Mystic Fish Camp

Came here for lunch and had a great time. Staff was incredibly friendly and fish was very fresh. Thank you so much Kim for being so informative with us and touching tables to see how everything was going. It was great talking to you! We ordered a variety of items from the Tartare, fish and chips (mermaid fries; seasoning was so good), monkfish roll, oyster fritters, and the special of the day, Mussel chowder. Everything tasted great in addition to the variety and dip sauces available. The sugar kelp hot sauce was incredible. Ended up asking the chef to buy some to take home. It was nice having a board showing what the fresh catches were and which fishing vessel supplied it. They had a type for each preparation method. The substitute change in the lobster roll for monkfish worked really well. It had the texture of lobster claws with the same subtle sweetness inherently found in Lobster. Can’t wait to visit again.

A MUST TRY!!! 10/10 experience overall!! Staff is friendly & helpful. The menu is great (something for everyone) the food was AMAZING & GREAT size portions. Worth every penny. We ordered the onion rings with garlic aioli (yum), yellowfin tuna double cheeseburger FANTASTIC, fish & chips incredible & the mermaid fries are perfectly seasoned. S’mores ice cream Sammie’s for dessert….tasted like a chilled cannoli!! WE WILL BE BACK FOR SURE!!

Mystic, CT just got crowned king of fried seafood. Mystic Fish Camp has officially taken the #1 spot for clam strips, fish & chips, and fries in Connecticut — and I don’t hand out that title lightly. The clam strips are unbelievable: crisp, tender, and fried to perfection. Forget the chewy throwaway strips you get at tourist traps — these are the best clam strips in New England, period. The fries? Hand-cut, golden, fried in beef tallow — giving them a flavor and crunch you can’t fake. Straight-up addictive. And the fish… holy hell. Perfectly battered, light, and flaky — easily the best fish & chips in Mystic and maybe the state. Zero grease, all flavor. What sets this place apart? The menu was created by a James Beard Award-winning chef, and it shows. Every bite tastes like someone finally respected fried seafood enough to do it right. If you’re searching for “best clam strips in Connecticut,” “best fries Mystic CT,” or “fish & chips near me” — this is the place. Mystic Fish Camp just raised the bar for everyone.

This was the summer of finding the best clam strips — and Mystic Fish Camp delivered exactly that! The owners take great pride in sustainability and high-quality food, but one of the many reasons I love this place is that they fry everything in beef tallow. You can truly tell that the owners — including a James Beard Award–winning chef — and the staff take pride in what they offer here. Now, let’s talk about the food! The fried fish is golden and crisped to perfection — wonderfully crunchy on the outside and flaky, tender inside. The French fries are perfectly balanced: crispy on the outside with a soft, fluffy center. The onion rings? Ummm… yes, please! The clam strips are by far the best not only in the area, but in the entire state — fried to a golden brown with a light batter and soft texture. The beef tallow adds something special that takes them to another level. And the oyster fritters — where do I even start? I’ve never had a fritter so delicate and perfect. The exterior is crisp and firm, just as it should be, but the inside is soft, airy, and moist with a delightful texture and incredible flavor. Finally, the S’mores Ice Cream Sammie — a creative twist on the traditional ice cream sandwich. The outer layer has a soft, cake-like texture. I let my hands warm it slightly to make it even softer, and it was perfect. The ice cream didn’t squeeze out, which was a definite plus! And don’t skip the sauces — try them all! Each one has its own unique flavor, and I’m sure you’ll find the perfect pairing for every dish (if not all of them).

Mystic Fish Camp is the kind of place that gets the details right. It’s casual and unpretentious, but everything on the plate shows real technique and care. The Tartar Bowl was a standout — fresh, perfectly seasoned seafood over coconut rice that’s fragrant and balanced. It’s the kind of dish that feels light but leaves you completely satisfied. The onion rings are my guilty pleasure — salt, vinegar, and pickle notes all happening at once with an incredible crunch. And the fish and chips are exactly what they should be: crisp, hot, and full of flavor, without a hint of grease. You can taste the thought behind every element. It’s simple food, executed with precision — which is what makes it so good.

Thought we would try it for lunch today! We ordered the kid's meals, as we just wanted smaller portions. It was definitely plenty! My husband got the Cheeseburger and I got the Fried Clams! Both were delish, even the Fries! The Frozen Drinks were expensive. And the Frozen Tea was a little funky. Definitely liked the Lemonade better. They need more seating inside. Or tables outside. But we would definitely go again!

A local shop recommended this restaurant, and we were so happy they did! We ate there late this afternoon, had the clam strips and classic sandwich-my husband and I shared, and left full. The prices are so reasonable, silly almost (please don’t charge more, lol) but worth every bite! Maybe others haven’t ever been out to sea side restaurants that charge x amounts because…tourists. This place was not that case at all. Nothing was greasy, and both were absolutely some of the best seafood we’ve had-and we live in MA-are familiar with local seafood. We will absolutely drive back just to eat here. For people complaining about bones-which we had none, maybe they also complain there’s fat on their steaks, or cartilage on their chicken tenders, or whatever. I’m completely baffled that anyone would complain about that, of all things-it’s fresh fish! The lack of greasy oily fried seafood was the most delightful treat. I love fried and choose to suffer sometimes, but this food was gallbladder free friendly! It was truly some of the best we’ve had-please don’t ever change a thing-it was perfect! It’s sad to see some bad reviews-some only say more about who left them, than this place. We thank you, and can’t wait to come back down! I would like to add the staff was super friendly, and greatly appreciated, thank you! The atmosphere is fun-bathroom was spotless-wallpaper was fantastic!

Best fast casual restaurant!! I had the best fish sandwich with the catch of the day being black sea bass! (Called ‘the classic’) Talita and Kim greeted us warmly and the atmosphere was relaxed, clean and the view was spectacular with the drawbridge view! Chef is amazing! Grateful to you and your entire team! Kindly, Laura

everytime go to Mystic I have to stop by Fish Camp! I love the food and the service with Kim is always so great! Can't wait to be back

Mussel Chowder! So yummy. Oh and homemade crackers. This is outstanding!!!!!! Perfect lunch on a chilly day. If you want more than chowder, lets pair it with the Oyster Fritters. I love the innovative offerings they come up with.

This is a unique experience. Not only did the Camp lead Mystic to a hard-fought victory over Clinton/Guilford as I chose my fall seafood destination, but I rewrote the calendar on the fly to add a second visit during my brief stop in town. There's a fascinating locavore angle here. In a world where regional foods can be a false marketing gimmick (hello "Appalachian restaurants" with coconut shrimp) or fuel for $200 tasting menus, it's great that they're serving both the environment and seafood enthusiasts looking for something new. So the invasive green crab is used in a bisque and unloved sea robins occasionally appear. My favorite item here was the smoked fish dip, which I believe varies and was dogfish when I visited. The "poor man's lobster roll" deploys monkfish in lieu of the traditional crustacean; they mastered the paradigm and the fish is smooth but I wouldn't say I liked it more than the real thing. (In short, seafood completists should try it once). The service is great; I enjoyed talking to Elias about the various menu options like the daily conserva. Mystic Fish Camp's chef is known for the Shipwright's Daughter, where last year I enjoyed the improbable Swordfish Mortadella Toast, so I was glad to see a new faux mortadella special. This yellowfin tuna version appeared in a sandwich with a vivid pistachio pesto. The fries were intriguing, with an assist from sugar kelp salsa verde powder and jalapeno aioli. The frozen apple cider was refreshing.

First off, I love the concept. The restaurant uses local seafood, but not traditional offerings. They use less glamorous species like monkfish or even invasive species like the green crab. I'm excited to see a restaurant try something like this. There's some great dishes and sauces. The fried clams were impeccable and the chipotle mayo was just the right kick. The monkfish chunks in the green crab soup were a highlight. The staff at the counter were super helpful and considerate. However, there's some aspects that were just a miss for me. 1) Temperature: The hot chocolate (which has a great flavor) and the green crab bisque were scalding. While I'm used to having hot chocolate needing to cool down on a cold walk, I've never actually had soup served this hot in a restaurant. 2) Interior: There's a lot of thought that went into the decor, but the table/bar set up is just confusing. If you're going to provide board games for people to hang out and play (great idea), then you need to provide adequate seating. Seasonal fish joints in the area like Sea Swirl provide picnic tables; one would expect the higher end version of that to provide similar seating. 3) Squash Churros: Now I recognize that this was a special, but I feel like this is where the restaurant lost the plot. The flavor was good but unfortunately they fell apart in your hands, not making it a finger food at all. But the question really comes down to why were these on the menu? If you're trying to focus on the sustainability of seafood and working with the local fishing fleet, it feels off brand and like they're trying too hard. Overall, I hope the best for this restaurant but am currently frustrated by it.

We happened to walk by Mystic Fish Camp while downtown looking for lunch. Apparently they just opened that week! The decor is very cute and quirky, like a Wes Anderson set. The concept of sustainable, local seafood for fast casual is intriguing. We ordered the green crab bisque, which was tasty but a bit salty. Also, we tried the classic sandwich that was battered and served on a soft bun with lettuce and bay leaf tartar sauce. It was our favorite from the meal. We got the yellow fin tuna double cheeseburger as well. It was quite unexpected! It looked and tasted just like a cheeseburger. The aioli was spicy though, which I didn't like since I have a low spice tolerance. We'll definitely come back next time we're in Mystic to try other items.

Stopped in for dinner on a whim- glad we did! Very good food, and I love that they use local ingredients/fresh caught fish. We tried the Shippy D's burger and fish sticks. The burger was huge! Definitely worth the $16 price point. And so flavorful! Loved the crispy melty cheese addition. Fish sticks were definitely not like the ones you had growing up- these were fresh and never frozen. :) you can choose your side sauce to go with it as well, and they have ketchup etc on the table. I guess something else worth mentioning is this is a fast casual establishment, so you place your order at the counter and find a table- and will most likely be standing as there are only a few barstools available. Not necessarily bad, but something to note if you're exhausted after a day of exploring! We had a great time, loved the interior (retro summer camp theme) and the food. Service was friendly! Can't wait to go back.

Don't recommend: Got our order wrong, served us raw fish when they gave us our "correct" order, and didn't refund any part of the meal after all this back and forth. The fish entrees are riddled with bones (not just near the tale that they keep on for aesthetics). The batter on the fish is super oily and it lacks flavor. And the fries and onion rings are super oily. For dessert, the ice cream in the ice cream sandwich is very icy and it's made with what tastes like soggy sandwich bread. For background: We came in as a group of six and they got our order wrong (we placed a single order at at one time, unlike what the comment says below from the chef who is trying to gaslight my review) -- giving us two sandwiches we didn't order and leaving off a fish entree we did order. When they made us a fish entree to replace what they left off, they rushed its preparation and gave us raw fish. After this, they fired us up an entree again, cooking it properly this time but at this point the entire party was finished with their meals...all the staff did was apologized and didn't offer to refund us the $28 cost of the entree... I had high expectations for this place, given it is led by James Beard Award-winning chef David Standridge, but this falls extremely flat. While the seafood was extremely fresh, that doesn't make up for everything else it lacked... In terms of seating: there are barely any stools inside, just a lot of counter space, so expect to stand the whole time you're dining inside.

We stopped in for a quick taste to see what they had to offer. Only ordered the green crab bisque, and smoked fish dip. The dip was tasty. Creamy with a good amount of fish...but theboverall portion is small. And they just serve it with a bag of Cape Cod chips. For the price, fresh chips seems more appropriate. And the soup...do not try it. It was disgusting. Terrible flavors, and very salty. Not worth the calories if it were free...and it's also too expensive for the serving. So...sadly, not a great first impression. We'll may give it another shot after a bit, if reviews of other menu items seem worth it. Really disappointed, because we love Shipwright's Daughter. Was expecting more here...

Oh jeez, this place is so unique and underrated! I went here with another friend & told them to try the "Lobster" stew! BLOWN AWAY! That's all I can say! I don't know why all restaurants don't follow this trend. Eat your enemies!! Hahaha!!! The restaurant is a great hang out also to people watch! It's counter service. Prices for the food I think are reasonable. We got the poor man's lobster stew & "lobster rolls" with fries.

This is a great place to pop in. We ordered the mermaid fries and green grab soup from the counter. Grabbed a couple of stools at the window and ate there. The fries are ridiculously addictive. I will come back for the fries. The soup was good, not great. A little bitter for our taste but nothing off putting about this joint. We will definitely come back.

Mystic Fish camp is the new restaurant in town helmed by the acclaimed James Beard award winning chef David Standridge of shipwright's daughter. This is a chill sea to table spot with a few tables for dining. Some tables had seats otherwise you have to stand and eat which reminds me of being out in sea eating fresh fish. The fish and chip for the day was black fish, which was a nice mild white fish. It was fried well, and the fish was flaky, fresh and moist. The batter had a nice crunch to it and came with two thicccc pieces. The amount of fries given was diabolical as it could feed two or more people or even a village. The seasoning was delicious and generous though may be a bit salty. The star of the show was this tartar sauce which had a special ingredient (bay leaf for the win) to their sauce, and it was delectable with the fish. I dont like tartar sauce but i can bathe in that sauce with the fish. Also got the clam strips which was nice and can actually taste some clams and texture compared to other places. The lime shoyu sauce was alright. The half and half drink was an arnold palmer on the tangy side would like it sweeter. There is no alcohol here so beware. All in all makes for a great dinner to converse with the in-laws and the rest of the fam. Shoutout to all of the staff who were very nice and personable and answered all my questions. My only suggestion here would be if they offered different sizes of fries. The fries here are $10 which seems expensive however it is not as they give you a giant bucket of fries. Maybe have a small size for five dollars and put a smaller portion in the fish and chips. Recommend and will be back.

Such good food and fast! They also are great at giving recommendations. glad we stopped here on our recent trip and will be back!

The food was great and locally sourced!. We had the fish and chips, fish sandwich, season salad and tuna bowl. Everything tasted great and the service was top notch. Would def come back!

Absolutely loved this poke bowl type thing very healthy and delicious Also extremely fun vibe and great environment!

If I could give higher than a 5 star I would. The fish sandwich was perfect both in preparation and taste. The staff greet you with a smile and patiently answered my questions. The atmosphere was friendly and joyful. it was so nice to see customers who didn't know each other share friendly conversation. I'll be back for sure.

What a great place! Wonderful spot to sit and enjoy great food while people watching, seeing the bridge go up, and just enjoying the heart of Mystic! The food was outstanding. I had the classic fish sandwich that was fresh and well seasoned and delicious. The mermaid fries are awesome, but the portion size is huge! Finally, the ice cream Sammie is out of this world! I thoroughly enjoyed my lunch and encourage you to go!!!!

Charming spot, with a fun menu and pleasant folks behind the counter. Unfortunately it was all downhill from there. Our fish Sammie's were very average- heavy on the fry and lean on the fish. I really wanted to like this place, but I just can't recommend it.

Far too overpriced for the portion and quality of food and drink they give you. Also the fries and dipping sauce are terrible. $19 for a fish sandwich. Make it a "meal" for $29, $32 with taxes. This adds on a large box of shoestring fries, covered in dirt seasoning and a drink that they state is 16oz, it's an 8oz drink, maybe they ordered the wrong cup sizes. The worst part is the food tastes terrible, definitely camp food. As mentioned previously, the seasoning on the fries; it is as if someone dropped the fries in the fire-pit dirt and still cooked and served them. They then went into the woods mushed up leaves to add to the lake water to make a runny tartar sauce, adding pine needles for flavor. They also definitely caught some fish and knew it wasn't enough fish so drowned it in beer batter to make it look bigger than it is. We understand everything is overpriced these days, but make it worth the price in taste at the very least! We threw out $32 worth of "food", in this economy....... That should tell you all you need to know. Edit: hi "Chef" sorry you do not deal well with others opinions of your food. I would love to hear what is inaccurate and unhinged about my review which stated my opinion of money I spent poorly at your establishment. I would like you to know, I never had plans of going back, or referring people to this establishment. Why would I spend more money at this establishment after I clearly stated how I did not enjoy the taste and cost of your food....? We swiftly walked to engine room with our party of 9 and happily enjoyed food there, despite the cost. Between with your responses you're driving customers further away... maybe have someone who isn't so emotionally attached review and respond to reviews since you can't do it without getting your panties in a bunch. Customer service is high value in any business. Calling my review inaccurate is a terrible choice of wording to make up for your flaws..... maybe take the criticism and do better... I mean others also mention bad food in their review....