Dad's Of Niantic - East Lyme

I wish the new owners the best and hopefully they can make it the seafood restaurant it used to be. Dad's just really went from a great place to eat to a place I wouldn't recommend anymore and it had been a favorite of my family for years. Last meal there 2023 was terrible sadly.

Just about every seaside town on earth has a place like Dad's. A lowbrow fried seafood and chips joint in an aging old building with a view of the water. They'll serve burgers and hotdogs and onion rings too, and may even have something fresh if the local waters are known for their clams or oysters or salmon or crab or lobster. These places are popular for their big menus that are popular with large groups, and for their nostalgia, especially when they've served a popular vacation spot for years. But too many of these spots aren't very good, and unfortunately, this place is no exception. Dad's falls into the same trap that so many restaurants do and treats frying as if it's just dumping stuff in oil. The result is food thats too dense, too oily, lacking in any flavor, and that gets soggy quickly.I know some people like this spot, but at the risk of being a total snob, I think it's because they haven't had good fried food before. Fried food can be amazing with the right training and expertise. Like any other cooking skill, knowing how to prep your food for frying, create a seasoning that flavorful and compelling, and use the technique to produce something light and will stay crispy. I only wish more people could experience the output of an exceptional fry cook because their expectations would push seaside staples like Dad’s to do better.Now, even though I didn’t like the food, there’s ample parking, a decent view, and the service is solid if unremarkable. the people who enjoy this place seemed to really like it, so they’re doing something right. It’s just not for me.

Delicious fried shrimp with fries, good coleslaw and delicious seafood sauce. Gladly again ?

A bit of a tough handicapped entrance, but we were outside facing the Sound. Food was good and plentiful and our servers, Sarah was excellent.

Excellent food, large portions...unfortunately out of soft serve and cherry dip, not really their fault i guess.. probably because busy Saturday)parking is always a little tough.