A new seafood palace has landed in Durham. Here’s a peek inside
A new seafood palace opened in Durham recently, blending backyard vibes and shellfish tower dreams.
The new Jean’s By The Sea set sail with a soft opening over the weekend, giving Durham a taste of this new counter-service seafood bar.
Opened in the former Wimpy’s Grill on Hillsborough Road, Jean’s is owned by Kate Elia, a longtime hospitality and wine pro who modeled the restaurant after classic fish camps along the North Carolina coast.
“Some of my favorite places are the seafood shacks we have in North Carolina,” Elia said in a December interview.
Now open, most of Jean’s is outside, with a large grassy backyard with picnic tables and a line of stools along a wall. A metal carport also offers some covered tables and even features a vintage ship painting.
Inside, the narrow dining room features a row of booths under a wall of windows and an ordering counter.
Jean’s seems to draw on two Durham favorites, the departed St. James Seafood, which dealt in Calabash platters and pristine raw shellfish, and the iconic Saltbox Seafood Joint.
On the Jean’s menu, you’ll find Calabash-style platters of shimp, oysters, catfish, scallops and seasonal catches, served with crinkle cut fries, hushpuppies and slaw, starting at $18. There are shrimp rolls for $15 and fried fish sandwiches topped with North Carolina hoop cheese at $16. Instead of shellfish towers, Jean’s calls its chilled raw offerings “Tackle Boxes,” built with escalating combinations of crudo, ceviche, oysters, shrimp and other cold snacks, ranging from $27 to $74, with names like the S.S. Minnow and Jaw’s themed “A Bigger Boat.”
On the warm side, look for shrimp and grits, a creamy New England-style chowder and spiced and buttery peel and eat shrimp.
With its beverage program, Jean’s quickly stands out in Durham, for offering counter-service cocktails, leaning into rum-based punches and smokey mezcal. Beers include Modelo on draft, plus craft breweries from the South. The Michelada can be served with an optional raw oyster back.
Jean’s By The Sea is open Tuesday through Saturday for lunch and dinner from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. The restaurant is located at 617 Hicks St. in Durham.
This story was originally published February 24, 2026 at 1:08 PM with the headline "A new seafood palace has landed in Durham. Here’s a peek inside."
