Oystercatchers

Review summary

1. L

   Linda

   Tampa

   20 reviews

   vip
   5.0

   20 reviews

   Dined 4 days ago

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Excellent food!! Incredible sunset view. Looking forward to going back.
   

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2. S

   Stephen

   Charleston

   3 reviews

   vip
   5.0

   3 reviews

   Dined 5 days ago

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Service was great, drinks were delicious and the oysters rockafeller were probably some of the best we’ve ever had.
   

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3. T

   Tarun

   Tampa

   5 reviews

   1.0

   5 reviews

   Dined 5 days ago

   1. Overall 1
   2. Food 1
   3. Service 1
   4. Ambience 1

   We had made dinner reservations for Thanksgiving at 7:30. We arrived around 7:15, only to find about 30 people ahead of us (all with reservations) waiting to be seated. It was a total chaos! bar was full, outside seating was limited and full, the entrance area was full, and worst, people were waiting seated in the gangway towards the toilets.! an absolute mess. staff were very apologetic and could not say, when a table would be available. The minimum I would have expected in this situation was to offer free drinks while waiting. We used the time to find some other location, but where could I find something at 7:45p on Thanksgiving, when most other restaurants close at 8pm? We canceled our reservations and went back to the Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay, where we were staying, and had a Thanksgiving Dinner there, which by the way was excellent. Staff were very sorry for our experience.
   

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4. P

   Peter

   Tampa

   10 reviews

   1.0

   10 reviews

   Dined 6 days ago

   1. Overall 1
   2. Food 1
   3. Service 2
   4. Ambience 2

   The hostesses had no idea what they were doing. We were told the wait would be 10-15 minutes, but it took an hour for them to finally seat our party of 4. Waiters were stretched so thin we had to constantly call out to them and remind them of drinks they failed to bring back full, among other needs. The water smelled of fish left in the sun all day. Food that was supposed to be hot, and likewise for cold, was room temperature before it reached out table. The meat was dry and overcooked, and the "roasted" vegetables would've been better if they were put back in the microwave for another few minutes. Wouldn't have paid $30 for the meal, much less the $116 they were charging. Cannot recommend enough to AVOID this place.
   

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5. F

   Frederick

   Tampa

   13 reviews

   5.0

   13 reviews

   Dined 6 days ago

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 4
   4. Ambience 4

   Oystercathers is situated on the water of Tampa Bay amidst tropical forest. There is complementary vale service. The atmosphere is nautical with high ceilings and a cozy bar as you walk in where if crowded, you can wait for your table. Service is friendly and very good. My wife asked for a dessert that wasn't on the menu and the chef made if for her (Creme Brule). The starters Thanksgiving dinner was oysters and raw fish, neither of which I nor my wife can eat, so the waiter arranged to bring us a very nice cheese and fruit board with flat bread, honey, mustard, and a jam. I would never have thought of honey and mustard pairing with different cheeses, but it was delicious. My Prime Rib was perfectly cooked rare with cheese mashed potatoes, a warm popover, green beans, etc. paired with both white and red wines. Oystercatchers is expensive, but in my opinion well worth the food and experience. And so did a lot of others as the restaurant was packed and when we left at 7:30 pm, there was still a crowd waiting for their tables. They have a Sunday Brunch that is very good as well. We will definitely be returning.
   

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6. p

   pamela

   Tampa

   22 reviews

   vip
   2.0

   22 reviews

   Dined 6 days ago

   1. Overall 2
   2. Food 1
   3. Service 4
   4. Ambience 3

   We went for the Thanksgiving prix fixe ($110 per person plus 20% tip applied). Never again. The pasta was glutinous and tasted like wallpaper paste, the mashed potatoes (my fave!) were clumpy and buried in cheese sauce and the turkey was a turkey ROLL and not an actual turkey. Prime rib was so tough it was inedible. The cranberry sauce was excellent, what little of it there was. The chef is lazy and pre-plated the food, which got cold, then he poured hot gravies and sauces over the cold food to “heat it up” for service. Yea, easy to figure out when the cheese sauce on the mashed potatoes is hot but your actual potatoes are stone cold. The tiny pies were mostly crust. What a huge disappointment. Huge. The ruin of a holiday dinner. They packed up our leftovers (full plates of food) which we planned to give to our dogs at home. But even then, tossed it all out. Best part about the experience was that the manager, Steve, came to our table because of our issues. He was gracious and very good at service recovery. He seemed sincerely apologetic and did not charge us for the meals.
   

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7. G

   Gabi

   Miami

   3 reviews

   vip
   2.0

   3 reviews

   Dined on November 24, 2024

   1. Overall 2
   2. Food 1
   3. Service 3
   4. Ambience 3

   A year ago I would’ve said this is one of my favorites in Tampa. It had one of the most beautiful views of the ocean, it had a beautiful dock, a swimming pool and beach chairs on the sand, and the most delicious food and drinks. Now, I took a group of my girlfriends here and it was the most disappointing experience I’ve had in a long time. I won’t blame them for the damage to the exterior because of the recent hurricanes, but it definitely was disappointing that there is no longer a beach or dock or pool. There was ugly Christmas lights strung up, which made it look cheap and tacky.  they don’t even put a tablecloth on the table, which I find strange. Our waiter brought out calamari and it was freezing cold and when she brought the new calamari, it also must’ve had a recipe change because it used to be crispy calamari steaks with peppers and now it’s in some weird brown sauce with scallions and very very soggy. This was my first time having the brunch menu and I had chicken and waffles, but I would say it was equivalent to making Eggo waffles and air fried chicken at home. I hope that they can turn it around because this place used to be so great. At the moment, I would not recommend going here. 
   

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8. M

   Maurice

   Tampa

   4 reviews

   5.0

   4 reviews

   Dined on November 17, 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Overall good experience, services was spot on and the food was excellent. Been awhile since the buffet style they used to have still a good place for brunch though!
   

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9. M

   Mark

   Tampa

   49 reviews

   vip
   3.0

   49 reviews

   Dined on November 14, 2024

   1. Overall 3
   2. Food 3
   3. Service 3
   4. Ambience 4

   Not my best experience at this restaurant. Food was really average.
   

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10. D

    Danielle

    Orlando

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 10, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4

    Amazing food and service! I can't say enough about the food. We got all seafood and everyone in our party was over-the-moon happy with their choice. We even caught the last look at a beautiful sunset. We will be back!
    

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