Shell Oyster Bar — Restaurant in Tallahassee

Shell Oyster Bar is a Tallahassee institution.

On my office wall, I have three photos encased in a frame. The photos are of 1. Shell Oyster Bar, 2. the old Tallahassee Waterworks and 3. The Tallahassee Train Station.

I had the fortune of meeting Leroy Milligan (and Billy, his teenage son at the time) back in 1987 when I first came for undergrad. At the time, the five (maybe six, but I'm pretty sure it was five) bar-stools in the old service station building at the corner of FAMU way & South Monroe were where you'd get freshly shucked Cedar Key and Apalachicola Bay oysters. There was no need for a menu. You had three choices of beverages (Co'Cola, Swee'Tea, and Water) and one choice of food (Oysters) unless you count the crackers on hand.

Even though Shell Oyster Bar relocated years ago to its present location - I can't help but think of it as "The New Place" and when I go - I ALWAYS prefer to pony up to the bar rather than sit at the tables. It doesn't bring back the glory days entirely, but at least it's a start.

Shell Oyster Bar isn't a place - it's a feeling. It's where you go to commune with the goodness that comes inside an oyster shell.

It's been decades since I've sat down at the bar to a couple-dozen oysters shucked by Leroy himself. His son Bill is usually at the bar these days but often, there are others. Regardless, when I come for a couple dozen - I can close my eyes and feel taken back to that old shed of an oyster bar - screened door slapping the door-frame as each patron came in from the long line outside.

I don't know enough about the relationship between Leroy and the Oystermen in the gulf. My sense is that he's done business exclusively with only a handful of harvesters as he's built a reputation over the decades of having only the most sublime of oysters on the half-shell.

For those interested, here are a few "factoids" about Apalachicola Oysters that I've learned over the years:

Apalachicola (at least up until a few years ago) was the last place in the U.S. where wild oysters were (by law) harvested by oystermen on small boats using tongs.

Big Bayou (on the saltier western part of Apalachicola Bay) is said to be the source of the most flavorful Apalach' Oysters.

I'm pretty sure that all other Gulf Oysters are pretty much sold as generics - i.e., non-appelation - EXCEPT Apalachicola Bay oysters.

My love for oysters precedes my relationship with Shell Oyster Bar - but it's been intensified THANKS to Shell Oyster Bar over the years.

(addendum:) I grew up in Spain and Germany (the son of a french mother and an American (USAF) father. I know all about the world-famous Belon oyster that defined Paris's 19th-20th century oyster bar culture. I also lived in Seattle for three years during the mid/late nineties - so I'm pretty familiar with the PNW varieties - notably the Quilcene, the Kumamoto, the Olympia and the Kushii. (I know I'm mixing up sources with types - sue me!). Anyway - all of this is to say that while I appreciate the delicate and nuanced oysters from other parts of the world (at least, France and Puget Sound) - I'll take an Apalachicola oyster over any of...

My family and I came here a few weeks ago while we were in town. My sister wanted some oysters, and I had read some decent reviews. It's a small space, but we were seated pretty quickly. Please know that they only take cash. My sister, niece, and nephew all ordered some oysters (nuked). The girls also ordered a side salad with their meals. Between our table, we had a good mix of seafood. The wait staff was friendly, but what I didn't particularly like is that they only gave the girls 1 oz of salad dressing. They asked for another side of dressing. The waitress seemed to be slightly bothered that they asked for more. She informed us that that's a .50 charge for extra. At this point, we were like okay (what were we supposed to do/ say). I'd advise you if you're gonna order a salad and don't like it dry, to be prepared to pay extra or bring your own salad dressing. The fried crab claws were good but REALLY tiny. The size surprised me. I don't think I've ever seen claws that small. My niece ordered the steamed shrimp, but they were cold. We asked if she could get some more, the waitress told us they didn't replace the shrimp, and if she warmed them in the microwave, they'd overcook. That's really unfortunate, especially since they were served cold. After looking at the plastic bowl that the shrimp were served in, it appeared that they had already warmed them over before serving them to us in the first place. I wouldn't advise ordering the steamed shrimp. It's one of the easiest and fastest ways to prepare shrimp, and they seem to not know how to do it properly. So, we had to pay for my niece to get some fried shrimp. The shrimp were fried good, as well as the fries. My fish was really salty, but, at this point, I was OVER IT and was ready to go. If there is some place other than this restaurant that you can go for seafood; then I'd suggest going there first. If it's oysters you crave, then perhaps, this is the place. I'm pretty sure this was my first...

Extremely Disappointing Visit to Shells Oyster Bar

I visited Shells Oyster Bar with a friend, and unfortunately, our experience was extremely disappointing. I ordered the catfish lunch, and my friend got the full platter. She didn’t receive any hush puppies with her meal, so we brought it to the staff’s attention, and they brought her just two. Meanwhile, the hush puppies I received were hard as a rock. I bit into one, immediately spit it out, and let our server know.

Instead of offering to remake them, they suggested microwaving them—something I found completely unacceptable, especially in a seafood restaurant. Who microwaves hush puppies and serves them back to a customer? That alone was enough to make me lose my appetite.

Beyond the food, the service was unsettling. When I asked for a drink refill, the server walked over toward me, then turned around and assisted a white male customer first, handing him ketchup while completely ignoring my request. I don’t want to immediately call it racism, but the difference in treatment between Black and white customers was hard to ignore. The energy in the restaurant felt off, and I didn’t feel welcomed or valued.

I originally thought Shells was a solid, local family-owned spot, and I was excited to try it. I don’t mind supporting white-owned businesses—but I expect fair treatment and decent food. Sadly, neither were provided.

I won’t be back and cannot recommend Shells Oyster Bar to anyone who values good food and...