Always great food but every time I go here the hostesses seat people who came in after me before me. It's obvious they give preference to regulars which isn't right. Service is fine, but nothing special. These reasons make this a place I don't think of automatically when I want seafood. read more

Lots of charm. Staff was friendly. BluepointOysters & PEI mussels were delicious. Highly recommend.

ABSOLUTELY HORRIBLE! This was one of the WORST DINING EXPERIENCES I have ever had. We waited about 45 minutes between finishing our first course and when our entrees came out and when we had the "nerve" to ask about the delay in service, we were told by the manager that it is not a McDonalds. Granted, I live in Boston's South End and am used to superior service, but, still, that is no excuse to treat customers with absolutely no respect. Putting the order in correctly is not exactly rocket science, and, of course, everyone has an off moment, but it was the insulting, non-apologetic demeanor of the manager that made me so incensed that I wanted to write this review. (Oh, and it was a dead monday night, so no excuses about how busy the restaurant may have been!!) read more

I am a big fan of Fishbones. The quality of their food is the best and they've never let me down since they opened in Chelmsford. Prices are higher, but not unreasonable for the quantity on your plate. I very much enjoy sitting and dining at the bar. However, I have had a few negative experiences with an older female bartender that's very pushy, always has a scowl on her face, and constantly chewing and snapping her gum. I think her name is Denise. While I feel the overall restaurant is five star, I have to rank customer service lower due to this bartender that brings everyone down - including me. :( read more

Great atmosphere, good service, very good food, priced well. The crab cake was baked and full of crab meat, not fillers, definitely one of the better crab cakes I've ever eaten. Very big salad with just the right amount of dressing to keep it light but tasty, sweet potato fries cooked perfectly. read more

Had the grilled salmon shrimp cod platter. Excellent!! Food came fast and was piping hot. Fish was grilled to perfection!! Will come back. read more

I had an excellent meal at fishbones! We came on a Friday night and only had to wait 20minutes or so for a table for 2. We waited at the bar, which is a pretty cool set up. The bartender was very nice and accommodating and thy have a decent beer selection. For my meal I got one of the specials, I don't remember exactly what it was but I think it was stuffed haddock. I do remember that it was the most delicious thing id eaten in a long time though. Only downfall about the restaurant wAs our waiter who seemed really rushed to get our orders and didn't even introduce himself to us. He would just pop up every so often and exchange brief words and then he'd scamper away again. It was pretty weird, but we still had a nice time. read more

Came here with a friend on a dark and stormy night. What I found was a warm restaurant with a bustling kitchen and great food. We sat at the bar looking into the kitchen and it almost felt like a chef's table! Course 1: Oysters!!! NOM NOM NOM! I'm no expert, but the Blue Points were delicately flavored and not-fussed around with. Just as they should be. Course 2: Oysters!!! OK, fried oysters are a guilty pleasure. So sue me. Love the panko. Main: Salmon, asparagus and garlic mashed. Done perfectly. Mashed had a few lumps, just the way I like it! Great place to bring the boss, clients, or special date. read more

For Chelmsford and the immediate surrounds I'd say this is easily a 5-star restaurant. The food is pretty upscale considering the area and the prices are perhaps special-occasion price, but it's a nice restaurant with good choices. It's not the best seafood I've ever had in the state, but it's certainly tops in the Chelmsford area. Came here with The Parents and they liked it a lot. There was a good crowd here too on a Saturday. Easy parking. read more

Work group of 4 had an enjoyable dinner. Nice little find. Food was better than average therefore pricing was a little more than average which we totally expected. I definitely recommend Fishbones. read more

Such great quality fish and cuisine along with a fun atmosphere. Always busy and for good reason!

Neat location, I really liked the atmosphere! I was with a group and was able to sample the Bacon Wrapped Scallops (Good), Calamari (Good), Lobster Mac N Cheese (Great), Lobster Roll (Great), Seafood Gumbo (Amazing). A friend had the Seafood Sauté and said it was Amazing. I'd definitely come back! read more

we did "call ahead" around 7:30 on a Tuesday night and had to wait ~20 until 2 bar stools opened up so we willingly forfeited our table. Although we definitely enjoyed our meals, we weren't completely blown away. The bartender seemed like she was all set with her shift by the time we sat down. She was just going through the motions praying for closing time, would disappear for 15 minutes at a time and had a little bit of an attitude-- wasn't rude but certainly wasn't pleasant. overall ambiance and environment is great. read more

When I was eventually seated, I had a good waitress. Was torn between choices, so, I got food to go. Had the salmon for my dine in, it was okay, with clam chowder. Hopefully, my lobster roll is better. Now, I did order the bread pudding Togo because they made it in house. It was a nice piece, but it was missing something in flavor. I'm a bread pudding fanatic. They may want to adopt how we do it in Louisiana, top it with a bourbon or caramel sauce to go with the ice cream and maybe add sweet potatoes with the raisins to elevate the flavor. read more

Good service, large drinks, and the seafood was delicious. A little chilly inside but that was ok. The only thing was the clam chowder was not what I was expecting. They put bacon in it which is fine but I feel like it over powered the whole soup. Some may like that though read more

Fishbones - Buffalo shrimp was really good - Seafood Near Me - Chelmsford, Massachusetts

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Great seafood north of Boston. It's a very casual atmosphere and gets pretty crowded (so a bit noisy) which isn't surprising. This spot offers a full menu of seafood and some beef selections. There are many things I want to try, including their raw bar, I've had the shrimp and scallop salad, grilled salmon and mixed grill. All were substantial, well prepared and tasty. Wine list s decent, with plenty of options by the glass. And there's a fish market if you feel like making it yourself. read more

I ate here for my birthday on Sunday, everything was exceptional. I got the Ahi tuna with seaweed salad, and my parents got a fisherman's platter and fried haddock. the interior is very well decorated and clean. Our server was friendly and attentive but not overbearing. Great dining experience with excellent flavors, every special request we made was accommodated. We will be returning. Highly recommend. read more

Amazing lobster rolls and clam chowder! Our waiter was very helpful in helping us make a final decision and provided great service. You won't be disappointed. read more

This is a really good local restaurant. It's a little cramped and busy but the food is good and prices are reasonable and cozy ambiance.

What a great find in the area. I have been searching for a year for a decent seafood restaurant ever since moving from the North End. I had no luck for a year and finally I drove by Fishbones, answering my prayers. On my first visit I decided to poke around the place and test the fish market out. I was surprised to see that it was actually a fine dining set up with a nice bar, and some out door seating. I turned my attention to the seafood counter and saw beautiful pieces of tuna calling my name. At 24.99 per pound, I knew this was going to be good quality fish, confirmed by the counter service when they recommended that the best way to cook it was lightly grilled, kept rare. The tuna was superb, boasting a 2'' thick fillet with a nice mellow flavor. I also went with a half dozen Blue Point oysters ($2/oyster), that had a great metalic/salty freshness with a creamy finish, which only further solidified in my mind that I needed to return for dinner. That day came one day later, as I couldn't help myself. We arrived on a Saturday night to a pretty full house (expected). After placing our names with the hostess, we wandered into the bar area to garb some wine. The decor is great throughout, with colors and pictures that make you believe you are on the cape having dinner. I was very happy to see the wine list included multiple choice fro wine by the glass, most of which were in the $7 area. We settled on a glass of Oyster Bay SauvBlanc, which is always good, and a glass of SeaGlass SauvBlanc (nice try Cali, but not quite Marlborough quality). The bar area seems like a great place to hang out after work, or to sit and enjoy some oysters while catching up with friends. Although with no real waiting area, the bar can get crowded and you need to stand in a strategic area to remain out of the way of the waitstaff. We were seated within 10 mins of arriving in the same area as the bar (the main eating area), which was actually nice, even with the noise level. It adds to the whole atmosphere and charm of eating a seafood joint on the cape, but without the flip-flops and muscle shirts. We started with a half dozen raw cherry stones $8, again flawless flavor with fresh, crisp texture. (side note - great cocktail sauce) We also started with the onion rings, hand cut, light coating of corn flour, fried perfectly and addicting. For entrees we had the seafood Mediterranean, supplying a bountiful amount of lobster, scallops and shrimp, combined in a fresh mixture of olives, feta and tomatoes, tossed with pasta. I chose the soft shell crab special, feature softies pan fried and served over pilaf with and seaweed salad and wasabi cream sauce. I usually try the main menu items, but since the softies were in season I had to have them and they did not disappoint. During dinner I noticed another table downing some huge martinis, so i requested the drink list and found 15 signature cocktails to choose from. We tried the Ten-acious (Tanquray Ten and pineapple juice) and the Pear Martini (rye and potato vodka blend with pear). Both were made perfectly and poured table side. The only negatives, the salad that came with the pasta dish was sad, very sad. Why even offer a salad if all you produce is a bowl stuffed with some random mesculin mix that looked as though a two year old prepared it. The watermelon sorbet on special for desert sounded promising, but only delivered a very obvious fake flavor, with a chalky, iced texture. Who thought this tasted good and place it as a special on the menu? Seeing that its a seafood place and the seafood was great, they don't lose any points, but maybe an employee will read this and fix them. I think i found my new place, where everyone will know my name. read more

I had the 1 pound of Alaskan King Crab with a cup of clam chowder. The King Crab was good, very meaty and they've split the shell for you already. The clam chowder had a tiny amount of sand. You better come before 5pm or there will be an hour wait. read more

Absolutely fantastic. Long wait (about an hour) on a Thursday evening at 6:50pm. Clam chowder for an appetizer was perfection. My entree, Seafood Saute was out of this world. The garlic butter sauce mixed with linguine, lobster meat, shrimp, and scallops was one of the best seafood meals I have ever had. hearty and filling, but not over barring with all the fish options. Other entree's ordered were fried fisherman's platter and fish and chips. Both were also delicious, well battered in a light mixture, and the fish was the freshest I've ever had. The long wait is well worth the food. Highly recommend this place for seafood lovers! read more

New to the area, I have been searching for a spot for excellent seafood and Fishbones is the spot! A very elegant casual feel with a nice bar, a bit noisy for an intimate experience but the service was excellent. I will definitely be back for The Seafood Mediterranean & a Martini. read more

Excellent!! Food was amazing had the mixed grill and Mediterranean seafood. Service was great as well.

We've been dining at Fishbones since it opened and have always thought highly of the food quality. The last two times we've dined there, our entrees have been precooked and reheated. This was particularly evident with the baked seafood casserole and lazy man's lobster. Also, the sides are almost always coming out cold. I'm not sure I'll keep dining at this restaurant if the food quality doesn't improve to it's normal standards. The prices are fairly high for the entrees, which is fine when the quality of the food is excellent, but not when it's poor. read more

Been here twice, disappointed both times. Overly priced for no reason. Lobster meat comes out of a plastic bag so I don't understand the $30 "fresh lobster dishes" that may contain shells (as stated on the menu). Cold pasta, no flavor. Asked for a medium cooked burger, not one hint of pink. It looked well done tbh. Risotto extra crunchy, not sure if that's supposed to be the texture. Waitress was nice. Overall, never coming back. read more

I have been a Fishbones fan since it opened. I would have stayed off of this public page and gone directly to contacting them directly, but no contact info is available on their website. My fried clams today were extremely disappointing. They were supposed to be whole bellied clams, but it felt like the bottom of the bag - clam remnants, with a few bellies attached. In addition, they were extremely dark and crispy, so either overcooked, or cooked in older oil. The past few times I had been in, I had ordered fried fish, which was golden and flaky. I was expecting golden and light and got brown and crispy. My initial post-pandemic visits still had tables separated by attractive plastic dividers. Today, even though we got there early, the dividers are gone, and the nearby party of 6 drove the noise level through the roof. Yes, I will give it another try. Of the 4 of us, mine was the only miss, and the service was as good as always. read more

My husband and I ate here for our anniversary and were really excited about not having to travel to Legal's to get seafood anymore. The only seats available were at a bar looking into the restaurant. We ordered a dozen oysters to start and a lady working in the kitchen heard us order and said "that just made my day". We were shocked and should have left, but instead we sat there and watched her sweat while trying to open the oysters for 30 minutes, complaining the whole time. We were sitting right in front of her while she did this. I got the sesame tuna steak which was suprisingly bland and my husband ordered the seafood diablo and we are pretty sure that it was missing an ingredent as it didn't taste right and was flavorless. I can get over the entrees, a restaurant is bound to make mistakes, but to complain about someting that we ordered right off the menu? We will not be back. read more

I don't get why it is so busy. The food is eh and the prices are high. I would rather go to The Glenview to get fish.

Yummmmy! Best seafood around. Everything is very fresh and delicious. I have been here about 5 times and have not been disappointed yet. The atmosphere is very nice and the staff is outstanding. The beer selection is one of the best in town. read more

Fishbones is an awesome place to dine-in! The food was fresh and very tasty! The bread pudding was to die for. Our waitress, Lauren, was nice too! If you are in Chelmsford, MA you have to try Fishbones. read more

We were so excited to try Fishbones based on all the positive reviews, but we were sadly disappointed. My boyfriend had the special, which I tasted, and it was barely edible. He tried to pick out just the fish, and left about half of the concoction on the plate. I had a basic salad with shrimp and it was fairly bland, but edible. Service was also poor. My water was never refilled, even when a staff asked if I needed anything else, and I requested more water. Unfortunately not only will we not be returning to the restaurant, I am very unlikely to recommend it to anyone. read more

Alaskan King crab legs are the BEST crab legs I've ever had, and I try them whenever and wherever I can. Sweet potato wedges are quite good, too, and a surprisingly excellent pairing (seriously, try it). Other than that the restaurant has a great vibe and excellent service (I've never had a bad experience). The wait time can really suck, so call ahead. read more

Romantic, quaintly decorated and pleasantly staffed! I would definitely recommend this unassuming restaurant for a romantic dinner for two. Though, I have seen tables with more friends and family having a pleasant go of it. The bar looks great, stocked well and seems to have it's regulars who enjoy one another's company. We sat by the fireplace and watched joyfully as the bartender shook cocktails. My wife and I went for our anniversary dinner and were pleasantly surprised. read more

I overlooked the draft, the long wait (reservations aren't possible), the rude hostess and the noise level because the food was excellent. I thought I had died and gone to seafood heaven until my husband found a long hair in his trout. Needless to say, we will not be returning to fishbones. read more

I ordered the lobster mac n cheese but it's no longer on the menu. However the waitress asked the chef if it was possible and the chef happy obliged. It was probably the best lobster mac n cheese I've ever had from there or any where else. read more

This restaurant was a pleasant surprise. We found this place by accident and enjoyed our experience. It was a lazy Sunday and we stopped in for a late lunch. We sat at the bar. My husband had oysters on the half shell and a smoke salmon appetizer plate for his lunch. I ordered a grilled Cesaer salad and grill trout. The food was wonderful! Delicious at every turn. My husband also ordered two drinks that were well prepared. The first bartender who started us out, was a bit prickly but the next guy who took over while the other guy was on his lunch break was fabulous. The second guy was friendly, knowledgable and funny. The lack of five start is for the first bartender who took unction with my husband who to told him to stop shaking his manhattan. Doesn't the guy know it bruises the bourbon? We would definitely make an effort to go back again! read more

I was in the area for work and found this place through yelp. The food was very good with a great atmosphere. Parking here can be a little tricky, however, it's worth it. I ordered the crab cake burger and was very pleased. read more

Nice atmosphere and the fish was fresh. However, service was slow and somewhat incompetent. Not up to par with the seafood places in Boston or Seattle. In my opinion price was decent, but for those who don't really know seafood they might think it's a little high. I don't believe the "it's fresh fish, it takes a while to cook" line I've heard from a friend of mine. I've worked as a professional fishmonger (and an amateur yet highly skilled cook especially with fish) for the last 12 years when I lived in Seattle and I can tell you that the skills of the cooks at FishBones were not exactly top of the line. Would rather go to Boston for really fresh and expertly prepared fish and seafood. read more

Fishbones, you never disappoint me. Don't be turned off if you have to wait for a table on a weekday. It's well worth it.