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Oysters on the half-shell, Downeast Maine,North of Ellsworth

I'm traveling to Maine for the second time and will be staying near Steuben. What are the best and closest places to get oysters on the half-shell?

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  1. I have been going to Maine for many years and have not seen oysters served fresh at all. If I have missed that, I wish someone would enlighten me. .

    3 Replies
    1. re: hot tamale

      I've had them at Street and Co. in Portland and seen them at Scales when they were open so oysters do exists in Maine.

      1. re: hot tamale

        We enjoyed fresh oysters at J's Oyster Bar, down near the water and the old port area in Portland.

        1. re: hot tamale

          Also a great raw bar at Old Port Seagrill, Portland.

        2. Here's an invaluable link that I just stumbled across by Googleing. It's from the Maine Dept. of Marine Resources (DMR) and lists every Maine Certified shellfish dealer in the State with addresses & phone numers. Believe me, I'll be bookmarking this one for myself.

          Here's the link;


          5 Replies
          1. re: Harp00n

            Portland is far from the downeast area and I'm looking to get them out at a raw bar etc. Doesn't have to be fancy and a good wine or cold beer helps but is not necessary. I'm not great at shucking my own so.....

            1. re: ecipenny

              Do you mean east of Ellsworth, as in down east (look at a map)? Downeast from Ellsworth is Washington County, one of thew poorest counties in the entire US where oysters on the half shell are less common than Tiffany glass. The Crocker House in Hancock or Bar Harbor are your best bets.
              Oyster Junkie in Withdrawl in Ellsworth
              PS There is an oyster farm somewhere between Waldoboro and Damarescotta.

              1. re: Passadumkeg

                "PS There is an oyster farm somewhere between Waldoboro and Damarescotta."

                There is Glidden Point Oyster Farm in Edgecomb

                1. re: HDinCentralME

                  Thanks for the link. This place is great, been there several times.


              2. re: ecipenny

                I want to be kind here, I really, really do. But you obviously don't have a clue what the link I supplied is comprised of. This listing runs from Eastport, that's what we call "way down East", to Kittery at the N.H. borders. Where your "Portland" reference comes from is beyond me. Some of the dealers are only wholesaler, most do both. a lot will cook or shuck for you and let you eat 'em there. That's a "real" raw bar. There's a fair share of dealers on this list who also have full-blown seafood restaurants. FYI :-))