The Drunken Oyster serves the best seafood in Amarillo! It’s just one more way that we are striving to be the best restaurant in Amarillo. Let’s face it – we are a bit land locked here in Amarillo; but that is NO EXCUSE to not contract the best seafood purveyors to get fresh fish, oysters and shellfish delivered weekly to serve our patrons the very best seafood in Amarillo, TX.

And when we say we have the best seafood in Amarillo, don’t take our word for it! Just read through some of our Google reviews (there are over 800 of them) and see what our customers are saying! Like Local Guide Antonio Moreno who says, “I have only tried the fish and chips and they were amazing.” (Thank you, Antonio! We love them too!)

Or how about Su Thanh’s awesome review?! “Have to say they have the best oysters in town. Love to come for (a) girl’s night out or on a date with (my) husband. Their seafood is delicious too!” (Thanks Su!)

Mychal Brackens says, “Hands down my absolute favorite restaurant in Amarillo. I love this place. I don’t even eat seafood but eating here – I have to have my oysters. … I cannot say enough about Drunken Oyster! It’s the kind of place I will always recommend.” (Thank you, Mychal!)

Sarah Stalker said, “We were driving through late and saw this restaurant was still open and holding tables. The reviews were solid so we said we would give it a whirl. Even though it is seafood and Cajun in the upper Texas area. It was fantastic. The shrimp grits were well seasoned and creamy. The catfish was perfect. The alligator was great! The pasta was perfectly cooked. And the fish and chips were superb. What a relief to get a 5 Star meal at 11 at night in Amarillo, Texas. Also, our server was fantastic. I don’t remember your name, but you served a family of 5 and my daughter says this is her new favorite restaurant ever.” (Thank you, Sarah and Sarah’s daughter!)

These are just a few of the many awesome reviews that we have received over the past couple of years about our fresh seafood dishes. If you want to read some more – please go here: The Drunken Oyster’s Google Reviews

So why is our seafood so darn good?

In a word – we really try our best to get our hands on the freshest seafood in Amarillo available. Sometime that means that we need to pay a little more or change our seafood specials based on what is currently offered by our suppliers. So how do we get the tastiest sea creatures for our Cajun soups and stews and our Po’ Boys and boils? See, many restaurants buy fish locally from distributors who are buying their supply from other distributors. This process and logistics of seafood distribution, especially in the landlocked areas of the United States, adds days to the time in which fish must be kept frozen and transported.  As a result, by the time is gets to a restaurant’s kitchen, the shelf life is often very short, and the eating quality is sometimes compromised. Chances are – if your fish tastes off – it is usually because it has been out of the water for too long.

So how do we get around the fact that we are in Amarillo and nowhere near an ocean? Well, we have discovered ways that we can get fish direct from the source, or at least more direct from the source. We contract directly with the companies that are doing the fishing on either coast to get our hands on fish that are barely a day or so out of the water. This is not a simple process. It requires us to go to the airport seven days a week to pick up our fresh oysters and seafood. Our fishmongers will send us messages at 3 o’clock in the morning to let us know what’s coming in on our boats so we can decide what we want to put on our menu that evening! They shipped them out that day as full, fresh fish and we butcher them in house when they arrive.

We butcher our fish in-house for three major reasons:

1. Whole fish travel better and stay fresher when they are unbutchered. The minute that you cut into a fish, it starts to degrade.
2. Most good seafood chefs can identify many species of fish when they are whole; but even the best chefs in the world can have a problem with identifying fish once it has been filleted. Many are so similar in taste and texture that it is easy to substitute and market an inexpensive species for one of higher value. (Restaurants all over the world, some knowingly and some unknowingly, serve lower-priced fish in place of what is printed on their menus. When our customers order snapper, we want to make sure that we aren’t serving them tilapia.)
3. When we butcher our fish, we get to use every part that we want and portion it in a way that most fits the dish that we are trying to create. If we were to buy pre-portioned or (God forbid) frozen fillets, we lose that option.

We are the only restaurant in Amarillo that literally goes to the airport daily to pick up the freshest seafood from both the West Coast to the East Coast, South of Florida, North of Maine, and Alaska. We ship our fresh caught salmon as far as from New Zealand. This is how diners at The Drunken Oyster are eating amazing seafood in Amarillo that is as fresh as the seafood served in the best restaurants in the major coastal cities from New York to Boston and Los Angeles to San Francisco. The difference in quality is staggering.

As we continue to attract new customers every week, we never lose sight of what has made The Drunken Oyster the best restaurant in Amarillo: Our commitment to New Orleans inspired Cajun cuisine and culture. That means our oysters and seafood NEED to be fresh! Period. From a delectable Crawfish Etouffee to a picture-perfect Shrimp Po’ Boy sandwich, we go the extra mile to deliver outstanding Cajun seafood so good that you’ll want to return with your friends and family.

Our fresh seafood is also offered at the best Brunch in Amarillo every Saturday and Sunday featuring Live Music, Bubbly and Benedicts. TOP TIP: If you join us for brunch, ask your server about our One Dollar Mimosa Refill. We also offer the best Mother’s Day Brunch in Amarillo, Father’s Day Brunch in Amarillo, Memorial Day Brunch, and Easter Brunch.

Like the fresh air? Enjoy your oysters al fresco! We are still offering the best outdoor dining in Amarillo, so you can enjoy the best seafood under the big Texas sky!

Not into seafood? No worries there… our steaks and burgers are amazing! In fact, many rank our On the Bayou Burger up with some of the best burgers in Amarillo, TX. (It’s no joke.)

Just looking for an awesome bar with a hip vibe? The Drunken Oyster continues to gain notoriety as a bastion of Amarillo nightlife and we straight-up offer the best late-night Happy Hour in Amarillo from 10PM to Midnight every Monday through Friday, as well as some of the best live music in Amarillo on most Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights.

So, if you are looking for the best fresh seafood in Amarillo, you’ve found the right place! We would be delighted to serve you at The Drunken Oyster!