Fun spot for a picnic, and if you're feeling adventurous, you can even shuck your own oysters--or just grab some from their cool Airstream setup. We were seated right away, brought our own NA beers, and ordered a variety of oysters. I tried the charbroiled oysters, and we also had the scallop ceviche--both were incredibly fresh and delicious. The only downside is parking. You'll likely have to pay to park near the beach, or you can find street parking and walk over--but just be prepared, it's a bit of a trek. read more

The staff and chicken & fries are really good, that's unfortunately where the positives end. Very metallic and briney oyster, poor shucking, funky uni (speaking on the cooked uni over oysters), and too sour of clam sauce. Really wanted to like this place, had heard good things. But if oyster is the title I expect a higher quality of oysters. Not horrible by any means, but for their price and taste I won't be coming back. read more

I wasn't a huge fan of oysters before visiting The Jolly Oyster, so I was a little hesitant to try them but I'm so glad I did! After having the oyster tacos and three different types of flavored oysters, I have to say these are by far the best I've ever had ‍ The scallop ceviche was also incredibly delicious, and the tostada chips were perfectly seasoned with just the right crunch. Everything was fresh and flavorful. I'm definitely looking forward to coming back again soon read more

I was so excited to finally try The Jolly Oyster after hearing so many great things, which makes this experience even more disappointing. My order included 2 dozen oysters, 6 baked uni oysters, and Manila clams. From the moment we placed our order, the man taking our order (who I believe may have been the owner) seemed irritated and spoke to us with an unfriendly tone. I tried not to think too much of it, paid, said thank you, and even left a tip. When our oysters came out, I politely asked one of the employees if they had cocktail sauce with horseradish. She handed me a purple-colored sauce. Since it was my first time visiting, I wasn't sure what it was, so I apologized and asked if they happened to have cocktail sauce or something similar. The man immediately came over and asked, "What is it that you want?" I explained that I was just wondering if they had cocktail sauce because I didn't recognize the purple sauce. Instead of simply saying they didn't have it, he responded with, "She just gave it to you," and when I explained that the color threw me off, he said, "Red, purple...it's all the same color," while rolling his eyes and speaking to me in a very condescending tone. I apologized again and told him it was my first visit, so I genuinely didn't know what their sauces were. After tasting it, it clearly wasn't cocktail sauce--which is completely fine! Every restaurant serves different accompaniments. A simple, "We don't have cocktail sauce, but this is our house sauce," would have been perfectly acceptable. What stood out the most was that another older employee came over afterward and apologized for his behavior, telling me not to take it personally. I appreciated her kindness, but it also confirmed that the interaction wasn't just in my head. The seafood itself was delicious, and I genuinely enjoyed the oysters. Unfortunately, customer service is part of the overall dining experience, especially for first-time customers who are simply asking questions. I understand everyone has stressful days, but being dismissive and rolling your eyes at someone who is trying to learn your menu isn't a good way to represent a business. I really wanted to love this place, but because of how I was treated, I won't be returning or recommending it to others. read more

The Jolly Oyster - Seafood Near Me - Ventura, California

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Why'd you leave the South Bay? Part of the reason why we came out to Ventura was to eat at The Jolly Oyster. We definitely enjoyed our oysters by the sea. Service was nice. Ambiance is great. You get seated upon arrival and there's plenty of benches. It's a nice place to sit, enjoy your food and company and then take a nice stroll along the beach. There's parking for $10 or u can park on the street for free. read more

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The @jollyoyster literally has the best oysters I've ever had. I would like to go more but it's an hour drive for me. I've turned a bunch of my friends onto this place. It's a very casual and low key place but I love that about it. Plus it's right next to the ocean just over the sand dunes. So I can officially say I have tried everything on the menu! My favorite are the raw oysters with their two special sauces! I love their homemade sauces! I need the recipe! I love the habanero butter baked oysters and the jolly oysters. The flavors on those two are amazing!! I enjoyed the fried oyster tacos I tried this time. I think they need to pair with me and season them with my homemade spicy avocado cream sauce! The combination would be phenomenal!! I also finally tried the classic Manila clam steamers. They were ok. I wish they had a little bit more flavor. I probably wouldn't order them again. Everything else is just so good that these are just not at the top of my list. And their new special the uni oyster needs to be on the menu permanently. The sauce and the flavor is just so good. Make sure when you go to bring anything else you might want, like some wine or drinks. I brought some bottles of @joshcellars and made my own mini charcuterie board. We had an amazing little setup! It's always a very enjoyable day when I plan an outing/picnic here. And then you can end it with a beautiful relaxing walk on the beach!! read more

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We stopped at the Jolly Oyster on our way from Santa Barbara to Malibu and it was such a fun little stop. As we mapped to the location, we were a bit unsure as we were mapped to a park/beach with a parking attendant but as we asked for the restaurant, they gave us a 1 hour parking pass so that we didn't have to pay to visit The Jolly Oyster. We quickly parked and walked over where we were quickly seated and the process was explained to us. There are two ordering areas... one for unshucked oysters and specialty items (like uni) and then another for shucked oysters and cooked items. They don't rent oyster knives to you but you can either bring your own or purchase one there. This place is amazing for bringing other things with you (cheeses, breads, wine) and making it a full spread! The staff was very helpful, friendly and make it a great experience! We ordered the uni, a dozen oysters (half-dozen of each type) and then had other picnic items we brought with us! The oysters were fresh and delicious and the uni was great as well! I would absolutely recommend visiting - such a fun place! read more

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Yummy fun flavored oysters - chill vibe inside a food hall. I got these flavors: Habanero butter, leek & Parmesan, miso aioli, creole read more

The Jolly Oyster - Habanero butter, leek & Parmesan, miso aioli, creole - Seafood Near Me - Ventura, California

Deliciously fresh seafood! We arrived during opening hours and debated eating outside in the brisk weather, but opted for takeout. There are two stations on site. One is where you can order whole oysters and shuck yourself, and the other is a van for hot meals and shucked oysters. Unfortunately, I don't enjoy eating oysters, so I opted for other items on their menu. We ordered STEAMED CLAMS, BAY SCALLOP CEVICHE, and fresh, large-portioned, buttery UNI (sea urchin). The takeout packaging was secure. The verdict: DELICIOUS! We ate everything on-site, finishing the broth with their bread and even the leftover ceviche juice. I highly recommend these items for quality and flavor. Note: Our order took over 10 minutes, and we were among the first people there. I highly suggest ordering from the mobile van first. read more

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Amazing quality seafood! The Jolly Oyster had a few benches and tables scattered around a dog-friendly and laid back area. I will definitely be going back! read more

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I was in Ventura to attend the Boys and Girls Club charity event that my son was hosting and I met a friend who took me on a picnic to the San Buenaventura Beach Park where the Jolly Oyster is located. I had an epiphany in 2018 when my son forced me to try a raw oyster after I had refused to eat an oyster due to a very bad experience down in New Iberia Louisiana at 19 years old. A friend's parents had me try what I can only describe as a slimy eyeball in black tar down in Cajun country. I ignorantly thought after I swallowed one and steam came out of my ears as I was crying, when my friend's father exclaimed "I knew you put too much pepper in these oysters, mama", that all oysters would be this terrible. When my son got me to finally try one I found out I love them and have been trying oysters at various places I have traveled, particularly when my friend Pat took me on an oyster adventure in New Orleans. My friend in Ventura laid out a beautiful spread that she prepared on the picnic tables that are near the beach with beautiful views, and I perused the two trucks operated by the Jolly Oyster people. I ordered the combination of two types of oysters, one having a cucumber like taste and the other smaller and sweet. The oysters were delicious and the beet mignonette with lemon sealed the deal. The weather was perfect, the beach and picnic area lovely all topped off by the very tasty oysters. I'm not sure the oysters were jolly, but they were jolly good. Well played, Jolly Oyster. read more

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The jolly oyster exceeded my expectation! So glad I gave it a try. A food truck located on the beach side, with tables and umbrellas to enjoy your meal under. The food was so fresh, and cooked really well. It was delicious! Looking forward to the next time I'll be in Ventura, I will definitely make a stop. read more

The Jolly Oyster - Ceviche - Seafood Near Me - Ventura, California

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The Jolly Oyster was a random detour for us driving back to LA from the central coast. It's inside the San Buenaventura State Park. If you navigate from google maps, it'll bring you right there. The parking attendant will give you an hour free. There are bathrooms right there. I do wish we could have stayed a little longer and made a little beach moment out of it. We had our dog with us. Several other tables had their furry, four legged family members there too. We got the bay scallops ceviche, the raw 1/2 dozen, and the Manila steamer clams. The bay scallops were sweet and surprisingly plentiful! We got three Laguna oysters and three Kuramoto. The Laguna oysters were creamy and exceptional! The prices were pretty fair for this type of seafood! I'm very happy! read more

The Jolly Oyster - Scallop ceviche, raw oysters, Manila steamer clams - Seafood Near Me - Ventura, California

Stumbled upon this place when looking for seafood in Ventura County. Had no idea what to expect almost the spot because it's a hidden gem right by the beach that can be easily missed. You can bring a picnic of other foods and grab your oysters and have a huge feast or just grab all your food here. We aren't huge oyster eaters so we tried their fried oyster tacos and scallop ceviche. The price for the tacos and ceviche were pretty steep doe the portions you were getting but over all did not disappoint. I wish there were a few other options but I think this place really is for specific to oyster enthusiast . read more

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Craving some fresh oysters? Jolly Oysters is the place to go if you're in the Ventura area. I drove from San Fernando Valley to this gem and have no regrets... not even the traffic. The food is cooked and served from a food truck that is stationed near the boardwalk and the area couldn't be more perfect. It's close to parking lot, there are plenty of picnic style benches with shade to sit and enjoy your food. Perfect for families, small and large groups and pets. You're welcome to bring your own food and drinks as well which I loved! I plan on coming back very soon with friends and have a little picnic myself. Ordered the habanero grilled oysters and mussels. They were pure perfection. Meaty, savory and packed with flavor. read more

The Jolly Oyster - Cold oysters (bottom right) and Habanero Oysters (top left) - Seafood Near Me - Ventura, California

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If you want fresh oysters come here. They are so tasty and do not have any sea taste to them. Plus see how large they are. read more

The Jolly Oyster - Seafood Near Me - Ventura, California

This place is a lot of fun. Great oysters! Raw and cooked! I really enjoyed the flavored cooked oysters. Service was great. Get a place by a bbq and bbq it up all afternoon. Bring your own drinks and snacks to go with the oysters. Beautiful area and just a short walk to the beach. Make a reservation! They get busy! read more

The Jolly Oyster - Seafood Near Me - Ventura, California

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Found this little gem of a place at San Buenaventura beach in Ventura. The Jolly Oyster! It's a food Truck that serves up some tasty oysters! We ordered some Kumamoto & Creole oysters, and Manila steamed clams. The Kumamoto oysters were so fresh and refreshing! The Creole oysters were very savory and delicious! The Manila clam steamers were very good as well, served with toasted baguettes. Yum! You can order both cooked or raw oysters that you can shuck yourselves. There is a fence of oyster shells that surrounds the area where you throw your shucked oyster shells. (Not for cooked stuff, I believe). They have open table seating with some near bbq grills. You can bring other food and drinks as well to complete your feast. You wait to be seated and the host will usher you to your spot! The staff are all great and helpful! There are restrooms near by. The Jolly Oyster is located near the bike path, close to the parking lot. Come spend some time near the beach and have some delicious oysters! Happy Nom Nom! read more

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Was craving oysters and finally got my fix! I got the raw oysters, which came with 6 half shells and 2 sauces, one which was vinegary and citrusy, and the other a bit more sweet with the addition of what I'm guessing was beets. The oysters were very fresh and tasted like the ocean, I was in heaven! I wish I bought more since the last 3 oysters were a bit small, but alas it was not in my budget. This was a nice warmup for my palette before dinner though! The location is great, right alongside the beach so you can go for a stroll after eating. read more

The Jolly Oyster - Fresh Oysters - Seafood Near Me - Ventura, California

Amazing little gem Bring your own beer and enjoy the food Espect to make line since people like this place read more

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Very cute spot at the state beach with lots of picnic tables and umbrellas. They have two different options you can either get oysters that are already shucked or ones that you shuck yourself. They also have other things on the menu we got the scallop ceviche and wow was it refreshing the fresh lime juice with the scallops really was fantastic! The oysters were very fresh and delicious! Zach is always the guy we see here when we come and he always has a smile on his face and ales great conversation! He knows a lot about the products and has fun talking about it! Always a great time and great food here you can also bring your own stuff and have picnics at the benches which we saw a lot of people doing! read more

The Jolly Oyster - Scallop ceviche - Seafood Near Me - Ventura, California

This was our first visit. Overall service was okay. A few of the people working were super nice (especially the greeter). One older dude was just grumpy. We have no idea why he just gave us major attitude.. super weird when we were ordering the raw oysters. The ambiance overall when sitting with other customers was the best part. Everyone was so friendly and having a great time. Food was delicious. We had the tacos and the habanero! Highly recommended! The raw oysters we're fun to try and open and I have to admit, we were horrible at shucking. Other customers were so nice and helped us and then told us we could pay to have them done. So, I'm passing that info along. I would also say that the food does take a while, even the raw oysters. So, come ready to sit, relax and enjoy the day. read more

The Jolly Oyster is a mellow oyster bar setup right next to the Ventura state park. They serve both raw and cooked oysters. The cooked oyster come in a couple different styles but, personally, I'm a fan of the raw oysters. While all of the food is very good I wish they would have a larger variety of raw oysters. Also, I like to put some cocktail sauce and horseradish on them, which they did not have as a condiment. The staff is very friendly and are constantly keep the picnic area clean. I had a great time a definitely would come back on occasion read more

The Jolly Oyster - Seafood Near Me - Ventura, California

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If you like oysters, you've got to try these! We bring our adult beverages and enjoy oysters raw, cooked, and enjoy the music and beach. Plenty of parking, clean picnic tables, friendly service. Some bring their dogs. Take toilet paper and antibacterial gel. Sometimes the restrooms run out, but we'll return regardless. read more

If you love oysters, then look nowhere else to celebrate whatever occasion you happen to have. We celebrated a double birthday here by reserving a corner that accommodated about 30 of us total. I forgot the name of the guy who assisted us, but he did such a great job setting up our area so that we could decorate before our party got there. He cleaned the tables and setup the grill so we could get going. They do allow you to bring in everything else so we set up a DIY bar in one corner for the adults and a juice corner for the kids. Now, the oysters. You have choices on choices on choices. One side had oysters that they prep for you and you handle yourself. Handle meaning you prep. The other side was more my jam. They had oysters ready to go. They definitely took multiple orders from me. The Jolly style and Creola were my personal favorites. I must've gotten a dozen of both on top of the other orders everyone else got and the ones we prepped. The service was top notch. Everyone working stayed busy. There were so many people there being it was the weekend and lots of oysters consumed. I can't wait to come back when the weather is nicer. read more

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Loved our experience & can't wait to go back! The fresh oysters with the Thai chili sauce was 10/10!

Cool little spot in Ventura! We were visiting from LA and stopped by! Parking is free as long as you let the park/beach ranger at the entrance know that you're here to eat at Jolly Oyster then they will give you a parking pass to display on your dash. There are two trucks on the location. One truck is where you can buy oysters and take them home to shuck yourself and the other truck is for made-to-order and prepared food. It is more affordable if you buy the oysters and shuck them yourself but I don't think you can readily do that to eat there without the shuck tool or cleaning the oysters. We ordered from the prepared truck and the oysters were fresh and scallop ceviche was tasty. Prices were reasonable too. They call your number when your food is ready and you seat yourself on outdoor benches. There are cool oyster shells on the ground as landscape! Never seen that before! read more

The Jolly Oyster - Dozen Kumamoto shucked oysters and scallop ceviche - Seafood Near Me - Ventura, California

Uni tostadas were my favorite. Oysters tasted fresh and great and the service was super fast. Fransisco was really helpful and friendly he also has great hair and a fire fit. Right by the beach and surprisingly not crowded on a Sunday evening. read more

The Jolly Oyster - Fried oyster tacos - Seafood Near Me - Ventura, California

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Wow, yet again, Jolly Oyster was fun and wonderful. Thank you to staff, cooks and owners who made our time excellent. Came there for my husband's birthday. Had the best food. Uni Oysters ended our day on a high note. See you all soon! Thank you, Robyn read more

You can shuck your own oysters! BYOB! You can buy the shucking knife there if you dont have any. read more

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What a great place. Right on the beach. Just an awesome location to enjoy some of the freshest oysters and clams. The view is beautiful with a light ocean breeze. We got the Manila clams, creole and jolly style. Our favorite was the jolly style. The leeks and fresh thyme just enhance the flavor of the oyster much more so than the others. Definitely my favorite spot for oysters in Ventura. read more

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Def a worth while spot to try at least once. Food was fresh service was great. My only complaint would be that they didn't offer any other additional seafood besides oysters, clams, muscles... like fresh shrimp or fish. Or maybe even any sides. Now we know for next time. read more

I cycle past this place all the time, never understood what the hype was, it's just oysters off at food truck, & some picnic tables right? I finally went there at the weekend & now I get it, somehow they create the loveliest ambiance, the music was audible but soft enough to have a conversation, groups of people were there with their wine & beer, I heard at least 3 different languages being spoken, it was a very casual but somehow sophisticated vibe, the cerviche was fresh tart & plentiful, the oysters were great & apparently the fried oyster tacos were good too, I'll definitely be back, glad I finally stopped my bike ride read more

Great spot for some beachside oysters and BBQ! It's picnic style so you can bring in your own drinks and food and enjoy some oysters. We brought beer, wine, and a couple steaks to grill. Just make sure you ask for a table near a grill and bring your own tools! We got raw oysters, cooked oysters two ways, and some steamed clams. Everything was delicious! The raw ones were really sweet and fresh tasting. The jolly oyster style ones were a bit heavy but really good to share so you're just having a few. The habanero oysters were citrusy (and not spicy at all in case you were afraid) and so yummy! We actually saved the sauce to eat with our steaks. What's cool about eating here as opposed to any other oyster bar (besides the outdoor beach environment) is that you can just toss your oyster shells into the gigantic pile as you're eating. It feels a little barbaric but it's quite fun! Parking is free for the first hour but if you plan to stay for longer, it's $10. There's a bike rental kiosk just steps away if you feel like working off some of those calories after your meal lol! read more

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What can I say? This was our first time here. Now we know we can bring other things with us (like wine). You will be eating outside so prepare yourself. It was very relaxed. When you place your order know that then they will be opening oysters so they are super fresh. The raw uni was good but the baked? Oh my! It sent me to a happy place. It is at a state park so you will have to pay for parking. Next time we will plan and go for a walk on the beach. read more

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Was very excited to try this place as I love fresh seafood! There are 2 food trucks, one for prepared food and the other for raw food. The prepared food takes a bit longer, you order it and is given a number, so you can go back to your table and once it's ready they will call your number as they walk through the area. The bay scallop ceviche was very good, the bit of Serrano chile on top was quite spicy so beware of that. The Manila clams were also very good. The crostini that came with it was toasted but the bread was still soft, it was very good. The habanero butter grilled oysters was delicious! The panko fried oysters were ok, I didn't enjoy them as much as everything else. The raw oysters on a half shell were a little bit salty, probably due to the salt water but still very fresh and delicious. Now on to the star of the show, what really lured me here was the uni (sea urchin). The difference between the Gold and Premium was the gold was from one sea urchin while the premium was from different ones. You get about 8 or 9 slices presented nicely on a wooden tray. It was quite fresh and I finished within minutes. After finishing all the prepared food I gave into the temptation to get another tray of uni. This time I tried the Premium one just to see how it compares to the Gold one. IMHO there wasn't that much difference, this was also very good. So if you want to save a few bucks I think the premium is just as good. This is a great location as it's in the park by the coast and there are picnic tables with grills so you can bbq as well. Definitely can't wait to come back again! read more

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Impromptu girls day out trip up the coast to the Jolly Oyster! We took advantage of the BYOB. The food was delicious, I especially enjoyed the Bay Scallop Ceviche and the oysters. It was my first time here and I loved the scenery. There were a good amount of picnic tables as it was not too busy. The service was superb as the staff provided a couple of suggestions to elevate our dining experience. read more

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We decided to stop at The Jolly Oyster for a quick snack on our way out of town, and it was phenomenal. We grabbed a few items and enjoyed them on their picnic tables nearby. It was a bit crowded as it was a holiday weekend, but we received our orders relatively quickly with plenty of seating under the sun with a lovely view. Free and plenty of parking is available nearby, and the restrooms were very clean during our visit. read more

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I've been here a few times over the years and Zach is the man! I've gotta say that every time I visit, Zach is always working quickly, and literally running from place to place, while keeping a great attitude. The Jolly Oyster serves oysters on the half shell, ceviche, uni boxes, and many other ready to eat foods. However, if you are feeling more adventurous, they also offer oysters by the dozen which you can shuck yourself. This place is the reason why I decided to learn how to shuck oysters. After my first visit, I watched a few YouTube videos, bought my own oyster shucker, and anti-cut gloves. When I returned on the next visit, I asked Zach to demonstrate for our group. Now, I am efficient at opening oysters after shucking many dozens of them! You can BYOB and any picnic items and easily spend a few hours here. The vibe here is relaxed and within walking distance to the beach (though the beach has a lot of debris washed ashore). Parking is available at the park where The Jolly Oyster is located. The first hour is free (just let the booth attendant know where you are heading), and you can pay a reasonable fee thereafter via an app. Looking forward to the next visit! read more

The Jolly Oyster - Self shucked kumamotos. Delicious! - Seafood Near Me - Ventura, California

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If you love oysters, this is the spot to go to!! At first I was a bit hesitant because I wanted more of a restaurant feel, and this was more of a picnic set up with a food truck type set up, but I am so glad we came. I loved everything we tried here, and especially the panko fried oysters. Going to be searching for a spot near me that has something similar, or try and make them myself, they were amazing!! All of the oysters here are tasty. We tried to smaller raw oysters, forgot what they were called, but they were delicious, and the side sauces are a great touch. We also ordered the habanero , creole , and jolly style cooked oysters, and they were delicious. Our favorite was the habanero, almost had a pesto taste to them. We also tried the Uni tostada ... it was ok. The scallop ceviche however was sooooo good!! I wish I lived closer and could come back here, I'd be here every weekend if I could ! read more

The Jolly Oyster - Seafood Near Me - Ventura, California

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