Half Shell Raw Bar
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Fun spot to enjoy a drink in nice weather. The bucket of clams was so delicious and flavorful. The rest of the meal was just ok. For the price point, I was expecting so much more. Everything was very dry and over cooked. I'd come back to enjoy the ambiance and chat with the waiters - they were so kind and attentive.
This review is for HAPPY HOUR only! From 4:30-6:30, half shell raw bar is packed!!! I went right at 4:30 to beat the crowds. Luckily we didn't have to wait, but every table filled up quick after us. The waitress was awesome rushing around across multiple tables. We placed a huge order all upfront, because we ordered a bunch of appetizers that were 50% off during happy hour, plus multiple types of oysters. I love the smoked fish dip and the sweet lips apps, which are cream cheese filled jalapeño poppers. My husband got wings which he loved it came with 10, for only $9. My father got Conch ceviche and Conch Fritters, both were very delicious, all 50% off. We also got a dozen of Louisiana oysters on happy hour price for $2 each, and Canada oysters on happy hour price for $3 each. Also got garlic oysters, which were not on happy hour. All were delicious. The oyster shooters are soooo good, IMO Much better than the neighboring oyster bar down the boardwalk! I was impressed that kettle one vodka is also 50% off during happy hour, for my husband who doesn't like to drink beer! Overall amazing happy hour, if you can get there early before the crowds go on a wait. I don't think I would pay full price here given most of it is fried food or raw bar, which is my only hesitation giving 5 stars. But I'll definitely be back for happy hour!!
Toward the end of our week in Key West, we stopped in for lunch after a long morning walk. Food: The menu offers plenty of choices, especially seafood, which is no surprise in this setting. We ordered the Tuna Poke and the Lobster Tacos. The poke was a flavorful combination of seaweed salad, sweet soy dressing, avocado, pickled ginger, and fried wontons. The portion was generous and well balanced, although it could have used a lighter hand with the soy dressing. The chips were very good and disappeared quickly. We ended up asking for a few more to finish the dish. The lobster tacos were also a good choice. They featured nice pieces of lobster, lettuce, and pico de gallo. I added avocado, and the portion was generous. Like the poke, the tacos could have benefited from less sauce, as it made the dish a bit too wet. The accompanying rice and beans were surprisingly fresh and better than what is often served as a side. Service: We were seated right away. Our server was pleasant and helpful, though not especially warm. Drinks and our food order were taken promptly. After the food was delivered, however, we didn't see the server again until we were nearly finished. That's when we requested more iced tea and additional chips for the poke. Overall, the service felt a bit inconsistent. Atmosphere: The venue has a strong seaport feel, rustic and casual. We sat outside and enjoyed watching the fishing boats return, unloading both passengers and their catch. Pelicans and seagulls hovered nearby, adding to the waterfront experience. It was a pleasant setting for lunch. For the atmosphere alone, it's worth visiting, and with a lighter touch on the sauces and more consistent service, it could easily become a repeat favorite.
Half Shell Raw Bar was exactly what we were looking for that afternoon. The location right on the water is hard to beat. Grab a seat, order a cold beer, watch the boats come and go, and enjoy some seafood. Sometimes that's all you need. We stopped in for a pitcher of beer and a few bites. The clams were fresh, the seafood was good, and the service was friendly and attentive without hovering. What I liked most was that the place doesn't try to be anything other than what it is. No frills, no gimmicks, just a dockside seafood spot serving cold drinks and fresh seafood with a great view. I've heard they're known for happy hour, but we didn't make it for that. Based on our visit, I'd happily come back and give it a try next time. If you're looking for waterfront dining without all the fuss, this place is worth a stop.
After knowing our boat excursion was canceled due to the heavy rain, we decided to catch Happy Hour here because oysters & conch were on our minds. We sat almost right away although it was pretty busy & everyone was watching FIFA. We ordered 1/2 dozen of 2 types of oysters (1 type was smaller but flavorful & the other was bigger & juicier), conch ceviche (chewy but so good with the crunchy tortillas & pico de gallo, clam chowder (red-base with potatoes), side of yellow rice (comfort food), & 2 rather strong margaritas to seal the deal. Service was appreciated! Just letting you know, you have to walk past the merchandise bar, past the main bar, down a long hallway to get to the restrooms, but at least they were clean. Thank you Half Shell Raw Bar for making up for the canceled excursion.
We were waiting for our uber to the airport and said..."we've got 5 min. Let's get some oysters. There's always time for oysters! " We sat at the outdoor bar and shot down a dozen! They were cold. Tasty and fast with great 5 min service. Ambiance??? I have no idea. lol So yep, they were calling our names when we got through TSA. We ran to the gate (swimsuits under our clothes) and just made it in time! So when you wonder...Do we have enough time for some oysters? Hell yeah we do! See you soon!
You simply can't beat a table with a water view, cool breeze, cold beer and a variety of fresh seafood catch with a laid back vibe!! Its well run history started as a shrimp warehouse and the restaurant was established in 1972. We popped in for a light bite and were greeted with smiles and a helpful server! Both the Steamed Shrimp and Broiled oysters were fantastic! I'll certainly return when back in the Keys!
The location of Half Shell is great! On the marina in Key West. The place has a super fun vibe with two separate large bars, outdoor and indoor open air seating. We came with a larger party, so we all were able to try several items on the menu. To be fair, no one in our group tried the raw oysters, but we did have: drinks, appetizers, salads, and a variety of items off their dinner menu. The calamari and crab fritters were just okay, with the tomato dipping sauce being weird. The entree's were very disappointing. My daughter ordered the Rib Eye, which was paper thin 1/2" or less and flavorless. My wife had blackened grouper topped with crab, she felt the fish was fresh, but lacked any flavor enhancements that could make it better. My son ordered the fish sandwich which he said was just okay. We split a green salad that had one tomato, the lettuce was not cut, the croutons were stale. I ordered the Garlic Shellfish Combo. The combo was supposed to have clams, mussels, crab, lobster, shrimp, corn on the cob, red potatoes, garlic Cuban bread. I had one edible clam, the others did not open, it had 2 shrimp, three potatoes a crab claw in a garlic broth. Everything was Luke warm at best. The server smiled briefly but was curt with our large party. This is a popular place, but I don't get the hype. I'm hoping maybe next time I come to Key West to visit again.
I came here for a guys trip and I was impressed with the oyster selection. I tried the steamed and raw oysters. The Rockefella oysters were good too but they had a little too much cheese on them. The main course was this fish sandwich which was decent but could have used a unique sauce. The service was good for how busy it was. Our server lived in the area for many years and seemed to be able to suggest many different dishes. The inside seemed to be designed like other seafood spots
Tuna poke was swimming in toooo much sauce , sad because it looked like great tuna. Everything else was just okay
Had a lovely lunch here with nice service and good food. I enjoyed the fish and chips basket which was plentiful and came out piping hot. The atmosphere inside is relaxing and the view of the marina is pretty.
Food was great very fresh and tasty. The service was amazing. She was super sweet and nice! I will be back when I come back around here. Try HOT LIPS!
Great place to pass the day away. Try to sit closest to the marina and watch the boat traffic, look down and you can see fish in the water as the water is so clear. Listen to the great music being piped in. Jimmy Buffett was on it. It was perfect. This is Key West at its finest. Just sitting here you could forget your own name. Service was attentive, polite, and fun natured. For lunch, the seafood appetizer consisting of fritters, shrimp and calamari, hit the spot @ $17.95 I loved the local draft beer on tap Parking can be a little pricey, but what else isn't in Key West. You can park right in front, $6.00 for two hours. This place is also good for groups or families. Great music being piped through. This had the island vibe at 100%. This is always one of my favorite stops when in Key West
This is a perfect spot to stop by after ur trip to dry tortugas national park. We got in just in time before their happy hour ended at 6.30 pm. We tried the oysters on half shell, raw clams and Buffalo shrimp. All the choices were amazing and our server was attentive with a big crowd. The bar itself has a very dive bar feel and is a place to visit for the music and ambience. It's rigjt off the marina so perfect for the key west sunset ! Must visit. read more
7 months ago
2 years ago
What a great find. The mate on our charter boat told us they'd cook our catch from our boat that day. Not only did they do that but they cooked the right preparation on the right fish (blackened the mahi and fried the king mackeral). Great dinner great vibe on water I highly recommend for post fishing fresh catch dinner. read more
2 years ago
Fantastic Happy Hour‼ Cool vibes and waterfront dining - what more can you ask for? Stopped by around 5pm and there was plenty of seating on the outside perimeter. If you're sensitive to the sun, sit inside - don't sit near the water and then pull the curtains closed! It ruins it for the rest of us! Anyway, back to the experience- Jackie was our server and she was top notch. Even shared a conversation and a few laughs. We ordered Conch Fritters, Fish Dip, 2 Dozen Clams on the Half Shell, a pound of Chilled Peel & Eat Shrimp and 4 beers. Total with tip was $84 for two - this could not be beat anywhere on the Island. Everything was fresh and delicious. We rated Conch Fritters across Key West and these come in 2nd out of 6. Had there been a little more spice in the mix, it would have been declared the winner and awarded 1st place. An enjoyable evening, good vibes, good food and good service. Definitely worth a visit during Happy Hour! read more
1 year ago
Food is, as one would hope, very fresh. I would say it's reasonably priced as well. Service was attentive. The location and energy are fun - just know you're essentially outside. Maybe reconsider before stopping in on a super hot and overly humid day. Went a couple times the last time we were in the area. Ordered the same drinks on separate visits (frozen daiquiris) and they were totally different. Experiences are relatively inconsistent but it's worth the gamble. I'll definitely be back in the future. read more
1 year ago
Second time we've been to this raw bar, and definitely recommend the baked sampler. It's very good and changes up the flavors nicely! We also had the coconut shrimp and Buffalo shrimp. I bought the chicken fingers for my son. I give 4 because quality isn't 5 star but we've been back for the oysters so I'll give them that! Service was nice and accommodating. read more
Service is 2 out of 5. We came here 3 times because the location is great and happy hour is decent. Only one of our waitresses was friendly. Half hour is decent. We tried raw oysters (meh), shrimp (great), fries, calamari (meh), and fish dip. Raw Oysters are massive (in a bad way) read more
If you like a good raw bar with a great water view, this is a place to come hang out for the afternoon. Very low key, not an upscale dining but a more relaxed waterfront beer drinking and seafood eating. Tables are bench style and rustic but you can't beat the view. If you sit next to the water and ate peeled and eat shrimps, you can toss the shell in the water for the many large fishes that swam in the water under the board walk. Service from our waiter was decent with no complaints. read more
10 months ago
Let's see I guess there biggest hit was they need better fans and the service was lacking. Waited 10 min before someone came to our table.... I guess lack of communication? Anyway I got to jalapeño poppers and popcorn shrimp with I really enjoyed both. However their ceviche was good but the chips taste like they were cooked in old oil . For bar food I may go back if it is a different season. read more
10 months ago
1 year ago
3 years ago
Our server Aida was extremely friendly and super accommodating. We brought in our own fish and the kitchen cooked it amazingly! The Stuffed Jalapeños (cream cheese) were great as well. The inside is very laid back, no A/C just fans. So it can get warm. A lot of Wooden bench seating type tables. read more
2 years ago
After spearfishing we wanted to go to a catch and cook restaurant. Unfortunately, we missed the time window on the restaurant we really wanted to go to because our buddy could not get off his phone. We found Half Shell could accommodate us. I was not happy about this because I knew it was in the touristy dock restaurant area and never looked impressive from walk-bys during previous visits to the Keys. The ambiance has a relaxed, divey restaurant feel. Personally I like these restaurants. If you are snobby about your restaurants, this is not your place. It took a minute to get any service because they were severely understaffed. When we did get our server, she was super friendly, but refused to right anything down. This always goes one of two ways, your order is completely jacked up or you have an amazing server who really impresses you. I was a little worried about that since we all had different sides, different adult beverages, and a lot of appetizers. Well she did not disappoint, definitely tipped the heck out of her because although the slow start she kept our drinks filled an food to us in a timely manner. The food was great. They nailed it and the sides were abundant. This was an unexpected, great experience. Definitely should not have judged the book by its cover. Despite the bad slow start, they made up for it in the service and the food. Definitely would bring our catch and cook back here and it was not terribly expensive. read more
2 years ago
We had some of the best conch fritters and the conch ceviche was also excellent. We also enjoyed the view of the dock and all the fish swimming around. read more
1 year ago
This restaurant is AMAZING! The ambiance is beautiful with a dock and tarpon that you can feed. I got the fish and chips that were very good. The service was the best and the waiters and waitresses were very nice! This place is a must visit when visiting key west! read more
2 years ago
1 year ago
2 years ago
We visited & loved it! We ordered conch ceviche, a dozen oysters, a poke salad & fresh grouper sandwich - it was amazing! Service was fantastic & the view was stunning. Island time! read more
I'm a sucker for raw seafood and the happy hour specials they have here are calling my name! It's everyday from 4:30-6:30 pm including drink specials and other dishes such as steamed shrimp, clams, fried calamari, and conch fritters. They are known for their Oysters on the Half Shell and that's what has me loving this place. It gets pretty packed in the evening so definitely try to get here right at happy hour. Around 5:30 pm or so there will probably be a line as it was the two times I was there. The Oysters on the Half Shell come with the classic cocktail sauce, horseradish, crackers, and key lime. You can ask for hot sauce as well. Super delish and fresh and by far my favorite thing here. I also tried out the Clams on the Half Shell. They were petite, but still yummy. Definitely prefer oysters though, but it was great to try. The Beer Steamed Shrimp was pretty good as well. A wee bit overcooked imo, but had a nice beer taste and good flavor overall. Overall, I like this place and will make it my staple to satisfy my raw cravings for oyster! read more
2 years ago
My wife and I were on a trip to Key West to celebrate our anniversary. She was in the mood for oysters on the half shell and we're glad we found this place. It has a great view of the ocean and a great place to watch the sunset. The staff is friendly and the service is good. The food is quite good and there's a good selection of beer and cocktails to choose from. Next time we're in Key West, I'm sure be back here again. read more
Four stars for the environment & our server! Unfortunately I didn't catch her name, but she was attentive & friendly! Food was alright, definitely wouldn't choose to eat there again. Ceviche was bland, & the fish was over cooked & dry. Definitely a fun place to go to dinner but unfortunately a little disappointed with the food. read more
We had 14 pounds of fish that we caught!!!! We cooked 10pounds and gave 4 pounds to the staff/others! Angela and the chef get way above the possible reviews. Never got to meet the cook/chef BUT he/she did an amazing job!! We had fried, blackened and grilled! Everything cooked to perfection!! Had several sides as well! Angela BY FAR THE BEST SERVER I THINK I'VE HAD! Pleasant and attentive! Angela was just so nice!!! Thanks for such a great experience!! read more
The Fried Snapper Sandwich was amazing! Perfectly cooked with perfect fries on the side and awesome tartar sauce and coleslaw. The staff helped each other hour so we didn't have to wait long on a busy night. The marina theme while being actually on a marina with layback atmosphere made it a nice dinner with friends. read more
We were not impressed with this spot unfortunately. It's really a shame because it has such a prime spot and the atmosphere is great but the food was sub par We came here because found it while walking around and exploring, plus we happened to have bogo free drinks! My boyfriend ordered the surf and turf and I got a burger (I eat seafood but I just was in the mood for a burger lol) we also got the conch ceviche. The surf and turf was good...normal....typical....whatever. Same for my burger. It was good. Just average. The conch ceviche however was not good. I've had multiple kinds of ceviche and this managed to be plane and bland while being over flavored at the same time. How?? It was too spicy with the jalapeños and that's basically all we tasted. We each also ordered a house margarita and I got mine with light ice and they used a rocks glass but gave my boyfriend a pint glass. Mine was sooooo sour. I've never had such a sour margarita in my life. I didn't even taste any tequila. We were disappointed with that. Our server was sweet and attentive but overall we didn't like it. It was a solid 4/10. Not worth the price we paid. read more
3 years ago
Oysters were amazing , clams were great ! The steak was amazing Tastey drinks. Wonderful view. read more
2 years ago
3 years ago
For being right at the ocean I would have expected better quality of seafood . I guess I was spoiled when living on the coast in Spain read more
My absolute favorite spot for happy hour in Key West! The oysters are good and fresh, and the drinks arrive quickly. Every time we go, we seem to see rude patrons getting booted from the bar, but we've never found any fault with the service or food. Bar staff is awesome and we love the divey vibe here. If I could own a bar, it would be this one. read more
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More info about Half Shell Raw Bar
231 Margaret St
Key West, FL 33040
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(305) 294-7496
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http://www.halfshellrawbar.com
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Is this close enough to the cruise port to walk or do you need to catch a taxi?
Yes. A couple blocks away.
Is this a place to watch an NFL GAME. IF NOT, what the most upscale sports bar in downtown?
It's a good place to watch a game. I wouldn't call it upscale but it had plenty of tv's, good view, and great food.
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