Raw oysters can be scary. To the uninitiated, the gray slimy creatures left floating in their jagged shell look nothing like food. Even after a quick steam they can still fail to offer even the slightest visual stimulation to those who have never tasted one. They’re simply not on “the list.”

But one should not be so hesitant. For the taste of an oyster - raw or otherwise - is distinctly delightful.

When eaten straight out of the shell, an oyster delivers that unique mixture of flavor and texture that’s truly sensational. It’s a whiff of the ocean followed by the rush of a cool wave over your taste buds that comes and goes in a single moment.

The experience can be altered by various cooking methods, condiments and preparations, but oysters will always be best known for their purest form. Raw, cold and clean … an unbeatable combination.

If you’re looking for oysters in Orlando, there’s no better place than Lee & Rick’s Oyster Bar. Since 1950, Lee & Rick’s has been shucking the freshest raw oysters to patrons from all over. Their 80-foot raw bar allows ample room for guests to order a bucket and eat at their own pace (the shucking is done for you right at the bar). Think of it as dinner theater for messy eaters.

Located on Old Winter Garden Rd just east of Kirkman, the restaurant’s ship facade will not conjure up images of the Black Rock or any other sailing vessel. In fact it doesn’t really look like anything at all. If Lee & Rick’s has one thing in common with the oysters it serves, it’s got to be that it’s ugly.

But the service is excellent and the quality of the product - especially the oysters - is unmatched. It’s a central Florida staple that will hopefully be around for another 70 years.

On a somewhat related note - as this is an unsolicited endorsement of Lee & Rick’s - the merit of the rest of the menu items at the restaurant is up for debate. The star of the show in this establishment is truly the oyster and thus any visit should be first and foremost for enjoying in that pleasure.

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