Simply One of the Best Seafood Places Around
Probably everywhere in the country when families go out for big meals, they go to Italian restaurants. They order spaghetti, breadsticks, meatballs, and all of that crap. Well, growing up in an Irish Catholic family in the Boston area, I never saw the insides of many Italian restaurants. Never really cared to. I could never understand what the big deal was with pasta. How can people call pasta a meal? It's not even meat for cryin' out loud!

When I was a kid, my parents would take me and my brothers to seafood restaurants. The first thing I'd always look for was fried clams. Let me tell you, the best fried clams (or any fried seafood for that matter) for your dollar would be Woodman's.

Not only did Woodman's invent the fried clam, they have also perfected it, among other things. If you're looking for a good place to bring the family, why not plop down 40 bucks and buy some phenomenal seafood at Woodman's.    [28 Apr 2001 18:19:45]

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Recommended Dishes: fried clams, steamed clams, native shrimp

     ­Dan , Arlington, MA   

Not Great
Dan, the last reviewer must be a part owner. He gave the restaurant 5 stars for service when there isn't any. You stand in line to place your order and pick it up when your number is called. The ambiance is picnic table inside. And we do not like the fried clams. There are much better places. I do agree the place is popular and the portions large - or is it that they appear that way because you don't want to finish them.    [11 Mar 2002 23:11:48]

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     ­Joe   

The Best Seafood
Reviewer Joe is way off base. Woodman's has the best fried seafood because they use lard (or did when I was last there) and the taste is so much better than the healthy substitute. Just do not eat there every day, but when you do, enjoy the real thing with the authentic taste. We eat every last bit on our plates and cannot imagine not finishing.

Although you fetch the food yourself, the staff will get you whatever you need if you ask so I rank the service as prompt and friendly. The atmosphere is not pretentious, but the food is what matters and that is fresh and is the best.
I have been eating there since I lived in Marblehead, MA, in the 1940's and '50s and now go out of my way to get there whenever I am in Massachusetts (which is at least once a year).    [06 May 2003 09:44:26]

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Recommended Dishes: fried clams, fried scallops, lobster, fried native shrimp

     ­Betty   

The Art of the Clam
Well, Joe, the whole point is that it's self-serve, but the cheerful counter employees and relatively inexpensive and extremely plentiful portions make up for it. You can have your tony clam bar, I'll take Woodman's.

The scallops are ironically the highlight for me. As perfect as the clams are, the scallops are the freshest you can find and that crumb coating does something magical to them.

Killer slaw, good lobster, and of course the clamcakes keep me coming back even amongst throngs of tourists. For once, the tourist books got it right!

Don't forget to bring cash.    [22 Aug 2003 17:31:23]

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Recommended Dishes: fried scallops, fried clams, clamcakes, slaw

     ­saoirse, South Amherst, MA   

Fried Clams, The Best
I grew up in Boston and I know seafood. These are the best fried clams I have ever had in my 42 years. They are big, sweet and tender and the portions are large. The best ever. Well worth the hour drive up from Newton. Joe, you must not be well versed in seafood and that's OK. My husband, who is not from the area, didn't know good seafood either until I taught him.    [04 Jun 2004 10:20:56]

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Recommended Dishes: fried clams

     ­Anonymous