Found Oyster
Hello and happy Thursday! I had an amazing birthday dinner at Found Oyster, and I’m so excited to share my experience with you all! I’ve been trying to explore more of the amazing restaurants in LA, and Found Oyster has been at the top of my list for months.
Location
Found Oyster is located in the heart of East Hollywood, surrounded by several other trendy spots (including Bavel, which is next on my list). It’s the cutest, tiny restaurant with a slim walkway lined with mostly two-top tables and a long bar where you can watch drinks being mixed and food being plated. The tall walls are lined with beautiful wine bottles and New England-style tchotchkes.
They also have a few larger tables outside, but I much preferred the cozy ambiance inside. We dined fairly early on a Saturday and had no problem finding street parking nearby — a rare win in LA!
We made our reservation about a month in advance, and as the date approached, we noticed that tables filled up quickly. This was no surprise, considering how small the restaurant is. That said, there still seemed to be plenty of space at the bar throughout our dinner, and it never felt overly packed or chaotic.
Food
Found Oyster was exactly what I was expecting — in the best way possible. The elevated New England vibe they portray came through beautifully in the food, and it was such a fun experience trying their creative takes on classic seafood dishes.
An absolute standout favorite for us was the Sicilian crudo. It was served with lemon, capers, and red onion, providing the perfect bright backdrop for the fish. The oysters and littlenecks were fresh and full of flavor, and the scallop tostada (highly recommended by both past diners and our server) was a stunning combination of yuzu kushu, apple, and basil.
I’m not usually a big pie fan, but their key lime pie was outstanding . It was vibrant and refreshing enough to make me rethink my entire stance on pie.
The only miss of the night was the peel-and-eat prawns. The texture was a bit mushy, and the sauce coating them was just unappetizing. With so many other stellar dishes, though, this was a small complaint in an otherwise flawless meal.
Overall
Found Oyster encapsulates exactly what I think makes a great restaurant: a small, focused menu with extreme attention to detail and an ambiance that feels natural and authentic without being overly curated. Their Michelin Guide rating is well-deserved, and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this spot to anyone visiting LA and looking for a nice meal to splurge on!
