5-Star Review: Shuck Oyster Bar in Costa Mesa - Absolutely Outstanding Seafood Experience! I recently visited Shuck Oyster Bar in Costa Mesa (located at 3313 Hyland Ave suite C 21), and wow - it exceeded every expectation! If you're a seafood lover, especially oysters or creative tacos, this place is a must-try. We started with the oysters from Washington - a beautiful variety platter of four different types. Each one was fresher and more incredible than the last, with that perfect briny pop and clean finish. They were absolutely amazing and easily some of the best I've ever had. Then came the tacos, and they stole the show. The lobster tacos were out of this world - on a completely different level! Tender, flavorful lobster with perfect seasoning and toppings that made every bite pure bliss. The fish tacos were excellent - fresh, crispy, and perfectly balanced. And don't sleep on the shrimp tacos either; they were delicious and rounded out an epic trio. The calamari was some of the best I've ever tasted - light, crispy, and not greasy at all. We also got the lobster roll, which was again on another level - generous portions of sweet lobster in a buttery roll that was just heavenly. To top it off, the fish and chips were spot-on: crispy batter, flaky fish, and that classic satisfaction. A great touch was the cucumber-infused water - so refreshing and a nice thoughtful detail. The atmosphere is fantastic: chill vibe, not too noisy, and since we went before noon, it wasn't busy at all - perfect for a relaxed meal. The service was friendly and attentive. Overall, Shuck Oyster Bar is now one of my absolute number-one go-to spots in Orange County. I can't wait to come back - probably very soon! If you love oysters, fresh seafood, or just great food in a cool setting, you've gotta try this place. Highly recommend to friends, family, and anyone who appreciates quality seafood. 10/10 - we'll be regulars! read more

Shuck Oyster Bar - Yum!! - Seafood Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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First time visitor Opening parking lot Location can be seen from parking lot but there are 2 entrances Primarily indoor dining and few outdoor spots Reservations seems to be a preference as everyone entering asked if they had a reservation but walk in we're still accommodated Happy hour weekly specials that inside oysters clams and and drinks Bar sitting and some table sitting available as everything is more on the compact side It can get very noisy but everyone was having a upbeat good time 2 flat screens for sports Food wise a little of everything was available from shareable, seafood style dishes like tacos and uni pasta and lobster linguini, along with burgers and sliders both fish and chicken Shucking of oysters or clams is visible at bar top and it would appear the place got busy real quick but was short handed as the servers were doing a bit of everything but also took time to notice patrons were looking for assistance and grabbing orders to run. Also very much chatting with each other and even when making eye contact with servers for assistance was ignored. Food wise order the dozen oyster chef choice, grill cheese, chowder fries, ahi and lobster taco Dozen oyster there were 3 types all on the brinier side with the final ones more brinier than others and accompany with ginger 2 types of chili sauce and pickle red onion Chowder fries a bit on the salty side with some bites but had a nice chowder and fries ratio With little heat from the Fresno chili that were garnished Tacos were served with in a blue corn tortilla, for $6 each on the smaller side like a street taco and flavors wise pretty basic, didn't stand out very much Grill cheese with 4 pieces very buttery toast nice crunch and gooey melty cheeses Overall pretty decent food but wasn't impress with the service and though short handed, there wasn't a sense of urgency to assist, minimal acknowledgment, and wasn't checked back on after food was dropped off as others were being asked around us Also noticed in their food kitchen window as dishes were waiting to be picked up there was a plate of burger and fries and someone from the kitchen twice with barehand taking bunches of fries from a already prepare plate to be delivered. Seemed very odd. Unsure if would return to this establishment. read more

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Came here for my birthday dinner and really enjoyed. Due to our party size we did have to sit outside which wasn't terrible but a bit cold. We had good service despite being outside. Oysters were super fresh and we had to order another 2 dozen. Fish and chips were fresh and flakey. They serve beer/wine/soju only. read more

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Not bad. Wonderful place. Brunch apparently becomes another restaurant that i heard was also good. The place is small. Bar seating. 2 tables that could fit 5 to 6 ppl squeezed or 4 ppl with plenty of room. I would get there early or make a reservation since it's so small. Service was slow for lunch. There were only 2 staff working when we were there so have a little patience. Food was wonderful. The mussels were small meat but sauce was not the garlic wine but more lemon butter? Still enjoyable. Ceasar salad was really good, well dressed with sardines and plenty of parm chz. Small salad. Shrooms were huge. I got really full, so go easy on it. Oysters: some where creamy and another was fat. I had one bad fishy one but that okay still good. Im writing this 4hrs later and no stomach issues from that 1 bad Oyster so u are safe. I want to try uni pasta next. read more

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Came in for dinner on a Saturday and there were plenty of open seating. Got a dozen oysters, grilled cheese, fried mushrooms, fries, fried fish taco, ahi taco, and lobster tacos. The oysters were the best part: fresh and sweet. Theres an option for their house hot sauces for additional price, which should've been included for a dozen oysters at $50. All the other dishes we got were unremarkable. Good portions but tastes were basic. Not even enough sauce for the fried items, like a tablespoon amount. Tacos tasted more tortilla than filling. Service was friendly and quick. Would only come back for HH or oysters. read more

Cute restaurant located in the OC mix. I came for lunch with friends. We ordered french fries, Brussels sprouts, seared ahi, tacos, clam chorizo & uni pasta. Big portions to share. Nice food presentation & good service. read more

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Good place for happy hour. Calamari was light and crisp. Ceviche could've used more salt and more citrus. The fresh oysters (nicely shucked, not gritty and good selection) and fish taco were the highlights! Service was fast and friendly. Their house white wine was also a perfect pair. Will come back to try the rest of the menu read more

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Came here for lunch on a Sunday. It wasn't super busy right when it opened, but did eventually fill up. Of course we had to get the oysters here. We ended up getting 2 dozen oysters and they threw in 2 extras on the house! They didn't have many Pacific oysters, but they had a lot of Atlantic oysters on this day. The Atlantic oysters were more briney, which I liked. We also got the lobster tacos and seared scallops. The lobster tacos were delicious with the mango salsa. They do have a little bit of kick with some jalepenos. The seared scallops were super soft and creamy. The scallops were also topped with caviar which elevated the fanciness of the dish. The oyster bar is also surrounded by a lot of cute shops and it's nice to walk around after your meal. read more

Shuck Oyster Bar - Seafood Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Best oysters in OC! Fresh, amazing variety. Better than any fancy restaurant in OC. A classy fun and mellow pla Best oysters in OC! Fresh, amazing variety. Better than any fancy restaurant in OC. A classy fun and mellow pla read more

Shuck Oyster Bar - Wine, east coast oysters. By far the BEST oysters in So Cal! - Seafood Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Yummy!!!! I can't believe this oyster bar is just tucked away in costa mesa like that. I've been driving by the plaza everyday for the last couple years and had no idea that this gem of a spot was here!! I love love love oysters but honestly don't know anything about it haha so we did the chefs dozen. Everything was so yummy and we loved the toppings that were paired on the side. I also loved their clam chowder!! The sides were yummy but we ordered way too many fried foods. Will definitely be back! The waitstaff were super friendly and attentive. The seating is limited. read more

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This place popped up and the ratings were pretty high and the menu looked pretty good. When we entered, we were sat pretty fast along the bar top and our order was entered right away too. Aside from the ambiance, the service was very mid as it's a small establishment and only having 3 people but this place could need some work. A lot of tables were also dirty for a while and our food took almost 40 minutes as it wasn't busy with no wait. Unfortunately, I won't be returning to this place because of the multiple incidents of cross contamination. -The silver trays that are used for the oysters, she scooped the ice straight from the machine and that same ice they put into your water. -The guy had gloves and was handling food and he used the same gloves to make and serve the couple water. -The water is also coming from a bucket that's on the side of the bar where everything is passed through and their personal items are on top of the lid. read more

This review is based on service only. I came here for HH with my parents and our first server that took our order gave off strange vibes and was rude. The second server (with long ish curly hair) that brought us out our orders and took our other orders in between was great, accommodating, and very nice. read more

Service was great! We called to see if there was a wait and found a reserved table for us when we arrived. Oyster selection was very good. We got 2 dozen and enjoyed them all. Staff of very knowledgeable and will bring you what you like. We started with smaller and sweet and ended with more meaty full flavor. The drunken mussels were not my favorite but still good. It needs a little more flavor. The broccoli and fries were great. The Caesar salad was terrific. I think the picture says it all. They do have specials everyday so check those out before you decide which day to go. I really enjoyed going on a weeknight. I don't like too much commotion. The restaurant was pretty full but not loud and very enjoyable. Great spot for good oyster variety and other tasty foods! read more

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不是所有的陪伴， 都是叫做愛， 他們可能因為寂寞， 也不是所有的離開都是心存惡意， 有時他們也有幸福， 想去追尋， 有時候有些人只是一段路程， 而非你的人生～ 今天要介紹一家在 The OC Mix 那， 專門吃生蠔的店， 一進去， 朋友先點了一打生蠔，結果看看右邊， 覺得鄰居的比較好吃，吃完， 又再點一盤完全不一樣的， 這時又覺得左邊端來的生蠔更為肥美， 反正就是別人的老婆比較美， 隔壁鄰居的草地比較綠的意思啦～ 當天我沒有吃生蠔， 這家除了有十幾種不同種類的生蠔可以選擇之外，還有章魚腳， 殼殼湯，還有龍蝦堡也都做的很好， 份量也大， 我光把湯喝完， 就已經7，8 分飽了，這個廣場環境優雅， 有小商圈可逛逛， 還有好喝的咖啡， 有名的甜點店可品嚐， 還沒來過的朋友可以來小小的一日遊歐， 明天就是母親節了， 先祝福所有偉大的母親們， 母親節快樂！ read more

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Got my favorite table here! Little booth in the corner.... And OMG - best oysters ever!! They have a great variety and they are soo yummy! Ordered 2 dozen here and could probably eaten more. Lobster rolls are on point, clams and other seafood is prepared and every bite is perfect-- especially when paired with bubbly rose! See you soon!! Thanks for amazing service every time I've been here read more

$32 for a dozen oysters and $30 for a dozen clams during happy hour! Everything was so fresh and service was really good! Oysters were a good balance of being meaty, briny, and sweet. read more

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Visited this spot with a friend on a Saturday afternoon! Located at a small strip mall but many cute small businesses around. We made a reservation and the staff directed us to a booth table for us. I recommend making a reservation as it started to fill up around 6pm. They were so attentive to us and our needs :) We ordered the chefs choice half dozen oysters, tacos and calamari. Calamari was good, enough to share between 2 people. The oysters were delicious, we could taste the difference between each oyster type. Very fresh seafood. The tacos were good, we shared 1 of each seafood taco option. Some are a bit spicy because of the salsa, but still delicious!! A great meal and great spot to catch up if you're craving seafood. It is a bit pricey, our bill came out to around $80. read more

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I like that there was a wide variety of oysters to choose from. Oysters had colorful hues on the outside and meaty texture on the inside. Oysters come with lemon, onion vinaigrette, horseradish, and hot sauce. Seared scallops were huge and cooked with a smoky taste. The soft caviar added a nice finishing touch at the top of the scallops. The mangoes complemented the lobster in the tacos. Although the tacos were delicious, they were really spicy. There were not a lot of non alcoholic drink options but the water was infused with lemon and cucumber. There's plenty of seating indoor and outdoor. I like that the cushioned seats come with foot rest. read more

A small restaurant tucked among furniture shops. Surprised it wasn't crowded at 6:30p on a thursday. The staff was not very attentive as our server didn't check on us very much considering they weren't busy. The octopus had burnt ends when the tender spot was i. the middle. I mentioned to my server and she didn't provide any help other than telling me she'll let the chef know. The crab cakes were tasty and full of crab so was happy about that. Aside from the selection of oysters available I would rather go to another oyster bar that gives better service read more

Shuck Oyster Bar - Crab Cakes - Seafood Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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I was looking forward to trying this place but unfortunately all I got to try was the calamari and a beer. The service was nonexistent after waiting 45 minutes I just asked for the check and left to find another place to eat at. read more

Delicious and scrumptious. The servers were also amazing and very attentive. Would come back (-: read more

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Emma taking on the task of serving an almost full restaurant by herself without showing a bit of stress or sweat. She was polite, cordial and efficient even under the circumstances. Emma was amazing. When customers just keep coming, she continued to maintain her composure. I urge ownership to recognize the effort and commitment of this young lady. read more

Shuck Oyster Bar - Emma shucking oysters - Seafood Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Well, this is now our favorite place. We ate the same things. My husband and I just switched our food orders. I had the 4 tacos mix and match: 2 lobster tacos and 2 steak tacos. And he had the famous lobster roll with fries. Fries were roughly cut, just the right amount of salt , we tried a couple of Blue island No. 9, NY. All good. Ashley and Tiffany were not there today. We had Eugenie. And let me tell you about Eugenie, the girl who welcomed us today. She was the hostess with the mostest. This girl can talk about anything and everything. She checked in on us pretty frequently, well, we were the only ones there but I'm sure she'll do the same thing even if the place was packed. Does this place know how to spot good people or what? Come to this place. You'll sure be welcomed by its warm and friendly crew. read more

Shuck Oyster Bar - 1 lobster taco and 2 steak tacos - Seafood Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Another amazing meal at Shuck. Ordered the half dozen oysters and they were very clean and fresh. I'm a big fan of the Uni pasta. It's very rich but the portion is perfect. Tried the Caesar salad and it was just ok. I wish the dressing was tastier but I still demolished it. Not pictured, the large bowl of fries which were delicious. They serve them with a spicy dipping sauce. My son dipped his fries in the clam chowder and he loved that. We left full and happy as usual read more

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Came here Friday afternoon and waited for about 15 minutes for a table for 2. We sat and watched a dirty table for 6 get slowly - painfully slow - bussed by the waitresses on staff. It finally was fully cleared, it took 3-4 trips, and then we were seated. Had a beer and ordered seared ahi and a dozen oysters. The food was really good, the Fresno chili sauce was so so good. Unfortunately, the service was atrocious. Servers gave minimal effort - never offered another beer, tables sat dirty with no sense of urgency to turnover yet told people they were busy with a 30-60 minute wait - and it took FOREVER to get the bill. I could see both servers blatantly trying to close out and count their tips while our server held our credit card flipping through her book. The food was great but the service was terrible and I won't be back. read more

My partner and I arrived on Thursday, January 30, at 8:20 PM and parked right in front of the building. As we got out of the car, one of the staff members inside flipped the "Open" sign to "Closed," even though the posted hours clearly state they close at 9 PM. It was disappointing and felt rude, especially since we had just arrived. Terrible customer service from the get-go. We can't comment on the food (maybe the oysters are good?), but we'll never know because the poor service made it impossible to even give it a try. Unfortunate, because we travel a long way to try this place out. Definitely won't be returning. I'm really disappointed, especially considering I usually reserve 5-star reviews and am generally very understanding, as reflected in my past reviews. read more

Shuck Oyster Bar - Seafood Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Love their cioppino! Great flavors and very satisfying! The oysters are also very fresh and delicious. My kids shared the grilled cheese and added lobster and loved it! If you're a fan of seafood, you really can't go wrong! The ambiance is clean, open and inviting. Not stuffy at all! Casual and comfortable. read more

Shuck Oyster Bar - Cioppino and fresh oysters - Seafood Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

The atmosphere and overall experience was top-tier. The hospitality was felt before even starting our meal. The oysters are so fresh and delightful. We enjoyed their Haven Sake as our drink of choice. It was light and paired perfectly with their oysters. I recommend trying their chef's choice as they take time to speak with us about our pallet!! Ceviche was fresh. THIS is now my go to spot for oysters. 10/10 must try or you can miss out ... Thank you Eugie for such a great experience. You truly brought our experience to such a high standard. read more

Shuck Oyster Bar - Chef's choice oysters, heaven sake and 4 tacos - Seafood Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

everything was amazing! it was first time having calm chowder and it was so good. i like the options of mixing which oysters you get so u can discover what u like. the tacos were amazing too, definitely worth trying. i don't typically like cheese but the grilled cheese was made perfectly. service was friendly! read more

Shuck Oyster Bar - mixed oysters, calm chowder, grilled cheese, two tacos - Seafood Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

We came for lunch on a whim, and it did not disappoint. We ordered the ceviche, tacos, grilled cheese with lobster and Caesar salad, and everything was delicious. The grilled cheese was perfectly crunchy and gooey without it being overcooked. The ceviche was delish and had a great kick. The tacos were also a great choice, but we like the lobster and shrimp taco the best. The spot is very casual but has high-end eats. Service was great, considering the oyster bar was busy. Highly recommend! read more

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If you don't mind terrible service this is the spot for you. Please note there are multiple bad reviews regarding service. Came here for lunch with a friend and the restaurant was basically empty. A table of people finishing and a family getting ready to leave. The male server barely approached us and simply handed us a single menu and walked away. The conversation with the people finishing up was more interesting. By now, I'm a little annoyed but it's okay the restaurant is slow how long will he take. Well he never came, never brought us water, and we had to ask for another menu to which he responded "why don't you use the QR code?" Well I didn't know there was a QR code to again "oh I forgot to tell you but it's there". He then walks away and proceeds to go guess which hangover character the people are at the other table. At this point, he should clock out and join them. My friend then stands up and asks for a glass of water at the bar. He says "sorry our system just reset give me a minute" because he was still prioritizing his fun boozy table. It was very rude and I told my friend who was standing at the bar still waiting that it was not worth it and we left. I get having a good time at work and being fun but not at the expense of good, quality service. We ended up going to The Water Grill and had a lovely time. read more

Oysters were fantastic! We shared the lobster roll and omg perfectly buttered with crispy fries! read more

I love this little oyster bar. Very fresh oysters, a great variety to choose from. You can ask for some recommendations based off your preferences. The food here is actually quite good too, the pasta was delicious and full of protein! Chowder was good. I wouldn't say that it was anything special though. The grilled cheese here is quite delicious, very cheesy! There's bar seating, and then there is also some table seating. read more

Shuck Oyster Bar - Clam chowder and lobster pasta - Seafood Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Great selection of oysters. Not your usual common selection found at many of the so called oyster bars. I can only rate this place for their oysters since we did not try anything else. I would give it 5 stars for their selection and freshness. Giving only 4 starts since I've not not anything else. I will be back! read more

My boyfriend and I have been coming here since the summer of 2021. In fact, this was one of the places we dined at on our first date, and where my boyfriend had his very first oyster, and said he really enjoyed it! So we hold a special place in our hearts for Shuck. They have a variety of oysters from all over the West Coast, East Coast, Baja Mexico, and even Novia Scotia and PEI. We always do a mixed dozen, and they've never disappointed. In addition, we absolutely LOVE their ahi tuna tacos. All their tacos are great, but there is something extremely satisfying about the ahi tuna topped with chimichurri, aioli, and greens -- suuper tasty! If I could ding them on one thing, it would be that their mac n cheese needs a pinch of salt. A little goes a long way to elevate the flavor. Otherwise, the Cavatappi pasta and creaminess of the dish make it quite good. We like that they have a nice wine list as well. Fun, casual atmosphere where you can dine at a booth or at the bar. We are partial to dining at the bar and watching the servers shuck oysters. Service has always been kind, friendly, and efficient. Definitely stop by and help yourself to some tasty seafood here! read more

Shuck Oyster Bar - A dozen oysters from Maine - Seafood Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

By the time I was finished being educated about oysters from the bartender, I was ready for a swim! Lol! Absolutely incredible variety of awesome oysters. The learning lesson was indeed appreciated. I never knew there were so many different types of oysters. Incredible atmosphere. Our bartender Was over the top. We will be back again, and again. read more

If you want great quality fresh raw oysters , come here! There were a wide range of different oysters to choose from here, shucked right in front of you. I usually like Kumamotos and Kushi oysters, which are sweeter with some briny taste. Ordered 4 each, and 4 chef's choice. Steak sammi was cooked perfectly and paired with its crispy soft bread and delicious fries. The waitress gave us a side of their special sauce to go with it. I couldn't get enough of the fries! Lobster Linguine was just OK. It included a lot of lobster, but the pasta was lacking flavor. The alfredo was not saucy as it dried up the overall pasta. I would skip this dish next time, and probably try it's seafood cioppino. Plenty of parking at a plaza filled with high-end furniture stores and other local boutique and shops. read more

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Last minute dinner plans with some good friends. We wanted some fresh good oysters and I had this booked marked. Also asked for a friends recommendation for a local spot nearby and she referred Shuck. Came in 2 rounds of a dozen of mixed oysters and mix and match taco. It was very very tasteful and definitely will be back again. Christian was the man at work. We made him do 4 dozen total and let him pick. Thank you again for a awesome dinner. read more

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Fantastic Oyster selection - always fresh, nice staff! I enjoyed the vibe. The fries and sauce are also my fav. Along with the grilled cheese read more

When I want quality raw oysters, Shuck is one of the first places that comes to mind. I've been coming here for my oyster cravings for over 5 years and am happy to say that the food is always good. Dined here recently and noticed the vibes are off. Former Shuck, I would describe as a chill and inviting, I used to come in for an early dinner and sit at the bar, chatting with the servers as they prepared my oysters with a laptop finishing up some work. Now the restaurant feels like it's run like a right ship, service feels cold and robotic, it's full of "yes chefs" and "heard" like I'm in an episode of The Bear and that same demeanor carries over to the service, our conversations with the staff felt scripted receiving the same exact response we got earlier when asked how everything was. As mentioned before, the food's still stellar. They have a large selection of oysters but we were told no more raw clams even though it's still on their menu and on the menu board next to the bar. Grilled octopus with the accompanying sauce / blistered tomatoes and peppers are delicious. The tacos are great, I've had the seared ahi tuna before as a standalone but in taco form it's perfection. Loved the serrano slaw that's served with the cod taco. read more

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