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I have literally waited 15 years to have this meal! The Shells in Miami closed around 2008/2009, and it was my absolute favorite restaurant - I used to go with my family at least once a month, and always looked forward to the barrel of peanuts, Shark Attack drink, and a hefty portion of snow crab legs while being surrounded by the underwater/fishing themed decor. When I came to this Shells location in Tampa, it was like I was transported back in time! This place has kept its cute marine decor and still upholds the same quality of food I obsessed over all those years ago. Since this was such a special occasion, I opted for a smorgasburg meal. We started with the Fried Calamari, crisped to golden perfection, which I washed down with a delicious Piña Colada. As a second appetizer, I had the Clam Chowder, which was so good and chock full of nice big chunks of clam meat in a creamy, salty soup base. For my entree, I had the Seafood Pasta, an incredible dish which came with a side of garlic toast to sop up all the cream sauce afterwards. I got a half pound of steamed Snow Crab legs on the side, which were the food I was most excited to have but was the only thing I was slightly let down by - the crab legs were fresh and meaty, but I could tell they had been frozen because the body meat was very cold. Nonetheless, my meal was amazing and my only regret is not saving room for dessert! Next time, I'll order the Shark Attack, try the Shrimp and Crab Dip, and get a bigger bowl of the Clam Chowder...and maybe wear some bigger pants!
I order the grilled mahi mahi tacos from here via uber eats at least once a week. Today, the mahi looked as good as usual, but the taste is off. I dont know what it is though. I am still rating 5 stars because from the many times I have ordered it, today was the first time it wasn't good. Im sure I'll order again in the near future.
After landing in Tampa, this was our first stop! We were hungry after flying in from Phoenix. There were two types of food I wanted to focus on while in Florida and those were Cuban, Puerto Rican, Dominican, and seafood. Ok, that's four. After looking over the menu, we decided on catfish dinner and clam strips dinner. Both came with Mandarin coleslaw and parsley potatoes. The catfish were the best tasting catfish we had in a long long time. They were nice size filets with the perfect amount of breading. The fish actually had that distinct catfish flavor and they were moist and flaky. You could still see the lines of the fish filets and recognize they were actually fish. A lot of places have a thick coat of breading and all you see was a fried blob of breading. It isn't until you cut or break off a piece that you'd recognize it was fish. The clam strips were another story. I expected meatier clams ; not to mention a clamier taste. I could not even taste the clams. The potatoes and Mandarin coleslaw were both good. I liked the added Mandarin orange flavor to the coleslaw. We both finished ours. The potatoes were sitting in flavorful melted parsley butter. I hope to visit this place again in the near future! It was well worth the visit!
Delightful gem of a restaurant! Our waitress explained that about half her customers are tourists and the other half are regulars that "come here at least three times a week, it's like having extra senior staff" and that does seem to sum things up well. Of note: the fresh fish board, with entries and prices clearly listed. We had the grouper, blackened, and it was exceptional. We enjoyed the fried scallops, and for sides tried the potatoes and the coleslaw - with mandarin oranges !!! a tasty addition. Totally recommend this unpretentious, classic, home style restaurant
We were entertaining a large group of friends ( four couple ) excluding my wife and I. I called to make a reservation for 10 and I was told that this establishment doesn't take reservations unless it's ten or more. I said, Sir I have a group of ten. He asked what time and I informed him at 7pm but upon our arrival at 645pm we were told that we were given bad information and that this restaurant doesn't take any reservations for any number. That was okay but I don't like bad information from a businesses. They were very apologetic so we were okay. One we were finally set the area they had us in was not comfortable for large parties so take note of that. The limit for this place is probably 8 at the most and that might be pushing it. It's an older building and I'm sure they don't get large parties much. But our server was great, he made us feel very welcomed and he also was very apologetic to us. Because we sat for so long everyone had already looked at the menu and knew exactly what they wanted. So our server took our drink and food orders at the same time. This made up for the time we had to wait. Our food came out immediately and it was piping hot. I personally had the seafood trio that comes with scallops, shrimp and white fish with two side of your choice. I added hush puppies, a salad and clam chowder. The salad was fresh, the clam chowder was excellent with ( chunks of clams ) the made it one of the best I've had since dining in Boston, Mass. My wife had the clam and shrimp pasta and she said it was delicious and it was abundant. Sevareid of the guys had the same dish I had and all of the ladies each had something different. One of the dishes was a lobster special and I'm not sure what was on it, but it was a lot of food. I took a photo of it and she also had enough to take home. The only other issue was it was that it was freezing inside and the ladies were not comfortable. Again the service was really good, the food was amazing and was a nice place for us to enjoy seafood and fellowship. None of us had a cocktail but the bar seemed to be getting a lot of traffic. I would recommend this place for the food alone. Ladies if your cold natured bring a light jacket.
What a Tampa Gem!! So glad we decided to check this place out!! We came down for Busch Gardens and one of the locals suggested this place. Great menu, loads of choices, attentive service, nice ambiance... You MUST order the clam chowder!!! It's the best I've ever had!! I wish we got some to go!! Crab cakes are flavorful and delicious!! These babies are Jumbo and are packed with crab meat and flavor! Highly recommend the seafood pasta!! Perfect meal. Do not leave without the key lime pie In your belly!
We were googling seafood places to go for last night in Tampa, and we landed on shells. After looking at the menu, we decided to roll the dice. Boy are we glad we did. To be honest it was late on a Sunday night and the outside wasn't impressive, and even when you go in, it's not Super fancy. But the waiter was overwhelmingly, bubbly, and positive. He made excellent suggestions, and turned us onto the five dollar Sangria for happy hour. We ended up having two a piece! We had lobster bisque, mussels, seafood, pasta, and a captains combination. Can't complain about one item. We highly suggest it and the next time we are in Tampa, we will definitely return.
So far so good! Found this locals place on Yelp under seafood in Tampa. So far I had a beer and a bowl of their clam chowder. The clam chowder was hearty and full of clams. Good start. I did a check in and to my surprise a free house margarita which was quite tasty. For an entree I ordered the Big Easy with Mahi, shrimp and scallops in tomato broth with a side of linguine in scampi sauce and another side of asparagus. Great meal at a great price. 2 more margaritas to follow the freebie. The bartender who doubled as a server did a great job serving food, drinks and helping me decide on this entree. I will keep Shells on my short list for Tampa visits.
I've been making the drive from Miami just to eat at Shells for a decade. This is the best seafood I've had in the state of Florida, it never disappoints. The staff is always friendly and the restaurant is spotless. They serve very tasty and generous portions, I just wish they would come back to Miami!
I passed by to check them out as they had good reviews and was not too far from my hotel. The service was really good, everyone was super helpful and attentive. Their clam chowder is a must try, I normally never get it but I'm so glad I did. It's soooo good. I got their ultimate combo which brings salmon, shrimp and crab cake with two sides. Salmon and shrimp were pretty good, I didn't care for the crab cake. They give good quality food for a really good price. Broccoli and Cesar salad were okay but everything was great so I didnt mind. Would recommend if you're trying to get your moneys worth!
The Downfall of Once-Great Restaurants: Shells Seafood So unfortunate to see the infamous Shells Seafood on S. Dale Mabry leadership make the decision to change up their menu. The fried fish is now small pieces of cod fish that's weighed. Who in the kitchen would think this is acceptable to send out to any consumer (see pics attached)? Clearly the General Manager (GM), wearing a purple shirt on staff on Friday, April 25,2025 at 8:30pm. He could simply care less if he lost a customer or not. The first order that we received had 2 pieces of small cod. The management team said, "let us take this back to the kitchen and make this right. This definitely should not have come out of the kitchen this way..." Well... the second photo attached was the updated order. A whole 3rd piece was added that was the tiniest piece of cod I have ever seen coming out of a restaurant kitchen. To the gentleman on staff with the initials BG who attempted to make things right with 2 $5.00 off your next visit coupon cards. Your kind gesture did not go unnoticed. Your GM could take a page out of your book, and learn some leadership skills from you young man. Kudos to you for showing great leadership. I say to the folks sitting at the top, remember why consumers come to your establishment. The decline of quality and quantity of food will tank your business. Followed up by poor management that's on staff running the daily operations.
Another great visit to Shell's Seafood--worth the 4-year wait! No Miami location, so I had to stop by while in downtown Tampa. Still the same decor and has not changed in years. Came with family and had excellent service from Anthony and Tony. The New England clam chowder, shrimp pasta, seafood pasta, and crispy shrimp (lightly battered) were all delicious. Loved that I could swap the slaw for pasta--nice surprise! Hope to return much sooner next time. read more
Delicious food, professional service and a fun/casual atmosphere were all served up with a with a smile .... And at a most reasonable price!! Their menu claims to offer "the best clam chowder you ever ate". Although I cannot give them the number one spot, they run a very, very close second! Definitely the very best clam chowder I've had in Florida... but I am a native New Englander... So, it was a tall order. I would definitely give them an A+ on their prices, an A+ on their service and a solid A on the clam chowder but another A+ on the seafood. I would categorize this as a must try! I know I will definitely be going back! read more
I have literally waited 15 years to have this meal! The Shells in Miami closed around 2008/2009, and it was my absolute favorite restaurant - I used to go with my family at least once a month, and always looked forward to the barrel of peanuts, Shark Attack drink, and a hefty portion of snow crab legs while being surrounded by the underwater/fishing themed decor. When I came to this Shells location in Tampa, it was like I was transported back in time! This place has kept its cute marine decor and still upholds the same quality of food I obsessed over all those years ago. Since this was such a special occasion, I opted for a smorgasburg meal. We started with the Fried Calamari, crisped to golden perfection, which I washed down with a delicious Piña Colada. As a second appetizer, I had the Clam Chowder, which was so good and chock full of nice big chunks of clam meat in a creamy, salty soup base. For my entree, I had the Seafood Pasta, an incredible dish which came with a side of garlic toast to sop up all the cream sauce afterwards. I got a half pound of steamed Snow Crab legs on the side, which were the food I was most excited to have but was the only thing I was slightly let down by - the crab legs were fresh and meaty, but I could tell they had been frozen because the body meat was very cold. Nonetheless, my meal was amazing and my only regret is not saving room for dessert! Next time, I'll order the Shark Attack, try the Shrimp and Crab Dip, and get a bigger bowl of the Clam Chowder...and maybe wear some bigger pants! read more
2 years ago
I order the grilled mahi mahi tacos from here via uber eats at least once a week. Today, the mahi looked as good as usual, but the taste is off. I dont know what it is though. I am still rating 5 stars because from the many times I have ordered it, today was the first time it wasn't good. Im sure I'll order again in the near future. read more
10 months ago
After landing in Tampa, this was our first stop! We were hungry after flying in from Phoenix. There were two types of food I wanted to focus on while in Florida and those were Cuban, Puerto Rican, Dominican, and seafood. Ok, that's four. After looking over the menu, we decided on catfish dinner and clam strips dinner. Both came with Mandarin coleslaw and parsley potatoes. The catfish were the best tasting catfish we had in a long long time. They were nice size filets with the perfect amount of breading. The fish actually had that distinct catfish flavor and they were moist and flaky. You could still see the lines of the fish filets and recognize they were actually fish. A lot of places have a thick coat of breading and all you see was a fried blob of breading. It isn't until you cut or break off a piece that you'd recognize it was fish. The clam strips were another story. I expected meatier clams ; not to mention a clamier taste. I could not even taste the clams. The potatoes and Mandarin coleslaw were both good. I liked the added Mandarin orange flavor to the coleslaw. We both finished ours. The potatoes were sitting in flavorful melted parsley butter. I hope to visit this place again in the near future! It was well worth the visit! read more
3 years ago
Delightful gem of a restaurant! Our waitress explained that about half her customers are tourists and the other half are regulars that "come here at least three times a week, it's like having extra senior staff" and that does seem to sum things up well. Of note: the fresh fish board, with entries and prices clearly listed. We had the grouper, blackened, and it was exceptional. We enjoyed the fried scallops, and for sides tried the potatoes and the coleslaw - with mandarin oranges !!! a tasty addition. Totally recommend this unpretentious, classic, home style restaurant read more
1 year ago
3 years ago
We were entertaining a large group of friends ( four couple ) excluding my wife and I. I called to make a reservation for 10 and I was told that this establishment doesn't take reservations unless it's ten or more. I said, Sir I have a group of ten. He asked what time and I informed him at 7pm but upon our arrival at 645pm we were told that we were given bad information and that this restaurant doesn't take any reservations for any number. That was okay but I don't like bad information from a businesses. They were very apologetic so we were okay. One we were finally set the area they had us in was not comfortable for large parties so take note of that. The limit for this place is probably 8 at the most and that might be pushing it. It's an older building and I'm sure they don't get large parties much. But our server was great, he made us feel very welcomed and he also was very apologetic to us. Because we sat for so long everyone had already looked at the menu and knew exactly what they wanted. So our server took our drink and food orders at the same time. This made up for the time we had to wait. Our food came out immediately and it was piping hot. I personally had the seafood trio that comes with scallops, shrimp and white fish with two side of your choice. I added hush puppies, a salad and clam chowder. The salad was fresh, the clam chowder was excellent with ( chunks of clams ) the made it one of the best I've had since dining in Boston, Mass. My wife had the clam and shrimp pasta and she said it was delicious and it was abundant. Sevareid of the guys had the same dish I had and all of the ladies each had something different. One of the dishes was a lobster special and I'm not sure what was on it, but it was a lot of food. I took a photo of it and she also had enough to take home. The only other issue was it was that it was freezing inside and the ladies were not comfortable. Again the service was really good, the food was amazing and was a nice place for us to enjoy seafood and fellowship. None of us had a cocktail but the bar seemed to be getting a lot of traffic. I would recommend this place for the food alone. Ladies if your cold natured bring a light jacket. read more
1 year ago
3 years ago
What a Tampa Gem!! So glad we decided to check this place out!! We came down for Busch Gardens and one of the locals suggested this place. Great menu, loads of choices, attentive service, nice ambiance... You MUST order the clam chowder!!! It's the best I've ever had!! I wish we got some to go!! Crab cakes are flavorful and delicious!! These babies are Jumbo and are packed with crab meat and flavor! Highly recommend the seafood pasta!! Perfect meal. Do not leave without the key lime pie In your belly! read more
10 months ago
We were googling seafood places to go for last night in Tampa, and we landed on shells. After looking at the menu, we decided to roll the dice. Boy are we glad we did. To be honest it was late on a Sunday night and the outside wasn't impressive, and even when you go in, it's not Super fancy. But the waiter was overwhelmingly, bubbly, and positive. He made excellent suggestions, and turned us onto the five dollar Sangria for happy hour. We ended up having two a piece! We had lobster bisque, mussels, seafood, pasta, and a captains combination. Can't complain about one item. We highly suggest it and the next time we are in Tampa, we will definitely return. read more
2 years ago
So far so good! Found this locals place on Yelp under seafood in Tampa. So far I had a beer and a bowl of their clam chowder. The clam chowder was hearty and full of clams. Good start. I did a check in and to my surprise a free house margarita which was quite tasty. For an entree I ordered the Big Easy with Mahi, shrimp and scallops in tomato broth with a side of linguine in scampi sauce and another side of asparagus. Great meal at a great price. 2 more margaritas to follow the freebie. The bartender who doubled as a server did a great job serving food, drinks and helping me decide on this entree. I will keep Shells on my short list for Tampa visits. read more
2 years ago
I've been making the drive from Miami just to eat at Shells for a decade. This is the best seafood I've had in the state of Florida, it never disappoints. The staff is always friendly and the restaurant is spotless. They serve very tasty and generous portions, I just wish they would come back to Miami! read more
I passed by to check them out as they had good reviews and was not too far from my hotel. The service was really good, everyone was super helpful and attentive. Their clam chowder is a must try, I normally never get it but I'm so glad I did. It's soooo good. I got their ultimate combo which brings salmon, shrimp and crab cake with two sides. Salmon and shrimp were pretty good, I didn't care for the crab cake. They give good quality food for a really good price. Broccoli and Cesar salad were okay but everything was great so I didnt mind. Would recommend if you're trying to get your moneys worth! read more
1 year ago
The Downfall of Once-Great Restaurants: Shells Seafood So unfortunate to see the infamous Shells Seafood on S. Dale Mabry leadership make the decision to change up their menu. The fried fish is now small pieces of cod fish that's weighed. Who in the kitchen would think this is acceptable to send out to any consumer (see pics attached)? Clearly the General Manager (GM), wearing a purple shirt on staff on Friday, April 25,2025 at 8:30pm. He could simply care less if he lost a customer or not. The first order that we received had 2 pieces of small cod. The management team said, "let us take this back to the kitchen and make this right. This definitely should not have come out of the kitchen this way..." Well... the second photo attached was the updated order. A whole 3rd piece was added that was the tiniest piece of cod I have ever seen coming out of a restaurant kitchen. To the gentleman on staff with the initials BG who attempted to make things right with 2 $5.00 off your next visit coupon cards. Your kind gesture did not go unnoticed. Your GM could take a page out of your book, and learn some leadership skills from you young man. Kudos to you for showing great leadership. I say to the folks sitting at the top, remember why consumers come to your establishment. The decline of quality and quantity of food will tank your business. Followed up by poor management that's on staff running the daily operations. read more
4 years ago
Once again Shells delivered 5 star service and food! Husband had his favorite - fried shrimp dinner & I had a bowl of clam chowder. Our friend had her favorite - fried clam dinner. Taylor was attentive and friendly. She brought our drinks right away, and our orders when they were done. Soup, potatoes and fried fish was hot and so very good. Coleslaw was cool and delicious, as always. We are coming here as often as possible. Everything- food and service - is exemplary! read more
1 year ago
This place has been on my list ever since I moved to Tampa months ago and I'm so glad I finally got to try it! I was a bit scared because Google estimated the wait to be over an hour when I got there at 6:00 PM, but luckily it was only about 10 minutes. The menu here has so much good stuff on it I was having an existential crisis trying to pick something, but ultimately I went with the Salmon Felix and my partner got the Ultimate Combo. The salmon was absolutely perfect, some of the best I've ever had-- really tender and rich, plus the light sauce and crab complemented it super well. My only quips with this dish were the rice was a bit dry for my taste and I wish there was a bit bigger portion, because I was still craving for some more after wiping the plate. Aside from those small things, this is gonna be a top seafood spot for me for sure! read more
2 years ago
1 year ago
4 years ago
I went to Shell's probably 15 years ago and happened to be on family vacation and took a chance that it would be the same as I remembered! It was!! I had the "Baby Lobster Pasta" and couldn't forget it... I got half my group to take a chance and we all ordered it. The sauce was creamy tomato and the baby lobster was delicious and fresh! The pasta was cooked perfectly. I will be craving this again! Other food- my mom got the fresh catch and that was super fresh. It came with rice and vegetables. It was market price, but worth it since you could taste the freshness. My other half got the Big Easy and he had no complaints! The combination of seafood and mushrooms/ onions / tomatoes were unique to anything we've had in the past. Overall, I would recommend everyone to go here! Their quality standards have been high for years on their food and also consistent. Only complaint is that inside smelt a little fishy, but we sat in the patio and it was nice out!! read more
2 years ago
10 months ago
3 years ago
It has been 32 years since we've been in Tampa and eaten at our favorite restaurant, Shells. Way back then we could only afford to eat out on payday, and we almost always chose Shells. When a family vacation was planned for Christmas 2023 in Tampa, we were so excited to see Shells still in business and knew that was the first place we were going to eat. I was actually a little nervous to have the 10 of us eat there as I didn't know if it was still good after so long. Each one of us got a different dish (I got my favorite - shrimp tortellini and substitute with chicken) and every single one of us LOVED our meals! Long gone were the picnic tables, dollar bills on the walls and ceiling and the big barrel of peanuts that you could eat and throw the shells on the floor, but change is inevitable. Our server, Juan, was so pleasant and efficient - he deserves a raise! It was a lot of fun going down memory lane while eating dinner. Thank you, Shells, for continuing to be a part of my husband's and my life! Hopefully, it won't be another 32 years before we will be back. read more
10 months ago
2 years ago
1 year ago
1 year ago
My fiancé and I never leave a Florida vacation without finding a reputable seafood spot. While searching online "seafood near me" we came across Shells, which indicated as advertised "a true Florida seafood joint". It doesn't get any more clear and precise than that, and it was exactly what we were looking for. Knowing that sometimes things aren't what they seem to be or are advertised as, we decided to go to Shells with an open mind and I'm super glad we did. It was EXCELLENT. The place itself doesn't stand out as anything amazing, and when you walk in it's pretty plain Jane, BUT, the food is worth the hype. Everything was fresh as fresh can be, flavorful, and high quality. It was so delicious we didn't want it to end. We got the snow crabs and seafood pasta and both were a ten out of ten. If you are in the Tampa area and are looking for a good seafood place don't let the building fool you this place is superb! read more
3 years ago
2 years ago
The food was super flavorful! The calamari was soft and seasoned well. The jambalaya had a melody of meats. They had sausage, shrimp and chicken, along with veggies on top of the bed of rice. The device was fairly quick and the server was nice to recommend food items. It had a casual vibe where I saw plenty of families there. read more
2 years ago
1 year ago
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More info about Shells Seafood - Tampa
202 S Dale Mabry Hwy
Tampa, FL 33609
South Tampa
Directions
(813) 875-3467
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http://www.shellsseafood.com
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Ask the Community - Shells Seafood - Tampa
Can you dine in at this restaurant ? When trying to look at menu on their web site only options I get are take out or delivery.
Yes, you can dine in, and the service is great!
Is this restaurant on the water?
No it is not. But has the best seafood around!!! Crab legs were amazing. If you're on the fence.. Go. You won't regret it not being on the water.
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