The haddock here is so incredibly fresh and they do it so well, the fried clams are also stellar. The waitstaff are friendly and just the right amount of attentive. The atmosphere is no-nonsense, there is nothing pretentious or uppity, this is a local spot with local people and extremely fresh seafood, and if you went often enough, you just know they'd learn your name and your order. read more

Captain John's - The Pick 2 option: Fried whole belly clams, Fried Haddock, French fries. All of perfect consistencies. - Seafood Near Me - Lowell, Massachusetts

A Lowell local dive bar. Not the best of neighborhoods, dark and a full bar. The bartender was nice and attentive and I ordered up the clams and scallops. The full belly clams were tasty, but a bit on the dry side. The scallops were sweet. The fries ok. I just was not comfortable in this location nor with the cleanliness. Sorry, but I won't be back. read more

way too expensive for mediocre quality. fries soggy, cole slaw gave us upset stomach, ordered fried and baked. lousy. not worth the trip, fisherman platter was small for $40. someone said rivals markey or browns, come on! althought the quality in those places have come down a bit lately, change of ownership. read more

I have read a lot of great reviews about this place so I decided to check it out. I ordered the captains platter with all the seafood. It tasted really good and had a good sized portion of everything. The service was adequate. The ambiance was ok for a fish and chips type restaurant. It was good but nothing special. read more

Increased prices, decrease in portions. The fisherman's platter went up $10, I would understand a $5 increase but $10 makes a lot of customers not come anymore. I came in at dinner time and there we were the only ones in there. Fisherman's platter is $39.99 + $2 up charge as there are clams. The price increased but the food portion decreased. +$2 for clam plates +$4 for onion rings What else are we going to charge for?? Also, they had some random man walking in and out of the kitchen that was not part of the restaurant team. He was not very clean and it did not seem sanitary. Chef was not wearing proper clothes and touching his beard. Absolutely disgusting. Not coming back!!! read more

Captain John's - September 2025 prices - Seafood Near Me - Lowell, Massachusetts

A fun friendly neighborhood tavern in the old style with seats at a bar or the separate simply styled dining room. It has great fried seafood and a small varied beer list. Meet the chef, she's terrific. read more

Certainly a very local establishment. I wandered in here this afternoon based on my desire to find the perfect onion rings. The ones I dined on today were very close. It was bit of a rocky start, as I walked in, there was an incident involving a regular patron and a Keno payout. He was very loud and very aggressive. I will compliment the female employees, no matter how loud he got, they stuck to their guns telling him to calm down and let it go. I ordered the fried shrimp platter and added on the onion rings. When the plates were delivered to the table, I couldn't help but thing that such a presentation was the seed idea to the founders of Long John Silvers or Captain D's (look at my photos). The shrimp were nothing to rave about... they weren't fresh but were served hot. The fries were plentiful and I enjoyed a vinegar based scoop of cole slaw. The crown jewel of the meal- the onion rings! read more

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I used to get food almost every Friday but Haven't ordered from here in a little while and may not order food from here again! I thought I had ordered a haddock dinner which is usually really good and a good size piece of fish but I got a lot of bread crumbs! Also ordered a seafood platter that was so skimpy but was loaded with fries not much seafood! Ordered onion rings and coleslaw and I never got the onion rings and they changed the coleslaw recipe! I loved the coleslaw from here but it was not good this time at all. When I called them to let them know I didn't get my onion rings they told me to come back and get them! I asked to just credit it back to my card so she took my number and said the owner was not there to do that and she would have him call me. I gave her my number waiting to hear back from them but nothing! Customer service I guess is not good! It seems to have changed since the new owners have taken over! It's too bad I really loved the food there! I hope they change back to the way it was!!! read more

I was taken in by this establishments website. The actual restaurant is a dive. My wife had fried clam plate. Her clams were ok, fries were strange with some kind of coating on them and the cole slaw was awful; tasted like it had been sitting in a fridge past its use by date. I had the fried haddock which was also just ok, nothing great. You can certainly do better elsewhere, and with tip, it cost over $75..way too expensive. read more

Definitely a good value for a platter! I got my platter to-go and it came with two tartar sauces and a coleslaw. It took about 10 minutes to get my order when it wasn't busy. I didn't realize the seafood was on top of battered french fries, so the onion rings add-on definitely was not necessary! The whole belly clam was my favorite, and I was impressed at how soft and tender the haddock was. Overall I felt the fried seafood could've used more salt on the breading- it tasted a bit bland. I did enjoy the French fries and onion rings. The coleslaw is very creamy and on the sweeter side, and the tartar sauce was also on the sweeter side with relish. I would actually add salt and vinegar next time to everything next time. Pro-tip you can freeze the leftovers to reheat in an air fryer! Atmosphere inside is definitely dive-y, and there's some street parking in front and on the side streets. Bonus is they now take credit cards! They do have daily specials so it's worth checking out their Facebook page which seems to be updated pretty regularly. read more

Captain John's - Captain's platter to-go with onion ring add-on ($4) - Seafood Near Me - Lowell, Massachusetts

Cash-Only: I ordered the bacon-wrapped scallops in a maple-glaze sauce and got a Shipyard Pumpkin beer. Both were fantastic! The service was fine since I was there during an off-peak time, so I was attended to fine. The ambiance was very sea captain vibe. read more

Captain John's - Bacon-wrapped scallops with a maple glaze - Seafood Near Me - Lowell, Massachusetts

Saw an ad on Facebook for Captain Jack's Seafood so thought we would try it. It is in the city of Lowell so use your navigation. https://www.facebook.com/CaptainJohnsLowell/ It is in a very populated part of Lowell so you may go right by it at first. But we found it and found a parking space as they don't have a parking lot. At first I was a little leery, but we went in. We sat ourselves at a table and a very nice waitress came over and asked us about drinks. There is a full bar available. I ordered a Cosma and my husband a Coke. So I heard the seafood was delicious, so we ordered a fried scallop, fried clam combo with fries and onions rings for a $3.00 up-charge. You get so many onion rings for $3.00 its unreal....The "DRY SCALLOPS" you get there...DRY meaning there are no chemicals in them are REALLY good and I am a freak for scallops...their onion rings are DELICIOUS! The second time we went there we ordered the baked scallops, mashed and cole slaw. Really good. My husband got the fried scallops because he liked them so much from the first visit. The reason I ordered mashed is because they serve battered fries and I am not a fan of them. Please change them................. This place has everything. Club sandwiches, pasta, you name it.............. Its very casual...but food is really delicious!!! Lots of photo's to come shortly!!! read more

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UNBELIEVABLE food!! Whole belly clams, big size, not gritty. Scallops were perfect. Generous portions! The spinach pie was huge and amazing. Flaky crust, not watery, ratio of feta to spinach is perfect. Everyone in our party absolutely loved it. Dive of a place but what might be lacking in ambiance the food and great personalities of the staff more than make up for it. You won't be disappointed! Go here! Drinks were great too. Looking forward to trying their breakfast. read more

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Great sandwiches. Cool, amazing and fun crowd great for locals. Great for fish fry Fridays.

The absolute best seafood in the area. For food that rivals Markey's and Browns in Seabrook NH or anywhere else in New England (and at a better price) you gotta go there and see for yourself. read more

Split a Fisherman's Platter with my Wife and it was Excellent! The Fried food was fantastic! The batter was lite not Greasy, it reminds me of the Old Livingstones. The Bar and Restaurant were clean as a Whistle. I will be Back! O read more

I love there seafood , friendly, clean have outside seating too. Prices are great. Fresh too. They now take credit cards.

This place has a new owner and portions seem smaller. Prices went up too. (Sorry, it used to be the best.) read more

After noticing the excellent reviews my new wife and I took the 1.5 hour drive to see for ourselves. To say we were impressed would be a huge understatement! As others have noted the place is nothing to look at. but the food and service was amazing! Being a seafood lover I went with a cup of seafood chowder (probably the best I've ever had!) and the fried seafood platter, which far exceeded my expectations! The portion could have easily fed two hungry adults and every bite was cooked to perfection. I'm picky about my clams and these were absolutely delicious! As were the shrimp, scallops and haddock. My wife, who doesn't share my affinity for seafood, ordered the 4 way appetizer combo which she enjoyed immensely. The prices, while not "low" we felt were fair in view of the quality and portion sizes. I don't recall the server's name but she was sweet, welcoming and efficient! Will absolutely be back!! read more

Its under new management/owner... portions are a joke now... i ordered the seafood plater clams/scallops.. I got 6 clams and 6 scallops.. 1 small tarter sauce, you want more ,its extra... never again. Miss the former owner read more

People are constantly getting their cars broken into when they park to go to the restaurant. It's not worth it.

Captain John's has great fried fisherman platters and terrific steak tip dinners! It's always great to be there friendly service, nice atmosphere, and a great time! read more

New owners, same quality in their menu. Highly recommend. Personal favorites of mine is the haddock plate and the clam plate. Bring an appetite, you will not leave hungry. And to top it off, very reasonably priced. read more

Back with Martha for lunch one day recently. Place is up for sale so we wanted to get in again before everything changed as it often does when new owners come thru. PRO- Sweet waitresses, told us to "sit where we wanted". I ordered the special, Haddock Sandwich & Seafood Chowder(as I'd had that before & really liked it). Martha got a chicken ceaser wrap as she "wasn't feeling" seafood that day. Her sandwich was huge & came with "very tasty fries". We also got the EXCELLENT ONION RINGS for $3 more. If you like onion rings, GET THESE! Big serving, tasty & worth every penny. My haddock sandwich came on a beautifully toasted roll, with a decent sized portion of fried fish on it. CON- They leave the skin on the fish when they fry it. Yuck. And the chowder, that I remembered from last visit, so fondly, while SUPER hot, had hard potatoes, fish chunks with the skin still attached(yuck!) & seemed kinda tasteless, even after I added salt & pepper. I was disappointed in it. SO- While not as good as my first visit it was still GOOD. Remember CASH ONLY!! Though they have an ATM. read more

Hi went there today with my girlfriend. Danielle was EXCELLENT!! with services wonderful personality nice to talk with. Seafood was Delicious read more

Food was great after meal saw 2 mice running across the floor!!!!service was great also . Need to deal with mice!!

First (and possibly last?) time eating at Captain John's. We started with the Seafood Chowder. Possibly the worst Chowder that I've ever eaten (including the canned kind). Excruciatingly spicy. We asked what was in it and were told Tabasco and Worcestershire Sauce. That's probably tasty in moderation but this was awful. Tasted bad and the heat was not appetizing at all. It made it impossible to taste the Seafood. I did encounter a few Shrimp Shells, a lot of unidentifiable mush and a single potato. I have to believe that the Cook was having a bad day because this was borderline inedible. The top surface of the Chowder was a pool of Tabasco. The Fried Fish Sandwich was tasty but I was surprised that it was cooked Skin On. Not something I've experienced anywhere on fried fish. Spinach Pie was greasy and tasteless. It went uneaten. Onion Rings were the highlight of the meal. Thin rings, lightly battered and fried to a golden crisp. Really excellent. Atmosphere was typical of a barroom. Loud and not as clean as it could be. On street Parking is challenging. Not really many reasons to go back. read more

REALLY good food. The new owners so very nice. The service is also excellent. We had both fried and baked haddock with fries, cole slaw , and probably the best onion rings ever! I can't wait to go back. read more

Great service! Everyone was welcoming and attentive. We stopped in as we waited for a wedding to start nearby. You could tell it's a spot for locals and everyone was comfortable. They even let us know that karaoke would start later in the night! read more

Good food, OK service, loud in bar area on a Friday afternoon, only street parking.

Service was great for takeout and reasonable wait time given I did not call in the order. Seafood platter was very good including the fries, plenty of food (saved half for later). Another wanted a steak cheese mushroom sub and commented it was good, including good size, and better than most sub shops. A plus is that there's lots of parking around nearby.. read more

Captain John's - Seafood platter - Seafood Near Me - Lowell, Massachusetts

If you want an affordable seafood platter with the works this is where you need to come. The price, taste and quality is better than any other seafood spot I've eaten at even if it's twice the price. read more

I really like the seafood chowder here! They struck a good balance with the creaminess and different textures. The staff is very friendly and want to go the extra mile for the customers. It's like a small trip to a beach town in Lowell! read more

Yeah, well let me start off with. It is very rare for me to give up a five star review but this place is insane. I can't understand I am from Massachusetts born and raised this is the best seafood I've ever had so fresh it's amazing... extremely reasonable.... If you spent $100 compared to $30' here.., you would like it better....... Argentine cowboys boston ma........ read more

Captain John's - Piña colada... - Seafood Near Me - Lowell, Massachusetts

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I've been here a couple of times on my own but decided to bring the hubby this time. If you need a fancy spot to go to - well this ain't it! This is a local joint in Lowell that I stumbled upon - basic tables and chairs on one side and a bar on the other. That have a table where you can come in an pickup your call aheads. And that's about it.. But baby - the food is amazing! To start - We had their seafood chowder - well seasoned and not super thick and creamy. It was full of seafood and the right balance of potatoes, garlic and other loveliness. I could have stopped after that. But no... I ordered us each a fried three way ( haddock, scallops and shrimp plus French fries) with additional onion rings. Welp - I only ate 1/3 of it and the rest came home. Everything was fresh and hot (they cook to order AND they get fresh seafood in daily). So if you want a no frill spot with amazing food this is it. But bring your cash - they don't take plastic. They have an ATM (which we had to use because we didn't have enough cash) and paid the fees But it was so good it was worth it! Can't wait to go back and bring my dad!! read more

Captain John's - 3 way (haddock, shrimp and scallops) with fries plus order of onion rings - Seafood Near Me - Lowell, Massachusetts

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I finally decided to dine in after failing to find a decent menu online. I got a hamburger with lettuce, tomato, mushrooms and onions which came with fries. Nothing too fancy, but I did like it. The jalapeno poppers came out hot and hard, which I stabbed with my fork to let some of the hot air out. The strawberry shortcake required some assembly. My friends said if I wanted to check out a bar, to avoid this one because of the bad rep, but I don't see any problems at all besides it being Cash Only at the moment. read more

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Just had lunch here You can't go wrong with anything you order food Is fresh and service is great and fast Thanks Sarah The only thing that sucked was I lost on Keno read more

Food was excellent and the service a local restaurant with its wonderful menu and style.

A true hidden gem! If you are looking for ambiance, move on, if you are looking for a fantastic meal then keep reading. We ordered seafood chowder, fried clam dinner, fried scallops dinner and we added on onion rings The seafood chowder was hot and delicious, full of seafood and just the right amount of spice. The fried seafood was not overly coated. The clams were large and sweet, the scallops were sweet as well. The onion rings did not disappoint! Their homemade coke slaw was a perfect compliment to the dinners. Our server was excellent. She was working both sides of the place and didn't miss a beat! If you are looking for great seafood, large helpings at a reasonable price, this is the place to go in Lowell. Please note: Cash only but they have an ATM and there is a bank nearby. read more

Since moving to Lowell a few months ago I'd heard great things about this place, so I was excited about trying it. Visited the restaurant alone, early on a quiet Monday evening, and ordered the fried sea scallops with rice and broccoli. (I wanted onion rings, but they were "sold out" - strike 1.) The scallops were large, plump, and mercifully not overcooked; but rather than being either pan-fried/sautéed or deep-fried and crispy (either prep would have been fine) these were soggy and oily - strike 2. Not only disappointing but especially unfortunate considering how lovely and delicate large scallops can be; what a waste. Nothing about either of my two sides was noteworthy or redeeming in any way. A frustrating, mediocre meal, for which I regret throwing away $30. I do not expect to return anytime soon to this "iconic" seafood restaurant. read more