The real Clam Castle is back and better than ever! We've been here twice since the reopening and I can't wait for a few more visits over the summer. The fried cod was some of the best I've ever had. Fish tacos were very good - love the red pepper remoulade it comes with. French fries and fried clam strips are both excellent - though I agree with another reviewer who mentioned that the clams could be a bit crispier. The two times we've gotten them, they needed just a touch more crunch and golden brown color. Still very good and the best around!!! But feels like they would benefit from a bit more time in the fryer. Glad you're back, Clam Castle!! read more

The Clam Castle - Fried cod and fried clam strips, delicious - Seafood Near Me - Madison, Connecticut

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Serving fried steamers, passing off as whole belly clams. Photos of past reviews show clearly that they know what an actual whole belly is. Just be warned-- before you shell out MP, what you are getting. Pro Tip: whole bellies do NOT have a "neck" like steamers do and this was clear as day a steamer. Clam shack staff confirmed when I held it up to inquire why they are frying steamers that this was, in fact, a steamer. And as a side note, fried steamers are terrible. They did reimburse for two orders however, won't return if this is what the kitchen/owner tries to serve! I guess the "clam" castle has shifted focus to lobster sandwich boats. You can't delete my review here!! read more

We decided to try a new place for soft-shell crabs this year after seeing several positive recommendations. The service was quick, friendly, and attentive, and the restaurant had a casual atmosphere with both indoor and outdoor seating, which we appreciated. Unfortunately, the food didn't quite live up to our expectations. The soft-shell crabs tasted good, but the portions were extremely disappointing. The crab itself was so small that it was dwarfed by the romaine lettuce and standard tomato slices on the sandwich. For a dish that's supposed to be the star of the meal, it felt underwhelming. We also ordered the whole belly clams. They were good, but not exceptional, especially considering the price. I personally prefer them a bit crispier, and the batter lacked that crunch. The portion size was average. Our bill for two soft-shell crab sandwiches, one order of fried whole belly clams, and two Diet Cokes came to about $80. I understand that dining out is expensive these days, but the value simply wasn't there for us--particularly when it came to the size of the soft-shell crabs. Overall, the service and atmosphere were positives, but based on the portion sizes and price, I'm not sure we'd return. read more

The Clam Castle - Whole belly fried clams - Seafood Near Me - Madison, Connecticut

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Clam Castle may have a new sign but it remains the benchmark for superior lobster rolls and fresh seafood. It is a very casual spot, just a notch above s stand. But don't let the humble structure fool you: these friendly folks serve up some of the best shoreline meals in New England. Their lobster rolls are served Connecticut style: warm lobster tail and claw meat bathed in butter and then cradled in a perfectly toasted split-top roll. They are perfection, and go nicely with Clam Castle's amazing onion rings. read more

The Clam Castle - New sign but same great quality seafood - Seafood Near Me - Madison, Connecticut

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the dessert counter is worth the look! you pass it on the way to the order counter. Such nice staff! food was ready quickly and was SO good. whole belly clams today. it's got a simple diner feel. you'll love it. read more

The Clam Castle - whole belly clam platter...had to take the fries home, so much food - Seafood Near Me - Madison, Connecticut

One of the best lobster rolls ive ever had. The bread was perfectly toasted, light and buttery. Tons of lobster meat, with a side of butter to add as you please. Outside seating area is picnic tables under a Pavillion. We ordered and went outside where a server brought us the giant lobster roll and cut it at the table to whatever sizes we asked for. I will 100% be back, so good!! read more

The Clam Castle - 2 foot lobster roll - Seafood Near Me - Madison, Connecticut

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I was overall satisfied with my stop at The Clam Castle. I wasn't very hungry and really just had a taste for some solid fried seafood, so I just ordered the fried soft shell crabs, no platter or anything. The order came with 2 and they were well fried, not greasy, and very tasty. I appreciated that they were relatively lightly breaded, and the coating didn't overtake the seafood. It came with what was supposedly tartar sauce, but that I was not a fan of. It was reddish, extremely thick, and just tasted like mayonnaise with a hint of seasoned salt or old bay in it. Service was very quick, pleasant enough if not super friendly or helpful. Again, the atmosphere was fine, basic but clean. I can see it getting pretty loud and cramped at busier times. There is a good amount of outdoor seating around the parking lot. I was a bit torn how to rate my first experience. Overall I thought it was decent, just kind of plain, but that's okay. I went for good fried seafood and got it. I'm not sure I'd go out of my way to go back or recommend it though... read more

The Clam Castle - Outside - Seafood Near Me - Madison, Connecticut

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So disappointed. The whole clam bellies were very small and tough to chew. The breading on the clams was like eating powdered flour. The fries were ok. I threw most of my order away. I won't waste my money again. read more

Pricy but properly seasoned fried seafood joint. A good fallback. Was here for a beach day and wanted to get some seafood by the shore. There were obvious options, but I opted for the lesser known place right next door. The place is very much a clam shack. Small dining area with a little smoke, small booths and rapid fire orders coming out of the kitchen. This location prides itself in being a Mexican/seafood fusion place, do we get a smattering of their dishes and give them a full try. We get the chips and salsa first. And the first impression is lackluster. 3 bucks for a small bag of chips and 3 bucks for a single small container of salsa? That's a little much. 3 bucks for both is okay, 6 is high, The chips are good, but needed the salsa. Salsa was weak, barely tomato water. The rest of the food came out, we got tacos, scallops, lobster, the works. The lobster was a very well executed hot lobster roll. Butter had that coyingly butter extract flavor to it, but the lobster was perfect and the bun grilled properly. The fries were pretty good too but picked up the seafood flavor from the fryer. The scallops were very blackened, which to me is great. I want promised flavors to be there, and these scallops delivered. They were cooked to perfection and the best bite. The tacos were lackluster. The meat was seasoned but tough, a big bite but dry. The tacos were not so great. The Mexican inspired fare was ho-hum, but the seafood was delectable. Price was high for all of it, but the seafood justified the price while the Mexican side did not. It's not bad especially given its location. It's a good seafood shack, with cooks who can pull that type of menu off. The Mexican side of things is okay, but pricy for the portion and just not good enough to justify it. If the other famous seafood place is jam packed, then this is a solid fallback. Stick to the seafood, and you should be good read more

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Got the blackened fish tacos platter - fish was fresh but could have been better seasoned. Cole slaw is good. Fries also could be better seasoned- BYOB and sat outside read more

The food is always very good. Prices are equal to seafood places in the area. If it's good enough Jacque Peppin it's good enough for me!

Great time visiting the new Clam Castle. We had the hot dogs, onion rings and tater tots. All very good but the tater tots were especially great! Welcome back. Friendly staff and service, ambiance was great, and will be back to try everything else! read more

The Clam Castle - Hot dogs with chili, onion rings and tater tots - Seafood Near Me - Madison, Connecticut

Nice surprise- was thinking this was going to be more of a tourist trap with the food being less than expected- lobster rolls and onion rings were excellent! Fantastic friendly service too! We will return soon! read more

The Clam Castle absolutely lives up to its reputation! The service was incredibly fast, even though they were busy, and the staff was friendly and efficient. The lobster bisque was outstanding--rich, creamy, and loaded with flavor. It was one of the best I've had. If you're looking for a classic Connecticut seafood stop with great food and quick service, The Clam Castle is definitely worth the visit. I can see why it's been a favorite for so many years! read more

The Clam Castle - Seafood Near Me - Madison, Connecticut

This is our second attempt to come here, we finally made it. Our first attempt, the line was out the door, and every outdoor table was taken on a hot summer day. This time around, there was ample seating outside, but it was way too hot to sit outside, so we settled for inside, which was pretty comfortable. Menu offered your typical seafood variety of fried foods, as well as some soups, and hotdog. No Fox and park over here, unfortunately, and that was an absolute buzz kill! Regardless, we stayed hopeful since we've heard some great things about this place. Ordered the flag cramp strips with tater tots, 6 ounce lobster roll and an order of clam fritters. I was really excited to try the clam fritters as I had never had them ever. The weight was manageable, we waited maybe about 15 to 20 minutes for our food. They bought it over to our table, and the initial site, the lobster roll was a nice copious amount of lobster on a rather beefy hotdog roll. The fright clams were also a nice amount, but they did not look fried enough, there was no golden aura to them as typical clams look, and this look concerning. The clam fritters consisted of six balls of clam fritters, and they looked beautifully, golden, a color that's so lacked on the clams. Now let's talk about the food and flavor... The lobster roll was pretty solid. My one source of contention here is the amount of bread on the roll, a little too doughy compared to what I am used to. But the lobster itself was nice, flavorful, and sweet and not overkill with butter. The clam strips were got awful! No crispiness to them, no flavor, they were actually soggy, and even the tater tots, which are generally delicious, there was no flavor to the tater tots as they needed a little more cooking time to them. The clam fritters were surprisingly good, it wasn't just fluff of filling, they were actually clams in there, and the breading definitely had clam juice flavor to it. This is a hike for us, and I don't think it's worth it for us given other places like the mottos in New Haven, which is always consistently good. We tried once and we're good... And if we're in the area sadly we won't be back unless I come with some lobster, loving friends to try that. 2 foot lobster roll for $190! We saw that, and that was quite the sight!!! read more

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Visited the "revived" Clam Castle twice thus far. The first time I sampled their clam strips- fresh clam strips with a thin coating which was crisp, served with crispy, nicely flavored fries. The next time I ordered a bowl of their New England Clam Chowder. It had nice flavor, with fresh clam pieces and small potato chunks in a thin, creamy soup. Service is over the counter and friendly and efficient. The chowder is served ed piping hot. Prices are reasonable. A nice place of a casual lunch. read more

Immense butter taste, tender and buttery and Cole slaw is delicious! Service was excellent!

Fritters were awful, heavy, doughy, basically not eatable. NE chowder was filled with extra spices, leaves, who knows what, but not traditional NE clam chowder. It wasn't even white. My wife's chicken "in a bag" looked really good, but lacked taste. All in all the experience was a disappointment. read more

The Seafood is very good. I always order a lobster roll at this restaurant. They have Lots of outdoor seating. Food is made super fast and out before you know it , even when they are packed with customers. Staff is friendly and knowledgeable. Definitely a good pick when in this area. Always good vibes here. read more

The Clam Castle - Hot butter lobster roll with fries - Seafood Near Me - Madison, Connecticut

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I had to go back three times to get my order correct the coleslaw was warm. This is not the place that the Donahue ran and I understand. They just took it over the great people. I love that family been going there for over 20 years. I just wanted you to know this thank you read more

Friendly staff, fast service, but the prices are for the serving sizes, particularly the 3oz lobster rolls which were $17 for something slightly smaller than an egg McMuffin! The calamari platter was generous but soggy and the clam chowder had an unusual tint and aftertaste. It was worth the trip to see what the lobster roll fuss was about (another party ordered one that looked like was 4 ft long), so patrons should manage their expectations accordingly. read more

Very good from the creamy cole slaw to the crunchy french fries to the stuffed 6oz lobster rolls/claws Definitely will go back Solid choice read more

Summer by the shoreline means fresh seafood and fish, and The Clam Castle does not disappoint. It's your classic no-frills seafood place, but they execute it so well! Portions are in line with what you'd expect (or more -- look at my photo of the fried fish!) and the prices are typical for the Connecticut shoreline. I can't say I've tried the tacos, because nothing beats fried seafood, but I saw a plate of tacos a few tables over and they look quite good. read more

The Clam Castle - Whole Belly Clam Roll (left) and Fish & Chips (right) - Seafood Near Me - Madison, Connecticut

Had the best belly clams ever. A huge portion of sweet clams fried to perfection with great fries and Cole slaw. Not cheap... but you get what you pay for. The "Castle" has been renovated from floor to ceiling. The place is spotless and fresh looking. There's an amazing assortment of Lucious deserts topping off a huge menu. Go! read more

Every summer I get a craving for fried seafood. Normally it's Lenny and Joe's in Madison. I'd read good reviews about the Clam Castle so I finally stopped in. Fried calamari and fries. Every single piece of calamari was exactly the same size,& not a single tentacle. Made me wonder if they weren't out of a bag from Sysco instead of a local seafood monger.Breading just ok and slightly under cooked. The abundance of fries would have been far better if they too had been cooked longer so they weren't all so floppy. For all the calories and $20 ,i wish I'd just drove home. Next time, back to L&J's.. The 2 teenagers that took the order were very pleasant. read more

The food is just ho hum! Lobster roll only has claws in it not the tail. 6 oz for$36 for that! Fried fish was just ok and fish tacos were terrible!Also had an outhouse for a bathroom. I will not go back there! read more

This is a true "clam shack" located on Route 1 in Madison, CT. Nothing fancy, just great fried clams. The girls working here were exceptionally nice. This is our grandson in Columbus. OH, favorite restaurant in this area (his mother grew up here and he and his parents visit Madison. We ordered take out so we could drive out on Hammonasset and sit along the shoreline while we had our clams. read more

The Clam Castle - Eating or food from the Clam Castle on a porch at Hammonasset State Park. - Seafood Near Me - Madison, Connecticut

We were hoping the food would go back to what it was before the last owner. It was utterly disappointed. The onion rings were cold and soggy. The clam strips were rubbery, the breading was clumpy and under fried. The coleslaw had absolutely no flavor. We are done, back to the seafood restaurant across the street. Sad! read more

Excellent food. Fast, friendly service. Great place to stop after a day hanging out near the water. From their beach decor to the friendly and inviting picnic tables, it's the no nonsense seafood that makes this place a must try. Favorites include the lobster roll, clam strips platter, chicken nuggets in a bag (kids love this, grown kids too) and the castle dog. Seafood not your thing? No problem, they have tacos, burritos, quesadillas, salad, salsa from Taco Pacifico too. read more

I shared the 4 foot lobster roll with my brother and my dad, it was hands down the best I've ever had in my life. Not only was the lobster meat cooked and seasoned perfectly, but I especially enjoy the great quality of the bread. It was delicious, crispy outside, soft as a cloud inside, this place was remarkable. We will definitely be back. The two working the counter were also lovely, they had a great sense of humor and were very welcoming. That place is lucky to have them! read more

The fried fish we received was rotten! The putrid decay smell was noticeable after cutting into the fillet. After sending it back the kitchen said that cod just smells a little. Excuse me, but this isn't my first rodeo nor my first fried cod. There are serious health concerns with dining here. Eat at your own risk and check all food for spoilage. Also the food is too salty, but not enough to cover up the decay. read more

After hearing about their giant lobster rolls, I figured that we would give this place a try again. We got two 6oz lobster rolls and the lobster was very fishy which means its old. The lobster was dry and i could not finish the whole thing because of the fishy tase. Ive had numerous lobster rolls and this was the worst one I have ever had. I also got fried calamari and the batter was very heavy which ruined the flavor of the calamari. The service its self was quick, and the remodel of the place looks very nice, but I do not want to pay over $30 for a lobster roll that I could not even finish. read more

Told us it was a 45 minute wait which was fine. Our buzzer broke, they told us they would bring out our food. Completely forgot about us two hours later. We asked about our food, to which they said it would be out in ten minutes. Food came out wrong and then refused to correct it. read more

Great food amazing. Would have loved to have a drink as well. Anyways still my favorite

I had heard really good things about this place and it has been on my list for so long. I decided to go one day after the beach! Fried clams are one of my favorite summer foods. I'm going to be honest I was a little disappointed. The clams were a little soggy and cold. I ordered tacos too and those were okay. A lot of people I know love it here so I am going to give them another try next year. The staff was very nice too. read more

The Clam Castle - Seafood Near Me - Madison, Connecticut

Saturday morning stop, right after beach day. A little bit after 11AM. Maybe the first customers that day not sure but we haven't stopped in a while and we were craving fried clam strips. The best choice! The clam strips were fresh and served with lemon wedges. I got a small order with a house lemonade and my husband went for the large order with a side of coleslaw and some Mexican soda. We sat ourselves outside in the shade after we ordered indoor and the tray was brought and our name called very soon after. Happy and satisfied with my small order but I wouldn't recommend the house lemonade ( tasted like it was made with the lemon juice from the bottle and not fresh squeezed lemons). The atmosphere is very casual and the service was very nice. read more

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Old school seafood shack that did not disappoint. It looks like it has been there forever with coastline charm. You order inside and meet the server at the door to go outside once your buzzer goes off. Great substance with the clam strip roll, not too heavily coated in batter. Crispy fries that went well with malt vinegar. read more

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First time coming here. Food came out pretty quickly. Fried cod was crispy on the outside but quickly fell apart, like the inside was too juicy. Fries were fresh and crispy. Fried shrimp was probably the best as they were crunchy but not soggy at all. Fried calamari was the second best. The fried scallops got soggy very fast. The New England clam chowder was thicker than any other clam chowder I've had. Kind of threw me off when I tried it. You can sit inside or outside of the restaurant and they will bring your food out to you. You'll get a little beeper when your food is ready. read more

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This is the quintessential shoreline stop for fried seafood or burgers. Great service, good food, summertime vibes.

We ordered four items. The chicken nuggets in a bag were basically inedible -- in our opinion, the batter may have been spoiled. We took the item back to the store. The chef was very polite, but did not acknowledge the issue. However, he did offer to remake half of the order. The other items we received were average. read more