What People Are Saying About Squid's Restaurant-Oyster Bar
The Editor
Contributor
Citysearch
In Short – Boisterous and as crowded, Squid's is one of the few true seafood destinations in Chapel Hill. Hushpuppies in wax paper and a plastic red basket remind diners that this is the South. Squid's menu touts everything fried (shrimp, oysters, etc.) but the kitchen dishes out more than just calabash. For an example of nouvelle elegance, the trout is marinated in balsamic while jumbo shrimp platforms nuggets of shredded crabmeat, surrounded by a mound of rice.
02/23/09
Decent seafood restaurant, decent ambiance,
by m30045
My wife and I visited Squid's recently. The wait was short at 530pm on a sunday (to be expected at that time) My dish was good - I had the Pan Seared Salmon (nicely cooked, with mexican style beans, tortilla chips, guacamole, and red sauce. My wife had the Genovese Shrimp and Scallops, unfortunately her dish was bland and could have been matched by a microwave meal. Sounds harsh I know, but it was really not up to par. The deserts however were excellent, we chose- a Mud Pie and a Chocolate Brownie. They weren't anything fancy, but we loved them. The "coffee" iced cream in my mud pie didn't taste like coffee flavor but it was still very good. <br><br>also, I see that for some reason CitySearch has this as 1 dollar sign in "Meal Price" that must be an error, this place is about $16 for an entree and $7 for a limoncello.
All in all we enjoyed ourselves, but the food was not to die for, it was average fare - nothing amazing but nothing unacceptable either.
My wife and I rate this restaurant 3 stars (which = Average, accd to citysearch's rating system). I was going to give it 4 stars but there is nothing overly special that draws us back here vs. trying another new place. We are fairly new in town and there are many many restaurants left to try.
- Pros: good service, decent atmosphere, enjoyable food for the most part
- Cons: pricy for the quality of food, hush puppies seemed out of place in a seemingly upscale restaurant
02/01/09
Great food
by FoodguyChapelhill
The Seafood was great the service was also great! Keep up the good work! I had the one of the best times eating out in chapel hill in a long time. The food is $$$$$$ But you get what you pay for!
- Pros: The Seafood
- Cons: Service
07/03/08
Just o,k.
by CaryLaura
I live in Cary, but I love going to Chapel Hill to eat. We love 411 West and Top of the Hill. Squids is hopping every time we pass by, so I figured, we are missing something. I got the most popular thing on the menu, the horseradish crusted tilapia,. I thought it was very greasy.
I really dislike the ambiance. Tables were right on top of each other. I didn't feel like I could talk to my husband without the two tables next to us overhearing.
Also, we had a 7 pm dinner reservation, but when arrived at 7, we had to wait 15 minutes. They sat 2 groups of people before us - did they all have 7 pm reservations?
I am not going back again. If you want a basic seafood place, it is o.k. but we don't eat out very often, so I am going to move on and find a better seafood restuarant.
- Pros: Just an average restaurant
- Cons: Just an average restaurant
The Details on Squid's Restaurant-Oyster Bar
When To Go:
For speedy seating, get there early (around 6pm)--Squid's does not take reservations.
The Extras:
Next door to the restaurant is Squid's Market, one of the best in town. Pick up some fresh shrimp or salmon and cook it up yourself at home.
Where To Sit:
An ample bar area complete with TV pleases Tarheel fans. A simple, multi-level dining room with wooden chairs and tables caters to a variety of folks--from college kids out for a fun night out to families to seniors. Out back a glassed-in porch caters to large parties and special celebrations.
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Payment Methods:
American Express, Visa, Discover, MasterCard
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