The Clam Bar

Really enjoyed our dinner at the bar here with friends in August. Surprisingly we didn’t have to wait long for a seat on a Sat night. I had fried clams. And clams on the half shell and We had shrimp cocktail. All was good! Not overly priced like so much of LBI. We brought our own wine which helps w the final bill too. If you don’t mind casual dining at th bar you will like this spot. Nell was fine. She’s clearly from New Jersey and rules the roost here. A little tough but softens up if you are nice to her.

This place is small but nice. Keep in mind that there are no tables is just a bar. The clams are fresh and they prepare them right in front of you. We had blackened tuna tacos and mahi-​mahi tacos and they were DELICIOUS! You can also bring your own liquor.

This is the worst place. the oysters were warm and don’t even get me started on something they call sauteed crab. It was doused in oils n mushy. I don’t understand why Nj people have no idea what good or even decent food is.

Beach Haven classic, but make sure you follow the rules! Nell is awesome, but she runs a tight ship –this is the reason it’s so yummy! Shrimp quesadilla is my fav and they have the BEST fries on LBI!

Nell. There is no other word needed to describe this wonderful hole in the wall. She rules the roost here, serving up reasonably priced shore classics. We come here every year for a low stress meal — it is the perfect place to slip into the proper attitude for a week in Beach Haven. BYOB.

We checked out this place based on positive Unilocal reviews. There was a huge line (1 – 1.5 hour) for dinner. We checked out the menu — everything was fried! No healthy options. They cook in front of you and you are sitted around the kitchen on bar stools. Since they are cooking in the same room where you are eating, it’s extremely hot and doesn’t leave an impression of cleanness. The whole place looked a little smoky and outdated.
I wasn’t impressed by the menu options and ambiance and we decided not to wait for dinner.

This place doesn’t need my review because it already has so many 5 stars. However, it was so good I HAD to write a review.
Listen, just read the rules and realize there’s really just one rule which is don’t take your damn phone out. Not a huge deal. This place is the real deal, rustic fisherman beachy vibes. No frills in the best way possible. It’s like something you’d picture being in Maine. Nell was super nice to us. She’s got your typical old school teacher attitude and I so want to win her over because what she serves up is SO DAMN GOOD! We had raw oysters and clams. So good and fresh we ordered extra at the end. Also we had fried scallops… which tasted like butter… fried butter… but lighter… just perfect!!! And fries were super crispy and delicious. Almost forgot the clam chowder which was great. Basically, if I was down here for longer, I’d eat here every single night and I’m NOT kidding! Oh and also– ITS BYOB!!! Btw, brought our 3 month old baby with and it was no problem.

FANTASTIC!!! If you are in LBI, this is a must! Just follow Nell’s rules and you will be fine! Must try the Scallops with cheese and bacon! Phenomenal! And the muscles in marinara sauce is to die for! The BYOB factor is a huge plus!

We just finished diner at the clam bar, and now I understand the reviews. Incredible fresh seafood, caring recipes and local patience make the perfect combination for a truly unique place in LBI.

All I have to say is you never put shredded kraft cheese on a taco and especially not with a flour tortilla. I expect that from Taco Bell. Weird vibe, uncomfortable seating, BYOB, cash only and a «no cellphone» policy. What a mess.

Good local place. Sauteed muscles are great. Be prepared for a nice wait if you visit during the peak of the summer, but that is to be expected everywhere down here… But its BYBO and you can start drinking outside.
Cant go wrong going here.

Solid seafood. Not the most upscale but the food is the star here. Redeemed my faith in mussels. Clams were good casino, marinara.
Even Nell was nicer than people had warned. Would def eat here again

Absolutely one-​of-​a-​kind. The lady, Nell, who runs the place, runs it absolutely. So don’t expect substitutions, or anything fancy. But it is the real paper-​plate deal. The food is terrific and fresh.
And while it may seem like a large crowd waiting outside, the turnover is decent and impressive given the tiny space inside.
And when Nell shoo’s you out when you’ve finished your dinner then get on out of there and bring that happiness to the next diner!

We didn’t even get a chance to try the place because just as another user has said: the older lady that works there has a horrendous attitude. We too wrote our names on the wrong side of the board and she was so pissed about it. Saying: no no no! That’s the wrong side! Lady, you’re in the service industry, act like it. Otherwise go do something else. You’re the reason why we didn’t bother staying. We left due to the sour attitude of something as stupid as writing your name on a board. Grow up.

Back on LBI to get my Clam Bar fix. Gotta see Nel (one of the hardest working people I know) She is the heart and soul of this place. I have to correct one reviewer. You can take pictures with your cell. The staff will even take the pic if they aren’t too busy. I even took a video of Nel shucking clams and oysters. She is unbelievably fast at this. While talking with her I learned she does this for charitable events off season.
Oh the food!!! what can I say about the Big crab cake, absolutely delicious with lots of crab, not stuffed with filler like some places! Gotta have the Sautéed clams and mussels with garlic butter wine broth that is «nectar of the gods» we travel cross country every few years to come to LBI and look forward to our Clam Bar visits. We will certainly be back again and again.

Good food. Small place. Hit or miss you the friendliness of the staff. Tight quarters. Byob. Will go there again.

Great place for seafood lovers! Clams are kept well, all in an ice bin in the center and shucked right in front of you. The sauteed mussels are delicious with a BANGING white wine sauce! The only disappointment was the corn on a cob, which I found not sweet at all. Not even their butter was sweet!
There is a sign that says no cell phones. Very old school, but how were we supposed to take photos to Unilocal about this awesome place?! This is probably set, so people can just eat and go, as there is limited seating around the bar.
BYOB, which is great because you can bring a nice bottle of white wine to go with the seafood. CASH ONLY, but they do have an ATM inside if needed.

This is a must see if you visit LBI, my friend came with me who doesn’t even like clams and she left here loving them. Delicious! People are super nice, and don’t forget to bring your own beer form the store with the green blinds on it.

What a great find! We got into LBI around dinner time and were starving, but didn’t feel like changing out of our «long drive clothes». I Unilocaled casual restaurants and am so glad I came across this place. It’s a total dive, just a ¾ bar with stools all around, and the menu is written on a board behind the bar. Cash only, byo, no cell phones (guess they try to keep it old school?), paper plates. you get the gist.
My fiancé and I shared the oysters which were so good! Nice, big suckers. We both had the white chowder and couldn’t stop raving about it. So delicious! Very thick and creamy, so many clams, I couldn’t believe how filling it was. Very reasonably priced, as well.
I can’t wait to come back here. We started coming to LBI every Memorial Day weekend, and we both agree we have to add this place to our «must eat at» list.

From the outside, The Clam Bar looks like a quaint little dive bar off of the main street that runs up and down LBI. However, seafood lovers will find themselves right at home when they enter, as the clams, oysters and fish are fresh and expertly prepared.
Nel, the proclaimed «seafood diva», serves up some of the freshest clams and oysters on the Island. In fact, it’s almost as much fun to watch her shuck a dozen clams as it is to eat them. Nel is truly the showstopper at the Clam Bar, and you’ll be in for a great experience just ordering a half shell platter. We got a ½ dozen oysters on a half shell, and will be coming back again for them. Yum!
The rest of the menu consists of standard seafood shack fair. We ordered the fish tacos and the fried clam strips. The fish tacos came with a choice of blackened tuna or mahi, while the clam strips were served over a generous portion of french fries. The blackened mahi fish tacos were perfect. The fish was blackened but not overcooked and there was a balance of each ingredient in the taco. The French fries were nothing to write home about, but the clam strips themselves made the dish worth ordering. While we were there, we also noticed a number of patrons ordering the clam chowder, which they are supposed to be well known for. We will have to order this next time as it looked really good.
For what you are getting, the prices are very fair. Bring cash, as there isn’t a credit card machine in sight. The seating can get a little packed during the touristy summer dates, so be prepared to wait during peak hours. The seating is also a little cramped, with primarily barstools and outdoor tables. Overall, this is a great place to satiate your craving for fresh shellfish and seafood without demolishing your wallet.