Perla's opened on South Congress Avenue in the spring of 2009, the work of chefs Larry McGuire and Tom Moorman, who set out to build a straightforward oyster bar and seafood joint in the neighborhood. Fish and oysters come in daily from both coasts, with a stated emphasis on Gulf of Mexico sourcing and simple, clean preparations over heavy sauces.
The dining room is built around a poured-concrete oyster bar, an open kitchen, and a large freshwater fish tank, though the oak-shaded patio along South Congress draws its own following as one of the better people-watching perches in the city. Reviewers keep coming back to the lobster roll, shoestring fries, swordfish, and redfish, alongside the raw oyster selection. The bar runs a coastal-cocktail program and a wine list built around sparkling, rosé, and white bottles, and the kitchen serves lunch and dinner daily plus weekend brunch.
The Infatuation scored Perla's 8.4 out of 10.
The dining room is built around a poured-concrete oyster bar, an open kitchen, and a large freshwater fish tank, though the oak-shaded patio along South Congress draws its own following as one of the better people-watching perches in the city. Reviewers keep coming back to the lobster roll, shoestring fries, swordfish, and redfish, alongside the raw oyster selection. The bar runs a coastal-cocktail program and a wine list built around sparkling, rosé, and white bottles, and the kitchen serves lunch and dinner daily plus weekend brunch.
The Infatuation scored Perla's 8.4 out of 10.