Ship Bottom Shellfish

Try the Birch Beer (very sweet root beer) - that’s delicious. First time to have raw clams - very interesting and good. Enjoyed the chowder. Fried clams were good, too. Sweet staff. Restroom is outside.

We have ordered take-out here more times than I can count (and obviously love it or we would have stopped) but today was the first time we dined in, sitting on the sidewalk bar seats for lunch. Food was top notch and so nice getting it fresh. Service was fantastic and loved the atmosphere of a busy ship bottom beach day walking/driving by. I had a crab cake and the Baja fish tacos special with fries while my son had clams with a side of clams and pasta (linguini and clams). BYOB but they do have some wines for sale. Take out here is also great and one thing I’ve always been impressed with is regardless of how chaotic it is or complicated the order I’ve never seen them mess it up.

Wanted oysters Picked this spot. Small seating inside and out. Service was good, food was great will be back!

I went to this location last night with family. The location is pretty good. We had a 35min wait which is reasonable on a holiday week. While waiting I noticed was how hard the hostess worked. It was impressive. Moving tables, herding the people in line and making herself available to answer questions. When seated our server was awesome, light hearted and efficient. Food was fantastic. Everyone enjoyed. I will definitely be back.

❤️ Overview: My mom came here for dinner at around 5pm and it was already popping! It was a 45 min to an hour wait or they could sit us outside immediately, so we chose outside! So definitely recommend coming early or being ready to wait. Nice thing if you will wait, they take your phone number and will call you when your table is ready. Which I think every restaurant should do! Overall, all the food was good! It’s also BYOB, so if you want to drink, bring your own alcohol! Sitting outside was nice, but it was super windy and you are facing the street so not the best view but definitely was better than waiting an hour! (I was debating sharing this, but I’m going to, I took a small container of clam chowder to go and ate it the next day, which I think was a mistake because I got food poisoning the following day after eating it and another meal I had. It was probably a combination of the two. But also don’t take my word on this because it could be unrelated, but my husband, friends and I think it definitely could have been it.) ❤️What was ordered: Jumbo lump crab cake sandwich, blackened scallops, side salad, and fried oysters ❤️Stand outs: Blackened scallops ❤️Would I come back/recommend: Yes - I would recommend No - I wouldn’t come back

We stopped in around 6 PM to find a line at the door. The couple ahead of us was seeking a table for eight and were told that it would be 90 minutes or more. We were a little discouraged at this point but when the hostess got to us asked about a seating preference we were immediately seated outside. Not bad! We are leaving only three stars for atmosphere because we never saw the inside of the place. We called in advance and found this to be a BYOB restaurant. Apparently this is widely known among the regulars as it seemed that everyone waiting for a table had wine with them. We started off with oysters on the half shell which were served with cocktail sauce, horseradish and a vinaigrette. Our dinner entrees included fried scallops and jumbo lump crab cakes. We finished off the meal with a blueberry crisp ala mode. Everything was wonderful; we will definitely go back again.

We placed a catering/pick up order for moms birthday gathering. Initially we came in and had a few things to eat to sample before order was placed. We ended up pacing an order and everything was delicious. We had oysters on half shell, crab cakes, linguine with clams, scallops wrapped in bacon, everything was fantastic and enjoyed by all the guest. Will be back

After being told the wait would be an hour or more at a couple of regular spots we decided to try someplace else and discovered this little gem (which it turns out has the same owners as the restaurants we left). We were told it would be a 15-20 minute wait, ended up being only about 5 minutes. Excellent food and prompt, friendly service. Mainly a fish market with about ten tables and some outdoor seating. Had two of the specials - scallop appetizer which was very good and swordfish with chorizo butter. Swordfish was cooked perfectly. Staff could not have been more friendly or attentive.

Very skimpy seafood platter - 3 shrimp, 2 scallops, a crab cake and a small piece of fish, so beware of portions. Everything was overcooked. Service was fine. Disappointing meal at $35.save your $, don't stop.

My wife and I had our anniversary lunch here today and it was fantastic! The greeter, the waitress Vivian and the bus boy all did a great job! I had the strip steak, with lobster tail add on, broccoli and onion rings. It said, "best" strip steak you ever had. I have to admit, it's one of the best and Ray's rub makes it even better. My wife had the scallops with French fries and onion rings. Everything was delicious! It's a seafood market, so I took a look at the display case where they have fish, seafood and salads to go. The area was clean and well maintained. I look forward to going back and I definitely recommend!

We ate here yesterday evening. It was 4:30 on a Saturday in the not quite high season so it was busy, but there was no wait. Our servers were pleasant and professional. It's typical beach decor, but quite clean. My wife and I each had the fried seafood platter. It consisted of a large crab cake (delish), two scallops, three shrimp and two pieces of flounder. Fried very well. My sister-in law had the macadamia encrusted halibut with a chutney. She loved it, I had a taste...very good. Recommended.

Came here for my husbands birthday and it was great. The place is over all small so I'm assuming during high season it's a long wait. The staff was very nice. I got myself the chicken which sadly I wasn't a super fan of but my husband and other guest got the salmon, oysters, and halibut which they enjoyed a lot. I would def come back and hope they have king crab legs so I can have those as this time they didn't and sadly I don't eat many different seafood items.

Everything was delicious! Service a little slow but worth the wait. It's BYOB, so be prepared.

Easy and convenient to stop for takeout, hit the seafood counter, or eat-in. This place is part of one of the best restaurant groups in LBI. The food and service makes it a must do each time we visit.

Awful food. I checked Yelp for a good place to eat in the area and this seemed like a good choice. It was the opposite. I was there on a slow evening, yet the young wait staff were unattentive. The fried seafood was oily and soggy. I expressed to the staff that my meal was not prepared well, hoping for someone to address the issue, but just got blank faces from the staff. Complete waste of money. Don't waste your money here.

Really good food! Waits can be a bit long and some of the bar tables outside might be on a slant, but overall some legit crab cakes! fried flounder was also good, as was blackened tuna sandwich. I would return when I am in LBI for sure. Here's a tip - get a dish with fries because as a stand alone side they are $8-$10; double the price of some of the other sides.

Best seafood on LBI. Jumbo lump crab cakes were not only with jumbo lumps but also jumbo sized cakes. Much larger and filler free than another well known Ship Bottom competitor! I ate apps only our second time there--tempted by the bacon wrapped scallops and crab stuffed artichoke hearts. With a side Caesar salad to top it off. Everything was generously sized and delicious! We will be back!

We have been going to Ship Bottom Shellfish for many years and it's hard to believe but it just keeps getting better and better. The food is always fresh and delicious. Their crab cakes are without a doubt the best I've ever had. This is the crown jewel in the Tide Table group as far as I'm concerned. The Nugent family have the right formula; the highest quality fish and the friendliest and professional staff make this our family go to restaurant for sure.

Delicious food. Make sure to come early on the weekends since it's a very quaint place that gets packed super fast. Expect an hour wait if you arrive after 5:30. I got the soft shell crabs which were amazing but kinda small. Highly recommend.

Go here for the tuna poke nachos and the artichoke heart appetizer both are BANGING but the artichoke was pricey for 4 mini crab stuffed hearts. Save that roll though to soak up all the goodness that was like an authentic Italian dish that reminded us of one of our favorite places that no longer exists. It's a garlic buttery artichokey sauce that's amazing! Put our name on the list and waited an hour and fifteen but had some high noons from across the street while waiting. The food is akllways worth the wait. Had the snow crabs which came a little cold at the ends but the legs were actually full of juicy meat.

Here on LBI for a long "offseason" weekend with the bride. She spent the summers here on LBI but first timer for me. All she talked about was the Barnegat Bay scallops weeks leading up to our vacation, so we read some reviews and decided on SBS. I wasn't that hungry so ordered the clams casino and steamed clams appetizers. Clams Casino were delicious and loaded with flavor but on the smaller side. The steamed clams were good, cooked perfectly (not rubbery) but again, smaller in size than what I was expecting. Her baked scallops were large, plentiful and delicious! Would definitely be back.

Was a windy Monday late afternoon and decided to eat outside. It wasn't that bad but the food was fantastic.

Great food! It's like a burger joint but with seafood. The calamari was divine, and the burger was good! I enjoyed it. It's a very cute, family-owned place (I'm assuming) on LBI with great customer service and awesome food. I loved eating here after a day at the beach. I recommend it for a nice fish burger.

The BEST lobster bisque soup that I've ever been graced to have! Why do I only have pictures of the menu then? Because everything was gobbled up before the thought of pictures entered into my mind. No regrets here! My 2.5 year old absolutely destroyed his fish and chips platter, to mine and my husband's amazement. He "nom nom nom"ed the whole time, and we just kept giving each other a thumbs up, because dinner tonight was a total success! We started off with their fried calamari (crispy, fresh, and addicting) which came with a side of dipping red sauce that was delicious. Legs were also included which I do enjoy. The New England clam chowder was also another staple that shouldn't be skipped over. The subtle hint of dill was very refreshing, and added depth to this beloved soup. The lobster bisque soup, to me, stole the show, with the chunks of lobster that were generous and plentiful. Almost every other spoonful had lobster! Hubby and I each got their lump crab meat sandwiches, and MAN - these were insanely good! Worth every penny! For takeaway, everything was packaged with great care, and our order was waiting for us as soon as we walked in the door. Inside, the place was already JAMMED at 5PM! People were eating more than talking, and that was another good sign. We will have to get the dining in experience next time!

Vibes: casual seafood joint and market; bring a friend or the family to sit at the counter outdoors or tables indoors Tasting notes: - Blackened Thai Scallops: excellent caramelization with enhancement of the umami flavor from the mayo; meat was well cooked, sweet and tender - Macadamia-Nut-Crusted Halibut with Broccoli and Onion Rings: loved the large filet of flaky fish with a nice crispy coating; chutney offered sweetness as well as contrasting texture; could have used more seasoning for the broccoli and onion rings; did enjoy the uniform, crunchy breading to the onion rings - Lobster with Cole Slaw and Potato Salad: appreciated the claws pre-cracked and tail pre-split; meat was sweet and stood on its own wonderfully without the clarified butter; cole slaw was very light and not too creamy; loved the chunky texture of the potato salad Other thoughts: - small parking lot but plenty of street parking within a block - 45 minute wait during summer Saturday for two - BYOB! - Fairly quick turnaround between ordering and getting the food - appreciated the relatively generous portion sizes for both entrees and sides Impression: when at the shore, this is exactly the place for fresh seafood prepared in a great variety of ways!

Have been on LBI my whole life and never tried Ship Bottom Shellfish until this weekend! No wonder it's always packed -- great service and food!! We had bacon wrapped scallops and mussels in white wine to start. Delicious! I ordered the fried soft shell crab which was also tasty and had onion rings and broccoli on the side which was a recommendation from our waitress since I couldn't decide! BYOB with reasonable prices = perfect date night spot!

Great little seafood "shack" offering an impressive menu with a great local/beach vacation feel. BYO a plus. Staff is very attentive and everything on the menu was great. Went for the first time this summer and returned a few days later for more!

Really good food. Been going for years and never had a bad experience! Service is fast and attentive. The place is very tastefully decorated and clean!

Delicious food, great service, intimate atmosphere. My family always orders SBS when we are on the island. They have the best crab cakes and the most affordable lobster. They never disappoint. I highly recommend Ship Bottom Shellfish.

Service, Food and Ambiance 10/10! Great service, delicious food and perfect ambiance. They do not serve alcohol but you can buy your liquor across the street at Port hole liquor.

Really long wait times for portion size that doesn't justify the cost. I get that it's pretty much one of the few places around that serves seafood like this but you'll have to pregame somewhere else before coming to this place. Calamari for the price is basically half in quantity of what you would get elsewhere. The clam pasta is meh considering how many clams you actually get. If the portion sizes were up at least by 30%, it wouldn't hurt them I bet. Cut the cost of a few other items to make them more attractive because when you compare the cost of a la cart items to the entrees, you're not really saving anything. Service was great and on point. Despite what sounds like a really negative review is basically just throwing caution in the wind for those considering it and likes to see portion size somewhat favoring price paid.

It was good. Check market prices before you order. Service was great and we sat outside. Food was fresh & tasty. We had steamers & so crabs.

Down in LBI? Gotta hit up Ship Bottom Shellfish. It's the GO TO every time we're in town for a little R and R. Make sure you walk up and make a reservation. They don't take them over the phone or online. It's always worth the wait though. Haven't waiting more than 2 hours and you can go hit a bar or walk around town in the mean time. What we snagged: -Crab Cakes. Literally, the best. No filler all crab. -Seafood Combo. Not fried. Comes with fish of the day (cod for us) shrimp, crab cake, scallops, and two sides. Here I got slaw and onion rings. The best party? It's BYOB. Bring anything you want and enjoy the fresh seafood. Service is also always great. They know you wait a while, and are quick to get your meal. This is the best tradition while in LBI. You gotta go!

once again, time after time, my order was once again for the last time screwed up, order dozen steamers and received dungess crab legs for a bill of $57 that yes, our fault for not checking the bill and order before leaving, but the chaos inside leads one to grab and run, the food is becoming bland and mediocre anymore too, no more

Outstanding food. Pleasant staff. Great vibes. I love it so much. A must-visit on LBI.

This place is excellent. Always quality fish and seafood to eat in or take out.im a big fan of

Seafood was great, between my dad, grandpa, and I we racked up a 180 tab and don't regret it one bit. Fast service as well

Food and service were excellent, Cod dish was amazing. Also had the fish sandwich (fried) and wasn't drenched in oil, nice and crispy and you could taste the freshness of the fish.

Great food and the staff was super friendly and patient (we were seated after 9 pm!). The food was delicious. I ordered the halibut special and it was delicious. The lobster tails and crab legs were both delicious. Toll house cookie for dessert was the perfect ending. Great experience and so happy I finally was able to get a table here!!!!

Delicious. Garlic/wine clams for an app. I wanted to drink the juice clams were small but vety good. Ordered twin lobster tails stuffed with crab imperial and my son ordered the jumbo lunp crab cakes. We split and everything was divine. The crab cakes were moist and stuffed with large chunks of crab. The crab imperial in the tails was delicious. The tails were cooked perfectly and tasted very fresh. The onion rings were very good as well as the corn, Cole slaw and potato. Fast friendlily service! Best meal out in a while!

Was visiting from San Diego trying to find some good seafood. I was staying in manahawkin. First, we went to steam pots on the island that was just a takeout. No sit-down restaurant which I was very disappointed in. But we saw this building on the way in so we figured we'd give it a try. And boy we were not disappointed. Everything they ordered was outstanding from the snow crab to the steamers to the crab cakes and the sampler platter. There was not one thing on the menu that was not good and I had blueberry cobbler for dessert which was amazing. The surprising thing about this restaurant was the BYOB policy. We've never seen one like that in California. I definitely know my next trip back to Jersey. This will be the place to eat. You cannot go wrong here

genuinely some of the best seafood i've ever had. we had an hour and a half wait, and was told that as soon as we got to the door. we were able to see the waitlist updates in real time and even though it started raining, we were able to wait under an awning and staff came by to make sure we had glasses for our BYOB drinks. when we got seated (5 minutes early!) food came very quickly and was AMAZING. very impressed with quality and price, i had a 2.5 lb lobster for $75. all in all great experience.

Best seafood on the island Amazing fresh seafood! Service super super friendly . Not only is the seafood fantastic best fried chicken and onion rings on the island!

Best crab cakes I have had ...ever!! Great sides, great service, long wait but it was well worth it ! Best seafood we had all week in LBI! Dennis

Awesome place to eat. Seafood is delicious, service is always great. Love hanging in the parking lot, waiting for our table, having a cocktail and talking to people.

What a disappointment! I've had great meals here in the past but the worst this fall. I know flounder as I've pulled out of Barnegat bay fishing ! This is frozen "something" overcooked as well . I gave this three stars because my husbands crab cake was it's usual five star with huge chunks of crab meat. I'll give it another chance next spring.

The best and most reasonable seafood restaurant on the island just have to be willing to wait put your name in hanging out BYOB so enjoy your beverage before you go and have your delicious meal

I had great service and epic past with clams! Can't wait to go surf now and come back tomorrow for the Fried Clams. This is our go to place in LBI!

Service was efficient and friendly. Food was no better than average, but portion size was small for the price of each order $25 and $30 respectively. I would not go back due to the price, small portions and very average taste and quality. The strips came with 4 average size onion rings and the pasta was about a cup of pasta. This all equates to a tourist trap. Much better food and prices in the area.

Best seafood down the shore. We went twice during our visit. The restaurant literally has 8 tables and no reservations but trust me it's worth the wait (we got bumped in line because we were only a party of 2). You can byob or grab a drink across the street at port hole. The peel and eat shrimp are the best I've ever had. I loved the crab legs and my husband's baked seafood combo was outstanding, finally a place that serves real deal crab cakes (no fillers!!). Friendly staff who go out of their way to make sure you are happy.

Had takeout from Ship Bottom Shellfish last night and it was the worst food I have ever had at the shore (and that's a low bar). I ordered clam strips and my husband got the fish and chips. The clam strips were tasteless, over cooked and dripping in oil. I love clam strips and I have eaten a lot of them. I didn't think a restaurant could screw them up so badly. It tasted like the clams had been sitting around and then refried! They were so greasy and tasteless that they were inedible and went straight to the garbage. My husband's fish and chips were nearly as bad as the clam strips but the problem wasn't grease it was the batter. Anyone who knows anything about making good fish and chips knows that the fish should have a good, light crispy batter, and you should be able to eat it with your hands. This fish barely had any batter at all. The coleslaw was the only half way decent item on our plates. We also got clam chowder and it was disgusting. Too much seasoning and too thin. I know this restaurant is part of a family of restaurants and I am now skeptical of eating at the others. We have enjoyed Mud City and Parker's Garage but our experience last night makes me wonder if all of their restaurants are experiencing a decline in quality control. The clam strips that I was given should never have left the restaurant.

This is a really small restaurant with limited seating so be sure to arrive early. At the time of my dining experience they were only open on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and I believe Sunday. Yelp did not have the correct hours of operation. So call before you come. Despite their small size the quality of the meal preparation left nothing to be desired. I had the Jumbo Lump Crab cakes. They were exactly what you would expect from a great chef! It was only crab meat! Nothing else! If you're looking for filler don't come to this restaurant. My only purpose this evening was to find the best crab cakes in the area. I believe I found them here at this fantastic cozy, rustic restaurant. Just a note. There are two varieties of crab cakes on the menu. Be sure to ask for the Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes. They are not the same as the fried crab cakes. They are about $38.00 for a pair and are worth every penny!! I must add a note about the service. I really love the young lady that waited on us. She was absolutely fantastic!! But they all were. The entire group of waitresses worked together like one machine. Even my elderly stepmother was impressed with how attentive they were to her. My wife said she wished we were staying in the area another day. She would come back again tomorrow and try another dish.

Best food I've ever had!!! Worth the ride and the wait!!! The staff is amazing too!!!

Everything was great. The food was delicious and the service was wonderful! Everyone in our group was very pleased with the experience and we will definitely be back!

Food is worth the wait. No reservations. Get there at 5p so you don't wait! King crab legs are the best along with the garlic clams!

Yummy fried oysters. Seafood was extremely fresh and full of flavor. The French fries were super crispy and thick--addicting! Decent service and atmosphere. Always a different special to try.

Our favorite local spot!!!! A traditional seafood restaurant with upbeat menu to please everyone in your party!!! The staff is always cheerful and service is consistently good! The wait is always worth it!!! Have a great summer 2024 CLAMZ crew