My wife and I met some old friends for lunch to catch up. The waitress was by herself on the floor and she did a great job with everyone in the place. My wife had the shrimp alfredo pasta she absolutely loved it 8.2. I had the special all you can eat shrimp. Spicy peach shrimp was really good boom boom, shrimp was good on your rings. We're pretty good. We will be back to try some more stuff . The shrimp is really great 8.3 on the shrimp. read more

A group of 15 of us went for lunch. We had reservations. There was only one server for the entire restaurant. The poor woman was worked to death! In small print on the menu it tells you that prices are cash only and credit cards are charged another 3%! To make matters worse, the disclaimer also says that prices are subject to change without notice! That made my $3.99 soda as priced on the menu charged at $4.11and I did pay cash! These miscellaneous up charges happened to all of us! The actual food was a mixed bag. The group consensus was none of us would go there again! read more

The food seems almost exclusively "fast food style": frozen french fries, frozen or canned veggies (maybe one fresh option). Commercial coleslaw. The "drawn butter" accompanying the steamed shrimp was not even butter. And to make matters worse, the music was the same four songs on a loop. Where are all these 5 star reviews coming from? read more

Clean surroundings and rest rooms. A bountiful menu with a wide variety of options. Everyone in our group said the food was delicious. The wait staff was very friendly. read more

Went in there today at noon time. We were. We were greeted by a wonderful friendly waitress. She sat us down. Took our drink orders. They came out very quickly. She then proceeded to go over a menu. Also to tell us what they had for specials. We ordered my son and I both ordered chowder. Well I ordered a bisque which was delicious by the way and my son ordered a clam chowder which was very very much authentic also ordered. I ordered a mermaid platter wife ordered a hamburger and tater tots son. Ordered a quarter pound of whole belly clams with beans and coleslaw. Everything was fantastic. Very authentic for being in Florida. We are from Maine and we know what Maine seafood is like. I would go there anytime. Place was spotless clean and the waitresses couldn't be any friendlier will be back. read more

Chicken strips were awesome for us land lovers. I recommend their homemade stuffing along with it

I thought the food was pretty good, but to me overpriced for my budget. I've only eaten here once. read more

I don't like to leave bad reviews. It can hurt somebody's livelihood, but we stopped in there today and I was really looking forward to seafood. We have the whole belly clams, a couple of clam chowder and a cup of lobster bisque the haddock, grilled and stuffed with shrimp and scallop and the flounder grilled and stuffed with shrimp and scallops. We had a few bites of everything and it was truly un edible. The clams were mush it's like they were never washed and were filled with nothing but sand. The fish was overcooked as was the stuffing the shrimp were rubber. The service was good. They went out of their way to accommodate us. read more

Staff is amazing, food is excellent, the portions are plentiful. Well worth the drive for an excellent experience.

Extremely disappointing. Wanting to go here. I got to pick on date night. I love seafood. The shrimp was good but the crab I received was mush. The shell was slimy and when I cracked the leg it was mush. I cracked another per waitress request but the flavor was off- my stomach turned . I got the steamers plate and the flavor was mixed with mussels I ate neither and sent it back. I ordered Alfredo in place of it. My original meal was 41$, they did not charge me for the Alfredo but to not eat the food and make it aware immediately something was wrong the "boss" wouldn't allow the waitress to remove the cost. Food was garbage the service was ok. Whoever the boss is . You lost our service and any word of mouth I would recommend never eating her. Do not waste your time. I would recommend the greatest catch!!!we always had amazing food and never issues. The owner? Or boss? Whoever you are- you should run your business better with the thought of you would like customers to return not argue and be disrespectful. read more

The Chowder House Restaurant - The receipt from my date. - American Near Me - Zephyrhills, Florida

First off, we saw their ad on Facebook and was impressed with the pictures of the seafood offered. We drove over from Melbourne Florida, which was about a 2 1/2 hour drive when we arrived we found the establishment in an in unit of an older style L-shaped mall store. We found no one in there at the time that we entered. It was dead. We was greeted by a very outgoing hostess, who is not afraid of speaking up in quite Jolly greeting ....in a bit we were asked about our drinks, and as we waited, some more people entered and seemed to get a little bit more busy. We had plenty of time to study the menu which we found quite a few items on there, but the prices are extremely outrageous. Now when the food was brought out, it was good. I got the deal of all you can eat haddock and shrimp which I found very good now if I had wanted more than a second helping, it didn't seem like it was going to be offered. My wife got the fish dinner which she enjoyed and my son got the fish dinner as well we all said that the food was good but at the end the bill over $100 for three people and that's without any type of drinks or appetizers in my opinion and please note extremely expensive prices may bring people in for a first time visit but more reasonable prices would be better to invite a Fuller restaurant more of the time just shows a pattern how the world has gotten greedy and we wonder why a lot of establishments have to close....... would we return and make the drive over 21/2 hours again 'probably not' once again the seafood was GOOD but unless you're ready to empty your wallet you may want to rethink it or other options. Thank you. read more

Food was terrible, place was dirty and the service was slow...and overpriced! honestly nothing to say positive about the place. Also, frustrating that our waitress said they didn't have a 'lunch menu ' yet once we asked another waitress, she said ya and gave us one! Prices alot cheaper on lunch menu....we didn't appreciate being lied to read more

So, the wife and I go out to eat twice a week. We love good seafood but the drive to the coast from Plant city is a long one. We came across the Chowder House and thought we'd try it. As others have noted, nothing to look at from the outside but that matters little to myself. Inside, we were greeted and seated. On the way over we had passed "The Great Catch" and it was packed. We almost reconsidered but the parking lot was packed. Inside, at the Chowder House, there were like two other tables filled although more came in as we were there. We're not generally for the extras, dinner is already expensive enough so my wife ordered the grouper sandwich, I had the three item dinner, Haddock, Cod, and shrimp, all fried. My wife complained she couldn't hold her sandwich together, but it happens. With me, my food didn't seem cooked enough, it's hard to describe. The breading too salty and too heavy. The "rice pilaf" was just yellow rice. Ooh, rice pilaf, thought it was gonna be something special... Some sort of cagey rebranding, I guess. Maybe all the mexican restaurants will feature rice pilaf now... I had taken home 1/3 of my food but I have no appetite for it now. My wife always has an eye for cleanliness and near the end of our dismal dinner she pointed out to me, the ceiling directly above our table... Yup, directly above us and our food was a filthy looking A/C register. How is this not, first, obvious and second, a health hazard? My wife didn't say anything but when I brought it up, the waitress poo poo'ed it like it wasn't a big deal. She's not an expert in the field, but she made it sure sound like she was not going to bring it up owner to correct it... Does not customer perception matter anymore? One more thing, going through these reviews it sure looks like there are quite a few of questionably rosy reviews... I have to suspect they are plants. How does a place like this even warrant 5 stars? I suspect the locals know better, "The Great Catch is packed, this one, nearly empty. The locals are giving out stars with their feet. read more

I am from Maine and we went for the first time on Monday. Typically, I am interested in the seafood and not necessarily the sides. We had the Fish and Chips and the Whole Belly Clam dinner. WOW!!! I thought I was in Boothbay Harbor! It was absolutely delicious! Both the fish (Haddock) and the clams had a very light batter and did not take away from the seafood at all. It was perfect!!! THEN, there were the sides. French Fries AND Onion Rings were excellent! Don't change a thing! It was all "wicked good!". We will be back for sure! read more

Went in and 10 minutes later, not a peep from anyone in terms of a waiter/waitress. Ultimately disappointing. Won't go back.

Way overpriced, not enough wait staff. Food was ho-hum seafood. We ate there before Covid and it was amazing, now not at all. Save your money, there are other restaurants that serve seafood much better than here read more

We heard lies about this place thinking about going for like eight or nine years. We finally went last night and we were terribly disappointed everything on the menu from the clams to the shrimp to the fish was old and rubbery. The breading was horrible. Quite honestly After Hour experience last night. I'm not even sure how this restaurant has stayed open. My only thought is they must get new customers in and that's the only way they're staying in business because based on our food and the table, we spoke to Next to us. Their food was just equally horrific and to say that I'm disappointed is an understatement because like I said, we had planned on trying to get this place for like eight or nine years. Needless to say, we'll never going back and we will never ever recommend this restaurant to anyone quite honestly we've gotten better fried fish and shrimp at the Publix deli counter And even better seafood from Captain D's read more

First time visiting. Saw it first on Facebook and decided to drive from Brandon and Dade City to check it out. Almost missed the storefront. Had to call from the shopping plaza to confirm their location. There is zero curb appeal. Correction, negative curb appeal. However, we pressed on and decided to give them a try. Inside decor and bathrooms can use a refresh. Seriously, a little TLC to the property will go a long way in improving overall customer satisfaction. Again, we decided to press on. Our server Sarah Jo read us correctly. She asked if we were first timers and encouraged us to give them a try. We were NOT disappointed! The food was amazing. Flavorful. Lightly battered. Fried clams is a fave of mine. I don't think I've EVER eaten any that were as fresh as theirs. Most have a thick batter and are frozen. These were fresh. Even the banana nut cake was good. Warm it next time and it will be great! The portions are generous and food is priced accordingly. EVERYONE had leftovers. Sarah Jo brought our party of five a sample of the bisque and chowder. We appreciated the gesture. The chef Mitch joined us at some point. It was nice to meet the man who prepared our food. Like Sarah Jo, he was pleasant and personable. We dined around noon on a Saturday. It was not packed. The wait for the food was not long. Sarah Jo was incredibly attentive. I don't think we had to call for her one time. I'd def return if I was in the area again. Would to try them on karaoke night. Would have given had more att Erin been given to the property. read more

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My son just moved to this area. We love seafood and decided to try chowder House because the menu items looked great. My son had a fish that was decent. I started with a clam chowder, which was a warm milky version of Campbell's. It was awful. I was expecting a lot more from a restaurant called chowder House. Then I ordered the scallops and a whole belly clams. The whole belly clams were tasty but the first scallop I've bitten into was clearly Bad. It had a urine iodine smell. I ate the rest of my food and I told her the scallops were bad She then brought me a bowl of raw scallops and literally put them under my nose and told me they were the freshest scallops around and dumped my uneaten scallops into a box with all of the crumbs and said here you could take this with you. Never again will I go back to this place I do not recommend it. It is also on the pricier side. Very disappointed I'll never be back. Incredibly rude service. read more

The Chowder House Restaurant - This is what she threw in the box off my plate after I told her the scallops were not good - American Near Me - Zephyrhills, Florida

Food was excellent especially the clam chowder! Wonderful service, thank you Jasmine! Great atmosphere, very clean and charming! read more

1. The food was absolutely delicious!! The best seafood we have had in a long time and they are very generous with portions!! 2. The service and staff was excellent!! 3. Ambiance was great!! 4. We now have our new favorite restaurant!! We will be back!! We drove from Lakeland to Zephyrhills for this amazing meal!! read more

First we will start with the outside appearance..it is stuck in the corner of a strip plaza and not very appealing to the eye. Upon entering it needs some updates for sure..that is the first impression... greeted by Sara Jo who explained the special of the day, very large menu and lots of choices..I ordered the Clam Strips on Menu, it says no rubber bands here..you know what that means if you love Clams..Clam Strips served with two side items which there was a nice selection to choose from..Clams were absolutely Delicious and lightly breaded and cooked perfectly.i have to say that these were some of the best Strips I have had. If you love Clams, they are a winner for sure! Potato Salad was very good as well...Sara Jo did a great job serving us! When check comes it is a little confusing, so we asked and it was explained that the price is if you use a charge and if you use cash the extra charge is deducted off..was not aware of this..when making reservation for group they should really make people aware that it is more to use a card so they can pay accordingly...On the menu they charge .25 for Lemons for your drink to...other than that my meal was delicious and the service was excellent.... read more

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The Chowder House was unbelievably great! The appearance of the shopping plaza would suggest this to be "a hole in the wall" type restaurant but the inside was quaint and welcoming. Sarah Jo was our waitress and she was exceptional! She explained the menu with detail and her service was efficient and perfect! Our chef was a native of Maine and the house made chowder was phenomenal! The Grade A crab legs were the best we've had in the Tampa area! The music set a comfortable relaxing atmosphere. Everything about the experience was great and we will definitely be back! Thank you Sarah Jo for your great service! Side note: the owner's mom makes all desserts and they are GREAT as well! read more

Sunday first time visit and was pleasantly surprised. The outside doesn't look like much, but food was so good! Candy our server was great too! read more

The Chowder House Restaurant - Coconut shrimp, what's left of garden salad, and fried potato. All fresh and yummy! - American Near Me - Zephyrhills, Florida

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Chowder House basic meals are good, stay away from premium seafood dishes... Should have known better than to order crab legs in a strip plaza restaurant Do not expect to have any portion of your meal remade to your liking. The staff prefers to argue over whether or not your meal was prepared properly. One of the most odd customer experiences at a restaurant I'd ever experienced read more

Good food & great service. We both did not have fish but will do so soon. In May hubby & I will be having our Bingo party there of up to 30 people!!! Will see how everyone likes it there for sure! read more

Really good food. Waitress so nice. No sign on building, almost missed it. Bur glad we found it. Food is really awesome. read more

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Oh my goodness, what a delightful lunch! No shells to scoop the mussels out of and too much for one lunch. Biggest piece of pie too! read more

The Chowder House Restaurant - Mussels- the best ever!! - American Near Me - Zephyrhills, Florida

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We had gone there about 2 years ago, had a bad experience, and decided we'd not go again. But a friend told us about a Pasta special they have on Wednesdays, and said it was good. We went on Wednesday and were told that the chef decided not to run the special that day (even when I showed them a card they published, showing it). But since we were there, we decided to order pasta anyway. I ordered a bowl of clam chowder. Given the name, it should have been outstanding. It wasn't. It was served lukewarm, and was pretty tasteless. Both my wife's shrimp scampi and my shrimp carinaria were bland. In both dishes, there weren't many shrimp, and the noodles were overcooked and "mushy". With the prices they charge, I'd expect far better. When they served our dinners, we had no silverware. We had to ask the server to get them. No one ever stopped by to check on us. So, our experience - high prices, bad service, mediocre food. This time, we DEFINATELY won't be going back. read more

We moved up here a week ago and have been here twice now. Both times were incredible. Excellent food and service. Definitely one of our now favorite places to have seafood. read more

Service was quick even though they were short on help. Food was excellent and prices were reasonable.

awesome chowder and other great menu items. friendly and knowledgeable staff. restaurant maintains a very clean environment. I go there often and would recommend it highly! Give it a try you won't be disappointed! read more

3.5 stars due to the effort staff showed. During the winter months, this Zephyrhills staple often has lines on Sunday after church. However, I stopped in around 1 pm on a Saturday and was Table #3. I was greeted w/ a smile & seated immediately. Over the years, I have eaten here approximately 6x. I stopped coming three years ago after paying $18.99 for a Whole Bellied Clam dinner that contained just five bellies. I decided to give the restaurant another shot only after, in a restaurant Facebook post, a staffer inferred my comment was a lie. Although not pleased w/ the unprofessional & unwarranted response my comment received, THIS REVIEW IS HONEST. The exterior of the building is in desperate need of improvement. The sign to identify it is so faded that it's nearly impossible to read. There are so few graphics on the dark windows that it appears there is no restaurant @ this location. Only the small neon "Open" sign near the entrance let me know the restaurant still exists. There are outdoor benches as well as an inside waiting area. The dining room is in sections. The decor is dark & appears outdated, but there were NO smells as a previous poster referenced. I noticed two wall TVs; both were set to news stations. Green garland w/ lights lined the walls; it appeared to be a remnant of the Christmas holiday-- see pic. Before I sat, the friendly staffer who greeted me wiped down the vinyl bench seats. I ordered unsweatened iced tea & was charged $3.08 even though the menu lists it @ $2.99. I also ordered the $29.99 (1/2 lb) Whole Bellied Maine Clams (see pic); two sides accompanied the entree. I opted for the Maine Lobster Bisque & Boston Clam Chowder. The flavor of the Bisque was very good. The chowder was very good as well, but I preferred the Bisque. No longer do diners receive a side salad and white dinner rolls. (The rolls w/ the cold, hard wrapped butter slab were nothing special.) The clams had a nice flavor & were breaded & fried well, but the bellies were quite small. (They were much larger on two previous visits over the last few years.) I would return for them only if they were of a larger size. The restaurant was understaffed today, which unfortunately is the case w/ many area eateries post Covid. There were only two staffers in the dining room. At one point, the area electricity went out. Staff immediately lit candles for the tables and assured guests the fryers would still operate & gas ovens would be used. A couple entering was informed of the situation & allowed to remain. (Staff handled the unfortunate, temporary situation VERY well.) I had to wait for requested ketchup (to eat w/ my clams) until my waitress had taken the orders of a larger party. It would have been better had she brought it to me immediately after I requested it instead of making me wait, but it wasn't a biggie-- understaffing puts a strain on everyone. Without me noticing, this same server removed my cup of unfinished bisque as she worked to keep my table free of unnecessary dirty dishes. It was approx ten minutes before it was returned to me, & although it was either still warm (or re-warmed), it would have been much better had she brought me a 1/4 cup of fresh bisque; I was a tad unnerved not knowing where my bisque had been sitting and who might have walked by it or breathed on it. However, she was apologetic, very friendly & hardworking. She even thanked me for my service as a teacher after noticing my Special Olympics school staff t-shirt. Without asking, I was provided To Go containers for my leftovers & offered a bag. Cash & four different credit cards are accepted here. The two-sided, laminated MENU is extensive. It offers the following: 12 APPETIZERS (the least expensive @ $7.99 are the Fried Cheese Sticks & the Clam Fritters w/ maple bacon mayo); 5 JUMBO SANDWICHES @ $12.99 to $19.99; 3 DINNER SALADS; 1 CHOWDER & 1 BISQUE; 4 FRESH WILD CAUGHT FISH entrees @ $16.99 to $20.99; 9 FRESH SEAFOOD entrees that include Snow Crabs, Snow Crab Legs & a Lobster Roll; 6 flavors of CHICKEN WINGS (five @ $8.99 & ten @ $10.99); 3 FRESH ANGUS BURGERS (@ $13.99 to $15.99); 7 SIMPLY SHRIMP entrees; 10 SEAFOOD COMBOS @ $17.99+; 9 PASTA dishes ($14.99 to $29.99); 5 non-seafood DINNER FAVORITES @ $14.99 to $17.99; 19 SIDES; 7 KIDS' entrees ($3.99 & $4.99); non alcoholic beverages (sodas, Iced teas, flavored waters, etc.); 8 BEER offerings, as well as 7 WINES. No desserts are listed on the menu, but previous Yelpers have mentioned desserts. I have eaten @ 5-star seafood restaurants in Sarasota, Ft Myers, Valrico, & perhaps a few other Florida locations. The Chowder House is not in that category, but it is a satisfactory restaurant w/ prices slightly higher than what I feel they should be. For its food quality, pricing, outdated decor, & a lack of staffing, 3.5 stars is fair. But don't take my word for it; stop in & check it out. All small, locally-owned restaurants can use our help... especially at this time. read more

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We've seen so many recommendations for this place that we had to pop in for an early dinner while we were in the area and so glad we did!! We both got cups of chowder and it was so delicious - served piping hot with big chunks of crab and potato. Yum! We also got the fisherman's platter to share. It was so much food! Everything was hot, crispy and delicious! Our server, Sarah Jo was knowledgeable and funny, making good conversation and stayed on top of our table. She gave great recommendations and really made the dining experience enjoyable read more

The Chowder House Restaurant - Cup of clam chowder - American Near Me - Zephyrhills, Florida

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Delicious food!!!! The service was very prompt and attentive! I got the Haddock sandwich and clam chowder. Both were excellent.

Service was excellent as was the appetizers, but almost every entree came with batter....fish, clams, shrimp etc. It was either that, or pasta. The meal was served fast and for 3 of us, with soft drinks, it was over $130....not their fault in the current economic climate. Would have to think twice before going again. read more

The food was good. The prices for what you get is high. The last time we were there about 3 months ago we ordered the steamed jumbo shrimp because the shrimp were the tiger prawns and very large. This time the shrimp were almost half the size. When I questioned them, they just blew me off and said nothing had changed. We ordered the 1/4 lb shrimp appetizer, the clam strips, two cups of soup and a salad. It cost us $70. With no drinks. To expensive for us. We will not be going back. read more

Oh my I have read the reviews and I am sick about them. Yep it is true never enough help and wait staff gets overwhelmed but the food? I found it awesome..I am originally from Maine so I know great seafood and this is as close to Maine as you can get.. read more

Really good food, will definitely return. Can't believe it took us that long to come check it out. My husband was impressed of how perfectly battered and fried the seafood was (not too much batter not too little) they definitely have that down to a science. Absolutely loved the pasta. The potato wedges could be seasoned or more salty but still good. read more

The Chowder House Restaurant - Chicken Parm with side of noodles with combined marinara and Alfredo sauce together. Potato wedge appetizer and the fisherman's platter - American Near Me - Zephyrhills, Florida

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What a wonderful restaurant this is! Full house, with only a mom (Sarah) & son handling the entire dinner shift. They really hustled & managed to keep the entire place fed & serviced. It was our first visit in during a very rainy dinner rush. Of course mom & dad being from England, know their "fish & chips" quite well, and they were very pleased. Large portions, fresh seafood & the price was very reasonable. Four very happy, satisfied customers who will now become "regulars"...highly recommended! Thank you, we'll see you soon! read more

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