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The best seafood & oysters in Birmingham

Birmingham has 10 standout seafood & oysters worth your time — these are the ones locals actually send people to, ranked by how well-loved each spot is and checked by hand. Automatic Seafood & Oysters, Helen and Bayonet lead the list. No chains, nobody pays to rank.

10 places · ranked by how well-loved they are · last checked October 2026 · See them on the map →

  1. Automatic Seafood & Oysters

    Lakeview & Pepper Place · $$$$ · Seafood & Oysters

    Gulf oysters & whole fish. Adam Evans's seafood place in an old industrial building in Lakeview. He won a James Beard award. Start with oysters.

    Michelin Recommended

  2. Helen

    Downtown · $$$$ · Steaks & Live Fire, Seafood & Oysters

    Hearth-fired steaks & seafood. Rob McDaniel's place on Second Avenue. Long, narrow brick room, most everything cooked over the hearth. It's on the Michelin list, so book ahead.

    Michelin Recommended

  3. Bayonet

    Downtown · $$$ · Seafood & Oysters

    Raw-bar oysters & the tuna burger. Rob and Emily McDaniel's seafood place, next door to Helen. About 20 kinds of oysters at the raw bar. The New York Times named it one of America's 50 best restaurants in 2025, so book ahead or try the bar early in the week.

    Michelin Bib GourmandJames Beard semifinalist, Outstanding Chef · Rob McDanielNew York Times 50 best restaurants in America

  4. Hot and Hot Fish Club

    Lakeview & Pepper Place · $$$$ · Seafood & Oysters, Southern & Soul

    The summer tomato salad. Chris and Idie Hastings have run it since 1995. It's at Pepper Place now. Sit at the counter if you can.

    Michelin RecommendedJames Beard Best Chef: South · Chris Hastings

  5. Current Charcoal Grill

    Downtown · $$$ · Asian, Seafood & Oysters, Steaks & Live Fire

    Crab fried rice & fish off the charcoal. Adam Evans (of Automatic Seafood) and Luke Joseph cook Gulf seafood with Asian flavors over Japanese binchotan charcoal, next to Railroad Park. The Peking duck has to be ordered two weeks ahead.

    Michelin Recommended

  6. Taco Morro Loco

    Avondale & Forest Park · $ · Mexican & Latin, Seafood & Oysters

    Fish tacos & fresh salsa. Hispanic-owned taqueria on 41st Street in Avondale. Get the fish tacos.

  7. Dyron's Lowcountry

    Crestline Village · $$$ · Seafood & Oysters, Southern & Soul

    Shrimp & grits. Lowcountry food in Crestline. She-crab soup, shrimp and grits, and a small bar upstairs.

  8. The Fish Market

    Southside & Five Points · $$ · Seafood & Oysters, Greek & Mediterranean

    Greek-style grilled fish. Seafood counter and restaurant run by a Greek family. Pick what looks good on ice and they'll grill it.

  9. The Rougaroux

    Mountain Brook Village · $$ · Seafood & Oysters, Southern & Soul

    Gumbo and po'boys. Cajun and Creole food in Mountain Brook Village, in the old Sneaky Pete's building. The original is in Forest Park.

  10. SeaBar

    Mountain Brook Village · $$$ · Seafood & Oysters, Bars & Drinks

    Raw bar and crudo. Seafood bar next door to Little Betty, from the same group. Sit at the bar and order oysters.

Good to know

What is the best seafood & oysters in Birmingham?

Automatic Seafood & Oysters — gulf oysters & whole fish. Helen and Bayonet round out the top of the list. Every place is locally owned and checked by hand.

How many seafood & oysters are on this list?

10, all locally owned and ranked by how well-loved they are. None of them paid to be included.

Which have a Michelin or James Beard honor?

Automatic Seafood & Oysters, Helen, Bayonet and Hot and Hot Fish Club and 1 more.

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