Tides

Fresh seafood with ocean views aren’t only reserved for the summertime here in New England.

In Nahant, there’s a spot that has all that and more- and it’s worth the visit, all year round.

Tides Restaurant and Pub has been a Nahant staple for years, thanks to its kitchen turning out straight-forward , delicious food, a friendly staff welcoming you in, indoor and outdoor seating, and, of course, the gorgeous views of Nahant beach and the Atlantic.

That’s all thanks to Lisa O'Callaghan, who has been running Tides for years.

“Tides is a very relaxed place. It's a very relaxed, casual experience, but we try to keep the service right in line with five star service.”

“We're right on Nahant Beach. You have the ocean. You get the beautiful view, the waves, happy people. It's like a little piece of Paradise. Like being on vacation.”

“Tides is classic beach food.”

“So we do a lot of seafood… we do pizza… a lot of steak tips, prime rib. Just fun American food.”

Here, your piece of paradise begins with the appetizers.

The “Chowda” Fries feature thick cut steak fries, smothered in clam chowder and topped with melted cheddar and bacon bits. Maybe not ideal for your beach body, but they are a perfect post beach snack. .

You can also enjoy a stuffed clam while looking out over the water, I mean what could be more New England than that? Tides adds chopped clams, celery, peppers, onions and garlic along with some melted butter to pour all over it.

For some serious crunch and a whole lot of flavor, Lisa suggests the fish tacos. These have two big pieces of fried haddock in each taco, paired with toppings that really brighten up the flavor.

“My dad refers to our fried haddock as clouds of joy (laughs) . So we put the fried haddock, a little bite from the wasabi slaw, a little cheddar cheese, and a little extra bite with a little red onion and some fresh cilantro. It is fabulous.”

Also featuring that fresh fried haddock is the massive fish sandwich. It’s topped with lettuce, tomato and melty cheese all on a Bulkie roll.

Of course, at an oceanfront restaurant like this, you have to have a lobster roll, and Tides’ so-called “Just Lobster Roll” keeps it simple.

“The just lobster roll is plain lobster served on a toasted roll with some drawn butter on the side. So it's really just a celebration of the lobster.”

“We use claw knuckle and tail meat and that really makes a difference. The tail meat is so sweet and it really adds to it.”

Pizza is a big deal at Tides and their Spicy Shrimp and Blue Cheese Pizza is one deliciously unique pie.

The shrimp is tossed in a spicy sriracha sauce before it goes over the pizza dough that’s been smothered in their signature blue cheese sauce, along with some garlic and mozzarella. So it comes out spicy, salty, sharp, and totally delicious.

For more bite sized seafood, the fried platter offers variety with shrimp, scallops and haddock, fried to a golden brown and served with onion rings and homemade tartar sauce.

And the mussels are sauteed in a garlic, tomato and white wine sauce and served over your choice of pasta.

If you’re in the mood for meat, Tides has you covered there too.

The steak tips are marinated in a roadhouse barbeque sauce, cooked on the grill until perfectly tender and served with french fries, broccoli and pickled peppers.

“You could cut them with a fork. They’re delicious, they’re tender.”

“I haven't had a better steak tip.”

You can also get prime rib every day they’re open, and they serve it up with your choice of sides, baked potato and asparagus, and it’s always a crowd pleaser.

“Our prime rib is slow roasted every single day. It's cooked to a perfect rare. You can get it cooked however you like.”

The prime rib is juicy. The prime rib is tender. It's delicious. It's just a perfect bite.

And none of those tender, delicious cuts go to waste because they also use the prime rib to make a fan favorite at Tides, the legendary steak and cheese sub.

“Everybody loves it. It's shaved prime rib that's cooked on the flat grill. And you can add, obviously, cheese, but then you can add peppers, onions, mushrooms. Load it up.”

“and it's giant… most people will eat half of it and take the other half home. It's absolutely… our best seller. It's a favorite.”

“We have it all. And then some. We have great food, great service, great people, great atmosphere. And then, take a look outside, and you're right on the beach. The ocean views, the ocean air. We have indoor seating. Outdoor seating. Porch seating. Whatever you want.”

“We have everything that you could ask for and more.”