We'd heard from friends that Shipwright's Daughter in Mystic was a must-try. Wow, were they right…read more From the warm greeting at the door to the beautiful decor, the experience started strong. We were seated at a lovely table for two overlooking Main Street - watching people stroll by from that elevated perch behind glass felt almost cinematic. The real star of the show was the food, which is ultimately what you're there for, and it delivered. The menu offers plenty of options without being overwhelming. I started with the Crispy Pig's Head as an appetizer - a bold choice that turned out to be outstanding. For my entrée, the bucatini with seacoast mushrooms, sherry, parmesan, mushroom cream, and fine herbs was perfectly cooked, and carried a subtle but deeply flavorful sauce. And the housemade sourdough with poblano honey butter? Absolutely outstanding. To be fair, our server took a little time to warm up but found their footing and gave us everything we needed. Parking in Mystic on a busy weekend night can also be a challenge and expensive. Neither is reason enough to skip this one. Ship Wright's Daughter is exactly the kind of restaurant Mystic deserves. Don't wait for a special occasion -- just go.

I really didn't want to write this review, but potential patrons should know what they can expect…read morewhen working with the event staff at Shipwright's Daughter - if they plan to have a private dining experience and event there. My husband and I got married last December. We decided we would hold off on celebrating with our family and invite everyone out from California to join us for a weekend full of activities in Connecticut and a special dinner at Shipwright's Daughter during Memorial Day weekend. We contacted the restaurant's events team to work out high level details starting in late January - to book a private room and hold a date and time. From the get go, the communication we received from the event staff was dismal to say the least. Not only did the events manager misquote the estimate for the room reservation, she came back and asked for a much higher price (up charging by an additional 30% of the original minimum fee) two months after we confirmed and discussed the date. She then explained it was due to the holiday weekend. Our date had never changed from the moment we inquired, so we would have appreciated knowing this upfront. Over the course of several months (and an absurd number of emails and a few calls), we tried to solidify the menu and wine selection and made multiple attempts before hearing back from the team. It was about two weeks before the big event when we were able to confirm a menu. It was about four days before the event that we heard back from the beverage director, but by then, my husband and I had already decided we would bring our own wine bottles, not wanting to leave it to chance with this team. I won't go into further details about the frustration we felt regarding their system for communications (they use an internal system that doesn't make it easy for guests to know who is copied on emails and who sees what). That is something I hope they will work out. When the big day came, I walked into the room and noticed there were a number of chairs missing, so I counted the chairs. They had an incorrect number of chairs for adults and not enough high chairs for the toddlers. We had requested a specific number of these chairs (weeks prior and mentioned it multiple times in writing), and I thought it was safe to assume that this was a basic checklist item for events set up. I was dumbfounded in the moment. I couldn't help but wonder what else they were going to miss or mess up that evening. It was disappointing to have our family members wait while the staff scrambled to pull other chairs into the room. From the time it took to take everyone's order from the set menu, the time between courses being served, and the attentiveness for pouring water and wine - all of it was a miss. The level of hospitality that we expected from a restaurant so recognized for its incredible food and approach to sustainable sourcing was completely overshadowed by the lack of attention and care by its staff - since day one of planning this event. Even a few of our family members commented on this during the dinner. At the end of the day, we felt like an obligation rather than welcomed guests, and that is mainly why I'm leaving this review. We had been patrons of Shipwright's a couple of times prior to this event, which is why we chose this establishment - to represent the best that Connecticut has to offer, when it comes to a dining experience we could vouch for. We no longer feel that we can recommend this restaurant. If you care about hospitality, I would recommend looking elsewhere.

The bride and I planned a pit stop on our way back from a wedding on the cape and thanks to Yelp,…read morewe found this fantastic restaurant which is located just outside of the busy downtown area. Fairly busy Sunday afternoon but we were quickly seated at the raw bar with a great view of the kitchen, which BTW is a well oiled machined and fun to watch, not quite as crazy as the Bear, but impressive. Tuna tartar to start followed by some delicious cherrystones then we split the Mussels in coconut milk with lemon grass and cilantro and some amazing sour dough bread for dipping. 10/10!!!

Really phenomenal spot. I saw online that this was a popular spot, and I definitely understand why…read more The oyster selection is really amazing, and the cornbread was crazy good as well. The clam chowder was some of the best I've ever had, too. Everyone was friendly, and service was great. Huge fan, would come back if I found myself in Mystic again!

Great lobster roll and fries. Yummy fish sandwich and…read morecoleslaw. Picnic tables Waterfront view

This was one of the biggest disappointments of the entire trip. Took a chance on this…read moreestablishment given the reviews. Now the ambiance surround this place was awesome but I must say the food was less than average. Ordered crab cake and burger- both were overcooked on the outside and somewhat mushy and not complete in the inside. The buns for both were cold and hard! How much would it take to warm both up? Visit at your own risk.

Good clean oysters Great views…read moreSteak lacked a flavor Go early cause there's always a wait

What a joke…read more.. We were just here 11 days ago and it was completely fine. This visit was a different story, and honestly still hard to believe. Our waitress was walking away mid-sentence while we were trying to order. She never asked my girlfriend what side she wanted, just assumed fries without mentioning other options. The appetizer came out wrong and had to be sent back. When entrees came out, everyone at the table had food except me. My shrimp taco showed up 10 minutes later, clearly forgotten, and I was supposed to get four shrimp but only got two. Gone in one bite. When I brought it up, the manager didn't offer to remake it. She just knocked 50% off the price since I'd technically gotten "half" my shrimp. Not an apology, not a fix, just a discount calculated like a math problem. I've maybe written one review in my life. This experience was bad enough that I couldn't not write this one. Forgotten orders, wrong sides, missing food, and a manager who couldn't be bothered to actually fix it. We won't be back.

My mom lived in Mystic at a wonderful assisted living community called STONERIDGE…read more We would often bring her to S&P Oyster House and the Seafood was always fresh and delicious. Presentation was always artistic & above and beyond. The waitstaff have always been pleasant and agreeable and gone out of the way to make our stay the very best. Today was no exception. I brought friends from out of town to S&P, and we were given one of the nicest corner tables with an excellent view. The food was top notch!! My friends could not stop talking about how scrumptious everything was and we consumed every little morsel on our plates! I had the hot muscles appetizer serve with crispy toast points, and the broth was so very delicious. I chose to order some of their homemade focaccia to share with my friends and offer tastings too! My girlfriend devoured the Paella which was presented beautifully with a generous mound of delectable tender seafood. The accompanying rice had loads of color & flavor and was a perfect accompaniment. Her adult son enjoyed the crispy, buttermilk cod. The hand battered crust was out of this world, and the fish was so moist and delicious. He was so blown away by the whole meal ... as the french fries were crisp and freshly cut, and the coleslaw he said was the best he had ever had also!!! I had a chance to speak to one of the managers and reminded him of my family's many visits. We have never been disappointed and certainly will be coming back again and again and again Thank you so much for this wonderful and ever so memorable experience!!! The Young Valet staff handled my car beautifully and were so thoughtful as well! Couldn't ask for anything better!!!!

Let me start by saying the ambiance is wonderful. The place is on the water. Too bad the food…read moredidn't match the ambiance. Went here with my family this year on the Tuesday after Mother's Day and I had hyped the place up based on my wonderful experience last year. I was thoroughly disappointed with the menu selections and the food. The waiter told me they change out their menu from time to time. I sure wish they hadn't because the lump crab dip was delicious but the replacement was spinach and artichoke dip. The artichokes were not blended they were chunks and it was not in a creamy sauce but dry with shredded Parmesan cheese over the top. It was awful. I didn't even eat it. I also ordered the crab cake which wasn't good. Last time I had the crab cake, it was made with chuncks of crabmeat. This time it was shredded crabmeat and a lot of breadcrumbs. My son's girlfriend and my husband both ordered mussels and they each said they were okay. My husband also ordered what we call a crab imperial dish containing different kinds of shellfish, bread crumbs, cream sauce and cheese. Our son ordered a crispy fried chicken sandwich and he said it was delicious. I tried it and it was so good. The chicken was fried light and with tasty Chilean sauce on it.

Our annual trek to DPI (as we celebrated our anniversary), was once again enjoyable. It never…read morefails, the dwelling built in 1756 is truly enchanting. The shrimp presented in the cocktail were cold, crisp and fresh and the sauce had a great taste and consistency. We also enjoyed the DPI skewers that included a bit of steak tip, a sea scallop and a fresh shrimp that was that was grilled to perfection and drizzled with a bit of horseradish cream sauce. The staff members are always welcoming and the aura of the visitors -since we became a nation seem ever-present. Bravo DPI... See you soon. On a visit to Mystic, I could not wait to find a restaurant that served more seafood than I could easily settle on. Sitting in the Mystic Marriott lobby, yelp pointed us to the Captain Daniel Packer Inne. What a find. Although the building was restored in 1979, it's origin dates to 1756. Everything seems to have been preserved -including the aura. As you would expect with a building older than the signing of the Declaration of Independence, it is small in size but large in hospitality. Without reservations, we did not stand much of a chance in the upstairs dinning area, but a flight of stairs down to the pub in the cellar... and we were seated in 20 minutes. For appetizers, we had the phyllo dough lobster lollipops and an order of artichoke hearts that were resting in a light lobster sauce (the artichoke that is) that invited us to soak up what was left with the delicious homemade bread we were served. For our main course we had the halibut steak that was sitting on top of freshly mashed potatoes with a smattering of fresh corn kernels. The customer service attendants were mindful of their tables and visited at opportune times. -Not when you start to take a bite and never did we wonder where they might have gone off to. Parking was a bit of a challenge but by far worth the hunt. If you are looking for a very friendly restaurant with a historical beginning and great food... Look no further. DPI is a definite re-visit for us.

I must first start by saying that I've been going to CDPI for 30 years. Honestly, on a cold winters…read moreday there's no better place than the cellar bar to sit in front of a fire, have a pint, and soup. The best. The building itself is gorgeous with thick beams and great finishes. It's a beautiful place even if it is a little tight. With that said, we had a party of 10 and had reservations in advance. Parking is always tricky, but we got a good spot in the lot and were very happy. The wait for the table was maybe 10 minutes which was not too bad. The waitress was very good and she took care of our water, drinks, and bread right away. The place was busy but we really were pleased with the service! I ordered the fish and chips. Most of the table ordered a steak, veggie, and mashed potatoes. Truffle fries was the appetizer that landed on my end of the table. They were not my favorite. Those who had the steak seemed happy with the meal. Both of us who had the fish and chips were not happy with the meal. We had fish and chips at Steak Loft the night before- and they did not compare. They were perfect. The order I had at Daniel Packard were heavy and filling but I was missing the light tempura batter, the crunch and soft fresh fish, and the great tartar sauce that is the standard for fish and chips! I didn't take my leftovers which is not the norm for me. I'll swing by in the winter for a pint in front of the fire no doubt, but I think another dinner is not in my future.

We have been wanting to try this place for months, but timing didn't work out. We finally made it!…read more We came at an off-timing, around 5:45pm, so it was pretty quiet - which was great! We ordered a few things (probably a bit too much): - fish and chips (came with mermaid fries - which has a seaweed seasoning, good but we would have preferred them to be plain) - poor man's lobster roll - delicious! - smoked mussel soup and the green crab bisque - both were great! even better when we combined the two soups together - fried pickle chips - which is part of their happy hour special - which were really really good definitely would come back to try the other items on the menu! Great for kids as well, they do have some board games available while you are there dining.

Initially came to this restaurant for their delicious seafood on a cold day, but stayed after…read morelearning about their local and sustainable seafood! I really value a business that Chooses not to sacrifice the quality of their products for a cheaper price. I also really appreciate how forthcoming they are about where their fish comes from and how it is obtained by the fishermen. In terms of the food, the green crab bisque was incredible and I highly recommend it! The staff were also very courteous and friendly and made the experience that much better! Highly recommend this restaurant when visiting Mystic!

This place is the bomb! We stopped at Universal Package Store to grab a couple of Bright Wave…read moreIPAs--the woman working there was incredibly friendly! To weather everyone's expectations, this place is super casual and that's part of the charm. We sat on picnic tables outside. Over the Fourth of July weekend, we started with a dozen shucker's choice oysters, then ordered one hot lobster roll and one cold for the ultimate taste test. Both were amazing, but the hot Connecticut-style roll won by a claw. Hot tip: Abbott's is BYOB, so stop at Universal Package Store on the way. If we're ever back in Connecticut, we'll definitely be back!

It's been 10 years since our last review, although we've eaten here several times in the last 4-5…read moreyears. Our latest visit last week went well, and if you like to eat fresh lobster at a beautiful location on the water, you can't do much better. The delicious 1 1/4 pound lobster is $55, and their 1/4 pound lobster roll is $27 (a good price, but for whatever reason our lobster meat was surprisingly tasteless). The clam chowder, New England and Rhode Island chowder (clear) were both tasty, and so were the deviled eggs. We enjoyed eating inside given the heat, but there are tables in the open and under a tent to suit anyone's preference. The views from any spot are wonderful, watching the boats slide by on breezy tides. Nice, friendly young staff. A fun experience, happy to be back.