Randazzo's Clam Bar
Seafood restaurant · Sheepshead Bay ·
Fried calamari, raw clams, and seafood pasta platters
Fried calamari, raw clams, and seafood pasta platters
"There are a lot of places to eat raw seafood in NYC, but not many of them are so close to the water that you could eat a raw clam and then throw your shell into the sea. Except for Randazzo’s, a Sheepshead Bay staple that’s been open since 1932. It shines in the summer after a long day at Brighton Beach when you are too sunburnt and too sandy to do anything except eat, but we’ve also visited in February to slurp clams and pretend we are in Florida. They’re famous for their fried calamari, which is served with homemade marinara sauce, but a visit to Randazzo’s isn’t complete without a full spread—think dozens of raw bivalves, and big platters of seafood pasta." - bryan kim, willa moore, molly fitzpatrick, will hartman
"Family-owned Randazzo’s is not only one of the city’s best Italian spots, it’s one of the the best seafood restaurants. It dates to 1916 — an era when the bay was lined with clam shacks, and now there’s only one. Today, it serves an array of seafood classics, including both New England and Manhattan chowders as well as a standout version of zuppa di pesce." - Melissa McCart
"This classic old-school Italian spot sits right on Sheepshead Bay and specializes in seafood, which means you could eat your raw clams and then toss the shells right back into the water where they came from. (Maybe don't do this. The clams did not come from Sheepshead Bay specifically, but you get the point.) Grab a table outside after a long day at Coney Island or Brighton Beach when you're too sunburnt and sandy to do anything except eat, and get a proper spread—think raw bivalves, fried calamari, and big platters of seafood pasta." - willa moore, bryan kim, neha talreja, matt tervooren, molly fitzpatrick
"After visiting red-sauce Italian restaurants all over the city, eating clams has become one of our most treasured pastimes, but there’s something about doing it across the street from a body of water that feels exactly right. Randazzo’s Clam Bar has been open since 1932, and although this Sheepshead Bay spot shines in the summer, we'd just as likely come here in the dead of winter to slurp raw clams and pretend we're in Florida. They’re famous for their fried calamari, which is served with a homemade marinara sauce that comes in both medium and hot varieties, but all the raw bar options are good too, and you can practically toss your empty shells into the water from the storefront." - willa moore, will hartman, sonal shah, neha talreja
"Randazzo’s Clam Bar got its start as a fish market on the Lower East Side in 1920 before relocating to Sheepshead Bay in the ’30s. Eventually, the family started selling fried calamari in addition to fresh seafood, and the Randazzo’s Clam Bar of today was born. This place shines in the summer, and they’re justly famous for that fried calamari, which is served with a homemade marinara sauce. All the raw bar options are good too, and you can practically toss your empty shells right into the water. Fried calamari with hot or medium sauce, baked clams, raw clams, shrimp fra diavolo" - molly fitzpatrick, willa moore, will hartman, bryan kim, sonal shah