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    Smithsonian Chowder House

    4.2 (148 reviews)
    Open 11:00 am - 7:00 pm

    Smithsonian Chowder House Photos

    SMITHSONIAN CHOWDER HOUSE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Good for kids
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Smithsonian Chowder House

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    Clams
    Mango M.

    Order taker borderline rude. Clam chowder pretty good a little thin. Fried clams awful. Fishy and tastes like old oil. I've eaten fried clams everywhere along the eastern seaboard from my entire life. This one I had to actually spit out. Do they add sugar to the batter? Not sure. Always very smoky inside too from their cooking equipment. Don't think we will come back.

    a crab trap with a lobster on it
    Mike T.

    Place is fantastic. Friendly employees, great variety of different foods on the menu. Seafood chowder and clam chowder are amazing. They also have Zek's BBQ on the menu as their family.

    Clam strips
    Patty D.

    Visited this restaurant for lunch with family while traveling. Order 3 different soups, the lobster bisque didn't have any flavor, corn chowder was okay, clam chowder was okay but also lacked flavor. They may have been over whelmed with our large group as the soup sizes were all mixed up. Did have a nice salad but it so many onions, had to pick them off. The lobster roll wasn't bad, it was cooked in butter. Fries were cold and overcooked. Also had the clamp strip and it was pretty good.

    Chowda
    Laurie A.

    I thought food was delicious. Hot and plenty of it and very fresh. Ate outside, it was really good. Would Definately stop again and try other things as well. Chowda was excellent , loaded with clams, creamy and delicious. Would order again. Reuben a pleasant surprise! Gal at counter a little attitude, but food was a 10!

    Cupcakes and whoopie pies.
    Lorraine G.

    Such a cool nautical vibe just a few minutes north of Northampton. Smithsonian offers a menu of soups that are absolutely delicious - clam chowder, lobster bisque, chili. Menu is great and sure to delight anyone with a desire to indulge in a seafood experience. Don't let me forget the cooler of cupcakes! We had the clam chowder, hot and chock full of clams and potatoes and calamari for the appetizer. Both choices were fantastic. Eat in or dine out in the expansive nautical parking lot. Limited beer, wine, water and soda.

    Fried clams
    Tricia B.

    I honestly didn't expect much from the name, location, or building. But I was blown away! We got there between rushes, and even though the poor employees seemed few, they held it together and kept everything moving. They are a Coke establishment, nice cold beverages perfect for hot days. The lobster bisque was thick with a satisfying taste of lobster (although not a lot of lobster meat). The fried clams were perfectly fried and tasted fantastic. Plus, they're one of the few places I've seen where they have a price, and not market price. There is outdoor and limited indoor seating. The bathroom was clean, although possibly next to a fridge given how cool it is.

    Ordered take out today and have been here plenty of times. It seems each time the quality of the soup gets worse. Today I ordered vegetable soup and my co-worker got tomato bisque. Neither of us could eat much. The tomato bisque was WAY over salted. The vegetable soup was not vegetable soup. Yes it had vegetables in it but it was more like vinegary french onion soup with green beans. We were sorely disappointed and had we ordered there (instead of discovering the terrible soups once we were back to work) we definitely wouldn't asked for a refund.

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    Johnny's Tavern - Beet Salad

    Johnny's Tavern

    4.1(462 reviews)
    6.1 mi
    $$

    Sadly I never had the chance to eat here, but I came by to say what kind and considerate people run…read morethis restaurant. It was graduation weekend at UMass Amherst and my family and I could not find a reservation for lunch. The people at Johnny's Tavern were so kind and accommodating in making our large group Reservation happen!! Ultimately we had a family emergency. and had to cancel after all their hard work and leave to go home! When we canceled, they even called us back and confirmed that we didn't cancel accidentally!! Amazing people and I've heard- great food!

    Wow. I had never been to Johnny's and tried it tonight with three others. First of all, our server,…read more"Karen 2" (on the bill) was fabulous! I swear the woman could read our minds, anticipating our questions. Now to the food. We started with fried brussel sprouts. Huge portion. Flavorful, not overcooked, just the right amount of crispness...and those bacon pieces!? Yum. I had the chicken wings and a beet salad. I'm a Buffalo, NY native folks, and thus have had my share of great chicken wings. Johnny's wings were on par with anything I've had in the Queen City. My only suggestion to make it real Buffalo style is thick blue cheese dip. The other meals served were amazing - two pasta dishes and the fried chicken. All tasty. Everyone loved their dishes. The prices were very fair for the quality and quantity of food brought to the table. I'm surprised at the 4.1 Yelper average. The meal and service we had tonight was excellent.

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    Johnny's Tavern - The bar was packed on a Tuesday night.

    The bar was packed on a Tuesday night.

    Johnny's Tavern - Fried Brussels Sprouts + bread

    Fried Brussels Sprouts + bread

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    Amherst Oyster Bar

    Amherst Oyster Bar

    3.5(43 reviews)
    6.1 mi

    Having been to Amherst Oyster many many times, the aspect that stands out to me the most is how…read moreconsistent they are with food quality, attention to customer needs, and making you feel seen and celebrated. The atmosphere is upscale and inviting. The flavor pairings and food quality is great and honestly unexpected for the Amherst area. Anda is my favorite bartender, making the best drinks, and always creates an energetic visit. Highly recommend!

    First timer coming here. Not sure why I waited so long! We had a reservation for four at 7:15P on a…read moreSaturday night. Surprisingly, we wouldn't have actually needed the reservation; the place was pretty quiet for a Saturday night. Though, the college students are all gone for summer so that might play a part in it. Nonetheless. The food was DELICIOUS. The drinks were FABULOUS. We each had a few drinks and everyone seemed to enjoy what they had. I ordered the Don't Text Your Ex and that was so yummy. I loved the dragonfruit dusting on top. Our server, Scotty, kept us fed and hydrated all night. We started with 16 oysters, tried 4 different kinds, of all sizes. I wish I remembered which we did but they were all very good. Next came the calamari with hot honey. That was eaten up pretty quickly as well! Highly recommend. Entree wise, I ordered the Seared Scallops for myself, and the other party goers had the Lobster Roll (which comes hot, not cold), the Seared Tuna, and the Casarecce Vongole. Everyone was part of the clean plate club that night. All the dishes were so good I know I keep repeating myself! The bill can get pretty pricey if you're not paying attention. We will definitely be going back!

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    Amherst Oyster Bar
    Amherst Oyster Bar
    Amherst Oyster Bar

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    Smithsonian Chowder House - seafood - Updated July 2026

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