Marthas Vineyard Chowder Company

This is our go to place when we visit Martha’s Vineyard the food and service is always amazing. I’ve had lobster rolls from many different places and my wife and kids agree that this is the best lobster rolls we ever had. Lobster is always fresh and they don’t skimp out on the quantity. That roll is stacked! 😋

The Best Clam Chowder on the Island! We originally stopped into Martha’s Vineyard Chowder Company midday just to try their famous clam chowder—and wow, am I glad we did! When we arrived, the outdoor seating area was packed. They had only one or two high-top tables available outside, and while the indoor dining area isn’t huge, it definitely offers more seating than the outside area. The bar, however, is a good size, and we were lucky enough to find two open seats there while we waited for our to-go order. That ended up being the perfect choice. The bar was lively and welcoming, with great energy, and we decided to order two cocktails while we waited. The bartender was friendly, attentive, and made us feel right at home. Before long, our chowder arrived—and even though it was meant to be “to-go,” we couldn’t resist enjoying it right there at the bar. The chowder was absolutely delicious—rich and flavorful without being overbearingly creamy, perfectly balanced, and loaded with fresh flavor. Honestly, I wish we had ordered more right then and there. Now, I have to admit—the photo I took of the to-go chowder is not the most appealing food photo I’ve ever taken (lol). But don’t let that fool you—it was still every bit as amazing as I’ve described. This was one of the food experiences on our Vineyard bucket list, and it completely lived up to the hype. We’ll definitely be back for a full sit-down meal and another big, steaming bowl of that chowder. Chef’s kiss—highly recommend!

04.11.2025 We had a great time here! A comfortable atmosphere and great service from our waiter, Egor. The crab rangoon was definitely tasty and fresh! The cod was cooked perfectly and wasn't bland. The piña colada martini was really good! Event my friend had to order one lol.

Our dining experience at Martha’s Vineyard Chowder Company was outstanding! The Mansion House Roll, crafted by Chef John, was a highlight—spicy lobster, mango, and a delightful crunch topped with fresh avocado and tobiko, creating an amazing flavor combination. Our server, Jeff, was attentive and made us feel truly welcome. Alessandro, the bartender, prepared the best espresso martinis we’ve ever had—perfectly balanced and a great complement to our meal. Highly recommend this spot for exceptional food and top-notch service!

We really liked it here! Impressive sushi menu and incredible flavors and freshness. We’d say we’d return but we already did :)

This place is decent. Good drinks, fast service. Food is meh but it’s a good place to escape from the crowds

I ordered the salmon and it was delicious! Great service from Alesandro and Igor! They were both very attentive and nice! Alessandro prepares amazing drinks! I really recommend this place it’s such a great environment

Love everyone here. Been coming to OB on the Vineyard for a long time. Always good to stop in and see familiar faces while enjoying a nice cocktail on the patio. Jeff, Alessandro and the gang are always ready to accommodate. Hopefully you run into Silk while he's out on the floor talking to customer's about there experience eating the food he's prepared! Amazing Sous Chef! Food is amazing. Good vibes all around!

I'm not sure how this place isn't 5 stars o. Yelp. Everything was fantastic from the service all the way to the food! The only thing that could make it better is it it was on the water and had more outside seating. Our server was so knowledgeable about the area and was patient with the questions we asked. The Chowder was my #1 bowl of chowder on the trip. We shared the Mini crab cakes- 10/10. I preferred these over actually crab cakes. It was a great shareable item and you got a lot. They come out looking like Hush Puppies. The Lobster roll was the best one I've ever had and I've had PLENTY while I was in Bar Harbor, ME so that is saying something. I got the hot buttered one. The margarita was great as well. I would go back in a heartbeat! Stop in and you won't be disappointed.

Solid dining experience. The ambiance and service was great as well. The appetizers, particularly the popcorn chicken and fried mozzarella, were amazing, The entrees weren't the best but this place is still a solid option to grab a meal.

On our return to Boston in the afternoon, planned to have a quick lunch and this place didn't disappoint. The hot honey chicken sandwich was one of the best sandwiches I have ever had and the fries were to die for. My partner had a chowder and she was happy. The service was relatively quick and servers were helpful. They understood our time crunch and got us the meal quickly. Restaurant had a nice classy vibe but it was empty on a Sunday afternoon which was expected in mid April.

I was a bit nervous about trying this restaurant after glancing at the yelp reviews, but I'm glad we tried it. Lobster roll was great, clam chowder was great and the sushi was more adorable and MUCH better quality than the place down the street

The staff was nice and it was like good not great meal. The fish sandwich was good and the portions were big. But the steak was wayyyy overcooked but it had good flavor just super chewy. But I think if it was less cooked it'd be really yummy. And all the other food was good!

I ordered the swordfish and it was overcooked. It came on a bed of creamy pasta that was delicious. The service was friendly but they didn't check on us often enough. The ambiance in the restaurant was very dark and I think what kills the feel is this long bar at the entry. It was filled and felt more like a sports bar. It's right there in the fancier dining room so it throws off the fancy vibe. So overall not worth the money we paid but the pasta was really good.

Our server was awesome! So attentive and nice and tipped him 25% because we knew it wasnt his fault. But the shrimp cocktail was literally inedible. We both felt sick after eating one and we are never that picky. The shrimp was green and had such a bad taste. We ended up closing out our bill and leaving because we didn't want to risk it with the other food. Definitely would not recommend, but our server was a sweetheart!

Really good creamy Alfredo pasta . Give you a good amount and it's kinda delicious w the bread. Real garlicky

The food was good. The service was absolutely terrible. The bar tender had a horrible attitude and seemed annoyed when we asked to order food and drinks, the food took over 30 minutes and the drinks took about 15 minutes. She never once checked in with us to see how we were doing with our food and we waited 20 minutes until finally flagging someone down to cash out and leave. We were ignored so badly that we could have just walked out without even paying I don't think she would have noticed. Simply awful.

TLDR; Best clam chowder I've had, but everything else was pretty average. Won't be back because of a downright hostile encounter. We were visiting Martha's Vineyard for a few hours and happened to drop by here for lunch. We had our dog with us, so we were happy to find out that we could eat outside with our dog. It was really nice seat outside, where we could see the hustle and bustle of the port/downtown area. The clam chowder was the best clam chowder I've had. Plenty of clam and vegetables in there. Not too salty and nice and creamy. The lobster bisque was meh. It wasn't bad, but it was nothing amazing. The lobster roll was definitely different. It looked like it was blended with a bunch of stuff, but with just the claws intact. It was almost like stuffing. Wish they had gone with just a simple lobster with intact meat. The mix up burger was good. It was different, but I really enjoyed it. The fries were really good, both cajun and regular. The service was really great. Not intrusive, but attentive. And the server that took picture for us took amazing photos. The ambiance was very nice and relaxed, until what happened after. But the reason for the rating and why we won't be back is because one of the guys behind the bar started to give me hard time when I walked in to go to bathroom. I guess he thought I wasn't eating there and was just trying to use the bathroom? But he was downright hostile, and I was really taken aback. Despite the decent food (minus chowder, which was AWESOME), I will not be back because I don't want to have to go through that again because we will most likely eat outside again.

We had a ferry to catch and came here for a quick bite. We mentioned this to our server and she ensured we were in and out in 30 minutes by the clock. Ordered a lobster bisque and a grilled chicken sandwich and both preparations were absolutely delicious! The bisque was thick and full of lobster pieces. The chicken sandwich was crispy and surprisingly delicious for a seafood restaurant. We went during lunch hours early in the season and the place was largely empty and amply staffed. The interiors are all wooden and the place has a ship theme. There is a full bar. Overall, would recommend this place.

Our party of 7 arrived on an overcast Monday afternoon. They weren't too busy and we were seated right away. They were a bit short staffed but the waiter was helpful and took our orders along with running the bar and bussing the tables. The food was hit or miss. The clam chowder was tasty and full of clam and potatoes and celery. The lobster bisque was also tasty. Our lobster rolls were delicious but not a fan of the bacon that was included. The Fries were ok and abundant but onion rings were cold. The calamari was delicious and the popcorn chicken was adequate. Blackened Mahi Mahi was also very tasty. The 100% miss was the steak sandwich. Way too many toppings and the steak was in pieces and was just strange and also the Bread was thick. All in all it wasn't bad and I would give it another chance if given the opportunity.

Undoubtedly the best clam chowder I've ever eaten. Lobster rolls were also very delicious. Looking forward to our next visit.

Dark & dismal. Server took 15 minutes to get drinks & the place was dead. Chatted with his buddy at the bar instead. Messed up my order. ( brought rare tuna out when specifically said did NOT want it rare.) Rice was undercooked, still hard. Another more attentive waiter had to whistle over to our waiter because he saw the guy was again chatting at the bar and not coming over to our table. And the final and worst part of this story was.. there was a a guy with NO SHIRT on in the kitchen. WTAF. A terrible experience from start to finish. Never again.

A fair spot right in the heart of Oak Bluffs near the waterfront. Good food, really nice bar and drinks, can't go wrong to stop in here if walking by. The food was good, I mean nothing above average, but a nice selection and reliable options to choose from. They had a surprisingly large number of fried options, which again we're mostly averaging flavor. Some of the fried items tasted frozen and a little subpar. A good spot to stop in if you want to have some drinks and some good food to carry you over. This is not a fine dining location, more of a pub house. It's right at the end of the main drag in town, certainly the drinks and the selection of drinks were great. Probably a casual spot to drop in but I wouldn't plan a dinner here if you're looking for a couple really good restaurants during your trip. Certainly a great spot to get a drink, or grab some apps. Recommended for a casual meal, apps or drinks right near the center of town in oak bluffs.

Kind of a tourist trap. Outside looks appealing, and location is prime. But, sadly like with so many restaurants that are in high traffic places, there is less emphasis on the quality of the food, probably because they can get away with it. This is called the Chowder Company, and yet the chowder was bleh. There was far too much celery, and the consistency was good kind of like partially cooked oatmeal, rather than chunky creamy NE chowder. If you are in a bind, then this isn't the worst place in the world. But, if you are thinking that you were going to get a vintage New England meal, you might be disappointed. Far better places to find in Oak Bluffs.

Great spot near the ferry terminal. I liked their clam chowder, oysters and ratatouille. Lobster roll was super meaty but tasted average. It needed that rich mayonnaise and some more seasoning. Service is warm & prices are bit on higher side but hey that's MV for you.

I don't understand all the negative reviews on this restaurant. I was here with a party of 8 and consensus was unanimous throughout the group - The food was excellent and the service was good, it just seemed a little bit pricier than other places. I had the clam chowder for my appetizer. It wasn't too watery and it wasn't too thick. It was perfect. Lots of clams, lots of spices. I can honestly say, this was some of the best clam chowder I've had. For my main meal, I had their over stuffed lobster roll with butter on a toasted roll and onion rings on the side. Delish!

Service was friendly and quick. The waiter was from Bulgaria and very engaging. The clam chowder was delicious and had a lot of clams in the chowder. It was not very crowded and extremely QUIET. One of the only quiet restaurants in Martha's Vineyard.

Reading the other reviews I was skeptical to try this but my girlfriend wanted to try their clam chowder as it was part of the name of the restaurant so it must be at least decent. I was right to be skeptical... We went on a Wednesday afternoon for lunch and it was pretty empty. It was pretty dark inside but walking in from the sunshine outside may have played a part in that judgement. We ordered the oysters, clam chowder, shrimp roll and a scallop roll. The oysters were not shucked well and had small parts of the shell floating with the meat so you would get that weird grinding sensation every time you bit. The clam chowder was not a saving grace. It was very thin, lacked flavor and had close to no actual clam in the chowder. The calamari was good and the sauce that it came with had a small kick that was really nice. The pieces hidden under the top layer seen in the picture were so small that it was hard to pick up with a fork. As for the rolls, the shrimps were seasoned well but the scallops were overcooked and had no flavor. Was not a fan of the rolls that the seafood came in as it was soggy on the inside not from butter but what seemed to be just water or the steam from the seafood that was placed into it. It seemed like the staff was really nice but would definitely not come again for the food.

After walking, shopping, and sitting around, we digested our donuts. Now it was lunchtime, we randomly picked a place to eat lunch, and luckily without a rsvp, we got a seat. Now I heard this place has the best calm chowder, and after a taste test, I liked it. The clam chowder is a thin creamy broth chock full of potatoes, celery, and clams. Is this chowder the best; it all boils down to personal preference. We had ordered the fish and chips; the fish was flakey and fried with a lovely thin crispy coating. Paired with a creamy and tangy tater sauce, the fried fish was tasty; the fries were cold, which was disappointing. The roasted truffle plum chicken I was very skeptical of getting. When the dish arrived, it looked very appetizing; the chicken roasted nicely, but I wasn't digging the truffle plum butter sauce. The garlic mash was the item on the dish I ate the most, and I found some of the sauteed asparagus to be stringy. MV Chowder Co is a fine place to dine at. If I'm back in MV, I wouldn't be opposed to being a returning customer; but it wouldn't be my first choice.

The chowder really is delicious (and I've had lots of clam chowder in my life). The lobster roll was legitimately the most lobster! The fish and chips was also so tasty.

Loved, loved, loved this spot. Ate there twice. My husband had the chowder both times. We are from Atlanta and we don't always find good seafood here. I don't eat meat, and they had various options for me. The Mushroom burger was really good. Highly recommended!

More of a drinking place. Chowder was too thin for me. Clams were very hard. Portobello fries were huge. Why call them fries. Oysters were heavily breaded and hard. Kelp burger was the best option. Service was unprofessional. Brought out soups for all and 3 appetizers that 2 of us were sharing at the same time. We had to decide what was going to be cold when we got around to eating it. Our friend wanted his burger first and got it last. We were almost done eating. Ladies room was a mess. Air dryer broken so there was a wet paper towel roll. Soap dispenser empty but there was a bottle of soap also empty. How do employees wash their hands? They get 2 stars for drinks and small outdoor seating.

Walked into a somewhat busy Friday night, and was seated in a very dark corner. Service was alright, but perhaps a little slow given that it took some time to even get water, let alone drinks. Portobello fries were huge and should more accurately be described as fried portobello steaks. Regardless, I enjoyed them as they had a healthy sprinkling of salt over them. Chowder was just ok, but nothing to write home about. I wouldn't come here again unless I really had to.

This place was awesome. We had lunch there on our first day and it was so good we came back to have dinner on our last day. I like to scope out Restaurants and read reviews to make a decision of where to eat before I travel to a new place. Martha's Vineyard was no exception; especially since we only had 90 minutes after getting off the ferry and needing to get on our bus for a tour of the island. ( we used Home Grown tours as our small bus tour and it was a great overview of the whole island) I chose Martha's Vineyard Chowder to eat at fir the great reviews of their clam chowder snd portabella mushrooms. I've never had portabella mushrooms. They did not disappoint us. The clam chowder soup was filled with clams and so delicious. The best we've ever tasted. The Portobella mushrooms were thick (one inch wide) slices, lightly dusted and lightly fried or maybe sautéed I'm not sure; but oh so good- you have to try them! We also ordered the calamari, Kale salad and child chicken fingers. The calamari was a huge plate. Cooked perfect and so good. The Kale salad was a plate filled with baby kale; lightly dressed with lemon vinegrette dressing and crisp fried parmesan 'croutons' so scrumptious. My granddaughters child's plate' was the best deal of all. There was no age you had to be to order it. For $10 you get two huge pieces of breast chick cutlet breaded with a crispy taste so good coating, fried perfectly, huge amount of fries and a drink! She took half to go and are it later that day. We saw on the next table someone had a lobster roll and it was a huge portion so we knew we were coming back to try that. On our last day, we took the bus to Oak Bluffs to eat here again. We had just as good meal as the first time! In addition to the delicious lobster Roll (it is 3/4lb of lobster. I had the kale salad again a d mussel appetizer without chorizo. We were not disappointed. Everything was fantastic even the service! I highly recommend this Restuarant while you are visiting Martha's Vineyard

Don't come for the chowder. There are better options that I enjoyed on the Island (Lookout Tavern #1, Nancy's #2). The chowder is very thin with large cut up vegetables and potatoes. I also thought I caught a few bites with sand in it. On the flip side, the fried shrimp with coleslaw was very good. We opted for double coleslaw since we were exhausted of French fries by the time we left. Ceasars salad was also pretty good. Surprisingly, my favorite dish was the Chicken Alfredo. The sauce was so good and included large chunks of garlic. I loved it. It's a super rich dish though so be prepared for a nap afterwards. All in all, this isn't a bad spot. Just avoid the chowder...

Nice ambiance at lunchtime. Excellent service. Great value. Lobster Roll was AMAZING and had bacon for a nice twist. Would recommend.

I was hoping for a nice, traditional cup of clam chowder, but that was far from what I received. The chowder was heavily black peppered, so much so that that became the dominant flavor and added a grittiness to the texture. And I also only made it a few spoonfuls in beforei realized I was crunching on some grit that had the texture of sand! The rest of this container went in the trash and I won't order chowder from there again. I was very disappointed, since the last time I got food here several years ago, I had had such a positive experience. But at the end of the day, if you're going to call your restaurant the Martha's Vineyard Chowder Component, you'd better serve good chowder... Which this was definitely NOT.

How do you have the best chowder and the worst service ?? Sat at the bar had a beer and a bowl. Sorry to put you out but maybe you should consider another profession. If you are the owner this female bartender should not be representing your business. Don't think I've experienced anything like that. And on a Sunday with like four people at the bar. Check please

The food was nothing special. The NE Clam Chowder looked better than it tasted. It had too much celery and the celery was crunchy. My husband had the lobster bisque which had one little piece of lobster. There are much better places on Oak Bluffs.

Food was good. We got the clam chowder which was really good. Also got the mahi mahi burger which I thought was really good! especially if you like garlic aioli, yums! the mahi mahi was also soft and tasted great! Initially was going to get the lobster roll, but it was too pricey, so ended up getting the mahi mahi burger. Definitely no regrets! Service was good for us. We went on a Friday afternoon. We sat outside and had a view of the flying horses across the street.

Rude servers. Lobster roll did not have much lobster. Overpriced. Will not return. Small space.

Oysters were delicious. Wine ...eh. Chowder better after salt and pepper. Service pretty good. Inside surprisingly nice compared to outside bar ....

BEST chowder and delicious raw oysters!! Super fresh, tasty seafood. Super easy bar seating, great service, and enjoyed being a cape cod foodie.

Not bad. Originally came here to try the chowder,because I'm in New England duh, and that did not go as expected. Let's start with the good, the drinks were good, I tried a drink that was similar to an old fashioned and it was delicious, not to mention the glass it was poured in was really neat. We ordered the spicy chicken sandwich and it was ok at best, nothing to brag or drool about, and the fish and chips, and again that was ok. Now the chowder. This place was voted to have the best chowder in the area we're in and I need to talk to the judges. The chowder was very watery and not thick and creamy like I've had in so many different places. I was really disappointed about that, but overall the rest of our meal was ok and I'd visit again just to make sure it wasn't a fluke

We had apps and drinks . Sat at the bar and our bartender Tyler was great. Very attentive and helpful. She was friendly and did an amazing job. Tyler made our evening out fun. Thank you Tyler for a great time . Go there and ask for her . The food and drinks were great .

Although we only got a cup of clam chowder, it was was fabulous! The only negative was how expensive the drinks were.

Lawd! Lawd! Lawd! The food was/is delicious. I came to the Vineyard for my birthday weekend. One thing on the list was to have a lobster roll. The challenge was met, accepted and exceeded. Even the salad.. the salad!! I will stop. I enjoyed the food and everything that came with it.

Such a great restaurant. So grateful they offer us Burger night to get us locals to come out in the winter. The burgers are delicious! The bar is friendly and comfortable. Thanks again Laurie.

This place is a disaster. The Offshore Ale Company was closed, so a chance was taken on the CHOCO... never again. Immediately after leaving I began feeling sick. Didn't feel sick before, and felt much better after disgorging the 'meal' into a trash can. The food we ordered was chicken tenders, cheeseburger, and mozzarella 'wedges'. The tenders were over cooked, the burger was over seasoned, and the mozzarella 'wedges' were more reminiscent of large rubber door stops used in industrial buildings. The interior of the restaurant is drab, dated, and has sticky floors. There was also some form of insects running around on and near the tables. Steer your ship clear of this place!!!

Amazing warm lobster roll that lives up to the hype and the price tag. They load up the lobster meat and it has the right amount of butter and seasoning. Roll was awesome. The chowder was great as well. Recommend this restaurant!

Secret gem on Oak Bluffs on Martha's Vineyard. It is located at 9 Oak Bluffs Ave. Great Chowder (made daily). We all had it as well as a huge wedge salad on romaine lettuce. Best of all was the service. We had the best server - a delightful woman from Brazil named Carolina (pronounced "Caroleeena". She speaks impeccable english and is full of energy and wonderful stories. It wasn't crowded and you could actually hear yourself think. Low key, classic music. A winner all around.

We were thrilled there was space for our large party on a crowded MV weekend! This place was very pretty inside and most of our food was delicious and timely. I had the Chimichurri Steak Salad, which, in theory sounded amazing, but as much as chimichurri tastes great on a steak, as dressing it was not a win for me. That being said it was fresh and well prepared. Also, our waiter stood at one end of our huge table to take our orders and instead of walking around made us scream our orders to him in the already loud restaurant. That needs to be addressed, it was super awkward. I would still go back because it was a overall a good experience.

Chowder is amazing!!! Be back next week for my usual to enjoy the food and ambience and drinks!

We arrived off the am ferry and were 'hangry'. So happy we stopped here. The service was amazing from recommendations on kids portions versus adult size, etc. the cod fish sandwich was honestly one of the best I have had and I live in Massachusetts! My boys both ate the fish and chips with similar reactions. Great place, quick service and honestly a really great place. We also ate outside and it was perfect for the 4 of us.

I had a great time at the Chowder Company! Our waitress Megan was greatttt!! I've never heard of or had mushroom fries and they were really unique and delicious! Of course at the chowder company you've gotta get some clam chowder! I'm also a HUGE lobster roll fan and this one was AMAZE! They really laid on the lobster!!! If you're ever in Martha's Vineyard I would definitely recommend hitting this place up for a great dinner!

All you'll ever need to know about this sub par restaurant you can learn by reading their arrogant, hostile and defensive responses to the people who have had a bad experience and given a less than stellar review. They could do better. And their service and food fluctuates. The price doesn't, though.

Six years ago, the last time we travelled to Martha's Vineyard, this place served up the best meal we had on the island. Sadly, that is no longer the case. Our first clue should've been how empty the place was at 6:00 on a Tuesday night. It was also overly dark, some more light would be nice when dining with family. When we placed our order, we specifically requested that the soup and apps be spaced out adequately from our entrees. Unfortunately, before we were even done with our soups, the meals were hitting the table. The waitress did apologize and said the kitchen forced her hand, but that could have been avoided with a better POS system, I believe. As far as the food, the clam chowder lacked flavor and had an odd liquid consistency that you don't expect from a New England Clam Chowder. Bonus points for copious amounts of clam, but please season the soup appropriately. The calamari was good and the portion was generous, but very oily. We ordered two cold lobster rolls and one hot. The cold lobster salads were very nice and great portions. The hot lobster salad had great chunks of claw and tail meat, but the bacon took away from the flavor and should be avoided when ordering the "Best lobster roll in New England." Overall, it seems that this place has gone through a change for the worse. Hopefully the next time we come back, positive changes will be made or else we will be taking our business elsewhere.

Great place! We stopped in for quick glass of wine services quickly and prompt food was fantastic!!