The history of Shell’s began in 1985 when Swiss Gourmet Chef John Christen and his wife Deb saw the need for a seafood restaurant that focused primarily on quality, service, and value instead of a fancy atmosphere and high prices. They owned a piece of property that had been an old pizza parlor, so with very little capital, a lot of ideas and the support of their family they began to fulfill their dream.

The original remodeling of the restaurant was done with repurposing what equipment was left behind, and the guests began autographing and stapling dollar bills to the walls for décor. There were cheap picnic tables with tablecloths for the larger parties; and quite often, smaller parties of strangers would share these large tables to avoid the characteristically long lines. When thinking of the name, all that came to mind was the how everything they served had a shell of some kind; thus, the name “Shell’s” was born!

When the restaurant opened in 1985 it was an instant hit. People from all walks of life came from near and far to get a taste of what real Florida seafood was all about! The menu was very limited and constantly evolved, mainly due to guest suggestions, and being voted the #1 seafood restaurant in Tampa for 15 years in a row only goes to show that seafood is our way of life! We use only the finest quality ingredients. All of our seafood is prepared and cooked fresh to order. All of our sauces are made fresh daily using 100% pure olive oil and fresh garlic. Fresh Fish is delivered daily and Lobsters are flown in live from Maine every Tuesday. Our signature Clam Chowder is the best you will ever eat, chock full of clams, potatoes, bacon and spices. Gourmet Magazine has been asking for this recipe since 1988!

Our mission has always been to serve only the finest quality ingredients prepared by experts in a fun, casual atmosphere. You’ve discovered the best place for seafood in the neighborhood so come on in, sit back, relax and prepare to find out what real Florida seafood is all about. And remember our motto that at Shell’s, “What you eat is more important than what you wear”.