Tempest Oyster Bar

Food is more than «just ok». We order two starters and two main dishes — all good to very good.
Service is ok (could and should be close to very good, but it’s not)
Dessert…only 4 option without anything special or creative. We skipped.

The Chardonnay was great, and that’s about all I can have here, since I’m vegan. But my mom and her bestie loved this place! And they’re picky, so I can confidently recommend Tempest! Do know it’s pricey.
I go here for wine with my flat neighbors, and if that’s the function it serves in my life, I’m cool with that!

Amazing food, amazing time!
Great wait staff and very nice ambience. Had an amazing time, there was a live guitarist the evening I went.
Food was amazing had the one level oyster platter plus the smoked sampler. The smoked sampler was amazing, salty smoked and fresh fish and crab.
Had the blue marlin for entrée which was excellent
the lamb chops too were great!
Overall great food great job will be back!

Best seafood outside of Maine. Just a delightful dining experience. We tried to go light because it was our third night out in a row in Madison celebrating my daughter’s graduation from college. We couldn’t stop eating so it didn’t turn out to be too light. Smoked Stack was amazing. Bucatini was perfect. Oyster po boy topped all off but wait, there’s more. We finished all off with key lime pie. Just a perfect evening. Service was great. Huge fans. We will be back.

If I could give tbis place zero stars I would. The whole place stinks of dead fish and arrogance. We were not dressed as fancy as the staff felt we should be. We ordered drinks amd the waitress left them behind the counter and laughed at us in an obvious we are not serving you move. The smell alone made us want to run for this hills. Nasty place!!!

Okay, I’ll start with a common lament about not having ½ star ratings, because I feel very strongly that this deserves REALLY a 4.5 star rating. I was overall very impressed with Tempest and hope to have the opportunity to return often. The ambiance is comfortable and inviting and I sort of wish we’d had a bit more time to explore the bar area (we were seated in the dining room). Tempest seems like the sort of space that would be really nice to spend time enjoying a meal with friends. The service was attentive and friendly without being overbearing.
Starter —
Scallops with apples and lardons. This was a really good dish. At first blush it seems like it might be too sweet, but the saltiness of lardons and expertly seasoned scallops provide much needed balance. The scallops had a lush and tender texture but might have been seared very slightly harder. This may be purely a personal preference but I like a god hard sear on scallops even if the center is slightly more done as a result. Aside from that I’d love to see this dish given just a touch of heat (maybe red peeper flake???) to add one more highly complimentary dimension to the whole thing, but maybe that’d be too much…
Salad —
Aruguia & Chevre. This was a surprising highpoint of the meal. Every single component of this dish works perfectly together to make the whole thing really sing. The toasted hazelnuts add a perfect crunchy texture to plays nicely against a pungent yet smooth goat cheese. The peppery arugula is the perfect base for the whole salad and works really well with crispy slivers of radish. Finally, the dressing is subtle enough to not overpower all the other aspects but really tie everything together. This was exceptional!
Main —
Scallops/​Shrimp/​Pork belly with grits. This was a well composed and visually appealing dish that also delivered strongly on the flavor front. Three large shrimp were cooked to perfection and served alongside two very nice scallops and a chunk of pork belly. Again, my preference, but the scallops could have been seared slightly harder. The pork belly had a great texture and added a nice fatty richness to the dish but could have been seasoned ever so slightly more. The grits had an excellent flavor but I found them to be just a shade too loose from a texture perspective. The really stand out in this dish are the shrimp and the sauce that ties the whole thing together. The sauce punches WAY above it’s weight bringing both a depth of flavor and complexity that would otherwise be absent. Shallots are at the core of that magic and the very best bites of this dish were driven by a synergy between grits, shrimp, belly and sauce. Those bites were OUTSTANDING!!!
Peppercorn crusted Yellowfin Tuna w/​nicoise. Another very good dish (although this one I only tasted instead of really exploring). The tuna was seared very well leaving a beautifully rare center. The crust on the tuna is AMAZING! I just barely tasted the other components of the dish, but my wife felt very strongly that they all worked very nicely together. She was especially complimentary of the texture of the potatoes served beneath the fish & nicoise. I can’t add too much more on this dish, other than the visual presentation was again alluring.
Side —
Scallion hashbrowns. WOW! I’m actually not sure how exactly this was pulled off! Probably among the top 5 hashbrowns I have ever had! This was almost more of a very thick and delicious latke. The crust is golden browned to absolute perfection and the inside is dense and flavorful but also very moist. The truly astounding part is that the hashbrown doesn’t have a trace of greasiness or oiliness. I know it al sounds simple, but the execution is spectacular! I’d probably return to Tempest just fo this one side!
Brussels Sprouts. Also very good, but frankly overshadowed by many of the other dishes we enjoyed. There was a subtle sweetness to the dish that just didn’t pair perfectly with the other selection we’d made. This is not to say they were bad, just that they didn’t compliment the rest of our meal. Possibly a bit of an unfair milieu to evaluate the dish.
Outside of all of that the beverages list was very good. I had an excellent Magic Hat Grapefruit IPA and my wife enjoyed a glass of white wine that I didn’t try but she loved. The mixed drinks also looked very appealing and I’d like to stop in again some time to give them a whirl. All in our meal was about $ 125, but we ordered WAY too much for two people in the somewhat short window we had before a concert. I would LOVE to come back with an oyster eater and experience some of those bad boys, they looked amazing! All that being said, I specifically chose Tempest because I wanted to bring my lovely wife somewhere to have her favorite dish (scallops) and these particular scallops were slightly overshadowed by other aspects of what was, all in all, a really excellent meal!

So asking me to rate an Oyster place is like asking Tiger Woods to rate a golf course. I grew up eating seafood nearly every day and have eaten seafood in just about every state in the country and several other countries.
For where this restaurant is located the Oysters are of good quality and are fresh. The Blue Points were my favorite. There was no shell in the oyster, they all tasted great and they were detached from the shell so they slide out easily. I admit the cost was a little more than I normally pay but what do you expect a few thousand miles from the ocean. If I wanted a deal I would be here at happy hour.

We were passing through Madison on our way home in PA. We loved the atmosphere and the food was great.
I wanted something but wasn’t extremely hungry so got the Appetizer of Scallops and a side of Brussels Sprouts.
And then had room for dessert and got the Key Lime pie, and shared it with my daughter.
Very nice place it’s a shame it is so far. If it was close to home a place I would return to.

It starts with great management-​Nick! The waitstaff is knowledgable and friendly.
The mussels are terrific. Drinks top notch. Seafood tastes fresh with sauces and spices to complement but not commandeer the dishes.
The atmosphere is inviting and understandably nautical. Whether it’s for happy hour drink and a bite, fun group dining or romantic dinner for two, Tempest will not disappoint!

I stopped here for a drink and a bite at the bar before an event I was going to elsewhere. I was happy to see a Happy Hour. I had a nice German Pilsner for 4 dollars (a buck off) in a tall glass.
I ordered four oysters and the conch fritters. Tempest does a good job bringing in good oysters. The Naked Cowboys were large and tasty. I had heard good things about them and they didn’t disappoint! The Conch Fritters were good but fried maybe a little too long. They were a little on the darker side of golden. The sauce served with them saved the day. It was so good I was thinking of other things I would like to add the sauce too.
The bartenders on duty were nice and attentive. I was brought a water just prior to my meal being served without even being asked. I was checked on and acknowledged the duration of my visit. I would like to try Happy Hour again… maybe a dinner too.

Went here for my 30^th birthday and to say it was disappointing is an understatement. We made reservations for 7:30 on a Saturday. There was live music advertised.
Our reservation wasn’t ready when we arrived (on time). We were told to wait in the bar, which was already packed. Twenty minutes later we were seated in a cramped corner next to a window staring at a brick wall in an alley.
The service was TERRIBLE! I ordered an appetizer for my dinner and somehow my husbands entrée came out before mine. The server dropped it off anyway. The host/​manager asked jokingly if another entrée was coming. We pointed out that we were still waiting for mine and he laughed and walked off never to be seen again. We hoped he was checking on it but apparently not. My husband finished his meal and we were waiting another five minutes to get my entrée, an appetizer mind you. The host came back and asked if we were enjoying the «third course» as he seemed to have forgot the blunder. No one even apologized! Not to mention the Live music we came for never happened!
For the $ 160 spent for just the two of us I expect WAY better service a day LEAST an apology for the disaster.

We went during Vday weekend. I’m chalking up our loss to that.
Ambiance: poor lighting. I need to see my food. Sight is one of our food senses, so light it up. Jazz music was nice.
Drinks: decent wine list. Cocktails looked a little watered down, so we didn’t try any.
Food:
Oysters — great variety, but $ 3 per oyster. Vinegar and shrimp sauce were both great, but we like ours naked. Blue points were on point. No sand/​shell in either. ⁵⁄₅
Scallops — tad overcooked, warm (not hot), good pan crusting on scallop, great apple + bacon accompanying flavors. 3.5÷5
Mussels — good taste, but cold. Decent size mussels and large amount. They give you one medium size grilled bread to dip in sauce (two would be better). REALLY wish this had come out hot. ³⁄₅
Swordfish (special of the night) — barely warm seems to be the theme. The size of the fish was about 4 – 6 oz. It came out «barely warm» and raw in the center. We sent it back to cook a little longer — they hit it right the second time (no angry over-​doers in the back). Once hot, all the seasoning and sauce bouquet opened up and really engaged us. There was a lime type butter sauce on top that was… perfect. It had a smear of red ancho paste (not hot, just a flavor) on both sides and placed on a white congealed (cool) purée of … grits (we were later told). The ancho paste didn’t do much for me, and I was scared of the white purée. When I found out it was grits, I sampled it — it was bland. Fish (hot) = 4.5÷5.
Waitress — too slow. Maybe the reason all our food is cool? Ex. We waited 15 min for our wine. The restaurant was busy, but our waitress didn’t have that many tables (4 tables of 2 people?). Not sure if the food was ready before the server could get to it. We ordered a special of the night, but we weren’t told about the side items (in fact, we were told there weren’t any!) and were later surprised with «grits.»
Bonus: They were helpful for my lactose intolerance. Due to the cool items, the waitress comped them (without us bringing it up), which is one main reason I will retry the Tempest.
Overall, we liked the flavors but wished it was hot and a more lit environment. We will retry at later date.

Wow, just wow… The food is awesome and lived up to their oyster bar name! The service was a bit slow, and the bar area very loud, but for the quality of the meal it is worth the minor inconvenience of very busy server. Definitely a repeat customer.

I’ve wanted to eat here for a few years now. The other day I was craving a po boy and my go to place had just closed. Thankfully I live on the same block as the Tempest. Perfect time to check the place out! Unfortunately it didn’t live up to my expectations.
I’ve lived in a few different states and one of them had a fast food seafood place called Long John Silver. The breading on the po boy tasted JUST like the breading at the fast food restaurant. Kind of bland and way too greasy. Considering the price difference, I was very disappointed. On top of that the fries were bad. The only solace was in the aioli.
On the other hand, the crab soup was delicious and the key lime pie was absolutely amazing. I’m not sure if it’s worth coming back for though, but they were almost good enough to makeup for the disappointing main course. In the future I’ll likely stick with The Bayou when possible and maybe just grab a soup to go.

Romantic and delicious! The pear upside down cake for my birthday was divine :)
Food is wonderful and the service was great. I loved sitting in the bar area once when we came in for cocktails they had a small jazz/​big band quartet playing that was fun to listen to.

Oh Tempest. As a native New Englander, I miss seafood. Their fruits de mer is a delicious pile of fried seafood with shrimp, scallops, clams and other fried morsels. This is my favorite thing on the menu BC if I have three cocktails I can pretend I am back home.
Do not, under any circumstances, order the lobster roll. Just don’t do it.

Seafood, drinks, jazz in a sea shell. What’s not to like?
I love tempest and would come regularly for happy hour and jazz if I had better working hours.
Awniker is my go to drink… Just try it before you ask me what it is.
Amazing selections of seafood entrées, from blue marlin, tuna, shrimp and scallop to lobsters, clams and mussels. They also do surf n turf if that’s your thing. More economical sandwich choices are also available!
Come here for happy hour for seafood platter and oysters! On the weekend after 930, live jazz! Fantastic place for a date in my opinion.
I tried their bucatini with lobster, mussels, clams and scallop. The tomato saffron broth was hearty and flavorful. Seafoods are pretty fresh (consider the fact that we are in the mid west).
It’s the place to be if you are craving some high quality seafood!

I have always heard of how wonderful this place was, and today I finally got a chance to experience it myself!
I came during the happy hours.
First of all, the restaurant is very beautiful. The shells made me feel like I was a mermaid eating under the sea lol
I tried the happy hour menu:
1) Oysters-​I added the lemon juice and vinegar (with garlic?) to all.
Naked Cowboys-​They are a must try! They were so fresh, sweet and crispy at the same time. They almost let me scream when I ate them!
Wianno-​also a sweet and crispy one, but not as outstanding as the naked cowboys
Shigoku-​a west coast oyster recommended by the staff. Didn’t like this one that much. It’s more salty.
But what is really interesting about these oysters is that you could really taste and discover how different they are from place to place!
2) Smoke Stack– basically fish salad.
The top layer was smoked salmon and the bottom was a mix of greens, some white fish and eggs. You might get sick of the taste after a few bites, but I guess that’s what the onions and pickles are there for. The sour cleansed out the taste buds really well. And as suggested by the staff, do not forget to save some bread to go with the fish! This was the most impressive and special item I had for today!
3) Scallop
Didn’t like this too much. But I guess if people have a sweet tooth, this might be the one. It comes with a sweet sauce, maybe caramel, with apples and pork in it. The scallop was a little overlooked for me, but it was very flavorful within.
Had a good time here! Don’t forget to pair your meal with a nice wine!

I paid Tempest a visit during Restaurant Week at the end of July and was kicking myself afterwards for not having stopped in sooner because Tempest is fantastic. The atmosphere, service, and quality of the food is on point.
We dug into a 3 course meal for an incredibly fair price of $ 35, and what’s more is the portion sizes didn’t appear to be scaled down in the least. During restaurant week, you’d expect restaurants to provide you with the same food items, at a cheaper price only because the amount of food is substantially less. This was not the case at Tempest. After a delicious appetizer, entrée, and dessert, we left here stuffed.
While the namesake oysters were not on the restaurant week menu, we knew that was something we had to experience. We simply ordered one west coast and one east coast oyster and both were fresh and well worth the extra expense.
Then for my first course I chose the She Crab Soup with King Crab & flying fish roe. I am typically not a soup person, which makes this selection curious, but I had heard great things and having now tasted it, I am glad I did. The soup was very creamy and had a unique yet delicious flavor to boot.
The second course was the Blue Marlin, broiled with hazelnut pesto lime aioli & fried leeks. I loved this fish. It was a large filet and I polished off every last bite. The outer crust was perfection and the taste of the pesto and salty crunch from the leeks were great with this particular fish.
For dessert I chose the Chocolate Caramel Walnut Tart and boy was this a large slice of decadence. From the thick layer of hardened chocolate to the gooey caramel interior and interspersed walnuts, my mouth salivated with anticipation between bites. I don’t recall putting my fork down until I had near cleaned my plate of this very rich, very indulgent dessert.
I took advantage of a few spots during this latest restaurant week, but Tempest has stuck out in my mind as one of the best.

I’ve been to Tempest Oyster Bar two times now, once for happy hour only and the second time for happy hour and a full dinner meal. Each time I have been to this oyster bar I’ve always sat in the bar area; at a table or at the bar itself.
Happy hour at Tempest is great! It is served Monday to Friday from 4pm-​7pm, during this time slot you can enjoy: $ 2.00 oysters (about 6 – 8 varieties every day all still at $ 2!), shrimp cocktail, oysters, fish cakes and smoke stacks. Although the bar menu posted online states that oysters are $ 1.50, I found that on my first week that oysters were $ 1.50 but the following week they were then $ 2.00 each. Honestly the quality and variety they offer is well worth the price, they they tasted better than some of the deals we get on oysters here in Boston! I really also enjoyed that they had oysters from each coast as well and that the variety did change each week.
The bar itself is lighted up with cut down wine bottles in a variety of colors. It was very beautiful to look at. I also enjoyed the scallop shaped table that had a perfectly centered «pearl» light above it. Those little touches are such nice details and always make you remember the restaurant.
For my second time I went to Tempest, I ate dinner and sat at the bar. I can not specifically tell you what I ordered, as I do not see it on the menu… but it contained; mussels, little necks, scallops and shrimp over pasta. The broth/​sauce was a little spicy but the seafood was very fresh. I thought the prices were a little high for the amount you got, but when you step back and look at the high quality products they use and the fact that they are not near an ocean — I agree with them.
If you are looking for fresh seafood and some amazing oysters come and check out the Tempest Oyster bar!