The view alone is worth the trip to Shanks. Our lobster sliders, clam strips, and salads were all incredibly fresh and tasty. The staff was very friendly and the owner came to check on us twice. read more

Extremely disappointed. Previous visits were good but today was not. Two orders of whole belly clams, one fountain soda and one bottle of water came in at just under $65. Pricey, even for shoreline places. Clams were fried in oil that should have been changed out. All dark and greasy. Accompanying fries were done the same way. No golden color just dark brown. They can be better. I hope they can work it out. read more

Our first time here and we were all happy with the experience! Food was great,a tad pricey if your looking for a super casual quick bite to eat, but portions were great and the lobster nachos were the best I've ever had! The staff was excellent, super nice! Kids meals come with an Icecream cup and it was huge! There was corn hole set up on the side to play too, We will be back ! read more

Upon arrival you place your order at a docked boat. Cute concept. From there you choose your seating on the upper or lower levels which overlook the bay. The bathrooms are porta potties. Don't laugh but they were the nicest and cleanest I've ever seen. That said, let's move onto the meal. There was a 40 minute wait which was stated upon ordering. Ok, no problem, we enjoyed the view. When the food came, the fried calamari was all tentacles and c o l d ! The fried avocado was lukewarm. The lobster Mac & Cheese was lukewarm in temperature and mediocre at best in taste. It did however have some nice meaty pieces of lobster in it but clearly not worth its $22 dollar price tag. Two out of the four of us received their lobster roll order (again lukewarm). The other two did not. Somehow we were forgotten about. They said they'd get ours right away... By now our friends were long done with their meal. We then cancelled ours. We shared our feelings with a wait staff named Mia. She was extremely professional and took every step to right the wrong. She was a very impressive for her young age. She's a keeper Shanks! Next we met with the manager, Angie. Another A+ employee! She refunded our whole table even though we said it wasn't necessary. She was profusely sorry aside from being super sweet. If I could, I would give 5 stars for the staff. They were all truly a nice, caring, professional bunch. read more

Boat place. No bar, you order and they bring it to your picnic table. Not my idea of "dinning"on the shore. Limited menu. No lobster rolls on men. read more

Best decision we made all weekend, coming back. BYOB and fresh seafood with a view. What's not to like.

I am f-Ing disgusted after placing my order for two of us & being told 25-35 minutes for our food we have just passed the 1 hour and 20 minutes mark and amazingly after my Gf went downstairs at the hour mark they still haven't produced anything Who The F-ck is running this kitchen??? I have no clue if the food is any good or not bc I still haven't gotten anything to eat?!?! And we're now hitting the hour and a half mark while I'm typing this and trying to understand why the owner isn't up here apologizing profusely to me or wearing knee pads thanking every customer for their loyalty. Seriously this is the poorest run expensive clam shack I've ever seen!!!! read more

Great ambiance. Right on the water. Great fried seafood and not greasy. This is what the New England shoreline is all about. Love this place. Been there twice. Will go back again and again. It is byob...which is fine. read more

Hadn't been here for a couple Seasons. Enjoyed it back then.......It's changed. Prices are outrageous! $26. for a lobster BLT! $32. for a over-cooked Sea Platter (loaded with fries) with minuscule WB Clams that crumbled when you forked them. Tack on a New, $2.00 per imbiber BYO Wine fee. Value and goodness no longer there. read more

We had a lovely meal here. The fish and chips platter was so large I could only eat half. It was two delicious pieces of fresh cod. My husband also took some home. The chips were handcut fresh potatoes. The Coleslaw was fresh also. The views are incomparable. So sad it will have to close for the winter. read more

Tried Shanks for the first time yesterday. It was mid afternoon, and there were only 2 tables occupied on the upper deck. Loved the view of Clinton harbor and all the boats moored nearby and a few cruising by. Nice and breezy and picturesque! The fried shrimp plate had 11 large fresh crispy shrimp which were delicious. The cocktail sauce was made from chopped fresh tomatoes and was sweet. Would have preferred ketchup & lots of horseradish. The side of coleslaw was tasteless & almost naked of any sauce. It needs to be jazzed up! I like that it's BYOB, and I enjoyed a glass of wine which I had brought with me. The staff is extremely friendly and helpful. I wasn't sure who to tip- the guy who brought me my food or the gal who stopped by twice to see if I needed anything. I tipped them both! When I left, they had set up some long tables on the ground with white tablecloths and pretty flowers in mason jars. I heard the owner/manager say they were having a rehearsal dinner there. What a cool venue for that, I thought! I also noticed that their lobster roll is $17 compared to the Lobster Landing (next door) which is $18.50. I will go again with a group! read more

Really loved this place. Great spot and we all really loved what we ordered. One grilled fish taco and one fried fish taco. As well a salad with grilled shrimp.......all delicious! Left feeling that the counter girl wasn't really as helpful as we wanted but still wouldn't let that stop us from coming again. read more

Ordered at 722. The people infront of us received they're food at 740. The couple behind us received they're food at 745. At 805 i still had no food. I asked for a refund and it seemed like that was even a hassle. No attempt to make it right. Will not be going here ever again. 45 min and all i ordered was a calamari. Unbelievable. And the place only had 5 tables. read more

I decided to review because Shanks has just been recognized as one of the best outdoor eating spots in CT. Agreed, the views/ambience is impressive. The spot is comfortable and clean and is to be enjoyed May-September. It is BYOB, which is always nice and great spot to hang for a bit when there is live acoustic music. I love the setup of a kitchen developed out of an old boat that has been permanently raised on land. All of this may warrant a 4 or 5 star review but here is the reality. The fried seafood is sub par. You will pay for fresh food prices and get flash frozen food which comes out of a fryolater which never seems to be hot enough. Busy days are difficult to manage for the college/Hugh school kids essentially staffing the place. I have been 4 times and each time the food improves. It is much more popular, however, so the process to get the food has become more cumbersome. The whole belly clams were decent last visit. As an outlier, I would give their homemade potato chips a 5. read more

I definitely would not recommend this place if you're looking to get your meal in a reasonable amount of time. You can expect a long wait regardless of the amount of people at this place, as the kitchen is remarkably tiny and the management is clearly disorganized. The view is awesome, the food is relatively tasty (if it comes out hot) but be advised to not come hungry if your planning on having a nice evening. read more

Stunning views of Cedar Island, beautifully cooked fresh fish tacos, happy and eager staff. Shank's was exactly what we were looking for that day. And it's BYOB! Only downside is no bathrooms (fancy porta potties though). But this place definitely deserves 5 stars. I will be a weekly regular there, despite the 30 minute drive. I can't wait to try the rest of the menu... read more

Excellent food. So many great choices on the menu. Lobster rolls are to die for. Literally my favorite place to eat on the shore. Fabulous views of the sound. Fine dining in a relaxed atmosphere. Can't wait to come back! read more

Great location with a great view. The staff is always courteous, too. The food is okay; not great, not terrible. They could definitely use a bit of an improvement in this regard. Definitely worth a visit, though. read more

My daughter and I spent a great one day at the beach and we were looking for local place to have lunch. We both have celiac disease/gluten sensitivity), so we need to find a place that accommodates our dietary issues. WE RESEARCHED ON LINE FOR THIS. We waited in line a average amount of time in line. The young man who waited on us seems overwhelmed and really should not be taking orders. I mentioned our allergy and he did notate it. Also I have a crab meat allergy. Taking the order was a struggle for him. ALSO THEY SHOULD NOT ADVERTISE GLUTEN FREE IF THEY COOK FOODS IN THE SAME OIL AS OTHER FOOD. We ordered two burgers and two sodas, $48.00!! We took their buoy number which marked our table for delivery., and sat waiting for our food. The order took 40 minutes to arrive. After all that wait the whole order was wrong. I ordered an american cheese burger with avocado. I received a burger with raw bacon inside the burger and no cheese. My burger did have one small avocado on it. They put home made cross contaminate potato chips on plate, when I said I did not want them. He did not offer an alternative. My daughter ordered a barbecued bacon burger with cheddar with sweet potato fries. Her burger did not have bacon, cheddar or barbecue sauce. She was giving maple syrup in a container. We questioned the bill and also ask about our order. We had to ask for set ups and I asked for ketchup 3 times. They brought only one ketchup for my daughter and none for me. Also my daughters burger had a few small gluten coated onion rings on it. The staff brought barbecue sauce for my daughters burger, but did not care about how our food order was all incorrect. The burgers taste was not good. We dealt with 4 different employees that only wanted to argue with us over the bill and did not care about the incorrect order. They offered us nothing, not a corrected order or any money back. They were preparing for a luau, which was at 4:00 and they were obviously too distracted by there event. Nice view of the water, but food was terrible. Do not waste your time or money. read more

First Visit Saturday night visit, very good service. Ate outside near water, very nice view. Ordered fried shrimp,shrimp cocktail anc grilled fish sandwich. Shrimp cocktail was bad. Bad enough to take away from the other two meals. Size of shrimp were very good but the taste tough and bland. Very disappointed in the shrimp cocktail. Not sure if we will return. There are to many good restaurants in the area to make mistakes. read more

Food was very good . My family is in the Clinton area alot and we remember the namesake Shanks ! We have told numerous people about the view and good food , cant wait to eat there again . The staff is friendly and food came up to us in a short time . Good luck in your new endeavor , seems like a winner . read more

Beautiful view, cold food! Music was way too loud ... it took away from the ambience.

Was hoping for great things because of the reviews! However, Was disappointed in the food for the price. Hamburger/cheeseburger advertised on the menu for $8.95. But turned out to be 10.50 for a cheeseburger ($1.50 for a slice of cheese???) with no fries, coleslaw? $5.50 for a hot dog and nothing else? View was great but too pricey. We won't be back. read more

Been trying to get to Shanks for a year. Finally had a chance tonight after a run to Clinton Crossing. We had the cauliflower bites, the fish tacos, and the summer salad with scallops. The food is excellent. The tables upstairs overlooking the water are awesome. It was a mini vacation for the night. We will definitely be back. read more

Loved it! Four of us went for dinner a couple of weeks ago after having seen it the day before when we had lunch next door at Lobster Landing. It is brand new, very fresh and clean. Cute atmosphere. Comfortable, casual and relaxing. Every seat overlooks the beautiful water and marina. We enjoyed sitting outside, downstairs on a picnic table with umbrella, watching the water, beautiful sky with a lovely breeze. Three of us had fish and chips and one had fried shrimp. All were very delicious, fresh and very lightly fried. So much fish! The fries were incredible too. Loved the cole slaw and tarter sauce. The service was very attentive and friendly. Loved bringing our own bottle of wine and a couple of beers to enjoy. Absolutely loved the food and setting...Planning our next visit! read more

Amazing view! Amazing food! I had the grilled fish taco in a lettuce wrap. If you're looking for a healthy alternative to all the fried food on the shoreline, this is the place! Nutritionist approved! read more

We have been here twice and both times order the same thing. I had the Fried Fish Sandwich and my husband that the Grill Fish Sandwich. The first time every thing was very good. When we went back yesterday and ordered the same thing it was not good at all. The fish was under cooked and had no flavor and made the bun very soggy. Will we be back. I do not think so it seems they are inconsistent in there food and you never know what you are going to get. read more

Drove down from West Hartford. Ordered fish sandwich and shrimp tacos. After 40 minutes I questioned where the food was. I was told plan is always to serve in 20 minutes but they got backed up. When delivered, sandwich had 2 very small potions of fish and we received fish tacos instead if shrimp tacos. Surprisingly, they delivered shrimp tacos within a couple of minutes. Don't get me stated on the "french fries". They were horrible. We should have eaten at the lobster restaurant across the street. read more

One star is way too generous. It's not only poor quality food, it's also extremely poor quality management. We ordered and paid before even getting to the table, because this place is literally a hole-in-the-wall by the water. I left a tip, because I'm a nice person (and I don't like spit in my food, either) - but the oysters that I have ordered were sooo bad, you could smell them stinking from across the room. We had them sent to the kitchen, and asked for a refund for that portion of the bill. A manager arrived, it's true that she was apologetic and she presented me with the new bill. Soup, oysters, and main course were all brought at the same time, food was quite bland and seriously overpriced, plastic silverware, no bathroom - just a port-a-potty outside. (Where are the cooks and servers washing their hands after using that?!) Long story short, due to the quality of the entire service (and place), I decided NOT to leave a tip, and specifically asked the manager present if the amount of the second bill would be my final payment, and she said "yes". I get home, and find out that the tip from the first, canceled bill was added to my second one, so they just decided to award themselves an 18% tip! Wait, there's more: I write to complain on their website (another bad joke, go check it out!) and hear back from the owner (?!) or another supervisor named Benchimol, saying that "well, you left the tip". What?! I left a tip on the cancelled bill, right. Not on the new bill, which I specifically double checked with the manager present! Wow! Yes, my mistake, I should have left and asked for a full refund - like the people from the table next to us, who were also complaining of the quality of their food, and who asked for a full refund. So, if you can stomach it, go ahead and try a portion of rotten oysters, garnished with a bad attitude!!! read more

Horrible service. We were told the wait time was 25 mins, we waited over an hour. My mom ordered a lobster BLT, it came out with no lobster and the bun was dry and cold- other toppings weren't good either. Wilty lettuce, fatty bacon, unripe tomato. I got the tuna tacos and they were pretty much flavorless. My dad got the lobster sliders and said the buns were dry and the lobster wasn't nearly as good as lobster landing across the street. Not to mention our $50 bill.... way overpriced for what we got. read more

My husband and I went to Shank's on a beautiful Sunday afternoon. Ordered whole belly fried clam roll and fried shrimp roll. Waited over 45 minutes for our food to be delivered to our table. Servers were walking around confused as to which table ordered what. One server brought us two ice cream cones that were starting to melt and asked us if we ordered them. We did not. When we got our food, it was cold and overcooked. Instead of a light breading, the fish were heavily coated to the point that there was more breading than seafood. Whole belly clams were about the size of a dime. They looked more like clam strips than whole belly. When the server asked us how everything was, I told her "not good". She just smiled as though she's heard it 100 times over. Needless to say, we won't be back. The main reason we went there instead of our usual place, the Fish Tale down the road, was for the fact it is in a marina and for the scenery. Lesson learned. Stick with what you know is good. read more

Second time here in two weeks - wonderful relaxing lunch both times. Shrimp tacos were great, clams on the half shell perfect accompaniment. The service is really great - friendly, helpful, good suggestions. Love that it's BYOB, and that they willingly provided glasses when we forgot them. Summer at its best. read more

We just had lunch and what a pleasant surprise. We both got the fish sandwich, hers was fried & mine was grilled. They were both excellent served with lettuce and tomato on a good roll (that didn't fall apart). We will definitely be back. read more

Severely disappointed! I had been to Shank's last year, it's a beautiful location. Last time I went for some fried seafood which was good so I wanted to take my elderly mother for a nice lunch. We were greeted by a woman who was possibly the owner. We ordered Lobster Sliders and a Lobster salad sandwich. They charged $23 for each sandwich which is far more than the best lobster roll stands around. I was assured by the owner that these were good and popular selections because I was going back and forth between the fried seafood which I knew was good (and much cheaper). My Lobster Salad sandwich was suppose to have avocado but didn't arrive on my table with any. I went back and asked for some to put on the sandwich. The woman asked who forgot the avocado and it happened to be a young guy hosing down a greasy kitchen mat. She said she'd bring some out, so out comes someone else with the avocado. It was Not_Ripe_at_all!!! Disgusting. So as I am trying to enjoy this $23 lobster salad sandwich I notice it is 100% claw meat. At this price I am wondering how they get off charging $6 more than the other places for this! I had probably eight or more lobster claw fingers which I consider inedible bulking up this sandwich stacked next to inedible unripened avocado. So I picked out what I could and the rest went in the trash. Huge waste! My mom's lobster sliders were equally unappetizing, overcooked, killed claw meat and claw finger. She didn't enjoy hers either. Another $23 mistake. Sorry, can't endorse this place with a great lobster roll stand right next door and plenty up and down the shoreline. read more

One star for the location, less than zero for the food. Clam chowder was cold and weirdly seasoned. Whole belly clams heavily battered and not close to any number of similar shoreline dives. Fries tasted of other seafood which must have been fried in the same oil. Also, the ratio of clams to fries was ridiculous. A handful of clams dumped onto a plate load of fries. Way overpriced for what you got and not offset by the view of Clinton Harbor. Dan S. read more

I was very excited to try this restaurant. The location and atmosphere are perfect. I ordered a salad with scallops. The small portion of lettuce was bagged spring mix, an overwhelming amount of dried cranberries, with almost too many grape tomatoes and a few slices of cucumber. There were eight pieces of scallop which were cut in half to approximately the size of a nickel. The dressing which I had to ask for because none was offered to me was clearly from a bottle. I would have expected crisp robust mix of lettuces. The tender spring mix is too fine to stand up to warm cooked items. Additional items with less cranberries and tomatoes would have been more pleasing. Perhaps, a few olives, shaved red onion, celery, peppers, a bit of cheese or even croutons. I realize the restaurant is seafood but whatever is offered should be the best possible. The fried clams were OK but there were clearly more clam strips than whole belly clams on the plate. They were also cooked too long and the batter was heavy. The clam chowder was very good as were the fish tacos. I may give this place another try, just not sure. read more

Can't wait to go back! My husband and I were vacationing from Florida and visiting friends in Connecticut. Shanks is a fun and friendly place with great seafood! We enjoyed clam strips (my fav), shrimp, fish fillets and scallops. We even had the clam chowder, which was excellent! The cole slaw is very tasty too. Ordering our food at the boat was unique and fun. Dining by the water was relaxing and the view was awesome. If you are looking for fine dining then this is not the place. If you are looking for fun, casual and great food then this is the place to be. read more

I am writing a review as a restaurant person myself who has been in this field for numerous years. I recently visited Shanks on a very busy Saturday night. Outside the boat where you order was a sign explaining to you how long the wait time would be for your food. I thought this was a great aspect so customers to know what they are going into before they order. I discussed it with the staff member taking my order and they told me of how they update the board very often to keep customers completely up to date. After I ordered, I sat outside on their top deck and enjoyed their view. It is something out of this world. The wait time for my food was 40 minutes or so. It didn't even matter to me because of the view and the people I came with. Due to the wait time it gave the party I was with and me more time to actually talk and hang out rather than just going to a restaurant to eat and leave. I took into account the size of their kitchen... it is very small. The front of the boat right passed where you make your order is the entire kitchen. I imagine only 5 staff members could fit in there. I can tell from my experience that they are working harder than most kitchens out there. While waiting for my food I had many of the workers come up to me apologizing for the wait. They were all lovely and when we made eye contact I received a sweet smile from each of them. Most of the staff is very young (high school-college age) and are working their butts off. They treat customers well and in exchange I hope the customers treat them well. They are providing you a service and that should be remembered when ordering and leaving. When my food arrived I couldn't believe how great it was. The fish tacos were to die for, the scallops were some of the best I've ever had, and their lobster nachos/ lobster rolls were better than any of the competition around them. I was shocked. Throughout eating we had many workers check on us and offer their service. Overall, I LOVED Shanks and I am already planning my return with my friends. Amazing new place in an amazing area. Kudos to all those who work at Shanks! Management and staff were beyond top notch. read more

Best fish tacos I've ever had. Seriously. Mango salsa, chipotle crema, crispy fish (will try the grilled version next time), and they grill the soft tortillas. You know how sometimes you eat something and then you can't stop thinking about it until you have it again? I'm glad I'm local, because I might have to come back for the taco's again later in the week. BTW, everyone at my table gave their dinners an "A" too, so CHEERS to you Shanks. De-LISH. read more

So good!! The food, the atmosphere, the staff - excellent! We had the fried clam strip platter, grilled fish tacos and salad with grilled shrimp. We were very happy and impressed. Home run! We will be back! read more