Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Half Shell Oyster House

    4.5 (431 reviews)
    Open 11:00 am - 10:00 pm
    Updated 3 months ago

    Waitlist - Half Shell Oyster House

    Waitlist closed

    The restaurant is not taking waitlist parties right now

    Half Shell Oyster House Photos

    Business Info

    HALF SHELL OYSTER HOUSE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Touristy
    Romantic

    You might also consider

    More like Half Shell Oyster House

    Recommended Reviews - Half Shell Oyster House

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Butter broccoli (no butter)
    Beth K.

    Great experience. The restaurant has two levels, both light and airy. We got a large round table; so glad they have this option, it's always better than one long table. The food was very good, in particular the charred oysters. I got the fried green tomatoes, which were good. I also got the butter broccoli with no butter, still excellent.

    Shrimp and Crawfish Etouffee
    Kimberly B.

    Royal redfish was pretty good, definitely a solid choice. I also tried the shrimp and crawfish etouffee special but it was just alright--wouldn't order that one again. We sat at the tables by the bar and the service was a bit less attentive than I was hoping for... but overall an ok experience. Had the oyster orleans and rockefeller too; flavor was great but they were a little gritty.

    Fried Green Tomatoes
    Alexis N.

    Talk about some amazing food in Biloxi!! For my short stay in the area, I wanted a fantastic meal. This place was suggested and I can see why! There is downstairs and upstairs seating area (Full bar on both floors as well). We were warmly greeted and seated right away. Our waitress Kelly was very friendly and had some great suggestions for dinner. Immediately, we ordered the fried green tomatoes. We also had the Redfish Orleans and the most ordered side was the sweet potato creme brulee. The fried green tomatoes had a creamy crab sauce over the top which paired perfectly with the crispy breading. The Redfish Orleans was amazing and the sweet potato creme brulee was the star of the show. Definitely a great meal with great service!

    Jennifer L.

    omg !!!Muy world has been rocked!!!!!!!!!!!! I am a Pensacola, FL native and know fresh, delicious seafood. This restaurant, I can't believe I have been dining here and it is a chain. These folks know how good, fresh, New Orleans style seafood should taste. Ok y'all, I am from Pensacola, FL, and as soon as I could walk and talk, I knew how to discern fresh seafood from crap. With upmost imtegrity, I have to admit, I have been here twice in 4 days!!!!!!!!! I live 100 miles away in Penacola, Fl, and had to hit this place up again!!!! I came less than. 4 days ago and this place was amazing! I drove 100 miles to eat here again. The oysters where so delicate and sweet, that I drove 100miles for a repeat experience, and the oysters and shrimp rocked my world again. The server, Gilliian, and the manager checked with me multiple times to make sure my experience was rock in, and it was. This place you must visit if you like good seafood and want a magical experience. The historical building has been re-furbished into a killer seafood restaurant experience. The food and staff are mindful of every need, and the food coming out of the kitchen is amazing. I have celiac disease, and managers us the staff made sure I had an allergic reaction free dining experience, plus the food and service were incredible! Two times in 4 days I had the exact 5 star experience. Gillian as my server, I forgot the managers name, but they made the rounds frequently to the guests to make sure we had a stellar experience. I would give it more than 5 stars if possible. This is a gluten-free friendly place!!!!

    Crab cake topped with ravigotte and parmesan
    Staci A.

    We visit here once or twice while we're in town...oysters are delicious and shucked fresh daily! Everything we've tried has been so good...this trip I had the crab cake topped with blue crab herbed cream sauce from the appetizer menu and my husband had raw oysters...so yummy! It's French Quarter style...dark and sultry decor with cool, funky lighting. They have additional seating and a second bar upstairs. It's an old building and the stairs are very precarious, so just keep that in mind if that would be an issue. The service is always on point...we sat at the bar this trip. Aaron did a fantastic job and never stopped moving!

    Gumbo
    Brad T.

    Half Shell | Biloxi, MS Yooooo!! Writing this is literally making my mouth water. So many fond memories from this trip because we ate at Half Shell twice lol The gumbo was solid. Not the star of the meal but I love the hunks of meat and how it's not overpowering. The freaking crab claws.. literally perfectionn. So I was wondering if they would be a little chewy or stick to the tendon. Well, that was not the case. They were so fresh and tender. Let's talk about the garlic flavoring was to die for. The charbroiled oysters were sweet too! Fresh, tasty, and a decent size. My only knock on this place is their drink offerings aren't great. A lot of options but nothing that's spectacular #foodreview #oysters #seafood #eatlocal #mississippi

    The fish and jalapeño hushpuppies
    Cary M.

    The food is perfect, we ordered margarita grouper, it comes on coconut rice with pineapple corn cilantro tomato on top. Sydney was our waitress she said this was one of her favorite dishes and we tried it, she was right. Sydney has a pleasant personality and made us feel at home. Great job half she'll Oyster house

    Bill M.

    Doing our food and drink crawl around Biloxi this is a must stop. It was really busy but we got a high top at the bar pretty quick. Bartender was our server and right on us and very helpful. Drinks were awesome and a decent wine selection. We tried a few along with some charbroiled oysters. These were awesome and we are not oysters people. These changed out mind about oysters!! so may good flavors. Charbroiled is the only way to go! Place had a local vibe but I know there were a lot of tourist here too. Really cool spot.

    "Reds" Shrimp
    Tracy S.

    Excellent Food, Even Better Service! Had a fantastic dining experience at Half Shell Oyster House in Biloxi! The restaurant is located in a charming old house with two floors, which gives it a lot of character and a cozy vibe. A quick tip for those who may have trouble with stairs--there are 30+ steps to reach the upstairs dining area. They don't take reservations, but if you call ahead and request the preferred waitlist, the staff is incredibly accommodating and will help ensure you're seated downstairs. I really appreciated how smoothly that process went. Now to the food and service--both were top notch! Let me start by shouting out Nick, our young waiter who absolutely crushed it! He was attentive, friendly, fast, and genuinely helpful with menu suggestions. His recommendation to add the Royal Sauce to my blackened trout (served over mashed potatoes and asparagus) was spot on. That sauce took an already great dish to the next level--don't skip it! We started with the fried blue crab claws appetizer. They were decent but a bit too heavily breaded for my taste--not bad, just not a standout. That and the stair situation were the only minor downsides of an otherwise great visit. The garden side salad was very fresh and crisp--a great starter. The gumbo had a nice kick to it, just the right amount of spice and seasoned beautifully. Definitely recommend if you like a bit of heat. Other dishes ordered at the table included: Seafood Sampler - All fried, all delicious, and way more food than one person can finish. Royal Red Shrimp Dinner - Again, huge portion and seasoned to perfection. Jalapeño hushpuppies - A real highlight. If you visit, do yourself a favor and order these! In short: great atmosphere, incredible food, and stellar service from Nick made this one of the best meals we've had on the coast. Highly recommend and will definitely be returning!

    Robert C.

    Likely one of the best meals I have ever had and I have been all over the world at the fanciest of restaurants. Everything was fantastic. The food, fantastic. The service, fantastic. The ambiance, yep, fantastic. We started with the oyster sampler. We are not big oyster fans, but this was special and different than anything oyster I have ever had. I had the seafood pot pie. Stocked with seafood and the crust was to die for. Creamy and the seafood taste was over the top. The wife had their special which was a filet mignon topped with lobster mornay sauce. Fabulous. The lobster was tender and the steak was perfectly cooked. The sides of broccoli and asparagus with Gorgonzola cheese. OMG. So excellent. This place is a must go when visiting Biloxi. This one is across the street from hard Rock, not the one in Hard Rock. I heard the one we went to is better.

    Bananas Foster cheesecake.  Happy birthday Sharon!
    Marisue W.

    Wow party of 4. All of our meals were excellent. Steak to seafood. Best Gumbo ever had. Nick was a great server. Thank you for the birthday cheesecake! Hope to come back before we leave.

    Gumbo
    Jeff B.

    I have been here 3 times now and it has never disappointed me. If you like seafood, especially oysters you will enjoy. There is other dishes served including steaks and pasta. The drinks are made well too. The place is usually packed but the service remains excellent. The dress can be casual or you can wear nice clothes. It is beautiful inside and although not really intimate it can be a romantic.

    Dessert menu
    Jennifer T.

    We joined the wait list on Yelp and glad we did. It was a Wednesday night and still a line. While we had a short wait, we walked around to see the other offerings around. When seated, it was a busy place with good service. When food was ready it came to the table. Our waitress let me try the greens prior to ordering! Oysters were fresh. I did miss the minuete but there was lemon, horseradish and cocktail sauce. Fried claws were okay and they came with lemon and cocktail sauce. Husband had the salmon which he really liked. We shared a Caesar salad which was okay needed salt and pepper. The drinks were good. It is a rather large place as there was an upstairs. We also saw a bar area as well although small so don't think you will walk in and get a seat unless you are lucky!

    Orleans Oysters

    See all

    1 month ago

    They have great food and take care you ever need. Fast and will return and eat when we are in town

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Yagmur G.
    1
    44
    116

    7 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 days ago

    Everything was amazing, my family and I truly enjoyed ourselves! The staff, the food and ambiance were perfect!

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 month ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 month ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Lauren N.

    Lauren N.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Lauren N.

    Lauren N.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    15 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 2
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Ed P.
    17
    311
    17

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Paul L.
    156
    8
    121

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of O'Nika G.
    61
    26
    38

    6 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 month ago

    Ordered a ribeye and it was perfectly cooked to medium well, service was perfect and the environment was great!

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Bill B.
    61
    20
    0

    4 months ago

    Fantastic dinner with helpful wait staff. Haven't been in at least five years but it was as good as I remembered it.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Lauren N.

    Lauren N.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1

    2 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Lauren N.

    Lauren N.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Ted R.
    0
    23
    5

    3 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Lauren N.

    Lauren N.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 11

    Half Shell Oyster House Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Half Shell Oyster House

    Is there a dress code?

    No dress code.

    Can you make reservations?

    No, I tried today and they said no

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

    You might also consider

    Parrain's Jambalaya Kitchen

    Parrain's Jambalaya Kitchen

    4.6
    (303 reviews)
    0.3 mi
    $$

    I spent five nights and six days in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. Parrain's Jambalaya…read moreKitchen wins hands-down for best meal of all. Key deserves a huge shout out for being such a sweet and attentive server. I liked her tremendously. We had the boudin egg rolls and the Swamp Tour Sampler: jambalaya, crawfish étouffée, gumbo, and red beans and rice. For dessert, we had bread pudding with beignets. The Boudin egg rolls were the best thing I ate on my entire trip. Perfectly seasoned and perfectly crispy, every bite was heaven. The jambalaya was the best jambalaya I had on my trip as well. It had a fantastic smokiness and was not wet at all. I also loved the crawfish étouffée. It was creamy and loaded. The red beans and rice had a bit of a sweet edge that was not quite my taste. Try for yourself. The bread pudding was the perfect sendoff. Bite-size beignets were nestled in the bread pudding. It was a sweet, creamy, perfectly Mississippi dessert. I loved Parrain's so much that I bought a T-shirt. I generally don't like wearing clothes that serve as advertisements, but this place just has to be advertised all around the country. Key, thanks for a great lunch! If you're ever in Biloxi, Mississippi, you must go and try this little gem.

    Came here with my wife. Excellent service. I will say that the parking is small but this small spot…read morepacks punch. We got a little bit of everything to check it out. We split a few things between the two of us. We had the tour of the swamp. The red beans and rice was really great. Not always my favorite when we go out but it really stood out. Very flavorful. The etouffee was great. Wish there was more crawfish but I always wish there was more. We all probably do with most dishes. lol. The jambalaya was really good. Well seasoned. Now my wife is picky about gumbo and is a hard judge to please. I am a little more on the giving side and look at it from the perspective of "even a bad day fishing is better than a good day at work" point of view. A day with gumbo is generally a better day most days. The gumbo this day was not great. I have heard amazing things and I was not impressed. I will only mark off a star because everything else was so great. I hope it was just a bad day and we will hope for a better next time. And there will be a next time for sure. The shrimp po boy was slam packed with shrimp. Great bread and dressed well. The boudin eggrolls were fantastic. Sift and tender on the inside and crispy crunchy on the outside. Loved them.

    Photos
    Chicken & Sausage Gumbo and Potato Salad...    Yumm...
    Chicken & Sausage Gumbo and Potato Salad... Yumm...
    Chicken and sausage gumbo
    Chicken and sausage gumbo
    Great gumbo

    See all

    Great gumbo
    Cajun's Fabulous Fried Chicken

    Cajun's Fabulous Fried Chicken

    3.9
    (127 reviews)
    9.9 mi
    $$

    The positives, the Cole slaw and cooked cabbage were delicious. They know how to do things with…read morecabbage. The negatives, everything else aside from the mashed potatoes was cold like it had come out the refrigerator even under the heat lamps and everything was flavorless. Not a single employee gave a care and the food's temperature had to have been a health violation with not being held at least warm. We arrived at around 6:15 and the place closes at 8. One employee decided she wanted to vacuum the dining room shortly after we sat and was hitting our feet as she was trying to get under our table. She didn't care and seemed to just wanna get it done. Hard to enjoy cold flavorless food when the loud vacuum is hitting you. Don't waste your money.

    Amazing food at a great price! Thanks Yelp for helping me find this place. Every time we visit…read moreBiloxi, we have to stop here. The place offered a buffet, complete with dessert and salad. I can't remember if a drink comes with it or not. I'm usually too busy eating to drink anyway, lol! While I don't eat a lot of the meats offered, the veggies more than make up for it. My favorites are the dirty rice, and...well...all of them! Everything is so fresh and hot. You can tell this food is cooked with love. It's in the hood, so if you don't mind the drive away from the casinos and Beach Blvd., definitely try this place out for some terrific food!

    Photos
    Cajun's Fabulous Fried Chicken
    Greens, biscuit, mashed potato with gravy, spicy breast and leg, dirty rice
    Greens, biscuit, mashed potato with gravy, spicy breast and leg, dirty rice
    Cajun's Fabulous Fried Chicken

    See all

    Taranto's Crawfish

    Taranto's Crawfish

    4.5
    (323 reviews)
    8.3 mi
    $$

    Love this place ,The people are great and helpful have eaten there for over 5years get better with…read moretime

    Taranto's has been a Mississippi gulf coast staple for many years. Ask anyone who has the best…read morecrawfish down here and there's a solid chance their name will come up. They also do amazing shrimp and other seafood. This location is off the beaten path but easy to find due to close proximity to the Interstate. Parking is gravel lot so you just fit your vehicle where you can. Usually if you can find a space, there will be a table open so keep that in mind if you think it might be too busy and you don't want to wait. In addition to the great stuff like boiled shrimp or crawfish, they also have wonderful poboys that are packed with whatever you want on them. I opted for grilled shrimp on my last visit, but fried shrimp is great as well. If you order an optional side, you will get plenty like onion rings, fried okra, or fries. They also have daily specials like shrimp or catfish baskets, and currently on Saturdays you can get a pound of royal reds with potatoes and corn for roughly twenty bucks. Royal reds are a premium kind of deep sea shrimp that are more like lobster and very meaty. I highly recommend trying them if you've only ever had regular gulf shrimp before. Service here is always good because the place is small and they keep it well-staffed. Waitresses will keep your drinks filled constantly and they pay attention well. You won't be ignored here, so service is quick and the food comes out fast. Definitely give this place a try.

    Photos
    Taranto's Crawfish
    Shrimp and Crawfish bisque
    Shrimp and Crawfish bisque
    Crawfish Platter

    See all

    Crawfish Platter
    Taranto's Crawfish House

    Taranto's Crawfish House

    4.7
    (38 reviews)
    3.7 mi
    $$

    If you've never sweated through a seafood boil while simultaneously experiencing spiritual…read moreawakening and mild crab-induced trauma, Taranto's is the spot for you. First off, they bring the food out in a giant plastic bag like it's evidence from a crime scene. And honestly, it is a crime--how much butter and Cajun seasoning they put in there. The shrimp were so spicy they gave me flashbacks to every bad decision I've ever made, and the sausage? That sausage whispered sweet nothings to me before punching me in the face with flavor. I'm not saying I fell in love, but I definitely Googled "how to legally marry andouille." The corn was hotter than Satan's armpit, and the potatoes were softer than my willpower. I burned my fingertips, tongue, and possibly my soul, but I regret nothing. The staff is friendly in that Southern way where they call you "honey" and tell you you're "lookin' peaky" while piling 7 pounds of shellfish in front of you. If your bib doesn't say "I'm here for a good time, not a long time," you're doing it wrong. Pro tip: don't wear white. Or tight pants. Or any emotional baggage you're not ready to let go of--because the boil will break you down and build you back better. 10/10, would cry happy tears into my crab legs again.

    I must stop place to eat went on the golf. Never miss a chance to get here.. you can't beat the…read morefood and service. Top notch.

    Photos
    Fries with crawfish bisque.   Delicious!
    Fries with crawfish bisque. Delicious!
    Full platter crawfish boil.
    Full platter crawfish boil.
    Crawfish boil

    See all

    Crawfish boil

    Half Shell Oyster House - seafood - Updated July 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...