As the name implies, Shiver’s has a variety of ways to please hungry folks – whether they are out for a quiet dinner or celebrating a fun occasion with friends.
The restaurant is on Court Square in downtown Ozark. It has a large dining area in the back, more walk-in type seating at the front and a nice oyster bar area. It is located in a completely remodeled space with wood floors and exposed brick walls.
There is a nice vibe to the place. It’s very clean. We sat in the front section, which, combined with the dark wood floors, seemed unusually dark given the brightness of the sun around 5 p.m. We went in the late afternoon on a weekday and, for a while, were the only patrons in the place. The pace picked up as the dinner hour approached 6 p.m.
The menu is thorough, but not overwhelming. Appetizers are offered, featuring items like onion rings, fried pickles, crab bites, mozzarella sticks and fried green tomatoes, ranging from $5.95 to $6.95. As its name implies, they also offer a dozen oysters on the half shell – raw and baked – at an unlisted “market price.”
We skipped the preamble and went right for the main course. Shiver’s name – Steak House and Oyster Bar – guided us in our selections. Jana ordered the 12-ounce rib-eye steak (big enough to share, I suggested greedily) for $18.95.
I opted for the seafood half of Shiver’s. My captain’s platter ($20.95), which I ordered grilled, offered a generous sampling of a catfish fillet, jumbo shrimp, scallops, oysters and stuffed crab. The last two items came only fried, not grilled.
Both of our entrees came with a salad and choice of potato (baked or sweet) and methodology (baked or fried).
Our salads were good, but not memorable. However, the homemade dressings – I had the ranch and Jana had Thousand Island – made up for rather typical mix of lettuce, onion slices, cucumber and finely diced tomatoes. The dressings were both delicious. I took a taste of the Thousand Island and had some order envy.
To accompany the main course, we both opted for the “loaded” baked potato.
My potato wasn’t as “loaded” as I expected. It was split in half with some cheese melted in the middle and some bacon on top of that. There was also one of those “tubes” of sour cream and an individual tub of butter on the side. I get it. Everybody has their own opinion about how much butter and sour cream to apply. We just both felt that a small bowl of sour cream would have been nicer than the tube, which reminds me of a caulking gun. I also thought my potato wasn’t quite baked through. It clearly wasn’t raw and was certainly hot, but the middle wasn’t as tender as I expected.
The stars of the meal, happily, were the entrees. Jana loved her steak and, thankfully, did share with me. It came with some marinade or pan juices that were so good she never reached for the steak sauce she requested. For a rib-eye, it wasn’t fatty, but you could tell it was a well-marbled cut of meat that was juicy and tender. It was cooked just past medium, exactly what she asked for.
The Texas toast that came with her steak was good, but she would have preferred a basket of warm bread for a more elegant touch.
I really enjoyed the grilled items on the seafood platter. The catfish fillet was large, well seasoned and took on a delicious bit of grilled, smoky flavor only acquired through this cooking method. The shellfish – shrimp and scallops – were even better on the grill.
As far as the fried items, the hush puppies that accompanied my platter were very good. I thought the stuffed crab was only OK. It was a bit dry to me. But those fried oysters were fantastic. They were some of the biggest oysters I’ve had in a while, very plump, nicely seasoned, not overly battered and tasted as fresh as anything I’ve had at the beach.
We only drank water with our meal. Our bill came to $45.13 including a 75-cent upcharge on each loaded baked potato.
Our service was excellent. We knew Shiver’s was a family place. Our server was Taylor Shiver, who was personable and informative without being intrusive. We got our salads quickly – again, the place was almost empty when we arrived – and our entrees arrived shortly after we finished the salad. With all that food, not even Taylor could talk us into dessert, where key lime pie, cheesecake and a chocolate lava cake are on the menu (each is $4.99).
Shiver’s is clearly upscale compared to many Wiregrass steak houses. But it also strives to be an oyster bar, too. The plastic glasses for our water would have been perfect at the oyster bar. However, for a great meal in an intimate setting – which we certainly enjoyed – it seemed out of place.