A Historic Louisiana Seafood Spot Challenges Diners To Eat 180 Oysters In One Sitting

When five o'clock hits, New Yorkers flock to the citywide siren song that is oyster happy hour. These briny beauties can aptly be described as the bivalved points where the earth touches the divine. Anthony Bourdain famously raved about the first time he ever ate a raw oyster as a child, lauding the hedonistic experience as a springboard for the rest of his life. If that's the power of just one oyster, then what power do 180 oysters yield?

At New Orleans mainstay Acme Oyster House, the restaurant posits patrons with a 15 dozen oyster eating challenge. The task? Down 180 raw oysters in the span of a single hour. Breaks are permitted, but bathroom trips are closely supervised. Successful foodies will be inducted into the honorary 15 Dozen Club; a complete list of members' names and their grand total personal oysters count is listed on the official Acme Oyster House website. While most members tap out at 15 dozen, a select few have met and far exceeded the benchmark, led by competitive eater Sonya "Black Widow" Thomas of Virginia with a whopping 52 dozen oysters at Acme's Metairie location. The challenge's price tag and whether or not the oysters come with toppings are not listed on the restaurant's website. More casual oyster fans can also grab an oyster shooter (one freshly shucked oyster with cocktail sauce and vodka, served in a shot glass) for $4.99.

Acme's flagship location opened in the French Quarter in 1910. After a fire, the joint was reopened at its current address at 724 Iberville, which was originally only staffed with one waitress. As Acme's official website puts it, "[T]he iconic 'Waitress Available Sometimes' sign was born. Even if the waitress was there, it depended on Vi's mood for service." Since then, Acme Oyster House has expanded to locations in Baton Rouge and Metairie. Beyond Louisiana, Acme locations can also be found in Alabama and Florida — all of which offer the 180 oyster challenge. Although, only one competitor has successfully entered the 15 Dozen Club at Acme's Alabama location so far.

Still, this challenge doesn't come without an admitted level of risk. Experts recommended not eating more than 12 raw oysters in a day for their infamous potential to carry vibrio bacteria, which can make folks sick if ingested. As Acme's warning label advises, "If you suffer from chronic illness of the liver, stomach, or blood, or have other immune disorders, you should eat oysters fully cooked." So, it might not be the best move to rip the 180 raw oyster challenge on a first date. But, Acme would make an ideal destination for oyster date night in NOLA. Not in the mood for oysters? Acme's sprawling menu also includes myriad regional specialties like po'boys, gumbo, étouffée, red beans and rice, jambalaya, fried fish, crab cakes, and more.