After driving by for years and reading all the rave reviews and awards, finally stopped in for dinner. The patio in the back was a surprise with clean picnic tables and string lights between the tall trees... but the food was mostly a letdown: --Clam chowder was flavorless. --While the lobster on the roll tasted fresh, the ridiculously large chunks (3-4 inches) made it impossible to take a bite and eat as a roll. And my dining companion has a big mouth! (ha) --the fish on the fish and chips was a big portion, fresh, and served hot. --French fries and onion rings were lukewarm, at best. read more

The Friendly Fisherman - Lobster roll... you'd need a big mouth to take a bite of these huge chunks of lobster. Ha! - Seafood Near Me - North Eastham, Massachusetts

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We've been going to Friendly Fisherman for years. In my opinion, it's the best fish & chips on The Cape, and I've tried a lot of places. The fish is so fresh I have to close my eyes and savor the moment every time I get it. Is it expensive? Yes. But they give you a large portion than other places that give you less food for slightly less money. I love this place and I don't understand the negative reviews. I have never been disappointed. And after dinner you can slide over to Nauset Ice Cream for the best ice cream on The Cape. Then slip down to the bay and catch the sunset. read more

The Friendly Fisherman - Seafood Near Me - North Eastham, Massachusetts

3.5* Really nothing to get excited about. The baked fish of the day itself is fine, but the ritz crackers make it feel cheap. The rice pilaf is very salty and greasy/oily- couldn't finish it. The fries are mediocre. The clam chowder is good though, and the service was very quick. They let us swap the pilaf for fries on two of our fish dinners. It was so quiet and not a lively atmosphere, but we came on a Monday night so it could have been an off night. Dog friendly with outdoor seating but no bathrooms (porta potties). Don't know that I would return- for the price you probably can find something better. read more

The Friendly Fisherman - Baked Fish Dinner, Clam Chowder bowl - Seafood Near Me - North Eastham, Massachusetts

Visited the Friendly Fisherman on a busy Tuesday night for the first time! Upon entry, we got in line to order and pay for dinner. There were plenty of picnic tables to pick from both in the front area of the restaurant or in the back, where we chose! One line at the register to order sort of slowed things down a bit but nothing too long. We were able to place our order and get seated at a back picnic table rather quickly! The rear of the restaurant is surrounded by stockade fencing for privacy, which was nice. Our food came rather quickly when we were alerted by the blinking disc. We had fish tacos, a full clam bellies plate, shrimp plate and a macaroni and cheese order along with 4 cokes. All 5 of us were satisfied with our food. I ordered the clam plate and i was hoping for a bit more clams but it was not the end of the world. The shrimp plate was excellent. The fish tacos were really good with plenty to eat! Alot of times the fish tacos do not amount to alot of food but this order certainly did! We all left very happy! The overall price was a bit high, but to be expected for July 4th weekend and Summer on the Cape! We were hoping for free refills of our soda but we were turned back at the register.....I thought everyone, these days, offer free refills...I guess not. Plenty of parking Good service Good food Little pricey read more

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I ordered 1 clam belly dinner 1 lobster roll 1 clam chowder I picked the order up and the bill was over $80.00. That's so outta control. If that wasn't bad enough the kid and the register advised me to answer a few questions in the screen, I look down and it's asking me to leave a tip .. a tip for what ? What did he do for me ? It annoyed me so much I never want to go back. read more

The Friendly Fisherman - Clam belly dinner - Seafood Near Me - North Eastham, Massachusetts

Beautiful ambience with open air outdoor picnic style seating and indoor seating options. Service is prompt, you order at the counter and get a buzzer to track your order status. Your regular seafood fare like soups (clam chowder, lobster bisque) and rolls (lobster, crabmeat, shrimp). We had the crabmeat and lobster rolls and a Clam chowder. Food was good, have had better ones tho for similar prices. Overall a bit pricey, but typical of the area. Ok food, loved the ambience. read more

We love the Friendly Fisherman! Fish and chips are the best! Lobster roll with knuckle and claw meat wins awards! Scallops are sweet. Fish and other fried food have a Very light coating and are very fresh. Type of oil and freshness makes the difference! Loads of fries and coleslaw! We try other places on occasion, but nothing compares. Ample portions. The seafood platter has reached a price point that is steep. No oysters, so we only order once a season. It does feed two or more depending on appetite. They offer a cash price which is competitive. There is a surcharge for credit cards. There is seating under cover or outdoors. The back area also has a playground. Dogs are allowed. BYOB. Liquor store is next door. They offer a few baked goods for dessert, but Nauset Ice Cream is just a few steps away! You can call ahead to order or walk in and it is only a short wait. They provide a device that lets you know when your order is ready. They have a fresh fish market too! Lobsters cooked to order, vegetables and desserts too. Try it soon, as it is a seasonal shop! read more

First time I've ever seen people not finish a lobster roll because of the taste. The whole bellies were smallish portions and way over breaded. The fired calamari was definitely the worst I've ever had (really tasted like batter) and I don't think it's possible to make them any worse so these will likely be the worst I'll ever have. Fish tacos were terrible as well. Swimming in salsa. The food here just isn't very good which is too bad given the setting. Small portions actually a blessing given how bad the food is... read more

Continued excellent fish and service! No where better for a lobster roll or to buy your seafood to grill on the deck!

Do not get the fish tacos (swordfish) they are completely flavorless. No seasoning, jar salsa, huge pieces of lettuce and just so hard to eat. I picked one up and everything fell out of the taco. My Uncle liked his fried shrimp and the fries were pretty good. It is a nice place with all outdoor seating. read more

Classic Cape Cod fried seafood and claw meat lobster rolls. You order at a counter and are signaled when your food is ready. The outdoor seating area is very kid-friendly and comfortable. Adults can bring wine or beer. The Scallop dinner had a generous portion of Scallops and was tasty. read more

The Friendly Fisherman - Lobster Roll - Seafood Near Me - North Eastham, Massachusetts

The Friendly Fisherman is a seafood restaurant and fish market that opened in Eastham, Massachusetts in 1989. It was founded by husband and wife Michael and Janet Demetri. The restaurant serves fresh local seafood which is brought directly there from the fishermen. Their lobster rolls are their specialty; even TV chef Rachael Ray named it one of the best lobster rolls in Cape Cod. Michael sadly passed away from cancer in 2006. The Demetris' daughter Alana stepped in at that point and has slowly taken up more responsibility at the restaurant. She plans to completely take over the business once her mother retires. Before he passed away, Michael's motto was, "We serve large portions so no one leaves hungry." My wife, son and I visited the Friendly Fisherman for the first time last week while we were on a week-long family vacation in Cape Cod. We visited for lunch one afternoon. There was plenty of outdoor seating, a playground for children, and they even have a BYOB policy. Although Friendly Fisherman is known for their lobster rolls, we had just had some a couple of days before and wanted to try a different seafood dish. After scanning the menu, we decided to order the "Fisherman's Platter" (A fried seafood platter consisting of codfish, scallops, shrimp, whole clams, clam strips, fries and two sides of coleslaw). The menu said it serves 2-3 people, but the platter was HUGE!! We thought it could feed almost six people! Don't get me wrong, it was delicious, but we were only able to eat half of it. We took the rest back to our Airbnb and had it for dinner the following night. We thoroughly enjoyed our experience at the Friendly Fisherman and would definitely return on a future trip to Cape Cod. read more

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We ate here on a Friday night based on a local's recommendation. We really enjoyed the fried seafood platter (serves 2-3). The food was piping hot and fresh - excellent whole clams, cod, shrimp and scallops with a light cornmeal coating. We also had the onion rings which had a nice thick cut. Beyond the food, we really liked this place as there was almost no line, they take credit card, and have great outdoor seating out back. There's even a small playground to keep the kids busy. They allow you to BYOB and there is a beer/liquor store next door. Also, across the parking lot is a great ice cream store for dessert. read more

This is a drive by, do not stop. BEWARE Tourist Trap! $65.00 for a fisherman's platter and $3.75 for a small no refill soda. The platter comes with clam strips, egad, and consists of about 50% or more of french fries! The seafood was cooked well, not overcooked like a lot of these places, but the fish was not fresh, shrimp were most likely frozen, maybe it was all frozen. Save your hard earned dollars and dine elsewhere! read more

The Friendly Fisherman - Seafood Near Me - North Eastham, Massachusetts

Amazing lobster roll which may be best around. Great local gem of a place Friendly folks at counter too. Eat there or take away options Check it out read more

The food wasn't awesome and the prices weren't great. We ordered baked fish/rice pilaf, clam chowder, fried clam/fries, and tacos. The baked fish/rice pilaf was plain (exactly as the name), and the clam chowder was pretty watery, it was more potatoes than seafood. The fried clam/fries were good, but it wasn't anything special. We ordered pink lemonade and iced tea (it has no sugar, it's literally iced tea) but they ran out of pink lemonade and it wasn't even near closing time. read more

The Friendly Fisherman is our go-to fish fry place and has been for years. The food is always excellent. The whole belly clams are just the right size and the fries and cold slaw are just right. Service was very good. Having a small playground was a bonus as we had a couple of recent additions to our group. It's BYO which is fine since a liquor store is right next door. Outside and covered dining is also very Cape Cod. read more

Food is awesome! Love sitting outside on a summer evening sharing a platter of fried clams!

If you like freshly fried seafood piled high, look no further. This spot is super casual counter service and It's byob so I brought a cooler and hung out at the outdoor picnic tables till our food was ready. I got the fisherman's platter and it had a little bit of everything, all fresh and hot, I'll be back next summer while vacationing for sure. read more

This review is based on the lobster roll as it was so much better than one from Arnold's. I enjoyed every bite and wished I could afford a 2nd one Lol. Looking at others' plates, was wishing we had more time to go back and try some of their fried offerings. Also enjoyed the beachy ambience which made for some cute photo ops with our canine companions. read more

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Great lobster roll and my husband loved his fish and chips! Arnold's was closed and I am glad they were! Wonderful meal. read more

The Friendly Fisherman - Seafood Near Me - North Eastham, Massachusetts

This is by far my favorite place to eat on the cape. The portions are amazing, prices are reasonable and the service is fast! The lobster roll is perfection in my opinion, lots of lobster, a bit of mayo and a toasted hot dog bun with a nice layer of lettuce in between. The fried items are amazing as well, its a thin breading (as opposed to the usual greasy thick breading on other fried seafood items). The clam strips and fried fish are delectable! I even love their coleslaw... I put it on the same level as Cane's coleslaw which is my all time fave. Friendly fisherman is a must for me on every cape cod trip :) read more

The Friendly Fisherman - Lobster Roll, Fish & Chips, Clam Strips - Seafood Near Me - North Eastham, Massachusetts

Living up to its name thr Friendly Fisherman is a nice, small seafood place and has outdoor dining (tables far apart now) and a playground (largely empty thanks to covid). More relaxed pace than other clam joints. Next to two ice cream places which is a bonus with mods. read more

The Friendly Fisherman - Back patio area - Seafood Near Me - North Eastham, Massachusetts

We had excellent lobster rolls. Lots of claws meat! Worth the price. I definitely recommend the FF! read more

The Friendly Fisherman - Lobster roll - Seafood Near Me - North Eastham, Massachusetts

We took a road trip to Cape Cod and after a hike we started searching for a place for lunch. We settled on the Friendly Fisherman. It's a casual place where you order at the window and then eat in their enclosed patio place or eat outside at picnic tables. Lots of fishing gear decorates the walls. We ordered Fish and Chips, fish tacos and garden salad and clam chowder. The food was very good. Clam chowder was good. Fish tacos were good. And fish and chips very good. A lot of food. Our only complaint is that the food is a little expensive. But I would rather over pay a little for good food than pay less for mediocre food. All in all a good lunch experience. read more

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My parents have a place a half mile from Friendly Fisherman but they told me to go to Arnold's. I was gung ho about trying out the local place for some take out. The prices were on par with other clam shacks in the area and there was no line on a Friday night at 6! I had a big order and I know they have a trouble with staffing during covid in Cape Cod. There were signs asking to be patient. So I waited and waited for my little buzzer to go off for like 45m then I finally decided to ask. Oh whoops your food was ready for 25m and it went with the call-in orders. That kinda sucks. So everyone did their job well except for the gal taking orders. Everyone's food was only warm which ain't great for fried food. It was tasty but I have had a more flavorful clam roll in the past. Lobster roll was pretty good and the onion rings would have been amazing if hot! Solid, but hope the next time is better! read more

Really delicious fresh fish and very lovely folks who work there. Happy to support this excellent local fishmonger.

Fresh seafood that is ordered and then you pick it up and bring it to indoor or outdoor picnic table. The cod fish tacos were huge with fresh cod, salsa, lettuce and radicchio. The ambiance catering to both adults and children. There is a little playground in the back and cape cod motif's throughout. read more

Great place. Skip Arnold's, come here. Best lobster roll and shrimp dinner. 1234567890. read more

Today, we bid farewell to FF. Please read my earlier reviews. We have dined here for years, always relying on the best regional lobster roll. Today, we left feeling dissatisfied. We paid 126.00 today, a hefty price for a mediocre lunch for 4. Menu: 2 lobster rolls 1 swordfish salad 1 lobster caesar salad 1 swordfish fish taco 1 apple juice Lobster roll: dry meat, no flavor Fries: no salt, no flavor Swordfish: boiled in appearance, no seasoning, no flavor Salsa: commercial blah no flavor Sorry, I cannot recommend this spot. read more

I've eaten here a few times. It's a quintessential New England seafood shack. Has a seafood market with attached restaurant. They do a huge takeout business. BYOB. Limited seating. Kids play area out back. Stopped in for a lobster roll. Which was heaven on a plate. There were 3 whole claws in my roll. Just a bit of mayo. Thank gawd no celery. This is why Friendly Fisherman has been voted best lobster roll on the Cape Fish was cooked perfectly for the fish and chips. read more

Nice place to find for our first vacation to this area last week! I wouldn't describe the food here as "fabulous" but I did enjoy my fish sandwich, and my wife her chicken. The fries were a little bit greasy, and for my liking, not crispy enough, but they were okay otherwise. Unlike many other places, their fish sandwich was made with a good quality Haddock, instead of the generic "white fish" I get at other places, which I appreciate. Nothing tastes quite as good as Haddock. Their outdoor seating area is really nice, with plenty of space between tables. Their one way entrance and exit area makes social distancing very easy. There is plenty of parking in the lot right out front of their building, so that should never be a problem. read more

As a fish market this place is 5 stars, we got the most amazing fresh cod and seafood sausages here!! We also got fresh lobsters that they steamed, cracked and split for us, the lobsters were incredible. We also ordered kids mac & cheese and calamari. The kids mac and cheese was great, real mac & cheese. However, the calamari was super disappointing, it came with like one tablespoon of marinara sauce and was super cold, we did order it as takeout but were staying 5 minutes away. I will definitely be returning here to get some fresh seafood next time I'm staying in Eastham, it will also be my go-to place for fresh steamed lobsters! read more

The Friendly Fisherman - Fresh steamed lobster!! - Seafood Near Me - North Eastham, Massachusetts

Fantastic Lobster Roll with less mayo and lots of meat! The best in Cape Cod! Friendly and quick service. Open seating and bathroom is portable in the back so bring sanitizer. read more

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Great place to stop at in the summer for fresh seafood! Lobsters are excellent and the fish is local.

A cute little dive for seafood with outdoor seating and a playground for those squirmy kiddos who want to play after a long car ride. The prices are a tad high I think for a window order place. A lobster roll is $22 and is smaller than other rolls I've had. But it was really tasty! My clam chowder didn't taste like your typical creamy chowder, and there weren't very many clams in it. It was kind of more like potato soup. I probably would have given another star had the clam chowder not been so disappointing, especially since it's such a staple food in the Northeast. My husband got the fish tacos and said they were amazing! And they were a large portion size too. I think my husband would eat here again if we ever came back to the Cape, but for $50 between our 2 meals I think I would prefer to try somewhere else. read more

The Friendly Fisherman - Seafood Near Me - North Eastham, Massachusetts

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Great meal after we arrived at the Cape. Fresh and tasty We had fish(cod) & Chips and Fish cakes Served with French fries and coleslaw They have outdoor seating, we were able to get covered seats, as it rained while we were there. Meal for two : under $40 Clean restroom available. BYOB: There is a liquor store next door. read more

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3.5 stars. I rounded up. Wanted to go for seafood but didn't want Arnold's. Stepson is on a mission for the best lobster roll on the Cape and gave it a thumbs up "as good as Cook's." The fish and chips was great. The clam strips not as good as Cook's. Calamari was good but the ample tentacles had an odd flavor. I heard the clam chowder was good. The outdoor seating area was nice. BYOB saves money. All in all at least as good as Arnold's although the oysters at Arnold's are great (best shucker on the Cape.) But not great. read more

The lobster roll here is great. There is plenty of lobster meat which is fresh and flavorful. The sides can be fries, chips, or coleslaw. They have indoor and outdoor seatings. The only down side is that the bathrooms here are the portable ones and there's no sink to wash hands. read more

The Friendly Fisherman - Lobster Roll - Seafood Near Me - North Eastham, Massachusetts

Delicious lobster roll and friend clams! Very fresh food and huge portions. Will be back!