Boston Restaurant Blog -- December, 2007

My apologies for waiting so long to write about Captain Carlo's Restaurant in Gloucester (we tried the place just before Labor Day weekend). But it is kind of nice to be writing about it now, as it brings back memories of balmy breezes, outdoor dining, and the smell of salt in the air (as opposed to salt on the roads, car, sidewalk, and so on).

We drove up to Gloucester on a stifling hot day in late August to escape the heat that was almost unbearable in Boston. But what was a 96 degree day in Beantown was a cool, calm 72 degrees along the Gloucester coast. Captain Carlo's has both indoor and outdoor seating, but we had had enough of being indoors in air conditioning, so we opted for a table outside (though under the covering, as there were lots of birds flying overhead). It took awhile for us to get our food, but we didn't mind the wait as it was such a beautiful evening. The food itself turned out to be pretty good; the fried scallops were tasty and had a light batter with little grease, though they had a bit of a sandy consistency to them. The fried haddock was better, with very little waste and a similarly light batter. And the broiled sea scallops were just about perfect, as they were tender and fresh, with a nice buttery flavor.

As we were getting ready to head out, we noticed a number of people arriving who seemed ready to party, and apparently for good reason; it seems that Captain Carlo's can get pretty wild on weekend nights, as they have all kinds of musical entertainment and dancing in their rather large outdoor area along the water. We didn't stay for the music, but I was thinking it might be fun to go back in the spring or summer to check out a good blues or rock band there.

So what is the verdict on Captain Carlo's? Well, I've had better seafood, and the service was a bit shaky at times, but Captain Carlo's does seem to have enough going for it (outdoor dining, sea breezes, entertainment) to bring me back there, especially as an escape from the heat (which again seems odd talking about today, but it's certainly nice to dream about better weather!).

For those of you want the address and phone number for Captain Carlo's, here it is: Captain Carlo's Restaurant, 27-29 Harbor Loop, Gloucester, MA 01930. Phone: (978) 283-6342

Related Blog Entries: Gloucester restaurants, outdoor dining, seafood restaurants

Posted by MH, Boston's Hidden Restaurants, on December 21, 2007.
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2 COMMENTS:
MH said:
We returned to Captain Carlo's earlier this month, this time dining indoors in their back room. The views from the room were terrific--possibly better than those from their outdoor patio. Service was terrific, with our server seemingly being someone who was either the owner or manager. As for the food? Well, it was a mixed bag, with the lobster bisque being creamy and full of tasty lobster meat, the clam chowder being relatively thick and rather bland, the fish and chips having a completely tasteless batter but deliciously fresh fish, and the lobster roll being about as uninspiring as the clam chowder, as the mayo seemed just too light to add much flavor. Prices were decent, and the service and the views were impressive enough to have me consider returning to Captain Carlo's, but I wish the food was more consistent.
Posted on 6/26/12
Mary from George's Bakery said:
mmmmm that Lobster Bisque looks so delish
Posted on 6/27/12

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