Guide: Long Island raw bars serve oysters, clams and charm

Long Islanders tend to regard raw bars — fresh, local oysters and clams on the half shell along with lightly cooked seafood — as their birthright. And so you’ll find raw bar offerings on the menus of all sorts of restaurants, from swank steakhouses to humble clam shacks. Get ready to roll up your sleeves and indulge.

NASSAU

Clam Bar At Bridge Marine

40 Ludlam Ave., Bayville

This blink-and-you’ll-miss-it collection of covered tables plus an outdoor bar is tucked into a marina just over the bridge from Oyster Bay. Many boaters tie up to the floating dock for some of the freshest clams around, plus raw or fried oysters. More info: 866-628-8689, bridge-marina.com

Peter's Clam Bar

600 Long Beach Rd., Island Park

Almost every table has a breeze and a view at Peter’s, which has been serving seafood raw and cooked since 1939. The requisite fresh littlenecks, cherrystones and oysters all populate the raw bar. More info: 516-432-0505, petersclamhouse.com

Rothmann's Steakhouse

6319 Northern Blvd., East Norwich

Maryland lump crabmeat and Maine lobster meet oysters, clams and shrimp at this venerable (since 1907) Long Island steakhouse. There is excellent sushi and sashimi too, along with the requisite porterhouses and tomahawks. More info: 516-922-2500, rothmannssteakhouse.com

Schultzy's

265 Bayville Ave., Bayville

This is the charming domain of longtime lobsterman/clammer James Schultz, who segued from raking for clams and oysters to catering. His year-round raw bar specializes in clam bakes and shellfish "buckets" with an array of dipping sauces. More info: 516-588-6240, longislandrawbar.com

Sea Bar

7 Great Neck Rd., Great Neck Plaza

At $45, the seafood plateau here is one of the Island’s best bargains, loaded as it is with a dozen oysters, a half dozen clams, steamed mussels, jumbo shrimp and crawfish. More info: 516-441-5708, seabar.life

Waterzooi Brasserie & Oyster Bar

850 Franklin Ave., Garden City

At this Belgian brasserie, the raw bar offerings include East and West Coast oysters, littlenecks, lobster/crab/shrimp cocktail. Or make a splash with Le Grande Plateau ($230), which also includes lobster, jumbo lump crab, ahi tuna tartare and Bloody Mary oyster shooters. More info: waterzooi.com

SUFFOLK

Bell & Anchor

3253 Noyack Rd., Sag Harbor

This low-key yet sophisticated place lies at the edge of a working marina, and seasonality and relationships with producers are paramount. Raw bar offerings include local clams, oysters from both East Coast and West served with cocktail and mignonette sauces, and a bacon oyster shooter. More info: 631-725-3400, bellandanchor.com

Catch Oyster Bar

63 N. Ocean Ave., Patchogue

Daily lots of oysters are listed on the chalkboard. Segue from raw oysters into steamed littlenecks or the house lobster roll. More info: 631-627-6860, catchoysterbar.com

Clam Bar At Napeague

2025 Montauk Hwy., Amagansett

At this casual, ever-popular roadside spot (translation: you may have to wait for a table), you’ll find clams and oysters on the half shell, steamers, lobster rolls and more. Open April to October. More info: 631-267-6348, clambarhamptons.com

Inlet Seafood

541 E. Lake Dr., Montauk

"From our boats to your table" has been this restaurant’s mantra ever since six local fishermen banded together to open it as a side hustle in 2006. Not surprisingly, exceptionally fresh shellfish — along with fluke and whatever else they happen to be catching — are the stars of the menu. The place has an exceptional outdoor setup on the edge of Montauk Harbor, with picnic tables and cornhole below and café tables above on a generous second-floor veranda. More info: 631-668-4272, inletseafood.com

Kingston's Clam Bar

130 Atlantic Ave., West Sayville

Clams or oysters on the half shell, shrimp cocktail, even tuna poke taste better when your table overlooks a gaggle of moored boats and Great South Bay beyond. More info: 631-589-0888, kingstonsclam.com

Little Creek Oyster Farm & Market

211 Carpenter St., Greenport

The new location of Little Creek Oyster lacks some of the maritime charm of the original, scruffy waterside spot, but there's still plenty of appeal in shucking your own oysters with a view of a shipyard. There's a 16-seat communal table, a 17-seat bar and room for 30 outside. On a given day, you can usually find three or four different Peconic Bay oysters on the menu, plus grilled oysters, chowder and smoked fish. More info: 631-477-6992, littlecreekoysters.com

Nicky's Clam Bar

99 Maple Ave., Bay Shore

Raw bar offerings include clams (littlenecks, topnecks and cherrystones), oysters, jumbo shrimp cocktail and lump crabmeat cocktail. You can also enjoy fried whole belly (Ipswich) clams, shrimp salad and more while watching the ferries chug to and from Fire Island. More info: 631-665-6621, nickysclambar.com

Noah's

136 Front St., Greenport

The accoutrements for various raw bar offerings include lemongrass mignonette and lemon aioli. You may want to work in an order of crab-stuffed deviled eggs as well. More info: 631-477-6720, chefnoahs.com

Restaurant Prime

117 N. New York Ave., Huntington

Surf equals turf at this grand waterfront landmark. The raw bar always includes a measure of Long Island oysters. More info: 631-385-1515, restaurantprime.com

Salt & Barrel

61 W. Main St., Bay Shore

There are typically a dozen oysters to choose from here, and they’re shucked to order at one end of the stunning bar. The cooked seafood dishes are polished and eclectic, and the cocktails are works of art. More info: 631-647-8818, saltandbarrel.com

Virgola

5 Village Green Way, Patchogue

There are three seafood towers here, of increasing size, and the largest ($125) comes with two kinds of fish roe and salmon crudo. Almost everything may be ordered à la carte as well, and there are usually four or more types of oysters on offer. More info: 631-714-5000, virgolawinebar.com