Sea Swirl — Restaurant in Stonington

Went in here with really high expectations based on the recommendation of a very nice woman working at the Mystic Seaport Museum. Maybe that colored my impression, because if I went in cold I probably would not have been disappointed. There wasn't anything wrong, per se, I just left feeling underwhelmed. Too bad Yelp doesn't offer half-star ratings because this place is the epitome of 3.5 to me. The ambiance certainly isn't anything to write home about, but when you're ordering seafood from a converted ice cream stand, you're not here for haute dining. It's all about the food. The few picnic tables by the table were filled with customers either waiting for their order number to be called or already chowing down. There were plenty of tables across the parking lot under a large canopy to provide some protection from the sun, just watch yourself getting there. The parking lot is an absolute demolition derby, and trying to get in and back out onto Route 1 can be a test of your driving skill and mettle depending on the time of day. Both boys ordered a hot dog of the kids menu, and they were pretty good dogs. Sliced open prior to cooking, they were cooked nicely on the flattop. A generous serving of fries completed the basket. Neither of them could finish, or at least they opted not to in fear of running out of room for dessert. I had the whole belly clams roll, and it was by far the most disappointing dish, particularly after being told they were the specialty of the house. Mine were somehow both over-breaded yet to soggy in the middle, and almost devoid of that delicious clam taste I love. They were just chewy balls of moist nothingness. Given the price tag, I was severely let down. My wife had the clam strip dinner, and it was the highlight of the order. Clams were substantial and breaded in the right proportion. The basket with overflowing with a generously sized portion and was lacking the fried "end nub" filler you often get in a clam strip basket. Again, the basket was completed with a tremendous portion of french fries, plenty for my wife and I to share. For desert, it was soft serve all around, and it was exactly what you'd expect from a place operating out of a converted Carvel: creamy and delicious. All in all, this place is perfectly fine for what it is, but certainly not worth the hype. If the line's not too long and you've got a hankering for fried shellfish, you could do...

I have probably never left a 1 star review for a business before, but my encounters at this place were seriously messed up. My boyfriend has tons of great childhood memories at Sea Swirl, and kept raving about how exciting he was to bring us there. On Friday afternoon we arrive, and there are 2 groups in line in front of us. Not too busy. We order 2 cheeseburgers, and 1 fry. Nothing crazy. 20 minutes go by, we are the only guests left waiting for food. We kindly ask the counter girls, no apology, just "it's coming." 10 more minutes go by, we get our food. An apology for the wait or acknowledgement would have been sufficient enough. It was clear they forgot our order or our ticket got lost in the kitchen- as there were no other customers. Again, it would have been ok- mistakes happen! What was so insulting was the attitude and lack of apologies. We take a bite of our food- ice cold. Kindly, we bring our fries to the counter and ask for fresh fries. They said ok, again no apology of course. 10 minutes go by. The fries just never came out so we just left. We were actually insulted to receive such poor service and get such an attitude, for cold food.

Later that night, my boyfriend still upset and so disappointed about what happened was wishing he could have gotten his swirl cone that he loved when he was a kid. I convinced him maybe they were having a bad shift, let's go get your swirl ice cream cone and brush it off! We arrive, it is the same girls working. There is one gentleman in line in front of me. He receives his ice cream and it is not what he ordered. He kindly tells the girls this is not what I wanted. Her response was "That is what we rang you in for." They refused to fix his order. The man walked away with his tiny ice cream cone that he didn't even want, disappointed and confused as to why no one would fix his cone to what he had ordered. This was a major red flag for us to get the heck out. We left.

Clearly, no one is running the show. It is ran by snobby teenagers who don't give a crap about their jobs or the customers. Such a shame for a classic Mystic joint. However, there is a happy ending to the story- we found Twisters down the road, greeted with smiles and excellent ice cream. At least we...

Location- Off the beaten path...mystic port roads, away from tourists & heavy traffic. This gem is a must for people who enjoy the local delicacies Seafood!!! Atmosphere- Seating out doors only, umbrellas, shade, fresh air & clean picnic tables. Plenty of parking & seating. Port a potty only, behind the building. Be sure to use the rest room before you go eat. Food- The lobster roll was cooked to perfection, lightly coated with mayo, celery & lightly seasoned. Chunks & 2 claws on a hotdogs roll. I sampled Rhode Island clam chowder, served in a lightly seasoned clam broth no dairy, chunks of clams, celery, potatoes. I was instantly hooked! I grew up on New England clam chowder w/dairy & know I love it. So I order both to go home with, my intent was to share. Guess who didn't share.lol. Service- 6 minute wait from order to serve, the staff were so sweet & friendly. They happily supplied my pup with water. We met a couple from Conn. 30min.away, they told me it was there favorite place to get fried cod & they drove out of their area just to eat there & have for many yrs. I will be back sooner than later. I'm already planning my next ferry ride across the sound.. 2nd opinion- My companion ate the fried whole belly clams. She said the batter was so light she hardly tasted it. Don't pass this place...