We risk our guts, so you don't have to!
Welcome to Rate-A-Shack! The Cranky Yankee and The joey Zone travel across New England looking high and low on our never-ending quest for anomalies. But it's hard work and makes us powerfully hungry! However, while we love good cheap food, we don't love fast food chains...we would rather sample the fine, home-grown cuisine at New England's very own clam shacks and burger stands. This page is dedicated to those tireless entrepreneurs (usually family-run businesses) who thumb their noses at the big corporate chains to open their own little roadside, grease huts. The New England Anomaly salutes them!
The Rating System: Shacks are rated by how many moist towelettes you need to clean up.
= Scrumptious!! The freshest ingredients, the best grilled,
the least greasy...just the best!
= Yummy! Tasty and lip smacking good...worth a stop!
= Okay...will do in flash. Still better than McDonald's.
= Grease
pit! Pass the Pepto-Bismol, please.
Seaview Snack Bar - Mystic,
CT - 6/8/03
Located down the road from Mystic Seaport, we were attracted to this joint by the cartoon octopus on the sign. We recently heard that they put up a new sign without “Squiddly-diddly.” Awww….too bad. Anyway, I ordered the fried flounder sandwich, fried clam strips and a root beer. Joey ordered ¼ lb bacon cheese burger with french fries and a chocolate shake. We found the prices a little high and were disappointed in the food. Joey complained the burger was rather tasteless and the fries greasy (and not in the “good” way). His chocolate shake wasn’t up to par either…he claimed it was bland. However, I thought the flounder was very good and fresh tasting, although the fried clams were over battered. The day we visited, the place was busy, and the parking lot hard to maneuver with all the tourists’ SUVs hogging the spaces in the little lot. There are picnic tables scattered around the property with all having a good view of the nearby waterfront.
George’s Surf & Turf - Mendon, MA -
7/12/03
Just outside the Redwood Drive-in on Rt. 16, George’s is an
old fashioned roadside shack complete with yellow bug lights, picnic tables, and
carhops on roller skates…how cool is that? Though the line was long, the wait
was not. We got through pretty quick. I got fish & chips and a small side
order of clam cakes, while Joey got a double-decker cheese burger with french
fries and an orange sherbet cooler. The fish was done to perfection, crisp,
fresh, and not greasy. We got good, standard, golden-brown-type fries...the
kind that satisfies a need. The clam cakes were unusual…it was not the regular
big balls of dough; instead they were a heap of bite-sized dough bits. I
thought they were a little soggy, but Joey loved them. Joey considered his
burger a little on the small size than what he was used to, but very tasty,
cooked well and not greasy at all. He was a little disappointed in the cooler
as it was unremarkable. The overall food price list was decent and the portions
are healthy sized. One of the great things about this place is that it has
bathrooms! And there are plenty of picnic tables all around. It’s got great
atmosphere…the perfect place to spend time on a warm summer evening!
Harry’s - Colchester, CT - 8/8/03
Harry’s, located on Rt. 85 near downtown Colchester, is
always busy when I drive by, no matter what time of the day it is. The lines
are usually long, but you get through them pretty quick. The day we were there,
it was getting late and close to closing. I ordered a fish dinner which comes
with fish, french fries, coleslaw, and a roll. I told them to hold the
coleslaw, which they did (I don’t like coleslaw). Harry’s is well-known for
their burgers, so Joey decided to order one with cheese. But when he saw the
size of them (they cook them right out where you can see them), he decided to
order two cheese burgers…they were small! He
also asked to have hot peppers and
bacon on them, and got onion rings and a chocolate shake. Joey was a bit
dubious over the claims of their greatness…until he ate one. He exclaimed they
were the best burgers he’s ever had! They live up to their reputation. The
onion rings were very good and very big…Joe says they’re big enough to pass one
of their burgers through. He also thought the shake was chocolaty, but thin. I
loved my fish…very good and fresh tasting. And the fries were cooked the way I
personally like them…brown and slightly crisp. Yum! The place is friendly and
has lots of picnic tables in the large backyard with cute little signs asking
people not to climb the trees. There is also more parking in the back as well
and the condiment table is on the side. Harry’s has been around since 1920 and
the building is on the historic registers list.
Murphy’s Drive In - Willimantic, CT
- 8/22/03
Murphy’s Drive In on Rt. 66, is named after owner Jim
Murphy, and is located right near the Columbia town line. It just opened in
2003, and was only a few days newly opened when we visited. We ordered fried
whole belly clams for me and a bacon double cheeseburger for Joey. We also got
large orders of french fries and onion rings to split, washed down with local
brand Hosmer Mountain root beer and sarsaparilla. The clams were nice and
fresh…I enjoyed them very much. Both the fries and the onion rings were served
with an emphasis on LARGE…like heaping! Joey’s burger was charcoal grilled, but
he said it was only “okay.” Later, he complained that it didn’t sit well in his
stomach.
The layout of the property is spacious with lots of room for parking,
including a separate space for motorcycles. There are also picnic tables in
both the front and the back of the lot, which is brightly lit with yellow bug
lights. Murphy's also serves hard ice cream as well. We want to take a
return trip soon to see how they are doing a year later after opening.
7/04 - update.
We did go back to Murphy's several times this year and their food has improved slightly (not that it was bad to begin with). I still enjoy the french fries and whole bellies...they are quite good, but their portions are too small for the price. Joey's opinion about the burgers hasn't change, although they don't "sit in his stomach" as he originally stated. He probably wasn't feeling well the first day he went. Joey does like their fish & chips very much, and recommends the ice cream.
Pete’s Drive-In - Pomfret, CT -
9/5/03
A perennial favorite of mine! We always make the trek up
Rt. 12 to Pete’s simply because of their clam cakes. It’s one of the few
close-by roadside stands that have decent clam cakes. Oh, I have had good clam
cakes elsewhere, but they’re usually at places on the shore about two hours
away. Pete’s makes the best in-land clam cakes in northeastern
Connecticut…crispy on the outside and fluffy-doughy on the inside, with lots of
clams. Yummy! On this day, we both ordered fish and chips and a dozen clam
cakes. Joey also got a chocolate shake while I had my usual root beer. Joe has
had the hamburger many times before, but wanted something different this
go-around…he’s been unhappy with their burgers lately and feels that Pete’s
strongest point is their fried seafood. The fish is always good,
with a nice
golden-brown batter. And they have “fair” fries…french fries made like the kind
you get at the autumn fairs and carnivals; with the skins on them and greasy
good…fries that taste best with malt vinegar on them. There is also hard and
soft ice cream served here. While there is plenty of picnic table space,
parking can be a little tricky when the available spaces are taken up and people
have to park further down the road, so be careful. Some people complain that
Pete’s food tends to be a bit greasy…and sometimes it is. But what’s a little
grease when it tastes this good? They must be doing something right if I keep
returning time and again.
The Dog House - Chaplin, CT -
9/12/03
Another favorite of ours is the home of Princess the pug
dog. Princess sits on the end of her leash greeting people with a big smile
(yes, dogs smile) as they walk up to the big, red trailer. She’s so cute! Give
her a pet when you visit. I always stop to coo over Princess when I order my
favorite plate, the seafood platter. It comes with fish, shrimp, scallops, clam
strips, all fried crisp, and a heap of “fair” fries (those tasty skins-on fries
that are good with malt vinegar). Joey is a fan of both their hamburgers and
their wieners…try the kielbasa and sauerkraut says he! They also serve the
local brand soda, Hosmer Mountain. Hard ice cream is also on the menu.
The food is a little pricier than most area stands, but it’s worth it…I haven’t
a bad thing to say about any of the food. One of the great things that makes
the Dog House a fun spot is the little extras they have: in the back is a
miniature golf set-up, and there is a big
picnic table area with a separate
playground for the kids. They keep an array of hotrod magazines on sale and
also have a nice choice of condiments including a couple of racks filled with
various kinds of hot sauces! These are my kind of people! Starting in summer
of 2004, they will be having Wednesday cruise nights for hot rod fans, although
I don’t know where they’ll put all the cars. They have plenty of regular
customer parking, but I’m not sure where any extra cars can park. Well, I guess
we’ll find out when we make the scene on cruise night…see you there!
8/04 - update
The cruise nights have been a great success! We went twice, and on both nights local rockabilly band, The Gamma Rays, played live to an enthusiastic audience. The vintage cars that showed up were absolutely beautiful and there was plenty of room for all to park. We hope The Dog House brings back cruise nights again for summer 2005!
Flo’s Clam Shack - Middletown, RI -
5/31/04
This place has a wide-spread reputation so we just had to stop and check it out. We are pleased to announce that everything said about it is true…Flo’s DOES have the best fried clams in the area. We are talking melt-in-your-mouth, whole belly clams…very sweet and fresh and not too much batter. Oh, man, I could eat a huge plate of these! And their clam cakes are to die for! They are the fluffiest clam cakes I’ve ever had, with a fine crispy brown shell and not a hint of grease in the dough. How do they do it? Joey was very pleased with the cheeseburger, saying how fine it was. He also ordered a chocolate shake, but pronounced it “okay.” I found that their food was quite a bit expensive compared to all the other places I’ve ever been. But I suppose that if you’re going build your reputation on fresh clams, you’d better pay to get the best. There is both indoor and outdoor seating at Flo’s along with a patio for the raw bar. The line forming around the back was long, but moved quickly…really not a long wait at all. The parking was a bit tricky though. Although Flo’s is located right on the main drag (near the beach), parking is located in the back, off of a side street. It wasn’t easy to locate the lot and we accidentally parked in someone’s driveway next door and didn’t realize it until we got back to the car. Oops! Except for the parking hassle, it was definitely worth the stop. Oooh, I could just taste those clams now!!
Uncle Ken’s - Willimantic, CT -
6/9/04
Located on Rt. 66, down the street from the old American Thread Mill, is Uncle Ken’s…a minimalist sort of shack that once made an appearance in a Zippy the Pinhead comic strip. Although I have lived in Willimantic for 15 years, I’ve never stopped here before, and don’t know why I haven’t. I guess it’s sort of like native New Yorkers who have never visited the Statue of Liberty. Anyway, we did finally go there and ordered our usual fare: fried clam strips and french fries for me, while Joey got a cheeseburger and fries. We both like the fries as they were the “fair” fries we are so fond of…skins-on and best with vinegar. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to have them with vinegar and only with a little ketchup. They are stingy with the condiments here. Joey really liked his burger and said he'd go back for another anytime. I thought the clam strips were a bit over battered and chewy, but they filled a need. While they have the same dinners that most places have, Uncle Ken’s specialty is soft-serve ice cream and shakes in many unusual flavors. I cannot eat dairy products, so Joey usually does the sampling for me. He ordered a German chocolate shake, but thought it was too cocoa-y and grainy…not for him but maybe someone else might like it. He’s also had a lemon flavored shake there on a previous stop, but thought it wasn’t lemony enough. Oh well…someday he’ll find a shake that’s up to par! There’s plenty of parking there, but no picnic tables available…you’ll have to eat in your car or take it home. For me, Uncle Ken’s is a good place for a quick stop when I get those french fry cravings.
6/2005 - update - Uncle Ken's is now closed for good and is up for sale.
Top Dog - Portland, CT - 6/05
Just down from Prehistoric Golf on Rt. 44, this well-known landmark is owned by Andrea and Alan Spaulding, who started the business in 1980 with just a regular weiner cart. Alan built the one in the picture around 1983-4 and has built another one that was to be finished by 2004. Alan has also restored a 1972 checkered Marathon taxi cab to pull the new wagon. The Top Dog only serves hot dogs; no hamburgers, french fries, or fried seafood. They do have condiments with their dogs and bags of potato chips as well as soda and bottled water. Since I don't eat hot dogs, I let Joey be the sole guinea pig. He didn't care too much for them saying that they were "nothing great." Yet, many other people I know love the Top Dog's hot dogs. Maybe Joey's too fussy (look at his never-ending quest for the perfect milkshake!). You'll have to be the judge.