More Cowbell (!) Seafood & Oyster Bar at Union Market

Union Market got a salty new hang last Fall with the opening of Cowbell Seafood & Oyster Bar (1309 5th St NE), a place that pairs tide-to-table seafood with a little backcountry swagger.

From Sara Quinteros and chef Reid Shilling, the duo behind Fancy Ranch Amish Fried Chicken, the restaurant brings dockside nostalgia with a wink. Guests can expect freshly shucked oysters on ice, Baltimore-inspired crab cakes with a golden crust, and fried chicken that lives up to the team’s reputation. Cold beer, crisp wines, and plenty of bubbles keep the mood buoyant and inclusive.

Underneath the fun is a serious commitment to sourcing. Shilling has spent decades building relationships with farmers and Chesapeake watermen, working directly with those who steward the land and waters to ensure quality that starts long before a dish hits the plate. That philosophy shows up in a nose-to-tail, dock-to-dish approach that honors every ingredient and tracks the seasons.

The result of it all is a neighborhood oyster bar that feels both authentic and celebratory — briny, comforting, and just refined enough to keep you lingering for one more round.