Fish & Seafood
Fried Clams | Bellies vs. Strips
What are fried clam strips? What’s the deal with whole belly clams? What’s the difference? What’s better? Read on for everything fried clams.
By Aimee Tucker|Aug 23 2022|
Coffee By Design | Portland, Maine
Photo Credit : Katherine KeenanYield:
Ingredients
Instructions
Strips 4 lyfe.
Another nice article, Aimee! Glad you got a chance to visit Falmouth’s Clam Shack. Though I’m a belly man, I still occasionally enjoy a basket of strips. The deep-fried summer continues . . .
Thanks, Mike! I went last summer after seeing your list of Best Clam Shacks in New England and was delighted to make a return trip this year. Can’t believe I haven’t used #deepfriedsummer yet as a hashtag!
To paraphrase (borrow) a quote from My Cousin Vinny, No self-respectin’ Yankee eats clam strips. We take pride in or clams.
I AM A FORMER NEW ENGLANDER, RETIRED IN VENICE FL. WE HAVE A RESTRAUNT DOWN HERE CALLED ‘BIT OF BOSTON’ WHICH GETS THERE CLAMS FROM IPSWICH, MA & THEY ARE JUST LIKE THE ONES I REMEMBER FROM NEW ENGLAND. THE OWNER USED TO WORK AT A ‘LEGAL SEAFOOD’ IN CAMBRIDGE MA.
Sad to say, Gigi is no longer the owner of Bit of Boston. The new owners have no idea about New England seafood. I am from Ct. on the shoreline and seafood was a major part of my life. Everything at that restaurant, in my biased towards Gigi mind, is not as good as hers. We were very disappointed every time we went to the point we don’t go anymore. Needless to say, I haven’t had my whole bellied clams in a while.
So why DO the bigger ones have so much sand? Can’t this be rinsed off? Just curious. I love the idea of a bigger, meatier piece…but like the dissenters in the article, every time I’ve had these, I get a lot of grit.
You can’t just rinse the sand away. Clams are natural filters. But, you can purge the clams so that they are not so sandy. Just get a bucket of fresh bay or sound water and let the clams rest in the water for a while. (I have been know to let them stand for 24 hours) They will naturally filter out the sand.
If you don’t have fresh bay water, just put some table salt in some tap water.
You have to be talking about Steamed Clams. I have never got sand in the belly of Fried Clams. If it is steamers, put the clams in a bucket big enough for a single layer and spread corn meal over them and let them stay there over night. They eat the corn meal and expel the sand.
Oh – gawd…. how can anyone eat those bellies? My husband does. Yuck, eating a belly full of grit and guts. Not appetizing to me, I’ll take a clam strip anyway. If you know where to go to get good clam strips, they can’t be beat. We are lucky to live in a state that has plenty of good seafood restaurants. One vote for clam strips.!
Wimp!! Eat the guts (LOL)
There is only ONE claim and that is with the BELLYs. The others are fried rubber bands. We get our fried clams at the NEW ENGLAND EATERY ON A1A in Melbourne FL And they are outstanding. We still go back to MA AND EAT CLAMS AT BROWNS IN SEABROOK NH.
HoJo & Clam Strips . . . takes me back about 60 years !! My FIRST taste of clam strips. When my ‘child bride’, Joanne, & I made our first trip to NE {re-tracing my youth} we started in Mystic, at the Seaport. Ate at the Sea Swurl {spl ??}. My first taste of ‘bellys’. Had to stop there every time we went to NE !! Even have a photo of first Malamute sharing a ‘sack’ of them with me !!! (PS he also liked the Clam Chowder at the Seaport . . . drove everybody who saw me sharing n
Wow, whole bellies or go home!! Sea Swirl in Mystic, CT.
I can buy live and pre-cooked Maine Lobster on line. Does not someone peddle fresh clam bellies as well?
I have to say my love affair with fried Clams started at the Howard Johnson’s but continued with my summers on Cape Cod, and Nantucket. Now I always search out whole bellies whenever I am near the New England seaside. I crave them! I don’t have a favorite place, but the fresher the better! I do need to go search some out now!
Best fried clams, bellies or strips are at Lindy’s Tavern in North Smithfield, RI
You can get whole bellies in places other than NE. We have a very good place (or so I’ve been told, I don’t do whole bellies) in the Ocala National Forest according to some Mass. ex-residents.
My husband and I moved from Texas to Maine last fall to build our dream retirement home. I am trying to get used to whole belly clams but just can’t bring myself to eat them yet – but I love oysters cooked or raw so I don’t know why I’m averse to wb clams!
you need to start with the smaller bellied ipswich clam or some maine clams are smaller bellied. nothing like a big bellied clam to turn you off-especially if you are a beginner.
Whole belly clans at Newicks, Dover NH……..simply the best
I used to love the whole clams, bellies and all, but a few mouthfuls of sand had me wondering what else was in there. So, using my plastic knife, I did a little picnic table necropsy of a particularly plump bugger, only to find its belly spilled of green ooze, seawater, flakes of kelp, the disarticulated ankle joint of a G. I. Joe, and a small New Jersey license plate.
Keep your clams in a wooden box of wet cornmeal for a few days before eating. After borrowing you got a fantastic clam fritter………….. Of course; you need to be an old Yankee to understand how to “dig and prepare” your own clams. You wont find an “app” for that!
Just took a trip to Rockport, MA to get the whole belly clam. The trip cost over $500. all told, but it was worth it to taste the whole clam. There wasn’t any sand in the clams that I had; they were delicious. I can only find the strips in NYState.
I’ve been told that some places that serve whole belly fried clams let their clams rest in a tub of sea water with a layer of either corm meal or white flour as a bed for the clams. Apparently they take in the meal and it forces out most (all) of the sand. Never had a gritty clam at the Weathervane restaurants.
when we dug clams on the flats in seabrook, NH back in the 50s we always took them home and put them in a tub with corn meal poured on over them-this gave us a cleaner clam after a few days. if not cooked long enough whole belly clams can cause discomfort several hours later. also when fried they need to be WRUNG OUT” when they are being breaded. if not they can come out in big clumps-not good. as to strips and whole belly there is also a huge difference in price which brings us to REDTIDE. when the clam flats were closed, just like with gasoline, the price went up and it seems that the price of clams has not gone back down from when this happened in the 80s or 90s. also one thing that affects the flavor of any clams is the tartar sauce-homemade or not. so as a lover of fried clams for over 60 years i feel like an expert on them. also the flavor of the clam is affected by what they are fried in. if fried in same oil that o rings are done in-not good. in florida for 4 months we miss good seafood but have found BOSTONS FISH HOUSE in new smyrna beach and ESSEX FRIED CLAMS in pierson. owner’s brother has ESSEX CLAMS back here in rockland, MA. bottom line-everyone does have a favorite place for their clam fix.
I live in Florida and do not eat clams or lobster down here. I come to N.H. every year usually in July and get my fill of clams and Lobster while in New England. I go to Maine for a few days and treat myself and Wife to the best. We are both natives of Massachusetts. Thanks for your articles. Enjoy reading about N.E.
Clam shack in Iswich , Mass. And Larrys clam Bar in Plaistow , N H. Rte 125 Newicks in Portsmouth, NH all yummy New England seafood. Try them…
Arlene, we too liked Larry’s in Plaistow, but it appears to have closed. There’s a “For Sale” sign on it. We love Lobster Tail in Windham and Clam Haven in Derry.
Larry’s is closed, for sale. Try Petey’s in Rye, NH on the road to the beaches.
Kelly’s Landing is the only place I’ve been able to find in the Fort Lauderdale area with fried Clams with bellies. I’m from Boston Area and wouldn’t think of eating clam strips (I could buyelasti bands and fry them myself) Kelly’s has great seafood and chowder, onion rings are the best they have their fish flown in from Boston Try to go there at least once a week.
Moved back to NH from AZ to retire after 34 years. One of the reasons, besides family, friends & the seasons, is the seafood. WHOLE belly clams, lobster, haddock, etc, etc. My local “go to” for WHOLE bellies is the Weathervane near Concord, NH. The good thing is there are many other great places in NE.
After livng in GA since the 99, went to back CT last week….. whole bellies twice within 4 days…… Nirvana….
Great comments. I’m from MA wife from WI. Bellies for me strips for the misses.
My husband is a native of Maine from Kittery Point; I am a native Vermonter. We both love whole belly clams and rarely if ever would order clam strips. We always fill up on clams when visiting Maine, which we do regularly. However, when we have the urge for clams, we go to a local restaurant here in St. Johnsbury, Vermont called Riley’s. They have the best whole belly clams and oysters as well. So for those visiting Vermont – Riley’s is the place to go!!
Any true bona-fide New Englander would never even consider eating strips. Bellies all the way!!
I live in Las Vegas and there is a place here that serves Whole Bellied clams called Lazy Joe’s Fish and Chips, clams are shipped in from New England the guy that started the place is from around Revere, he and his father ran a fish and chips place there… Actually best Fried Clams since I have left NE… You can Google Lazy Joe’s Fish and Chips for more info…
Boston Seafood House in Orlando Fl, serve GREAT whole belly Ipswich clams. If we’re in within 100 miles of the place we stop in.
Thanks for this comment, Richard. We have relatives in north Florida, will check this out when down there!
I second Bostons Fish House in Orlando, as good as any in New England. Corner of Forsyth and Aloma, Winter Park .
We used to bring back bellied clams from Angie’s in Revere, MA
anytime we flew up and back from MA. When visiting relatives in Orlando it’s a stop at Boston Seafood. When we lived in Ft.Lauderdale it was Kelly’s. Now in Atlanta it’s only memories
Fried clams with bellies are the best Woodman’s in Essex and at old orchard beach went to a restaurant that had batter dipped fried clams they were out of this world!
Hi Marilyn, Do you remember the name of the restaurant in Old Orchard Beach that had the batter dipped bellies. Thanks, Bob S.
I love steamers and mussels, so you know I love shell fish. But when it comes to fried clams, I do prefer the strips. Why? When I get fried food I want it crispy not mushy. Whole clams that are fried are never completely crispy. There is always a spot on them that is mushy, like some water was retained when throwing them in the fryer. A previous comment about sand also makes a good point. The best fried clams I ever had was at a restaurant in Madison CT. It was renovated and the old chef is no longer there. Cannot locate where he went. There were so many clam strips, I could not finish them. I heated them up the next day and they tasted just as good as day one. Where did that chef go???
You must be talking about Marty’s..
It was NOT Marty’s. It was the old version of the Madison Beach Hotel. You mentioned Marty’s, which was in Westbrook not Madison and I found the food there so so. Can see why it is no longer in business
I wish the choice was as simple as that. Any dining out or takeaway these days begins with sustainability considerations. After concluding the desired species is abundant in the seas, then to find a place that does not use Styrofoam 🙁
Ronnie’s in Auburn, MA. They are the best, been hooked on them since I was a kid.
Jake’s in Wells, Maine has great clams whole belly or strips. Reasonably priced too. Their onion rings are also great and their lobster rolls which are offered with either mayo or hot butter. Yum! As a Mainer, this is where we always go for fried food. Never greasy. Always crisp.
Jakes is no longer there. It is now Spinnakers.
The best fried whole belly clams are in Ipswich, but Howard Johnson’s clam strip started there as well.
Looking for seafood in the New Haven area we were directed to the West Haven shore and we were glad to follow the suggestion. There were several seafood restaurants to choose from. The smallest one Stowes had so much character and fresh clams to make my mouth water just writing about our good meal. We took our food and walked across the street to the beach to enjoy the view and their meal. We got one of each bellies and strips. Hope this helps others find a great way to enjoy a clam dinner.
the best fried clam strips we ever ate , years ago, were HoJo’s !!
I’m from Boston but have lived in Ireland for 40 years. First thing I look for when I visit home is fried clams, strips please. Never liked the bellies.
We have another name for clam strips in New England…..BAIT! No real seafood lover would eat anything but c whole clams!
Clam bellies on the Cape are great, but it takes some time to get used to them vs. clam strips.
I am a strip guy. Always have been…and I will agree that they can sometimes be rubbery. But if you go to the right place you get perfect clam flavor , tender chew and no disgusting mushy nasty belly yuk. Strips rule.
For those of us who no longer live within driving distance of Newick’s, we have found The Casual Clam in St Petersburg FL…..excellent clam bellies
Fellow New Englander here. Grew up eating whole clams but the grit got to me eventually and converted to strips. Always felt wrong ordering strips though. Met someone who told me putting cornmeal in with the live clams cleans ’em out. Nevertheless, I’m a whole belly girl again after moving out of New England for 8 years.
Pete and Henry’s…Royalston,Mass…The best fried clams I’ve ever had.
I love the whole belly clam. They aren’t available here in NYState. I drove all the way to Rockport, MA in May and stayed a couple of days; all this to have a “real” dinner.
Strips > Bellies. New England > the rest of the US (sans Maui and maybe San Diego).
Don’t even mention strips! Bellies only way to go. But have to put up with them out here in Arkansas, or California for that matter. Once growing up with bellies in New England (as I did), you are hooked. That’s all there is to it. Just no comparison. They are sweet, succulent, soft and not chewy. You are making me homesick! Can’t wait to get back and have more bellies!!
My father dug clams during the depression, so I grew up having them every way possible. I HAVE to have fried clams with the bellies. I love them in chowder and also steamed. Docks in So. Portland Maine has a lot of seafood and they do a good job with everything.
Bellies all the way. Originally from CT where shoreline had many great seafood places, including stowes in west haven. Many great places also in MA, ME, & NH. Now live in VT & hard to find bellies, but did find one place called toziers.
Tozier’s is a local favorite! I grew up in Woodstock. And for the record, it’s bellies all the way, people!
Growing up in RI, it has to be bellies! The first place I go when I get back to RI is Anthony’s Seafood in Middletown. I just can’t eat strips. I found a place in Beaufort, SC that served whole belly clams one day a week but they have long since closed. I need a trip up north!
I live inBeaufort, SC (born in Massachusetts) and had the belly clams at that long gone place on West Street has one time. No thanks! I had infectious hepatitis in the 1950s and was sick for three months. So… I think I’m much safer with the strips. They taste fine to me!
I can not eat the bellies….have been deathly sick two times after eating them. Have no problem with the strips…. go figure?
all in your head……
First of all, what is a large surf clam ? I have live on Cape Cod and have harvested many, many long neck (soft shell) clams over the years. Actually, clam strips are well identified as rubber bands! Try the fried, full belly clams at the Cream and Cone in West Dennis and you have had the best!
I’ve eaten clams all my life in New England (a long time), and there’s one thing I don’t understand… Why does this generation of 20 to 30 somethings call them whole belly clams? All my life they were called clams or clam strips! People were smart enough to know what a clam is! Now it’s being shortened to bellies.
Bellies are the best. We go to Woods in Plymouth.
I grew up in New England and have had fried clams all my life. I started eating the whole clam, but when I found out that the belly is full of intestines and nasty poop, I immediately went over to the strip and have stuck with them ever since. I don’t remember sand being a problem with the whole belly clam, just what other yucky stuff in naturally in that belly. *shivers*
Have to agree with Donna, eating a belly full of rotting clam poop is not what I want. I know the frying should kill the bacteria, but I just cannot bring myself to eat the whole bellies.
Ooohhh the Fried Belly Clams at the Cabby Shack in Plymouth! Miss that now that I am in Phoenix. Strips are for beginners.
Oh Fried Clams, I love them and I am living in Florida. I found a Place called “Betty’s A1A cafe” the owner has passed away but I think the family is still runing it. But they are from the Boston Area. I get my Fried Clams with the Bellies (of course) and fresh Lobster Rolls Best Restaurant it’s in Ormond By the Sea Florida. Thank heavens for Betty’s.
We were just at Betty’s last week. Great lobster roll and whole belly clams! Great chowder too!
where can i find whole belly clams in pa.
Celebration Town Tavern, in Celebration (Kissimmee), FL, has some of the best clam strips, south of NE. Crispy, yet tender, golden brown and so sweet!! Reminds me of my days as a kid, sitting in HoJo’s, chowing down on the all-you-can eat clam dinners that they used to offer. My wife loves the lobster roll, which she compares to those served in NE. The owners used to have a tavern in Boston and relocated to Celebration, FL, bringing all those great seafood recipes and atmosphere with them. If you love clams (and lobster!), you won’t be disappointed by stopping here.
Bellies of course are better than strips.
My husband loved the clams with bellies at the Clam Shack in Falmouth, MA, but says the best are found at Lenny and Joe’s in Madison, CT.
Finally! Connecticut is represented!! Yes, Penny and Joe’s for whole bellies, all seafood. Very fresh!! Also, Jimmie’s in West Haven, CT. A landmark!
I am a former Massachusetts resident now living in Florida and we have found a place in Zephyrhills Fl called the Great Catch and they have wonderful whole belly clams, its quite a ride for us but well worth it.
Also The Chowder House in Zephryhills, Fl.
Having grown up in New England and savoring fried whole-belly clams when I could get them, leaves a void now that I’ve been in Virginia for 30 years. The closest thing we have down here are fried whole-belly oysters of which I eat my fair share of.
there are plenty of clams in Va. trouble is.. rare to find bellies, and,they are not nearly as good as in N.E.
Best Bellies anywhere – Kream ‘n Kone – West Dennis Ma …The best fried clams I’ve ever had. Thaddeus –
It’s wicked true ~ a genuine New Englander would consider nothing less than whole belly clams! Try them at Lenny & Joe’s Madison, CT ~ Harry’s in Colchester or Sea View in Mystic.
Whole bellies. Of course. Living on Long island, I was in dispair until I found Bigelow’s in Rockville Center. I’m a happy man now.
I lived in Massachusetts most of my life and always ate whole belly clams. I recently spent most summers in Wells, Maine and tried the clam strips at the New England House Restaurant and they were tender and sweet and lots of whole belly flavor to my surprise. Had them several times since.
Bellies, absolutely. The person who wrote about not finding clam bellies outside of the 6 new England states is absolutely correct. I hardly ever eat clams cause they are always strips and frozen. So disappointing. I love clam bellies.
We always go to the “Clam Box”, as it is a guarantee, that there will be small belly’s, which most people prefer. And they actually give way to much of it, plus the fries and rings. And when you actually “think” of what you are eating when eating the bellys, small is much better, and tastier.
Went to the clam box last month, prices went up again and portions went down . But they are still the best whole belly clams around! I’ve tried other places but can’t eat Big belllied clams and clam box has the smallest bellies I’ve ever had. If I think about it while I’m eating it, I’m done, it grosses me out!
Flo’s Drive-In Diner in Portsmouth, Rhode Island has the BEST fried whole belly clams eva!
The reason people are “turned off”by the sand or “grit”is because some dummy cook didn’t do the cornmeal or saltwater soak methods prior to cooking.I myself dig clams and both softshell(“bellies”)and surf clams(“strips”)have a greenish,mushy gut in them.The only difference is the surf clam is all cut up and rinsed out…they are different altogether,so they really can’t even compete against each other.For me,that is why I love seafood so is because of variety,different tastes,textures and most important:NUTRITION!!If the prep work is done properly,the fried clams should be “grit-free” LoL.For me as well,I much prefer the softshell(“whole belly”) clams because the simply taste way better and are not “tampered” with. Ha-Ha to all who prefer the “stripper”(Rather have a plate full of fried bubble gum sticks already been chewed:A.B.C.Gum) LOL Again …..Kirk out!
Best clams and fish and chips…. central house Westboro Ma and it’s not even on the water check it out on Friday’s
We now have a great place for whole belly fried clams in Bolivia NC not that far from little Joe Loves Lobster Rolls We are from New England,move to NC 15 yrs ago,I refuse to eat strips until my husband found this place and the lobster is great too
There’s really no contest: bellies taste best! I’m imagining that people who lean towards strips are also the ones who throw away all the good stuff while eating lobster & concentrate only on the claws & tail…missing out on lotsa good tastes & definitely all the fun!
I think I’ve written in another post that Lenny & Joe’s here in CT have fantastic clams, but I want to give a shout-out to the delicious whole bellies served in a totally unexpected place: The White Cottage outside of Woodstock, VT…you can enjoy them outside (along with exceptional burgers, onion rings & Gifford’s ice cream) while letting the kids & your dogs play in the Ottauquechee river, which runs alongside the restaurant…
Okay but do you realize that when you cruunch into that belly you are consuming everything that clam ate before death? Also you are eating their intestine,gall bladder everything i used to love them but after i read that i just couldn’t. Now i just do the strips
I grew up in Woodstock, had many tasty treats from The White Cottage, though not fried clams…always topped off with a creemee for dessert!
I love whoever bully Fried Clams!!!That the very best way to eat them.
Many years ago I had the best fried clams at a place called The Clam Box or Clam Shack located in Revere, Massachusetts At least I think it was Revere. It seems to me they had clam bellies attched to their clams in most cases. They were so yummy! I’m a former Massachusetts resident living in Utah. I sure do miss proper fried clams
There is a Clam Box in Ipswich. The building is the shape of the typical box that the Fried Clams are served in. Yes, great CLAMS!
The place in Revere is Kelly’s. Awesome fried clams!!!
Back in the 60’s and early 70’s the was a Clam Box on Squire Rd. Lou’s fried clams were better
Went to Clam Box in Revere all the time with my parents in 60’s 70’s on a hot summer night they’d throw us in the back of the station wagon( no seat belts). 2 Quarts whole Bellies
One for the front one for the back. It was like a shark feeding frenzy!!
On other nights walk the boulevard and get Joe and Nemo’s shot Dogs!
YOU’RE TOO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I had to laugh when I saw the question, “what are clam strips?” My youngest Son, Kevin, liked the Clam strips but he called them “the clams legs”. When he got older he likes the belly clams now.
Whole belly clams are gross that green slime oozing when you bite into it yuk! Clam strips are the best crunchy without the green slime!
Don’t look in your mouth! Just eat and love ‘em!
Bellies are better than strips to me, but steamed are by far the best.
I had my first whole belly fried clams last night in Dallas TX. I never even knew the difference. What a great experience, I will never eat a strip again unless my cravings are so strong and that’s only available. For fellow Texans go to 20 Deep Seafood Shack in Dallas, Case Linda area. Very good authentic.
Here in Sebring, Florida we have Shannon’s Clam Shack. She meets a trucker from Up North (Rhode Island ) who she gets her whole bellies from. I go there once a week & get a basket with her home made tarter. She is originally from Rhode Island. They are delicious! Tender, sweet, moist & juicy. She is located on Highway 27 at the north end of Sebring. Whole bellies just make me so happy.
Enjoyed the exchange of comments/discussions regarding clam strips vs bellies.
Clams are not clams unless you eat WHOLE bullied clams!
Lived in Ipswich in the early 70s and been to the Clam Box many times. You can’t get proper clams here in Texas and this article reminds me it’s time for a vacation.
Hello, I drive from Vermont to go to the Clam Box. Awesome place.
Whole clams fried are simply the best! Never order the strips anymore. I get my clams from my fish monger, have him remove the shells, take them home and fry them up myself. Can’t get any better than that!!!
I have been eating clam bellies raw for over 50 years. They are great. Horseradish and a shot of hot of sauce is all I need. Just keep them cold. Like eating oysters. Which are just as good.
Easy answer……..The Very best fried clams (Strips or Belly) are from either my Grandma Wallace, Great Grandma Wallace or Grandma Li (though she makes hers using a Southern Fried Chicken style). As for dipping while I do LOVE me some Tartar Sauce with fish, we would never, ever dip fried seafood into it. Good and proper British Malt Vinegar or homemade Cocktail Sauce with Horseradish is our families go to dippers. To be fair our oldest twins that are 1/2 Sicilian also love Sicilian Bagna Cauda which is pretty darn good too. 🙂
Just got back from Massachusetts where I enjoyed the three major food groups that you can’t get in Oregon…whole belly clams, Haddock and Lobster! Three whole lobsters with drawn butter for $25 at Fish Tales in Hatfield, Massachusetts!
Harry’s in Westborough MA. Best clam bellies.
Agree!!!!
Yes indeed
Love the whole bellies from Cooke’s on Cape Cod. I live in Florida now, but every summer I go north and get my fill of them!
Another great place! I live here and we always try to go at least once a summer. My kids are grown now (28 and 32) but they were eating strips at a very young age. I prefer the bellies, of course…
Here’s a solution for those who have the guilty pleasure of loving clam strips yet wish to enjoy the quality flavor of the whole clam…
I am a New Hampshire native who loves the flavor of our sea coast’s fried clams, but dislikes the belly. The solution…I order the whole clam and just pull off the belly before I munch it down. Been doing that for decades. That way I’m not getting potentially frozen strips and can savor the full flavor of the fresh clam without the yucky tummy. An added benefit, my husband loves the extra bellies so no waste no worries. We get the best of both worlds 😉
P.S. I will say I think clam strips are the best in a clam roll…I find you get way more clams in the roll then when you order a full clam, clam roll.
The first place I ever saw fried clam strips at was a Howard Johnson’s restaurant and my thoughts were that they were trying to cut costs! Whole bellies are the REAL thing! Strips are an illusion!
I guess there were some HoJo’s that served whole Belly. All gone now of course. We used to occasionally stop at the HoJo’s in Wells, Me who served very decent whole belly fried clams. Don’t know when they stopped. But they did save my opinion of HoJo’s. Otherwise, just another OK spot for lunch.
Western Mass. born and raised. Used to feast on strips growing up at the HoJo’s in Greenfield, until I discovered the heaven of whole-bellies and never looked back! Bessie’s in Onset MA, a giant mounded plate of whole-bellies, onion rings and fries at Little Jack’s in Hampton Beach or countless shacks in Maine. I have yet to be disappointed with whole-bellies, even when getting a little beach mixed in. Fortunately, I still live close enough to the shore that local restaurants fry them up – Pete’s Seafood and the Williamsburg Snack Shack are a couple of my favorites. I love fresh lobster, but whole-bellies are still my first choice!
From and live in coastal Maine, love full belly clams, eat them every chance I get
Here in Maine, Jordan’s and Helen’s in Ellsworth are vg. We are also snowbirds, Naples FL, found a New England seafood restaurant, Steamers, best we’ve tried out of New England.
As a Vermonter snowbird in N.Myrtle Beach I have been searching for whole bellies for years. Seems the best fish market/take-out doesn’t have them because they can’t get them fresh enough to serve them. Back home we can walk to the Center Rutland Snack Bar and get whole bellies in the summer season or drive to Woodstock,Vt to the White House snack bar next to the Woodstock Farmers Market. When we are in the area of N.Reading,Ma we always go to The Lobster Claw and share a seafood platter which contains a good serving of fresh fish, huge buttery sea scallops,(not bay!) large shrimp, good fries, Cole slaw and a good slug of whole belly clams. Road trip!
You can get great fresh whole belly clams at Captain Johns in Pawleys Island. Only on certain days though. They are the best being a displaced New Englander I go there when I need my whole belly clam fix. Also lobster rolls fantastic.
We now have a great place for whole belly fried clams in Bolivia NC not that far from little Joe Loves Lobster Rolls We are from New England,move to NC 15 yrs ago,I refuse to eat strips until my husband found this place and the lobster is great too
OK I know this is blasphemy but how come you can’t buy already breaded frozen clam bellies anywhere? Of course you can get the strips frozen. Even breaded oysters ! I know I can order whole clams from a lot of places in New England but then I have to bread them myself. Not that I lazy.
Come on folk!
This isnt even worth debating.
Any true New Englander would NEVER choose strips over whole clams.
I’ve been in Texas since 81 and have yet to find a place that serves whole clams.Fried rubber band never!
Where in Texas are you? With patience I have found whole belly clams in The Woodlands area.
Ok folks! You can get real belly clams in many ft lauderdale seafood restaurants. I also eat them in newport beach,ca. at a restaurant on the harbor. Can’t get bellies in the midwest, just frozen strips. If they can get & serve great bellies in Ca. they can get them anywhere. There just needs to be demand. Midwesterners rarely have heard of fried clams! Don’t know what they are missing!
Kelly’s Landing in Ft. Lauderdale…I am a Ft. Lauderdale native, but live 20 years on the North Shore of Boston. MISS MY NE FOOD!!!
Kelly’s Landing in Lauderdale is terrible. I’m a Bostonian and I’ve been here 5 years. Where else in the Ft. Lauderdale area do they have them? They opened a place in Boca right before the Coronavirus. We wanted to go, but it was always soooo crowded…then it had to close.
When in Rome…. Sullivan’s at Castle Island South Boston has clam strips that taste good…seasoned just right,crunchy on the outside, tender on the inside…. it’s fast food,shore style-so get off your high horse and enjoy.
where can I get whole belly clams in Arizona?
Delta’s ready when you are. (Harbor Cafe – Stonington, Maine)
Steamers are the best way to eat whole belly clams
go to Westerly,RI to “The two little Fishes” on the beach,great place for seafood but this shack is the award winner for New England whole Fried Clams.
Sweet but crisp they are by far the best in all of New England. They have won every award given even by Yankee Magazine. Hands down the best .
The Gulf Coast prides itself with hundreds of Seafood restaurants….not a one serves bellied clams. Vacations there are so disappointing.
In Zephryhills, Fl., The Great Catch and The Chowder House serve whole belly clams.
Totally agree. From Maine get my clam fix there!!!!
clam shack on rt.44 in crystal river fl. has fried clams {bellys} Maine lobsta, and
Dan’s Clam Shack on rt. 44 in Crystal River FL. Has whole belly clams,New England Lobsta, clam chowder and more
To the Arizona guy if you are in the Phoenix area you can get whole bellies at Taylor’s Fish House it’s near ASU in Phoenix not Tempe he’s from Ipswich and gets fresh clams flown in daily. Great chowdah too! Avoid Fridays if you can hope you’ll enjoy! There is also Lobster rolls at LobsterME at Planet Hollywood Shops nest theatre they are as good as any I’ve had in NE CT style with hot butter or NE stole with mayo and celery. Hope this helps.
Do you know of anything in Tucson
Can I find belly clams in Tucson? I’ve looked everywhere. At 76 I’m too old to drive to Phoenix! Think they would send to me by cars that make airport run? Maybe they know a place here where I can get raw shucked belly clams that I can fry myself. I’m an old Connecticut transplant of 45 years and still miss real clams. Please email me if you have information I need. Bucket list for sure lol.
I checked Taylor’s website with your recommendation. Unfortunately clams were nowhere to be found.
After spending 2 weeks at Nickerson State Park ( yearly vacation) we would stop at Quintals and have the best fried clams. Those were the days.
Loved Quintal’s! Hubby also said it was the best cole slaw around. Miss that place!
Cooke’s in Hyannis and Orleans best clam strips.
BEST fried whole belly fried clams in Ipswich, Massachusetts at the famous CLAMBOX Restaurant.. serving fresh Ipswich and Essex clams.. and other local seafood????????????
I AM what you call a “ true New Englander”.. but when I brought my California husband to NE to live, couldn’t wait to have him try the bellies. We each ordered our own. While enjoying mine, he took one bite, go stoned faced, got up and into a restroom and removed the belly,
( nicely). Came back as I was still eating, didn’t say anything until we were in the car, then told me exactly what he KNEW he was eating. All explained very carefully. Well, for whatever reason, I can no longer enjoy the belly clams. Have to admit what he said was true, and he does enjoy all the NE fish at his disposal!
But please, don’t say I am not a true New Englander… I sure am. Born here, still here. Please be nice and respect everyone’s tastes! I’m sure there are foods ( from NE ) that might not be your favorites.. and I would still consider you a New Englander!!!!
Happy and proud to be one!!
Linda
I have a great divorce atty’s number for you…..
Poor thing
Lmao! Great response!
Belly’s of course strips are for kids!! The best place in Maine is Mike’s Clam Shack in Wells Maine
The best in Maine is The New England House in Wells. I would also say that the clam strips there are the best that I have ever had, sweet, tender, and delicious.
100% agree!! Another go to is The Oarweed in Ogunquit on Perkins Cove!
Woo-hoo! Another vote for Mike’s clam shack!
When growing up, my friends and I would save all our chore money for a trip to HoJo’s for the clam strips. We’d get 2 orders and sit outside in the grass and enjoy. They were the best!
Now I really love whole-belly clams. Plump and sweet…no tartar sauce or lemon needed. So many clam shacks in New England, it’s hard to choose. I love Bob’s Clam Shack in Kittery, Me. 2 different batters to choose from, or try both. Never mind a pint of clams…give me a quart every time!! Another favorite is Claws in Rockland, Me. Really plum and juicy clams every time.
The Chowder House at Zephyrhills, FL has fresh fuller belly clams. I personally prefer strips, theirs are yummy!
Totally agree. From Maine get my clam fix there!!!!
I am aghast! How can you suggest ANY clam place that serves “Ken’s” or any other processed tartar sauce? It should ALWAYS be home-made tartar sauce with whole bellies. Preferably from Bob’s Clam Shack in Kittery, or Petey’s in Rye.
Bob’s is a touristy rip off.
Not what it used to be… Quality is gone.
My favorite place for seafood, especially fried clams, is Petey’s in Rye, NH! Fresh dug locally.
one more thought… I would never give strips to anyone, including kids.
Start’ em off right with whole bellies.
Captain Johns in Pawleys has fresh whole belly clams also great lobster rolls.
grew up on HoJo’s fried clams and my grandmother’s Washington State clam chowder. My sister and I would go clamming for quahogs, took two of us to dig them out. My grandmother would cook up a huge pot of chowder and the whole family would dig in with fresh wild blueberry pie to follow. Great West Coast clam memories
Sounds very East Coast to me???? Was your grandmother a transplant?
I live in San Tan Valley, AZ for the winter and have been so happy to find and eat, of course, Ipswich fried clams at Bluewater Grill on Camelback Road,Phoenix. You can also get a fairly decent lobster roll(until you get back to New England), either with hot butter or mayonnaise. We are going to Cape Cod for a month this summer. Can’t wait for all that scrumptious seafood.
Thank-you, Thank-you, Thank-you!!!!! I live outside of Phoenix in the northwest valley and have never heard of a really good restaurant for fried Whole Belly Clams. From mid-October to near the end of June I’m left dreaming of them until I can return to VT to stay in my camper at the wonderful Kenolie Family Campground. From the time I arrive, to the time I return to AZ, I eat as many clams as possible 🙂
Doug’s Seafood in Bonita Spribgs FL for those Gulf Coasters craving their New England seafood fix! Great!
Am I the only one out there allergic to big bellies but not clam strips?
Nope. I get a negative reaction from whole clams if I eat too many of them … so the secret for me is to eat them in moderation because there’s no way I am going to avoid them altogether. They’re too good!
The Causeway in Gloucester.
The Causeway in Gloucester, best seafood, not fancy.
I happen to be a clam strip fan, not sure why just what I like. We get them at the Falmouth Clam Shack, freshest around and then watch the boats in the Harba!!!!
Dude!! We don’t pronounce our ‘Rrrr’ ‘s lol
Boston’s Fish House in Winter Park (Orlando) Florida has the real thing flown in from New England. Strips or bellies, fresh and prepared just like home. You can’t go wrong. The rest of their seafood menu is equally excellent
I recently decided to treat myself to dinner out at one of my favorite seafood places (which will remain nameless). Decided to have a clam roll with onion rings and cole slaw. I prefer lemon to tartar sauce but ended up with both. I sat, socially distant, munching away on my whole belly clams enjoying each one as I pulled them one at a time out of the top split roll until I could pick it up without spilling clams all over the table. And then it happened! CRUNCH! Yes I hit beach and it was not the way I prefer to. In addition, this “guy” seemed to have ingested enough sand to refill Hampton after a winter storm. It took several swishes of my soda to get the beach out of my molars but that didn’t stop me from finishing my sandwich. I still prefer whole belly clams and sand can be the price you pay. I have been told by some clam sellers that the way to prevent sand in the clam is to put them in seawater with a bed of cornmeal in the tank which the clam ingests and forces the sand out. Maybe whoever processed this clam either threw it in last and pulled it out first or hadn’t changed the cornmeal in a while. Still not going to prevent me from ordering whole belly clams again and at the same restaurant!
I’m with you!!! I’ve never had one like that although I have had some with a little sand, doesn’t stop me either. Big bellies is the only way to go!!
Having been born and raised in
Rhode Island, I have always loved, loved, loved whole belly clams! You can’t buy whole belly clams here in Michigan, so I do the next best thing…I fry oysters. I still miss the fried clam bellies a whole lot, but the fried oysters seem to fill up that empty void just a little bit.
Born, raised, and live in MA. I have hit sand so many times that the anticipation of that next tooth-grinding crunch makes it impossible to enjoy my meal. Much happier eating clam strips. It’s a lot like eating fried calamari which can be sweet, tender, and amazing or rubber bands. I still prefer rubber bands to rocks.
Living in Texas, I dream of whole belly clams! I try to make a yearly trip to the Northeast and my top priority is to eat whole bellys as many times as I can! Wouldn’t even consider strips even in desperation!
Are the whole belly clams only harvested in the NE states? Someone told me they are also harvested in the Chesapeake Bay but marketed only in NE.
Yes, Howard J’s on 128 after dancing at the Tote(m) Pole at Norumbega Park. Otherwise, The Dutch Tea Room/The Ep(icure)/Brigham’s would be GR8 back in LowellLand, MA. Wasn’t til OldAge got to go to where Strips were invented to have a To-Die-For experience…Woodmen’s in Essex. Anytime, while holding hands and strolling Hampton with your best Steady sharing Strips from a box, was second Bestest!!! In NM, Red Lobster of all places, serves Fried Breading as Strips so best is surprisingly…Long John Silvers! Bottom line? Finding out a Gal was into mushy/squishy Bellies was a deal breaker! Viva Strips!
Anyone out there with a good fried whole belly clam recipe they will share with us? Thank you in advance.
Woodmans! Oh my! Best chowder was Flav’s at the dock in Rockport.
Ahh, Ho-Jo’s on Rt. 128…..AND you also mentioned the Totem Pole Ballroom in Norumbega Park!!! The highlight of being a Newton High School senior (this was when there was only one high school for the entire city!) was the Senior Prom held at the Totem Pole! Ohh, the memories!
…YAY!!! After working a number of years at the old Hampton Bch NH Newick’s seafood restaurant, I kind of took for granted that great fried (whole!)clams would always be part of my life…living in exile here in S.Florida for decades now, I can’t SAY how much I miss it all. I recently discovered not only great fried whole clams, sea scallops AND humongous, great lobstah rolls here at a place called the Fish Shack in Lighthouse Point, FL (Broward Co.), for anyone else out there that may read this and be jonesing away as much as I was…:)!
In New Hampshire’s Lakes Region, The best fried clams are at Pops Clams in Alton Bay. They are as good as any I have had!
I think that I’ll stick with the strips and pass on the mollusc poo, thank you.
squeamish a bit?
I grew up in Massachusetts. We used to go to clam shacks on Cape Cod and Fall River. I never heard of clam strips until I moved to Michigan. I couldn’t believe it Several years ago we were at ISSACS in Plymouth and they had strips on the menu. I was appalled !! I asked why did they add this and they said it had to do with tourists. In other states they never heard of eating the whole clam. There was also a Colonial Resturant in downtown Plymouth my mother and I would go to. They had great clam dinners and rolls. They closed many years ago. Whenever I visit I eat nothing but fried clams. My favorite meal
The Colonial was the best!
I grew up in Braintree MA and would go to Al’s A&W Drive In in Quincy for their clams, onion rings and of course the root beer! I lived in Marshfield MA, Plymouth was just south of me. The Lobster Hut in Plymouth was our go to place for delicious clams and the thin onion rings. Whole big belly clams are the best! I live in PA now, no clams and fat onions rings that were probably frozen to start with. Haven’t been back to MA for quite a few years but the first place we eat is The Lobster Hut. I do remember the Colonial Restaurant in Plymouth though! And Issacs is closed now too, what a shame.
We moved from Port Washington,NY to Elray Beach, FL
I grew up in Braintree too and fried whole belly clams at A&W Root beer where the best!
Head of the Lake, South China Maine – MMMMM good! Whole clams, of course.
I prefer not to eat clam poop, which is part of what is in those bellies.
I agree. I prefer the strips.
Then you’re not preparing them properly. If you drop cornmeal into the water with the live clams (mussels, too), they’ll disgorge the poo and sand. Then you cook them!
Whoa.
Yep!!! That’s how we handle them here in Alaska…Clean them out!!! We have steamers and razors here…Fried razor clams are the best!!!
I bet your seafood is amazing!
We have a restaurant in Apopka, Florida (just outside of Orlando) called The Nauti Lobstah. My husband has been a Chef for 40 years and went to Johnson and Wales in RI. He also grew up in RI so he knows his New England seafood. When we were developing our menu, he insisted on putting whole belly clams on the menu. Although they aren’t the most requested item, he always said “those who know, know“. I can’t tell you how many New Englanders have come in and been so excited to see them on the menu. We also bread our own clam strips and they’re amazing!
Live in Daytona please send your address
Well, I’m from back east to and love fried clams. We now live in Warsaw Indiana and there isn’t a whole fried clam insight. I did go to upstate New York this last summer just to get fried clams in one of the diners there, but that was the only place I could find I love fried clams.
Thanks to the baleful influence of people from points South, it is hard to still find traditional Maine fried clams, which are “blacked out” with salted water or corn meal before being fried in egg batter, not crumbs. Treating the clams this way causes them to disgorge most of the poop and clam flats in their bellies. I will eat strips in preference to clams with full bellies in crumbs. There was a HoJo’s around the corner when I lived in Rock Hill, SC and I would often be the only customer ordering the all-you-can-eat clam strips. One takes what one can get. The flounder and the fried oysters are excellent in SC, though. I have had good raw oysters in Maine, but whenever I get fried oysters up here, the juicy, briny flavor has been miraculously sucked out of them. It is not quite as bad as they way they abuse tender little steamers in what they call a clambake in Cleveland, OH. They go in the oven with no liquid or seaweed and come out desiccated. The Lake Erie walleye is delicious, though. Getting Yankee style seafood is apparently a lot easier in Florida than it used to be in the outskirts of Orlando, but I still say, “Eat what the locals eat. You’ll like it better.”
Mom used to hand us a pail and send us down to the beach to fill it with clams for fried clams and chowder when we stayed at the beach house at Sand Hill Cove in Narragansett Rhode Island. What fun we had and what good food.
I agree Walleye is the best.
I was born 8 hours after my mother are a pint of belly clams (the only way to fry a clam ) and cursed me with a life long addiction to those lovely golden crunchy on the outside and sinfully luscious on the inside. Now in California but I’ve got my sources.
I had a hankering for clams at 7pm July 14, 1974. After a swim in the backyard pool. We drove to Heck Allen’s on the Saugus River, Massachusetts for take out. At midnight we drove to the hospital and at 9:15 am, July 15th I delivered a 10 pound baby boy. I’ve never been able to move away because no fried seafood like Boston and Maine.
Get out of CA while you can! The place is going to a communist state.
Whole clams make me gag. The bellies are gross, it’s like eating a cotton ball, no texture, no crunch, yuck! At least clam strips have substance. You can chew them.
And chew and chew and chew… I admit clam bellies are not for everybody and I like clam strips too. But those of us outside the circle of gentile strip lovers simply prefer the total taste of the ocean in our mouths. Musky, intense and gorgeous. Otherwise, might as well move way inland and enjoy all the gorgeous fare there…leave our aromatic shorelines and its seafood to the rest of us.
I don’t think you answered your first question. What are clam strips anyway? Do they rip the lips off of sea clams?
I am a Born bred gal from Long Island (Hamptons) and after going clamming we were blessed to have any left to fry.. Whole clam off the shell is heaven…
Strips for me! I used to eat the bellies, Unfortunately, My son and I got food poisoning from the bellies and haven’t been able to bring myself to eat them since!
The same thing happened to me. Loved the bellies, but got food poisoning. A couple on months later the same thing happened to my son at a different restaurant!
So strips are what you settle for when you can’t bring yourself to eat the bellies anymore!!!
Where can you get great fried whole belly clams and little necks n the half shell in the Burlington, Vermont area?
shanty on the shore,,,and Marriott has a seafood restaurant
For the people who say the clam bellies are like eating the poop.I hope you don’t eat other seafood like shrimp,tilapia,mussles,and oysters since they are all bottom feeders as well.
Tourist or way south of New England you may, may, do clam strips.
BUTT -it is a sin, a crime to have anything but real full clams. Strips are kinda like being almost pregnant.
Almost pregnant ????
Almost pregnant ????
I left New England 20 years ago and when asked what I miss the most…it is the smell of the ocean, hiking in the white mountains and fried clams.
Right on, also good ice cream
Having left the East Coast over 30 years ago I do miss fried whole clams from Kelly’s on Revere beach.
Agree 100%
Why do they charge market price for whole bellies when the strips are posted price?
I happen to like both, but these days with fried clams with bellies costing twice as much, I will often get strips for a snack.
who remembers Macray’s on Rt 6 between New Bedford and Fall River. Emeril Lagasse had frequently referred to Macrays’s on his old t v show. I’ m going back to the 1950’s.
I went there often. I lived in Rhode Island
Fried clam bellies at DJ’s Clam Shack on Duval Street Key West Florida, very good eating. Also decent lobsta rolls! Been eating these delicacies for several years now every summer visiting KW. Definitly worth a visit when in Key West and nostalgic visit to home!
Nothing like whole belly….why chew on rubber bands? In Vermont, the Snack Shack at Quechee Gorge has GREAT whole belly clams. They are my go-to when I don’t get up to Ogunquit.
I agree with the ‘rubber bands’ comment.
I happen to like both but prefer the bellies. But for those who don’t like bellies strips are a great alternative. For haters of clam strips after you eat the bellies do you throw the rest of the clam away? 🙂
Bellies all the way!!! Fried clam strips are really just fried clam rubber bands????
I prefer Whole Belly to Strips. But I’ve never had a strip that tasted “off” or had a “foul” taste. I went to a restaurant in Hyannis at the height of a clam shortage and was disappointed when I hit a bad whole belly clam. It’s happened over the years.
If I remember correctly, the Howard Johnson’s on Wollaston Beach, Dorchester had the clams with bellies. I was 6 y/o and this was in the early 50’s. Clam strips were never an option after that. No taste other than “fried” food and the tartar sauce. Bellies were the appetizer for the rest of the clam. Also at the Wollaston HoJo were the hot dogs. Toasted roll, dog with mustard and relish in a cardboard holder.
My sister Dorothy worked at Ho Jo’s on Morrisey Blvd near Teenean Beach in the early 50’s during the summer as she was a student at North Adam’s State Teachers College.
I love bellies but only when they are impeccably fresh and served right of the fryer. A combination that can hard to find outside of the best clam shacks. Otherwise good quality strips are mor reliable and all of them are rubber band like. But my favorite clam is still a bucket of steamers or little necks or cheer stones on the half shell.
Class strips are like crystal diet pepsi- it’ll do if there is nothing else available and you are on the verge of collapsing from dehydration, but give a man a plate full of clam bellies along with a 2 lb lobster, and some cole slaw, and he Will defend your castle for life. Eating strips is like ordering a lobster and getting nothing but the small legs, it’s like taking a Rollercoaster ride and finding out that it o ly goes 5 feet before stopping, it’s like ordering a,prime rib hamburger, and getting a tofu burger Insteadz- it’s like the wef trying to convince the world that eating insects is delicious. I suppose if there is nothing else available, it might serve to ward off starvation to eat clam strip, but i ask ya, what is the point of warding off starvation if all that is available is clam strips?
’57-’58: 2 Coffee Frappes (nowadays, get Autocrat into NM from Amazon), 2 plates of Strips n FF for UNDER 10 bucks at Howard Johnson’s on 128 (AKA I-95) before going back to Lowell after cheek-to-cheek/belly-to-belly dancing at The Totem Pole (see TP using Google Image search for Totem Pole.)
I waitressed all over and if your close,…on the ocean your going to get a great fried clam ! ( Unless of course you are not from N.E. and don’t know what you’re doing). ! I’ve got to say though not working,just eating the best I’ve had are on the coast of Maine! OMG!!! York, Ogunquit ,Wells, Portland! Sooo. Fresh
Nantasket back in the day Joseph’s ! Nice and salty !!!
And Wallaston Beach is in Quincy Not Dorchester! Lol
It’s ok ???? across the Bridge! A whole other world !!!!
Jk!¡
I love good clam bellie. They need to be fresh. I also like a good clam strip if it also is fresh and cooked correctly. Too many places cook them for too long and bread them too much. I want clam taste not just breading. Just my opinion.
I agree with you. I like both and have had bad examples of both. I personally don’t think the belly ads anything to the flavor, but can detract if there is sand in it. I am just thankful to be in New England and can get both.