Me and my gal have been hitting this place a lot recently (at least once/week) as it's convenient to our home and the food and service are uniformly excellent. It's a special place that can keep that level of consistency. I've been through most of the menu at this point. Some highlights: The specials are always on point, especially the sides and seasonal vegetables that come with the entree. Over the winter, there was a golden tilefish with bagna cauda grits that was easily the best grits I've ever eaten in my life. This week was a branzino with farm-fresh succotash and fried okra. Tasty! The steamed oysters are always perfectly cooked, juicy and delicious. The fried seafood plates are never that heavy, greasy texture you get in many restaurants. Lightly fried, fresh, tender sweet and juicy. The scallops, oysters and popcorn shrimp are all among the best fried versions of these that I've ever had. My gal usually gets a caesar salad with a side of wood-grilled salmon. The salad is great. The salmon is perfect, with that perfect bit of crusty smokiness on the outside, still juicy and tasty inside. The seafood chowder is a creamy style, very much comfort food and lovely on a cold day. The pastas are also great, esp the spicy fra diavolo. Not to mention, the free hush puppies (they serve those instead of bread) are some of the best I've ever had. So Kudo's to Squids' management and staff. Truly impressive how they have never failed us, and we've been there a lot. read more

We went here for dinner on a early Saturday night for a dinner with two old friends. The food was cooked to perfection, we had squid rings that were perfectly cooked. There New England clam chowder was blah needed some more seasoning. The rest of our meal was excellent. Our sever did a great job, except for not getting the order straight and timely we got our soup then our main course followed by our raw oysters and raw clams. The food for the most part was extremely delicious the raw oysters were large and delicious. As far as the inside of the restaurant, it's clean and old looking it's in need of bringing it into the new century. read more

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I love seafood and have been waiting to try this place for a long time. If you like salmon definitely go ahead and get it. It will be worth it. Make sure you get the wood fired salmon, it has so much more flavor and it wasn't dry at all. The scallop and shrimp meal was okay, it was very saucy and they only gave me 4 scallops which were a bit over cooked. Definitely recommend getting it without olives, the olives were sweet and it did not really fit with the meal. I am not a person who likes hush puppies but this place has some amazing hush puppies. Even if you have never liked them before just try them and PRO TIP: ask for pesto mayonnaise with them. It is a dip that they only make in house and it is so fresh and wonderful especially if you like Mayo. My waitress told me about it and I wanted to take bottles home. Also the chairs are so hard to move but they are very comfy. You won't want to leave them. read more

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This place is wonderful and we stop in every year on our way to Carolina Beach. July 2022 our waitress, Jessica, was so nice. She gave us extra sauces for the legendary hush puppies and explained why only butter is served as the default offering. I've never heard of butter with hush puppies, but to be fair, I'm from Ohio! I chose fish tacos this time and they were delicious! My oriental slaw was different from my husband's serving of American slaw and I thought that was a nice accompaniment. They could have been " lazy" and served only one style of slaw. Back to the legendary hush puppies. I finally, after years, determined why I like them so much. They're MOT fried in the fishy oil, rather in an unflavored oil. They have a fresh, clean wonderful taste and you can have all you want! Squids is my favorite here in Chapel Hill, NC! read more

Squid's - Two fish tacos with Asian slaw. Just enough for the average light appetite, if you ate hush puppies! - Seafood Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

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So glad we found this place traveling through NC! The Trout Modena was fantastic! Next time we are in this area we will certainly come back!!! Friendly knowledgeable staff! read more

Squid's - Trout Modena - Seafood Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Squids not only serves excellent food but the service is just as excellent. We go there on a regular basis and always enjoy it. The squid rings and other seafood is great and also the coffee ice-cream tastes great. read more

Squid's was great esp. for a busy Saturday night. While very busy our party of 4 was seated within about 10 minutes (they don't take reservations). The drinks were pretty good as was the food. Our party had striped bass, oysters and grouper. The service was excellent! One of our entrees didn't get communicated to the kitchen properly and was therefore delayed, but the restaurant comp'd the entree without us even asking. That's a sign that they want us to return ... and we will, and eat another 2 baskets of their delicious hush puppies!! read more

The food was very average It was recommended by another Duke family but we were disappointed Our server was really proficient but almost mocked us, had an answer for all questions I found it amusing if not slightly offensive The inside of the restaurant was very casual, almost tired Good wine list by the glass read more

I always drove by this place for years on my way to Chapel Hill and was always intrigued as it's kinda tucked behind trees. The staff was super friendly! I'm a fan of their hush puppies. I got the calamari, seafood skewer, and hush puppies. The calamari was great for three people, so def get that in you're in groups. The food was great overall-- as expected as one of Chapel Hill's best restaurants. Pro - quality and quantity of seafood - no wait time, super fast food service - reasonable price for seafood - hush puppies!! con - //// read more

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Late 80s, early 90s vibe. I have wanted to try this place for a few years, but just kept feeling put off by the menu that seemed...well...mediocre for the price. Finally we went, after seeing all these reviews that added up to a 4.5. Unfortunately, it was exactly what the menu promised - mediocre. The server was great - she was attentive and pleasant - she and the other service staff were the only reason I didn't rate this a 1, to be honest. The seafood we had (I had crab legs, my husband had the scallop special) was cooked nicely. That's about as far as it gets. I had never seen or had clams on the half shell before, so I thought I'd try a half dozen. I won't do that again. Not a great flavor, and three of the six were grainy (as in, not well cleaned) on the surface. My husband had a garden salad with the most boring balsamic dressing he'd ever had. I mean, y'all, up your herb and seasoning game. He also had the scallop special. The scallops, once again, were cooked nicely, but for the price, there were three scallops swimming in a corn puree that he said tasted like creamed corn with a little basil oil drizzled on. I ordered 1/2 lb of crab legs. Again, they were cooked well. I had to ask for more lemon wedges, and had to heavily salt the melted butter in order to have any flavor. I was honestly happy we didn't get any dishes with veggies, because the plates that passed us had little piles of vegetables that looked boiled and also unseasoned (though that has nothing to do with this review, as we didn't taste them). Our litmus test for good seafood is that it needs to be worth the price, and better than Red Lobster. I'm afraid this wasn't it. read more

Fried shrimp and calamari were bland and small for the price. Service was just ok. Hushpuppies were good.

This Chapel Hill classic has won numerous awards like "Best Seafood in the Triangle" for the last 9 years. So I knew I definitely wanted to try the place. We sat at the bar in the corner. She had the oysters for an appetizer and the Bouillabaisse for her main course. I had the grilled Swordfish with vegetables. All the food tasted great. It was very classically done and not fussy. Our server was pleasant and knowledgeable of the menu. Note: If it is your first time visiting, the sign for the place is set back from street, so I ended up missing the turn into the restaurant. It is located off Fordham Blvd, which is a main drag - fast driving road, so follow your GPS and slow down when you approach so you don't miss the turn! Enjoy! read more

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To be honest, I was always wary of this place, I mean come on, the name alone sounds like an eatery from SpongeBob Squarepants. However, my husband has always wanted to try it, and my sister suggested giving it a go since a family member was visiting from out of town. And so glad she did! I was pleasantly surprised with the menu, a mix of seafood and fish, either grilled, blackened or fried, some dishes served over pasta. Growing up in a coastal Connecticut town, seafood and Italian food went hand in hand. Squids has that same vibe, very casual and relaxed. Everything we ordered was delicious, from the half priced oysters, the bottle of California Cab, desert and everything in between. To boot, they had Sambuca to go with your coffee. Very family friendly and so not pretentious. read more

Squid's - Shrimp and scallops over linguine - Seafood Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

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Squids is a staple in Chapel Hill. The food is always good, as well as the service. I always enjoy my meal whenever; I go to Squids.

This is one of our "go to" restaurants in the area for two reasons; the food and the service. My father has health challenges due to aging and the staff is always accomodating and understanding. They give him the dignity and respect he deserves and allows him to enjoy dining out. The food is fresh, well prepared and offers a wide variety - especially the specials. read more

I love seafood, and Squid's didn't disappoint! Everything was very fresh, delicious, and a decent deal for the price! I had the fresh salmon, and was impressed that they didn't overcook it (a common problem with seafood places), and it came with veggies that were cooked just right. The mashed potatoes were really good as well! I will definitely be back! read more

Squid's - Menu - Seafood Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Been to Squid's several times and always leave happy. Great wine list with good hush puppies to start off the experience. Diverse and extensive menu with seafood options and more. There's both good outdoor seating and an inside restaurant area with good vibes. Shrimp and risotto and the swordfish have been my favorite dishes here. Would highly recommend if you're looking for good seafood. I will definitely be returning. read more

Difficult to see from road at night, interior looks 30 years old, clientele looked like a lot of adults taking Mom & Pop to dinner... ...However The. Seafood. Was. Excellent. Haven't had pan seared tuna cooked that well in a long time... I usually shudder to think of how easily tuna is destroyed at a restaurant and the scallops were perfectly seared. 1 star dinged for the aforementioned superficialities. read more

Slow service, even though the restaurant was almost empty. The industry standard for a serving a meal is 12 minutes after an order is taken. We waited almost a half hour. When we finally got our food, several of the shrimp had not been cleaned or de-veined, and this meal was about $25. Serving shrimp that are not properly cleaned/de-veined is disgusting and just shouldn't happen. Maybe if the manager hasn't spent almost an hour at the host/hostess station and had actually been a working manager, checking the back of house, making sure the kitchen was prepped, checking the front of house, and talking to customers, this wouldn't have happened. This was our first time there. Also, our last time. Very disappointing. read more

We had amazing service, and the oysters were great!! I plan to return the next time we are in Chapel Hill.

Very disappointed. Fried fish was visibly soaked in oil (fryer temp set too low) and inedible. What a pity that an inattentive cook ruined not only one diner's experience but also perfectly good food that had to be thrown in the garbage. I will not be returning, ever. I have to agree with other users who say all of this restaurants awards are from days long past. read more

Excellent dishes and the service is spectacular! It is a older building and the ambiance is that of a old school steak house. It was 100 degrees out side and 80 degrees in the restaurant. My husband had to continually wipe seat off of his face. Again, the food is spectacular. We will return in the late fall and winter. That being said if the heat is not an issue for you, it is s must try!! read more

Service and ambience were wonderful. The food was perfectly cooked and delicious. I look forward to returning. This would be a great place for a special occasion. read more

Bartender Hallie was fantastic . Our cocktails were perfect and her helpful suggestions were spot on! Thanks Hallie for making it a special birthday night for my friends and I read more

Sent the below message to the manager, who then promised a refund but NEVER FOLLOWED THROUGH: We ordered food to go on 10/11/22 and it was incredibly disappointing. We've been longtime patrons (back into the 90s) and were shocked by the lack of quality and really poor rookie mistakes that were made. We eat out once a day and understand that there is a staffing shortage across the US however, there is truly no excuse for what we received. Seafood brochettes: overcooked, Grouper: inedibly overcooked with limp and completely mushy vegetables, Hush puppies: absolutely cold as if they had been made hours before. Squid rings: cold and mushy breading. Spinach salad (and this one is truly offensive): came fully dressed! The leaves were just liquified in the dressing and not salvageable. The order was placed over the phone around 6pm for a pick up at 6:30pm. We arrived at 6:30pm and the food was already boxed up. This is not the beginning of the pandemic when places were just learning how to box and prepare food to go. This is YEARS in and there's really no excuse. It's obvious that the food was prepared early and sat and sat, which accounted for the proteins being overcooked as they steamed inside their boxes. Chapel Hill has grown immensely since Squids opened, as has the competition. If this meal is any indication of the food that is being served, prepare to close. read more

Delicious food. Prompt service. I take my grown son every year for his birthday.. The only really good seafood restaurant in Chapel Hill. read more

This is a family-friendly, good - traditional dinner restaurant. Hit and miss. I do not recommend buying lobster dinners at this place. They lack flavor. The steam vegetables also lack flavor and spices. We visit Squid's to order the crab legs. However, during our last visit they were too salty to enjoy. The salads and fried fish are solid. I also recommend their fish dishes with sauces (e.g., tilapia filet). read more

The wife and I hade Kabob and cioppino by any other name. Both excellent. Mud pie for dessert. Cooper took care of us. Would definitely have this place on a casual go to spot for seafood. Excellent read more

Update. Received email stating that it will take 2-3 days before my card can be credited. Will keep you posted!

I have dined many times in this restaurant both at the bar and inside restaurant. Happy hour is a great value. Fresh oysters and other raw seafood are always good ! Ambiance is good but it too crowded sometimes. Great value restaurant! read more

My favorite seafood restaurant. I highly recommend Squid's. I like the ambiance of the place and the food is dependably good.

Looking for full lobster experience. . Not only did Squids deliver on taste it delivered on a great service. Lobster, sordfish, moroccan salad with grilled chicken and talapia was all excellent. The resturant was packed on a Friday night but the wait time was pretty quick. Hush puppies they give you, were perfect! read more

Squid's - Seafood Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

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I love this place! Being from New England, I love good seafood in this place is my go to for when I'm feeling home sick!

Right on the 15-501 bypass at the edge of Chapel Hill, you'll find Squids. Now I'm picky about my seafood: comes of growing up next to the ocean. You can count on a great platter of fish when you eat here. They've got fried, blackened, broiled...all the options you might crave. I stuck with the old familiar, a fried combo of two (in my case fried shrimp and fried scallops). The batter was light and delicious. Those scallops were tender all the way through. The shrimp were just-caught in freshness. The salad and sides were nicely prepared, and the hushpuppies were still hot when they hit the table. Some folks might tell you never to eat seafood where you can't see the ocean...Squids will make them change that tune in a hurry. read more

Solid. Every, single time. It's what you would expect for a local, family seafood restaurant. (Even if owned by a group). Service is exceptional. Atmosphere is 80s with a dash of memories. Food is great for the basics. Fish is generally very good. Lobster, good value. The bartenders are excellent...Negroni exceptional. Love the place and will continue to enjoy it. Monthly kind of place. read more

I was one of the first waiters at squid's over 30 years ago. The place is the same, and still one of my favorite restaurants in the world.

Came here during happy hour from 4-6pm for half off oysters! The restaurant doesn't open until 4:30 but they have a limited menu and bar seating at 4pm. Anyway for the oysters, I got one dozen raw and one dozen steamed all for myself and it was a luxurious experience. The raw oysters tasted super fresh and I liked the horseradish that came with it. Steamed ones came with melted butter which brought out the creamy flavor of the oysters. We also got the seafood chowder which I really liked. It was not too salty and packed a lot of flavor. I kind of wished that I got the bowl because the cup was a really small portion. Hush puppies are also delicious - crispy on the outside, fluffy and sweet on the inside. We got a seasonal salad too which was tasty and a nice refresher from all the seafood flavors. Overall I enjoyed my experience and I will be back soon! read more

Squid's - Raw oysters - Seafood Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

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The quality and quantity of food was extremely poor. No seasoning. Food very bland. I haf shrimp and "cheesy" grits. No hint of cheese at all. Proportion size more like an appetizer. My wife got fried flounder and oysters. Still very bland tasting but proportion size a little better than the shrimp and grits. The pricing was very high for the quality and quantity of the food. I don't mind paying more for quality food, do it somewhat regularly, but this was not quality in any fashion. The one bright spot is the young lady who waited on us. She was extremely friendly, pleasant and attentive. The restaurant is also i. need of some serious clening efforts. There was food on the wi dow blinds and window sill next to our table. It was obvious it had been there for some time. I would not recommend Squids to anyone. read more

Absolutely the best. Great food, great service, and great prices. We don't miss our weekly dinner date at Squids. I would recommend the chowder, Caesar salad and crab legs. read more

Squid's - Seafood Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Food and service excellent - phone ahead works great - not exactly a reservation but helps