TL;DR - Other than the divine Red Grouper Crudo special, a disappointing experience. The drinks left much to be desired, and the Striped Bass was unremarkable. Also, the chairs make you want to eat, pay, and leave as soon as possible. The arduously long lambasting I am infamous for: Before I begin, a couple things. First, to me, a restaurant is about the whole experience, not just the taste of the food. Second, value is exceedingly vital. I am willing to pay $25 for 6 pieces of sushi (when $30 can buy AYCE) if every bite is heaven. The Red Grouper Crudo absolutely was worth it. There was a fair amount of fish, and it was sliced thicker than I expected! But it was the accompaniments that took it to the next level. The use of cucumber gave it a welcome freshness, and the pickled ginger (and other seasonings) bestowed their own delicate sweet, spicy, and savory notes. The dressing was superb at tying this dish together and adding a mild and refreshing acidity. The golden caviar was a nice touch (though I'm not sure how it played into the flavor). For drinks, I got a Salt Washed and a Lucky Day. The Salt Washed was light and refreshing but tasted weak, which surprised me, as gin is usually quite noticeable. The added black pepper didn't make its presence known either (take this with a grain of salt as I am very desensitized to black pepper). Then came the Lucky Day... the flavors were also mild, refreshing, and a little smoky. But looking back, I should have sent this one back after the first sip. It was filled through and over the top with ice! Now, if the drink had been boozy and spirit-forward, no problem. However, with such a seemingly small amount of alcohol, in an already small amount of liquid, I become much less forgiving. When it came to oysters, they had six different varieties that night. Three at my table (myself included, of course) decided to try one of each. What I liked: The oysters were big and beautifully shucked. I only got one tiny piece of sand/cartilage in one, and that was it! What I found annoying: They came laid out in a spiral, arranged by the order card. Once people started grabbing at their oysters, it got confusing really quick as to which is which. Unlike sushi, you can't immediately tell what group an oyster belongs to. To be fair, I realize that there are few good ways to differentiate these in the presentation without bringing out six plates, so no points were lost there. The disappointing: I am not an oyster connoisseur, but I know oysters usually have different brines and flavor profiles. All of these tasted similar and had no distinguishable flavor or brine differences. The striped bass was good but unremarkable. The fish was cooked nicely, soft and moist on the inside, and lightly seasoned with salt. It was served on a bed of cauliflower and fennel puree and came topped with some diced and dressed vegetables. I liked the almost starchiness of the puree, and the vegetables offered a lovely fresh component. Having good supporting roles is essential, they even give Oscars for that, but the star is paramount. The fish was the star, and with only a light seasoning of salt, I wouldn't even give it an Oscar nomination. I only have one note on the service: Waters come in glasses smaller than a rocks glass... two gulps to half-full. The servers were topping off the glasses as if trying to keep a nuclear reactor from going critical. It's very appreciated when the service is attentive. However, with a restaurant as small and crowded as this, having someone reach over you every minute can be unpleasant. All it would have taken was leaving a couple of the water-bottle-pitchers on the table. There is also an automatic tip added to the check, regardless of party size. I have absolutely no issue leaving a 20% or higher tip when I go to a restaurant. Even when I get abysmal service, I leave between 15-20% (this had only happened once or twice). However, when a tip is automatic, it becomes a service charge. To be fair to them, you have the option of asking it be removed, and they will kindly remove it. But, you have to be willing to be the prick who says "please remove this service charge" to a server or manager. I doubt there are many prepared to be "that guy." With ALL of this, I considered giving two stars, except for the chairs. When I go out to eat, I'd like to at least be comfortable. The chairs were backless, metal, flat-bottomed stools. After about an hour of sitting, all I could think about was getting out of the chair. With a large group and the inability to get separate checks, I had no easy out. Now imagine being on a date and wriggling around like you have ants in your pants! I've experienced more comfortable seating at the RMV! read more

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Not sure why it's perfect review. The food was quite pricey; the place was small; service was decent by the main host. However, two criticisms. Food isn't tasty at all. Also, they imposed a 20% automatic tip--with full disclosure that you can politely ask them to remove the 20% imposed tips. From a management perspective, let's ask these questions. 1. Why do you warrant 20% tip? 2. Do you not pay your servers enough? 3. If service is decent but not worthy of 20%, would the customers have the nerve to tell the poor boy server that, sorry we don't want to give you 20%. We'll give you 18% (still pretty high and, darn it, now I feel bad giving only 18% to servers that deserve higher due to the extension of care and go beyond the norm to provide me service. 4. Your imposed 20% makes it difficult for customers to take away the full 20% from little Johnny--because it's nothing personal to little Johnny. But little Johnny would feel ashamed and lower his self esteem for whatever unknown reasons but for the dummy manager creative/abnormal idea of imposing the 20% unless you contest to such--risking little Johnny's self-esteem. I gave little Johnny 20% tip only because I didn't want him to feel bad. 18% would've been more deserving. I highly recommend the manager revise this self imposed 20% tip. It's sad for Little Johnny Esteem and it's awkward for customers to lower down the tip to what is more appropriate. read more

Select Oyster Bar - Oyster - Seafood Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Not deserving the good review at all. Food doesn't taste good; not fresh either, especially the tartare and ceviche. The place is small so very crowded, and can get pretty hot. It wasn't a good experience - no good food, not good environment - but they automatically apply 20% tip for all diners. Don't think this is the right way to run business. read more

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This small restaurant always has outstanding service. But even that gets outdone by the food! We went there for date night dinner last night, started with half dozen assorted oysters our outstanding bar tender recommended, then split the crudo bluefin tuna special. Our mains were the halibut and arctic char entrees. We honestly felt it was one of the best meals we've had in a long, long time. The flavors, presentations, and of course freshness were just amazing. It's definitely going to be one of our regular rotations now. read more

My party of 14 arrived at 8:00pm for our reservation on a busy Saturday night. The restaurant itself is a decent size, and it was hustling and bustling, so a reservation is highly recommended. We were seated promptly and greeted quickly by our server. I don't remember his name, but he was so attentive and friendly and made sure our entire party was having a good time. Kudos to him! We split our party into 3 sections. My table got the Great Republic, tuna tartare, and a few extra oysters. To start with the oysters, they were fresh and brought out super quickly! I've had better oysters, but they still hit the spot. As for the rest of the dishes, so delicious!! The hamachi crudo was my favorite by far, then the blue crab salad. Everything tasted fresh and was so flavorful. The menu states it feeds 3-6 guests, but my group of 4 was still pretty hungry, even after ordering extra oysters and tuna tartare. 6 is definitely unlikely unless you're ordering more, but even then, it's not going to be too filling. The other entrees definitely looked more filling, so I'd recommend those, but this was a good choice for us since we were indecisive. I'd definitely come back in the future and maybe order an entree. read more

Highly recommend this seafood joint. Not a big venue. For seating, there's an oyster bar area and several sit down tables on the side. There's a bigger high too table at the front that can seat more guests. There's also a back room with sit down tables as well. I think normally the preference is to sit at the oyster bar but I wanted to sit down at a table to enjoy the meal and there was availability in the back so I asked to switch from the bar seat to a table in the back. For apps, we ordered the first three options on the menu for the raw oysters. All local MA oysters-island creek, West Island and beach plum. Island creek was the fave! The. Beach plum and then West Island. We also got the perky toe crab salad which I thought was a little too salty. We probably should have at the uni crostini first as the bread was a little soggy after we ate the oysters and crab. The star of the night was the perfectly cooked halibut. The combination of flavors and textures was so good. Loved the sliced cauliflowers that had the perfect crunch. All the food was super fresh and you can totally taste it. FYI-20% gratuity is added automatically to the bill. Doesn't matter what the headcount is. read more

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Dinner was wonderful. I don't normally like uni, but the way it was prepared for the crostini with the honey butter and lemon balanced out the fishiness and left it buttery and smooth and with the ocean flavor that uni-lovers are always telling me I should like. The swordfish was also excellent. The steakiness of the fish was highlighted by pomegranate sauce. Also with the pickled onions! It was such a creative and excellently executed preparation style. Our server was really nice and helpful, too! read more

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I had very high hopes and expectations for Select Oyster Bar after getting multiple reccos from friends and reading all the positive reviews and praise on various lists, websites, and even here on Yelp. While it did not disappoint, I will say that I was underwhelmed with what we experienced. LET ME BE CLEAR: we did not have a dish that we disliked, but for the price we paid and expectations we had I have to rate it as "OK" (3 Stars) because when people asked me how it was I found myself saying "It was okay." The oysters were good, and they offered a number of varieties. While bad oysters will ruin a meal, good oysters aren't exactly hard to find in Boston at a reasonable price. So, while the oysters and associated toppings were good, there was nothing special or "wow" about them. Good, sure. Great? No. The mains were good as well. My wife had the special, and I had their "Lobster Salad" - which is lobster IN and AROUND an actual salad with dressing (and a fair amount of it). The dishes themselves were good, done well, but as we chatted during and again afterward (as we typically do when assessing places we've eaten) we both felt that the dishes were good, but overall the meal was a bit overpriced and middle of the road. I think two things contributed to my overall rating: the perhaps overblown expectations and definitely the price point. While I would recommend Select to people looking for fresh oysters, at the price point there are numerous other places that would be on my recommendation list above Select. Make of that what you will... read more

I wasn't super hungry for lunch, but I knew that I wanted to maximize my seafood experience, so I headed here to check out a small meal. I got a shrimp cocktail with a half dozen oysters, paired with a Sauvignon Blanc recommendation from the bartender, and the meal hit the spot. The bartender, Vikram (hopefully I spelled that correctly!) also recommended a great ice cream spot just around the corner to round out the lunch. Really cool atmosphere, and wasn't busy at all for just opening up at around lunch on a Saturday. Will be back. read more

Select Oyster Bar - Shrimp cocktail (4) with oysters (6) and a sauvignon blanc to pair nicely. - Seafood Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Select Oyster is one of my favorite places to eat when I'm in Boston. While there are a few dishes that know are amazing I had to try something new this time. The Beet Salad and Bouillabaisse Select seemed like a good direction. The Beet Salad is insanely delicious and probably deserves a far more creative name to match the incredible mix of flavors. Just wow! The Bouillabaisse Select was good but not something I'll order again. That's almost entirely due to personal taste rather than a critique on quality. For me the halibut, char, and swordfish are far superior dishes. The service was excellent as always and the restaurant continues to be an enjoyable venue. I always sit at the bar which often allows you to meet new people. Love this place! read more

Select Oyster Bar - Bouillabaisse Select - Seafood Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Ordered dinner here at the bar on a Tuesday night, so it was pretty quiet. Service was a 10/10, the bartender was very friendly, attentive, and made us feel right at home. The daily special was a lobster roll- and it was delicious! I tried it cold (but you had the option of hot too). The bread was fluffy and lightly toasted, the lobster was fresh, and the mayo sauce was amazing (the best part of the roll)! I enjoyed that the sauce did not have celery in it. We also ordered the mussels, himachi crudo, salmon crudo, and the tuna tartare. All the dishes were small portions (definitely need to order a few to be full), but all the fish was extremely fresh. GREAT spot if you love raw fish. Quality was 10/10 and I would definitely return here. read more

Fabulous spot that we came across. Excellent seafood and fabulous service. Sat outside and enjoyed a platter. This was a wonderful way to sample a handful of their plates. read more

Select Oyster Bar - Seafood Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

I still dream of the seafood platter. Highly recommend for that and the atmosphere. Delicious!

We had a very nice and enjoyable lunch at Select Oyster Bar, so why only 3 stars? Value. For the money you can do better at any of the competing oyster bars. Prices are high, and I don't mind the 20% added gratuity as that is what I usually leave anyway and service was spot on. A lunch menu is not offered and so that is part of the value issue, but there are enough appetizers and raw bar items that you can fashion a lunch. We had the blue crab salad to start which was very nice and clean tasting with a beautiful presentation. The shrimp cocktail were large, but at $4 a piece, they should be. Oysters, fresh and clean, but again priced higher than most other venues. Jonah crab claws had a bit of an off taste, but I've noticed that sometimes when ordering them, perhaps I've been spoiled by stone crab claws. Cocktails while tasty were short pours and not very strong, again not a good value for $16 Was anything wrong with our food or service? No, but was this a good value? No. $140 lunch for 2 people read more

Select Oyster Bar - blue crab salad - Seafood Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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We sat at the group seating area where you are at a larger table with other groups. The staff was still very attentive and wait times were short. Decor is well thought out and shows attention to detail and a curated ambiance. But mainly, come for the food. If you love seafood, particularly raw seafood that isn't masked by breading or heavy sauces, this menu will be a dream for you. Serving sizes were above average for what are typically expensive dishes. I will definitely be coming back a couple times to finish off the rest of the menu. The drinks were also creative, strong, and delicious. read more

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What an amazing gem in the heart of Boston. Some of the best Osler selection around, and reasonably priced. Their lobster salad is a must. Very light mix of greens, with tender lobster chunks in a very light dressing. All their raw fish options (yellow tail hamachi, or tuna tartare are must haves. Fantastic and friendly staff that seems to anticipate every need. Not normally a fan of bar seating but don't be disappointed if that's all you can get on a busy night. The bar staff are actually "on it" and you can expect even better service than tables. Like many Boston places they add a "kitchen fee" of 3% and include the and additional 20% gratuity for any party size. That's a bit off putting, but seems to be the norm. Takes the fun out of rewarding great service. read more

Ate here before a concert - we enjoyed the food and brownstone ambiance. We sampled their oysters of course (we liked the Maine ones the best over even Island Creek, had the uni crostini, grouper tartare special, Brussels sprouts special, bouillabaisse, and Spanish octopus. A little on the pricier side but completely fine for a date night. Friendly service. Tucked on Gloucester St next to Krasi. Would come again! read more

Came here for the first time for a little holiday date! We were able to choose if we wanted to sit at the bar or at the table, so we opted for the bar. We ordered the uni toast which came out quick. I am a big fan of uni but this blew me away, it was creamy, warm, with a little hint of sweetness. We ordered oysters and the bouillabaisse select as well. The oysters were fresh and the side condiments were perfect with them. We didn't know what the bouillabaisse was but we just wanted to have a little bit of everything in one dish. The stew was perfect for a cold day. It came with one piece of toast but we were offered more since there was a lot of stew left. Definitely recommend coming here if you are a seafood person. The staff were friendly and attentive! Will definitely come back again. read more

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Cosy spot, and attentive staff. Excellent fresh raw items, as well as cooked, nice wine selection.

Service and food were good. The only reason it has four stars is because its way overpriced for a lobster roll. We stopped by briefly after some shopping for a quick snack but honestly wish i checked yelp ahead of time to see that its one of those expensive fancy restaurants Paying $50 dollars for one lobster roll was not my cup of tea. But the lobster roll was good, however it wasn't any better than the other places we ave been to w its half the price. Came with crispy fries and the ambience was modern and cute for pictures read more

Select Oyster Bar - Seafood Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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I loved everything about this charming and delicious place! Nestled in a beautiful brick building is a seafood lover's treasure. We enjoyed fresh fish, oysters and ceviche. Do try Select Oyster Bar, you'll be so glad you did! read more

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Food- had my first experience having oysters here and it was fantastic! The oysters were clean and delicious. Also got the hamachi crudo and was skeptical about the passion fruit sauce but it paired very well! Service- was pretty fast, wish they were more attentive about the customer because I had questions about the menu and felt like no one was coming by to our table. Overall not too bad Ambiance- small space but quiet and low key. Good place to grab a quick meal or some oysters!! read more

Select Oyster Bar - Hamachi Crudo* - Seafood Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Always a disappointment. Been here several times and every time I wonder, "What went wrong?". The food's good and the portions are generous. But the experience is never great. Part of the reason is the service. They seem genuinely unhappy to see you arrive, even if you have a reservation. Once you're seated, they'll keep your water glass filled, but are annoyed by you in general. ("What are you doing here? Eating? Whatever.") This wouldn't keep me away if the space were inviting. But it's not. It's cramped. Crammed with so many tables that servers bump into each other and you all night. Add loud music bouncing off the walls and ceiling, and sadly, you have a truly skippable restaurant. read more

John thank you for the wonderful service restaurant was a very nice restaurant with good food any incredible service from john read more

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It's been months since I went to a new restaurant that I actually loved and couldn't wait to go back. The service, the food, and the patio were all phenomenal. I don't think I could say enough good things, I almost wanted to gatekeep this one. All ingredients were fresh and we ordered a bit of everything. The must haves were the oysters (of course) and the petite clams. I would love to try more of the raw bar options as they have quite the variety. Also the other menu items such as avocado toast and cauliflower were nice as well, definitely seemed to be one of those restaurants where you really can't order anything bad. Also very unique cocktails that I'm looking forward to trying next, but enjoyed the selection of wines! Will be back very soon!! read more

Select Oyster Bar - Petite Clams - Seafood Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Very fresh oyster and a great place to chill out and have seafood! We came here for the oysters and it did not fail us. The uni toast was a surprise, with the blend of the uni and butter adding on to each other. My favorite was the beet salad with cheese. The only thing to call out is that the service was on the slower side. read more

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We had lunch at Select Oyster, and loved our entire meal. We ordered a variety of oysters, the ceviche, grilled octopus and the tuna tartare. All were excellent, and our server was really sweet. She even gave us more food recommendations for the rest of our trip. The oysters were especially delicious - don't skip the Maine oysters, they are SO good! read more

We were a party of two on a busy Sunday without any reservations and they were able to accommodate us with a nice table by the window. The seatings was a little tight but we were comfortable. The food was delicious and amazingly fresh! Some of the best oysters I had in Boston. I would definitely recommend and come here again with a reservation next time. read more

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This is an easy recommendation. This place jumped into one of the top spots to visit for seafood and oysters. Everything is curated and their cocktail selection is exquisite. read more

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Place was jam packed but expected for Saturday night. Luckily we got seated in 10 mins! Place is very tight FYI so with covid and all, come at your discretion We started with the Spanish Octopus and it was tasty but slightly salty. We got 5 of each oysters(6 kinds) to try. All but one were great. One of them left a weird taste in my mouth. We all got a different drink and enjoyed it. Our waiter was quick on his feet even with the full house. read more

Select Oyster Bar - Spanish Octopus - Seafood Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Excellent oyster/seafood bar that rivals the other top names in Boston. We ordered a huge array of items including the massive seafood tower, additional oysters, crudo and sushi. Everything was incredibly fresh and delicious. Beverage list, while smaller, had some interesting options and I decided on several of the local beers which paired perfectly with the food that we ordered. Service was very good and made some great recommendations. Prices were reasonable considering the quality and amounts that we received. Highly recommended. read more

Excellent service from Elizabeth. Warm and cozy back patio heated table. Was a bit cramp but made with it. Uni toast provided little uni and a bit over toasted, harder bread. Couldn't taste the uni and texture contrasted overly. Maybe I'm bias coming from a sashimi grade seafood company, but crudo plates of salmon, hamachi, black bass was just average, good. The added ingredients didn't do much to enhanced the flavors. Faroe Island salmon by itself is fantastic already, for crudo maybe some caviar on top, black bass had blood orange? It was so small it didn't matter. Oysters all very delicious, cold and sweet or briney fresh. Didn't need their hot sauce that was basically red hot? And the other kinda sweet and sour sauce. Wine list included some heavy hitters and pricey foreign guys that I felt didn't match up to the food caliber. I mean some Gloria Ferrer Sparkling will do. Overall pricing a bit higher than expected. Could of have live swimming seafood variety for half the price in Boston Chinatown which was what we did the next night. And the best meal of our visit. White table cloth and high pricing, doesn't always equate to a great meal. These days it usually doesn't. I thought select oyster bar was different. read more

Server was nice but personally I've had beater oysters, and appetizer dishes. Definitely great service though! I wish I can give more stars but really that's my honest review. read more

First time to this restaurant last night. Great place to go and share some fun plates of delicious seafood. From their oysters on the half shell to Salmon Crudo, Grill octopus. The cocktail list is very fun and the staff enjoy what they do and are very helpful. We sat at the high top table that you share with other customers. I recommend Select Oyster Sorry I have no pictures. But head to their website and check them out read more

Staple in Boston 5 out of 5 Everything hits here. Photos are from multiple trips. If I lived in Boston, I would be here 1 to 2 times a week. If I'm in Boston and have time I always try and grab a spot at the bar. read more

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amazing oysters and seafood! we started off with 12 oysters - i'm not an avid oyster eater so i'm by no means a good judge, but these were really good! we also got the blue crab salad which had amazing flavor as well. we shared the bouillabaisse select, which comes with mussels, prawns, and fish. slightly spicy and really great acidity. we also got the spanish octopus which comes with snap peas and lots of cilantro. the sauce was so good - very lemony! totally recommend this place - we devoured everything and some of the best seafood i've had! read more

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***Summary*** -Waited 20 mins past reservation time to get seated for 6 (more spacious seating in back room!) -Oysters tasted average, were roughly $5/per (after tax/tip) and essentially unable to be distinguished on presentation plate -Definitely overpriced! -First time being charged for a 'Covid Recovery Fee' (3%) ***By Dish*** 1) Entree: 4 Island Creek Oysters, 4 Wellfleet Oysters, 5 1620 Oysters, 4 Beausoleil Oysters, 6 Norumbega Oysters, 7 Glidden Point Oysters -For a restaurant called 'Select Oyster Bar' and the price, the oysters were nothing special in size, taste, or presentation. As mentioned in the summary, I had really wished for some way to tell which oysters were which when the final plate came out...in the end, couldn't tell and honestly, couldn't appreciate the different flavor profiles between any of them. While we got our oyster fixes satisfied this time, likely would not return. read more

Was able to get a reservation on a Friday morning for that night so that was good. The place is small and in my opinion they try to cram too many tables in there. The waiters and other patrons brush against you a lot while you are seated The food was good but it was expensive for what it was. We had the prawns and honestly the roasted garlic oil that was on the prawns was the best part of the entire meal. If I could've just that with bread I would've been happy. The bouillabaisse was good and filling but again not exceptional to others I've had. I wasn't a huge fan of the creamy sauce that they put on top. My friend got oysters and she thought they were great. They also have a huge variety of them. Just coming from New Orleans where oysters are between $1.50 and $3 each, oysters for between $3.50 and $6 each seems a little high but then again I'm not a raw oyster person so maybe this is standard. read more

Select Oyster Bar - Seafood Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Food: 5/5 Service: 6/5 Ambiance: 5/5 I've been here probably 4-5 times in the last few years and Select consistently delivers excellence on all parameters. Went here on a Friday night with no reservation for my partner's birthday. We expected to wait for a seat at the bar so the hostess politely offered us to order a cocktail while we patiently waited. Once seated, we were greeted with excellent and attentive service every step of the way! I casually mentioned we were here celebrating a birthday and our seafood platter came with a little birthday candle in it (nice touch!). The seafood was incredible, especially the crudo scallops and the hamachi crudo. The oysters were also perfect and crisp, as always. The clams came with two pieces of bread and they offered us more to finish mopping up the delicious chorizo broth. The cauliflower is to die for, not too over cooked with just the right amount of crunch. Kudos to the hard working people downstairs keeping the food fresh and consistently great. At the end of the meal, we were surprised with a few peanut butter cups and a drink on the house for my partner's birthday. Such a lovely experience, so happy to spend money here on this excellent establishment. Be back soon, Select! read more

Select Oyster Bar - Ceviche, Hamachi Crudo*, oysters, Shrimp Cocktail, scallop crudo - Seafood Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

We completely enjoyed our meal here and had a chance to try a number of items as a group. We started with a dozen oysters from Maine and Massachusetts and all were excellent. They come with lemon and cocktail sauce, we added hot sauce and horseradish. The beet salad was huge and great to share. The Spanish octopus was tender and flavorful. The halibut had a lot going on but was amazing loved the bright and sweet corn and peppers with it. The lobster salad was huge, had plenty of lobster, and had Thai flavors. The place was packed and the crowd trendy. The restaurant is cramped and chairs not the most comfortable. We were seated (with apologies) against the floor airconditioner/fan so that made it noisy. The windows look at a brick wall but they smartly added art to the wall so it's a prettier view. Overall good service that was attentive but not overbearing. read more

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