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    Pearl's Oyster Bar

    3.8 (383 reviews)
    Closed 8:00 am - 4:00 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

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    PEARL'S OYSTER BAR ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Loud
    Casual
    Good for kids
    Outdoor seating

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    Reviews With Photos - Pearl's Oyster Bar

    Lana S.

    This review is for breakfast early! It was a busy morning at Reading Terminal. I was trying to find a place for breakfast. There was too many people at Dutch Eating place so we wander and found Pearl's. There is a decent breakfast menu and seating at the counter so we sat down. I got the shrimp and grits which came with 4 decent shrimp over grits. The shrimp was delicious! and the grits were pretty good as well. There was a turkey andouille sausage gravy that comes with it. I ordered the french toast with strawberries ($2 upcharge for the strawberries...not really worth it). French toast was on brioche toast and was good. I wanted more powdered sugar and syrup but overall it was good. Have to come back and try their lunch/dinner menu!

    Syreeta B.

    And I still love it here. There is just something great about sitting in the market and having a great breakfast. They have the best grits I've had in downtown Philadelphia.

    Pearls in Reading Terminal Market
    Ricarta C.

    My friend recommended this place for brunch and I'm so glad we decided to eat here while visiting the Reading Terminal Market again. We ordered the strawberry waffle with a side of bacon and the Brioche French toast. Food was very good and full of flavor. Service and ambiance were also very good. Next time i will definitely get oysters !

    Mixed Seafood Platter
    Stephen L.

    While staying at the Marriott I crossed the street to Reading Terminal I found Pearl's. The fried shrimp was amazing and fried to perfection. The seafood platter had a piece of fish that was perfectly made and delicious. The calamari was also a part of this and it was a great addition to the platter . The price was right and the service was on par. I'll definitely be back at Pearl's as upon my return to Philly!

    Fried Shrimp Basket
    Christopher F.

    We had some time to grab a quick lunch in the market and chose pearls. The counter service is efficient and friendly and was helpful with picking out my lunch. I had the shrimp basket. The shrimp are big and not overcooked so quite tender. Fries are good and hot. It's a hustle bustle place with lots of different vendors to choose from. You can tell they do a good job keeping the space clean and clutter free. Can't wait to come back and try something different.

    Claudia L.

    Grabbed a counter seat for a quick lunch. Had a deliciously huge crab cake sandwich! Service was fast and friendly at this busy place in the Reading Terminal market!

    Patrick D.

    Large helpings. Sausage links were butterflied and over grilled (for my taste). Poached eggs were well done. Potatoes were a little dry.

    Strawberry Waffle
    James W.

    I was able to get breakfast at lunch time. I ordered Strawberry Waffle, Bacon & Cranberry juice. In no time, it was gone with the wind. Service was great. Our server made sure we had everything we needed.

    Gabriela L.

    I was visiting Philly and stayed across the street from Reading Terminal Market so my adventurous palate was wandering about for some breakfast. The large neon sign drew an oyster lover like me in. I ordered the fried oyster egg scramble and it was definitely worth trying. The fact that it's fried brought out a little bitterness out of the oyster but it was still delicious overall. The meal did not come with any sides so I recommend ordering a side. I added the cheesy grits after realizing there were no sides by default. The grits were okay, nothing to write home about. Their other breakfast dishes were your American staples and were in good portions.

    Mixed Seafood
    Sherri W.

    I enjoyed a weekday lunch at Pearls. I ordered the fried mixed seafood which included fried shrimp, (1) piece of cod, fried clam strips, French fries, and coleslaw. I'm not a fan of coleslaw or clam strips but theirs was good so I ate some of it. The fish, shrimp, and fries were good. I liked that I had control over the salt and pepper for the fries. Pearls has designated seating for their customers which is a plus for the always crowded Reading Terminal. The staff were friendly and efficient. I will return and try something else on the menu.

    Mixed seafood fry and shrimp and grits
    Alicia J.

    My mom was in town and she's a seafood fan so I decided to give this spot in Reading Terminal a try after passing it all the time. It has both counter seating and restaurant-style tables, and kind of operates as a mix of both which is a little confusing - you're supposed to seat yourself and I guess flag a server or have one notice you, then it's table service until you have to get up and go to the counter to pay. Anyway, small quibble! My mom and I grabbed a table and ordered the mixed seafood fry and shrimp and grits to share (they offer their breakfast options all day which is nice). The seafood fry was a generous portion of battered cod, four big shrimp, and clam strips on top of a big bed of fries, with coleslaw, cocktail sauce, and tartar sauce. It came out hot, fresh, and crispy. The shrimp and grits had the same juicy big shrimp grilled on top of the grits, which were pretty mildly-flavored and not too creamy or cheesy but my mom liked it that way. Overall a filling casual seafood meal for very reasonable prices! I'd visit again and they even have a good number of non-seafood brunch options so there is something for everyone.

    Raw Bar Sampler
    Steven T.

    Walking through Reading Terminal Market, this oyster bar caught my eye. I decided to sit down and try their sampler platter that came with oysters, shrimp, and clams. The oysters were some of the best I've had on the east coast! Slightly sweet with a great briny flavor. I was not a fan of the raw clams, probably a bit too intense for me. Would definitely come back for some oysters though! Entrees: Raw Bar Sampler

    located inside reading terminal market
    Van D.

    "Eat Oysters Love Longer" -- As an oyster fiend I knew I had to enjoy some oysters while travelling to the east coast. Pearl's Oyster Bar is located inside of the Reading Terminal Market and they have diner style seating and a few tables. Since I was alone I decided to get the Small Raw Bar Sampler ($42) to try a bit of everything since it comes with 8 oysters, 4 clams, and 4 shrimp cocktails. Service was questionable. It took a while to get me the order too. When I asked which oysters they were they waitress was like umm these are from Massachusetts and these are from New Jersey and the clams are Littleneck Clams from Virginia. Very nonspecific. Like what breed, what farm? Not just what state. Also the reason I dinged them on the rating is POOR SHUCKING. You guys are an oyster bar. This is unacceptable. There were visible shells floating on some and some of these oysters and clam got super cut up. Basically an example platter of what not to do. The shrimp was the best thing on the platter and the clams came second. I didn't really enjoy the oysters. Maybe they accidentally washed out the natural brine cause it was so bland, and not that salty briny taste I get from east coast oysters. Please train your staff on how to shuck an oyster properly and better explain to the customer what they purchased.

    Pearl's Oyster Bar Crab Cake Sandwich

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    2 years ago

    Solid oyster place! Gave us 2 types of oysters to try from and they were both delicious!

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    Pearl's Oyster Bar Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Pearl's Oyster Bar

    Is it a BYOB?

    Technically they don't have a liquor license, but not sure they are setup to serve alcohol as this is more of an open bar seating style place.

    What time do they open? Came for lunch around noon and it was closed and taped off.

    That was two months ago. This past weekend it is open and packed with guests.

    Do they have a happy hour?

    No they don't serve alcohol.

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    Oyster House

    Oyster House

    4.3
    (1.7k reviews)
    0.4 mi
    $$$

    We went to a house show until 5 a.m. the night before and woke up late. Our reso was at 1:30, but…read morewe called and pushed it to 2:30. The hostess said no problem. Great phone voice, by the way. We walked to the restaurant during the purported "heat dome" weekend. Fortunately, the air conditioning is pristine. We sat at the oyster bar and recommend you do so too. Our waiter was great. We should have caught his name but didn't. Either way, he was a real one. P spotted some absolute babe across the bar and asked our waiter what she was drinking. Important side note: attractive people dine here, but not in an intimidating way if you're a normie. Turns out it was a mocktail from the Zero Proof menu. We don't judge. Our waiter then turned us on to an OG move: order a mocktail and add booze. P got the Pink Drink and added vodka. J ordered a Bee's Knees and a Firing Squad. All above average. Anyway, we created an oyster flight and got two of each, working our way across the Eastern Seaboard. The house sauce was fantastic and incorporated some sort of onion and horseradish combination. We don't pretend to understand what that sorcery was, but keep doing it. Create your own GD oyster flight. You won't regret it. We also ordered some shrimp cocktail and shared the lobster roll sandwich. We forgot to take pics, but the generic photo attached is actually how it looks. Not a bad bite. This was the perfect amount of food for two hungover people who took IR Adderall before the walk. We lingered for a while and they don't push you out. Ended up ordering a couple IPAs. They started shucking oysters to prepare for the dinner crowd, which is neat to watch when you're on the spectrum like us. Also, the walls are covered in different oyster plates. We spent about 20 minutes discussing which one was our favorite. We landed on a green one. It's a real vibe lifter of a joint. Brought us back to life. 10/10.

    We had a nice dinner at Oyster House during our trip to Philadelphia. We shared several dishes,…read moreincluding oysters, ceviche, scallops, and a lobster roll. Everything was fresh and well prepared, and we enjoyed being able to try a good variety of seafood. It was a solid dinner and a good stop during our trip. We would definitely consider coming back the next time we're in Philadelphia.

    Photos
    Restaurant
    Restaurant
    Roasted Oysters
    Roasted Oysters
    Clams and Oysters

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    Clams and Oysters
    Luke's Lobster Rittenhouse

    Luke's Lobster Rittenhouse

    4.3
    (1.3k reviews)
    0.6 mi
    $$

    My friend an I stopped in here trying to pass time while exploring Philadelphia…read more The cashier was great. He was so helpful with my questions. Oddly I wanted a lobster roll with out the roll but still went with the soup anyway. But, he said he could do that. The soup was pretty good. We do not get a lobster roll when we visited. But, The soup hit the spot. The bathroom was so cute. It had a a nautical theme. This place really made me think of coastal Maine. Pricing was on point for lobster. No complaints. There are a few tables and a window bar like seat option that faces the street. The offer Maine sodas to drink.

    Solid rolls! I had the seafood trio to taste them all. Initially I ordered on their website…read moredirectly. After driving around for 20 minutes to find parking I called and they had not received my order. Uber Eats or Door Dash must be the preferred. Or call! Anywho, Uber Eats delivered. It was cold. I don't believe the other lobsters rolls I had were cold. These were and still good. Maybe they are warm if you pick up ‍ They give ample portions and the butter is on the side. Three ramekins! One for each roll. I only needed one for all three. Note to self: always ask for butter on side. The shrimp roll was packed. Thankful because the baby shrimp were baby. The lobster roll was about 1 claws worth. It was the crab that shocked me. Overflowing with crab meat. Everything was fresh. The bread was soft and buttered. I didn't taste much 'seasoning' it was well 'flavored' and covered in oregano (?) I would return. It's a cute little spot that is in the basement of a building. I didn't go in, I know the area well. Next to Sofitel. Hard to find parking

    Photos
    Luke's Lobster Rittenhouse
    6oz. Lobster Roll
    6oz. Lobster Roll
    Luke's Lobster Rittenhouse

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    Alpen Rose

    Alpen Rose

    4.4
    (375 reviews)
    0.3 mi
    $$$$

    We had been wanting to come here for a few years but aren't always the best at planning ahead. We…read morecelebrated our 25th anniversary this year and wanted to go somewhere new and romantic. This place was everything you want it to be. We had some delicious craft cocktails, the tomahawk ribeye, an appetizer and some sides. The only thing that wasn't good were the mushrooms. I say this as someone who loves mushrooms. Service was spot on, place is quaint. 100% will be going back

    Today was my third visit to Alpen Rose. My boyfriend and I really enjoyed our first visit! Food was…read moregood, service was great and the ambiance was amazing. We celebrated my birthday there and I was a bit shocked when they didn't offer to comp a dessert, since most steakhouses usually do, but I didn't mind as it's not expected. Our second visit didn't live up to our first time experience. The steak we ordered was so raw that it was inedible. Luckily, we got 2 big entrees so we were able to enjoy one and take the steak to go and cook it a bit more to enjoy for dinner the day after. This third visit REALLY threw us off. First, we waited over 30 minutes to be seated. When we were finally seated, we were seated in what is likely the most uncomfortable seat in the restaurant. You would think if you just made someone wait 30 minutes past their reservation, you'd maybe give them the bigger table that's available to get them back in your good graces. I will say most of the food was very good. We ordered the crab and artichoke appetizer which was good but not great, and for dinner we ordered the duck which was cooked perfectly and the ribeye which was also cooked well. I had mentioned it was my birthday at the beginning of the meal. Since I didn't receive anything with my last birthday experience, I had no expectations of a comped dessert. That was until the young lady at the table next to us received a comped baked Alaska for her birthday. When it was my turn for the waiter to offer a dessert we were asked if we wanted to order anything. We said no and asked for the check. When they brought us the check, they finally remembered we had been delayed half an hour and that's when they offered a comped dessert. Why is it that someone else got a free dessert for their birthday and not me? If you're going to offer that to one you should offer to all. Other than that, the service overall was very lacking. We were checked in on 3 times during the night whereas the table next to us received constant check ins. Not sure what that was about since we had the same waiter. We were also seated and ordered before the table next to us and they received everything before us. Appetizer, dinner, dessert and check. Not sure why this happened but after tonight's disappointing experience and overall food inconsistency I have decided not to dine here anymore. More for tonight's service than anything else. Disappointing and overhyped.

    Photos
    Alpen Rose
    Smoked Bacon
    Smoked Bacon
    Cozy atmosphere

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    Cozy atmosphere
    Loch Bar - Philly

    Loch Bar - Philly

    4.2
    (230 reviews)
    0.5 mi
    $$$

    The food at Loch Bar is always amazing, which is why I've been a regular customer for quite some…read moretime. Most of the staff have consistently been friendly, professional, and attentive. Unfortunately, my most recent visit left me feeling disappointed and uncomfortable due to an interaction with a server named Cody. After our food arrived, Cody did not return to our table for quite some time. When he eventually checked on us, he explained that he had other tables inside. I simply asked for salt and pepper for my steak. Roughly 20 minutes later, he returned with pepper and steak sauce and asked if that was what I had requested. I politely explained that I had only asked for salt and pepper. By that point, I was no longer interested in eating the steak and told him it was fine. What surprised me was his response. Without any prompting, he said, "All those times I came and checked on y'all, that would have been the time to tell me about the steak." I was genuinely shocked by this comment. At no point had I been rude, disrespectful, or confrontational. I calmly explained that he had not returned to our table after the food was delivered, but he continued to insist that he had. Because of the way I was being spoken to, I asked to speak with a manager. While waiting, I tried to resolve the issue directly with Cody and explain why his comment was inappropriate. During that conversation, he apologized but also stated that another table he was serving had gotten on his nerves and that he essentially took that frustration out on me. He further explained that he thought I "looked frustrated" about my steak and therefore went into the interaction already on guard. The problem is that I had never blamed him for the steak, never raised my voice, and never treated him disrespectfully. He made assumptions about my attitude and responded to me based on those assumptions rather than the actual interaction we were having. I explained that in customer service, especially at an establishment with Loch Bar's reputation, employees represent the restaurant and shouldn't take frustrations from one table out on another. Unfortunately, the conversation became even more frustrating when he told me that he had already left us a dessert menu and that the situation was "over." Once again, I felt dismissed and spoken to disrespectfully. I asked for the manager a second time. When she came over, she listened to my concerns, handled the situation professionally, and was very courteous throughout the interaction. I'm sharing this review because I've always enjoyed dining here and have had many wonderful experiences with other servers. However, this encounter made me feel uncomfortable in a place where I've always felt welcome. One employee's behavior does not reflect the excellent service I've typically received at Loch Bar, but this experience was disappointing enough that I felt it needed to be brought to management's attention. I genuinely hope this feedback helps ensure that future guests don't have a similar experience.

    Another Philly spot review. I love a restaurant with tasty bread as an appetizer. This garlic loaf…read morewas the bomb. The cream of crab soups was perfect. The oysters were good but a little dry. I put a little soup on it to make it better. It worked. The salmon has a crispy skin and moist texture overall. The collard greens were good but not seasoned like mine. Our server was excellent and the restaurant was nicely appointed with a unique seating variety.

    Photos
    Inside
    Inside
    Cream of Crab Soup
    Cream of Crab Soup
    Crab/shrimp toast

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    Crab/shrimp toast
    Estia

    Estia

    4.1
    (953 reviews)
    0.5 mi
    $$$

    Dined here with my dad before a show and had a great experience. The restaurant is beautiful inside…read morewith plenty of seating, and the private dining room downstairs would be perfect for a celebration. The staff were friendly and professional. We skipped the prix fixe menu and shared the octopus to start, which was tender, meaty, and flavorful. For entrées, I had the salmon and my dad ordered the Chilean sea bass plaki. Both were delicious and filling, but the sea bass was the standout thanks to its rich red sauce. The salmon was perfectly cooked and light, though I wished it had a bit more sauce or seasoning. Overall, a great pre-show dinner spot that I'd definitely recommend.

    We had an excellent birthday meal at this restaurant on Wednesday night for the six of us…read more My favorites were the - crab cakes - Chilean seabass - zuchini chips - Greek salad with fresh potato's - lamb chops - branzino - duo tartare Portion are fairly big so we over ordered a bit as the server kept recommending two orders of everything. That was a bit stressful for me as the host of this surprise party. I hate wasting food and we wasted food. He also pushed two desserts on me on top of the free dessert he offered for free. Thankfully I cancelled them in time. The free dessert was just okay. Nice touch for photos but we barely touched it. Overall would be back. Just know that the service is a bit pushy on ordering more than you need

    Photos
    One of the main dining room
    One of the main dining room
    Estia
    Estia

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    Ocean Prime

    Ocean Prime

    4.0
    (676 reviews)
    0.4 mi
    $$$$

    A little pricy for us but well worth it for a special occasion. The food and cooking is worth the…read moreprice, it really was fabulous. When talking to my kids about experiences vs objects for Christmas, my 7 year old requested a fancy restaurant for steak and lobster, just the two of us, and this was the perfect pick. Every one was so kind to him and made him feel special, I think every male staff member stopped at the table with a kind word for him and, upon hearing that he wants to be a chef someday, to say they can't wait to eat at his restaurant. I got the berries and bubbles cocktail for the dry ice spectacle, but it was also really delicious. The bread basket was really great, and our steak was seasoned and cooked perfectly, but the real star was the sides and sauces. The asparagus with hollandaise was the winner for me, the hollendaise was silky and had a little kick at the end. The truffle mac and cheese was the other top pick, really amazing. Creme brulee was the perfect shared ending to the meal, it comes with a lot of berries on top, not the usual single strawberry, and the freshness was really needed with the rich creme. Overall I think I made a formative memory with my child and I'm grateful for the service, and the food was absolutely worth what we probably would have paid for two overpriced hot wheel toys.

    Service was good.....portions were kind of small but food very good…read moreUsed their valet parking ($35) next day discovered some clothing was stolen from my car, purchased an hour before When I contacted the restaurant the next day they told me to call the contracted parking service is not theirs and they are not responsible!!!!!!!!Some Shit I guess if your steak is bad you should call the cattle ranch it came from ITS ALL ABOUT THE MONEY.......GO SOMEWHERE ELSE JC........Yardley Park

    Photos
    Ocean Prime
    Ocean Prime
    Lobster linguine

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    Lobster linguine

    Pearl's Oyster Bar - seafood - Updated August 2026

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