I have recently fell in love with Dahlonega! Living close to Atlanta can drain your soul, and escaping here at least for me replenishes it. I was in town with my family this weekend for bear in the square one of my most favorite festivals all spring/summer. It was a glorious day, and we thoroughly enjoyed our day.  After taking our time looking at everything we were ready for lunch, i didnt want the fast food fair they were offering at the festival so we walked down to corkscrew for lunch, as it is listed  number 1 on yelp and tripadvisor, sadly it was 3pm and they were now serving dinner. So second choice was back porch we walked back up and were quickly seated upstairs. Upon looking at the prices and yes they were also serving dinner at 3 pm, which seems strange dinner hours in the city are 5pm-10pm. oysters on half shell 24.00 a dozen!!!! Yikes! we had been in Savannah the week before and had em for 8.00 so no oysters, penne and shrimp and scallops was really good, but tiny scallops at 19.00 i shared  ahi tuna 28.00 with my daugther it was good, but they had no soy sauce at all to serve with this dish, its a asian seafood dish that came with wasabi and ginger but no soysauce to eat it with?!?  i must admit the high prices really took me by surprise, Living near Atlanta I can expect these high cost at Atlanta Fish market, but i just cannot justify such extremes in a tiny town. The food WAS Good, not great, not blow my mind but not bad either. Highlight of the meal was the best key lime pie i have had in a long time but it better be at 6.50 so three meals, no appetizers, one beer and three desserts was aprox 120.00 for family of four.  If cost is of no concern then by all means give them a try but take your gold card.
Review Source:I do not think I would have learned about this place unless someone had mentioned it to me. This was my first time in Dahlonega, besides passing through on US 19. It was worth the visit.
I ordered the fried oysters. I was pleased to hear these were Atlantic oysters.
They were complimented with cole slaw, fries and hushpuppies.
I had a slice of Key Lime pie; it was good. The deserts are made locally.
The weather was great on the day I visited to eat outside, the porch offers a great view of the square. The owner, from the Outer Banks region, designed the interior and added the porch - it looks like it is part of the original structure, but it is not. This place is like a coastal restaurant in the mountains.
I do plan to come back to try other items. The service was good and the staff was nice.
Parking is available around the square and the city also has free parking a few block away.
Got a reco from a local that this is one of the best spots in town for a quicker, heartier bite. Just finished wine tastings, so wanted a little bit of heavier food.
The ambiance was great - very authentic. The servers seemed like they enjoyed being there, and like the food they serve - which is great.
We got cold oysters on the half shell and they were fresh and great tasting. Highly recommend. We also got the fried shrimp and the fish and chips - both delish.
Will definitely come back next time I'm in town!
It seems we make an annual trek into Dahlonega in the fall. Â This time we stopped at the Back Porch Oyster Bar. Â And I'm glad we did. Â This place specializes in fresh seafood. Â It was certainly tasty and very well presented. Â
We started with the clam chowder. Â This was a mix of New-England and Manhattan styles of chowder, and the mixture really does work. Â Totally delicious hit. Â I may never look at clam chowder the same way again.
We then had the Sea Bass and the Shrimp & Grits. Â The Sea Bass (In a Lemon-Basil Beurre Blanc, Topped with Lump Blue Crab, Capers and Grape Tomatoes. Served with Truffled Mash and Asparagus.) Â was very mild and flavorful. Â Good stuff. Â The Shrimp & Grits (Shrimp Sauteed with Scallions,Yellow Onions, Mushrooms and Bacon in a White Wine Hollandaise Sauce Served over Grits) Â seemed a little heavy on the butter, but was delicious.
I wish we'd had room for dessert, because we really were enjoying some down time on the upper balcony overlooking the square. Â But we'll be back. Â Holler if you're coming with.
My husband and I ate lunch here while driving through on our way home to Missouri after vacationing in Florida.
It is GREAT! I had the sea scallops. They were perfectly cooked and prepared in a delicious dish that filled my belly and my spirits! My husband had the shrimp sandwich and he was very pleased as well.
Service was excellent and we really enjoyed the veiw of the town square from our seat on the upper porch.
We had a nice time sitting on the porch here - it was a good atmosphere. Where we were sitting by the door was a little cramped though.
We had some grilled fish nugget type special appetizer - they were just ok. And we split a fish meal that I can't even recall so I guess it wasn't that memorable. The best part of the meal was the bisque - it was delicious. Our service was good too.
We might go back - it was a little pricey for what we had - but again, we liked the porch.
Friendly staff (young lady got up to greet us before we even go to the porch where she was working) and wait staff. One of my favorite things about any good restaurant is an uncomplicated menu, with daily specials. They have that! The back porch was too sunny, so they sat us on the front porch, where we had a great view of the Dalonega Public Square. Fly control was good, for outdoors, but there was a slight dumpstery odor in the whole area, which they could not help in a warm climate.
Other than that, the view was great, the food good, f a little pricey for lunch - but I don't mind paying for good food. It's paying to much for bad or average food I don't like. We got good food, pleasant service, and you couldn't beat the day! I would go back regularly if we lived in the area.
Carol got the salmon special, and I had beer battered fish & chips. Mmmmmm. Good lemonade, too. Since we watch our intake (and expenses), we skipped desert. Maybe another time . . .
I love this place, especially since the owners hail from the greater Outer Banks of North Carolina and they bring the seafood in fresh from great companies on the coast. None of that imported or frozen stuff, this is the real deal. For all of you seafood snobs out there who are afraid of seafood in the mountains (and I can only say this because this is how I normally feel), this is no Long John Silver or Outback. The food here is fresh and delicious.
The restaurant is family owned, as the chef is the son of the owners and they also employee their young grandsons during the summer. Friendly people who know about seafood and hospitality. Â
Decorum is all OBX! Gotta love it.
Stopped here completely by chance for dinner en route to North Carolina, and was quite impressed by the quality of the food and friendliness of the staff.
The shrimp and grits was the best I've ever tasted; huge butterflied shrimp in well-seasoned sauce over creamy grits. The tilapia tacos were good but didn't quite work as a whole. The fried onion rings were a great topping and the spicy sauce was great, but the fish seemed overcooked. But they were huge - two was nearly more than you could eat.
The highlight were the homemade pies with homemade crusts. The coconut cream was amazing - perfectly moist. The key lime was nice, but the buttery graham crust was even better. The desserts alone would be worth the visit.
Wanted to check out the number of beers on tap, but was driving much further. A bit pricy but quality food and good options for kids. Would definitely go back if ever through the cute historic town again.
Overlooking the town square the staff was very friendly and worked to accommodate out group of 6 including two small children. The crab dip was exceptional. Creamy and delicious. My oldest daughter ordered the cheese quesedilla which came out looking pathetic. The shrimp burgers were tasty but WOW watch out for the sauce. It is spicy. I have the fish and chips but substituted to fries for hushpuppies. They were pretty good. There are lots of options on the square and this was a good.choice especially if you like a little island flair up on the North Georgia Mountains.
Review Source:A little pricey, but worth it. I had salmon, he had grouper and both were delish. No need to reach for extra seasoning since the spices are so wonderfully combined to give you the best tasting dish. Â We sat out on the porch to enjoy the atmosphere and even though is was cloudy and cool we still had a nice time.
We definitely will go back there and happy to know it is so close by. Â This is not your baked potato and a side place. Â These dishes are special.
While visiting my brother in Marietta we took a day trip to Dahlonega......what a beautiful, friendly town. Â Took a chance on a cute little restaurant on the square and came away with the best fish taco I have ever had....so good I signed up on yelp so everyone could enjoy this place. Â My best advice is to do yourself a favor and plan a trip to Dahlonega and the Back Porch.
Review Source:Went here for lunch today in Dahlonega. Â They are moving into another spot on the square soon. Â The waitress told me hopefully by July 4th.
Service was excellent. Â Food was great. Â I had the Ahi Tuna which was amazing. Â It came with some diced tomatoes and a side of potatoes. Â Both were excellent.
If you are in Dahlonega, then don't hesitate to hit this spot up.
There are less than a handful of good restaurants in Dahlonega, and this is one of them. Â I've been here twice...once for lunch, and once for dinner. Â Quality food, and reasonable prices. Â Great attitude and service from owner and staff. Â Bottom line, I'd return. Â PS. try to sit outside
Review Source:I first went to the oyster bar when I was in college at NGCSU. Â It is such a diamond in the rough! Â You would never know it's there well, unless you just happened to see it.
The atmosphere is wonderful. It's like taking a trip to the beach. It even smells like a little beach restaurant.
The food has always been wonderful. I always gravitate towards the daily specials. Usually always a scallop dish, one because I love them, and two because they prepare them perfectly! Â My boyfriend had the seasonal soft shell crabs that were fabulous.
And of course we had oysters. I mean who can go to an oyster bar without eating some on the half shell. They usually have several varieties that are brought in fresh and served with the typical cocktail, horse radish, and saltines...yum! Â
It is a small restaurant but there is word that the restaurant will be moving to a new, larger location. I hope it keeps the same appeal. We LOVE this place and tell everyone we can about it. I'll drive from Gainesville any day for this treat!
I haven't been to the Oyster Bar since my college days (too many years ago) and in retrospect, all I remember of those visits was that the restaurant tended to be more Bar (alcohol) than Bar seafood; sure, they served oysters and a few other stuff, but the atmosphere steered towards nightclub with a heavy mix of college aged patrons drinking it up. Those where days gone by as a recent visit to the Oyster Bar provided a phenomenal seafood culinary extravaganza.
On a recent trip to Dahlonega, the Fiancee' doubled over in need of some serious seafood fixage (she's a seafood junkie)! An affixed menu to the chalk board sidewalk sign appeased her seafood seeking craving, and we proceeded to scale the well worn staircase to the Oyster Bar's lair.
Friendly greetings where immediate as the smiling young beauty standing near the entryway quickly asked for our seating preference (we chose the back porch) and led us to our table. Within minutes another friendly and smiling young beauty (gotta love college towns) arrived for our drink order; she quickly serviced our desert infused pallets and with an appropriate time lapse, returned to take our order; the few questions as to seafood offerings where met with knowledgeable answers and recommendations, but the Fiancee' was let down by the "sold out" Steamed Peel N' Eat Shrimp as Saturday's patrons cleaned the place out (new shipments of shrimp wouldn't arrive till Monday).
With peel and eat shrimp panging, the Fiancee' readily succumbed to the waitress' recommendation of the fried shrimp and scallops; this Lunch menu offering proved to be a bounty of perfectly prepared shrimp and scallops along with fries, and hushpuppies; shrimp and scallops fresh tasting, very lightly battered, and seasoned just right; fries served hot and lightly seasoned; hushpuppies served hot and delicately flavored.
My choice of the Chile Seared Ahi Tuna was phenomenal as the Tuna was expertly seasoned and prepared; it truly melted in the mouth with a sweet taste of fine chilies and a subtle marinade. The side accompaniments of Rosemary Roasted Red Potatoes and Fresh Tomato in Basil Oil proved worthy of any high end restaurant in that each where delicate in flavor and preparation, yet supremely complimentary of the Ahi Tuna.
A visit to the Oyster Bar should not be missed, and I'm so glad to see that they improved upon my memory of a nightclub atmosphere. The Oyster Bar is very worthy of the finer choice seafood restaurants found near Atlanta and is a phenomenal asset to the Dahlonega square.
My date and I were in Dahlonega for lunch on Labor Day. Â She works in town and gave me three choices for lunch. Â It did not take much more than saying "oyster bar" before I said let's go there. Â I was not disappointed. Â As noted in another review, you step into the restaurant and you immediately feel like you are in the Keys. Â We sat on the porch and I commented that I expected to turn around an see water, not the town of Dahlonega. Â I was a little disappointed in the variety of food on the menu, but what we got was good. Â I got a dozen oysters. Â I am not a oyster expect, but the owner stopped by and noted that he only serves cold-water oysters which are supposed to not have an bacteria risk. Â They were good, but smaller than the variety of oysters I have eaten recently (different kind of shell as well..as I said, I am not an oyster expert, so I cannot say what kind they were). Â My date got the fried shrimp and scallops. Â It was more than she could eat so I helped her finish it off. Â It was delicious! Â Not too heavily breaded and a wonderful flavor. Â I really liked the dipping sauce. Â It was a bit pricey, but to be in the North Georgia mountains, it was definitely very good seafood.
Review Source:Good seafood and good quanity for lunch. Â The crab cake with spinach was filled with lots of crab meat and not dry. Â My husband's fried shrimp with scallops were delicious, too. Â Service was extra fast and friendly. Â We will definitely eat here again.
You can dine on the porch on nice days.
I was expecting alot because of the great reviews, but the best thing about this place is the friendly service. Â The cook gave my wife a cigarette and the owner came out to speak with us; he might be a lifelong Jimmy Buffet fan by the decor & ambiance of the place. Â The crabcake is the best thing on the menu (from a non-oyster eater), but the fried seafood platter (grouper, shrimp, mini scallops, hush-puppies and cole slaw) could have come from Red Lobster. Â The specials sounded great, so I might give them another chance.
Review Source:My husband and I decided to go to Dahlonega one night for dinner and try someplace new. Â We choose this restaurant and were completely blown away by the meal. Â This was one of our top 5 meals ever in Georgia.
The atmosphere is very relaxed and the food is incredible. Â We tried the Oysters and the Shrimp Bruchetta appetizers. Â My husband had the special of the night, Yellow Eye Snapper, and I had the scallops. Â
You can tell the chef and owners have a love of food as there is so much creativity in the ingredients used in each dish. Â
One of the side items on my husband entree was a corn relish with shrimp and lump crab.  I loved it so much I wanted the recipe so I can serve it at a shower I am throwing soon.  When I asked the owner about it she could not even really tell me exactly what she put in it that night because it changes based on what she had on hand.  However, she gave me the basic recipe, lots of cilantro, fresh white corn, generous amount of cumin, and then what ever other veggies she wants to throw in it with sauteed shrimp and lump  crab meat.  I could eat a full helping of just this for my meal.
Up the stairs, to the back, into a whole different latitute. Â You really do feel like it's 5 o'clock everywhere once you get seated. Â
And oh my yummy! Â HUGE fish taco. Â I needed a fork to finish everything on my plate that fell OUT! Â
We went at lunch, and they do have a lunch menu. Â The kids menu is reasonably priced, and is what you would expect: chicken fingers, burgers etc. Â
Hubby had the fish and chips basket and everyone left full and happy.
You can save some moolah by ordering water, as the drink prices are a bit on the high side.
Our friend Bill next door at The Branding Iron told us that we would have the best seafood of our lives if we just stepped next door and went to the Back Porch Oyster Bar. Best seafood of our lives? In Northern Georgia? I have to admit, I was highly skeptical.
But, it turns out that this was totally amazing. Absolutely some of the best seafood of my life. Bill did not lead us astray.
When you walk in, you feel like you just stepped into a cafe in the Keys (in a good way) and expect the ocean to be just beyond the back porch. We had peel your own shrimp and the fish tacos. Both we're absolutely fresh and completely delicious.
If you are in Dahlonega - you must go here. You'll never believe how incredible the food is! The owner is also extremely friendly and both times I was there - went around and greeted every table that came in.
The 5 best restaurants in the 2015 Denver Restaurant Week
3,611 Views | Category: Denver
The complete list of 2015 Denver Restaurant Week businesses
1,972 Views | Category: Denver
The tourists' guide to Portillos: 5 must have dishes
3,318 Views | Category: Chicago
Pho = Pronounced "fuh" not "foe" for pho-king sake
2,916 Views | Category: Denver
Indulgery selected to exhibit at Collision Conference
2,987 Views | Category: Press Releases
Not Logged In
BUSINESSES
Local Businesses
Near Me
My Favorites
SOCIAL
Blog & News
MY ACCOUNT
Login
Register
Contact Us
Add Your Business
