The Ninja Turtles are great at saving the day when it comes to keeping my kids occupied during playtime. Too bad our family’s “no toys at the dinner table” policy doesn’t allow them do the same when we take them out to eat. Fortunately, I’ve discovered my own personal hero in a half-shell, Biggie’s Clam Bar, which is great place to take your little ones when you need a break from kitchen duties.
This friendly, family-owned restaurant located in Ramsey (and three other Jersey locations) has something to satisfy every appetite, big or small. We dropped in a couple Saturdays ago for lunch, and almost every table in the HUGE dining room (don’t let the small exterior fool you) had a child in it. Our awesome waitress handed my husband, Bob, and I our grown-up menus, then set our kids up with coloring placemats printed with Biggie’s kid-friendly menu and a couple small packs of crackers to nibble on while they waited (genius!).
While they picked out their meals—mozzarella sticks and waffle fries ($4) for Ryan; chicken fingers and fries ($5) for Kelly, and flat-bread pizza and crudité ($5) for Keelin, all with drinks included—us adults explored Biggie’s extensive regular menu of apps, burgers, specialty sandwiches, soups, salads, and of course, its famous raw bar. Warning: the portions here are extra generous, so don’t let your eyes get bigger than your stomach when you order.
Bob and I started with Oysters Rockefeller ($2.75 each), which had a velvety smoothness to them, and an order of the Crab & Corn Chowder ($6.50), which was filled with HUGE chunks of crab and fresh bits of bell peppers, celery, and onion in a creamy broth. For entrees, we opted for the Spicy Tuna Wrap ($13.50, with fries) and the Lobster Salad Sandwich ($14.25, with fries). While Bob enjoyed the flavor of his wrap’s teriyaki-glazed ahi tuna, my lobster salad was not the best I’ve had, but still reminded me of summertime at the Jersey Shore (which was a welcome reminder mid-winter).
Still, with prices this reasonable and not a single spaz-out from the kids, we were happy as clams at the end of the meal. We’ll definitely be back.
Biggie’s Clam Bar
1315 Route 17 South, Ramsey
201-962-9099
Hours: Mon-Thurs, 11am-12am; Fri-Sat, 11am-1am; Sun 11am-10pm
Carla Sullivan is the Food Editor for Bergen Mama and the founder of MiniMunchers.com, a family dining guide for NYC families. She currently resides in Ridgewood with her three young children.
