bar on saturday october 25th and enjoyed one of the best meals in a energetic setting with one of the most pleasant and knowledgeable waitresses around. The food was delightful and beautifully plated, when first looking at the menu I thought the food was a little pricey, but when it was delivered to my table it was hot, perfectly portioned and delicious, well worth the price and then some. The placed was filled not only in the dining room but at the bar as well which made the atmosphere fun and enjoyable even when sitting towards the back of the restaurant. Our waitress was fun and extremely knowledgeable and did what ever she could to suit our needs(a few of us at my table wanted our fish prepared differently then it was on the menu and she never blinked or looked annoyed like most waitstaff do). Instead she was happy to help us and made our meal that much more exceptional. I as well as my fellow diners would highly recommend this place to anyone, great food, fantastic atmosphere, and wonderful service is what makes this restaurant a must for all!!!!!!!!!!

• Pros: food, service, waitstaff
• Cons: none

08/02/08

Bad Experience at the Oyster Bar

by CastroNelson

We were there early evening Friday August 1st - I was completely DISGUSTED with the service and attitude of the staff! This place appears to favor the Nouveau-riche clientele and virtually ignored us and our simple, brief, limited requests. From the apparent manager - a young slim man with light brown (curly) hair - to the wait-staff, it seemed to be a culture of "pretentiousness" that was pervasive. No courtesy, absent customer service skills, avoidance of eye contact... I am 45 years old (clean dressed and clean shaved) and grew up 20 minutes north of Providence. The Atwells Ave./Providence I remember was never like this: a whole lot of "attitude" with little, apparently, to back it up! If a pretentious, superficial, expensive evening is what you're looking for then the Providence Oyster Bar is the place. My advice: walk a block or two in either direction away from this place and you'll find a nice place to have dinner and drinks, and a restaurant staff that both respects, and appreciates, ALL of its clientele.

J. Castro - Boston, MA

• Pros: None
• Cons: If you do not "know somebody" there, you'll be treated poorly

07/19/08

The bigger they are, the harder they fall.

by trailblazer02906

I loved this place in the early 2000s but unfortunately the food has deteriorated to the point that it is no longer worth the exorbitant prices. Portions still generous and service is great but quality is very unpredictable. Oh, well, the search goes on...

• Pros: Service
• Cons: Food

06/14/08

providence oyster bar

by kheary

this place is the place to be,great people but think they should have crab cake on their menu again, it was one of the best food they had that was one of the reason i always go there so please.......put the crab cake back on the menu!!!!!!!!!!!!

12/10/03

A pearl-in-the-rough for seafood lovers entices with huge portions of fish that tastes like steak.

by Contributor

The Scene
The railway car-shaped dining room is outfitted with black-and-white pictures of fish markets on the wall and funky cylindrical lamp fixtures overhead. The cherry wood wall paneling gives the room warmth and elegance, though with not much space between the tables, this bustling place can get cramped.

The Food
Don't let the name fool you. Sure, the menu has over a dozen raw oysters--Malaspinas from British Columbia, Belons from Nova Scotia depending on the season, even the day--but this bistro has much more than shellfish. Executive chefs Craig Tragni and Aaron Thorpe clearly subscribe to the fish-is-a-delicious-meat philosophy of cooking; filets are typically served as huge slabs then wrapped in smoky bacon or slathered with gravy. This approach succeeds brilliantly with the cod loin, which is roasted inside a strip of prosciutto, and doused in cranberry juice and sherry au jus. (Steak is also on the menu for those who insist meat means beef.)

11/06/02

Oyster-licious

by micaiah107

First off this place has what they advertise, very fresh oysters. The always offer 10-15 varieties of oysters and the rest of the menu is excellent. I had the pleasure of sitting in the "hot seat." This seat overlooks the entire kitchen and I was entertained by the extremely active kitchen staff. Everything is prepared fresh and everything is excellent. I recommend the baked scallops they were sweet, tender and just excellent. No filler here. The plates come with a sides of mashed potato, cooked cabbage (delicious), beets, summer sqash, zucinni, and other assorted vegatables of the season. I highly recommend the Oysters and reservations especially on weekends. The waitstaff is informed, pretty, and very helpful. I will continue to frequent the oyster bar as it is the best place in RI for fresh oysters, from both atlantic and pacific coasts.

• Pros: Fresh Seafood, Good Waitstaff, Friendly Chef
• Cons: Parking

07/15/02

Second 2 none

by mybudy

for a monday night this place was packed! The staff was friendly, yet not intrusive, and the food was fabulous. Why can't other establishments in providence provide the same kind of energy? This place has it right.

• Pros: great food, great service, raw bar
• Cons: on the loud side, bathrooms