Shellback Tavern

Nice place to watch the game, hubby lives they get rowdy! Service was a little slow but when we catch her she was on it. We sat in front of the window so decent view. I was designated driver so not sure about the drinks but club soda was a little pricey?

Fun spot close to the pier! Service isn’t exactly fast, but the food was good. I had the steak tacos, yummy but not exquisite. Divey sports bar atmosphere, laid back South Bay kind of vibe.

Stopped here on a Wednesday afternoon for a quick lunch. Walked in around 1:00 and the place was dead so we were able to sit right away.
Sat at a table near the window so the view was okay. We just kind of sat down somewhere because there was no host and the sever was just sitting a table.
Once she came over we had a pitcher of shock top ($ 17.00) then an order of zucchini fries which I’m pretty sure were frozen but, not horrible. We each then had the fish taco lunch special (9.50) for to 2 decently sized tacos. They were not impressive, the fish tasted like canned tuna, and there was not much seasoning at all. There are tons of places to eat in this area so if you’re looking for fresh great food try somewhere else.

I’m not a dive bar person, but you gotta love this MB staple. Great pier side location. Locals are always fun and rowdy. I love manhattan beach since you can show up in flipflop or dressed to the 9s and you will look like you fit it.

Reading some of these reviews, I’m not sure where these people thought they were going? If you like cheap drinks, getting weird, the dive bar atmosphere, excellent people watching and fun in general, you will like this place. If you’re a simpleton that wants their $ 12 vodka served in a martini glass, there are many options up the street that will cater to you.

DO NOT GO HERE!!! Walked by and this HUGE cockroach was crawling on the door open to the restaurant… Also the man that is at the door at night is so rude to people walking by… Wish I could give it ZERO!

forced by 2 friends to go in for a drink, something I dont waste money on, alcohol. More power to those that do, its just not my cup of tea, never has been or will be.
Bloddy mary… yikes I said lemme be a good sport and drink what buddies did, wow thats the nastiest shit Ive ever drank in my life. Anyways, ordered stella on tap, got served apple cider (nasty shit). Waitress replaced. Had a bowl of chips and salsa (decent, chips were hotter than the sun, but I like them warmed up). Rest of menu looks interesting, just will suffocate if near the middle or back. Poor ventilation smells like hops and a gym sock. Not for me.
Almost 70 bucks for 3 bloodies, 3 beers, and one bowl of chips and salsa. Not cheap.
Have a few scattered screens of sports on. Hot ass chicks getting plastered the hell up though, and you know what will follow.
Anyways, back to the beach.

This place is meh. Drinks are pretty strong though and cheap.
My friend did have his credit card hacked the night we went here. It was the only time he used his card too so we are pretty sure this was the place that stole it.
The bathrooms suck they’re super small and kind of awkward. Been here a few times when girls are in there puking lol.
It gets pretty packed on the weekends.
This is usually the first bar we go to if we’re bar hopping in the area.
Don’t get me wrong this place is fun but they need to update those bathrooms and like I said I’m pretty sure my friends credit card was hacked here :/

Husband and I have been here a few times, stopping by while doing a bike booze cruise. Right by the ocean, so people are wearing their swim suits and smell like sunscreen and sweat. Yep, it’s a dive bar. But the drinks are reasonable for MB, and I stuck with beer on my visits. It’s not my scene; however, servers were always able to manage to get us our drinks quickly, despite the crowds and the drunks.
Note: there is always something to see at Shellback.

This is one cool beach bar. I love this place it gets crowded and if you show up after 9 o’clock expect to stand in line but it sure is fun

Manhattan Beach dive scene through and through. Great spot if you are in the mood for cheap drinks and standing room only.
Pro Tip: get a pitcher or two at a time (I won’t judge) to cut down on drink runs because getting to the bar is an uphill battle.

My husband and I stopped in because we thought it would have an awesome view of the water. It does!
The prices were more economical. We peeked and then checked out the rest of the block. Please keep in mind, this was around 1pm on a Monday. If there was a lunch rush it should have been toward its end. All the other open restaurants on the block were clearly experiencing one. The Shellback was not.
We returned for the view & sat toward the back per staff suggestion. So, no, we didn’t just wander in. Waitstaff knew we were back there. My husband, Mr Life-​of-​the-​Party who talks to and charms everyone he meets — even asked a question before going to the mensroom. I was left to take photos of the view and select our entrees.
It felt like a really long time. It may have only been 6 or 7 minutes. My husband returned and asked whether I had placed our orders. I let him know that no one had come to take them. He made the executive decision to leave. Obviously, they didn’t want our money. Plus, I got the feeling, despite the large menu, that they are primarily a bar instead of a restaurant. We went elsewhere.

Great ambiance for a dive bar if that’s what your into. Which is totally something in into, hence the five stars.
Bartender was nice, assertive, inquisitive and on his game. We got here before the afternoon rush but it was still very poppin’. Found a ‘surf board’ table that fit our group of five, perfectly. The later rush came in and even then the ambiance was still happening and friendly.
The food was great. We ordered the Chicken Nachos and damn they were good and enough to split between three. I ordered a cheese burger and yeah enough said because it was great in flavor and in taste.
the fries are like the thick cut ones but not as big as steak fries so they’re AWESOME!
By the way, if you are a white wine drinker they have a great Sauvignon blanc by CUPCAKE. Obviously you shouldn’t be ordering wine in a dive bar by the beach, but oh well because, randomly the one white wine they have is ACTUALLY GOOD!
P. S. any one that works there will consider themselves BEACH trash! I LOVE IT!

Uh, it’s a college fest. If you are into that sort of thing then this is the PLACE TO BE!
1. My boyfriend and I came to meet friends and we got there before them, we had JUST entered, and stepped outside at the back to make a call since there was NO cell service inside, we tried to get back in and the bouncer at the back door said too bad, we had to wait in line again because he did not see us come out. I was annoyed but after a few mins he decided to go ahead and let us back in. haha in a way I wish he hadn’t
2. It was HOT. Prepare for your hair to frizz and your armpits to sweat. DON’T wear long sleeves no matter how cold it is outside!
3. The drinks were good, we had some kind of Sunkist Orange Soda shot.
4. It was CROWDED! I’m talking, elbows clipping your chin, people banging into your back, rowdy boys pushing their way to the bar and my personal favorite… guys lifting girls up to the ceiling to do pull ups on the rafters. NICE.
5. You can’t hear your friends talk. Forget having a conversation, you will leave with no voice if you attempt to talk over the music and the loud ruckus.
If you want to reminisce about your college days, then by all means make it a night to remember at Shellbacks!

Ok. I grew up in the South Bay and have been to Shellbacks many of nights. Unfortunately, this is a go-​to place for some of my friends, leaving me no choice but to hang out here… and every time I say to myself «This is my last time in this shit hole,» but that damn alcohol always convinces me otherwise. But for reals… my last experience involved this inebriated crop-​dusting guy filling the bar with this god awful smell – and the bathroom’s filth nearly made me throw up, and that’s not the alcohol talking. Considering how many 20-​something year old college bros and selfie-​taking girls walk into this bar, the management needs to get a grip on their bathroom. Until then, I recommend to all bar patrons to breathe through your mouth and bring your own hand sanitizer.

Folksy place without nose-​ups!
Beach people atmosphere with great beers and an amazingly good menu right next to the pier! I’m a fish-​and-​chips lover, and I can honestly say that it’s hard to find fish and chips (fries) better prepared than here. The portions are large, the fish is fresh and the batter is perfect, And the Mahi Mahi tacos are to die for. And that for half the price of other places in the vicinity with less than mediocre stuff. The waitress is a darling! The beers are great and affordable.
But you must like local people with beach sand in their shoes! Conversations are always possible and welcome. This is the good old American beer-​with-​food-​bar next to the beach!
I will come back and try the other dishes on the menu. And I’m looking forward to it!

This review is just for the bar. I’ve never eaten here… which as I’m typing I find pretty odd as I’ve been coming here for years. May have to give their kitchen a try next time!
Five stars for good and friendly service and being consistently awesome. 100 stars for not charging some ridiculous cover on New Years. I ended up having one of the best New Years Eves I’ve ever had in a long time cause I didn’t spend the whole night sad/​bitter that I had to dole out tons of $$$ to go to a place I would normally get into for free.
It was the usual crowd, down to earth peeps, good energy and great fun. Very happy my friend and I decided to walk across the street and ring in the new years with the awesome folks at Shellback.

Take this review with a grain a salt, or a lot of beers. I was pretty inebriated by the time I made it here.
The main thing I remember is the doorman trying to turn us away an hour before close, saying the group in front of us was the last ones in for the night. Ummm nope! My buddy told him we were down from Seattle and he let us in.
The place was packed and it was kind of hard to get a drink. I eventually took my drunken self for a stroll down the pier.

Totally glad we stopped in!
LOCATION/​AMBIANCE: Overlooking the ocean and pier (w/​a slight view of some parking lots lol), this bar and restaurant is a cool little spot. Very casual inside (even if some of the other local spots are a bit more classy) and full of volleyball and Manhattan Beach-​style events. It felt a little warm inside for a hot day (not super refreshingly cool), but was good enough to not be uncomfortable.
SERVICE: Very nice server who seemed attentive to both us and her other customer’s needs. Helpful in answering menu questions and giving tips on which she’d recommend over other items.
THE FOOD & DRINKS: The burgers and the fish & chips were definitely good… and they provide A LOT of food. We originally only planned to find a spot for a tasty beverage (i.e. beer) and, again, we were totally glad we ended up stopping here. Good selection of drinks and full bar, so a good spot for a bloody, beer, mixed drink, or … water, if you’re recovering from the night before, haha.
Bottom Line — We will totally be back to stop in again!

This «tavern» sits on the corner (a blind spot actually where I saw a biker get hit by a car while I ate lunch!) and if that wasn’t enough to put me off from the place the food (and service) was sub par.
Overpriced basic items all for the privilege of being able to walk to the beach afterward. We ordered a hot dog and sandwiches and what food of ours that wasn’t burnt was just ‘meh’.
Take my advice, picnic on the beach instead of wasting your time in here.