The Bite

Had high expectations after reading reviews but left severely disappointed. Ordered a smörgåsbord for large family so we could try everything, but came largely for the clams. They were tiny and mostly strips, with very few bellies. Totally sub-​par compared to Kelly’s in Revere or other notable spots. Oysters, shrimp and scallops were decent but soft and greasy, not crisp. Zucchini was good, but cole slaw and pickled beets were horrible. Seriously, I never imagined cole slaw could be so bad. And someone in our party described the pickled beets as canned beets with vinegar added, which sounded spot on. And of course the whole meal was crazy expensive, but that’s to be expected on MV… if the food is edible.

The clam chowda’ and fish & chips here are amazing. This is a great place to stop while shopping nearby, fishing off of the pier, or spending a day at the beach. There is usually a line so be prepared! Fun fact — the movie Jaws was filmed nearby!

Their fried clams are out of this world! Worth waiting all year to have! It’s the first stop I make on my annual summer visit! Fried clams, champagne and a Menemsha sunset are just heaven on earth! The staff is always friendly! And they have new featured in many publications!

Found this place on Unilocal,and so glad I did. What an unexpected gem! I had the fish and chips based on another reviewer’s tip. The fish was so fresh and tasted great. I also tried the quahog chowder which was also really good. I went in late September, so lines and seating were not an issue.

Best fish & chips I’ve ever had in my life. That’s all I had but I feel confident that everything is delicious. My friend swears by the chicken fingers. Cash only and worth every penny.

The food may be good but the service is horrible. My family and I have ordered from them for years when we make our annual Menemsha sunset visit. We have come to expect slow service, but rude service is something else altogether. We waited nearly 45 minutes for chicken fingers and french fries. The line was not long when we arrived and several people who arrived after us and placed their orders received their orders well before us. When we questioned what the delay was there was no apology or explanation given. We were simply told that «these things happen and to relax.» They were unapologetic, dismissive and rude. Being in a customer oriented business there should have at least been an apology and some sort of concession on their behalf. Even though they acknowledged their mistake there was no effort made to fix it in a timely manner. We were rudely offered our money back after numerous complaints as other orders placed after ours continued to come out. At that point after waiting nearly 40 minutes where else were we going to find food for our kids? We will plan accordingly going forward and not patronize an establishment that clearly does not respect our time or money.

I’ve only had the fried shrimp here, but they are great. Eat them right away with some
Cocktail sauce — hot and tasty.

The parking sucks, the lines are long, seating is VERY limited and its CASH ONLY! Why bother coming here? Because the fried seafood is out of this world! It’ a bit pricey but all worth it. The batter is perfect and the flavor and texture can’t be beat. A large fried clam belly will set you back $ 45.00 but its large enough for more than 2 people to share.
Tip: Go for the fried seafood and walk down the street for a view.

My favorite place to eat fried seafood on the island. The fried scallops are amazing, fish is great too. Walk down the street to the beach and watch the best sunset on the east coast. Great time all the time

Always looking for the next great seafood shack and heard about The Bite. It fits the description perfectly. What a great place, friendly staff and decent prices for the freshest seafood you’ll find with fishing boats working out of the harbor right down the street. I had the fried whole belly clams.
Vacationing from out West, I’m new to this, but can’t imagine it being done better. The clam chowder was rich, creamy and with a good amount of clams. The fries were crisp and well seasoned. I’d have given a 5 star overall except for the coleslaw, which was just not good. It was very bland, like there was something missing.

We considered grabbing lunch at The Bite. But, were turned off by the prices for small, medium and large portions. I know that we are on Martha’s Vineyard but c’mon. Unless the portions are gigantic, I’m sure there are more favorable choices elsewhere. The dollar sign rating of ($$) should really be ($$$).

We stopped here for some fried clams after grabbing a lobster roll at Larsen’s, which is literally just steps away, and we were glad that we did! The clams were fresh and delicious! We ordered a small, which at first had us thinking that it wouldn’t be enough, but looks are very deceiving because we could barely finish them. Great spot– would definitely come back.

Kind of expensive, but a really neat place. Just a one room shack that you place you order through a door. Clam chowder was pretty good, and the fish sandwich was def above average. I tried my friend’s fried clams and wow were they deliciously clammy. The craft store next door sells racist crocheted dolls but that should not reflect on the delectable fried offers of the bite.

This place is well known for its fried food around the island. The french fries were decent, the fish sandwich was fresh but not great and the fried clams had by my friend was ok. The Bite food is definitely not worth repeating…

Ok this place is no joke! Probable some of the best fried seafood in Martha’s Vineyard. The fried scallops are ridiculous.

For a small shack they produce fine fried seafood the small box of clams was an ample portion and the small bellies were a treat. The oysters were lite and delicious

We got the small order of the fried clams and friend zucchini. Don’t let the size fool you into getting a bigger size. Two small dishes were PLENTY to share. the clams are nicely fried and taste delicious with the tartar sauce or the tabasco. The zucchini fries are perfectly coated and fried.
Aside from the food, the place is like this tiny little shack owned and operated by a couple who just has a passion for the art of fried goodies. Great spot to try in Menemsha.

Ooooh fried clams… days after our vacation I’m still thinking about it. This is New England, seafood doesn’t come cheap but it’s definitely fresh and good. This is where you get delicious fried seafood. Clams were great, fries were good and the fried shrimp were jumbo! And they have fried mac and cheese. Grab some fried clams from here, lobster roll from Menemsha fish market, get a beach towel and enjoy the food on the beach. Ahhh life is beautiful.

There are few better experiences than walking from the beach on Menemsha to The Bite to pick up fried oysters for lunch. Given that The Bite is steps away from the premier fishing town on the Island, you will be enjoying the freshest ingredients with impressive execution for a small shack.

Short and sweet, 5 stars!
You step up, you look at the menu, you order through the screen door. You move to the right, get a drink out of the machine, you then move left to the picnic tables. You hear them yell «jeff» and then you go get!
The food is awesome! The price is very good for fresh seafood that’s battered and fried.
I think the staff is wonderful, I love the food and I love sitting there watching people go to and fro the beach (Menemasha is right there).
Oh. chowder is great too, so are the fried Mozz sticks and the… so on and so on. it’s a 5 star for sure!