3. Captain Scott's Lobster Dock

"LOBSTER" DOCK...
Having the benefit of living nearby and visiting Captain Scott's several times I have to draw quick attention to the previous reviewers comments, this is Captain Scott's Lobster Dock & while their points may be valid about the dishes they ordered, this place has one of the best warm lobster rolls! That is what they do and they do it extremely well! You will not find a romantic water side atmosphere, but you do find and authentic & pleasant fishing dock where the seafood is brought in daily, it does not get more fresh than that. The staff has always been great, their is a ton of open space for large groups of family and friends and I highly recommend the scallop dinner, the clam dinner and of course the Warm Lobster Roll, it's amazing. If seaside picnic tables aren't your thing and you don't plan on enjoying some of the delicious ice cream after your meal I suggest getting your order to go and taking a quick ride around the corner to Fort Trumbull (literally 2 minutes away) which is on the water and away from the train. Bottom line, don't let the previous posts sway you, if you love fresh and delicious seafood, particularly lobster (in a toasted & buttered hot dog roll), you will not find any better in or immediatly around New London.

So-so July 7 2009
After reading many raving reviews, I decided that I had to try the place. Wish I'd gone elsewhere. Food: I ordered a bowl of Chowder, a cup of lobster bisque and 3 lobster fritters. ~$10 total. The Bisque was good, with a reasonable amount of visible lobster, including a small lower claw. only a couple of pieces of shell. ***** The fritters were doughy, greasy and flavorless, with burned spots on one. A complete waste. * The Chowder, offered in clear or cream (my grandfather would rise from his grave if I tried the clear chowder!) I ordered the cream. What I got was cream soup, with a small number of potatoes (tasting somewhat raw) a taste of onion and one tiny scrap of clam. * Atmosphere: First, getting there took me through a pretty slummy neighborhood and into an apparently abandoned warehouse district on the docks. It was not an area I would like to have my car breakdown! The place is an open air eatery, with a covered area and an uncovered area of tables. The covered area doesn't include the order/pick-up windows-it's located 50' away down the dock. Overall, it looks like it could use a bit of paint--10 years ago. Prices were reasonable if the food had been decent, but.... Perhaps they do better on their main dishes, but I find that the quality of the side items is often a better indicator of the overall quality.

My family and I look forward to Captain Scott's opening every year. The hot lobster roll is the best I've ever had - almost an entire lobster - at a very reasonable price. The kids love the boats, the opening of the bridge, and yes, event the train! We eat there several times a week during the summer - it's not white table cloths, but it is great, fresh seafood at affordable prices with a fun, outdoor atmosphere. I'm sorry to hear that the last two, out of town reviewers were disappointed, but the locals know where to eat - Captain Scotts!

The scallops were fair, the fish had much more batter than fish, and the shrimp was so over-cooked and rubbery that they were hard to chew. Fries were limp and soggy, and everything was very, very greasy. The coleslaw had more lettuce than cabbage, and was warm and soggy. I won't be going back any time soon.

Captain Scott's was highly recommended by several local law enforcement officers after we discovered the restaurant we planned to go to was out of business. I truly didn't see anything to rave over. Just your typical shore-line clam shack. I had the fried scallops which, while obviously fresh, were missing the slightly sweet taste I generally enjoy. The french fries were quite good, better than the scallops in my opinion. My husband got the combo platter and seemed satisfied. I tried one of his clam fritters which was only so-so. While I did enjoy watching the geese & their goslings, and viewing the boats on the cove side of the lot, the Amtrak trains going by on the other side were an annoyance. I also did not enjoy the dust in my food from the gravel parking lot directly next to the tables. I suppose my experience may be tainted by the fact we we had planned to have a nice dinner on an outdoor deck overlooking the river and were disappointed. Had I been looking to have a clam shack dinner, Captain Scott's would have been fine.