Jersey Shore raw bars can be found in Asbury Park, Long Branch - Asbury Park Press

I'm an absolute fiend for raw seafood.

Sushi, sashimi, poke bowls, oysters ... you name it.

Offer it, I'll eat it.

So you can imagine how excited I am to share this list of places where you can grab a quick oyster shooter without leaving the boardwalk. After all, who wants to put down their rum bucket, or worry about their sandy feet in a swanky restaurant?

Here are some full raw bars on popular local boardwalks. Did I miss some of your favorites? Feel free to let me know.

Asbury Park Boardwalk

Asbury Oyster Bar: This spot located inside Asbury Park's Grand Arcade was crowned one of the country's best raw bars by Thrillist. They serve all kinds of seafood, like clams on the half shell and shrimp cocktail. They are known for serving up a rotation of fresh, locally-sourced delicacies, like their recent medium-sized, deep cup batch grown in Little Egg Harbor by Tucker's Island Shellfish Company, the newest member of Barnegat Oyster Collective. Go: 1300 Ocean Ave. North, Asbury Park; 732-361-6519, Facebook.

Iron Whale: Owned by Tim McLoone, a trusted name in seafood with a variety of restaurants throughout the Jersey Shore, this spot has a full raw bar including local clams, Blue Point oysters, Chesapeake oysters and chilled jumbo shrimp, with sauces like prosecco mignonette and cocktail sauce. They also feature platters like the "I.W. Whaler" with six Blue Point oysters, six local clams, six Chesapeake oysters, 1¼ pound whole lobster and six chilled shrimp; as well as "The Asbury" with four oysters, four local clams, six chilled shrimp and crab meat. Go: 1200 North Ocean Ave., Unit 504, Asbury Park; 732-361-5185, ironwhalenj.com.

Jenkinson's Boardwalk, Point Pleasant Beach

Boardwalk Bar & Grill: This beachside spot serves clams on the half shell, oysters on the half shell, a variety of cooked seafood and steamed shellfish, as well as a Colossal Shrimp cocktail. Go: 401 Boardwalk, Point Pleasant Beach; 732-714-2242, website. 

Martell's Tiki Bar: Martell's is a go-to for beach dining and drinking (try the rum buckets and fresh-squeezed OJ drinks), with tons of raw bar options like middle neck clams on the half shell; cold water oysters; 21+ shooters with choice of clam, oyster or shrimp with cocktail sauce, Absolut Peppar Vodka and lemon; "Treasures of the Seas" with a half lobster, three shrimp, three clams and three oysters; u-peel shrimp; chilled half lobster and shrimp; and lastly, their whopping "King's Platter," with 1 dozen oysters, 1 dozen clams, a half pound of shrimp, and a whole chilled lobster, served with a mignonette sauce, cocktail sauce and lemon. Go: 308 Boardwalk, Point Pleasant Beach; 732-892-0131, tikibar.com.

Pier Village, Long Branch

Avenue Le Club: This upscale French spot has an immense raw bar. Come hungry for platters like "Le Petit Plateau" with a ¼ pound of shrimp, a half dozen middle neck clams on the half shell, a half dozen New Zealand mussels, and six oysters (three East Coast and three West Coast); "Le Grand Plateau" with 1 pound of shrimp, the same amount of clams and mussels as "Le Petite," double the oysters, conch salad and seaweed salad; and finally, "Le Plateau Royal" with the same amount of shrimp as "Le Grand," eight middle neck clams, the same amount of mussels as both previous platters, 16 oysters (half and half), four blue crab fingers, a whole chilled Maine lobster, five to eight snow crab legs, conch salad and seaweed salad.

If you are just eating for one, they have both East and West Coast oysters, middle neck clams, chilled Maine lobster, king crab legs, shrimp cocktail and Osetra caviar from the Caspian Sea, Russia. No substitutions on any order. Go: 23 Ocean Ave. North, Long Branch; 732-759-2900, leclubavenue.com.

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McLoone's Pier House: Another McLoone spot, this boardwalk bar offers shrimp cocktail; oysters on the half shell with cucumber dill mignonette, cocktail sauce and lemon; clams on the half shell with cocktail sauce and lemon; and the "Chilled Sampler" with four Gulf shrimp, four clams, four oysters, cucumber dill mignonette, cocktail sauce and lemon. Go: 1 Ocean Ave. North, Long Branch; 732-795-3493, mcloonespierhouse.com.

Rooney's Oceanfront Restaurant: Known for their Fish Board, where you can choose any fish prepared any way with any sauce and sides of your choice, Rooney's is a happening seafood spot. Their raw bar includes a selection of shellfish on the half shell, including Bluepoint oysters which are a large shallow shell with salty flavor, Chef's Choice oysters (rotating selection), and middle neck clams freshly shucked on ice. They also have a jumbo shrimp cocktail with six shrimp, cocktail and green goddess sauces; and Bloody Mary shooters (Bluepoint oyster topped with pickle, celery, dehydrated olive, and their classic Bloody Mary mix).

If you are looking to eat your weight in seafood, they also have Medleys like the "Chef's Colossal" with a 2-pound chilled lobster, six jumbo shrimp cocktail, six middle neck clams, six Bluepoint oysters and six Chef's Choice oysters; as well as the "Raw Bar Sampler" with four Blue Point oysters, four middle neck clams and three jumbo shrimp cocktail. Go: 100 Ocean Ave. North, Long Branch; 732-870-1200, rooneysocean.com.

Casino Pier, Seaside 

Beach Comber Bar & Grill: This spot that is near top rides and games, is known for its live music and party atmosphere, as well as its raw bar that focusses primarily on clams and oysters. It offers clams on the half shell, oysters on the half shell and a "Raw Seafood Combo" with three clams, three shrimp and three oysters. There's also plenty of cooked seafood, like crab legs and coconut shrimp. Go: 100 Ocean Terrace, Seaside Heights; 732-793-0526, facebook.com/beachcomberbargrill.

Hooks Bar & Grill: Under new ownership in the last year, this formerly cash-only watering hole now does it all, but did not retire its casual atmosphere with bar games, billiards, air hockey and good times to be had. Their raw bar features u-peel shrimp, Bluepoint oysters (rotating selection) and clams on the half shell. Go: 1320 Boulevard, Seaside Heights; 732-830-0006, hooksnj.com.

Park Seafood Clam Bar: This spot is run by third-generation raw bar operator Nick Dionisio, who learned from his father Bobby of "Bob's Ranch House," who learned from his father Nick of "Nick's Clam Bar" (opened in the 1940s), both of which also operated in Seaside Park. The raw bar offers clams and oysters on the half shell, as well as shrimp cocktail.

"You'll find higher end stuff here on the boardwalk that you won't get anywhere else," Dionisio said, of the shop that has fresh seafood delivered every day. "There's no walk-in fridge, so when we run out, we run out. You won't find anything fresher."

The spot is also known for their fresh cooked fish like ahi tuna, snow and softshell crab, salmon and more. Go: 1808 Boardwalk, Seaside Park; 732-250-6635, Facebook.

Gabriela L. Laracca joined the USA TODAY NETWORK New Jersey in 2021 and eagerly brings her passion for cuisine and culture to our readers. Send restaurant tips to glaracca@gannett.com.