We had an early dinner here last weekend, our first time ever going to Dad's, which is apparently a local favorite. Even at 4pm on a Sunday, it had a steady stream of customers. My kids really enjoyed their cod and french fries meal and my husband liked his salmon fillet sandwich; I had a seafood salad sandwich which was nothing spectacular, but I can't envision ever eating spectacular seafood salad! We also shared some fried calamari, which was also good. We finished off our meal by sharing a brownie ice cream concoction that was absolutely divine. The four of us shared it and we each had just enough (which pretty much never happens). read more

We just got clam strips and popcorn shrimp and they were average. Next time would love to try the lobster roll it looked great! Service was helpful when I had questions. read more

Stopped for lunch and food was good and service was very nice. A classic New England Summer Clam Shack this establishment had a wide varied menu of seafood, burgers and house specials. We has the Lobster Roll, a couple of cheese burgers, frap, onion rings and fries. All the food was spot on the Lobster Roll was very yummy. Right near the bay it was a fine summer stop. Staff was very helpful and helped out one of our party that was allergic to seafood. They cleaned the grill and made the burger fresh on a clean grill. Very nice of them. A very nice Summer stop! read more

Pricey, I ordered the whole belly clam dinner and for $24 it was overpriced. Also it tasted liked frozen clams I don't think they're fresh.... read more

My wife and I are in town for the weekend and we took a chance on Dads in Niantic. The lobster rolls and beer hit the spot but what really made the visit amazing was the young woman behind the counter. I believe her name was Kirsten and she helped guide us through the menu, made recommendations and suggested a few local attractions we might be interested in seeing. She was amazing! My wife and I travel frequently and are sometimes floored by poor service around the country. But not here! This young woman could teach a course on hospitality (which she may do, as she's finishing school to be a teacher). Come to Dads and be amazed at this woman's warmth and genuineness! I was so impressed I gave her a Big tip! read more

I always enjoy my food here. Great atmosphere. Good outdoor seating. I'm happy with the variety of food. Staff is always energetic and enthusiastic. I overhead a kitchen leader coaching some cooks about ensuring proper cooking. It's all about consistently. Only negative thing I can think of is, the place is a little loud, but that comes with the territory. It's a great place for families large and small and a great home town place. read more

Terrific seafood. Come here every year. Giant Hot Lobster Roll. Friendly staff and just a terrific local business. Less than 1 minute from the waterfront. read more

I came in today after the seemingly quarterly trip to the book barn. Was not super hungry vso my wife and I split the fried clam entry and drinks. The food was perfectly fried, no grease on the plate and my mocha shake was fantastic. We will definitely be back. read more

We ventured out to dads tonight for some clam strips and chowder. We were disappointed. Clams came out luke warm and had more breading than clam. The clam chowder had no flavor and had a gluey texture. We used to love going to Dads years ago and had such good memories. Unfortunately, I dont think we will be going back. read more

Only come here for seafood. I ordered the chicken parm sandwich and it was unsatisfactory considering the price. Literally tasted like a warmed up frozen patty with AMERICAN cheese. No Parmesan. Should've been called the chicken American. The lobster fritters had a lot of meat they were good. Burger was average. read more

This is a great little spot for lunch or dinner. Has a great view of Niantic Bay. Inside or outside dining. Good food, good prices

We have been visiting this establishment for over 30 years. We try every year although for the last few it misses the mark. Fries are cooked ahead and added to orders as needed meaning they can be cold and soggy, quality is changing eg chicken sandwich used to be a breast filet on a bun but now is 2 strips on a hot dog roll, chowder is low on clams and taste etc. they also should check their exhaust fans as we smelled of fried food for hours. read more

i've had lobster rolls before, but never in new england. so essentially I've NEVER had a lobster roll before. HOLY CHRIST ON A BUTTERED ROLL!! Dad's lobster roll is the greatest thing I've ever put in my mouth. Ever, ever, ever, ever. aside from that the rest of the food is effing brilliant: sea dog (long, battered and fried pice of amazing cod on a hot dog bun), fried cod, fries, crab cakes. All perfect. aaaannndd the people were as sweet as can be. we got there right as they opened and they greeted us with smiles and warm words. they even loved our dog and even offered to give her a hot dog! this was the last meal of our vacation in Niantic and it couldn't have been a better send off. if you are ever anywhere near Niantic between April and September and you don't hate amazing food and people you need to go here. you need to. read more

Overall great for my first time here. I had the crab cake sandwich with fries. I wish I would have known about the seafood platter before I ordered. The table next to me had it and it looked like a tower of delicious fried seafood. Nice location near the Niantic boardwalk with a nice size parking lot. Will be back to try other things on the menu. read more

I had heard that Dad's was really good food, We sat and waited about 15 mins for a waitress to come take our order. We waited 45 mins and still did not get our food until I finally asked a waitress where our food was and she said she would check on it, never came back, finally went inside to ask and they said it was coming right out finally about 10 mins later it came out, in the meantime, other people had come ate there food and left while we were sitting there waiting for ours. Waitress was not that friendly either. very disappointed!! read more

We decided to try Dad's and the first time will be our last. We each ordered the Cod sandwich and shared an order of onion rings. The onion rings were really bad... they tasted like they were straight from back of the freezer.... absolutely no seasoning or taste at all. UGH. The cod was just OK... again no seasoning which means just very bland food... even the tarter sauce (from the single serving cups by Kraft no less!) could help. The coleslaw was not very good either, I took one bite and that was enough for me. Overall it seems nothing is fresh or seasoned at all. Skippers is better, as is The Dock. I honestly don't know why anyone would go here... read more

I still can't understand how this place gets 4 and five stars! It was a while since I last dined there. I didn't go back for a long time because the food was not that great. Clams and fries were tasteless and the coating on the clams fell off before you had a chance to lift them to your mouth. Scallops were small and like the clams the coating fell right off them. Also they were like little pieces of rubber, with no taste at all. Well, since it was a while we went back to see if things got better or if our last experience was a anomaly. Sad to say we ordered the same as before and received the same poor experience. With so many good seafood restaurants around, I will never need to return to Dads again. read more

Dad's has homemade ice cream, so of course I tried it. Yummm! Yes, this place may be dirty, but that's because it's open to the outdoors! Great atmosphere, okay service, and yummy food and ice cream. Also cool for kids because the decor is very circus-oriented and light-hearted, perfect for a seaside location. read more

First time in Niantic and made it to Dad's. What can I say... Classic comfort seafood in an ideal waterfront location. I was there with my wife, 2 teenage children and my parents. We ordered a smorgasbord of lobster rolls, calamari, cod and fries, Mac n cheese, bacon cheese fries and chicken strips. As a Brit, I found the cod and fries (chips!) excellent. The cod was perfectly moist (no where near overcooked - which is often the case) and tasty. This was probably the best dish! Service all around was great. I should add that we went on Mother's Day (not by design!); but still had a delightful experience. My parents were staying in Niantic for a few days break and I'm told went back a few times! They raved about the In-House Ice Cream. I would definitely go back when in Niantic. read more

Great food and a great location. I'm not s fish water but their chicken and grilled cheese are very yummy! It's always nice to eat outside and overlook the ocean and train tracks! read more

Terrible excuse for a lobster roll. About the only thing they got right was putting it in a toasted split top New England style bun. Otherwise you get a meager serving of overcooked lobster and a side of melted butter for $13.95. Don't waste your money, you'll have better luck elsewhere! read more

We finally tried Dad's as we have been going to Skippers down the block for about five years. Unfortunately, the three of us all tried variations of the fish and chips. The fish was thin and slightly fishy. The fries were good. The food was about 1 star and I gave an extra star since there is a nice staff. The fish was nicely fried but we cannot overlook its fishy flavor. We will stick to Skippers for fish and chips. read more

After the Wife and I were done visiting relatives in Mystic, we had a craving for seafood and decided to stop in. This place looks like your typical classic roadside grill - outdoor seating, picnic tables inside, big painted menu board with everything from hot dogs and burgers to seafood and pizza, even an "Order Here" and "Pick up" window. I wanted to try their hotdog and a burger too but, thought that I'd get sleepy after eating so much, so we just ordered their Cold Lobster Roll and Whole Belly Clams instead. Our order was served with a bag of chips but we had ordered French fries too. My lobster roll was perfect - a bunch of lobster meat on lettuce in a toasted hot dog roll. The meat was very tasty with just the right amount of mayo. I added a little salt as I always do and it was just perfect. My fries were also very good. The Wife's Deep Fried Clams were great! The clams used were very sweet and they weren't over-fried! She loved them. When we were done eating we said to each other that it's a good thing that we don't live in the area because we'd go broke eating there a lot. read more

Dad’s Restaurant - Seafood Near Me - Niantic, Connecticut

Dad's of Niantic is a family tradition of mine, and we have been going here since I was knee-high to a grasshopper. I have always enjoyed going here after the beach, or just for the drive. Their food is always good, and the first time my boyfriend had their chocolate milkshake, he fell in love! The view is spectacular, and my favorite part is sitting near the window and waiting for the train to go by. My family try to get here at least once a year durning the summer when my dad is on vacation, but lately have been going more than once with my sweetie. read more

First of all NO RAW LICENSE! No raw oysters! Food is plain ok. Not for people that are used to a lot of seasoning in the food, like me, born and raised Puertorrican. The place is clean and it has a good view and peaceful environment. read more

Best lobster rolls!! Had the hot lobster roll and it was chock full of delicious lump lobster meat - just meat. They give you a container of butter but you don't need more than a drizzle. Don't be put off by the run-down exterior - it just adds to the charm - this place is great! read more

Went yesterday to Dad's. I haven't been in years but remembered it being a place with great food. WRONG! Ordered the $26.00!!! Lobster roll. Dry meat and rubbery! AND the grocery store was selling lobsters for $5.99/lb; which I should have gotten with as much lobster. Won't be back. Going to try the place down the road next time. read more

A great place to get New England seafood for a decent price. You can sit inside or outside to enjoy the great food. For how little the place is they have a huge menu with lots to choose from. Any type of seafood you are looking for they more than likely have it here. If you aren't a seafood lover there are other options to choose from like, chicken, salads, steaks. It was hard to just pick one thing so we ordered a little of everything so we could try it. The lobster roll was so tasty and the such large pieces of lobster meat. If after you get your fill from dinner they have dessert as well. From ice cream sandwiches (for $1!), sundaes and candy mixed in ice cream. All the food we had was delicious and you didn't have to wait long to eat. You go up and order at the window and within 5 to 10 minutes your food was hot and ready to eat. The give balloons to the young children and the garbage cans have large animal heads that you throw the trash into their mouths. Everyone was very friendly and the food is excellent. read more

Nice road side clam shack. Not the best ever, but it's great for a quick lunch. Get the fritters.

One of the many seafood restaurants lining the shores of CT. My family and I popped by after a long, fun day at Rocky Neck. We sat indoors at one of the picnic tables. The place was SWARMING with people; I knew right then that food had to be good for such a huge number of customers. And it was! We got a couple of the seafood platters to share, and it didn't last very long. The onion rings were fantastic! Sadly, I didn't get to try the lobster roll, but I definitely plan to. This is our new spot for food after beaching. read more

This is the place you want to go for sea food if you are in Niantic. Just over the bridge, past the Blackhawk. The prices are great. The staff is the best. read more

Average to mediocre food, but a really fun atmosphere. I love sitting inside and feeling the ocean breeze come in through the screen windows. This place is hardly ever really busy so you can take your time and get seconds or ice cream. Fantastic place to bring kids, they will even want to help clean the table so they can feed the hippos (the garbage cans have big hippo head tops). read more

Fresh and delicious! Loved sitting on the patio and looking at the ocean! Great atmosphere and the wait was very minimal. Fast food with fresh seafood. The price was a little more than I wanted to pay but was worth it! I'll be back! read more

Excellent sea food shack. Keeping in mind that everything is fried it is still summer heaven.Try the clams .A touch of a world that is pure ,brings you back. read more

The lobster salad roll was fantastic! The kids portion of cod nuggets was perfect. The bowl of New England clam chowder was just okay...a little too salty for my taste. The atmosphere was great overlooking the ocean. read more

Stoped here because I am staying in the area for CDL training...had clam strips and onion rings with a cup of chowder...I was pleasantly pleased...the clams where large and cooked just right and the onion rings where really good and crispy. Chowder was just ok. Only down side is no A/C...it wasn't too hot this evening so it was ok...anything like last week and it would have been unbearable. Would recommend and come back when in the area. read more

This one you should pass by. Clam strips were cold, over breaded. New England calm chowder was thick milky nothing - hardly any potatoes not to mention barely any clams. My salad was fresh. read more

I have known about this place since I was a kid, just never ate there. Now that I live in CA, it makes on appreciate the little things. Well, I am out here for a wedding and had to try their famous lobster roll. Yes, it was the BOMB! Hopefully I will not have to wait another 9 years to come back home to visit. read more

I always feel like I have to go here at least once in the begining of warmer weather, it was always like the start of summer for me. But when we went this last time it was very bland, nothing had much taste. I had the fried clam meal, it really had no flavor. For the price it should be delicious.The prices here are way over the top just because of its location. We also got ice cream....well my small twist was overflowing, and usually thats a good thing but not when its melting everywhere, and unfortuntly when I got to the bottom there was a large plastic disk. Not sure what it was for, but that was the end of enjoying my ice cream. I'll probably go back and give it another chance, I just hope they add some flavor!! And maybe make it a better deal. read more

Decent fried seafood, huge portions. I suggest you don't order the onion rings unless you really love onion rings, because most of the dinners come with onion rings. Pretty good food. read more