Summer Shack

Seafood restaurant · North Cambridge

Summer Shack

Seafood restaurant · North Cambridge

4

149 Alewife Brook Pkwy, Cambridge, MA 02140

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Summer Shack by MATADOR_NETWORK
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Highlights

Casual seafood eatery with lobster rolls, raw bar, and beachy decor  

Featured in Eater
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149 Alewife Brook Pkwy, Cambridge, MA 02140 Get directions

summershackrestaurant.com
@jwsummershack

$30–50 · Menu

Reserve

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149 Alewife Brook Pkwy, Cambridge, MA 02140 Get directions

+1 617 520 9500
summershackrestaurant.com
@jwsummershack
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@jwsummershack

$30–50 · Menu

Reserve

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Aug 20, 2025

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@eater

Boston Culinary Legend Jasper White Has Died - Eater Boston

"Then, he jumped back into restaurant operations in 2000 with the launch of the casual Summer Shack in Cambridge. The seafood shack was a way for the public to get a taste of White’s cooking without the white tablecloth trappings. It was nominated for a James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant in 2001." - Erika Adams

https://boston.eater.com/2024/5/13/24155738/chef-jasper-white-james-beard-award-death-obituary
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@matadornetwork

Where to Eat in Boston

"Near the Prudential shopping center in the Back Bay, you’ll find the most tender, perfectly cooked lobster in town here. The quality is thanks to chef-owner, Jasper White, who patented the cooking process. Savor that succulent crustacean “in the rough” (steamed with melted butter), as part of a clam bake (with steamed mussels, clams, corn, and potatoes), grilled, pan-roasted with bourbon, or butter-poached and dressed in mayo in a lobster roll. This lively, colorful, family-friendly restaurant has wooden tables, tiki cocktails, chalkboard specials, and Boston’s largest raw bar that holds 2,000-plus morsels of seafood. It also offers both dressy to casual options ranging from seafood towers and pan-roasted haddock with mushroom sherry butter to lobster-corn fritters and shack-style fish tacos. Yes, there’s also steak if you’re not up for seafood.Where: 50 Dalton St, Boston, MA 02115" - MATADOR_NETWORK

https://matadornetwork.com/destinations/north-america/united-states/boston-united-states/eat/
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@eater

Where to Find Halloween Parties and Events in Boston, 2022 | Eater Boston

"Back Bay’s Summer Shack, home of decadent seafood towers worth the splurge, is hosting two Beyoncé-themed drag dinners on Halloween, with seatings available at 5:30 p.m. and 8:15 p.m. on Monday, October 31, for $20. The restaurant is also doing four Hocus Pocus-themed drag brunches this month, but three are already sold out; at the time of writing, tickets are still available for 11 a.m. Saturday, October 29." - Adam H. Callaghan

https://boston.eater.com/maps/halloween-party-2022-boston-events-costume-drag-show
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@eater

Where to Order Cocktails to Go in Boston, Summer 2020 | Eater Boston

"Summer Shack will be adding cocktails to its seafood-filled menu shortly; more details to come. Currently offering takeout and indoor dining at both local outposts (Boston and Cambridge). Order: Official Website" - Rachel Leah Blumenthal

https://boston.eater.com/maps/takeout-cocktails-boston-summer-2020
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Y Z

Google
The steak and grilled octopus were delicious! The shrimps were good but I didn’t like the dish to be wrapped in plastic mesh bag.. what’s the point of adding unnecessary plastic to food? Service was good, fast serving. Will visit again but will not order the plastic wrapped shrimps again.

Jacqueline McPherson

Google
Great service, good food. Decent place to go. The atmosphere is a bit off with many empty tables so close together. Could have just been at the time we went. But it has the potential to be very lively during busier times. I will say that it's a bit pricey compared to other popular seafood spots.

Lady Laa

Google
I came here a couple years ago and fell in love with the seabass; it was so good I’ve been craving it ever since. I recently stopped in for lunch, hoping to have the same experience. It wasn’t busy, but the bartender wasn’t very friendly when I asked about the dish. Thankfully, the hostess was kind and helped explain the menu; she let me know it changes often and recommended the seabass again. Unfortunately, it didn’t live up to what I remembered. The fish wasn’t hot; the texture and flavor were off; and I couldn’t finish it. I ended up wasting $35. The indoor space also felt too dark for my taste; though I did like the option of outdoor seating. Overall, it just didn’t meet the standard I experienced before.

James O'Hara

Google
Have driven by this place multiple times and never stopped. So glad today was the day!!!! The food was phenomenal. Got the hot buttered lobster roll and the hubby got the lobster Mac and cheese! So good! And the cocktails were perfection. Definitely found our new spot for amazing seafood!

Andrii Medvediev

Google
This place is a hidden gem. Some people might skip it thinking it looks too ordinary exterior — but that would be a mistake. Food here is really delicious, and staff is kind and welcoming. I ordered warm buttered lobster roll — absolutely amazing! Caesar salad was pretty good too. So if you’re on the fence about this spot — don’t think twice, just go in!

Tony Bee

Google
Overall not a bad place, although I only tried apps and drinks I had a good time and the staff was attentive. I like the ambiance of the restaurant and especially loved the decor. Bought myself a Schuck Me shirt in relation to their clams/oysters. I say give it a try enjoy some seafood and look at the lobster tank.

diesse dasilva

Google
I had been a while since I last ate here, fond memories brought me back. Much has changed since last time. My favorite app, the ceviche on a shell was removed from the menu, the corn bread went from being free to costing $10. A new item caught my eye on the menu Moqueca or Muquéca as it's actually called in Brazil. The ingredients were similar but the execution was a far cry from the original, light on flavor and very salty. The white rice that accompanied the Moqueca was flavorless and not properly cooked. The Moqueca qas also missing it's most important side whuch is the Pirāo soup made with yuca flour. Other than my disappointing dish the menu was very limited and prices were a bit high.

S SS

Google
Love east coast lobster! This place was awesome and the food was excellent. Service was fast and the staff was very friendly. I will definitely come back in the near future
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Carrie V.

Yelp
Maki Monday at Summer Shack is such a great deal! $12 for 2 classic rolls. The sushi quality it great and the sushi chef is so nice and quick!

Arthur F.

Yelp
I recently had the Swordfish and It was such a small and thin cut that it had no grilled wood flavor. I have to say, I think this could be the Stingiest Restaurant In Greater Boston. The Lobster prices for a Chicken Lobster are Absurdly Overpriced. I think they pay their rent by stiffing their customers. I left hungry. For the prices, you should have leftovers. What could be a terrific restaurant just isn't till they start caring about customer experience and up the portion sizes.
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Bola W.

Yelp
Food is awesome but service is totaly bad ! Went to the restaurant 4 times and 1 was good and 3 was very bad! Last time my wife said we are not going to be back!
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Sophie B.

Yelp
Service was great. Performers at the drag show were phenomenal. Got the crab cakes and hash. Hash was very wet, kinda like a slop with no specific flavor. Crab cake was crispy but mostly breading. Asparagus were cooked perfectly and there was a good amount of them. Sangria was super weak and flavorless Drag was fun but honestly kind of a weird space for it. But the performers make the most of it and are talented and fun.
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Dana S.

Yelp
I will start by saying that we went here for the drag brunch on a Sunday. The drag brunch? OK. The performers were pretty good. So much better than others. The food? Very very limited menu. And it gets very very busy and the room gets very very hot. The service seemed very overwhelmed by the amount of people there. People at the other end of our large table get served well before myself and my friend. And they had ordered at least 10 minutes after us. I got the salad that had the lobster on it. It was good. A decent amount of lobster. But the salad portion was normal. Not extraordinary but a very normal salad. And the lettuce wasn't super super crunchy. So I suspect it was made before hand and then they just bring it out. Will I be back to the summer shack? Sure. Back to the drag brunch? Maybe.
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Frances P.

Yelp
Another road trip to Boston, of course we have stop and eat local...Seafood was the food of choice.. we decided in summer shack. There was no parking near the Boston spot so we drove down to Cambridge. Lots of free parking so that alone was a plus. Brendaly was our waitress, she was very knowledgeable of the menus and advised us well. We got the lobster Mac and cheese which had one lb of lobster. Dave got the pan seared 1.5 lobster with side of sautéed broccoli. Mac and cheese was creamy with big chunks of lobster. The pan seared lobster was in a ginger Thai ish sauce.. not our first choice ( hubbie messes up) but it was worth it!! Very tasty. Thanks to yelp we got a free dessert! We got the key lime pie.. omg the crust was delish, whip cream was def homemade and not coo whip Def a place I'll come back too!! This place deserves more than 3 starts..
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Paulina P.

Yelp
This place is pretty big and has lots of tables. The bar area is cute but I went to sit with my friends at a table. Came here for the Tuesday BOGO oysters. Making them like $1.75 each but worth it. The service was great! We didn't have to wait too long for our server to take our order, and she checked on us often. We got: Lobster Bisque - Not bad flavor but wish it came with crackers or something. 6.5/10 Grilled Littleneck Clams - DELICIOUS. The sauce was so gooood. 12/10 would get again. Could be considered salty for some. Fish Tacos - MY friend got them and said they were ok. More like fish nuggets. Could've used more sauce bc it was a bit dry. 4.5/10 3 Dozen Oysters - Fresh and delicious! There were many choices and they were so good. Creme Brulee - Typical and yummy. Came with a hard biscuit(?) but it tasted good with the creme brulee. Overall had a great time here! The food was good, albeit a bit on the pricier side.
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Marni M.

Yelp
Came here for an event they were hosting. There is an entire private parking lot so driving in is no issue. It took a bit of time for the server to take our order since it was a special event. Prices were higher than expected so we opted for simple dishes like Yucca frites and Sweet Potato Fries. Food came out decently quick and tasted not bad. Staff were nice when they came around to see if we needed anything else. Overall, we had a good time at the event but the poor air conditioning made it harder to truly enjoy it. Might come again to try more items from their menu as the food choices others picked looking alright.
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Alyssa T.

Yelp
With this place it's definitely all about quality over quantity. My husband and I decided to split 4 apps for our dinner and while the food was undoubtedly delicious, as you can see from the portions - they were really quite small. I'll start with the cornbread - salty, sweet, incredible crunch, and the butter was unlike any other butter I've tried before. This app is unique and makes a great start to a meal. Buffalo shrimp - OUT OF THIS WORLD. Like, would go back for the shrimp specifically. The shrimp was perfectly cooked and fresh and the Buffalo sauce was perfect. The blue cheese on the side made a perfect compliment. Calamari - yeah, my mouth is watering just thinking about it. My husband and I agreed it was probably the most tender calamari we've ever had. Excellent flavor. Breading with garlic was delicious. The marinara sauce was great too. We also got the fish sticks, and while they were good and nicely presented, it was nothing to write home about. All in all - the food was delicious. The ambiance is really cool too - a mix of nostalgia and sort of cape cod or Gloucester vibes. There are huge pots in the middle with a giant tank. Come in knowing that you will probably end up spending a lot if you want to leave with a full belly, but know that it will be worth it.
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Benjamin R.

Yelp
I really enjoyed the food but for the price, I was expecting a lot higher quality. The fisherman platter and chowder together was $55 which is pretty expensive for standard quality seafood. I think if the fries were fresh, the fried seafood had more flavor, and the coleslaw had a different sauce, then the platter would be more delicious (or have the prices go down)
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Kim R.

Yelp
I went here for dinner. My goal was to find a good place for clam chowdah and lobstah rolls. I was seated right away and my server brought water. I ordered the appetizers first. The soup and the grilled cornbread. The chowder needed salt and pepper added. Once I did that, it was delicious. The butter for the cornbread was the best part! I then ordered the lobster roll warmed up with homemade chips. The roll was super buttery which I loved! When I was ready to leave, I realized there was a check in offer for a free dessert. I redeemed it for a pecan pie to go. I wanted the key lime pie but they were out. The restaurant was huge with a nice outdoor section.
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Paul H.

Yelp
Nice environment and service, but the food was pretty bad. I have no idea what kind of breading they put on the fried clams but it made the bad clams even worse. My friend's baked stuffed Lobster was also pretty bad. So surprising given the connection to Jasper White.
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Miranda G.

Yelp
Been here a few times both for dine-in and take out. Most recently, I got the fish tacos. It was a different take on fish tacos than I've had in other places. The fish were bite sized rather than one large piece in the tacos. The veggies in the taco were pretty wet, so the tortilla got soggy very fast and lots of water dripped out while eating. I also got the side of homemade potato chips which are delicious! The service was great, but the food is on the expensive side based on the portions and quality.
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Jasmine M.

Yelp
This was our first stop as soon as we landed in Boston and we were not disappointed. The food was amazing especially the oysters, calamari, and bang bang chicken for appetizers. The Red snapper and lobster in cream sauce was finger licking good and served great portions. The margaritas we strong and good as well. The service was great and very friendly I will definitely be back. Not to mention it was very clean nice vibe.
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Ann C.

Yelp
I hate to be a hater but Summer Shack was disappointing to say the least. Perhaps we didn't order the right things, as this spot seems more like a fried food joint (sort of a in-the-city seafood shack) than anything. Pros: plentiful parking, nice waiters, big space that is entertaining if you have kids (there's a live lobster pool) Cons: way overpriced for what you get, slow service (took 40 min from our appetizer to our main dish being served), bland and oversalted food, questionably fresh seafood The menu overreaches (not in a good way) so has offerings including a raw bar, sushi/sashimi, New England classics (chowder, lobster rolls, fried stuff), and more traditional seafood dishes. We tried the tuna/avocado salad appetizer (the tuna was nearly almost still frozen, and it somehow cost $15 for 4 pieces of tuna with avocado and salad), the crab cake appetizer ($18 for ONE crab cake and a small bit of coleslaw, which was bland and barely seasoned), and the New England bouillabaisse for $38 (overcooked, rubbery seafood swimming in a plate of very salty flavored broth, several pieces of shrimp were of questionable freshness). Unfortunately won't ever return.
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Jennine T.

Yelp
We have eaten here many times, and it's always a very delicious, relaxing, satisfying meal. I like that there is a big lot of free off-street parking - hard to find in Cambridge - and the restaurant is very big, so we never have to wait for a table, even with a large group. We've always had excellent, attentive service. The bill adds up quickly, but you feel like you had a very hearty, tasty meal. I've had the grilled shrimp, the haddock, the lobster pot stickers, the calamari, the mussels, the fish and chips, and a bunch of other dishes over the visits here. I have always enjoyed my food. Our kids enjoy coming here too, which is a win. We also ordered Thanksgiving dinner from SS last Thanksgiving (after having tried 2 other spots in previous years) and it was the absolute best.
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Ria D.

Yelp
Since we were in Boston and this was easily accessible from the Red Line T, we decided to go here and meet up with some of the hub's cousin and her family. It looks like parking is plentiful and the place has ample seating inside. We were late so we just found them and joined them. You can make reservations here because that's what they did. In any case, the menu is huge and there's plenty of options for everyone to try. I didn't look at the prices so I can't tell you if it's pricey or not. But seeing how it's seafood, I'm sure it's a pretty penny. We placed our order and they got us our drinks. That was fast and efficient service. However, it did take a good 20 minutes for our food to be ready. It could have been longer but the conversation was flowing so it could have been longer but we were somewhat distracted. The ambiance was family friendly fun and everyone was nice. They did check in our food when we asked them too and apologized that it was taking awhile to come out. In any case, onto the food... I ordered the fish and chips and the hubs got the clams with linguine. We also shared a Caesar salad. The Caesar salad was good, enough dressing to cover everything and croutons were the usual. The fish and chips were good. The fish was cooked perfectly and steaming hot when I broke it open. The outside was crispy and the batter was flavored with salt and pepper. At least that's what I tasted. The fries were plentiful and not soggy. I didn't care for the side of coleslaw. The hubs pasta dish was good. There was a good amount of clams but I kinda wish there was a smidge more. The bread they gave was a nice touch to soak up some of the sauce. It wasn't at all too garlicky or too salty, the flavors were just right. The pasta was cooked well and not mushy at all. We did get a taste of their Brussels sprouts and those were good as well. A little sweet but still delicious. Overall, it's pretty decent food. No complaints. Would I go here again? Sure, if I was in the area.
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Ben W.

Yelp
The food is adequate but is priced as if this were a much nicer restaurant. They had some good looking specials on their website but the waitress said they haven't been doing those specials for a couple years (?). I desperately want to love this place because it's nearby, but it's just not very good.
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Bakari M.

Yelp
Second place I hit up in Boston for some lobster. Once again, everything was delicious and hit the spot. I ordered a lobster roll and fries here; the meal was tasteful overall. The inside of summer shack was also pretty cool. Super spacious and it seems like a great place to watch sports or just catch up with friends.
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Jessica L.

Yelp
It was just ok here. The lemon drop was really good, so much I had two. The clam chowder was good also and had a decent amount of clam. The steak kabobs had little flavor and was average. The lobster roll was okay and also didn't have much flavor. The fried rice I would never get again. Our server was friendly, we sat outside and it was a nice day.
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Christine T.

Yelp
The progression of lunch here was very sad and disappointing. My group and I came super excited to try out the Dine Out Boston menu but ended up spending 2.5 hours here because of the poor service and left very unsatisfied with the food. We were seated around 1:30pm on a Sunday afternoon. There were a handful of tables seated but definitely nothing crazy. We did not get our appetizers until 2:30pm. Mind you, the majority of us had only ordered a clam chowder. The worker apologized for the delay and since the apps were actually pretty good, we were slightly hangry but overall ok. Entrees did not come for an additional 30 min. I would say this is about average time for entrees to be served but at this point, we had been sitting around for 1.5 hours. The food was overly salty and arrived cold. Did not taste good at all. I had thought that maybe they were waiting for all entrees to be prepared so they could serve it together but that doesn't explain why every single item was cold. If there was a plus in the entrees, the fish tacos were a bigger portion than normal. Dessert came 15 minutes later. Not much to say about the desserts as well. Lacked flavor, presentation, taste. Everything was just very underwhelming and we had just watched 2 other parties in our section get seated after us and leave before us. To top it off, they accidentally charged us an additional dessert on our check and we had to stay even longer for the charge to get fixed. We could tell from the start the waitress was likely to be new because she had a hard time getting our order down but we still tried to be patient and understanding. Unfortunately the food and service was just not a good experience for us.

Chris H.

Yelp
The food was pretty good, but it was ridiculously overpriced. I will be searching for another place in the Cambridge area.
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Alex K.

Yelp
The Shack rox very much big time. I dig it for many reasons: First, it is five minutes from my crib. Second, it has a fun atmosphere without being loud and the seating is spaced out and large and they have live tanks which is a MUST for lobster. It also has a clientele of a wicked lot of intellectuals because of its demographic location and the food and toddies are excellent. Lemmie give you some deets: Be ready to blow some bucks here and save it for a big night out as opposed to just grabbing a bite. You really need to order the Pan-Seared 2-pound Lobster. It's mental AF. The lobsters are live and very meaty for their size and the preparation of this bad-boi entree is bad ass. It is sautéed with chervil and butter and brandy and is presented in a highly festivus way on SS logo plates and all is colorful as hell. The toddies are fun and festive, and they feature fun drinks with holiday themes. I got the Spooky Punch during Halloween, and it came in a glass bowl with an eyeball and spiders and featured a charcoal ash add-in that made it extra special. They also have a Shark Mojito with mint leaves in a fun shark mug which my One and I purchased for our collection. I have always found the service to be excellent. I may reemphasize to go mental when you're here and get oysters and cocktails and quality wine and dessert. You MUST order the Pan-Seared Lobster. Trust me on this -don't bother with mundane Fish Sandwiches and the like. They also have decent sushi and apps too, and I do recommended dabbling in these as well. YOLO, Yelpers, YOLO... See you!
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Nina N.

Yelp
Unfortunately I can no longer recommend the sushi all the time unless one particular sushi chef is working. If he is, it is a-ok. But otherwise, the sushi prepared by the others is too hit or miss to risk.
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jp t.

Yelp
On the recommendation of a few coworkers, I visited Summer Shack on my recent trip to Boston. I'll bypass all the details, but let me say that the butter poached lobster roll was...divine. Now for the details. When I approached the building, the massive fisherman reminded me of a cross between a certain fish stick commercial in the 80s and what I envisioned the great tiki lounges of the 50s must have looked like. I knew I had found a gem. Like I said, I ordered the lobster roll. Summer Shack offers two varieties. Who knew there were two different ways you could get a lobster roll?! I opted for the butter poached version over the mayo based version -- having been told the butter poached is more authentic. When the food arrived, I dove into the chips figuring I was saving the roll for last. Let me tell you, these chips were worth the cost of the meal by themselves! The perfect thickness, saltiness, and crispiness. Skip any other side, go for the chips! I reached for the lobster roll that was packed with lobster meat...and not just the leftover bits. I'm talking chunks of lobster meat! As I bit into the buttery goodness, I had reached a certain state of nirvana. My coworkers were right, this place has an incredible lobster roll. So would I recommend it?! Ummmmm, YEP! Can't wait to go back the next time I'm in town.
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Steve G.

Yelp
Big parking lot. Cool, nautical theme although a little dated. Nice service. Ordered a lobster roll (of course), the shrimp scampi and the fried chicken. Crab cake appetizer was good. Lobster roll was ok size but tasty. Fried chicken was crispy but bland. Big portion of chicken and fries. Mehhh.
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Edward W.

Yelp
Service 4.5/5. Great and nice, hard to get a staff member for the amount of ppl there Did dine out Boston, pretty worth! Clam chowder 5 Lobster 3 Fisherman stew 4 Surf and turf 3
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Greg F.

Yelp
After our fencing tournament, the host club took us all for dinner and beers at Summer Shack. Top-notch seafood: I loved my local oysters and calamari. Nice outdoor seating, too.
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Malik R.

Yelp
The restaurant is advertised a lot better online than it actually is. They claimed to have live music on weekend mornings which the my did but the artist was quiet and put in the corner near the entrance so veritable spots in the restaurant couldn't see them at all, and the musics quickly became background noise . They also claimed to have $12 extra for kids but it turned out to be $15 . The menu itself apparently changes every week so what's available on the website might not actually be what they're serving. The food portions are very small .. I highly advise against the shrimp and scallops ... it's was $30 for a few pieces of seafood and a sorry excuse for a salad. The only good thing was the kids choices come with a dessert so this is a decent place for kids to be satisfied.

Bertie G.

Yelp
Web Loved the lobster roll with butter and cornbread. They have quick service and a great location
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Dee C.

Yelp
Our server was so nice i believe his name was Wilbur. He was so kind and corrected a mistake he made with no issue. My salmon was kind of charred which I dodnt like but it was ok over all. My son had the tuna poke bowl and he wasnt to fond of it. The prices are high for the quality of food.

Nicole S.

Yelp
Service was extremely slow for it not being busy at all. Food was good, lobster roll was great.

S I.

Yelp
We had lunch on a Tuesday during Dine Out Boston 2023 week, and we got various dishes. We were disappointed and do not plan to return. In short, most of the food was disappointing and the service was also disappointing. This might be a good place to come to have drinks so you won't notice the disappointing food. My Caesar Salad starter was good. The kettle chips are good. Our dessert was good. End of "good" list. The rest of the food was disappointing. Fried Chicken sandwich: The buns were the cheap starchy buns right out of a bag; I tossed the buns and had the chicken with fork and knife, it was an ok tasting nice portion of deep fried chicken. The sandwich would have been much better if they had toasted or grilled the buns. Looking at the menu I see that the chicken sandwich should have come with coleslaw, but they didn't bring any coleslaw. My fault for not pointing out the omission. Now I'm even more disappointed. Grilled Tuna Burger: It was way too spicy, one of us could only swallow a couple of bites and then gave the rest to her husband. The buns were again starchy and not toasted. Beer Battered Fish & Chips, substituting broccoli for the chips. This was a single piece of battered fish, it was a small piece of fish surrounded by a large thick mostly cooked batter. He ate the fish and left the icky batter. Worth avoiding. The broccoli was ok, however it was boiled and not seasoned; had they topped it with something like Lawry's Seasoned Salt would have been an improvement. Brownie sundae dessert was good, it's worth getting again. Brownie was nicely warmed and the vanilla ice cream was yummy. Too much whipped cream. Service was patchy. When it came time to pay the bill, they gave us the bill and found that it was wrong. They brought a corrected version, left it, and disappeared. After 10 minutes waiting with the credit card sitting on the corrected bill, with no one coming, with wait staff walking by looking at me waving my hand and staring at them all the while doing nothing, we stood up to look like we were going to leave, and only then did someone show and we signed for the check. We felt that even with the special pricing of the Dine Out Boston 2023, the food we received was overpriced, and we do not plan to return.
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Tashombe H.

Yelp
Restaurant week 2022. I could tell they were short staffed but the waiter was still good. No complaints on food or cocktails. The alewife sour is definitely one I'd get again. I didn't enjoy the fritters but only because there was corn inside. The sampler, platter, and dessert were great.
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Alma C.

Yelp
Excellent lobster roll. Really buttery but not sick feeling. It worked. and the bun was fantastic. chips eh. lil overcooked Wouldnt let us sit down because we didnt have a 'reservation' yet 3 tables were open. At prime dinner hour I wouldnt hold a table more than 10 min. But its their loss/call- we probably wouldve spent more. 30 min later and the tables were still empty.
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Vondell L.

Yelp
Second time visiting, and we were so happy to get the same server, Leslie. Our food and drinks were perfect, delivered in a timely manner especially considering they were kind of busy. I had whole clams with the bellies, and she had Salomon. Family friendly vibe. We will come back on our next trip to MA. Plenty of free parking which is rare for the area.

Daniel L.

Yelp
I am not one to give bad reviews usually, but if I pay $28 for fried clams and I get a minuscule amount like this, I am going to leave a bad review. This restaurant is not worth the price and I would avoid it. I am quite upset, but unfortunately there isn't much recourse for me. So please avoid ordering from this place.

Tony R.

Yelp
We come on Sundays for the ballon guy! Let me be clear about how much the ballon guy makes us show up! Or kid loves it! Great dinner in a very comfortable and casual space.
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Luke F.

Yelp
Summer Shack continues to knock it out of the park with some of the best, most inventive seafood around, all at reasonable prices! I've been coming here since it opened, and it's still a favorite!
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Eleanor R.

Yelp
Good but very over priced We got both the butter and mayo lobster rolls which were delicious. The New England clam chowder was good but pricey. Probably will not return because of menu prices. Waitress was good. Restaurant was bigger than we expected and very family friendly. Crowded so make a reservation. It was a busy wkd with head of the Charles
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Gordon V.

Yelp
The oysters are the best I have ever had! We sat at the bar, however there are a lot of tables and the place is pretty large, deceiving from the outside. The bartender was not the friendliest, but the food was awesome. The guy who shucked the oysters did his job, but no engagement. The only thing I would of liked to have seen is a more outgoing friendly staff that makes you feel welcomed. Other than that it's a great place. The seafood is fresh and oysters are shucked right in front of you at the bar. Fresh lobster and a good menu of choices to please all palates. Atmosphere is picnic style, welcoming and gives it that family reunion feel. TVs for sports fans. Would definitely revisit. Located right off Cambridgepark Drive a corporation neighborhood, good size parking lot.
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Diana S.

Yelp
I throughly enjoy my visit here. Nice casual atmosphere. Restaurant week menu had some good selections. Lots of open seatings for a Sunday afternoon. Not sure how busy this place gets. But you can always reserve a spot on open tables. Fresh seafood selections for market price. Fish of the day salmon was delicious. Lobster pot stickers was a favorable pick.

MaryEllen L.

Yelp
Although we love the food here (perfectly cooked swordfish a notable recent example), and we come back often, the place could use a facelift. Exhibit A is the women's rest room: most of the stall doors don't lock and it has a generally gloomy, even down-at-heel, appearance. This gives an impression of neglect (that reflects on the whole establishment) as well as being non-functional when you can't even depend on privacy.
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Anna F.

Yelp
Updating the review, after having dinner outside with friends last night. Great service, and delicious meal. Finally tried Jasper White's Famous Pan Roasted Lobster. Amazingly buttery, and delicately flavored. We ordered cornbread to sop up the remaining sauce. Must order! Toasted, lightly sweet, and delicious. Came with molasses butter. One friend ordered a Narragansett stein- it's octoberfest, so they have the option of this enormous beer size. I recommend the outdoor dining. When it gets dark, they come out with mason jar lights.

Margaret S.

Yelp
Quite possibly the worst meal I've had in years. I ordered delivery, but the flaws can't be chalked up to a 20-minute car ride. The only thing that was OK was the potato chips. Lobster roll (hot) - I LOVE lobster rolls and will go out of my way to try new ones. This was easily the worst (and one of the most expensive). The lobster was insanely tough and rubbery. The bun was saturated with butter to a degree that just got gross. Chips were fine. Cheeseburger with broccoli and brownie - Cheeseburger managed to be very bland and overly salty at the same time. It was greasy on the outside and dry on the inside. The broccoli was cooked to hell (could maybe be tossed into a quiche to salvage it). The brownie might have been ok but arrived with a little piece of mystery debris (crusty paper towel? hardened dust bunny??) sitting right on top. Griddled corn bread with maple butter - again, greasy but also lacking flavor. The maple butter looked like half melter butter with some syrup poured on top, and in keeping with the theme, didn't have much flavor. So basically, the food ranged from acceptable (the chips) to actively, kind of offensively gross (the lobster roll, and arguably the contaminated brownie).
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Simon P.

Yelp
A higher-end seafood restaurant in Boston with great service and food. I wasn't too hungry so I only got 3 oysters and a 1lb steamed lobster. The 3 types of oysters they have on that day are very fresh and also diverse in flavour profile from briny to buttery, a great experience to start the meal with a glass of Pinot Grigio. The lobster is delicious and the corn that come with it is decently sweet. The price is on the higher end (1lb is distinctly cheaper than the heavier versions though), but it is worth a visit.
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Kevin P.

Yelp
Best chowder I've had in Boston so far. Creamy, perectly spiced, and everything cooked well. The crab cakes were excellent, not overdone, lightly crispy and tender while served over a bed if pickles cabbage, pine nuts, and roughage. The sushi and sashimi menu looked robust, but will definitely be in the offering if we're back in the area.

Judy D.

Yelp
Food was awful. Loaded with butter to subdue the overcooked fish. Ambiance is dreary and dirty looking. 85+$ later. Waitresses not friendly.
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Mandy P.

Yelp
I'm from Maryland and my friend recommended here this place. Karen was our waitress and she treated us so well! All the food and it's quality are 10/10. I'm coming back next year, and I'm taking my dad here!