13 Jersey Shore restaurants that serve fresh oysters

National Oyster Day is Saturday, Aug. 5, and there are tons of places where you can get the best shuck for your buck.

From Barnegat Bay to the shores of Prince Edward Island, these little slices of the sea are served fresh  at e Jersey Shore spots.

Red Horse by David Burke, 26 Ridge Road in Rumson, serves both East Coast and West Coast oysters in the classic half shell style, with a side of cucumber apple mignonette.

If you’re looking to indulge, try Red Horse's Fancy Pants Oysters, which are West Coast oysters topped with a half ounce of sturgeon caviar, citrus dressing, vodka jelly, gold-leaf and seaweed crackers. The restaurant also offers Dressed Oysters, which are East Coast oysters topped with king crab, plum and ginger. Check out the menu at redhorsebydb.com (or call 732-576-3400).

Here are 12 other restaurants at the Jersey Shore for those who love oysters:

B2 Bistro + Bar, Point Pleasant Beach

B2 Bistro + Bar features East Coast oysters, served with classic mignonette, lemon, cocktail sauce and house hot sauce.

Go: 709 Arnold Ave., Point Pleasant Beach; 732-295-0709, b2bistro.com

The Bonney Read, Asbury Park

The Bonney Read offers chef-selected oysters (with cocktail sauce and mignonette), which can be ordered by the half dozen or dozen at market price.

Go: 525 Cookman Ave., Asbury Park; 732-455-3352, thebonneyread.com

Drifthouse by David Burke, Sea Bright

Drifthouse uses a custom-made oyster spa that mimics the icy, briny waters where they were harvested. Oysters (served with apple mignonette) are purchased from the local Barnegat Oyster Collective, which sources from Swan Point, Mantoloking and Tucker's Island, Little Egg Harbor.

Go: 1485 N. Ocean Ave., Sea Bright; 732-530-9760, drifthousedb.com

Iron Whale, Asbury Park

According to owner Tim McLoone, the restaurant industry has seen a spike in demand for raw oysters.

"It's pushed us into an area to get more varieties, where we were originally just doing the standard," said McLoone.

Offerings rotate by season, but the raw bar has been known to serve delicacies like Long Island blue point and Maryland Chesapeake.

There are also larger dishes, including the I.W. Whaler (six blue point oysters, six local clams, six Chesapeake oysters, a 1¼ pound whole lobster and six chilled shrimp), as well as The Asbury (four oysters, four local clams, six chilled shrimp and colossal crabmeat).

Additionally, there are some cooked oyster selections, including Charbroiled Oysters (with chorizo, manchego cheese, garlic lime butter and panko).

Go: 1200 N. Ocean Ave., Unit 504, Asbury Park; 732-361-5185, ironwhalenj.com

McLoone's Pier House, Long Branch

McLoone's Pier House offers a full raw bar, featuring oysters on the half shell served with strawberry-champagne mignonette, cocktail sauce and lemon.

Also try the larger Chilled Sampler: six gulf shrimp, four clams, four oysters, strawberry-champagne mignonette, cocktail sauce and lemon.

Go: 1 N. Ocean Ave., Long Branch; 732-923-1006, mcloonespierhouse.com

The Old Causeway Steak & Oyster House, Manahawkin

It's right in the name — you can order fresh oysters from this spot right off Long Beach Island.

Featuring a large array of East and West Coast oysters, diners can order "the daily dozen," which are 12 chef's choice oysters (with mignonette, horseradish and lemon) at market price.

A few East Coast selections have included the "Briny Piney" from Barnegat Bay, which are plump and salty; "Sloop Point" from Mantoloking, which are "deep cup," salty and firm; and "Lucky Lime" from New London Bay in Prince Edward Island, Canada, which are light and briny

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Aside from classic oysters on the half shell, Old Causeway offers special dishes including the Dynamite Oyster (topped with kewpie mayo cheese sauce brûléed until golden, eel sauce, tobiko and fresh scallion), as well as Bonsai Oysters (topped with sushi grade tuna, spicy mayo, panko, eel sauce, scallion and tobiko).

The menu also includes a variety of cooked oyster specialties, including Jersey Devil Oysters (four fried oysters on top of deviled eggs) and the Oyster Pan Roast (stew with potatoes, mushrooms, chorizo, a hint of Old Bay), served with a large piece of brie toast.

And don't forget about the towers, like the Main Sail that serves two to four people (six clams, six oysters, four jump shrimp and half a lobster) and the Royal Sail that serves six to eight (12 clams, 12 oysters, six jump shrimp, two lobster halves and fresh ceviche with house tortilla chips).

Go: 1201 East Bay Ave., Manahawkin; 609-488-1327, oldcauseway.com.

The Robinson Alehouse, Asbury Park

The Asbury Park location features local oysters, but also offers a dish called the Sampler, which includes oysters, clams, shrimp, jumbo lump crab, lemon and cocktail sauce.

Go: 1200 N. Ocean Ave., Asbury Park; 732-774 1400, therobinsonalehouseasburypark.com

The Robinson Alehouse, Long Branch

The Long Branch location offers blue point oysters served with lemon, cocktail sauce and beer mignonette.

Also try the Seafood Sampler: six oysters, six clams, six shrimp, 2 ounces of lump crab salad, lemon, cocktail sauce, beer mignonette and fresh horseradish.

Go: 68 N. Ocean Ave., Long Branch; 732-222 2212, therobinsonalehouselongbranch.com

Rooney's Oceanfront Restaurant, Long Branch

Rooney's Oceanfront Restaurant offers oysters from New York, as well as "chef's choice" oysters, which are market priced depending on the season. The menu also offers the Bloody Mary Oyster Shooter, which is a blue point oyster topped with pickle, celery and dehydrated olive, served with a Bloody Mary.

If you're hungry, order the Chef's Colossal, featuring a 2-pound chilled lobster, six shrimp cocktail, six middle neck clams, six blue point oysters and six chef's choice oysters.Go: 100 Ocean Ave. North, Long Branch; 732-870-1200, rooneysocean.com

The Rum Runner, Sea Bright

The Rum Runner offers a full raw bar, featuring Long Island blue point oysters served with cucumber mint mignonette, cocktail sauce and lemon.

There are two different sizes of seafood samplers, including the Chilled Sampler (four shrimp, four oysters, four clams, cucumber mint mignonette, cocktail sauce and lemon), as well as the Rum Runner Sampler (chilled lobster tail, five jumbo shrimp, five oysters, five little neck clams, drawn butter, cucumber mint mignonette, cocktail sauce, remoulade and lemon).

Go: 816 N Ocean Ave, Sea Bright; 732-842-2894, mcloonesrumrunner.com

Shore Fresh Seafood Market & Restaurant, Point Pleasant, Point Pleasant Beach

Both locations of Shore Fresh Seafood Market & Restaurant offer Delaware Bay blue point oysters, but there is also a larger catering menu with more selections.

The regular catering menu features classic oysters on the half shell and specialties like oysters Rockefeller, but there are also larger platters with tons of oysters, shrimp, lobster and crab for larger parties and events.

Go: 57 Channel Drive, Point Pleasant Beach, 732-899-0909; 703 Bridge Ave., Point Pleasant, 732-899-1300, shorefreshseafood.com

Tim McLoone's Supper Club, Asbury Park

The Supper Club offers local oysters served with cocktail sauce and lemon. Also try the Sampler with clams, oysters, shrimp, jumbo lump crab, cocktail sauce and lemon, for some variety.

Go: 1200 N. Ocean Ave., Asbury Park; 732-774-1155, timmcloonessupperclub.com

Gabriela L. Laracca recently joined the USA TODAY NETWORK New Jersey and eagerly brings her passion for cuisine and culture to our readers. Send restaurant tips to glaracca@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Oysters at the Jersey Shore: These NJ restaurants serve them many ways