Row 34

Row 34 is an oyster bar and seafood restaurant on Congress Street in Fort Point. The formula is straightforward: a wide raw bar, fish collected fresh from the Fish Pier, and a beer list that the team is always reworking in search of something good to drink.

Oysters are the reason to come, sourced from the restaurant's grower friends, and the raw bar is a good way to taste several varieties side by side. Beyond shellfish, the menu changes with what is landed, so ask what came in that morning. Beer drinkers will find more to explore here than at most seafood restaurants, and staff can suggest something to suit a plate of oysters.

Row 34 is open from 11:30am to 10pm Monday to Saturday, with drinks served until 11pm, and from 11:30am to 9pm on Sunday, with drinks until 10pm. Long opening hours make it useful for a late lunch or an early evening drink and a dozen oysters before going elsewhere. A voluntary 3.5 per cent kitchen appreciation fee is added to bills to support staff who do not receive tips; you can ask for it to be removed.

If you are driving, guests entering the Stilling Street Garage after 5pm can get their parking validated, which brings down the cost for up to four hours; show your ticket to your server. Metered street parking is also available nearby. Booking ahead is wise on weekend evenings and when there are events in the Seaport.

A dozen mixed oysters between two people is a good way to start before moving on to a cooked dish. If you are unsure what to drink, ask for a recommendation from the beer list rather than defaulting to a familiar brand, since that is where the restaurant puts much of its effort.

The restaurant suits couples, groups of friends and business diners, and it is relaxed enough for families with older children. Prices are mid-to-upper range, mainly because of the raw bar. The Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum is on the Congress Street Bridge, on the same street, so Row 34 makes a natural stop after a visit there.