Lenny & Joe's — Restaurant in Madison

Such a disappointment. I grew up eating here, haven’t come as much in my adulthood as my husband isn’t much of a seafood person, so maybe once or twice a year, usually my request. We went again today and were so thrown off by how bad the food was, especially considering the prices. It’s always been a casual dining environment, but now it’s table service and everything seemed so plopped together. My husband’s cheeseburger was SOPPING wet with grease (he’s had to wash his hands twice and brush his teeth since eating it because he still feels so greasy, and this man loves greasy food). I ordered the scrod sandwich- nearly $9 for a greasy chunk of flavorless fried fish slopped on a small roll- that’s it- no seasoning aside from the tartar sauce, had to request lettuce and tomato. Did not include fries, slaw, pickle, nothing not even a lemon wedge. It tasted like absolute nothingness. Grease, mush and bread. Gone in three bites. Bleh. My daughter had the fried fish kids meal, similar price and she somehow wound up with twice the amount of fish, and fries included, it made no sense. Same fish. My husband also ordered the hot dog. Our server (one of two) asked what he wanted on it (onions, mustard, ketchup) and when it arrived, essentially in the servers bare hands in a tiny paper tray, it was promptly just tossed on the table, no plate, food in contact with the already dirty table. No plate. No toppings, and when he asked and received them (packets) and opened the little container of onions the smell of old onion SLAMED us in the face, it was SOOO bad, the onions had clearly been cut up days ago and going bad. Our meals didn’t include fries or any sides, so we ordered onion rings, seemingly also made with less than fresh onions, we could barely eat them, the old onion taste was potent and they were more like greasy falling apart “onion strings” not at all “rings”. Again. Bleh. My daughter’s “fried chicken” was just a thin over cooked sandwich patty that she could barely get through. We understand that this is supposed to be a laid back place, easy food, greasy fish, but this felt like the establishment frankly didn’t care a lick about what they are serving. A $60 lunch (two kids meals) should at the very least include a plate for the hotdog, and onions cut today. Such a shame. We don’t blame our servers, just the restaurant, almost bought some shirts, glad we didn’t because here we are hours later still talking about how shockingly bad it was today. We won’t be back and it’s...

𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐕𝐈𝐄𝐖 🦞 This spot holds special memories for my husband, it was his favorite growing up so while we were in the area visiting Hammonasset, we decided to stop by. The atmosphere is exactly what you’d expect from a classic New England seafood shack: casual, bustling, and full of families. Some of the food definitely delivered, but a few items left us disappointed.

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𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐒 The grilled lobster and shrimp with veggies was excellent, my husband really enjoyed it and said it brought back nostalgic memories. The kid’s fries were a standout: perfectly crisp, golden, and flavorful. The gift shop was a pleasant surprise too, with very reasonable pricing and lots of cute options for souvenirs or clothing. The whole place had a fun, easygoing vibe that makes it a great post-beach stop, especially since it’s so close to Hammonasset.

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𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐒 Unfortunately, the kid’s chicken missed the mark. It came as one large, oddly seasoned piece that was dry and tasted like it had been fried in the same oil as seafood, which isn’t ideal for picky eaters or kids who don’t like fishy flavors. The lobster roll was cold and the bun was soggy, which caused it to fall apart quickly. It also didn’t include fries, which wasn’t clearly stated on the menu. The milkshakes were watery and underwhelming, we drank them, but definitely wouldn’t order again. Another small frustration: the menu doesn’t have food photos, which can make ordering a bit confusing. And if your kids want to ride the carousel, make sure to bring cash, it’s cash-only, and we didn’t know until we got there.

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𝐓𝐈𝐏𝐒 Use Google to preview menu items before you go since there are no food photos at the restaurant. If you’re planning to sit outside, bring a picnic tablecloth or cover, we saw other families do this and it made their tables look so much nicer and more comfortable. If you’re into browsing, the shop is worth a peek for affordable clothing and souvenirs. And lastly, don’t forget to bring cash for the carousel if you have little...

Early in our visit to Lenny and Joe's I was chomping at the bit to give the place one of my worst reviews ever. Long story short: the quality of the food pales in comparison to the chain's Madison and Westbrook locations, and our hosting service teetered on the verge of insulting. Long story long:

Upon calling to place a reservation for a party of six and one baby, I was told by the hostess that the restaurant only accepted reservations for parties of at least 10 - not ideal, but fair enough. When we arrived at the restaurant to an empty lobby and quiet dining area later that night, we were told that we'd have to wait about 15 minutes to be seated. About 10 minutes after we arrived, however, two parties - one of three and one of seven - arrived, told the hostess they had reservations, and were seated immediately. When a member of our party approached the hostess to clear up the confusion surrounding the reservations, the hostess flat-out ignored her questions until one of the servers came to seat us.

The food itself was edible, if nothing to write home about. My girlfriend's lobster roll was overcooked and rubbery, and my scallop casserole was more bread crumb than seafood. Both of our fries were also somewhat soggy.

However, what bumped our visit from a solid two-star experience to four stars was the quality of the restaurant's wait staff. Our waitress was attentive, always on top of our drinks and bringing appetizers and our dishes quickly without rushing us. The best part for my girlfriend and I was how the wait staff were patient with our year-old baby, showing no signs of frustration when she made something of a mess at her highchair.

All-in-all, I can't say I'd visit this Lenny and Joe's over the chain's other locations alone or with a smaller party any time soon. That's thanks in large part to the restaurant's abysmal hosting staff. But for our one visit, the wait staff were good enough to make for an overall enjoyable...