Beer is cold, service is solid, and my friends say the chow is "okay"; jukebox can wander into the "11" range on the dial, which I don't like. That aside, I definitely prefer the vibe at Shell Back's then many of the other watering holes in town. In the end, it's another of a small handful of South Bay drinking establishments I have been to a half-dozen or so times over the years, so more of a nostalgic stop for a drink rather than a place I want to frequent on the rare occasion I venture into Manhattan Beach. Cheers! RS read more

Good food, very decent prices for being right on the beach, and good service. There is a weird restroom setup in the middle of the dining area, and the space has a really divey feel to it. Having been here a couple of times now I can say that it is a decent place to meet up with friends and to have a taco and drink, but it's not anything special. There is also a weird smell that I have come to realize is either something they use to deodorize the place or is the cleaner they use mixed with the smells of a bar. In any case the smell is odd and a little off-putting. Decorations in this space come in the way of volleyball posters and photos. This makes sense as there are several dozen volleyball nets on the beach just steps from this establishment. read more

Mikey with the all time service ! Beers were flowing, vibes were high. Thanks homie. Cheers ! read more

So I come here very very very often ! Before Covid and after . And I've never had an issue until Isaac started working there I've had his as a waiter twice and every encounter with him he's very rude ! Not friendly at all but on 2-19-22 the bar was so packed in fact overly crowded the security guard sat at the front door on his phone with an airport in his ear acting as if he couldn't communicate or even focus enough on our well being while being at the door but that's another story . So on 2-19-22 me and my bestfriend wanted a few hood drinks and nachos so of course we went here to our fav place it was very much packed no one had a mask on . Me and my bestie found a table for two but was surround by tables of 8 or more so it was very hard for us to sit and actually get comfortable but hey it was allstar weekend very understandable why is was overly packed so ISAAC become our waiter we order two patron shot two margaritas and Nachos & close the tab because we just seen how overly crowded it was so our drink came out fast s! Water came in cheaply made paper cups but again it was very very VERY packed that night . So we end up taking our shots and finishing our drinks before the nachos come . When they do ISAAC IS VERY MUCH RUDE ABOUT IT DROPS THE NACHO PLATE ON THE TABLE NO IM SORRY OR THE PLATES HOT NOTHING JUST DROPS AND WALK OFF TO RETURN WITH NAPKINS AND PLATES . He bring the check now it's 3 receipt! I sign every single one but because it's so packed as we leave I'm grab everything and walked out mind you the tab had been paid via debit not to credit debit taking right out my account ! So me and my friend are walking to the car having a good laugh with ransoms when ISAAC with the dreads runs out the bar to hawk us down about the copy of the receipt! Yelling loudly in the ally and making a joke with the so called non watching security guard and I seen no humor into running outside yelling like we didn't pay for our tab ! But because of a receipt and was very rude about it I said oh my apologies here you go with no ease he's like "yeah sure " with his cocky arrogant attitude which I don't understand why work in the business dealing with face to face situation to have a very shi**y attitude your appearance last up to par with your cocky arrogant attitude . You work in a great bar with nice people before you got there this was my go to spot for everything doing homework watching the sunset but due to his HORRIBLE attitude and interaction with customers I'll make sure to not have you as my server every again and if I do your performance with be greatly rated in Yelp time and time again. It's sad that you assumed two colored women would run out on a tab but had no issue giving you a receipt I issue apologizing for the mishap even with ISAAC knowing how over packed the bar was that night ! But him running out yelling at us embarrassing us as if we just didn't pay and sat there after it was paid to continue having a good night ! Once again ISAAC your attitude your appearance all needs a reality check people in life have things going on and look for an escape not knowing going to the escape you'll be faced with ignorant attitudes I would love to return back to this establishment but I would Hope and pray it's when ISAAC has an off day ! But to the other staff minus security & ISAAC you did a great job correcting my drink when i told Isaac and he said "that's just how the bar goes I can't do anything about it "! read more

Shellback Tavern - Cadillac margarita - Dive Bars Near Me - Manhattan Beach, California

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I found this dive bar while I was walking back from the Manhattan beach pier. It had a cozy, nice and an authentic vibe to its environment. The staff seemed cool & sociable. The outdoor seating is a bit tightened together, so it is not completely Covid-19 proof. However the friendly vibes to it was very welcoming. I absolutely enjoyed how this bar was tucked on the side of the dock. It seemed like a secretive hangout. The mozzarella sticks I ordered were crisp & tasted fair. The sauce however was tasteless. The bear was cold enough to enjoy in a windy weather. All in all it was a pleasant experience. Overall it reminded me of my bar hopping nights during my college years. read more

Shellback Tavern - Mozzarella Sticks Breaded And Fried & a Guinness Can - Dive Bars Near Me - Manhattan Beach, California

Friendly service. Great burger. Scenic views. Didn't know what convivial meant in the online description before going there. Now I do. Convivial in deed. Five stars read more

Great little beach dive bar. I love sitting at the bar and people watching.. there's always a colorful crowd in here! People having fun and laughing... this spot has a generally upbeat and happy atmosphere! The bartenders are really friendly for the most part and the music is always up loud. I like stopping in here for a couple coronas and looking out at the water. The location is pretty prime.. right on the beach. We will definitely be back next time we are riding bikes in the area! Cheers! read more

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I stopped in for lunch today and was pleasantly surprised at the quantity and quality of the fish & chips lunch special ($11.95). My Becky, my helpful server recommended a few beers to compliment my lunch and even brought me a couple of samples to taste. On on quiet Tuesday afternoon, I had a nice table with a view of the Pier and ocean. A wonderful lunch with a million dollar view makes this a new favorite lunch spot. read more

Shellback Tavern - Lunch with a view - Dive Bars Near Me - Manhattan Beach, California

Great Beach bar with the Best Buffalo wings in Cali!! Dry rub with blue cheese n the side OG - Legit. #gobills

Classic dive bar: Drinks are good and beer is cold. I had a greyhound and Bloody Mary (not too difficult to make - bloody was just ok). The $17 Cheeseburger sucked although the fries were good but cost an extra $2. One of the worst overdone burgers I've had in a long long time. Been coming here for years as A staple dive bars. Prefer Ercole's (around the corner) where you can get the same drinks and cold beer but a fresh charbroiled cheeseburger. My two cents - order cheeseburger at your own risk. read more

Great chill place to be yourself. Danny is fantastic. Hugely recommend. Good vibes all around.

Epic dive bar! Great wings, view and the staff is normally great. Local dive bar but certainly makes tourists feel welcome.

Mike is the BEST! I forgot my backpack there and they ensured they kept it safe and made sure I knew about my backpack before giving it back! I'm glad they take care of belongings and it's certainly a fun dive bar with a great juke box! Worth a visit :) read more

Went for drinks, Info in here said it closes at 2 a.m., however we were told they close at 11. We order drinks and food within 30 minutes, it felt rushed. The drinks were very weak, and hardly taste like anything. The nachos were good, but didn't get to enjoy them all the way. We were given container to go tho. read more

Shellback Tavern - Steak nachos - Dive Bars Near Me - Manhattan Beach, California

This place is THE BEST original beach bar in the South Bay.... It's so great that it has remained the same... I've been coming here for decades and It's a tiny place --- so sometimes it just gets way to crowded for me. I'm happy to see they're doing great business. Keep it up... my only suggestion... Maybe can you please upgrade/enlarge some of the TVs, especially behind the bar ???.. I'm an old guy now and sometimes it's hard to see. read more

Shellback is the best! Great prices, great food, fun bartenders and bouncers. You absolutely need to order the Fanta shots when you check this place out! Keith is an all time bartender, really makes you feel like a friend and like a customer that has been coming there for years. read more

A five star dive bar. So, today was the Mother Of All Mondays, the day when the stock market fell some 500 points. Yes, I am affected, as well as by the drop in property values. It's scary & I've had a long, glum, stressful day. Along these lines, the past months have been character-building, in fact, getting worse by the day. I woke up very early in my loft, facing a view through a west window of a pale full moon slipping into a fog bank. The marine layer was so thick the air was dripping, literally, not unusual for pre-dawn at the beach. It seemed eerie today, though. At day's end, after all the turmoil, I knew I would find solace at only one place.....the beach, my beloved beach. I headed for Manhattan Beach to seek out a burger. I snagged a coveted parking spot in the lot next to The Shellback. I've always avoided this place, it looks like such a dive from the outside, but tonight I felt like I belonged in a dive with a bunch of dejected drunks. Inside, however, Shellback is very cool, see photos. It's smack dab in front of Manhattan Beach Pier, the last business before the Strand & the sand. I snagged a table just inside the front door, facing the sunset in progress, see my photo. The gentle sea breeze drifted in the open doorway & brought me a measure of peace. Out the window, I saw a woman wiping away tears as she walked toward the Pier. Inside the bar, the football game was on several TVs & young guys were yelling. I stared instead at surfing videos shot in Hawaii, with one eye on the orange fireball sun sinking into the horizon. My burger arrived & it looked damn good. In fact it was damn good. Eight bucks. My server added my name to a sheet she was passing around to win "half-time giveaways". She insisted. I won. I won a cool powder blue tee! A Landshark lager t-shirt in my size. "Let the fin begin." Haha! OK so several people got t-shirts, not just me. And everyone cheered when the names were called out by my very sweet & friendly server. It was a nice crowd, happy but not rowdy, a mix of all ages. So....life goes on, even at the close of Mothereffin' Monday. My meter was ticking away while I was having all this good fun, and it was time to go. When I had entered Shellback Tavern, I felt like a loser. When I left, I felt like a winner. I drove home by way of a high hill in Hermosa, to see the spectacular full moon begin to rise. It was an enormous, intensely-white, glowing vision that took my breath away. I had come full circle. I was thinking that the most important things at this moment were....reasonably good health, loved ones, and beautiful sights to behold, like moonrises, sunsets, & flowers. And all the hoopla of the day didn't even amount to so much as a blip in the grand scheme of things. Yes it was important, life-changing.....but also inevitable, and beyond control. But the vastness of the ocean and the spectacle of that moon spoke of perspective. If you believe you're a loser, you're right. If you believe you're a winner, you're right. Hey wait..........the stock market crashed & all I got was this lousy t-shirt!! May the Force be with us all today. read more

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This is my kind of bar. Love the location and divey feel with lots of surfing decor to look at. We ordered beer (Tallboy PBR OMG!!!) and french fries. Both were delivered very quick. If I lived in Manhattan Beach I have no doubt that I would be a regular here. read more

It's great for douche bags AND awesome people. Be selective w your one night stands. read more

I came here with a friend of mine a couple of days ago. Since it was a weekday night, the place was empty. The server was very friendly and they had decent beer (tap) selections. The only downside was their buffalo wings! So tiny and skinny (little meat on it) - I thought they just served us some bones to nibble. I have to go back to the Shack for real buffalo wings, but as a local dive bar, it's good. read more

Fish & Chips? Sorry, they had decent Fish and French fry's at one time. No so any more. Frozen fish and batter and soggy fries. No chips here! Ok, the beer was good so you get two stars for that. Just fond memories of what was! read more

This is one of the best dive bars mainly because it has great ocean views [see photo] and how many dive bars can say that/ We came here today to watch the end of the Yankees vs. Giants game and low and behold of course it went extra innings so we stayed here for a while. The drinks are strong and they have decent food too. Today we shared a Baja Philly Cheese steak. What is that you ask? Well they actually make it with either beef or chicken and it has jalapenos and pepper jack cheese. Very tasty and a bit spicy but not too spicy. read more

Shellback Tavern - View from inside of Shellback Tavern - Dive Bars Near Me - Manhattan Beach, California

This place would be just another dump were it not for the location. Nevertheless, it's probably one of the best places in MB to watch the sunset. Not very big, so it can get crowded on weekends and during sporting events. Eclectic mix of what I suspect to be mostly beach city locals. Very average prices. As you might expect, the men's room is used heavily and is in sketchy condition. read more

This "tavern" sits on the corner (a blind spot actually where I saw a biker get hit by a car while I ate lunch!) and if that wasn't enough to put me off from the place the food (and service) was sub par. Overpriced basic items all for the privilege of being able to walk to the beach afterward. We ordered a hot dog and sandwiches and what food of ours that wasn't burnt was just 'meh'. Take my advice, picnic on the beach instead of wasting your time in here. read more

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Great ambiance for a dive bar if that's what your into. Which is totally something in into, hence the five stars. Bartender was nice, assertive, inquisitive and on his game. We got here before the afternoon rush but it was still very poppin'. Found a 'surf board' table that fit our group of five, perfectly. The later rush came in and even then the ambiance was still happening and friendly. The food was great.. We ordered the Chicken Nachos and damn they were good and enough to split between three. I ordered a cheese burger and yeah enough said because it was great in flavor and in taste. the fries are like the thick cut ones but not as big as steak fries so they're AWESOME! By the way, if you are a white wine drinker they have a great Sauvignon blanc by CUPCAKE. Obviously you shouldn't be ordering wine in a dive bar by the beach, but oh well because, randomly the one white wine they have is ACTUALLY GOOD! P.S. any one that works there will consider themselves BEACH trash! I LOVE IT! read more

Folksy place without nose-ups! Beach people atmosphere with great beers and an amazingly good menu right next to the pier! I'm a fish-and-chips lover, and I can honestly say that it's hard to find fish and chips (fries) better prepared than here. The portions are large, the fish is fresh and the batter is perfect, And the Mahi Mahi tacos are to die for. And that for half the price of other places in the vicinity with less than mediocre stuff. The waitress is a darling! The beers are great and affordable. But you must like local people with beach sand in their shoes! Conversations are always possible and welcome. This is the good old American beer-with-food-bar next to the beach! I will come back and try the other dishes on the menu. And I'm looking forward to it! read more

Shellback Tavern - 03/24/2015 - 2:00 PM - Dive Bars Near Me - Manhattan Beach, California

Dive bar on Mardi Gras. I was surprised at how quiet it was. No whooping or hollering. The crowd was older than me and dressed better too! It was kinda surreal. Our server had a purple hat on and glitter on her face. But, she almost seemed out of place. We had a couple of brews while sitting at a table people watching. Pretty uneventful. Sad. Claim to fame is the giant beer thermometer on the wall. read more

Tiki themed dive bar right off the strand in Manhattan Beach! A younger crowd, this place can get crowded on the weekends. Fun, more rowdy vibes all around. They offer enough space to play flip cup if you get earlier and their fanta shots are pretty tasty. Not too expensive but a good spot to check out with your friends. Everyone there is very social and lots of places for sitting and mingling. read more

Food is delicious, Bob & Rigo do an amazing job of keeping this landmark beach bar running like a well oiled machine!!!

From the moment my friend and I walked into this unwelcoming bar, there was a bad vibe. We ignored it and walked to the back bar which was too crowded to place an order right then and there, so we took a seat and looked at the menu on our phones using the QR codes. Isaac, the man with dreads whom is not black, comes to take our order (safe to say he wasn't thrilled to do so). We place an order for wings and calamari but I ask if I can put my drink order in at the bar in which he promptly replies "NO YOU CANT everything is ordered from your table"...okayyyy a margarita then. Isaac returns with the margarita AKA juice super fast. As I'm eyeballing the large drink that is way to big to be a margarita, I take a sip and surprise surprise its all juice an not even an ounce of liquor. I tell my friend it's all juice and we sit there for 1 minute discussing the environment and how uncomfortable we were and decided we wanted to leave. I get up and walk over to Isaac who is still at the register to tell him I didn't like the drink and that we were uncomfortable and going to leave. He proceeds to tell us we can't leave and that he will call the police on us for dining and dashing ( mind you one sip of the drink was taken and food was never brought out)....I'm like how about I call the police for you! We walk out and I call the police station not 911 and let them know what just happened and the police responded that's not a crime and if we get the call we will let them know. As we are heading back to the car Isaac runs outside and yells down the street "I got you on video! You people just need to learn how to act!" YOU PEOPLE! You mean black people Isaac the exact culture you are appropriating with your faux dreads. Such a disgusting human being trying to humiliate us! Anyways a group of white people who seen Isaac yelling at us ask if everything is okay, we explained to them what happened and they were so pissed off at the racist behavior being displayed towards us and assured us we did nothing wrong. Never going back again! read more

Been here a few times, so I figured I'd just do one review that's a compilation.... To me, Shellback has a dive-y feel to it, but no dive bar prices. Service is average at best, but always friendly....and it can get packed inside, so you might end up grinding on a few people if you're trying to walk from one end to the other.....that might not sound bad until you realize that there's usually at least 5 guys for every 1 girl. Here's the breakdown of what I've tried: Pitcher of Shock Top Beer - I'm not a beer drinker, so the taste was just ok, but it was overpriced http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/zoXseSuxvkkv-IkmYBzT2g?select=ITXx-NHoxHBRoMXSAm45QA#p7zhmH3g-MnJwjTz5nONbA Their "Famous" Chicken Tenders - famous where? they were good, but forgettable. I don't see them being famous anywhere outside of Shellback. The BBQ, Honey Mustard, and Ranch dipping sauces were all decent. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/zoXseSuxvkkv-IkmYBzT2g?select=ITXx-NHoxHBRoMXSAm45QA#zOc7xVvQN1K2JgVYy3ApnQ Jimmy's Cheese Burger in Paradise - $7.95 for the burger and about $2 for the handful of Fries on the side. Started off a little dry, but after throwing on some mayo, ketchup, n mustard, it turned out good. Burger is definitely overpriced, and someone should get tazed for being so stingy w/ the fries. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/zoXseSuxvkkv-IkmYBzT2g?select=ITXx-NHoxHBRoMXSAm45QA#kh5HAn05-dlxrnq1C2C6Qw http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/zoXseSuxvkkv-IkmYBzT2g?select=ITXx-NHoxHBRoMXSAm45QA#N1pt28lvLFjzvXBox7lx4A Julio's Jalapeno Poppers ("Armadillo Eggs") - Forreal? this s*** has lasted on your menu for all these years? Don't get me wrong....it didn't taste "bad", but was still the most disappointing jalapeno poppers I've ever had. I'd rather get poppers from Vons and eat them while they're frozen! http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/zoXseSuxvkkv-IkmYBzT2g?select=ITXx-NHoxHBRoMXSAm45QA#R8tY4-ezShKVByf3g4bPKw The Old Surf Shack Burger - $9.25 for the burger (extra if you want cheese on it), topped w/ a Grilled Polish Sausage, $1.75 extra for the fries. Tasted good, but just like the other burger, it was a little dry. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/zoXseSuxvkkv-IkmYBzT2g?select=ITXx-NHoxHBRoMXSAm45QA#HSpDFGLn1V5ZTI8Pl36SKg http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/zoXseSuxvkkv-IkmYBzT2g?select=ITXx-NHoxHBRoMXSAm45QA#EDCAbiyv15H618jT98bCJg read more

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The fries here are delicious, and the view is really half of the experience. I ate here with my husband and one can see the beach view right by our window. Another plus is that the windows are open so one can even smell the beach breeze. A true experience and good food! read more

Went for thanksgiving, it was one of the only places open around... I like this place , the food is great , i had the tuna melt sandwich, very soft and tasty, Becky the waitress was an angel! Will be back of course read more

We arrived 1:10am on Saturday October 6th , 3 girls, not drunk or anything , we just wanted to dance ( all 3 of us are pro dancers ) and Austin wouldn't let us in ! He wouldn't bring manager ( who worked behind the bar). The bar wasn't packed and they were still playing the music. We talked 15 min. there and still nothing , I made the phone call to the bar and manager wouldn't do anything about it. If the place officially closes at 2 am, there was no need not to let 3 good looking chicks in. Another thing, if the manager is actually not even available to come out, what's the point of having the manager then ? Because If I didn't make a phone call he would not come to talk to us and this was the night of big UFC fight so you would think the manager would be available not being busy behind the bar in the bar that wasn't packed at all. Really horrible treatment and very embarrassing because my girls were coming out of town. It was so unnecessary and really dumb and rude. BTW, couple of locals were able to get in ! In front of our eyes ! So we went to the bar next to the Kettle up the street and guess what, at 1:30am they let us in there with no problem and were super cool ! I don't even use YELP and if I do I only use flr positive reviews but this treatment was so ridiculous and nonsense ! read more

Shellbacks has always been my local dive for a high school reunion when I come back to town, and I never thought to review it, but today I feel so compelled. I lost my wallet there with $200 in crisp 100s. They kept it safe for me, messaged me on Facebook, and returned it with no money missing. Feeling very grateful! read more

Dinner w/my peeps. Food was good, crowd was fun, "us"! Music was cool but waitress did not know what was in the Chinese salad - go figure! Lol read more

Shellback Tavern - Dive Bars Near Me - Manhattan Beach, California

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Great location. If you sit near the entrance you can catch the sunset. The decor is very divey, which I loved. I had some hot wings, which were good and a decent bloody Mary. They have TV's to catch your favorite game and there is plenty of seating for small or large groups. read more

I wanted a place with some local character on a time killing trip to Manhattan Beach recently. This place seemed to fit the bill ... I didn't realize this is where the younger locals come to drink. This place was packed with 20-30 somethings on a Saturday afternoon ... loud music. I would call this more of a bar than a restaurant. Had I to do things over, I would have gone to more of a restaurant and less of a bar. However, if I was going out with a group of people in Manhattan Beach and wanted a good, loud bar atmosphere ... I'm coming here. I had the fish n chips here, which were actually pretty good. The fish didn't seem fresh and flakey. It had more of a frozen kind of texture ... where little slivers fall off. However, the taste was decent and the batter was great! Honestly, if this was fresh flakey fish, the crisp tempura batter would make me rate these some seriously good fish n chips. Heck, I liked them even though the fish seemed frozen! The beers here are a bit pricey. $7 for a pint is a lot when you are in a dive bar atmosphere. I know its literally right across the street from the pier but its not like this is Santa Monica or anything. The food was actually fairly inexpensive and everything I saw come out from the kitchen looked like pretty good bar food. The waitress was adorable and very attentive. For those who like a loud, bar atmosphere this place would be good. If you are looking for a little place to have some seafood ... I'd go elsewhere. The menu is burger/fries heavy. There was a great seafood place next door but the prices were triple what they were at Shellback. I prefer dive bars to fine dining in a place like Manhattan Beach anyways. I'd come back here for the bar. Not for the restaurant. read more

Husband and I have been here a few times, stopping by while doing a bike booze cruise. Right by the ocean, so people are wearing their swim suits and smell like sunscreen and sweat. Yep, it's a dive bar. But the drinks are reasonable for MB, and I stuck with beer on my visits. It's not my scene; however, servers were always able to manage to get us our drinks quickly, despite the crowds and the drunks. Note: there is always something to see at Shellback. read more

This dive bar is beyond words horrifying. I felt so uncomfortable just walking in. The bartenders are decent enough. The crowd is less than pleasing to be around. I can mention for days how the actual esthetics of this establishment are less than welcoming, but all I have to say is if you want to enjoy a trashy feeling this is deff the place to attend. read more