Matt's Fish Camp Lewes, the second installation of Matt Haley's concept of simple East Coast seafood served up in an informal and relaxed setting, is up and running – with a vengeance! Seats in this small-to-medium-sized eatery are already the holy grail in Lewes. Matt's Fish Camp Lewes is in the old Donut Connection / Tijuana Taxi / Lazy Susan's building at 34401 Tenley Square near Jerusalem International Grocery in Lewes. There's no need for million-dollar decor and fishy tchotchkes on the wall (though the tchotchkes are really nice): MFC's food says it all.
Even better news is that Fish On's award-winning Executive Chef Maurice Catlett is the kitchen boss at the new MFC! Maurice and his crew have evolved Fish On into one of THE go-to spots in Lewes for great seafood. Jack Temple is FOH manager, cutting his proverbial teeth at Bluecoast and Northeast Seafood Kitchen and has been an integral part of the design of the new eatery. At the party we had the pleasure of hobnobbing with SoDel Concepts mucky-mucks Ronnie Burkle, Doug Ruley, Mike Dickinson, Maurice Catlett, Jim Affeldt, Matt Patton and Mike Zygmonski. You know it's got to be good when the executive staff is bellied up to the bar.
We had the pleasure of attending one of the media/friends/family parties before they opened in early June 2016 and we had a field day with the menu. Scroll through the gallery to see what we (and a few parties seated around us) got. Do not miss the Ipswich Fried Clam roll or the entree portion. Cheap? No. They are flown in special for SoDel Concepts and served exclusively at the two Matt's Fish Camp locations and Northeast Seafood Kitchen. And they are worth every penny. We also like the little tribute to the long-gone Betty's in Midway. Not one of SoDel Concepts' shining moments, but it did have its high points, and they are represented on the menu as “Coastal Comfort Classics.” The stars of that show are the Chicken Pot Pie (massive and exceptionally good), the Picnic BBQ Chicken (another plate that you will take home in a carryout container) and the Country Fried Steak. All of these are squarely in Chef Maurice's wheelhouse and are properly executed.
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BBQ Chicken and corn13/35 
That exceptional chicken pot pie. Crust made to order!14/35 
crabby claws15/35 
Fried Ipswich Clams16/35 
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Bacon & Corn milk hushpuppies19/35 
Pork Belly Banh mi20/35 
MFC Parker House Rolls21/35 
Sussex County Pretzel Salad and Hopkins Dairy Farm Strawberry milkshake22/35 
The raw bar23/35 
Sticky Lemon Pepper chix wings24/35 
The Fried Clam Roll25/35 
SoftShell Done Right26/35 
Maurice's Award-Winning Wings27/35 
BBQ Salmon28/35 
Warm lobster roll with butter29/35 
Poke!30/35 
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Lobster fried rice with a fried egg hat!32/35 
Short rib with Anson Mill cheese grits and greens33/35 
Maurice's chix & waffles34/35 
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Like bread as an appetizer? Then get the Parker House Rolls. They arrive hot, with spiced butter. You'll eat 'em all. Chase them with the impossibly delicious and buttery crab dip, served with their homemade kettle chips.
The Pork Belly Po'Boy (actually sort of a banh mi) is stuffed with savory pork belly and dished up on the buttered split-top roll which also cradles the lobster rolls and the clam rolls. If you are thinking of something a little lighter, get the Lobster Cobb salad. It's a Cobb all the way, topped with another old favorite, Green Goddess. Of course, no SoDel Concepts spot would be complete without the deviled eggs. These are like mom used to make, but she didn't surround them with cool little crab claw lollipops. Maurice keeps his Fish On burger tradition alive with the Double Cheese Burger. This one is Angus beef. The Fish On version is crafted with short rib. You decide which one is best. We like them both.
On our most recent visit (our 5th) we tried the softshell crab (see it in the gallery!). It was one of the best preparations I've ever had. Lightly crunchy on the outside and meaty and moist on the inside. Nice job, Maurice. Of course, speaking of Maurice Catlett, we can never pass up his award-winning wings. I got so excited about them that there are two photos in the gallery of the wings. Sorry. The last visit also saw the redux of the fried clam roll. Again, if the image in the gallery doesn't get you up there to Lewes, nothin' will.
I'll add more goodies and photos as we make repeat visits. Bethany Beach's best-kept secret is now a Lewes go-to spot. DO NOT miss the fried Ipswich clams, those wings and that ridiculously good chicken pot pie. Trust me on this.
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Wonderful seaside atmosphere. Raw oyster selection superb. Menu very creative.I have dined here several times. Service has been top notch. This restaurant will be a very good experience.
Ordered the Lobster roll with fries. Lobster roll was skimpy, and won’t order it again. Fries were awful. Tasted like frozen fries warmed up in an oven. Should have been fresh cut and these were not.
I have eaten at Matt’s Fish Camp in Lewes since they opened. I liked it-didn’t love it. I do not go anymore. The last time was for lunch with friends in June. The food was okay-not great. If they step up their act (new chef) I would consider going back. Many places better, such as Big Fish, Crab House, Summerhouse, The Surfing Crab and Lupos(incredible chef).
My husband and I chose MFC for lunch yesterday and it was our first time dining there. We started out with the clam chowder and I must say we absolutely loved it! By far the best chowder we have ever had. Full of delicious clams, the veggies still had their crispy texture, not all cooked up like most we have tried, all combined with the smokey flavored broth. A must try for anyone who is a clam lover. Our entrée was the lunch portion of the chicken pot pie and again delicious. The portion sizes are great for the money spent. The service was absolutely worth bragging about as well, our waiter Garrett was both personable and knowledgeable with regards to the restaurant and area location. A local kid who grew up in the Cape area, very friendly. We left the restaurant feeling full, fat and happy with the meal and service. We will definitely be back!
4 of us had dinner there last night, 7/15/16, for the first time and really loved it but consider it pricey . We got there at 5 and didn’t have to wait but by 6 it was jammed with people waiting. As it was too hot to sit out or even wait, there were just people crowded at the door waiting for a table. We started off with the Parker House rolls and the deviled eggs which were so good and we all got the traditional lobster rolls which we thought were the best we ever had. But charging $22 and then $5 more for the crabby fries was really over the top. Very delicious though. We shared the peanut butter pie which was so rich we couldn’t eat it all. We loved the decor and our server was very friendly and helpful. Just might be our new go to place!
Matts has happy hour everyday 3-6. You can order enough to qualify as dinner and the drinks are discounted.
Had dinner there Wednesday 7/13. The four of us gave it 3 out of 5 stars. I liked the seafood chowder which has a smoky flavor, and is not cream based, but the others didn’t care for it. I really think my lobster roll was overpriced. I had it served hot. Way too much bread to lobster ratio. I ate some of the lobster separately and it was tough (overcooked). $22.00 for the sandwich and $2.00 extra for fries. They really should have included the fries with the sandwich. My husband had the chicken pot pie and said it was OK. Our two friends also said their meals were just “OK”. I think we all expected more for the price. We were so excited to have what we thought would be a good restaurant that wasn’t in the heart of Lewes or Rehoboth, but we probably will not go back.
After the season ends, you may want to try the lobster roll at Chesapeake and Maine in Rehoboth. It’s about the same price with better “atmosphere” and so far was my favorite. For less money and a good Lobster Roll, you can also check out Striper Bites in Lewes, which was a close second in my opinion.
Tks for the note. I have had the lobster rolls multiple times at both Chesapeake & Maine and at Striper Bites. In fact there are photos of both in the reviews on RehobothFoodie.com.
I like the lobster rolls at Striper Bites. I do find the lobster mix at Chesapeake & Maine a bit too “wet” for my taste.
That’s why I like the “plain” version (with only butter) at Matt’s. Though the last time I had it it was a bit overdone. Of course they had only been open for a week or so, so hopefully that is resolved.
We were one of the very last tables on opening night, it was my husband’s birthday and we felt bad knowing that they would have had a long day. The food was fantastic, service great and we feel so lucky to have Matt’s in Lewes. We frequented the old location often and we are so happy they picked such a great location. Fried Ipswich platter was perfect and although very different then the version we are used to , the campfire pie was good, but the one that was more smores like is way better.
We went on opening night expecting inefficient and/or poor service and were we wrong! They were so efficient and it ran so smoothly you’d think they had been operating for a long time. Oysters tasted like they were caught 5 minutes ago and everything else was delicious as well. Our wait was about 25 minutes which we expected and service was excellent. Congrats to everyone at Matt’s for a very successful first night and very pleasant experience, we’re locals and will return often.
We usually avoid restaurant opening nights but we decided to brave the crowds and trials and tribulations that go with it. We got there just before 6 and there was a wait but only about 25 minutes. It appeared that everything was runnng smoothly and the servers looked experienced and efficient and once we were seated we were right! They are very efficient, friendly and seem to be used to a face pace. Our server, Emily, immediately came to take our drink order and returned with them promptly. We ordered some oysters to start and they tasted like they had just come out of the ocean, absolutely delicious. Our entrees came shortly after and the order was exactly right and just as fresh and delicious as the oysters. Well done Matt’s Fish Camp 2.0! We’ve enjoyed the Bethany fish camp and are thrilled to have one just around the corner from us.
We arrived around 5PM Tuesday and were promptly seated. I opted for the fish sandwich which turned out a little underdone, although the crust was crunchy. Not a fan of the potato chips however. Another at our table ordered salmon which also came out a little under done, however the serving size was generous. The third at our table got the fish and fries which turned out great. We were too full for desert, and I’ll give it some time before going back to try something different. Looking forward to comparing their lobster roll to Chesapeake and Maine’s in Rehoboth which is priced about the same. The place is rather noisy inside, similar to “Striper Bites” so if you’re looking for a quiet dinner, perhaps “Just in Thyme” would be more suitable. I’m not about to give up on this place like I did with the “Crooked Hammock”, however. The wait staff at Matt’s Fish Camp Lewes, is the best I have ever experienced.
Good location for us. Will definetly give it a try. Need more good restaurants outside of Reho!!!!
Best lobster rolls I have tasted. Full of meat and just enough sauce to hold it together. Love the bun too!
Now that’s what I’m waiting for, a lobster roll with chunks of lobster, not a bunch of shredded mystery meat stuck in a bun like we get elsewhere!
This is great news. We live close to where the new one will be.
Very excited but please stay here in Bethany as well!!! Do not move from where you are!!!!!
Relax, Margy. Rein in those exclamation marks! They are not closing the Bethany MFC. Enjoy.
Ok, no more exclamation marks. Just very happy. So sorry.
My first thought too. Glad to hear they are expanding & not relocating…:)
i LOVE my clams..any way U want to serve them!!!! i will be there!!! rose
Do your New England fried clams have the stomachs not just strips? Hope so! They are the best.