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    The Half Shell

    4.4 (801 reviews)
    Closed 5:00 pm - 9:30 PM

    The Half Shell Photos

    Business Info

    THE HALF SHELL ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Outdoor seating
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - The Half Shell

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    Melissa I.

    Very family friendly. Instead of crayons, they hand out sticky sticks to create figures and objects with. The bathrooms are singles, so makes it much easier to contain littles. Had the open face tuna tacos, the flounder special, and chicken tenders. The open face tacos were not easy to eat but delicious. The flounder was really yummy. And our son loved the chicken tenders with fries. Def recommend

    The half shell shot (tequila one) upgraded to Don Julio
    Elizabeth D.

    I had the triple tail crab crusted it was excellent. Also the green beans wrapped in bacon were awesome

    Broiled oysters
    Josh W.

    I found this little gem while walking around the area looking for a good dinner spot. I liked the look of it and thought it'd be good to try. Sometimes your gut tells you right and this was certainly the case. The service was excellent, the food was very tasty, and the ambiance was pretty relaxed. Our server Alie was very friendly and knowledgeable. The place has a somewhat divey local feel which we really liked. Here's what we got: -Line 39 Pinot Noir -Sweetwater 420 -Lemon and garlic oysters (broiled) -Mandarin orange and strawberry salad, poppy seed vinaigrette -Blackened mahi w/ sautéed vegetables -Grilled flounder special sautéed vegetables, sweet potato fries. We didn't wait long at all before everything was ready. My lady's really enjoyed the oysters and her salad. My lady's mom liked her flounder too. And overall, everything was very nicely priced. I could see stopping by here again.

    Sami G.

    This place is a must stop when I visits SSI!! They have the best food and the best staff around. I absolutely love fresh oysters and these did not disappoint. We also had the burger, massive beer battered onion rings, salad and bacon wrapped asparagus. The onion rings were outstanding. This place is such a comfortable cozy place and we had a great booth. I truly love going there. Def recommend!!

    Chicken tenders and fries from the kids menu
    Jade C.

    Came to SSI for a few days and ended up coming back here twice. Food was phenomenal. A little bit of a wait on Saturday night but we went right in on Sunday evening since it was raining. Apps: Oysters and shrimps were fresh. (Pic not taken but the calamari was so tasty too) The oyster shooters (my first time ever having one) is very reasonably priced and an experience! All the entrees came out fresh, fishes were cooked perfectly. The bacon wrapped green beans are to die for, a little bit of sweet with the savory, and I didn't feel guilty eating the whole batch because they're GREEN BEANS. Lastly, the butter cake? It sent me to heaven with each bite. If I ever came back to St. Simons again, (besides the beach), this would be my first spot to visit.

    Sandra F.

    My fiancée picked this spot for us to dine in for dinner. It has a divey feel with a great selection of seafood. Both drink and food menus are very reasonable with pricing. We ordered: Drinks: -Line 39 Pinot Noir -Sweetwater 420 Dinner: -Lemon and garlic oysters (broiled) -Mandarin orange and strawberry salad, poppy seed vinaigrette -Blackened mahi w/ sautéed vegetables --Grilled flounder special sautéed vegetables, sweet potatoe fries. We didn't have to wait long for our meals. They came out right away. I really enjoyed my salad and oysters. The oysters were not greasy or had too much butter. I loved the dressing that came with my salad. On the other hand, My fiancée and my mom liked their meal but thought it was a bit bland and could use some seasoning. Overall the experience was good and the service was great. Alie was our server and was really nice and very attentive. There are so many seafood places in the area. Not my favorite, But I thought they were fair.

    Guerry N.

    "We absolutely love The Half Shell on St. Simons Island and dine there almost every weekend with our dog, Anna Belle. The relaxed, coastal atmosphere and friendly staff make it feel like our home away from home, and they are always so welcoming to us on the patio. The seafood is consistently fresh and delicious, from the oysters to the daily specials, and the cocktails are always spot on. It's the perfect spot to unwind, people‑watch near the village and pier, and enjoy a great meal with our pup by our side. We recommend The Half Shell to anyone looking for a laid‑back, local favorite on St. Simons Island.

    Gluten free menu

    Gluten free menu! Everything was very delicious and our server was very friendly! Highly recommend the crab bisque!

    Blackened shrimp with grits
    Anngie S.

    The ambiance was good, the service was great.. so nice, polite. I would give the decor/vibe/service 5/5.. The food was the disappointment honestly... it all lacked flavor. The shrimp and grits were good but had so many green peppers m, they were the feature in the dish... the Mahi was blackened but again lacked any flavor at all, none. The grits as a side tasted like thick mush/cream of wheat more than grits, it was sweet and so thick it took on the mild of the cup, it was in like jello-o I'd go to Porch any day for fried shrimp and grits. We were hopeful but having at add salt to everything but the salad was sad. The pictures are amazing but very deceiving.. server Jen was great though and the drinks were great too!

    Kids menu
    Kelly B.

    I found recommendations in my social media posts about this place and I as excited to try it on my first trip to St Simons. We visited the Saturday craft market located just behind the restaurant and then walked up and got seated immediately. Super cute Beach vibe and saw triple tail Fish on the board but wasn't. Instead it was flounder. No worries, the grilled flounder and delish and well sauced. Our young server was a beautiful young lady who was attentive and friendly. We could not believe how fast our food came. The shrimp came out almost instantly and our main course 15 min later. The shrimp ceviche is really like a shrimp salad -super delish! It's great for splitting between 3 people as an app. The wonton strips served alongside were a great choice. Our meal -flounder, green beans wrapped in thick bacon, and red cabbage cole slaw were exactly what we imagined. All delicious! I could not add anything more but we had a wonderful experience and cannot wait to go back. If you want a TV, then sit back n the outside patio to eat your meal. Clean bathrooms!

    Big booth inside

    My husband and I were walking around at the Vintage Market and in the parking lot next door and stopped into Half Shell as soon as it opened. The place was super clean and AC WAS AMAZING! We sat at the bar and the bartender was great (Walter needs a raise! lol) . His quick service and bubbly personality was top notch. We didn't eat much but we did order the calamari and I can say it's the best I've had. The fried cilantro takes it to the next level~ Yummy! If you visit SSI, definitely go early and get in.

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    4 months ago

    Really good food. Large portions. Walter the bartender never stops and takes good care of you. Busy place

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    3 months ago

    I've been going to the Half Shell for years My favorite. I have it 5 stars eight years ago and give it 5 stars today. That says it all.

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    8 months ago

    Great food and great service! Definitely will be coming back next time we are in town. Oysters were fresh and delicious.

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    Page 1 of 21

    Ask the Community - The Half Shell

    Do you have happy hour pricing for raw oysters?

    Apologies, but we do not offer raw oysters on Happy Hour! Our oysters are Market Price and our Happy Hour applies to alcohol, only. The oysters are still delicious, though!

    Do you have a gluten free menu?

    Not menu but there are many gluten free options. This is primary a fish shack

    Do they have Happy Hour?

    Yes. Mon - Thu 5 - 6. Fri - Sun 4 - 6.

    View All 5 Questions

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    Ziggy's - Pano view

    Ziggy's

    4.0(22 reviews)
    1.6 mi
    $$

    Been here on SSI for about 2 1/2 years and have seen this restaurant from the outside when I have…read morebeen in The Retreat Plaza shopping and decided today to give it a try. Went for lunch with my wife and found Megan our server to be very nice & helpful with menu items. My wife had the Grouper Finger Basket w/fries. The fish was cooked nicely and the shoe string fries were tasty. Comes with both tartar & cocktail sauces. I had the Gyro w/Brussel sprouts including the Thai sauce & honey sauce for dipping the sprouts on Megan's recommendation . She also recommended the pasta salad which I will try next time. Megan was spot on with dipping the sprouts in both sauces! The Gyro I had was with lamb, tomato, lettuce & tzatziki sauce. The meat was hot & veggies w/sauce were cold and was fantastic! From the ambience standpoint there weren't a lot of folks at lunch time other than those playing cards or mahjong which was about 10 people. But, there is a large bar that is fully stocked, ample high top tables for eating or drinking etc. & quite a few pool tables & video game room. My only knock is no draft beer & they serve Pepsi products. Other than those 2 items, I will come back & try dinner time as I believe the vibe will have more energy. The food again was very good and they seem to do a good take out business too. Looking forward to trying the dinner hour time frames.

    Food was decent, drinks were good, Mike behind the bar was cool, waitress wasn't very friendly…read morethough may have felt bad. Biggest issue was not getting a receipt and trying for 2 weeks to call and email to get it and no one being available for the 32 calls and no one responding to the email, and NOW I have to pay for the food out of my check instead of turning in a receipt which should have been a simple fix. Bubba's Fish Shack had better food, drinks and ambiance AND sent me the receipt while on the phone. Won't be back in any of my travels through there.

    Photos
    Ziggy's - Pano view

    Pano view

    Ziggy's - Pretzel App

    Pretzel App

    Ziggy's - Pretzel App

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    The Nest SSI - Corn crusted tuna

    The Nest SSI

    4.7(21 reviews)
    0.1 mi

    Friendly staff. Food was good. Small portions. Got the hummus plate. Only 4 triangles of pita bread…read moreand ask for 3 more slices and was charged another $3.00 but I guess that's how it goes. Small inside but very cute with outside seating.

    Second time at the Nest and I was happy to return. We started with a couple glasses of wine at…read morehappy hour and enjoyed a couple items off the menu. We ordered the flatbread pizza with pepperoni and a happy hour order of mussels. The flatbread was very good and the small order of mussels in a curry broth was fine. Nest features a number of $6 treats for happy hour and $6 drinks. We ordered more wine and a well made Old Fashioned which was nicely done with a rock and luxe cherry. We followed with the Crostini trio which had duck pancetta with orange marmalade, wagyu beef and crispy prosciutto with apple butter. The Trio was tasty and the duck was my favorite. We also ordered the Winter salad which was a small wedge with pancetta chunks and blue cheese. The salad was fine but nothing special. I wanted to order the scallops as I had them before (they were the best I've had in town) and they were outstanding, but I wanted to try something different. I ordered the Steak Frites rare and the Drunken Mussels. I have to say I am so happy that I ordered both of these dishes. The steak ftites was perfectly cooked...crispy on the outside with a nice salt and nice and tender inside. It came with fries and a chimichurri sauce. My first bite said it all...as I could not help but shake my head with satisfaction. The waitress caught my reaction and smiled as she walked on. The mussels were prepared with a hint of old Bay in a tasty broth with collard greens and andouille sausage. A slice of toasted cornbread topped it off and was an excellent addition. I'm a big fan of mussels in a traditional mirepoix broth, however, this version stole the show. I was so impressed with the mussels I would order them straight up for a first appetizer every time. Very remarkable. I would order them 10 times over. If you stop by the Nest, make sure you order the Scallops, the steak frites, and the drunken muscles. They were each head and shoulders above anything I found on Saint Simons Island and Brunswick at any other restaurant. Also, our waitress Rain was excellent as she was well-versed in the daily specials and gave us excellent service throughout. Thank you very much for an enjoyable dining experience.

    Photos
    The Nest SSI - Inside

    Inside

    The Nest SSI - Scallops on a bed of root vegetables

    Scallops on a bed of root vegetables

    The Nest SSI - Manhattan and a water

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    Manhattan and a water

    Mr Shucks Seafood - Pound cake

    Mr Shucks Seafood

    4.6(48 reviews)
    0.1 mi

    Some of the best seafood I have ever had! I came here with a…read moreparty of 4 on a Tuesday night during the fall and got sat right away, but I imagine this place is very busy in the summer. This place is a great value for all the seafood you are getting. My party of 4 split two shrimp dinners and we were all stuffed at the end, struggling to finish it all. They give you some shrimp to try when you get there which is a nice touch. It helped us figure out what we wanted. We needed up getting 1 shrimp dinners with the shrimp fried, and 1 shrimp dinner with the shrimp broiled. The fried ones were eh, not bad but nothing special. However, the broiled with butter ones were spectacular. If you don't like a TON of butter, you can ask for it on the side. We didn't know about this hack until after and I wish we had done it. Whatever you get here, you have to try the hush puppies!! The best hush puppies I've ever had. They also give you a soap bath for your hands after which is a very nice touch, as your hands get really dirty from all the butter.

    Food was good. Service....not so much. Ordered gin Martini; came in a short glass on the rocks…read more Ordered ice tea; had to ask another wait person to get it for me after ten minutes. Ordered raw oyster appetizer. Dinner came two minutes later. Had to send the dinner back to the kitchen. I wanted to rate it 2 stars but my wife said no.

    Photos
    Mr Shucks Seafood
    Mr Shucks Seafood - Blue crabs

    Blue crabs

    Mr Shucks Seafood - Steamed oysters with shuck sauce

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    Steamed oysters with shuck sauce

    The Half Shell - seafood - Updated May 2026

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