Seabear Oyster Bar

Seabear Oyster Bar on Prince Avenue opened in 2014 as the latest venture from Peter Dale and Patrick Stubbers, the team behind The National. With nearly 675 reviews at 4.7 stars and a $$$ price point, it occupies a distinct position in the Athens dining scene as the city's premier destination for oysters, fresh seafood, and thoughtfully crafted cocktails. Garden and Gun called Seabear "a bellwether in the oyster renaissance, an everyman's drinking and eating parlor for the twenty first century," and that description captures the spirit perfectly. The oyster selection rotates through a roster of six varieties sourced from as far as Kachemak Bay, Alaska, to as close as Wassaw Sound, Georgia. The rest of the menu features new takes on retro seafood classics made with sustainable, reputable purveyors, blending global influences with local and seasonal ingredients. The happy hour is popular and well regarded, offering oysters and drinks at reduced prices during early evening hours. The cocktail program is serious and creative, complementing the seafood menu with drinks that feel intentional rather than generic. The Prince Avenue location places Seabear in the corridor between downtown and Normaltown, in a space that is chic but not intimidating. The atmosphere is lively and social, more bar than formal dining room, which makes it approachable even at its higher price point. Seabear is open Wednesday through Sunday for dinner service. Reservations are recommended, particularly on Friday and Saturday evenings.