Always an excellent meal!! Everything is fresh and hot. Wait staff is fantastic!!!! Favorite restaurant in the Island!

Mother's Day day trip to LBI finished on a high note. This place is an absolute gem! Wait was 45 minutes (ok it's Mother's Day) Not a problem. We were seated as quickly as possible. The menu selection was amazing...so much to choose from. Service was fantastic! This is a very small place I really must compliment all of the servers. As they were cleaning the tables you could hear them thanking each other for helping out. It was so nice to hear. The staff was upbeat and very friendly and they were extremely busy! I would absolutely go back and highly recommend!!! read more

The greatest food experience I have had in LBI thus far, but it was not hard to beat out the rest. Everything we ordered tasted great. I would recommend it to anyone who loves seafood that is actually seasoned and cooked well. read more

Amazing quality seafood. Expensive, but WORTH IT. I had the crab cakes and almost died of delight. Even the garlic green beans were delicious! We sat outside in the breeze on a warm Wednesday night in July. The service was friendly. I would 100% go here again, but this time I would bring wine! read more

Never Been Treated So Rudely- You Can't Get Crabs from "Shay" or Her Dad When we arrived, "Shay" (who would later be our waitress) told us "Stand over there and the hostess will put your names in". No hostess appeared after 5 minutes, so Shay got the clipboard. We were told it would be a 1:15 wait. So we put our names in and got an appetizer across the street. When we returned an hour later, we were told our names had already been called. Finally, we sat down to dinner with Shay, our decidedly cranky waitress. She shoved two menus and a list of specials at me and my friend without explanation. I had been looking forward to the the soft shell crabs, so I ordered those (they were listed on the chalkboard of market prices as well as the menu). Shay replied "We don't have crabs right now" and looked at me expectantly. I asked what they *did* have. "Everything else", she squawked. I ordered the broiled scallops with baked potato and side salad; my friend had the mussels. My scallops were fine, although the small boat had several cut-up scallops instead of whole ones. The food was not especially good or bad, which was mildly disappointing considering the wait and reviews. Shay asked once if we wanted anything else, and when told "Thanks, we're good", said "Fine" and walked away. My friend's mussels were $11.99, and my scallops were $20.99 plus an iced tea and a $4 "dining in" charge. Then we paid our $43.38 tab with a $20 bill and my credit card. We asked Erica, the second waitress, to put $25 on the card and bring us change. She agreed. We intended to leave a reasonable 20% tip. BUT, Shay took it upon herself to charge the card $23.38 and keep the $20 bill. We asked her to bring change for $11.99 entree with the $20 and change the amount on the card; she refused, saying "You already paid". We went to the person, presumably the hostess, standing by the hostess station and explained the situation. She deferred to a middle-aged male manager, who told us to find our waitress. We said we did, but she refused to make change. Shay was summoned by the hostess and was told to make change. She did not hand the change for my friend's meal ($1.00) to my friend. I asked $25 be placed on my card. Now, we had paid our tab in full- I've never had a waitress REFUSE to make change, so we did not intend to leave a tip. That may be somewhat rude, but it's our right. After we left, the manager FOLLOWED us outside, yelling "What was wrong?". I thought he was actually asking, so I told him that the waitress was rude and she refused to correct a charge. He said "So you're saying my daughter's lazy?!". I said "Sir, I'm not insulting your daughter, but we paid our bill and we felt the service was very poor". He yelled in my face "So you think you can stiff the waitress?!". I said "I'm a customer, I paid, and we're leaving". As we walked away, he screamed at us "You're not a happy lady!" I have never, ever had a manager follow me onto the street and scream at me. I can't remember the last time I didn't tip, but refusing to make change is just ridiculous. If you're going to go here, ask what they have before you sit down, and bring exact change- and maybe body armor, too. read more

One of the top 5 crab cakes I've ever had. My wife and I stopped in for lunch. I tried the Mud City Crab Cake special (a huge lump crab-meat crab cake served with jalapeno tartar sauce and topped with avocado and bacon). Crab was cooked to perfection and had a nice hint of sweetness. Served with thick cut fries. The wife had fried flounder sandwich and fries. Flounder was fresh, not greasy, and a substantial portion. Not a lot of seating (4 booths and maybe 6 four tops), but nice decor (all wood paneling and appropriate seafaring pictures). I think we lucked out on seating bc the place filled up really quickly after we sat down at 12:30ish. If you can't get a seat inside, they have an outdoor seating bar and take away service. In addition to cooked options, they sell fresh fish options in the market, including, crab legs, tuna steaks, and pre-made crab-cakes, which look exactly like the ones they serve, if you want to cook at home. We saw a guy in a Bentley stop in for take out, so I guess even the well-to-do find this place a must stop. read more

Ship Bottom Shellfish - Mud City Crab Cake Special (crab cake, jalepeno tartar, avocado and bacon) and Fries - Seafood Near Me - Ship Bottom, New Jersey

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Good food but somewhat inconsistent service especially when it is extra busy. Serving sizes and prices are typical for LBI. Don't miss out on the mussels in garlic sauce they are always on point. I'd steer away from the clams casino. I don't know where they got their recipe from but Gordon Ramsey would be blowing his lid. Clams have been terribly small lately too. Their fried and baked seafood combos are always a good choice although their fried food has a tendency to be over fried in oil that probably isn't rotated as often as it should. I always make a stop or two at this place when I'm in the area. It's an LBI staple. read more

We always make sure we hit Ship Bottom Shellfish before we leave . We have never been disappointed. The menu is great but their daily special are what you need to keep on eye . Get there early limited seating so you may have to wait . Trust me it will be worth the wait. read more

Went here tonight with wife and both kids. It was a total chance that we showed up. No reservations or yelp to assist us. We drove up and stopped. It's a take out and eat in. It only seats , I would say 40 so there will likely be a wait. My family had a 25 min wait and we sat outside during that time (no big deal). Once we sat down we quickly ordered the lobster bisque to start, I got stuffed flounder entree , and my wife got the cod with imperial crab topping. My kids got a 4 buck hotdog and fries. Everything was great I have no complaints . I want to go back to this gem again read more

Simply put-the seafood cannot get any fresher. I could not decide what to get so had the baked seafood sampler which was sizable and all good. The crab cake was flavorful and delectable. The scallops were a good size and the perfect nearly melt in your mouth texture. The shrimp were tender. The seasoning on the fish brought out and did not overpower the flavor of the fish. My broccoli side-dish was one of the best broccoli dishes I have had-perfect amount of butter and garlic. And loved that they are ready with frosted mugs and wine glasses for BYOB. read more

The man behind the counter totally spoiled my first experience here with his horrendous treatment of the young employees. All while chugging a bottle of beer. Whatever the issue, he certainly could have waited to have the conversation out of earshot of his paying customers. It made everyone waiting for a table or take out super uncomfortable. Even more appalling to learn he's the owner. Absolutely no clue how to treat people and for that reason I will not be returning. Ever. read more

Rip off. A group of us ordered Flounder and with crab meat. For $23 we got two very small pieces of Flounder on top of tasteless crab (could be that Imperial crab has little taste- this is the type of crab they said was with the flounder), When ordering this meal, for that price, I thought it was a whole flounder stuffed with crabmeat. Their manhatten claim chowder was tasteless and virtually no pieces of claim. My advice- go to Yellowfin seafood. About $10-$15 more per entree, but world's better in quality of food and ambiance, read more

Thanks to the positive reviews! We stopped for lunch and were very happy with our meals....lump crab cake appetizer..wow, best ever! Flounder sandwich, oyster sandwich...YUM! Def come back when we are in the area again! read more

We really enjoyed eating here this past week- the service was great and the food was also excellent. We had the crab cakes and one of the sampler platters- both were delicious! read more

The waitress told us it'll be a 45 mins wait for the restaurant inside & she suggested us to sit outside along on the bar like setting facing the street which is fine with us. The kids actually kind of enjoyed it. The seafood is very fresh. We've ordered the clam strips, soft shell crabs, crab cakes, Ipswich clams, blue crabs & a dozen of oysters. They're all very good. We fought over the crab cakes but decided to order a 2nd bucket of the Ipswich clams because one just not enough. The clam strips' batter is a little bit on the thick side, so if you're not a big fan of that, you can definitely skip it. The only reason I didn't give a 5 stars because the price is a little bit pricey but I guess you get what you paid for :) read more

I went with a friend and we had 3 teens with us. My friend had broiled shell fish platter and I had stuffed crab. The boys had fried shrimo, flounder and king crab. We ordered mussels for the appetizer. The food was delicious. It's BYOB which is fine. My only gripe is that it took 1 hour 45 minutes to be seated. Totally insane. read more

Had to wait about 15 minutes for a table at lunch but really worth it! Grilled shrimp on arugula w mango dressing was so good! Baja tacos and fried flounder were fresh and tasty. Burgers -juicy and full of flavor and the French fries...yum!! Waitstaff very nice and accommodating. Small place, kind of loud and I assume everything is made fresh to order so can take a little time...worth it! read more

I'm not sure who I'm angrier at, this restaurant or this website which led me there. In my opinion, any of the positive reviews must be suspected of being planted by the owners since those reviews are polar opposite of my experience. Went recently with my girlfriend based on the reviews here. She ordered fried seafood platter and I ordered blackened grouper. On the table was a small bucket filled with crackers but they must have been placed there for show, like waxed fruit, because they were stale and inedible. Quickly came our salads, I've had better at high school cafeterias. They were ice cold, right out of the refrigerator, and consisted of iceberg lettuce, some shredded carrot, a cucumber slice and two cherry tomatoes. Dressing, from a jar, was on the side. My companions fried seafood was an odd dark brown color and other than by shape you couldn't tell what you were eating. She shared with me her "crab cake". The only crab may have walked past it a week ago. It tasted of, and had the consistency of, mayonaisse and bread crumbs. I had blacked grouper which tasted suspiciously of catfish. Not a hint of spice. My "side" of onion rings consisted of three pre-frozen rings. Not only was the food terrible but the bill came to almost $100 including tip WITHOUT ALCOHOL. I have heard that LBI doesn't allow "chain" restaurants. No wonder. A Red Lobster would put this place out of business in a week. Do yourself a favor, drive off the Island to a McDonalds for a salad and fillet-o-fish. You will have a better, more appetizing meal at one-tenth the price. read more

Best seafood on LBI! Consistently excellent food and service. The restaurant is small, so there are long lines at peak times. But take out moves briskly. Well staffed with trained waitresses. Don't forget to try the crabcakes! read more

Excellent food and friendly staff. Highly recommend!! We sat outside which is first come first serve because the inside is small and there was a long wait. Will definitely be back! read more

Worth the wait, great place, stuffed flounder with crab meat, outstanding , will go back

Ate here 2x while in LBI and both times food fresh and well-prepared and good service. I loved the local oysters on the half shell as well as the all you can eat oyster crackers with horseradish. I thought it was worth the wait and you will likely wait during summer if you go anytime after 5 p. If you can get there before 5 p you can avoid wait. Waiting can be fun though if you bring some beverages, get seat outside on bench & order appetizers for on the patio read more

Very impressed. The owner has a few places but this one is my fav. Fresh fish. Bring your own. Decent atmosphere. Staff is young but good. Great local fish! read more

Food was amazing. We started off with steamed bucket of mussels and clams in wine garlic sauce. Both were perfect. Service was good but good was exceptional. Shrimp and grits were good, halibut with chutney was cooked to perfection, cod dinner was also cooked to perfection. Crab cake sandwich was full of lump meat and not a bunch of breading. I would highly recommend this place for lunch or dinner. We will definitely be back when we are in LBI!! read more

This is my favorite restaurant in LBI ! The food is ...... what's the word I'm looking for.............. AMAZING! It can be pricey, depending on what you order, but it's worth every penny. My favorites are steamed little neck clams, the jumbo lump crab cakes, halibut ( baked ) , and for dessert ... *drum role please*... The Toll House Cookie Pie warmed with vanilla ice cream ! It is heaven on a plate .*Warning* Because they don't take reservations the wait during the weekends can be really long - but don't let that discourage you from going there the food really is amazing. read more

Ship bottom shellfish would definitely be at the top of my list for seafood restaurants. It had everything any kid could imagine. There were food choices galore and always a meal for everyone. My kids loved being there and would definitely go back. This is recommended for people of all ages and will have food for everyone to enjoy. read more

Great food (take out) always, but don't waste your time going early. No posted hours and the website is incorrect. They don't open until 11 am. Nothing like wasting you're vacation sitting around waiting for a store to open an hour after they say they do. read more

The place is just awesome!!! Friendly atmosphere and food is delicious. Definitely one of the best I have ever had in my life. You have to try it if you are around. read more

What a surprise! Best meal we had on the island! Everything is homemade. Our dinners were great. I could not have made a better blueberry cobbler myself. Definitely going back. Family friendly. CLEAN. Awesome wait staff. They were very knowledgeable about all the menu items. read more

Went there for lunch this Sunday and was extremely disappointed. We've always gone for their soft shell crabs but the ones served Sunday were tiny not even sure they were legal and apparently the recipe has changed. They went from heavy nicely breaded crabs to itty bitty greasy crabs and they charged full price. Shameful! Mud City would never do that. To add insult to injury our waitress told us she's embarrassed when she serves the crabs. If she knew she should have said something. Not sure we'll be back and we've been going for over fifteen years. sad to see a business rest on it's laurels instead of continuing to strive for quality read more

I stopped here on an off-season week night, so I had the experience of no waiting and got seated immediately. The staff was friendly and the food came out with decent timing. I enjoyed the little neck calms and a crabcake sandwich. The clams were excellent and the crabcake was above average and very tasty. This is a great place and a "chill" atmosphere. I also enjoyed the music they were playing. It is definitely on my list the next time I visit LBI. read more

Hands down, the best seafood spot on LBI...probably in NJ!! We've been to most all of the seafood markets on the island and in ocean county and no one has such fresh and perfectly prepared food. The jumbo lump crab cakes are amazing - we're talking as good as Maryland crab cakes - and the fried seafood options are so lightly breaded and perfectly fried that they don't loose the taste of the seafood and never feel greasy. It's a long wait at times, but well worth it! read more

Excellent food. Always have wonderful meal. Disappointing wait time. Should be a better system in place to avoid 2 hour wait while on vacation. read more

My husband and I enjoy our seafood and having lived in Florida and Baltimore, we know good seafood. We were looking forward to this place and ordered takeout. Not sure if it was an off day or because we ordered to take out, but we were sorely disappointed. I ordered the soft shell crab sandwich, sautéed per recommendation of the girl over the phone and is sold at MP. When I got my food, right off the bat I saw that the soft shell crab I just paid market price for covered half the bun it came on. I tried to compensate for the lack of seafood with the sauce that came with it and tried to curl the legs over to the barren side, but essentially had half a tomato and lettuce sandwich. My husband ordered the fried oyster sandwich which was much meatier than my lonely crab. However, he felt his was over breaded and over fried. We got the onion rings which were pretty tasty and I also really enjoyed their clam chowder. It was really meaty and had a fresh salty flavor to it with a fresh celery or celery salt flavor? We may try it again another time, but will probably choose a safer selection than the MP choices that just didn't deliver. read more

How did we miss this fantastic place in all the years we've been coming to LBI? My husband and I loved our dinner so much, we came back the next night for another! Yes, we had to wait, but there's some bench seating outside, with little tables for drinks. The staff happily opens your wine and even offers ice buckets and chilled glasses for white wines. Inside, the small room is casual and comfortable. The food is fresh and just great. Everything was prepred perfectly - I recommend the steamers, baked crabcakes, grilled shrimp and scallops. For dessert, the Tollhouse pie ala mode is delicious!! We stopped at the market (other side of the restaurant) on the way out to bring home some crabcakes for the freezer since we were leaving LBI the next day. We already baked them - Yummmm! read more

Excellent fresh seafood and friendly service. Clean, relaxed ambiance. We started w take-out and were very pleasantly surprised (having eaten at a number of subpar sea food places on the island). We later returned to eat in the restaurant and fell in love with the place. We had soft shell crab, salmon, mussels, clams, mahi mahi and calamari . Well worth the 1-1.5 hour wait to be seated. They kindly provide ice buckets to keep our bottle of white wine cold. Promise to return! As good as any excellent New England seafood we have had. Reminded us of "No-Name" in Boston (a favorite local haunt) read more

Awesome. Everything was great. It the tuna special was outstanding! Wasabi mashed potatoes and sesame tuna with mushroom sauce, all four of us agreed it was the best tuna meal we have had. Casual, delicious, definitely go. read more

Stopped in with a friend the Saturday before Memorial day, 2013, last weekend of the 'off' season. It was about 3pm and we were hungry for NE Clam Chowder. Service was prompt and friendly. Wasn't crowded at that hour. The chowder was so so. Small bowl, not an abundance of clams, but LOTS of Dill and other seasonings. The seasonings overpowered the clam flavor in my opinion. I like my NE Clam chowder to have a clam flavor. It wasn't awful, but I wouldn't go out of my way to go back. My own homemade NE clam chowder is much better. read more

The Nugent family does it again! Morning tide Breakfast on the weekends is fabulous!. chipped beef gravy for my husband and Nova lox for me! extremely delicious home fries and great menu! read more

There was a wait but the food was great. Oysters, crab cake, soft shell crabs fantastic. Definitely a place I would go back. The waitstaff was attentive and it was clean. read more