Yes, you can drive to Essex, MA and visit the notable seafood restaurants, but if you're interested in excellent fried seafood you crave, drive to Lowell, MA, Cupples Square, 333 Westford St. for the best fried seafood plates in the area at Capt. John's restaurant. Share the fisherman's platter with an order of actual fried onion rings (not the batter laden type) with your friend and enjoy the epitome of fresh fish, scallops, shrimp and clams over French fries that taste superior to some ubiquitous fast food fries. Service is simple--paper plates, plastic eating utensils and paper napkins(as needed) brought to your table by courteous, friendly wait staff who efficiently serve piping hot dishes in a modest dining room. Who needs the highway traffic snarls ? Come to Capt. John's and enjoy simply well prepared, fresh seafood in an authentic Lowell landmark. read more

I have to say, the people that work there are exceptional! But it is not a very clean place. In fact it smells bad as soon as you walk in. I'm sure if the health department walked in they would find many violations. All these empty or full boxes along the inside front of the restaurant just looks so dirty. It breaks my heart to say I would never order from there again because they are such wonderful people. But if the restaurant smells and looks like that in the front, imagine what it's like in the back. read more

We can't be more excited that "Regular" French Fries are back. We were really disappointed when they switched to "Batter" Fries. The regular fries are much more flavorful and authentic. Thank Captain John's for bringing them back. We will be in much more often now. read more

Went to lunch today with my siblings n Matrix went to Captain Johns in Lowell well it SUCKED the food was lousy dawns chicken was dry , tiggys broccoli n onion rings over cooked skin still on her fish , matrix scallops like rubber Richie's chicken wasn't a chicken breast , there was a hair in my fries. , waitress sucked The menu didn't have any beverages listed on it so she brought us over another menu with only alcoholic beverages And then they said that they Had no more chicken or pork what kind of place runs out of food so the I told the owner John our complaints he made excuse the waitress is Brazilian no excuse n they had a party n that's y they ran out of chicken the menu says homemade fries but they are frozen ones 1st time there n will never go back then tiggys beer was flat tge the waitress says we'll I opened it u have to pay I said hell no we ain't read more

The fried seafood here is amazing. It comes in fresh every day, and tastes it! The batter is so light, it is never greasy. Outstanding!!! Been coming every few weeks for the past 6 months, and the clams, shrimp, scallops, and fish have never disappointed. I drive about 1/2 hr each way, and consider it well worth the travel time. The fried seafood platter with onion rings is enough food for 2-3 people. Price is approximately $32. I always split a platter with my girlfriend, and always have some left over. It isn't fancy inside, which is an understatement, but I come for the incredible food, not for the atmosphere! read more

Food is amazing. Delicious pike high seafood and the ambiance is Fantastic. Cash only tho.

Best seafood west of the beach! Big portions! Excellent fried food, not greasy. Onion rings are the best!

One of the best seafood platters. Don't go for the atmosphere or location. Food is served on paper plates and utensils. Fried clams are top 3 in the area and all the seafood is extremely fresh. read more

The restaurant is a local joint with fresh seafood. We are outside due to covid and the service was great. If you're looking for a great meal you will live this place read more

At first when we walked in we thought to have walked into the wrong restaurant since there is only a pool table and bar visible at the entrance. There is mainly bar seating and high top seating. There was only one regular table available in the whole area so we were lucky to grab it. Place looks outdated and well worn. Food was surprisingly good, fresh and plentiful. We shared one fisherman's platter between 3 of us and were stuffed. Great price too. Owner was friendly and talkative. We will definitely be back. read more

Captain John's - Fisherman's platter. Add onion rings for extra $1.75. Very fresh and good! - Seafood Near Me - Lowell, Massachusetts

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I was expecting good quality fried seafood. I ordered the seafood platter. It arrived and the fish was beautiful and fresh, just like the yelp photos all show and was crispy fresh and delicious. HOWEVER all of the other seafood was not the same. The rest was piled on top and had obviously been fried separately. The fish was a perfect golden color but the rest was pale and barely fried and turned ice cold in one minute. It was not even crispy and the almost white batter just flaked off of the shrimp. The three items on top were scallops, shrimp and clams. The clams were the most disappointing. They were NOT fresh at all. It was as if they were pre fried earlier and as if they were leftovers, not just fried now clams for certain. The bellies were like hard boiled eggs and they were cold! And they were very tough. It was the beginning of the weekend also when restaurants get fish deliveries and they should have had fresh clams, and I'm sure they did but they did not give them to me although I paid for that and came primarily for that. I think they used up their old clams on me. The restaurant was busy also, not dead. They should have had fresh clams for this expensive dish. The scallops and shrimp on the other hand, were fresh but had the above mentioned very lightly fried coating, like the clams had but they were almost RAW. I could not eat them. I ate half an almost raw scallop and one almost raw shrimp. I took it home to try to cook again but it didn't work out trying that. I didn't want to make a scene and send it back. THEN under this pile were about FOUR MORE FISH FILLETS. I had two on top and four underneath. But they appeared to be old damaged leftovers. They were about 1/4" thick and dark dark brown and very overcooked until almost solid. It seemed they used these spoiled pieces, which were also cold, to bulk up the plate and make it look very big. This plate does not come with SIX pieces of fish! This was a cheap trick to use up their old cold spoiled fish as they did with the old clams. Maybe it was because they did not recognize me as a regular and because they are family owned that they thought they could do this. But they should offer a standard of good quality for anyone who reads about a restaurant and decides to go there, even if they think they are not from Lowell. It was a complete waste of $35 for two small pieces of fish that were as the whole platter should have been. Also, the tarter sauce was the worst institution jarred type I have ever had. Just stale jarred mayo flavor and a very little pickle and very sweet and no onion at all. And their coleslaw was so finely shredded by some method that it was like a pile of sewing thread or corn silk. And it had no mayo and not even a fresh vinegar marinade. It tasted like artificial sweetener of some kind and a tiny bit of vinegar with only about ten 1/2" shreds of just as finely shredded carrot. I just felt ripped off and it seemed deliberately because they thought they could get away with it. I'm glad they saved a few dollars. read more

Somethings need to be kept simple to be done right & Captain John's delivers where it counts. The fried seafood is excellent and the portions are substantial & all the sides we've tried were excellent. When you order don't forget to ask for Extra Taatah !! Not because you'll need it but you definitely gotta hear them say it !!! read more

Place for local guys who likes cheap bear ad booze. My point like a commuter it's ONLY food. Food is amazing! read more

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

Captain John's was recommended by a friend. Ordered the seafood plate, didn't disappoint. Was delicious. The bar/restaurant is a bit rough looking on the outside but as they say "can't judge a book by its cover". read more

My husband and I went for the first time. The restaurant is small but cute. They have a half wall dividing the table seating from the bar area. The food was really good with big portions. The drinks were good but was served in plastic cups which were rather small. I would go again just for the food. read more

The seafood is very good and always taste the same waited a long time to try wish I didn't

We went here for the fried clams. Really good flames, large portions. Note that they take cash only.

I love this place, the food comes in a good portion and fresh!! Fried Clams, Fried Shrimp,Fried Scallops all amazing

My Father used to go here for there seafood Platter and has not been there for over 20yrs. He is 83yrs young. :) So we decided to go back there today and got the Seafood Platter and my Dad said that it is Very good and still One of the best place to get sea food even after a long time and would definitely go back there again. The Price was reasonable and the food was plentiful for two people to enjoy. read more

After of course reading about Captain John and craving fried food we decided to give it a try and o boi the fishermansplatter was delicious theres extra 1.75 for thin onion rings actually my husband and i shared a platter and ended bringing alot home portion is high But remember this place is a bar Our server was Jen very nice girl and attentive to our needs the fish bellys shrimp and scallops were yum read more

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

Best seafood / American food place in this town so far. I withdraw cash from my bank every week just so for this place. Inconvenient but it is what it is read more

The food was perfect. Above average and well executed. Looks like there was a recent Reno in the place. Soooo nice update/upgrade. It is a restaurant attached to a bar (the reason for the 4 stars) and friendly staff. Street parking only, we were there on a Sunday, and in the middle of pandemic restrictions so not crowed. The bar will be hopping once sports start up again. Highly recommend the seafood, fried or baked it was delicious. read more

Best real New England Style Fish. Super friendly staff and quick service. CASH ONLY ATM in house. Rustic local pub with bar and pool tables. That all melts away with the first bite. This one needs a visit from Guy !!! read more

Captain John's - Outstanding food !! - Seafood Near Me - Lowell, Massachusetts

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I have not been to Captain John's for about 30 years. What a surprise! The building has changed from a local bar into a great restaurant destination. I ordered the fried seafood platter and my wife had clams and scallops . We are always looking for a good source of seafood. The search has ended. These meals were the best ever. Fries were made fresh and real crispy. The fish was lightly coated and cooked to perfection. The cole slaw was fresh snd delicious. The portions were so large that we took home enough for another meal! CJ's will be my go to stop for seafood, best to be found. read more

We had a fantastic meal. The people were very, very friendly and solicitous. The French fries had to be sent back because they were not as hot as I like them. The second batch was right on. I'm not going to say too much for I want this hidden gem to remain semi-hidden. Too bad the gas prices( thanks Mr President) are high or I would be there a couple of time a week. read more

Good portions, quality and price. I like hole in the wall places but CJs is pretty dingy. Bathroom is sour

Local gem, great fresh seafood, save yourself a trip to the beach and go to Captain John's. Clean restaurant and staff is great, prices are very reasonable and you get a good size plate of food. read more

The best seafood I have ever had. We ordered the baked haddock lunch special, and the clams and scallops fried dinner. Wow, is all I can say! We ordered takeout last week, and it was great. But, eating here was better. Plus, as a bonus, they didn't charge for refills of soda. Even though I thought they would charge for soda refills, as this place is primarily a bar. Don't miss this gem! Also, it's cash only, though they have an ATM available. read more

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

Food and service was great!! Would definitely recommend. So much better than the beach plum. No comparison

As a recommendation from a passerby, my sister and I went to Captain Johns's hungry for scallops. Nothing fancy about it, more like a diner with a bar. Servers were very friendly, and you could tell that they liked working there. Ordered the baked scallops with rice and a side salad. We were guessing how many scallops would be on each plate. Maybe 5. To our surprise there were 10! Cooked perfectly and served in a timely fashion. The price was more than reasonable. Would go again for sure. read more

Best sea food ever ! People are very nice and accommodating to the customers! Can't wait to go and eat outside !

Two Thumbs Up! This is Not your fancy overpriced eatery. It's old school in several ways. A little aged, but very clean. The fried seafood is top quality. The price and quality will surpass anywhere. No place in the area, can even compare. I gave FOUR STARS, only to let the snobs know their not to expect an high end atmosphere. read more

Fried clams as crispy and delicious as any in Ipswich, omg. We were amazed to find this hideaway in the Highlands. The fried shrimp is the best we've ever had - tender and sweet, almost buttery. This has a classic clam shack style menu along with steak tips, daily slecials and the occasional Greek specialty like stuffed peppers in tomato sauce. Although we ate there they seem to do a very good takeout business, not surprising at all. Great portions make it a great value. Highly recommend!!! read more

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Wow what a disappointment. Went in and ordered fried whole clams to go. First off, the menu states $13.95 but we were told that they were going to be $3 more because the expense of the clams went up. We were fine with this considering that other reviewers mentioned the portion size was decent. What we got was no where close. The clams were over fried, and a few were bad. The portion was ridiculously small for the price they charged. We spent $35 for the worst crappy fried clams ever. Imagine our faces when we opened up the orders. Oh and I forgot to mentioned that they ran out of scallops. Next time, stick to selling beer and bar food. Forget advertising seafood because clearly you're not in the business to sell them. read more

Captain John's - Seriously? This was our $16.95 fries. Oh, and some overfried clams on top. - Seafood Near Me - Lowell, Massachusetts

Went to this place for the 1st time tonight with my fiance and mother in law. Let me just say everything was excellent. From the service to the dinner. Definitely recommend read more

Great place. Food is great. It truly is a hidden gem in lowell. The staff is always great.

Seafood platter was the best. No need to travel to the beach. Had not been here in at least 40 yrs. Going back to try more entrees. Can't wait. read more

I'll admit parking was confusing and more like a neighborhood bar atmosphere, but the food is amazing. Fresh seafood and the portions were good. My scallops were delicious and my husband said his seafood meal was delicious too. The food was better than a lot of seafood restaurants I've been to. I would go back in a heartbeat. read more

Amazing food and amazing staff. Owners are consistently interacting with guests, shows they truly care. Lowell's hidden gem. Highly recommend. read more

Best seafood hands down. Maria is not shy loading up your plate. Seafood chowder is to die for.. just wish they took credit cards. Never carry cash. Had the seafood plate. Could share it with 2 others and still have some leftover. Must check it out.. read more