Clark's Oyster Bar

Clark’s looks like it was pulled off a magazine cover about “happy people, doing happy things, in happy places.” It’s set in a corner of Clarksville that somehow toes the line between a quiet neighborhood and a bustling intersection, complete with a restaurant that thinks it’s in California, a wine bar, and a tiny nightclub (all from the same team). Clark’s is the de facto answer to the question “Where can I eat oysters and sip on martinis in Austin?” and it’s earned that reputation by offering excellent versions of both with incredible consistency.

photo credit: Richard Casteel

photo credit: Richard Casteel

photo credit: Richard Casteel

Take a quick stroll through the cozy dining room—complete with black-and-white photos of coastal landscapes and white tablecloths—and you might forget that you’re not in a breezy town in New England. There’s also a small, but always busy oyster bar reserved for walk-ins, complete with tiny white and sea-green hexagonal tiles on the floors and a glass display where you can check out the seafood ahead of time. But when the weather is nice, there’s no better place to be than on the large patio overlooking the street, covered in large pastel-yellow umbrellas that provide shade, ambiance, and an overwhelming desire to buy a boat. 

This is an oyster bar, first and foremost, but with a menu spanning two full pages (in tiny font), that’s just where things start. Since we’re in Texas, you’ll be able to order plenty of Gulf seafood, but because refrigeration and transportation exist, you’ll also have access to a ton of fresh seafood shipped in from the colder climates. Start with the cold bar—we like to grab a few oysters, plus an order of tart and spicy Red Snapper ceviches—then move to something from the cooked side, like tender Spanish octopus or some sweet and buttery pan-seared Maine scallops. And for the seafood-averse—first off, why are you here? Second, you’ll have a few options, including one of our favorite burgers in the whole city. 

photo credit: Richard Casteel

If this all sounds like a magical place, you’re probably wondering why you shouldn’t just eat here all the time. And that’s because if you want to eat your meal at a semi-reasonable hour—and you don’t want to gamble with a walk-in—you’ll typically need to make a reservation a solid month or two in advance. To call this place popular is an understatement. Well, that and the fact that you’ll also be dropping $39 on a lobster roll or $49 on a bowl of (admittedly, very good) cioppino. But whether you decide to take advantage of the solid Happy Hour here, save up for a special occasion, or just ball out on a Tuesday night, just know that you, too, could be a happy person, doing happy things, in a happy place, if you have the money to spend. 

Food Rundown

photo credit: Richard Casteel

Dressed Oysters

A few raw oysters should definitely be part of your order at Clark’s. We like to order whatever sounds good off the daily menu, plus a couple “dressed” with honey vinaigrette, mint, and crispy shallots for a little added texture and tang.

photo credit: Richard Casteel

Red Snapper Ceviche

If there’s a way to make a dish fancier, Clark’s will find it. That includes adding a generous scoop of tobiko caviar to a mound of Red Snapper ceviche, all tossed in a spicy, tangy mixture of lime, cilantro, and serrano peppers. It also adds some excellent texture to each well-seasoned bite.

photo credit: Richard Casteel

Pan Roasted Black Angus Hamburger

The shoestring fries at Clark’s are incredibly divisive—they’re thin, impossible to eat, and it makes it feel like your burger is resting against a prickly haystack. But there’s very little debate about the quality of the burger at Clark’s. It’s incredibly thick—with a pan-roasted crust and a soft, warm center—and comes topped with a delightfully tangy gribiche sauce and gruyere cheese.

photo credit: Richard Casteel

Wood Grilled Shrimp Toast

One of our favorite dishes on the menu at Clark’s, the shrimp toast starts with a base of crispy, grilled bread that gets topped with a grilled loaf of minced shrimp and harissa aioli, plus some greens for texture. The bread is tangy, the shrimp is sweet, the aioli is smoky, the celery is crunchy, and each bite just feels like finding inner peace.

photo credit: Richard Casteel

Cioppino

There’s a ton of seafood in this, and yet it somehow still feels expensive at almost $50. But if you’re willing to pay for it, you’ll be enjoying a giant bowl of fresh seafood swimming in a savory tomato broth. Make sure to use the roasted garlic toast to soak up as much of that broth as you can.