Love this addition to downtown Charlottesville! It makes me feel like I'm at an oyster bar in Charleston! The food and service was wonderful, however this place is really cramped. The tables are a tad too small for their dishes/plates and there's 1-2 too many tables crammed into the space because it was really hard to maneuver around, even servers were having to take turns walking up and down between the tables. Really enjoyed the food, but wish we had more space to be comfortable!

We were visiting from CA and stumbled upon this fine establishment. John, the bartender/host was friendly, welcoming and remembered our names the next time we came in a few days later. Literally EVERYTHING we ordered was outstanding from the Oysters Rockefeller to the Scallops, Crab Cakes and Homemade Key Lime Pie. We are hooked and will return every time we go back to Charlottesville.

Next level lobster bisque! Po boys are amazing as well! Definitely worth a visit next time you're in Charlottesville!

I've never had a bad meal here. John is incredible as a host/server. We went off script on our normal orders last night and John guided us through. Oysters were fresh as always and the halibut on special was incredible. I know this sounds weird but the broccolini on the side was perfect. My favorite old fashioned in town as well. I truly believe this is the best restaurant in C'ville.

One of the best restaurants in Charlottesville and by far the best happy hour! Public has outstanding service and a great ambiance both inside and outside. The severs here always go above and beyond and have impressive knowledge of the menu. Food wise, you can't make a bad choice here. This time, we enjoyed the happy hour selection of oysters and a Maine style lobster roll. I also had a nonalcoholic version of an Aperol spritz that was surprisingly delicious! Everything here was fantastic and the seafood is very very fresh!

Came here based on others recommendations and had a fabulous time. We had no reservation but was seated when we walked in right at 4pm in the outdoor area. Turns out that there's happy hour from 4-6pm daily! We got the raw oysters on the half shell with is $1off each during happy hour. We got 2 rounds of a dozen each. After listening to our server's recommendation we ended up getting 10 northern belles, 10 katama bay, 4 southern something (seems like the menu changes throughout the day since checking now a couple hours later it is different). The quality is amazing. I would also recommend asking the server which oysters are big/juicy that day (katama bay were the biggest today) before deciding which to order. Everything tastes extremely fresh and the meat is plump. Super delicious, a must get especially for oyster lovers. We also got the fresh Maine lobster rolls (Maine style) with salad. If we hadn't gotten fries earlier in the day we would've ordered it with fries which looked crispy and delicious. Finally, we also got a New England clam chowder which was pretty good. The march hare mocktail was also pretty good! We asked which was the sweetest and the server recommended the first two. It tasted good, like juice and we thoroughly enjoyed it. Highly recommend this place especially if you like happy hours and seafood. Our server was knowledgeable and friendly.

There was a distinct moment during my meal when I said "I feel like I'm in the Northeast by the water" - great vibes here. We ordered the Oyster Rockefeller which was very light and refreshing. Never had a prepared oyster before, but I really enjoyed these. Gave more flavor than what I typically expect when I go out for oysters. For my entree, I ordered the Mahi Mahi with Roasted Pineapple Salad that was just delicious. Cooked perfectly. The pineapple was a nice touch. Definitely want to come back again and try out their many different types of oysters!

A hot evening for for a patio dinner at the public; hadn't been there since pre-Covid. What a lot of missed opportunities for great fish all these years. This remains the clear lead in town for seafood. Scallops were awesome. (And dining partners equally effusive about their dishes). A dozen oysters, graded by salt and brine, perfect and distinctive. The oil cake, a subtle lemon and smooth (?oil) texture/ very nice. And a very energetic seasoned waiter who led us solidly into choices, we just said 'yes.' It's a splurge, but you'll eat super seafood on the high end. Excellent.

This place is a hidden gem of Charlottesville. Two major tips: 1. Only use a drop or two of lemon with one oyster; and 2. If it's only you or two of you, go grab a seat at the bar! Nothing beats the vibe and atmosphere, plus the barmen are friendly and nice. On the food side, if you want to get on the oyster eating bandwagon, public fish and oyster is THE place to go to, offering a wide array of oysters by salinity, hints of taste, and size.