06.01.25-
'Big Al's Reel Reviews' EP.111
Featuring Apathy & Tiana
Lobster Roll Season
Dad's Restaurant 👍🏾
❤️ Village of Niantic, CT ❤️
On my search to find the top notch lobster rolls in the SECT area, I found myself visiting the beautiful Village of Niantic, CT. My brother AP, his children, Tiana and I dropped into the newly remodeled Dad's Restaurant. This is a beautifully remodeled Beach Town restaurant! We decided to dine outside on the patio overlooking the beautiful Niantic Bay. We all arrived hungry and ready for seafood! I ordered and reviewed:
1. Clam Strip Dinner $20.00 👍🏾
2. Hot Lobster Roll $32.00 👍🏾
3. Hot Lobster Roll for Tiana $32.00
AP ordered:
1. Hot Lobster Roll $32.00 👍🏾
2. Side of Clam Strips $14.00👍🏾
After picking up the tray of food and carrying it to our table Tiana immediately began eating the Clam strips so I started with that meal first. The clam strips were really good and the fries were too! The clam strips were crispy and seasoned just right so that earned an easy thumbs 👍🏾
I loved onto the Lobster roll which was filled with Lobster on a warm buttery roll so I was very pleased with it! I enjoyed the lobster roll and it easily earned a thumbs 👍🏾. Tiana LOVED it all as you can see in the Reel Review 😎😆.
Apathy ordered the Lobster Roll and a side of Clam Strips. He likes both items and gave both items a thumbs 👍🏾
Dad's Restaurant is another great spot in the beautiful Village of Niantic and I truly look forward to returning again soon. What you need to do is get your a** down there right away, and make sure you tell em', 'Big Al Mayo sent you' ☝🏾😎
'See you on the Rebound, Peace✌🏾out!'
☝🏾❤️ -Big Al Mayo
augie2424 blake
I wish the new owners the best and hopefully they can make it the seafood restaurant it used to be. Dad's just really went from a great place to eat to a place I wouldn't recommend anymore and it had been a favorite of my family for years. Last meal there 2023 was terrible sadly.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 3
Recommended dishes: Fish
Charles Cooper
Just about every seaside town on earth has a place like Dad's. A lowbrow fried seafood and chips joint in an aging old building with a view of the water. They'll serve burgers and hotdogs and onion rings too, and may even have something fresh if the local waters are known for their clams or oysters or salmon or crab or lobster. These places are popular for their big menus that are popular with large groups, and for their nostalgia, especially when they've served a popular vacation spot for years. But too many of these spots aren't very good, and unfortunately, this place is no exception. Dad's falls into the same trap that so many restaurants do and treats frying as if it's just dumping stuff in oil. The result is food thats too dense, too oily, lacking in any flavor, and that gets soggy quickly.I know some people like this spot, but at the risk of being a total snob, I think it's because they haven't had good fried food before. Fried food can be amazing with the right training and expertise. Like any other cooking skill, knowing how to prep your food for frying, create a seasoning that flavorful and compelling, and use the technique to produce something light and will stay crispy. I only wish more people could experience the output of an exceptional fry cook because their expectations would push seaside staples like Dad’s to do better.Now, even though I didn’t like the food, there’s ample parking, a decent view, and the service is solid if unremarkable. the people who enjoy this place seemed to really like it, so they’re doing something right. It’s just not for me.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 3
Barbara Morrison
Bathroom 4 ladies is very low to the floor. The steps are also steep...Thank You.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Fish
John Lodato
Great hot lobster rolls. The main problem is that it is not open all year long.
Kimberly Scott
This review has been a long work in progress. In the beginning I started out with 5 stars and became increasingly disappointed as time went on, to which I am now down to a 2 star rating.Let me start with, this past year 2023 they stayed open an extra week to "just get rid of the food" no new orders or anything, can't imagine how fresh the food was at that point.My husband and I looked forward to their opening every year, but this past year things just seemed to have taken a turn drastically for the worse. Everytime I tried to order take out they never had certain foods, for example their clam Fritters, each time I was always and I mean ALWAYS given a different excuse, either the batter was too difficult to make (you can't make this up) and they didn't have enough time, or oh we are only doing them on the weekends (check on the weekends and told oh sorry next weekend we ran into an issue), check randomly and told oh we haven't started making them yet we will be doing that tomorrow and I check the next day oh we don't have a cook that is familiar with making them. Sadly this was only one issue with them, their food was soggy when we would finally break down and eat, not to mention the clotted New England clam chowder that looked like paste from elementary school they tried to pass off. Then constantly being told the credit card machine was down so you had to pay cash, however wouldn't be informed of that until after you order.I wish I could say something better about this place as they have been around for some time now, but it is appearing that the only thing they are truly interested in, is storing boats for the winter in their parking lot!
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 3
Wendy
It has been many many years since I have been there, 30+ whole belly clams. Dinner was very rubbery. Could not hardly eat had to throw most of it away. Onion rings were very hard they were not batter dipped like I was told pretty much the two dinners, one in the trash but like I said, I have not been there for 30 years so a whole different people had owned it just wanted to check it out see if it was the same good food and it definitely was not.
Parking: I ordered the whole belly clams dinner. My daughter had ordered vegetarian hamburger. She said it was very over cooked dried would not go there again.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 5
Michaela Hammond
Delicious fried shrimp with fries, good coleslaw and delicious seafood sauce. Gladly again ?
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Georgia Mislick
A bit of a tough handicapped entrance, but we were outside facing the Sound. Food was good and plentiful and our servers, Sarah was excellent.
excellent food, large portions...unfortunately out of soft serve and cherry dip, not really their fault i guess.. ( probably because busy Saturday)parking is always a little tough.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Bonnie Marquez
Dad's still has best seafood around!! Service was fantastic!! Can't wait to go back ?
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Fish Sandwich, Grilled Cheese
Mark Reres
This is the way fried fish and seafood should be! With so many crispy and delicious items, it's hard to pick just one!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Cathy Hanczaryk
The food was tasteless and very disappointing. I was looking forward to a yummy lobster roll and it definitely was not!
Really good food and great outside seating 👍
06.01.25- 'Big Al's Reel Reviews' EP.111 Featuring Apathy & Tiana Lobster Roll Season Dad's Restaurant 👍🏾 ❤️ Village of Niantic, CT ❤️ On my search to find the top notch lobster rolls in the SECT area, I found myself visiting the beautiful Village of Niantic, CT. My brother AP, his children, Tiana and I dropped into the newly remodeled Dad's Restaurant. This is a beautifully remodeled Beach Town restaurant! We decided to dine outside on the patio overlooking the beautiful Niantic Bay. We all arrived hungry and ready for seafood! I ordered and reviewed: 1. Clam Strip Dinner $20.00 👍🏾 2. Hot Lobster Roll $32.00 👍🏾 3. Hot Lobster Roll for Tiana $32.00 AP ordered: 1. Hot Lobster Roll $32.00 👍🏾 2. Side of Clam Strips $14.00👍🏾 After picking up the tray of food and carrying it to our table Tiana immediately began eating the Clam strips so I started with that meal first. The clam strips were really good and the fries were too! The clam strips were crispy and seasoned just right so that earned an easy thumbs 👍🏾 I loved onto the Lobster roll which was filled with Lobster on a warm buttery roll so I was very pleased with it! I enjoyed the lobster roll and it easily earned a thumbs 👍🏾. Tiana LOVED it all as you can see in the Reel Review 😎😆. Apathy ordered the Lobster Roll and a side of Clam Strips. He likes both items and gave both items a thumbs 👍🏾 Dad's Restaurant is another great spot in the beautiful Village of Niantic and I truly look forward to returning again soon. What you need to do is get your a** down there right away, and make sure you tell em', 'Big Al Mayo sent you' ☝🏾😎 'See you on the Rebound, Peace✌🏾out!' ☝🏾❤️ -Big Al Mayo
I wish the new owners the best and hopefully they can make it the seafood restaurant it used to be. Dad's just really went from a great place to eat to a place I wouldn't recommend anymore and it had been a favorite of my family for years. Last meal there 2023 was terrible sadly.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 3
Recommended dishes: Fish
Just about every seaside town on earth has a place like Dad's. A lowbrow fried seafood and chips joint in an aging old building with a view of the water. They'll serve burgers and hotdogs and onion rings too, and may even have something fresh if the local waters are known for their clams or oysters or salmon or crab or lobster. These places are popular for their big menus that are popular with large groups, and for their nostalgia, especially when they've served a popular vacation spot for years. But too many of these spots aren't very good, and unfortunately, this place is no exception. Dad's falls into the same trap that so many restaurants do and treats frying as if it's just dumping stuff in oil. The result is food thats too dense, too oily, lacking in any flavor, and that gets soggy quickly.I know some people like this spot, but at the risk of being a total snob, I think it's because they haven't had good fried food before. Fried food can be amazing with the right training and expertise. Like any other cooking skill, knowing how to prep your food for frying, create a seasoning that flavorful and compelling, and use the technique to produce something light and will stay crispy. I only wish more people could experience the output of an exceptional fry cook because their expectations would push seaside staples like Dad’s to do better.Now, even though I didn’t like the food, there’s ample parking, a decent view, and the service is solid if unremarkable. the people who enjoy this place seemed to really like it, so they’re doing something right. It’s just not for me.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 3
Bathroom 4 ladies is very low to the floor. The steps are also steep...Thank You.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Fish
Great hot lobster rolls. The main problem is that it is not open all year long.
This review has been a long work in progress. In the beginning I started out with 5 stars and became increasingly disappointed as time went on, to which I am now down to a 2 star rating.Let me start with, this past year 2023 they stayed open an extra week to "just get rid of the food" no new orders or anything, can't imagine how fresh the food was at that point.My husband and I looked forward to their opening every year, but this past year things just seemed to have taken a turn drastically for the worse. Everytime I tried to order take out they never had certain foods, for example their clam Fritters, each time I was always and I mean ALWAYS given a different excuse, either the batter was too difficult to make (you can't make this up) and they didn't have enough time, or oh we are only doing them on the weekends (check on the weekends and told oh sorry next weekend we ran into an issue), check randomly and told oh we haven't started making them yet we will be doing that tomorrow and I check the next day oh we don't have a cook that is familiar with making them. Sadly this was only one issue with them, their food was soggy when we would finally break down and eat, not to mention the clotted New England clam chowder that looked like paste from elementary school they tried to pass off. Then constantly being told the credit card machine was down so you had to pay cash, however wouldn't be informed of that until after you order.I wish I could say something better about this place as they have been around for some time now, but it is appearing that the only thing they are truly interested in, is storing boats for the winter in their parking lot!
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 3
It has been many many years since I have been there, 30+ whole belly clams. Dinner was very rubbery. Could not hardly eat had to throw most of it away. Onion rings were very hard they were not batter dipped like I was told pretty much the two dinners, one in the trash but like I said, I have not been there for 30 years so a whole different people had owned it just wanted to check it out see if it was the same good food and it definitely was not.
Parking: I ordered the whole belly clams dinner. My daughter had ordered vegetarian hamburger. She said it was very over cooked dried would not go there again.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 5
Delicious fried shrimp with fries, good coleslaw and delicious seafood sauce. Gladly again ?
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
A bit of a tough handicapped entrance, but we were outside facing the Sound. Food was good and plentiful and our servers, Sarah was excellent.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Restaurantji Recommends
excellent food, large portions...unfortunately out of soft serve and cherry dip, not really their fault i guess.. ( probably because busy Saturday)parking is always a little tough.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Dad's still has best seafood around!! Service was fantastic!! Can't wait to go back ?
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Fish Sandwich, Grilled Cheese
This is the way fried fish and seafood should be! With so many crispy and delicious items, it's hard to pick just one!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The food was tasteless and very disappointing.
I was looking forward to a yummy lobster roll and it definitely was not!
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 3
Not good ?
Atmosphere: 2
Service: 1
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