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Cute roadside restaurant. Plenty of outdoor seating. Dog friendly outside. We had the 6oz lobster roll and whole belly clam player. With a $5.00 tip it cam to $84.59. The lobster roll was tasteless! They used clarified unsalted butter. To it basically tastes like oil. The whole belly clam were good but small in size. They are sought after for their very large 4ft lobster rolls from r $319!! I'd rather have a 6oz that tastes good than a 4ft that is tasteless!
Back after many years to have my annual lobster roll and the quality has remained consistent all these years later! We came during a quiet time on a Tuesday and our food came out quickly and hot. It was delicious! It was cool to see they had a little gelato cart so we each got one of those after our rolls. The strawberries and cream flavor was creamy and delicious.
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.
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!!
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...
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
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!
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!!!
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!
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
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
2 years ago
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
1 year ago
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2 years ago
Clam Castle is a wonderful stop before or after a day at at the beach. Although they have picnic tables outside, we opted to sit inside because we wanted the air conditioning. The menu has a variety of hot and cold items including fried clams and also clam tacos. There are non-seafood items too like burgers or chicken or veggie tacos. The food was fresh and delicious. You order at the counter and the friendly staff bring you your order when it is ready. You clear your own tray when you finish. read more
Had been here a loooong time ago (pre-Yelp), but was in the area (less than 3 miles from Clinton Outlets), and was feeling like good seafood. So.. . So many choices, so little time. Finally opted for 2 fish tacos and 1 shrimp taco, all three broiled. Currently, not allowed indoors, but plenty of outdoor seating (covered and naked, ie, uncovered). Couple of port-a-potties. The tacos really hit the spot. Very excellent. Also, the house made coleslaw was a huge hit. Everything very fresh. And they serve Foxon soda, both bottles and fountain. Finally, they advertise BYOB (I might bring some Ronas for those lonely lime wedges they provide). Will def return and sample some of the other items. Busy for a reason. Worth the trip. And thanks to fellow Yelper, Elisa, for her on the money review which clinched it for me. read more
2 years ago
Definitely gone downhill as others have stated Overpriced for what you get confusing when ordering told French fries included but cost extra no i for bathroom facilities , just outhouses the place needs a remodel to modern times check other comments on other sites including trip advisor and local sites not very good ratings the 4-5 star ratings are from 2-3 years ago before it changed hands now not so good a rating read more
5 years ago
Trying new food so as not to repeat any other dishes was my challenge eating in CT on this trip. Had a lobster roll already and can get fried food at home so I went with a "Lobster grilled cheese." It was stuffed with cheese AND ample chunks of lobster. My only disappointment was the sliced tomato since it added moisture but not much else. Tried SOs blackened seafood and found it to be cooked correctly and tasty. Staff were very fast to cook and deliver food. Also a shout out to staff who brought a bowl of nice cold water for my dog. Nice! Good food, nice people, good parking. Next time we're visiting CT, it should be on our list of re-visits. read more
2 years ago
Amazing fresh food. The service was amazing. You can sit indoor or outdoor. It was really clean and fresh and served with a smile! So glad we found this little gem! They have a great menu not just seafood but also tacos and fresh corn chips ect! Def worth the stop! read more
1 year ago
1 year ago
In the midst of all the other "well known" seafood restaurants on the shoreline is Clam Castle. We were on the way to a brewery nearby when we wanted to pick up clam strips and seafood on the way. Friends of ours joining us had just went to Lenny & Joes the week before, so we knew we wanted to go somewhere new. Up pops Clam Castle highly rated on Yelp...and right across the way from the Lenny and Joe's in Madison, CT. From the outside, this place doesn't look like much. We called in our order (which was pretty large) and pulled up into the designated curbside pickup spots. The inside is still not open due to COVID but I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of seating outside. You could tell a lot of their business as of late has been takeout due to all the designated parking spots. We ordered everything from the clam strips, sweet potato tots, NE clam chowder, cheeseburger, fish tacos, and lobster bisque. Everything was incredible and every one in our group agreed! This was the perfect food to take to a brewery and it was the perfect amount to share with friends. I thought the NE clam chowder was phenomenal. The amount of bug pieces of lobster in the bisque was impressive. The clam strips were crispy and not too greasy. I always rate my clam strips by the tarter sauce (I hope it was homemade) and it paired perfectly. All in all, great meal. And great prices too. For 6 people our bill was under $100 - impressive! We will absolutely be back!!! read more
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I decided to take a ride by myself to the Clam Castle in Madison yesterday as it recently opened under new management. The staff was incredibly nice and they were all trying their very best. I ordered 3 items: 1/2 order of whole belly clams: $16 very nice - small and tender. You dont get a lot for the price. 1/2 order of calamari $9.50 The ones on top were good - but the larger rings on the bottom tasted undercooked. I dont understand why - as the batter was nicely cooked on all the rings , 1 Quesadilla $9.50 ( $18.50!) I got the shrimp version and I didn't realize I would be paying an EXTRA $9 more for a few shrimp. So I ended up paying $18.50. The overall bill after tax was $47.23. I found it to be VERY SMALL portions for TOP DOLLAR. I have no intentions to return. read more
TL;DR What to order: - Golden Fried Combo Platter ($26) What to watch out for: - long lines/wait time - make sure you call ahead to order - if you like generous amounts of tartar sauce, make sure to ask for extra! ===== Went here in the early evening after spending some time sitting around on Hammonasset Beach (the beach and park are beautiful - highly recommend! It did take a bit of skulking around in the sand to find a somewhat empty patch to sit in, though.) We called ahead to place our order and were told to pick it up in 45 minutes. We ordered the Golden Fried Combo Platter ($26), Lobster roll ($21), and Clam strips ($15). Between three fairly gluttonous people, we finished the combo platter, lobster roll, and a small bit of the clam strips. The combo platter was really good, and I especially enjoyed the large, juicy scallops, but the shrimp, clam strips, cod, and fries were also good. The cod comes in two large fillets, so if you don't like large pieces of fried fish I would go for something else. The portion was reasonably generous and could feed two people heartily on its own. The lobster roll was also good and not over mayo-y, brimming with large chunks of fresh lobster. As is generally the case with lobster rolls, it was quite small (and expensive). The extra clam strips we ordered were fine and the portion was about half the size of the platter, but they tasted more smoky than the clam strips in the combo platter. Not sure if it was on purpose, but I don't think it improved the flavor. This is no health restaurant, but I really enjoyed our fried-seafood-by-the-beach dinner from Clam Castle! Would love to come again, and if I did, I would probably order the Golden Fried Combo Platter again, or maybe try the slightly more healthful-sounding Broiled Combo Platter ($24). And I would ask for more tartar sauce, because the three small plastic rounds of it that they gave us were not enough for my saucy soul. read more
I was hesitant to try this place because the menu felt so off to me. But I'm so glad I did. I got clam strip platter but subbed onion rings for fries. Clam strips were fresh and fried perfectly. Onion rings were freshly made and salty and crispy! Husband got soft shell crab dinner and he said they were prepared excellently! I really enjoyed the tarter as well. It was slightly thicker than most snd had excellent flavor w just enough pickle crunch. We sat outside on picnic tables covered by a pavilion. Inside has some seating snd us setup for fast casual dining. Service was friendly and fast! And I ended up w churros for dessert even though I originally thought the menu was so funny! We will definitely be back read more
9.10.21 Here's another favorite of mine for seafood. I've been here too many times to count. I have been coming here literally for dozens of years. This is a childhood memory from when I started eating and trying different seafood. The Clam Cassle is more of a fast casual place to eat. There are plenty of picnic tables to sit at. Some are further away from the building in the parking lot. It's nice. The staff are always a delight. They have been very kind most recently with pick up orders. Although they were a little unorganized when I did a pick up order recently but still not a bother for me. The quality of the food has been consistent for years upon years. There are a lot of fried foods here so the faint of heart need to be cautious. Lobster rolls are good. The whole belly clams are awesome. They're decent size and they squish, gush & burst in your mouth after, of course that you dipped it into tartar sauce. The clam explodes in your mouth with flavors that are hard to put into words. But there's some umami foodgasm going on in your mouth. It's a pretty unforgettable amazing experience to say the least. They're not for everyone though. Many people only opt for the clam strips. The strips are a hard pass for me. There's another favorite which i can't forget. The clam fritters are to die for. Yes they are. They're deep fried light pillowy round balls of dough with chopped up clams and clam juice mixed throughout the dough. There's a nice light crisp slight crunch to the fritters. Then the inside is extremely light, soft and pilliwy dough & clams. Even though they're fried they're not heavy and greasy. Just the opposite. They are nice and light and not greasy or oily at all. Don't forget to squeeze some lemon on the fritters before dipping them into the tartar or cocktail sauce. See attached pic. To die for fritters. OMG. The Clam Cassle is a return trip year after year throughout the summer. You won't be disappointed. Be careful and take your time when you first receive your order of fritters. They are very hot. Don't burn your mouth. Can you say Yummers ;-)) read more
2 years ago
After a long day at the beach in Madison. My wife & I decided to have some seafood for dinner. We found this place just 5 minutes from Hammonasset State Beach. Their menu offers a lots of options from hamburgers to lobster rolls. We ordered take out. It does offer outdoor & indoor seating. My wife ordered the Jumbo lobster roll. It was soft, delicious and fresh, and had lots of lobster meat. We ordered wild caught cod platter. Each platter comes with French fries and coleslaw. The portions of the fish were good, crunchy and tasty. Fries were also crunchy and delicious. The last meal was the fried calamari. It was delicious, good portions of calamari. We found a good local seafood restaurant in Madison! read more
We noticed the ClamCastle was open for the 2023 season and decided to stop by for lunch before it became so busy for the year. There is now new owners and the menu has been expanded. It's a casual, order at the counter and pick up food when ready,side of the road place that families have flocked to through out the years. There is all your typical, fried seafood, lobster rolls,hot do hamburgers and sides and now some texmex choices. You can choose to eat inside on dreary days or at the large selection of outdoor tables. Service is quick and the new owner came by to check on our table. Food was great, exactly as you expect from a seasonal, shoreline drive in. We will definitely try to get back. Everything was cooked well and was fresh and hot. We tried some fried fish sandwiches, hot dog ,onion rings and slaw. read more
3 years ago
The clam castle did not disappoint. The lobster roll was tender and full of tasty butter. The loaded fries were delicious and the New England clam chowder was filled with clams, potatoes and veggies. The shrimp platter had a huge amount of shrimp and the fries were crispy and very tasty. The staff was very helpful and the choice of outside or inside seating was great. read more
The Clam Castle is simply the best there is for delicious and fresh seafood. 1st time customers and we are planning our next visit already. It's all homemade and made to order so don't expect to be in & out. Their clam chowder was so delicious we didn't even have a chance to take a photo of it, we just devoured it! Yes there are other fried seafood places in the area and many are good but nothing compares to The Clam Castle. Just give them a try and you'll be hooked. Also for your non-seafood loving friends & family members they have numerous options sure to please them as well! read more
2 years ago
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I love their lobster rolls and everything else that they offer. But it's called Clam Castle so I had to get some fried clam strips and they never disappoint! read more
I've heard good things about the Clam Castle and finally made a visit. We ate at the picnic tables outside (inside is closed) and enjoyed blackened fish tacos, lobster grilled cheese, and sides of onion rings and fries. The food was yummy and service was fast. It was a convenient stop after shopping at the Clinton outlets. The serve clam strips, chowder, fried shrimp, and many other seafood shack specialties. I would definitely return! read more
Good food, but very over priced. There wasn't any indoor seating last time I went, but you go up to the window and give them your order and you sit out back at a pretty area with picnic tables. The fish tacos were pretty good, nicely cooked fish that was crispy but also soft. The fries were super crispy and tasty too! The whole belly clams were also very tasty. The food also came out very fast. read more
2 years ago
6 years ago
Stopped by here because we were craving lobster rolls and it was a beautiful day to sit outside!! The staff here have the routine down to help customers during these strange times. A staff member handed us a menu as soon as we got there and we ordered and paid right there and had a seat on one of their picnic benches outside. There's plenty of outdoor seating but you are also welcome to eat in your car if you'd like or bring your food to the beach! We got the onion strings for the first time and they were the best I've ever had. The lobster roll had tons of meat and was just as delicious as the last time I had one! Love Clam Castle!! read more
2 years ago
5 years ago
This place is an A+. Service was great. Food was great. We stopped in on opening weekend for 2021. There were cars packed in the lot and even across the street. The person who took the order was very friendly, and the food came out pretty quickly considering the line. We got the 6oz roll, shrimp tacos and tots. It came to about $60 after tip but very worth it. We will return! read more
1 year ago
2 years ago
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The Clam Castle - seafood - Updated September 2026
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