Thorny Oyster

One of our sons selected this restaurant for his birthday dinner. We had not been here before. It was a great choice for a special meal. To start with, I called a few hours before we intended to go to dinner to make a reservation. Although they were heavily scheduled, the hostess graciously worked it out so that our large party could be accommodated. Second, I asked what their policy was about bringing in outside birthday cakes, as I already had one. I was told that it was no problem. At the restaurant, I learned that there was no plate fee either. Upon arriving, we were impressed with the atmosphere, which was beautiful, without being pretentious. Our server, Rita, was AWESOME, and provided great service throughout the evening. Everything on the menu sounded good. We started with frogs legs, calamari, and fish spread for appetizers, all of which were very nicely done. I was torn between the bouillabaisse and the fish almandine, and ultimately went with the bouillabaisse. It was very good, but next time, I will order the almandine. One person in our party had that, and they raved about how delicious it was. Two people in our party had the shrimp and grits, which was good, but very rich. One person had the half chicken, and said it was excellent. One person had the burger, and really liked it. Everything we ate here was delicious. The only down side to this restaurant is that trying to find parking in this area is very challenging. I would recommend coming early to the area to be sure that you secure a space before you plan to eat, especially if you are meeting others or have a reservation.

During spring break my family and I traveled over to Bay St. Louis as a bit of a beach time away from New Orleans. We decided to try the Thorny Oyster and we enjoyed the brunch for sure. The food was well cooked and fresh I had the New Orleans BBQ Shrimp and Grits and the shrimp was well cooked and the grits were buttery, my wife had the crave cake eggs Benedict and it was well done and tasty. My son had biscuits and gravy and enjoyed them, and finally my daughter had the brunch burger also very tasty. We had grilled oysters as an appetizer and they were well cooked and succulent. In all honesty the only thing I'd call them out for was the size of the breakfast potatoes. They were almost half of a large russet potato and felt a bit off compared to the food especially as it was all served in bowl style dishes. Had the potatoes been a bit more manageable I would give this a 5 star for food. The service was efficient and our server did a great job keeping our glasses filled without being too on top of us. Definitely a place to try if you're in Bay St. Louis.

Food was excellent along with service. The lobster roll was superior along with garlic potatoes. It can be loud in there but food is worth it. Everything was delish. Located in a very cute trendy area

Fantastic dinner! Started with the peppered calamari which was fried perfectly. It came with a fantastic sweet and sour sauce. Had the Fish Caddy for my entree, as someone who prefers beef this was a great dish! Beautifully plated, at the time was made with Mahi, large Gulf shrimp, and delicious crab. The noodles were great! The peppered cheesecake was also very good. The pepper broke up the sweetness. Overall a great experience!

What a great evening out with family. The space is beautiful, the staff is friendly, and the food is delicious. Cocktails are great and definitely have a kick. I ❤️ the Bee's Knees. A fabulous variety of small plates. The biggest crab cake!

One of the best restaurants on the Coast! The best smash burger by far. Always come here for dinner and it never disappoints. The oysters are fresh and the service is great.

We love this place! Here are pics from our most recent visit, when we sat at the kitchen bar and watched the spectacular meals being made by the friendly and conversational cooks. On this trip, we had a bottle of wine and two specials: crawfish bread for an appetizer - stellar! - and a giant soft-shelled crab atop Asian-spiced rice with chunks of lobster - even more stellar! Each dish was sauced to perfection. We watched as steaks were grilled, side dishes were sauteed and this beautiful whole flounder was treated so lovingly and the proud chef held it up for us to photograph. We've never had a bad bite here, and come back almost every time we visit Bay St. Louis. Two other dishes that we really, really love are the bouillabaisse and the fried artichoke. We often share that combination for dinner, because the servings here are LARGE. Even if you're not hungry for lunch or dinner, or have reservations somewhere else, it's great to sit outside and enjoy one of their handmade cocktails, and do some people-watching of the always entertaining tourists and locals on the main drag in this tiny seaside town. Put Thorny Oyster on your list! The only negative is that it can get very loud when the restaurant is full - and on those days, we just take an outside table.

Had my birthday dinner at Thorny Oyster, it was phenomenal. The food was fantastic, drinks were delicious, and service was nice.

We came here with my mother-in-law and her partner for dinner on Black Friday (also my 30th birthday). We were treated to counter seats and great service! My mother-in-law is a regular here, and the staff and chefs love them! We were given a rundown of the menu and told what to order. We ordered way too much food! The portions are huge, and the flavor is next level! The crab cakes, mussels, and fries were to die for! There was so much flavor, and a little smoke from the bacon and grill added to the overall taste. My husband and I split the grilled whole fish, which came with a crab sauce and some grilled bread. After a couple cocktails and all the food our eyes and stomachs could handle, we left full, satisfied, and confident in our triumphant return. The staff treat you like family, the counter seats are a must so you can watch the chefs work, and the food is worth every penny!

Wow, the Thorny Oyster has delicious food. The best was the crab claw appetizer - SO TASTY. I could drink the sauce. For my entree, I got the filet-oh-fish and it was crispy and flavorful. It came with fries and I enjoyed the meal! The margarita was refreshing and the desserts were divine! I will definitely be back to the Thorny Oyster to explore the menu!

Beautiful setting right on the bay. There are so many delicious things to choose from. The bisque was excellent. And the tamales were good, some parts of the breading tasted a little stale, but over all the flavor was great. Our appetizer was excellent and the royal reds didn't disappoint. My coworker enjoyed those. I took a cheesecake to go and it was great, the black pepper felt like an afterthought, but it was very yummy.

Wow, as a local I'm always blown away by the food here. Downtown bay St. Louis unfortunately misses the mark on cuisine compared to the rest of the United States. Thorny Oyster is the only place I can recommend as consistent quality food with perfect ambiance and not a place filled with a bunch of friend food , frat party type of food options. Everything is amazing , even the bread is out of this world. The truffles fries are perfection, the oysters are always great, wedge salad is a favorite, artichokes are a win, crab cake is another favorite. Great cocktails as well . There is nothing NOT to love. There is no place downtown that you can get the quality food with the view . This is a gem and you can't tell me any different .

I've been here for brunch and dinner and had a great time on each visit! My most recent visit allowed for a lovely dinner on the outside patio. I went with a spicy watermelon margarita. It was very good, even though it wasn't spicy. My companion ordered an Old Fashioned that was also very good. We went with the tuna appetizer and it was INSANELY good. For my meal, I went with the raw seafood platter and it was delicious. Our server was excellent. I look forward to my next visit!

Clearly, the best cheeseburger in the area, until tonight! Devastatingly, I was served cold, dry, overcooked patties with only one jalapeno and unmelted cheese slices. The side salad was good as always. I feel I made the trip to BSL in part because I like their food. Should have stayed home and watched Mr. Wonderful make some crazy deals and ordered out :(

Fried calamari. Oh my fried goodness, can I express to you how good this was? I don't know- let me try in as simple a way as I can think of- it's an appetizer, but I made it my entree. Yes, I take cholesterol medication and this is why!

Our server Ronnie was great... as was the charbroiled oysters and that crazy good smash burger. Awesome sidewalk seating, enjoying the people watching on a Sunday afternoon. Will be back!

I wish Yelp would let me give a 3.5 because that's pretty fair. We went here recently and the food was good but crazy expensive for what you got. Service was pretty slow and the waiter forgot a side dish. Not a big deal since we had so much other stuff. We had grilled oysters and they were fantastic, and the fish flatbread was excellent. We also got a $20 Wedge salad which was ridiculously overpriced, but it was good. My wife had the bouillabaisse which was pretty spicy but very good and had a lot of seafood. I had the shrimp and grits which was decent but only had a half dozen head-on shrimp in it, meaning I had to fish them out of the sauce and that was messy. My main complaint here, though, is the acoustics in the main dining room are terrible. They need some rugs or something to soften up the sounds because it was so noisy we had to practically should across the table. It was beyond loud and got worse as the place filled up. I'd definitely go back, but maybe during a slower time.

Really had a great Birthday experience. Owner/manager Jeffrey was very giving to make it great. We had fish of the day redfish almondine. Perfectly done and asparagus were hearty and cooked just right. Oysters were good and the Mignonette was one of the best. Hard to find in these parts. And the lead actor was the Bouillabaisse!

We are semi local and felt like this didn't live up to the hype. The service was good, but not great and the food was okay. By far the desserts are the best thing on the menu. The ambience is what is drawing in the crowd, which it is a really pretty and nice restaurant. A great place for bigger parties and date nights. Next time we might just go for drinks and dessert.

Totally lives up to the hype! Came for Sunday brunch/lunch and it was jammed but our server was attentive and sweet. We had raw oysters and snow crab. We also split the spicy chicken sandwich. Everything was delicious! Beautiful space too. Cocktails were great. Reasonably priced for the most part except, for some reason, the salads ($20 for a wedge?!?). Would recommend highly and would return!

Oh my gosh this place was fabulous! Zach was our server and he was fantastic. Very attentive and gave recommendations and the daily specials. We ordered so much food! Oyster on the half shell were fresh. The crab bisque was rich and flavorful. Shared seafood platter with my daughter. The shrimp were cooked perfectly. It's easy to overcook shrimp but that didn't happen here. My brother had the boiled peel and eat shrimp which was also perfectly cooked. I wish I would have taken pictures but I couldn't wait. I had to dive in. It was very clean, cool atmosphere with fun music playing. We loved our experience and it will be a family favorite for sure. Well done!! And ask for Zach!

Food is delicious and service is great! Eaten here several times and it's always good

Finally! There has been a buzz about the tasty menu at Thorny Oyster since it's opening and I finally had the chance to sample. Took a group and we had an awesome dinner. Our amazing waitress started us with some drinks. The Siren Song is definitely recommended. We started with some apps: raw oysters, crab claws and tamales and they were all delicious. For dinner, I had the shrimp and grits. Creamy, cheesy grits covered with whole Gulf Shrimp in this rich sauce - yum!!!! Everyone's meals looked great and I cant wait to go back and try more.

Food was good & oysters were yummy too. Waitress was fabulous. A large party was there during our lunch which kind of killed the ambiance, but it's a beautiful facility.

We dine here often and love it so don't get me wrong. The food is consistently good to very good. We love their Royal Reds with that butter...so delicious! We love the Mussels with the saffron broth; and the Sauteed crab claws with the lemon caper butter; and the Bouillabaisse and the Fresh Fish Almondine...I could go on but those are just a few of our favorites. The wines are always interesting, they ALWAYS have a nice selection and in the state of Mississippi this is difficult where supplies are very low and controlled by a few. Barry is one of our favorite bartenders anywhere. He knows his wines and beers, bourbons, and delicious concoctions and is always chilled and happy to be at work. We love sitting at the bar and the only disappointment is that the seats are facing the wrong direction but that's a design flaw & cannot be addressed unless they turn the bar around. However, there is something the management can do about about the cleanliness of the restaurant. I don't want to say the "M" word but there are black spots appearing on the ceiling around the old AC leaks and it's getting worse. PLEASE address this health issue. The bar is in need of deep cleaning from top to bottom.

service and food was awesome. Rita was our serve. fun knowledgeable and prompt. we had the trout almondine, shrimp and grits and the brisket tamales. everything was delicious. we'll be back

Awesome spot for lunch and dinner. Great food. I had a terrific fish sandwich. They were a little too generous with the slaw which caused the bun to fall apart but overall the sandwich was terrific. Oysters, daily fish special, and the steak were all terrific with a great wine selection and unparalleled, impeccable service at the bar. Looking forward to our return trip.

This place was great. Service was fantastic, we had Vincent. The food was top notch, we had the triple tail almondine and gulf fish caddy. We also enjoyed the calamari for an app and key lime pie for dessert. Both of those were amazing.

It's kinda hit and Miss here....we enjoyed lunch here one time and the. Another wasn't so good....calamari is great....brunch well not so if you want s true brunch menu

Amazing lunch at Thorny Oyster as usual ! Fantastic local flavors and amazing service. Sam was awesome ! See you again soon.

I would take their sunday brunch menu spicy chicken sandwich over a loving relationship with my family. when asked what mattered to me in life I said the bread pudding came second to God. I would do a million things to have this sandwich prepared for me in my own kitchen and served to me by my wife, but unfortunately no woman could ever live up to that immaculate standard. thorny oyster has been everything but a thorn in my side, and if I made a lot of money I'd eat this Sunday sandwich every day for the rest of my life.

Able to snag a last minute reservation for the husband and I this evening and we were very impressed with the food and service! Our server was very attentive and explained the menu and all specials. Only reason I didn't give a perfect score is it was very loud inside and it threw off the ambiance of our date night. Would probably be a much better atmosphere during the week when you don't have to scream to the person sitting across from you. All the food was high quality and a great price! Will definitely return another night other than a busy Friday.

This vintage/modern restaurant has the cutest decor. It's very cozy and feels like your in a swanky hotel on NYC. The service was great and staff was friendly. They offer a variety of dishes from seafood to sandwiches. Their muscles and BBQ shrimp are a must try. The seafood caddy is also flavorful and a generous portion. Please please order the cheesecake it is yummmy!

Had brunch there today. Beautiful place. Waitress was energetic but seemed way overwhelmed, or was it the kitchen staff? First, when your mantra is an oyster, but today no oysters available (went there for the oyster BLT), really? Waitress suggested the brunch special smoked salmon sandwich. Ordered it. It was not listed on the menu but showed up on the bill at $27. Yikes. Okay, l am not a miser but for a sandwich? Also, had to ask for utensils, salt/pepper, several times for hot sauce and napkins. I wanted to love this place.....

We came to celebrate our best friend getting into law school and starting her journey to becoming a lawyer. The food was amazing and cooked to perfection. On top of the food, our server, Rita, was fantastic. She was so attentive. All of our drinks, appetizers, and entrees came out in a timely manner! We will be back for sure!

The food was good, although my husband did not care for his frog legs at all. There was a class reunion with about 30 of very, very loud women so we could not have a decent conversation. Our waitress was great, she had out table, a few other tables and that class reunion. I felt so very sorry for her but she kept a positive attitude. They were very short staffed that night so I'm sure some had complained of the service. I don't think we will be going too often, doesn't live up to the hype.

Great food, very nice atmospheric; a little on the pricey side, meaning I wouldn't eat here twice a week but maybe twice a month for if I lived closer. Husband had fish basket and he loved it

Oh my gosh, this place is amazing. The drinks are good and the decor is fun but not tacky beachside decor. But really, the shining star is the food - everything we have had has been so incredibly flavorful. I wish this restaurant were in New Orleans, but even with it being out of our way, we certainly make trips to Bay St Louis with this being our main motivating factor to come. I generally don't get a wedge salad, but this one is a show stopper, and something we order every time we come. The side of Mac and cheese was sooooo huge, it was almost enough to be a meal on its own - order it as a side and share with a friend...or four! The service has been good too. The biggest criticism is that they need to add something to dampen the noise so there's less echo-ing, but really easily overlooked when you consider how great the food is at the price point

In the Bay to hang with my sisters, do Trivia, and drink adult beverages. I've been watching the construction of "The Pearl" - very nice "New Kid in Town" hotel in the Bay - and stepped into try their restaurant and am so glad I did. Love the design, the feel and the finishes. Attentive and friendly wait staff saw me to my seat at the bar and then it was ON. Matthew served me one of their "Boat Drinks" called "On a Boat" - that had a little bit of everything: Dark Rum, Velvet Falernum, Yellow Chartreuse, Grapefruit Shrub - And about four other things. Very nice. And it came in a fish glass. So there's THAT. I ordered two appetizers. The first one was the Grilled Oysters which I take are intended to be grilled and not "chargrilled". They were nice but my hands down favorite was the Ginger Scallion French Toast - which for me was a home run. The presentation was fantastic and they tasted delicious all by themselves but the offer of two different dipping sauces gave some very much appreciated options. Looking forward to coming back and trying the bouillabaisse which I've been told is an absolute must...

I had high expectations for this shiny new restaurant in Old Town Bay St. Loius.  The location is prime---facing the bay---and the interior open and airy with nice furnishings.   Reservations meant there was no wait at 7:30 pm on a Friday,  but after we were seated,  the extremely high noise level made conversation impossible. Our server was friendly but indecisive and noncommittal when we asked specific questions about the menu.   Her facial expressions and body language seemed to show she had no "favorites" except for the peanut butter pie.  Her face lit up at its mere mention!  We finally ordered, letting her know we would like to share the dishes.   Additional flatware was delivered, followed by three salads.   I was sure our order was not understood because of noise level, but our server assured us the kitchen had divided and plated the salad for us.   Very nice;  and the salad was quite tasty with fresh greens, goat cheese and homemade croutons.  The rest of our meal followed and was quite good, but not as spectacular as the prices had lead me to believe it would be.  The red fish almondine stood out as my personal favorite (and was worth the price). This is a young restaurant that is finding its way, but until management can mitigate the sound deafening roar, i will neither return nor recommend it to others. t would do well deal and allow diners to enjoy some quiet conversation with their meal.

The best Mussels EVER!!!! Get them. You won't regret it. Also my waitress (Rita) and hostess were amazing. So hostess, waitress, and chef. All AMAZING. Great place to sit outside on the patio or inside at the bar or table. It was all great.

The place is beautiful! Great way to end a day at the bay. We had the oysters and the shrimp and grits. The oysters were delicious and the shrimp and grits were good but nothing too special. The campfire dessert was definitely the shining star! The prices are a bit high, but I think it's worth it for the atmosphere and service.

Enjoyed our meal intensely. Brussels salad was fantastic. Red fish almondine was perfect. Our bartenders were great. Cool space. I'd say it's the best joint in BSL with extreme confidence

I can't believe I haven't shared my review of this place yet!! This is a great restaurant in the quaint town of Bay St Louis. It is fairly new, opened within the last year. Like the name implies, they serve seafood...but they have so much more. The ambiance is a little on the loud side and the lights are bright, but it didn't bother me too much. You get used to the loudness of the restaurant after a little while. It isn't so loud that you can't hear the conversation at your table though. The food is excellent!!! The seafood appetizer platter is amazing, it consists of crab legs, oysters, and more. One of the guests at our table ended up getting a burger and fries and that too looked amazing! Do yourself a favor, if you haven't gone yet...please go! You won't be disappointed. I'm already looking forward to our next visit.

Everything was great. Awesome seafood selections. Great burgers. Delish desserts. Very helpful waitstaff.

Beautiful inside. The oysters and fries were amazing. Will definitely be back! Great service too.

So accidentally came in and got me look at the menu and we were not going to leave. The restaurant is absolutely Stellar with beautiful lighting and big windows towards the beach. Our waitress was fabulous (which doesn't surprise me in the Bay). The food was superb! Definitely want to go back

Amazing food, beautiful atmosphere, and attentive staff. I've gone 3x since first eating here and will definitely be back whenever I'm in the area.

Enjoyed this place for first time last month. Returning again this month. Great bar and also has raw bar

We were traveling through the area. Searched YELP for a place to stop for dinner. The small plates at the Thorny Oyster looked interesting. Ordered the smoked fish dip which was very good but would have been perfect if served with pita or toasted bread. It was served with saltine crackers (in wrappers) which was unexpected for a high-end restaurant. The scallops and crab cakes (from the small plates menu) were fantastic. Good wine by the glass list and service. Definitely recommend.

I came back for more. The grilled oysters were excellent and the clams with chorizo. Customer service leaves much to be desired!

A bit of a wait for the food but so worth it! Mussels and fries were absolutely the best thing I've ever eaten. Red shrimp was insane good and the kids burger was even delish. Southern hospitality at its finest. We're from Seattle so impatient is our fall back. So glad we weren't in a hurry and could enjoy the local wine and food.

It was awesome! My friend and I stumbled upon this place after we drove out to another restaurant in Pass Christian that was closed. We were a little under-dressed but sat at the bar and the food and service were great. Had a cozy hot toddy, lobster and crawfish bisque, and truffle fries and at every bite! My friend got the almondine mahi mahi and brussel sprouts salad and loved both. Definitely would go back. Food was a little slow to come out, but it was crowded and we weren't in a hurry, plus the ambience and friendly bar service made the wait enjoyable. Worth a visit!

Delicious, great service. We will absolutely return when back in the area. Fully recommend!

Food was amazing. Service was top notch. Cocktails were great. If you come here, do your self a favor and get the truffle fries. Possibly the best fries I have ever had. Ronnie, our server, was incredible and so helpful. Made recommendations and answered all questions. This place is so cute. Decor, lighting, color scheme...beautiful. Would definitely come back to eat here. We had a seafood tower and all the seafood tasted fresh and flavorful. One complaint? The lobster on the lobster roll was a little overdressed but still had great flavor.

A delightful Sunday afternoon drive to Bay St Louis gave us a treat in dining at the Thorny Oyster Restaurant. I must recommend a trip over to enjoy the delicious food and stunning decor that looks like Elle Decor was on the team. The staff was a delight and on point. The Pearl Hotel is in the same location. Enjoy a stay with balcony's overlooking the bay. We can't wait to go back.

Good Food Good Service Beautiful Restaurant But Loud Cocktails are also good. Every time I have been the food and drinks were consistent and delicious. Will be going back soon.