Sandbar Seafood

Great lobster roll. Easy access. Call ahead and have a hot roll waiting.

This lobster roll was amazing. Totally awesome. Way better than expected! It was warm and the roll was toasted perfectly ! All it needed was a squirt of lemon

We were in West Haven and in the mood for lobster rolls and this place came up on Unilocal as nearby so we decided to try it. It is nothing fancy and very small with a few tables but great seafood options! Some of the best lobster rolls we have ever eaten, made with butter., chuck full with fresh lobster. They give you melted butter on the side so you can add as little or as much as you want! Owner heard us trying to decide between scallops and lobster rolls and since we both ordered lobster rolls he brought us a sampling of fried scallops and clams on the house. Very nice guy! They were delicious too! Clam chowder was good. Great little seafood place close to the VA in West Haven so we will definitely go back! Thank you Unilocal for helping us to discover this place!

Amazing little seafood place! Thanks again Unilocalers. We found this spot after a couple hours of shopping at nearby IKEA called to make sure they were open in December, so glad they were. Can’t wait to come back during warmer months. They say the beach is nearby too. Guys behind the counter were helpful and quick. Food was fresh and made to order! I have to say their lobster roll beat some places we had in Maine! Yum, if you’re nearby and craving seafood give them a try.

This is based only on delivery.
I know seafood isn’t always the best food to order delivered, so please take that into account when reading this– I can’t speak to how different my experience would have been if we had eaten in.
While nothing was bad, nothing was really great (or really more than OK) from our delivery order. We tried the wings, which were OK, but went unfinished in a house full of wing lovers. We also had the calamari, which was OK, but a little chewy (possibly would have been different fresh) and a buffalo chicken sandwich, also OK.
The lobster rolls I would say were really good, because they were served full of fresh delicious lobster, with very little mayo, which is how I like them. If I was reviewing only the lobster rolls I would have added another star.
I would definitely try this place for eat-​in if I was in the area, but I wanted to give an honest assessment of my delivery experience.

It was 100x better when Chris aka Bruno and selene owned it. Food was amazing and prices were super low. Now it’s just a ripoff. The new owners jacked up the prices and changed some of the items on the menu.

My husband kept hearing about how great this place was and finally stopped in to grab the family dinner one night. This is not a fancy place, get your food and go sit at the beach! Lobster roll… yum! Shrimp dinner has A LOT of shrimp, kids loved the fries. WAAAYYYY better food quality than Chips with the same idea of a menu.
People complaining about the prices should try to go buy fresh seafood by the pound… it is expensive even to do it yourself!

Can only agree with the rave reviews. Delicious lobster roll! The sides we got (fries and onion rings) were good too. The real winner was the scallops, though. We got them grilled, not fried, and they were cooked very well. Not too raw, not overcooked. At $ 20 they weren’t cheap, but fresh seafood isn’t and this was worth it. If I’m ever in New Haven again, I’m coming back for seconds.

While in CT for my nephew first home game (Yale Bulldogs) the family and I were super starved after all the yelling and screaming and jumping up and down at the game so I looked to my saving grace ( Unilocal) and typed in Lobster Roll because I’ve been craving a good LobsterRoll.
Our GoTo is Luke’s lobster roll while in D. C or NYC and since we were heading back to NYC we planned to go stop by Luke’s instead Unilocal pointed us to SandBar.
I must say I was very skeptical because of the price of the LobsterRoll which was $ 16 and I know I pay $ 22 easy for the best lobster roll ever in my mind. Well I was wrong the price was amazing for the portion and amount of lobster provided on the roll.
The items we ordered:
The SandBar Box (Fried everything shrimp, fish, clams, scallops & onion rings) — everything was super tasty and the portion was GOOD.
LobsterRoll — The roll had an amazing amount of lobster which was awesome however the way it was prepared wasn’t my favorite. The drained butter is given on the side as oppose to the way we are use to LobsterRolls having buttery lobster meat on a buttery warm roll. The roll was warm but not as fresh in flavor it had an aftertaste sorta.
The customer service is amazing the food is acceptable for a foodie who has experienced plenty of food. Those who haven’t had such experiences would be extremely amaZed so I encourage everyone to try this place and don’t let the look deceive you.
Note: if it’s hot out I don’t suggest dining in as the windows don’t open and there is no air conditioner.

The food is an overall hit. The seafood platter is a big hit in my household. Great outdoor seating in the summer.

The food was really good, we had the lobster roll and the platter which had a ton of fried seafood and fries. The wings were mediocre but they’re priced right so no big deal. The only misleading thing being from out of state was their location. On the map it seems like they’d be right by the ocean but looking carefully you see it’s really off a busy street and you can’t really see the water. They only have a few places to sit so I wouldn’t suggest coming with a big group.

We ordered the lobster roll & shrimp dinner, very good quality seafood! Lobster roll came with a lot of lobster.

Thank you, Unilocalers, for finding this place! Oh my God! I’ve never seen a lobster roll made with so much lobster! It wasn’t chopped up and smothered in mayo like most lobster rolls. Nope. Just chunks of lobster, melted butter & lemon in a buttered, toasted roll.
Unfortunately, I’m allergic to lobster so I got to sit back and watch my husband enjoy that beautiful creation. I opted for the fish sandwich and loved every bite! Skipped the bun it came on & the shredded lettuce but enjoyed the huge portion of fried fish.
My 17 y/​o son went with the foot long hot dog. In his typically eloquent style, he said it was «good». High praise from a picky eater.
Quick off and back onto the highway so stop by for lunch or grab some for takeout. Friendly people, too!

A bare-​bones, classic seafood shack, the food was fresh and excellent ! Upon reading Unilocal recommendations, we decided on The Sandbar. It was VERY GOOD ! I had been craving the whole belly clams, which are largely unavailable in upstate NY. They did not disappoint, nor did the hubs fish sandwich. 3 big pieces of sole, fried to perfection. In the photo’s, the clam basket looks sparse, that’s because they were so good, I forgot to take a picture until I was over half way done !! I got the clam side ($ 20.50) with the cole slaw. It was worth every penny. I wish we were in the area longer, so I could have tried the lobster roll for lunch.

Stopped in for the 1^st time today for lunch. Ordered the Fish Filet platter (website needs to be updated, I payed $ 10.95 instead of the $ 9.95 price listed on their page).
Fish was OK, nothing special, I’ve had better fried fish at other local seafood places. Fries and coleslaw were also OK.
With all the other seafood selections about in the area, can’t see a return visit to the Sandbar.

My all time favorite lobster roll spot in the east coast. I love the drive to Connecticut from queens. We make a whole day around just to have lunch here. I just cant wait to go back there again!

While residing in New England, one of my goals has been to absorb as much of the wonderful New England culture as possible before returning to the West Coast. And apparently, whole-​belly clams are very «New England»! After a bit of Unilocal research, a lovely friend and I visited Sandbar Seafood on a Monday afternoon around 2pm for some seafood indulgence.
At about 2pm, the restaurant was empty — it was great; no lines, minimal wait for food, and a choice of seating. I ordered the whole-​belly clams lunch special with onion rings, while my friend ordered a Pick-​2 platter with clam strips and calamari, accompanied by french fries.
Our orders were ready quickly and we chose to dine at one of the picnic tables outside. My whole-​belly clams were amazing; cooked perfectly and not over-​breaded. The onion rings were also fabulous. The Pick-​2 calamari and clam strips were also good, though I enjoyed the whole-​belly clams more. The calamari was one of the best calamaris I have ever had; quite tender, not sinewy or excessively chewy, really good.
Sandbar Seafood had friendly staff and provided good and prompt service. Our food was made to order and was accompanied with appropriate condiments.
Recommendation:
–Order the whole-​belly clams. If you’re not sure whether you’ll like them, opt to share an order with a friend.
–If you choose to order their fried seafood entrees, do keep in mind that it’s a heavy meal because they are breaded and fried. You may want to share a fried entrée, accompanied by something lighter. The lunch size platters of fried seafood were filling, but I still found them pretty heavy.
Verdict:
I recommend Sandbar Seafood and plan to bring visiting family members.

I would really give this place 3.5 stars but that isn’t an option so I rounded up :-). I’m an out of town’r and found this place via Unilocal.Thought I would add my 2 cents.
Ordered a lobster roll and side of fried shrimp. Let’s start with the roll first. Though mine was not as pretty as the pics, it was filled with lobster meat. My order was to go (10 min drive to my hotel) but I couldn’t help but pick some lobster meat off on the ride home. I have to say at the picking of the meat, I was disappointed. It was not very flavorful. I guess that helped me keep my hands off it until I could properly dress it. Once properly dressed with the drawn butter, it started to look up. Still not the best lobster roll but butter always makes things taste better.
Now on to the shrimp… they were the saving grace of the visit. Great batter and perfectly fried. Whatever method they use works. And it withstood being boxed and bagged for 10+ minutes without losing the crisp! I’m a cocktail fan on shrimp and the cocktail sauce had the perfect twang. Don’t worry, if you like tarter, they add that too. I can’t attest to its flavor since I’m not a fan.
This is more of a to-​go type joint so not the place for a white table cloth type of dinner. The staff wasn’t super friendly or exceptional in customer service. I never really expect that when I’m up north anyway (I’m a southern girl with northern roots). Bottom line is, I’d make a trip back when I’m in the area.

Awesome hotdogs. Highly recommended.
As previously reviewed by others — it’s nothing fancy inside — but it doesn’t need to be. The food speaks for itself.
Cheap prices. I will definitely become a regular here.

Seafood Shack. Summarizing it in 2 words. This spot is located right across the waterfront in West Haven on the side closer to New Haven. It is pretty easy to find off of exit 44 on I95. It is a very small locale with indoor and outdoor seating. The outdoor area consists of picnic tables and inside it is quite small but perfect for that quick lunch. Very friendly staff, the restaurant is quick service. As soon as I walked in I was greeted with a hello and I ordered a lobster roll. It was fantastic. Great lobster to roll portion. It doesn’t come with a side so if you want something make sure to order it. Really enjoyed my meal, I’m glad this place isn’t a seasonal restaurant so you can it enjoy it year round. Nothing fancy but a nice quick bite.