Best seafood restaurant. I have eat at since moving back to Pennsylvania. Great wait staff.

Youell's Oyster House is a seafood restaurant located on Walnut St. in Allentown. It's open Monday through Friday, 11 AM - 8:30 PM, Saturday, 11 AM - 9 PM, and Sunday, 11 AM - 8 PM. My friends and I had a reservation last Thursday at 6:15. We were warmly welcomed by the hostess upon arrival and promptly seated at our table. For appetizers, we shared the coconut shrimp, fried calamari, bacon wrapped scallops, and a crab cake. While everything was enjoyable, the standout was definitely the scallops. The bacon was perfectly crisp, the scallops tender and well-cooked, and the accompanying raspberry chipotle compote added a sweet and smoky touch. For my main course, I had the half pound lobster roll, tossed in rich brown butter and served on a perfectly toasted brioche bun. It was absolutely outstanding! I'd come back to Yoell's just for this. My buddy went with the surf & turf, which includes an 8 oz filet mignon, a 4 oz lobster tail, and jumbo lump crabmeat. Definitely a great choice, he was more than satisfied! The service wasn't terrible, but it was surely disappointing. Our server lacked friendliness and any sense of personality. read more

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Used to go here frequently with coworkers years ago. Always thought it was very good. Now it's not as good as overpriced. Had shrimp cocktail to start & it was good. I had the Seafood Fra Diavalo and while it was good, it wasn't worth paying double what I have had it for at other restaurants. Friend with me had the Broiled Seafood and thought it was below average. Said the haddock was flacked into small pieces and not very good. Service was okay, but the waitress seemed to have an attitude. I think she thought she was at an upscale NY restaurant and it's far from that. Two of us each had a beer, one Shrimp Cocktail for the table and two dinners & the bill with the tip was $150. Wow. read more

Youell's Oyster House - Seafood Fra Diablo - Seafood Near Me - Allentown, Pennsylvania

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This is fine dining in an open, casual space with a large bar, and second floor seating. Thanks to the kindness, professionalism, and timeliness of Molly, our server, we had one amazing evening of food and drink. My girlfriend loved her mango mojito and my Ketel One vodka martini with blue cheese olives truly satisfied. We began with hearty house salads (spring mix) complet with in-house prepared croutons. I indulged in a healthy plate of oysters Rockefeller to start while my girlfriend had one amazing French onion soup. I got a seafood combo that included perfectly cooked sole along with a delicious lobster tail and shrimp, and the scallops were tender and tasty. I even loved the mixed vegetables. We also had some outrageous asparagus on the side. We cannot wait to relive the experience. read more

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Worst food ever. Food came out smelling rancid like ammonia. Sent it back. Got another dish in its place. My guest said it tasted like garbage. We paid what we had to even after complaining about our meals there was no compensation. Do NOT go here unless you want to end up in the hospital. I'd give zero stars or negative stars if I could. read more

My parents and I wanted to try Jules oyster House for sometime now. We usually go to Henrys. We wanted to see if there was an early evening reservation the day before and there was and it was easy to make an online reservation. I always appreciate online reservations. It was a little hard to find parking as there's no parking lot but no problem now we know what to expect inside the restaurant is very beautiful and a nice ambience. It's a little laid-back and you could wear something casual, which is very nice. Our server was amazing and she took great care of us from the moment that we sat till the moment that we left. We had the crab dip, lobster tail, and halibut. Everything was so fresh and amazing. We will definitely come back again sometime soon. Highly recommend. read more

Youell's Oyster House - Halibut special - Seafood Near Me - Allentown, Pennsylvania

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My friend and I loved the drinks here and the oysters were okay but my friend and I didn't know about the non-happy hour oysters beforehand either. Maybe I just prefer cooked oysters more, which would be the Rockefeller on the happy hour menu. It was a long time since I had raw and it was nice to reminisce. We weren't very hungry so we did not try anything else. Service here is superb. Please note that the happy hour can only be done at the bar- that is the first time I can remember running into something like that but they do state that on their menu clearly. read more

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Best seafood in the area, hands down! Their happy hour is top notch and the service is impeccable!

Everything about this experience was top shelf, start to finish. The 4 of us had different entrees and none of us had a single complaint. read more

Youell's Oyster House - Seafood Broiled Seafood Combo #2 - Seafood Near Me - Allentown, Pennsylvania

Took hubs here for his 60th birthday. All the years I lived in Lehigh Valley we never tried it. I am sorry I waited so long. Was a nice better dining with a casual atmosphere restaurant. The food was really good. I can't say enough about the crabcake I had. I grew up southern York County traveling to Maryland for crabs/crabcakes on the Eastern Shore so I have pretty high expectations. This was right up there with those. It was so delicious, full of lump crab meat. I had the surf and turf. My fillet was cooked perfectly very tasty, very tender. The lobster tail was delicious. The crabcake again was amazing. Cheddar mashed potatoes great and the asparagus was very delicious. Nice stalks not thin and limp and they were cooked the perfection. I had a bowl of crab bisque which was very tasty. Hubs had the seafood broil combination with the lobster tail that he upgraded for the bigger tail, shrimp, scallops, and lump crab meat. His meal was excellent. He started with a shrimp cocktail, which was good as well. I took some tiramisu home with me. Was absolutely delicious. Did I mention my espresso martini? - was great! They have a large selection of oysters, clams muscles. All of the servers were very well educated on what they have. You can easily have a conversation with one another. There is a bar area where you can sit at high top tables as well. They do take reservations and I recommend it. The parking is all on street parking so brush up on your parallel parking skills. Price point was what I would expect for a higher end seafood restaurant. Overall, we had a great time and a great meal. Great place for date night, celebration, or just a treat. read more

Youell's Oyster House - Surf & turf - Seafood Near Me - Allentown, Pennsylvania

$48 for a lobster roll on an extremely greasy roll that was fried like Texas toast. Came with a tiny dish of Cole slaw and a meager serving of fries. Calamari was decent. No drinks. No extras. And it still came to $80. Way over priced and greasy. read more

Over every single thing about this place but the highlight is absolutely the crab cakes; they are exceptional. Also loved the coleslaw but if there is any miss it's the fries; they need some elevating. The crab cakes are so delicious that you will not be bothered to even worry about the fries. My husband ordered the crab cake sandwich which is the same as the crab cake entree minus the aioli. I wish we would have tried one of the soups but hope to return before having to leave. What a special delight and hidden gem in a tucked away neighborhood! Music was discreetly playing, the lunch crowd is decidedly older and the dress is casual but don't be mistaken, the food is chef's kiss! read more

Youell's Oyster House - Tuna tartare - Seafood Near Me - Allentown, Pennsylvania

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Ashamed to say we were First timers. Can't believe we've been so close and have been missing out on this gem. It hits you as soon as you walk up to this beautiful tucked away structure. Then as you walk in the ambience washes over you and the incredible aromas from the kitchen start the salivating. Greeted by charming hostess and we are introduced to our very welcoming waiter, Cody, who starts our journey with delightful cocktails and just amazing entrees. The seafood goes on forever. One bite better than the next. So delicious. Almost three hours later we leave completely satiated and smiling ear to ear. We will see you all soon read more

Unfortunately, Youell's was a pretty major swing and a miss for us. I was so excited about the seafood combo platter and upgraded to the Brazilian lobster tail--a major splurge I very rarely do, but it was a special occasion. The lobster came out so tough and with such a strange (almost plasticky burnt) taste to it that it was inedible. I've never had lobster that tasted like that. They serve it with a melted brown butter which sounds good in theory, but it was insanely salty. The shrimp and scallops on the platter were fine, but the lump crab tasted similarly a bit off. I left most everything on the plate. To our server's credit, she offered us a slice of the blueberry carrot cake to go, which was fantastic and which I do recommend. And we did enjoy some of the apps, such as the wedge salad, oysters rockefeller, and shrimp cocktail. Good, not amazing. Service overall was friendly and prompt. Maybe it was an off night, but considering the price to quality ratio we experienced (my entree alone was over $60), I doubt we'll be back. read more

Worst seafood restaurant we've ever been to. We moved to philly from the city & we're visiting our alma mater. We couldn't have been more disappointed. And the owner was despondent - acting like it was us. This place needs an overhaul. Do not go here. read more

Was disappointed by the lunch I had Clam chowder was barely hot do to serving it in a cold crock it came in...( warm up the crocks please!) that's an easy fix. The soup was just ok, not many clams etc. I ordered fish and chip and I have had A LOT BETTER! Lots of batter and not much in the way of cod. Wouldn't go back-pricey for what I got. Have had much better!!!!!! read more

Returned to Youell's for more of their wonderful seafood. The restaurant has a nice atmosphere although a little loud. Our waiter was very friendly and attentive, checked on us regularly to make sure we were doing well. I ordered the Scallop special with cheesy risotto and blanched spinach sides. My wife got the lump Crab meat with roasted red potatoes and roasted vegetables for sides. The waiter brought our meals hot out of the kitchen and they were prepared great and tasted delicious. We were very pleased and we'll be back. read more

Youell's Oyster House - Scallops w/risotto & spinach - Seafood Near Me - Allentown, Pennsylvania

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I love the food quality and service was amazing. The employees were professional and knowledgeable

In hindsight this place was 1 star and I would not recommend it. You are better driving to a location where the fish will be fresher, and cooked better. read more

Our dinner was excellent as was our server. I had to laugh that they ask if you're celebrating anything but pretty much don't do anything about it. But I would go back for the food. read more

We got the seafood tower & it was so fresh! The oyster & shrimps were my fav! I don't eat oysters often but these were good & I'm sucker for cocktail shrimp. Pricing is fair. Very chill casual ambiance. Bartender was nice & gave us recommendations for cocktails/let us try some beer. read more

Youell's Oyster House - Seafood tower - Seafood Near Me - Allentown, Pennsylvania

Wow, what a crustacean celebration! We wrangled the whole clan to celebrate the in-laws' 40th, and this place didn't just deliver--it served up an aquatic extravaganza fit for Poseidon himself! To start, the chowders and clams casino were like Neptune's kisses--smooth and tantalizing. Then came the tidal wave of seafood: lobster tails, mussels, scallops, crab legs (break out the tools!), crab cakes, and shrimp every which way (fried and broiled like they were having an identity crisis). The drinks? As lively as a school of tipsy fish. Bourbon smashes hit the spot, pear martinis sparkled like a mermaid's treasure, and the blackberry margarita was a sweet tsunami. The gin and tonics were as crisp as a salty sea breeze, and don't get me started on the fully loaded Bloody Mary--it was more loaded than a sunken pirate ship! The kids weren't left out either--thank Poseidon again for the kids' meals and those glorious bowls of ice cream for dessert. They were happier than seagulls with a stolen french fry. Overall, a voyage worth taking. The service was top notch and our table in the corner was perfect for our crazy crew. read more

My husband and I visit youells about once a month. It is our go-to for fresh delicious seafood which we have really enjoy. Our visit of November 9th was a bit different. Our server Patrick was outstanding. The food just didn't live up to the standards that we're used to at Youells . I always get the deep fried crab cake and a green salad. The crab cake was very dry and tasted like it sat awhile. We will return because we love this restaurant and maybe they just had a bad night but for $145 meal will give it one more chance. Thank you read more

Based on our past experiences at Youell's I would say I was never impressed since after the fire. I loved the triple soft shell crab offering before the place burned down. Last night we gave it another try and can I tell you that everything was so delicious, we left not one leftover! The scallops in bacon were perfectly done and so sweet. Of course the oysters are always clean and refreshing. Cocktails too yum! read more

We had the create your own seafood fest - seafood was fresh and enjoyable. Our server, Chase was knowledgeable and attentive. The atmosphere is casual and loud. I was definitely happy that I brought a sweatshirt- it was freezing inside. read more

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Miserable bartenders food was so-so ambiance a 4 We've gone here for years and it has been going downhill. Sad for us because we would do all of our special days here. We won't return. read more

This is an old home that was turn into a restaurant. Service is great. People are friendly ambience very casual. You can still hear a conversation. Food was great. This is the second time I go and it hasn't disappoint. This is a place I can go back to and the drinks were phenomenal. I forgot to take pictures of our meal, but you can't go wrong. Whatever you pick. read more

Our meal was very good. Our server,Alex was knowledgeable and very attentive. I would definitely recommend Youell's. We visited on Sunday afternoon to celebrate our anniversary. Looking forward to going back! read more

This was literally one of the best meals I've had in my life. Started with delicious French onion soup. Then lump crab for me, scampi for my friend, and seafood tower for my husband. We cannot get seafood like this where we live, and we were absolutely blown away by the freshness and quality of our dishes. We then shared a lovely creme brulee. I also had a cocktail that was a gin and pear combination, and was very delicious and refreshing. And did I mention that we showed up 30 minutes early for our reservation, AND with an extra person? No problem for the lovely hostess, who quickly accommodated us. I highly recommend Youell's if you are anywhere near Allentown. People have mentioned parking issues, we had no trouble at all finding a space half a block from the restaurant, despite driving an oversize pickup truck. read more

Excellent! Food & real service! I would recommend this restaurant for its atmosphere with outstanding dining experience! read more

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Was there this past Sunday with friends. We arrived much earlier than our 6:30 reservation and were content on sitting at the bar until our table was ready. They were able to seat us right away. No wait. We had a feast! 3 dozen oysters that were fresh, cold and delicious. Soups were awesome. Their crab cake is all crab meat. No filler. None. What a treat. The other dishes were equally sensational. Our waiter was attentive and friendly. The hostess was very hospitable. The blueberry carrort cake was to die for. I mean, overall, how anyone can give this establishment anything less than 4 starts is beyond me. This is no Red Lobster. Quality ingredients, cooked perfectly, and served with a smile. It was simply wonderful. read more

We try to get there at least every month or every other month specifically for their South African lobster. We found out now that they don't carry it anymore so we got the Brazilian lobster. It was horrible. Tasteless don't waste your money on that one. We had a table of four and the cocktails were really weak. Our waiter didn't have a whole lot of personality. We hardly ever saw him. It will be a while till we try it again. read more

What a gem! The restaurant is in the middle of a residential area, which if I lived in, I'd eat here daily! Catherine, is an absolute superstar, who provided the most amazing service. We had mussels and coconut shrimp as starters, both of which were really good. The warm bread served next was good, BUT the brown butter which is kept warm by candle was good enough to drink! The butter elevated the bread, and elevated everything in our entree's! I mean EVERYTHING, trust me, I put it on EVERYTHING! Entrees we're incredible! The brown butter upside down cake that we shared for dessert...phenomenal! I can't wait to get home, and have the blueberry carrot cake that we ordered to go! Ambiance-check Service-check Food/drink-check Overall great experience! read more

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Great food and great service. Easy entrance and comfortable chairs for the elderly & handicapped. Nice experience.

Goodness, where do I start in expressing how much I love this restaurant? We love coming here for their oysters and clams for appetizer, and their amazing entree specials. I remember starting off with their seafood fettuccine and the seafood fra diablo before exploring the other dishes. One time our server suggested the Chilean sea bass special that had spinach and risotto and OH MY GOD I was forever changed. Now I almost always try to order from their feature menu that has their risotto and fish because it's just so damn good. Their clam chowder? One of my favorites. Their coconut mojito? Give me 2. For dessert, DO NOT SKIP the blueberry carrot cake! Get it even if you're full, take it home. I don't even like carrot cake! But I LOVE theirs and we get it every time we can read more

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Salmon was very good. Salmon came with potatoes and vegetable medley. They use fresh vegetables to make veg medley. Housemade cole slaw was very good. Carrot cake was dessert. Service was good. read more

Youell's Oyster House - housemade Cole Slaw - Seafood Near Me - Allentown, Pennsylvania

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Fabulous! Happy hour is the best. We enjoyed numerous appetizers, Fresh raw oysters, clams casino, scallops wrapped with bacon, soft shell crab. Wonderful service. Great drinks. Chatted with some lovely folks at the bar. The only drawback is that it is 45 minutes from our home. Otherwise, we'd be there numerous times a week. Highly recommend. We have dined at Youell's numerous times, never, ever, disappoints. read more

Another 5star dinner experience!!!!!! Started off with a mango martini & clams casino. Soooo delicious!!! Followed that with the Seafood Combo . It just gets better!!!!! End with the Blueberry Carrot Cake. Service staff were so helpful and friendly. Quiet dining experience capped off a great evening. Compliments to staff and management. Looking forward to next visit!!!!!! read more

Taylor was the best service every! Seat at the bar that's where she works, at the bar. She was fantastic 5 Star's. A real personal.

Usually have great meals there. Tonight with my family, my wife ordered a salad ($13) with a crab cake topping, additional $16. Within 3 bites she pulled a long black hair from a bite she took. Upon notifying the server she declined a replacement meal / salad as she was grossed out and just asked for the crab cake portion. Obviously they apologized for the hair. However, i was a bit suprised that they did not comp her meals as a restaurant typically does. They just refunded the salad portin and still charged for the crab cake. When you are dropping $200 for a meal for 3, I expect a little better customer service towards such an bad experience. read more