Fast-Food Seafood in Kennesaw
Oyster Cafe is more like fried fast food than a restaurant.
A local buzz has been circulating about the Oyster Cafe, located north of Kennesaw at 3060 N. Cobb Pkwy. The family who owned the original Oyster King (destroyed as the result of a fire) reopened under the Oyster Cafe name.
Being a seafood fan, I was not timid about trying it out, especially since the Paulding-West Cobb area lacks an authentic, good seafood restaurant. Seafood is a delicate item to master. A chef must use fresh ingredients to make any noteworthy seafood dishes. But the Oyster Cafe has ensured that freshness is not an issue–it deep-fries almost everything.
Upon arrival, my party and I found a littered floor and several tables cluttered with previous diners' dishes. Scanning the grease-slick menu, we waited for more than 10 minutes to place our initial drink order.
"No substitutions for side items" is firmly stated on the menu, meaning that french fries and coleslaw accompany most entrees. Prices for many selections were a bit disconcerting; however, we were hoping delectable taste would overcome our concern.
My friends and I decided to share several plates" fried shrimp, fried catfish, oysters on the half-shell and grilled oysters. The fried shrimp and fried catfish lacked any indication of freshness–bland, dry and tasteless. The grilled oysters should have been smooth with a hint of spice or sweetness; neither existed. The grilled oysters resembled overcooked chicken, drowning in melted butter. I was not willing to risk my health for the oysters on the half-shell. My dinning partners indicated the raw oysters were not satisfactory.
Service was adequate but less than glorious. Prices for our entrees seemed a bit high for such simple preparation ($12.95 to $14.95). The unsavory dinning room and overpriced food were also unsatisfactory.
My conclusion: If you love deep-fried food, try the Oyster Cafe; however, I've crossed it off my list.
The Oyster Cafe
3060 N. Cobb Pkwy Ste 101
Kennesaw, GA 30152
770-529-2196
Daily, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Casual, no reservations needed
Bill
11:56 pm on Friday, May 6, 2011
The Cafe has been reviewed on several sites, about 50-50 Here is a Review from another site FYI:
from: http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/9/662284/restaurant/Atlanta/Oyster-Cafe-Kennesaw
Never again
by Derrick (1 review)
September 10, 2008 - Doesn't like it
Last Friday, Sept 5, my family and I (wife and four children) had dinner here. The service was good as was the food. Things went downhill when the check arrived. An addition of 18% was added for a gratuity. When I enquired, the waitress told me that was their policy for parties of six or more. I asked to speak to the manager and mentioned that this was not the first time we had been there and had never been charged that before. I was told that the fee was for the extra cleaning that six people require and that all the restaurants do the same thing. We eat out a lot and I mentioned that this was not the case - I was then rudely informed that she must eat at better restaurants. I then informed the manager that we would not be back and I would tell everyone I knew. Since when did a gratuity become mandatory?
Bill
12:03 am on Saturday, May 7, 2011
I ate here for years for reasonably priced lunches, even at the old place before they moved into the fancy new building. I gave up about 1 1/2 yrs ago as the Owner has one daughter who is a major pain in the rear so I don't bother going in anymore.
The Cafe has been reviewed on several sites, about 50-50 but some of the great reviews seem a bit suspicious to me. Here is a Review from another site FYI
From: http://atlanta.citysearch.com/review/46260644
Don't bother
by xr7conv at Citysearch
I had a couple people tell me that this place had good seafood. They were wrong. Visited and was seated promptly. The staff was polite and efficient. The food is another story. First off and know that this is one of my pet peeves. The menu is marked all over with "no changes". In other words I cannot get what I want just what is on the menu - Now that's service. This at a seafood place. How hard is it to mix and match cooked up seafood and put it on a plate? Too much for this place. The food was barely passable and the portions for the price were way out of whack.
If you want some good seafood go to Henry's in Ackworth. One thing that really ticked me off was that I had to buy a basket of hush puppies to nibble on. They were over thirty cents each for the basket. A bit extreme. My recommendation is find another place to get seafood. Even Red Lobster (not one of my favorites) is better than this place.
Pros: New place, OK service
Cons: high price, bad food, high price
Terri k
3:06 am on Tuesday, August 23, 2011
We used to love the old Oyster King, it was a dive, but the food was great. We went to the new location once, and that was enough for us. We will never go back. As for the 18% gratuity the guy above mentioned, It is fairly customary to add gratuity for larger parties, although most establishments will make an adjustment if the customer feels it's needed. You stated you had good service, standard tip is 15 percent so what is 18 percent for good service? I just have to wonder if he was mad because he didn't get away with stiffing the waitress.