Evelyn's Drive-In

Stopped by Evelyn's for the first time. The clam cakes were great. The "stuffie" stuffed quahog was great as well. The creamy chowder was okay. Added some much needed salt and pepper. Wasn't too busy when I stopped in. Was quoted 5 minutes and took closer to 20 minutes, which wasn't a problem since I called ahead and was coming from out of town. The location is on the water and pretty spectacular when the weather cooperates. A little on the pricey side.

The lobster roll was 1000% the best I’ve had thus far, a decently large amount of chunks of lobster, cooked to perfection, served on really tasty bread. Price: came to $36 after tax for 1 lobster roll, worth it!! I recommend to give it a try

So when you pull up you’re greeted by the water, you can dine in or out. We went approx 7p-730p on a Saturday. Wasn’t too busy, weather was perfect to sit outside. We started with the crab cake appy, which was served on a bed of mixed greens. They were nice. Crispy outside, warm inside w/ crab not that filler stuff. lol. For drinks we had some virgin blood orange like spritzer which was refreshing. Our entrees were the lobster chow mein and Lobster roll (with butter) and fries. Both Delish. So.. the chow mein noodles are fried and topped with the lobster and gravy w/ onions and celery. It is a huge portion the only negative is that if your a texture person it doesn’t do well on the reheat. So if you’re not someone to eat the whole portion in one setting I would recommend splitting it. Would’ve loved a little more lobstahhh. Now for the roll, divine. The roll was buttered and toasted. The lobster was tender and warm, not chewy. Fries were freshly fried and crispy. I’d definitely return for the roll and the crabcake, the chow mein, since a bit went to waste, I’d split or omit from my next order, it was still a little something different that I’m glad I tried.

Food and staff are all awesome. Haven't been here in close to 16 years, but it's still as amazing as I remember it. Stuffies, chowder, clam cakes, calamari, simply awesome! Couldn't wait to try the stuffie before taking a pic lol!

Great food. Was a little costly but the price was well worth it. We had extras to bring home and enjoy the next day. definitely will be returning and bringing more money.

Very fresh seafood & portions were ample. The atmosphere was very nice. (I think next time we'll sit outside the tent). Service was great, and the prices, I believe, were reasonable given the state of things currently. Would definitely go back again!

The best scallops I've ever had! Location on the water was beautiful too.

We were impressed even before sitting down, the location and views are amazing. The food is exactly as it should be, which is delicious and fresh. The service and atmosphere are very welcoming, everything about this place makes you want to linger and stay for a few hours and enjoy the view, the food and drinks. Keep up the great work!

Always a great experience! The freshest scallops and fried clams we have ever had in the area and the big bonus is enjoying dinner with view of the water like no other around. Love when the boaters dock and watch the activity on the pond. Favorite appetizer is always their Littlenecks ! And RI Chowder which is hard to find . Our family has been visiting for years and yes the food is delicious, the view beautiful but just need to give shout out to their staff. Bar none -- THE BEST ! Friendly , efficient and make you feel at home. Highly recommended, don't miss out as they are short season !

I always stop here when in area. Today orders a side of scallops... Holy Batman 40 bucks Not worth it... Scallops were excellent fresh, fried perfect but greasy on bed of lettuce... Prices scaring me away next time... I don't see me returning til prices improve... I eat scallops many places and 40 bucks for 1.2-3/4 lb of scallops is about 12-15 bucks at retail supermarket prices Wholesale price probably 8-10 bucks ; so 300% markup

Amazingly clean fried food. If you know you know. If you don't know, it just means the oil is changed regularly so you can taste the difference. The fish was amazingly cooked to perfection. The ambience was beautiful and our waitress was very fun and we had a very enjoyable dinner because of it.

Exceptionally average. 2.5 The location is great, love the view but if the line is longer than 15 min, just go home. For the quality of food, it's definitely overpriced and underdelivered. Slow service whether it's empty or busy. Over the years quality has rlly gonna down especially for the fried scallops, buffalo shrimp, fish sandwich and fish n chips. Lower your expectations and you'll have a good lunch.

I've been going there for many years. Always loved it. Today I ordered a single order of whole belly clams. Received a small container half filled with french fries, with clams on top. $38 for this!? Rediculous! This will be my last visit until the price of clams comes down.

Local landmark with good fried seafood. A Corvette club pulled in for lunch so besides a delicious lunch there were some beautiful cars to look at. I had a clam strip dinner. A little pricey but good. Enjoyed the outdoor seating with a water view. Nice place for a tasty lunch.

This place is right by the water. You can either eat inside or out. I had a bowl of clam chowder and clam cakes. My hubby had the lobster roll. My chowder was loaded with big chunks of clams and was very flavorful. Even the clam cakes had a generous amount of clams. They were cooked perfectly and freshly brought to the table. The lobster roll had a generous amount of meat and served with butter and French fries.

I've been here before and this trip didn't disappoint. Went for a late lunch and no trouble parking or finding a seat. There's a heated patio and (I believe) table service, but we sat at the covered picnic tables. Clam cakes were light and had chunks of clam. Both the fish sandwich and lobster roll were good. Few small things could have been better-almost all ketchup bottles were empty, tables didn't look like they were cleaned that often, but food quality alone will bring us back.

Always happy when Evelyn opens up for the season, the freshest seafood around cooked perfectly all the time

Iconic Southern New Englad clam shack that just is not as good as it once was. Stick to the clamcakes and chowder and enjoy the water views.

MarissaC was a great server. Very accommodating. The food is great huge portions. Mostly fried.

Oh how I long to be back at Evelyn's sitting under an umbrella, crunchy shells under feet, enjoying the lazy inlet river. A relaxing low-key environment. Indoor and outdoor seating. Gets crowded, plan ahead. The youthful staff is friendly, knowledgeable & fast. We tried a variety of things- fish and chips, clam bellies, seared naked scallops, and their chowder. Everything was very very good. You can taste that the oil is changed regularly. The seafood really shines through the light crispness; it was sweet, tender and ultra fresh. A pretty broad menu for a so-called drive-in. Parking is tight, solid seating inside & outside. Highly recommend.

This is a casual, road side, restaurant that's main focus is seafood. Think clam cakes and chowder, fish and chips, fried clams, etc. They do offer chicken tenders, chicken sandwiches and other options as well. I had the fried clam strip platter - it came with fries, cole slaw, tartar sauce and a lemon wedge. The clams were done perfectly and I liked the house made tartar sauce. We sat overlooking a beautiful pond in comfortable patio tables with chairs in a bed of sea shells. They did have picnic table seating if you would rather use the pick up / take out window. The service was excellent. Both ladies were quick with a refill and both had great personalities. I would definitely venture to Tiverton to try some of the other menu items. (The crab cakes! So hard not to order and over eat!)

My husband thought I was crazy when we pulled up outside of this "shack". The doors opened at 12 for lunch and by 12:10, it was packed! We started off with the best fried clams I have ever eaten. I chose the crabby Patty sandwich, which was delicious and my husband opted for the fried fish & shrimp combo. He said it was the best, freshest, flakiest fish he has ever had. I guess it's true that you go where the locals go!

My daughter and I just travelled from an event that was rather sad & unusual. By the time we left we were too exhausted to join another family friend for an early evening dinner. In other words, we were "toast" and needed food & fresh air even in our fancy clothes. I stopped at Evelyn's knowing whole belly clams and beautiful calamari awaited us. The server was kind warm thoughtful & patient. Her service was impeccable. Totally professional. We managed to get a breezy corner table near the water but not under the hot sun. A discrete tent shielded us from burning. Our heels gently cracked every white clam shell with poise until we were seated. Our angel server brought fresh water, a gorgeous RI iced coffee and the breeze decompressed our weary bones. The food was as perfect and appealing as its description and there was nothing to say between mother & daughter, the meal was too delicious to interrupt for small talk. Clams full and bountiful freshly fried, calamari sweet with peppers on the side as requested. It might be the perfect mermaid's picnic Prices are market and normal for fresh seafood. You get what you pay for, excellence. This gem is a treasure. If you're a pirate stay away, we'll fight ya' for it.

This was our second trip this summer. First trip was good, ordered chowder, clam cakes and onion rings. Today I wanted clams but $39.99 is steep. My husband and I got quahogs , then the clam chowder/ cakes duo. Stuffed quahogs were awful, never tasted stuffies like these. Chowders were lukewarm, clam cakes were OK. Line was too long to get the chowder warmed up, we won't return. Next time Blount's. Always good there. View is beautiful.

Good service-nice foodstaff-good food Pleasant location-view of water-recommend-what else can I say?

Came here on Saturday, May 27th. The view was perfect, seafood platter sounded perfect. Upon arrival it was pretty busy because there wasn't any parking in their lot but luckily I was able to find parking on the side of the road across street. There were some seating under the tent attached to the drive in and one across by the deck mainly for take out eaters. When a restaurant is usually busy you automatically think the food should be good. I thought wrong. The moment my seafood platter came out you can tell that they did a sloppy job battering the seafood and frying it. One of the worse seafood platter I've had in my life. Everything was soggy. It was not enjoyable. The only thing that was battered correctly and was good was the fish and chips. I didn't have a chance to take a picture of the seafood platter because we were fishing all morning and I was getting hungry and decided to give Evelyn's a try since it was close by. We also got lemonade for drinks and that lemonade tasted watered down. One of the worse I've had. All and all I probably won't be returning.

Today, like we do once a year, we ordered a fried clam plate to split , we were warned at the window that the price was 40 dollars. We said OK, bring it on. Every clam was tiny, there were many pieces of clams, none of the bellies were bigger than my thumbnail. They were tasteless, the small necks were tough and rubbery. The fries were ok. Cole slaw meh. We asked for extra tartar sauce, they threw in 3 tiny packets. Extremely disappointing. Flo's has the same plate for less than 30 dollars and the quality is much higher. These owners are only focused on profit, with little regard for serving a quality product. Go somewhere else. Last thing, I've been eating fried clams for 60 years, these were the worst I can ever remember eating.

Delicious fish and chips, with great flavor and fresh-cut fries that were also very good. However, I didn't care much for the lobster bisque, and the clam cakes were just okay.

I like this place: great location, excellent and personable service, and the kind of menu you would expect on an ocean waterfront. The food is usually very good. I will return. But that said, the meal I experienced here two days ago was substandard: a dry and tasteless lobster roll (which I finished - there was really not much to it.) Note, it was not "spoiled" (that is something the first whiff tells you) but simply lacking in any of the qualities to be expected. (I will certainly give Evelyn's another chance.) To rid myself of the memory I had a lobster roll at Davenport's in East Providence today. It was fine (as well as much more generous and about 15% less costly)

$40 for a tiny portion of rubbery over cooked clams and scallops....never again

The food here is so bland. I had ordered a seafood plate. Description says it feeds 2-3 people and it's 2 pounds. It was mostly soggy fries. Also had chowder and the potatoes were straight mush. Absolutely nothing here has flavor.

The wife and I really liked this place. The food is good and not too pricey. Went on a Saturday and it was pretty busy but we didn't have to wait long at all. I will come back next time I'm in Tiverton.

The lobster roll blew me away! It was awesome! Larger than most and packed with big pieces of lobster. And the sweet potato fries were the best ever. Everywhere we went while visiting there, we were told that Evelyn's had legendary lobster rolls and they were right!! Wish I had taken photos!

This place has a beautiful view - but I could not get past the prices. I know that it got the DDD bump on TV, but that cannot account for such high prices. The food is quite good though, but it seems a little touristy to me. Try the scallop platter ( for 800+ credit scores only )

Wonderful outdoor dining by the water, scallops and clams were cooked just right, highly recommend and is worth the trip, all the way from Reno . Save room for a side trip to Grays ice cream later

Tourist trap ! Clam roll w/fires,Tossed salad w/chicken 2 bottled sodas. $55 dollars ! Hardly any clams in sandwich and 1 sour.

I had a recent visit at Evelyns and was not impressed. We ordered the Fried Clam belly and Scallops dinner and the Wicked good chicken sandwich. The Seafood especially the clams were mushy. The Fries were not up to par either. The Chicken sandwich was undercooked. The Fries again were sub par. For a bill that was $64 I excepted a lot more. Then I have submitted 2 emails requesting a response from the restaurant on my experience and got no response as of today. I definitely will not be going back

2 bowels of chowder, order of fries and half dozen clam cakes for 30 bucks. Both chowders needed a lot of salt and pepper. The fries were mushy. The clam cakes were devoid of clams, tasteless and very small. Only thing they have going for them is the waterfront location. Never could understand the attraction of these summer clam shacks. All the fried food tastes the same and everything is extremely expensive.

Mediocre food great view. Also for what you get the food was fairly outrageously priced. We kept it simple couple of fish sandwiches. Parking was tight and they were letting very large groups of 10 or more people jamming seven people around each table which I was not comfortable with so we finished up very quickly and left.

Evelyn's Drive In has been a staple in Tiverton since 1969. They are famous for their local and fresh seafood. Located right on Nanaquaket Pond, it is the perfect place to pull up your boat and have some homemade, fresh seafood! Evelyn's Drive-In lobster roll was delicious. Plus I got to sit outside and enjoy my lobster roll while watching all of the boats go by. I got my lobster meat on the roll with butter on the side. I love getting lobster rolls this way, when offered, because you can truly taste the lobster. The bun was nice and crispy. The lobster tasted very fresh. When I dipped it in the butter it was nice and sweet. The butter added a little sweetness. The fish on the fish and chips wrap was fried perfectly and have the wrap a nice crunch. You could taste the fresh fish in the wrap. The coleslaw in the wrap gave the wrap a nice moisturizing taste so you did not need to add any sauce to it. The coleslaw with the fresh fried fish was light and crunchy! I always have a great experience at Evelyn's and the food is always delicious!

The Seafood was outstanding. I had the fish and chips with shrimp combo. It was outstanding. The only regret was the portion was too big. I was stuffed. Had lobster bisque for a starter. It was the best I have had in any restaurant in Rhode Island. Sat under the tent with a beautiful view of the Sakonet River. The service was excellent. I don't understand how anyone can give this restaurant less than 5 stars. They do need more parking.

Nice spot with a GREAT view! Outside and indoor seating is available. We sat inside, as it was in the evening and a bit cool outside. I had the clam strips and Shark Attack. Shark attack definitely attacked, in a good way (awesome drink)! Clam strips were pretty good. My honey had the crab cakes (fried). He loved them, they were just okay to me. The service and view were superb! Jill and Karen were awesome! Very friendly and seemingly genuine. Actually, the entire staff was amazing. The Chef even came out to ask how the food tasted. Will definitely visit again when in RI! FYI, if you're into "herbal botany", there's a dispensary less than 10 mins away

Had Chowder & clam cakes. If there was a minus star rating I'd give them a MINUS % STARS! The chowder was tasteless and the clam cakes had no taste and had the texture of nuked reheated clam cakes. Shame on Evelyns! That's like going out for Barbeque down Florida and getting tasteless ribs! Won't go there evah again Never thought chowder in RI could be that blah! I'm still stunned over this.

Gem right on the Nannaquacket pond. Spot we've been going my whole life that never fails to provide an amazing fish and chips and clam cakes. One of those places you drive by and can't wait until they open again for the season. Great outdoor seating by the water and the best spot to see the sunset on a beautiful summer night.

Best fried clams in the area and its consistent. Picnic tables outside for take out or can dine on patio. Always try to get some clams while in the area.

This cute road side stop is a must for locals and tourists. It's not "the best" food around, but the food here is very good and the location makes it a wonderful choice to enjoy a beautiful summer day in a quaint New England town. They offer a ton of seafood options at market pricing (so it changes daily) and many other non-seafood items. You won't be disappointed. They have two seating options - self serve by ordering at the window to eat under the covered picnic tables along the water or to order food to go. And table service where they offer indoor or outdoor seating where you can enjoy and adult beverage from their full bar menu so you can get a mixed drink, beer, or wine along with your meal. Dining near the water not your thing? Consider taking your food to go and driving just a little bit further down the road to enjoy it "picnic style" at Sakonnet Vineyards with a bottle of local wine in a relaxing atmosphere.

On our way home from RI the other day and decided to try Evelyn's as I had heard about it and was in the mood for fried clams. We ordered a side of fried clams ($33), a bowl of New England clam chowder and an order of onion rings. First off, I'm not sure I've ever had clams that were worse! There was not one single whole clam in the box ~ more like clam "bits and pieces"! They were rubbery, hard to chew, and just plain yucky. And not that I would have wanted more, but the clam "pieces" were barely covering the bottom of the box; not overflowing like most places I go (or even filled to the top). The clam chowder was watery and lacked flavor. The onion rings were ok. So disappointing ~ $50 and we didn't enjoy any of it. We won't go again!

Disgusting beyond belief:( I wish I had taken a picture to post. Went here today with my parents for chowder and clam cakes. Clam cakes could have been used as anchors for how heavy they were...chowder was the worst I've ever seen or tried. RI chowder had a rim of yellow grease and the NE version looked like whitish gray glue. We gave most of the food to the seagulls. I would have returned the food and demanded money back but my parents didn't want to make a scene and they paid. It's a shame because they don't eat out that much anymore and I felt terrible I took them there. I live locally and to be honest, have always found this place to be hit or miss. Definitely a miss today. They are lucky the tourists will probably try them anyway.

Found this place while driving back from South shore beach. Nice place for outdoor seating and viewing the sunset. Couple of people had their boats docked nearby too. Got the fried clam strips, fish and chips and chicken tenders. The clam strips were the best, the other two were Aok. Overall good experience.

I typically do not post negative reviews but today's visit warrants it more than ever. I have not eaten at Evelyn's in more than 15 years. I have eaten whole belly fried clams for the last 55+ years. I am a native Rhode Island resident and have been my whole life so I know a thing or two about our seafood. My husband and I stopped at Evelyn's today on our way home from Little Compton. We ordered fried clams (@ $35.00 for a small styrofoam container), clam cakes and chowder. The fried clams were some of the worst I've ever eaten. 70% of them were tiny "strips" and not whole belly clams. They were over-cooked and tasted like they had been fried in old oil. French fries were thrown in the container as well (these were a side-order of fried clams). They weren't even whole fried clams, just tiny pieces that appear to have been picked apart from the whole fried clam. I literally ate 2 bites and discarded the entire carton. The clam chowder (both clear and white) were bland and tasteless. The clam cakes were "decent" but certainly not the best. I would assume that Evelyn's is catering to a population that does not know what good fried seafood is supposed to taste like. I would not suggest anyone to visit this establishment. There are way better restaurants that serve much better seafood.

Actually no stars. I was so looking forward to a meal. The RI clear broth chowder, a bowl, maybe had a few tablespoons of clams and potatoes. But good. And the gluten free lobster roll-I had asked for the bun to be toasted-it wasn't and it was a hamburger roll. I HAD to mix the mayo into the lobster. Huge massive ripoff for 32.00. Go for the chowder and lobster bisque and the view.

Really good food in a town without many other options. The Rhode Island-style calamari were my favorite, but the fried clams, lobster roll, and crab cake sandwich were also excellent. Not cheap, but well worth it in my opinion.

Delicious food, relaxed venue. We sat under the canopy & it was delightful. There were umbrella tables too. The staff was SO friendly and very good. We shared the seafood platter for 2, and got salads & mini stuffiest for the 4 of us and it was perfect! All if the elements of the platter were done well. Delicately fried, tender, tasty. We finished with their homemade key lime pie. Our neighboring table had the house lime margaritas that looked great & they said they were. Great find on the coast, pleasantly surprised.

Beautiful spot with good food. Prices on some items are a little high but they post the market price so you you know what you are getting into.

I went yesterday for the first time for lunch with a girlfriend. Evelyn's came highly recommended by a friend. I had the fried scallops as recommended & they were AMAZING just as my friend had said! They were not noticeably battered-that's how light they were. Fresh & delicious. Cooked perfectly! The fries were delicious. My sangria was refreshing, Five stars, Evelyn's!! I can't wait to go back and eat with my husband!

A drive-in with great food. Who knew? A lovely setting on a river bank for this old fashioned drive in that now also has an outdoor table service dining option. It's been featured on Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives. The food deserves the 4-star score. The lobster roll was generously filled and was available with either mayo (as pictured) or butter. The Fried clam strips were the best I've had. The photo shows the heaping plateful. It's a good place to seek out.

Fresh and delicious. Outdoor dining under the tent was a good addition. Chowder is good. Fish and chips is a very large helping and you could probably split it between 2 people.