J.T. Farnham's

The absolute best fried clams I’ve ever had. Why? First of all, they use just the lightest coating possible so that you add flavor and texture without drowning out the taste of the clams. Secondly, they use a healthy, easy to digest canola oil and they don’t overuse the oil. For $30 you get a big pile of these delicious clams and a side. I get the coleslaw which is excellent, but of course you can get fries or other things.

I went with my cousin the other day. We had a great meal. (They are cash only just so you know) I got the half-and-half plate of fried clams and scallops. They were tasty. The clams were on the smaller side, but that’s OK. They were still delectable and the scallops were done perfect. Parking is a little crazy over since there are only seven or eight spots out front so you have to park on the street across the way. But overall well with the trip.

Just what you'd expect from a good New England town. In Essex, MA, you can find a local favorite for fried clams or any seafood for that matter!

First visit here. My wife and I were both disappointed with the lack of flavor in the breading of the fried clams and fried shrimp. Everything was crispy enough but completely void of any seasoning. I'm not sure what the heck they used. Total cost for both plates with sodas was about $70. Won't go back.

My first time here June 19,24. Excellent service, excellent food. My only complaint was the rude parents of two toddlers who allowed their children to bang on the walls and run around like screaming banshees! What is wrong with people? If you have kids and take them to a restaurant you are responsible for teaching the children proper restaurant manners! You should not make all the other patrons have to listen and watch your children act like animals. Back to the food, undoubtedly the best fried clams and onion rings I have had and I plan to return. Hopefully without having to listen to out of control children!

Always a great meal. This was the second time coming here and not the last. Highly recommended by everyone. We all loved our meals. There's inside seating as well as outside with a great view of the marsh.

I’m rarely in this part of Mass but when I am, I often stop here or at the other major shop in town down the road. Popular for a reason and legendary within the local community. Location can’t be beat right on a marsh/estuary. Service was a bit slow on a Sunday but it was just two people trying to make it work. Pricey but the offerings are fresh and hot and delicious. Cash only!

Been here couple of times already. There is a small parking lot so it can be tricky to park during season. Check opening hours as they do not match. I rather called if they are open during weekends now in December. Lobster roll is very tasty. We love buttered version. It was around $30 with fries - normal price. I was disappointed by the chowder. It was a watery soup and not a creamy chowder (see photo). You can pay CASH ONLY so be prepared as sea food is pricey. Nice place to take your out of city/state/country family after/during a day trip on Cape Ann.

2023 visit remembrance, reminding me that we got to get out there again this season! Our original intent was to hit Roy Moore's in Rockport in early November for 3 lobsters for $50, but unfortunately they were already closed for the 2023 season (early April sometime thru October), so we made our way to Ipswich. JT Farnham's is smaller than Woodsman with a smaller parking lot. But they had a seagull who lay claim to one of their tables along the marsh. And we settled ourselves at one of the tables along their restaurant, where we were slightly protected against the wind. A quart $30 of their seafood chowder was rather thin, but had a good number of whole scallops and shrimp besides the rest of the seafood bits and potatoes. Cups and spoons were available for sharing. The Fishermen's combo $40 was great for sharing with at least five huge scallops and perhaps the same in whole large shrimp besides the large tender fish fillet, and heap of whole belly clams, fries, and onion rings. The seafood was fresh and the fry job was good. We stretched out our stomachs to wipe out two heaping orders between the five of us (the fifth being a youngun). The door was tough to open from the inside. A single accessible bathroom was available, with an ATM just by the back door. Cash only.

Stopped by of Father's Day and a mistake... Long line but moved fast for ordering but very extremely slow for pick up ... he layout is dumb Counter is not set up correctly... wasted counter seats as can't sit there with line coming in the door? Move counter back to allow seating ? Or move ordering counter to outside window ... the window that is by ordering counter should open up to be outside ordering window or exit door after ordering... need more outdoor seating, umbrellas, Parking?? Needs to purchase adjacent lot or something? Dangerous crossing and parking and police ticket I heard the state side of road? Needed more kitchen help as ordered only came out one at time every 15-30 minutes??? I wouldn't wait again...ordered two combo clams and scallops, cup clam chowder, can soda... 41 bucks Chowder was abundant with clams but watery, no taste.. needed cream, butter and pepper ? Last time much better... Fried clams no taste to batter, better last visit last year Scallops were very good , batter no taste better last year Onion rings... needed salt in batter ... were better last year Cole slaw definitely changed since last year and awful... Was fresh, no creamy pepper or taste ... bland dry blend of fresh cabbage...I made my own at home with same cabbage and recipe had a bit sugar, spices and a mayonnaise vinegar mix and taste moist and flavors... Very disappointed this year as a regular for 20 years+ I liked JT Farnhams as clams were sweet tasting, onion ring batter with a crunch, creamy clam chowder vs watery, coke slaw with tasty dressing .., So; I think they cutting of ingredients that cost money like cream, clams I am not sure Ipswich fresh ?? Or new owner trying things different or clueless what food tasted like before? So to say... I need to try Essex seafood down street as reviews seem good . Woodmans, Clam box always options but I preferred JT Farnham as clams were sweeter tasting, and bellies attached but empty... Not this visit... I'm trying a new spot next time .

Have always been my families favorite ! Best fried clams , never greasy! The seafood chowder is amazing! Great lobster roll and hotdogs are killer!

Can't go wrong here. Perfect clams and lobster rolls. Sat outside watching a seagull play with a tartar sauce cup on the mudflat. Awesome.

Cute little restaurant that you can eat inside or outside.. there are tables by the water. I'm not a seafood lover . I come here for the chicken fingers ...

Wonderful fresh seafood ! Eat or in dine outside at picnic tables. Open from March-December! A local favorite spot!

I have been going to Farnham's for over 20 years. They must have changed ownership or management. We had a large box of whole belly clams and found ourselves crunching on sand over and over again. The old Farnham's would never have had such a thing occur. After 20 years of absolute loyalty, we are now switching over to Woodman's. What a sad day.

The food was so much better than Woodman's of Essex and half the price. This is where the locals go for the most delicious freshest seafood in the Ipswich Essex Gloucester area. The service was amazing. Joy is a sweetheart and the owners are super friendly. The Ambiance is beautiful with the flowing Estuary and Osprey Habitat right outside your windows. I will never waste my time or money anywhere else when I am in this area and we will be making the 1 1/2 hour drive here much more often.

Stopped in June 2023 this week before the Fourth of July. Had a delicious clam plate meal. Clams are tough to get these days and so the market price is a little high. But for the price, there are a lot on the plate. I ordered a clam plate with noodles and fries. There was more than enough food for me to eat, in fact, too much. I filled up quickly with the clams and the noodles. Had a few of the fries but was full. There was a beautiful breeze when we arrived outside. Very nice people that worked here for our visit. Would definitely come back another time.

Always a summertime favorite, we took our first trip to JT Farnham's yesterday. They are ready for the season to begin. We ordered scallops, onion rings, cole slaw, haddock, and fries. The menu is extensive. All are consistently delicious! The restaurant and restroom are spotlessly clean, and the outdoor eating area has several picnic tables and planters. The view of the marsh is beautiful. Wonderful, friendly staff and quick service! You cannot beat JT Farnham's in Essex. We will be back many times this season.

Hands down the best fried clams and long time favorite. Get the clam boat over onion rings. Cash only, no cards but there is an ATM nearby the rest room.

This place has been here forever. Right on the Essex river and 133. You order at the counter and pick it up and enjoy. We ordered the chowdah and 2 combo plate and shared this. More then enough food for both of us. Very home like inside with kitchen table and chairs. Great local place

These were the perfect fried clam bellies. Just the right balance of sweetness and sea taste to these. You can tell the difference between fresh Ipswich clams and everyone else. They were simple. Therefore this review will be equally simple. They're the best I've had and that's all I got to say about that.

Tried and true year after year this seafood shack in Essex MA is the place to go for your fried seafood fix on the north shore. Great haddock chowder and also broiled seafood options and sandwiches are available if the fried seafood thing isn't your jam. It's not summer around here without a pilgrimage to Farnhams!

Maybe it was an off day ? but we had just had the same two items: fried clams and fried scallops on the Cape and these fried clams at Farnham's were not as sweet and tender and the scallops were smaller and watery compared to the ones we had at the Whaleback Restaurant in Bourne. The scenery at JT Farnham's is pretty nice - of the Marsh. But I'll continue looking elsewhere for fried clams in the Ipswich area. ( have tried the Clam Box but not Woodman's ) Liked the fried clams at the Clam Box but not the sides.

Unbelievable local fried clams with gluten-free options. Helpful staff, will be back!

So much better than woodmans. Clams were perfectly cooked, great flavor. Tartar sauce is often an afterthought but this place makes amazing tartar sauce. Thick and with a sour cream tang. Chowder was a bit thin and bland, but still ok. Minus one star for cash only.

Great gluten free options! The service is fast and the cost is very reasonable. The view of the marsh is picturesque!

We ate here today. We ordered haddock fried bites, clam chowder, and a fried clam combo. The haddock bites and clam chowder were excellent! But the fried clam combo was very very disappointing! They were pretty tasteless, like a bunch of fried batter. I love fried clams but will never order from here again. Service was good and very friendly!

The best place for fried clams. Period. Great old school ambiance. Pleasant staff. Great views of the estuary.

Food was very bland, no flavor, service is fine people are nice. Chicken tenders, haddock, onion rings were just tasteless, the breading on the fried food was just so bland, not crispy did not satisfy the post beach fried food craving. Ambiance is nice beautiful view overlooking the marsh.

Quintessential clam shack is located on the edge of a salt marsh. Wonderful ambiance if weather is nice enough to grab a picnic table outside. Food portions large and delicious.

My favorite place for seafood been going there for many years,love the view and the good never disappoints

My wife & I have visited this place numerous times, but our most recent visit was the absolute best. It was our 26th anniversary and we had just left Gloucester on our way home. We agreed that we had to stop by here again since we hadn't been by since before COVID. We were helped by a very sweet and attentive young woman. We got the Clam Strips, Haddock Nuggets and Fisherman's Platter (and a take out order too). It was even better than we remembered & expected (compliments to the chef as well). My only gripe is that they don't accept any other modern forms of payment (at the very least... credit cards or PayPal). I know they have an ATM, but I refuse to use them because of fees. So, when you visit make sure you take cash. Unless, they make changes, I can assure you that you will not be disappointed. True Disclosure: I am in no way related or associated with JT Farnum's (other than a very satisfied customer).

I went the the other day and ordered "World Famous" fish chowder. It was $14, which is fine if it's good and fresh however this most certainly was not. The woman behind the counter went over to the cooler with drinks and pulled out a half full to go container of the world famous fish chowder and microwaved it for a minute or two. After looking at it a while deciding and she shouldn't serve me a half bowl she went back to the kitchen for a minute. She then came out, opened the other soup/containers trying to decide which one she should add on top of the half full leftover container she would be serving me. I can only assume there was no fresh fish chowder or else I should have been served a full bowl of that and not leftovers. Whatever soup she pulled from she then mixed into the bowl and sent me on my way. It was watery and just flat out not good. A little transparency could have fixed everything. I would have gladly ordered something else if I was just told they only had half a bowl and it was cold in the drink cooler. Nice views though.

Price was a bit high but that's the way it is at the moment I assume. I felt much better about that once the food came out. Certainly a decent enough sized portion, the clams came well over the top of the box and spilled over into the bag. Clams seemed different this time around, maybe red tide makes it tough to get local product??? Maybe there training a new cook.... Parking is tough though and the police like to sit and watch as well.

I have been to the other two of the three fried clam members of the triumvirate on the North Shore--the Clam Box & Woodman's--and today was the day to finally try JT Farnham's (be forewarned: cash only here). The parking situation is a little tough--with only a handful of spots near the salt marsh, and most folks opting to park across the street. During warmer days, the lines can get pretty long--an early lunch/off hour or day is also your best bet. I ordered a fried clam boat with onion rings--a little smaller than the "mini-meal" at the Clam Box for around the same price. And it was pretty good! Light and crispy, not too greasy, all things considered. The taste tended to lean towards oil vs. clam--which is ultimately part of my litmus test of rock solid fried clams: light crispy + not greasy + the predominant taste is that juicy fried clam. Here, the oil tended to dominate a bit. But it was still very good/I enjoyed the onion rings. The servers were also quite nice, making JT Farnham's a very pleasant stop all around.

I love clam, I think Farnhams consistently has the biggest ones.$32 for a medium ouch But it's a summer treat!

Would love to give it 5 stars but the order of a pint of scallops were soggy and literally fell out of the oil-filled bottom of the box and bag. Thank goodness we ate it there and it was on a plastic tray. Can you imagine if it was in the car?! On the plus side, they weren't overcooked. The rest of the meal was great - lobster roll (no celery, but meaty, fresh lobster meat on a New England hot dog roll); and fisherman's platter (shrimp, clams with belly, scallops, fish fillet, onion rings, french fries) with a side of cole slaw. Not sure why the scallops in the fisherman's platter were cooked significantly better than the simple order of fried scallops. Fisherman's platter was maybe $34. Lobster roll about $20. Scallops about $20 because the order came to about $80. Needed to order another fisherman's platter because we like the variety and my family included 2 seniors, 2 adults, 2 teens. When I went a couple of months ago, they accepted credit cards, but they do not accept them now. The staff said the credit card machine crapped out. So, bring CASH. They have an ATM but it's not a bank one. If you're lucky to get a parking space, you can eat at one of the picnic tables outside or eat in their dining room (order your food first then pickup and eat at your table). There's a staff person sitting outside and wiping down the table after the customers leave. Great view of the marsh. I went on Tuesday, 7/21 at lunch time.

Took the hour and a half ride from central Mass and it was well worth it. Plump and sweet whole belly clams are the best around, always plenty to share so don't order heavy. If your deciding between this and the bigger place down the road, hands down JT Farnhams is the better of the two.

Torn between restaurants? We were too. Read this. This place had amazing google reviews and everyone seems to just have their lobster roll opinions here on Yelp. It was also packed, which is usually a good sign. I'm gluten free so I was excited by the prospect of a gf lobster roll...but it's really just on udis bread with some cheap iceberg lettuce, no seasoning or butter or anything. Served with a B&G pickle, also cheap. Our bill came to 80.25 for two people only one chowder, one drink, one lobster roll, 1 entree, which they forgot to give us one of the sides. We got seafood chowder, which the woman asked the girl working to microwave RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME which she did, and then, to go "add some cream" in the back. The girl returns and says "he said it's not hot enough" (assuming the Creme they were going to add). I said we are happy/prefer to wait for fresh but when we got the chowder it was obvious the Creme had been added. There were maybe 4 pieces of seafood the rest was over cooked watery potato juice. For "best" seafood chowder, this was gross. My boyfriend said the hardly famous fried clams while not "top notch", were good. Fries were okay too. Also our experience sitting outside was far from pleasant because while it is pretty, there were swarms of bees attacking all the tables. I couldn't drink my ginger ale til we got to the car because of it. Inside was too crowded/tight for us for COVID times. We didn't get a table number or receipt so order pickup was confusing. We both took stomach meds after. It was a huge disappointment. I hope (but doubt) they pay their workers well because this restaurant must be making a KILLING by being cash only and charging a fortune for their microwave seafood. Tourist trap alert!!!!!

Clams are great as is the shrimp. Service is adequate. Batter could use a little bit of seasoning not a lot. Onion rings are 8/10.

Fried clams are great, fish tacos are good. Everything else was fairly average. Service and the attitude at the counter was unfriendly. I'm from out of state, so perhaps this is normal for MA? But when you're paying $36 for a clam plate with barely passable cole slaw, at least you can get better service/attitude. Doesn't help that in this day and age of touchless payments, they only take cash . Serious for a restaurant where an average party ends up spending about $20 per person, at least they can afford a credit card machine. Shows me that the owners don't care about customers and are riding their reputation...

Food is great. Bring cash, that it's a cash only spot should be noted on their website. Bring bug spray, the view outside is lovely, but while you're feasting on delicious fried clams, the bugs will be feasting on you (not the establishment's fault).

Finally getting to a clam shack up Rt 133 way this year and really enjoyed the meal at Farnham's. We really could have gotten by splitting the delish humungous fried fish sandwich since more snacks were on tap later on. I think it was $12 and a couple bucks extra for onion rings. We also split the freshest fried oyster boat w fries at about $17. I would knock off half a star cuz their prices def crept up, I'm pretty sure onion rings didn't used to cost extra, but it was a very tasty meal.

If you love New England seafood then you should plan a trip to JT Farnham's in Essex MA. You have a perfect combination when you pair delicious food with great coastal views. The fried seafood is delicious. The batter light and not greasy. The onion rings are so tasty. The seafood chowder was absolutely fabulous with so much fish, lobster, and shrimp, and clams in such a creamy flavorful broth. The scenic views of the salt marshes while you eat your seafood at the tables socially spaced outdoors perfect !

Some of the best fried seafood on the north shore. We took our dog for a walk at Wingaersheek Beach and couldn't leave without getting our Farnham's fix. The staff is lovely, the prices are slightly high, but that is no issue as I firmly believe their seafood is worth it.The stand out dish for me is the fried scallops. They are HUGE and so unbelievably fresh. I'm looking forward to returning in the summer so we can sit by the water!

Our first visit this season and ordered a quart of their famous seafood chowder and a bowl of the spicy scallop Manhattan chowder to go. Tonight was the test and the seafood chowder was, well, absolutely delicious and full of whole scallops, whole shrimp and chunks of lobster with a cream base broth that was delicious on its own. As for the scallop chowder, I found the tomato base broth quite thick with a strong flavor of bay leave (I think that's what it tasted like), a few diced potatoes and about 5 sea scallops. Being a hobby cook, I added about 1/3 cup of water, tbs butter and a tbs of old bay seasoning.....and bingo it was yummy. It is a bit spicy but not over powering. Over all, this is a "to-go-to" for some of the best prepared and tasting fresh seafood on the Northshore!!

The fish tacos were bomb. The lobster roll was also great. It's a cash only joint, so a heads up there.

I had their shrimp Tacos . They filled it with everything but shrimp. What a rip off there was one shrimp cut into pieces and mixed in. I should have known they were not good when the place was relatively empty on a summer Saturday afternoon. If you want good food go somewhere else Let's see if the owner has the ba**s to replies to this.

Fried clams - 4.25/5 - nice, light batter, generous portions, good flavor Chicken fingers - 2/5 - really disappointing Buffalo bites - 3/5 Overall - 3.5/5

We used to enjoy visiting this place prior to Covid. It was one of the best places in the area for seafood but sadly it has changed a lot. The quality of food has declined while prices have gone up. We spend around $80 for 2 of us and our clams had hard shells in them and the scallops had sand. Very disappointing!

You can order an alcoholic beverage if you dine inside. You order at the cash register, and the food is brought to your table. Our lobster rolls took a bit to come out to us, but I think that was only because of a mix up regarding payment (cash only - I took out money at the ATM and paid a staff member, who may not have relayed it clearly to the cashier - but she was SUPER nice!). You can tell the staff was moving fast though, and they were all friendly. The lobster roll had salad and a light coating, and it was more chopped up than other places (see my other reviews from Gloucester). It was fresh and delicious! The view was also calming. Small parking lot, and I had to park on across on the street.

great food chowdaah and fried clam and oyster with fried potatoes and onions. we took the chowdahs to the table and the course was delivered friendly staff

This might not look like much from the outside, but the seafood here was delicious. We didn't realize they did not accept credit card so we had to get cash from the on site ATM. It was also difficult to know how much cash to get considering most of the prices on the menu for seafood are "Market", and we were not familiar with typical pricing of these things. We ordered the lobster rolls and they were very tasty and worth the price. They were stuffed with lobster, had large lobster chunks as well. The onion rings were light and crispy too. Overall, good food, just make sure you have a lot of cash on you before you go!

Took almost 1 hour for a fisherman's platter after finishing our seafood chowder? Ridiculous Tell the asshole ticket POLICE to knock it off it's hurting your business and completely unnecessary!

Came here as it was packed at Woodman's and we were able to find a seat. Ordered the calamari and fries boat and it was absolutely delicious. It was a nice portion--I wanted something smaller than a full plate. The batter is wonderful, not too heavy and the food was not at all oily/greasy. The calamari was super-fresh and tasty. My friend got the haddock boat with/ fries and said it was terrific. The staff was very nice. Cash only--they do have an ATM there though. I'll definitely come back again. Such a nice treat on the 4th of July.

If you're looking for fish & chips, lobster rolls, and/or clam chowder on the North Shore, JT Farnham's is one of the places that will pop up. I don't even eat seafood, but I was happy to tag along for the classic New England summer vibes. This is clearly a family-owned spot. The prices are pretty reasonable for seafood. $20 for a lobster roll (including fries) seems to be about the going rate these days. The fish and chips was $18 for a HUGE portion of fish right out of the fryer. This establishment is CASH ONLY; there's an ATM on the premises. A lot of people mentioned that their food was lacking flavor, and I certainly had to put several shakes of salt on my french fries. You can also ask for lemon wedges and tartar sauce to dress up the fish. The clam chowder looked pretty thin, but maybe that was a stylistic choice. My veggie burger ($9) was tasty! They serve beer and wine, but it's a tough choice: you can't bring the alcohol out of the patio, so you have to eat inside if you choose to imbibe. The small parking lot gets packed in the summertime! You can try parking on the freeway outside but technically you could get ticketed. I would probably try some other places in the area before coming back here, but JT Farnham's is a solid option for freshly fried seafood in a traditional setting.

We tried to go to the "other" big fried clams place up the road in Ipswich like we usually do, but the line was ridiculous. So we decided to head over to Farnham's - and WOW!!! IT WAS AWESOME! I had the fish & chips special, three big pieces of cod that was easily the best I've had in years: flavorful, not salty, and so not greasy. The french fries were perfect and tastier than most. My partner had a small fried clam box. We agreed that these were absolutely the best fried clams EVER. Again, the flavor was amazing, and so not greasy. I honestly don't know how they can fry something and have no yucky oil dripping off it. The staff was super nice, the wait was less than 5 minutes, and we sat at an outdoor table facing the salt marsh. We can't wait to go back for more.

Amazing gluten free batter! Great prices, great fresh seafood. They get 4 stars due to bad tartar sauce. Other than that I highly recommend! Nice view of the marsh too.