Drakes Bay Oyster Farm

It is a disgrace that this place was allowed to close. A great resource was denied the people of CA and the ecology of the Bay area.

Oh no! Unilocal lists this place as as closed.
I came here in June 2014, and had the plumpest oysters I’ve ever had in my life! I got the small, shucked oysters, yet despite being labeled «small» they were huge — spilling over the edge of their half shell!
Whenever I crave raw oysters (like right now), I will think about the oysters I had here once upon a time…
You have to traverse along a dirt road to get to this oyster «hut», so best to drive a truck or SUV. The picnic area was littered with half-​shells on the ground (biodegradable?) and watchful seagulls, so guard your food!

+Go before they are shut down.
+Pig out on some fresh oysters.

Love love loveeeee this place! Came here during spring break with some friends. There were…8 of us I want to say, and we split a bag of 50 medium oysters + a bag of clams. I got to eat more than my fair share of oysters since some people only wanted a couple. But yeah, prices are really reasonable here (way better than paying $ 2+/oyster in a restaurant), and you can eat to your heart’s content. Just be aware that you should learn how to shuck oysters and also to bring your own supplies to shuck.
The picnic area itself was nice. I’m not sure how crowded it usually gets, as we came here on a weekday, I believe. We were one of 3 parties that were there that day (there are enough tables for 15+ parties). Make sure to bring all the fixin’s for a proper picnic (e.g. condiments, dranks, other food, etc), since you are only buying oysters here. Bring BBQ equipment if you so desire, since they have grills there. I also believe you can just take oysters to go; make sure to bring a cooler for that.
Website quotes a price of $ 5/​head to use the picnic area (drop-​ins), but we weren’t charged for eating in the picnic area. So I’m not sure what’s up with that. Regardless, I will be back soon!
PROTIP: Dump out the majority of the liquid in the oysters when you shuck them. Trying to drink all the liquid is foolish. A little bit is tasty.\
PROTIP2: Raw clams aren’t as tasty as I thought they would be. LOL.

I’m usually not a big fan of raw food. I know, I’m missing out on a lot. But Drakes Bay Oyster Farm’s oysters were so juicy, fresh, and delicious that they made me change my ways.
We purchased half a dozen of small shucked oyster shooters for $ 12, and a dozen of small oysters to-​go for $ 55. The business owners were knowledgeable and helpful, since I had no idea where to even begin. Thanks to her recommendation, my family and I had a great time with our oysters that were not too big, and not too small.
I’m sad to have found out today that the farm will be closing down soon due to their appeal being rejected by the supreme court. If you’ve never been, definitely make a trip! I promise you, it’s worth it.

Kind staff and delicious oysters at a good price. Really enjoyed this place when I visited last month, and sad to hear that they’re being forced to close down. It’s a bit cold up here, so if you’re trying to catch them before they close, bring a warm jacket.
They sell oysters in XS, S, and M sized, although I think the small is a good size. Picnic tables near the water for you to enjoy your oysters, and most people go with a picnic basket of wine/​beer, utensils, and condiments.
Pro tip: the oysters can be quite salty, so bring some water to rinse them off if you want. The oysters themselves are pretty clean otherwise.

I hope they are saved. Been coming here for years and when I young when visiting Drake’s Bay. Arrived July 4^th around 9 a.m. and it was empty. Super nice workers who had a good amount in stock. BBQ’ed about 3 dozen later in the day and amazing. House made cocktail sauce and horseradish were amazing.

Loved this place! Drove from San Francisco to Inverness and went there with my boyfriend this past weekend and the oysters were delicious! I do give it a 5-​star because it’s an experience that everyone should try before the government closes it down. There are goods and bads, but I would def do it again!
Pros:
— Delicious oysters
— Good prices for oysters
— Oysters on half shelves are available for sale (few dollars more than if you shuck it yourself)
— Medium oysters were bigger than I expected
— Sauces and non-​alcoholic drinks were for available for sale
— Near Stinson Beach
— Friendly staff
— Nice dogs allowed
Cons:
— Very winding roads to get there (I actually got dizzy at one point bc of the numerous turns) but it is a beautiful view if you use the Gold Gate Bridge route… less traffic if you use the Bay Bridge route
— No phone reception
— Limited tables if it gets busy
**It can get cold, so dress warm! Bring your own shuck, gloves, towels, and other food if you want to do it yourself and enjoy a more fulfilling experience!

Drakes Bay Oyster Farm is worth going to! Caution, a lot of bikers on the road and poor cell phone reception. I used the address suggested on Unilocal and typed in Waze. It was a little further down. Just keep an eye out for the sign. When you come across a VERY VERY narrow and ROCKY 2 way road, you’ve reach your destination.
The oysters are FRESH and CLEAN. Very reasonable price. Options of xs, small and medium. I personally like the small over the medium due to the texture. Medium is still good.
Make sure to bring an ice cooler if you are planning on taking some home. Buy at least a dozen or two!!! It taste delicious grilled or broiled. They provide ice! :)
Some suggestions, bring your own shucker, plates, LIQUOR, and essential picnic items. You can bring your own portable bbq grill if you don’t like raw oysters. They sell condiments like hot sauce and non-​alcoholic drinks, but NOT a huge selection. There’s a local liquor store about 15 minutes a way from oyster farm.
Sufficient amount of parking, friendly staff, nice view of the farm, fast lines and restroom nearby.
This place is worth a visit, especially if you LOVE oysters.

Went here this past weekend and prices for 5 dozen were as follows:
Extra Small: $ 53
Small: $ 55
Medium: $ 60
We picked up a bag of Small to shuck/​grill and drove over to Drake’s Beach to use the grills they have there. They didn’t taste fishy and were decently clean inside. They were a tad hard to shuck, but I will attribute that to the champagne and our lack of shucking skills.
They oyster farm itself is in a pretty nice location. They have some picnic tables there and allow you to bring your own grills to grill oysters if you’d like. The people working there are very nice and helpful.
Keep in mind that there is NO RECEPTION here, so if you’re coming with a big group with more than one car, either have walkie-​talkies or plan in advance where and when to meet up as you wont be calling or texting each other anytime soon.
If you’re coming up from San Francisco, be sure to take 101-​N to Sir Francis Drake Blvd if you want a quicker trip. We took 101 to 1 to Sir Francis Drake and while it was very picturesque, the traffic, especially around Stinson Beach, made it a very long 2.5hr drive. Our friends drove the other way and left 30 minutes before us, but got to the Oyster Farm before we did.
My tires were (and still are on the sides) all white because of the white dirt path you take to get to the area, but it was no big deal.

They have wonderful oysters with options of XS, S and medium sized oysters.
Basically $ 1/​oyster and you shuck them yourself.
It was super windy today and they have about 6 – 7 picnic tables available and spread out but not much cover or shelter so nothing to shield the wind.
That being said, oysters were amazing — having had them both raw as well as BBQ style! Highly recommend it!

Me and my small group thoroughly enjoyed the oysters from here!
Tip, it’s actually further down the road than the address per the gps. Look for the sign!

OYSTER FARM! Drakes is undergoing a bit of legal issue being on a protected natural habitat.. so who knows how long it may be around. Get ‘em while you can!
Here’s the best way to enjoy this experience imo:
–buy unshucked oysters. demand day of for best freshness.
–go with a group of friends and order 5 dz oysters .
–order xs and small size oysters for eating raw, order M and L for grilling, cooking.
–bring your own tools
–grab any open free picnic table and settle in. people were making chowder, broth, etc
–learn to shuck oysters by watching youtube tutorials (we used a screwdriver)
–bring your own tools, bring your own food, bring your own everything! :p
–be prepared for about 1 – 1.5 hr drive from SF. and also for winding roads
oh. and last of all… BRING A JACKET! IT IS FREAKING FREEZING OUT THERE… brrrr…

As advertised. That’s how I can describe this place. Yes, it’s pretty magical but it’s damn hard work too. I could wax poetic about sitting right on the surf, defrocking oysters, drinking wine… but this review will be much more useful if I just give you all the must-​know-​before-​you-​go.
1. They close at 4:30 but it’s not a hard close. We got there a little later and were able to buy without any fuss. If they’re still there cleaning up, you’re good.
2. Bring gloves, a towel, an oyster shucker, lots of wine, beer, lemons, hot sauce, plates, cups and napkins. You can buy a shucker, some mignonette, cocktail sauce and crackers there but the other items, you should bring. Also, a sharp screwdriver works just as well as an official shucker.
3. The oyster shells are really flaky. Not like diamond-​hard gulf oysters. Your shucker will slip and scratch around. Wear hardy gloves or expect injury.
4. Paper towels. Have them. It’s messy as hell and you dont want to have to keep running to the single bathroom to wash your hands
5. Tupperware for leftovers, shucked or not. At one point you’ll get tired of having to apply hulk smash pressure to the oysters and just drink your wine instead.
This place is allegedly going out of business soon but that date is apparently moveable. I think it’s well worth the adventure of sitting at a grimy picnic table, on the shore, people drinking and laughing and eating oysters. If I had it to do over though, I’d probably get 2 dozen larger ones, eat and drink and enjoy that atmosphere… and then head back to point reyes or hog island to get some that don’t require a workout.

Oh yum! It was a chilly Saturday so not a lot of people to contend with yay! We got a half dozen small oysters for a snack and boy I wanted more after that!
Right on the bay with a lot of picnic tables spread about.
You can buy the oysters to open yourself or they will do it for you (and you pay for it). I don’t know if it was my mood or what, but I thought these were the best oysters I have ever eaten!
The service was friendly and fast.
Check out my posted pics to see the price list and get an idea of the order counter.

Need to help keep this business open. They have phenomenally oysters, even fresher than some of Tomales or Hog Island’s, dare I say. And the view is great. They do sell some sauce and shuckers, but best to bring your own. There are picnic tables on the seashore out back and you can hear the coyotes howl as the sun sets. You can stay on after they close to eat your 5 dozen oysters. :)

We flew up to SF from LA just for these oysters. We went to Tomales Bay last time so wanted to give this place a try. It was also a desirable location because its on the way to point Reyes lighthouse which was spectacular!
We got 5 dozen small oysters for $ 50. They were perfect size for eating raw and also for frying on the pan with a little butter, salt, pepper, tajin and flour. Delicious.
Oysters were very fresh and tasty. I would recommend this over Tomales because it’s less crowded so you’re more likely to get a picnic bench and also because it’s near the lighthouse. Also, even though I got the 5 dozen bag, there were actually about 65 in there which was a nice bonus.
Bring all your gear and supplies or else it can get expensive buying it there. What a great experience! Sign the petition to keep Drakes open!

If you love oysters, COME HERE.
In my opinion, serving Oysters has become a bit. pretentious.
I’m sick and tired of going to Oyster bars that have oysters from around the world and. oh yeah cost you your arm. They’re delicious… but I haven’t had anything that beats an oyster farm like Drakes Bay.
Now, I know there are a few other farms in the area. I have not had the time to try any others unfortunately, so take my review with caution, this is the ONLY oyster farm I’ve been to.
FRESH! Is the keyword. Oysters here are super fresh. I mostly tried the Small and Medium sized oysters eaten both Raw and Pan Fried. The price is reasonable. Def. much more reasonable than preppy/​hipster oyster bars.
But beyond the freshness of the oysters is the experience /​atmosphere. You’re there for two things… oysters and having a good time. It’s awesome to see the MOUNDS… HILLS of oyster shells. Shuck an oyster and throw the shell aside. I picked up shucking quickly, make sure to have someone show you. after your second or third try, you’ll have it down.
I went with my family. My mom was super prepared. She brought some extra clean water to rinse off the oysters a bit before devoured. And also a butane gas burner, small cast iron skillet, flour and home made spicy black bean sauce. AMAZING. And don’t forget, THE BEER.
Some heads up: Picnic tables are a little scarce. I hear there are beaches nearby that you can just take your oyster purchase to and have a nice meal there. They also have BBQ pits! There is prob a Yellow Jacket nest somewhere near that bay. There was always one or two… or three flying around our table. Pretty annoying. so either deal with it, or go to the nearby beach… it was probably their home before ours… haha.
This list was created by an older review written in 2011, but it’s SOOO vital I wanted to repost. So, thank you for this list.
Several warnings though:
— Dirty dirty bathroom, no toilet seat cover (not that I would even dream of sitting on that thing…), no toilet paper and no water to wash your hand after using.
— Bring your own oyster opener if you don’t want to pay for one ($ 12) or paid double price for opened oysters
— Lemons are expensive…$ 1 each or something close
— Picnic tables can be quite dirty…
Suggestions:
— Bring your own everything!
— Bring some other side food because they really sell nothing but oysters
— Don’t just go for the large ones because they seem the most bang for your buck.
— Go visit the other areas such as the lighthouse while you’re here

We didn’t have the stop planned on our coastal trip, but saw the sign and wanted to make sure to get a taste. We turned off the Sir Francis Drake Blvd. onto a road that quickly turned into a bumpy, dusty path. We arrived at the oyster farm. A few weather and salt-​beaten buildings including one where oysters were being sold.
Shucked oysters were $ 2 each. This isn’t a bad price, especially when they’re pretty fresh, but I have had better oysters at Metro in Lafayette and they were $ 1 each. (Chef’s Creek variety — they were so good I still remember !) I couldn’t tell you the name of the ones we were eating here but I do know they were a size small.
Sometimes smaller is better. It’s kind of hit and miss with oysters. And asparagus. Only sometimes. So we enjoyed sitting on the wooden picnic benches and eating our oysters, but it would have been a much cooler experience if there was an employee out there, telling us about their farm, how the shells are raised, and what the process for farming them is.
We left wish it’d been a little bit more interactive of an experience. I can buy oysters anywhere.

Fresh oysters in the wilderness, on the water, with picnic areas and grills? Can’t ask for more than that. Oh wait yeah you can, you can ask for cell phone reception. That would be great. Not their fault but how frustrating.