this was my second visit to half shell, and it was just as good as the first. it was after 6 on a sat and there was already a 20 min wait to be seated. the décor is a pleasant new orleans vibe. the menu slants toward seafood but is large enough to find something else if need be. service is very good but most surprising with a packed house was how quickly the food arrived.
we started off with the crab & lobster dip which is incredibly rich and delicious. it comes with bread rounds that i prefer were toasted. we then had the gumbo and half shell salad as substitutes for one of the sides. both were excellent. the entrees we tried weregrouperand the grilled seafood sampler. thegrouperwas herb and parmesan encrusted over sautéed spinach and covered in jumbo lump crab meat. it appeared to be a small piece of fish on a small plate, but it was stacked high and very filling. the side vegetables are almost large enough to share. the seafood sampler contained shrimp, oysters, grouper, and crab cake. the pieces were small but overall satisfying.
highly recommended and i look forward to returning. hard to believe this is a chain.