Updated January 2018

Last night, Sweet Grass in Cooper Young celebrated a couple of exciting changes.

First, they have a new raw bar menu with fresh oysters shipped to Memphis daily. You can get these oysters on the Sweet Grass side or the Next Door side.

Second, Sweet Grass nearly doubled the size of the bar, making it easier to pop in without a reservation and grab snacks or dinner.

Chef Ryan Trimm at the newly expanded bar at Sweet Grass.

Finally, they're introducing a new special that y'all are going to love... 75 cent Gulf oysters from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. This special is only available for the Gulf oysters and only on the Sweet Grass side at the bar.

Just a little mignonette with a raw oyster at @sweetgrassnextdoor. Their raw bar is now open! All the details are on the blog (link in profile). #oysters #oysterbar #mignonette #raw #rawbar #snacks #happyhour #50centoysters #memphisfood

A post shared by Holly Whitfield (@ilovememphisblog) on Feb 22, 2017 at 10:17am PST

I'm not a huge oyster connoisseur, though I'll eat a couple now and then. I brought along a friend to taste test with me just in case. He tried all of them and gave two enthusiastic thumbs up. So then I tried most of them and I was very impressed.

If you're not familiar with Sweet Grass/Next Door, it's a pair of restaurants in Cooper Young owned by Chef Ryan Trimm. Sweet Grass opened in 2010 and is a bit more formal, think nice dinner or drinks with Low Country and Southern cuisines.

You know they're going to have good wine and cocktails to pair with these delicious bivalves.

In the adjacent space (sometimes called "Sweet Grass Next Door" but mostly just shortened to "Next Door") you have a more casual, no-frills bar - usually with sports on the TVs - with a more gastropub leaning menu. Some items are available on both sides.

sample raw bar menu

They both offer a great craft cocktail list; the Barrel-Aged Manhattan garnished with Luxardo cherries is my go-to.

Sweet Grass is open Tuesdays through Sundays for dinner starting at 5:30 p.m. The bar opens at 5 p.m. Sweet Grass is open on Sundays for brunch from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Next Door is open Monday through Friday from 3 p.m. - 'til and Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. - 'til. They have vegetarian options and can accommodate other dietary restrictions with advanced notice.

Another one of the chef! Photo by Emily Keplinger: