Oysters on Pilings at City Point: The Geronimo Partners, a QE2 Chef and a Prize-Winning Chowder Behind Shell & Bones

Drive to the end of South Water Street in City Point, past the marina and the old Oyster Point houses, and the road runs out at a low building on pilings over New Haven Harbor. The roof has a giant Shell & Bones logo painted on it, which you can only see from the air. From the parking lot, what you see is masts and water on three sides.

Shell & Bones Oyster Bar and Grill has been at 100 South Water St. since the summer of 2015. Plenty of New Haveners know it as a spot for a birthday, an anniversary or a sunset drink on the deck. Fewer know who runs it, what was in the building before, or that the chef who built its menu spent five years running a kitchen on the Queen Elizabeth 2.

Here is the story behind the City Point oyster bar, the people in the kitchen, what diners are saying this month, and what to order when you go.

A waterfront building with a long restaurant history

The building went up in the early 1970s, according to Joseph Bergin, the architect of record for the restaurant’s construction permit. It sits inside the City Point Historic District, so even small changes to the outside need a sign-off from the city’s Historic District Commission. Bergin wrote in July 2015 that a hearing on what seemed like a minor change turned into a long discussion. The commission finally approved swapping two fixed glass panels on the water side for panels that open, which is why the harbor breeze comes right into the dining room on a warm night.

The space had been a restaurant for decades. It was The Chart House, then Sage American Grill, the Hartford Courant reported in its 2016 review. When the Courant visited, the Pequonnock Yacht Club was still upstairs.

An aerial view of Shell & Bones and its marina on New Haven Harbor at sunset, with City Point houses behind

The Geronimo partners and Chef Franco

Shell & Bones is owned by Daniel Kay and his partners Marc Knight and Robert Bolduc, the team behind Geronimo Bar & Grill, according to the restaurant’s own story page. The three gutted and remodeled the space with a nautical look: cobalt blue, white and sand colors, a long bar under ship-style lights, and a big fireplace for cold nights.

To run the food, they brought in Arturo Franco Camacho, known around Connecticut simply as Franco. The restaurant says he spent five years as chef de cuisine on the QE2 ocean liner and opened several of his own restaurants, including Roomba, Bespoke and Suburban. Today he is the culinary director. The current menu lists Carl Carrion as executive chef, Marco Pineda as senior sous chef and Terrell Patterson as sous chef.

The kitchen makes all of its soups, stocks, sauces and desserts in house, the restaurant says. Its clam chowder won The Big Taste competition in Greater New Haven. The restaurant also says it is one of the few in Connecticut recognized by the James Beard Foundation as committed to the goals of its Smart Catch sustainable-seafood program.

The long main bar at Shell & Bones with blue bar stools and ship-style lights

The view is the main event

Glass walls look west over the marina and south toward the harbor, and the outdoor deck sits right over the water. The restaurant’s accolades page lists an OpenTable “Top 100 Al Fresco Restaurants in America” nod, Food & Wine calling it the most romantic restaurant in Connecticut, and a 2016 New York Times review rated “Very Good.” Connecticut Magazine readers picked it as the statewide winner for best seafood and waterfront dining in 2023, the restaurant says.

The covered outdoor deck at Shell & Bones, with tables looking out over New Haven Harbor

A few practical notes from the restaurant: deck tables are uncovered, unheated, limited and first come, first served, and only weather permitting. The restaurant suggests bringing a jacket or a blanket because the weather on the water changes fast. Inside, the Propeller Room on the east side has its own fireplace and seats up to 40. The Sunroom, surrounded by the harbor on three sides, seats 50 and can be closed in and heated in winter. The Mermaid Room in the middle of the restaurant seats 30.

The west dining room at Shell & Bones with floor-to-ceiling windows facing the water

What diners are saying

Shell & Bones holds a 4.7 out of 5 on OpenTable from 347 recent verified reviews, with diners rating the ambience highest at 4.8. Reviews from the past two weeks show why people keep coming back, and what they wish were different.

“On the water. Great Scallops and Bouillabaisse. Staff very attentive,” Michael wrote after an Oct. 10 dinner. Joan put the price question plainly after her visit on Oct. 14: “While the food is expensive, it is very, very good.”

Servers get called out by name. Marcia wrote that her anniversary brunch was “wonderful,” that “Taylor provided excellent service and the setting was beautiful outside on the deck.” Paul, a first-timer who came on the advice of friends and family, said their server Tiffany “patiently answered our questions” and that they “will definitely be back and of course request Tiffany.” Tim wrote that his waitress “went above and beyond.”

Not every review is a rave. Jeffrey, who said he has been eating at Shell & Bones since its first year, gave his Oct. 10 dinner three stars. He wrote that the bouillabaisse he always orders used to come with lobster tail and parsnip puree and arrived “warm not hot” this time. Peter had a timing tip: he came at 3:30 and found the specials “don’t get served until 5,” though he added that what he had was “as always awesome.”

The indoor fireplace at Shell & Bones with diners seated in the room beyond

What to order

These come from the all-day menu posted on the restaurant’s website, and the photos are the restaurant’s own. Prices are from the posted menu and can change, and the raw bar is market price.

Oysters from the raw bar. The oyster list changes daily. On Oct. 17 the board listed Snow Island from Harpswell, Maine; Lucky Ladies from Long Island; Saquish from Plymouth Bay, Mass.; and Coot Cove from Mattapoisett Neck, Mass., each with cocktail sauce and mignonette. During weekday happy hour (3 to 5 p.m.) select oysters are half price by the piece and littlenecks are $1.50 each.

A platter of oysters on the half shell with lemon, cocktail sauce and mignonette at Shell & Bones

New England Clam Chowder ($15). Bacon, golden potatoes and a light cream broth. This is the chowder that won The Big Taste.

A pot of Shell & Bones New England clam chowder on a wooden board

Fried Calamari ($20). Served with a cherry pepper and roasted garlic aioli.

Fried calamari in a blue serving dish with dipping sauce and lemon

Mussel Pot ($25). Mussels in a coconut green curry broth with vegetable stir fry and scallions. The menu suggests adding pommes frites for $6 to soak up the broth.

A black cast-iron pot of mussels with herbs and bread at Shell & Bones

Seared Scallops ($46). Michael’s pick. On the current menu they come with creamy pesto farro, peppadew pepper vinaigrette, pancetta and a smoked tomato butter sauce.

Seared scallops plated over grains with an orange sauce at Shell & Bones

Faroe Island Salmon ($40). With vegetable pineapple fried rice, baby bok choy and a saffron-green curry coconut broth.

A salmon entree topped with crispy garnish at Shell & Bones

Chef’s Filet Mignon (market price). Today it’s served with Yukon hash, caramelized onion, asparagus, demi-glace and choron sauce. This is the “bones” half of the name.

The Chef’s Filet Mignon plated with sauce at Shell & Bones

Steak Frites (market price). A grilled 10-ounce hanger steak with truffle Parmesan frites, baby spinach and au poivre sauce.

Steak frites with a pile of fries at Shell & Bones

Cheese & Charcuterie ($35). Three cheeses and three meats with ciabatta, honeycomb, cranberry nut bread, house jam and Marcona almonds. It’s a good pick for a group at the bar.

A cheese and charcuterie board with prosciutto, cheeses and fruit at Shell & Bones

Banana Tres Leches ($14). From the house-made dessert list, with banana gelato and fresh fruit.

Banana tres leches dessert with sliced banana and berries at Shell & Bones

To drink, look for the Patio Pilsner on draft, a collaboration with New Haven’s East Rock Brewing, or the S&B Oyster Martini, made with an oyster vodka, dry vermouth and mignonette.

If you go

Shell & Bones is at 100 South Water St. in City Point; phone 203-787-3466. Posted hours are 4 to 10 p.m. Monday and Tuesday; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday; and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Brunch runs Saturday and Sunday until 2:30 p.m., and happy hour is 3 to 5 p.m. weekdays.

Reservations are taken through OpenTable or by phone up to 60 days ahead, for parties of up to 18. A credit card is required for groups of six or more, and no-shows or cancellations with less than 24 hours’ notice may be charged $25 a person. The restaurant asks for smart casual dress. Parking is in the lot in front, on the even side of South Water Street, and in the lot just east of the restaurant. Can’t decide whether it’s a deck night? The restaurant’s website runs a live video feed of the view.

Check shellandbones.com for the day’s oysters and specials before you go.

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