Best steamers in southern Maine Perfect for sunset on an ebb tide Friendly staff Billy's rum punch Coastal simplicity read more

The thing I like best about this place is the fact that they could be just another touristy place which mails in the effort-they don't do that here! We (3 of us) stopped in for lunch yesterday on our way home from a resort on Casco Bay. I will say that as a life long resident of Boston and Central Mass I've had amazing chowders and seafood pretty much my entire life. Billy's is not top of the mark but it is excellent, honest fare at reasonable prices. (Except for $12 onion rings). My fiancé had clam chowder which she raved about. Not a flour paste like so many others, this was also not watery thin. She loved it. I tried the haddock chowder and while it could've used more fish it was one of the best fish chowders I've had in a few years. Good flavor, great consistency....would have to have this every time I go there. Her son had eaten so all he wanted was a cup of chowder and dessert. He raved about the chowder as well. For my meal I had the combo with scallops and whole belly clams. I opted for double coleslaw in lieu of fries. The clams were plentiful, well fried in a light crispy batter and sweet. The scallops were prettty much perfect! Sweet, seasoned and enough to feed me and another! The c ole slaw was sweet and a bit too wet but had good flavor. My fiancé had a lobster roll, she felt that it could have used a bit more mayo or been poached better as it was dry. The brownie sundae her son had was devoured by him, you know it's good when he basically didn't speak for the ten minutes it took for him to eat it. We had No alcohol but the bar was the kind of place that an ice cold beer would be great with a slat marsh/ river view that is phenomenal!!!!! Would happily eat here again and would reccomend that the owners of Hout's come here to see how casual seafood should be done! read more

Great! We had ribs, haddock sandwich, lobster roll, lobster salad (8 oz is def more than we needed - I'd go with the 4oz next time). Our waitress was fabulous. She could see that the baby needed his food ASAP - and he received his fish and mac-n-cheese quickly! Really great beach type food. read more

We ate here on a Thursday night. Parking was rough as it is very limited and close to the road. Once inside, even though the parking lot was packed (we got the last remaining space) we were seated without a wait. I ordered fish and chips with coleslaw and my so ordered shrimp platter. The meals were all fried food which we don't eat often but it was not heavy, greasy, or tasting of bad oil. I loved the fish and chips, the shrimp was good but no special seasoning to set it apart. We both really liked the coleslaw. The waiter (Either Ethan or Ian - we both heard something different from the other) was really fantastic. Attentive but not bothersome, cheerful and engaging, and after our meal took a few minutes to chat with us and make local recommendations for our week ahead. I will eat here again next time I visit the area. I recommend. read more

We were on a trip from Boston to Wells for my wife's marathon and since my in-laws love seafood, we stopped at this really famous place to enjoy some seafood. Here is a review of my experience here: The place was brimming with people and luckily there was only 1 parking space left. 1) Ambiance 3.5/5: The place looks like an old shack and looks like a hole-in-the-wall place from the outside. The place maybe was going for an old wooden deck-like look. I was not a fan of the decor but the place was packed with both tourists and locals 2) Service 3.5/5: There was a 20-minute wait when we reached there. The service was good but slow and I have seafood allergy and the server wasn't able to help me with my questions. Some of the questions confused him about the options available and he had to frequently go back to the chef to clarify. I understand that this is a seafood restaurant but if there is a person with a seafood allergy, they might have a difficult time here especially if they are vegetarian. 3) We had a few things and here is the summary of our experience: a) Clam chowder: My in-laws liked it but my wife was not a fan. It is bland b) Lobster roll: The lobster roll was good but costly c) Shrimp cocktail: The shrimp cocktail tasted alright but the sauce with it was spicy. d) My inlaws ordered a Gin that had Lavendar and raspberry I believe but it was so bad that they left it untouched after a sip e) Baked Haddock: I had a haddock with green beans and mashed potatoes. This is the blandest fish dish I have ever had. I felt like it was just boiled and served 4) Value for Money 3/5: This place is not cheap which I understand for seafood places but we were in Maine where lobsters should be cheap and specially with the decor, aesthetic and taste, I felt the place was pricey. Overall, I probably would skip this unless you really want to eat seafood and don't have any other option The good: 1) The view 2) Come here for lobster rolls and clam chowder if you are a fan The bad: 1) Very costly for the taste and vibe 2) Overrated in my opinion 3) Limited options in case you are allergic to seafood and almost none if you are vegetarian or vegan read more

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Omg the chowder is soooo good! We had a very nice dinner at Billy's starting with buck a shuck oysters and their famous clam chowder filled with tender clams and chunks of potatoes. I then had the haddock casserole special with a delicious seasoning. Also had the land lover chicken sandwich grilled with a nice sauce. Billy's is old school nautical decor not too big or small with a good size bar and separate dining room. It sits on a cove or creek near the beach with a small parking area. Our server Kristie was very nice and quick with a friendly smile! We recommend Billy's for a good deal on a nice dinner, we had appetizers an entree and a sandwich no alcohol for around $60. read more

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Lobster stew is awesome. Get the bowl, don't mess with the cup size. Basically it's full pieces of the lobster in butter and cream. It's not a bisque. Grilled swordfish was just about perfect. A little bit of a crisp to it and the rest was moist and tender. Even the cole slaw was on the better side and they probably made it themselves. Good parking as well which makes it easier. read more

Billy's Chowder House - Grilled swordfish done right. - Seafood Near Me - Wells, Maine

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An icon in the area. You must go at least once if you're around. The lobster stew especially is out of this world. You won't be disappointed. read more

Excellent everything ! Perfect views, really fresh seafood! Good service, great drinks!

Consistently Fabulous Food, Great Staff, Beautiful View! We've been driving up to Billy's Chowder House for years and the food, service and atmosphere is consistently wonderful! I see my last review was in 2015 and I can add that this lunch was as delish as all the meals before and we've tried almost all of the items on the menu. Our server Margaret was super efficient and friendly. How did she know I like cocktail sauce with my fried shrimp?! I didn't even have to ask her! She was attentive and didn't rush us at all. Hats off to the chef, that shrimp was perfectly fried in a light batter while keeping the shrimp soft and not overdone. And I liked the small touch of putting the spoonful of horseradish sauce on the side of the ketchup so you can add to your taste. We started with the onion rings, which we think are the best we've had anywhere. I didn't get to snap a pic of the pile as we ate them so fast! Between both our meals with fries, cole slaw, fried, scallops and clams we also love their string beans. Again cooked to the perfect degree with a light butter...everything is so tasty! It was an unexpected nice surprise to have a heater in the bathroom on a cold day! So many nice touches to make you comfortable and have a pleasant dining experience. I was happy to meet Chris Varano on the way out (who also greeted us) great job to you Chris and your team! We'll be back again soon! read more

Billy's Chowder House - Seafood Near Me - Wells, Maine

Changed drastically since the last time we stopped in. $9 beer, baked potatoEd (4) were not fully baked and the chicken fingers were way overcooked. The lazy lobster was overcookEd and somewhat dry too. The extent of table cleaning was to use a paper napkin to brush the crumbs on the floor. Restaurants generally use a liquid and a cloth to clean the surface. Probably won't be back. $180 bill felt like I was robbed. read more

Location has best views. Try at sunset. Buck a shrimp days and special buck a shuck bring the locals in. We stayed in Ogunquit timeshare and visited Billy's twice! read more

Billy's Chowder House - You have to get up early to catch a sunrise at Wells Beach Maine once in your life! - Seafood Near Me - Wells, Maine

I was disappointed in the Clam Chowder which is very surprising since it is claimed to be the restaurant's signature dish. The chowder was very thin and milky rather than thick and creamy. It also had lots of potatoes and relatively few very small clam pieces. I don't see how the restaurant can promote this as such a great clam chowder! read more

We encountered lovely helpful staff and delicious hot dogs and a delicious lobster roll.

Excellent food! Fresh fish, nice view, friendly attentive staff. Quick service. Nice environment, we went for lunch, sits right on the Marsh, breath taking view! read more

Billy's Chowder House - Broiled fish sandwich - Seafood Near Me - Wells, Maine

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The food was ok, my family didn't like the clam chowdah, it's in their name? What gives! The location is great to go during day time and catch a glimpse of the wells river estuary. Our server was good too , nothing to come back to. read more

I can't say enough wonderful things about this place! Food was amazing! Staff super attentive and friendly l! Sat near the window and had the inlets for our view. We will be back read more

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We ate here last night. Started with the Clam Chowder it had no taste, not a thick chowder. Steamer were very big clams not sweet, 10 steamer for 19. Lobster bite were all breading no lobster in them. Very disappointing for our meal. Wouldn't come back here. read more

Food was ok but most dishes came out warm, not hot including clam chowder, a bucket of steamers and a whole lobster.

Only had a short 10 minutes wait before we were seated. Make sure you bring a sweater if you sit in the front room. The food was delicious but you needed to eat it quickly because of the air conditioner blowing very cold air on your table. Waitress was very friendly. Took home 4 cute souvenir glasses! Would definitely return hence with a sweatshirt. read more

Billy's Chowder House - Seafood Near Me - Wells, Maine

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Well our 2nd visit and really looked forward to One Dollar Shucked Oyster Wednesdays. We were seated at 11:30 overlooking the marshlands. A huge disappointment on many levels and when you receive oysters with mostly broken shells a rookie would make that mistake. A table next to us had flawless perfect platter of at least 24, I had ordered 8. The disparaging presentation, lack of of customer service from our waitress another disappointment. When the dinner rolls, which I needed to ask for after receiving my Cobb Salad (Mediocre at best) and they were microwaved, yes microwaved too long , too rubbery to chew. 2 stars and I never go that low on my reviews but honest scoring. Our first evening same issue with their horrible dinner rolls. Not worth the $1 oysters and everything else. read more

Prices are high, servings are small. My husband and I ordered a fried Oyster plate to share since we are not big eaters. The dinner came on a salad size plate very skimpy. I was shocked! We used to come here and the serving size was decent along with the price. One skimpy dinner was $30. read more

Lobster stew and fried haddock was amazing. Dollar oysters on Wednesdays are a great deal but the presentation wasn't the best. For $1 a piece, not a problem. The clam chowder was a bit watery and not highly seasoned, I would 100% choose the lobster stew instead. Very friendly service. Cozy atmosphere and at this time of year seemed to be a lot of locals. Really nice time, can't wait to go back. read more

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Great service- you always feel welcomed. Had the Tuesday Shrimp Cocktail Special- can't beat it read more

Billy's Chowder House - Excellent Martini - Seafood Near Me - Wells, Maine

Food was really good. Service was also excellent. Went there in the off season, looked like a locals hangout. Very comfy and casual. I will definitely go back! read more

The good, drinks are very good. Scallops were very nice. Service was special. The bad, stuffed lobster was under cooked. Tempura level. Prices were expensive for wat we received. read more

Came to see 1/2 Marathon and was told this is the best on the island. Short walk from hotel and it stood the test. Too much to order, ambiance and smell of all the good food was too much. Topped off with the best waitress Brandi! She was so great! Made sure food was fast, made great suggestions. List of must haves: Lobster Roll amazing, Onion Rings, The oysters tasted just plucked! Strawberry Lemonade! OMG! Came back for seconds asking for Brandi's section. She is the BEST! Thank you Brandi for your great service​ read more

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A Summer vacation was at York Beach this weekend needed a trip to Wells Beach to enjoy a dinner at Billy's Chowder House. The parking lot was full but a quick wait and a table was available for us to dine on some delicious fresh seafood. The talented and knowledgeable waiter, Liam made our dining experience pleasant . This will be a restaurant that will visited every time while visiting Wells Beach. A warm family friendly atmosphere! read more

Billy's Chowder House - Foyer decor - Seafood Near Me - Wells, Maine

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Had my first lobster roll here, didn't know it was a cold sandwich. I did enjoy it. Im a real tough sell on clam chowder, theirs was thin (I'm a thick n creamy fan), However the chowder was superbly seasoned, the potatoes cooked to perfection, lots of clams. Im a fan! Service was very good. read more

Staff and service are amazing, food came out quickly. Onion rings were probably the best l've ever had, and lobster roll was filled with meat and it was delicious. Unfortunately the clam chowder was mostly potatoes and not very creamy. We did inform our server, and she said we are not the first customers to say this. I would have given them a 5 star rating, but as a 'chowder house' it's reasonable to expect top-notch chowder. We have been coming here for many years, and I'm sure we'll be back but we may not have the chowder again. read more

Just as good as I remembered! I've been coming here since I was a kid, so like 25 years! I brought my children here this visit and they loved the food too! I got the clam chowder and seafood sampler, my husband got the seafood stew and fish & chips. Everything was perfect and the service was outstanding! read more

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We came here for $1 oysters on Wednesday. We were able to sit down quickly and the service was really quick. The oysters were ok and my party also orders mussels and clam chowder. Both were a little plain but overall great experience. read more

Billy's Chowder House - Oysters - Seafood Near Me - Wells, Maine

My family and I have been going to Billy's as long as I can remember. I recently saw the business for sale and while I was there this past week, it was obvious there had been changes. The food was not what it previously was. The seafood stew lacked flavor and seafood. There was only two small shrimps, when it's typically loaded with lobster, shrimps etc. The Lobster roll has always been my favorite, but this time it was full of mayonnaise and salt. The fries were not good, and no coleslaw. read more

This place is a glorified robbery. The prices are jacked up just to pirate any naive tourists that stumble upon this place. I understand that this is a time where a lot of restaurants are still struggling with food inflation, but this is just laughable. When I came here on a busy Friday night, I ordered the Buffalo chicken tenders and a fried haddock sandwich. The buffalo chicken was laughably small and dry, and the sauce had no flavor whatsoever. Keep in mind that this costed me $16! I told my waitress that this amount of mediocre food for such a high price was inexcusable. But she merely shrugged, carelessly said "sorry" , and turned away. The Haddock sandwich was a little better, but still mediocre. The tomato and lettuce were bland and dry, and the haddock was tasteless and clearly undercooked in the center. The tartar sauce was also bland and flavorless. Avoid this place at all costs! read more

Billy's Chowder House - Pathetically small buffalo chicken tender dish - Seafood Near Me - Wells, Maine

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Bill's Chowder House is a bit off the main drag but it not only offers a nice view of the backwaters and marsh, it's a great place to eat. Large party of 12 were seated for a late lunch around 2:00 pm on a Friday afternoon. Our waitress Brook was friendly and attentive. We started with a tasty rum punch. For lunch we had clam chowder, baked scallops, fish & chips, steamed clams, and Caesar salad. Kids had a grilled cheese and chicken fingers with fries. The clams were fresh and sautéed in wine sauce. The fish was light and crispy. The scallops were wrap with crispy bacon. Our overall experience was great and we'll be back read more

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Great food and friendly staff! Dollar shrimp Tuesday is where it's at! I need 85 characters to post this review so here they are.

We ordered clam and fish chowder, they should have been listed as potato chowder because there wasn't much seafood in them. Tried the fried seafood sampler and the only good thing on there were the scallops. I won't be returning. read more

We were there back in March. Came from Texas and my bucket list item was to have a fresh Maine lobster in Maine. We had originally selected Allison's restaurant in Kennibunc Maine. On the way there stoped at a light house and as we were walking around met this wonderful couple named Joann and James. Told them our mission and they said stop and go to Billy's CHOWDAH House. So we did and simply put I got my Fresh Maine Lobster and my family got their meals and we all had what I might say was the best seafood meal of our lives. (I did not share my lobster) but I sure tried all theirs. LOL. Great prices, our waitress ( I wish I remembered her name) was wonderful. This food out of this world. The CHOWDAH is out of this world. We will be back. read more

Worst food ever! Too much breading. Too little seafood or lobster. Zero stars very good waitress however

A truly underwhelming dinner experience. We got their "famous" clam chowder, and honestly it was lukewarm, the chowder was a thin broth which was way too milky, not creamy, and flavorless. A large order of whole belly clams followed ... at least they claimed they were whole belly clams. Seemed more like a few whole belly clams mixed in with clam strips and a hefty amount of fried batter bits. Disappointing is putting it mildly. It is sad when the best part of dinner was the cole slaw (which was actually very good). To recap: cole slaw - 2 thumbs up, everything else - not good at all. read more