Fishbones

We had such a fun family night out! Splurged and got the Alaskan King Crab, they were delicious! Everyone enjoyed their meals. Our server, Lauren, was friendly, knowledgeable and attentive. Highly recommend this gem tucked in Chelmsford center!

Thank you for a wonderful dinner. We went there for my daughter’s high school graduation dinner. Called ahead and they got us a reservation for 5. Food was wonderful. Highly recommend if you are craving fish dinner.

This was amazing! The staff was very courteous and engaging. The food was amazing and delicious. I definitely recommend trying Fishbone if in the area.

For the price point, I’d say their food, service and atmosphere are average IMO.

My hubby and I stopped by for dinner. Got bloody marry, fish and chips and fisherman’s basket. All were super delicious. Cheese cake was such a treat. Reasonable priced. Nice atmosphere and great serviceZ

“Had a fantastic meal at Fish Bones in Chelmsford! The seafood was incredibly fresh, and the flavors were spot on. The staff was friendly and attentive, and the atmosphere was warm and inviting. Highly recommend their signature dishes – definitely a gem for seafood lovers!”

Wanted to see for myself. Read recent reviews. But, yes, not as expected. Got the fried clam app, $28. Scrappy, dry, chewy pieces. Hubby got seafood baked casserole; overcooked. Mashed potatoes and coleslaw very average, not creamy. Onion rings were good. Sat at bar expecting better service. Never asked why we didn't eat our meals. Won't be back. Sorry to say.

This place! Legendary amongst the locals. If you are ever in Boston it's definitely a must have.

This place is awesome. Great local spot in Chelmsford center. From the outside, it looks like a casual establishment, but once you walk in you're transported to a classy seafood spot as if you were on the coast. It's usually pretty busy, but I was lucky enough to get some bar seats. The bar tender was very attentive, friendly, and gave excellent service. The martinis are huge, and you even get a 2 for 1 since they give you the rocks in a glass on the side. The food is delicious. I got the lobster fettuccine with vodka sauce. When I say they did not skimp on the lobster, I mean it. With that amount of lobster it's worth every penny. If you're around Chelmsford, I recommend stopping in for a jumbo martini and a fresh seafood dish.

When I say this place has gone downhill, that's an understatement. We ordered to go - and before you say that's the issue, I assure you it's not. We got the lobster mac and cheese ($35) and the lazy man lobster with whipped potatoes and spinach as sides ($32). The lobster in both dishes was overcooked and chewy, the mac and cheese pasta was undercooked and overall so dry. When you think mac and cheese, you think creamy and cheesy, and this was the opposite. I don't know what's wrong with the spinach but it's gross - the look and taste. But the worst part out of everything: the plastic container the mac and cheese came in was broken and we found pieces of plastic INSIDE the mac and cheese. Luckily we saw the crack and were on the lookout for pieces of plastic. Otherwise, that could have ended really badly. Fishbones is supposed to be an expert in seafood; we were so looking forward to this meal. The fact that a recent trip to KFC was better than this (also $50 less) is beyond disappointing. I tried to find something redeeming about this visit/meal but the best I can say is that the mashed potatoes were okay, flavorless, but better than everything else we ordered.

So delicious!! The salmon was cooked just right and the steamers were delicious!!! It's hard to cook salmon and Fishbones rocked it!! Very good! Thank you to Barbara wonderful waitress experience!!! I always will return it was so delicious!!

They served Immaculate service and meals. Delicious food + drinks. Would definitely visit again!

We've lived in Chelmsford for 4 years and finally came here for the first time and it was good. Vibe: semi-upscale, seafood focus but other options available Service : Excellent, we really liked our server who was nice without feeling fake, food came out in a timely manner Food: Crab cake (app) - only one, solid and I don't even like crab Clam chowder (app) - thick and creamy, delicious! Lobster risotto - partner's dish, he liked it, tomato flavor came on a bit strong but not bad Swordfish - well cooked and the jus was very tasty but the roasted veggies were under seasoned Drinks: pomegranate cosmo tasted like candy, was strong, they even gave the extra from the shaker 10/10 Value: Good portions, it is seafood so pricey but not terrible Entrance is a side door to the right of the building, not very obvious as others pointed out. We called ahead for a 6:30 time and were seated around 6:45. Overall decent, cocktail was solid, would come back.

Came in with only 45 minutes until close but staff was still friendly kind and attentive. No one was rushing us out of there even when I know they wanted to. Food was great and came out quickly! Truffle fries were delicious and I would definitely recommend them for a nice app to snack on. Loved the cocktail menu with lots of choices! Restaurant is right downtown which is perfect for stopping in but there is still a large parking lot in the back which is fantastic!

A group of 8 of us went here for dinner and sat on the outside patio. It was pleasant but a little crowded. We didn't mind since this was last minute and appreciated their accommodation. The service was good. The waiter was attentive and responsive to our needs. The cocktails, or at least mine, were just OK. It was weak and the balance was a little off but not the worst I have had. The food was good. I had a grilled salmon that was well made with crunchy skin. You can tell that the fish was high quality. My Caesar salad was huge and also very well made. I am a Caesar salad snob, so I note it when I get a good one. Most of the others got fried fish of some sort and all commented that it was crunchy and not oily so that was great. Give it a shot

Experienced the most unprofessional, unpleasant, miserable waitresses by the name of Jessica. I was hoping to enjoy a pleasurable dinner after a long day in the office however, my experience quickly turned to distain with having a miserable, rude, unkept waitress. Completely ruined my evening. Highly dissatisfied to say the least!!!!

We had a great seafood lunch here. The restaurant has a relaxed but elevated ambiance, and would be a lovely spot to take family and friends for a nice meal out. My group ordered several dishes to share, and we were surprised how filling everything was. We tried two lobster pastas and lobster risotto, and were happy to see that they definitely don't skimp out on the lobster meat! The buttersquash side also stood out for us - it was so smooth and sweet. We came early but the restaurant definitely filled up quickly by prime time, so come early to avoid the wait.

Fishbones is a good restaurant overall, but if you read the reviews here there are some things that keep it from being great. First, it is a busy and crowded place that does not take reservations. That is a turn off for me, as I am just not into waiting hours for a meal. They do offer call ahead which may or may not work out. We've been a few times now and have found the service to be friendly, but not always efficient. You might have to search out for your wait staff wondering where they might be. As others have mentioned, it is a very loud environment and not best for conversations without shouting. Cocktails here are generous and strong, and I think fairly priced. On our last visit we started with the bacon wrapped scallops in maple syrup. Pricey, but cooked perfectly and delicious. Everybody in our dinner party was happy with their dinner, but I felt mine was the weakest. I tried the mixed grilled seafood, which was a generous portion overall and included shrimp, salmon and swordfish. My disappointment in the dish was that the fish was dry, overcooked and lacking in seasoning. By contrast, the broiled swordfish plate was cooked perfectly and nicely seasoned. The pasta dishes served looked great. Clearly enough people are pleased with Fishbones as it is always packed. You can find better seafood options, but overall I think they do a good job here.

Worth the drive. Large menu. 2 dining rooms. Bar. Parking lot is behind building but is not easy to find entrance; there is signage. Great for lunch or dinner (same menu for both).

I wasn't sure where I wanted to stop in a grab some seafood and just happened upon Fishbones since it was close. What a great place! The atmosphere was great, friendly and quick service by my waitress,

Went there twice within a week to celebrate our Birthday's and Anniversary. We couldn't be more excited about both visits. We went there many years ago and I am disappointed that we waited so long to return. Our first visit on Saturday was excellent, the food was amazing as were the cocktails and such a wonderful ambiance. Our second visit on Wednesday was delightful, great food and our waitress Jessica just made it more enjoyable. Needless to say we will be going there more frequently than we were. Kudos to the hostess and the entire staff . You made our celebrations much more memorable than we could ever imagine.

Great seafood! West had steamers to start (smaller serving than I would have liked but delicious). I got the Parmesan crusted flounder which was excellent! A very generous portion. Drinks were good. Parking is in the lot behind so look that up before you go! Highly recommend

Good food and service. Local restaurant with relaxing atmosphere. Scratch kitchen. Will return again

The food at Fishbones is consistently excellent. We enjoy fresh fish dishes. Started with shrimp cocktail and oysters - fresh, tastey; no mignonette. Enjoyed baked scallops and sesame tuna steak. Scallops were baked perfectly in delectable buttery bread crumbs. Tuna was generous and cooked perfectly - Tuna quality was excellent. Side dishes were all wonderful. We have enjoyed Fishbones for years. The restaurant is open, spacious needing a little updating. Nautical theme. We enjoy eating at bars for the service. Unfortunately, the bar service was slow and inattentive. The bar tenders didn't check in with customers. They seemed to be more involved with themselves. Picture of bar without any bar tenders. Seemed to be getting food out of site (they were chewing when they would return... rather funny). Just not the expectations for service. Second time we have seen this... could have been 3 star.

What a great environment! Bartender Justin made a mean martini and it perfectly matched the Parmesan Crusted Flounder I had with it! All staff was friendly and so welcoming! Good serving sizes for what you pay for! Definitely coming back!

This restaurant serves excellent seafood and really excellent clam chowder. Service is good although it is crowded at least on the weekends I've been there. Had the lobster Mac and Cheese which was very filling although temperature wise it could have been a little hotter. Really like it thee.

Excellent excellent food! Quaint restaurant Menu has lots of options Parking is not the best Service ehhh, it was busy though. They offer same day, call ahead seating which is great because if there is a wait, there is nowhere to stand. Drinks were expensive but strong and delicious Dessert - nothing to brag about We will def go back Not a great place to bring kids on weekend night. Way to loud and busy.

Got fish and chips and they forgot the chips! I called, no discount, no free appetizer. So we order again and told them they forgot the chips last time. I was greeted by Justine the manager who said she knew she did nothing for me last time.the meal sucked this time. I highly recommend Rapscallion in Acton for the best fish and chips. Fishbones is just mean and the food is questionable!

Please tell suprised with Fishbones. I would not order the baked seafood casserole again but everything else I would. The mixed seafood grill was excellent. Would like a side sauce. Any of the tables got the fried seafood platter which looked good but definimtwy something that needs to solve split.

Went to Fishbones last week and had an average meal at best. A bit pricey for what you get. The beer options were pretty good but the overall experience was just average.

Ordered fish and chips to go for two tonight and we didn't receive the chips. I called expecting to get a discount, but no that wasn't happening. Driving back would have left our dinners cold and traffic a mess. They refused a discount and/or a free appetizer next time. When I brought up a free appetizer to make up for it, she took a total attitude with me. Won't be returning.

I love me some Fishbones. The ambiance is not too casual, but casual enough where I don't have to be fancy, yet I feel sophisticated. You know? Their drinks here are awesome, the blood orange martini is the best thing on the menu (and I'm an espresso woman) and the bloody is delicious, and also has a full shrimp on it, pickle and a companion of two olives. Food items that sounded delicious were endless, but after many long minutes of deciding, we ended with the tried and true of the lobster roll. Bun was toasted nicely, lobster chunks were plentiful and the Mayo meat combo was nailed. The veg of the day was Brussels - which when does that ever happen? Side note - spinach dip came with truffle chips and the Buffalo shrimp was amazing. Long wait so call ahead but you can stand near the bar and it's worth your patience.

Good food.. but wish service was better and that the bartender who was counting the cash and handling money, washed his hands before he opened my beer can!! And food can out cold because they bartenders too busy eating candy behind bar and putting lights around their necks!!

We made call ahead seating for four adults last Saturday for around 6:00 p.m. We had two back out and when we arrived, I informed the hostess. She said they would get a table ready for us as soon as they could, most likely a 30 minute wait. I do not understand why they do not make reservations, but will take call ahead seating, and not have seats available. I have never gone there without waiting 30 - 45 minutes for a table. If you have been there, there is no room to wait and you feel like you are hovering over people. Within a few minutes, we were able to sit at the bar. The bartender was amazing, we chatted about different spirits, etc. She made us feel welcome. So we decided to stay and eat at the bar instead of waiting for a table. The food was very good as were the drinks, although a little steep, but what isn't now-a-days?

Always good drinks, food, service and atmosphere. The Fishbones Bloody Mary is one of the best I've ever had.

Sadly went back due to a co-worker having a gift card. Slow service. Cold food not served at the same time and it was only 2 meals. To top it off the fish was over cooked and dry. Never again.

Blood orange martini was awesome! Servers were attentive. A bit noisy, but to be expected on a Saturday night. Baked stuffed shrimp were large with very nice sides. Great experience!

Amazing food, delicious martinis. Good service. It's a fancier restaurant, we will be back

Shocked the reviews aren't higher! Fishbones has been one of our favorite spots since it opened. Date nights, family nights, dinner with friends, Fishbones never disappoints. Fresh seafood and raw bar, creative dishes and standard seafood faves. You're missing out if you don't visit Fishbones. Keep up the great work, we had a fabulous dinner last night of our favorites dishes: shrimp cocktail, Myers Swordfish (always perfect) and King Crab legs. Thanks you for many years of wonderful meals.

So good went there 2 days in a row. Fantastic seafood menu. First day, seafood casserole, simple but delicious. Clam chowder too. Very well done. Cassie was superior as a server. Second day strawberry fields salad, with blacked swordfish. Salad was very good in its own. Swordfish is best I have ever had... they know how to blacken right. Hope to make it back!

We walked out. If you do not mind sitting right on top of the table next to you then give it a shot. This place is VERY small. We were seated in the middle of two tables that was about 10 inches (if that) apart from us on both sides making it VERY uncomfortable. We sat for about a minute at the table having the guy to my left staring at me and the lady to my right all upset because she had to move all her shopping bags so my wife could sit. Also parking for this restaurant is difficult. We will not be back. Hey, give it a shot if ya want but Good Luck!!!

I am a new Fishbones fanatic! I went for drinks and apps one day and had the most delicious blueberry martini along with the Buffalo shrimp and spinach dip! Both delicious apps and a nice surprise was the truffle chips that came with the dip! I loved it so much I went back and got the same apps! This time along with dinner which was a lobster roll. What a good value for the roll, hotdog size bun, stuff to the brim with two sides, and my favorite... a pickle. I got a blood orange martini curtesy of a recommendation from our sweet waitress and it was unbelievable! She said it was a fan favorite and she was right! Overall, delicious food and drink with kind staff! There will be a wait so try to call ahead.

12/26 @ 1pm Food was okay. Place was starting to get half to full for tables, bar was full around the whole u-shape. They were out of calamari, crab cakes and few other items. Which makes sense as its the next day after Christmas, so food was okay. However, we experienced an issue at the area where we were sitting at. A bug or roach crawled out, not sure from the walls crevices or from the fireplace onto the wall trims. We didn't panic or want to make a seen, so that we don't interrupt folks lunch time. The wait staff were talking amongst themselves about the issue, but that was it. We let our staff know and easily apologized and just unsurprised swept it up with a paper towel. We politely declined for anything else to order and he gave us the full bill.

i had read some impressive reviews about Fishbones in Chelmsford, i went there today, for the first time , with 3 friends for my birthday, quite disappointing, i ordered the seafood platter which had fish / shrimp / clams and scallops. The shrimp & scallops were good the clams NO! they looked like little nuggets with NO flavor at all, the fried haddock was tasteless also. i had better clams / fish at a pizza take out to be truthful. The plate was $37.00 i also had the clam chowder MEH! it lacked that pungent clam flavor... the service i would rate 7 she forgot to get my water refill. Both of us that had the seafood platter agreed about the quality of the clams and fish, the waitress reported our comments and we were offered free dessert for our disappointing meal. The restaurant has a great atmosphere very clean and comfortable.

I came here during a work trip and, while it wasn't a bad experience per se, it was certainly not on par with the pricing and prestige they currently have. Things got off to a rocky start with their parking situation. It's only accessible going in one direction on the street, and it's easy to miss the turn into their relatively small lot. For some reason they didn't have a marked entrance either, so newcomers will have to figure that one out for themselves as well. We had excellent service throughout the visit, no complaints there at all. They made frequent callbacks and the pacing of the meal was quite good. The ambiance was excellent as well, with an attractive interior and a lively (but not noisy) clientele. The meal itself was good but not outstanding in terms of quality or taste. The lobster portions on the "lazy" menu item were quite small, and I think the bean counters there are guessing you won't notice how most of what you are eating is actually breadcrumbs. They have a strong selection of alcoholic drinks, and it's easy to see why their bar was nearly full. I would recommend this place strongly if your primary goal is getting drinks with friends or on a date. I can only give a qualified recommendation for dinner due to the portion sizes and quality of the entrees. The lobster inflation is real! Overall: 3.0 stars ---- Pros: - Great service with regular callbacks. - Excellent drink selection. - Terrific ambiance, great for dates, business meals, or family meals. Cons: - Food is okay, not nearly so good as advertised. - Portion sizes are small for what you're paying, so value suffers there. - Parking here is a pain, so I hope someone else is driving here and not you!

Ok let me start off by saying it's tough to find the main entrance to this place.... Me and the GF went for dinner last night and once we found the main entrance we got to the hostess the same time as an older women who was let in the side door... she asked for a table for two but her husband was "parking the car" ... my girlfriend and I where already there and ready to be seated but unfortunately the hostess had a questionable look on her face ... I again asked to be seated because my party was there .... And still a blank stairs.. I had to ask for a manager and which point the old women's husband came in.. manager came over and asked what party was there first and the hostess said "well the lady was here first but him and his girlfriend where ready to be seated.... So manager decided to sit us.... The tough part about this and I am mentioning is the girlfriend and I are minorities and the older couple were white and it did feel like a little of a discrimination thing going on .... But have to say the food was good and we just ended up sitting at the bar and bartender was cool... Just won't be going back to a place which makes a person feel not welcomed ....

They are cutting corners on the quality of their ingredients. There is something lacking in terms of care, love, and soul with this place. Service was good, but the food is fraudulent. They are going through the motions and it is clear that oversight and attention to detail is poor in the kitchen. Some customers don't know any better so it might pass. But it does not pass for me, especially at this price point."

Service is friendly and food is good. Drinks are good, but the craft cocktails are watered down and not made per the menu ingredients. You spend $15 for a drink and get a pos; ask the bartender about it and you get attitude. Stick with the wines or anything you can see them pour. Watch out for the soda gun!

I really liked the decor, it was fresh and pretty minimalistic. Everything appeared to be pretty clean and the wait staff was overall friendly. We ordered a calamari appetizer, which was very good. Out of five of us, we all ordered some thing different. My husband thought the hamburger was OK, but nothing spectacular... And the rest of us really enjoyed our meals. Obviously, their strong suit is seafood. However, our waiter was a little bit odd. I'm not sure if he was new or if he had had a rough night the night before... But he just didn't seem to have good etiquette. We were still eating our calamari when he reached over my mother-in-law and took the remaining appetizer, she had to stop him and explain she was still eating it. She also asked for a margarita and when he brought it back there was no salt on the rim, so he had to take it back. My husband asked if they had Pepsi products and he replied yes, but then returned later with a Coke and said they did not have Pepsi products afterall. I ordered some ahi tuna and when he asked how I wanted it cooked, he suddenly replied "we'll just do it rare!" And walked away. It felt like he was in a hurry but also didn't really know what he was doing. But! We were there for the food, and that was good.

Love this restaurant! Friendly staff, even the chef stopped by to say hello! The food was great. We had chowder, scallops, fish and chips, and a lobster rollthat must have had an entire lobster in it! Great ambience, comfortable seating, nice lighting. What could be better?! This was the first time there for most of us. We will be back.

Take out order: 2 lobster rolls, with sweet potato fries and corn. lobster roll is smaller than what we've had before from here. not $30 worth of lobster meat. only 1 ketchup for 2 orders? pickles are half the size they used to be. Caesar salad: hardly any parmesan cheese. why so stingy? tuna tatare: only chips were given along with the wasabi cream, soy sauce and other toppings. no tuna at all. $20 for this... i don't know what the hell is going on. absolutely disappointing meal, miserable portions. only thing portioned appropriately were the sweet potato fries. $91 for this. who is checking orders? where's the quality control? this place iust keeps getting worse. they don't care anymore. not spending my money here anymore.

We had an amazing anniversary meal here last night!! Excellent service, outdoor seating which worked great with their 'call ahead' feature. The lobster tacos were delicious and filled with tender sweet meat. The addition of the onion and corn elevated this dish. Would be interesting to try it with a warm (cooked) taco or flour taco. My husband had the Steamed Lobster which came disassembled- claws and tail removed with the tail split. This was nice so he didn't get soaked when breaking it apart. There was still the satisfaction of breaking the claws! Great cole slaw too. For dessert we enjoyed a fairly traditional raisin bread pudding but the ice cream tasted a bit freezer burnt. Too bad because the pudding itself was creamy and flavorful. Overall an excellent meal in a cute location with awesome service! We will be back!!

This place was packed on a Saturday night. I'm so glad I made a reservation beforehand (it's technically classified as a "call-ahead" so they only guarantee that they'll seat you within a 30 minute window of your time). Parking is a bit confusing but once you find it you'll be all set. My friend and I both got the 1.25 lb steamed lobster, which we thought was a good deal at $29. Lobster was fresh but a little too chewy for my liking. Was also missing that touch of sweetness that I experienced from lobsters in Maine. But I appreciated that the restaurant made the dish more easy to eat as they already cracked a few sections of the claws. The lobsters came with spring mix and the greens were enjoyable and extremely fresh. Out of the sides we tried, the sweet potato fries were the best. Coleslaw and green beans were alright. The mashed potatoes were terribly underseasoned and somehow smooth in a bad way (didn't have any creamy flavor). Instant mashed potatoes would taste better... Other than the misstep with the mashed potatoes we enjoyed our experience. It seems like this place is a hit with the locals too.

Went here to celebrate a friends birthday. Party of nine, we had the nook at the very back of the restaurant, which was nice, because we can definitely be loud-talkers! Our waitress Amanda was superb, hope you get her when you dine. Started with bacon wrapped scallops, bacon wrapped shrimp, and a dozen oysters. Everything was delicious. Everyone enjoyed their mains, and drinks. Desserts were ok. The chef came out to help drop off our entrees, which was a nice gesture.

I've been to Fishbones twice and the first experience was good. The first waitress was consistent and kind and the food was good. The second time back the service was slow, which wasn't even the worst part. Our female server took 15 minutes to just grab us water and when she first arrived to our table we were ready to order our drinks + entrees. Before my boyfriend could even finish speaking she immediately walks away to help another table. We had only put in our drink order at this point and when she walked past us we said we're ready to put in our entrees and she said okay but left anyways. Never in my life had I had a server say "okay" to taking an order, walk away, take someone else's order, walk away again, and only came back to take our order when our drinks arrived. I found it astonishingly rude since she knew we were waiting a while. I ordered the lazy man's lobster and there was hardly any meat. I've gotten more lobster meat from market basket. The food this time wasn't good and they didn't give me any drawn butter with my dish. Overall this visit was very disappointing and the service was awful. We were sitting outside and it got dark. There were no outside lights so everyone was sitting in the dark eating and bugs were everywhere.

Came in for lunch with a couple friends. Amazing atmosphere, friendly staff and a great Halibut! We had Peter who was knowledgeable and very friendly. A true national treasure.

We have been to this restaurant several times and the food is always great! We love to eat at the bar and talk with the other customers.