Half Shell Oyster House
French Quarter Vibes, Convenience Store Wine Prices
East Memphis · Memphis · Seafood, Cajun & Creole · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed March 21, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
The room earns its atmosphere — exposed brick, wrought iron, stained glass, jazz humming in the background. It genuinely feels like a French Quarter side street dropped into Memphis. Then you open the wine list and the illusion cracks a little.
Selection Deep Dive
Twenty-three wines covering California, Italy, New Zealand, France, Portugal, Washington, and Oregon sounds like range until you notice it's mostly grocery store staples with a thin layer of legitimacy. Meiomi, Apothic, Justin Cab, 14 Hands — these are wines that live in airport Hudson News kiosks and end caps at Kroger. The Broadbent Vinho Verde Rosé is the one bottle here that feels like someone at the restaurant actually thought about what goes with oysters. There are no grower Champagnes, no aged whites, no serious bubbles — which feels like a missed opportunity for a seafood house with this much personality.
By the Glass
Eighteen of the 23 wines are available by the glass, which is technically generous. The price range of $7 to $13.50 sounds approachable until you check the markup math — Apothic Red at $33 a bottle represents a 230% markup over retail, and Blackstone Chardonnay at $25 is pushing 178%. The glass program is wide but not worth most of it.
Ferrari Carano Fumé Blanc, Sonoma County — $35
At a 94% markup it's the most fairly priced bottle on the list, and it's a proper wine — bright, grassy, with enough body to hold up to buttery grilled oysters. Relative to everything else here, this one's the honest play.
Broadbent Vinho Verde Rosé, Portugal
Most people glance past it looking for Chardonnay, but this is actually the bottle built for this restaurant. Light, slightly fizzy, a little citrusy — it was made to drink with shellfish. It's the only wine on the list that feels like it belongs in a place that takes oysters seriously.
Apothic Red Blend, California
A 230% markup on a $10 grocery store wine is a hard no. This bottle has no business being on a list that charges $33 for it. Order anything else, or just get a cocktail.
Broadbent Vinho Verde Rosé, Portugal + Grilled Louisiana Oysters
The slight spritz and high acidity in the Vinho Verde cut right through the butter and garlic on those oysters without fighting the brine. This is the pairing the list is accidentally good at.
❌ The Bottom Line
Half Shell is a genuinely charming spot with food worth coming back for — but the wine list is coasting hard on the restaurant's atmosphere and doing almost nothing to earn its markups. Drink the Vinho Verde, skip the red wine section entirely, and put your money toward another round of oysters.
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