Great little local restaurant. Nice atmosphere with booths, tables and a really cool bar. We have tried most all of their menu and return as often as possible when in the area for cruising. Killer good clam chowder!!! read more

Shells of Melbourne - Award winning clam chowder... - Seafood Near Me - Melbourne, Florida

Service and food is great. Born and raised in West Melbourne I have been coming for a long time. We come for the food and service from Michelle (we call it MicShells). The new owners are great and making some great small improvements. You should check it out. read more

It had been several years since my last visit, and it will be several more (if ever) before my next visit as the food was very underwhelming and the service equally underwhelming. It wasn't very busy when I arrived, so I was seated quickly, but that's pretty much where the prompt service ended. I sat there for just shy of fifteen minutes before the server showed up to take my drink order. She returned several minutes later with the drink and to take my food order. I ordered a cup of clam chowder, the conch fritter appetizer, and the Shrimp Trio. After waiting another fifteen minutes or so after placing my order, the clam chowder arrived. The clam chowder was very good and had very good flavor. Most clam chowders are mostly potatoes and a little bit of clam. This clam chowder was mostly clams and a little bit of potato, so that was nice. Waiting for another fifteen to twenty minutes after the clam chowder arrived, the conch fritters finally arrived. This was after the server stopped at the table twice to tell me "two more minutes and your conch fritters will be ready." The portion size was great (10 fritters) and the flavor of the fritters and the dipping sauce was very good. The only complaint was they needed to be cooked just a little bit longer as the batter in the middle of each fritter was still quite gooey. Waiting another twenty minutes or so after the conch fritter arrived, the entree finally arrived. This too was after the server informed me a few times "two more minutes, two more minutes." The Shrimp Trio... I'll start with the positive part... so the portion size was good, the rice was flavorful and moist, and the steamed veg was good. But the "star of the dish," the shrimp, well... to be blunt, they were nasty. For being a seafood restaurant, the quality of their shrimp was no better than any cheap low-quality frozen shrimp you can get a Walmart. Neither of the three shrimp preparations had any flavor and the texture of all of the shrimp was very rubbery - just as you'd expect from low-quality frozen shrimp. When you consider the amount of shrimp you get in the three different preparations (about two dozen in all) and the $16.99 price of the dish - clearly, they're not using quality shrimp. So to sum it up; if you're looking for at least decent seafood, you'd be much better off driving past Shell's and going to Red Lobster located a mile to the west of Shell's. read more

Shells of Melbourne - Shrimp Trio entree - Seafood Near Me - Melbourne, Florida

It's just like every other Shell's that I've been to over the years. The service was excellent. I had the Chiopinnio Fish Stew. It was loaded with shrimp, mussels, clams, scallops, Fish and crab. The bread that was served with it was very good. My big fault with Shell's is their terrible wine selection. I'm a red wine drinker and there was not even one Malbec to select from. Their premium wines are Felltzer - not a very good choice read more

People, this place did not even meet my minimum expectations. Had many enjoyable dinners while in Melbourne, and this was by far, not enjoyable one bit. I wish I could rate 0 stars, but 1 is the minimum. The service was poor, the food lackluster. As a foodie, who enjoys a great meal, I can definitely say I will not return here again. While many of you might not agree with my honest review, I can respect that. Just not a great experience for me. Thank you. read more

Shells of Melbourne - a hand holding a carton of shells of melbourne - Seafood Near Me - Melbourne, Florida

Shells is a tried and true restaurant that is always awesome and has great service. My only suggestion is that they should go back to their old rolls. The bread they used last time I was there was basically a toasted hot dog bun read more

The Melbourne/Palm Bay area is well-known for many of its exclusive seafood eateries and restaurants. Over the past year, we've seen exponential growth in it which includes new restaurants like the Crafty Crab and the Melbourne Seafood Station. However, there is one homegrown seafood restaurant that will always have a special place for me and that is Shells of Melbourne. Located in front of Melbourne Square Mall just north of US-192 (New Haven Ave.), Shells of Melbourne (which I will simply shorthand to Shells for the remainder of this review) is, from what I remember, the first restaurant to be made in front of said mall. First established back in the 1980s, it has since become an icon among other restaurants in Melbourne/Palm Bay. Shells specializes in seafood so they currently have a theme that makes you think you are at the wharf off the pier in New England. Their menu has since been reduced to the foods that do well which in turn has sped up their process. As for their staff, they are generally accommodating and kind the many times I've been there before going to Yelp. If there are certain meals you can't go wrong with, it would easily be the calamari for appetizers, New England clam chowder for soup, crab cakes, and any of their pasta dishes. They are altogether very delicious and worth the prices given to them. Ultimately, you can't go wrong with Shells. The only reason I have given it one less star from perfect is that despite its streamlining, it still gets way too packed in which wait times can be up to 30 minutes to an hour. Also, there have been a new breed of seafood restaurants that challenge Shells and, by being unique, offer a "more worthwhile" experience. Shells may be good but its service and food is similar to Red Lobster or any other seafood restaurant of the same elk. With seafood restaurants like the Crafty Crab (crawfish and crab bakes) and the Melbourne Seafood Station (Louisiana seafood baskets), there are more options than ever before to enjoy seafood and in more ways than what Shells has been doing for more than three decades. read more

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We stopped in for dinner last night and have to admit that while the service was quite good the food was not. No doubt clam chowder has many versions but this one was so loaded with onions that it completely overwhelmed the soup. Sadly, thai version is not even close to what real New England Clam Clowder is supposed to be. We also ordered shrimp and grits and a fried seafood platter. The seafood platter was edible but over cooked. The tragedy was the shrimp and grits which was basically inedible. Again another dish so loaded with large pieces of chopped onions and sauce that was unrecognizable and had a strange taste. We asked for a side of grits in an attempt to salvage the shrimp and what was brought to the table in return was unrecognizable and gross (see photo). My question is, how did this even leave the kitchen. As it is the holidays we paid for the whole meal and just went along as we believe this was the best this kitchen could produce. Sadly, we will never return. read more

Shells of Melbourne - This is supposed be grits with shrimp and grits sauce, really!! - Seafood Near Me - Melbourne, Florida

This is my first time posting about any restaurant. We have been going to Shells for years. We take friends and family there when in town. Shells was always delicious, with fresh seafood and a very good staff. Last night we dined around 7:30 PM. We experienced long waits for service. We had to ask for everything between appetizer's and main course." Please bring our drinks, bread, soup" It was over 20 minutes after our soup was consumed when we got our dinner & my Big Easy was cold and lacked flavor, fish overcooked. We had conch fritters that were almost burnt. Portions were smaller and prices way up. The clam chowder was mostly broth and had few clams. In the past our chowder was so thick it was enough to fill you up alone. We left at nine and were very disappointed with the entire evening, don't know if we will be back. read more

We love shells... good old fashion Dining and relaxation is how I describe my experience there. Sometimes you just want to stay on the down low. Great food and great service. Seafood is excellent. read more

Use to eat at another Shells location years ago when I was younger. Took my girlfriend today who also hadn't been there in 20+ years. Food was very good, however if you are one who looks forward to an atmosphere, this appears to be original 90s. read more

Three stars instead of two because our waitress was excellent and once we got it the food was good to excellent. We ordered at 5:50. We got our food at 6:40. It wasn't as if our order was complicated. Three orders were off the Early-Bird menu. Three were clam chowder. We originally intended to have a meal then order Key Lime Pie for desserts. The super long wait when there were only a couple of other patrons in the restaurant took away our appetite for dessert. How long would it have taken them to make the pie, chill it, cut it, and serve it? Though I don't like to judge a restaurant on one visit, especially if they are crowded and busy, when there are less than a third of occupancy so each server has only two or three tables each...... Maybe we will give them another try, but this is Florida. Sea food restaurants are a dime a dozen. There better be good stuff that sets them apart from others to draw return customers. read more

The clam chowder brings me back to my childhood! Also, great service. Love dipping their bread into the clam chowder. I may have cried.

I love Shells. They are consistently good everytime I go in there. Our waitress was prompt, very kind and we never had to ask for refills on drinks. She noticed it was low and brought another one and set on the table. My other half ordered the fried snapper with fries and Cole slaw and added a side of fried shrimp, and I ordered blackened haddock with a double side of broccoli. The fried snapper is a cornmeal based not beer batter. Very light and doesn't take over the fish. The snapper portion is HUGE. The fish very light, flaky and fresh. Their French fries are very good regular fries, not coated in a batter like most restaurants now have. The blackened haddock was very flavorful as well. I love their blackening seasoning. I was trying to keep lower fat and low carb. I did see them bring out some huge grilled chicken ceasar salads that looked amazing! I'll try that next! read more

I have always loved shells. They use to have multiple locations, however a lot of them got shut down. I believe there is only two left in Florida. They have the BEST sauce for pasta my go to is the shrimp pasta. read more

We haven't been here in years and weren't sure what to expect. We were pleasantly surprised! The restaurant was clean, servers were friendly, prices were reasonable. We had the cioppino...delicious! read more

The worst service ever it all started with the waitress name Robin she saw us headed to a table and said rudely "is someone seating you" as we walked pass her yes was our response My father has to use a walker and we asked for a specific booth and YES she saw us being seated at the booth after 20 mins I had to get up to find someone to wait on us to our disappointed it was that girl Robin ugh knew we were in for a terrible service she came and said sorry but I have 9 tables now another 10 mins we finely got our drinks took our order then went to the kitchen with it others came in after she Took their orders another 20 mins after asking someone else about our order here she comes with all 3 orders so that tells us she didn't turn ours in until she took new orders Getting a refill for coke and tea was another battle she said she be right back after i watch her stop she talk and joke with 2 different tables no not do a order or give them there check with her tray under her arm other arm resting on the table dividers and was laughing Went to a second table did the same as I walked to her with our empty glasses was told I'm working on it when she finally brought our drinks the new excuse was coke machine wasn't working but how would she know she stopped to joke with people never made it there yes we watched her others customers came in had a different waitress and all had their food within a reasonable time We do not blame the kitchen for the delay of our food Been coming here for 15 + years If Robin can't handle 9 tables maybe she is in the wrong business Our .57 tip let her know how disgusting her service was Oh and my tea refill had little to no ice room temperature and she walked away so fast it wasn't worth my time to get up to correct her service again When we return WILL MAKE SURE WE DONT GET ROBIN AGAIN The 2 stars was for the poor service Food we would give 5 stars read more

I had an amazing dinner here. Im here on vacation from CT and am used to local new England clam chowder and I gotta say this is the real deal. One of the best I've ever had. I would recommend this place for sure and the baby lobster pasta was to die for. Everything was delicious!!! read more

Lovely seafood place. Quick service with some fresh bread offered. The interior is casual with both tables and booths . The decor is made up of different fish pictures on the walls and other items to make you feel ready for some good food . The lunch portions are small but filling. The peach ice tea is really good . I'm not giving it 5 stars only due to prices but definitely worth returning too read more

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Had a wonderful Happy Hour meal at Shells with my friend. We were greeted at the door and seated right away. He had blackened snapper with parsley potatoes and steamed vegetables. I opted for the Big green salad and crab cakes from the appetizer menu as my entree. The blackened snapper was seasoned just right - not too spicy or salty. And my crab cakes were full of crab with very little breading. I would suggest checking the fresh board before ordering and ask any questions for what's available. I missed seeing steamer clams availability and would have loved making a meal of these had I noticed. However, the crab cakes were very good and I have no complaints about what I finally ordered. Both meals were delicious, satisfying and served without delay. Our server Jason was attentive and and answered all our questions. And we are planning to return! Definitely recommend Shells! read more

The food at Shell in Melbourne Florida is the best seafood available in that area that I have visited while in town. My mother loves it too what is why I order food from NJ delivered to her which puts a humongous smile on her face. read more

Great service and amazing Caesar salad! Ordered shrimp for a topping, not both sides were blackened but was still delicious. Will mention next time. Perfectly priced. read more

When Shell's opened long ago I loved the place, then the quality slipped & I stayed away. I gave it another try yesterday & am pleased to say that it was very good! My only complaint is the melted "butter" that came with my perfectly cooked Dungeness crab tasted more like the stuff that theaters use on popcorn than butter. All was not lost, the butter that was in the dish that the potatoes were served in was more than adequate for the crab and did taste like actual butter. Service was friendly too! read more

in my old age, ive decided that when i go out to eat i want something i like that i cant or dont wanna cook at home....prime rib, fish, pie...u get the idea....well, we went here for fish and chips here at shells and i think theyre pretty close to perfect....crispy, cooked perfectly, very good....even the fries r good....my wife loved the cole slaw too...very reasonable prices.....try em...very nice and quiet too.... read more

It was okay. I'll go back. I wasn't 100% happy with the taste but I think I will give it another try some day. Fairly reasonable prices.

Shells is an older seafood restaurant that still serves good food. The prices are decent, too. We enjoyed our meals there on Sunday. Sure the decor is old, but that's what made it fun! Our waitress was pleasant and attentive. My husband had the Seafood pasta and the chowder! He was happy! My grilled Grouper was amazing! The side red skinned potatoes were hot and steamed along with the veggies! Very good! Also, the bread was served warm in a basket and refilled at my husbands request. Soft drinks, too! It's nice to see all the staff wearing masks and the booths separated by plexiglass. We will return! read more

Food was terrible! This restaurant needs an update to the ambiance and menu. Greasy, gross food is basically the entire menu. The French fries was the best part! read more

Amazing food and good service from the staff of this establishment the fish was fried to perfection one of my favorite restaurants

Stopped here while in the area on business. Had a great piece of fish with a choice of good side dishes. Good service, even though there was a large party, they paid attention to me, too. Will definitely be back. read more

Been a while since we have been here.WOW sadly not as good as it use to be. And prices. Cup of chower is now as much as a bowl use to be. Hubby got his beer 10 minutes before my soda showed up and only because I asked for it. Had soup and salad before my drink. The Caesar salad had enough dressing on it for 5 salads, I had to send it back. I got the Shrimp Trio and the Shrimp Scampi part was tasteless, no flavor at all ,plus they added something that left the juices brown. JUST GROSS. My husband got the MardiGraw fried special that he was NOT impressed with. We have been to Shells many time and always had good service and good food , tonight we spent over $60 with tip and feel cheated. We brought most of our food home will most likely be trashed unless hubby wants it for lunch. I won't be eating any of it. I understand prices are going up everywhere, however that shouldn't chance the taste or quality of the food. Hopefully this was just a off night for them.Will try again at some point but if things don't improve will be last chance they get read more

I am really torn between a 3 and a 4. First of all, finding good seafood in MLB is sort of tough, they all serve the same run of the mill stuff. It all depends on where and when they get the fish. So this place. When you walk in the decor is pretty much high school cafeteria adorned with lots of plastic fish. Too bright, white tiles on the ceiling, etc. Some creative lighting and such would really change the mood. Its one of those place where they seem to have trouble deciding where to seat you, and they write on a glass board with a marker to show where you are at. So you are standing there with your thumb up your you know what while they argue which of the many many seats to put you at!!! The food. Good! The clam chowder was fine. We had a very knowledgeable server (Heather maybe?) who knew what to recommend and how to get it. Both my wife and I had the grouper. I had it blackened, she had it grilled. Not much difference. The blackened needs more black! The sides, veggies and rice, were simple yet very tasty, no complaints at all! The dessert of Key Lime Pie was also very nice. In summary, I think I will be back to try some other items. But just don't expect a fancy dining experience, and ignore the tacky decor. Price is reasonable. read more

The food was delicious. We had the crab cakes for our appetizer, amazing! Our entrees came out quickly and were very tasty. I think the prices were reasonable for dinner. Our waiter was great and very attentive. read more

Shells of Melbourne - Seafood Near Me - Melbourne, Florida

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Very slow. Waited about an hour for food. I only had a salad, cup of gumbo and fried mushrooms. I felt bad for the waitress. She was a sweetheart. I'd absolutely go back though. Food was really good and homey. I liked the little spot. read more

We come to this place every time we are in Melbourne. We normally sit at the bar for better service and TV's. The bartender was awesome. Crab cakes are a must! I love their shrimp pasta. Lots and lots of shrimp and very good pasta. Husband gets the clam chowder. We just love it! read more

Scallops are allergic to me. You need to advertise scallops as a side dish to any dish you advertise. Please some dishes I would order BUT WITHOUT THE SCALLOPS. Please adjust your menu options. Thanks read more

Ordered the Seafood Pasta, dripping with oil instead of the cream sauce , the Baby Lobster pasta actually had crawfish instead of lobster, The seafood etouffee had over cooked shrimp and teensy tiny crawfish, raw celery and raw tomatoes, corn starch was definitely used not a roux. The rice was terribly undercooked. My sons chicken tender kid meal was OK, but his animal crackers were stale. Haha Its kind of funny how horrible this visit was. On a positive note, the napkins were nice and sturdy and waitress Amber was lovely. Dont visit unless you want to pay for subpar food and use sturdy napkins. Actually deserves ZERO stars. read more

What a great place to eat. I haven't had fish like that in years I'm from Massachusetts and the cod was great.

So let me start by saying if a restaurant has to say on their menu that their seafood is fresh, I am a bit wary.... But in this case they were telling the truth 100%! We had checked out the menu online ( and the Yelp reviews) and let me tell you, it was awesome! We started out sharing a bowl of Gumbo. It was rich, chocked full of chicken, sausage and shrimp. It was seasoned perfectly and was not overloaded with rice ( which I think some restaurants do to compensate for lack of other ingredients). It was served with a basket of fresh garlic toast which was grilled and the perfect combo of soft and crispy! For main dishes we ordered the Jambalaya and asked for it over pasta rather than rice which they gladly accommodated with a small up charge, and their Monday night special- fish fry, which was catfish. There was a 1/2 lb and full pound option- we opted for 1/2 lb and were surprised by how much food we received. The Jambalaya was chocked full of crawfish, shrimp, chicken and sausage along with perfectly sautéed onions, celery and tomatoes. The seasoning was spot on and the pasta was perfectly cooked. It was so apparent it was cooked to order. The fish fry catfish meal was heavenly- at least 8-10 strips of catfish breaded lightly with cornmeal and fried crispy but not over cooked. It was served with two flavorful perfect hush puppies, a mound of fries, tartar sauce and a side of coleslaw with a nice surprise ingredient---mandarin oranges. It was heavenly! I don't know when we will be back in Melbourne but when we are, we will definitely be eating at Shells! read more

The clam chowder soup is delicious!!! Pasta is really good too, they also give you complimentary garlic bread and it's delicious dipped into the soup!!! read more

Amazing food friendly service and a sweet little restaurant. Lobster and shrimp pasta is a favorite!