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    The Place

    4.0 (439 reviews)
    ModerateSeafood, American
    Closed 1:00 pm - 10:00 PM
    Updated 1 month ago

    The Place Photos

    THE PLACE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Dogs allowed
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - The Place

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    Clams special
    Huiwen C.

    A no-frills cash only seafood place! The steamers, roast clam special, and corn are all must-gets! The steamers are so fresh and juicy. The clams with the cocktail sauce is just wow - the sauce pairs so well with the clams. The corn tastes almost like popcorn. The only item I would pass on is the lobster as it is very bland. Everything is super fresh and the food is cooked on a giant open fire. It is very casual with seating being tree stumps or plastic chairs so it is similar to eating at camping. All the staff are very helpful and accommodating.

    Joe C.

    Nothing Like It At The Place you sit outside on stumps around red topped tables and watch the food cook on the open fire. It's a relaxed fresh air experience. Cash or check only, BYOB and sides if you like. A whole lot of fun! Clams, lobster, salmon, steak, chicken, corn on the cob -- everything is cooked on a huge open fire. Outdoor seating ONLY, so come on a day that's okay with you. It's a hoot! Very enjoyable, incredibly casual. Bring a dog and they'll bring it a water bowel. Thanks

    Cat fish
    Mike Z.

    What a pleasant surprise on our road trip! A friend had been to this restaurant before and said they had a great clam dish. We stopped by on a drive and tried a bunch of items off of the menu. My friend was right, as the clam special was quite delicious! The grilled steak was quite good too. However, other items were just OK, and our key like tart dessert was a bit odd as it was a very sweet tart with somd lime syrup. Overall still a decent place to eat given the outdoor seating and nice ambiance!

    Daniella M.

    Fresh, High Quality, Delicious seafood. You can taste the smoky wood flavor in the steak especially. Bring your own sides and alcohol is a great concept. The corn on the cob is drenched in butter so good. Save room for dessert the mud cake is a 10/10. Definitely a unique experience. You sit on wood stumps but I did see some people bring their own camping chairs!

    Fire pit
    Michael W.

    What a fun and cool concept! Bring your own snacks & drinks, pick an outdoor table, order some seafood. Some tables have plastic chairs others are literally just tree stumps - so this may not be for everyone! But our group was comfortable and stayed for 2-3 hours. The roasted corn was so fresh and the char on it really made it even more enjoyable. I also had the steamers which was a large portion. I tried the mussels and I would recommend those over the steamers. Both were great tho. I also tried bites of the chicken and veggiebob which were also great. I felt like the size of the chicken for the price wasn't really worth it. Finished things off with an ice cream Sunday which hit the spot. Service is great all around, everyone working there was friendly. Really a great atmosphere for large groups of friends and family. Would definitely come back again. Maybe a little more prepared with side dishes next time.

    Here is the menu, it's posted on a pole. Prices may change.
    Joe F.

    When I was younger my family would go here in the summer. We called it rump on a stump because you sit on a log at round plywood tables and eat lobster and seafood. One of our favorite shoreline places. It wasn't until we started taking our kids there that I knew it was called The Place. Now that we are older it is a great motorcycle destination every summer. All the food is cooked over an open flame fire. I guess you can have boiled too, but definitely recommend the open fire. The roasted clam special if awesome and a must have. This is the only place we have fire roasted lobster - Excellent! It's also BYOB and all outdoors. One of the best summer places in Connecticut.

    Clams
    Ghislain C.

    Absolutely loved the concept! The ambiance is fantastic with the large BBQ setup and open tables where everyone can sit together. It's BYOB, and the service was excellent! We had clams, mussels, and lobster, everything was so fresh and flavorful. Highly recommend this place, but definitely come prepared for a fun and lively experience!

    Elisa F.

    My husband grew up in Guilford and I have always wanted to come here to visit! I'm not a big seafood girl, but recently have gotten brave and decided this summer would be the time to visit! It's completely outdoor seating where everything is cooked over a wood fire! It's absolutely iconic and a shoreline staple! I have to say I wasn't blown away by the food in any means, but the vibes are fun and perfect for a summer night with friends! We tried a bunch and split everything from the ribeye, clams, lobster and of course the corn. The corn cobs were my favorite and we asked for mine extra charred :) Our server was a complete gem and answered all our stupid questions. I was really excited to try the clams but unfortunately, they were a little too fishy for me. I'm just not a seafood girl! The ribeye was good but at $36 I think I could have made the same thing at home - there wasn't anything special about it. You definitely need to like seafood to eat here!! We really liked that they're BYOB and you can even bring your own snacks and sides. We saw families even have a tablecloth they brought! Get comfy and come for the shoreline summer vibes!

    Vegebob - good as a side dish but not a whole meal
    Laura L.

    Cute little outdoor place with tree stumps and plastic chairs for seating. The menu is small but has everything you could need. W got a roasted lobster and corn and V & I shared the roasted shrimp, vegebob, and a steak. The food was all excellent and cooked well, served on paper plates that worked fine for the most part. If you're getting a steak, maybe pack a plastic plate? Dessert was hot fudge sundaes (yum!) and key lime mousse (also yum). Service was great and seems like a fun place for a larger group. It's BYOB and cash only so hit your own ATM to avoid the fees.

    Shrimp
    Shagail S.

    Very unique experience. Must hurry to save seats. BYOB yes!!! lol very good corn!! Very good shrimp. BBQ Chicken without the bones. Steak was good!! Bland but good!! Will definitely go back!!!

    José M.

    Ok plain and simple it's what's best described this gem of restaurant plain and simple is FRESH. From seating out on the fresh air to the fresh food that they serve

    Grilled 1 1/4 lb lobster
    Jim W.

    This has been on my bucket list for some time. It's been on several food shows and looked like fun. Great time. If you're in the area, you need to check this out. It is rustic and bare minimum. It's BYOB. I brought a cooler with an assortment of beverages. Order the Clams Special, delish. Roasted Corn, asked mine to be burnt - came at the perfect char. Three 1 1/4 lobsters. It was a beautiful day and a great meal. Staff was friendly and attentive. Wife already said we'll be back but will stay in the area overnight to come more than once!

    Clam Special
    Jason P.

    All couples have these conversations. You read something, and say, "This place looks really cool. We should go sometime." I don't remember the specifics of when, and who said what, but I remember years ago that my wife and I both thought "The Place" in Guilford looked awesome. So it's fitting that, as we decided to plan date nights this Summer without our son (but with Pasta the Dog), that our first 45 minute trip was to The Place. I wonder if a plainer name -- The Place -- has ever been attached to such a unique experience. Seat yourself outside on a tree stump. The plating leans toward the paper, rather than the fancy, side. The Place is so dog friendly that an owner stopped by to give Pasta the Dog two biscuits. Service was great in that way. Pro tip -- cash or check only. When the server arrives, order your choice of fire-roasted seafood, steak, corn and/other veggies from the giant menu display. It's the only menu you'll get. This isn't your backyard grill fire. This is an F-I-R-E fire. The grill is wide, and the flames flash high. I tried the clam special (clams grilled with a cocktail sorta sauce), the shrimp, the Veggie Bobs, Key Lime Mousse and maybe the star of the show - the husk on, corn on the cob. All fire-roasted. Everything was well executed. The liquid in the clam shells sizzled as they arrived atop a metal grate. The clams tasted fresh. They were essentially braised in the cocktail sauce, and they combined to form something greater than the sum of the parts. The hot peel your own shrimp with cocktail sauce were also very good. You taste the wood fire in the seafood and corn. Of course the key lime mousse, with that graham cracker crust, was tasty. The Place is CT-one of a kind. I highly recommend it. Lobster and/or steak might be the best play by the way. However, those orders seemed difficult to manage while we took turns leashing an enthusiastic 85 pound Dog-Child who loves human food. Next time. Five Stars This is my 500th Yelp Review. On my "pastathedogctjp" Instagram Food Blog, I posted a reel commemorating our experience at The Place. Cheers.

    The Menu at The Place

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    7 months ago

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    12 days ago

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    1 year ago

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    2 years ago

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    1 year ago

    Really good food but what I don't like is when you sit outside but kind staff and great food 10 out of 10

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    2 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    1 year ago

    We love the Place. It's a happy atmosphere, the service is great, and the food is delicious!!!

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    3 years ago

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    10 months ago

    Should be called the Fly Place. Lots of flies, bees, mosquitoes and very dirty tables and stumps . It's a pass

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    5 years ago

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    10 months ago

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    5 years ago

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    1 year ago

    Excellent food and good clean service. Pierogies are delicious and stuffed cabbage is excellent.

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    3 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

    A unique memorable and VVG summer seafood place. The grilled shellfish is just out of this world.

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    3 years ago

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    Page 1 of 11

    The Place Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - The Place

    Can you bring your dog?

    Does the catfish have bones in it

    Do they take reservations?

    No they don't. But you can usually find a table. Try coming early or late. It's worth the wait in any case.

    If it rains, do you have indoor facilities?

    They don't have indoor facilities but they do have a tent covering if it rains

    View All 4 Questions

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    Fat Duck Tavern - Filet Mignon Fajitas

    Fat Duck Tavern

    3.3(37 reviews)
    1.9 mi

    I went for Valentines day 4 course dinner and it was spectacular!…read more(I just read a review of the same night with one star... definitely a kook). Everything was perfect, the food was outstanding. My girlfriend said it was the best meal she ever had (that's a huge compliment). I will definitely return

    We had a disappointing night on Valentine's Day with their prix fixe menu. Immediately upon…read morearrival, the hostess made us feel unwelcome, as we were 15 minutes early for our reservation. We were told we could sit in the corner to wait instead of at the empty bar, which should have been our first sign that something was off. We went to the bar and were not greeted or offered a drink, but our table was ready rather quickly so it didn't matter. The ambiance of the space is beautiful. Live plants are in the windows and the space was clean and beautifully lit. Once greeted, drinks ordered, we waited for our wine for half an hour, and water another fifteen minutes. No silverware/napkin until our first course was delivered. Three of the four dishes were served, the fourth didn't come until we got up and physically found our waiter after ten minutes. Our plates were not cleared for a half an hour, and the second course delivered a half hour after that. Main courses took almost another hour. We ended up requesting that our desserts be packaged since it was after 11pm (for an 8:30 reservation) I don't know what the back of the house looked like, but front of house seemed adequately staffed. Our server apologized at the end of the meal, but we weren't offered explanations or reassurances that our food was coming during these extended periods of waiting. All of the other tables nearby were experiencing long waits and empty glasses, and were frustrated as well. I thought the whole point of prix fixe on holidays was to help service move along? The food was fine, but overpriced. One of my mussels was very fishy, so we will see tomorrow about that. Overall an expensive and late night. Luckily we had great company. This place has excellent potential, but needs to work on either staffing or training.

    Photos
    Fat Duck Tavern - Kids menu

    Kids menu

    Fat Duck Tavern - Mussels and the Buffalo Cauliflower

    Mussels and the Buffalo Cauliflower

    Fat Duck Tavern - Gravlax rosti

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    Gravlax rosti

    Guilford Bistro & Grille Cafe - Bistro Salmon

    Guilford Bistro & Grille Cafe

    4.0(182 reviews)
    0.2 mi
    $$

    Great service, excellent food!! Bistro salad was fresh with…read morezesty dressing and lots of calamata olives and garden tomatoes. Dinner was served with delicious warm focaccia bread. I had the bruschetta salmon which was a very large serving of roasted salmon filet over sautéed green beans and roasted tomatoes-- delicious and filling. My wife had ravioli stuffed with mushrooms over a delicious bolognese sauce. Server was very attentive and knowledgeable . Cozy and comfortable interior. Pricing is reasonable given the high quality and tasty food. Overall an excellent experience -- we look forward to returning.

    Started with the Beet Salad which we started. It contained goat cheese, baby arugula, candied…read morewalnuts and apples. With a thick balsamic dressing. It was very good. The main entree was Chicken Cristin. I ordered it over pappardelle. It had two pieces of white chicken meat in a sherry wine sauce. It was covered with spinach, mozzarella, artichoke hearts and roasted peppers. It was delicious. For dessert I ordered the Gelato. The said 3 scoops of gelato, however it was 3 small spoonfuls. Order 3 different flavors. Except for the espresso, they all tasted the same. Not worth the money. The meal was very good, disappointed in the dessert I ordered. Service was good and they had off street parking. Would have given it 5 stars except for my dessert .

    Photos
    Guilford Bistro & Grille Cafe - Papardelle Rustica

    Papardelle Rustica

    Guilford Bistro & Grille Cafe - Gelato

    Gelato

    Guilford Bistro & Grille Cafe

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    Friends & Company Restaurant

    Friends & Company Restaurant

    4.2(113 reviews)
    1.7 mi
    $$

    If I was going to own a restaurant, this would be it. Everyone has their taste but for me this was…read moreperfect, from the name to the atmosphere to the food. The fireplace perfect on a cold winter evening. The food prepared with finesse. Even something as simple as the fries were above average-likely the oil used. For the portion and preparation and everything the food was priced very fair. The service was fast and friendly. A great place to watch the sunset and they have what looks to be a nice deck when it's not mid winter. We will be back again.

    First of all the staff was friendly and happy despite being busy. The atmosphere was cozy despite…read morebeing at a large table for 6 people. The crab and corn chowder was delicious though lighter in crab than I would have liked. Could have been "the pour" I guess. The Asian Salmon was delicious and something about the basmati was just right. Others got the crab cakes dinner, and the chicken salad wrap w fries, and the cod dinner. everyone was pleased and all plates were empty at meals end. We did notice it was hard to hear at the height of the busy time but wonderful to talk as it cleared out. There is beautiful art decorating the walls. This added to the homey feel. A nice variety as well. I especially noticed the quilted and framed art which were delightful birds and nature scenes. Some appeared available for sale and at very reasonable prices. Very nice spot, well recommended.

    Photos
    Friends & Company Restaurant - Dining Room

    Dining Room

    Friends & Company Restaurant - Crab and corn chowder

    Crab and corn chowder

    Friends & Company Restaurant - Beautiful Christmas Decoration

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    Beautiful Christmas Decoration

    The Place - seafood - Updated May 2026

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