The Half Shell SSI — Restaurant in Georgia

I have been on an extended work detail for the past 10 months and have been living on St Simons Island. I was excited to experience a variety of different seafood while here, but I never expected to find a restaurant so great that I am looking at future trips just so I can eat this incredible food and catch up with the lifelong friends I have made with their staff members.

It feels like an understatement by saying the food here is some of the best I have had in my life.

The seafood is fantastic, with a diverse assortment of Georgia shrimp, fresh oysters, perfectly cooked daily catches, and savory crab. The variety for these dishes is spot on for all types of seafood fans, with a range of raw, fried, blackened, and grilled options. TOP PICKS: Blackened Shrimp, Crab Crusted catch of the day, Shrimp and Grits, and Cajun Oysters

Not a fan of seafood? No worries. There are some alternatives, and they are fantastic. I never thought I would be impressed by a pork chop, but was blown away when I had the perfectly cooked chop that Half Shell offers. It was like eating a prime cut steak, perfectly moist and filled with a burst of flavor in every savory bite. The salads and plates are also excellent, and offer chicken protein options for those that aren't fans of seafood. TOP PICKS: Cajun Porkchop and Mandarin Orange and Strawberry Salad

How about those sides? Half Shell offers some truly unique sides, and they are just as enjoyable as the main course. My favorite by far is the bacon wrapped green beans. The bundles of sweet and salty green beans are brilliant flavor bombs. The Chili Slaw is a unique take on coleslaw, with a purple cabbage base and a sweet asian sauce taking the place of mayo. All of the sides here are unique and delicious, and I find myself switching up constantly. TOP PICK: Bacon Wrapped Green Beans, Chili Slaw, Beer Battered Onion Rings, and White Cheddar Grits

Dessert is unique. The dessert menu consist of one option: Buttercake. As the menu states, there is a reason there is only one dessert. This dessert is the ultimate guilty pleasure and is packed full of sweet buttery flavor that will redefine what you expect from a dessert. The perfectly textured warm cake matches perfect with the ice cream, and it is truly worth the calorie sacrifice if you have never experienced it.

Just want a drink? No problem. Half Shell offers unique drink specials, happy hours, and some very satisfying cocktails. The bartenders here are very talented, and have a diverse knowledge of drinks if you are set on something also. TOP PICKS: Sweet Rickshaw, Island Mule, and Half Shell Bloody Mary

Of course, while the food and drinks have kept me sane during a long work detail, it is the staff that kept me coming back. I routinely get to interact with the bartender James, and he is always full of energy and pleasant conversation. He makes a darn good cocktail too. In my numerous visits, I have never had any issues with the team driven employees, which is made possible by a desire to support each other and provide excellent service. My interactions with the manager Morgan have made it clear that this drive is spread through all ranks of the staff, as she is always helping her team during busy times, and always takes the time to ensure guests are having a memorable experience.

The Half Shell is truly something special and is worth the trip if you are in the area. It is clear that the employees here are family, and want to provide the best food with the best service. I promise if you make time to come here, you will feel like a member of the...

The first waitress inside was very nice however we requested to go outside to eat. when we got our oysters the first set the half plate was lemon and garlic which had no taste at all.second order we did was the Cajun oysters which they were OK better than the lemon garlic. OK so now for the main entree my husband had the chicken fingers and cheese grits. The cheese grits were OK, the chicken fingers not seasoned at all. For my order, I had the crabcakes french fries and onion rings. crabcakes decent I give them on a scale of 1 to 5, a 1. french fries onion rings OK we just had to add salt to have flavor. Now for the biggest craziest thing ever happened at this place or any restaurant we have ever eaten at. so the people next to us had their dog out under their table and outside waitress actually put her hand and let the dog lick her hand all over while she groomed the dog scrubbing the dog all over. she left that table and went to another table get condiments and bring them back drinks to other people that was so disgusting now that’s just the first thing with her. She then went back and did the same thing and asked us if we wanted a drink or anything else we said no thank you. Now so for the final drawl when she brought the ticket out for us to pay she asked us how our meal was so we let her know we were not satisfied as we were not satisfied but we ate our food because we were hungry and all she said was oh and then took our receipt to cash it out and that was it.

Horrible horrible horrible experience I will never recommend this place to anyone in my life. By the way this was on Saturday afternoon...

We ate here for my birthday dinner this past week while on vacation. We loved the atmosphere, the staff was so friendly, the food was incredible. A++++ on the crab cakes. If there is a wait time, wait it out, trust me, totally worth it! We called before hand to verify that it was family friendly, which it was. Our 1.5 yo daughter had a crying fit halfway through dinner. A woman at the bar approached us and (sternly) asked us to take her outside, I told her that I would not. A few minutes later she stopped and we exhaled sighs of relief (parents, you know what I'm talking about). Well, the staff at this restaurant were SO NICE. The bus boys, servers, and the manager came over and apologized for the woman's behavior and said they would never ask a family to leave, and they were so understanding. They brought out free dessert for us. A man that had been sitting next to that woman at the bar came up to our table and apologized for her behavior as well and PAID OUR ENTIRE BILL! Other customers were coming up to us and showing their support and understanding. It was absolutely amazing. If you are a parent like me, you know how difficult those situations are with your kids, and we have never felt such acceptance, understanding and kindness from strangers. I applaud this restaurant and their staff for the way they handled everything. I literally could not give them enough praise. We will definitely be going back and I will be telling this story for years probably. It meant the...