Shuck yeah! Swell Oyster Company shells out new raw bar and patio Hampton Beach

HAMPTON — Oysters, tacos, ceviche and beer will be served in the heart of Hampton Beach this summer with Swell Oyster Company opening its new patio on D Street.

The Shuck Shack will be open for Memorial Day weekend in a newly painted and remodeled patio at 3 D Street. Customers will order at a window and choose from a menu that includes Swell’s oysters, as well as those around New England.

Owners Russ Hilliard and Conor Walsh have been harvesting oysters in Hampton Harbor since 2016. Hillard said their new space, which seats 50 people, will be the first location their oysters have been sold at Hampton Beach besides their shack at the harbor. Oysters will be on display in the raw bar, as well as shucked right in front of customers.

“We’re going to kind of be the first of its kind in terms of right on the strip,” Hilliard said.

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Hilliard and Walsh say they have always wanted a place to sell their oysters directly to customers, along with cold beer and some tacos. The two got their start in hospitality working at Row 34 restaurant in Portsmouth. They got their first permit to harvest oysters in 2016.

Swell first sold oysters exclusively to restaurants and the occasional person who knew when to catch them at the dock. In 2018, they bought a small building at Hampton Harbor that took them two years to remodel. In 2020, they opened the Swell Oyster Shack, featuring its own raw bar with oysters and other shellfish like scallops and clams.

Hilliard said he and Walsh still had more aspirations for their direct-to-customer model and the hospitality they were providing. This past winter, Hilliard said friends informed them the location at 3 D Street was available for 2024.

The space was previously home to Pat’s World Famous Hot Dogs. The shop touted its LobDog, a hot dog topped with lobster meat, cheese sauce, potato sticks and scallions. The shop announced last week it was not returning for the summer season.

When Swell moved into the space, Hilliard said they traded the hot dog-appropriate bright yellow decor for their company’s blue and lime green. They also added a horseshoe-style bar for people to sit and enjoy food and drinks from the pickup window.

The shack will have a two-tap system featuring Pacifico and Modelo Negra, as well as craft and domestic beer in cans and wine. The oysters will be rotated to showcase those grown in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Maine and Canada.

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Swell Oyster Company is doing well in other areas of its business, according to Hilliard. He said they expanded their farm operation by 3 acres to farm more oysters. Their website will soon allow customers to order oysters by delivery, with Swell sending oysters packed in ice across the country. He said the model will help Swell reach customers beyond New England.

“It’s kind of a no-brainer if you want to kind of get your product in the hands of people everywhere,” Hilliard said.

Hilliard will serve as the restaurant's general manager while Walsh takes on more duties at the farm. He said Swell has come a long way from their first season and that they hope to make the most of their new location.

“We plan to stay at this place for a while,” Hilliard said.

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This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Swell Oyster Company opens Shuck Shack restaurant at Hampton Beach