Ship Bottom Shell Fish

What Ship Bottom Shell Fish does

Ship Bottom Shellfish is a family-owned seafood restaurant founded in 1981 by Bob and Ginna Nugent at 1721 South Long Beach Boulevard in Ship Bottom, New Jersey, operating as the original flagship of the Tide Table Group — a five-restaurant portfolio on Long Beach Island that also includes Mud City Crab House, Black Whale Bar and Fish House, Old Causeway Steak & Oyster House, Parker's Garage, and Bird & Betty's. The restaurant operates seasonally (typically April through October), six days per week (closed Tuesdays), offering full-service dine-in, a fish market retail counter, and outdoor patio seating on a walk-in-only basis with no reservations. Signature dishes such as Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes, Mussels in Wine and Garlic, and Garlic Clams originated at this location and remain LBI favorites.

The business model is straightforward per-unit transaction revenue: dine-in sales across a menu priced from $6.50 (soups) to $57 (lobster, market price), fish market retail for take-home seafood, gift cards, and merchandise sales through the Tide Table Group online store (which also ships Mud City Crabcakes nationwide). There is no proprietary technology platform — the company runs on traditional seafood preparation, a Squarespace website, and RESY for a sister restaurant. The company has built a durable supply chain with multi-generational local baymen (Shoemaker Clams, Parsons Seafood) and Viking Village scallopers, and in 2017 vertically extended into oyster cultivation via the Barnegat Oyster Collective co-op, producing the proprietary Parker's Pearl oyster. Customer segments are geographically defined: year-round LBI residents, seasonal homeowners, and summer vacationers seeking authentic Jersey Shore seafood.

Name

Ship Bottom Shell Fish

Legal name

Ship Bottom Shellfish

Website

https://shipbottomshellfish.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Ship Bottom Shellfish is a family-owned seafood restaurant founded in 1981 in Ship Bottom, New Jersey, and the original flagship of the Tide Table Group's five Long Beach Island restaurants. It serves fresh local seafood via dine-in, fish market retail, and a seasonally operated, walk-in-only model catering to LBI residents and summer visitors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Casual Seafood Dining

NAICS

Fish and Seafood Retailers (445250), Shellfish Farming (112512), Fish and Seafood Merchant Wholesalers (42446)

akta.pro primary industry

Seafood Markets & Fishmongers (CRAHAHAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Marine Shellfish Farming (e.g., oysters, mussels, clams) (AFAEAAAB), Shellfish Value-Added Products (Shucked Oysters, Mussels, Clams; Cooked/Marinated) (AFANALAK)

Keywords

• Fresh seafood restaurant
• Casual seafood dining
• Raw bar oysters
• Jersey shore seafood
• Seafood fish market

Headquarters

HQ city

Ship Bottom

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Dine-in Restaurant Sales: Full-service dining room and patio seating serving fresh seafood. Menu includes appetizers, raw bar, soups, salads, entrees, sandwiches, and desserts. Open six days per week with seasonal operation.
2. Fish Market Retail: Fresh seafood retail sales from fish market counter for customers to purchase seafood products to take home and prepare.
3. Online Merchandise and Gift Cards: Tide Table Group online store sells apparel, gear, gift cards, and Mud City Crabcakes for online purchase and shipping.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Ship Bottom Shellfish is a fresh seafood restaurant and fish market in Ship Bottom, New Jersey, serving locally sourced seafood from the bay and ocean. The restaurant operates a full dine-in dining room and patio, supplemented by a retail fish market counter for take-home seafood purchases. It also sells apparel, gift cards, and signature food items (such as Mud City Crabcakes) via the Tide Table Group online store.

Product overview

Ship Bottom Shellfish is a seafood restaurant founded in 1981, operating as part of the Tide Table Group of restaurants on Long Beach Island, NJ. The company operates six restaurant brands: Ship Bottom Shellfish (the original flagship), Parker's Garage, Bird & Betty's, Black Whale Bar and Fish House, Mud City Crab House, and Old Causeway Steak & Oyster House. The product portfolio includes dine-in restaurant services, an e-commerce online store for apparel, gift cards, and shipped seafood products like Mud City Crabcakes. Signature dishes include Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes, Mussels in Wine and Garlic, and Garlic Clams. The company also cultivates its own Parker's Pearl oyster through a cooperative with Barnegat Oyster Collective.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ship Bottom Shellfish Restaurant Full-service seafood restaurant with dine-in dining room and patio seating, serving fresh seafood from the bay and ocean. Customers are walk-in only (no reservations); they sign up for a waitlist and receive a text when ready. Open six days per week (closed Tuesdays), seasonal operation April through October. Menu includes appetizers, raw bar, soups, salads, entrees, sandwiches, and desserts.
• Fish Market Retail Retail fish market counter inside Ship Bottom Shellfish selling fresh seafood (clams, scallops, oysters, and other catches) for customers to take home and prepare. Sourced from local baymen and fishermen including Shoemaker Clams, Parsons Seafood, and Viking Village.
• Tide Table Group Online Store E-commerce storefront at tidetablegroup.com/store selling apparel, accessories, gear, gift cards, and Mud City Crabcakes (shipped) for all Tide Table Group restaurants, including Ship Bottom Shellfish branded merchandise.
• Ship Bottom Shellfish Gift Cards Gift cards (digital and physical) for Ship Bottom Shellfish, available for purchase online and in-store. Redeemable at all participating Tide Table Group restaurants.
• Parker's Pearl Oyster Signature oyster cultivated in Rose Cove via partnership with Barnegat Oyster Collective, harvested and served at Parker's Garage. Made Ship Bottom Shellfish's sister restaurant the only New Jersey restaurant with its own signature oyster at launch.

Named customers4 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Barnegat Oyster CollectivecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 July 2018Partnership to cultivate signature Parker Pearl oyster in Rose Cove. Combined expertise in oyster farming with Tide Table's restaurant distribution. Matt Gregg and Scott Lennox of Barnegat Oyster Collective work with the company to restore bay oyster populations and support new generation of oyster farmers.
• Jetty (Apparel Company)coreGTM or Marketing Partner13-year partnership supporting local surf culture and community events. Joint hosting of Clam Jam, community fundraisers, and music events. Jetty Rock Foundation collaboration for charitable initiatives including Crabbin' for a Cure and Oyster Recycling Program.
• Shoemaker Clams / LittleneckscoreOthersLocal clam distributor working with approximately 12 full-time baymen in a loose co-op. Chris Scales (purchased business 1997) markets and sells clams to all Tide Table restaurants. Represents fourth-generation baymen tradition.
• Parsons SeafoodcoreOthersDale Parsons, fifth-generation commercial bayman, provides clams and shellfish 52 weeks per year. Wild and cultivated clam supply for Ship Bottom Shellfish and sister restaurants. Partnership in Oyster Recycling Program.
• Viking Village / Barnegat Light ScalloperscoreOthersScallop boats operating out of Barnegat Light provide 100% local scallops year-round. Kirk Larson manages operations with 12 boats owned by Larson family. One of three major scalloping ports in NJ.
• Jetty Rock FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCharitable foundation focused on community support. Collaborates on events like Crabbin' for a Cure (cancer families), Oyster Shellebration, Community Bridge Walk, and Eskimo Outreach.
• David's Dream & Believe Cancer FoundationminorOthersLocal cancer foundation. Co-owner Melanie Magaziner served on board of directors. Tide Table hosts Crabbin' for a Cure fundraiser specifically benefiting local families battling cancer.
• Hunger Foundation of Southern Ocean CountyminorOthersNonprofit addressing food insecurity. Melanie Magaziner serves on board of directors. Tide Table hosts Bourbon and Bites fundraiser to support families facing hunger.
• Southern Ocean County Chamber of CommerceminorOthersTide Table Group is Partner-level member. Supports local business community and economic development of Southern Ocean County/LBI region.
• Maxwell Family ShellfishminorOthers150-year family shellfish farming operation providing oyster seeds from Mullica River population for Parker Pearl oyster cultivation.
• Cassidy's Fish Market at Viking VillageminorOthersRobbie Robinson serves as wholesaler for all Tide Table restaurants. Sources tuna from local longline fleet including F/V Monica, Frances Ann, Showboat, Eaglet, and Alexandria Dawn.
• Stockton UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner in Oyster Recycling pilot program. Collaboration on oyster farming research and reef restoration in local bay waters.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights8 records

Broad incumbents

• Legal Sea Foods: Established national full-service seafood restaurant chain with broad seafood-focused menu, fish market retail heritage, and emphasis on fresh sourcing. Comparable menu structure and category positioning but operates at much larger scale across multiple states.
• McCormick & Schmick's: National seafood-focused restaurant group offering fresh fish, shellfish, and steak in an upscale-casual setting. Provides benchmark for chain-operated seafood restaurant economics and menu pricing strategy.
• Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. Tourist-oriented seafood restaurant chain operating in coastal destinations worldwide. Comparable in targeting visitors seeking an authentic regional seafood experience, though at much larger scale and broader geographic footprint.
• Joe's Crab Shack: Casual seafood restaurant chain focused on crab, shrimp, and shellfish in a tourist-friendly setting. Comparable shellfish-heavy menu positioning and casual family dining target demographic, though at significantly larger scale.

Direct peers

• Mud City Crab House: Sister restaurant within Tide Table Group (same parent company), serving seafood focused on crab cakes, chowders, and fresh local catches on Long Beach Island. Same category, target market, and local supply chain as Ship Bottom Shellfish, providing a directly comparable operating model.
• Bird & Betty's: Sister restaurant within Tide Table Group, a music venue and restaurant at 529 Dock Road in Beach Haven. Demonstrates the Tide Table Group's adjacent concept expansion and evening/late-night revenue model on LBI.
• Black Whale Bar and Fish House: Sister restaurant within Tide Table Group operating as a Beach Haven neighborhood bar and fish house with craft drinks and fresh seafood. Same operating playbook, same shared local supply network (Parsons, Shoemaker clammers), and overlapping LBI customer base.
• Parker's Garage: Sister restaurant within Tide Table Group on the Beach Haven waterfront featuring coastal contemporary cuisine and the signature Parker's Pearl oyster cultivated through the Barnegat Oyster Collective partnership that originated at Ship Bottom.
• The Lobster House: Independent family-owned seafood restaurant in Cape May, NJ serving fresh local seafood, lobster, and shellfish with on-premises fish market. Comparable independent full-service NJ shore seafood operation with similar retail fish market model and local sourcing emphasis.
• Old Causeway Steak & Oyster House: Sister restaurant within Tide Table Group operating as a year-round steak and oyster restaurant with weekly events. Provides useful comparison on year-round vs. seasonal operation and oyster-focused menu positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ship-bottom-shell-fish

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ship Bottom Shell Fish