It has a real dive bar atmosphere. The service is a little scattered our waitress was not very quick on the uptake and would not accommodate some food requests. The specific example of this was asking to blacken the fish instead of fry it in one of the dishes. She said it was impossible even though other dishes offered the same dish blackened. The quality of the food is above average and the alcohol price is cheap. The service quality and the overall cleanliness really dragged it down for me.
(3)
Lauren A.
Never again! It's gone from great wings to HORRIBLE wings and service. We won't be back anytime EVER!
(1)
Mark T.
Great candidate for rescue show. Used to be a cool place but it is dirty now and a tired concept. The oysters have suffered which is not the fault of the establishment but at least they could keep the place clean. Hopefully it will be weeded out soon so tallahassee can get some good places to go eat.
(2)
Bob T.
Another great Yelp find. Fish dip was awesome. PO' boys were filled full of meat unlike most. Wife took out half her shrimp to be able to eat it better and it was still overflowing. Everything fresh and tasty. Service was prompt. Went at off hours traveling thru to Orlando but was impressed by quality and service. Don't be put off by appearances. This is a must stop in the future.
(5)
Naomi M.
Food actually way better than I expected. My family and I went here the day before Thanksgiving, it was one of the only places still open. We were all pretty skeptical, the place seemed dirty and the service wasn't great. Our waitress would sometimes disappear so we didn't always get refills in a timely manor. She was pleasant, however. The food tastes great and a couple of the meals came with fresh green beans and carrots which were cooked to perfection. Lots of larger restaurants don't do well with cooking vegetables, so we were impressed. The hush puppies weren't very good though. They were kind of dense. Also, not a good surprise when the hush puppies have jalapeños in them and you weren't expecting them. I like jalapeños but not in hush puppies. Disappointing they didn't have regular/plain hush puppies. Overall, good food but I'm not a fan of the place.
(3)
Kimberly H.
We just made our first visit to Calico Jacks and boy are we glad we did!! Walking in the door we were greeted with an excited, friendly young man who immediately sat us and got our drinks. We then ordered the conch fritters, which were actually full of conch and very little breaking. The clam chowder had more clam than any I've ever had. It tasted amazing!! The fried oysters are small and tender, each one a perfect bite. The cheese grits actually had stringy cheese in them. But, by far, the best side was the Cajun potatoes...perfectly tender and the seasoning was just right, not overpowering. The ambiance of the inside seating ardently feel like you were in the Florida Keys. If you have the chance you definitely need to stop in and try this restaurant!!
(5)
Robyn M.
Happy hour is awesome! We found this place in the paper and their specials really caught our eye! So glad we made the stop. 5 cent beers is unheard of... Even if it is just pabst. Oh and 45 cent oysters!!! Score. The gumbo was also delicious. Lots of meat and seafood without the fishy taste.
(4)
Jason W.
If you want decent food in Tallahassee, I suggest you go anywhere but here. The food and the wait staff are miserable. When I complained to the management, they seemed to care less about what I had to say. For great seafood, I suggest Barnacle Bills! Great people with great food!
(1)
Mary M.
This place was a joke. It took forever to get a beer, ketchup (which we actually got from another table because they heard us complaining it was taking the waitress a long time to get it) and it wasn't even crowded. The food, OMG, I think I've had better out of the frozen section in the land lock state I live in. I have lived all over, NJ, MA, CA, I know what good seafood should be, this was less than subpar. Yuk. Will never return.
(1)
H M.
:( My family and I had dinner here on our way home from Disney. The boiled shrimp and crab legs were over cooked and hard to peel. The seafood platter was disappointing as well. Either the breading was old or the grease was past due for a change...not sure which. Do not order the oysters Parmesan. We are very opinionated about seafood quality and normally keep our opinions to ourselves but, this pit stop prompted my 1st food review on social media. Sorry, CJ. Thumbs down
(1)
John C.
Great oysters. Awesome wings. A Tallahassee institution. Just wish it was kept a lot cleaner
(3)
Lanika M.
Now... I'm not an oyster person. They are cold slimy and uncooked. But, I will try everything once lol. I got oysters that were baked and covered in Parmesan and garlic. They were VERY GOOD!!!!! It helped me deal with the oysters and the texture lol. Very relaxed feel to the place and friendly staff. They have abjukebox too :)
(4)
Robert S.
Great oysters, also the shrimp &grits were tasty, my wife had the grouper and jalapeño hush puppies and they had great flavor
(4)
Vishal P.
Born and raised in tally....this my spot. Not far from where I live and always got the best and cheapest oysters. Came here for lunch and they had happy hour 70 cent oysters. Nice lady shuck the oysters for us. Drafts are cheap. For some reason the atmosphere feels right...can't go anywhere else for oysters unless it's somewhere on the coast. You can sit at oyster bar or tables. Also have outdoor patio with televisions...
(5)
Ray B.
In years past this has been a nice establishment, but has certainly gone downhill. The clientele is getting a bit unsavory as well. Not the type of place I would want to bring my younger children too. The food is at best average but the real problem is the cleanliness and the attitude of the management. I attended a birthday party there last night for some friends, and watched a very intoxicated patron who was passing out and waking back up still being served alcohol. when we brought this to the managers attention, we were told to "mind our own business". I believe that manager was actually the owners son!!!! I could not believe in this day and age that bar management would be so irresponsible or rude to a customer. Shame on you calico jacks!!!!!
(2)
Elyse F.
Its definitely a dive bar, but thats part of its charm. It could be cleaner but the food is great, and the service is always awesome. I also wish they had more beer options. Its all Macro brews like bud, miller, coors. The patio is a great place to watch the games but I go for the oysters and sit at the bar, in my opinion they have some of the freshest oysters in town. I have been going to CJ's for years and as long as I am in Tallahassee, it will be my favorite spot for oysters.
(4)
John M.
First and last time we will go there. Service was horrible. Untrained waitress, did not know anything about the menu. Waited over 1 hour and 15 minutes and never got appetizers. Restaurant less than 10% full. Manager was rude. Restrooms were filthy.
(1)
Karmella H.
(This review is actually from April 6, 2013) My boyfriend and I went here yesterday (Saturday). The whole experience was a culinary orgasm, and it wasn't just the oysters. Ah the oysters...fresh, plump, tender, flavorful and only 50 cents a piece at the bar! We scarfed down two dozen. The service was excellent. Our bartender Mike was super friendly, attentive, and just an all around great guy. He shucked the oysters right there on the spot as he told us about their origin and the best time to get them. I ordered the crab cake dinner with green beans, asparagus, and hush puppies. My boyfriend got the grilled tuna sandwich with fries. The rich grilled flavor of the crab cakes hit me as a surprise. The texture was moist and meaty, not too full of bread or egg, and super crunchy on the outside. The veggies were grilled tender, and full of flavor. My boyfriend was so happy with his tuna sandwich, he insisted that I try. It was also very flavorful, tender, and delicious. It was like getting 5 star steakhouse food at a humble oyster bar. We will be going back whenever I am in town.
(5)
Marie F.
The bar staff here is the best! Some really cool sexy dudes! That helped so much because this place stinks! The smell was really bad. I know this was seafood, but we were not close enough to water for it to smell the way it did. We sat at the bar. The night was fairly quite. Just 3 others inside, that provided great entertainment as the night went alone. Started with some water with lemon, salads, and clam chowder. The chowder was good but some how the taste wasn't even? I would take a spoon full and it was loaded with salt then 3 spoons later it was plain? Not sure what my cousin order but her face was deep in her plate. So I'm guessing she was satisfied? I ordered the shrimp poboy. I found the bread extra hard but the shrimp well cooked and the sauce was great. So the food was good (but not great) and it's cheap.
(3)
Hilda J.
Food is very mediocre. I had the crab cakes and they were burned on the bottom. Seating was not particularly comfortable. the service was good though. Don't think I will be back.
(2)
Alex G.
I recently visited CJ's for the first time while my parents were in town for my graduation. We chose Calico Jack's, wanting a casual local restaurant experience. Upon arriving, the belated welcome from a passing waitress was not the most friendly, but that was to be expected in the bar setting. We were seated at a table and began perusing the menu. The menu is all pretty typical north Florida seafood at very reasonable prices. We started with a dozen oyster and the fish dip. I thought the portion and fish:filler ratio were somewhat disappointing, especially considering it was not homemade, but my mom did like it and she's the fish dip fan. The waitress seemed slightly annoyed at our questions about the menu and the fact that we stayed to talk for a few minutes after we were done eating. I will probably heed the advice of a previous reviewer and sit at the bar next time I go. Now for the good: Domestic drafts were on happy hour when we went for a dollar something. The oysters were priced fairly ($7.99) and delicious and our dozen came with 13. Every table has a personal stockpile enough saltines to make it through a mild nuclear winter which is convenient for lazy servers and cracker lovers like myself. My blackened grouper sandwich was well cooked, tasted fresh, and a generous portion for the price ($9.49). All in all, Calico Jack's is a genuine Tallahassee watering hole with plenty of fresh, cheap seafood to satisfy any appetite. Food: B+ Value: A Service: C- Atmosphere: B
(3)
KyungAh L.
Their raw oysters are the best!! One of the freshest in Tallahassee, and good service!
(4)
Debbie K.
CJ's has become a landmark, the original owners were friends of mine, and I'm really proud that it is still today what is was when it started. Simple, Good food, cold beer and GREAT oysters. Nothing Fancy, bring the kids, the grandparents, the neighbors, it's all around great.
(4)
Jace J.
Grouper Sammich was fishy but was replaced with a great shrimp basket!! Desert was not good
(3)
Ashley H.
We went here on one yelper's recommendation and it was great! We each had a cup of the clam chowder (excellent) and I had the tuna teriyaki. They give you plenty of food. The portion of fish was quite large, and it came with a large helping of cajun potatoes, steamed veggies, and three small hushpuppies. I felt we got a lot for the price. The ambiance is what you might expect of a fairly inexpensive seafood restaurant. Fishing nets hang from the ceiling and the lights are hung inside wooden crates. Everyone sits on large picnic tables (although these are lacquered). The service was fine, although it took a lot of effort towards the end of our visit to find our server. She was basically fooling around with the other servers from what we could see. That would be my only complaint. I plan on coming back and getting some wings!
(4)
Pete K.
CJ's has the best Fish Tacos in Tallahassee !!
(5)
Tonia W.
I suffered through the horrid smell and the miserable service for years during NFL season since it was near the house and had the NFL package, but I've finally freed myself! The bartenders/shuckers are always great, but if we sat at a table we were at the mercy of the oblivious servers. After having a "manager" scream at our table a few weeks ago for attempting to use a LivingSocial coupon, accusing us of robbing him of the right to make money, I finally boycotted the place. Turns out that there are plenty of other places in Tally that have the NFL package and they don't all smell and have horrible service. I feel like it's going to be a great remainder of the season!
(1)
Beth W.
CJ's is probably the restaurant I miss most since moving away from Tallahassee. It's nothing spectacular. The inside is large, open, and about what you'd expect from a fairly cheap seafood joint. We always ate outside. The seating is nothing to write home about, but that's part of its charm. This is a place that serves its entrees in baskets, after all. There are also several TVs outside for keeping up with the day's sports, which is especially fitting since CJ's tends to draw a lot of rec league teams looking to get their drink on after the big game. And who can blame 'em? The drinks were always stiff. Then there's the food. I never had anything at CJ's that I didn't like. My only complaint, however, is that 9 times out of 10 they were out of the crab cake sandwich. It became a running joke. If they happen to have it, however, it's so good you'll want to take it out behind the restaurant and get it pregnant. Or, you know, just savor it since they probably won't have it again for a while.
(4)
Ned C.
Good place to hang out and pick from a variety of options on the menu. Good wings, oysters and burgers.
(5)
Cherry J.
It may not look like much from the outside, but I was surprised by how good the food was here! Even the house salad was awesome, very big and fresh. We also liked the crab cake sandwich, chicken wings (which were positively ginormous), and Key lime pie. Service was very good thanks to our attentive and friendly waitress.
(4)
Natasha B.
OMG! Since I moved to the Tampa area---I've been missing this place big time. I love oysters and I can't find another oyster bar like this anywhere. Thur and Sun use to be 35 cents oysters. Not sure if that tradition still holds true. Their wings are pretty good too. But if you love OYSTERS like I do. Check out this place for sure. Get about two dozens steamed and topped with Parmesan cheese. My My My!
(5)
FromScratch M.
The food is completely formula, totally mediocre , and very tired. Don't bother.
(2)
Kimberly G.
good oyseters
(3)
Chris L.
Happy hour fail: it took almost 10 minutes for them to manage to pour a beer for my girlfriend. When I ordered a bourbon, I got the joy of watching the bartender try to search for a clean piece of glassware, which he did not find. I got a free floaty in a dirty glass with my bourbon. Given the odor (smells like the fish market in Hong Kong), the dirty floor behind the bar, and the absence of clean glassware, one must wonder how clean the area is where the oysters are stored. I'm pretty adventurous, but I would be hesitant about eating raw food here. For the details... when people say the happy hour is amazing, they must mean the late night happy hour. The afternoon happy hour was alright. Beers for $1.79 or $1.99, but not pints, I would say 12oz glass. Not all that impressive. The oysters are $0.60 and there's no other food specials. They have a double size pour for liquors. Since I get draft allergies in the summer time I tried the double pour special on the liquors. I had their well bourbon and was a little surprised to see $4.79 for a well, though it was Ancient Age, which is about as good as Jim, IMO. Anyway, after tax it ended up totaling just shy of $8 for a beer for the lady and a bourbon in a dirty glass for me. Not impressive value, not impressive smell, not impressive cleanliness. But hey, at least the floaty in my drink was free!
(2)
Michael H.
Ok so we go to get dinner. First this is an oyster bar and they don't have grilled oysters. Then they charged my credit card twice. That's crap.
(1)
KT T.
CJ's is an old stomping ground of mine. Bladder bust and nickel beer night. Lol....those were the good ol days. The oysters are still great. Gumbo was good and their baskets are too. I'm happy the place hasn't chanfed too much.
(4)
Bill J.
This place was awesome! We sat at the oyster bar inside and the bartender was very friendly. My first real experience eating oysters. I did half steamed to start and half raw. After a few beers and 25 oysters I was full.
(5)
Megan Kristen M.
If I could leave zero stars I would. Is everyone in this place on meth? Went there late at night, had never been before. Food is absolutely disgusting, bad service, drinks way too strong, which is a complaint I seldom feel I need to make. Didn't eat disgusting food, complained, still billed. Yuck.
(1)
Chavela E.
After driving a 26' moving van across country & checking into a local hotel, my husband & I Wanted to eat fresh seafood at a a local seafood joint . We found it at CJ's. We started off with fried conch, & shared the captains platter with our salads. EXCELLENT FOOD!!! A must for those looking for down home good eatin' !!
(5)
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Address :2738 Capital Cir NE
Tallahassee, FL, 32308
Sorry, Store hours have not been updated. If you are the owner of this restaurants. Please update the store hours.
Specialities
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Loud Good For Dancing : No Alcohol : Full Bar Happy Hour : Yes Best Nights : Sat Coat Check : No Smoking : Outdoor Area/ Patio Only Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Bob M.
It has a real dive bar atmosphere. The service is a little scattered our waitress was not very quick on the uptake and would not accommodate some food requests. The specific example of this was asking to blacken the fish instead of fry it in one of the dishes. She said it was impossible even though other dishes offered the same dish blackened. The quality of the food is above average and the alcohol price is cheap. The service quality and the overall cleanliness really dragged it down for me.
(3)Lauren A.
Never again! It's gone from great wings to HORRIBLE wings and service. We won't be back anytime EVER!
(1)Mark T.
Great candidate for rescue show. Used to be a cool place but it is dirty now and a tired concept. The oysters have suffered which is not the fault of the establishment but at least they could keep the place clean. Hopefully it will be weeded out soon so tallahassee can get some good places to go eat.
(2)Bob T.
Another great Yelp find. Fish dip was awesome. PO' boys were filled full of meat unlike most. Wife took out half her shrimp to be able to eat it better and it was still overflowing. Everything fresh and tasty. Service was prompt. Went at off hours traveling thru to Orlando but was impressed by quality and service. Don't be put off by appearances. This is a must stop in the future.
(5)Naomi M.
Food actually way better than I expected. My family and I went here the day before Thanksgiving, it was one of the only places still open. We were all pretty skeptical, the place seemed dirty and the service wasn't great. Our waitress would sometimes disappear so we didn't always get refills in a timely manor. She was pleasant, however. The food tastes great and a couple of the meals came with fresh green beans and carrots which were cooked to perfection. Lots of larger restaurants don't do well with cooking vegetables, so we were impressed. The hush puppies weren't very good though. They were kind of dense. Also, not a good surprise when the hush puppies have jalapeños in them and you weren't expecting them. I like jalapeños but not in hush puppies. Disappointing they didn't have regular/plain hush puppies. Overall, good food but I'm not a fan of the place.
(3)Kimberly H.
We just made our first visit to Calico Jacks and boy are we glad we did!! Walking in the door we were greeted with an excited, friendly young man who immediately sat us and got our drinks. We then ordered the conch fritters, which were actually full of conch and very little breaking. The clam chowder had more clam than any I've ever had. It tasted amazing!! The fried oysters are small and tender, each one a perfect bite. The cheese grits actually had stringy cheese in them. But, by far, the best side was the Cajun potatoes...perfectly tender and the seasoning was just right, not overpowering. The ambiance of the inside seating ardently feel like you were in the Florida Keys. If you have the chance you definitely need to stop in and try this restaurant!!
(5)Robyn M.
Happy hour is awesome! We found this place in the paper and their specials really caught our eye! So glad we made the stop. 5 cent beers is unheard of... Even if it is just pabst. Oh and 45 cent oysters!!! Score. The gumbo was also delicious. Lots of meat and seafood without the fishy taste.
(4)Jason W.
If you want decent food in Tallahassee, I suggest you go anywhere but here. The food and the wait staff are miserable. When I complained to the management, they seemed to care less about what I had to say. For great seafood, I suggest Barnacle Bills! Great people with great food!
(1)Mary M.
This place was a joke. It took forever to get a beer, ketchup (which we actually got from another table because they heard us complaining it was taking the waitress a long time to get it) and it wasn't even crowded. The food, OMG, I think I've had better out of the frozen section in the land lock state I live in. I have lived all over, NJ, MA, CA, I know what good seafood should be, this was less than subpar. Yuk. Will never return.
(1)H M.
:( My family and I had dinner here on our way home from Disney. The boiled shrimp and crab legs were over cooked and hard to peel. The seafood platter was disappointing as well. Either the breading was old or the grease was past due for a change...not sure which. Do not order the oysters Parmesan. We are very opinionated about seafood quality and normally keep our opinions to ourselves but, this pit stop prompted my 1st food review on social media. Sorry, CJ. Thumbs down
(1)John C.
Great oysters. Awesome wings. A Tallahassee institution. Just wish it was kept a lot cleaner
(3)Lanika M.
Now... I'm not an oyster person. They are cold slimy and uncooked. But, I will try everything once lol. I got oysters that were baked and covered in Parmesan and garlic. They were VERY GOOD!!!!! It helped me deal with the oysters and the texture lol. Very relaxed feel to the place and friendly staff. They have abjukebox too :)
(4)Robert S.
Great oysters, also the shrimp &grits were tasty, my wife had the grouper and jalapeño hush puppies and they had great flavor
(4)Vishal P.
Born and raised in tally....this my spot. Not far from where I live and always got the best and cheapest oysters. Came here for lunch and they had happy hour 70 cent oysters. Nice lady shuck the oysters for us. Drafts are cheap. For some reason the atmosphere feels right...can't go anywhere else for oysters unless it's somewhere on the coast. You can sit at oyster bar or tables. Also have outdoor patio with televisions...
(5)Ray B.
In years past this has been a nice establishment, but has certainly gone downhill. The clientele is getting a bit unsavory as well. Not the type of place I would want to bring my younger children too. The food is at best average but the real problem is the cleanliness and the attitude of the management. I attended a birthday party there last night for some friends, and watched a very intoxicated patron who was passing out and waking back up still being served alcohol. when we brought this to the managers attention, we were told to "mind our own business". I believe that manager was actually the owners son!!!! I could not believe in this day and age that bar management would be so irresponsible or rude to a customer. Shame on you calico jacks!!!!!
(2)Elyse F.
Its definitely a dive bar, but thats part of its charm. It could be cleaner but the food is great, and the service is always awesome. I also wish they had more beer options. Its all Macro brews like bud, miller, coors. The patio is a great place to watch the games but I go for the oysters and sit at the bar, in my opinion they have some of the freshest oysters in town. I have been going to CJ's for years and as long as I am in Tallahassee, it will be my favorite spot for oysters.
(4)John M.
First and last time we will go there. Service was horrible. Untrained waitress, did not know anything about the menu. Waited over 1 hour and 15 minutes and never got appetizers. Restaurant less than 10% full. Manager was rude. Restrooms were filthy.
(1)Karmella H.
(This review is actually from April 6, 2013) My boyfriend and I went here yesterday (Saturday). The whole experience was a culinary orgasm, and it wasn't just the oysters. Ah the oysters...fresh, plump, tender, flavorful and only 50 cents a piece at the bar! We scarfed down two dozen. The service was excellent. Our bartender Mike was super friendly, attentive, and just an all around great guy. He shucked the oysters right there on the spot as he told us about their origin and the best time to get them. I ordered the crab cake dinner with green beans, asparagus, and hush puppies. My boyfriend got the grilled tuna sandwich with fries. The rich grilled flavor of the crab cakes hit me as a surprise. The texture was moist and meaty, not too full of bread or egg, and super crunchy on the outside. The veggies were grilled tender, and full of flavor. My boyfriend was so happy with his tuna sandwich, he insisted that I try. It was also very flavorful, tender, and delicious. It was like getting 5 star steakhouse food at a humble oyster bar. We will be going back whenever I am in town.
(5)Marie F.
The bar staff here is the best! Some really cool sexy dudes! That helped so much because this place stinks! The smell was really bad. I know this was seafood, but we were not close enough to water for it to smell the way it did. We sat at the bar. The night was fairly quite. Just 3 others inside, that provided great entertainment as the night went alone. Started with some water with lemon, salads, and clam chowder. The chowder was good but some how the taste wasn't even? I would take a spoon full and it was loaded with salt then 3 spoons later it was plain? Not sure what my cousin order but her face was deep in her plate. So I'm guessing she was satisfied? I ordered the shrimp poboy. I found the bread extra hard but the shrimp well cooked and the sauce was great. So the food was good (but not great) and it's cheap.
(3)Hilda J.
Food is very mediocre. I had the crab cakes and they were burned on the bottom. Seating was not particularly comfortable. the service was good though. Don't think I will be back.
(2)Alex G.
I recently visited CJ's for the first time while my parents were in town for my graduation. We chose Calico Jack's, wanting a casual local restaurant experience. Upon arriving, the belated welcome from a passing waitress was not the most friendly, but that was to be expected in the bar setting. We were seated at a table and began perusing the menu. The menu is all pretty typical north Florida seafood at very reasonable prices. We started with a dozen oyster and the fish dip. I thought the portion and fish:filler ratio were somewhat disappointing, especially considering it was not homemade, but my mom did like it and she's the fish dip fan. The waitress seemed slightly annoyed at our questions about the menu and the fact that we stayed to talk for a few minutes after we were done eating. I will probably heed the advice of a previous reviewer and sit at the bar next time I go. Now for the good: Domestic drafts were on happy hour when we went for a dollar something. The oysters were priced fairly ($7.99) and delicious and our dozen came with 13. Every table has a personal stockpile enough saltines to make it through a mild nuclear winter which is convenient for lazy servers and cracker lovers like myself. My blackened grouper sandwich was well cooked, tasted fresh, and a generous portion for the price ($9.49). All in all, Calico Jack's is a genuine Tallahassee watering hole with plenty of fresh, cheap seafood to satisfy any appetite. Food: B+ Value: A Service: C- Atmosphere: B
(3)KyungAh L.
Their raw oysters are the best!! One of the freshest in Tallahassee, and good service!
(4)Debbie K.
CJ's has become a landmark, the original owners were friends of mine, and I'm really proud that it is still today what is was when it started. Simple, Good food, cold beer and GREAT oysters. Nothing Fancy, bring the kids, the grandparents, the neighbors, it's all around great.
(4)Jace J.
Grouper Sammich was fishy but was replaced with a great shrimp basket!! Desert was not good
(3)Ashley H.
We went here on one yelper's recommendation and it was great! We each had a cup of the clam chowder (excellent) and I had the tuna teriyaki. They give you plenty of food. The portion of fish was quite large, and it came with a large helping of cajun potatoes, steamed veggies, and three small hushpuppies. I felt we got a lot for the price. The ambiance is what you might expect of a fairly inexpensive seafood restaurant. Fishing nets hang from the ceiling and the lights are hung inside wooden crates. Everyone sits on large picnic tables (although these are lacquered). The service was fine, although it took a lot of effort towards the end of our visit to find our server. She was basically fooling around with the other servers from what we could see. That would be my only complaint. I plan on coming back and getting some wings!
(4)Pete K.
CJ's has the best Fish Tacos in Tallahassee !!
(5)Tonia W.
I suffered through the horrid smell and the miserable service for years during NFL season since it was near the house and had the NFL package, but I've finally freed myself! The bartenders/shuckers are always great, but if we sat at a table we were at the mercy of the oblivious servers. After having a "manager" scream at our table a few weeks ago for attempting to use a LivingSocial coupon, accusing us of robbing him of the right to make money, I finally boycotted the place. Turns out that there are plenty of other places in Tally that have the NFL package and they don't all smell and have horrible service. I feel like it's going to be a great remainder of the season!
(1)Beth W.
CJ's is probably the restaurant I miss most since moving away from Tallahassee. It's nothing spectacular. The inside is large, open, and about what you'd expect from a fairly cheap seafood joint. We always ate outside. The seating is nothing to write home about, but that's part of its charm. This is a place that serves its entrees in baskets, after all. There are also several TVs outside for keeping up with the day's sports, which is especially fitting since CJ's tends to draw a lot of rec league teams looking to get their drink on after the big game. And who can blame 'em? The drinks were always stiff. Then there's the food. I never had anything at CJ's that I didn't like. My only complaint, however, is that 9 times out of 10 they were out of the crab cake sandwich. It became a running joke. If they happen to have it, however, it's so good you'll want to take it out behind the restaurant and get it pregnant. Or, you know, just savor it since they probably won't have it again for a while.
(4)Ned C.
Good place to hang out and pick from a variety of options on the menu. Good wings, oysters and burgers.
(5)Cherry J.
It may not look like much from the outside, but I was surprised by how good the food was here! Even the house salad was awesome, very big and fresh. We also liked the crab cake sandwich, chicken wings (which were positively ginormous), and Key lime pie. Service was very good thanks to our attentive and friendly waitress.
(4)Natasha B.
OMG! Since I moved to the Tampa area---I've been missing this place big time. I love oysters and I can't find another oyster bar like this anywhere. Thur and Sun use to be 35 cents oysters. Not sure if that tradition still holds true. Their wings are pretty good too. But if you love OYSTERS like I do. Check out this place for sure. Get about two dozens steamed and topped with Parmesan cheese. My My My!
(5)FromScratch M.
The food is completely formula, totally mediocre , and very tired. Don't bother.
(2)Kimberly G.
good oyseters
(3)Chris L.
Happy hour fail: it took almost 10 minutes for them to manage to pour a beer for my girlfriend. When I ordered a bourbon, I got the joy of watching the bartender try to search for a clean piece of glassware, which he did not find. I got a free floaty in a dirty glass with my bourbon. Given the odor (smells like the fish market in Hong Kong), the dirty floor behind the bar, and the absence of clean glassware, one must wonder how clean the area is where the oysters are stored. I'm pretty adventurous, but I would be hesitant about eating raw food here. For the details... when people say the happy hour is amazing, they must mean the late night happy hour. The afternoon happy hour was alright. Beers for $1.79 or $1.99, but not pints, I would say 12oz glass. Not all that impressive. The oysters are $0.60 and there's no other food specials. They have a double size pour for liquors. Since I get draft allergies in the summer time I tried the double pour special on the liquors. I had their well bourbon and was a little surprised to see $4.79 for a well, though it was Ancient Age, which is about as good as Jim, IMO. Anyway, after tax it ended up totaling just shy of $8 for a beer for the lady and a bourbon in a dirty glass for me. Not impressive value, not impressive smell, not impressive cleanliness. But hey, at least the floaty in my drink was free!
(2)Michael H.
Ok so we go to get dinner. First this is an oyster bar and they don't have grilled oysters. Then they charged my credit card twice. That's crap.
(1)KT T.
CJ's is an old stomping ground of mine. Bladder bust and nickel beer night. Lol....those were the good ol days. The oysters are still great. Gumbo was good and their baskets are too. I'm happy the place hasn't chanfed too much.
(4)Bill J.
This place was awesome! We sat at the oyster bar inside and the bartender was very friendly. My first real experience eating oysters. I did half steamed to start and half raw. After a few beers and 25 oysters I was full.
(5)Megan Kristen M.
If I could leave zero stars I would. Is everyone in this place on meth? Went there late at night, had never been before. Food is absolutely disgusting, bad service, drinks way too strong, which is a complaint I seldom feel I need to make. Didn't eat disgusting food, complained, still billed. Yuck.
(1)Chavela E.
After driving a 26' moving van across country & checking into a local hotel, my husband & I Wanted to eat fresh seafood at a a local seafood joint . We found it at CJ's. We started off with fried conch, & shared the captains platter with our salads. EXCELLENT FOOD!!! A must for those looking for down home good eatin' !!
(5)