This is one of the few restaurants in town with a real dedicated oyster bar, as opposed to a bar that serves oysters. Check out the extensive collection of old-fashioned oyster plates hanging on the walls. Magnolia used to be owned by Jim Gossen of Louisiana Foods, the company that wholesales oysters to most of the other oyster bars in town. Gossen still takes care of his friends at Magnolia — the restaurant boasts the freshest Gulf oysters in the city. The fresh red snapper, peewee soft-shell crabs and shrimp étouffée aren't bad either, while the crab Maison salad, made with a rémoulade recipe stolen from Galatoire's, may be the best crab salad in Houston. The oysters on the half shell are usually a bargain, and the cooked oyster dishes are awesome. Don't miss the oyster poor boys, oyster gumbo, fried oysters or any of the other oyster dishes either.