Smitty’s Clam Bar

I came here on a date after Unilocaling for a good place to eat and coming across all the positivd reviews. It was very chill, food was great, and prices were phenomenal for seafood and for being on the water. I decided to come back again and it was just as great. I highly recommend this place! The only negatives are its cash only (but they have an atm) and they don’t have a bar (but you can byob). :)

Great local seafood!!! You won’t be disappointed. The combination platters were excellent!!!

Hands down the best clam chowder, the food is amazing no matter what you get. Katie, the waitress is awesome!

We have been coming here for years and have never been disappointed. BYOB, relaxed atmosphere, awesome food, great prices, good service and its kid friendly too.

DON’T GO! Local loyal resident, I’ve gone for many years and watched as it declined to the point of NO RETURN! Recent visit on a Saturday afternoon in early June was a disaster. Host & wait staff looked like they rolled out of a dorm room from a rough night. Young, unkempt, not paying attention to guests whether they are the «hostess», wait staff, servers or bussers. Our drink glasses (soda & water) were empty, we were never asked if we wanted refills. Our meal came: mahi mahi finger sandwich & rare baked tuna in soy/​wasabi/​garlic. There is a difference between rare and RAW tuna. The tuna was cut in chunks, like dog/​cat food rather than cut in strips from a loin. I’ve ordered this before, the oriental style sauce was savory, light and flavorful. This time it was thick like gravy and slopped on the dish like it was ladled on. The tuna was grisly, raw and tough. I ate one bite and no more. The waitress NEVER stopped by to see if our meal was ok. Eventually a bus boy came to clear our plates. He SAW that it wasn’t touched and just asked if we wanted dessert or coffee! What about noticing that there was a problem? We said NO, we didn’t want anything else and asked for the check. And waited and waited! Finally we left what we thought the bill would be and stood up to leave. The check immediately came. I WOULD HAVE TOLD SOMEONE IF IT WAS CLEAR THERE WAS SOMEONE IN AUTHORITY TO TELL. Lack of detail by management, lack of standardize apparel by floor staff, better customer service attitude and perhaps some gratitude for choosing this establishment is definitely required for the price. It’s about food, price, ambiance, quality as well as service! All were awful. This local will leave the bad dining experience/​food/​to the tourists and shoebies. Via con dios, Smittys! I’ll chose anyone of the many other choices to spend my hard earned money on a quality meal that will be memorable for all the right reasons.

We went to smittys last week when we were on vacation. Went based on all i read and heard from locals. The place looks like a beat little shack on the bay. Looks can be deceiving! It is BYOB and you can have a beverage while you wait. We showed up a little before 5 pm and got a table right away. The server was right on with drinks and they give kids a menu cover to color that they use the next day on the menus. That is pretty cool. I had already seen the menu online but that is not were the food is. Its on the specials board that changes daily. The day we went they had shrimp ceviche, seafood tetrazzini, and tuna with a ginger wasabi sauce. My son had calamari or ocean rings as they are called. Dinner came with 2 sides so we got salads and fries. The food was incredible! Big chunks of crab lobster scallops in a white sauce over noodles with cheese baked over the top. The tuna was seared on the outside and rare inside and the sauce was to die for. The table next to us were locals and very nice and helpful with what to order. Just about everywere we went to eat the same places kept coming up and smittys was always first. We were going to go back on friday but the line was very long and we tried another place down the road but thats another review. Overall the place is a homerun and priced great for the amount of food you receive. If you are considering going here do yourself and your guests a favor and go. Just remember to pick up an adult beverage for the wait and to have with your dinner.

Absolutely great entrees, Byob, servers, cooks, hot food, good, fresh food, view of the bay and hospitality with a friendly, professional flate, and smile. I look forward to returning again.

Best little Seafood place in Somer’s Point!
Smitty’s is always busy so be prepared top wait, but that is the best part. Bring wine, bring beer, bring Nibblies to snack on while you wait. No room on the benches, Bring you folding chairs and set up in the parking lot. Server’s will come around with cork screw, cups, bottle openers and Ice. It is like the parking lot at a Jimmy Buffett concert.
Once you are inside the be prepared to order. Servers will be right there. Order and shjortly the food will arrive in delicious fashion. Everything ids good. The NE Clam Chowder is awesome. Bring some home for breakfast. Fish is fresh and tasty. Fried platters are spot on.
When you are finished with your last bite the check will arrive and they will be in the wings ready to set up for the next group. REMEMBER, Smitty’s is not about a dining experience, It is pregame in the parking lot along with some great folks with some great food thrown in! It is a total experience!

We come here at least once year. The food is not *the* best taste wise. I go to Savannah for awesome seasonings. But it’s BYOB and you get real seafood.
This time I got the raw clams, 6 for around a $ 1 a piece, $ 6.29. They were fat and juicy. I wish I has some vodka or tequila to add to them. Other appies were fried clams (the real thing), and smoked tuna «dip» which was really like a tuna salad with saltines. It was very tasty, however.
For early dinner (the lunch menu was still up), we has a fried oyster platter $ 15.99 and a fried seafood platter (fish, clams, scallops, shrimps) $ 19.99 Choice of two sides. Sides are not extensive, just slaw, fries, applesauce, and lettuce and tomatoes.
Seating is inside or outside. If it’s crowded be ready to
count who was there first and wait until it’s your turn. Usually not a very long wait and hey enjoy your BOYB while you wait!
BTW the waitstaff is AWESOME!!!
Oh, and if you forget the booze, the Circle Liquor store is not far away. Get on their frequent flyer program.

Clam chowder used to be excellent amazing, the last 2 times not as good, less clams, very tiny minced clam pieces, lots more potatoes, I mean half the cup was potatoes, and a thicker chowder, used to be creamy, recently has been goopy

When I try to picture the ideal shore/​shabby fresh seafood joint, an image very similar to Smitty’s emerges. Something situated on or near the water– check, small and frequented by seasoned locals– check, no frills meals with fresh fish and shellfish taking center stage– check!
Trish loved the white chowder, a few days out she thinks it’s the best she’s ever had. Red was just as good, and the several jumbo soup pots simmering in the kitchen indicate other diners feel the same. We had an app of fried clams, they were good but we got mostly small pieces, seeing other’s platters caused us some food envy. For an entrée she selected seafood au gratin and it was chock full of meat. My baked platter featured flounder, shrimp and scallops. The shrimp were ok, fish was very good, and scallops were impeccable. After finishing the meal I pretty much decided that straight up scallops is the way to go next time.
Side dishes are humble and left me wishing for another vegetable option. The fries look standard but are pretty good, the corn salad was fair at best and the small side salad appeared to be the healthiest choice. Most menu items are available fried or baked. If you decide on getting baked you then pick a sauce, my butter sauce was very light, I might try another one from the 5 or so available.
Expect a wait, we encountered one on a rainy preseason night. The line moved fast and once we were seated we could see why. The servers are not only very friendly, they are very fast. I bet that comes from the repetition of many busy nights. We agreed that this will be a regular stop in future OC trips. 4.5 and rising scallop love Unilocal

In ALL my years coming & vacationing in my beloved Ocean City, we never hit Somers Point.
More Unilocal thanks! Vince chose here.
Small and hopping place even on a rainy evening.
Sleeping on it — best NE clam chowder I ever had! Fresh and plentiful clams, not too many potatoes and perfectly seasoned w a perfect texture!
My au gratin special was good but a touch too salty. The scallops were the best of the dish for sure!
Vince had a broiled platter that he thoroughly enjoyed.
The kids did cheese burgers that they super liked — wish I had tried a bite.
The clam strip appetizer was good but wimpy in size compared to a patron who got it as her main dish. We were jealous!
Reasonable prices and YUMMY shore fair! Were def going back — maybe even to take out!

Hands down the best clam chowder in the area/​NJ/​PA. I highly recommended trying the half and half white red mixture, it’s always delicious and comes out hot. The fried clam strips are always great too.
The staff is very friendly and efficient. The clam bar has a laid back beach feel with picnic style tables and a good amount of seating between the two rooms and barstool area.
Keep in mind there is usually a decent wait but there’s area to sit outside and wait. Or come at an off later lunch time and it’s usually less crowded. Or you can take pints of chowder to go. Always look forward to coming here at the start of the season :)

No AC chowder is meh flounder appears to be breaded off location clam strips are very good some of the seafood bakes are ok but when it’s hot it down right sucks eating here.

Came here: Saturday, August 8, 2015
I’m been coming here, ever since I was born. This place sure has changed! This will always be a shore staple, as said in previous reviews. Now for the food!!!
I came with a party of 3 (including me). 2 members of my party, had a Coke for a drink. They said it was good! I had birch beer, and, it tasted the same as usual.
The members of my party, and I split the Seafood Salad, with tons of seafood, green peppers and onions in a sweet vinaigrette.

Byob is nice, and since you may be looking at a wait of up to two hours on prime nights your gonna need it.
Always go for the specials on the board.

Great place to stop by on Sunday to wait out the traffic. Anything fried is yummy but they have great other options too. Grouper fingers, the cheeseburger, and specials are always awesome.

Greatest thing about this place is that it’s a BYOB. And the people who frequent this place know it. They had their beer and their koozies and I had my jealousy.
Although they pretty much have two sides to the menu: i.e. fried (my friend) or baked (my better half). Do yourself a favor and get baked. There are more options for flavor that way. I, however, have a death wish and ordered the fried platter. Everything great except the crabcake which was mostly filler and not so much crab. Got the smoked scallop dip and surprise! it was delicious. Tasted like smoked fish.
Some logistical tips to make your trip cooler than mine:
1. cash only so bring it or eat the ATM fee
2. long wait for dinner especially for bigger groups– we went early (5pm) on a SUNDAY and we still waited 45 minutes for a table for two.
3. don’t go to this place for the ambiance — it’s terribly small and really laidback atmosphere with like paper cups and stuff
4. refer to top of this review: Bring Ya Beer!!!

Smitty’s Clam Bar is such a classic hole-​in-​the-​wall seafood eatery. It’s always crowded because it’s good. Somehow, the seafood tastes fresher here … maybe it isn’t any fresher from other restaurants in the area — but the barebones atmosphere in a shack-​like building directly on the bay in Somers Point just gives it that extra sea water and salt air flavoring.
What’s really cool on a nice summer evening is to eat at the outside clam bar. Seats there are first come, first serve so you don’t have to put your name on the ever-​present wait list for an inside table. And remember to bring a cold six-​pack with you. The beer is good while you’re waiting as well as while you’re eating.
Now for the great food. The New England (white) clam chowder is top-​notch here. Order it. A dozen steamers are always a tasty treat. And you can choose for your main course sandwiches like a crab or clam burger to their many varied baked and fried platters.
After dinner, you might want to walk around the old bay district of Somers Point just to get some needed exercise after eating so much. If you do, you’ll probably wind up stopping in the Anchorage for some more beer. Smitty’s is a no-​brainer recommendation for eating at the shore!

Perfect for a seafood stop and definitely worth the drive over the bridge!
Tips:
–park across the street or on a side street, the walking is good for you
–check the white board for specials, they’re well worth it
–grab a pair of seats at the bar, they are first come first serve
–bring your own alcohol, it’s a BYOB
–drink while you wait and make it a party
I’ll be back to Smitty’s Clam Bar, but I really wish they could bring the clam bar to me!