30 Best Seafood Restaurants near Old Lyme

“07.26.25 *WRITTEN REVIEW Big Al’s Reel Reviews – EP.143 Sapore Pizzeria Town of Old Lyme, CT This morning, I dropped a post asking if any restaurants wanted to invite Big Al’s Reel Reviews to their spot—and guess who hit me up? Sapore Pizzeria in Old Lyme. So I pulled up—and let me tell you right now… this one felt special the minute I walked through that door. The welcome? Warm. The vibe? Bustling. The atmosphere? Absolutely amazing—families dining, good conversation, and a team that made me feel like I’d been coming there for years. My server, Sarah, was top notch—attentive, kind, and on point from the jump. The owners were there as well, and you could feel the pride in the place. Turns out, the owner is originally from Naples, Italy and used to work for Illiano’s before opening this place six years ago. That Naples-to-Old-Lyme pizza lineage is real. And then something beautiful happened… A true B.A.R.R.fan—Troy Gaston—saw I was at Sapore and drove over just to show love. So I invited him to sit down and have dinner with me. That’s what this is all about: community, connection, and real support from real people. Troy’s a solid dude and a subscriber, and I appreciated him being part of this experience. Here’s what I ordered: 1. Meatballs in Vodka Sauce – $11 Served with toasted ciabatta. These were tender and flavorful, and the vodka sauce was creamy and smooth. A perfect starter. 💣 2. New York-Style Cheese Pizza (17”) – $20.50 This right here was the star of the show. Thin, crispy, cheesy, and cooked just right. I gave this a DOUBLE 💣💣 — one of the best I’ve had on the shoreline. 3. Chicken Parmigiana Bolognese – $24 Served over penne pasta with rich, meaty bolognese. This was another 💣. Classic flavor, hearty sauce, and that perfect comfort-food bite. And then… out came a complimentary tiramisu—a gift from the kitchen. That kind of gesture speaks volumes. The tiramisu was absolutely delicious, a smooth and sweet way to end an already dope meal. The food was fire. The service was flawless. The atmosphere was family-friendly and full of good energy. And the fact that they reached out and invited me in? That means something. Especially after what happened yesterday. Sapore didn’t just pass the test— They’re officially a Big Al’s 💎 Gem Spot. It’s worth checking out—and if you go, make sure you tell ‘em, Big Al sent you! ☝🏾❤️ - Big Al Mayo “See you on the Rebound, Peace✌🏾out”“

“So happy they are here! The foos is always good and the servers are always friendly and welcoming!!! Thank you for bringing a great restaurant to this town!!!“

“Great place for breakfast, whether you carry away or eat it there. They open at 6:30 a.m., and prepare the food super fast. The breakfast sandwiches are fantastic, with fresh ingredients including buttery brioche rolls if you want to indulge.

Extremely friendly service.“

“Such great service but even more so, the chefs are incredible with their creativity and delivery of unique and delicious food. Liv's is an oasis away from home....they do so much to make dinner special every time. Thank you all.“

“Went to 374 Main to have dinner. Most of their menu is "gluten free" which is a great relief to our family. Meal was great. Fish & chips, calamari, fresh oysters. Staff is friendly & knowledgeable. Highly recommend.“

“I celebrated my birthday at the Seal tonight. We haven't been in a while. I had the Short Rib Ravioli, Mom had the Serloin Steak, my wife had Tuna and our son a grilled cheese. Everything was delicious! Our server said she was new, but did a great job. We finished with warm Carmel apple pie! It was the perfect ending to a great night!“

“04.08.25 - 'Big Al's Reel Reviews' Ep.79 Ft. Apathy 💎Flanders Fish Market & Restaurant💎 22 Chesterfield Rd Town of East Lyme, CT Yo listen, I absolutely LOVE Flanders Fish Market & Restaurant! My Brother Ap and I had an excellent experience at this amazing spot! When walking in for the first time I loved being greeted by all that fresh seafood on display! The atmosphere was dope. AP & I always find ourselves talking to everyone that walks by our table 😀 but it is fun. We had a Dope time. The service was very warm and inviting with the staff being very friendly and nice to everyone. Our server was named Jasmine and she was super cool and I liked how she always kept my water filled. Trust me, I drink a lot of water too!😁 Now let's get into the Amazing Seafood! Al ordered: 1. Lobster Roll W/truffle fries $32💣💣💣 2. Seafood platter with Pollock & Brussel Sprouts $38.00 💣 3. Hosmer Root Beer $2.99 🫣😁 AP ordered: 1. 1lb Steamers $20.00 💣 2. Baked Haddock $25.00 💣 3. Coke Zero $2.99 Flanders earned a 'Big Al's 💎 Gem Spot' for many reasons but I need to highlight that I ate the very best Lobster roll ever! Hands down!! I stand by that!!! I love the way that it is served to the table in a bowl of perfectly seasoned butter is something AMAZING! On top of it, they served me a very generous portion of Lobster and it came with French Fries and for ONLY $32.00! I also ordered the seafood Platter and every single thing that was served on that plate was AMAZING! The fried Pollock was Amazingly Dope too! ❤️ Note: They also serve the Bomb Fish & Chips and every Tuesday it's only $7.99! 💣 I can go on and on about how great Flanders Fish Market is but you really need to get your a** down there right away and check it out! It's dope and I can't wait to return! See you on the rebound, ✌🏾 peace out. ☝🏾❤️ -Big Al Mayo“

“Excellent food. Owner on site regularly. Buttermilk fried chicken is excellent. Great specials. A local favorite.“

“We have been coming to David's place for a long time - usually very good. This time (7/23) was not the greatest. Ordered sea food salad roll toasted. It was not toasted and they have changed the sea food salad since last month. It was really good before - now it's more "Stop and Shop" type salad with big chunks. Before it was chopped up small and had a delicious taste. Also the chips were obviously the "bottom of the bag" ones. Sorry - just disappointed. We drove quite a few miles to eat there.“

“Great 👍🏻 Food!! It was my first time eating at Bill’s, but went with family that has been. For a busy Sunday afternoon we got in fast, no wait, got an inside table and it was nice and comfortable! Food was great 👍🏻 the prices were also very good for seafood around the area! Our Waitress was so sweet (I didn’t catch her name) but she did remind me that I forgot my gold ring on the table before I left so I thank her with all my heart ❤️ (I got ketchup inside my rings so I took one off) I forgot to put it back on! Thanks again!! Will be back again soon. p.s Bills Chowder with the clear and creamy mixed is awesome 👏“

“It is our second time having dinner with you and the food. Both times has been delicious. Even during a very crowded Sunday like yesterday. It was hard to hear the people at my table, but the overall quality of the food was just so good we could deal with the noise.“

“Randy had clam fritters that he said were delicious and I had clam strips that were lightly breaded. The breading was thin and fluffy and tasted great. The restaurant is so clean and bright with seating outside too. We will return.“

“everything was good except the Rhode Island clam chowder , they need to put real clams in instead of ground up tiny specs very disappointed yesterday in the chowder all we got was broth and potatoes with tiny bits of clam“

“This is definitely the place for a special dining experience. The menu, quality of food, service — all top notch. Thanks to The Essex team for making our anniversary amazing!“

“Wonderful service and delicious food“

“I love this place! Thank you, Stephanie for all these years ❤️“

“Absolutely love this place!! We go every Sunday and have never been disappointed! The staff is amazing and always make us feel welcome! I have nothing bad to say at all. Thank you Skippers for making our family time great!“

“Stopped in and had the best chili dog I’ve ever eaten in my life! Perfection!“

“Had the special - Chicken Cordon bleu… didn’t expect anything amazing but it was amazing. Surprisingly, but beautifully, crispy on the outside with a slight sweet flavor. Chicken was perfectly cooked, not dry, with appropriate proportions of cheese/ham. Service was extraordinarily friendly. Topped it off with a nice Port wine and they had a decent selection available. Will be back.“

“Delicious ice cream. I had one scoop of Poetic Justice last night and will be back for more. 🤌“

“Black point pizza is always my go to when I want an absolutely amazing pizza. for me I have the cooks keep it in the oven a bit longer so it stands up when you pick it up to eat. the sauce is to die for also. if you like your pizza a little more firm just ask and the cooks are happy to make your food exactly as you like. minor the owner is a stand up guy and really did good with this recipe. the salads and his homemade balsamic dressing is the best I've had from anywhere. if you have not come out to black point you are really missing out. I promise you won't be disappointed 🍕 #gettotheoint #Blackpoint #thebestpizza #soooyummy #greatcustometservice“

“The lobster rolls here are the best! The staff is excellent and the ferry boat ride is fun!“

“My boyfriend and I came here for our anniversary and were absolutely blown away. We tend to end up with less than stellar dining experiences and service, but the Brushmill was outstanding! The service was impeccable, they congratulated us on our anniversary (which was a note on the reservation) and gave us a complimentary Prosecco toast to start the evening. Our server was top notch, we never found ourselves in need of a thing. We started with drinks after the Prosecco toast- a mint greyhound and a tequila old fashion, both of which were well balanced with beautiful presentation. For the appetizer, we got the scallops…. Out of this world! Our server commented they were his favorite, and after trying them it’s no surprise! This may have been the best scallop dish I have ever had. If you go, GET THE SCALLOPS and thank me later! For dinner I had the pasta dish and added chicken to it and my boyfriend had the steak frites. The chicken was juicy and perfectly seasoned. The brown butter sauce was light and flavorful at the same time and the hazelnuts in the pasta dish paired beautifully with the brussle sprouts and sage. My boyfriend’s steak was cooked perfectly and melted in your mouth. The amazing meal and service were complimented by the absolutely beautiful building. We both love the rustic industrial vibe, pairing the history of the building and the elegance of the atmosphere perfectly. We will definitely be back and telling all our friends about this hidden gem. Thank you for being a stupendous addition to our evening.“

“My brother bought our mom and I lobster rolls Had it for dinner was so fresh and so tasty Highly recommend Stop by and try for yourself 5 Stars“

“Been shopping at this fish monger since 1999, from org. owners.Fast forward, Lisa F. bought business (guessing 2004-2006) I have NEVER had an issue with any fish or side etc. purchased including to present! My favs: Ahi tuna, Niantic oysters, Wellfleet oysters, sea scallops, swordfish, grouper, clams, sea bass, oysters rockefeller, carolina slaw, to name a few!
Lisa F. added a larger variety of fish products and sides! Chef Jerry created fantastic recipes (Carolina Slaw) amongst others! NYT review said "Any fresher you'd have to catch it yourself" Fast forward to mid 2004, Lisa said she was retiring (OH NO!) But ironically, sold the business to LISA and MIKE K., whom she introduced me to! Basically telling them, Mark supports your businesss all year long! please take care of him! Which they have! I might be long winded!, but NO ONE IS BETTER THAN ATLANTIC FISH IN OSB! PS: Lynne has been there NOW P/T FOREVER! Tell her Mark sent you in!“

“5 of us went for lunch yesterday, Haley & the kitchen knocked it out of the park. None of the other guys had ever been before,all said they'd be back. So laid back, not at all stuffy. Don't ever change.“

“This restaurant is my summer favorite. Awesome staff, awesome food and a wonderful view at Pilots Point Marina. Absolutely the best !“

“Very good chow and good service, 5 stars!“

“I took my wife and kids there for my wife's birthday. Worst experience we've ever had at a hibachi. Extremely over priced to start with. The cooking part was awful. There was no vegetable toss even though they were prepared and ready on the cart. The cook also did not do the sake part or offer water for the kids. The food had a very bland taste to it . The server never even checked on us we had to get their attention to get a glass of water. My wife was extremely disappointed and so we're our kids. I asked to speak with the manager, and was told our chef was the manager. Overall it was a very disappointing experience and would not recommend.“

“Stayed here for a family vacation the amenities were amazing they have a Starbucks inside of the spa and the spa itself was a treat to be there for it was a very relaxing place to spend a vacation I would recommend it to all my friends and family“