While I had very high hopes for the Oyster House after reading the article in the New York Times, I was disappointed to find that this place is kind of a tourist trap. The service was so-so (except for the owner who actually served the food and stopped to talk), and the menu was not so great especially since we were told most of the items were out of season. The rest of the menu was all fried food. The exterior is very plain and kind of something you'd find on the side of the highway, whereas I was expecting an old historic building. It is the best place in Everglades City, though, which probably isn't saying much. They are off the beaten path and have no cellular phone service. But they do offer free wifi. To finish off the so-so experience, the waitress tried to over charge us on the bill which we luckily caught and had corrected.
(3)
Chris S.
Two words: tourist trap. This place seems to exist to service the tourists headed to Everglades National Park and those fishing Chokoloskee Bay because if you eat here once, you might not want to come back. Sure, it's ok. Meanwhile, if you've spent the past few days eating in Miami and along the East Coast expect a let down. There is one exception, however. When stone crabs are in season, this place sells the same crabs as everyone else in South Florida, and normally they are cheaper. Other than than you have a interesting looking, rustic place in the middle of mosquito country with average food. We were pumped when we drive by and couldn't wait to eat frog legs, gator, fish and other swamp/seafood. The gator was terrible. Dry, chewy and greasy. They were out of frog legs. The fish was bland, dry and didn't taste fresh. The fries, blah. On the other hand, in this remote section of South Florida there aren't many other places to grub at so you may be stuck here. We were.
(3)
Mel D.
Went for lunch with two friends. Terrible experience all around. All 3 of us were disappointed with our meals and the service. My fish & chips and sangria were by far the worst I've ever had.
(1)
Alison E.
Service was pretty bad...asked the server if we should try the Gator fried or simmered in oil and spices. He said simmered. Awful. There was more fat than meat and it was so salty. The lunch combo platter came with half of the plate as fries with a couple shrimp, couple pieces of white fish that tasted too fishy and a handful of fried oysters that were mushy. Should've gotten the grilled mahi mahi sandwich instead. Our neighbors got it and it looked edible. Only had a couple bites of each.
(1)
Jessie H.
This place can fry some food! The fried kids fish and chips was 7.99 and it was as big as an adults, and it was fresh. My fried gator was also awesome. If you like fresh frog legs, gator, and fish -this is the place. The poor stars must have been from people not used to good cracker country cooking!!!
(4)
Erica G.
Out with a business group. We had a friend sampler including hush puppy, frog legs and gator. Full bar with beer, wine, cocktails and frozen drinks. My Bay scallops were huge (still smaller than sea). They were perfect and juicy. Large portions. My co-worker had clam strips, also nice size. And grouper tropical salad... Wow! Key lime pie was delicious. Server couldn't answer if it was homemade. Owner was very friendly and came by to introduce himself and chat a little. Worth a meal if you're in town.
(5)
Jim D.
I was met at the door by the smiles of servers JENNIFER MERLIN AND ELAINE KEILEY. The place is like stepping into a wild life museum. It is off season so we got a lot of personal attention. I had the mixed seafood platter with fries and my friend got the shrimp platter, we both left no crumbs. It is a nice place to stop,usually I go to the Seafood Depot but it is closed down until a new owner buys it. The talk is a guy from New York will buy it. I am not a fan of fried seafood but my lunch was hot fresh and super fast, the only suggestion is a little order of col slaw on the side. It is worth a visit if you are in the area then head out to loop trail and shark valley for a real treat with the gators. January is the season when you can see hundreds. .
This was the only place open on Christmas day and we were happy we got to sit down and have a meal after hours of trekking through Big Cypress. No mussels, clams, stone crabs or much beer- oh well. Good thing they still had gator and fresh grouper. The fryers work hard here because everything that came out was piping hot and perfectly browned. The conch fritters are almost as good as Alabama Jacks but not there yet. The watchtower next door is worth the climb with a breathtaking view. Wish we could of had more beers!
(4)
Lisa P.
Ordered the pan seared grouper on salad w clam chowder and hush puppies . The chowder was freezer burnt , The hush puppies were barely warm and the "grouper" was definitely not grouper. It was a thin slimy previously frozen fish. From the taste I'm guessing either flounder or tilapia. When I asked if it was grouper, she insisted it was and freshly caught. Nope. It was neither, don't be fooled. Diner beware, I guess the good news is if you get fried food you will never know the difference , until you get the bill for your overpriced choice. City seafood and Camillas are a better option. Kids meals were large, but the overall quality was disgusting. The french fries were good.
(1)
Robin T.
If you are into an ambiance of deer, bison and animal mountings, all sorts of other wall hangings, this may be your place. It is off the beaten path, so no one just passes by. It is uniquer than most. If you want really good food and service, consider an alternative. My seafood basket was okay - oysters, fish, shrimp, clam strips, one hush puppy and sweet potato fries - all fried. Charlotte's coconut shrimp few in number. Sauce good. I expect this quality to come with lower prices. Server was pleasant, but made several mistakes. If we make another trip to this town, we'll try another place!
(3)
Beautiful S.
Loved the gator burger, conch fritters and fried oysters. Didn't care for the scallops or gator bites. Service was very good. Good Day! Will return.
(5)
Jamie W.
While I had very high hopes for the Oyster House after reading the article in the New York Times, I was disappointed to find that this place is kind of a tourist trap. The service was so-so (except for the owner who actually served the food and stopped to talk), and the menu was not so great especially since we were told most of the items were out of season. The rest of the menu was all fried food. The exterior is very plain and kind of something you'd find on the side of the highway, whereas I was expecting an old historic building. It is the best place in Everglades City, though, which probably isn't saying much. They are off the beaten path and have no cellular phone service. But they do offer free wifi. To finish off the so-so experience, the waitress tried to over charge us on the bill which we luckily caught and had corrected.
(3)
Jenn K.
Considering there are only about 4 places to eat in Everglades City, not bad. It seems most of the people staying at the Ivey House venture the mile down the dark, deserted little road to eat here. It has a local feel inside but at tourist upscale prices. It felt a little wrong to order and eat gator after just seeing so many live ones so I passed on that and opted for a regular hamburger and chowder which were pretty good. Had we gotten 2 entrees and mentioned Ivey House we could have gotten a free bottle of wine but we were on a budget. I was also disturbed by the unavoidable large trophy animal wall on way to the restroom. Biggest display of wildlife I've ever seen...bears, elk, deer, you name it. It made me sad.
(3)
Jamie R.
Oyster House has been here since the early 1980s, making it look like an early adopter of the 1960's Cracker Barrel restaurant style. This Southern-style ranch house has a long, screened porch where you can lounge in comfort on bent wood furnture. Inside, there are bluing photos from decades of sport, from fishing to sponsorship of local ball teams. The room is circled at ceiling level with hunting trophies: Alligators, black bear, coyote, elk and deer. A few funny signs include "Money isn't evenything. But it keeps the kids in touch.," and "I'm for a two party system. One party a week isn't enough." The menu is printed to look like a newspaper. It features plenty of favorites from nearby waters. Stone crab is here from October to May, while gator, frog legs, grouper, and shrimp can be had year-round. Hush puppies are perfectly round, lightly battered, fried ever so quickly, and saw-weeeeet!
(4)
W L.
the waitress recommended the "oysters rockefeller", which is baked with cheese and a pinch of green leaf vegetable (spinach?) but i personally prefer the freshness of raw oysters.
(3)
Eric S.
Stopped in on a rainy day for lunch, order charbroiled oysters received warm shucked oyster that may have been under the broiler for a few seconds. Next I had the oyster po-boy, poor me for ordering that, it was 6-7 fried oysters on a hamburger bun with some Cole slaw, not what I was expecting, I the hush puppy was very dense. Was going to order dessert but afraid to have another disappointment.
(1)
Mari R.
Overall we had a pleasant experience. The waitress and staff were very friendly. However, the food wasn't amazing. Just subpar.
(3)
Roger B.
Let's get one thing out of way first, stone crab is really pricey. Now then, while looking for somewhere we could go to find apalachicola oysters and stone crab, my wife came upon an article that mentioned the Oyster House in Everglades City, which Yelp calls Everglades for reasons unknown. We figured, what the heck let's give it a try, after all most of the stone crab harvested in the world comes from Everglades City. An hour later we cruised into the parking lot. Everglades City is really isolated but very intriguing historically. This lone lit building on an otherwise unremarkable rural residential street holds a true food find. The building is in a traditional Florida style and the walls are plastered with vintage pictures and stuffed heads of animals who were unfortunate enough to be hunted. Unlike Cracker Barrel, where this vintage look is manufactured hokum, Oyster House is not part of a chain and the stuff is real. The staff was friendly and helpful and service was fast enough to fend off boredom and slow enough to permit casual conversation and a well paced meal. But all that is just a prelude to the headline event, dinner. We started with the aforementioned apalachicola oysters. They were perfectly brined and very fresh. What a treat! She-crab soup was a little under seasoned but still extremely tasty. The stone crab was stunningly sweet and perfectly cooked and cooled. Their mustard sauce is a perfect accompaniment and the melted butter, well, is melted butter. Each serving was 6 absolutely perfect claws, well cracked so we didn't need to use our crackers. The fries and sweet potato patties were of equal quality, and the vegetable, a squash medley, was fresh and cooked to just the right level of tenderness. The fried Gulf shrimp were audibly crispy and not even a little bit greasy. The hush puppies made us rethink everything we know about hush puppies. The Grouper Oyster House Style was impeccably seasoned and avoided the all too common tendency to over season this traditional Florida west coast fish. For dessert, we had the famous Key Lime pie from Randy's, which they offer here. Most items called key lime pie are really just regular limes with some green food coloring. Randy's Key Lime pie is the real deal, white, the color of real key lime juice, and made from limes grown in the Florida Keys. Don't take my word for it, try it yourself. The taste is unmistakable and nothing like the usual pretenders and wannabes. The Oyster House Restaurant is far from everywhere, but well worth the cost and the trip.
(5)
Robin T.
If you are into an ambiance of deer, bison and animal mountings, all sorts of other wall hangings, this may be your place. It is off the beaten path, so no one just passes by. It is uniquer than most. If you want really good food and service, consider an alternative. My seafood basket was okay - oysters, fish, shrimp, clam strips, one hush puppy and sweet potato fries - all fried. Charlotte's coconut shrimp few in number. Sauce good. I expect this quality to come with lower prices. Server was pleasant, but made several mistakes. If we make another trip to this town, we'll try another place!
(3)
Jim D.
I was met at the door by the smiles of servers JENNIFER MERLIN AND ELAINE KEILEY. The place is like stepping into a wild life museum. It is off season so we got a lot of personal attention. I had the mixed seafood platter with fries and my friend got the shrimp platter, we both left no crumbs. It is a nice place to stop,usually I go to the Seafood Depot but it is closed down until a new owner buys it. The talk is a guy from New York will buy it. I am not a fan of fried seafood but my lunch was hot fresh and super fast, the only suggestion is a little order of col slaw on the side. It is worth a visit if you are in the area then head out to loop trail and shark valley for a real treat with the gators. January is the season when you can see hundreds. .
(4)
Chris S.
Two words: tourist trap. This place seems to exist to service the tourists headed to Everglades National Park and those fishing Chokoloskee Bay because if you eat here once, you might not want to come back. Sure, it's ok. Meanwhile, if you've spent the past few days eating in Miami and along the East Coast expect a let down. There is one exception, however. When stone crabs are in season, this place sells the same crabs as everyone else in South Florida, and normally they are cheaper. Other than than you have a interesting looking, rustic place in the middle of mosquito country with average food. We were pumped when we drive by and couldn't wait to eat frog legs, gator, fish and other swamp/seafood. The gator was terrible. Dry, chewy and greasy. They were out of frog legs. The fish was bland, dry and didn't taste fresh. The fries, blah. On the other hand, in this remote section of South Florida there aren't many other places to grub at so you may be stuck here. We were.
(3)
Beautiful S.
Loved the gator burger, conch fritters and fried oysters. Didn't care for the scallops or gator bites. Service was very good. Good Day! Will return.
(5)
Jessie H.
This place can fry some food! The fried kids fish and chips was 7.99 and it was as big as an adults, and it was fresh. My fried gator was also awesome. If you like fresh frog legs, gator, and fish -this is the place. The poor stars must have been from people not used to good cracker country cooking!!!
(4)
Erica G.
Out with a business group. We had a friend sampler including hush puppy, frog legs and gator. Full bar with beer, wine, cocktails and frozen drinks. My Bay scallops were huge (still smaller than sea). They were perfect and juicy. Large portions. My co-worker had clam strips, also nice size. And grouper tropical salad... Wow! Key lime pie was delicious. Server couldn't answer if it was homemade. Owner was very friendly and came by to introduce himself and chat a little. Worth a meal if you're in town.
(5)
Romi C.
This was the only place open on Christmas day and we were happy we got to sit down and have a meal after hours of trekking through Big Cypress. No mussels, clams, stone crabs or much beer- oh well. Good thing they still had gator and fresh grouper. The fryers work hard here because everything that came out was piping hot and perfectly browned. The conch fritters are almost as good as Alabama Jacks but not there yet. The watchtower next door is worth the climb with a breathtaking view. Wish we could of had more beers!
(4)
Lisa P.
Ordered the pan seared grouper on salad w clam chowder and hush puppies . The chowder was freezer burnt , The hush puppies were barely warm and the "grouper" was definitely not grouper. It was a thin slimy previously frozen fish. From the taste I'm guessing either flounder or tilapia. When I asked if it was grouper, she insisted it was and freshly caught. Nope. It was neither, don't be fooled. Diner beware, I guess the good news is if you get fried food you will never know the difference , until you get the bill for your overpriced choice. City seafood and Camillas are a better option. Kids meals were large, but the overall quality was disgusting. The french fries were good.
Went for lunch with two friends. Terrible experience all around. All 3 of us were disappointed with our meals and the service. My fish & chips and sangria were by far the worst I've ever had.
(1)
Alison E.
Service was pretty bad...asked the server if we should try the Gator fried or simmered in oil and spices. He said simmered. Awful. There was more fat than meat and it was so salty. The lunch combo platter came with half of the plate as fries with a couple shrimp, couple pieces of white fish that tasted too fishy and a handful of fried oysters that were mushy. Should've gotten the grilled mahi mahi sandwich instead. Our neighbors got it and it looked edible. Only had a couple bites of each.
(1)
Brad G.
Drove by the Oyster House while on a family vacation to the glades, and stopped in because of the nice looking exterior. Terrible move- literally every piece of food that we ordered was sub par. My wife was served a glass of wine from a bottle that had obviously been sitting in the sun for months. Our waiter highly recommended the clam chowder, which in retrospect tasted surprisingly similar to the kind that I typically eat from a can. Also, it may have helped the taste had it been served wam. Conch fritters were poor; burnt outside and uncooked in the middle. I suspect that this was the culprit of my late night battle with gastrointestinal issues. Pros-Our waiter was super friendly, he really went the extra mile to compensate. Overall, the beer and service were excellent- if you are looking for a friendly conversation and a cold brew after a day in the park, this is the place for you.
(1)
Robert S.
Just returned from dinner atOyster House. They have a promotion that is a complimentary bottle of wine for a party of two staying at Ivey House, a nearby B&B. When my waitress asked upon our arrival if we wanted drinks, I inquired about the wine "deal". A little later, I asked if we had a choice in the wine selection. to which she said there were several choices, but there was no wine list. So I chose one from the categories she offered. When I was presented with the check, it included a charge for the wine. Of course I protested. Their excuse was I hadn't said I was staying at Ivey House. I wasn't aware the deal was unique to Ivey House, and the waitress never bothered to ask about this. In the end,the manager partially comped the wine charge, to his credit. But it made for an unpleasant experience. The food was ok, certainly not great. Clam chowder was bland and not hot, although, in fairness, hearty. Shrimp scampi was served in a sauce that overwhelmed the shrimp, On the other hand, fried oysters were well prepared, and they do nice job on sweet potato fries. In summary, there are better choices in Everglades City.
(2)
Elizabeth H.
First of all, we stopped by because of the large "Stone Crab All You Can Eat' sign. Not! Tried to order it and it did not exist. That did not set well. Why the deceptive sign drive bys can see and be enticed? We settled for the fried oyster basket since it's the Oyster House....had to be good. Not! Mushy, tasteless, previously frozen, heavily battered. Sad but the fries were far better. Never had a basket with no slaw...this was the first. Not going back.
(2)
Elizabeth H.
First of all, we stopped by because of the large "Stone Crab All You Can Eat' sign. Not! Tried to order it and it did not exist. That did not set well. Why the deceptive sign drive bys can see and be enticed? We settled for the fried oyster basket since it's the Oyster House....had to be good. Not! Mushy, tasteless, previously frozen, heavily battered. Sad but the fries were far better. Never had a basket with no slaw...this was the first. Not going back.
(2)
Jenn K.
Considering there are only about 4 places to eat in Everglades City, not bad. It seems most of the people staying at the Ivey House venture the mile down the dark, deserted little road to eat here. It has a local feel inside but at tourist upscale prices. It felt a little wrong to order and eat gator after just seeing so many live ones so I passed on that and opted for a regular hamburger and chowder which were pretty good. Had we gotten 2 entrees and mentioned Ivey House we could have gotten a free bottle of wine but we were on a budget. I was also disturbed by the unavoidable large trophy animal wall on way to the restroom. Biggest display of wildlife I've ever seen...bears, elk, deer, you name it. It made me sad.
Drove by the Oyster House while on a family vacation to the glades, and stopped in because of the nice looking exterior. Terrible move- literally every piece of food that we ordered was sub par. My wife was served a glass of wine from a bottle that had obviously been sitting in the sun for months. Our waiter highly recommended the clam chowder, which in retrospect tasted surprisingly similar to the kind that I typically eat from a can. Also, it may have helped the taste had it been served wam. Conch fritters were poor; burnt outside and uncooked in the middle. I suspect that this was the culprit of my late night battle with gastrointestinal issues. Pros-Our waiter was super friendly, he really went the extra mile to compensate. Overall, the beer and service were excellent- if you are looking for a friendly conversation and a cold brew after a day in the park, this is the place for you.
(1)
Robert S.
Just returned from dinner atOyster House. They have a promotion that is a complimentary bottle of wine for a party of two staying at Ivey House, a nearby B&B. When my waitress asked upon our arrival if we wanted drinks, I inquired about the wine "deal". A little later, I asked if we had a choice in the wine selection. to which she said there were several choices, but there was no wine list. So I chose one from the categories she offered. When I was presented with the check, it included a charge for the wine. Of course I protested. Their excuse was I hadn't said I was staying at Ivey House. I wasn't aware the deal was unique to Ivey House, and the waitress never bothered to ask about this. In the end,the manager partially comped the wine charge, to his credit. But it made for an unpleasant experience. The food was ok, certainly not great. Clam chowder was bland and not hot, although, in fairness, hearty. Shrimp scampi was served in a sauce that overwhelmed the shrimp, On the other hand, fried oysters were well prepared, and they do nice job on sweet potato fries. In summary, there are better choices in Everglades City.
(2)
Jamie R.
Oyster House has been here since the early 1980s, making it look like an early adopter of the 1960's Cracker Barrel restaurant style. This Southern-style ranch house has a long, screened porch where you can lounge in comfort on bent wood furnture. Inside, there are bluing photos from decades of sport, from fishing to sponsorship of local ball teams. The room is circled at ceiling level with hunting trophies: Alligators, black bear, coyote, elk and deer. A few funny signs include "Money isn't evenything. But it keeps the kids in touch.," and "I'm for a two party system. One party a week isn't enough." The menu is printed to look like a newspaper. It features plenty of favorites from nearby waters. Stone crab is here from October to May, while gator, frog legs, grouper, and shrimp can be had year-round. Hush puppies are perfectly round, lightly battered, fried ever so quickly, and saw-weeeeet!
(4)
W L.
the waitress recommended the "oysters rockefeller", which is baked with cheese and a pinch of green leaf vegetable (spinach?) but i personally prefer the freshness of raw oysters.
(3)
Eric S.
Stopped in on a rainy day for lunch, order charbroiled oysters received warm shucked oyster that may have been under the broiler for a few seconds. Next I had the oyster po-boy, poor me for ordering that, it was 6-7 fried oysters on a hamburger bun with some Cole slaw, not what I was expecting, I the hush puppy was very dense. Was going to order dessert but afraid to have another disappointment.
(1)
Mari R.
Overall we had a pleasant experience. The waitress and staff were very friendly. However, the food wasn't amazing. Just subpar.
(3)
Roger B.
Let's get one thing out of way first, stone crab is really pricey. Now then, while looking for somewhere we could go to find apalachicola oysters and stone crab, my wife came upon an article that mentioned the Oyster House in Everglades City, which Yelp calls Everglades for reasons unknown. We figured, what the heck let's give it a try, after all most of the stone crab harvested in the world comes from Everglades City. An hour later we cruised into the parking lot. Everglades City is really isolated but very intriguing historically. This lone lit building on an otherwise unremarkable rural residential street holds a true food find. The building is in a traditional Florida style and the walls are plastered with vintage pictures and stuffed heads of animals who were unfortunate enough to be hunted. Unlike Cracker Barrel, where this vintage look is manufactured hokum, Oyster House is not part of a chain and the stuff is real. The staff was friendly and helpful and service was fast enough to fend off boredom and slow enough to permit casual conversation and a well paced meal. But all that is just a prelude to the headline event, dinner. We started with the aforementioned apalachicola oysters. They were perfectly brined and very fresh. What a treat! She-crab soup was a little under seasoned but still extremely tasty. The stone crab was stunningly sweet and perfectly cooked and cooled. Their mustard sauce is a perfect accompaniment and the melted butter, well, is melted butter. Each serving was 6 absolutely perfect claws, well cracked so we didn't need to use our crackers. The fries and sweet potato patties were of equal quality, and the vegetable, a squash medley, was fresh and cooked to just the right level of tenderness. The fried Gulf shrimp were audibly crispy and not even a little bit greasy. The hush puppies made us rethink everything we know about hush puppies. The Grouper Oyster House Style was impeccably seasoned and avoided the all too common tendency to over season this traditional Florida west coast fish. For dessert, we had the famous Key Lime pie from Randy's, which they offer here. Most items called key lime pie are really just regular limes with some green food coloring. Randy's Key Lime pie is the real deal, white, the color of real key lime juice, and made from limes grown in the Florida Keys. Don't take my word for it, try it yourself. The taste is unmistakable and nothing like the usual pretenders and wannabes. The Oyster House Restaurant is far from everywhere, but well worth the cost and the trip.
(5)
Scott J.
Fried gator, fried clam strips, all you can eat stone crab, etc. Most items are fried, though you can find some grilled items on the menu. Good, but not great. Expect your typical fried seafood meal and you will be satisfied as we were.
(3)
Unbiased R.
The food did not taste good or fresh and for the same price I can eat same fresh sea food at an upscale restaurant in Miami.
(2)
Jared G.
A little pricy, but the stone crab was delicious. We also had the key lime tart -- omg, it was sooooo good. I heard the sauteed alligator was good, but we will have to go back for that. They also have a huge "stuffed" alligator in the bar area next door, it was fun to take pictures with :-)
(4)
Heather R.
I'm not sure if they've moved recently, or if half the restaurant was closed because it wasn't even close!! It was VERY obvious, by the staffs demeanor & they didn't care, your just passing through, so over charge and if you don't come back, whatever. The food was pretty, the 7 bite size Conch Fritters, tasted good. WAY over priced, sad how they are taking advantage, Gator bites alone where double to triple what it should be!! Plus, I'm still laughing, picture below, white plate, food arranged nicely, we got a brown basket w/ wax paper in it! Bottom-line, if you like a basket of good fried over priced food, you'll love it!! Just remember do NOT ask to change a thing because there's not a chance.
(2)
Pete F.
I guess it didn't surprise me there's been no reviews for Oyster House even though it appears to be a popular spot and has been opened since 1983. Representative of the clientele was one driving a truck with the decal of the White House painted in green, white, red, with the caption "So you wanted CHANGE?" and watermelons and chickens in the front. I don't believe these types are Yelpers, thankfully. Since we were starved and the lack of options nearby, we didn't have any other options. I had the seafood sampler - a fried seafood basket. Well, nicely done! The seafood was lightly battered and NOT over cooked. The grouper was tender and moist. The oyster was sweet and fresh. Clam strip was ok - would've preferred whole clams. Fries were also good. Ok, they know how to do fried food. Does that surprise you? I also had the blue crab soup in a tomato broth which was just alright. If you're visiting the Gulf Coast visitor center of Everglades National Park, its basically across the parking lot. I'd recommend you stopping by for lunch. Just don't be wearing your Obama T. BTW, the address on Yelp is incorrect (request for correction submitted). The correct address is Chokoloskee Causeway, Highway 29 South, Everglades City.
(4)
Scott C.
The story you are about to read is true... 1:15 pm. Tuesday. My partner and I are investigating the local flavor in the Florida Everglades. These subtropical wetlands located in the southern portion of the state have seen human habitation for 15,000 years. Remotely located, Everglade City is a tidy town reminiscent of a military compound. Quaint and deeply rooted in Americana, the Oyster house beckons with classic beer neon and a screened in porch. Specials include not only oysters, but gator, stone crab, conch and frog legs. They are clearly masters of the fryer as fries and hush puppies are common side dishes. The menu is presented as a news paper that you are invited to keep. It also has some interesting side stories which are sure to keep you ignoring your dining companions. The drink menu is simple, but they do have some non-domestic beer for those opposed to bottled water flavored brews. The atmosphere is rustic and eclectic including a huge stuffed gator that dominates the bar area. Our food was very well prepared and tasty. Though fried, it was not overly greasy. The stone crab claws were large and full of flavor. Service was also very good. Overall, it was well worth the 15 minute detour while traveling between Naples / Marco Island and Miami.
(4)
michael s.
A day of exploring the mangroves and waterways of the 10,000 islands brought on an appetite of massive proportion. I'm happy we stopped in to the Oyster House. Laid back, local-flavor and good, local seafood are trademarks of this place. Amber, our waitress, was wonderful with her efficiency and humor. )She recommended Leebos to us). Had a plate of Fried Oysters, Shrimp cocktail and Conch Fritters which we shared. The oysters and conch were perfectly battered and fried, not at all heavy or greasy. And the shrimp were BIG..more like prawns in their size. With drinks our tab came in under $40. They have a large selection of local fish as well..I would like to try the Grouper when I'm down this way next time.
(4)
Kelly K.
Mostly overpriced fried food. Our youngest sons food came out before the rest of ours and he finished it before ours came out. Our food was served and was mediocre at best. Waitress never came to check on us. My son's shrimp scampi was nasty. He didn't even eat because we all finished before we were checked on and his stomach didn't feel right after eating one of the shrimp. There was a lady there that could have helped the waitress but didn't seem interested. Very disappointed especially since the food was expensive. Service definitely didn't even come close to matching what is expected with the menu prices.
(1)
Don C.
The oyster house is where all of the local captains hang out after a day of guiding. Its the type of place where you can bring your catch, and they will cook it up for you in a number of ways. The oyster house is a stable for the area, and has been there for over 20yrs now. Made famous by the stonecrabs. everglades city was once known for being the "stonecrab capital of the world". Laid back atmosphere. If you are looking for something 5star and stuffy, look elsewhere. We stopped in for a beer and some fried finger foods done right. If you are in the area, give the world famous oyster house a shot.
(4)
Genevieve B.
I came here with my sister and we both ordered the same thing, unsweetend ice tea 2 beers, and the fried gator baskets. Well prepared, tasty. Gator actually has a very mild flavor as I found out, so I tasted more of the breading than the gator, but it tasted good! Seasoned fries which were good as well as the one hush puppy. Service was friendly and quick, as the place wasn't very crowded. A bit more expensive than I would have liked - $43 dollars (which included the tip) for two people, but I wasn't surprised by it, and it could have been a lot worse. I would definetely recommend this place to people like my sister and I who love fried food!
(4)
John S.
Spent the past weekend in Everglades City and was fortunate enough to find this restaurant on Yelp. Dinner all 3 nights were excellent. My brother had the Macadamia Nut Crusted Grouper which was outstanding. The second night we brought in our catch of the day for the cook to prepare. The choice was broiled, blackened or fried. We both thought the seasoning on the broiled sea trout was excellent. If it is available make sure you order the Stone Crab Soup.
Service was excellent. Clam chowder was great. Stone crab was very good. Lots of stuffed animals. Produce was fresh and tasty for salads. No water views
(4)
Andrew R.
Not too many options for food in Everglades City so this place is decent but not great. Food is your typical collection of fried and grilled seafood. Stick with grilled. Fry cook has a heavy hand and tends to leave the food in too long. Tons of Mosquitos outside, and a few inside as well.
(3)
walter m.
Terrible service - incredibly slow and unhelpful. Reeked of old people. Food was unspectacular. Although, in all fairness, the hostess did check us up on - but it still took 30 minutes to get our order in and another 40 minutes for fried foods. I'm never wasting my time here again.
(2)
Jim T.
Friendly, Small town atmosphere good food, Yes i would go back.
(4)
Jared G.
A little pricy, but the stone crab was delicious. We also had the key lime tart -- omg, it was sooooo good. I heard the sauteed alligator was good, but we will have to go back for that. They also have a huge "stuffed" alligator in the bar area next door, it was fun to take pictures with :-)
(4)
Scott J.
Fried gator, fried clam strips, all you can eat stone crab, etc. Most items are fried, though you can find some grilled items on the menu. Good, but not great. Expect your typical fried seafood meal and you will be satisfied as we were.
(3)
Unbiased R.
The food did not taste good or fresh and for the same price I can eat same fresh sea food at an upscale restaurant in Miami.
(2)
Heather R.
I'm not sure if they've moved recently, or if half the restaurant was closed because it wasn't even close!! It was VERY obvious, by the staffs demeanor & they didn't care, your just passing through, so over charge and if you don't come back, whatever. The food was pretty, the 7 bite size Conch Fritters, tasted good. WAY over priced, sad how they are taking advantage, Gator bites alone where double to triple what it should be!! Plus, I'm still laughing, picture below, white plate, food arranged nicely, we got a brown basket w/ wax paper in it! Bottom-line, if you like a basket of good fried over priced food, you'll love it!! Just remember do NOT ask to change a thing because there's not a chance.
(2)
Kelly K.
Mostly overpriced fried food. Our youngest sons food came out before the rest of ours and he finished it before ours came out. Our food was served and was mediocre at best. Waitress never came to check on us. My son's shrimp scampi was nasty. He didn't even eat because we all finished before we were checked on and his stomach didn't feel right after eating one of the shrimp. There was a lady there that could have helped the waitress but didn't seem interested. Very disappointed especially since the food was expensive. Service definitely didn't even come close to matching what is expected with the menu prices.
(1)
Don C.
The oyster house is where all of the local captains hang out after a day of guiding. Its the type of place where you can bring your catch, and they will cook it up for you in a number of ways. The oyster house is a stable for the area, and has been there for over 20yrs now. Made famous by the stonecrabs. everglades city was once known for being the "stonecrab capital of the world". Laid back atmosphere. If you are looking for something 5star and stuffy, look elsewhere. We stopped in for a beer and some fried finger foods done right. If you are in the area, give the world famous oyster house a shot.
(4)
Genevieve B.
I came here with my sister and we both ordered the same thing, unsweetend ice tea 2 beers, and the fried gator baskets. Well prepared, tasty. Gator actually has a very mild flavor as I found out, so I tasted more of the breading than the gator, but it tasted good! Seasoned fries which were good as well as the one hush puppy. Service was friendly and quick, as the place wasn't very crowded. A bit more expensive than I would have liked - $43 dollars (which included the tip) for two people, but I wasn't surprised by it, and it could have been a lot worse. I would definetely recommend this place to people like my sister and I who love fried food!
(4)
John S.
Spent the past weekend in Everglades City and was fortunate enough to find this restaurant on Yelp. Dinner all 3 nights were excellent. My brother had the Macadamia Nut Crusted Grouper which was outstanding. The second night we brought in our catch of the day for the cook to prepare. The choice was broiled, blackened or fried. We both thought the seasoning on the broiled sea trout was excellent. If it is available make sure you order the Stone Crab Soup.
Service was excellent. Clam chowder was great. Stone crab was very good. Lots of stuffed animals. Produce was fresh and tasty for salads. No water views
(4)
Andrew R.
Not too many options for food in Everglades City so this place is decent but not great. Food is your typical collection of fried and grilled seafood. Stick with grilled. Fry cook has a heavy hand and tends to leave the food in too long. Tons of Mosquitos outside, and a few inside as well.
(3)
walter m.
Terrible service - incredibly slow and unhelpful. Reeked of old people. Food was unspectacular. Although, in all fairness, the hostess did check us up on - but it still took 30 minutes to get our order in and another 40 minutes for fried foods. I'm never wasting my time here again.
(2)
Jim T.
Friendly, Small town atmosphere good food, Yes i would go back.
(4)
Pete F.
I guess it didn't surprise me there's been no reviews for Oyster House even though it appears to be a popular spot and has been opened since 1983. Representative of the clientele was one driving a truck with the decal of the White House painted in green, white, red, with the caption "So you wanted CHANGE?" and watermelons and chickens in the front. I don't believe these types are Yelpers, thankfully. Since we were starved and the lack of options nearby, we didn't have any other options. I had the seafood sampler - a fried seafood basket. Well, nicely done! The seafood was lightly battered and NOT over cooked. The grouper was tender and moist. The oyster was sweet and fresh. Clam strip was ok - would've preferred whole clams. Fries were also good. Ok, they know how to do fried food. Does that surprise you? I also had the blue crab soup in a tomato broth which was just alright. If you're visiting the Gulf Coast visitor center of Everglades National Park, its basically across the parking lot. I'd recommend you stopping by for lunch. Just don't be wearing your Obama T. BTW, the address on Yelp is incorrect (request for correction submitted). The correct address is Chokoloskee Causeway, Highway 29 South, Everglades City.
(4)
Scott C.
The story you are about to read is true... 1:15 pm. Tuesday. My partner and I are investigating the local flavor in the Florida Everglades. These subtropical wetlands located in the southern portion of the state have seen human habitation for 15,000 years. Remotely located, Everglade City is a tidy town reminiscent of a military compound. Quaint and deeply rooted in Americana, the Oyster house beckons with classic beer neon and a screened in porch. Specials include not only oysters, but gator, stone crab, conch and frog legs. They are clearly masters of the fryer as fries and hush puppies are common side dishes. The menu is presented as a news paper that you are invited to keep. It also has some interesting side stories which are sure to keep you ignoring your dining companions. The drink menu is simple, but they do have some non-domestic beer for those opposed to bottled water flavored brews. The atmosphere is rustic and eclectic including a huge stuffed gator that dominates the bar area. Our food was very well prepared and tasty. Though fried, it was not overly greasy. The stone crab claws were large and full of flavor. Service was also very good. Overall, it was well worth the 15 minute detour while traveling between Naples / Marco Island and Miami.
(4)
michael s.
A day of exploring the mangroves and waterways of the 10,000 islands brought on an appetite of massive proportion. I'm happy we stopped in to the Oyster House. Laid back, local-flavor and good, local seafood are trademarks of this place. Amber, our waitress, was wonderful with her efficiency and humor. )She recommended Leebos to us). Had a plate of Fried Oysters, Shrimp cocktail and Conch Fritters which we shared. The oysters and conch were perfectly battered and fried, not at all heavy or greasy. And the shrimp were BIG..more like prawns in their size. With drinks our tab came in under $40. They have a large selection of local fish as well..I would like to try the Grouper when I'm down this way next time.
(4)
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Address :901 Copeland Ave S
Everglades City, FL, 34139
Sorry, Store hours have not been updated. If you are the owner of this restaurants. Please update the store hours.
Specialities
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Jamie W.
While I had very high hopes for the Oyster House after reading the article in the New York Times, I was disappointed to find that this place is kind of a tourist trap. The service was so-so (except for the owner who actually served the food and stopped to talk), and the menu was not so great especially since we were told most of the items were out of season. The rest of the menu was all fried food. The exterior is very plain and kind of something you'd find on the side of the highway, whereas I was expecting an old historic building. It is the best place in Everglades City, though, which probably isn't saying much. They are off the beaten path and have no cellular phone service. But they do offer free wifi. To finish off the so-so experience, the waitress tried to over charge us on the bill which we luckily caught and had corrected.
(3)Chris S.
Two words: tourist trap. This place seems to exist to service the tourists headed to Everglades National Park and those fishing Chokoloskee Bay because if you eat here once, you might not want to come back. Sure, it's ok. Meanwhile, if you've spent the past few days eating in Miami and along the East Coast expect a let down. There is one exception, however. When stone crabs are in season, this place sells the same crabs as everyone else in South Florida, and normally they are cheaper. Other than than you have a interesting looking, rustic place in the middle of mosquito country with average food. We were pumped when we drive by and couldn't wait to eat frog legs, gator, fish and other swamp/seafood. The gator was terrible. Dry, chewy and greasy. They were out of frog legs. The fish was bland, dry and didn't taste fresh. The fries, blah. On the other hand, in this remote section of South Florida there aren't many other places to grub at so you may be stuck here. We were.
(3)Mel D.
Went for lunch with two friends. Terrible experience all around. All 3 of us were disappointed with our meals and the service. My fish & chips and sangria were by far the worst I've ever had.
(1)Alison E.
Service was pretty bad...asked the server if we should try the Gator fried or simmered in oil and spices. He said simmered. Awful. There was more fat than meat and it was so salty. The lunch combo platter came with half of the plate as fries with a couple shrimp, couple pieces of white fish that tasted too fishy and a handful of fried oysters that were mushy. Should've gotten the grilled mahi mahi sandwich instead. Our neighbors got it and it looked edible. Only had a couple bites of each.
(1)Jessie H.
This place can fry some food! The fried kids fish and chips was 7.99 and it was as big as an adults, and it was fresh. My fried gator was also awesome. If you like fresh frog legs, gator, and fish -this is the place. The poor stars must have been from people not used to good cracker country cooking!!!
(4)Erica G.
Out with a business group. We had a friend sampler including hush puppy, frog legs and gator. Full bar with beer, wine, cocktails and frozen drinks. My Bay scallops were huge (still smaller than sea). They were perfect and juicy. Large portions. My co-worker had clam strips, also nice size. And grouper tropical salad... Wow! Key lime pie was delicious. Server couldn't answer if it was homemade. Owner was very friendly and came by to introduce himself and chat a little. Worth a meal if you're in town.
(5)Jim D.
I was met at the door by the smiles of servers JENNIFER MERLIN AND ELAINE KEILEY. The place is like stepping into a wild life museum. It is off season so we got a lot of personal attention. I had the mixed seafood platter with fries and my friend got the shrimp platter, we both left no crumbs. It is a nice place to stop,usually I go to the Seafood Depot but it is closed down until a new owner buys it. The talk is a guy from New York will buy it. I am not a fan of fried seafood but my lunch was hot fresh and super fast, the only suggestion is a little order of col slaw on the side. It is worth a visit if you are in the area then head out to loop trail and shark valley for a real treat with the gators. January is the season when you can see hundreds. .
(4)Jenn F.
We were driving through mid-afternoon and looking for a snack and drink. The parking lot was full, so we assumed it was good. Wrong! The drink menu had some interesting choices on it and my friend and I both ordered the sangria. When it arrived, it was served warm, in a glass with no ice, and did not taste like it had the ingredients that were listed. In fact, it tasted like spoiled red wine. I told my friend I had thrown out wine that tasted better than this. The food that we ordered was ok, kind of what you might expect for the location. None of us 'liked' what we had and felt it was overpriced for the quality. For example, I ordered the 1/2lb shrimp app which I thought were cold peel and eat. What I was given was shrimp sautéed in Old Bay, which I dislike and would have asked for something different if that were made clear on the menu. My 8 shrimp cost $15.95. Really?? The service we had from our waitress was very poor, but I can't say that is the same for all of them. The tables next to us had a very friendly and attentive young lady checking on them and insuring they had what they needed. We wished we had her. Our waitress was constantly dropping things as she cleared the tables around us, and rushed by as she asked if everything was ok. Plus we could smell the cigarette on her when she would come in from here break to clear our table. We couldn't wait to get out of there.
(1)Romi C.
This was the only place open on Christmas day and we were happy we got to sit down and have a meal after hours of trekking through Big Cypress. No mussels, clams, stone crabs or much beer- oh well. Good thing they still had gator and fresh grouper. The fryers work hard here because everything that came out was piping hot and perfectly browned. The conch fritters are almost as good as Alabama Jacks but not there yet. The watchtower next door is worth the climb with a breathtaking view. Wish we could of had more beers!
(4)Lisa P.
Ordered the pan seared grouper on salad w clam chowder and hush puppies . The chowder was freezer burnt , The hush puppies were barely warm and the "grouper" was definitely not grouper. It was a thin slimy previously frozen fish. From the taste I'm guessing either flounder or tilapia. When I asked if it was grouper, she insisted it was and freshly caught. Nope. It was neither, don't be fooled. Diner beware, I guess the good news is if you get fried food you will never know the difference , until you get the bill for your overpriced choice. City seafood and Camillas are a better option. Kids meals were large, but the overall quality was disgusting. The french fries were good.
(1)Robin T.
If you are into an ambiance of deer, bison and animal mountings, all sorts of other wall hangings, this may be your place. It is off the beaten path, so no one just passes by. It is uniquer than most. If you want really good food and service, consider an alternative. My seafood basket was okay - oysters, fish, shrimp, clam strips, one hush puppy and sweet potato fries - all fried. Charlotte's coconut shrimp few in number. Sauce good. I expect this quality to come with lower prices. Server was pleasant, but made several mistakes. If we make another trip to this town, we'll try another place!
(3)Beautiful S.
Loved the gator burger, conch fritters and fried oysters. Didn't care for the scallops or gator bites. Service was very good. Good Day! Will return.
(5)Jamie W.
While I had very high hopes for the Oyster House after reading the article in the New York Times, I was disappointed to find that this place is kind of a tourist trap. The service was so-so (except for the owner who actually served the food and stopped to talk), and the menu was not so great especially since we were told most of the items were out of season. The rest of the menu was all fried food. The exterior is very plain and kind of something you'd find on the side of the highway, whereas I was expecting an old historic building. It is the best place in Everglades City, though, which probably isn't saying much. They are off the beaten path and have no cellular phone service. But they do offer free wifi. To finish off the so-so experience, the waitress tried to over charge us on the bill which we luckily caught and had corrected.
(3)Jenn K.
Considering there are only about 4 places to eat in Everglades City, not bad. It seems most of the people staying at the Ivey House venture the mile down the dark, deserted little road to eat here. It has a local feel inside but at tourist upscale prices. It felt a little wrong to order and eat gator after just seeing so many live ones so I passed on that and opted for a regular hamburger and chowder which were pretty good. Had we gotten 2 entrees and mentioned Ivey House we could have gotten a free bottle of wine but we were on a budget. I was also disturbed by the unavoidable large trophy animal wall on way to the restroom. Biggest display of wildlife I've ever seen...bears, elk, deer, you name it. It made me sad.
(3)Jamie R.
Oyster House has been here since the early 1980s, making it look like an early adopter of the 1960's Cracker Barrel restaurant style. This Southern-style ranch house has a long, screened porch where you can lounge in comfort on bent wood furnture. Inside, there are bluing photos from decades of sport, from fishing to sponsorship of local ball teams. The room is circled at ceiling level with hunting trophies: Alligators, black bear, coyote, elk and deer. A few funny signs include "Money isn't evenything. But it keeps the kids in touch.," and "I'm for a two party system. One party a week isn't enough." The menu is printed to look like a newspaper. It features plenty of favorites from nearby waters. Stone crab is here from October to May, while gator, frog legs, grouper, and shrimp can be had year-round. Hush puppies are perfectly round, lightly battered, fried ever so quickly, and saw-weeeeet!
(4)W L.
the waitress recommended the "oysters rockefeller", which is baked with cheese and a pinch of green leaf vegetable (spinach?) but i personally prefer the freshness of raw oysters.
(3)Eric S.
Stopped in on a rainy day for lunch, order charbroiled oysters received warm shucked oyster that may have been under the broiler for a few seconds. Next I had the oyster po-boy, poor me for ordering that, it was 6-7 fried oysters on a hamburger bun with some Cole slaw, not what I was expecting, I the hush puppy was very dense. Was going to order dessert but afraid to have another disappointment.
(1)Mari R.
Overall we had a pleasant experience. The waitress and staff were very friendly. However, the food wasn't amazing. Just subpar.
(3)Roger B.
Let's get one thing out of way first, stone crab is really pricey. Now then, while looking for somewhere we could go to find apalachicola oysters and stone crab, my wife came upon an article that mentioned the Oyster House in Everglades City, which Yelp calls Everglades for reasons unknown. We figured, what the heck let's give it a try, after all most of the stone crab harvested in the world comes from Everglades City. An hour later we cruised into the parking lot. Everglades City is really isolated but very intriguing historically. This lone lit building on an otherwise unremarkable rural residential street holds a true food find. The building is in a traditional Florida style and the walls are plastered with vintage pictures and stuffed heads of animals who were unfortunate enough to be hunted. Unlike Cracker Barrel, where this vintage look is manufactured hokum, Oyster House is not part of a chain and the stuff is real. The staff was friendly and helpful and service was fast enough to fend off boredom and slow enough to permit casual conversation and a well paced meal. But all that is just a prelude to the headline event, dinner. We started with the aforementioned apalachicola oysters. They were perfectly brined and very fresh. What a treat! She-crab soup was a little under seasoned but still extremely tasty. The stone crab was stunningly sweet and perfectly cooked and cooled. Their mustard sauce is a perfect accompaniment and the melted butter, well, is melted butter. Each serving was 6 absolutely perfect claws, well cracked so we didn't need to use our crackers. The fries and sweet potato patties were of equal quality, and the vegetable, a squash medley, was fresh and cooked to just the right level of tenderness. The fried Gulf shrimp were audibly crispy and not even a little bit greasy. The hush puppies made us rethink everything we know about hush puppies. The Grouper Oyster House Style was impeccably seasoned and avoided the all too common tendency to over season this traditional Florida west coast fish. For dessert, we had the famous Key Lime pie from Randy's, which they offer here. Most items called key lime pie are really just regular limes with some green food coloring. Randy's Key Lime pie is the real deal, white, the color of real key lime juice, and made from limes grown in the Florida Keys. Don't take my word for it, try it yourself. The taste is unmistakable and nothing like the usual pretenders and wannabes. The Oyster House Restaurant is far from everywhere, but well worth the cost and the trip.
(5)Robin T.
If you are into an ambiance of deer, bison and animal mountings, all sorts of other wall hangings, this may be your place. It is off the beaten path, so no one just passes by. It is uniquer than most. If you want really good food and service, consider an alternative. My seafood basket was okay - oysters, fish, shrimp, clam strips, one hush puppy and sweet potato fries - all fried. Charlotte's coconut shrimp few in number. Sauce good. I expect this quality to come with lower prices. Server was pleasant, but made several mistakes. If we make another trip to this town, we'll try another place!
(3)Jim D.
I was met at the door by the smiles of servers JENNIFER MERLIN AND ELAINE KEILEY. The place is like stepping into a wild life museum. It is off season so we got a lot of personal attention. I had the mixed seafood platter with fries and my friend got the shrimp platter, we both left no crumbs. It is a nice place to stop,usually I go to the Seafood Depot but it is closed down until a new owner buys it. The talk is a guy from New York will buy it. I am not a fan of fried seafood but my lunch was hot fresh and super fast, the only suggestion is a little order of col slaw on the side. It is worth a visit if you are in the area then head out to loop trail and shark valley for a real treat with the gators. January is the season when you can see hundreds. .
(4)Chris S.
Two words: tourist trap. This place seems to exist to service the tourists headed to Everglades National Park and those fishing Chokoloskee Bay because if you eat here once, you might not want to come back. Sure, it's ok. Meanwhile, if you've spent the past few days eating in Miami and along the East Coast expect a let down. There is one exception, however. When stone crabs are in season, this place sells the same crabs as everyone else in South Florida, and normally they are cheaper. Other than than you have a interesting looking, rustic place in the middle of mosquito country with average food. We were pumped when we drive by and couldn't wait to eat frog legs, gator, fish and other swamp/seafood. The gator was terrible. Dry, chewy and greasy. They were out of frog legs. The fish was bland, dry and didn't taste fresh. The fries, blah. On the other hand, in this remote section of South Florida there aren't many other places to grub at so you may be stuck here. We were.
(3)Beautiful S.
Loved the gator burger, conch fritters and fried oysters. Didn't care for the scallops or gator bites. Service was very good. Good Day! Will return.
(5)Jessie H.
This place can fry some food! The fried kids fish and chips was 7.99 and it was as big as an adults, and it was fresh. My fried gator was also awesome. If you like fresh frog legs, gator, and fish -this is the place. The poor stars must have been from people not used to good cracker country cooking!!!
(4)Erica G.
Out with a business group. We had a friend sampler including hush puppy, frog legs and gator. Full bar with beer, wine, cocktails and frozen drinks. My Bay scallops were huge (still smaller than sea). They were perfect and juicy. Large portions. My co-worker had clam strips, also nice size. And grouper tropical salad... Wow! Key lime pie was delicious. Server couldn't answer if it was homemade. Owner was very friendly and came by to introduce himself and chat a little. Worth a meal if you're in town.
(5)Romi C.
This was the only place open on Christmas day and we were happy we got to sit down and have a meal after hours of trekking through Big Cypress. No mussels, clams, stone crabs or much beer- oh well. Good thing they still had gator and fresh grouper. The fryers work hard here because everything that came out was piping hot and perfectly browned. The conch fritters are almost as good as Alabama Jacks but not there yet. The watchtower next door is worth the climb with a breathtaking view. Wish we could of had more beers!
(4)Lisa P.
Ordered the pan seared grouper on salad w clam chowder and hush puppies . The chowder was freezer burnt , The hush puppies were barely warm and the "grouper" was definitely not grouper. It was a thin slimy previously frozen fish. From the taste I'm guessing either flounder or tilapia. When I asked if it was grouper, she insisted it was and freshly caught. Nope. It was neither, don't be fooled. Diner beware, I guess the good news is if you get fried food you will never know the difference , until you get the bill for your overpriced choice. City seafood and Camillas are a better option. Kids meals were large, but the overall quality was disgusting. The french fries were good.
(1)Jenn F.
We were driving through mid-afternoon and looking for a snack and drink. The parking lot was full, so we assumed it was good. Wrong! The drink menu had some interesting choices on it and my friend and I both ordered the sangria. When it arrived, it was served warm, in a glass with no ice, and did not taste like it had the ingredients that were listed. In fact, it tasted like spoiled red wine. I told my friend I had thrown out wine that tasted better than this. The food that we ordered was ok, kind of what you might expect for the location. None of us 'liked' what we had and felt it was overpriced for the quality. For example, I ordered the 1/2lb shrimp app which I thought were cold peel and eat. What I was given was shrimp sautéed in Old Bay, which I dislike and would have asked for something different if that were made clear on the menu. My 8 shrimp cost $15.95. Really?? The service we had from our waitress was very poor, but I can't say that is the same for all of them. The tables next to us had a very friendly and attentive young lady checking on them and insuring they had what they needed. We wished we had her. Our waitress was constantly dropping things as she cleared the tables around us, and rushed by as she asked if everything was ok. Plus we could smell the cigarette on her when she would come in from here break to clear our table. We couldn't wait to get out of there.
(1)Kristine B.
The sautéed alligator was phenomenal - loved the flavors, the textures, & the quality meat (no fat or other junk). However, the appetizer was a huge portion and was $18 - definitely a share size. I loved my clam chowder - not too "fishy" and not too heavy -- it was delightfully flavored, with nice chunks of clam (not the tiny minced bits one usually finds in chowders), and actually left me wanting more. My hubby's $6 house salad was lettuce, 2 tomato wedges, 1 cuke slice and red onions he asked to 86. We ordered the broiled chef special of grouper, scallops and shrimp. The grouper was delicious in the thicker pieces but a bit rubbery on the thinner pieces. The scallops were a bit overdone & chewy as well, and the shrimp was average. The service was ho-hum, but a lovely sunset location made for an overall pleasant evening. Also, the suggested gratuity on the bill is based on the post-tax total instead of the proper pre-tax subtotal; I don't know about you, but we don't tip on taxes... Oh - and the restaurant isn't where it maps to be on Yelp. Use another map app to plug in the addy. It's basically across the street (& just a bit south) from the Everglades NP entrance area.
(3)Mel D.
Went for lunch with two friends. Terrible experience all around. All 3 of us were disappointed with our meals and the service. My fish & chips and sangria were by far the worst I've ever had.
(1)Alison E.
Service was pretty bad...asked the server if we should try the Gator fried or simmered in oil and spices. He said simmered. Awful. There was more fat than meat and it was so salty. The lunch combo platter came with half of the plate as fries with a couple shrimp, couple pieces of white fish that tasted too fishy and a handful of fried oysters that were mushy. Should've gotten the grilled mahi mahi sandwich instead. Our neighbors got it and it looked edible. Only had a couple bites of each.
(1)Brad G.
Drove by the Oyster House while on a family vacation to the glades, and stopped in because of the nice looking exterior. Terrible move- literally every piece of food that we ordered was sub par. My wife was served a glass of wine from a bottle that had obviously been sitting in the sun for months. Our waiter highly recommended the clam chowder, which in retrospect tasted surprisingly similar to the kind that I typically eat from a can. Also, it may have helped the taste had it been served wam. Conch fritters were poor; burnt outside and uncooked in the middle. I suspect that this was the culprit of my late night battle with gastrointestinal issues. Pros-Our waiter was super friendly, he really went the extra mile to compensate. Overall, the beer and service were excellent- if you are looking for a friendly conversation and a cold brew after a day in the park, this is the place for you.
(1)Robert S.
Just returned from dinner atOyster House. They have a promotion that is a complimentary bottle of wine for a party of two staying at Ivey House, a nearby B&B. When my waitress asked upon our arrival if we wanted drinks, I inquired about the wine "deal". A little later, I asked if we had a choice in the wine selection. to which she said there were several choices, but there was no wine list. So I chose one from the categories she offered. When I was presented with the check, it included a charge for the wine. Of course I protested. Their excuse was I hadn't said I was staying at Ivey House. I wasn't aware the deal was unique to Ivey House, and the waitress never bothered to ask about this. In the end,the manager partially comped the wine charge, to his credit. But it made for an unpleasant experience. The food was ok, certainly not great. Clam chowder was bland and not hot, although, in fairness, hearty. Shrimp scampi was served in a sauce that overwhelmed the shrimp, On the other hand, fried oysters were well prepared, and they do nice job on sweet potato fries. In summary, there are better choices in Everglades City.
(2)Elizabeth H.
First of all, we stopped by because of the large "Stone Crab All You Can Eat' sign. Not! Tried to order it and it did not exist. That did not set well. Why the deceptive sign drive bys can see and be enticed? We settled for the fried oyster basket since it's the Oyster House....had to be good. Not! Mushy, tasteless, previously frozen, heavily battered. Sad but the fries were far better. Never had a basket with no slaw...this was the first. Not going back.
(2)Elizabeth H.
First of all, we stopped by because of the large "Stone Crab All You Can Eat' sign. Not! Tried to order it and it did not exist. That did not set well. Why the deceptive sign drive bys can see and be enticed? We settled for the fried oyster basket since it's the Oyster House....had to be good. Not! Mushy, tasteless, previously frozen, heavily battered. Sad but the fries were far better. Never had a basket with no slaw...this was the first. Not going back.
(2)Jenn K.
Considering there are only about 4 places to eat in Everglades City, not bad. It seems most of the people staying at the Ivey House venture the mile down the dark, deserted little road to eat here. It has a local feel inside but at tourist upscale prices. It felt a little wrong to order and eat gator after just seeing so many live ones so I passed on that and opted for a regular hamburger and chowder which were pretty good. Had we gotten 2 entrees and mentioned Ivey House we could have gotten a free bottle of wine but we were on a budget. I was also disturbed by the unavoidable large trophy animal wall on way to the restroom. Biggest display of wildlife I've ever seen...bears, elk, deer, you name it. It made me sad.
(3)Kristine B.
The sautéed alligator was phenomenal - loved the flavors, the textures, & the quality meat (no fat or other junk). However, the appetizer was a huge portion and was $18 - definitely a share size. I loved my clam chowder - not too "fishy" and not too heavy -- it was delightfully flavored, with nice chunks of clam (not the tiny minced bits one usually finds in chowders), and actually left me wanting more. My hubby's $6 house salad was lettuce, 2 tomato wedges, 1 cuke slice and red onions he asked to 86. We ordered the broiled chef special of grouper, scallops and shrimp. The grouper was delicious in the thicker pieces but a bit rubbery on the thinner pieces. The scallops were a bit overdone & chewy as well, and the shrimp was average. The service was ho-hum, but a lovely sunset location made for an overall pleasant evening. Also, the suggested gratuity on the bill is based on the post-tax total instead of the proper pre-tax subtotal; I don't know about you, but we don't tip on taxes... Oh - and the restaurant isn't where it maps to be on Yelp. Use another map app to plug in the addy. It's basically across the street (& just a bit south) from the Everglades NP entrance area.
(3)Brad G.
Drove by the Oyster House while on a family vacation to the glades, and stopped in because of the nice looking exterior. Terrible move- literally every piece of food that we ordered was sub par. My wife was served a glass of wine from a bottle that had obviously been sitting in the sun for months. Our waiter highly recommended the clam chowder, which in retrospect tasted surprisingly similar to the kind that I typically eat from a can. Also, it may have helped the taste had it been served wam. Conch fritters were poor; burnt outside and uncooked in the middle. I suspect that this was the culprit of my late night battle with gastrointestinal issues. Pros-Our waiter was super friendly, he really went the extra mile to compensate. Overall, the beer and service were excellent- if you are looking for a friendly conversation and a cold brew after a day in the park, this is the place for you.
(1)Robert S.
Just returned from dinner atOyster House. They have a promotion that is a complimentary bottle of wine for a party of two staying at Ivey House, a nearby B&B. When my waitress asked upon our arrival if we wanted drinks, I inquired about the wine "deal". A little later, I asked if we had a choice in the wine selection. to which she said there were several choices, but there was no wine list. So I chose one from the categories she offered. When I was presented with the check, it included a charge for the wine. Of course I protested. Their excuse was I hadn't said I was staying at Ivey House. I wasn't aware the deal was unique to Ivey House, and the waitress never bothered to ask about this. In the end,the manager partially comped the wine charge, to his credit. But it made for an unpleasant experience. The food was ok, certainly not great. Clam chowder was bland and not hot, although, in fairness, hearty. Shrimp scampi was served in a sauce that overwhelmed the shrimp, On the other hand, fried oysters were well prepared, and they do nice job on sweet potato fries. In summary, there are better choices in Everglades City.
(2)Jamie R.
Oyster House has been here since the early 1980s, making it look like an early adopter of the 1960's Cracker Barrel restaurant style. This Southern-style ranch house has a long, screened porch where you can lounge in comfort on bent wood furnture. Inside, there are bluing photos from decades of sport, from fishing to sponsorship of local ball teams. The room is circled at ceiling level with hunting trophies: Alligators, black bear, coyote, elk and deer. A few funny signs include "Money isn't evenything. But it keeps the kids in touch.," and "I'm for a two party system. One party a week isn't enough." The menu is printed to look like a newspaper. It features plenty of favorites from nearby waters. Stone crab is here from October to May, while gator, frog legs, grouper, and shrimp can be had year-round. Hush puppies are perfectly round, lightly battered, fried ever so quickly, and saw-weeeeet!
(4)W L.
the waitress recommended the "oysters rockefeller", which is baked with cheese and a pinch of green leaf vegetable (spinach?) but i personally prefer the freshness of raw oysters.
(3)Eric S.
Stopped in on a rainy day for lunch, order charbroiled oysters received warm shucked oyster that may have been under the broiler for a few seconds. Next I had the oyster po-boy, poor me for ordering that, it was 6-7 fried oysters on a hamburger bun with some Cole slaw, not what I was expecting, I the hush puppy was very dense. Was going to order dessert but afraid to have another disappointment.
(1)Mari R.
Overall we had a pleasant experience. The waitress and staff were very friendly. However, the food wasn't amazing. Just subpar.
(3)Roger B.
Let's get one thing out of way first, stone crab is really pricey. Now then, while looking for somewhere we could go to find apalachicola oysters and stone crab, my wife came upon an article that mentioned the Oyster House in Everglades City, which Yelp calls Everglades for reasons unknown. We figured, what the heck let's give it a try, after all most of the stone crab harvested in the world comes from Everglades City. An hour later we cruised into the parking lot. Everglades City is really isolated but very intriguing historically. This lone lit building on an otherwise unremarkable rural residential street holds a true food find. The building is in a traditional Florida style and the walls are plastered with vintage pictures and stuffed heads of animals who were unfortunate enough to be hunted. Unlike Cracker Barrel, where this vintage look is manufactured hokum, Oyster House is not part of a chain and the stuff is real. The staff was friendly and helpful and service was fast enough to fend off boredom and slow enough to permit casual conversation and a well paced meal. But all that is just a prelude to the headline event, dinner. We started with the aforementioned apalachicola oysters. They were perfectly brined and very fresh. What a treat! She-crab soup was a little under seasoned but still extremely tasty. The stone crab was stunningly sweet and perfectly cooked and cooled. Their mustard sauce is a perfect accompaniment and the melted butter, well, is melted butter. Each serving was 6 absolutely perfect claws, well cracked so we didn't need to use our crackers. The fries and sweet potato patties were of equal quality, and the vegetable, a squash medley, was fresh and cooked to just the right level of tenderness. The fried Gulf shrimp were audibly crispy and not even a little bit greasy. The hush puppies made us rethink everything we know about hush puppies. The Grouper Oyster House Style was impeccably seasoned and avoided the all too common tendency to over season this traditional Florida west coast fish. For dessert, we had the famous Key Lime pie from Randy's, which they offer here. Most items called key lime pie are really just regular limes with some green food coloring. Randy's Key Lime pie is the real deal, white, the color of real key lime juice, and made from limes grown in the Florida Keys. Don't take my word for it, try it yourself. The taste is unmistakable and nothing like the usual pretenders and wannabes. The Oyster House Restaurant is far from everywhere, but well worth the cost and the trip.
(5)Scott J.
Fried gator, fried clam strips, all you can eat stone crab, etc. Most items are fried, though you can find some grilled items on the menu. Good, but not great. Expect your typical fried seafood meal and you will be satisfied as we were.
(3)Unbiased R.
The food did not taste good or fresh and for the same price I can eat same fresh sea food at an upscale restaurant in Miami.
(2)Jared G.
A little pricy, but the stone crab was delicious. We also had the key lime tart -- omg, it was sooooo good. I heard the sauteed alligator was good, but we will have to go back for that. They also have a huge "stuffed" alligator in the bar area next door, it was fun to take pictures with :-)
(4)Heather R.
I'm not sure if they've moved recently, or if half the restaurant was closed because it wasn't even close!! It was VERY obvious, by the staffs demeanor & they didn't care, your just passing through, so over charge and if you don't come back, whatever. The food was pretty, the 7 bite size Conch Fritters, tasted good. WAY over priced, sad how they are taking advantage, Gator bites alone where double to triple what it should be!! Plus, I'm still laughing, picture below, white plate, food arranged nicely, we got a brown basket w/ wax paper in it! Bottom-line, if you like a basket of good fried over priced food, you'll love it!! Just remember do NOT ask to change a thing because there's not a chance.
(2)Pete F.
I guess it didn't surprise me there's been no reviews for Oyster House even though it appears to be a popular spot and has been opened since 1983. Representative of the clientele was one driving a truck with the decal of the White House painted in green, white, red, with the caption "So you wanted CHANGE?" and watermelons and chickens in the front. I don't believe these types are Yelpers, thankfully. Since we were starved and the lack of options nearby, we didn't have any other options. I had the seafood sampler - a fried seafood basket. Well, nicely done! The seafood was lightly battered and NOT over cooked. The grouper was tender and moist. The oyster was sweet and fresh. Clam strip was ok - would've preferred whole clams. Fries were also good. Ok, they know how to do fried food. Does that surprise you? I also had the blue crab soup in a tomato broth which was just alright. If you're visiting the Gulf Coast visitor center of Everglades National Park, its basically across the parking lot. I'd recommend you stopping by for lunch. Just don't be wearing your Obama T. BTW, the address on Yelp is incorrect (request for correction submitted). The correct address is Chokoloskee Causeway, Highway 29 South, Everglades City.
(4)Scott C.
The story you are about to read is true... 1:15 pm. Tuesday. My partner and I are investigating the local flavor in the Florida Everglades. These subtropical wetlands located in the southern portion of the state have seen human habitation for 15,000 years. Remotely located, Everglade City is a tidy town reminiscent of a military compound. Quaint and deeply rooted in Americana, the Oyster house beckons with classic beer neon and a screened in porch. Specials include not only oysters, but gator, stone crab, conch and frog legs. They are clearly masters of the fryer as fries and hush puppies are common side dishes. The menu is presented as a news paper that you are invited to keep. It also has some interesting side stories which are sure to keep you ignoring your dining companions. The drink menu is simple, but they do have some non-domestic beer for those opposed to bottled water flavored brews. The atmosphere is rustic and eclectic including a huge stuffed gator that dominates the bar area. Our food was very well prepared and tasty. Though fried, it was not overly greasy. The stone crab claws were large and full of flavor. Service was also very good. Overall, it was well worth the 15 minute detour while traveling between Naples / Marco Island and Miami.
(4)michael s.
A day of exploring the mangroves and waterways of the 10,000 islands brought on an appetite of massive proportion. I'm happy we stopped in to the Oyster House. Laid back, local-flavor and good, local seafood are trademarks of this place. Amber, our waitress, was wonderful with her efficiency and humor. )She recommended Leebos to us). Had a plate of Fried Oysters, Shrimp cocktail and Conch Fritters which we shared. The oysters and conch were perfectly battered and fried, not at all heavy or greasy. And the shrimp were BIG..more like prawns in their size. With drinks our tab came in under $40. They have a large selection of local fish as well..I would like to try the Grouper when I'm down this way next time.
(4)Kelly K.
Mostly overpriced fried food. Our youngest sons food came out before the rest of ours and he finished it before ours came out. Our food was served and was mediocre at best. Waitress never came to check on us. My son's shrimp scampi was nasty. He didn't even eat because we all finished before we were checked on and his stomach didn't feel right after eating one of the shrimp. There was a lady there that could have helped the waitress but didn't seem interested. Very disappointed especially since the food was expensive. Service definitely didn't even come close to matching what is expected with the menu prices.
(1)Don C.
The oyster house is where all of the local captains hang out after a day of guiding. Its the type of place where you can bring your catch, and they will cook it up for you in a number of ways. The oyster house is a stable for the area, and has been there for over 20yrs now. Made famous by the stonecrabs. everglades city was once known for being the "stonecrab capital of the world". Laid back atmosphere. If you are looking for something 5star and stuffy, look elsewhere. We stopped in for a beer and some fried finger foods done right. If you are in the area, give the world famous oyster house a shot.
(4)Genevieve B.
I came here with my sister and we both ordered the same thing, unsweetend ice tea 2 beers, and the fried gator baskets. Well prepared, tasty. Gator actually has a very mild flavor as I found out, so I tasted more of the breading than the gator, but it tasted good! Seasoned fries which were good as well as the one hush puppy. Service was friendly and quick, as the place wasn't very crowded. A bit more expensive than I would have liked - $43 dollars (which included the tip) for two people, but I wasn't surprised by it, and it could have been a lot worse. I would definetely recommend this place to people like my sister and I who love fried food!
(4)John S.
Spent the past weekend in Everglades City and was fortunate enough to find this restaurant on Yelp. Dinner all 3 nights were excellent. My brother had the Macadamia Nut Crusted Grouper which was outstanding. The second night we brought in our catch of the day for the cook to prepare. The choice was broiled, blackened or fried. We both thought the seasoning on the broiled sea trout was excellent. If it is available make sure you order the Stone Crab Soup.
(4)Steve O.
You don't really visit the Everglades for the fine dining selection. You go to marvel at the fecund Garden of Eden that the Earth once was. You go to watch the things that sail, swim and screech and, when proper, to eat them. The redeeming elements of the 'Glades are hewn by nature's own hand and there are precious few human additions worth mentioning. The accommodations in these parts are spare to the point of being Spartan and crude to the point of being unpleasant but in amongst the creaky shacks touting rooms, meals and gas, there is a gem; the Oyster Bar. While the sign outside boasting "All You Can Eat Stone Crab" is not misleading, you may need to take out a second mortgage to take them up on the offer; the bottomless plate is $60.00! However, there are several other ways to order the local delicacy, most about half that price, so not to worry. Truth be told, I didn't taste a remarkable difference between stone crabs and the other types of crabs I can get near home (or all I can eat in upscale Vegas buffets - I'd recommend the Bellagio), so you may not want to make the investment anyway. The good stuff we found at the Oyster House was the local grouper cooked in various ways including macadamia crusted, which was really awesome. The sides were a pair of sweet potato pancakes (or something like that) and an authentic southern hush puppy, which for us Yankees is basically a fried corn meal ball. Our waitress was alert and glib in the homespun way tourists like us hope for. The décor was essentially what another local place, "the Rod and Gun Club," promised but didn't really deliver; a hodgepodge of taxidermy preserved wildlife and dusty lunch counter kitch. If the Oyster House was in Los Angeles, I would go back. Actually there is a place called the Oyster House in the San Fernando Valley and I'd go back to that one, too, but I'll save that for another review.
(4)Peggy H.
Service was excellent. Clam chowder was great. Stone crab was very good. Lots of stuffed animals. Produce was fresh and tasty for salads. No water views
(4)Andrew R.
Not too many options for food in Everglades City so this place is decent but not great. Food is your typical collection of fried and grilled seafood. Stick with grilled. Fry cook has a heavy hand and tends to leave the food in too long. Tons of Mosquitos outside, and a few inside as well.
(3)walter m.
Terrible service - incredibly slow and unhelpful. Reeked of old people. Food was unspectacular. Although, in all fairness, the hostess did check us up on - but it still took 30 minutes to get our order in and another 40 minutes for fried foods. I'm never wasting my time here again.
(2)Jim T.
Friendly, Small town atmosphere good food, Yes i would go back.
(4)Jared G.
A little pricy, but the stone crab was delicious. We also had the key lime tart -- omg, it was sooooo good. I heard the sauteed alligator was good, but we will have to go back for that. They also have a huge "stuffed" alligator in the bar area next door, it was fun to take pictures with :-)
(4)Scott J.
Fried gator, fried clam strips, all you can eat stone crab, etc. Most items are fried, though you can find some grilled items on the menu. Good, but not great. Expect your typical fried seafood meal and you will be satisfied as we were.
(3)Unbiased R.
The food did not taste good or fresh and for the same price I can eat same fresh sea food at an upscale restaurant in Miami.
(2)Heather R.
I'm not sure if they've moved recently, or if half the restaurant was closed because it wasn't even close!! It was VERY obvious, by the staffs demeanor & they didn't care, your just passing through, so over charge and if you don't come back, whatever. The food was pretty, the 7 bite size Conch Fritters, tasted good. WAY over priced, sad how they are taking advantage, Gator bites alone where double to triple what it should be!! Plus, I'm still laughing, picture below, white plate, food arranged nicely, we got a brown basket w/ wax paper in it! Bottom-line, if you like a basket of good fried over priced food, you'll love it!! Just remember do NOT ask to change a thing because there's not a chance.
(2)Kelly K.
Mostly overpriced fried food. Our youngest sons food came out before the rest of ours and he finished it before ours came out. Our food was served and was mediocre at best. Waitress never came to check on us. My son's shrimp scampi was nasty. He didn't even eat because we all finished before we were checked on and his stomach didn't feel right after eating one of the shrimp. There was a lady there that could have helped the waitress but didn't seem interested. Very disappointed especially since the food was expensive. Service definitely didn't even come close to matching what is expected with the menu prices.
(1)Don C.
The oyster house is where all of the local captains hang out after a day of guiding. Its the type of place where you can bring your catch, and they will cook it up for you in a number of ways. The oyster house is a stable for the area, and has been there for over 20yrs now. Made famous by the stonecrabs. everglades city was once known for being the "stonecrab capital of the world". Laid back atmosphere. If you are looking for something 5star and stuffy, look elsewhere. We stopped in for a beer and some fried finger foods done right. If you are in the area, give the world famous oyster house a shot.
(4)Genevieve B.
I came here with my sister and we both ordered the same thing, unsweetend ice tea 2 beers, and the fried gator baskets. Well prepared, tasty. Gator actually has a very mild flavor as I found out, so I tasted more of the breading than the gator, but it tasted good! Seasoned fries which were good as well as the one hush puppy. Service was friendly and quick, as the place wasn't very crowded. A bit more expensive than I would have liked - $43 dollars (which included the tip) for two people, but I wasn't surprised by it, and it could have been a lot worse. I would definetely recommend this place to people like my sister and I who love fried food!
(4)John S.
Spent the past weekend in Everglades City and was fortunate enough to find this restaurant on Yelp. Dinner all 3 nights were excellent. My brother had the Macadamia Nut Crusted Grouper which was outstanding. The second night we brought in our catch of the day for the cook to prepare. The choice was broiled, blackened or fried. We both thought the seasoning on the broiled sea trout was excellent. If it is available make sure you order the Stone Crab Soup.
(4)Steve O.
You don't really visit the Everglades for the fine dining selection. You go to marvel at the fecund Garden of Eden that the Earth once was. You go to watch the things that sail, swim and screech and, when proper, to eat them. The redeeming elements of the 'Glades are hewn by nature's own hand and there are precious few human additions worth mentioning. The accommodations in these parts are spare to the point of being Spartan and crude to the point of being unpleasant but in amongst the creaky shacks touting rooms, meals and gas, there is a gem; the Oyster Bar. While the sign outside boasting "All You Can Eat Stone Crab" is not misleading, you may need to take out a second mortgage to take them up on the offer; the bottomless plate is $60.00! However, there are several other ways to order the local delicacy, most about half that price, so not to worry. Truth be told, I didn't taste a remarkable difference between stone crabs and the other types of crabs I can get near home (or all I can eat in upscale Vegas buffets - I'd recommend the Bellagio), so you may not want to make the investment anyway. The good stuff we found at the Oyster House was the local grouper cooked in various ways including macadamia crusted, which was really awesome. The sides were a pair of sweet potato pancakes (or something like that) and an authentic southern hush puppy, which for us Yankees is basically a fried corn meal ball. Our waitress was alert and glib in the homespun way tourists like us hope for. The décor was essentially what another local place, "the Rod and Gun Club," promised but didn't really deliver; a hodgepodge of taxidermy preserved wildlife and dusty lunch counter kitch. If the Oyster House was in Los Angeles, I would go back. Actually there is a place called the Oyster House in the San Fernando Valley and I'd go back to that one, too, but I'll save that for another review.
(4)Peggy H.
Service was excellent. Clam chowder was great. Stone crab was very good. Lots of stuffed animals. Produce was fresh and tasty for salads. No water views
(4)Andrew R.
Not too many options for food in Everglades City so this place is decent but not great. Food is your typical collection of fried and grilled seafood. Stick with grilled. Fry cook has a heavy hand and tends to leave the food in too long. Tons of Mosquitos outside, and a few inside as well.
(3)walter m.
Terrible service - incredibly slow and unhelpful. Reeked of old people. Food was unspectacular. Although, in all fairness, the hostess did check us up on - but it still took 30 minutes to get our order in and another 40 minutes for fried foods. I'm never wasting my time here again.
(2)Jim T.
Friendly, Small town atmosphere good food, Yes i would go back.
(4)Pete F.
I guess it didn't surprise me there's been no reviews for Oyster House even though it appears to be a popular spot and has been opened since 1983. Representative of the clientele was one driving a truck with the decal of the White House painted in green, white, red, with the caption "So you wanted CHANGE?" and watermelons and chickens in the front. I don't believe these types are Yelpers, thankfully. Since we were starved and the lack of options nearby, we didn't have any other options. I had the seafood sampler - a fried seafood basket. Well, nicely done! The seafood was lightly battered and NOT over cooked. The grouper was tender and moist. The oyster was sweet and fresh. Clam strip was ok - would've preferred whole clams. Fries were also good. Ok, they know how to do fried food. Does that surprise you? I also had the blue crab soup in a tomato broth which was just alright. If you're visiting the Gulf Coast visitor center of Everglades National Park, its basically across the parking lot. I'd recommend you stopping by for lunch. Just don't be wearing your Obama T. BTW, the address on Yelp is incorrect (request for correction submitted). The correct address is Chokoloskee Causeway, Highway 29 South, Everglades City.
(4)Scott C.
The story you are about to read is true... 1:15 pm. Tuesday. My partner and I are investigating the local flavor in the Florida Everglades. These subtropical wetlands located in the southern portion of the state have seen human habitation for 15,000 years. Remotely located, Everglade City is a tidy town reminiscent of a military compound. Quaint and deeply rooted in Americana, the Oyster house beckons with classic beer neon and a screened in porch. Specials include not only oysters, but gator, stone crab, conch and frog legs. They are clearly masters of the fryer as fries and hush puppies are common side dishes. The menu is presented as a news paper that you are invited to keep. It also has some interesting side stories which are sure to keep you ignoring your dining companions. The drink menu is simple, but they do have some non-domestic beer for those opposed to bottled water flavored brews. The atmosphere is rustic and eclectic including a huge stuffed gator that dominates the bar area. Our food was very well prepared and tasty. Though fried, it was not overly greasy. The stone crab claws were large and full of flavor. Service was also very good. Overall, it was well worth the 15 minute detour while traveling between Naples / Marco Island and Miami.
(4)michael s.
A day of exploring the mangroves and waterways of the 10,000 islands brought on an appetite of massive proportion. I'm happy we stopped in to the Oyster House. Laid back, local-flavor and good, local seafood are trademarks of this place. Amber, our waitress, was wonderful with her efficiency and humor. )She recommended Leebos to us). Had a plate of Fried Oysters, Shrimp cocktail and Conch Fritters which we shared. The oysters and conch were perfectly battered and fried, not at all heavy or greasy. And the shrimp were BIG..more like prawns in their size. With drinks our tab came in under $40. They have a large selection of local fish as well..I would like to try the Grouper when I'm down this way next time.
(4)