Morgan C.
Yelp
Oh, Aunt Carrie, how I love thee so! This classic seaside gastronomical emporium has been a favorite date spot for me and my boyfriend ever since we were in our awkward "are we friends or are we dating" stage, and has continued to this day! True to form, we visited tonight to celebrate a year since the day we met, and the wonderful food, comforting atmosphere, and cheery service made it the perfect spot to ring in a momentous occasion like this!
If you have the time, I would highly recommend sitting down to eat instead of taking your food to go. Not only will the wait time be significantly shorter, but you will also get a chance to sit by the windows and look out to the gorgeous neighboring beach while you consume your weight in homemade clam cakes (or is that just me?). Aunt Carrie's is just like traveling back in time to that clambake scene in "Carousel" before everything goes to hell in a hand basket, so pretend like it's 1902, sit down for a while, and enjoy!
The only thing to get here is the complete shore dinner. It's an amazing value at about $25-$28, and comes with a cup of clam chowder (your choice of classic creamy, clear broth, and Manhattan tomato), a side salad, fresh raisin sweet bread, a variety of fish entrees plus sides, and a house made dessert. YUM. Everything is excellent, but I personally love the clear broth chowder, since it doesn't mask the freshness of the shucked-today clams and generous chunks of potatoes. I also gravitate toward the Baked Scrod, with its tender flakiness and buttery crumb crust. Also, don't skip the fries! They're some of the best restaurant fries this side of the Pell Bridge, and I love 'em dipped in some tartar sauce. It's a cheat meal, but worth every calorie! If the option is available, dig into a Strawberry Shortcake for dessert, with sweet strawberries, homemade whipped cream, and a buttermilk biscuit to hold it all together. It's a small upcharge, but I can't think of a better way to end an All-American meal at Aunt Carrie's.
Not feeling a full seaside spread? No worries! My boyfriend wasn't as hungry as I was and ordered a classic clam chowder a la carte with two fresh made Clam Cakes as an appetizer, and a Fish Sandwich as an entree. The Clam Cakes are one of their signature items, and super impressive, almost like a seafood fritter that's served piping hot from the fryer and bursting with clams! The Fish Sandwich will serve anyone who likes fried fish well, but I'll stick to it in Fish n' Chips so I can get some of those amazing fries! To each their own, I guess.
Our server, Sallie, was awesome! She was super prompt with bringing out our food, checking up on us every so often, and keeping my unsweetened iced tea (free) refilled! We always have a great experience with service at Aunt Carrie's, and tonight was no exception.
Put this place at the top of your summer bucket list! It's a hidden gem that you won't want to miss!