Everything they have is excellent,fresh too ! Nice competent staff ...had blackened fish tacos with sweet potato tots ..great taste ..5 stars Don read more

The Clam Castle - Shrimp taco and fish taco both blackened - Seafood Near Me - Madison, Connecticut

I stopped by just about lunch time; and found that the longest wait I had was the time it took me to decide what I wanted from the good sized menu. I finally settled on the whole belly clam roll; and, I found it to be a good choice. Served on a lightly toasted bun, with tartar on the side, this sandwich was packed to overflow with lightly breaded, flavorful, whole belly clams. The key to whole bellies not to over bread or over cook. Donahue's gets it right. At $16.00, I found the price to be very fair. The sandwich is served with a side of coleslaw; which sadly turned out to be dry and tasteless cabbage. But for that, I would have easily given Donahue's a fourth star. read more

This place was a go to everytime we went to the shoreline, but it changed owners and the service and food is just not good....period. Not sure why anyone would have a better idea for what has been an iconic seafood place for decades, but that better idea is not working. Especially at those inflated prices. Time to move on. Best of luck. You're gonna need it. read more

Excellent takeout. Chicken nuggets were actually really awesome homemade kind, so the kids got a nice treat. Best chowder in the area.

Ate here recently. Here are my ratings: Fried clam strips: A+ sweet, tender but nicely chewy, light crispy batter, served w a good tangy tartar sauce Onion threads: delicious, crispy, light Fries: didn't eat any once I saw they were BATTERED - ugh! The only fries that should be served at a seafood shack like this IMO are crinkle cut, in a little paper boat w a wooden fork. Battered fries need to be outlawed. NE Clam Chowder: inedible - thick and gelatinous w an sour bacon taste that overpowered the clam flavor. Not sure how this place gets ranked for having the best chowder in CT. read more

This place has everything. Chicken nuggets for the kiddo, lobster roll for the husband, and fried whole clam bellies for me. We were very happy with the food! We ordered online and the food came out quick! They even called us to let us know when it was ready. Probably among my favorite fried clams--plump clams bellies and not too greasy or overly battered. Really well done! read more

Clam chowdah at a place called "The Clam Castle"? YES. TRUST the name. I feel like a princess in this castle, happily gobbling up her clam chowdah. (Note: I am incapable of saying "chowder," especially when it is an absolutely delicious clam chowdah.) No shame, no guilt. I am only happy as a clam at this castle--a happy princess of clam chowdah. By its name, you would think of a bigger establishment, but what you have at The Clam Castle is a comfortable, quaint, and beachy restaurant. I absolutely love every square foot of it, with fat-L shaped plastic seat tables inside and picnic tables outside with fun nautical decor. It has an ambiance all its own. The setting, the service, and the food really make for a fun place to eat. The servers are all very good, from taking orders at the main counter to making the deliciousness, to running it out to your table. The servers call out your number and walk it right out to you, even walking outside and around the building to make sure you have your food. Compared to the time you wait to order, you receive your food in a very good amount of time, within ten to fifteen minutes, and if you have a lot of food (which you probably will because it is all so good) then it is brought out on a huge tray, giving food photographers a fantastic photo. That food, though. Everything that my friends and I had [on our first of many visits to come] was spectacular. I got my classic New England style clam chowder; size: bowl, choice verdict: excellent call. It was so perfectly seasoned and had huge clams in it, no bite taken without one in it. It was one of the best clam chowdahs I have ever had, the other best ones being in Cape Cod. I also tried the Rhode Island style clam chowdah, which is a clear broth instead of cream or milk like the New England style, and it was also wonderfully seasoned and full of yummy sea critters. From clam strips to onion rings to cheese steak sandwiches, my friends and I dined on extremely delicious food. Also a pleasant surprise--the lemonade with a refreshing punch of flavor. The only drawback of this castle is that it takes quite some time to order as each transaction is very slow. The servers do their best taking the order, but the system is very slow and each purchase with a credit card requires a signature. With the number of people that stop in, it is undoubtedly going to take a little time to place your order. I decided to get a bowl of chowdah to go, and ended up waiting a solid 10 minutes to place my order with only two people ahead of me. (Lesson: Try to stop in at an off-time, if you are able to and hungry then.) The Clam Castle is definitely a place you need to visit. This princess grants you access to her castle. When you visit, I request your order include a bowl of clam chowdah, one to enjoy in the castle and one to go to your own home castle (there is also a quart if you would like), and you are set. You are very welcome. read more

See all

Great clams as always. And right by Hammonasset, so it's perfect when on a beach day.

Not a castle but plently of clams A little place right across Rt. 1 from the far more famous Lenny's and Joe's. Take out only, you put in your order at the counter and find a table inside or out. The parking lot is large enough to always find a spot. The food is quite good and reasonable priced. Of course the emphasis is on sea food and quite a large menu of the shoreline standards are available. The portions are general huge so you won't go away hungry and the service is efficient and exceptional friendly. A nice alternative to the giant across the street. read more

What a great seafood spot! It was packed on a hot Saturday when we went in. I of course got the lobster roll which was buttery and delicious. I also got the lobster bisque which I enjoyed though it wasn't as good as the NE clam chowder. I usually hate this soup but this version blew my socks off. It was on the lighter side, citrus-y and delicious. My aunt got the whole belly fried clams which were super tender with a great breading. Overall really loved everything I had here! Very happy bellys. read more

The Clam Castle - Lobster roll! - Seafood Near Me - Madison, Connecticut

Forgot what the price was but the Blackened Fish Taco's really hit the spot ! Stopped in after walking in and out of the Nike Outlet (way too many people of all ages shapes and sizes squeezed into the store). Anyway stopped off @ The Clam Castle with my favorite co pilot (The Wife) for a quick lunch and as always was pleasantly surprised. In my opinion the seafood there reminds me of Aunt Carries in Point Judith RI, that being said the taco's and my wife's fried seafood platter made the traffic on 95 back home bearable. read more

Drove a minute just to eat at this palace of fryer arts from the sea. Used to stop in a lot between RI and NYC. Didn't disappoint. Food was made to order, fish was fresh, the place was clean and the value is well above average(my opinion) There are a lot of choices on the CT coast but this is my first choice(my opinion again) from some fresh fried seafood.. BnB Approved! read more

See all

Had looked so forward to going as it's always been a favorite. Always left full and loved the service and tasty food. BUT NOW...service still friendly, but a lot of money for a little food. Clam "strips" were a pile of fried crumbs and 8 strips. Two fish tacos at 17.00 contained a small morsel of fish. Left hungry and $68 poorer. And of course one of these "tip before you eat" places. Understand it has new owner and prices have gone up all over, but not sure it's worth giving it a second chance with so many other options for reasonably priced seafood nearby. read more

Conveniently located right down the block from the park and beach. The $7 Lobster Bisque had chunks of lobster meat in it and the $13 Fried fish with Panko bread crumbs was large and tasted fresh. Made with fresh wild haddock, it comes with a side of cole slaw. All for $20 bucks. Service was super quick and the outside picnic benches were perfect to enjoy eat at and enjoy the comfortable weather. Would definitely go here again. Fried Cod and Lobster Bisque read more

Absolutely the best seafood restaurant in New England! We are huge fans and try to bring all our guests visiting from out-of-state here. Everything we have tried on their menu is scrumptious. The staff is extremely friendly and the owner is wonderful. We will continue to be loyal customers. read more

The Clam Castle - Fried Seafood platter - Seafood Near Me - Madison, Connecticut

This place is a must stop!!! Hit it for lunch on the way up to cape cod and we had GREAT lobster rolls and fried whole belly clams. They gave us a good amount of clams for our order and served the lobster with a cup of hot butter! read more

Be careful eating here. We witnessed a guy working here "sample" food right out of our clam basket and take some of our whole belly clams and place them on someone else's platter before it reached us. In spite of that they did remake our order and it tastes great. 5 stars for food 2 deducted for sampling our order when they thought we weren't looking. read more

The Clam Castle - Well worth the wait in line - Seafood Near Me - Madison, Connecticut

Went back two days in a row and even ordered a platter for takeout. Their chowder, fish tacos and jumbo lobster roll were my favorite. The platter that includes clam strips, fries, scallops, cod and shrimp was really good! Plenty of chairs and tables to dine in. Very friendly staff and good for groups and families. read more

See all

The burgers are very good here underrated fish tacos are tasty lobster roll isnt bad either . i have a question are the fries handcut? read more

My wife comes from Cape Cod so we're always disappointed ordering seafood in CT! You'd think CT was on the other side of the world from Massachusetts l! Sheesh! We were on an excursion today and wound up here at the Clam Castle. It's a very clean spot with a very friendly staff! And the seafood was very decent, even for folks who are used to Cape Cod fare. read more

Driving from Rhode Island to California and this was a perfect seafood restaurant to stop at for a fresh lobster roll. Service was quick and accurate and food came out fresh and hot. Definitely a cross country must go to location. read more

The Clam Castle - Seafood Near Me - Madison, Connecticut

See all

Wow - the blackened fish and shrimp were delish! Definitely a "shacky" establishment, but clean and great food. Excited to explore the rest of the menu over the summer! Only downside is seems like they close on the early end 7/7:30. read more

This place had the freshest,crispiest.and juiciest whole belly clam platter I have had in years. The Rhode Island chowder was packed with flavor and the warm lobster roll my wife had was packed. Not much for atmosphere but the seafood was really great. read more

Perfect for fried seafood! The service was friendly. They came to the car quickly (wearing mask) to take our order. There are picnic tables outside set up at a good spacing for social distancing. I was torn between a 3 star or 4. The clam strips were perfect, the fish and chips was good and the clam chowder was awesome! We enjoyed our meal. read more

See all

When I bit into the lobster roll ($30.00 for what was definitely less than 6oz.), I thought I had COVID because I tasted nothing. Also got a few pieces of shell in my bite, which made me optimistic that it was real lobster. Overall, a big disappointment. Fish tacos were okay with the remoulade. read more

Great food. Best seafood I ever had! Lobster rolls just melts in mouth. Calamari and clam are best in here as well! read more

The Clam Castle - Seafood Near Me - Madison, Connecticut

Love Love Love this place! Best fish tacos on the CT shoreline! Highly recommend it. Great service, too!

A little disappointed. 28.00 for a handful of clams. The batter was mushy as well. I have been here before and it was great. read more

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

This restaurant was under new ownership starting summer of 2014... We didn't care for it before but thought we'd give it another try... The fish taco supreme! I had it with broiled cod and it was perfect. My husband had the Fried shrimp platter, The shrimp was tasty & fresh, the batter good- he only got 8 shrimp with his meal, which was disappointing, but as I said they were tasty. Friendly staff, clean place. Edit: we went back and instead of the french fries I got the German potato salad, which was on special.... It was awesome! (and I'm picky about my potato salad) read more

See all

Been stopping here to eat since 1966. Our family has vacationed in Clinton Beach, CT for decades. This is the place that I personally come especially for the whole belly clams. Theirs are the best I've ever had. I also recommend their buttered lobster roll. This place is a landmark clam shack and well worth stopping in. read more

I have eaten at The Clam Castle before and have thoroughly loved their hot lobster rolls. I always thought they were some of the best on the CT Shoreline. Today, July 10, 2019, I had a totally different experience. The hot lobster roll was the worst I have ever eaten. It tasted rancid and the lobster was very fishy tasting. The lobster meat was so overcooked it was dry. It was almost like they had cooked a lot of lobster meat ahead of time for the lunch rush and they were not selling a lot of lobster rolls. It is going to be a very long time before I go back if ever. read more

This place is a chip off the old "fried-seafood" block. You walk up, place your order, and have your name called a few minutes later to pick up your platter of friend goodness. While you can have your food broiled or fried, most probably opt for it fried. Nothing is chewy and the seafood quality is actually quite good. The broiled cod was flaky, but still moist. I had a hot, buttered lobster rool that was full of huge, meaty, claw chunks. It was great! It beats a lot of the CT crab shacks that serve the lobster rolls cold with mayo. they serve pretty much everything with fresh lemon wedges and you can help yourself to tarter sauce and ketchup. There wasnt any line when we were there, which can sometimes be a problem at places like this. The decor is certinaly lacking, but that being said, you can easily show up in your beach attire which is nice after a long day in the sun. The portions are generous and the variety is impressive. the down side, the (very dirty) bathroom is on the outside of the building...kind of gas-station style. i would deifnitely go back if in the area. read more

See all

Favorite meal of our trip. We got a bowl of lobster bisque, jumbo lobster roll, scallop tacos (not on the menu but special request was granted,) took it to go, and all of it was awesome. More than enough food for 2 people, and literally everything was awesome. read more

Love this spot! We recently discovered and we're so glad we did. It's actually incredible. Some of our favorites: blackened shrimp tacos, blacked fish tacos, sweet potato fries, cauliflower bites, but everything is delicious. Definitely a local spot and super causal. You can sit outside or take out! Go there and you won't be disappointed! It's a perfect shoreline classic read more

Yum yum yum, this was worth the road trip from Milford! We enjoyed playing cornhole in their outdoor eating area during the short wait for our platters. Then we dug into clam bellies, lobster roll, clam chowder and the surprise hit, which was the broiled platter with onion strings. The cod, shrimp and scallops were fresh and well seasoned. The strings melted into the seasonings and tasted incredible. We sent pictures to the family members too lazy to join us and they are now contemplating their places in the third circle of hell. We miss you, Anthony Bourdain! read more

My wife and I got take away today to try the Mexican food at this place. Not sure what they consider "authentic", but my wife who is a Latina and grew up south of the border is still scratching her head. It was $50 for 2 burritos, 1 taco and chips and guacamole - Yikes! We realize that Biden is trying his best to crush the middle-class; so, perhaps we can attribute the high price to increased food costs (?). As far as the food goes, the nachos were full of oil and very greasy - need to put those in the oil when the temp is super hot. This seems like they need to get "professionals" in the kitchen, as the failure of what we ordered in general seems like it could be a "rookie" mistake. The burritos were a bit "mushy" and the chicken wasn't marinated at all, although it was white meat. The filet on the other burrito was marinated, but there wasn't much of it, considering it cost $18.75! I can make more flavorful Mexican, and I'm an Irish kid who taught himself (with my wife's help). We'll make our own Mexican here at home and give this place another try in a month, or so. The seafood, although expensive, is a better bet here - for now. They might get away with staying the way they are to a transient "beach crowd", but we locals will want to see something better. This place deserves another chance to get its ship together. Let's wake up and turn things around, folks. The kids working the front were wonderful. read more

This reminds me of a Clam Shack that you might see on Food Network's 'Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives.' Fixed menu (see photo) with daily specials available too. Kids food options available. Whole clam bellies are here! They are hard to find so I was excited to see them on the menu. Lobster Roll (hot) is melted butter - no mayo. Seafood rolls (lobster, clam bellies, clam strips, shrimp, etc.) and platters available that come with french fries. Tarter sauce comes with all sandwiches/platters. However, if you'd like cocktail sauce, you will need to ask for it. They call your order # when ready and bring to your table. Outdoor seating is available. Easy to get here from I-95 and easy to get back on. We stopped here on our journey through CT. Bathroom is available for customers on the backside of the building. read more

See all

Great place and love visiting when in Madison. BYOB, picnic tables, and delicious seafood. If you don't like fried food (clams, calamari, etc) don't order the fried food .... they do have many other non-fried choices and I will say that while we get lobster rolls from the local "landing" place, I like the roll here better. Larger lobster pieces, a non-soggy roll, and excellent all around. I'm not knocking the landing as much as I am praising the castle with this feedback Clams are one of my favorites here since they are cooked perfectly and not overly fried. The setting could be nicer but that is not the restaurants fault and they have dressed up the picnic sitting area as well as could be. We enjoy it read more

We absolutely love Clam Castle. While it is "quick" food to good, it certainly is not "fast food". The ingredients are always fresh and the items on the menu are all amazing. From their burgers to their fish tacos and lobster rolls. They are consistent too, which my family really appreciates - in their friendly service, quality and accommodations. We are so lucky to have this gem in our neighborhood! read more

Traveling from Rhode Island to New York makes this the perfect stop to eat in or take out. Friday I called at 3:30 And 15 minutes later my order for 7 adults and 4 children was ready. Lobster Rolls, Clam Strips, Soup and Salads were all delicious and well received by all!!! Thank you Clam Castle!!!! read more