TripAdvisor Traveler Rating based on
1293 reviews
Bridgewater Ocean Fresh Fish House is located in the heart of Old Town. It serves the freshest seafood, beef and chicken, salads, pizzas, pastas & vegetarian dishes along with a huge wine list and selection of draft beers.
TripAdvisor
OMG for the seafood thermidor. The dish did not disappoint. My boyfriend and I shared the plate, glad we did because it is a very generous portion. We had clams and muscle appetizers also. It was sooooo good. I had a few lemon drop martinis that did disappoint either. The service staff was some of the best. They added to the wonderful dinner we had. I can't say enough about the food and service we received. Kudos to the staff and owner of this business.
We ate outside on the sidewalk table in late afternoon sun — enjoyable ! Good Caesar salad with bay shrimp, thick clam chowder, good salmon with lemon capers.
Tried this spot again after a bad experience a few years ago, won’t try it again. Peanut noodles were inedible, but presented nicely. Even after the manager comped the noodles, lunch for two was over $80.
We have eaten here previously and have always liked it. This time, however, our experience fell short. It was primarily the service that put a damper on things. We ordered an appetizer. When I ordered it, I mentioned that we'd like it to come before the entrees. In other words, we'd like a little time between the app and the entrees. This was clearly the wrong thing to say. We probably waited a good 35 to 40 minutes after eating the appetizer to receive the entrees. No joke, the table to one side of us actually sat down after we did, and ate and paid, before we even received our entrees. The food was OK. I did not care for the chowder however. As one previous TA poster put it.....TOO Thick. So thick, it was almost like there was too much Roux in it, and that the Roux hadn't fully cooked in. Lastly, the lady who chatted with us for a minute as she was clearling the final plates was nice enough to ask us how our meal was (she was also the only one that brought us an extra (about the size of a thimble) side of dipping sauce for the app. We asked our waitress for one.....she never brought it). I responded with "it was OK". I honestly felt that was a polite way of saying "not the best", but "fair". She didn't let it go. She literally asked me several more times "no, I want to know....why was it just OK?" I was really just trying to be polite, pay the bill, and leave. Perhaps she was the owner or manager, and indeed just wanted feedback. But when a patron responds with "it was OK", get the hint that they are trying to be nice. And don't keep pressing.
We had eaten at Bridgewater on an earlier Florence visit, so went back. Like many businesses, they have had staffing issues and as a result, the menu has been made smaller. But, the food was still good and service was excellent. We split orders of fried cheese curds and fish & chips.