Jim Shaw's Seafood Grill

The food had good flavor, but most things were fried light, so some pieces of food were just right and the other was slightly under cooked. The inside of the restaurant was dark (so was the kitchen, missing lights or sections with not enough lighting, kind of scary) the lighting was strange for my eyes, I felt like I was eating with a bunch of desk lamps working to light up the room. But it was those soft white kind. The service was good, the staff was really sweet, and my server was kind of whispering, so it was hard to hear her, but she was attentive. I would recommend a visit, but they have some updating they should plan.

Heard a lot about this place so was excited to finally try it. I get the feeling it's one of those places that's always been around and hasn't seen a need to update anything. Which, isn't bad but it does make the atmosphere look a little generic, the menu bland. That said, the service was great. Friendly and hospitable. My biggest issue was with the fried food. Which was everything. The batter isn't seasoned, so everything you order is one step away from tasting like everything else. This is especially true for the battered fries. Don't do it. The batter to fry ratio is about 1:1 and you have to chew through bland, fried batter just to barely taste the potato. But the hushpuppies are great, the slaw is good and the in-house made Key Lime Pie is delicious. So get that! And if you get dessert, you will: it's the only thing on the menu.

Great seafood spot. Reminds me of seafood shacks on the coast. Good food, friendly service. My group enjoyed oysters on half shell, mussels, shrimp, salmon and catfish. All were great. Squash casarole side was best Ive ever had outside mom's. Only complaint was one of my traditional yankee seafood loving buddies thought the mussels came with too much butter. Didnt bother me.

Boo and I took a trip to see my parents. We had a date night to ourselves. So found this place on Google and off we went. Convenient to where we were staying. Right off the interstate. We found it easy to park in the lot on the right side. We went it it was busy. That's always a great sign. Looked at plates as we were seated. We spoke to our neighboring table. They told us what they recommended. We ordered alligator as an appetizer fried. It was so good. Boo got flounder and hushpuppies. I got shrimp tacos. They were delicious. I can't eat fish I am allergic to it. I am lucky enough that I can eat shrimp. Boo loves seafood and I love to make him happy. We will go back. If just not for the alligator. The restaurant was extremely clean the staff was so nice. We had the nicest table buddies. It was a perfect date!

First time here and the food was amazing. There was alittle wait for Saturday evening but it was worth it. We had catfish filets and claim strips they were both amazing. Cheese grits ,fries corn on the cob. Will be back

From the moment we walked in, we felt right at home. The atmosphere was warm and welcoming, and Julia, our server, went above and beyond to make sure everything was perfect. Her friendly attitude and attention to detail made the meal even more enjoyable. Between the delicious southern-style seafood and the outstanding service, our whole experience was wonderful — we’ll definitely be coming back!

Excellent dinner!! The pimento cheese fritters with pepper jelly were the PERFECT start.. hot, rich, and oozing with cheese.. the sweet spice of the jelly was an palette pleasing addition and complemented the fritters perfectly. Next- the crawfish meat- sooooo delicious, blackened was my choice- and it was everything that I could have wanted and more!! The seasoning and the dipping sauce was just the right amount of flavor- the meat was tender and juicy and oh so good! For my entree, I got cold boiled shrimp with a baked potato (butter, sour cream, and chives), and hush puppies. It was also very good. Sweet tea- delicious! I’m craving it again as I wrote this.. 😜

It was ok. Worth trying once. Oysters were fresh but there were no interesting vinegar options if you don’t want horseradish and ketchup. The specials menu had no prices and the bartender said, “tell me what you want and I’ll tell you what it cost.” Crab soup was fine but there were no oyster crackers. I ordered the grouper blackened. It was fine but was like a meal you would get in a diner. I’m sure the regulars love it, but your money would be better spent downtown at the seafood restaurants trying to do something more interesting.

A great local restaurant. It's rare to get seafood that tastes good when there's no ocean around.Either the Alligator or the Tuna bites are amazing blackened.

This was our first dinner here and it was great minus the frog legs but the waitress quickly rectified the problem and gave my fiancé another entree to go. He chose the gator. I had the combo plate of the delicious scallops and gator. The scallops were amazing and I had them grilled. And I had the cheese grits in the side. And the gator was blackened and a little too salty for me. But the show stopper of the meal was the crawfish! You must try them! We also had the oysters which were good but get the crawfish instead! Great service and not a a long wait I was scared about that when I read the reviews We can't wait to try the bar area next time

We had Grouper, Rainbow Trout and Catfish. They were all excellent. Sides were all good. Service was great, bartenders, hostesses and waitress all very friendly. Small, sort of aging building, which lead to its ambience.

Came to celebrate as a party of 3. We dined in the restaurant area, and our server was really nice. I think her name was Winnie? She was very attentive and kept coming around to ask if we were still doing ok. Ambiance of the place is nice and I liked the decor. But the food was overall just ok. Ordered the blackened crawfish tails entree with sides of baked potato and cheese grits. Entree also came with hushpuppies. We also ordered and shared the pimento cheese bites appetizer, which was my personal favorite part of the meal. The saltiness was balanced out by the hot pepper jam. But the crawfish and grits were way too salty for me. I couldn't tolerate more than a few bites of the crawfish or grits, and even that was with drinking a lot of water to chase it down. Hushpuppies were great - crunchy on the outside but fluffy inside, but also pretty salty. Ended up taking most of the meal home and balanced it with plain rice for future meals. I'd skip this place and go somewhere else for better food.

Their food is good. Fish cooked perfectly. Crawfish tails were soo tender and delicious, it was all so yummy

Friendly locals atmosphere. Outstanding seafood. Try the fried shrimp, catfish, or blackened Talapia. All are delicious. Service is excellent.

First time at Jim Shaws after it being recommended by multiple people. It was delicious seafood! The best scallops i've ever had. Perfectly cooked and such a good flavor. The shrimp were also delicious. The battered fries, however, were not for me. My boyfriend got the cheese grits and they were delicious...i'll be getting that next time. We got the pimento cheese bites to start and they were fantastic...warm, cheesy, with a great sweet chili sauce. We ate at the bar and it was very loud. Granted, it was a Friday evening, but at some points it was overwhelmingly loud. Service was pretty good. The place was packed so that of course slowed service down, but other than that it was a great experience! I'll be back for sure.

Early bird is a good deal. Food is consistent. I love the earlybird oysters and earlybird menu.

Jim Shaw's Restaurant is a "local favorite" because: The fried catfish fillets and Hushpuppies are good. The Service is good. The price is average.

Definitely a local favorite for seafood. I would suggest eating before 6 or after 8 unless you love bumping elbows.

Excellent service with very friendly staff. Place is nothing fancy our scallops were excellent and hush puppies some of the best I've ever had. However one of the members found her broiled fish to be dry. Other than that the food was good and you won't be disappointed if you go there.

This is where are the locals go love this place . Good folks, Good Food and Gr prices

A local seafood staple to Macon, said to be worth visiting if you know the drill. Here's the drill: It fills up early and quick, and they stay on a roll all evening. There is an early bird special menu, they open at 5. There is limited waiting area inside and a small parking lot. Parking across the street is common, there is a crosswalk at the traffic light. A benched waiting area outside is ample, but lies in the narrow sidewalk to front door. This is not a multipurpose restaurant, it is a good ol' calabash style seafood joint. Blackened, grilled, fried, two sides. When available oysters in the half shell -- (Allow me to interrupt myself, a must have). Good selection of apps and entrees, chowder, a few salads and salad options, standard but delicious sides. The batter and fry on the food is light and not overly salted, the blackening not overly salty either, major bonus. There is first come first serve seating around the side at the bar entrance, which includes a cozy patio area and bar seating; order and pick up at bar is required. Seating at the bar itself is a bit cramped, there are a couple TVs, and a fire place out on patio. Again, this is the quickest option sometimes if you're okay with the ordering system. Service is really pleasant, tables are cleaned and rotated quickly and with a smile. They deliver on what is expected, offer fresh seafood, with a smile, and if you're lucky, only a small wait. I would return, but mainly for oysters personally. I'd pass if there was a long wait and no other seating options.

Really good shrimp and sides! Drink was poured well and the service was fast. Cool old building.

Great service, excellent food, friendly neighbor feeling atmosphere, will return if staying in the Macon area again.

I did not like the food. I was expecting it to be more on the coastal cooking vibe. The service was great and the atmosphere was nice.

Love this place! It is small but cozy. Staff is super friendly. Food is always amazing. I love their fried clam strips. If it is really busy, try seating in the patio area. It is first come first serve!

This place was a pure gem find while in Macon! Will definitely dine here again. The service was excellent, our server Winnie was terrific.The food was as good and fresh as you will find on the coast!! Off the beaten path but well worth it!

I don't understand how you can even get in the bar area. Food is fantastic, girls behind the bar are the best in Macon. Good pours on drinks and wine. Filet appetizer is a must. Shrimp tacos are a good go to. Salads are fresh and house dressing should be bottled.

I have been wanting to try gator for such a long time. So, for my first out of town (Millegeville) dining experience, I drove 31 miles 1-way. Arriving a few minutes before 5:00, and thinking I'd have to wait for 5hem to open, I was surprised to see the parking nearly full! :-o Turns out, they open at 4:30 on Fridays and Saturdays. When I walked into the small foyer, there were 3 or 4 people waiting (apparently for Take Out, as I was seated immediately). The small restaurant was already pretty crowed, with at least 22 people. Despite the servers being harried, the service was prompt, and friendly. I ordered 2 appetizers; fried pickle chips and fried gator bites. The pickles were delicious. And, the gator bites were very good, chewier than expected. Gator does taste like chicken. But, with a bit of a fishy taste (think of a Chicken mating with a Grouper :-o ). I'm glad that I tried the gator bites vs the main dish of gator. Though, I wouldn't mind trying gator ribs. But, insofar as the tail is concerned, I'll stick with fried shrimp, catfish, crawfish, chicken, BBQ, baked beans and Cole Slaw (dang! Now I'm hungry again).

Great food super service and lots of smiles! Had shrimp best fries my wife had the tuna tidbits and she loved them! Super house salad dressing!!

Excellent food and service, comfortable atmosphere, friendly staff. Tried Trigger fish for the time. Absolutely delicious

Had a couple great meals at Jim Shaws! Wifey got scallops, I got the fish tacos. Pretty decent food. But our young waitress was outstanding! Really took good care of us.

The food was just ok. People talked it up to us, so maybe we expected more. Oysters and catfish were pretty good, but those fries needed seasoning. Add to that, we waited 45 minutes to eat, getting our food after several people that arrived after we did just made for a bad experience. Nothing to make us go back.

I had blackened grouper that was quite good. I enjoyed the squash casserole and cheesy grits. - He Said

Absolutely the best seafood in town. I mostly get the fried catfish. A nice variety of food including Alligator Tail.

Excellent food worth the wait. First time here and will differently be back. I had grouper it was so good . My husband had red snapper and he loved it.

Second time to come here. Highly recommended by a buddy when I told him I was in town and wanted some raw oysters. It is a small place between the road and a railroad track. Simple decor and clean as a whistle. The food was excellent, had some oysters and some shrimp tacos this time. Both were delicious and fresh. Service was exceptional, my server (Sarah) was a sweetheart and was "Johnny on the spot". I was in town on business so I ate alone but she made it very pleasant. I would highly recommend you give them a try.

Called them over 100 times to place an order for Pick-up and could never get through (busy signal every time). This has happened every time I try to order there. I'd love to call in and order and pick it up (or even place it online) & avoid having to drive all the way to the restaurant in order to place my order and THEN wait. Only reason why I gave them two stars is because their food is DELICIOUS, but my time is worth more than my tummy.

This has for a long time been one of Macon's best restaurants and one of our favorites, which is why I give 4 stars. However, my husband and I were quite disappointed that our blackened fish entrees were tough and rubbery, as if they had been cooked in the microwave. We'll ordered grilled next time and hope for tender perfectly cooked fish to which we are accustomed at Jim Shaw's.

In all seriousness there is nothing special about this place. But it is surrounded by so many mediocre places that this is the best place to go to in Macon. Lots of options. Friendly staff . Food is delicious. Give it a shot.

3 stars because our server was fantastic- the food was so bad. I got the oysters and soft shell crab- the oysters were chewing and tasted like dirty water. The soft shell crab was ok but had a strange yellow substance in it, couldn't eat it. GF got the calamari which tasted like frozen rings you'd get at Walmart. We also had clam chowder which tasted like a can soup , but not a good one. Will definitely not go back

Wow, what a great little place! We were seated immediately even in a packed restaurant our waiter was PHENOMENAL... And I honestly don't know how he kept up with all the tables he had! Drinks were always full and the meal itself was terrific. I would still like to note a few things. Gator - had good flavor but was tough. Shrimp - were large and tasted wonderful Clams - were THE BEST I've had in a long time! Fresh and big portions! Fried fish - also good, breading was thin and sealed in the fish just perfectly! Flaky moist fish! Battered fries - these were flavorless and mushy Broccoli and baked potato were just fine My only sticking point was the coleslaw. They put almost like a sweet pickle relish in there and that was not a flavor I was expecting or wanting. Overall, we will most definitely be back again, but will opt for different sides

Awesome place to eat, fresh fish, excellent service!!! Thank you Winny. Our first time and will definitely go back.

Great food, friendly service. Out of the three of us, we didn't try anything that wasn't amazing. Sea Bass, Trout, Crab Claws... all recommended. It was slow when we arrived (COVID, I thought) but by the time we left it was very busy. If you want good seafood and service with a smile (which hardly exists anymore) then come here.

Can't tell you how wonderful this seafood staple here in Macon Ga is Great food and wonderful service. Like to have dinner there on my birthday anytime that I am in town. Bon Appetit y'all

This restaurant is great! The shrimp, oysters, battered fries, coleslaw palmetto balls, just everything is good!!! The building itself has two sides. The restaurant side is where people are seating and staff will take your order just like a regular restaurant. The bar side is where you will place your own order at the bar and come back up to the bar to pickup your food and take it to your table. Both sides have a full menu. The locals call the restaurant side the "snooty side" and the bar side is the "fun side"! We sat on the fun side and met some really cool people. Overall: Great Food, Great Atmosphere, somewhat limited seating, friendly staff.

Went with six friends and had a great meal. Service was awesome. Make sure you go and enjoy. We had whole catfish, catfish filets, trigger fish, shrimp and scallops(both fried and blackened

Jim shaws is iconic in Macon. Their seafood is consistent and their service is amazing. You won't be disappointed if you go here and make sure to ask for the specials.

This is my favorite seafood restaurant in Macon! It is great for any occasion! I think that anyone should try this restaurant. They sell other things than seafood as well. The staff is very kind. They have two sides of the restraant. One is very casual and you can order at the bar. The other is a sit-down restaurant. The food is great! Shrimp Caesar Salad is very good, so is the sweet tea. They can get very crowded, so try to get there early for dinner.

Not a fan of this restaurant. It is like the the Cracker Barrel of seafood. Way overpriced for the quality.

We came for the first time for our anniversary. Appetizer pimento cheese balls were awesome!! Hubby: chicken tenders, battered fries, corn on the cob = chicken tenders were great, battered fries were weird and we couldn't eat them. There was 3x the batter than French fry. Hush puppies could be good just over cooked and dry. Corn on the Cobb was fresh and very good Me: crab claws, squash cassarole, and side salad = crab claws were very very fishy and over cooked. I couldn't eat them. Squash cassarole was good, and side salad was made by their fresh tomatoes( grown out back) 4 year old had shrimp and broccoli = delicious We may go back but not only for early bird and be careful about what we get.

We only knew what we read online about Jim Shaw's Seafood Grill. That the restaurant was Voted Best Seafood in Macon for 2021. We are glad we checked the place out. The building is on the smaller side, I read that seating is for 75 people. No matter the size of the building, the food, however, was superb. I throughly enjoyed my Sea Bass Tacos. These were my first fish tacos but they won't be my last. My wife had the Grilled Shrimp and fried Calamari combination with a baked potato. She said her meal was delicious. My son had Chicken Fingers and fries. He rarely makes comments about his food yet told us how good the fries were. My daughter's plate looked amazing. She ordered the Bourbon glazed Salmon. My wife and I both sampled her salmon, which was very tasty to me. We were stuffed so we ordered three pieces of Key Lime pie to go. Dessert was delicious as well! I look forward to coming back to this eatery in the future. Gregory M.

Wonderful seafood. Must try the blackened shrimp, cheese grits, and crab claws. Great bar. Friendly service. Macon staple.

The very best seafood in central Georgia! Service is always great as well. We have been coming here for over 25 years!

Best. Calamari. Ever! I enjoyed the experience with my family and I went to eat after my grandmother's memorial service. The restaurant was very accommodating considering we had 10 people. It's a small space and parking is a little tough, but it's worth it. The calamari was amazing and I've had calamari everywhere. I'm not an expert but I know what I like and it was delicious. The food was great, but I think the shrimp fell a little short and could have used more seasoning. The gator was seasoned perfectly and if the shrimp had the same seasoning I would've loved it. I absolutely despise coleslaw, but there's was delicious. It must've been great, because my mother mentioned she would take this coleslaw the other restaurants and have them sample it and try to mirror the recipe LOL. All in all if you haven't been here yet considering making us so small, you definitely need to get in and give it a try.

We were in town to see a play and were in dire need of food beforehand. We had a reservation at a different spot. But after sitting in a standstill traffic jam on the interstate for a couple of hours, we all of a sudden found ourselves in a bit of a time crunch. So we looked for a spot closer to the theater and took a gamble on time by coming to Jim Shaw's. A gamble that worked out well. We knew if there was any kind of wait, we would go hungry. But fortunately with Jim Shaw's, they have the bar side too. We saw the line of people waiting and weren't overly optimistic. But a pass through to the bar side revealed that they had some open seats. There were the remains of previous diners on the table and it appeared everything was ordered at the bar. So I was trying to figure out what to do with everything and a very friendly, and efficient guy came around and bussed our table. Since we were on a time crunch, we already decided on what to get on our ride over and ordered immediately. The bartenders were very fast and their operation was like a well oiled machine. We decided to get the combo platter and have two caesar salads as our sides after splitting a calamari appetizer. The salads came our first and were fantastic. I would go a little lighter on the dressing next time. But the flavor was outstanding. The calamari came out as were finishing up our salads. And although I love calamari with the bodies the most (this did not), it was some of the better calamari I have had. Not greasy, lightly battered, and all around good. If you are curious of our timing at this point, we were still in a yellow danger area. So when I went to get refills at the bar, I went ahead and closed out. Within a few minutes of me sitting down, the bartender called my wife's name and reached over the bar to hand her our food to help us be as quick as possible. We got the gator tail and shrimp blackened. I have never had gator tail blackened before (always fried), and it was absolutely amazing. The shrimp were also really good... but they were definitely overshadowed by the gator tail. I really want to go back and sit on the other side to see what that experience is like. But with the same menu as the bar side, I have no complaints about our trip here. Oh, and we made it in plenty of time to the theater with a whopping 6 minutes to spare.

We recently ate here sitting at the bar. Everything was amazing eating raw oysters and a cold beer. The oysters were perfect size, cold, no sand...so good! We will be back again soon! Doesn't get any better!

Each and every Friday, my GF and I go here for dinner. Each week, it's the same thing over and over again: Pimento Cheese Fritters, and then 5 fried whole catfish, with the fries fried a little crispier, with a salad. We also share a bowl of the best clam chowder in town. The place is kinda small, but it's worth the wait. The meal prices are reasonable. If you decide to give this place a try, please get you a bowl of that clam chowder!