Went here twice we enjoyed ourselves so much. Note: Make a reservations!!! Oyster grilled or raw super tasty. Fresh and delish! We hit restaurant week and got the stake bacon. Yum! Lamb chops were well seasoned and cooked perfectly. The waitress had an excel of pour. Wish we would have had her the 2nd night. It was a great experience and food we went back the 2nd night which I RARE for me. I never go back twice in a row . It was 100 degrees with no reservation had us outside. I'll stop there. The lobster sliders were good and the oyster still just as good. It was consistent! . read more

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Grew up in Hickory but now live out of state. When I pass through each year, I make it a point to dine at the Standard Oyster Co. The menu changes from time to time, I've seen and tasted great appetizers like blistered shishito peppers, butter bean hummus, grilled octopus and beyond. For dinner and for me, sorry folks, it's Oysters. They always have an amazing, fresh selection of wonderful oysters from east and west. The service staff is always great and full of southern hospitality. 9/10 of the time I sit outside in the back, it's covered, and heated when cool or fanned when hot. If you're into oysters or other really good, fresh raw options, you gotta check this place out. read more

Standard Oyster Company - Oysters - Seafood Near Me - Hickory, North Carolina

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Wow. What a hidden gem. We ordered so much food bc it all sounded amazing. And it was fresh & delicious. We had cold shrimp, raw oysters, and salmon sandwich. Can't say enough ! Ashley our server was friendly and helpful We will definitely drive an hour to eat here again read more

The food was excellent so fresh, got here by mistake but so glad we came, staff was awesome place was super nice laid back. Everything we ate was great. Love the bar seating set up read more

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No complaints about SOC. I came here for my birthday. I am on a work trip alone and, while I don't mind dining alone, it's always less awkward to sit at the bar rather than take up an entire table for one person. This is NOT a problem at SOC because it is all bar seating! Now don't be alarmed by outside. It's in a worn down strip mall. Inside is charming and fun. They have a lot of different raw bar options to choose from. I tried a half dozen oysters and they were all good. Not big and salty like gulf coast ones but they had flavor and seemed fresh. I also went with a glass of rose and a tuna plate. Everything was good. My server was very friendly and attentive and did a nice job of making me feel welcome. Overall a great dining experience! read more

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This place was AWESOME! I had oyster from Chesapeake bay which were outstanding. The service was great and the two ladies working the bar were on the ball. Even the other customers were friendly and talkative. I loved the layout of the bar. I will definitely be coming back! read more

Great selection of fresh oysters. Live music was a plus. Oysters music (85 char min). We're good. read more

Standard Oyster Company - Seafood Near Me - Hickory, North Carolina

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The food is okay almost 70$ for just me, poke bowl and surf and turf. I do have to say this was the first time in a long time I wanted to ask for A1 sauce, you can taste the grill flavor, but my steak and shrimp they were both very much lacking seasoning, the shrimp especially. What kills my though is all my veggies were very seasoned and delicious. Don't get the tuna poke for the same reason just bland, ( seem to be relying very heavily on the mayo/sauce to provide flavor) I don't know if it was because of all you can eat crab last night, but my food looked nice, but all the meat was not seasoned. Was not a fan. If I go here again I will just order side orders of vegetables. Restaurant was very clean. Service was great. I would just prefer some more flavor. For the price that I paid I don't want to put A1 on a stake to make it edible. The meat all was very blah/ and bland. read more

Go for the food... Not the service. While some of the servers are pretty good....Particularly Rick.... the others are a crapshoot. You just never know what kind of mood they're gonna be in. We went in recently with a party of four with reservations and was about to be put right by the door when it was windy and cold and asked to be moved back and it was an absolute joke the way they acted. Almost like they didn't even care if we stayed or not. $300 later we had a really good meal but not sure if we're gonna waste our time going back to somewhere that doesn't seem to really care about their customers. Too bad because there's not good seafood places like that in Hickory. read more

I'm an infrequent visitor to the Standard Oyster Company, but when I'm in Hickory, it's at the top of my list for restaurants to visit. The food and service are fantastic!! Great oyster bar vibe, while offering much more than just oysters and other raw seafood. You need to try it!! read more

Hickory's hidden gem! Fish and flavor in unique atmosphere. Oyster selection like being at the beach yet better with more choices catering to your tastes. Nightly specials to excite, kitchen staff willing to accommodate your needs. Beer and wine selection quenches any thirst. I've been stopping here for 5 years and never been disappointed, left with a smile every time! This gem rocks! read more

Would love to love it. Food is okay, service doesn't make up for it. Two people for the whole place just doesn't work. The guy is much nicer than her. Master of being able to walk by.... read more

12:30 on a Friday. Walk in, sit down, order a Blue Moon and a dozen oysters with extra horseradish! Best $1 oysters ever. Had another dozen and walked out very happier. Great place, excellent service, and they know how to serve oysters on the half shell. My kind of oyster bar! read more

Food is always wonderful. Service could be better. We love going on Tuesdays for the steamed oyster special $1 per oyster. SOC is a great place for a leisurely dinner. We will certainly be back. read more

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The Standard Oyster delivered again! We had a party of 12 and the staff handled it perfectly. Everyone enjoyed their food (Tuna Tataki, Burgers, Salad, Oysters, Crab Dip. Only thing that didn't receive 5 stars were the chips that came with the crab dip). They even serve their own beer and distillery from their sister company. The atmosphere is casual and hip. Highly recommend The Standard Oyster. read more

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I was so excited to find an oyster bar in a town were passing through! Made a reservation and ubered over. Ordered wine (9$) and beer ($6) and a broiled oyster sampler (16) to start. They arrived in about three minutes! Small, cold flavorless. The last one tasted moldy. Oh well, we ordered crab dip and scallop risotto. The scallop dish (28$) was tasty but it only had three scallops. The crab dip ($15) was cold so we asked the sweet waitress if we could get it hot. She took it and returned it barely warm in no amount of time. I just couldn't eat it. She did take it off the bill. Overall the meal was less than mediocre. Lesson learned! read more

Had fantastic food and service at the standard oyster company. The food was great, and the service was excellent. I even forgot an old ball cap that I wore there, and they were nice enough to mail it back to me. They went above and beyond, and I appreciate it very much. I strongly recommend this restaurant to anyone, the oysters and shrimp are great. read more

Who would have thought you could get oysters this fresh and food this good in Hickory. Whether you like them raw of cooked, this place is hard to beat. We especially liked the deviled eggs with smoked trout and the oysters cooked with pimento cheese and bacon jam! Our server was very attentive even though we wanted the quieter setting outdoor in the back. No question we will be back and often. read more

BOOM ! Who knew Oysters could be as good as they get in Hickory NC ! Ya. I grew up near Chesapeake Bay MD .... This place is AMAZING. Don't let some idiot tell you the oysters are anything but perfect. We ate em fried. Broiled Rockefeller Garlic Bacon and Oscar style -all delish And of course RAW .... The White Stone (large) and the smaller Beausoleil (small but super tasty) are phenom ... w perfect sauces to compliment The Lobster (fresh catch) Sliders were so good I could eat 30 of em !! W drawn butter n lemon The BEST Bloody Mary ( BEAST) I've ever had. With shrimp and bacon and a fresh Chile plus great Beer selection ~ great long bar style low key dining w great bartenders Bring $$$ but worth it read more

Standard Oyster Company - Seafood Near Me - Hickory, North Carolina

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This was a chill place to visit. Don't get me wrong, it's not quiet. It's a no frills place to eat and have fun. It's in a shopping center, so don't miss it. My friends and I drove about an hour away for restaurant week. We were seated outside. Too many bees, so we went inside. This is a smaller town, so we got a few stares and cold shoulders from some patrons who may not be used to being near Black people. We gave them something to talk about! LOL (We look good, see pics). But the staff was nice overall. (We had conversations with several staff members) As 1st, we were concerned that our server was rude. Every time we tried to order, she would get interrupted by other staff, walk away, or if we had a question, she would say she had to get back to her large table. Honestly, I was upset and was going to let my review show that, but we soon discovered that she was overwhelmed with a large party that was being rude and demanding to her. Once we let her know we understood and reminded her that we were not the ones causing her strife (and that party left), she lightened up. I am continuing to remind myself to have some grace for restaurants because they may be dealing with staffing or shortages. But please be kind to the patrons as well! We finally was able to order. Food was tasty. Fresh oysters were good. And they have a great selection of bourbon and whiskey. That alone is a reason to return. But the oysters and pasta help to that! I'll be back! (in my Arnold Schwarzenegger voice) read more

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We decided to try Standard Oyster Company during Queens Feast week and we're so glad we did! It's definitely a bit of a drive for us (over an hour) but so worth it! The setup is so different (it's one long winding bar) but I think it makes for a better experience, and the service was impeccable. We both got cocktails, my sangria was delicious and my husband was shocked at their large selection of whisky. Our server even gave him a sample of their house whisky for free. We had the half dozen oysters for an appetizer, and they were so fresh and good. For dinner I tried the squid ink risotto with mussels and clams and my husband got the gumbo, both were perfectly seasoned and so good. Our server also gave us some free house coleslaw to try, which was also great. Desert was amazing as well, I tried the coconut creme bomb and he got the key lime pie. The coconut creme bomb was amazing, and the key lime pie was one of the best we ever had! Definitely coming back here soon! read more

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My wife and I are relatively new to the area and looked forward to try some local seafood. I love oysters in the half shell and my wife does the same for steamed claims. Both were absolutely great. The only down side to our evening was that we made reservations early and while they weren't overly busy, we were seated right in front of the kitchen door. We will definitely be back for the food and ambiance but be a bit more selective in our seating. read more

Can I say hell yeah Rick & Sheri make this the best experience! I'm here from South Florida and my husband and his buddies are here working. I have to head back home but my husband will stay and I'm sure he will be back there soon and I will be visiting them again soon as well. Thank you to them both for the awesome service!!!!! Great food and even better service! The only thing I would recommend is that they stay open later then 9:00 pm, we would have stayed and ate and drank a lot more but other then that the best place. read more

arrived at 1:58 pm and was turned away because oyster special expires at 2pm. figure that one out!! won't see me again!!

We had a fun night out, and the service was excellent. I like that they rotate things on the menu often I had a variety of steamed clams and raw oysters along with the tuna that, unfortunately, by the time it came out was over, cooked and not warm. We also had a few other supposedly hot items that also came out of the kitchen not warm enough to eat but with that said, I would try the place again, and I have neighbors that go once or twice a month and are quite happy. read more

Standard Oyster Company - a group of people sitting at a bar - Seafood Near Me - Hickory, North Carolina

Great food and service, we had oysters on the half shell, shrimp, scallops and deviled eggs made with smoked trout and fish roe, delicious. They have a very nice bar also, I had a very nice stout. My wife and I look forward to the next visit. read more

Good oysters, going inside you feel comfortable and employees are welcoming. Different environment but chilled. We are definitely going again. read more

Drive by this establishment every time I am visiting Hickory and finally had an opportunity to go!! We had a group so I made reservations (easy peasy) arrived right on time and was super impressed that the set up she promised me was exactly like I imagined!! Service was quick and quite good!! Our server, whom's name escapes me was pretty darn funny and quick to respond!! Cocktails were good, beer selection was, too. I'm not a seafood lover, in fact I don't even like it, but I always enjoy something off the menu!! For me, it was the dill pickle dip! Everyone else got the Lobster (lobsta) roll, low country boil and ahi tuna... You could have heard a pin drop!! Everyone enjoyed their meal and we had a blast!!! We'll be back, for sure!!! read more

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This restaurant is very casual. An Oyster Bar on the inside and outdoor dining out back. The oysters I had were on special today... $1.10 apiece... A hidden gem with outdoor dining out back. Definitely coming back. Our dog Cookie loved the fried grit cake, as did I. read more

Standard Oyster Company - Oysters on the half shell. Saturday special. - Seafood Near Me - Hickory, North Carolina

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This is a very cool place. You drive up and it trucks you a bit. Get in side and it is on! Great atmosphere and the staff is very cool. Food is solid and reasonably priced. I threw in a pick of their pimento oysters which are awesome. Beer selection is wide and very good. Setup in the place is awesome too. Check it out! read more

Standard Oyster Company - Bar/ inside - Seafood Near Me - Hickory, North Carolina

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Seafood Choices Galore you will find on this venues menu! We loved the choices given. Wooden booths that separated tables greet you when you enter this restaurant. There is an upstairs for seating also. Since COVID this is the first restaurant where we've eaten inside. The servers all wore masks. Our orders were taken quickly. We enjoyed the large selection of beer offered. We were pleasantly surprised by the portion sizes. The fried shrimp and oysters were cooked perfectly! Delish! We both enjoyed our soups. One was She Crab and the other Clam Chowder. All in all lunch was great! We shall return and try it out again. read more

Cute setting with quick service. Oysters were delicious. Easy to locate with good parking. read more

Standard Oyster Company - Seafood Near Me - Hickory, North Carolina

We have been there 4 or 5 times once for Restaurant Week. We've never been disappointed the food is fresh and prepared nicely. Plenty of different oysters and beers to choose from. We will be back. Y'all enjoy read more

Wow wow wow! If you like oysters, this is the place to be. We tried them all! Also, the lobster sliders with a charred lemon to die for. I will never forget the Mac-n-cheese, though. My goodness. Everything was divine! Get yourself here. STAT. read more

Standard Oyster Company - a platter of oysters - Seafood Near Me - Hickory, North Carolina

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I saw a bunch of reviews referencing the food beyond the oysters, and my apologies to all of those reviewers for not listening. This was the most overpriced and disappointing meal I've had in my entire life. I'm not sure I've ever walked away from a restaurant disappointed, short of maybe a specific dish I was looking forward to being unavailable. But here? Couldn't find the crab in the lukewarm crab gnocchi, a small serving (literally a plate with an empty space on one half) that was $30 with absolutely no sides, which is honestly outrageous I've eaten in places with much higher costs of living and never paid that much for so little, and had it be so mediocre. The biggest value was learning to never eat here again. read more

My favorite place in Hickory for food, drinks and atmosphere! From martinis to specialty drinks, Prosecco on tap, fresh oysters on the 1/2 shell, and fabulous read more

Wonderful fresh seafood, great atmosphere for this type restaurant. The staff are friendly, professional and know their food. Always a pleasant treat to go there. read more

I've been an oyster fan for about 60 years and Standard serves up some of the best I've had anywhere. It's a super oyster bar, and the staff is super. When you go you should try the fried oysters ("small plate")... AWESOME! Great flavor, lightly battered and fried perfectly. This will become a habit! read more

Delicious and an awesome atmosphere love the menu and ambiance! Convenient location!

This is a nice spot in Hickory. I don't know how I missed it living here for so many years. My husband and I only came here because I had a gift card for the restaurant. I don't eat seafood, but my husband does. The steak was good, not amazing but again it's not a steak house. My husband enjoyed his fried oysters and lobster dish. No complaints here. There are a lot of seafood choices. We knew we couldn't order the whole menu, but we will be returning to try other dishes. read more

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