14 years since our last visit. My wife said, "C'mon, let's go there for Mother's Day." I gave her the same look you'd give someone suggesting that hospital cafeteria meatloaf was haute cuisine and said, "If this is really what you want... just remember the last time." And honestly? Credit where it's due: this place may be the single most consistent restaurant in existence. Fourteen years later, nothing significant has changed. The food remains perfectly competent in the most uninspired way possible, a masterclass in culinary mediocrity. Portions are generous, though the prices still suggest ambitions the kitchen never quite fulfills. In the end, we left exactly as we did 14 years ago: neither disappointed nor impressed. Just aggressively, spectacularly, and completely whelmed. read more

Great service! Food was delicious and fresh; area was clean and very enjoyable! Ill def come back :)

Only ordered to go so far. Had the scrod and the salmon both were delicious and staff always are very friendly

I went for the first time at Elmo we ordered the whole belly clams they were good but the portions were VERY SMALL for the cost they could of given more the drinks we ordered were very good than we ordered the seafood platter my wife had the baked and I had the fried again for $34 each the portions were very small personally I will not be going back. There's other places that give you a lot more just as good. read more

Elmo's Dockside - You can see what you get $34 whole belly $6 more - Seafood Near Me - Vernon, Connecticut

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If you want fresh seafood this is the place to go I like to get the fried sole you can't find that anywhere and it's perfect and tasty every time the service is amazing and definitely get a drink from the bar the bartenders are amazing especially Devon great experience every time read more

We went to Elmo's years ago, and my guy had the whole belly clams. He got horribly sick that night and said we would never go back. He decided to go back and not get the clams of course. The bartender was very nice and so was the waitress. He ordered the lobster bisque and the stuffed sole. The bisque tasted like cream and flour. The stuffed sole portion was so small, and it was 32! I wanted more dressing for my salad, but the waitress didn't come to see how the food was until we were almost done. At this point, we just wanted to leave, and had to ask another staff member to ask the waitress for our check because we were waiting and waiting. We won't be going back... read more

The food was horrible and overpriced. You order calamari, and you will get frozen.I will not go back there again

A 1960s seafood themed restaurant, with prices and flavors to match Been to this place once before, and I recalled it not being very good for the price. But I decided to give them another shot, to see if they possibly improved or changed things up. Will state that they haven't changed a thing. If you recall places like bugaboo creek or U.S.S Chowderpot, you will be familar with what to expect in terms of decor. The place is dated, with lots of nautical themed decor smattered around the place. Everything is clean, but old in it's style. The server was very friendly, and we ordered a seafood cioppino, a twiced baked potato, and new england clam chowder with some seafood stuffed mushrooms. The stuffed mushrooms were mostly mush, not much in the way of flavor. The New England Clam Chowder tasted a little off, so we had to return that. Turns out, they use tarragon in their clam chowder which lead to an off-taste I was unfamiliar with. The twiced baked potato was okay, but they didn't add much in the way of seasoning to the mashed potato on the inside. lead to a pretty bland bite. The Cioppino had lots of shellfish, but we were not provided a basked for the shells, so we had to use the bread basket to store the shells. The pasta was cooked well, the white wine sauce had some flavor but not enough to be notable. The shellfish was in varying states of doneness, all cooked but the shrimp were a little overcooked. The food was all cooked, but not seasoned well and very expensive for what you get. For me, I am not a fan. There's a fish market not that far away, and I think the food they put out is superior. Unless you want some dated decor, this place is a pass read more

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Great fresh seafood, awesome service and Giffords Maine Blueberry ice cream for a sweet treat! Wonderful local place that does a nice job. Nice casual touch and relaxing atmosphere. Prices are very reasonable. read more

Ordered stuffed mushrooms: Filing was cold and mushy. No visible seafood in it. Probably prepared in advanced. Not good. Stuffed sole. Tasteless with same stuffing as mushrooms. Shame hot food is not on the menu The salad was OK. Lol This is not the same quality I have been used to in days gone. It's a shame but we won't be back. Perhaps it's time to higher a decent chef. read more

Saw the veggie of the day on their board (butternut squash), was looking forward to it. After the waitress walked away an employee changed the specials board to a different veggie-very disappointed! Hubby had the fish sandwich, he liked the fish but disliked the roll they used. I ordered the clam strips, would have been nice if they were hot when they came out. I've always wanted to try this place, WE won't be back. Not really impressed at all. read more

We've lived in Manchester over 35 years and never ventured into Elmos dockside. The impetus to go was a $50 gift card we had won. Monday night - lot was pretty full when we arrived. I think the Monday-Wednesday happy hour (3-6) was the draw, however the restaurant did have more customers than I expected. Service - not bad. Our servers were very nice and made sure we had everything we needed. Food - not bad. Bread was ok. Drink was ok. I tried a new apple spritz expecting more of a mulled cider taste, however the spices and flavor weren't there. I think that the server was planning to tell the bartender to up the taste, so I'd expect improvement next time. Fish was good. I had baked stuffed sole & my husband had the baked scrod. Potatoes were good - though not as good as we've had at some steakhouses. Chowder was very good. Decor - ok. Maybe some updates to brighten the place up would be good So - we'd go back. I want to try the fish & chips next time. Surprisingly, other reviews seemed to spotlight the steak/prime rib which seems a bit odd to me for a seafood place. However when I go to a seafood place, I'm going to order fish, right?! read more

You cannot go wrong, tried most of what on the menu. All have been fantastic. Atmosphere and staff are the best, and the owner will stop by and your stay even more enjoyable. You need to stop in and enjoy it for yourself. read more

Food was ok. Not anything to write home about. Asked if we had a reservation. Very pricey for what you get. 36 $$$ for a little fish two scallops two clams two shrimp and potato. Service was ok. read more

Elmo's Dockside - Fish, clams, shrimp scallops and potato - Seafood Near Me - Vernon, Connecticut

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This was a random pick when we were traveling and it was a fantastic find! Delicious homemade food, generous portions and friendly service. Fish and chips, clam chowder and burgers were outstanding. Highly recommend you stop by if you are in the area. read more

We've been coming here for decades and the food has always been solid; but right now I think it's the best it has ever been. The dinner menu has been revamped and prices are up, but the increase is more than justified by the quality and quantity of the food. First off, the bar makes excellent martinis and cosmos. As for apps, the raw seafood is fresh and reliable but the addition of a ceviche served with parm encrusted flatbread is the play. Don't order this for yourself as you'll never have room for an entree. The chowder is a good as you find around here; I'm one that thinks lobster bisque is a waste of money but here it's fine if light on lobster like they all are... As for entrees, all come with great sides like pasta , my favorite zesty Cole slaw, twice baked potato or sweet potato fries and usually salad. The bread basket comes loaded with that Parmesan flat bread and decent sourdough. For old school dishes, try the baked or fried seafood platters or any of the Parmesans: chicken, veal or eggplant. Other than the seafood and Italian dishes that are menus backbone, the stars are the bone in prime rib, the best double pork chop in CT, a unique swordfish "chop" and the rack of lamb...which is the entire rack not the usual three or four chops you get elsewhere. The chef also excels at seasonal vegetables so if the green beans, spinach or zucchini are on the list, get them and be ready for some buttery garlic... just delicious. The owner Robert, like his father Elmo, are friendly, experienced hosts and their staff changes very little...always a sign of management doing things right. Elmo's is not impress the boss or new date fancy; not much has changed over the years but sometimes that's a good thing. I would say Elmo's has long earned its local respect and popularity and right now it's at its best My review is really 4.5 stars but yelp doesn't do halfsies read more

Delicious and great quality food, the crab cakes taste phenomenal and are very fresh with a nice creamy sauce on top. The Green beans also very great and cooked to perfection! A great portion size and came with a salad beforehand. The ambiance was nice kind of like seafood dock type vibe to it. Service was good but I felt like they took a lot of time for the server to come back with the menu/give the check/ get boxed etc. read more

Elmo's Dockside - Crab cakes ( front) salmon ( back) and fish and chips on the side right - Seafood Near Me - Vernon, Connecticut

Great service! Delicious food! Spicy Black Bean Soup was incredible! Butternut Squash Chicken was delicious! Food was fresh! Nice, quiet atmosphere. Prices were on par with the market and quality of the food. read more

Was there Saturday night 8/23/2025 we had 4 people. Service was great. Food was not. Had whole belly class price was $40 we received 7 really. Scallops were $40 and receive 5. These prices were unreal for the amount you received. We will not go back again. read more

Guess I have to give Elmo's five stars. I suppose I could drop a star for that olde timey 1965 interior thats been like that since... dont know when they opened, 1965?? I think a remodeling would help bring in more business, cus as it stands, it seems like it attracts an older crowd. But enough whining about old oar's and fishing nets on the wall, hows the food? Never had a subpar dish yet. The cook has it down. I've been there enough times to explore the menu, and even though the wife has never ordered anything but the swordfish, Ive done at least half the stuff they got, and its all a boatload of YUM. And theres a reason she always gets the swordfish, its better than most, and the chef put a hex on her forcing her to pay the crazy market prices. Inflation sucks. And now that I got that out of my system... Nice to have a seafood oriented place that you dont have to drive an hour to get to, and if you just feel like a tortellini alfredo, they got you covered. Good alfredo sauce on a tasty tortellini, what's not to like? Decent chowder, and I like the low budget caesar salad , even though my spell chacker wants to spell it with the AE as an EA. Its just some lettuce with some cheese sprinkles and croutons thrown in, but the dressing is just right. The crew is always friendly and efficient, and that owner guy... he's really glad to see you there. Positive attitude, even though he hates redecorating. Dont care. Hang an old lobster trap off the ceiling, I'll still go there. ELMOS ROCKS. read more

My Mom wanted a lobster roll for a long time , so we brought her here for Mother's Day. Was ok overall but was first greeted by our waitress who told us ( we were a party of 8) that she had a party of 15 at 6pm so if we could keep it " you know " on time. I get it but this was a special day for my mom and I as she is home bound and I had recently had surgery so I have not been able to visit her in a while, we didn't need to hear that. Food was ok . read more

Elmo's Dockside - My Mom finally enjoying her lobstah roll ! - Seafood Near Me - Vernon, Connecticut

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What disappointment. Okay, not terrible, but certainly not great, especially considering the prices. The baked scrod and baked seafood platter were under seasoned, bland, poorly presented. The linguine with shrimp, just okay. The lobster bisque, did not appear to be house made and if it was, there were no chunks of lobster. Cesar salad was dry, little dressing . I wanted to order the blackened swordfish, but at $42 I'm glad I didn't, based on how the other dishes came out. Decor is tired. I faced a wall that looked dingy and dirty. Waitress was okay, but seemed to want to rush us and rattled off options in rapid succession. We had a gift certificate for $100 and glad we weren't on the hook for the whole check for this mediocre experience. read more

The interior of this restaurant is fun. It is kind of modelled like a dock or sort. I went for their prime rib, which is the signature dish here. It was ok, but a bit salty to my taste. It had a lot of meat, may be meant for 2 people. The twice backed potato was ok as well. I loved the clam chowder. That was my favorite here. Shrimp poboy was not up to the expectation. read more

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Wonderful staff from hostess, busboys, server and owner. Delicious bread is homemade. Dinner salad was so good, hints of dill was a very nice surprise mixed in with the greens. Homemade Caesar dressing was excellent. I wanted seafood so I got a sampler plate: scallops, whitefish, shrimp and clams. Very good. We asked the server what her favorite menu item was and to our surprise, she answered that the pork chops were fabulous. She wasn't wrong. So tender and flavorful. We loved it. Robert spent time answering questions about subtle flavors that were peeking out. What a great guy. If I lived here, I would eat at Elmo's all the time. From start to finish, it was a wonderful experience. We left very full. The facility itself was very enjoyable. read more

This was such a great night out! Waitress was fun, food was outstanding, freshest fish ever, and even before the holidays, we were a party of six in a quiet restaurant. Imagine that! We'll be coming back soon! read more

It has been about 8 or 9 years since I last visited Elmo's Dockside. Last night the restaurant wasn't busy and I sat in the dining area in a big booth. The service was great, Server #11, I forgot her name, was a very nice young woman who visited the table the perfect number of times. I ordered the Surf & Turf. They brought a bread basket and whipped butter to the table. Everything was good. Then they brought a cup of Clam Chowder. The chowder had a good flavor, but the clams were a little hard. Then the main course came out and the presentation was very appealing. A large NY Strip steak, perfectly cooked, 2 large stuffed shrimp, and baked potato covered in salt. YES, YES, YES. Everything was great. The stuffed shrimp were excellent. The steak was good and the baked potato was perfect. My ticket before tip was $29.50. read more

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Hadn't been here in a while Could not have been more disappointed Clearly previously Frozen soggy cod tasted like boiled diapers... inedible ...sent back to kitchen Taken off tab but no comp offered My dining partner had fried clams...good ,but an extremely small portion for $38 Will def NOT be back here Rather Go to Bennys in Vernon Always fresh seafood not soggy gross dishes read more

I will be begudging with the final star just because that's me. A restaurant would have to be above and beyond any other restaurant around in order to get that fifth star from me. The other hand Elmo's is a wonderful little restaurant that I've been to a couple of times now with the wife. Neither one of us has left there feeling as if the food didn't measure up. Neither one of us left there with a sense of criticism or frustration. In my case I had the prince Edward Island muscles, and I am a fan of mussels and steamers anyway. I've been to Prince Edward Island so I know where they come from if they indeed do come from there. They were wonderful. I ordered a simple fish and chips dinner and it was fine. The batter on the fish was not so heavy that it bothered me and my stomach all night long. My wife ordered a "chicken Saltam Buca" that came with fresh green beans. She felt the meal was perfectly prepped and tasted fine. If when you go there you end up with a waitress name Kelly, give her our regards. She's a wonderful waitress and she's very kind and patient and she listens; she anticipates need. read more

Elmo's Dockside - Seafood Near Me - Vernon, Connecticut

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I'm celebrating my 61rst Birthday in style. I love seafood. This was my first visit to Elmo's Dockside Restaurant $ Pub. Atmosphere was inviting, clean and wait staff was friendly and informative of their menu items. I ordered a cup of Lobster Bisque that was amazing . Very creamy, smith , plenty of lobster pieces throughout the soup! I also ordered the New England lunch hot lobster roll with wedge size fries seasoned well with delicious coleslaw. I had water and a glass of Prosecco. For my Birthday I ordered the carrot cake . Which was delicious as well! I would definitely recommend this restaurant to my friends and family. read more

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I began with a bowl of clam chowder. I thought it was pretty good, had a sweeter taste to it though (different), my husband wasn't a fan. I went to Elmo's Dockside because of the fish sandwich I hear about. The fish itself was delicious, and the tartar wasn't too tangy. The fish came on a toasted ciabatta roll. My suggestion, stick to a burger bun/roll that's been toasted with butter. The ciabatta roll was too crispy on the outside, and dense throughout. Every bite was "crunchy". The fish is perfectly crisp as it is, it would pair well with a softer bread with a slight crisp to the inside (grilled). I ordered the sweet potato fries, and was very surprised with what I got. They were huge, with an almost light tempura coating...delicious! My waiter also told me that the restaurant makes their own honey mustard, so you know I had to try it! Delicious! read more

Elmo's Dockside - The sweet potato fry! Dipped in their homemade honey mustard - Seafood Near Me - Vernon, Connecticut

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I came here twice during my visit just to get the oysters. They were perfectly fresh and delicious. The lobster bisque was the classic thick bisque that we all enjoyed as kids. They didn't try to make it "crafty" or anything which I really appreciate. The lobster roll was outstanding and the bartender was fit and attractive which also didn't hurt. Definitely a retro feel in the best way! read more

What a great restaurant! The food was delicious. It was a group dinner so I got to try different things. We had the fried mozzarella, bruschetta, and the stuffed artichokes - best apps I have had in a while. All freshly prepared. I had the chicken parm, which was awesome - chicken was tender and the sauce was great. Others had a few of the salmon dishes and said they were delicious too. The cocktails were great and the dessert (Lemon cream cake) was so so good. Our waitress (Camry) and the owner (Roberto) were terrific - very attentive and friendly. The atmosphere is very casual and clean. Prices are pretty much on par with other restaurants, I look forward to another visit to Elmo's. read more

Met a friend and his wife here for lunch. Great experience. Everyone was happy with their dishes. I had the whole belly fried clam platter. It was perfectly done and full of flavor, obviously the clams were very fresh. The restaurant was clean and the waitress was very pleasant and came by three times to ask if we needed anything. Prices were very reasonable and portions were just right. I'm already looking forward to another visit. read more

Hard to write this one..... hard to write this since we have had a bunch of really great experiences here and I have left great reviews but honestly tonight could be our last. Our waitress did her best - she was short staffed and over sat. We were there 2 1/2 hours. From the time we ordered our dinner it was over an hour - on a Wednesday night. Owner was too concerned with talking to his regulars about the new organic chicken to even notice the service issue. Worst part - all my hubby wanted was the shrimp scampi - that usually ROCKS! Tonight it was literally pasta and shrimp in butter - no flavor or maybe the wrong sauce. Gross, but we were beyond caring. Would have loved dessert but honestly at that point we just wanted to leave. Major bummer from one of our long time favorite spots. read more

We had a wonderful evening at Elmo's Dockside. The food, the service, and the atmosphere was just great! The owner, Robert, went to every table and spoke to the customers to make sure everyone was enjoying their evening and if we needed anything further. Our waitress, Phyllis, was outstanding from start to finish... we could not have asked for a better experience. Thank you again and we'll be back! read more

Excellent service and food. Really enjoyed the prime rib. Prices are decent for what you get

Food was great , portions were a good size and even took a doggie bag home Would recommend Elmo's for a great meal read more

The staff is very friendly. Their fried seafood is absolutely delicious. I really like the batter that they put on the fried seafood.

Friendly and attentive staff. Roberto, the proprietor, makes the rounds to make sure you are satisfied.

I'm kinda disappointed. I'd heard great things about Elmo's especially the ciopino and bay scallops. When we arrived tonight, there was a special menu for Valentine's Day -- and neither was on the menu. We had also heard good things about the clam chowder. What a disappointment. It had clams, but no flavor at all. After 3 bites, oyster crackers and a LOT of salt and pepper, I gave up. The server was surprised when I refused a box to take it home. The two of us who had the chowder agreed that the best we could say was, "it was warm," The menu had a variety of seafood and chops for the holiday menu, but surprisingly no "surf and turf". The broiled seafood platter was good (slightly over cooked) the prime rib flavorful (horseradish sauce had to be requested) , and the salmon was deemed 'excellent'. The place was busy (we had made reservations just after 1 pm for a 7 pm dinner) and we appreciated the host moving us from the bar to the dining room. Our server apologized that the soups and salads were ready prior to the appetizers, but brought the food out as it was ready (thank you!). Was it good? Sure. Was it spectacular? No. Will we go back? Maybe, but we'll make sure ciopino is on the menu before we go. read more