Best Clam Chowder in Boston, MA

Boston is best known for its famous baked beans, seafood, Fenway Park, The Boston Marathon, and of course for the bar from Cheers. When visiting this coastal city, it's best to pinpoint where to go for a quick bite, and if you’re a foodie, you’re in the right place to find the best clam chowder joints on the block. 

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Boston Chowda Co.

For a classic New England Clam Chowder

1 Faneuil Hall Market Pl. | Boston | bostonchowda.com

The top choice for clam chowder in Boston, the Boston Chowda Co. is a family owned business that generates some of the best clam chowder and sandwiches in the city. Where your traditional chowder is by the book, their menu is expansive and they offer several different chowders. With a menu that goes further than your average soup and sandwich shop, we have homemade wraps, salads, New England style pot pies, New England Clam Chowda and their famous Maine Lobster Roll. 

The restaurant has been featured on the Food Network Channel, Food Finds, Unwrapped, and the E! Channel. They are also a Two Time Champion of the Annual Boston ChowderFest.

“The New England Clam Chowder and the Lobster Bisque/Chowder were soooo good. Boston Chowda really lives up to its reputation for generous and tasty chowders.” - Yelp Review

Atlantic Fish Co

Seafood, rolls, chowder, & lobster

761 Boylston St. | Boston | atlanticfish.com 

Atlantic Fish Co regularly experiments with recipes that use the finest seafood ingredients. Customer favorites include the New England Clam Chowder, lobster ravioli, pan-seared sea bass, lobster roll, crab cakes, lobster bisque, and fried oysters. The restaurant also sports a cocktail bar all day long. 

Open Sunday through Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. and on Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. for every day chowder time. 

“Delicious, fresh seafood and the most professional and well trained staff! Our waitress even packed up 2 little containers of whipped cream with our dessert we took to-go for our dogs! Above and beyond experience and will definitely return when visiting Boston!” - Yelp Review

Luke’s Lobster Back Bay

Sustainably sourced seafood & chowder paired with a cocktail bar

75 Exeter Street | Boston | lukeslobster.com

Luke’s Lobster’s menu has everything you can think of when it comes to seafood; lobster, clam chowder, rolls, all paired with farm fresh ingredients and sensational fish that’s caught sustainably. The restaurant is B Corp Certified, and owned by Luke Holden, who is a third generation lobsterman. 

Luke’s has locations in 10 US states, Japan, and Singapore. In 2013, they opened a seafood purchasing and production business in Saco, Maine. In 2018, the company expanded into grocery stores nationwide, and in 2020, they launched an online market, to bring seafood direct from Maine to doorsteps around the country. 

“Nothing but awesome things to say about this Lobster joint! Was just a short 4 minute walk away from my family's hotel and was very easy to pop into for a quick bite. It was also my girlfriend's first time trying a lobster roll, she loved it!” - Yelp Review

Summer Shack

Funky fresh décor with even fresher food

50 Dalton St. | Boston | summershackrestaurant.com

Looking for live lobster and a family restaurant like no other? Search no longer, because Summer Shack is the best casual place for a get together and some prime clam chowder. Their menu also includes juicy lobsters, crab, a raw bar, fried and grilled seafood, as well as hot dogs, steaks, and fried chicken.

Food Arts Magazine described it as "a clam shack on steroids." The décor is funky and they offer live music and entertainment. Summer Shack also owns a licensed wholesale seafood company that procures fresh seafood every day. It is quickly delivered to the restaurants and prepared simply and creatively. Service is friendly with a great selection of beers, wines and liquor. 

“This place is so fun! You come to this hole in the wall for the seafood and the scorpion bowl drinks. It is exactly what you expect for cheap-ish seafood - a fun atmosphere with boozy drinks.” - Yelp Review

Walrus & Carpenter Oyster Bar

Oyster bars, chowder, and lobster rolls, oh my

4 S Market St Ste 200 Faneuil Hall | Boston | walrusandcarpenteroysters.com

Located near the Boston Aquarium, this seaside joint is one of the best in town to grab some clam chowder and lobster rolls. Their legendary oyster bar near the water ensures that whatever is caught is always fresh before getting to your plate. You can also get your oysters delivered to you in bulk via their website throughout the Northeast, or do a pickup order in Providence. 

“We came here for lunch after walking past all of the seafood places in Quincy because they had a combo lobster roll and clam chowder meal. They were very fresh, tasty, and bigger than I expected. Overall, I would recommend eating here and would love to go back.” - Yelp Review

Union Oyster House

America’s oldest restaurant serves classic clam chowder

41 Union St. | Boston | unionoysterhouse.com

The Union Oyster House, located on the Freedom Trail, near Faneuil Hall, enjoys the unique distinction of being America's oldest restaurant. A national historical landmark, this Boston joint, located in a building dating back to Pre-Revolutionary days, started serving food in 1826. Their traditional style décor will make you feel right at home and their menu offers many unique selections. 

Try their in season shellfish, Oyster House Clam Chowder, Fish Chowder, native cherrystone clams, freshly shucked oysters, pan-seared crab cakes, mussels, or fried calamari. Or if you’re feeling a sandwich, they serve up lobster rolls, hamburgers, fish sandwiches, oyster or clam rolls and fish tacos. 

“Legend says it's the oldest running restaurant in the U.S  An establishment that had fantastic customer service. Open late. Didn't close as early as it's competition.  Attentive wait staff. The food came out pretty quickly. Had the lobster and it was quite delicious. Would be back!!!” - Yelp Review

Fisherman’s Net

Fried fish and fresh clam chowder 

200 Faneuil Hall Market | Boston | faneuilhallmarketplace.com/fishermans-net

Get caught in this Fisherman's Net of savory flavors beyond your imagination at this traditional restaurant stop. Located in the Faneuilhall Marketplace, The Fisherman’s Net specializes in to go meals of fried seafood, fresh cut fries, and chowder. Their fried seafood dinners, chowder, side dishes and freshly caught fish keep people coming back. 

After grabbing a quick bite, you can go around to the various shops in the marketplace where they offer gift shops, clothing stores, live music and entertainment, pet stores, furniture stores, and more.

“The staff is super friendly here and guided me on what to order based on my tastebuds. I ordered the fried calamari and fries. I'm not a fries person nor a fried food person but I decided to go for it. Very impressed.” - Yelp Review

Shaking Crab

Your stomach will be satisfied after trying their signature clam chowder

1815 Massachusetts Ave | Somerville | shakingcrab.com/somerville 

Chowder and bread often go hand and hand, but this place gives you garlic noodles instead. Whether you’re in the mood for a simple but flavorful clam chowder, or lobster tails with lemon, the Shaking Crab will leave you satisfied. Currently accepting online orders only due to the pandemic, this place is great if you want to get takeout delivered to your hotel or to a friend's apartment during a visit. 

Their menu offers soups, chowders, sandwiches, seafood trays, combos that include snow crab and shrimp, crab legs, crawfish, blue crab, clams, mussels, and sides of corn and potatoes. Pair it with an arnold palmer or lemonade and you’ll be all set for a course of seafood. 

“The flavorful crab legs, the decadent garlic noodles, the creamy macaroni and cheese, the buttery corn, and the hot sausage... it was all so very good.” - Yelp Review 

Whether you're visiting Boston for the weekend or you're a local, any of these places would be the best to visit while on the road. If you’re looking to stop by one of these places, make sure to use a GiftYa gift card for your convenience.