seafood dive?

[Nell]

I live in Philadelphia and used to eat at Walt's King of Crabs, which was a wonderful seafood dive where you could get a 1 1/2 pound lobster for about 8 bucks. (They'd throw it at you on a plastic cafeteria tray). Is there anything in New Jersey like that? Any seafood restaurant that isn't a bazillion dollars where it's possible to get a low-cost lobster?

Please let me know.

[menton1]

I think there is a great place called Little Fish in South Philly, but you'd be better suited asking on the Philly board, which is where they will probably move this thread.

[Nell]

Little Fish is actually a very expensive restaurant -- not at all what I'm looking for. And I hope they don't move this thread to Philadelphia-- I am willing to drive to New Jersey to find the seafood hole-in-the-wall of my dreams. (Obviously if someone knows of one in Philadelphia, that's great).

[menton1]

So you are basically looking for a dive with great seafood. I'm sure you are much more likely to find one within Philly rather than the NJ 'burbs. Camden County is a restaurant wasteland save for maybe a half dozen good restos. I've heard Dmitri's might fit your bill, but the best person to opine on this would be Holly Moore, the "grease stain" king of Philly. He has a website as well, www.hollyeats.com.

N.B. I've heard that Little Fish runs about $25 PP for dinner-- not exactly a very expensive place by today's standards...

Edited August 27, 2004 by menton1 (log)

[Nell]

I am going in a circle here-- thanks for the suggestion about Holly Eats-- only that's where I started. I wrote to Holly Moore, and he wrote back to tell me he misses Walt's King of Crabs-- and then suggested I post on this forum, specifically, New Jersey. Walt's was a seafood dive: they served boiled crabs, shrimp, lobster, fried fish (I think, it was a long time ago) & mussels, all on the same cafeteria trays, along with coleslaw, fries, corn, and beer. I can't remember whether they had anything else on the menu that wasn't fish/seafood-- maybe hotdogs? It was incredibly cheap. I am in search of that kind of experience-- Little Fish, which was wonderful the last time I was there, is more of a restaurant-restaurant, as is Dmitri's (which is terrific, but again, not what I'm looking for).

[Holly Moore]

My impression is that Nell is not limiting her quest to just the suburban Philadelphia area of New Jersey. My thought was that along the shore or deep in the Pine Barrens there could be a dive of a place that fries or steams or boils up great seafood. One thought, though we're talking seasonal, outdoor seating, byo beer and only fried fish, is Uncle Dewey's on Route 40.

Walt's, for those who don't remember it / know it, compares to Little Fish as Nick's Roast Beef compares to the Prime Rib.

Think roadside tavern or shoreside dive that serves great seafood at bar pricing. Maybe with sawdust on the floor and names carved into wooden tables.

[mrbigjas]

yeah, the first thing that came to my mind was (click) snockey's. but then i looked at their prices and realized it's not really all that cheap.

[Holly Moore]

Getting a bit into Philadelphia here, but I couldn't think of a single Walts-like place in the City. Maybe in one of the neighborhoods? That is why I thought Jersey Shore / Pine Barrens.

[john b]

There's a place in Burlington on Rt 130 called the Blue Claw. I have not eaten there, but I've been told that it's good and reasonably priced.

[nanyun]

Pub 199 in Mount Arlington. It is a dive complete with big bar and neon signs and it has incredibly cheap seafood. Lobster and steak dinner costs about $15 (i think). The place is always really busy with serves running around with lobsters, overflowing plates of steamed clams, beers. They also serve general pub grub like hamburgers, chicken fingers, etc though 95% of the people in there will be drinking beers and eating lobsters or clams.

But it is a far drive from Philly....

[FistFullaRoux]

My .02

For the most part, you get what you pay for. If you find an all-you-can-eat seafood buffet for $8, or a great deal on something that is not the nightly special, you are likely to either be sorely disappointed with the meal, or getting sick at worse.

Vegas and maybe Atlantic City being the major exceptions. Those buffets are usually of very good quality, but they are loss leaders. They figure you will spend enough to make up for the cost/price difference by buying booze or dropping a good chunk of change into a slot machine.

The only other exception is if you find the rare restaurant owned by someone who either has a fish wholesale business, or operates some boats. Access to lots of product that is handled by the same people responsible for the restaurant mean accountability and lower overhead.

All of this to say, I wouldn't make price the biggest selling point when it comes to seafood. It is too delicate and can spoil so fast that it may be a coin toss with your health or fulfillment if someone is cutting corners.

[Kim WB]

I think Nell meant that she is looking for seafood that is cheap becasue of its low cost overhead and no frills approach. I know my favorite place, Gablers, on the River in Perryman MD, slosed a few years ago, and I've never been able to replicate that "crab shack" kind of environment, where thebeers are icy, the menu is limited,a nd the fish is fresh fresh fresh...and cheap..not cause its day old, but because it was pulled from the water a few hours ago by the owner's brother, served on an aluminum beer tray, with a tack of newspapers for your table cloth, and a roll of papertowels for your hands.

I've also heard some things about Blue Claw in bordentown area of Route 130. I am going to try a drive by sometime soon.

Edited August 28, 2004 by Kim WB (log)

[menton1]

This is a bit of a ways from Philadelphia but I think this is what you are looking for. It's really in an actual shack, right on the water, and they can only squeeze 30 people in here. I ate lunch here a year ago, and it is very, very good!

Red's Lobster Pot

57 Inlet Drive

Point Pleasant Beach, NJ

732-295-6622

Check out the Web Site

[herbacidal]

The fact that it is in a shack bodes well for its resemblance to Walt's.

But its menu seems too pricey and varied for Walt's, although I don't really remember much about the rest of Walt's menu other than mussels, clams, and oysters.

[Kim WB]

deleted. never mind.

Edited August 30, 2004 by Kim WB (log)

[Nell]

Thanks so much to everyone for their responses-- and thanks especially to everyone who explained what I was trying to say better than I did. I will check out the suggestions, & hope that someday, someone opens another Walt's.

[NYYANKEESFAN]

We love to go to Keyport Fishery in Keyport, NJ. They fry all kinds of fish, and shellfish or you can buy the seafood and cook it yourself. You buy it and eat it in your car, no tables, just counter service. They do not have lobster that they cook for you but you can buy lobster. You can get a sandwich platter with shrimp, cod, scallops etc with french fries and coleslaw, or you can buy the shrimp or what ever you want by the pound. We usually get a pound of shrimp and scallops and some coleslaw and skip the fries. The food is fresh and by far the best tasting we have found. It is located on the 150 West Front Street in Keyport.

[Guest johnh91011]

Recently went to Pub 199 in Mount Arlington. Had a very good meal. Their seafood offerings are limited to steamed clams and lobster. 2 dozen clams and a 1 1/2 lb lobster cost $16.95. With a pitcher of beer the 2 of us were in and out for $50.00.

They do not take credit cards but do have an ATM on the premises.

Edited September 7, 2004 by johnh91011 (log)

[KatieLoeb]

Does anyone but me totally miss the "Oh-my-God-There's-PILES-of-Garlic-in-my-mussels" from Walt's? You'd stink for days but damn those mussels were good!

[herbacidal]

Recently went to Pub 199 in Mount Arlington. Had a very good meal. Their seafood offerings are limited to steamed clams and lobster. 2 dozen clams and a 1 1/2 lb lobster cost $16.95. With a pitcher of beer the 2 of us were in and out for $50.00.

They do not take credit cards but do have an ATM on the premises.

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You mean 2 dozen clams cost $16.95 and a 1 1/2 lb lobster cost $16.95, with the pitcher of beer another $8 or so?

[Nell]

Does anyone but me totally miss the "Oh-my-God-There's-PILES-of-Garlic-in-my-mussels" from Walt's?  You'd stink for days but damn those mussels were good!

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I miss the garlicky mussels at Walts-- I had mussels at Monks the other day and they were just okay. Oddly, the best mussels I've had in Philadelphia/NJ since Walts are at Chickie & Petes on Roosevelt Boulevard. It's huge and doesn't have the kind of atmosphere I miss at Walt's, but they do a great job.

[Guest johnh91011]

At Pub 199 the special of 2 dozens clams and a 1 1/2 lb lobster cost $16.95. Jason and I both had the a special each and shared a pitcher of beer. The total bill with tip was about $50. You can get just the clams for $10.00 or just the lobster for $10.00.

[=Mark]

We love to go to Keyport Fishery in Keyport, NJ. They fry all kinds of fish, and shellfish or you can buy the seafood and cook it yourself. You buy it and eat it in your car, no tables, just counter service. They do not have lobster that they cook for you but you can buy lobster. You can get a sandwich platter with shrimp, cod, scallops etc with french fries and coleslaw, or you can buy the shrimp or what ever you want by the pound. We usually get a pound of shrimp and scallops and some coleslaw and skip the fries. The food is fresh and by far the best tasting we have found. It is located on the 150 West Front Street in Keyport.

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Also in Monmouth County is Rays Seafood in Little Silver. Great seafood at reasonable prices. it's one of my favorite haunts...

Also The Navesink Fishery off Rt. 36 in Atlantic highlands is good.

My favorite Pt. Pleasant spot is Spikes, another shack-like place.

[annasn]

The best place I have ever been to for cheap seafood is Dill's in Bridgeton, about an hour from Philly. My boyfriend is from this area, and the place is always packed. Closed Sundays and Mondays. I usually get the stuffed flounder meal(under $20) and it comes with salad, garlic bread, and two heafty side dishes. The mac-and-cheese is to die for! Hope this helps.

[herbacidal]

At Pub 199 the special of 2 dozens clams and a 1 1/2 lb lobster cost $16.95. Jason and I both had the a special each and shared a pitcher of beer. The total bill with tip was about $50.  You can get just the clams for $10.00 or just the lobster for $10.00.

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Damn, that sounds like a good deal.

Katie, Gary road trip?

According to the map, it looks like where we got lost yesterday.