Address: | 522 E Avenue G, Port Aransas, TX 78373, USA |
Phone: | +1 361-749-7621 |
Site: | eatatshells.com |
Rating: | 4.2 |
Working: | 11:30AM–2:30PM Closed 11:30AM–2:30PM 11:30AM–2:30PM 11:30AM–2:30PM 11:30AM–2:30PM 11:30AM–2:30PM |
AM
Amber Cobourn
Tried this place out tonight. Really tiny place with indoor and outdoor seating. Nice ambience. I ordered to-go. I desired the Flounder I saw online but they let me know they were out on the phone. The website informs that the menu changes regularly, understandable. The gent on the phone suggested the snapper instead. I ordered the mango ceviche and banana cheesecake with it. The latter were both AMAZING - great ceviche, crust on the cheesecake was outstanding and came with fresh made whipped cream (yum). I was honestly a bit disappointed with the snapper. It was decent, and the veggies that came with it were cooked perfectly - cooked through with a bit of crisp. The fish tasted the tiniest bit mushy in the middle and was not as flavorful as the last snapper I ate (much further inland and for less $) No big, but Ive had better seafood meals for the $50 I spent here. The lunch menu does look awesome, and so did the pasta dishes that were coming out of the kitchen so I prob just got the wrong thing tonight for my tastes. Staff was very friendly upon pickup, tho the guy who answered the phone was gruff: "Shells" (no name, no nothing - not going to keep me from eating here but off-putting, although he was nice when I asked his advice.) Overall pretty good and Im going to try again with a different entre next time I come here. Takeaways: bomb ceviche, equally scrumptious banana cheesecake, quaint and pleasant atmosphere
AM
Amber Tucker
We stopped in for lunch due to the ratings. We saw a one $ price point in Google and had major sticker shock at the prices. $3 for a can of Coke? Really? Besides the sticker shock, our waitress desperately needed training. I would tell you her name, but I cant. She never told us. It was our first time there. We took our time getting familiar with the excessively expansive menu. (Sometimes less is more. Consider downsizing.) We had questions like...What are the soups? What size are the portions? What is the salad that comes with the sandwiches? Our waitress didnt know the soups. She seemed familiar with some, but not all of the dishes we asked about. For the salad question, her response was that she didnt know because she usually works dinner shift, but probably potato salad. Whaaa? We had another question, but she walked away as we started to ask. Very rude. When we got the food, the pasta dish size was huge. The Alfredo sauce was bland and greasy. The pasta was cooked perfectly though. My husband got a chicken sandwich. The chicken portion was about the size of two chicken nuggets on bread twice as big. He was a fan of the caper aioli. He said the salad greens were very fresh, but it was drowning in the vinaigrette. I highly doubt well be back.
MA
mary mattis
A small chef owned restaurant that is not to be missed when you visit Port A. It is exactly what it claims to be - exceptional food and great service in an unpretentious atmosphere and at reasonable prices. We ordered firecracker shrimp, which were large, perfectly fried and packed with flavor. The crab cakes were crispy and tender, full of fresh crab meat. I had a Red Snapper filet that was sautéd in rich brown butter sauce and topped with delicate fried sage. Service was responsive and friendly, we were seated promptly (because we got there before they opened for dinner service). It was unfortunate that we didnt have room for desert because everything we ordered was top quality. The Cesar Salad slightly non traditional and I would have preferred a more traditional flavor, but it was fresh and made from scratch, as all their food and sauces seem to be. Only detractor was that food was served with rice that was a bit rubbery, but the rest of the experience and flavors were so good that it deserves 5 stars. As a foodie, I will remember this place and look forward to returning! It is a small place and very popular, so plan accordingly and check hours of service before you go (they close between lunch and dinner).
CH
Chris Earls
This place rocks. My wife and I are foodies and appreciate great food. First off, It is small, local and chaotic on a busy night. If you are expecting walk in, sit down, eat, leave, all by the books then you need to head over to McDonaldoes or a local tourist trap. You sit, be patient, you drink, you eat appetizers, and will have some great cusine. The Thai influnces in many of the dishes are just mouth watering. If you like that sort of thing order the Capelline mixed seafood with a curry broth if they have it. Man what a great dish. Ive yet to have anything I did not like. The wait staff are courtious, kind and are constantly moving around taking care of everyone. Like I said this is a small place and you might have to wait. Some people do not understand the world doesnt revolve around them and leave negative reviews because of it. Slow down and enjoy once and a while and head over to Shells to sample one the few great restaurants that are left on this planet.
CH
Christian Boyd
I was hungry with my future fiancé and looked on Google for restaurants in port a and found that sgells has a lot of good reviews about there food so I called to see if they take reservations and the said no first come first serve. So I arrived and saw a 1 table open and me and my fiancé sat at it and the the waitress told us that the table was reserved. Its just seemed odd so we ended up going outside to eat and there where a lot of flys. So I just ignored it because I really came for the food. So the waitress comes and takes our order and she was nice and polite. She asked for our drinks and came back with cans of soda and cup of ice I asked are there free refills and she said just tea but me and my fiancé dont like tea so we ask how much is each coke and it is $1.95 and that kind of high for a can of coke se we had ordered the food and got it in 10 min and the pasta was really good and so is the garlic bread.
DO
Don Roets
Food is outstanding - real lack of attention to details. Sat outside on 4/24 - cheap unbalanced table, no biggie put napkins under it to level - ordered a nice bottle of Pinot Grigio - they were out, no biggie ordered Chardonnay - ordered blue crab appetizers - out - no biggie ordered the eel on avocado (interesting) - silverware was dirty - no biggie they brought clean flatware. Scallops stuffed with andouille sausage were one of the best things I have ever tasted - Im in the food service industry and have owned and managed restaurants - this dish was surpurb - but served on melamine? Really? 25.00 entrees should be served on China not plastic - food is great - your business is good - hope it stays that way.
LI
Lisa Robison
Was so excited for hubby to try this place-- having eaten there before and being from FL, it reminded me of many FL beach town restaurants. Knew it would be busy. Was told 40 min for table. (Was 1.15 hr). Then waited. Waited. Waited. Waited for server, waited for water. Watched people who arrived after us eat their appetizers, eat their dinner, pay bill, leave. Not us. We are still waiting for appetizers. Ignore. Ignore. Ignore. Ignore. Ignore. Ive never received less service. Less eye contact. It was a miserable experience. Hubby said he would take me anywhere to eat for my birthday (we usually go very high end) but I wanted seafood and beach town charm. What a mistaken!!! I will never be back.