(FORTUNE Magazine) – The colder the water, the better the oysters, so now's the time to taste these raw, briny filter feeders. A couple of the restaurants below put on an air or two, but they're all still the sort of joints where you can belly up to the bar, slurp a few, and be on your way. --Ronald B. Lieber

Food Decor Service Cost CHICAGO Shaw's Crab House 22 19 10 $32 21 E. Hubbard 312-527-2722

KEY WEST Half Shell Raw Bar 21 17 18 $16 231 Margaret St. 305-294-7496

NEW ORLEANS Acme Oyster House 20 11 16 $12 724 Iberville St. 504-522-5973

NEW YORK CITY Oyster Bar 22 16 16 $38 Grand Central Terminal 212-490-6650

SAN FRANCISCO Swan Oyster Depot 26 14 22 $19 1517 Polk St. 415-673-1101

SEATTLE Elliott's Oyster House 20 19 19 $24 Pier 56 206-623-4340

0-9 poor to fair 10-19 good to very good 20-25 very good to excellent 26-30 extraordinary to perfection

Cost reflects the estimated price of a dinner with one drink and tip.

CORRECTION: The correct number for the Lafayette restaurant in Washington, D.C., is 202-638-2570. Sorry for last issue's error.

ZAGAT SURVEY