Village Restaurant

4.5

319 Reviews

$30 and under

Seafood

Top Tags:

Village Restaurant located in Essex, MA since 1956. Serving New England fresh local seafood and award winning fried clams and clam chowder.

Permanently Closed

This restaurant is permanently closed.

Order delivery or takeout

Dining areas

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Seafood, Comfort Food, Fish
Hours of operation
Fri, Sat 11:30 am–9:00 pm Lunch Wed, Thu, Sun 11:30 am–3:45 pm Dinner Wed, Thu, Sun 4:00 pm–8:00 pm
Phone number
(978) 768-6400
Website
http://www.wedigclams.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Business Casual

Location
55 Main St, Essex, MA 01929
Neighborhood
Essex
Cross street
Junction of rt22 and rt133
Parking details
Private Lot
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Outdoor Smoking Area, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Popular dishes

Baked / Broiled Haddock$22.00
Baked Shrimp$19.00
Baked / Broiled Scallops$24.00
Lobster Pie$32.00
white wine cream sauce, village crumbs
Grilled Salmon$20.00
honey-mustard or cajun style
Steak Tips*$21.00
house marinade
Chicken Tenders$14.00
bbq, buffalo, or sweet thai chili
Eastern Point$24.00
haddock, scallops, tarragon butter
Haddock Rockefeller$24.00
cheese sauce, spinach, village crumbs
Shrimp Scampi$22.00
garlic butter, lemon, tomato, linguine
Chicken Parmesan$21.00
pomodoro sauce, linguine, mozzarella, garlic bread
Lobster Mac$32.00
fresh lobster meat, village crumbs

Dessert

Chocolate Lava Cake$7.00
Grapenut Custard$6.00
Indian Pudding$6.00
Pumpkin Bread$7.00

What 319 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

4.5

4.5 based on all time ratings

4.5Food
4.5Service
4.2Ambience
4.3Value

Noise • Moderate

319 Reviews

PS
PeterS
Greater Boston
2 reviews
1.0
2 reviews
Dined on May 28, 2023
overall1food5service5ambience5
We were a party of 3 Sunday night this weekend. We arrived around 6:20. The place was so packed we were glad we placed a reservation. We all had a cocktail. Knowing they close at 8pm we said we better get our order in. As we ordered they were out of squash, baked potatoes, bread. etc. It took 1 1/2 for our food. The bill was well over $150. The waitress was as usual excellent & the food was delicious as always. Unfortunately the guy paying says to us .....I wouldn't go there again because of the wait and the no bread & he only likes a baked potato with his entree?
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LP
LouisP
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 28, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
A nice, down home restaurant with plenty of good options for everyone! Not very vegan friendly, but excellent lobster Mac n cheese.
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n
nancyr
Greater Boston
4 reviews
vip
4.0
4 reviews
Dined on May 28, 2023
overall4food5service3ambience5
Food was delicious One of my favorite Service was slow
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Greater Boston
10 reviews
vip
2.0
10 reviews
Dined on May 27, 2023
overall2food2service1ambience4
Poor service, will not return. Gave it a shot with a party of 5 and universally did not enjoy our meals or experience. In general, the seafood was over cooked and was underwhelming, but the poor service sealed the deal. The waitress appeared visibly annoyed every time she came to our table. This included when I found a half dollar sized mass floating at the bottom of my beer, I immediately stopped drinking it and mentioned it to her and she said ‘yeah, probably the end of the keg’ and walked away… not even a sorry, let alone attempting to fix the issue. Needless to say I was more than happy to leave the rest of my beer, pay the check, and get out of that place. Do yourself a favor and look for a different spot to eat.
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AB
AwomanBman
Greater Boston
43 reviews
vip
4.0
43 reviews
Dined on May 20, 2023
overall4food4service5ambience4
Unfortunately The Village is not what it use to be! After fifty years of eating here a half dozen times a year, we had to admit The Village has slipped, hard to put a finger on just what is different it just doesn’t live up to being the institution it was. The Village will not be our go to place- but that is life.
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C
Cher
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 18, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
A little pricier than others for the same dish. Nothing further to say
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LJ
LindaJ
Greater Boston
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on May 14, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
As always, the food was excellent. Baked stuffed Lobster was fabulous as were the fried clams, lobster mac and cheese and chowder. The desserts are big enough to share and equally delicious. The lobster wasn't listed, but glad we asked the waitress. We've been going here for Mother's Day for years and will be back next year.
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EC
ElizabethC
Greater Boston
22 reviews
5.0
22 reviews
Dined on May 14, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
We went for Mother's Day and had the special 3 course menu. We all got different meals and they were all delicious. We had a delightful young man as a server who was very efficient.
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AM
AMYG
Greater Boston
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on May 14, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Wonderful mothers day lunch with the family at the Village. We where seated quickly, and meals,drinks where times perfectly.
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j
jjwisco
Greater Boston
9 reviews
4.0
9 reviews
Dined on May 14, 2023
overall4food4service5ambience4
Really enjoyed our time at Village Restaurant! The service was fantastic! Thanks for making it a special occasion for us!
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Greater Boston
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on May 14, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Excellent food and great service. I had lobster pie it’s always great .
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C
julieC
1 review
2.0
1 review
Dined on May 13, 2023
overall2food3service1ambience3
U had server also working the bar. Working hard but can’t get to all the tables Food good but cold!!! And very slow to get. Tables some what forgotten, bar tenders were to busy to serve Had a reservation but not kept. Overall, food good but cold! Service was nice but really absent! Not sure I would return…..????
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C
Catherine
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 13, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
This restaurant is awesome. Food is delicious! You must try it!!
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b
barbarat
Greater Boston
9 reviews
vip
5.0
9 reviews
Dined on May 13, 2023
overall5food5service4ambience3
The food is outstanding. The fish was delicious .
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JH
JaneH
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 7, 2023
overall5food4service5ambience4
The Village never disappoints, and thank you to Sheila for excellent service with a smile!!
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KM
KarelleM
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on May 5, 2023
overall4food4service5ambience4
The Village is a place that I went with my grandmother,it is as good as ever over the last plus forty years
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W
Wedgbert
Greater Boston
9 reviews
5.0
9 reviews
Dined on May 4, 2023
overall5food4service5ambience4
Nice dinner and old favorite of ours, and not disappointed.
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JD
JamesD
Greater Boston
35 reviews
vip
5.0
35 reviews
Dined on May 4, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
It's exactly what everybody says: Old fashioned value with great classic food.
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K
Karen
Greater Boston
16 reviews
5.0
16 reviews
Dined on May 3, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Excellent food and service. And ambiance is good too
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K
Karen
Greater Boston
39 reviews
vip
5.0
39 reviews
Dined on May 3, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
I love this restaurant. The best clams I have ever had.
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FA
FrancisA
Los Angeles
19 reviews
vip
5.0
19 reviews
Dined on April 28, 2023
overall5food4service5ambience5
We have been going there for 40 years and they are always consistent.
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t
thesilvias
Greater Boston
4 reviews
4.0
4 reviews
Dined on April 22, 2023
overall4food4service4ambience4
Food was very good and reasonable prices. Brett was a responsive waiter with a courteous personality. It was a very good experience overall
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FA
FrancisA
Los Angeles
19 reviews
vip
5.0
19 reviews
Dined on April 22, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
A great local gem!
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MK
MKon
Greater Boston
36 reviews
vip
4.0
36 reviews
Dined on April 15, 2023
overall4food5service4ambience4
Food was great. They were very short staffed so it was much slower than usual. Still, everyone was nice and apologetic about the delays.
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B
Bevster
Greater Boston
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on April 9, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Best Baked Haddock! Also had their delicious. Onion Rings, a small order was more than enough for the three of us. Attentive and personable servers, excellent service. One of my favorite restaurants.
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R
Roger
Greater Boston
5 reviews
5.0
5 reviews
Dined on April 9, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
They did little extras to make Easter special. Spring colored cloth napkins and table cloths and traditional speciEaster menu plus regular menu
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LE
LindaE
Greater Boston
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on April 9, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Excellent! Best Fried Clams Ive ever eaten. Service was Phenomenal!
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CB
ChuckB
San Francisco
2 reviews
4.0
2 reviews
Dined on April 9, 2023
overall4food4service4ambience4
All the food was very good. There was no weak dish.
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MP
MaddieP
Greater Boston
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on April 9, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Another wonderful experience eating at the Village restaurant. Food, service, atmosphere and friendliness of staff make it a comfortable place to eat and enjoy yourself. Highly recommend this restaurant.
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TK
TinaK
Greater Boston
17 reviews
4.0
17 reviews
Dined on April 2, 2023
overall4food4service4ambience3
We were seated in a sun room type area, which was very nice, the seats were comfortable and the sun was shining so it was perfectly warm on a cool day. This was a more modern area of the restaurant compared to the other rooms. Our waitress was very nice, and the food was good. Market price on the lobster was high for the amount of fried lobster, but the parm (maybe haddock parm) was delicious and the scallops were also excellent. Service was good, but the waitress could have more attentive, we seemed to wait to order, to ask for the check, for more drinks etc.....although she was lovely.
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BM
BobM
Greater Boston
6 reviews
5.0
6 reviews
Dined on March 29, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
Consistently good meals and service. Fried clams and onion rings among the best ever tasted. It’s old school ambiance is fun and comfortable. Having clams this time of year is less expensive as we happily found. - fresh & delicious! The baked Haddock was excellent and piping hot along w butternut squash. What’s not to like! Recommend!
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LB
LynneB
Greater Boston
224 reviews
vip
2.0
224 reviews
Dined on March 26, 2023
overall2food2service3ambience2
Sadly, for me, the restaurant is a "Miss". Food is mediocre at best - some of us liked our entrees and others didn't. For example, I had baked scallops and it was extremely dry. Another person in our party had Haddock Parmesan and was overloaded with pasta instead of haddock. The strawberry shortcake was tasteless.
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L
Lmr43
Greater Boston
5 reviews
2.0
5 reviews
Dined on March 25, 2023
overall2food2service4ambience3
The appetizers were not good. Clam chowder was sour and the calamari had zero flavor and very rubbery. The meals were average. Waitress was the best part of dinner. Super nice and super attentive so she remedied the bad apps right away
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TG
TimG
Greater Boston
11 reviews
3.0
11 reviews
Dined on March 22, 2023
overall3food2service3ambience3
I've been wanting to try Village Restaurant for many years as I've heard they have great fried clams. I was fairly underwhelmed by both the portion and the quality. Being right down the street from Woodman's, I would recommend to head there for fried food over Village Restaurant.
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d
doghunterr
Greater Boston
28 reviews
vip
5.0
28 reviews
Dined on March 18, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
We eat at the Village about once a month, more often in summer. It is out go-to place for seafood. Love the chowder, not overly thickened. Fried clams make a great appetizer. Baked stuffed lobsters are awesome. Anything baked in sauce and covered with crumbs is delicious but the trio is best. I ask for my fried shrimp or scallops to be well done, and they come out perfect for me. Most people find them perfect cook regular. Desserts are delicious, try the Indian Pudding but order extra ice cream.
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AO
AllyO
New York Area
6 reviews
vip
5.0
6 reviews
Dined on March 12, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
What a pleasant surprise to come back after all these years, and have such an enjoyable time and meal in the bar! The service was great too - Uber friendly, thoughtful and well trained! We will be back soon!
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SS
ScottS
Greater Boston
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on March 10, 2023
overall4food5service5ambience5
Atmosphere was great, as was the food and service.
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GF
GayleF
Greater Boston
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on March 10, 2023
overall5food5service4ambience5
The food here is amazing and the staff is always accommodating. I like to sit in a certain area and they never object. The service is excellent and it is always a quiet and relaxing atmosphere where you can enjoy your meal.
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BO
BrianO
Greater Boston
2 reviews
vip
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on February 18, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Food was delicious and they were able to accommodate a gluten free meal.
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BM
BillM
Greater Boston
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on February 17, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Delicious dinners, bountiful enough to serve us again at home this evening.
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Safety precautions

Cleaning & sanitizing
- Surfaces sanitized between seatings
- Digital, disposable or sanitized menu provided
- Common areas deep-cleaned daily
- Sanitizer or wipes provided for customers
Physical distancing
- Limited number of seated diners
- Distancing maintained in common areas
- Extra space between tables

Protective equipment
- Waitstaff wear masks
- Diners must wear masks unless eating or drinking
Screening
- Sick staff prohibited in the workplace

FAQs

Village Restaurant offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (978) 768-6400.

Village Restaurant is rated 4.5 stars by 319 OpenTable diners.

Permanently Closed

This restaurant is permanently closed.

Order delivery or takeout

55 Main St, Essex, MA 01929

Dining areas

Additional information

Cross street
Junction of rt22 and rt133
Neighborhood
Essex
Hours of operation
Fri, Sat 11:30 am–9:00 pm Lunch Wed, Thu, Sun 11:30 am–3:45 pm Dinner Wed, Thu, Sun 4:00 pm–8:00 pm
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Seafood, Comfort Food, Fish
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Business Casual
Parking details
Private Lot
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Outdoor Smoking Area, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://www.wedigclams.com/
Phone number
(978) 768-6400

Village Restaurant

Permanently Closed

Order delivery or takeout

Dining areas

Additional information

Lobster Mac

Clams

Clam Chowder

Starters

Onion Rings$5.00

Fried Clams

Fried Calamari$12.00

Tropical Shrimp$15.00

Shrimp Cocktail$12.00

Steamers$20.00

Soups

Clam Chowder$5.00

Fish Stew$5.00

French Onion$5.50

Salads

Garden$9.00

Caesar$10.00

Add to Your Salad

Chicken$7.00

Scallops$12.00

Steak Tips*$10.00

Shrimp$9.00

Salmon$9.00

Lobster Salad$14.00

Sandwiches

Clam Roll

Clam Strip Roll$15.00

Lobster Roll$22.00

Fried Haddock$14.00

Wimpy Burger*$14.00

Buffalo Chicken Sandwich$13.00

Fried Seafood

Clams

Strips$18.00

Haddock$22.00

Scallops$24.00

Shrimp$19.00

Seafood Platter

Entrées

Baked / Broiled Haddock$22.00

Baked Shrimp$19.00

Baked / Broiled Scallops$24.00

Lobster Pie$32.00

Grilled Salmon$20.00

Steak Tips*$21.00

Chicken Tenders$14.00

Eastern Point$24.00

Haddock Rockefeller$24.00

Shrimp Scampi$22.00

Chicken Parmesan$21.00

Lobster Mac$32.00

Dessert

Chocolate Lava Cake$7.00

Grapenut Custard$6.00

Indian Pudding$6.00

Pumpkin Bread$7.00

Overall ratings and reviews

Cleaning & sanitizing

Physical distancing

Protective equipment

Screening

FAQs

Does Village Restaurant offer delivery through OpenTable or takeout?

How is Village Restaurant restaurant rated?

Permanently Closed

Order delivery or takeout

Dining areas

Additional information