Shellfish Cow Restaurant in South Oxfordshire

What a wonderful restaurant! The seafood was so fresh and tasty; go with the staff recommendations, they really know their stuff. The ambience was great, the music soundtrack was sublime and the restaurant team were fabulous. The service was spot on with nothing too much trouble; the staff and owner were professional yet friendly, helpful but not overbearing and attentive without being fussy. I can't recall having a better meal anywhere for quite some time!! The whole evening was glorious!

Absolutely amazing seafood sharing platter. Huge plate of crab claws, langoustine, mussels, massive prawns, hasselback potatoes and corn on the cob. The sauce was delicious buttery smokey paprika. Probably the best seafood meal we've had. Great value for the amount of food served. Excellent staff, very friendly and welcoming. Not busy when we visited at lunchtime but fully booked for the evening. Not surprised they get such great reviews.

Enjoyed our evening so much. Amazing food and lovely drinks. Special thank you to Louis and Georgia for making our evening perfect.

Wonderful independent restaurant in the heart of Henley-On-Thames. Such a lovely, varied menu, and all of our food was delicious, cooked to perfection and all so fresh; we had the crab, scallops and king prawns. The dessert crepe was really lovely too - I had mine with dark chocolate and Chantilly cream. Service was brilliant, so friendly, attentive and knowledgeable. Can’t wait to dine here again.

I can not rate this place highly enough. The food is fresh and beautifully cooked. We had the seafood roast - unbelievably tasty! The staff are friendly and attentive without rushing. Loved the upbeat music vibe and general ambience too. When you’re in Henry, find this place - you won’t regret it!

A really great lunch at this lovely restaurant. Superb food, beautifully presented.

My family and I had a great time at shellfishcow. We have a great server (named Emily) great service, had the best lobster and crab i’ve ever had. Highly recommend

We love our fish and so wanted to try a fish restaurant that we haven't tried before. Shellfish Cow came highly recommended. The initial welcome as we walked in was fantastic and we loved the decor and the music that was playing, creating a fun vibe. We chose a fish sharing platter off the specials board. It was amazing, tasty, fresh and plenty of it. We laughed as we grappled with the crab claw cracker, sending shards of crab all over the place! We washed it down with a cocktail and some wine. The staff were lovely and chatty and we would highly recommend this lovely restaurant. We will certainly be back.

This is the best seafood restaurant. Great service, ample potions, lovely atmosphere. I would recommend this to anyone.

I can't rate the experience highly enough. Very friendly staff. Food was excellent. I am planning another trip to Henley-on-Thames, just to go to this restaurant again

I have never left a review for anywhere because I can’t be bothered but I loved this place so much I couldn’t not. We were recommended this place and now I know why, I agree I could not recommend this place enough - out of this world. I have been fortunate enough in life to visit some incredible places but this place tops them all. We did only have seafood and desert no steak so cannot comment on that but the seafood was to die for. We had muscles, prawns (so big and juicy) and crab tostados (was good but not as good as other two) all mouth watering however. In addition vibes, service, drinks and prices amazing too. If you want to go to vibey place and love seafood come here it will not disappoint, if it does it was a fluke or your are silly :)

Loved this restaurant! The selection of dishes was quite small but that reassured us of freshness and quality. We ordered a variety of seafood dishes to share and they were all delicious. The cocktails were excellent and we enjoyed a fun evening. Staff were friendly and attentive. We’ll be back!

What a find!! Great restaurant. Superb food and wonderful service - thank you Louie. Cannot recommend highly enough. If you get the chance, go. Will be returning again soon. The best flavoured/seasoned steak I’ve had in a long, long while. Easiest 5 stars ever given.

I should have reviewed sooner! I regularly pop in for crab tostadas… and Louis’ company. 5 stars every time. Love the decor too.

This was a great find! Had the winter platter, not having had lobster before the staff were incredibly helpful and provided a great demonstration on how to 'peel' a lobster and crab claw. Definitely will be visiting again!

Having been to the S.C. 2 years ago and had a great time I decided to go there for my 80th birthday on Tue. 7th Jan. Being a 'quiet' time of the year we were treated to a private dining experience. There were 6 of us, my wife, son and daughter in law and grandchildren. We had several mixed platters of shellfish followed by rib eye steak. we were all agreed that the food was superb and the service excellent. At the end of the meal I had a vanilla ice cream on a decorated 'Happy Birthday' plate which was very nice. Probably one of the best dining experience I have had. Although we were the only people there it was a relaxing evening and the ambiance was as I remembered. Looking forward to going again.

The food are lovely and portion is valuable and options are very good.

Lovely cosy place with a brilliant and helpful waitress! Food was yummy and a fabulous family run business. Thank you 🙏

Food absolutely superb - the scallops in cranberry were incredible! Service was excellent - efficient and quick. Only negative was how quiet the restaurant was - probably as it was between Christmas and New Year + 6.30pm booking! Such a shame as the quality of food warrants this place being packed out constantly. A hidden gem and well worth a visit!

Lovely family-run restaurant. Thank you Georgia , for looking after us and recommending some great places to eat and things to see. You won't be disappointed at The Shellfish Cow.

Friendly welcome and lovely decor and ambience. Staff very helpful with the menu and our food - prawns, steak, fries, salad bread all delicious and super tasty. Great selection of drinks too we had cocktails and wine then finished off with lemon crepes. Would highly recommend.

The best restaurant in Henley!!! Visited last week and had scallops, muscles, steak and the best king prawns we’ve ever had! Absolutely loved it and the service was unbeatable!

The best restaurant in Henley!!!! Visited last week and absolutely LOVED it, we had scallops, muscles, steak and the best king prawns in garlic butter ever!

What a hidden gem! From the outside the restaurant does not look like much but when you are inside the food is fantastic, staff are extremely welcoming and we loved it. 5 stars all round.

If you're looking for something a little bit different, this place hits the spot with its quirky decor, carefully selected menu & winelist, and genuinely friendly service. All the details have been lovingly assembled to create a distinctive restaurant experience. The Green Apple Martini and the Selfish Fizz were both memorable for providing a layered taste profile that was like going on a journey. We would definitely have those again. The Crab Tostadas made for a great sharing experience. The combination of a light touch of chilli and a heavy dose of lime was just right to complement the crab. The 12 oz sharing Ribeye was melt-in-the-mouth good; enhanced by half a roasted garlic and roasted shallot. The basting sauce was so good, in fact, that the chimichurri sauce on the side wasn't really needed. The 1.5 lb lobster steamed in shellfish liquor was the hero here - not just for being so fresh that a distinction could be made between the textures and flavours of all the different parts of the fish - but also for providing the opportunity to benefit from Louis' personal attention. We were a bit unsure about dismantling the lobster without getting in a mess, but he offered to show us all the techniques involved. He then provided us with a step by step tutorial on how to do it which was both instructive and entertaining. I'm not sure whether I could efficiently do it without supervision next time, but I feel a lot more confident about taking on the task with his expert guidance. All in all, a most pleasant evening was had.

First time at this restaurant, and very happy with the choice. It's more of a Tapas type restaurant where you can order a mixture of dishes depending on your taste. Available sea food is kept live. The dishes ordered, cooked fresh from the tanks, were absolutely delicious. Strongly recommend you visit the web site and view the picture gallery to get an idea of what to expect. Most of the shellfish comes shell on.. so claws, prawns, lobsters, mussels need work before you eat... Can and will get messy, but tools , aprons and finger bowls are provided, which all adds to the experience... Not cheap, but worth it. Totally recommended. 👍

Cute place for a lunch. I had the steak baguette with chips. The highlight was covering the chips with the jus at the end. But the baguette was good too. The waiter was very attentive and made us all feel very relaxed.

We had a very late lunch on the wettest day of the year and were so pleased we chose the Shellfish Cow. The service was so warm despite the weather. The food is the freshest tastiest seafood I’ve had not on the coast. Will be returning to have a big sharing platter!

Such fresh shellfish and succulent steak. Great personal service. Definitely recommend for couples friends and family outings too.?

Fantastic food and excellent service. The pricing was reasonable and the portions great. We really enjoyed our night out.

What a great restaurant lovely family run business would definitely recommend louie was one of the best part of the staff and part of the family you wouldn’t beat this restaurant for seafood would recommend

Excellent food. Great atmosphere. Service was friendly and punctual. Wine and cocktails were also absolutely lovely.

Exceptional value and great cuisine, and definitely return again.

Words can honestly not even describe how amazing this restaurant is. A gorgeous independent restaurant offering something I’ve never experienced in the UK ran by a wonderful family. My partner and I came here for my birthday and we had a fantastic time. They honestly have the best oysters I’ve ever tasted, so much so we came back the next day to have more before we left! The food was second to none, the fish was so fresh and the flavours incredible. Nothing was too much to ask. By the end of the night everyone was up dancing and singing - truly magical evening and something my partner and I will cherish. Definition of chefs kiss and core memories. We cannot wait to come back! (We didn’t take many photos as we were enjoying the food but the seafood boil / roast was insane)

A restaurant specialising in fresh shellfish is a rare discovery but add to that quirky interior design with a surrealistic feature wall and family ownership (they used to run Porter's in Covent Garden) and you have the perfect recipe for a special night out. They do steak as well but that can be found anywhere so don't miss the shellfish opportunity; our oysters were landed in Cornwall and were beautifully soft and succulent. All of this doesn't come cheaply so if you're on a tight budget it's not the place for you. If you're an adventurous diner looking for something different, you'll love it.

Amazing Food, lovely staff, a real gem 💎

Great seafood available. Steak very good too

What an amazing gem of a place… booking process was simple and accommodating. On arrival the venue was buzzy and the atmosphere was perfect. We were offered a choice of tables. Staff were fantastic talking us through the menu and all the details that went with it. Service was causal and friendly with was perfect for what we wanted. Could not fault the food.. overall a fantastic visit!!

Absolute great find! Good was beautifully cooked, great flavours, we had seafood and steak, can’t fault it. Recommend it all. Good size portions. Service was great, so friendly.

Service is impeccable, never had anything like it

Hubby and I came here for our monthly dinner date. We had an absolutely amazing time. Louis was so welcoming as soon as we came through the door. He went out of his way to make sure we were happy even made us some special non alcoholic cocktails. Food was so good that we went for second round of the Oysters, we had seafood roast for mains which didn’t disappoint. The bread that went with it was so yum! We will definitely be going back. Well done Louis for your great service and attention to detail. Highly recommend this restaurant and especially if you want decent seafood, this is the place to be. See you soon Selfish Cow!!

Amazing tasty food, helpful and attentive staff. Couldn't ask for more! We'll definitely be returning

Had an amazing dinner at Shellfish Cow in Henley. The food was wonderful, but even managed to be outdone by the service. The staff couldn't do enough for you, they even brought us a celebratory scoop of ice cream when they found it was our anniversary. The food was amazing quality and generous portions. It's our favourite restaurant we've been to in a long time.

Great food, friendly service. Really good seafood roast and cocktails!

Friendly staff, attentive service, lovely food, happy to adapt to suit dietary preferences. We had steak and the seafood roast with cocktails and wine. Not sure which was the lighter red, we were given two sample to try which was really helpful.

Very delicious food and atmosphere

This will be a fondly-remembered casual birthday dinner-- everything about the experience was delightful. Each dish was faultlessly prepared, and Louis, our server, was simply perfect. Indeed, I'm sending special love to Louis for dressing my (fresh and exquisite) lobster tableside, sparing me the waste, mess and misery of wrestling with it myself. If only all restaurants did this! I'm not proud and was very grateful for his skilled assistance. A charming meal altogether, delicious, fun and without friction. I have friends who keep talking about visiting Shellfish Cow, and I intend to return with them in tow.

Shellfish Roast was so delicious. I highly recommend this place if you’re around.

Fantastic food and atmosphere. The shellfish roast was perfect for two and the paprika sauce was delicious.

Brilliant seafood restaurant. The Shellfish roast with the paprika sauce was excellent and a huge amount of food for two. Staff were great and lovely atmosphere.

From start to finish sensational. Booked for my partners daughters 13th birthday, amazing food along with amazing service , service in particular made the experience that extra bit special live lobster brought to the table , can’t wait to return

Highly recommend 5 stars Really enjoyed our family meal celebrating my son’s birthday . The sea food platter and the lobster was very delicious. Everything from food, service and atmosphere was spot on . Thank you to the member of staff who looked after us . My son loved the lobster experience and the surprise birthday treat . Will definitely go back again .

What a fun experience we had dining at The Shellfish Cow. It is not obvious from their website that The Shellfish Cow is based on a shared dining model, so one platter for the table to share. Their menu and the specials on their blackboard gave a list of possibilities, but you can easily adjust them to your own preference. The platter we chose consisted of mussels, prawns, langoustine and crab claws, and we asked to substitute the mussels for scallops and this was readily agreed. The dish was excellent, and came in a delicious sauce. We were provided with lobster pickers and shell crackers, a hammer, a bowl to clean our hands in, many napkins and two aprons. Oh how necessary those aprons were! The food was really of a very high quality.

Awesome restaurant so friendly and comfortable The food is insane! Thank you so much for a wonderful night!

Brilliant place very friendly and very helpful shellfish fantastic and tasty well worth a visit

Love this place. Excellent food and attentive waiter who went the extra mile to make our anniversary special. Seafood fresh and succulent, and the dressings we chose were bold but well-balanced. Probably our favourite seafood restaurant in the Oxfordshire/Berkshire area.

Food was solid; service was great!

We have enjoyed our summer seafood platter very much. Generous portion and everything tasted very fresh. Amazing service. The menu was short but a good selection. Would have appreciated more dessert options though.

First, and certainly not our last, visit to The Shellfish Cow today. Adored the quirky surroundings, ambience, service and food. Our waiter, Louis, couldn’t do enough for us and was absolutely charming. Pricey but most certainly worth it and a rareity to find a seafood restaurant with such a good variety on offer. Although we didn’t opt for the steaks I am sure that they would be as exquisite. Thankyou so much Louis 😁

My husband and I went to the Shellfish Cow to celebrate my birthday. We had a fantastic meal - probably one of the best we’ve had! Our waiter was absolutely lovely: great recommendations which really enhanced their dinning experience. We had garlic and chilli prawns and the lemon and ginger scallops to start - absolutely divine. Followed by the best ribeye steak ever. Full marks to the chef. The decor and atmosphere of the restaurant is really funky and cool.It was midweek and quiet, but I don’t know why, this is a gem of a place- can’t wait to go back!

Delicious crab oysters and steak with friendly service and lovely rose wine Highly recommended near the centre of Henley

My family and I recently dined at Shellfish Cow in Henley, and it was an outstanding experience from start to finish. The food was exceptional, with each dish showcasing fresh ingredients and exquisite flavors that pleased both adults and kids alike. The seafood was particularly memorable, perfectly cooked and seasoned to highlight its natural taste. What truly made our visit special was the staff. They were attentive, friendly, and incredibly welcoming, making us feel right at home. Their professionalism and warmth enhanced our overall dining experience, ensuring that both the adults and the children had a fantastic time. If you're looking for a family-friendly restaurant with exceptional food and wonderful service, Shellfish Cow in Henley is a must-visit. Highly recommended!

The food was very good. You don't have to be afraid of eating bad fish and getting sick. The employee who served zns was very friendly and helpful. The menu is very clear, but not suitable for vegetarians. The food looked very good and tasted very good too. The only thing I have to complain about is that even if you order a lot, you hardly get full. We ordered a menu for three people, a lobster and half a kilo of mussels. There were four of us and we weren't hungry anymore, but we weren't exactly full either. Still a very good restaurant. I can only recommend it!

We had a lovely dinner in Shellfish Cow. We highly recommend this place!

Genuinely one of the best seafood meals we've had in the UK. Luis/Louis was an effortlessly skilled waiter, with a host of solid recommendations, who in many ways made the evening. The food was as fresh I've found away from the coast, and the passion for high quality presentation was clear. The chef, although we didn't meet, clearly had a specialty for seafood, and the scallops, prawns and Mussels in particular were perfectly cooked. If you enioy seafood, and you are within 20miles of Henley, make sure your visit. We will be back very soon I'm sure.

Wonderful! Restaurant is super quirky, small and cosy. Fairy lights at the bar, fun wallpaper, long stem candles for the vibes. Service was lush. They were all so sweet and were so attentive and were very helpful. Atmosphere was cosy and sweet. It wasn’t actually too busy when we came by on a Saturday night at 6pm so there wasn’t too much of a buzz but the music lifted the vibes. We went for the Seafood Roast with extra bread. Consisted of crab claws, mussels, prawns, langoustines, corn on the cob and hasselback potatoes in a butter/paprika sauce. Ordered 3 cocktails (Apple Martini quite strong/sour but could be the chilli syrup in it!) all came down to £109 for everything. Was my partner’s birthday as I emailed them asking if I could decorate the table (they were fine with this!). When we didn’t order deserts they brought out a scoop of the nicest, thickest vanilla ice cream with ‘Happy Birthday’ written on the plate :) it was a very kind gesture! Only thing I’d say is there was a bit of sand in all the mussels we ate but they were still yum and I’d put the music a tad louder to make it a bit less quiet when you’re eating! :) Will definitely be coming back!!!

Very nice looking restaurant and lad doing the service was great so no problems with that, but the food not good. Lobster cooked in fish stock ?, really, more like boiled water with a bit of celery and onion chucked in, tasteless and over cooked so tough. Devilled crab ok but again not exciting.

Amazing food and lovely staff!!

We visited Shellfish Cow in Henley on a Tuesday evening, 25/6, to celebrate our wedding anniversary. There was a lovely atmosphere, and we received a warm welcome from the owner/manager Jo, and our waiter Louis. Food was absolutely delicious, we shared scallops, prawns and sirloin steak with salad & fries. Such an enjoyable, relaxed evening in a unique restaurant, with a perfect balance of professionalism and friendliness from our excellent and efficient waiter Louis. We will be back!

Shellfish Cow is an excellent restaurant. This was our second visit having visited during the regatta last year and it was just as good the second time round. The food is delicious and the portions are generous. Staff are very friendly and welcoming. Can’t wait to go back again!

Best espresso martini’s I’ve ever had. Not only did we have a great lunch, we had a great server Louis who attended to our needs and was great!

Such great food and the service is great. It is a sharing restaurant and I went with my family and 4-5 dishes was enough for the 4 of us

Amazing food, lobster was nice and sweet, oysters fresh, will be visiting again

Popped in for some late lunch and got the seafood roast, the bread and house salad to share between two. It was absolutely delicious and so fresh and the bread is a must for absorbing all the sauce once the seafood was all gone! The staff were really nice and accommodating and the price was very reasonable for the quality of the food. Would recommend to anyone who loves seafood and will definitely be back!

Food was excellent, lovely crab and steak, but the service was terrible. Restaurant was only half full and it was only 7pm, but we only got served half our drinks, then ask for wine bucket, then the ice! Starters arrived, we then had to ask for cutlery, plates and napkins. The mains arrived and no salt or pepper on the table! We were informed that 2 members of staff were sick, but when you’re paying over £50 per person for a meal it’s not what expect for a nice meal and the conversation is about poor service.

Relaxing. Amazing customer service. Talked you through different options. Cheese board is a must. Chocolate biscuits and frozen grapes. I know sounds odd but it works. Grapes act like a sorbet to clean your pallet and Chocolate makes the Cheese creamier. You guy waiting on is brilliant. Family business. Please try you won't be disappointed.

Fantastic little restaurant selling, as its clever name implies, shellfish and steak. Several of the shellfish dishes are served tapas style; perfectly cooked, these are ideal for sharing. A relatively small core menu is supplemented by monthly specials, with platters, whole crabs and whole lobsters also available. Delightful flavours, well presented and supplemented by a great wine list, with everything available by glass as well as by the bottle

A really good evening out. Food was exquisite. We enjoyed a relaxed but stylish dining atmosphere, warm helpful service, good cocktails and a fantastic menu. We opted for the fresh oysters, crab tostada, lobster and sides - all excellent. For us it was a treat at the price point but very good value so well worth a visit.

My partner and I had a wonderful meal at Shellfish Cow. The food was sublime and the service was attentive and friendly. GO! It's worth it.

Amazing evening.. made so welcome and service from then on remained at a high standard.. As for the food, well this was incredible.. Honestly one of the best meals I have ever had. Thank you for a wonderful evening.

Friendly service, beautiful seafood and a lovely bottle of white wine, need I say more??? Loved it!

We booked for my husband’s birthday bash, was a surprise dinner with friends. I was a bit nervous because I wanted to make sure we all had a really good nite out. Got to get a babysitter, taxis and all that jazz 🤗 We received a very warm welcome by Jo-Anne and the staff, the food and wine was fab, fresh and tasty, everything you could wish for and more! Sorry I haven’t got any pictures for you, was too busy stuffing my face! We are all hooked on the Shellfish Cow and looking forward to going back soon. Thank you

A decidedly very positive experience: from booking via email (friendly and quick response), to the welcome, the service, the food and the concept for sharing dishes. Small detail, but much appreciated, is giving the possibility to choose shrimp whether to take shelled or not. I gave 4 stars to the food, not for the quality, but for the offer we found available on Saturday. We arrived for dinner at 6:30pm and both the crab and lobster were not available - we were a little disappointed. I opted for a good surf&turf: sirloin and shrimp ;-). All very good. As for desserts, they could complete the menu with a chocolate cake or something similar. Excellent service and very attentive to the customer. Should we return to the area, we will definitely return to taste their dishes... and who knows, maybe we will find a nice crab to welcome us!

Great little seafood place with friendly, attentive staff and a charming ambience. Presentation and freshness of the food is excellent. Highly recommend it if in Henley.

Fantastic quality seafood properly cooked with great service.

Wow, the food was amazing. shellfish roast really tasty Will recommend it to family and friend

What a amazing evening the staff was fantastic and so friendly the food was out of this world I had the shellfish roast and omg best thing I every eaten in my life 5*to the chef and 5*to the staff I will be defo coming back for more delicious food

Table of eight, mixed ages including baby. Friendly and efficient service. Delicious food. Warm and welcoming decor. Highly recommend

This is a spectacular restaurant, with the most amazing, friendly staff. The food was perfect. We were blown away with how wonderful this place is. Would highly recommend.

I had the most wonderful birthday meal with my mother and partner. Our waiter was so friendly and good at explaining the menu. We had a sharing seafood platter which was phenomenal, followed by a steak which had an unbelievably delicious sauce. The decor is unique and stylish, and has a fun yet fancy vibe to it! I also thought the price of the food was very reasonable too. I will be returning soon for more amazing food.

We took the decision to try this place based on the reviews also the fact meant to be a fish restaurant...when we do a searching for a fish restaurant in Henley this is the one that pop up as the best...but it was a complete disappointment all the ways, the menu on that day wasn't inspiring and no other fish option for a main course, the dish we choose "Shellfish Roast", no seasoning, tasteless, it was like a paprika soup...the combination of corn on the cob, roast potatoes, all bulb garlic not even cut, inside the sauce with shellfish is an unusual combination and not discussing taste of each one but if you tried shellfish from your local fishmongers you will have more taste. The board with the daily Chef recommendation instead to put in a position easy to read for the most of the customers ( like the bottom of the room side the kitchen door) it was facing another hall...the information should be visible to everyone. The tools to break/open the crab claws very inadequate....too small. We came for food and not looking for drinks...we ate everything that doesn't mean it was enjoyable....but a respect for the resources available.

Had the shellfish roast, was super satisfying and the paprika and full roast garlic bulb in the buttery sauce was fantastic. The portion is for two but could easily serve 3. My only two criticisms are: I felt the shellfish roast just needed a second salt seasoning after it was served, you can lose the delicate flavour of the crab meat and langoustines in the sauce otherwise. Get some bibs in for people ordering, part of the experience and then less time spent worrying about spilling on clothes. Could sell them too! Great service, great food, good Sancerre and the lunch menu looks really fairly priced for a revisit.

Delicious seafood and very helpful staff! Would come back!

Lovely restaurant. Very accommodating. Nice family run business. Gorgeous food. Would recommend.

Great evening with family. Food was really good, lovely for sharing. Great service, would definitely recommend!

Lovely lunch yesterday in Henley. The Cataplancha is value for money sweet fat scallops, juicy mussels and plenty of prawns. The chilli ginger has a nice spicy kick. Wines are reasonably priced too

Lovely restaurant with fresh seafood and amazing steak. How lucky to have this in Henley hundreds of miles away from the sea. All food also suitable for children.

A brilliant restaurant. From the minute we walked in, we were so well looked after. The food was off the charts, we were well guided with the menu after a conversation, and the manager Louis was the very best host. If you haven’t been, go. Couldn’t recommend it enough. Can’t wait to go back 🦐🦞🦀

Went to this restaurant with my son who loves seafood and we weren’t disappointed, everything was fresh and would visit again!

Service is so nice, food is so nice. Zero regret to have dinner here on Valentine’s Day!