167 Raw

167 Raw in Charleston is a spin-off of Nantucket's original oyster bar and seafood market. Wild oysters are plucked from the chilly waters and cooked southern-style at this modest eatery. The oyster is released from its shell by steaming, and the smoke from the open fire enhances the sweet and salty flavor.

Local specialties including lobster rolls, tuna burgers, and fish tacos are also available at the 167 Raw. Local beers, as well as a range of wines and champagnes, are available in the restaurant's bar. Guests can sit at the dazzling white 12-seat bar or at one of the two communal tables, where pleasant discussions mingle with the warm environment.

Though 167 Raw is well-known in Charleston, its roots are on Cape Cod, where partner Jesse Sandole's family owns a seafood market, which explains the restaurant's cozy, fishmonger-like atmosphere. It also explains the menu's deceptive simplicity: the daily catch dictates whether the "fish taco" is grilled mahi mahi or batter-fried monkfish, whether the "ceviche" is halibut or grouper, and whether the "fish sandwich" is beautifully adorned sheepshead or softshell crab. (Although, admittedly, some regulars never go past the primo tuna burger.)

Finally, it explains the staff's aquacultural knowledge; the bartender who gives you Westbrook's properly titled rye pale ale, for example. One Claw can also teach you about oyster anatomy, assuming you arrive early enough to obtain a seat.