Small Change Oyster Bar

Incredible addition to the Temescal neighborhood. Truly thoughtful seafood selection - both raw and cooked so something for everyone. They know how to balance the raw dishes with amazing complementary flavors (e.g., citrus, Szechuan) while also not overpowering the creaminess of fish!It's Snail Bar vibes but i think less wine options. Huge pro is that they have partnered with Broc winery in a lot of their wines, such as their house chenin blanc.Indoor seating is mostly bar stool vibes and they have some seating outside in the back patio (next to Pizzaiolo)

I recently dined at Small Change Oyster Bar and had an outstanding experience. The restaurant's cozy and inviting atmosphere immediately put me at ease. The staff were friendly, attentive, and knowledgeable about the menu.I started with a plate of fresh oysters, and they were divine. Each one was plump, briny, and bursting with flavor. It was clear that they were sourced with the utmost care. The oysters were accompanied by a variety of delicious accompaniments that perfectly complemented their natural taste.For my main course, I opted for the fish and chips, and it was a classic done right. The fish was cooked to perfection, with a crispy golden batter encasing tender and moist flesh. The chips were perfectly seasoned and had a delightful crunch.Small Change Oyster Bar exceeded my expectations in every way. The high-quality seafood, attentive service, and inviting ambiance combined to create a truly memorable dining experience. I highly recommend this restaurant to anyone seeking delicious seafood in a cozy setting.

Because it's a an oyster spot I feel weird giving it a 3, so here's a 4. Non oyster and wine stuff was not worth the belly space or the wallet space tbh.Their raw oysters are great and have tasty broiled flavors that are essentially seasonal. The tomato broiled oysters were about to go away so we had to try it, and it was tasty but I regret not getting the garlic butter. I would say I enjoyed salty pearl's oysters more but it's hard to compare since we went with the tomato one.Great wine selection. It wasn't busy but the bartender was helping us order food and when we finally decided on the lobster roll, he didn't understand that we had ultimately decided. So we waited way too long. The balls that were recommended were not good. I didn't even want to finish the plate.The lobster roll was completely underwhelming in every way. $38 for a super small roll and it was alright. Better off waiting to to the wharf or Pacifica to be honest. You can look at the pictures and see balls in the background and decide the size of this lobster roll. Also, check out the oysters compared to this plate as well. All trays are the same size.Best thing was their michelada mix. I'm Mexican, it was pretty good!

Absolutely amazing service,Super fresh oysters, and Louie salad.The focaccia and catfish hush puppies were specials tonight and they knocked it out the park 10 out of 10. Easily one of my new favorite places. I cannot wait to go back.

Friday night dinner on Telegraph. If you are brave you can eat outside on the patio with your dog. I restaurant has likely 20ish seats majority of them surrounding the bar so you can see your food being prepared. Most of the uncooked food comes out in 10 minutes or less, the fish and chips took over 25 minutes it felt like.The waitress were very sweet and attentive. They offered my daughter a Mr Potato to play with. Very helpful to have her calm down and sit while the group was eating. We ordered almost everything on the menu -- ceviche , oysters, Rockefeller oysters, fish and chips, and hush puppies. The oysters were fresh and the fish and chips fried to perfection yet a little over salted. 5 stars for service and 3 stars for food.

Libby our server was super friendly and helpful. We have been wanting to come here without our kids and finally made it out. The interior looked clean when we walked through to their patio which was also clean and has heat lamps and benches. The raw and broiled oysters did not disappoint. The Kumamoto and Beau Soleil varieties were both delicious and shucked well. The broiled Calabrian chili and lime oysters were so good, we ordered two. I have gotten this at Hog Island in Larkspur and SF so I'm grateful to have a local spot now where I can satisfy my broiled oyster craving for this Calabrian Chili and lime flavor. The crab Louie salad is presented in a deconstructed fashion. Libby didn't miss a beat when we asked if we could order it with the lemon thyme vinaigrette instead of the Louie dressing, which we appreciated. My husband doesn't like creamy dressings so I always try to accommodate when there is another option. I tried their Halibut tostada and that was really delicious, especially when paired with the French Domaine Coteaux Des Margots white wine I ordered.The one negative is that at 7pm they were playing hard core rap with explicit language that would not have been appropriate with small children or if my mother or in laws were around. I'm not crotchety but the lyrics for one song were not just curse words but misogynistic and offensive to women. When we arrived there were several tables in the patio area with babies and toddlers but they had left before the hard core rap songs came on. I definitely would not bring my kids with that music playing loudly so I would definitely encourage staff and management to be aware of the content of the music that is played and consider eliminating hard core music that puts women down. My husband says I'm going to come across as "old" but I don't hate rap and the lyrics in the song were really inappropriate. It was something outside of what I've ever heard before, especially in a restaurant setting: gunshots, f bombs, and one line stood out because it was really anti woman & I'm kicking myself for not remembering exactly what it was. It's trendy to play edgy music but it might be good to vet the list.

The restaurant itself is postage stamp sized, but the back courtyard is huge and darling!! Service was fast and efficient. Their oysters are fresh and they have a variety of broiled oysters. Alas, their fresh raw oysters are still the best. Their bartender pour TALL drinks. I was impressed that the waitress didn't spill a drop!!

Great new shop in Temescal that is serving up some tasty plates! I stopped by at the opening hours and the crowd was already gathering. There's seating inside that is bar style and a large outdoor patio in the back (highly recommend this seating). It's nestled away from the busy street traffic and feels really intimate in a busy side of town. The staff were really polite, informative and kept our dishes coming out in a timely manner. I have only ever tried local oysters so our waitress did a great job answering our questions all throughout our service. We ordered:- Ceviche- 4/5. I really liked the freshness of the seafood in this. I would've enjoyed more acidity and heat from the jalapeños on this just that is just a personal preference. - Rockefeller Broiled Oysters- 5/5. I really enjoyed this as a single bite. I've never had an oyster served broiled style so this was an absolute treat. It's creamy, it pairs well with the breadcrumbs topping. I'd order these again.Full Dozen Day's Selection- 4/5. We ordered six New Brunswick and six Tómales Bay sourced oysters. I was most impressed with the New Brunswick (Canadian) oysters. Some of the most creamy oysters I've had. Paired with hot sauce and the mignonette, it was the perfect bite. In general, I was expecting larger oysters for the raw servings but this might be influenced by timing of season, etc I would recommend ending with the New Brunswick oysters! Perfect final bites to end a trip to Small Change. Location/Ambiance- 5/5Staff/Service/ 5/5Food- 4/5

If this was my neighborhood, then I'd probably come consistently. With that said , the food is nothing to write home about, but the service and vibes are everything! Fair menu with food options for the non-oyster eater. Nice selection of bubbles, whites and rosé wines. Best of all, fair prices. Nice quaint minimalist counter set up inside with good sized patio in the back. Patio is not heated, so be prepared with a little hoodie if dining at night. My sister and I popped in on a Thursday evening bout 7:30pm, waited maybe 10 minutes for a counter seat. The hosted was polite giving us updates. Our bar tender/server the cutie p'tootie Grandé was friendly, did a wonderful job walking us through the menu making recommendations, and great fun conversation. Tell him Robbin I said "Heeeey". The restrooms could use a little TLC (they may be shared with other businesses), parking is tricky in that neighborhood so be prepared to walk a block or two. THE FOOD: we opted for the specials over the regular menu items. Figured we can always go back to try the regular items. Plus the chef staff were way too excited about the specials, so we got excited. Clam Chowder - not ya typical clam chowder. It was a broth situation not a "chowder " very bacony for you bacon lovers. The little toast that came with it was hitting. Cod B's? Somebody's Bs...either way, something like a crab cake but made with cod fish and potatoes. They refer to it as a poor man's cab cake...that's exactly what it was lol. It was good with the mustardnaise and greens. I would have of liked a specialty seasoning blend to make it hit since cod and potatoes are both naturally bland foods. Broiled Oysters w/ a special tomato based sauce. I liked them. You could still enjoy and taste the oyster with that bit of smoky tomato flavor the sauce had going. It was a bit oily, but not enough to bother me. Definitely eat them fresh out. Local Raw Oysters- pretty solid. Not as creamy or salty as I like, but good with one-two dashes of that Crystal's hot sauce and lemon. Aye, can't remember the bubbles I had but it was the highest priced one and quite delicious!

The food is ok, nothing special. Especially not for the prices. We got a dozen oysters, bread, yellowtail crudo, fish and chips, calamari, a curry and fish broth, and salad. It was all pretty average; the oysters were the best part. Ambiance was great outside and the vibe was really nice. Employees were nice, but service was just ok. Overall, most of the dishes are overpriced and not that amazing.