What clients say about Island Creek Oysters in Duxbury Township (MA)
I have never been so utterly disgusted by an establishment earlier today. I walked in to Island Creek Oysters expecting a fresh and new experience. Little did I know I was about to lose my love for oysters completely. I was seated after 10 minutes and waited to order. I wasn’t assigned a waiter for 25 minutes, the place wasn’t even busy. To add on, the waiter who was chosen (photo attached) was clearly a new trainee, and had 0 clue what he was doing. His service was utterly disrespectful as he spilled my drink twice before having another waiter help him out. Of course I ordered my oysters and hoped they would be able to redeem this awful and horrible service. Again I waited 45 minutes for my oysters and as the waiter approached me, I saw the oysters fly not only onto the ground but directly at me and my son’s face. I was so filled with rage that I flipped the table, destroying every glass, and plate because of this deplorable service. I believe the waiter’s name was something like Jim or something with a J, but I never want to see his disgusting, putrid, acrid face again. I hope everyone steers clear of this vile, atrocious place. Safe to say if I could leave a 0 star review, I would do it in a heartbeat.
I've been a repeat customer for years, but this may be the last order.
We've gotten burned before by the "overnight shipping" with our order being stuck in FedEx somewhere and being late, so I've adjusted to have it delivered a day or two earlier than we need it.
This year, Island Creek decided to change our delivery date from 12/29 to 12/30. The email informing me of this was sent to my spam folder, so I had no idea. When I contacted Island Creek, I was assured that my order would arrive "before 5pm 12/30" which would be great, if we weren't supposed to be 4 hours north of our home by then.
I was told "if it doesn't arrive before you're due to leave, let us know and we'll make it right."
Well, making it right would be delivering it on the day delivery was requested when the order was placed
Making it right would be making sure the communication of the change was received. I know that Island Creek quick to send me a text after I've visited the site without placing an order, so I know they are able to reach out by text.
When I explained that this change was interfering with our scheduled travel, I was told that I should just continue with my travel plans and tell someone else to come pick up my oysters and eat them.
I received FedEx alerts first stating it would be here by noon 12/30 then another text overnight that the delivery was going to be delayed to 12/31 and then another text that it is out for delivery today 12/30.
Here we sit, waiting for a delivery that was ordered to arrive yesterday and that may, or may not, show up sometime today or tomorrow.
So disappointed in how this was handled.
Amazing location and tasty fresh oysters as well as other eats and drinks. Lots of outdoor seating. Order food and/or drink at the bar and they bring it to your table when ready. There is also inside dining.
Beautiful scenery, fun and cosy atmosphere. I tried my first oysters ever. The staff were very helpful and knowledgeable. All the food was fresh and delicious. Great cocktails! Good for groups.
Excellent food and drink as always. We went to enjoy the lobster and other specials from the cancelled Hibernation Fest. However the peaceful atmosphere that this place started with over the years is increasingly being thrashed by unsupervised children turning the place into an unruly playground. Any time you get up from the table you have to watch out for kids running around through the dining area. Even worse today we sat in one of the covered tables (A1) and there was a kid throwing a football repeatedly against the plastic wall behind me. Eventually a parent told him to stop. Just a few minutes later another group of young children smashed a glass bottle with a rock. We later heard an adult tell a staff member ‘there is a broken glass bottle over there.’ It was not broken, it was smashed by their kid that they were not watching. No accountability from some of the families and it makes it hard to enjoy an otherwise serene and beautiful restaurant.
As Hibernation Fest was cancelled they were cooking the lamb on an asado cross over an open fire like they did during the amazing Hibernation Fest last year. We watched as kids were kicking the wood mulch and throwing rocks and dirt into the fire as the lamb cooked. Not a parent controlling them in sight. It’s a restaurant and that was the food they were cooking to serve customers. Hopefully the management can regain control and turn it back into the serene family friendly place it was from the raucous playground the neglectful parents have let it become.
We LOVE Island Creek Oysters!! They are truly the best oysters in the country. We’re picky, self-proclaimed oyster aficionados, and these never, ever disappoint. We have them shipped to our house about once a month, and we recently visited the farm in person. Fabulous! The tour was excellent and informative, and we even got to enjoy beautiful oysters right in Duxbury Bay. An incredible experience all around!
Professional, informative, fascinating, and all led by our excellent guide, Kathy. The oysters we shucked and ate on the boat were fresh and delicious, with all the mignonette you might want. Go to dinner at The Winsor House when you're done!
What an amazing experience! Learned the process of an oyster from start to finish.
The staff was knowledgeable ,friendly and engaging!! What a great place even if you don't do the tour there was an amazing view with a great menu and bar.
Seating inside and out were both a great Vibe. Definitely do the tour though its worth it.
This place is absolutely jam packed on a summer, Saturday evening. Wait time was like 1.5 hours. The oysters were $2.75 per, they have a good selection of other foods in case you’re not an oyster lover, as well as cocktails/full bar.
WOW!!! What a beautiful setting for this Raw oyster bar restaurant. There are plenty of seating areas outside near the ocean. The oysters were 😋 delicious and SO fresh. Several drink 🍸 options from mixed drinks to beers and non-alcoholic drinks are also available. Family friendly and pet friendly. There is plenty of free parking .
My boyfriend & I did the oyster farm tour today and it was SO fun! Molly did the hatchery tour and Sean & Peter did the boat tour, everyone was so friendly and extremely knowledgeable. We had a blast!! We will definitely be back in the future ❤️
We have been to Island Creek to eat and drink a few times before - love the location and the oysters - but the other day we went on the farm tour and I would highly recommend. The tour of the hatchery was fascinating and the boat trip was basically an all you can eat oyster fest in Duxbury Bay. Shuck yourself (I had never had the courage before but was confidently shucking and stuffing my face in no time!) or eat what is shucked for you. There is no shortage of oysters and the Island Creek team was super knowledgeable and a lot of fun. It is a steep price tag, and had the weather not been great I **might** have questioned the decision, but we loved it!
If it’s super crowded, it can get pretty hectic. They will get yr food out as soon as they can. Oysters is the best you either can sit inside or outside. It’s right off the ocean atmosphere is beautiful if you like raw dig right in.
Beyond having the best quality oysters, staff, knowledge and service, I had such a pleasant customer service experience with the online shop. I sent a birthday gift and the package was lost or stolen. ICOB sent another package at no additional cost. My friend was SO happy to finally receive her gift and ICOB could have easily charged me again. Most companies would not have responded this way. They were so fast, friendly and accommodating. Highly recommend considering for a gift - apparel or tinned fish.
And if you haven’t done the boat farm tour yet, make it happen. Best experience ever and the tastiest. Tour guides are so nerdy experienced. We felt like we were taking an interactive marine biology class that ended with fancy shellfish and a relaxing boat ride. I learned so many cool things about oysters and definitely understand now why they are so expensive.
I ordered 100 Riptides on Monday that were delivered by Fedex yesterday (Thursday)!!! If I was already impressed by the service, I was more than pleasantly surprised by the packaging, the freshness, and the quality of the oysters! The packaging consisted of the cardboard box with inside a plastic bag that contained thick layers of a recyclable beige styrofoam to protect and maintain the oysters bag temperature. The four ice packs plsced on the bottom of the box and top of the oysters were still hard as hell. Contrarily with my past experiences when ordering oysters, these ones are clean and there is no odor of mud! Special bravo too for the caliber/size of the oysters which is pretty consistent (equivalent to number 3 in France). The quality is fantastic! We had a few yesterday for lunch and for aperitif in the evening: absolutely delicious with a dry white wine! Moreover, these osters are easy to open. A brochure with instructions about how to proceed and how/ how long to conserve them is included in the parcel. The Riptides are saltier than many others that I had here in the US or Canada. If French people are reading this review, saltier does not mean they are as salty as a Marenne Oleron or Arcachon, but remember that “When in Rome, eat as the Romans eat”;-) The riptides Farm Crassostrea Virginica are actually delicious and so fresh!!! Served with simple halves of lemon or a shallot/ bloody Mary or Asiatic style mignonette they are to die for! According to the site, the oysters come Westport, MA(USA), they are farmed from 18 to 24 months, AND the good news is that they are available all year round!
Maximum respect for the passionate ostreicultors who work all day long and 365 day in very hard conditions: the fruit of your labor is so delicious that I definitively order again! Thank you!
Been on my list to visit in Duxbury. The freshest most flavorful oysters are here! Good lunch menu with plenty of choices. Beer selection was perfect to complement the food. Tinned fish sold here. Great view, friendly service. Lots of local vibes!
If you hesitate if you should order these oysters to be delivered I hope this review will help to make the best decision. We ordered 100 oysters, 50 Aunt Dotties and 50 Island Creeks from their own farm. We ordered them on December 27th to be delivered on December 30th. We received a notification that the order was shipped on December 29th at 3pm, the order was at our door at 9am on December 30th in Utah. We gave them a quick wash under cold water with a toothbrush and stored in the refrigerator under a damp towel. Aunt Dottie’s were buttery and sweet while Island Creeks large, plump and refreshing! They would have probably lasted solid 6-7 days after delivery but we were done on January 3rd. It feels good to support a great farm with passionate people while positively impacting ocean. If you are hesitant, get them, you will love it! Cheers!
A+. The oysters are absolutely perfection. We didn't have time for the farm tour but the grounds are absolutely phenomenal. It was the perfect rainy weather for me, the whole facility is just perfect.
We had a terrific day at the Island Creek Oyster Farm. The tour both inside and out was great. It's just amazing how they start & grow oysters. The best part was we got to eat as many oysters as we could. I never thought I would have to say stop, but I did! I would highly recommend this tour to all.
My fiancé and I went on a farm tour this past Saturday and truly had a once in a lifetime experience! Lily was the best tour guide and we had more oysters in one sitting than we will probably ever have again in our lives :D
Island Creek had emailed us earlier in the week to let us know that the weather would prevent us from going out on the boat, but we decided to power through and go on the tour anyways (and boy are we glad that we did!). We were the only people that did not reschedule, so we incidentally got a private tour.
Even without going on the boat, the tour was still 100% worth doing. We learned lots of interesting history/science behind oyster farming and learned how to properly shuck while enjoying some quality draft beer. We topped off our evening with stopping by the nearby Winsor House for dinner which we would also highly recommend.
Can't wait to come back with friends and family!
Had the fresh raw little necks, Island Creek and Aunt Dotty oysters. The clam chowder was a nice side with smoky deep umami flavor. Overall the meal was nice and light but excellent. And a good vibrant atmosphere. Approved!
I ordered oysters from here, and I got them super fast. They were fantastic and fresh, and I will order again in the future! This is a great option to have oysters shipped directly to your home.
The Retail shop always has the best flavored oysters in the area, great variety of Island Creek grown oysters (Island Creek, Aunt Dotty, Row 34.....) and sometimes some special oysters from Maine, Cape, PEI and other local farmers (1620, Brewster and more). The retail shop has excellent customer service.
The Winsor House restaurant is a special treat with a Great variety of oysters and excellent entrees.
The farm tour that Island Creek offers is a must do, the manufacturing tour is amazing and so informative, then a boat cruise to the local 🦪farms with all you can eat oysters 🦪 is over the top and you can bring your choice of beverage. All the tour guides have many insights of the Duxbury oyster business pioneered by Skip Bennett is the "American Dream", both the retail shop and farm tour are the best of the best, I highly recommend 👍
Loved, loved this place, such a gem! A chill vibe, on the water. Great oysters and food truck plus drinks. You can book a farm tour as well. The captain Chris was awesome, very knowledgable and nice
Great spot to enjoy fresh, local oysters and a drink with great views. Loads of seating options, undercover ones as well. Dog friendly, kid friendly. Parking is tricky and not well signed posted. Tours are also available. You can order more than just oysters
First time here , the place was pretty nice. You check in with people in front before entering, the place. You are given a paper menu and directions to order. Just pick a spot with a table number and order your food near the food truck. The stuff is brought to your table. Love the out door view. Oysters are fresh and pricy but worth it. Definitely will be back
The best oysters on the east coast!
Caviar selection is to die for and very well priced.
We also had the chance to stay on the property at their cottage and it was amazing.
Can't wait to be back in the US to eat some more oysters!!
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