Food and service was exceptional. The double order of shrimp hit the spot. This is an old restaurant that knows how to do it right. read more

O'Steen's Restaurant - A double order of shrimp. - Seafood Near Me - Saint Augustine, Florida

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This place was great. Cash only. I got the Blackened Fish of the day and it was really good. The Hushpuppies and Fried Shrimp were great as well. read more

O'Steen's Restaurant - Double order of Shrimp - Seafood Near Me - Saint Augustine, Florida

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The food was amazing and the portions were huge. The service was outstanding. One of the best seafood restaurants I have been to.

We received a recommendation to try O'Steen's Restaurant while we were on the Old Town Trolley. We greatly appreciate the recommendation. Our family had the St. Augustine fried shrimp with fries and coleslaw and also the hamburger steak and grilled onions with rice and gravy and baby carrots. The food was delicious. Ultimately, we chose takeout because the wait was long. However the food was so good and still hot when we returned to our condo. The takeout location to order from was easy and I was greeted by a friendly and polite employee who graciously assisted me with my order. I look forward to returning next time I visit St. Augustine. read more

The best fried shrimp ever. I've been going to O'steen's since I was a baby, and it gets better every-time!!! I will never come to St. Augustine without going to O'steen's. Hint: If you want to avoid a long wait, get it to-go!! It tastes just as good. Also, I tried the corn fritters for the first time this week, and they were amazing! Highly recommend. read more

O'Steen's Restaurant - Fried shrimp, fries, corn fritters, hush puppies - Seafood Near Me - Saint Augustine, Florida

O'Steen's diner offers an old style Southern seafood menu and experience in a rather unique set up. You can plan to wait at least forty minutes for a table after you give your name to the lady at the window. Then you wait outside in the parking lot until your name is called. Signs out front say no credit cards or checks accepted. Bring cash. There is a menu posted outside and entrees run generally between $9-$17 and up. The forty minute wait is grueling but there is always a line of patient customers anticipating the fish inside. There is plenty of parking behind the building but maneuvering is difficult and unsafe with all the people standing around. We had six in our group so we waited longer. When our name was called we finally entered the tiny dining room. I estimate the dining room holds about sixty people including a small counter. The inside is decorated with starfish and other fishy objects. There were about six waitresses scurrying around waiting on tables. They quickly took drink orders. The diner does not serve alcohol. We were able to order unsweetened tea. Drinks came out quickly and our waitress kept the glasses filled through the meal. Service is a no nonsense 5 star. The menu is broad with daily lunch specials. Most guests ordered the fried shrimp. I was trying to stay away from fried today. We selected the daily shrimp salad for $9.95 which came with two sides. My daughter ordered the smaller portion of fried oysters for $8.50 and one in our group had the smaller order of fried shrimp. Each meal include two side dishes with about a dozen choices. I had the stewed okra and pickled cucumbers. The food came out quickly. Even the small portions were huge. My salad consisted of about a dozen fresh shrimp in a thick creamy sweet sour cream dressing. Very good. The sweet okra was cooked with tomatoes and cinnamon. Delicious. The pickled cucumbers were sweet and tasty. Also included was a homemade biscuit and sweet cornbread. The cornbread was delicious and light. So much food. I tasted one of the oysters and it was fantastic. I would highly recommend the fried oysters. There are restrooms on the outside of the building that needed attention. So bottom line, O'Steens serves traditional Southern seafood, mostly fried and sweet. The food is delicious and the service is great. Be prepared to wait for a table (they do not take reservations) and bring cash. read more

O'Steen's Restaurant - Shrimp salad special. $9.95 - Seafood Near Me - Saint Augustine, Florida

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Great food excellent dessert. Good service and very friendly people. They give you so much for your money.

Second visit!! Simply delicious! This restaurant takes you back to 'the good old days!' Local folks, small in a cozy way, comfortable dining area. Fresh food! Great service. read more

O'Steen's Restaurant - Menu so I can remember where it is!!! - Seafood Near Me - Saint Augustine, Florida

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Great food, service and very reasonable pricing. Local favorite that I am glad we found out about. Will definitely visit again when in the area. read more

This place is by far my favorite restaurant of all time. I would eat here everyday if I could! The wait is worth it!

Clam chowder and fried shrimp delicious! Can't wait to go back. The key lime pie was good too! read more

O'Steen's Restaurant - Key lime pie from Osteen's St Augustine - Seafood Near Me - Saint Augustine, Florida

Delicious!! What a gem! I think the "locals" hope to keep this their secret. The chowder was very good! I normally do not do fried but the fried shrimp were absolutely delicious! Lightly battered and fried. The house hot sauce mixed with the pink sauce is the perfect condiment!! The sides and hush puppies were a perfect compliment! read more

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We have been to O'Steen's at least a dozen times over the years, it is an old fashioned squeeze in, sit down, no frills type of restaurant. I use a wheelchair and still they could fir me in. There is always a line, but try the food, and you will soon see why. The breading on the fried food does not fall off, and very rarely is that seafood overcooked, which is a sin against God in my book. Try their shrimp they are some of the best I've ever had. Their cocktail sauce could use a little more horseradish, but if you ask they will supply. Come in sit down talk to folks at the next table, make friends enjoy life. read more

Best seafood on the beach. Prepare for a wait but it is worth the wait. Be sure to try the coconut pie!!!

Fried shrimp were excellent, tender and cooked to perfection. The sauces were very good. Wait staff friendly and welcoming.

O'Steens has the absolute best fried shrimp in the Southeast. Period. My wife and I have been coming here for decades, less since we moved. But, if we get to Jacksonville, we will get to O'Steens. Service is always good, the fried shrimp is unparalleled and that's why we come. Order extra shrimp and take some home. You'll be glad you did. read more

If visiting Historic St. Augustine, FL and you would like to experience some traditional "Southern seafood .."fried shrimp" then O'Steen's is just the place & a must visit! . Simple decor & simple menu w/ warm Southern service just as it has been since 1965. Located across the bridge from downtown St. Augustine...an area where very little has changed over the years...which is fine w/ me! Everything on the menu is homemade...sides & desserts. O'Steen's fried shrimp w/ their special "pink" sauce is their specialty! Even though much has changed in the area & in our world. ..I love that this longtime Southern Sea town favorite has stayed true to their roots..keeping things Simple & Homemade! read more

O'Steen's Restaurant - O'Steen's in historic St. Augustine - Seafood Near Me - Saint Augustine, Florida

O'Steen's NEVER disappoints! The fried shrimp is the favorite but everything is incredible, including the sweet potato casserole and the cole slaw. And don't leave without getting the coconut pie!! Our server Jen was 10/10 and we can't wait to come back again!! read more

If you're feeling like fried chicken or fish it's delicious! Large portions and served up nice and hot. Our to go order was perfect and still steaming hot when we got home with it read more

Amidst CoVid-19 I was happy to see that this restaurant was still functioning and allowing guests to dine in. This restaurant is known for their shrimp, so upon attending I ordered the second largest plate of shrimp on the menu. Everything was reasonably priced, however, the dining room was rather cramped and my party and I were stationed at a small table next to the bathroom which was rather unpleasant for foot traffic. The shrimps were cut in half partially, which was an interesting take on fried shrimp and I was very fond of the light batter applied. Although my sides were below average, the shrimp was alright, but not worth the hour drive it took to get to this recommended spot. I was expecting a far superior experience given the reviews from friends, but found this to be a rather average restaurant all around. Would I eat here again? Yes, but I wouldn't go out of my way to. read more

O'Steen's Restaurant - 1 1/2 shrimp (18 count) - Seafood Near Me - Saint Augustine, Florida

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My family agreed this was definitely the best shrimp we have ever had! So glad to have stumbled upon this place while traveling through the area. Even at an odd time on a random day, there was a line outside and we had to wait about 20 minutes then sat at the bar. From what I understand the wait gets much longer depending on the day - which makes sense because it's pretty small inside. However IT IS WORTH IT! This was the best shrimp we have ever had. We weren't sure what to expect so I ordered the larger order of shrimp, but it was not necessary. Each shrimp here is like 2 normal shrimp. The sides change every day and we didn't have many exciting options when we went, but they were still yummy! Hush puppies were excellent! Service was excellent too - felt like southern hospitality! Definitely eat in if you can but if you're in a hurry I would probably get take out to avoid the wait. Hoping I get a chance to return soon! read more

O'Steen's Restaurant - Shrimp with Cole slaw and peaches and hush puppies - Seafood Near Me - Saint Augustine, Florida

So let me start by saying that when you go to O'Steens you are going to wait in line. The place is a little small, super busy and they do not take reservations. However, they will take your name and allow you to wait at the bar down the street if you so desire. Or you can wait on one of the benches outside. If you don't want to wait, they offer carry out from the window you register to be seated at. Judging by the brisk business it was doing that was a popular option also. With that being said, my wife and I waited about 30 minutes to be seated. Obviously larger parties will be waiting longer. The food of is amazing. Classic southern coast seafood, like fried shrimp and fish or broiled scallops. Served with sides like tomatoes, green beans, pickled cucumbers, French fries and squash casserole to name a few. On todays trip, I got the 24 piece shrimp with green beans and fries and my wife got the broiled scallops with green beans and fries. Both were well prepared and delicious. My wife's scallops meal had about 12-15 medium scallops and we both had plenty to eat. The star was the house made pink sauce that comes with the shrimp. It is sort of like a cross between cocktail sauce and mayo. Super good with your shrimp. Would totally recommend checking it out but definitely advise you be prepared to wait. If you can't wait, maybe pick it up and bring it home. read more

CASH ONLY. There's an ATM outside. O'Steen's came highly recommended by just about every publication, magazine, and website available. We came as a group of five for dinner. There was a gargantuan wait - in the 2-hour range. We put our names in and headed next door to The Pub on Anastasia where you can chill at the bar. They'll call the bar itself to let you know when your table is ready - pretty nifty! After about 2 hours, no joke, we finally got the call at the pub, so we closed out our tabs and headed over. When we arrived back at O'Steen's, there was pandemonium. We had to look like we were skipping the massive line and explain our table was ready to grumbling would-be patrons. Once we got through to a staff member, they informed us that our "berth" had already expired and the table was given away. We had to make a bit of a stink to fight for that table and explained why we weren't literally foaming at the mouth waiting outside for 2-hours since we had been encouraged to spend the time next door at the Pub. After some debate, we were finally seated. Inside, O'Steen's looks like a gutted out grandma's house. It's super homey but also super cramped. We ate at a table rubbing up against a fireplace. Food-wise, we tried the famous fried shrimp, fried okra, blackened snapper, fried catfish, green beans, hush puppies, fries, and their homemade pickles. Overall, I would give the food 4-stars. But given the extreme hurdles to eat here plus high expectations met with very little wow factor, I say 3-stars. read more

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BesT Shrimp & homemade vegetables to die for. Don't forget the Moroccan Chowder Soup also‼ The best ever But you have to like spice.Also, don't forget deserts if you have room for it in yur tummy read more

O'Steen's Restaurant - Light Battered Shrimp & Veggies Homemade - Seafood Near Me - Saint Augustine, Florida

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Well I have to say this is one of those that did not meet upto all the reviews. To start with this is still a small Mom & Pop establishment. Which I don't have any problems with. What I do have a problem with is that they are supposed to be known for their fried shrimp. I have had better fried shrimp. To start with the shrimp size was great however it stops there. Their batter is tasteless, their dipping sauce is also bland. Their hushpuppies are pretty much the run of the mill package tasting. I also ordered fried okra it came out warm. My wife ordered the seafood platter and basically it all tasted the same. Blah. I can honestly say after driving past this restaurant for over twenty years I which I had continued driving. We will not return. read more

This place is wonderful! The fried shrimp was delicious! Service was fantastic! Highly recommend!

So I need to give a bit of context here. We had flown into Orlando for a family wedding, and had to drive on the way. Trip was stressful of course, but made worse by two horrible fast food experiences on the way. Well beyond the pale of even a typical bad time at a restaurant. Waiting 50 minutes for subpar Burger King food or waiting for undercooked fries and badly made Steak and Shake burgers. My wife, my very young daughter and I were tired, stressed and looking for something to be an uplifting experience after a long trip and a long day getting unpacked and ready for the wedding. We came in late, close to closing time. The ambiance was that of a local place with some history. The waitress was cheerful, pleasant, attentive and helpful, and the food was actually edible. Good even! Honestly I must admit I don't know if the green beans I had were actually as good as they felt at that moment but actually tasting something with flavor and care at that moment almost made me ready to weep. I had fried oysters that I enjoyed a lot and my wife liked it as well. Fortunately I had gone to the ATM before our trip as they didn't take cards. No matter, I was glad to tip. Thank you, the experience was one of the highlights outside the wedding itself of the trip for me. read more

This place is an institution, down home cooking, but excellent all around. No matter what you order you will be satisfied. With their large portions you will end up bringing home lots of food. The challenge is getting seated. There usually is a long wait to get in. The trick is to show up about an hour before closing and by then the line has getting much lighter. Most definitely recommend. read more

Fried seafood platter: B. The shrimp, crab cakes and oysters were good, but the scallops and catfish had zero seasoning. This platter is large enough to feed 2 adults. Clam chowder: A. Absolutely delicious! Coleslaw: C. Flavorless and meh. Sweet potato casserole: D: clawingly sweet - we couldn't eat it. read more

Best (lightly) fried shrimp I've ever had. Had sweet potatoes + hush puppies- both excellent. Small restaurant but has some additional outside tables. read more

If you are visiting St. Augustine you must make a point to stop here! The place is small, has a quaint diner feel inside, and can have long wait times, so consider going at off hours. The shrimp is amazing, lightly breaded and worth going back for. In fact, we ate here 4 times in our 2 week visit! We also tried the broiled scallops and fried crab cakes, both excellent. Oh and don't forget the hush puppies, huge and crispy and possibly the best I ever had. They rotate the homemade sides every day so there is always something new to try. The service was top notch each time. It's easy to see why this small restaurant has been in business for over 50 years. It's cash only business though so plan ahead. read more

A very popular local seafood restaurant. The fried or broiled fish, scallops, oysters and shrimp are very good. There are an impressive number of tasty side dishes- but skip the fries. The cole slaw is very good. Be prepared to wait to eat inside. There is a robust business in take-out. We chose to wait, and were advised that we could wait in a pub 2 doors away, and they would call the barkeep when our table was ready-a really good idea. We arrived at 5:30 and were seated and served at 7:50. Was it worth the wait? Not really, even though the food was really good. Maybe the wait was longer on a Tuesday, during spring break, after the restaurant had been closed the usual Sunday and Monday. I suggest carefully considering bringing small children who may become impatient - takeout may be a better option. The fried shrimp and oysters would be perfect for Po' Boys! And their special shrimp sauce would go great. I don't know why they haven't figured this out. Would be 4 stars without the wait. read more

O'Steen's Restaurant - Only about a dozen inside tables. Be prepared to wait to eat inside. - Seafood Near Me - Saint Augustine, Florida

Always fantastic from the friendly and fun staff To the delicious shrimp and side dishes. So glad there's a little bit of outdoor seating So we can enjoy hush puppies with our own puppy. Best iced tea i've had in a year.. And glad I took the Clam chowder home for dinner, also a spicy must. Beloved friends took me here years ago and several of them have passed since our first visit.. We always reminisce about time spent over the years at this " must" restaurant! American treasure!! read more

This little gem started at the same time I was born, so its old. Restaurants do not last 56 years unless they're doing something right. And they do it ALL right. They are famous for their fried shrimp and homestyle southern sides. The batter on their food is very light, almost like a tempura beer batter type and its very crunchy. I got the lighter portion of fried oysters and got about 10 and 2 sides.(12.95) The shrimp lighter portion was 6 (9.95) but they also had available 9 and 12, as well as a seafood platter. The idea are a southern list, grits, mashed potatoes, pickled beets, cucumbers , tomatoes and zucchini and green beans plus a bunch more. The corn fritters were amazing. They've got a terrific set up. you check in at the window outside and theres a long bench you can sit on that runs the length of the building. or you can shop in the antique mall across the narrow road. The door is on the side and they announce tables in there over a loud speaker. we of course went shopping. Its a small place so they just point you to your table. The service is fast and food came out in a max of 10 minutes, but Id guess 5 minutes. They only take cash but there is an atm on property in case you forgot like I did. You pay at the super sweet cashier. Oh and make sure you save room for their homemade coconut cream pie or one of the other 5 pies that change daily. read more

Love the food it is always great! Wait might be long but it is worth it! Service is spot on!

Light breading. Delicious food. Good prices! Very busy all the time! Highly recommend the seafood platter!

Recommended by a local and so glad he did!!!! Best fried shrimp platter ever!!! Light, crispy and hot. So good I forgot to take a picture!!! The banana cream pie is the best I've ever had!!!! read more

O'Steen's Restaurant - Nana cream pie - Seafood Near Me - Saint Augustine, Florida

Family restaurant. Long wait time but well worth it. Great food & service. One of our best vacations because of great food.

WORTH THE WAIT! The best butterflied and breaded shrimp anywhere in the area. We finally made it to O'Steen's and it did not disappoint.

Food is whatever.. over hyped the front window lady Lisa is rude I saw her scolding staff and she rolled her eyes after closing the window and was talking ab me bc I asked for a different table that wasn't by the high traffic door bc I had a broken leg with crutches read more