Puritan Oyster Bar — Restaurant in Cambridge

My third favorite oyster bar in the GBA so far.

I’ll admit, I’d long overlooked this spot, assuming it was merely an extension of Puritan & Company. Tucked into an intimate, chic space—less crowded than other popular oyster bars in the city—this oyster bar turned out to be a gem.

We came in for light drinks and dinner around 6:30pm, unaware of their 5–6pm half-off oyster happy hour. We ordered a half dozen oysters anyway, and they were excellent. They seem to rotate their oyster selections, and on this particular day, the Cadillac Mt Oyster was our favorite with its plump texture and briny sweetness.

Of course, we couldn’t resist the caviar cones. Visually stunning, the cones featured delicate almond-sesame shells cradling egg salad and a crown of caviar. The cone’s nutty sweetness paired nicely with the caviar, but the mayo-heavy egg salad somewhat dulled the caviar’s pop.

Since we were feeling more snacky than hungry, we ordered a bunch from their small plates. Honestly, their entrées seemed to mirror what’s served at Puritan & Company, so the small plates felt more creative and interesting. Of the four we ordered, our favorites were the Scallop Crudo and the Buttered Lobster Toast.

The crudo had a decadent mix of melted brown butter and tart gooseberries that gave it an incredible bakery-fresh aroma. It did lean a bit heavy on lemon zest but was still unique and satisfying.

Then the buttered lobster toast, which initially seemed like a refined lobster roll. Yet it turned out to be an entirely different experience. The clarified butter had a clean, almost olive oil-like richness, while the butter-soaked toast felt indulgent without becoming overpowering. The lobster-and-scallop mousse filling played a subtle, luxurious supporting role.

Would absolutely return for their oyster happy hour—some oysters, a glass of wine, and without question, another round of that heavenly...

The server’s expertise really helped us know what to try. I highly recommend trying several dishes and splitting them between your party if appropriate. The butter lobster toast was like a lobster grilled cheese with butter on top. A burst of butter, grilled bread, cheese and lobster in your mouth. Delicate and rich. The swordfish pastrami was smoked and creamy. It tasted like an upscale turkey pastrami. Loved it with the pickles and hint of mustard. The “stuffie” croquettes were fried and cheesy. Again very rich and creamy. The Ox tail with creamed corn polenta was so good. It’s a do not miss perfect for splitting. And of course the butter lobster roll with fries and dressed oysters were also a must try. Bacon, butter, beef, and seafood. It’s rich but very satisfying when it’s cold and fall is upon us. There were 5 of us and the fusions of flavor were so perfect. It’s a must try when you...

I came to Boston with desires of indulging in its famous seafood. Although my hotel was downtown, when I read about this restaurant, I decided to invest in making my way to Cambridge.

Unfortunately, this restaurant did not want me. While they demand automatic 20% gratuity, the service is non-existent. When I arrived, I spent at least 10-15 minutes being completely ignored by wait staff buzzing around. When I was finally acknowledged, it was only with a cursory “would you like a drink”. No hello how are you, no warmth, no apology for the wait, no welcome to be here.

I had limited time in the city and instead of an enjoyable night out tasting oysters and drinking wine, I spent my time, energy and money just to be...