It’s National Oyster Day, and with Americans slurping back more than two billion of the bivalves a year, it’s an occasion to celebrate. Although my usual haunts include Jax Fish House, for a change I checked out Spruce Farm & Fish’s raw bar in the Hotel Boulderado.

The raw bar, which takes center stage, is a deliberate throwback to the early days when the hotel served as one of the first oyster bars in Boulder. Today, fresh oysters are flown in daily, like Wellfleets, Washburns, and Blue Islands from the East Coast, and Nisqually Sweets from the West. All are nestled in ice, poised to arrive at your table on the half-shell with lemon, fresh horseradish, a cucumber mignonette, and a house-made cocktail sauce. Or, order the mild Goosepoint starter for oysters lightly dusted with cornmeal, fried to a golden brown, and draped with a mild Tabasco remoulade.

Tip: The Spruce’s happy hour usually takes place from 5 to 7 p.m. daily, but today specials run all day with selected oysters served as “two-buck shucks.”

Hotel Boulderado, 2115 13th St., Boulder, 303-442-4880