Attention Midtown Gainesville prowlers: A new destination is making waves on your stomping ground, and it’s in your best interest to take note. Shuck Raw Bar and Seafood Restaurant has moved into the hut and patio space formerly known as O!O Garden Grille — ready to fill your gullets and satisfy your spirits with food and drinks.
The core of Shuck’s offerings is largely based on Key West sensibilities. From raw, fresh shucks to specialty oysters garnished with citrus relish, the menu boasts an array of options that bring an essence of salt air to the swamp. But for those who have an aversion to the slimy, chewy texture of mollusks, plenty of other options are offered that may better appeal to your senses.
Crispy buffalo calamari, mac-and-cheese bites, blackened fish sandwiches and the traditional Cobb salad are a few of the alternative selections available to savor.
Shuck is in the heart of Midtown’s nightlife destinations, near The Swamp Restaurant and right behind 101 Cantina. As a result, this spot takes on a Jekyll and Hyde persona. The relaxed sunlit atmosphere amps up its energy as the night creeps into late hours, inviting patrons to flirt at the outdoor bar illuminated by lantern string lights draped in tree branches. Well aware of the neighborhood’s literal night-and-day contrast, Shuck embraces the transition with a daily toast of complimentary shots at sunset for all guests 21 and older.
Shuck furthers the Midtown reputation as the neighborhood to see and be seen by employing a bar and wait staff that is very friendly, extremely attractive and primarily female, adorning fitted tank tops and short khaki shorts. Combine this with the bar’s big flat screens that broadcast various sporting events, and it doesn’t take very long to detect the type of demographic this watering hole is targeting. Because of this, Shuck is probably not the best choice for a first-, second- or even third-date spot. Instead, file this destination as a place to discover your next romance, chill with a big group of friends or kick back with your steady sweetheart on a lazy afternoon.
Customers at Shuck Raw Bar and Restaurant in Midtown sit outside watching TV at the bar and chatting among friends. They can enjoy seafood and drinks there and a free shot at sunset.
