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    Gene's Oyster Bar

    4.4 (105 reviews)
    ModerateSeafood
    Closed 11:00 am - 7:00 pm

    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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    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!

    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.

    Love love love best oysters in town. They get them mostly from other surrounding States because there not locally sourced yet.

    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!

    Chuck E.

    Gene's is my kind of oyster bar. Old school, nothing fancy or pretentious. Just fresh, big oysters and seafood. A locals, neighborhood hangout. I love, love, loved the food and people.

    Fried shrimp and onion rings

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    25 days ago

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    3 months ago

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    2 months ago

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    10 months ago

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    1 month 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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    8 months ago

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    2 years ago

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    10 months ago

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    2 years ago

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    10 months 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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    11 months ago

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    1 year ago

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    2 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    1 year 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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    2 years ago

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    5 years ago

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    2 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    2 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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    3 years ago

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    6 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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    5 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    12 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    Page 1 of 3

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    Gary's Oyster Shack

    Gary's Oyster Shack

    4.5
    (251 reviews)
    2.8 mi
    $$

    Used to have lunch at Gary's at least once a month. Good food, but a while back prices jumped…read moredramatically, so I dropped it from my usual places for lunch list. I did try the Hog Pen last week and was disappointed. Only one waitress and there was a large group just getting settled at their table when I arrived. Took quite a while to place order (ribs and "moist"??? (i.e. fatty) brisket, slaw, mac'n cheese). Sides OK; ribs were covered in an over-spiced paste; not OK. What was pretty good was the "moist??" brisket. Balanced meat to fat ratio. Good flavor, but I have had better I probably will come back if I ever get a hankering for The Stack; otherwise, it's not back on my usual lunch rotation. However, it may be worth a try for you.

    Food is fantastic. Prices are reasonable. This alone should be a reason to patronize the fine…read morefolks @ Gary's. But like the late, great Mr. Popeil said - But wait! THERE'S MORE! What truly sets Gary's Oyster Shack apart is the service and attitude of the staff. My group and I had been on the job for 13 hours straight and were looking forward to one of the only places left open past 8. Gary's was listed somewhere as open until 8:30. We walked in and were greeted warmly, and told that the winter hours were only until 8. It being 8:03, we said our thank yous and turned around to leave. One of the staff offered 'The grill is still on - if you want to stay, we'll feed you!' After our long and exhausting day, to have these folks offer to extend their long and I'm sure equally exhausting day for us was just ... awesome. By the time we were finished, it looked like all of the plates had been licked clean. A couple of us even took some desert to go after delightful and satisfying meals. Holy cow! My cheesecake was unbelievable! I had the Shack Stack and can't recommend it highly enough. I enjoyed this place so much, I returned 14 hours later on my way to the airport to grab some lunch. Way to go Gary's Oyster Shack! 10 stars!

    Photos
    Gary's side
    Gary's side
    Best grouper sandwich in Panama City
    Best grouper sandwich in Panama City
    Front of both - Hogpen on left & Gary's Oyster Bar on the right but both menus served in both sides.

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    Front of both - Hogpen on left & Gary's Oyster Bar on the right but both menus served in both sides.

    Gene's Oyster Bar - seafood - Updated July 2026

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