I was happily impressed with the very delicious lump crabcakes that contained almost no filler, all crab. It is listed as an appetizer but is enough for lunch as it comes with cole slaw. And kudos to our wonderful server Annie who went out of her way to provide topnotch service. She was extremely accommodating and responsive to our needs. read more

Felt like fried seafood, so stopped by the Sand Piper. We were seated promptly inside(a little humid outside). Nicely air conditioned. Waitress stopped by to get our drinks order. When she returned, we still had not made up our minds. So she gave us more time. But then, she disappeared. Finally returned and took our order. I chose the 3 item special-chose scallops, clams and shrimp platter with fries. Hubby chose the clams strips with fries. Portions were generous. I thought the scallops were really good, as well as the shrimp. Clams were ok. Hubby thought they were good, although a bit greasy. I noticed as we were waiting for our food, the waitress mentioned to another customer that the fries could be substituted for the rice. This was unprompted by the customer. So I thought I would have done that if she had mentioned it. Since my order had already been given, I didn't want to make a fuss. But it did bother me. Anyway, the food did taste good. Wish we could have gotten another drink but once again our waitress disappeared. The 4 star is for the food. Service is a 3 star. By the way, there weren't many people at the restaurant at that time. Maybe we visited at a bad time. Will update if we visit again. read more

The Sandpiper Restaurant - Menu 1 - Seafood Near Me - East Haven, Connecticut

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Excellent service - Lisa M. went above and beyond! Great food, excellent!! Great view of the ocean and very comfortable on the outdoor patio. read more

Came here around 12 pm on a Saturday on a perfect beach day after being at the beach. A lot of the tables outside were occupied and there was some bar seating inside but I opted to eat my food a little further away in some shade so I ordered to go. There were some people waiting for their food which is made to order. I got the fried chicken sandwich platter which I got with tomatoes lettuce and mayo on the sandwich, and came with coleslaw and fries on the side. Food took a but I'd time to come out but makes sense since it was made after I ordered. Everything was piping hot and they asked if I wanted ketchup. I put the coleslaw on the sandwich and ate it and it was delicious, well cooked and juicy! I grabbed some salt and pepper for the fries which were cut on the thicker side and overall quite filling. I finished my sandwiches but ended up reheating most of my fries the next day for a snack. Overall solid food, a lot of options, and I'll definitely be back to try some of their seafood and ice cream! read more

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We didn't even get to sit down and the experience was 0/5. We stood by the host stand 15 minutes and not a single employee said hello or that they would be with us shortly, nothing. There was one employee who passed us several times and then proceeded to sit down and eat while we stood there--still not even a hello. Such a bummer because this used to be one of my favorite spots growing up. Will not be returning. read more

We went there for my daughters rehearsal dinner The ambiance of the place was ok The staff was pretty good My red chill wings were very tasty , the calamari was good , the spicy sauce with it was good They honestly should not have sliced steak, most of us ordered it medium rare and it all came out med well Just keep the steak , but don't slice it , also it was way over seasoned The pineapple salmon was not good at all, over done and over seasoned , the rice tasted like gross boxed rice The fruit they gave us for our drinks were very dry, no juice in them , made the beer taste funny Would I go back? Unsure at this time read more

Dirty, roaches ,over priced ,lousy food small portions due to new owners $8 small cups soup? Save your money

"Piper, Piper, the red, red worm Woke last night to the sound of the storm" (Phish) Want a very nice seafood meal within view of Long Island sound, with a menu overflowing with calamari, shrimp, clams, steamers, crab cakes, mussels, oysters, chowders, lobster, scrod, scallops, swordfish, and salmon cooked in a zillion ways? Well look, no further, just follow Cosey Beach Avenue down to the beach and you'll find the Sandpiper Restaurant. Their menu is overflowing with all the aforementioned seafood goodies, plus sandwiches, salads, pastas, steaks, chicken, pizzas and more. We took a seat on the outdoor patio and met our server Jordyn, who was very friendly and professional. Our party of three ordered a cup of Rhode Island style clam chowder ($7), an order of (two) Fish Tacos served with corn salsa and a red pepper aioli ($14), a hamburger plate with fries ($14), and an order of fish and chips ($22). The chowder and tacos were mine, and I have to tell ya, the chowder was fantastic. It was jam packed with tender chopped clams and diced potatoes. Likewise, the tacos were very good, with a good-sized filet on a bed of that corn salsa. Fairly good portions, too. Speaking of portions, the fish and chips was about the largest portion of that signature dish I had ever seen! My wife's burger was also a good portion, and I mooched a few of her fries, so I can attest they were very good. One oddity we noticed was a surcharge on the menu if you want lettuce or tomato on your burger. Cheese, I understand. Sauteed onions I understand. But lettuce and tomato? That's pretty unusual. Jordyn told us that Sandpiper is open all year round, so they won't be closing for the "off-season" soon. She said they are looking forward to some Holiday parties and holiday catering in December. I bet they sell a lot of their fried seafood platters for December parties. read more

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I was a late sit-in but Lisa M reassured me that there was no rush and I could take me time. She was really nice and made me feel welcomed. The food was good. The lobster bisque had some big chunk of lobster in it. The lobster roll was packed with lobster meat and the lobster tails were fresh. read more

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Awesome lobster roll! Annie was a great server! Very friendly and attentive and quick! Will be coming back that's for sure! read more

The Sandpiper Restaurant - Lobster roll - Seafood Near Me - East Haven, Connecticut

First time here. It's directly across the street from the Town Beach in East Haven so I decided to stop in because I was in the mood for clams on the half shell. Ordered 1/2 a dozen that were $18 bux. Yikes. The clams, cocktail sauce and horseradish was all meh. My Cosmo martini was also meh. Definitely not worth the money. I might try this place again though as some of the fried seafood they were serving looked pretty good with decent size portions. read more

The Sandpiper Restaurant - Clams on the half shell - Seafood Near Me - East Haven, Connecticut

Have been there twice this summer. Fried clam bellies were so delicious. Fried shrimp are excellent as were the baked stuffed shrimp. The waitress Annie is the best server. read more

We had takeout- not the best I've ever had from there. Will try again next year maybe.

Ordered the clam chowder soup to go from takeout. Got home, opened the the container, to find it filled with 90% potatoes. Barely any broth or clams. Quite certain i did not order potatoe soup. Guess I most likely won't be returning. read more

Since they sold this place, the prices went up on everything and you get much less of it. Tastes like frozen foods not fresh . I hate what they've done to a place East Haven used to be able to be proud of. They used to have a great scrod sandwich! If you're going to charge higher prices, don't cheap out on the quality or the quantity. They sold the Lobster Shack, too and it's the same story there. Thanks for ruining our seafood places. Check out the responses to reviews... they all seem to be lip service, as nothing changes. read more

Cozy, casual seafood restaurant next to the beach. There's a takeout area in front with outdoor seating and a full-serviced indoor restaurant in the back with a spacious customer parking lot. My family stopped by here during a road trip, and everyone loved it. Food was fresh and delicious, service was attentive, and the staff also very kindly addressed an issue we had with one of our dishes. The popular lobster roll was fantastic (as expected), but don't sleep on the other dishes - my husband's broiled sea scallops platter was delicious and came with a generous amount of large scallops. Great lunch overall! read more

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Once again we were welcomed to Sandpiper Restaurant with the usual friendly faces, especially Lisa M, our requested server. Her attentiveness and courtesy are consistent with her quick service. We feel a family connection there because of her personal and lighthearted demeanor. Of course the food is always excellent too. We will definitely remain loyal patrons. Janis R. read more

I went to late lunch, the restaurant is very pretty and the staff is amazing. I order a clam chowder and steamers. The service was great and the food was amazing. Everything was hot and taste good. I will definitely come back for dinner. Thank you read more

The Sandpiper Restaurant - Baked stuff shrimp and bake potatoes - Seafood Near Me - East Haven, Connecticut

Great service ! There were 8 of us and all of our orders were delicious ! Lisa even gave our youngest grandson a car to play with since she saw he had a couple he was playing with. read more

Delicious seafood! One of the best spots I've been to for scallops. Large portion sizes. Service is wonderful everyone is so attentive and friendly. Plenty of free parking available in their lot. read more

The view is amazing! Lobster bisque and stuffed clams were good. Our server Nicole was friendly and made a great skinny margarita!

My server Jake was amazing! He tended the table very frequently and was very communicative, he also had me laughing every interaction! If you go here I highly recommend you request Jake! The food was also amazing I got the fish and chips and they were the best I've ever tried! My boyfriend got the chicken tender and we are looking forward to coming back. read more

We had a great dinner at The Sandpiper Sat. night May 30th. The food was excellent! We were greeted warmly,asked where we would like to sit.Drinks came quickly and were also very good. Our server Jake was very attentive. He made sure we were taken care of and after dinner he graciously served the birthday cake we brought. Jake made it a fun evening for us. Overall it was a terrific dinner as usual. read more

As someone who grew up eating here in the summers I was pleasantly surprised to see the Sandpiper still serving up good food. My family and I decided we needed some seafood before we flew back to CA and came in the night before Thanksgiving. The service was excellent and the food even better! Got some great steamers and fried clams that were perfectly cooked -- not greasy or tough. Everything tasted fresh and cooked to order. Will definitely be coming back next time I'm in the area! read more

The Sandpiper Restaurant - Steamers and fried clams - Seafood Near Me - East Haven, Connecticut

We went on a Wed night. Service was excellent. I really enjoyed my first fried shrimp platter of the season. And we had a coupon. Will be back! read more

Have you ever had friends that literally could eat their way across the state? After a wonderful dinner, the group decided they needed dessert. Since everyone loves the ocean, we thought it would be great to take a ride along the shore and have some Italian ices. As we entered East Haven, we thought of the Sandpiper. Evidently this place has changed ownership. There was a very strong fishy odor as you walked in the door. Since they do a lot of seafood business, we didn't think much of it. The saddest part was that they also no longer have chocolate Italian ice. They did away with the beautiful display that showed how fresh everything was for dessert. Based upon the large crowd, it seemed that they were doing as much business as ever. Next trip will be to try the actual dinners. Hopefully by then, they will also have a better flavor selection of ices. read more

The Sandpiper Restaurant - Off the street parking and across the street from the beach. - Seafood Near Me - East Haven, Connecticut

We celebrated our Easter Dinner at Sandpiper last night. Food is always delicious environment is friendly and relaxing. Our waitress Lisa M was wonderful we had excellent service! Thank you! read more

Had a wonderful time celebrating my Birthday Brunch. My server, Lisa Z made it all the more special!

On June 29th, our family ate at the Sandpiper, enjoying delicious whole belly clams, a great steak sandwich, amongst other amazing seafood. The food was fresh and tasty, and the service was attentive and friendly. When we left, our 9 year old accidentally left his Game Boy behind at our table; unfortunately, he didn't tell us about it until we got back to Hartford, prepping to fly back home to California. I called the restaurant, and not only did they find it and set it aside, their amazing employee Nicole Mase took the time to mail it back to us at home on her day off, and on her own dime! Needless to say, she went way above and beyond to put a smile on our 9 year old's face, and not only taught him that there are good people out there, she reminded me of that too. We sent Nicole a thank you card and a small token of our appreciation, but I'm hoping Sandpiper management reads this as well - you have a gem of a human in Nicole - please let her know how grateful we are to her for her kindness, and to you for employing her. Thank you, Nicole! read more

I haven't been to the Sandpaper since before COVID, do before the new owner took over. I was really pleased with the quality of the food. The lobster bisque is come of the best I've had in ages. I've been craving fried clams and these whole bellies hit the spot, briny and sweet. My companion had a baked stuffed lobster which did not disappoint. Sweet and perfectly cooked so the lobster meat was still moist. Fries and coleslaw were fine. Libby's Italian ice made for a refreshing dessert. Service was a bit slow but all the staff were sweet and enthusiastic. Looking forward to returning! read more

Great location. Ample parking. Food is good. Service is hit or miss. Some nights our server is attentive, other nights we find ourselves waiting and dinner becomes too long. Burgers and hot dogs have always been consistently good. That's my go to. read more

Such a disappointment when compared to what it used to be. The quality of the seafood is subpar and the preparation is just as poor Great location for a Hummel hot dog and fries. Ice cream is always a hit read more

I was so looking forward to a good clam chowder New England style The soup was watery, big chunks of potatoes, clams were tough and couldn't eat i. Tasted like how dirty water would taste Sorry I had great expectations!! read more

Sandpiper bringing in the holiday with festive lights and decorations, service was great, kinda of quite not to busy .the food was the best part we had the seafood combo and the shrimp scampi ,very tasty . read more

I and two friends met for lunch at The Sandpiper, after not seeing each other for several years. Our server Lisa was immediately warm and welcoming, making us feel like she was also a friend! The restaurant wasn't busy, allowing my friends and I to catch up & laugh & gab for three & a half hours! Between us we had lobster bisque, fried scallops, a cheeseburger, and Pinot noir & rose wine, all of which were delicious! Thanks to Lisa for her kindness & patience & we'll be back! read more

Every so often, I'm in the mood for fish and chips. The Sandpiper, overlooking the East Haven beach, is the perfect place to go. 4 nice size pieces of battered cod, lots of fries, and a good amount of coleslaw. I get two meals out of this take-out box. Nice! read more

The Sandpiper Restaurant - Scrod with fries & Cole slaw platter - Seafood Near Me - East Haven, Connecticut

As soon as I walked in I could smell the grease from the kitchen. I may be sensitive to that smell as I worked in kitchens, but usually thats not a good sign. I decided to get the seafood platter. The portion was good compared to other places that offer this meal, however the price was considerably higher. And, as somewhat expected, the fried food tasted like the grease was not at its best. The fried food was dripping in grease and there was nothing on the bottom of the plate to capture the grease off and away from the food. Too bad. Wont be back! read more

I had this for dinner and o think I will become a regular while I'm here in New Haven. First of all, it was a pleasant little drive down to the beach area that this restaurant is situated at. Inside is sea-themed and I could see it being family friendly or cute date night spot. I got seated pretty quickly and the waitress was friendly and attentive. I knew when my pina colada arrived that this was going to be a treat. think what won me over was the lobster roll. Tender, buttery, warm lobster on a buttered roll. I didn't order dessert, but I'm sure that would be just as good. I did order a second entree to take home: the shrimp scampi which tasted fantastic. I'll be back again is all I'm going to say. Ample parking and I went during a week night. read more

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Once again, Sandpiper did not disappoint. They have restored the quality which had suffered because of the impersonal Rhode Island concern that had preceded it. The food is superb, and portions are plentiful. Our server Lisa M. goes above and beyond to ensure that we have a memorable and delicious dining experience. Go there you will not be disappointed. read more

Well not a big fan of whatever the new owners are doing...we used to love the food here. Went today for the first time in probably 5-6 months and eh - not in any big rush to go back. I had a lobster roll - very good as was the salad and dressing - the coleslaw - not sure what the new spice is but I'll pass. My wife had the broiled scallops - first it was a large portion and they were cooked perfectly but for some reason they were also covered in what we think was paprika - I guess healthier than breadcrumb but odd flavor. For the price the food was ok - especially with so many other seafood options. If we go back will not get Cole slaw and my wife would likely ask for none of the paprika (if that is what it was) on the scallops. Oh well one less place as must do. read more