My friend invited me here because she knows I love oysters. We got a bucket which has about 30 oysters. It was delicious. The oysters are meaty and fresh. I had it raw bc I don't like them steamed. It comes with horseradish which is not creamy. It has a pickled consistency which I really liked. I tried their gumbo and was spicy, had crab and shrimp in it. I love it too. My friend had the New England cream chowder and she liked it. The customer service was great. I saw lots of locals in the bar. You'll like this place specially if you're a Gator fan. I'll be back soon for some more tasty oysters. read more

This is the 'cheers' of all of Orlando. No tourist crap. Great food, great people, cold beer. Get the oysters!

I was CRAVING some good oysters, and BOY DID I GET SOME GOOD OYSTERS. By far, one of the best I've ever had and for SUCH a reasonable price! Since covid, I've been hesitant on getting oysters, especially to-go, but I got lucky and a shipment came the same day I ordered, it was so fresh and delicious! I have to say, the only thing I regret is not getting another dozen of oysters! & I believe it was the owner I was talking to, so friendly and accommodating! With everything going on in the world right now, we need more people like him! Overall such a good experience. A hidden gem for sure! read more

Thirsty Gator - Oysters - Dive Bars Near Me - Winter Park, Florida

the thirsty gator's been a stall worth of east orlando for decades. a dive bar for sure with friendly and attentive staff. stop in and you'll be pleasantly surprised. read more

Can you say oysters? What a great little dive. Cheap ice cold beer and freshly shucked oysters served with a sleeve of saltines at a reasonable price. The sides aren't phenomenal but it's a great little place to pop in and grab some oysters or watch a football game. read more

Thirsty Gator - Dive Bars Near Me - Winter Park, Florida

Decided to check this place out on a Tuesday night around 10pm. The place is kind of easy to miss as the complex isn't very well lit. When we walked in it was dead silent, no music playing with maybe 5 other people inside. Since they advertised oysters so much I decided to go with a dozen steamed oysters and a 1/4 lb of gulf shrimp. The oysters came out in a reasonable time and were shucked in front of me. They tasted okay, nothing really notable. Same goes for the shrimp, i received about 7 pieces for the 1/4 lb order. There are pool tables inside and a jukebox where you can pick your songs, but if no money is put it then it is just dead silent which makes it kind of awkward. I would suggest at least putting some kind of music on when the jukebox is not in use. The decor was also pretty awful, it felt like the kind of place you would see on bar rescue....before it's rescued. They do have a long list of bottled beer selections but it is almost all domestics (ie. coors lite, bud lite, Michelob lite, Budweiser, etc). Overall I'd give it a borderline 3 which is almost generous. Probably not something worth going back to unless they have some kind of food or drinks specials in the future. read more

Thirsty Gator - Dive Bars Near Me - Winter Park, Florida

Good place to meet and talk with friends and family. They were out of most of the things I wanted when I got there and so ended up grabbing some shrimp, but I've heard very good things about the food when it is available. The fact that they were out just goes to show how popular it is. I'll be going there again in the future to try and have their clams when they have them, but I was disappointed which is why I took a star. My brothers like the place a lot. There's a dart board there which was constantly busy. The bartender was a sweet heart who gave us Hershey's kisses with the bill. Support this business : ) read more

Amazing fresh shucked oysters Friendly owner and staff. Have several options for sandwiches and sides. They only serve bottled beer. Several tv's to watch sports. read more

Friendly and dedicated staff with oysters to beat the band. We'll always be regulars here. The oysters are fresh and affordable and the atmosphere is relaxed and so friendly. read more

Thirsty Gator - Gator fans celebrating great oysters and a new student. - Dive Bars Near Me - Winter Park, Florida

Great place to watch the Gators. Cold beer. Good sandwiches. Great crab legs and raw oysters shucked to order. Love Tim and the gang.

Best place for burgers,beer and oysters people are friendly staff is excellent price is great

Great bar and the best oysters in town. The staff is awesome too, they remember me everything I fly home because this is me and my sister's first stop when I'm in Orlando. My family and friends often meet us there for a quick game of pool or just to listen to music. We don't watch football there cause we are Seminole fans but we still get a very warm welcome in our "rival" bar. I'm going back to try the rock shrimp, maybe this will be my hangout before I head back to the desert who knows? read more

Never previously been here before, so my friend told me to follow behind him to the location. When he turned into the plaza, I thought he was going to mug and rob me.. it seemed shady with people hanging outside in front of the businesses.. lol. But honestly it wasn't that bad. When we went inside the establishment, it was actually quite cozy. We sat at the bar and was greeted warmly by the staff, possibly the owner as well. I was here for the oysters, and boy were they oysters, rather plump and juicy on the most. And I'm not a fan of shrimp, but I tried one of my friends rock shrimp and they were actually quite tasty, not overly seasoned. They also have the TouchTunes jukebox where you can use the app and pick songs. We played a few songs while we ate and downed beers, pretty relaxing night! read more

I come here for the cold beer and oysters! The decor is all Florida Gators and a total dive. I know the parking lot is a bit sketchy but don't let it stop you from the delicious food inside! I always sit at the oyster bar and split a bucket or two of raw oysters with my husband. The staff has always been very friendly. Wednesdays they have 75 cent oysters! They do not have a fryer so the fries and wings are baked. They have electronic dart boards and a pool table. Definitely a place worth checking out if you are a seafood fan like me! read more

See all

My husband is a HUGE Gators fan and persuaded me to eat here last night. I had googled the Thirsty Gator and found out that it's been around since 1986 so I figured there must be a reason for that kind of longevity. My first impression upon walking in was - "Wow, this must be EXACTLY what it looked like in 1986." It's a dark and gloomy little place, with old looking tables and a crappy linoleum floor. Literally every surface is covered in Gators paraphernalia; I was surprised that my sandwich didn't come out on orange and blue bread. The food itself was pretty average for sports bar type fare. The menu is pretty limited so I had a hard time deciding what to order. They have a few burgers, sandwiches, wings and some seafood. Nothing fancy at all. The beer selection is quite horrific - Natty Light on draft? I ordered a chicken sandwich and ended up actually thinking it was pretty good though. Oh another thing... it is in a SUPER SHADY shopping plaza off of Goldenrod. I would definitely lock up my car and keep my eyes open if walking out of the bar late. The final verdict - good place for die-hard sports fans (especially Gators fans), not a great place for dinner. read more

Thirsty Gator - Dive Bars Near Me - Winter Park, Florida

See all

Was craving peel and eat shrimp and oysters and this place came up. Great hole in the wall local bar. Oysters were shucked right in front of me. Shrimp came out piping hot. A little under seasoned for my taste but all in all good flavor. Satisfied my craving. The only downfall was it was pretty pricey for lunch. I'd definitely hit this place up again! read more

Driven by this place at least five years, I never thought it would be my type of place, I thought it was a hole in the wall pub, but I was completely wrong the place is actually very homey family oriented,Awesome oysters,great clam chowder, Quick and prompt service, definitely will be back. read more

Came here with a group of friends simply because we wanted some Oysters. I have been to many places before with oysters but I don't know if I have ever had so many for such a good price. For $40 you get a bucket (which i believe is 3 dozen) and they are all big and juicy. I've never had rock shrimp before but they had them here so I tried them out and they were awesome! The atmosphere is pretty divey but not so much so that you wouldn't touch anything unless it came out of a bottle. It definetly has that divey bar musk smell to it. The bartender was super sweet and very attentive. I feel like this is one of those places where you can get to know the staff because they have been here for a long time. Also, for those of you who like darts, they have both the machine and real dart boards. One of the things I suppose I need to mention is the name should tell you who they root for here. It's a Gator supporters bar through and through. Blue and orange are all over the place and some of the stuff they have hanging around is pretty funny, like the tarpon painted in Gators colors or the ok painting of the gator surfing saying "Radical" or something equally funny. Overall, I can't believe I never came here until recently. This place is a gem and a staple of Orlando. Check it out if you love oysters! read more

This is the ultimate hole in the wall! The oysters are absolutely delicious, I have to say the best I've had!

Awesome find! Looks like a dump bar but it's fresh raw heaven! It's beer and wine only so turns out it's not a dumpy bar at all (maybe it's the sign?). This place rocks! $15 for a dozen fresh juicy huge oysters... whaaaaa? Yup! AND it's beer and wine only so it's not packed with drunk people... it's packed with oyster and steamer people! Also huge pleasant surprise they don't give you those damn individually wrapped crackers. Everyone gets a fresh entire NEW package of saltines. read more

See all

My boyfriend lives just down the street and has for like 15 years. He's only been here once so we gave it a try! Cute little dive bar type; UF gators themed so if you're a fan I'm sure it's a great place to watch the game. The oysters were excellent, not too huge which I hate cuz I can't swallow them whole but they were definitely good. I also ordered a small cup of clam chowder which was also quite delicious. I didn't care too much for the friend fish sandwich, I think it was the bread and tartar sauce. They have a pool table and darts too which is always a must for a bar in my opinion. What they really need to work on is their curb appeal. It's been there a long time according to my roommates mom, but it doesn't look so appealing from the outside. Not even sure if the sign works entirely. If they make the place look more appealing I imagine they could bring in more folks. I came here by word of mouth. Glad to know there's a place not far for some good oysters. read more

See all

Went with a group of 4 ladies for lunch and we had a great time! Great service (Deb) and really tasty food. Fun place!

This place leaves the pretension at home. If you are looking for something fancy I suggest you go elsewhere. This place is all about its oysters and beer. While the decor is old, worn, and outdated, it is clean. When you enter you are greeted by the waitress as you would be greeted into her home. It is all smiles and treated like you are part of the family. It seems like this is a popular place for their regulars. But even the regulars were still friendly to us newbies. Oh did I mention the oysters were good? We came for the oysters (unfortunately there are not many affordable oyster bars anymore) and were pleasantly surprised with other menu items. The rock shrimp were cooked and seasoned perfectly. They serve them peel and eat so you have to work to get at your food a bit (unlike how they are split for you at some other joints). Once you get to that shrimp though, it is well worth it. Wings were cooked and seasoned perfectly. I think they were fried. Just the right size and lots of flavor. SEC channel on TV. This is gator country. Keep that in mind if that sort of thing bothers you. As for beer - don't look for craft beer here.But I guess you don't have to drink fancy beer every time you go out :) read more

See all

I feel bad for the review from Chicago that missed out on the food.. poor decision with the gas station nuts! The oysters are fresh, the burgers are delicious and the beer is cheap. The owner and servers are incredibly friendly and they are passionate about their Gators! The atmosphere is that of your local neighborhood pub. Everyone crowds the bar for game day and its always a good time. The place is a bit run down but those who frequent there do not seem to hold high standards. I do wish it was in a better part of town but its a convenient drive and always my first choice for oysters. read more

Honestly, I was a bit terrified to dine here because it's situated in such a sketchy area. The restaurant it self is a bit shabby and unpleasantly dim. Nonetheless, the food was absolutely sensational! Oysters were juicy, plump, fresh, and very decently priced. The wings were freshly baked, perfectly seasoned, and absolutely scrumptious. I also posted a photo that my friend Crystal took of the oysters and wings. By far, one of my favorite places in Orlando to go for oysters and wings. read more

Thirsty Gator - Dive Bars Near Me - Winter Park, Florida

Best place in Orlando for rock shrimp. They don't always have them so call ahead of time. Nice engaging owner. Always clean.

First I'd like to say that I love Thirsty Gator. The food there is phenomenal - particularly the Oysters and Rock Shrimp. Everything is cooked fresh. The prices are super fair. And the service is impeccable. But here's why I give it 3-stars. I think the owner needs to wake up and really invest in the place. The inside is really shabby - well below dive bar status. The TV's are old. The place looks dirty. The blinds are broken. It's really dark and dank. There is zero atmosphere. While the location is safe, there's nothing on the inside or outside to attract you in or get you to stay after you've had your food & beer. Personally I am not into Football but I like the food, which is why we keep going. But as a place to hang with friends, I wouldn't go there as it's just shabby. The place needs to be cleaned. Signs updated. Insides given a rethink. Maybe the owner should consider calling in Bar Rescue...I would hate to see this place go. But I can't imagine unless the owner really makes a commitment at attracting younger folk like me in, it will die. Seems a shame with all the students living near by. The area is in transition but the lack of the ownership's desire to move forward will hold this place - and his profits - back. read more

My husband and I were looking for a place to sit and eat some fresh oysters like back in the old Orlando days where there was an oyster bar on every corner... Looked on yelp and saw lee and ricks and then the thirsty gator popped up. Most of reviews stated how great the oysters were but that is seemed like a scary area . We decided to take a chance were delighted to find this hidden gem!! We walk in and there it was just the good old days in Orlando a bar with a oyster trough at the base buckets of beer on ice ! We were in heaven! Lisa the waitress asked us what kind of beer we wanted , I comically said kona big wave and she kind of laughed probably thinking " where does this girl think she is" I had a corona light and it was ice cold and delicious!! Tim the owner was at the bar shucking the oysters along side his employees! He was a friendly guy and gives off a genuine kindness that you don't see too often in locally owned bars anymore. We got a bucket of oysters steamed they were from appalachiacola ( Tim brings them in fresh more than 3 times a week) what we loved is that a soon as you order they give you your pack of saltines , multiple hot sauces , a serving of delicious horseradish and cocktail then they shuck the oysters right in front of you!! They have a special a couple nights a week where they are 75 cents an oyster. We also had some wings which were good . Talking to some of the other patrons who stated the rock shrimp and burgers were awesome. What we found pretty cool was that a lot of the patrons had been coming for oysters for many years! This will now be our go to place for oysters ! Don't read the old reviews that say it is not clean or that it is in a scary area. I have lived in Orlando my whole life and didn't feel scared at all. Go eat some oysters you will not be dissapointed!! read more

Thirsty Gator - Best oysters in Orlando!! - Dive Bars Near Me - Winter Park, Florida

See all

Ive been to alot of Oyster bars and this place is by far the best! The oysters, clams, rock shrimp are the best! Its also like the only place in orlando to get rock shrimp! On Wednesday nights there is trivia night which is free to play. It is totally different from other trivia nights being not alot of bar trivia but more intellectual stuff which is great because I dont have a clue about pop culture which when there are those questions I end up guessing pretty good. Anyways I totally reccomend this place its the best hidden secret of Orlando! And the staff of Gators is just awesome!!! read more

If you want oysters this is the place to go. If there are good oysters available, they will have them. Someone said dingy. No way! That is called charm and comfortable homey ambiance. All sports fans are welcomed there, although I get the impression they favor the Florida Gators. I love to go there, blow up the juke box, down some pitcher and gorge on oysters. They always welcome guests with a smile and thank you on the way out. If you go any place else for oysters , you are making a mistake. If they have rock shrimp, then it is your lucky day. read more

Great place with great wing and oysters and shrimp and all kinds of good drinks. Been coming here for 20 years

Was alittle afraid to go inside due to the location but tried it one afternoon and found that the rock shrimp is out of this world. Fresh oysters and clam chowder are a big hit too! I'm not a big bar person so I get my orders to go but the bartender Lisa and the owner are really nice people. Don't pass this place up if your in the neighborhood. read more

Great place to eat. Super friendly, beer was ice cold and oysters were great. We also enjoyed the nachos and Philly cheesesteak. It was our first visit and we will definitely return. read more

Have been going here for over 10 years and it used to be the absolute best place to get oysters (I used to tell everyone to go there) but the last few times have been awful and tonight was so bad that I just won't ever be back again (and my stomach is so upset I am laying with a heating pad to try to help with the cramps). I will say the Rock Shrimp were pretty good but the clam chowder was just ok... it had maybe 3 tiny pieces of clams and it looked like canned crab added in it. Very sad this place has done to trash. read more

If ice cold beer and oysters are what you're after, then this place is for you. Oysters are freshly shucked in front of you with a smile. Great service and an all around good neighborhood bar. read more

Like every time I have been here the place is amazing!!! When I first moved to Florida from Wisconsin I googled a place to eat and I have been blessed to find this place. The owner is friendly and caring. The staff is amazing and the food is so great! Great place for football Sunday's! The environment is calming and yet fun. I recommend it 100%! read more

This place had such a cozy home, laid back feeling! Love the theme of this place and how they have pool tables and games! But, that is not the main reason why I come here! I come here for there oysters which are the best oysters I have ever had! Been to a few places after this, ordered oysters at other places, and nothing compares to the fresh delicate taste to the thirsty gator oysters! While the bartender shucks the oysters right in front of you, you can watch your favorite sports game with the multiple televisions they have around the bar! And while you're there you can enjoy a nice ice cold brew that sits in the coolest cooler called "the swamp" in the middle of the bar! Definitely going to be a regular here to get some oysters whenever I get my cravings for them! read more

One thing I miss about college life at UF was the colorful locals that would frequent the bars - ACR's we would call them, for Alachua County Residents. They were their own special breed of redneck hicks that wore their hair long, worked construction, and knew how to have a good time. Their kind could be found frequenting such Gainesville establishments as Market Street Pub, the Dugout, Round Bar, Hogan's Heros - rarely any place with a greater than 3 beer selection on tap. They never backed down from a challenge for a round of darts and frequently surprised you with their skill even while visibly drunk. If there was one ACR in the place you always knew there were more coming; they flocked like birds. Rowdy birds who chewed tobacco. I bring it up because I've discovered that the special breed of characters that were the ACR are apparently not exclusive to Alachua County. They're here, in Orlando, right down the street from UCF - congregating in a UF themed oyster pub called Thirsty Gators. God bless 'em. read more

Went for oysters. They were nicely sized and tasted fine, can't complain! Also not a bad price for Orlando. We got a dozen for about $17. My only complaint was the service. Not sure if this is such a homey bar that only regulars get good service or they expect you to yell their name if you want something...idk. But we got our tray of oysters and that was it- no napkins or plates. We weren't ever checked on. It wasn't busy but she appeared to be the only waitress. I'd typically give that a pass but there was times that she was just watching the game and she happily checked on the other people around us. We live minutes away and would've loved a cozy bar close to home. But this won't be it. read more

Visiting from California where everything is overcharged and having the oysters here was awesome! Huge oysters with great prices. We had 2 buckets. When I visit Orlando I will make sure to stop here again. Tim and Steph were great! Thank you for the great hospitality! read more