Came in to try a Melbourne staple. Everyone said this was a good place to go to have some seafood and try an old time favorite Pretty cool inside, nautical themed with light colored walls. Was sat immediately, was pretty empty on a Tuesday night. Service was good, got a beer, the award winning chowder and the blackened swordfish meal. Was really good, chowder was delicious Was a nice experience and at a decent price point. read more

Shells of Melbourne - Blackened swordfish with vegetables and rice - Seafood Near Me - Melbourne, Florida

Server was on the ball.. got the order correct and kept the glasses full. I ordered the special Mardi gras menu so I could try a few different things. The crab cake and crab and was good, the fish was over cooked and dry, the shrimp had the taste of previously frozen that could not be covered with blackened seasoning. The rice was simple but good the veggie were boring and had to many onions. They need to clean their booths there are food stains all over read more

Shells of Melbourne - Etoufee..not a lot of flavor - Seafood Near Me - Melbourne, Florida

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I am Bill W and haven't been associated with Shells of Melbourne since early 2020 during the COVID pandemic. Yes, I did open the restaurant back in 1993 and was there over 25 years. During that time, I came in contact with an unimaginable number of guest that I miss most since being dismissed from this establishment. My reason for writing this review is to protect my name from being connected with the current restaurant and some of the rude comments that are being made here under my name. Several of the recipes that are being used are recipes that I personally developed and am proud of them. And would never stoop to the level of comments being made here under my name. read more

We went for the first time in probably 12 years and it didn't disappoint! The salad that came with my meal was generous, served cold and was nice and fresh. My lunch shrimp pasta dish was a really good size portion and tasted amazing! I would definitely order again. My husband had a dinner size shrimp platter with the shrimp prepared 3 different ways. He said he would order it again. And I would be remiss if I didn't say the service was great. Overall it was definitely a good choice. read more

The God Father pasta is the bomb!The sea food pasta is also good.We had a fried mushroom appetizer that was great.Always great service and great food. read more

Shells of Melbourne - Seafood Pasta - Seafood Near Me - Melbourne, Florida

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We were seated quickly which was nice, the hostess did a fine job directing us to a booth. Took about 5 mins before the server walked by with stuff in her hands and said she would be right with us... roughly 10 mins later came over and took our order. It felt very rushed and gave off the feeling we were an inconvenience. When she bought over our drinks, she literally threw the drink on the table, said nothing and walked past us quickly. Obviously she was extremely overwhelmed. We got our food pretty quickly. I had ordered their Famous shrimp pasta dish, my mom got the grouper. My food tasted horrible, my mom really liked hers. Waitress Denise W. Never refilled my empty water or asked us if everything was okay, never came back over till my Mom waived her down to get the check which she just ran right past us as she said it. Idk if this is common to treat customers like they are an inconvenience or if she was just so overwhelmed by her workload but this was a horrible experience. My mom spoke with the manger after our meal, he said he would have offered us Salads or dessert but she turned those down cause we just wanted to leave and make them aware of the situation. Had our waitress asked us or even knowledged us we could have told her about my horrible pasta and given them the chance to fix it. We paid for the meal, left a tiny tip. We will NOT be coming back, EVER. read more

New owner, new high prices, new lousy service, new small portions improperly cooked, and a new menu that sucks. Bay scallops are sticky, and rubbery. They don't serve sea scallops anymore. All went downhill after that. read more

I used to work here in the 1990s as a busboy and dishwasher when I was still in high school. The menu still has the shrimp pasta. It was the signature meal back then. They have a great sauce they put on it. It's worth a try. The bread was really good too back then. Butter on their bread was superb! It looks like they have the same bread now. Not toast. The ambiance is great at night. It's kind of social but also private. Service varies depending on your waiter or waitress. read more

I ordered the Mezza Mezza shrimp, mushroom and penne. It was supposed to have a creamy sauce. Instead it was dry and the sauce was thin. The server noticed this at the end of my dinner and she made a comment that the sauce was too thin and it depends on who is the chef. Nice that she noticed at the end of the dinner and didn't offer a correction before it was served. I am not going to return again due to this inconsideration. I just figured this is how they serve it and wasn't too thrilled with it but the fact that she knew really disappointed. The shrimp were small and not much taste on the mushrooms. Not such a great presentation. Other than that, it is fair overall. My husband liked his shrimp, lobster over pasta. My family though, will go elsewhere next time we want seafood. Ambience, plain. read more

My husband, a former long time Florida resident, brought me to this great little restaurant, Shells, having loved one south of here near where he lived before. I was immediately captivated by the homey, colorful atmosphere. Big clean booths and tables gave us plenty of choices for seating. The waitstaff appeared almost immediately after we were seated. Looking at the extensive menu, we had so many excellent seafood choices it was difficult making a decision on what to try. I settled on shrimp and grits while he enjoyed fish and chips. Appetizers were varied and numerous. Perfectly fried calamari, oysters and a number of other delectables were there for the selecting. Unlike so many dining establishments it's a calm and rather quiet atmosphere, something we increasingly appreciate. We brought our out of town guest and my daughter for a second dinner a few days later. Great food, this time Langostino pasta. Perfectly cooked, pasta still nice and firm. Just a wonderful little place where locals enjoy a great meal! read more

Great prices, service and food! Very clean. Exceptional and friendly service. Would recommend and will return.

Delicious food and nice atmosphere. When ordering food to go be sure and check your order to make sure that all items are in there. There has been times where stuff is missing. read more

Finally made it to the legendary Shells of Melbourne after hearing about it for years! We came in early on a Wednesday and had not issue getting a table. Our waitress was extremely and helpful. I will say Shells has a pretty large menu with many of your favorite seafood options. Their prices are pretty good as well. Since we were there early we were also able to get in on Happy Hour. Nothing too crazy but $1 off my Blue Moon draft will do. Went looking over the menu there were a number of things that caught my eye but I ended up going with The Big Easy which is Grilled Mahi topped with Shrimp & Scallops, sautéed in a White Wine Cream Sauce with fresh tomatoes, onions & mushrooms, served with rice and steamed vegetables. I did end up switching my streamed veggies with potatoes since I saw it they come with a lot of broccoli which I'm not a big fan of. Ashley went with the Caesar Salad and the Buffalo Shrimp. I did notice after ordering that their Clam Chowder is supposedly award winning so I had to get a bowl and give it a try. My Clam Chowder came out quickly and was loaded with Clams. I was also very good and was loaded with clams. Some of the best Clam Chowder I have had outside of New England for sure. Our entrees then came out and it looked good. The Mahi was cooked well and I was a fan of the char marks on it from the grill. I will say the Bay Scallops and tiny Shrimp didn't really at much to it though. Also with a dish called The Big Easy I would expect more seasoning, spices, and flavor to the dish. The White Wine Sauce just didn't add a lot and could have been thicker too. I was able to try some of Ashley's Buffalo Shrimp as well. The Buffalo Sauce had good flavor but did not have a lot of heat. The shrimp were cooked very well though and I liked that the batter wasn't too thick. We enjoyed most of dinner just wish my entrée had more flavor but I can always try something else next time. I will say the best part of dinner was the service. Our waitress was great and would come back for her more than anything else. read more

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Food was really good. Atmosphere is lacking but for a good any day meal it's a good choice

Love shells especially for lunch! Came with my friend for a birthday lunch! We had the best clam chowder ever! Highly recommend! I'm not a clam chowder person but I love theirs'/! It has bacon in it. Everything is better with bacon right? Then ordered Cajun langostino pasta which is not in most restaurants but is like a baby lobster sweeter than shrimp. It came with a nice sized garden salad and we ordered a side of toasted bread. Service was with a smile. Great food, value, and service. Five stars all the way! read more

Came for lunch. Fried oysters were very fresh. Really like their coleslaw. My husband had the fried shrimp. Everything was great including service. Glad they are still open. read more

This was my first experience having Clam Chowder and Shells did not disappoint. On top of that, my server was fantastic. I was dining alone and she sat down with me to give recommendations on her favorites. It was a nice and inviting experience. Casual and warm. I was visiting the area, but when I'm back in Mebourne, I'd go to Shells again. read more

When you're by the ocean, you can't go wrong with seafood. After checking out Yelp, we decided to give this place a try. It's clean, the staff is friendly, and the menu has a good variety. We didn't sit at the bar, but it looked really inviting. The clam chowder was tasty, and the fried mushrooms were okay. I ordered the captain's platter, and it was good, but the scallops were tiny. I'm not sure if I'll be coming back here again, though as there are so many other seafood restaurants to choose from. read more

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I came specifically to try their Cioppino and I was not disappointed. This seafood stew is one of my all-time favorite meals. If it's on the menu, I'm going to order it! The Cioppino was loaded with fresh fish, shrimp, scallops, clams, mussels and crab. The broth was very flavorful, just wish I had some crusty bread to dip in the tasty sauce. I will definitely come back to have this again. read more

Shells of Melbourne - Cioppino, Blackened Mahi Mahi - Seafood Near Me - Melbourne, Florida

Everything was wonderful. Parking was a breeze. (i am disabled) we were greeted warmly and seated privately (our honeymoon). Our server, Jilly, was an absolute delight! She gave us recommendations, time to decide and was full of info about the local area when asked. My husband had shrimp and mc and cheese. The shrimp was LIGHTLY breaded and tasty. the cocktail sauce was zesty and a great complement. I had catfish and couldn't have been happier! The homemade tartar was amazing and made me want to learn how to make it myself. The coleslaw, oh my word the coleslaw! You know slaw is either good or bad depending on your preference. This slaw gets a category all on its own! All in all this experience was perfection. We will definitely return before we go back home and recommend to everyone we can! read more

We went to shells today around 1500hrs. No service again.10 8 25. Need new owner or manager. They shoot themselves in the foot Now we will not come back for another 6 months. read more

We went there for Valentine's Day. My husband had steak and I had the lobster. Prices were good and the food was great

I love old school places like this. Atmosphere is nothing fancy. Service was great and the food was really great. The last time we were in this area was almost 4 years ago and this place is still as good as we remember. We got the seafood pasta and the blacked Mahi tacos. (Had different seafood pasta & friend seafood platter previously) the food is fresh, full of flavor and the portions are great. It's definitely going to continue to be a go to when we visit this area. read more

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I had the Ultimate Combo--grilled salmon, shrimp and a crab cake with yellow rice and steamed veggies. Everything was cooked to perfection. The seafood was lightly seasoned and grilled so well, it did not even need the sauces. The veggies were steamed exactly the way I like them--tender but not overcooked. I would agree with some other reviewers that the service was great. My server was new but very helpful and obviously experienced. This was my first time but I'll be back soon. Shells is my new fave seafood restaurant in Melbourne. read more

Shells of Melbourne - Ultimate Combo--salmon, shrimp & crab cake - Seafood Near Me - Melbourne, Florida

Working over in this area and saw this restaurant and my mind immediately went to wondering if the have conch fritters. Many restaurants in this and Orlando area do not. Shockingly they did and so I decided to try them and their seafood gumbo. The conch fritters did not disappoint. They were crispy as you bit into them and moist on the inside. They season was balanced with a hint of sweet and lots of conch. They also give you a great portion. I didn't care too much for their sauce that came with it, but that's me. Someone else may enjoy the sauce, but I didn't really care for it. The seafood gumbo was awesome, lots of shrimp, crawfish tails, and chunks of fish. The liquid was, in my opinion, a Manhattan Clam Chowder base. A bit spicier than I would've wanted, but it still was great. Now, the sweet waitress gave me some toasted bread and I was excited, but there was nothing special about the bread. It was flat, toasted with butter. I would suggest just adding garlic salt to the bread or cheese to bring it alive. If you're in the area I say come try them. read more

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I would rate it a zero but I can't, I'm not sure if a lot of the photos where older but the food was so bad. We waited an hour for an entree, yet the restaurant was barely packed, server was never around. When we got our food my mom's shrimp and grits was cold and the shrimp was not cooked all the way. I ordered the lobster and was so disappointed, half was cold like it was sitting out, and was very tough, even worse though it had a very weird taste to it and after we left I was feeling sick after eating a little bit of it. Would never go again. I guess I should've known it was not going to be well after seeing almost all the people that were there were elderly. -20 out of 10 seafood. read more

Omgosh, the best meal I've had in awhile. I had fried shrimp and they were excellent and plentiful. A couple had shrimp and grits, said it was excellent. Another one had the trio, it was more than he could eat. Prices were good, didn't feel over charged. Waitress was great, didn't miss a beat. Will be back soon. read more

Shells of Melbourne - 60 th wedding Anniversary. - Seafood Near Me - Melbourne, Florida

Stopped by while I was in Melbourne for work. I went with a large group of around 10 guys. We just wanted something decent that would hold us over until dinner. Someone suggested Shells and I went with the flow. Shells was disappointing. The food is your typical batter and fry with a bit of mediocrity. Service was a miss as well. The waitress was visibly annoyed when some in our group asked about a substitution. They do seem to have a sizable clientele of older Floridians. I had the fried fish and shrimp with coleslaw (not my side but the person who received my side had already taken a bite). The coleslaw had TANGERINES. I rest my case. read more

Shells of Melbourne - Fried Fish and shrimp - Seafood Near Me - Melbourne, Florida

Clam chowder. Oysters. Fish. Shrimp. Whatever you desire, they have it. The clam chowder is the best I've ever tasted. Absolutely full of clams. The oysters were shucked, fresh and cold on ice. Delicious! The fish and chips was so tasty. Everything was wonderful. The building is a bit old, but the food by far makes it worth it. read more

Shells of Melbourne - Menu. Plenty of choices for everyone. - Seafood Near Me - Melbourne, Florida

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We went to dinner with friends from Puerto Rico. The lobster dinner was delicious as well as the clam chowder and the seafood gumbo! The service from Tiffany was exceptional, she certainly made our dinner special! We will be back for another lobster bday soon! read more

Clam chowder is the best. I also like the i linguini and clams in white wine sauce Always great specials read more

Food was great if you're swinging through Melbourne Florida and want fresh fish this is the spot and very reasonably priced! read more

Shells of Melbourne - Fisherman's platter and delicious Clam Chowder - Seafood Near Me - Melbourne, Florida

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Food Service Ambiance Pricing Online menu The waiters were very accommodating. They even allowed me to bring in my own cake. The consideration they showed was exemplary as they served my son's memorial dinner read more

All I have to say is , you walk in a stranger and walk out feeling like family . Michelle was our girl and she welcomed us with open arms and was sooo nice. let me try the clam chowder after I eyed my poor neighbora!!! 10/10 recommen!!.... just go here and enjoy!! read more

Chowder was amazing. Definitely get a larger portion. The bread served not so great.

Love this place! The food is always fresh and flavorful and they give you a lot. The ciopino had tons of chunky fish, shrimps, scallops, muscles, and crab legs. The soup sauce is a tad spicy with a tomato flavor. So so yummy. The crab legs are cooked to perfection that you just crack once and open with a chunk of crab meat to pull right out of the shell. So so good. Red potatoes are in a butter garlic sauce that you want to drink. Haha! Crab is 100 percent all crab with some amazing spices and all their sauces are made in house. So delicious. Service is upbeat, friendly, welcoming and they make you feel like family. Always enjoy looking at all the local fishing pictures, different types of rods and beach decorations and the catch of the day on the board. You need to stop in before you head to the beach , downtown Melbourne for the day or a weekend it will put you in the right mood you need to start your adventure. read more

Shells of Melbourne - Crab Crab Cakes 2 Lb Dungeness Crab - Seafood Near Me - Melbourne, Florida

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Great little local restaurant. Nice atmosphere with booths, tables and a really cool bar. We have tried most all of their menu and return as often as possible when in the area for cruising. Killer good clam chowder!!! read more

Shells of Melbourne - Award winning clam chowder... - Seafood Near Me - Melbourne, Florida

We've been going to Shells for years. It's reliable with good food, good service, and decent prices. Often during the week my husband and I order the early bird special. Their selection for the early bird is good it comes with a great salad and the specials are wonderful. read more

We used to eat at Shells many years ago when there was still a chain of locations. Unfortunately many of them closed and we were delighted to find this one was still open. We ate there about 25 years ago and the food was excellent. Well, I must say the food that we had the other day was excellent. I had a grilled mahi mahi with 2 skewers of shrimp topped with a sauce which cost extra and was worth it. My husband had the Siciliano Seafood Pasta which he loved. The service was good = a little slow in the kitchen but that was okay since the food was excellent. It is a place you can go and have a great meal. A place to really check out; looking forward to another visit read more

Good service, food was average but the overall cleanliness and condition of the inside would prevent me from returning.