15 Best Seafood Restaurants in Reading

“I was raised in Maryland. Got to say these are the closest crabs I have had. Don’t want to make the 2 hour ride this is the place. Love them and the crab eggs.“

“ordered the #9 (shrimp, mussels, snow crab leg, corn, potato, & broccoli) through doordash & was really impressed. i added a side of sausage with a note asking if they could cut it up & mix it in the boil if possible & they followed the request exactly so my boil came ready to eat!

everything arrived hot, flavorful, & packaged well. the garlic butter sauce was sweeter than i expected but i enjoyed it. the seafood tasted fresh. definitely one of those meals where you immediately stop talking because you’re too busy eating 😭 would absolutely order again“

“This summer I had the privilege of bringing my mom to Pennsylvania from overseas for the very first time. Since I'm still fairly new to the area myself, I wanted to introduce her to some of the places that make this region so special. One recommendation that kept coming up was The Ugly Oyster, not only for its food, but for its incredible history.

From the moment we walked through the doors, we were welcomed with genuine warmth. Our server, Norie, was absolutely wonderful. She was attentive, kind, and one of those rare people who makes you feel like she's genuinely happy to see you. It's not every day that you meet people in hospitality who are so passionate about what they do, and that made our visit feel incredibly personal. Before we left, we couldn't resist asking Norie to jump into a photo with us. That probably says more about how welcome she made us feel than anything else I could write.

We also had the pleasure of meeting Kayla, the owner, who took the time to share the story behind The Ugly Oyster and its remarkable history. Learning that the pub was originally shipped from Ireland and carefully preserved made the experience so much more meaningful. Coming from a family with deep European roots, we genuinely appreciated hearing the story behind the building and the care that has gone into preserving such a unique piece of history. It transformed our visit into something much more memorable than simply going out for lunch.

What impressed me most was the respect shown for this landmark. Anyone can own a restaurant, but it takes a special kind of person to become a steward of a historic building. Rather than stripping away its character, it's clear that every effort has been made to preserve what makes this place so unique while ensuring it can continue to be enjoyed for generations to come. That level of care deserves recognition, and Kayla's passion for sharing the building's story is something every visitor should experience.

Our food and drinks arrived quickly, but what stood out even more was the quality. Everything we ordered was fresh, beautifully prepared, and thoroughly enjoyed. The atmosphere was warm, welcoming, authentically Irish, and there was an unmistakable sense of pride throughout the entire establishment. It felt like a place where everyone genuinely cared, not only about the food they were serving, but about the experience they were creating for every guest who walked through the door.

Out of everything we did during my mom's trip, The Ugly Oyster became one of her favorite memories. We talked about it for days afterward. Unfortunately, time didn't allow us to return before she flew home, but we've already decided that when she comes back to Pennsylvania, The Ugly Oyster will be the very first place we visit.

If you're looking for more than just a meal, if you're looking for history, character, genuine hospitality, and people who truly care about what they do, I can't recommend The Ugly Oyster highly enough. Places like this are becoming increasingly rare. The passion, pride, and genuine care shown by Kayla and her team made our visit unforgettable. We left with full stomachs, a genuine appreciation for people who pour their hearts into what they do, and memories my mom still talks about. We cannot wait to return.“

“Amazing food and the server was quick with service! Owner is kind and overall would come here again!“

“I've dined there no less than 25 times in the past year or 2 and never had a bad meal! Allison is the best waitress I've ever had anywhere!“

“Them collard greens has never disappointed 🙌🏾🔥“

“Awesome pulled pork sandwich“

“The Lobster dip was an amazing appetizer!“

“Great pizza 🤤 and super friendly staff“

“Great diner food at rock bottom prices!“

“They make the best egg rolls in Berks County. A+ Chinese Restaurant.“

“Thank you for the delicious lunch today!! I had the steak sandwich and fries. The sandwich was great! And the fries were just how I like em!! Thanks for doing what you do!“

“The BBQ sauce and hot sauce taste great. Their general tso/sesame chicken tastes really good, the sauce is better than most spots I've tasted in the reading area, maybe all to be quite honest. Good on them, and they're close by if you live around city park.
Their shrimp in garlic sauce with vegetable fried rise is my go to dish. Plenty of vegetables, the shrimp taste good, the garlic sauce tastes great, and nothing tastes burnt, which was a problem i was having with a few spots around here. If i wanna get chinese food, this is my go to spot. I'll be trying the other dishes like the sweet and sour chicken and spare rib tips to see how they match up with the other spots.

Overall very pleased with the cooking here, will be a customer for quite a while, haha.
Enjoy.“