Great food, service great, Ambiance of fun. Everyone is super nice and they check on you!

I love sitting by the water Watching the dolphin, alligators And boats coming by These guys usually have live music in the evenings And a wonderful weight, staff and bartender serving up some of the greatest drink drinks can't go wrong with any of their food we have been here probably 15 times and have been coming here for the last 3 to 5 years read more

This place leaves a lot to be desired. Casual and family friendly, but smells like overpowering cleaning supplies when you're walking in, instead of good food. OThe views are pretty, but the ambience is boring. It can still be casual without feeling zero effort. The bar area appeared to have some personality put into it. Now to the food -- underwhelming is the name of the game here. Okra seemed frozen from a bag and deep fried. Collard greens seemed straight from a can. Daily vegetables seemed like they were made the day before and didn't sell out. The grouper sandwiches were okay, but meat portions were small for the price point with one side. The gumbo was flavorful but wasn't even local shrimp, it was those imported mini shrimp. For $15 a bowl of gumbo I would expect they could use local ingredients. Just disappointing overall and we would never venture back. I think the location and building have a lot of potential, but the execution in the kitchen and beyond is majorly lacking much imagination. Service was okay. I wouldn't recommend this to anyone visiting. read more

Good, fresh seafood, but a little pricey for lunch. The Key Lime Pie is the best thing on the menu -- it's actually much better than any you will find anywhere in the Florida Keys. The pie is worth the trip to the restaurant. read more

This is a cute lil place The weather was perfect so we opted to sit outside; glad we did. Watching the birds, boaters and jet skiers was fun. The food was good, the sauce... stupendous. I like mine with a zip, and it delivered. Our server was friendly and helpful Overall, pleased. Do note that it is strictly over 21 after 10 pm. read more

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Staying on St. George for the week (first timers) and this restaurant is getting family mixed reviews. I'd give them a four but family not convinced. I'll start with the positives; great view, no wait time, corn hole for the kids, and a local six-toed cat on property (yeah, not joking. My sons couldn't believe it). Negatives; no outside fans. Moved inside, waitress not happy. Mahi dip (uh, interesting), inside smelled so fishy, bathrooms primitive and the sink water was freakishly hot. And my father-in-law insists that I comment about the 25% gratuity automatically selected as the "standard" tip. I'd go back knowing what to expect. They won't. read more

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Been here twice now while traveling. Great view of the water, good service and good food. Will probably eat here again next time I'm in the area. It has a local feel to the place even though I'm sure because of the location there are plenty of tourists. Glad they didn't get damaged by the last hurricane that hit the area. read more

Half Shell Dockside - Bars Near Me - Apalachicola, Florida

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Deliciously fresh oysters in a waterfront atmosphere. Service was great. Clean restrooms. We wanted to eat in downtown Apalachicola but couldn't find anything other than fried. read more

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I walked my way down to this restaurant and 1/2 a mile from downtown. Since Apalachicola is known for its oysters I thought I'd give that a try. Unassuming place. Nice hostess, perfect waiter, and I ordered the smorgasbord of their flavored oysters. Dockside, Rockefeller and Bacon Jalapeño. All very good. My favorite was the Dockside, simple. I didn't need the lemon, or sauces, it was better than I expected. The view was beautiful and every once in awhile a pelican would fly by. It was relaxing. read more

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Service was amazing and food was delicious. Ahi tune tacos and blacked grouper dinner. Seriously one of our favorite meals. Proud prices but understandable for the level of deliciousness. Only thing is grouper size was pretty small for the portion/price. read more

Half Shell Dockside - Bars Near Me - Apalachicola, Florida

Raw oysters from eight mile were a good size and brawny. Loved them. Had the mahi Reuben. Not overly large but the taste was great. Nice and melted. Key lime pie was just ok. Kinda gritty. Not tart enough. Pretty $$ too. read more

Half Shell Dockside - Bars Near Me - Apalachicola, Florida

Great location on the river with a shaded indoor/outdoor porch, and a long bar, enabling Half Shell Dockside to accommodate a jolly crowd. With live music, and bingo on Mondays, this is definitely a local hangout. The menu is varied with seafood, steak and chicken and Children's menu. I ordered raw oysters and flounder, my friends ordered grouper and shrimp. All very fresh and perfectly cooked. There are some good southern sides too, like fried okra and greens--always a good place to hang out and enjoy the view. read more

Always a great night on our vacation. The oysters and side of hush puppies were great appetizers. Service was amazing. Maryssa was the best! She went above and beyond. read more

Half Shell Dockside - Oysters - Bars Near Me - Apalachicola, Florida

Worst service I've ever experienced in my life! Terrible service and be ready to wait for hours. If I could leave zero stars I would.

We've visited several times over the years and love the location right on Scipio Creek as well as the outstanding service provided by Kayla. Food is consistently good. We had the fried shrimp (good) basket with collard greens (great) as well as the Fried Grouper (thin pieces) basket with collard greens (great) and cole slaw (great). read more

We came in, put our name on the waitlist, and the hostess simply wrote down "5." After waiting, we watched three other parties of five who arrived after us get seated first. We politely asked twice about our table, but were still passed over. By the time we were finally seated, the experience had already been overshadowed by the poor organization and lack of communication. We were really looking forward to dining here, but unfortunately the way the waitlist was handled completely took away from the experience. read more

We always have dinner here while visiting the area. HSD never disappoints. Grouper dinner featured a generous piece of grouper, perfectly cooked. I ordered it blackened-perfectly seasoned. My sides were fries and grilled vegetables. The veggies were crisp and nicely charred. Our server was fun, friendly and kind; a real pleasure to chat with. She knew so much about the area, the food, the oysters, and, as an added bonus she made all the desserts which I highly encourage saving some room for. Delicious! read more

This place is in front of the bay with a lovely view outdoor seating The service was good even though it was busy The food was the best part! I recommend this spot read more

Half Shell Dockside. Great waterfront restaurant. I loved the oyster stew, and the shrimp gumbo was decent, but if I had to choose between the two, the stew would have won. Excellent fried green tomato appetizer, the oyster po-boy is heavily seasoned (salty) but it think it is the breading not the oysters themselves. Very good Bloody Mary. read more

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First visit, 4 of us, we sat on the enclosed patio & did a "4 course dinner". First we had the Fish Dip which was chocked full of fish & shrimp, light citrus mayo dressing. Was served with club crackers & cute little forks- yummy!. Then we had Fried Green Tomatoes which had tomato, onion & feta topping & a mild & a spicy dip. Super crispy outside, perfectly cooked inside. Then we split the grouper finger basket with fried okra & hush puppies. The fingers were about the size of my pointer finger, 12-14 of them. Crispy crust, melt in your mouth fish. The okra was crisp & well cooked and the large puppies were crunchy outside, soft on inside with just a hint of spice. Then we split Bourbon Pecan pie & Key Lime Pie. The guys said the pecan pie was really good. I'm picky about Key Lime- and this was really well done. Thick graham crust just on the bottom, a dense key lime filling & just a garnish of real whipped cream. The server was friendly & and attentive, local beers were tasty and view lovely. Definitely going back! read more

Great food.fantastic service. We ate dockside and had an awesome time watching some boats come by. Be careful to sit under the netting though, one of our fellow tables got dive bombed by the birds (and pooped on). Otherwise, food is awesome! read more

We will never return to this restaurant. First off, we waited over ten minutes to be helped. My husband went to the hostess stand to ask to be helped. Deanna came to our table and took our order. They were not that busy at the time. We waited a bit for our drinks, two waters an ice tea and a bottle beer. My husband asked for a cold glass that was not served with the beer. He eventually got a glass. My husband got up to get a water refill. The guys at the oyster bar gave him a bottle of water. We watched tables all around us get service, drinks, food and drink refills. Not to mention more than one server, staff assisting them as we just sat and waited. My husband's beer was empty and no one ever came back to see if he would like another beer. We waited forty minutes for our meals. While others seated after us were waited on and got their appetizers and meals. We ordered a shrimp basket with mac & cheese and a cheeseburger with onion rings. The shrimp was served with a small lemon wedge and no cocktail sauce. It looked like a children's meal at $19.00. The mac & cheese was literally the same size as the children's meal at the table next to us. The burger was served with cold french fries. We requested cocktail sauce and the onion rings as ordered. A server brought us cocktail sauce, tartar sauce and a sad basket of onion rings. The onion rings may have been good if served hot. The burger was good, the shrimp was just ok and luke warm. The best part of my meal was the hush puppy served with the shrimp. The fries would have been good had they been warm. Overall the restaurant was very dirty and it was hot. The ceiling lights were covered in years worth of dust and dirt. The walls, chairs and floors were very dirty. The cocktail sauce and tartar sauce containers were also dirty. I can't imagine what the kitchen and bathrooms must be like. This place needs to close for a deep cleaning and re training of all staff. Only one server ever cracked a smile. We did express our terrible displeasure in our service and food to Deanna. We were never approached by a manager. We left our table and went looking for our bill. We located Deanna. Deanna did apologize and comp our bill which we did not request or want, but she insisted. We did give her a tip. Overall just a really bad experience! I write lots of reviews and I'm always fair and honest. Please do better. PS, I forgot to note, it was trivia night. A very loud man started talking over the interintercom. It was very annoying while trying to eat. read more

The service was great, seated right away and drink orders taken. Our waitstaff was upbeat and very pleasant. Food was great as always. I loved the live music. And of course the scenery from the restaurant is something no one would ever tire of. read more

We dined at Half Shell Dockside twice during our week vacationing on nearby Saint George Island Plantation; once for lunch and once for dinner. Both times the service was very genuine and the food nearly excellent. You can sit inside with great views of the marsh or outside on the large patio with view of the bay and boats going by. We opted for inside both times as, well, Florida is downright hot in late July. Oh, and dress is beach very casual; you're in Apalachicola, no one really cares what you're wearing! Don't bother with pants or jeans; no one wears them here and you'll sweat. The service is friendly and authentic. At dinner on a Friday night our wait was expected at 20-30 minutes. We were seated inside, as requested, in a table with nice bay views. For appetizer, the fish dip was fresh with a hint of being smoked in house. It's served with Captains Wafers crackers, y'all - don't expect anything high brow! Later in the week, we were seated immediately soon after opening. The entrees and sides were at or above expectations. I was especially pleased with the fish and grits. The fish was very tender, flavorful and cooked perfectly. The grits with a nice brown gravy were delicious and cooked perfectly. The oysters were neatly shucked and cleanly presented, as well. All of our entrees and sides were very fresh, not frozen. Similarly, we returned later in the week for lunch. We encountered the same very good service and food. At lunch, the Bloody Mary was reportedly quite good. I ordered the Grouper Reuben which I would give a B+. The flavor was good but the bread was slightly overtoasted. Upon reflection, though, the overtoasting may protect better against soggy bread? I wasn't sure what to expect as the restaurant is slightly ramshackle but that fits. After all, you're in smallish, rural coastal Apalachicola right on the water next to a large marina. If you want honest to goodness Apalach seafood at well run independent, small town establishment come here. Leave the pretentiousness at home, if necessary, as you'll encounter salt, rust, flavor and ocean breezes. read more

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16 small overcooked shrimp (2 shrimp "baskets" on small cardboard trays) with greens and collards and cheese grits ... corona and a glass of sangria ... Carley was charming and the only redeeming quality. One other waitress stood behind a counter for five minutes ignoring us as we waited on the bill. She won't get votes for Miss Congeniality. It was the very worst meal we've ever had in Apalachicola area. We understand now why there were so few diners. $65 but left Carly a nice cash tip. read more

Not our type of restaurant. Way too expensive. It's fine for the area but all restaurants in Apalachicola are on the expensive side. read more

Can't even begin to say what an amazing and genuine place to experience. Cash was our server and beyond amazing. Food was on point, drinks to perfection , atmosphere, music....omg we will be back!!!! Thank you Cash!!! read more

Ate here again and totally enjoyed it. It was cold and windy so we were inside but still able to see the creek. Service was great and the food was delicious. One of our favorites in Apalachicola! read more

We were staying in Port St. Joe and decided to make our way to Apalachicola for dinner. We were seated right away, which was nice. We sat inside with a view overlooking the water and dock and were able to see fishing boats come back in. Service was slow. Food was good, but portion sizes were somewhat small, my husband left hungry. The portion size to cost ratio isn't balanced. I had the blackened grouper sandwich with fries (the grouper tasted amazing) and my husband had the fried shrimp basket. read more

If you're looking for 5-star fine dining, get out of Apalachicola. Can't get out? Go to Half Shell Dockside. Half Shell was the most endearing restaurant I've been to on the whole forgotten coast. The staff was welcoming and attentive, my grouper Reuben was a great tasting sandwich, and their afternoon bingo game was one of the most lively I've ever seen. Their outdoor seating was the real deal too, right on the beautiful Apalachicola river delta. If you're a tourist in St. George for a week and want to go out one night, Half Shell is the place to go. I'm pretty sure half the population of Apalachicola came out for the bingo night though, so take that as you will. read more

Half Shell Dockside - Exterior Entrance of Half Shell Dockside. - Bars Near Me - Apalachicola, Florida

Nice location on the water, it's a working dock so know that. This was recommended to us by one of the locals and it didn't disappoint. We started with the Fried Pickles, nicely done, they are the pickle chip type. I ordered the Grouper Reuben, which was also recommended. Disclosure - I would never have looked at the menu and selected this but it was really really good. Grouper was cooked perfectly and the sandwich complement was great. I chose cheese grits for my side, they were creamy and cheesy and nicely prepared. A great stop! read more

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Me and my two girlfriends went around 6 or 7PM on Sunday and asked for a table for 3.. the young lady behind the counter told us that rather rudely that she could not sit us until she seats everyone else on the list and she literally said " I suggest you go somewhere else" we were taking it back on how rude and abrupt she was with no care in the world. We would've gladly sat at the bar and waited for a table, but she never offered or didn't seem to care that we were there. We went somewhere else and will never be back. She needs to Learn some etiquette!!! read more

Food and ambiance folks! Sit outside on the channel! Watch for the birds! Loved the apps and drinks and solid menu. read more

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Good food with a great view of the water. I had raw oysters that were good, but they were a bit stingy with the cocktail sauce. A friend and I ordered the regular grilled grouper sandwich and the grouper Reuben sandwich and shared to compare them. I have never heard of a grouper Reuben before and wanted to try it. I liked it just fine, but nothing beats a nice piece of grouper on its own. On Saturday night they had excellent live entertainment. All in all, we liked it and would go back. read more

Great Oysters! Spot On! Just What We Were Looking For In This Town! Service Was Great! Staff Was Very Attentive & Very Nice To Converse With Us During Our Visit. The Ambience Is Casual & There Is No Need To Dress Up. Just Bring A Hearty Appetite & Thirst & All Is Good read more

Half Shell Dockside - Oysters spot on! Just what I was hoping for. Casual sitting, friendly staff & great drinks! Thank You So Much! - Bars Near Me - Apalachicola, Florida

Overpriced. Bad service. Left extremely dissatisfied Doubt anyone working here graduated kindergarten

Food was very good but a bit pricey but isn't everything! Service was good. The staff were friendly. We had the grouper basket and it was very good! The fried dill pickles were excellent and we enjoyed their ranch which I assume was house made. Chicken fingers were standard as well as the cheeseburger. The kids portions were a good size! My 11 year old loved the oysters! read more

Half Shell Dockside - Oyster Rockefeller - Bars Near Me - Apalachicola, Florida

Loved everything about it! Arrived on a Monday for lunch and it was one of a small handful of options, as most seem to be closed on Mondays. I came here for the oysters, and they did not disappoint. Instead, they disappeared! Tasted very fresh and definitely some of the best I've had. Next, a fried oyster basket with okra and collards as sides. All good. The oysters were the star of the show! I can't wait to come back. Great outdoor patio and bar. Relaxed and good service too. read more

Half Shell Dockside - Bars Near Me - Apalachicola, Florida

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Stopped in while traveling on a work trip because my client had suggest this place and it was a Super cool spot with an amazing sunset. There was a 2 man band breaking it down and a full bar on the deck but I managed to squeeze in. The bar staff was slow to start but super nice. You can't be in too much of a rush in the part of town anyways! I ordered a local beer and the bar tender suggest the grouper Ruben. It was the perfect meal after a long day of traveling and I was able to chat it up with some pretty cool locals !!! Since I'll be traveling back to this spot I'll def be back in the near future !! read more

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The view almost made up for how mid the food is. It's really expensive and nothing tastes fabulous. It's hard to mess up a Caesar salad. Theirs was unimpressive. It's a seafood restaurant and their seafood tasted very salty and not fresh (we think the oysters were frozen). The service was not terrible Overall, it's fine but the price is too expensive t for the food to be this mediocre read more