Hayes Seafood House: Little restaurant is big on fresh fish
Published: May 22, 2009, 12:30 am
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They call Hayes Seafood House “a taste of New England in Clarence,” and that’s only a slight exaggeration. Perched there on Main Street, miles away from any water of consequence, this little, one-story, free-standing restaurant almost looks like a hot dog stand.
Don’t be fooled. In its scrubbed and efficient interior, piping fresh fish and seafood is the order of the day.
It’s no surprise, really. Hayes has been selling stuff from the briny since 1877, first in downtown Buffalo, then moving out to Snyder and Kenmore — and yes, a retail fish counter is part of this Clarence setup, too. Customers who want to eat rather than cook get in line at the restaurant counter and give their orders. Then they help themselves to beverages — avoiding, we hope, the canned lemonade, which is really terrible — and sit down at one of the maybe 20 blue-and-white checked tables. They bring the food out to you there.
Because this is a fresh fish house — dependent on the weather, the market and the season — the menu (and the prices) can change daily, adding an element of surprise. If available, for instance, you might want to order a lobster roll ($16), as we did. And that might be a very good idea. Our roll, stuffed to bursting with some of the sweetest chunks of the crustacean that I can remember, was served properly in a New Englandstyle roll, meaning that roll was sliced vertically rather than the more common horizontally. And I don’t know why that should make such a difference — it’s the same bread, after all — but it does add a taste of authenticity. Close your eyes, and you might think you’re in a cove in Maine (that, too, is a slight exaggeration, I suppose).
And while we’re on the subject of the Big L, let me mention that my half pint of bisque ($3.50) was more than creditable. Smooth and flavorful. Oyster crackers to accompany? Right there in those little packets on the table — told you that the place was informal. Also worth noting if you are a soup person, the Manhattan clam chowder ($3), thick and filling as could be.
As mentioned above, the available seafood and fish supply changes daily, so we checked the list of specials on the restaurant counter. There was broiled Day Boat Halibut, for instance. I went with Grilled Wild Coho Salmon ($19.99), served up with good-tasting (if mayonnaise-y) coleslaw and potato salad. A plain meal, but it tasted fine.
Actually, much of the fish and seafood at Hayes’ is served plainly — or simply. To mix metaphors a bit, gilding the lily is not necessary here. Fresh oysters are opened on the spot (Bluepoints the night of our visit), and there’s fried or broiled seafood dinners, with emphasis on haddock and other favorite varieties. Lake Perch and Yellow Pike is often available, too.
And there’s dessert made in-house, if you please. We found that the whale-sized bread pudding ($4.50) is well worth investigating. And so is the Key Lime Pie. Give the kids some ice cream bars ($1.75). By the way, speaking of kids: Hayes offers fried chicken fingers, too.•
HAYES SEAFOOD HOUSE
Three stars
WHERE: 8900 Main St., Clarence (632-1772; hayesseafoodhouse.com). Informal dining on super-fresh fish and seafood under the auspices of a family that has been in the business since 1877. Beer and wine.
Credit Cards: American Express, MasterCard and Visa.
FAVORITE DISH: Lobster roll
NEEDS WORK: Food is of good quality.
PRICE RANGE:Fried dinners from $9.99 include coleslaw and fries.
SERVICE: Very good.
HOURS: Lunch, Tuesday through Friday. Dinner, until 8 p. m. Tuesday through Saturday (until 9 p. m. Friday).
WHEELCHAIR ACCESS: Yes
PARKING: In the lot.
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