Arnold’s Lobster & Clam Bar — Restaurant in Eastham

I am not one to write negative reviews, but I feel compelled to share my experience at Arnold's Lobster & Clam Bar. After hearing so much praise for this place, my family and I decided to give it a try. Unfortunately, our visit was marred by poor organization and an outdated payment system, leaving us with nothing but frustration and disappointment.

When we arrived at Arnold's, we were met with an incredibly long line, which should have been our first warning sign. However, we persevered, believing that the seafood must be worth the wait. As we stood in line for over an hour, juggling four restless and hungry children, our enthusiasm began to wane.

As we finally approached the counter, we were shocked to discover that Arnold's Lobster & Clam Bar does not accept credit cards. In the 21st century, this is not only unusual but also extremely inconvenient. To make matters worse, the only indication of this archaic policy was a small sign posted on the wall, which was nearly impossible to see amidst the chaos of managing our children and the long line. We were left feeling blindsided and irritated.

Adding insult to injury, there were two ATMs inside the establishment, but I had only brought credit cards and not a debit card. My wife had driven away by this point, so I had no way to access cash from the ATMs. Consequently, we had to forfeit our spot in line, wait for my wife to return with a debit card, and then rejoin the queue - with our children's frustration and impatience reaching new heights.

By the time we finally got our food, the entire experience had been so soured that it was difficult to enjoy our meal. While I will admit that the food was tasty, it was not worth the stress and aggravation that we endured. The lack of organization and poor communication left us feeling incredibly disappointed.

In summary, I would not recommend Arnold's Lobster & Clam Bar. Our visit was defined by long lines, outdated payment methods, and an overall disorganized experience. The decent food we received was not enough to make up for the frustration and inconvenience we faced. Save yourself the trouble and find another seafood spot that is better equipped to handle the demands of the...

No matter how long the line is wait in it! Arnold's never disappoints. Whether you have been retuning year after year since childhood ( as I have ) or this is your first time, everything on the menu is exceptional! You will never taste heavy seasoning, you will taste the Atlantic in all it glory...in your mouth! Despite the hectic pace of this place the staff never loose their cool, they are kind and willing to answer tourist's questions...the rest of us encourage tourists to ask in line while you sip the cocktail or beer that you are welcome to drink while waiting in line. About that, over the years many longtime visitors to Arnold's have watched folks have a few too many in line... Don't risk missing your meal!

*Soooo, above is my review from 2 years ago, and like so many great restaurants that I have enjoyed over the years, I just left my favorite Eastham institution a bit disappointed. I ordered a clam roll only to be told that they don't serve clam rolls any longer, so a side of clams, no worries. My annual artery clogging first night on the Cape will be served with a fewer carbs for a change. The clams were still crunchy and delicious...no complaints. The issue was my daughter's meal....she ordered a 50's burger and fries. To be fair, no one should go to Arnold's and order a burger, I told her to get shrimp or calamari (she isn't a fan of clams, more's the pity) she continued to complain about the burger, and asked that I try a bite. Yep, not good. I recently gave up another favorite restaurant, I'm not willing to definitely say I'm done with Arnold's (damn those clams were good), but I may look...

Absolutely nothing special

This place seems just like every other clam shack. You order at the counter, get your electronic notification device, pour your own soft drink and find your own table. After a while, your buzzer goes off and you pickup your food and bring it back to your table.

I wanted the clam strip plate with the onion rings, so the counter girl had me order a small side of clam strips and an order of onion rings, since the platter cannot be ungraded from french fries to onion rings. That worked fine. My partner ordered a side order of fried shrimp-the only seafood she will eat. The one order of onion rings was more than plenty for both of us. My clam strips were decent, but nothing special and certainly not the best I’ve eaten on this trip to the Cape. My partner was similarly satisfied with her shrimp, but not impressed. The onion rings were similarly decent.

We paid $48 for small side orders of clam strips and shrimp, one order of onion rings and two small soft drinks. That seems high considering the very average quality. Also, they don’t take credit cards, debit cards or any kind of electronic payment. I resent the inconvenience of this and believe this is usually a way for a business to pocket tax-free cash and even to keep for themselves state sales tax they have collected from you. Minus one...