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    Gene's Oyster Bar

    4.5 (110 reviews)
    ModerateSeafood
    Open 11:00 am - 8:00 pm
    Updated 2 weeks ago

    Gene's Oyster Bar Photos

    Business Info

    GENE'S OYSTER BAR ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Dogs allowed
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Gene's Oyster Bar

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    The Best Oysters anywhere in Panama City since 1930!!! A true gem!

    My husband said the BEST oysters of ANY place we have been to down here! We won't be going anywhere else but Gene's now! I tried the grouper throats and I shared with my husband FANTASTIC!! Our server was Sharon and she was fabulous! Germane our shucker was awesome too! They do take card payment now, they didn't before. It was a pretty drive from PCB. We will for sure go back!

    My husband, my son, and myself went last night for dinner! We ordered the grouper throats, fried crab claws, and the kids grouper fish basket. I live locally, have eaten a lot of grouper, and this was truly the best grouper we've ever had. Fried to perfection! You can also sample oysters for $1 to see if you like the selection they have. To top it off they gave my son a mini ice cream cone after dinner! Service was phenomenal and this place is truly a hidden gem in our community. $3.50 natty lights and Busch lights. We will be back soon!

    Grouper Throats, Coleslaw, Cheese Grits
    Meeko P.

    Gene's Oyster Bar is a true no-frills local gem in Panama City. Off the beaten path, it's been a loyal hangout for ages with fresh, reasonably priced seafood. The briny, meaty oysters were some of the best I've had--shucked to order. First time trying the fried grouper throats: perfectly fried, surprisingly large and meaty. Outstanding service from the counter guy who handled everything. Great spot. Note: now accepts credit cards, debit, and Apple Pay.

    Genes history
    Kim P.

    Great little hole in the wall. Great fresh seafood. Shrimp and grouper baskets are fantastic. Service is great lowkey atmosphere.

    Crab craws
    Naoko S.

    Yelp was right! A well established local seafood restaurant! Raw oysters were all clean and very yummy! I wanted a few dozen more! wonderful food and friendly kind services. Absolutely recommended and we will be back for more!

    Sautéed crab claws, baked beans, grits
    Kayla P.

    This is a small, cash only restaurant but absolutely worth the visit. Whether you're getting fresh raw oysters or a fried meal. This is the place to go. I ordered the sautéed crab claws, fried shrimp, grilled oysters, fries, cole slaw, grits, baked beans. He was very friendly and patient while taking our order. Would recommend everything. Can't wait to head back!

    a plate of oysters and a plate of crab legs
    Kimberly C.

    This place is an ABSOLUTE gem/mom and pop restaurant. We ALWAYS make time to stop by and savor our favorite dishes (grouper throats, crab claws and of course bake/raw oysters). The staff is super friendly and accommodating. Love, love, love this place. My favorite oyster bar in the whole world!

    Oysters

    This place is truly Old Florida! No frills counter top seating and friendly staff. The oysters are freshly shucked in front of you, they are delicious and reasonably priced. If you love seafood and are looking for an original experience with good food, Genes is a must visit.

    Gene's Oyster Bar history
    Scott F.

    Small "hole in the wall" locally owned seafood eatery with the freshest and tastiest authentic Florida panhandle seafood I have found in the area. If you are looking for fancy table service this is not the restaurant for you. This place is very small and cramped with counter seating or takeout service. The building is old and it shows (although the exterior has been refurbished and looks great) and it has a bit of a small town truck stop diner feel to the interior. If you appreciate the authenticity of an old mom-and-pop owned local eatery without the bells and whistles of an expensive touristy place this is worth trying. The food here is excellent! The menu is full of local favorites such as locally caught fish, shrimp, and oysters. The shrimp and grits is fantastic and the oysters are without a doubt the freshest and tastiest I have ever had. The wait staff and cooks seem to be very experienced and make sure you get what you pay for. My recommendations: try the fried grouper throats, and if you are a fan of raw oysters I have found none better than at Gene's.

    Exterior
    Vicki E.

    Great food! We were lucky enough to get a soft shell crab tonight along with fried crab claws, and the deluxe baked oysters. Service was ok, seemed a little disorganized getting our order from the kitchen, but it was so worth the wait! We love the counter service old time feel. A great place and worth the stop!

    Amazing oysters!!!! LOVE LOVE LOVE THEY MAKE SURE TO SHUCK THE LOVE INTO THEM.

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    4 months ago

    Oysters on the half shelf. They were awesome! Grouper was outstanding. Please stop at this little restaurant and expect to enjoy!

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    2 years ago

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    1 year ago

    One of the best places to get Oysters in Panama City, FL. Highly recommended for those who want a good experience.

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    2 years ago

    Amazing grouper and oysters. Very fast and friendly service, would recommend. Favorite seafood place in town by far.

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    3 years ago

    Great service. Great fried oysters. Reasonable prices for lunch. Plenty of parking. I'll be back.

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    3 years ago

    Local gem in Millville. Awesome oyster bar. Grouper finger basket is a good choice for non-oyster eaters. Fast, friendly staff

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    4 years ago

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    5 years ago

    This is what I expect from an oyster bar, the oysters are salty, they have mullet, a solid chowder, a good oyster stew...go there!

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    Page 1 of 3

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    Bayou Joe's Marina & Grill - Side salad

    Bayou Joe's Marina & Grill

    4.1(401 reviews)
    1.5 mi
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    We ordered their Blue Crab Claws which had a wine infused butter sauce, Fried Calamari and their…read morePecan-crusted Grouper. I give all 3 my 2-thumbs up! Service was good and the ambience was excellent!

    Rude, disorganized, and completely unprofessional from the bottom to the top…read more If your kitchen can't handle making a single burger and an order of fries when you're busy, that's your problem to fix--not the customer's. Don't plaster takeout menus all over your website, Google, and Facebook if you're just going to turn paying customers away at the first sign of a rush. I called to place a quick order for my daughter and myself, only to be met with an immediate, snotty attitude: "We don't do pickup orders when we're busy." When I called back to speak with management about how I was treated, the manager, Kevin, made it abundantly clear where the staff learns their awful attitude. Instead of listening for even ten seconds, he repeatedly talked over me and started arguing. After that disgusting display of "customer service," I called Mosey's instead. You could hear right over the phone that they were slammed with a packed house, but the gentleman who answered was patient, respectful, and took our order for a calzone and cheese sticks without hesitation. When I asked if it was okay to bring my 7-year-old daughter inside to pick it up, he didn't hesitate: "We're very family-friendly, come on in." We happily waited 15 minutes in line just to pick up our food because good businesses that treat people with respect actually deserve our money. Take notes from Mosey's, Kevin. We won't ever be back to your place.

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    Random deck pics

    Bayou Joe's Marina & Grill
    Bayou Joe's Marina & Grill - Walking up to dining area

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    Walking up to dining area

    Hunt's Oyster Bar & Seafood Restaurant - Oyster Rockefeller

    Hunt's Oyster Bar & Seafood Restaurant

    4.2(1.2k reviews)
    4.2 mi
    $$

    This place was hustling! We had a party of 6 and only waited 30 minutes. Live music upstairs (he…read morehad a great voice) and quick, efficient & friendly service. The food came out quickly and to say it was good is an understatement. The seafood was fresh and I paired my blackened grouper with their oyster bay Sauvignon blanc. Highly recommend!

    Panama City, FL , Sept. 2026 I would give less than one star…read moreif I could, but I needed to get this comment out there. Website has this at 4.6 stars.... Couldn't be further from the truth. First, the service was mediocre at best. Our server took our order, brought our drinks and took our food order. Two other runners brought our food.... One was a side order of hush puppies for my entrée. I ordered the hush puppies on the recommendation of my server and it was absolutely horrible. Nothing like she described and fried in very dark oil. Horrible! The runner who brought that out said, I'm sorry it was the last of the batch! This was at 2 o'clock in the afternoon. Have they already run out of hush puppies before they close at 9 pm? Their seafood gumbo, advertised as "made daily" was mostly bay scallops and okra. I ordered the grilled grouper sandwich. It came out with absolutely no condiments for a grouper sandwich, such as mayo or tartar sauce. Our server took some time to come over to check how things were so I waited to eat until I could flag her over to ask for some mayo. Believe me good things are not worth the wait! The grilled grouper was so salty. I couldn't even finish it. To add insult to injury, our server added the cost of the inedible hush puppies, which was the side order to my entrée, separately on our bill. She apologized and confirmed that was in error. Never Again and their high rating must be bogus.

    Photos
    Hunt's Oyster Bar & Seafood Restaurant - Upstairs outside bar

    Upstairs outside bar

    Hunt's Oyster Bar & Seafood Restaurant - Oyster Rockefeller

    Oyster Rockefeller

    Hunt's Oyster Bar & Seafood Restaurant

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    Gene's Oyster Bar - seafood - Updated September 2026

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