Photos: New Oyster Bar at The Hard Rock Hotel is fresh, flavorful and fast
The Oyster Bar at The Hard Rock Hotel opened during Super Bowl Weekend in February, and the first visit to the 16-seat casual eatery across from Vanity and Fu on Tuesday night turned into a fantastic birthday eve dinner. It was love at first bite at the fresh, flavorful and fast Oyster Bar.
It’s incredible and wonderful that such a satisfying meal can be completed in an hour with friendly, knowledgeable and attentive service and a menu with rather reasonable off-Strip prices ranging from $9 for Poblano corn chowder to $25 for San Francisco-style cioppino.
This party of two indulged on Ahi tuna tacos (yes, everyone has had them a gazillion times, but these are full size, not in mini-cones or -shells, and the tempura shells are light as a feather) and calamari fries (bountiful and also refreshingly light).
Also, fried oysters and pickles (a great combination, and all fried food is the best); classic pan roast (with shrimp, crab and lobster), definitely one of the highlights of the evening with its full flavor and served with white rice; and San Francisco-style cioppino (another highlight of dinner with an exceptionally delicious broth).
Finally, gumbo (the friendly neighbor also enjoyed the gumbo and was inquisitive about our abundance of unique dishes); blueberry Mule (refreshing); and whiskey cocktail Bonita (which delightfully reminded of an apple Jolly Rancher, well, with alcohol).
On the to-eat list during the next visit(s) (aside from truthfully wanting one of everything on the menu): seafood on ice, pan-roasted P.E.I. mussels, fried oyster po’ boy, curried coconut seafood stew, lobster roll and fish and chips.
Oyster Bar’s business has started out strong, and it will only continue to improve with weekend crowds, Rehab opening for the 2017 dayclub season, the nearly always packed concerts at The Joint and the soon-to-open and highly anticipated “Magic Mike Live!” by Channing Tatum.
With only 16 seats, expect a wait — Oyster Bar is the new pre- and post-event hotspot of choice at The Hard Rock Hotel.
