I'VE NEVER felt so guilty about running a restaurant review. Not because The Wheelhouse in Falmouth is bad. Far from it. But because the owners don't want any publicity.

It's a heartening ethos in these days of mass media and social networking when even the purchase of a new fork is tweeted by some celebrity chef wannabe.

Tina Hopton, a Falmouth maid, as she puts it, and her partner Matt Horan don't need the likes of me waxing lyrical, can live without a website and certainly won't be advertising anywhere.

It's old-fashioned word of mouth they are after – and following two very successful years in business, they've got it.

Just look at Trip Advisor (see there is a Wheelhouse web presence even if the couple don't want it, but I bet they secretly love this one) – it's at the No 1 spot ahead of 56 other eateries in Falmouth, with 84 reviews – 83 excellent or very good and just one saying it was "terrible".

After a host of foodie friends raved about the place I had to finally see what all the fuss is about.

It's the location that hits you first – or not as the case may be.

Tucked away down Upton Slip, off Falmouth's main drag Church Street, it's easily overlooked.

The one thing that gives it away is that actually it is overlooked ... by that scary Bosuns Locker ship's figurehead, something that's terrified me since I was a nipper. With the feel of a backstreet Spanish taverna, its tiny door sticks (it happened to almost every customer on the night I dined) adding to the atmosphere that this is some Prohibition-era speakeasy that you really shouldn't be visiting, but the devil on your shoulder made you do it.

Once inside you are in another world – a buzzing, if compact, hubbub of wooden tables (only about ten, mind), an open kitchen, with all the dishes chalked on boards above (no menus here) and rows of funny historic hats – yes, it's certainly got character.

If you're special – well, if you order the crab – you get to wear one of their Wheelhouse aprons. Everyone gets a roll of kitchen paper on the table – if you want a highfalutin dining experience, don't come here.

However, if you want somewhere lively, fun and with damn fine seafood (which is literally caught on the doorstep), this is the place.

My group of four enjoyed two starters of crab soup (with a lovely crab roe mousse on the side) and 12 garlic king prawns (you can have them peeled or unpeeled). Mains included a kilo of mussels in red Thai sauce (delicious), a kilo of mussels in a "Sailor's" garlic and white wine sauce, 24 king prawns and scallops in the shell.

With some lovely stodgy, crusty bread to mop everything up, two bottles of Sauvignon, three coffees, a G&T and vodka and tonic, the bill was just over £100 – not a bad price I would venture.

The staff are incredibly friendly with Tina acting as the perfect hostess.

Pretend you haven't read this and book a table – you may have to wait for a slot as it gets busy well in advance, and you may only have your table for a couple of hours, which might not be to everyone's taste, but believe me it's worth it.

The Wheelhouse Crab & Oyster Bar, Upton Slip, Falmouth, can be contacted on 01326 318050.