Curlee’s Fish House & Oyster Bar

Pros: cute décor and artwork, oysters on the half shell were better than others we’ve had in Rome, the garlic mashed potatoes were the best part of our meal.
Cons: the hostess was wearing flip flops, the salad was wilty and lackluster. I ordered seared Ahi and it came out covered in sesame seeds and chia seeds, medium-​well, appeared to have been baked. My guy ordered mahi, and it was uninspiring and bland.
I found it to be overpriced, and while the atmosphere seemed to be laid-​back, the other wait-​staff (apart from our waiter who did ok) were very unprofessional in appearance. I could see the bus bins from where we were dining.

Portions are a bit light however the price is right. Shellfish are decent size and flavor. Tasty, light batter, not greasy.
Try the sweet potato waffle fries as a side.

We ordered a beer outside and after about 30 minutes the waitress brought them. Then she never showed back up. We had to go inside to pay. So I think that the service is just plain bad. We went elsewhere to eat.

Calamari app was great! Raw oysters & Key Lime oysters great, too! Kids said their chowder was a little too creamy (thin) for their usual but good flavor. :)

I had the pasta Alfredo ala Curlee’s w/​shrimp. It was ok, but just ok. Honestly Chili’s is much better. Husband had the fried oyster, but he said Jeffersons are just as good. Daughter couldn’t find anything on the menu she’d eat except the kids chicken tenders and she’s 17. Hard wooden chairs. There was some guy that looked like a reject from the Sons of Anarchy doing an acoustic set in the bar. Couple of pool tables upstairs. But at least the restroom was clean. Had initially planned to go because a friend was supposed to be playing there, but his plans changed. We won’t go back. Food was overpriced and just not worth it.

Up to Rome for the Steeple Chase… hit main street to find food and drinks… for a crowd of 8 or so. Busy place across the street from Curlee’s. So we decide to check Curlee’s out to see what kind of wait. not very many people there at all which is usually not a good sign.
Owner greeted us warmly, strongly encouraged us to sit down for dinner and the food was GREAT! We all had something different. It was fresh and tasty. Friday Night Chef Specials ROCK.
Then afterwards, a little guitar combo started up and played so many great classic rock and roll songs. We danced off the calories from the feast we had just had and sang and laughed… great time.

The food was good. I had the fish and chips appetizer and the crack a lack salmon with garlic potatoes and hushpuppies. The fish was fried and came with lightly seasoned potato chips made in the resturant. They are a meal in themselves. The salmon was cooked medium well with their crack a lack sauce. The salmon was great and the sauce was sweet. The garlic mashed potatoes were good as well. The only complaint is that it was a little pricy for the appetizer. Otherwise, it was good.

Drove through Rome on the way out from Finster Fest in Summerville. I was sure Rome was open on Sundays. I was a bit wrong and we happened into Curlee’s because they were open. I worried because there were only 2 ½ stars. The three of us ordered the shrimp bruschetta, crab cakes, shrimp tacos and the arugula salad. They were all fabulous and delicious and presented well. The only thing we noticed was that the steamed veggies were frozen, ugh. The service was very good and although my first glass of wine came out not good, it was rectified quickly with a nicer selection. I sure hope this means they stepped up their game.

one star for the waitress who did a 4 star job, and one star for the 4 star oysters. the rest of the meal was almost inedible. the bar looked nice but the dining area was bleak even with the large format gaudy nautical paintings. was an appetizer night, trying to save a few bucks. gave my son a hard time for not eating his boom boom shrimp — one taste later and i knew why. weird moldy taste that was prevalent in the shrimp, my clam chowder and my wifes curlees fingers as well. curlees fries belong to– and probably came from — a fast food restauant. 3 measley breaded finger sized curlees fingers for my wife and supremely processed tasteless fried calamari w/​jalapeño for all of us. what a disappointment and im being kind. saving a few bucks cost us $ 50. before tip. im surprised that curlees hasnt curled up.

Disappointed. Good atmosphere, and the menu seemed promising, but it was not a great experience.
We ordered a ½ dozen raw oysters — they were the highlight of the meal, which (the careful reader will understand) means the meal was all downhill from there.
My friend ordered the fish tacos with fries. The fries were cold and tasted stale — we told the waitress and she seemed eager to make it right, so she took the plate back to the kitchen. About 45 seconds later, the exact same plate came back out with only-​slightly-​warmer stale fries: the kitchen had just microwaved the plate for a few seconds! Blew my mind! Fries are relatively such an inexpensive item in a restaurant — when a customer sends them back because they’re cold and stale, why would you not make a fresh batch to ensure that doesn’t happen again!!! Didn’t set a good tone for the meal.
My wife got the shrimp po’ boy. In her words, «it was okay. Really heavy though. Not sure I’d get it again.»
Personally, the worst for me was (of all things) the cucumber with my side salad — tasted like it had pesticide on it! Did they not rinse it?
The blackened ahi tuna was okay, but not spectacular.
Not to be totally negative: the oysters I mentioned were really delicious, the hush puppies were excellent (though not a difficult culinary item to prepare…) and the soup was pretty good.
Seems like there’s potential here, but I’m not sure even if they reach it that I’ll be back to enjoy it.

When my friends visited Curlee’s for the first time, the week it first opened, they had a horrible experience (iffy food, not great service, etc.). Because the options for food in Rome are limited, my husband and I are always dying to try new places, so we talked them into coming back with us so we could give it a try.
The second time around was much improved from my friends’ first experience, which indicates that this new restaurant is trying to learn from early mistakes and improve — a good sign. We ordered a few dozen oysters for appetizers (both raw and cooked), which were pretty good and shucked right in front of the customers at a table in the back. The entrees were also reasonable and nicely portioned. 3 of the 4 diners liked the meals they were served, though my friend found her fish tacos to be less than what she expected. We also tried the «Maple Bacon Experience» for dessert, which combined bacon, onions, maple syrup, waffle cone pieces, and ice cream for a dish that was unique to say the least. This was just ok — too much maple syrup and too many onions, without enough bacon and ice cream for balance. If we return (and we probably will), I’ll probably try something else off the dessert menu next time. The server was very nice, and lots of help was available to clear plates, check if we needed more drinks, etc.
Overall, Curlee’s seems like a good addition to the Broad Street scene that has to overcome a few bumps in the road before it can be considered great. I do hope that it continues to improve, though, so I can return to report a rating that is above average.