We ordered hot lobster rolls last Sunday and were very disappointed about the quality. The lobster was not fresh, dry and tasted like it was re-heated and overcooked on the grill. - we just could not eat them- We had lobster rolls at this place several times last year and they were always excellent. Not sure why there is such a huge change in quality. read more

I attended a wedding, and Ripka was the caterer - the food was unbelievable. We were on a remote island off of Norwalk, and without electricity they were able to pull off a 5 course meal + wide pairings. From fresh fish to steak to pesto pasta, every course was awesome - and the staff was super friendly! highly recommend. read more

Can't say enough about how awesome this place is. Lobster omelette and also the oyster omelette for brunch are fantastic. Whole belly clams are great and just about anything you order is top notch. Also nice that they have beers on draft, cocktails, etc. All this at the beach and they don't take you over the coals with prices, hard to beat! read more

Ripkas Beach Cafe - Seafood Near Me - Norwalk, Connecticut

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For $17, expecting a halfway decent hot lobster roll shouldn't be too much to ask. While skimpy on the lobster, the bun was overflowing with lettuce and onions which tasted WAY out of place. It's pretty hard to screw up a lobster roll, and yet, somehow it happened here. While Ripka's is definitely a decent addition to Calf Pasture (diverse menu, beer/wine, outdoor seating) steer clear from the lobster rolls - overpriced and underwhelming. read more

This is a pretty good beach cafe! Food has good prices! There are a lot of options from burgers to lobster rolls. The best part about this place now is that they have a full bar. They serve everything from mudslides to margaritas. They ever have different flavors margaritas which I love! I had a peach one the last time I was there. That is a great summer drink . The seating is good to they have indoor and outdoor. It is located conveniently next to the restrooms and the sand :) read more

I owe this place an updated review. I've since been here a few more times and I have learned to stick mainly to the seafood. We've tried the mussels, the oyster po'boy, the whole fried clams, the boiled potatoes (need salt) my kids have had hot dogs and we always get their awesome fries. Everything has been great. When it's busy there can be a wait. There are lots of places to eat outside. Service is good, beer is cold, they have fabulous bloody Mary's. I feel weird giving 5 stars because it's not a 5 Star dining establishment but they have good fresh food, and reasonable prices for the most part. They also do a lot of nice fundraisers for the community so I am happy to support this place. We even got our Christmas tree here :) read more

I saw an ad for Ripka's one night on cable a while ago & have been meaning to stop by. What a great beachside stop! Not your average crab shack by any means. Unbelievable menu -- fish tacos & curry chicken wrap were phenomenal. Nice outdoor seating area with park & LI Sound views just added to it. So glad we found this place inside Calf Pasture Beach. Adding Ripka's to our rotation for sure! read more

Ripkas Beach Cafe - Ripka's at Calf Pasture Beach - Seafood Near Me - Norwalk, Connecticut

My first visit using a $16 for $30 from Groupon. The wifi and hotspot did not work and the cashier honored the Groupon and asked me to mark it redeemed myself. Then we had the lobster rolls which were very good. We will return soon. read more

One of the best beach concessions I have ever had. Great variety of food and drink to choose from including adult beverages! The truffle fries were great. The lobster Mac and cheese needed to be creamier but there was plenty of lobster. The tilapia tacos and the burger were also delicious. Definitely a place to come back to if you are visiting this Norwalk beach. read more

This place is great fresh food good service right on the water excellent view five stars by me you can spend the day at the beach and eat delicious food at the end of the day free concerts doesn't get better if you're in Norwalk and want to have a good day come here read more

Ripkas Beach Cafe - Fresh good raw bar 5 stars - Seafood Near Me - Norwalk, Connecticut

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Lots of good options that you'd expect at the beach. Like fried fish, clams or shrimp and lobster bisque. But there's also a pizza oven, wine & beer, and Sunday brunch menu. But what makes it even more special is the other extras. During the fall, there are s'mores parties over fire pits. Fridays in the summer there is excellent live music. And of course, the beach is just a step away with beautiful views of the Long Island sound. read more

I ordered a dozen little neck clams and when I got them 10 minutes later none of them were bigger than a quarter. $6 for a domestic beer. Nice atmosphere but if you're ordering from the Raw Bar you're not getting your money's worth and don't go thirsty read more

I really like this place. The food is good and fresh, and the raw bar is awesome. And - they have alcoholic beverages too! I had the tilapia soft tacos, which were a special today. $9 - good portion size and really tasty! read more

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Husband absolutely loved his lobster roll and is still going on about it. He said the clam chowder wasn't as great. This place had no heat on which was pretty shocking for such a highly reviewed place. It also had no bathroom. I'm not a seafood fan and got the chicken sandwich which was pretty good. read more

This place is probably one of LESS favorite place, today the drinks dispenser has mold in it and no one there to complain. Last year I have an cheese sandwich with molded bread, so try to stay away. Is just a rip-off summer business that probably should be closed by the health department. So pity because the beach is beautiful and it should have a clean and honest place to snack or refresh if you need. Just stay away to be sure you stay healthy especially because they serve seafood that is really dangerous if is not fresh read more

The view of the beach from sitting area is nice and relaxing. I like the music playing on the outside patio, but the cafe in general is not that great. I only ordered a smoothie which was not bad, but I did not want to order anything else because the place did not look that clean. The staff was not that friendly. They really should be running this place better and they should clean it up because I think more people from the beach would come to get something to eat. If improvements and updates were done, it would even be a nice place for people to come during lunch hour or after work. read more

Ripkas Beach Cafe - View from sitting on outside chairs - Seafood Near Me - Norwalk, Connecticut

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Best lobster roll ever! (I did not have much expectations given previous reviews). From the amount of fresh lobster to the crunch of the bread. It all came together and just hit the spot! Highly recommend! read more

I love this place! Mr Ripka, the owner is great, as is all the other employees. The food is great. A wonderful spot to go weather it's winter, spring, summer or fall! read more

Wonderful cafe offering healthy options as opposed to just chicken fingers, burgers and hot dogs. This place offers a variety of healthy, delicious and quick food. It's convenient for lunch at the beach without having to leave the beach for healthy food or pack your own lunch to the beach! read more

Good food, friendly and fast service. French fries were awesome and chicken fingers were crispy and tasty. Great prices too. Good selection of brews on tap. Definitely will be back! read more

Ripkas Beach Cafe - Ripka's Beach Cafe - Chicken fingers, French fries and ice cold corona light. - Seafood Near Me - Norwalk, Connecticut

I've been here with my family and the food is very average. Pricing is not comparable with the food quality. My review, however, is in relation to a corporate event my employer was trying to book with Ripka's for a non-peak hours event. We are a local Norwalk business and wanted our event to stay local. Naturally, Ripka's proximity to the beach was a natural fit. However, the owner wanted to charge us the equivalent of $75 per person. For what? We weren't closing your venue, you don't have the seating to accommodate us. We would have been no different than people walking off the street and ordering except we had the courtesy of reaching out to you to let you know that you may want to increase your ordering pars and tease your staffing schedule. We're taking our event elsewhere and I am never going here in any capacity again. read more

A big thank you to Clyde Ripka and his staff for their help during a group lunch under the tent at Calf Pasture yesterday. This was the first time our support group members were together since March. Our server Mia couldn't have been more helpful and the food was delicious. Thanks for making our gathering a success! read more

I've eaten here a handful of times, and it's generally a decent experience. Really nice to have the option to get food at the beach, and drinks too. I would skip the lobster roll, which is a bit overpriced and underwhelming. Fish tacos give you a good portion but are a bit bland. Surprisingly, the best things I've eaten here are the truffle fries - seriously, so dang good, and the tuna wrap. read more

Great place to go no matter the weather. Always new and interesting offerings. The food is always made to order, good quality and creatively made. The menu is very varied--from simple to fancy offerings. Love the soups, sandwiches, salads and raw fish bar. Variety of hard and soft drinks. Happy hour with entertainment, bar food and drinks in warm weather. Wood fired pizza. Fire pit with spiked hot drinks, smores, etc. Sunday brunch. All good. read more

It is what it is.....but it's better than it looks. I am obsessed with clams, so I tried the raw bar clams and at $1/pp it was really good. The beer is over priced, but they sort of have you by the balls. All of the cooked food is mediocre, but I did not go here expecting gourmet. Again, it is what it is. Hot dog and fries = perfect for a day at the beach read more

Have to agree with the other reviews...staff is lazy and incompetent. If they are out of most of the food on their "specials" list then they should cross it off. Not that hard to do given its a chalkboard. When my food wasn't ready after 30 minutes I was told the order never got through to the kitchen but they would take care of it right away. 15 min later still no food and they all looked at each other puzzled... I demanded my money back. So much for a relaxing day with my kids. Both were crying as we waited but I dont blame them I wanted to cry myself. read more

Staff of kids is very friendly but the restaurant itself is NOT a seafood place. We went especially for lobster, ordered lobster, clams, mussels, fried clams. None of the seafood was cooked well, seasoned correctly (steamed food covered in oregano), fried clams were like eating rocks. If you can't do seafood correctly, don't do it!! read more

Honestly- if you're looking for beachside food, bring a cooler with you or stop up the street at Nik's Place or swing by Stew's to get some grab and go food. This place was a serious disappointment- and the food and staff are clearly to blame. The staff is not competent, and not customer friendly. We waited 25 minutes for a soup that they forgot to prepare with our order, and watched them prepare it in a microwave once they realized, leaving the plastic spoon in it while it was heated up. Later on, I asked for an ice cream bar- it took 15 minutes to get it. I opened it up, and it was melted....and I asked,"is it supposed to look like this?". The response I got was, "uh, yeah. It was kept in a box". What a joke. read more

I have truly enjoyed everything I've gotten here so far. The DUKE sandwich is awesome. I have had Naomi's Tuna Wrap and the Courier which is a curry wrap. All nicely flavored. I work local, I can see them from my office back door so when I get the opportunity I will head over there or get delivery. My co workers love the burgers, and the fries are always tasty. The NE clam chowder which I had recently had good flavor and enough clams to satisfy me. They are open year round so if you enjoyed them all summer why stop? Head down there for lunch fall, winter and spring. I would call first though if you're heading down for a late lunch. I'm looking forward to trying one of their brunches or events. Today I had a "special". Salmon, fresh and grilled, on a Portuguese roll with chipotle sauce, thin sliced tomato and cucumber. What a treat. I know when it's busy there's a wait but it's so worth it! Decent portions, good prices and nice people to boot! Head on down. read more

Love Ripka's Beach Cafe i remember when it was Stew Leonard's Grill before for On The Beach standards really great food they have good burgers and Sandwich's and things and they also have good options for the Kids to and for those who don't eat Meat they have something for you to they have Seafood read more

Went there for dinner and had a hot lobster roll and raw oysters. The lobster roll was lobster meat, carmelized onions and lettuce in a soft, fresh half-sub roll. What I liked about it is that it was not doused in butter and that the natural flavor of the lobster came through. The oysters were just amazing -- plump and very fresh. Best seafood stand I've been to so far. read more

Food took forever to come out receipt time 11:50 food arrived at 12:25. Lobster roll was full of shells, bacon on a stick was more like fat on a stick. Will not be ordering here again! Staff looks miserable. read more

Ripkas Beach Cafe - "Bacon on a stick" - Seafood Near Me - Norwalk, Connecticut

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From the moment we got there everything was being cleaned and shut down. Steamer was off so my order couldn't be fulfilled. If the location is open until a designated time, then all the machinery should be off after that assigned time, not before. Lost a customer. read more

Clyde has done many events both business and personal. His food and service has always been top of the line. This past weekend he catered my 50th Birthday Party He exceeded my expectations. The fillet mignon was so tender it did not even need a knife. The lobster risotto al denente as were the string beans with garlic. I felt like I was at a 5 star restaurant, not a party for60. I would recommend Clyde Ripka (a CIAA trained chef) to anyone looking for perfection read more

Just happened upon Ripka's after walking on the fishermen's pier in the park. This guy was putting a Christmas tree up in the lot when we asked him if the Seaside restaurant had any bisque on the menu. He said "yes it does". We went in, as did the guy, who turns out being Clyde, Ripka. The made to order was cheerfully filled, and was delicious ! The conversation was also a plus. read more

Been here about 6 times, fried clams are always cooked perfect, staff pleasant. Food is A cut above, better then expected. I prefer Ripka's to Overtons for a burger or hot dog. read more

Went to Ripka's for the first time a week ago after receiving a promotional invite on East Norwalk Numbers (neighbor social communication network) Arrived at approx 6pm to find two cashier's lines 15 to 20 deep that you had to enter all orders. Therefore if you just wanted to have a drink or a drink before you ordered your food you must wait in this line (on this day) for 15 to 20 minutes, to get a ticket to get your drink and wait again for you turn at the beverage line. There is a register there, but on this occasion it was not open. This is an extermely poorly planned and executed customer service. Since I didn't say long enough to taste the food I cannot comment on that. I did voice my dismay to the owner and got snapped at "that this was his first weekend". I feel he was severely under staffed, in the front of the house, and overwhelmed by the customer volume on that day. I did peruse the raw bar menu and although pricey, a man the offers a minionette sauce with raw seafood can't be all bad. read more

Ripka's is always jam-packed on a summer weekend at calf pasture. the raw bar especially (clams and oysters) are delicious and as fresh as you can get anywhere in the area. Ripka's also hosted a private event for us under their tent next to the Café and we couldn't have been happier with the service and space - very flexible, great food, great atmosphere. read more

Ripka's cafe is conveniently located within a few steps of the beach and is the only option in a mile radius of calf pasture beach. The menu was pretty large for a beach side consession stand. The service was friendly and quick however the food was a bit disappointing and on the pricey side given the quality. I had a lobster roll and would not order that again. Lots of meat but lacked butter and was on a lettuce bed which I don't like. The burger was just kind of bland. I will eat here again for the convenience factor but won't take my chances on the higher priced seafood. Can't go wrong with fries and hot dog! read more

I love this place! I've been here a handful of times and haven't had the same experience as other reviewers at all. I found the owner to be very friendly and the staff to be fairly friendly as well. The food is great, although since I don't eat seafood I'm a little bit more limited in my choices- I especially liked their Sunday brunch breakfast burrito. I think this is a big improvement from the places that have been at Calf Pasture previously. read more