Gene’s Oyster Bar

I’ve only tried the oysters but I hear good things about food. I usually go to Apalachicola to eat get my oysters but if not I come here. The owner recently passed but nothing’s changed. A change of scenery from the usual packed noisy oyster bars. Very nice people make you feel like family :)

I walked in as a large number if people were leaving so I suppose I was just missing the lunch rush. I had never been in the restaurant before (and may never again) and the set up is a lot different than what I’m used to so I was a little confused.
I stood at the door and got awkward glances from other guests like I was wrong. The staff did not speak to me even after I walked up to the bar and stood there trying to wait for an opportunity to ask questions between them talking to guests who seemed like regulars and themselves.
I guess service is great if they know who you are or if you have a certain look, but I ended up just leaving and going to Hunt’s. I was trying to check out new place, but when service is that bad before I order there is no reason to hang around when I know there are other places that will take care of me. Bad service usually equates to bad food… Not always, but I didn’t take my chances despite the reviews because I’ve been let down by reviews plenty of times in PC.

This place is awesome! You must go. Only negatives are they are usually very busy and no beer.

Have eaten here several times and have always had a great meal. It’s a vintage place but I love the charm. The oysters are excellent, fresh and shucked right in front of you. The fried oysters are some of the best I have ever had. It is a small place so seating is a challenge at times, but worth the effort. Go a little later in the evening and when you spy a seat, just sit down and you will be served. Only thing missing is a cold beer.

Genes is the perfect place off the beaten path. The soft shell crab is some of the best around. And the oysters are addictive!
The staff is definitely family!, and they put love into the food!

You don’t need teeth to eat oysters. That must be why this place gets so much business. I bought two very disappointing dishes. Bland gumbo and a tiny portion of fried fish for $ 20. What a ripoff!

Fresh and delicious. Know their oysters well and get them themselves frequently. Super down home and friendly service. Lost one star because it’s run down but dives have a style of their own and this is quite a sea dive but I embraced it. Very neat experience. Arg.

So, it looks like a hole in the wall, and it sort of is, but it is excellent. It is authentic southern, Panama City Florida food! The folks that work there are very nice. Some of the baskets are a little expensive but the oysters are great. I always get the baked oysters. Don’t forget to try the horseradish sauce :-). The only drawback is they don’t take credit cards.

Gene’s is a gem of a place if you like dive joints. They serve the freshest oysters, raw or baked, great fried seafood and terrific sides. They shuck your oysters onto a cafeteria tray. There is an sleeve of crackers nearby and an ample variety of sauces within reach. You grab your own drinks out of a cooler. Unfortunately no beer which is the only downside.

Good ol gene’s oyster bar! I can never get tired of this place. My boyfriend and I have been going here for years and it’s literally down the street from my mother’s house. Secret gem of the city for sure.
Gene himself sometimes sit at the bar and chat with regulars there. We’ve become acquainted with the workers and owner and they remember us each time we come back. They even know what we want to order. The fried crab claws are a must! We get it every time we go there. There are times during bad seasons where they can’t get enough oysters or crab so they will not have it available. But this is rare.
My boyfriend usually gets the fried soft shell crab and eats their raw oysters. I get their 3 cheese baked with light Cajun seasoning. I have their gumbo once in a whole too. I always ask them to heat it an extra minute from their usual cause I like my food piping hot.
They have an old time feel there. It’s a hole in the wall in an old area of Panama City. They have only bar seating. Not good for big groups, FYI. They only take cash. Don’t recommend going during dinner time because you will be waiting a while. Other than that, totally recommend!

Just try it. If you love oysters there’s no reason you shouldn’t go to Gene’s! A real neighborhood joint full of friendly people. The owner is old school and barely understands the concept of Unilocal,but she sure knows her food!
Walk on in and don’t be shy. Grab a seat at the counter and soon someone will greet you with your personal tray and a pack of saltines.
Someone will shuck amazingly fresh and briny oysters until you can eat no more. Need hot sauce? No problem. Horseradish? Ask for the housemade sauce. Not in the mood for oysters? They have a plethora of other seafood menu items available.
Price is amazing, but make sure you bring cash!

Such an amazing find! Not a bad thing on the menu. Baked oysters and seafood gumbo are my personal favs. Cash only as of Winter 2013.

I wanted my 500^th review to be a good one and luck lead us to Gene’s. Unilocal lead us here. A tiny corner lot on the Panama City side near Watson Bayou. Just a counter inside with 14 stools, we arrived at 12.30 and got the last two stools with the locals. We were clearly the only tourists there among a very mixed group of locals. The shuckers shuck right in front of you no matter where you sit, A tray is placed and you just call for more as you want them, 18 plump ones each later and a softshell crab to top them off and we were super happy. They were the best oysters we have had here but really it was the overall dining experience that made it so good. We felt like we had stumbled into a little gem from the deepest south not PC. $ 39.60 well spent. Open 11.00am-9.00pm, closed on Sunday and Monday. Cash Only.

As of 6÷13÷2013 does not accept credit cards, cash only.

Genes Oyster Bar has been around as long as I can remember. Nothing fancy, but I will wait outside for a seat any day! They have the Best Oysters that I have every eaten! Everything that I have eaten has been excellent, from Oyster Stew to the Seafood Platter. This is a locally owned Family Oyster Bar with Southern Hospitality! I am craving just writing this review!!! You won’t be disappointed!!!

Soft shell crab excellent. If your visiting these are down home God fearing southern folk that take pride in their business. a must stop!

Take a trip back to less complicated times and experience the best of old Florida at Gene’s Oyster Bar. The oysters — raw, baked or fried — are excellent. Glenda shucks ‘em as you eat ‘em so they don’t get any fresher than that. The cheese grits are awesome — best I’ve ever had. They also have shrimp and fish for the non-​oyster eaters. If you’re lucky enough to be there at the same time as a colorful regular called Mr. ProveIt you’ll get free mints and old fashioned southern conversation.

The REAL deal. The ONLY place I will eat raw oysters in Panama City. Anyone who tells you Hunts is better hasn’t eaten at Gene’s. The shuckers are experts, and most have been there for as long as I can remember.
The cheese baked are also a treat, but my favorite is raw with Genes specially mixed sauce.
I might need to go there for lunch today…
(Only con: They don’t serve beer or liquor.)

Great big oysters! and if they aren’t they give you extra! Nice people, good oysters. But don’t expect anything fancy, the name says it all. Its a bar!

This is literately a hole in the wall oyster bar but it is one of the best in Panama City. It is family owned and all the staff is wonderful. The only down side to this place is you can’t have beer with your oysters.