Squid's

The fifth star is missing along with the flavors of the foods. We had came from another seafood place a day before and was excited to try here out. The oysters were good, very fresh and sandy. Definitely takes you all the way to the sea. The crab legs were all stuck to the shell (and we are professional shellfish eaters). The steak was HUGE and cooked well, with nice sides. The pasta was also great. So the interior was quite shocking. Very much down south and senior vibes. Not that that's an issue, just be warned and prepared. We were being stared down as the only ones looking.... "different." But we're from Louisiana so it didn't bother us. It's the same anywhere down south. Overall, it is a decent spot to get a fix. Not too crazy about the service or the food. But do not have anything really bad to say!

We returned last night after a 4 year absence due to Covid. Really looked forward to it as it has been my favorite go to CH place for decades and I missed it. This is a place to go when you want to be comfortable; when you want your experience to be exactly as you anticipate; when you want to be well served in a well run place....it is still that place (more or less).It is not Michelin ( but neither are the prices ). Couple of drinks and dinner +/- $100 before tax and gratuity (with spouse), drink prices moderate and half price wine on Tuesday (I think) and the bar is always packed on oyster night. In the bar if you have lived in CH for a while , and you are of a "certain age", you will feel like you are around folks you know...even if you DON'T actually know them...it's just a very familiar looking crowd (at least to me). Now that I've said all these nice things....just one criticism. The place could use a coat of paint ...still this side of comfortable but starting to look a little frayed. (that's why a took away a star....really should be half star but the app doesn't allow that).

Always a great experience. Service is exemplary and the food is prepared well. Always busy with good reason.

SO FREAKING GOOD. This is the place to be if you appreciate good seafood. The hush puppies they bring to start you out are 10/10. Then the entrees are perfection. The staff is also very friendly and kind making it an overall great experience. Definitely an underrated Chapel Hill restaurant.

We had a gift certificate that we'd been holding on to for a special occasion and decided, why wait?! I've wanted to go for their Wednesday lobster discount night, so that's just what we did! I guess everyone else was there for the same reason cos the parking lot was packed and we got the last available spot!We had two young ladies sitting next to us, one who spoke so loudly we couldn't hear each other. I wish diners would consider others, especially when the tables aren't spaced apart much.Our waitress was pleasant and very earnest. She kept tabs on us well given how full the restaurant was.My spouse ordered fried scallops with fries. Over the years she's found it's hard to find good scallops around here, but she figured with it being Squid's they'd be pretty good. Unfortunately, they were just okay. I ordered the lobster and decided rather than wrestle with it, for an extra $2 they'll remove it all from the shells for you. I'd had a long day so it was a welcome option. It didn't look like much out of the shell when our waitress brought the plate, but it was plenty. As I ate it I decided crab legs really are my preference because the meat is so much sweeter.We ordered creme brulee for dessert. I was so looking forward to it! Our waitress didn't tell us it came with a fresh berry compote on it. Had I'd known I would have asked for it to be left off, but too late when I didn't find out until it arrived.All in all, it was just an ok experience here at Squid's.

I rarely like to write 1 star reviews but this just wasn't good. Seems like all the awards from this place are from 2008 and before and I can easily see why. Ordered the grouper and was extremely disappointed. While being the "fresh catch", I am 90% positive that this was a frozen piece of fish. Zero seasoning, poor preparation, and would give it a 1/2 star if I could. Hopefully this place can get back to what they represent on their walls, but I would not recommend Squid's if this is the standard experience.

I love the ambience- cozy yet airy and open space. I think their 2 serene large fish tanks play big part in setting the atmosphere. We came here because my husband wanted some lobster. And he got what he wants. Everything dishes we ordered were simple, but high quality- oyster, fish, lobster.And we finished up with a chocolate cake (or the other cake in the menu. I forgot). Husband doesn't like sweet sweet dessert. But this one he could eat.We'll come back!

This restaurant gives of a 90s vibe. The dark carpet, fish tank, and grandma-style decor really feels nostalgic. The service was lovely. The meals starts with complimentary hush puppies. I ordered a savory-sweet fish dish with polenta. It was on a bed of greens. This restaurant really is catered towards seafood lovers and really is a hidden gem! The only thing I would change is probably not sitting in front of the fish tank while eating fish! Five stars!

We went here for dinner on a early Saturday night for a dinner with two old friends. The food was cooked to perfection, we had squid rings that were perfectly cooked. There New England clam chowder was blah needed some more seasoning. The rest of our meal was excellent. Our sever did a great job, except for not getting the order straight and timely we got our soup then our main course followed by our raw oysters and raw clams. The food for the most part was extremely delicious the raw oysters were large and delicious. As far as the inside of the restaurant, it's clean and old looking it's in need of bringing it into the new century.

I came here on a Friday evening when I had some family in town. This is the place I would take my grandparents to! It has a mom and pop feel and great seafood! I ordered the fried oysters and I thought they were great! The meal was really filling and I had leftovers for lunch the next day. I appreciated the hush puppies instead of the typical bread that most restaurants provide. I thought it was a unique touch I hadn't seen in a while. They were pretty filling and likely one of the reasons why I couldn't finish my entree but I had no regrets. Location wise, it's a hard restaurant to find. You can see it straight from the street but you can't turn into the restaurant from the street. Overall, I had a great time here and I will be back the next time I get a craving for fried seafood!