Funky, cash only, friendly, good service, good food, joint that's been in Tallahassee for more than 75 yrs. Oysters are pricey now, but where aren't they? Fish & shrimp, and sides are hot and crispy. Want comfortable or fancy, stay away. Bonus: BYOB!!! read more

Great food. Oysters are fantastic. Fried Shrimp basket is great. I highly recommend. It was cash only last time I went

This is now our favorite local seafood restaurant since The Other Seineyard and The Fisherman's Wife closed. To be honest, if we had tried them much sooner then they might have been our favorite when those others were open. It ain't pretty on the outside. This was probably a warehouse in it's prior life. There are only a few parking spaces and you will walk through a chain link gate space to get to the entrance which will actually be to your left rather than straight ahead as it would initially appear. The inside is bright and comfortable and much newer than the exterior. There are several tables plus a bar for those who want to pull up on a stool and slurp a dozen raw oysters. Their fried seafood is fried just right and tasty. You will get plenty and we always end up taking some home. Their coleslaw deserves special mention as it is my favorite in town and I always get extra to take home and enjoy for a couple of days. It is the finely shredded variety but what they wet it with is what makes it so good. Service has been excellent. Wait staff is friendly and will check on you often. You just need to know that this is a Cash Only restaurant in making your decision to dine here. read more

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Friday is a busy day at Shell's. We arrived early and were seated immediately. It took my companion a while to go over the menu but o knew what I wanted. The lunch fish with scallops, cheese grits and the veggie salad. My brother ordered the shrimp and crab cake, slaw and French fries. The cheese grits were incredible and the veggie salad was a perfect blend of sweet and vinegar with beans, peas, onions and other things. My fish, which were catfish nuggets were perfectly fried. The scallops were sweet and I had over a dozen in my order. My brother's shrimp were perfect. He ate all of his crab cake without sharing and I stole two of his fries. I'm not a fry fan but could have used more. The sweet tea was great. I can't wait to go back and next time, I'll probably have the same thing. At night, they have a BYOB and grouper on the menu. Next time! read more

This place is cash only - they make sure you understand with at least four signs along the way. Not a big deal for me, but may be for some. I get they have been in business for a while, kudos to them. The food portions and sizes definitely are not in line for the premium they charge. I ordered a lunch special with two protein selections and it was probably about a half of a fish fillet. The Cole slaw side was in a 1 oz cup. Definitely would not recommend. read more

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Great old Florida seafood restaurant. The food and service are great at a reasonable price for quality seafood.

You want classic north Florida food, service and hospitality this is definitely your place. Best freshest seafood around. We have been coming here for over 40 years. read more

BEST fried shrimp in Tallahassee! Light batter, not heavy. Cole slaw is awesome as well.

You would never look at this place from the street and even think it was a restaurant- it looks like an auto body shop. But it's clearly one of those "if you know you know" local places. We had excellent oysters and the sides like the bean salad, potato salad and macaroni salad are all unique. The oysters are shucked on site and the staff is friendly. Note- it is CASH ONLY. The decor could definitely use a facelift but no one seems to mind! Worth a look. read more

BRING CASH! The food was super fresh and had an amazing taste and texture. Service was working hard and doing really well. Definately coming back. read more

The perfect hole in the wall joint to grab a quick bite of yummy seafood. The staff is awesome because it's family owned. My only tip is to being cash and have some of their fried shrimp! read more

Shell Oyster Bar - Seafood Near Me - Tallahassee, Florida

The wife and I took the grandkids to experience Shells again. They loved the first trip a year ago. Well Shells did not disappoint! Our waitress was friendly, attentive and efficient!!! Our food was delectable and all the staff was happy. The ambiance does leave a lot to be desired but I think that's part of the catch' , get it? We will be back , price was up there but we never have a problem when we visit such a great place for the value of. In other words, worth every penny!!! Yum yum read more

I ALWAYS make sure to stop by when I'm home. I grew up eating Apalachicola Oysters and recently, on my last trip (11/24/2021), they replaced it with Cedar Key Oysters. Are they just as delicious? YESSS! Are they big?! YESSS - of course, you get your fair share of smaller ones, too. The Cedar Key is the BEST. I have eaten expensive East & West Coast oysters that are sad & small - they overcharge for them and I can't say it enough, LOCAL FLORIDIAN oysters are UNIQUE and AMAZING. Maybe I'm biased because FL is my home for +24 yr. Or forever Since being a child and I'm proud! =) My dad said he used to get a dozen oysters for $12 - that's crazy to think it used to be that price compared to it costing $15.99/dozen now...still totally worth it if you want to dine in. They shuck the oysters in front of you, so it's ultra FRESH! I don't usually steer away from raw oysters, but you could also order other fried seafood. I know it's an absolute hole in the wall - the decor could use a facelift and my only one small complaint is that the main parking lot is tiny! This place isn't about service, it's all about the top notch oysters. Seating is limited because this place is small. The locals know about this hot spot for a reason! ;-) read more

Shell Oyster Bar - Cedar Key Oysters - $20/pint - Seafood Near Me - Tallahassee, Florida

So you would never know this place existed it is a hidden gem. CASH ONLY. The lunch or dinner specials are great deals with 2 sides and a drink. We had an order of fried oysters, that was breading was so light and the oysters were delicious. We also ordered the crab cakes, which we equally as delicious. For sides we had French fries that were crispy and not greasy, coleslaw that was chopped and very tasty (mayo based) and extra hush puppies. From service to food this is a great find. read more

Shell Oyster Bar - Seafood Near Me - Tallahassee, Florida

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The best hole in the wall seafood joint in Tallahassee. Was going there at the South Monroe shack when they only served oysters and drinks when I was under 10 years old. read more

Today, Jan 7, I was looking forward to taking a buddy to Shell Oyster. Website hours indicated opening at 11. Found where they posted on Christmas Eve they'd be taking a break til Jan 9. Sorry for raising a fuss. See y'all soon for the best friend shrimp around! read more

Everything was fresh, great service the shrimp and oysters was delicious everything was good not over cooked but cooked just right. read more

Shell Oyster Bar - Raw Oysters were so yummy!!!!!! - Seafood Near Me - Tallahassee, Florida

This place knows how to fry food right. Batter was extremely light, crispy, fresh, and hot. Myself and my friend both ordered the oysters, probably wrong time of the year since they were small, which made it way more batter than oyster. Coleslaw was OK, nothing that stood out to me as outstanding and the hush puppies that are prepared before service were room temperature. I prefer hot. Be prepared to pay cash, be prepared to interrupt the cashier while she's got people in line checking out or picking up takeout. Then you wait in the real wait line which wasn't too long considering the crowd. The tables are so close together that I could practically eat off the one next to me, the noise was so loud we had trouble chatting, and the server was so to the point that I felt like I needed to have my order ready ASAP. I think once you get used to the drill it's a good place but for us, meh. Also, the parking lot needs some help. I saw a car go off of a small hill where the cement tire stop was broken and at the bottom of the hill. Clearly someone else had made the same mistake. Give it a try, you might like it better than we did because the food really did look good on other plates. I think we just ordered wrong and the noise wasn't for us. read more

One of my favorite local restaurants. The seafood is always fresh. I always order the combos, shrimp and fish or oysters (they've gone way up in price because of a light oyster season) with their delicious homemade cocktail and tartare sauce. The sides are also tasty. I personally like their macaroni salad the most, but all the sides are good. They also have a raw oyster bar when they shuck fresh oysters for you. I've heard great things about that. Make sure to bring cash because that's all they take! Everyone is very friendly. The only negative I have is that they charge $1 for the extra sauces. Too much for a tiny container... read more

Great food with great service. I had the fried oysters but haven't been there in more than a year. Will definitely visit this restaurant whenever I visit the Tallahassee area. read more

I have been going to Shell's for decades. Literally from the time they were a little place on South Monroe next to the fruit market. They have moved to a larger location around the corner, but nothing else has changed. I like my oysters raw, and I can easily consume 4 dozen at one sitting, and I do it fearlessly, even out of season. There is no place else I would do that, but it's because I trust them. I have even had Leroy cater one of my parties (just Oysters!) many years ago. Their fried seafood is also excellent. Okay, I'm going to stick my neck out on this one and say that it is probably the best place to go for fresh seafood in town. There might be a brief wait around lunch time, and the place is by no means fancy, but service is friendly and fast. Shell Oyster Bar is, quite simply, a Tallahassee tradition and landmark... read more

Shell Oyster Bar - We'll start with 2 dozen each...please and thank you! - Seafood Near Me - Tallahassee, Florida

Nothing fancy to see here. Shell serves excellent raw and fried oysters. No frills needed. Thin fries. Sweet, fine coleslaw. The fried shrimp basket is probably my favorite meal here. Walkable from the capitol building. Wasn't terribly busy for lunch today. I would eat here more than I do if they were open past 6pm. Bring cash and your own beverage, if you are so inclined. You may be able to grab a 6-pack across the street at Proof if you didn't plan ahead. read more

Shell Oyster Bar - Fried Oyster and Crab Cake Basket with hush puppies, fries, and slaw - Seafood Near Me - Tallahassee, Florida

Superb fresh oysters, currently $14.25 a dozen. Perfect fried shrimp with a light hand on the batter. Yummy coleslaw. We'll go back one more time before we leave Tallahassee. We arrived at 11 am and had no trouble parking although it's easy to see it can be a problem. CASH ONLY. read more

Great food and service! Everyone loved their meals and you can tell this restaurant knows exactly how to cook fish! Can't wait to return!

This is the place to go for the freshest, most delicious oysters and seafood! Interestingly, it's located in a run down shack behind a car repair shop and only accepts cash. Inside however, is clean and buzzing with activity from the customers enjoying their meals and company to the young man behind the bar shucking piles of oysters amazingly fast! We started our meal with a dozen raw oysters which arrived less then 5 minutes later and so, so fresh and absolutely delightful! I could have made a meal of the oysters alone, which I did the following day. My husband ordered the fried oyster burger with a side of macaroni salad which he said was absolutely delicious. (I'm going to be using that word a lot - everything was that fresh and good!) My order was fried shrimp with sides of cole slaw and potato salad. Again... oh so delicous! All the sides are house made and it shows in the wonderful flavors. We were so blown away by this place that we made a point to return the following day to enjoy all this amazing food before we left town. It's heart breaking that we don't live in the area as we'd dine here often! read more

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Good food, good service, yummy oysters. Even hired them to serve at a wedding. Remember - cash only & bring your own beer, if that's what you fancy with a cold dozen. Definitely try their home mixed cocktail sauce. read more

I ordered a crab claw plate with sides of cheese grits. I honestly can't believe they gave me this plate for a meal, this wouldn't even feed a child. The grits are very watery & oily. A rip off is an understatement, won't ever spend money here again. read more

Shell Oyster Bar - crab claws - Seafood Near Me - Tallahassee, Florida

Best oysters in town! Great service and wonderful people! We also order a bushel every year at thanksgiving!

I go to Shell Oyster bar once a week or pick up two pints of oysters a week the food is awesome in every way the service is amazing and the staff is awesome it beats any seafood restaurant around for sure it Tallahassee I have tried them all ! Tim Redding sr! read more

Shell Oyster Bar is a Tallahassee institution. On my office wall, I have three photos encased in a frame. The photos are of 1. Shell Oyster Bar, 2. the old Tallahassee Waterworks and 3. The Tallahassee Train Station. I had the fortune of meeting Leroy Milligan (and Billy, his teenage son at the time) back in 1987 when I first came for undergrad. At the time, the five (maybe six, but I'm pretty sure it was five) bar-stools in the old service station building at the corner of FAMU way & South Monroe were where you'd get freshly shucked Cedar Key and Apalachicola Bay oysters. There was no need for a menu. You had three choices of beverages (Co'Cola, Swee'Tea, and Water) and one choice of food (Oysters) unless you count the crackers on hand. Even though Shell Oyster Bar relocated years ago to its present location - I can't help but think of it as "The New Place" and when I go - I ALWAYS prefer to pony up to the bar rather than sit at the tables. It doesn't bring back the glory days entirely, but at least it's a start. Shell Oyster Bar isn't a place - it's a feeling. It's where you go to commune with the goodness that comes inside an oyster shell. It's been decades since I've sat down at the bar to a couple-dozen oysters shucked by Leroy himself. His son Bill is usually at the bar these days but often, there are others. Regardless, when I come for a couple dozen - I can close my eyes and feel taken back to that old shed of an oyster bar - screened door slapping the door-frame as each patron came in from the long line outside. I don't know enough about the relationship between Leroy and the Oystermen in the gulf. My sense is that he's done business exclusively with only a handful of harvesters as he's built a reputation over the decades of having only the most sublime of oysters on the half-shell. For those interested, here are a few "factoids" about Apalachicola Oysters that I've learned over the years: 1. Apalachicola (at least up until a few years ago) was the last place in the U.S. where wild oysters were (by law) harvested by oystermen on small boats using tongs. 2. Big Bayou (on the saltier western part of Apalachicola Bay) is said to be the source of the most flavorful Apalach' Oysters. 3. I'm pretty sure that all other Gulf Oysters are pretty much sold as generics - i.e., non-appelation - EXCEPT Apalachicola Bay oysters. My love for oysters precedes my relationship with Shell Oyster Bar - but it's been intensified THANKS to Shell Oyster Bar over the years. (addendum:) I grew up in Spain and Germany (the son of a french mother and an American (USAF) father. I know all about the world-famous Belon oyster that defined Paris's 19th-20th century oyster bar culture. I also lived in Seattle for three years during the mid/late nineties - so I'm pretty familiar with the PNW varieties - notably the Quilcene, the Kumamoto, the Olympia and the Kushii. (I know I'm mixing up sources with types - sue me!). Anyway - all of this is to say that while I appreciate the delicate and nuanced oysters from other parts of the world (at least, France and Puget Sound) - I'll take an Apalachicola oyster over any of them - any day! read more

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Always good. Be aware that the prices of oysters have risen. A lunch combo with oysters is $18.

A cash only, near dive, but with fresh oysters and VG fried fish etc. crispy fries. Extras as usual but above average. Always good friendly laid back service. BYOB if desired. We always take a nice bottle of wine. A real treat to not be paying a 100%+ markup. We go a few times per year. read more

This has been on my list to try for a while but I was still surprised at how good it was! It's kind of hidden but boy is it a find! There's a little parking lot and it's over by the new Proof (and apparently people from Proof tend to park there when that lot fills) so parking is limited. We were able to find a spot though. Heads up - they only take cash. But everything is reasonably priced and totally worth it! I went with a friend and we split a dozen raw oysters and the fried shrimp meal. The oysters are amazing! Super fresh and yummy! The fried shrimp was also super good, as were the cheese grits we got as a side! They make their own cocktail sauce in-house and let me tell you that alone is worth the trip. You can also buy a bottle of it to take home! One of the best things about this place was how FAST it was! We ordered and were immediately served the oysters. By the time we finished those, the fried shrimp were coming out. We were seated, ordered, ate, chatted, paid, and left in less than 30 minutes. The service is also great! Everyone was super nice and helpful! Will definitely be going back! read more

Good local place for fresh seafood. The nuked oysters are great. The fries are great. I like how they lightly fry the shrimp and oysters for their lunch special. The macaroni salad was a tasty side dish surprise. read more

Shell Oyster Bar - Nuked oysters - Seafood Near Me - Tallahassee, Florida

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If you are looking for local oysters at a great price, or fresh seafood that is fried to perfection, head on over to Shell. Located in an alley off of FAMU Way, parking can be a challenge. But once you park and head on in, you'll be transported to a stereotypical fish shack. There's a counter at the back, with seating, where the staff shuck mounds of fresh, local oysters. The rest of the room is filled with plastic tablecloth covered tables, each with the requisite condiment trio: hot sauce, cocktail sauce, and tarter sauce. The menu is straightforward: oysters raw or nuked, a variety of fish served fried, avid traditional sides (fries, hush "pups", coleslaw, macaroni salad, etc). We arrived for dinner on a Friday night (they're open until 6:30 Friday nights; earlier on other nights) and were the only people there (aside from what appeared to be family friends hanging out at the sitter bar). We quickly decided on a dozen raw oysters (local, at $9/dozen), 2 fish sandwiches, one dinner combo platter, and an order of "pups" for the table. The oysters came quickly and were outstanding: briny, sweet, and large. The bowl of pups, on the other hand, were a tremendous disappointment. They were ice cold. When I told the waitress she took them away and brought the same bowl back, this time containing soggy, mushy hush puppies (the same ones I sent back) that had been nuked. When I complained I was told that their kitchen was small, and the lunch crowds large, so they precook all of the hush puppies in the morning so that they can use their fryer for the fish and French fries. That means we were served hush puppies that were likely cooked 8 or more hours earlier and that sat in a tray all day. If I were you. I'd avoid them (I'd also avoid the salads, as you can see them all pre-plated, uncovered, in the cooler). But you're here for the fish, and they do an exceptional job with the fish. The sandwiched contained three large pieces of perfectly fried fish on a fresh bun with lettuce, tomato and tartar sauce. The fries on the side were hot and tasty. The combo platter contained a huge portion of fried fish: shrimp, scallops, crab claws, fish, etc. A great choice if you're hungry. A few notes: the place is cash only, so stop by the ATM first. And while they don't serve beer, you can bring your own. If the pups had been made fresh, this would be a 5 star review. But everything else was so good, we will soon return. read more

Shell Oyster Bar - A perfect fried fish sandwich. - Seafood Near Me - Tallahassee, Florida

Very friendly and proper service for locals and visitors alike. Five of us visiting from Miami felt very welcome. The fried seafood specials were tasty, good iced tea. All tasted fresh. read more

Great cocktail sauce, but 'nuked' aka microwaved oysters are not my thing. Actually not fair to the oysters who sacrificed their lives either! :-( Really a dive, and not the good kind either. Staff was less than enthusiastic and just seemed to have dreams that were never realized; probably died after eating nuked oyster. I was not recommended to this spot, but saw en route to Florida A & M's campus. My thought pattern was "I am in Florida, so how bad could it be". Even called ahead and was told that they were gulf oysters - yea! And I am sure they would've been tasty if steamed per usual or even raw. They cocktail sauce was the only saving grace. Will make sure that I go to Birds, as was heavily recommended but unfortunately closed on Sunday & Mondays. #lessonlearned read more

A small, basic building with a lot of history behind it. Come early as parking is a challenge and bring cash, as they take no other forms of payment. Details aside, the food is extremely reasonable and quantities are large for the price. I have not tried everything, but I have had their raw oysters and many of their fried items (which is the majority of the menu). The fried items can't be cooked any better. The seafood is cooked to perfection and the oil must be changed frequently as the breading is always light in color and clean tasting. Their cocktail sauce seems to be their own blend / recipe (though not confirmed) and it is delicious. This is a must-try establishment is you ave never been before. read more

Old school oyster shack that has been a Tallahassee staple. Upon walking up to the building I was greeted by the cook I'm guessing who made me feel welcomed. As I entered the hall before the dining room. In this area are pictures of the old Shells which I remember from college, area colleges paraphernalia and other information related to the history of the place. I was greeted with smiles and open conversation in the dining room area. This is not your high end restaurant so don't expect it. It is a down home family run place. Unlike your usual oyster restaurant where your oysters come out on ice with lemon, mignonette, cocktail and horseradish these simply hit the table on a plate or lunch counter tray. You will find Shells' homemade cocktail and tartar sauces and hot sauce (crystal) on the table. The oysters were fresh, meaty and delicious also the are already loose so after adding the condiment for your choice you can just suck them from their shell. Um um good. I simply dressed mine with hot sauce and a little cocktail. No need for lemon or anything else. During this trip I also had the fried shrimp lunch with three bean salad and cheese grits. Yes I love grits. The salad was tangy and a welcomed side to all of the fried items. The shrimp were fresh and lightly breaded to allow their sweetness to be the highlight. read more

Shell Oyster Bar - Shrimp lunch special ( shrimp, cheese grits, hush puppies and bean salad - Seafood Near Me - Tallahassee, Florida

Doesn't look like much but it's great, fast, fried, fresh seafood. Typical southern seafood. The shrimp could have been cooked a bit more but still great. It's ice tea land, all good. You're all sitting on top of each other and you better get there early for a seat or you'll be standing around for a long time. I've been there and left when we couldn't get there soon enough. You get what you pay for, reasonably priced. If you want upscaled,move on. It closes soon after lunchtime. It's Cash Only; you've been forewarned. It's a must do for fresh fried seafood in TallahasseeFL if you're not wanting to go to Wakulla County, home of the best seafood restaurants in this area of Florida ‍ read more