Visiting from the Midwest on business and naturally want to have good seafood. Was not disappointed. Good clam chowder. Enjoyed seafood mixed grill. Wood fired Swordfish, tuna, salmon with scallops and shrimp with jasmine rice and grilled vegetables. Will go back next time in town.
(4)
Steven C.
Thanks Roger B for a chain that offers fresh fare.
(4)
Paloma P.
Growing up, going to eat at Legal Seafood was such a special treat. But I hadn't been in years mainly because, until fairly recently, there wasn't one close to where I lived. Anyhow...I can't eat gluten. I got a salad and chowder to go (cool that they have a gluten-free menu). The waitress asked if I'd like some gluten-free rolls with my meal. um...YES PLEASE! What a happy surprise...that is until I sat down at home to eat... The "rolls" were disgusting, crumbly, stale, AND still frozen rock-hard solid inside! What a bummer. Not cool to tease a gluten-free girl like that. The menu said the salad comes with sunflower seeds...but it did not. And, frankly, it was nothing to write home about...very "airport-tasteless," if you know what I mean. The chowder was fine. Not amazing, but fine. This would have never happened in the Legal that lives in my childhood memory...I'm sad...sniff, sniff :(
(2)
Jim M.
This place has gone down the tubes. Went here last night. Got the sushi grade tuna app to start. It came out dry and shriveled with a ridiculously oily sauce. I sent it back. Awful. I then got the $28 wood-grilled swordfish as my main. SUPER oily and greasy!!!! What gives?!! I won't be going back.
(1)
Monica D.
The place was okay. Nice enough restaurant. My food wasn't that satisfying. It did not seem to be seasoned well. I spent a bit and didn't eat half of my food. I also didn't choose to have a to go bag. I probably won't return to this particular location.
(2)
Anne W.
I have been here numerous times as there aren't too many alternatives in Peabody, MA. It's a halfway point between my friend and I. The best place to go esp when you are two Asians fighting over a bill. I talked it over with the host and he took care of it for us. We ordered a great array of things... by far the best was the oysters, clams, fried oysters, and cioppino with the linguini (instead of just rice), and filet mignon. The only complaint.. wish they had taken the time to split the meals to two sides of the table since there were six of us so we were constantly passing things around without a lazy Susan. The food was good.. not as spectacular as the ones closer to the city.. but you can't have it all. We were allowed to sit as long as we wanted.. busy for a Monday night.. so surprising. Private table and the service was just about right...
(3)
Blair R.
Legal Seafood used to be amazing! The food was passable... Barely. My wine was served in a crusty glass, when I sent it back the waiter poured the wine from the filthy glass to the new one. YUCK! It is relatively expensive and now longer had the wonderfully fresh perfectly cooked seafood that this chain built it's reputation on. Really too bad!
(1)
Peter S.
Yes, Legal's lunch menu prices are high. 4 people - 1 salad & 3 fish entrees & 1 beer = $70 + $15 tip! Is $85 a lot for lunch? Oh, yeah! But food was delicious. I like the open air ambience.
(4)
Rick N.
I have probably been here 20 times over the last few years. I comment every time how this is one of my favorite restaraunts, I don't like chains! From hand made blue cheese stuffed olives for my martini to the secret and wonderful Legal Experience appetizer (no longer on the menu, but they'll make it if you ask. think pupu platter for seafood lovers), to excellent wait staff and people at the host desk. Never had a bad meal ever.
(5)
Christine T.
Was down visiting my parents last weekend when we got take-out Sunday evening around 6pm (called it in prior to leaving the house) - they said it would be ready in 20minutes, perfect. We ordered two meals and a half gallon of clam chowder. The parking here is awful. There is no Legal Seafood take out parking - I guess that would be too convenient. They do have a valet, but for take out that's obv not necessary. I ended up driving around for 10 minutes waiting for my mom to come out w/the food. It was a complete shit show. (minus 1 star) On to the important stuff: I'm a big clam chowder person, obsessed might even be an accurate description. I had never tried Legal's chowder before and .... oh my. I understand what the all the hype is about. The clams are fresh and the broth is thick and creamy. It was absolutely delicious. I also tried the fried clams from my moms plate and those were scrumptious as well. If you've read my reviews before you know that I have an unhealthy obsession with the chowder from Turners Seafood in Melrose, MA and for me, Legal came in a very-close second place. It was really good. If you can get a parking spot then you'll be good to go. I'd recommend going during off hours for that reason alone, at least at this location. yum.
(4)
Aki N.
You can't really go wrong with Legal Seafoods. This one is unusual in that it's located in a mall (next to Sears) but meets the standards and servers are great Sat at the bar for dinner on a Fri night, some Allagash White on tap, half dozen oysters (local Bluepoint and my new favorite from the Cape, Wianno) and a marinated seafood salad. Friendly bartenders who kept me entertained. Approx $45 all in.
(4)
K S.
I've eaten at the Peabody Legal many times and must say I've rarely had a bad meal. The lobster was sweet, tender & flavorful, lil butter required. The clams & scallops were very tasty and the sides fresh and plentiful. The broiled fish (Salmon & Schrod)was also moist & tasty. It's not cheap, per say, but for a pleasant environment and food that's consistent, even when doing take out, gotta give a solid ^5s.
(4)
Moya T.
As a celiac, my dining options are already limited. LSF has had a gluten free menu since 2005 and this really made my night. The chef came out to make sure we knew which orders in our party of six were gluten free and the manager dropped off the gluten free rolls. I will return when I'm in town.
(5)
Melanie C.
Honestly, I had high expectations. Walked through the door, and things continued to go down hill. The hostess was nice, but it was super busy and of course we would wait right? Well it was NOT worth the wait! Our waitress was not at all welcoming or concerned about us, maybe because she had too many people to wait on. We started with some chowder and it was lukewarm and a sangria that was not so tasty. We rarely got asked if we needed anything, water refills, drinks,ect. We finally got our meals and it was cold, everything and horrid. I love seafood and often try to find the best places around the beach to go. This was beyond disgusting. I didn't get any service or help with the cold food. For the place being pricy, I would have expected more.
(1)
Joanne G.
Reminder to myself lump crab dip and calamari is not what they used to be.... In fact, the place isn't the way I remembered. The only thing that was near what I loved, was the cherrystones and their bread. Other than that...it was sad. I suppose a person can live off of that, if they wanted too.
(2)
Andy F.
Three of us went here twice within one week. Nice ambiance, even though it's located inside a shopping mall. The guy at the door, the hostess and the waitress were all very nice. On both nights, the waitresses were excellent. Between us we had lobster, haddock and scrod. The fish was consistently very good, and my wife loved her dessert. My only complaint was the limited selection of vegetables to go with the fish. I chose cauliflower one night, and broccoli the other night. I had no problems with either veggie, but I would have preferred more options, such as assorted steamed vegetables. If I compare Legal Seafood to our favorite local fish restaurant (Fish Market, Santa Clara, CA), the seafood was just as good, although there was less selection, and the prices were significantly higher. But part of what you're paying for is the ambiance.
(4)
Jphubs J.
Love the chowder and fresh hot rolls. Hubby loved his cheeseburger (he doesn't like seafood), but I'm basing this review with my meal specifically. I got the "Fisherman's Platter", which they placed the small amount of seafood on top of a platter of French fries to give the illusion of a big meal. This dish comes with mainly squishy Calamari, 4 Clams, 3 Shrimp, 2 Scallops, and 1 tiny Fish Nugget. The fry batter looked brownish and greasy. Not golden brown and crispy. It was soft and almost soggy. My husband made the assumption that maybe they screwed up on his burger and my meal sat under heat lamps. Which I bet is what happened. The cole slaw that came as a side was warm and tasted foul, so I didn't touch it. I'm waking up the next morning feeling so ripped off. So not worth the money!! Almost $100 for food that we could've got better at Kelly's RoastBeef for half the price or less. Angry actually. Won't be going back anytime soon. Unless we're in the mood for just hot chowder and rolls. :(
(2)
Richard E.
The menu has not changed in years but the food is always fresh. Particularly oysters, clams. Ciopino is best I have ever had.
(4)
David M.
I went here for dinner tonight and food was good but not great. The service was great. We had the calamari for an app and it was very good. I got the baked seafood combo. The taste was good but the price was high for the size of the dinner. They would be better off not listing the lobster as an ingredient considering the piece was tiny. A couple of shrimp, a few scallops and plenty white fish? My wife got the Boston scrod and was pleased. My daughter got a small lobster and 1 of the claws was missing. We should have said something.The total before tip with no beer or wine was $92.00. Overall considering the atmosphere, service and quality of food it was fine. I will go back and maybe a drink or two will make me feel like I got my monies worth.
(3)
David B.
Took a friend here, her first time at Legal Seafood. Although she enjoyed it, we got an unpleasant hard sell from the waitress, pushing their South African wine specials. Why do people in the service sector find it difficult to understand that no means no? Still, the fish was fresh; the grilled calamari I had a top my chopped salad was perfectly cooked. I also appreciated that the waitress later apologized for the hard sell treatment.
(3)
Chris C.
Yesterday, my family and I went here for dinner and it was delicious. I ordered a cup of the lobster bisque as a side with the Nutty Atlantic Salmon as my main course. The Salmon was amazing. It came in a lemon buttery sauce that was not over powering, it was just perfect. The fish was served on spinach with capers, and surrounded by mushroom ravioli. The Salmon was encrusted with lawyer of almonds on the top, giving the it perfect texture at the same time adding a pleasant flavor that complimented the fish. I couldn't help but eat this dish slowly so that I could savour every flavor it provided. At the same time, I was eager to share some bites with those who were with me. My gf said she would most definitely order this dish after having tried it herself. Our server was good. Not great, just good. He was on top of almost everything. He did forget my drink order I wanted to have with my meal. I got it when I was halfway through my meal. My dinner was good enough to not let that small negative event from taking away any stars, and again, he was good for the most part.
(5)
Scott D.
Just what I was looking for on my 1st trip to Boston. Oysters and Cioppino were great. Hope to get back again some day soon.
(4)
Peter B.
Great seafood New England style. They need to expand the menu however.
(4)
John S.
It's really simple, just the best seafood in New England. Excellent service as well. It was a real treat for us to have both of our children for dinner tonight. My wife and son had the wood grilled bluefish and loved it. True Portuguese lineage there. My daughter had the tuna medium rare with a cajun rub, excellent taste and cooked perfectly. I had the legal wood grilled platter, tuna, salmon and swordfish tonight with 3 scallops and 3 shrimp. I am not a lover of salmon but this piece was delicious. An excellent combination of fish. Well done Legal, thanks.
(5)
Erica D.
Legal Seafood is one of my favorite places to go to dinner with my family. The meals are expensive, and the portions, depending on the meal, are pretty big. I wish they had the option for a smaller portion at a lower price--oh wait, that's the lunch menu, isn't it? Price: Like I said before, this place is expensive, but it's fresh seafood. Market price: just assume it's more than you're willing to pay. They try to compensate by giving you a larger portion, but really I would be happy with paying less than $25 a plate. Decor: The decor is nice; the one in the Burlington Mall definitely has more of a wow-factor than this one. The seating situation is OK. They have a private room for large parties. They also have lots of tables but not a lot of booths. It actually gets a little difficult to navigate through the sea of tables if you need to use the bathroom which is located on the other side of the restaurant. Service: Great service here. The servers do their best to make sure you have a good experience. Food/Presentation: The food is incredible; of course I can only speak about what I ordered. At my last visit I started with Oysters on the half shell from the Raw Bar. I sampled one of each (they had four varieties at the time). They were laid out over crushed ice, with lemons slices, two sauces and little signs next to them saying where they were from. It was a nice presentation. My main course was the Nutty Atlantic Salmon. This is my favorite meal now. Chris C. gave an accurate description of this tasty dish below. I will add that the portion size was HUGE. They gave me two salmon fillets (is that the right term?); I would have been satisfied with one. So, it made for some tasty leftovers the next day. I guess that's what happens when they offer rolls before you order, they're hot, fresh and hard to ignore. Location: It's located in the North Shore Mall. There is never any parking anywhere near the entrance. They have valet parking but I'm not sure if it's complimentary or not. I usually park near Sears and just walk through the mall. The benefit of this location is after you've over engorged yourself from trying to finish your meal, you can walk around the mall to help you digest. The downside to this location: this place is right next to a nail salon, so after you leave the restaurant to walk around, you have to walk past the ghastly stench of nail polish. Recap: Price: 4/5 Decor: 4/5 Service: 5/5 Food/Presentation: 5/5 Location 3/5 Total: 4.2
(4)
Thu T.
I used to love there food, now everything seems to be down graded. The salad on the crab cake meal was amazing. Now all you see is just grass
(3)
Tony P.
My4th visit in 2 years. Legal excels at consistency. I entertain business clients here when I visit and nobody leaves disappointed. The medium rare tuna was wonderful tonight.
(4)
Hiep V.
This is my first time eating at a Legal Seafoods, and it was simply awesome. We went during lunch hours and had the benefit of cheaper pricing. The restaurant is very nice and clean, and wasn't busy at all on a early Tuesday afternoon. Do go for the fried clams because they're only $13.95! Do try to RESIST and FAIL going for the banana foster desert. IT'S TOO DELICIOUS!!!
(5)
Kevin S.
Legal Sea Foods....the "Holy Grail" of seafood! I've been to this location at least 20 times. Every time has been a very good experience. Most recent visit: 4-14-09 Started with a cup of clam chowder. Award winning! Then got into the Fried Clams appetizer and I must say, they do serve the BEST fried clams!! After that, came the Atlantic Salmon, wood grilled, along with the Thai Curry sauce on the side, and rice pilaf/onion strings. It was excellent!! My only "disappointment" was they hadn't switched over to Sam Adams Summer Ale yet. For the bargain hunters....you probably don't want to eat at Legal. The average plate is now north of $20, and appetizers are almost all north of $10 ea. It's not a cheap dinner by any means. But, it is worthy of the price in my opinion.
(5)
Clifford A.
Looking for an escape from the unfortunately middling Cape Ann seafood scene, we headed here after the local joints were getting hammered by tourists all weekend. It was 1/3 rd full, so we sat right down and had fantastic service, great wine and dinner. The signature Legal Crabcake dinner was superb as was my delicious dining companions' Ciappino - really both standout dishes. The heirloom tomato salad was also spot on. Why can't ANYONE on Cape Ann give Legal's a run for their money? Nothing comes close in any dimensions.
(4)
JasparLamar C.
Extremely fresh seafood to be sure and the desserts are great. Service is always exceptional in the dining room, however ALWAYS VERY POOR at the bar. Be prepared for a very long game of "trying-to-make-eye-contact" with some very dim bartenders.
(4)
Steve L.
There are Legal Seafood Restaurants everywhere in MA. Whenever I'm in town for company business, I've always made visit to one of their restaurants, usually with a bunch of coworkers. Most of the locations are pretty crowded, but this location, located in suburban mall in Peabody is near my company, is always able to seat us. Lots of wood in this location for a nice cozy ambience, and the servers are friendly. On a recent visit, we had 17 people. Ordered 3 types of fried calamari and crab cakes for appetizers. Had the spicy, RI, and Thai fried calamari. First 2 were OK, wasn't too crazy about the Thai fried - too sweet. Crab cakes, however, had large chunks of crab, and tasted pretty good. Clam chowder is usually pretty good at most LSR's, but this time, I found mine a little flat and runny. Had the lobster and crab ravioli for entree, and it was OK. Others had the obligatory lobster, and someone ordered a lobster bake, which was huge. It had a half lobster, lots of clams and mussels, a corn, and a couple slices of sausage. Everyone was pretty content with their entrees. Had the key lime pie for dessert. This time around, the crust tasted slightly salty, even though the key lime filling was nice and tart. Kind of mixed about it. Some had bonbons, cheese cake, and profiteroles. Looked pretty good as well. With this many of us, it was a long evening, which was understood if they kitchen wanted to make sure everyone gets their courses at the same time. Credit the servers for remembering who had what, and not miss any orders. As I mentioned, been here many times, just feel OK about. Good place to bring people who haven't been to MA, and want to have some lobster.
(3)
Sea G.
Hit or miss big time. One night the food is good. A week later the seafood isn't fresh. Same goes for the upkeep of the restaurant. We wanted to sit at one of the 3 little tables near the bar but they all needed to be cleaned off from the previous diners. I figured since the manager was there, short guy with black goatee, the tables would be cleared off. I watched as he walked by 10 times and never thought to clean off the tables himself or ask one of the staff to do so. I didn't feel like asking to have the tables cleaned so we sat at the crowded bar which was annoying. I watched as over 40 minutes went by before a staff member made the area presentable. As far as the food goes it can be good but it can also be downright bad, especially for the price. I think I'm going to give up on mall restaurants altogether.
(2)
Mike M.
I've been going to Legal Sea Foods for years, and have been to every one of the Boston restaurants as well as a few outside the state. In each restaurant I visited, the food has always been great. This was my first time eating in the Peabody location. I ordered three things: clam chowder, oysters, and salmon. The chowder was good, the oysters were ok. The salmon was burned, rubbery, and had a strange taste to it. Our server didn't come back to our table for a long time after bringing the food. Had I seen her somewhere nearby, I would have definitely sent it back. Eventually I just gave in and ate it because I was so hungry. The last thing anyone wants to do is go to a nice restaurant to stare at a plate of food for half an hour. Needless to say, I started feeling sick shortly afterwards. A few hours later, my $50 meal was being violently ejected out of my mouth. I understand that these things can happen, and I'm partially to blame for eating food I knew was bad. But, the fact is it did come out of their kitchen. One would expect better service and food quality for the prices they're charging.
(1)
Ellen H.
Oddly enough, although I have lived in the area for most of my life, and have been to the mall countless times over the past two decades, I've never eaten at Legal Seafoods here. I've been to LTK, Legal C Bar, Harborside... pretty much every location besides the one closest to me. Came here for a Friday evening dinner with my parents and grandmother, and was pleasantly surprised by this hidden gem tucked away on the forgotton wing of the updated mall. This place is "old money" -- plush wall-to-wall carpets, dark wood; the overall vibe reminds me a bit of Grill23 in Boston. The service was very good throughout the meal; the waiter erroneously brought out Rhode Island style calamari and recognized the error before we even did. He quickly replaced it and apologized. I had the crab cake and wedge salad -- both were delightful. I wanted the lobster bisque too, but it would have been too much. My mojito was perfect. The calamari I tried was fantastic, and even the "free bread" to start the meal was crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and served warm. So why not five stars? Well, three different things we asked for on the menu were "sold out", my moscow mule -- the drink special -- was 90% crushed ice, and maybe 3 oz of liquid (for ten bucks). That yummy bread? One roll per person (I hate that. And if you're waiting so you can serve it warm each time, that's fine, but pay attention! Our bread was gone in about two seconds). We certainly could have asked for more bread, but the pace of the meal was very quick and didn't really allow for it. Overall I would HIGHLY recommend -- the quality, flavor, and service overall were great.
(4)
Kumi E.
Over priced bad food and worst service ever!!!! The lady at the front was very rude. She was laughing and said to me"what?? Who??" when I let her know that we were waiting for my friend to come. What's her problem?? Then the server took our food and water away as soon as we finished eating. It wasn't even closing time! I ordered garlic shrimp pasta. It was way too greasy. I'll never go back to Legal seafood.
(1)
Meli G.
Service! Always great!! Shrimp casserole is to dye for. Great place for dinner with the husband.
(5)
Jill T.
We went to this legal restaurant last night. It was maybe the worst food we had been served in our lives... Or at least in a while! Granted we have been watching a ton of food network lately. Anyway it was unexciting, bland and just bad! Hostess was also unfriendly to say the least. We should have said something especially about the "wood fired" fish and seafood mix we were served. All the seafood was overlooked and horribly under seasoned and also wet like it was sitting under a hot lamp for a while. Not sure why since we had soup and a salad to pair with it so shouldn't need to be set out early. Sad we used our Christmas present on that meal!
(2)
Willy G.
What can i say. Top notch start to finish. Freshest everythjng. Great staff. Super clean. You just cant beat the quality for the price. Great job.
(5)
Mari O.
The only thing better than Red Lobster was the bread and the service. Seafood was not up to expectations. Very disappointed.
(1)
Bob B.
We went there for Mother's Day lunch with my wife, teenage daughter and 92 year-old mother. We were seated promptly, the service was good and, despite the crowds, the noise volume wasn't too bad. Where they fell down was the food. It's really a shame. Once upon a time Legal Sea Foods was a solid "go-to" seafood restaurant. The food was always good, often creative, and the upscale ambiance made it a nice place to go. That changed probably 3-4 years ago. Now the food is BLAND, some of their menu standbys are gone (think baked stuffed shrimp), and even some of the menu items that remain have been changed and are just, well, bland (onion strings are a good example). I had the grilled swordfish - BLAND and over-cooked. My wife had the shrimp casserole - also very bland. My daughter had the buffalo popcorn shrimp - very spicy but the execution was a bit strange with a bowl of the buffalo sauce on the side. I don't recall what my mother had but I know she enjoyed her dish. I don't know if it's over-expansion, bad management, or poor execution, but whatever it is I'm afraid I'm taking them off my list. They really could solve a lot of the problem if they would just use seasoning - a little salt and pepper goes a long way. There are better options in my area and I guess I'll turn to them.
(2)
bill p.
It was ok food but way overpriced for the quality. Very corporate, standardized feeling , no real love or creativity going into anything we ate. You could just feel 3/4 of the money you spent going into high mall space rent, layers of management, advertising and corporate profit. Not that they shouldn't make money, but you can do better for seafood all over the northshore. Get out of the mall
(2)
Parker K.
I've been here many times, but this is my first review. Tonight my husband and I went here for an early dinner (4:30!) and as such the restaurant was pretty empty. By the time we left (6:30 after dessert) it was hopping. Our waiter was attentive, friendly, and patient with our questions. In terms of the food, the first group of rolls was a bit hard but the next were warm and chewy. My filet mignon was pretty tasty, also I wasn't a fan of the BBQ-tasting butter on top. The seaweed salad--which I'd never had anywhere before--was an acquired taste but good. Onion rings were good as usual. My husband's dinner of salmon, mushrooms, and fries was also yummy. For dessert we had the ice cream bon bons (3 bite-size scoops of coffee, chocolate, and vanilla ice cream covered in chocolate) and the cheesecake. The bon bons weren't anything special (the ice cream was too frozen, not very creamy, and likely not very high quality). The cheesecake, however, was delicious. It came with a raspberry sauce and homemade whipped cream. The ambiance was nice and, as I mentioned, our waiter was great.
(4)
Andrew H.
I came here for an enjoyable lunch, but dangit, I left paying $70 for 3 people. If you want to stop reading here, my comments can be summed up as "too expensive." I feel that 3-stars is more appropriate than my previously 4-star review as you don't get what you pay for, but it is a pleasant experience. I ordered the Boston Baked Scrod, my wife ordered a bowl of the New England Clam Chowder, and our guest ordered popcorn shrimp, a "cup" of clam chowder, and some kinda cake-thing. My scrod was small, but I thought it was soft, tender, and NOT over salted like most dishes i get in restaurants. I liked the jasmine rice and butternut squash but these too were small in portions. My wife's bowl of clam chowder was a bit too salty for my liking, and also not as large as I would have liked, but it was a decent chowder. I would've hoped for more clams. Our guest's popcorn shrimp were relatively small, and were yummy, but they didn't have the gourmet texture that I would have appreciated at an expensive place like this. We had a very nice and courteous server, and the restaurant is very clean and well decorated. We were seated quickly and had no complaints about anything except the price.
(3)
Mahmoud E.
Well I came here after multiple recommendations from the flight attendant on my flight to Boston to the hotel staff at my hotel. Love the atmosphere here, not too dressy and not too classy, just perfect!! Started off by ordering the crispy montauk calamari, Rhode Island style!! For the entree I had the lobster bake :). The calamari was amazing!! Rhode Island all the way, cooked to perfection, nice and tender not chewy at all. Since the lobster bake came with a cup of clam chowder, I had the chance to try that! Well it's good chowda, but not great, I prefer the chart house clam chowda over it. As for the lobster bake, the lobster was amazing, the clams and mussels were fresh. The steamers were too slimy for me and they had their necks sticking out, not for me. The mussels were really good. But the main attraction was off course the lobster which came with the delicious tamale inside. This is a must visit for anyone coming to the east coast!!
(4)
Erin M.
Amazing!!! Having to be gluten free isn't easy when eating out, especially at seafood places. Legal Seafood makes it super easy!!! I am so impressed with their dedication to gf food here. Yes it's expensive, but I don't really care if I can eat high quality gf fried food, which is unheard of at pretty much every other restaurant I've ever been to. They even have warm gf rolls! I ordered the Fishermans platter ( I think that was the name) and shared it with my partner. There was enough food for both of us for sure. Our waitress was great and honest when we asked about portions and said it would be enough. The food was awesome, perfectly seasoned and cooked! We were both full and satisfied!!!! I will for sure be going back to a Legal Seafood again in the future!!!
(5)
Geri P.
Incredible clam chowder. As we drove by I thought it was a mall store. But instead it is a lovely restaurant, full bar. Great food and fairly priced. Oh yes, the service was outstanding You must try this place
(4)
Phil J.
This has been a standard restaurant for years. Tonight they had no bluefish on the menu (apparently they do not bring it in from Florida in the winter) so I went for the crab cake dinner. At $29, two crab cakes seemed WAY overpriced. All I got were the two small crab cakes and a lettuce salad on the same plate. The cakes WERE good, don't get me wrong. And I do not expect LSF to be a bargain. But I do not expect it to be a ripoff either. Plus service was slow - apparently the big boss Berkowitz was there at the time in the private room with former Senator Scott Brown and a party. In my opinion, both are going the same direction: down and out.
(2)
Jon V.
As always, Legal Seafoods was a fantastic dining experience. I started with the famous lobster bisque and had one of my favorites, the backed scrod, for the entree. Reasonably priced, great service, always a treat to dine in these establishments.
(4)
Marc A.
My first time at Legal Sea Foods and I thought it was alright; I had higher hopes, mainly due to all of the great things I've heard over the years, but there wasn't anything overly impressive. That said, we had a perfectly fine experience. Our waitress was nice, helpful, quick, etc. The food was OK, if a bit overcooked; the average price was also reasonable (which, I suppose, fits - if it were as expensive as I expected, then I'd have expected better food and a better atmosphere). All in all, it was good, but not as good as people seem to make it sound.
(3)
Kathleen C.
I have eaten many times both at this Legal in Peabody, as well as the Legal at the Burlington Mall, and the Peabody Legal is a sorry stepsister to the Burlington one. I'm not sure how two restaurants can be so different, but the service and the food in Burlington are top notch and worth every penny for a memorable night out. Every time I eat at the Peabody Legal, the service is mediocre and the food is too. Come on, Legal, step up and do something about this restaurant. The North Shore deserves better.
(2)
Chet Z.
Always a great place to meet for Dinner or Lunch, best seafood in the area. Looking forward to a repeat trip next time in the Salem area
(4)
Chrissy B.
Great service, excellent food every time.
(5)
Scott B.
I had heard serious hype about the entire LSF chain for months, and finally, my room mate and I ate there. I've been twice now, and (at least this location) lives up to the reputation. It was a overwhelmingly busy Saturday evening, and we were greeted with smiles and salutations from multiple staff members, even one who was on her way out the door at the end of her shift. The host seated us right away, in a booth. The waitress was clearly experienced, and took very good care of us, despite the crowd. The pan crusted tuna sashimi was our apetizer... it was delicious... perfectly seared, on a plate drizzled with a savory cucumber sauce... yum. I had the Wood something platter... I forget it's exact name... but it is a perfect dinner sampler... three types of Chef's choice fish (I ended up with salmon, swordfish, and hallibut), also grilled sea scallops and shrimp... with two choices for sides. It was totally filling, and tasty to the last bite. After our appetizers, our meals, and few Sam Summers... it was dessert time. I had 3 bon bons (chocolate covered ice cream bites... you pick the ice cream flavor) and he had ice cream and gellato (sp?)... Anyway, the experience was exsquisite, and I'll definately be going back... Side note: there are plenty of LSF in and around the immediate Boston/Cambridge area... but this one has the reputation of being far better... worth the 20 min drive.
(4)
Nicholas M.
Great lobster bake and clam chowder!
(4)
Lindsay G.
I took my friend for her birthday dinner last night to Legal in Peabody. It was only 6:00 so we got seated right away, that was great. The waiter came right over with menus, and suggested some delicious drinks. We got wine, ordered our entrees. I ordered a seafood platter and my friend ordered a mixed seafood dish that had 3 small pieces of fish and some shrimp, all grilled. NOT KIDDING, we hadn't been sitting there 5 minutes and we see our meals coming toward us. I said, Wow! that was fast! Faster than McDonalds! I started picking on the top layer of the seafood platter, clams and calamari...as I got to the bottom layer, I cut into a scallop to find it gray and uncooked in the middle, next scallop same thing. As the waiter flys by I tell him and he disappears telling me he will be right back. As I am waiting I attempt to cut into a fried shrimp, same thing, it has that grisly vein cutting feel of an uncooked shrimp. As my newly cooked scallops land on my table, i inform the waiter that the shrimp is raw too. The manager comes over now and apologizes and gets me more shrimp too. Now I have a dish of seafood not to eat and seafood I will eat in front of me. By that time my friend is on her last piece of fish. Tuna which is red and very rare inside. I point out to the manager how fast we got our meals which explains why all of our food is not cooked. He tells me how they usually cook tuna rare and insures me they are not trying to rush us out. He asks us if we want dessert, we decline. Our check came and he removed both meals off the bill, which was very nice but still I have to say, the experience left me very disappointed. Legal commands top $ for their meals. There are so many good seafood places to eat around this area. Legal is losing sight of that. Maybe they have gotten too big for their britches.
(2)
Dmytro F.
Restaurant in general is nice, but nothing special at all. For some reason, they are not cooking whole products, like fish or lobsters,- just pieced. Food is not really great,- but OK. Prices could be lower.
(3)
Anastasia C.
I've been here a couple of times and its pretty good. My grandparents love it so we take them on their birthdays and we always have a great time. The restaurant is clean and the staff is attentive. There's even free valet parking at night, which is great because the parking lot is usually jam packed, even on a weeknight. I know this is a weird complaint, but the portions are too big. The food is good, but its just too big and too rich. I think next time I'll order an appetizer for dinner and that way I'll actually be able to finish it. Its also quite pricey. I know seafood is pricey, but even taking that into account it still seems a bit much. Maybe I'm out of touch with market prices? Whatever the case is with the prices, we'll keep coming back here to celebrate grandparent birthdays.
(3)
Charles S.
Worse seafood in the Boston Area. If you want better seafood in the North Shore of Boston visit Turners in Melrose, Dube's in Salem or the Causeway in Gloucester. For that matter any seafood restaurant in this area would be better without a doubt. I often went to Legal's in Chestnut Hills and it was great however that is when Legal's only had a couple of restaurants. Growth did not serve them well. Now they are in the class of a fast food joint with nice decor and very high prices. I will never go back again... The worst $130.00 I ever spent on food!!! Charlie S
(1)
Jill D.
Oooooohhhhhh...my stomach hurts SOOOOOO bad. I'm such a glutton. Between that and whoring, I'm pretty sure those are the two out of the seven deadly sins I am most guilty of committing on a daily basis. I had to have the clam chowder which professes to be "served at the past 7 Presidential inaugerations". Meh, I've had better and I think it lacked salt which I am opposed to having to add to foods. Better was my buddy James' lobster bisque. My main was the sesame crusted ahi tuna with wasabi mayonnaise over white rice. It was good but it WASN'T cooked properly. Ahi tuna should be seared and medium rare. This was almost well done all the way through. The crust was too thick...almost like being fried. I enjoyed it but it wasn't awesome and I've definitely had better. James had the grilled swordfish prepared with lemon chive butter with rice pilaf and broccoli. It was juicy but a little too fishy for my tastes and just not my favorite way to enjoy swordfish...I would have preferred more lemon or even a mango salsa. Dessert we should have skipped. My key lime pie was NOT good. Why I ate it, I'm still not sure...probably the remnants of my childhood upbringing where I was conditioned to clean my plate. James had the bananas foster which was over-caramelized to the point of being nauseatingly sweet. Honestly the best part of the whole meal was the outstanding service and the drinks. Get the Dark and Stormy. I miss SF seafood!
(3)
Angela B.
I have sent food back to a kitchen 3 times in my life and two of those times have been at a legal seafoods. Too expensive for the quality of product. I will not give them an opportunity to strike out for a third time. Only thing worth eating was the shrimp cocktail and even those were overcooked. Staff is nice and restaurant is clean and those are the only reasons I gave it 2 stars.
(1)
Ann L.
My husband and I have been here many times for lunch and less often for dinner . We really enjoy the clam chowder, the goat cheese and tortilla salad, and the coffee is excellent. I think the coffee is from Peet's Coffee. I often reserve using Open Table which is a great service. Monday I learned that from 4:30-7:30 Legal's North Shore has valet service. It is only at this Legal's. I was told that patrons can come for an early dinner and have their car parked...they can then go holiday shopping at the Mall after dinner and come back and reclaim their car.! How neat is that? You don't have to schlepp all those bags through the parking lot!
(5)
Clint U.
I want to rate this restaurant higher...I have fond memories of it 20 years ago....where there were only a couple of restaurants to worry about. They are now a chain of 30 restaurants, and quality suffers from the expansion. I had loupe de mer that was topped with capers and tomato and herbs. The taste was very good but it was cold. it was sitting out too long waiting for the rest of the order to finish. 2 stars for this preparation Two in my party had the lobster ravioli. Both said the tomato sauce was too sweet...almost like dessert. They passed it around for everyone to taste...and everyone agreed...too sweet. 2 stars for lobster ravioli. One person had stuffed shrimp. It was tasty but got boring fast with four of them. Too much breading and salt in the stuffing...thought it should have more crabmeat for some kind of seafood..especially for $26. Way too much breading. 2 stars, Person left most of the plate behind Another had the shrimp mixed platter. The coconut shrimp was great. 5 stars for the coconut shrimp. The grilled shrimp was small but ok..3 stars. The stuffed shrimp was also met with disgust. 1 star from that person. The sixth person had grilled halibut. The halibut was a thick cut ...but lo and behold....it had the vertebrae and bones in the middle....mostly bones in this dish. 3 stars tops. Now for why we came here...they serve a new england clam chowder that they claim has been served in the last 7 Presidential inaugurations. I was waiting for this because the day before I had Union Oyster House clam chowder which I gave 5 stars....All people in my party tasted both Union and Legal chowder....and we had a unanimous decision. Legal chowder seemed more watered down...less clam flavor...less clams....more seasonings and herbs that disguise the lack of clam flavor more........the winner is...UNION OYSTER HOUSE. Legal clam chowder is 3 stars. Everyone in my party agreed Union won hands down. Legal boasts that it is not a restaurant that serves seafood...but a sea food place that is also a restaurant. I recommend they go back to basics....get a bunch of people that can cook good food first..then find suppliers that can get fresh fish. Legal may get the freshest fish in the country...but it's meaningless if you don't have the right people preparing and cooking the food properly. The food is edible here...but I give it two stars because for 6 people...some with very light appetites...the bill was $200 before drinks. OUCH. The quality was NOT THERE for the price.
(2)
Louis P.
This place is very disppointing... I've been here two times, but I don't think I'll ever go back there... Sadly to say, proabably one of the WORST Legal Sea Foods I've been to... What more can I say? Food wasn't very good (not fresh at all), service was just average... I'd definately go elsewhere...
(2)
S A.
I love the light chowder! Other favorites include chopped greek salad, anything with grilled scallops and seafood antipasto. Don't forget the cheese plate!!!
I have seen the poor reviews for Legal's but based on my numerous dining experiences here and at the South Shore Plaza location I have to say that I've had some very good dinners here and I have no qualms about returning. I know what to expect, I know what I like and I know what it's gonna cost me. Starting with the clam chowder, there may be places that have better clam chowder but you'd be hard pressed to find one. The dinner rolls are the best. Salads - a fellow diner who loves ceasar salads rates Legal's caesar top notch. Appetizer - I get weak in the knees for the tuna sashimi. For entree's my favorites are the nutty wild salmon or the soft shelled crab (when available). Good Cioppino. The fried clams or fried seafood dinners are pretty good but if that is your passion you're better off continuing up Rt 128 to Essex. What's not good? I didn't like the Rasman soup. Shrimp & garlic with linguine was so-so. The kids meals aren't so great. The wine list is very good and they offer some good selections by the glass but it's not cheap. $11 for a glass of Trimbach Pinot Gris! They have some wine samplers, three glasses of various wines that you can try and compare. Desserts - had key lime pie there a couple of times. It was ok but I'm not that keen on desserts. It gets very busy at prime time so they give you the flashing pager device. Maybe they should make an ankle strap-on version. I always feel like I'm under house arrest because I can't leave the immediate vicinity. On more than 1 occassion I've been told it is a 15 minute wait but ends up to be 25-30 minutes. Other times I've walked right in. Service is usually pretty good but like anywhere you run into good servers and bad servers. I've eaten in many legal's locations and they are all pretty consistent.
(4)
Lia M.
I went here for Sunday lunch and really enjoyed my entree. It was a relaxing afternoon. It's the second time that I have been to Legal's. The first time was at the one in the Pru for a weekday lunch. Just to mention, I would have thought with them being in Boston and knowing people need to get back to work, they could have been a little faster. But other than that, my trout and everything else was good. At the Peabody location, I had scrod with cracker crumbs and a side of broccoli. The scrod was flavorful and topping buttery. The broccoli had tasty garlic seared on it. I also like the rolls that the meal starts with. I will also mention that I was dining with a child and she ordered mac-n-cheese off the kids' menu. The gave her Kraft mac-n-cheese that looked like it had been sitting for a while. I figured Legal's could do better than that for children. Service wasn't anything special either time, but I did enjoy the food and will go back.
(4)
jay g.
ok food, but the portions are a joke. i get it, this place is quality over quantity but i don't expect a kids size fish and chips at dinner for $20. they do have the best tartar sauce though, and the onion strings are classic.
(2)
Cindy C.
Our visit tonight was a jarring reminder of why we had stopped frequenting the North Shore Mall's Legal Seafoods in the first place: startingly subpar service and mediocre food. A christmas giftcard brought us back to the restaurant after a two year hiatus with hopes of a turnaround to the formerly inviting establishment we used to know. This was not the case. Upon arrival on a dead Sunday night, we asked to be seated in a booth and were told the wait for a booth would be no longer than 15 minutes. We were in good spirits and headed to the bar. Patient, we drank a few glasses of wine, waiting for a place to be ready. Nearly 45 minutes later, after watching couple after couple who went through the doors be seated before us, we followed up with the hostess who admitted she had "forgotten about us." She then stated that another server gave away the table that had been waiting for us (Mind you, our pager never lighted up). To her credit, she did offer to comp dessert, which we thought was a nice gesture (a gesture ofcourse..which we later never received) ...Once seated, we were put in a small corner nook which was not what we had requested or much of a booth at all. A little dissapointed after having waited all that time only not to receive what we were looking for, we asked to be switched moments later when we saw one open up. Dinner was ok, with our oysters taking a suprisingly long amount of time to come to the table, and the $30 lobster macaroni special my fiance ordered served in a tiny casserole dish not larger than my hand. One of the oysters we received was also very dark and looked bad. As it turns out, dessert was not comped, and we were not offered anything for our inconvenience. Our waitress also did not do anything for us despite being made aware of the situation, and was generally absent for most of dinner. All in all, a dissapointing experience, which is such a shame because I remember the days when the manager used to come out and ask guests how they enjoyed their dinner. The only time we saw the manager tonight was in the beginning when he said "That's too bad folks. We'll get you another table." Ok, but can you get us another 45 minutes of our life?
(1)
Darryl R.
Got the Everything Tuna - a grilled tuna steak (cooked perfectly medium rare) encrusted with sesame seeds, poppy seeds and everything that is on an "everything bagel". Enjoyed it immensely. The sides of jasmine rice, a cucumber slaw and wilted spinach, were cooked just right as well. The clam chowder was top notch. One of my favorite seafood restaurants.
(4)
Jen B.
What happened Legal? Went in there on a Sunday evening for dinner. Service was good, but the food was lacking. WAY overpriced for a mall restaurant, Legal or not. Next time, we'll leave the kids at home and head to the Boston location.
(3)
Gina N.
My fiance and I went to Legal in Peabody on Saturday night. We had a reservation for 7:30. We got there on time and we were seated right away. He ordered a cup of clam chowder, I ordered a cup of lobster bisque. We were both satisfied with our selection. For dinner, I ordered an appetizer portion of calamari, he ordered the spicy fish and chips. My calamari was delish. It was very tender, and not too heavy. He was not a fan of his fish., It was made well, the qualitty was excellent, but he just did not like the spicy batter. He did not complain but our very attentive waitress Patty noticed that he had not eaten any of it. She said "Do you want to talk to a manager? He's right here" and she called him over. The manager, joe came over. He was excellent too! He asked me fiance' if he'd like to order another meal, even something to go. At first we refused, as it was not a quality issue, but Joe insisted that it was not a problem. We asked for some chowder to go. Seconds later, they came out with a quart of chowder. When the bill arrived, his meal was comped and there was no charge for the chowder. This was the second time that we had been at the restaurant, and we are very pleased! We will be back again!
(5)
Boris B.
Food is very good. . Service is nice too. Expensive. . 4 people dinner no vine comes to 250..
(4)
Sarah C.
The last 2 times I have been to this location I have been very disappointed with the service. I think they really need to hire more servers..the service used to be impeccable. The last time I went, I ordered a meal I have had before and enjoyed, and this time it tasted horrible, as if it was completely charred and covered in soy sauce. I asked for a drink before my meal came, and it never came, and then I had to eat a meal that killed your tongue with saltiness! The server did not come back until our meal was over (we had a party of 11!) Two other people at my table got served each other's meal and didn't know it until the end..One ordered swordfish rare and the other was well cooked. They were on opposite ends of the table and only when they were looking over the bill did they realize they had each others! It is just terrible when no one comes in to check on you until the meal is completely over. I felt bad for the person who got the rare swordfish because she did not eat it, just her sides. I hate spending $30-$40 on a meal you don't even enjoy one bit!
(2)
James B.
I heard Legal Seafoods had a great variety of food and the service is great,so I had to check it out! We went there while shopping at the Northshore Mall I saw there was one there!! I told the waitress that when I go to R lobster I usually get a platter that almost samples all the seafood they had she replied let me get you a dinner menu (it was like 2pm ) I was very pleased with her customer service!! My lady got the lobster and steak meal and I had the Fisherman's Platter!! I work at a place where customer service is #1 so I really recognize it when I se it!! Food was prompt and hot and very very delish!!! This was today 04/01/14 thanks for your help Ahlam C (the knowledgeable waitress!!) my lady is very picky and she made her feel great and she actually loved her meal!! I have been to a lot of places where the steak is rough when done medium rare but I watched my lady cut the steak with a fork!! Need I say more ? We will be back!!
(5)
Jennifer C.
Just had the most amazing Thanksgiving dinner here this evening!! Now, you might think Thanksgiving dinner at a seafood restaurant? Huh? BUT, let me tell you, this dinner was fantastic!! My mom and I had the most delicious turkey dinner with mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, delicious sausage stuffing, gravy.. YUM!! My mother also had the squash soup (part of the special Thanksgiving Day menu) and she said it was amazing. I had the lobster bisque, which was wonderful as usual. We wrapped it up with the pumpkin cheesecake, which was surprisingly light and not super sweet. Plus, we had the nicest waitress (Angelina). What a sweetheart! Overall, I HIGHLY recommend going here for Thanksgiving. It may just become a new tradition in my family. 5 stars plus!!!!
(5)
Herb Z.
Never understood the attraction to this chain. Overpirced chain food. Service and food has always been sub par at this location. I guess they need to cut back somewhere to pay for all those moronic commercials.
(2)
Corinne O.
My husband and I went to Legal Seafoods for the first time, and we were not impressed. First off, our waitress was very nice and attentive which is a plus. We splurged a bit and I got the grilled swordfish steak with steamed broccoli. For $30 (you read that right folks...$30!!) I expected a much bigger piece of swordfish. It was less than an inch thick and was just over the size of my palm. I felt pretty ripped off. And, the broccoli tasted like it was steamed over lobsters! Gross. We sent the broccoli back and the replacemenet was still pretty...lobster-y...but was edible. It was just WAY too expensive for an underwhelming meal. I won't be back. Go to Horseshoe Grill in Reading. HUGE, perfectly grilled swordfish steak for about $10 less.
(2)
Sean H.
Have not been happy with the menu for quite a while, however I really wanted some seafood and w/o a lot near the mall I thought I would give it another chance. My oysters were yummy and the lobster bisque was nearly perfect. My husband's stuffed shrimp was in his words 'pretty good'. Lunch over all was nice and service was perfect, still was a little steep at $55 for what we got.
(3)
Chris E.
Went here for dinner. I ordered the plank special which comes with shrimp and scallops as well as three different types of fish cooked on wood planks. Everything was cooked perfectly. Little more expensive than I would like but that is ok for this place. They take your order on PDAs and also swipe your card on a machine right in front of you so no worries of someone stealing your card. They did take my AmEx card.
(5)
Christina T.
We had wonderful service and a delicious meal. What more is there to say? I really like this location. So close to the shopping, yet when you are in the restaurant, you wouldn't know you were anywhere near a mall.
(5)
John F.
Had an excellent meal with my family last night. Service was great and the Tuna Sashimi was fantastic. The rolls were fantastic and the waitress gave my son a few extra to take home! Made his evening!
(4)
Colby W.
Horrible. What happened to this place. Legal has become such a non charming commercial joint. Bad service. I am no stranger to high priced restaurants but this place is just overpriced crap. Truly find someplace else to go. To top it off even the staff was complaining how bad it is. They were told this week to save money they were not allowed any bread or chowder on their shift anymore. Just wrong!
(1)
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Address :North Shore Mall,210 Andover St
Peabody, MA, 01960
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Steve V.
Visiting from the Midwest on business and naturally want to have good seafood. Was not disappointed. Good clam chowder. Enjoyed seafood mixed grill. Wood fired Swordfish, tuna, salmon with scallops and shrimp with jasmine rice and grilled vegetables. Will go back next time in town.
(4)Steven C.
Thanks Roger B for a chain that offers fresh fare.
(4)Paloma P.
Growing up, going to eat at Legal Seafood was such a special treat. But I hadn't been in years mainly because, until fairly recently, there wasn't one close to where I lived. Anyhow...I can't eat gluten. I got a salad and chowder to go (cool that they have a gluten-free menu). The waitress asked if I'd like some gluten-free rolls with my meal. um...YES PLEASE! What a happy surprise...that is until I sat down at home to eat... The "rolls" were disgusting, crumbly, stale, AND still frozen rock-hard solid inside! What a bummer. Not cool to tease a gluten-free girl like that. The menu said the salad comes with sunflower seeds...but it did not. And, frankly, it was nothing to write home about...very "airport-tasteless," if you know what I mean. The chowder was fine. Not amazing, but fine. This would have never happened in the Legal that lives in my childhood memory...I'm sad...sniff, sniff :(
(2)Jim M.
This place has gone down the tubes. Went here last night. Got the sushi grade tuna app to start. It came out dry and shriveled with a ridiculously oily sauce. I sent it back. Awful. I then got the $28 wood-grilled swordfish as my main. SUPER oily and greasy!!!! What gives?!! I won't be going back.
(1)Monica D.
The place was okay. Nice enough restaurant. My food wasn't that satisfying. It did not seem to be seasoned well. I spent a bit and didn't eat half of my food. I also didn't choose to have a to go bag. I probably won't return to this particular location.
(2)Anne W.
I have been here numerous times as there aren't too many alternatives in Peabody, MA. It's a halfway point between my friend and I. The best place to go esp when you are two Asians fighting over a bill. I talked it over with the host and he took care of it for us. We ordered a great array of things... by far the best was the oysters, clams, fried oysters, and cioppino with the linguini (instead of just rice), and filet mignon. The only complaint.. wish they had taken the time to split the meals to two sides of the table since there were six of us so we were constantly passing things around without a lazy Susan. The food was good.. not as spectacular as the ones closer to the city.. but you can't have it all. We were allowed to sit as long as we wanted.. busy for a Monday night.. so surprising. Private table and the service was just about right...
(3)Blair R.
Legal Seafood used to be amazing! The food was passable... Barely. My wine was served in a crusty glass, when I sent it back the waiter poured the wine from the filthy glass to the new one. YUCK! It is relatively expensive and now longer had the wonderfully fresh perfectly cooked seafood that this chain built it's reputation on. Really too bad!
(1)Peter S.
Yes, Legal's lunch menu prices are high. 4 people - 1 salad & 3 fish entrees & 1 beer = $70 + $15 tip! Is $85 a lot for lunch? Oh, yeah! But food was delicious. I like the open air ambience.
(4)Rick N.
I have probably been here 20 times over the last few years. I comment every time how this is one of my favorite restaraunts, I don't like chains! From hand made blue cheese stuffed olives for my martini to the secret and wonderful Legal Experience appetizer (no longer on the menu, but they'll make it if you ask. think pupu platter for seafood lovers), to excellent wait staff and people at the host desk. Never had a bad meal ever.
(5)Christine T.
Was down visiting my parents last weekend when we got take-out Sunday evening around 6pm (called it in prior to leaving the house) - they said it would be ready in 20minutes, perfect. We ordered two meals and a half gallon of clam chowder. The parking here is awful. There is no Legal Seafood take out parking - I guess that would be too convenient. They do have a valet, but for take out that's obv not necessary. I ended up driving around for 10 minutes waiting for my mom to come out w/the food. It was a complete shit show. (minus 1 star) On to the important stuff: I'm a big clam chowder person, obsessed might even be an accurate description. I had never tried Legal's chowder before and .... oh my. I understand what the all the hype is about. The clams are fresh and the broth is thick and creamy. It was absolutely delicious. I also tried the fried clams from my moms plate and those were scrumptious as well. If you've read my reviews before you know that I have an unhealthy obsession with the chowder from Turners Seafood in Melrose, MA and for me, Legal came in a very-close second place. It was really good. If you can get a parking spot then you'll be good to go. I'd recommend going during off hours for that reason alone, at least at this location. yum.
(4)Aki N.
You can't really go wrong with Legal Seafoods. This one is unusual in that it's located in a mall (next to Sears) but meets the standards and servers are great Sat at the bar for dinner on a Fri night, some Allagash White on tap, half dozen oysters (local Bluepoint and my new favorite from the Cape, Wianno) and a marinated seafood salad. Friendly bartenders who kept me entertained. Approx $45 all in.
(4)K S.
I've eaten at the Peabody Legal many times and must say I've rarely had a bad meal. The lobster was sweet, tender & flavorful, lil butter required. The clams & scallops were very tasty and the sides fresh and plentiful. The broiled fish (Salmon & Schrod)was also moist & tasty. It's not cheap, per say, but for a pleasant environment and food that's consistent, even when doing take out, gotta give a solid ^5s.
(4)Moya T.
As a celiac, my dining options are already limited. LSF has had a gluten free menu since 2005 and this really made my night. The chef came out to make sure we knew which orders in our party of six were gluten free and the manager dropped off the gluten free rolls. I will return when I'm in town.
(5)Melanie C.
Honestly, I had high expectations. Walked through the door, and things continued to go down hill. The hostess was nice, but it was super busy and of course we would wait right? Well it was NOT worth the wait! Our waitress was not at all welcoming or concerned about us, maybe because she had too many people to wait on. We started with some chowder and it was lukewarm and a sangria that was not so tasty. We rarely got asked if we needed anything, water refills, drinks,ect. We finally got our meals and it was cold, everything and horrid. I love seafood and often try to find the best places around the beach to go. This was beyond disgusting. I didn't get any service or help with the cold food. For the place being pricy, I would have expected more.
(1)Joanne G.
Reminder to myself lump crab dip and calamari is not what they used to be.... In fact, the place isn't the way I remembered. The only thing that was near what I loved, was the cherrystones and their bread. Other than that...it was sad. I suppose a person can live off of that, if they wanted too.
(2)Andy F.
Three of us went here twice within one week. Nice ambiance, even though it's located inside a shopping mall. The guy at the door, the hostess and the waitress were all very nice. On both nights, the waitresses were excellent. Between us we had lobster, haddock and scrod. The fish was consistently very good, and my wife loved her dessert. My only complaint was the limited selection of vegetables to go with the fish. I chose cauliflower one night, and broccoli the other night. I had no problems with either veggie, but I would have preferred more options, such as assorted steamed vegetables. If I compare Legal Seafood to our favorite local fish restaurant (Fish Market, Santa Clara, CA), the seafood was just as good, although there was less selection, and the prices were significantly higher. But part of what you're paying for is the ambiance.
(4)Jphubs J.
Love the chowder and fresh hot rolls. Hubby loved his cheeseburger (he doesn't like seafood), but I'm basing this review with my meal specifically. I got the "Fisherman's Platter", which they placed the small amount of seafood on top of a platter of French fries to give the illusion of a big meal. This dish comes with mainly squishy Calamari, 4 Clams, 3 Shrimp, 2 Scallops, and 1 tiny Fish Nugget. The fry batter looked brownish and greasy. Not golden brown and crispy. It was soft and almost soggy. My husband made the assumption that maybe they screwed up on his burger and my meal sat under heat lamps. Which I bet is what happened. The cole slaw that came as a side was warm and tasted foul, so I didn't touch it. I'm waking up the next morning feeling so ripped off. So not worth the money!! Almost $100 for food that we could've got better at Kelly's RoastBeef for half the price or less. Angry actually. Won't be going back anytime soon. Unless we're in the mood for just hot chowder and rolls. :(
(2)Richard E.
The menu has not changed in years but the food is always fresh. Particularly oysters, clams. Ciopino is best I have ever had.
(4)David M.
I went here for dinner tonight and food was good but not great. The service was great. We had the calamari for an app and it was very good. I got the baked seafood combo. The taste was good but the price was high for the size of the dinner. They would be better off not listing the lobster as an ingredient considering the piece was tiny. A couple of shrimp, a few scallops and plenty white fish? My wife got the Boston scrod and was pleased. My daughter got a small lobster and 1 of the claws was missing. We should have said something.The total before tip with no beer or wine was $92.00. Overall considering the atmosphere, service and quality of food it was fine. I will go back and maybe a drink or two will make me feel like I got my monies worth.
(3)David B.
Took a friend here, her first time at Legal Seafood. Although she enjoyed it, we got an unpleasant hard sell from the waitress, pushing their South African wine specials. Why do people in the service sector find it difficult to understand that no means no? Still, the fish was fresh; the grilled calamari I had a top my chopped salad was perfectly cooked. I also appreciated that the waitress later apologized for the hard sell treatment.
(3)Chris C.
Yesterday, my family and I went here for dinner and it was delicious. I ordered a cup of the lobster bisque as a side with the Nutty Atlantic Salmon as my main course. The Salmon was amazing. It came in a lemon buttery sauce that was not over powering, it was just perfect. The fish was served on spinach with capers, and surrounded by mushroom ravioli. The Salmon was encrusted with lawyer of almonds on the top, giving the it perfect texture at the same time adding a pleasant flavor that complimented the fish. I couldn't help but eat this dish slowly so that I could savour every flavor it provided. At the same time, I was eager to share some bites with those who were with me. My gf said she would most definitely order this dish after having tried it herself. Our server was good. Not great, just good. He was on top of almost everything. He did forget my drink order I wanted to have with my meal. I got it when I was halfway through my meal. My dinner was good enough to not let that small negative event from taking away any stars, and again, he was good for the most part.
(5)Scott D.
Just what I was looking for on my 1st trip to Boston. Oysters and Cioppino were great. Hope to get back again some day soon.
(4)Peter B.
Great seafood New England style. They need to expand the menu however.
(4)John S.
It's really simple, just the best seafood in New England. Excellent service as well. It was a real treat for us to have both of our children for dinner tonight. My wife and son had the wood grilled bluefish and loved it. True Portuguese lineage there. My daughter had the tuna medium rare with a cajun rub, excellent taste and cooked perfectly. I had the legal wood grilled platter, tuna, salmon and swordfish tonight with 3 scallops and 3 shrimp. I am not a lover of salmon but this piece was delicious. An excellent combination of fish. Well done Legal, thanks.
(5)Erica D.
Legal Seafood is one of my favorite places to go to dinner with my family. The meals are expensive, and the portions, depending on the meal, are pretty big. I wish they had the option for a smaller portion at a lower price--oh wait, that's the lunch menu, isn't it? Price: Like I said before, this place is expensive, but it's fresh seafood. Market price: just assume it's more than you're willing to pay. They try to compensate by giving you a larger portion, but really I would be happy with paying less than $25 a plate. Decor: The decor is nice; the one in the Burlington Mall definitely has more of a wow-factor than this one. The seating situation is OK. They have a private room for large parties. They also have lots of tables but not a lot of booths. It actually gets a little difficult to navigate through the sea of tables if you need to use the bathroom which is located on the other side of the restaurant. Service: Great service here. The servers do their best to make sure you have a good experience. Food/Presentation: The food is incredible; of course I can only speak about what I ordered. At my last visit I started with Oysters on the half shell from the Raw Bar. I sampled one of each (they had four varieties at the time). They were laid out over crushed ice, with lemons slices, two sauces and little signs next to them saying where they were from. It was a nice presentation. My main course was the Nutty Atlantic Salmon. This is my favorite meal now. Chris C. gave an accurate description of this tasty dish below. I will add that the portion size was HUGE. They gave me two salmon fillets (is that the right term?); I would have been satisfied with one. So, it made for some tasty leftovers the next day. I guess that's what happens when they offer rolls before you order, they're hot, fresh and hard to ignore. Location: It's located in the North Shore Mall. There is never any parking anywhere near the entrance. They have valet parking but I'm not sure if it's complimentary or not. I usually park near Sears and just walk through the mall. The benefit of this location is after you've over engorged yourself from trying to finish your meal, you can walk around the mall to help you digest. The downside to this location: this place is right next to a nail salon, so after you leave the restaurant to walk around, you have to walk past the ghastly stench of nail polish. Recap: Price: 4/5 Decor: 4/5 Service: 5/5 Food/Presentation: 5/5 Location 3/5 Total: 4.2
(4)Thu T.
I used to love there food, now everything seems to be down graded. The salad on the crab cake meal was amazing. Now all you see is just grass
(3)Tony P.
My4th visit in 2 years. Legal excels at consistency. I entertain business clients here when I visit and nobody leaves disappointed. The medium rare tuna was wonderful tonight.
(4)Hiep V.
This is my first time eating at a Legal Seafoods, and it was simply awesome. We went during lunch hours and had the benefit of cheaper pricing. The restaurant is very nice and clean, and wasn't busy at all on a early Tuesday afternoon. Do go for the fried clams because they're only $13.95! Do try to RESIST and FAIL going for the banana foster desert. IT'S TOO DELICIOUS!!!
(5)Kevin S.
Legal Sea Foods....the "Holy Grail" of seafood! I've been to this location at least 20 times. Every time has been a very good experience. Most recent visit: 4-14-09 Started with a cup of clam chowder. Award winning! Then got into the Fried Clams appetizer and I must say, they do serve the BEST fried clams!! After that, came the Atlantic Salmon, wood grilled, along with the Thai Curry sauce on the side, and rice pilaf/onion strings. It was excellent!! My only "disappointment" was they hadn't switched over to Sam Adams Summer Ale yet. For the bargain hunters....you probably don't want to eat at Legal. The average plate is now north of $20, and appetizers are almost all north of $10 ea. It's not a cheap dinner by any means. But, it is worthy of the price in my opinion.
(5)Clifford A.
Looking for an escape from the unfortunately middling Cape Ann seafood scene, we headed here after the local joints were getting hammered by tourists all weekend. It was 1/3 rd full, so we sat right down and had fantastic service, great wine and dinner. The signature Legal Crabcake dinner was superb as was my delicious dining companions' Ciappino - really both standout dishes. The heirloom tomato salad was also spot on. Why can't ANYONE on Cape Ann give Legal's a run for their money? Nothing comes close in any dimensions.
(4)JasparLamar C.
Extremely fresh seafood to be sure and the desserts are great. Service is always exceptional in the dining room, however ALWAYS VERY POOR at the bar. Be prepared for a very long game of "trying-to-make-eye-contact" with some very dim bartenders.
(4)Steve L.
There are Legal Seafood Restaurants everywhere in MA. Whenever I'm in town for company business, I've always made visit to one of their restaurants, usually with a bunch of coworkers. Most of the locations are pretty crowded, but this location, located in suburban mall in Peabody is near my company, is always able to seat us. Lots of wood in this location for a nice cozy ambience, and the servers are friendly. On a recent visit, we had 17 people. Ordered 3 types of fried calamari and crab cakes for appetizers. Had the spicy, RI, and Thai fried calamari. First 2 were OK, wasn't too crazy about the Thai fried - too sweet. Crab cakes, however, had large chunks of crab, and tasted pretty good. Clam chowder is usually pretty good at most LSR's, but this time, I found mine a little flat and runny. Had the lobster and crab ravioli for entree, and it was OK. Others had the obligatory lobster, and someone ordered a lobster bake, which was huge. It had a half lobster, lots of clams and mussels, a corn, and a couple slices of sausage. Everyone was pretty content with their entrees. Had the key lime pie for dessert. This time around, the crust tasted slightly salty, even though the key lime filling was nice and tart. Kind of mixed about it. Some had bonbons, cheese cake, and profiteroles. Looked pretty good as well. With this many of us, it was a long evening, which was understood if they kitchen wanted to make sure everyone gets their courses at the same time. Credit the servers for remembering who had what, and not miss any orders. As I mentioned, been here many times, just feel OK about. Good place to bring people who haven't been to MA, and want to have some lobster.
(3)Sea G.
Hit or miss big time. One night the food is good. A week later the seafood isn't fresh. Same goes for the upkeep of the restaurant. We wanted to sit at one of the 3 little tables near the bar but they all needed to be cleaned off from the previous diners. I figured since the manager was there, short guy with black goatee, the tables would be cleared off. I watched as he walked by 10 times and never thought to clean off the tables himself or ask one of the staff to do so. I didn't feel like asking to have the tables cleaned so we sat at the crowded bar which was annoying. I watched as over 40 minutes went by before a staff member made the area presentable. As far as the food goes it can be good but it can also be downright bad, especially for the price. I think I'm going to give up on mall restaurants altogether.
(2)Mike M.
I've been going to Legal Sea Foods for years, and have been to every one of the Boston restaurants as well as a few outside the state. In each restaurant I visited, the food has always been great. This was my first time eating in the Peabody location. I ordered three things: clam chowder, oysters, and salmon. The chowder was good, the oysters were ok. The salmon was burned, rubbery, and had a strange taste to it. Our server didn't come back to our table for a long time after bringing the food. Had I seen her somewhere nearby, I would have definitely sent it back. Eventually I just gave in and ate it because I was so hungry. The last thing anyone wants to do is go to a nice restaurant to stare at a plate of food for half an hour. Needless to say, I started feeling sick shortly afterwards. A few hours later, my $50 meal was being violently ejected out of my mouth. I understand that these things can happen, and I'm partially to blame for eating food I knew was bad. But, the fact is it did come out of their kitchen. One would expect better service and food quality for the prices they're charging.
(1)Ellen H.
Oddly enough, although I have lived in the area for most of my life, and have been to the mall countless times over the past two decades, I've never eaten at Legal Seafoods here. I've been to LTK, Legal C Bar, Harborside... pretty much every location besides the one closest to me. Came here for a Friday evening dinner with my parents and grandmother, and was pleasantly surprised by this hidden gem tucked away on the forgotton wing of the updated mall. This place is "old money" -- plush wall-to-wall carpets, dark wood; the overall vibe reminds me a bit of Grill23 in Boston. The service was very good throughout the meal; the waiter erroneously brought out Rhode Island style calamari and recognized the error before we even did. He quickly replaced it and apologized. I had the crab cake and wedge salad -- both were delightful. I wanted the lobster bisque too, but it would have been too much. My mojito was perfect. The calamari I tried was fantastic, and even the "free bread" to start the meal was crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and served warm. So why not five stars? Well, three different things we asked for on the menu were "sold out", my moscow mule -- the drink special -- was 90% crushed ice, and maybe 3 oz of liquid (for ten bucks). That yummy bread? One roll per person (I hate that. And if you're waiting so you can serve it warm each time, that's fine, but pay attention! Our bread was gone in about two seconds). We certainly could have asked for more bread, but the pace of the meal was very quick and didn't really allow for it. Overall I would HIGHLY recommend -- the quality, flavor, and service overall were great.
(4)Kumi E.
Over priced bad food and worst service ever!!!! The lady at the front was very rude. She was laughing and said to me"what?? Who??" when I let her know that we were waiting for my friend to come. What's her problem?? Then the server took our food and water away as soon as we finished eating. It wasn't even closing time! I ordered garlic shrimp pasta. It was way too greasy. I'll never go back to Legal seafood.
(1)Meli G.
Service! Always great!! Shrimp casserole is to dye for. Great place for dinner with the husband.
(5)Jill T.
We went to this legal restaurant last night. It was maybe the worst food we had been served in our lives... Or at least in a while! Granted we have been watching a ton of food network lately. Anyway it was unexciting, bland and just bad! Hostess was also unfriendly to say the least. We should have said something especially about the "wood fired" fish and seafood mix we were served. All the seafood was overlooked and horribly under seasoned and also wet like it was sitting under a hot lamp for a while. Not sure why since we had soup and a salad to pair with it so shouldn't need to be set out early. Sad we used our Christmas present on that meal!
(2)Willy G.
What can i say. Top notch start to finish. Freshest everythjng. Great staff. Super clean. You just cant beat the quality for the price. Great job.
(5)Mari O.
The only thing better than Red Lobster was the bread and the service. Seafood was not up to expectations. Very disappointed.
(1)Bob B.
We went there for Mother's Day lunch with my wife, teenage daughter and 92 year-old mother. We were seated promptly, the service was good and, despite the crowds, the noise volume wasn't too bad. Where they fell down was the food. It's really a shame. Once upon a time Legal Sea Foods was a solid "go-to" seafood restaurant. The food was always good, often creative, and the upscale ambiance made it a nice place to go. That changed probably 3-4 years ago. Now the food is BLAND, some of their menu standbys are gone (think baked stuffed shrimp), and even some of the menu items that remain have been changed and are just, well, bland (onion strings are a good example). I had the grilled swordfish - BLAND and over-cooked. My wife had the shrimp casserole - also very bland. My daughter had the buffalo popcorn shrimp - very spicy but the execution was a bit strange with a bowl of the buffalo sauce on the side. I don't recall what my mother had but I know she enjoyed her dish. I don't know if it's over-expansion, bad management, or poor execution, but whatever it is I'm afraid I'm taking them off my list. They really could solve a lot of the problem if they would just use seasoning - a little salt and pepper goes a long way. There are better options in my area and I guess I'll turn to them.
(2)bill p.
It was ok food but way overpriced for the quality. Very corporate, standardized feeling , no real love or creativity going into anything we ate. You could just feel 3/4 of the money you spent going into high mall space rent, layers of management, advertising and corporate profit. Not that they shouldn't make money, but you can do better for seafood all over the northshore. Get out of the mall
(2)Parker K.
I've been here many times, but this is my first review. Tonight my husband and I went here for an early dinner (4:30!) and as such the restaurant was pretty empty. By the time we left (6:30 after dessert) it was hopping. Our waiter was attentive, friendly, and patient with our questions. In terms of the food, the first group of rolls was a bit hard but the next were warm and chewy. My filet mignon was pretty tasty, also I wasn't a fan of the BBQ-tasting butter on top. The seaweed salad--which I'd never had anywhere before--was an acquired taste but good. Onion rings were good as usual. My husband's dinner of salmon, mushrooms, and fries was also yummy. For dessert we had the ice cream bon bons (3 bite-size scoops of coffee, chocolate, and vanilla ice cream covered in chocolate) and the cheesecake. The bon bons weren't anything special (the ice cream was too frozen, not very creamy, and likely not very high quality). The cheesecake, however, was delicious. It came with a raspberry sauce and homemade whipped cream. The ambiance was nice and, as I mentioned, our waiter was great.
(4)Andrew H.
I came here for an enjoyable lunch, but dangit, I left paying $70 for 3 people. If you want to stop reading here, my comments can be summed up as "too expensive." I feel that 3-stars is more appropriate than my previously 4-star review as you don't get what you pay for, but it is a pleasant experience. I ordered the Boston Baked Scrod, my wife ordered a bowl of the New England Clam Chowder, and our guest ordered popcorn shrimp, a "cup" of clam chowder, and some kinda cake-thing. My scrod was small, but I thought it was soft, tender, and NOT over salted like most dishes i get in restaurants. I liked the jasmine rice and butternut squash but these too were small in portions. My wife's bowl of clam chowder was a bit too salty for my liking, and also not as large as I would have liked, but it was a decent chowder. I would've hoped for more clams. Our guest's popcorn shrimp were relatively small, and were yummy, but they didn't have the gourmet texture that I would have appreciated at an expensive place like this. We had a very nice and courteous server, and the restaurant is very clean and well decorated. We were seated quickly and had no complaints about anything except the price.
(3)Mahmoud E.
Well I came here after multiple recommendations from the flight attendant on my flight to Boston to the hotel staff at my hotel. Love the atmosphere here, not too dressy and not too classy, just perfect!! Started off by ordering the crispy montauk calamari, Rhode Island style!! For the entree I had the lobster bake :). The calamari was amazing!! Rhode Island all the way, cooked to perfection, nice and tender not chewy at all. Since the lobster bake came with a cup of clam chowder, I had the chance to try that! Well it's good chowda, but not great, I prefer the chart house clam chowda over it. As for the lobster bake, the lobster was amazing, the clams and mussels were fresh. The steamers were too slimy for me and they had their necks sticking out, not for me. The mussels were really good. But the main attraction was off course the lobster which came with the delicious tamale inside. This is a must visit for anyone coming to the east coast!!
(4)Erin M.
Amazing!!! Having to be gluten free isn't easy when eating out, especially at seafood places. Legal Seafood makes it super easy!!! I am so impressed with their dedication to gf food here. Yes it's expensive, but I don't really care if I can eat high quality gf fried food, which is unheard of at pretty much every other restaurant I've ever been to. They even have warm gf rolls! I ordered the Fishermans platter ( I think that was the name) and shared it with my partner. There was enough food for both of us for sure. Our waitress was great and honest when we asked about portions and said it would be enough. The food was awesome, perfectly seasoned and cooked! We were both full and satisfied!!!! I will for sure be going back to a Legal Seafood again in the future!!!
(5)Geri P.
Incredible clam chowder. As we drove by I thought it was a mall store. But instead it is a lovely restaurant, full bar. Great food and fairly priced. Oh yes, the service was outstanding You must try this place
(4)Phil J.
This has been a standard restaurant for years. Tonight they had no bluefish on the menu (apparently they do not bring it in from Florida in the winter) so I went for the crab cake dinner. At $29, two crab cakes seemed WAY overpriced. All I got were the two small crab cakes and a lettuce salad on the same plate. The cakes WERE good, don't get me wrong. And I do not expect LSF to be a bargain. But I do not expect it to be a ripoff either. Plus service was slow - apparently the big boss Berkowitz was there at the time in the private room with former Senator Scott Brown and a party. In my opinion, both are going the same direction: down and out.
(2)Jon V.
As always, Legal Seafoods was a fantastic dining experience. I started with the famous lobster bisque and had one of my favorites, the backed scrod, for the entree. Reasonably priced, great service, always a treat to dine in these establishments.
(4)Marc A.
My first time at Legal Sea Foods and I thought it was alright; I had higher hopes, mainly due to all of the great things I've heard over the years, but there wasn't anything overly impressive. That said, we had a perfectly fine experience. Our waitress was nice, helpful, quick, etc. The food was OK, if a bit overcooked; the average price was also reasonable (which, I suppose, fits - if it were as expensive as I expected, then I'd have expected better food and a better atmosphere). All in all, it was good, but not as good as people seem to make it sound.
(3)Kathleen C.
I have eaten many times both at this Legal in Peabody, as well as the Legal at the Burlington Mall, and the Peabody Legal is a sorry stepsister to the Burlington one. I'm not sure how two restaurants can be so different, but the service and the food in Burlington are top notch and worth every penny for a memorable night out. Every time I eat at the Peabody Legal, the service is mediocre and the food is too. Come on, Legal, step up and do something about this restaurant. The North Shore deserves better.
(2)Chet Z.
Always a great place to meet for Dinner or Lunch, best seafood in the area. Looking forward to a repeat trip next time in the Salem area
(4)Chrissy B.
Great service, excellent food every time.
(5)Scott B.
I had heard serious hype about the entire LSF chain for months, and finally, my room mate and I ate there. I've been twice now, and (at least this location) lives up to the reputation. It was a overwhelmingly busy Saturday evening, and we were greeted with smiles and salutations from multiple staff members, even one who was on her way out the door at the end of her shift. The host seated us right away, in a booth. The waitress was clearly experienced, and took very good care of us, despite the crowd. The pan crusted tuna sashimi was our apetizer... it was delicious... perfectly seared, on a plate drizzled with a savory cucumber sauce... yum. I had the Wood something platter... I forget it's exact name... but it is a perfect dinner sampler... three types of Chef's choice fish (I ended up with salmon, swordfish, and hallibut), also grilled sea scallops and shrimp... with two choices for sides. It was totally filling, and tasty to the last bite. After our appetizers, our meals, and few Sam Summers... it was dessert time. I had 3 bon bons (chocolate covered ice cream bites... you pick the ice cream flavor) and he had ice cream and gellato (sp?)... Anyway, the experience was exsquisite, and I'll definately be going back... Side note: there are plenty of LSF in and around the immediate Boston/Cambridge area... but this one has the reputation of being far better... worth the 20 min drive.
(4)Nicholas M.
Great lobster bake and clam chowder!
(4)Lindsay G.
I took my friend for her birthday dinner last night to Legal in Peabody. It was only 6:00 so we got seated right away, that was great. The waiter came right over with menus, and suggested some delicious drinks. We got wine, ordered our entrees. I ordered a seafood platter and my friend ordered a mixed seafood dish that had 3 small pieces of fish and some shrimp, all grilled. NOT KIDDING, we hadn't been sitting there 5 minutes and we see our meals coming toward us. I said, Wow! that was fast! Faster than McDonalds! I started picking on the top layer of the seafood platter, clams and calamari...as I got to the bottom layer, I cut into a scallop to find it gray and uncooked in the middle, next scallop same thing. As the waiter flys by I tell him and he disappears telling me he will be right back. As I am waiting I attempt to cut into a fried shrimp, same thing, it has that grisly vein cutting feel of an uncooked shrimp. As my newly cooked scallops land on my table, i inform the waiter that the shrimp is raw too. The manager comes over now and apologizes and gets me more shrimp too. Now I have a dish of seafood not to eat and seafood I will eat in front of me. By that time my friend is on her last piece of fish. Tuna which is red and very rare inside. I point out to the manager how fast we got our meals which explains why all of our food is not cooked. He tells me how they usually cook tuna rare and insures me they are not trying to rush us out. He asks us if we want dessert, we decline. Our check came and he removed both meals off the bill, which was very nice but still I have to say, the experience left me very disappointed. Legal commands top $ for their meals. There are so many good seafood places to eat around this area. Legal is losing sight of that. Maybe they have gotten too big for their britches.
(2)Dmytro F.
Restaurant in general is nice, but nothing special at all. For some reason, they are not cooking whole products, like fish or lobsters,- just pieced. Food is not really great,- but OK. Prices could be lower.
(3)Anastasia C.
I've been here a couple of times and its pretty good. My grandparents love it so we take them on their birthdays and we always have a great time. The restaurant is clean and the staff is attentive. There's even free valet parking at night, which is great because the parking lot is usually jam packed, even on a weeknight. I know this is a weird complaint, but the portions are too big. The food is good, but its just too big and too rich. I think next time I'll order an appetizer for dinner and that way I'll actually be able to finish it. Its also quite pricey. I know seafood is pricey, but even taking that into account it still seems a bit much. Maybe I'm out of touch with market prices? Whatever the case is with the prices, we'll keep coming back here to celebrate grandparent birthdays.
(3)Charles S.
Worse seafood in the Boston Area. If you want better seafood in the North Shore of Boston visit Turners in Melrose, Dube's in Salem or the Causeway in Gloucester. For that matter any seafood restaurant in this area would be better without a doubt. I often went to Legal's in Chestnut Hills and it was great however that is when Legal's only had a couple of restaurants. Growth did not serve them well. Now they are in the class of a fast food joint with nice decor and very high prices. I will never go back again... The worst $130.00 I ever spent on food!!! Charlie S
(1)Jill D.
Oooooohhhhhh...my stomach hurts SOOOOOO bad. I'm such a glutton. Between that and whoring, I'm pretty sure those are the two out of the seven deadly sins I am most guilty of committing on a daily basis. I had to have the clam chowder which professes to be "served at the past 7 Presidential inaugerations". Meh, I've had better and I think it lacked salt which I am opposed to having to add to foods. Better was my buddy James' lobster bisque. My main was the sesame crusted ahi tuna with wasabi mayonnaise over white rice. It was good but it WASN'T cooked properly. Ahi tuna should be seared and medium rare. This was almost well done all the way through. The crust was too thick...almost like being fried. I enjoyed it but it wasn't awesome and I've definitely had better. James had the grilled swordfish prepared with lemon chive butter with rice pilaf and broccoli. It was juicy but a little too fishy for my tastes and just not my favorite way to enjoy swordfish...I would have preferred more lemon or even a mango salsa. Dessert we should have skipped. My key lime pie was NOT good. Why I ate it, I'm still not sure...probably the remnants of my childhood upbringing where I was conditioned to clean my plate. James had the bananas foster which was over-caramelized to the point of being nauseatingly sweet. Honestly the best part of the whole meal was the outstanding service and the drinks. Get the Dark and Stormy. I miss SF seafood!
(3)Angela B.
I have sent food back to a kitchen 3 times in my life and two of those times have been at a legal seafoods. Too expensive for the quality of product. I will not give them an opportunity to strike out for a third time. Only thing worth eating was the shrimp cocktail and even those were overcooked. Staff is nice and restaurant is clean and those are the only reasons I gave it 2 stars.
(1)Ann L.
My husband and I have been here many times for lunch and less often for dinner . We really enjoy the clam chowder, the goat cheese and tortilla salad, and the coffee is excellent. I think the coffee is from Peet's Coffee. I often reserve using Open Table which is a great service. Monday I learned that from 4:30-7:30 Legal's North Shore has valet service. It is only at this Legal's. I was told that patrons can come for an early dinner and have their car parked...they can then go holiday shopping at the Mall after dinner and come back and reclaim their car.! How neat is that? You don't have to schlepp all those bags through the parking lot!
(5)Clint U.
I want to rate this restaurant higher...I have fond memories of it 20 years ago....where there were only a couple of restaurants to worry about. They are now a chain of 30 restaurants, and quality suffers from the expansion. I had loupe de mer that was topped with capers and tomato and herbs. The taste was very good but it was cold. it was sitting out too long waiting for the rest of the order to finish. 2 stars for this preparation Two in my party had the lobster ravioli. Both said the tomato sauce was too sweet...almost like dessert. They passed it around for everyone to taste...and everyone agreed...too sweet. 2 stars for lobster ravioli. One person had stuffed shrimp. It was tasty but got boring fast with four of them. Too much breading and salt in the stuffing...thought it should have more crabmeat for some kind of seafood..especially for $26. Way too much breading. 2 stars, Person left most of the plate behind Another had the shrimp mixed platter. The coconut shrimp was great. 5 stars for the coconut shrimp. The grilled shrimp was small but ok..3 stars. The stuffed shrimp was also met with disgust. 1 star from that person. The sixth person had grilled halibut. The halibut was a thick cut ...but lo and behold....it had the vertebrae and bones in the middle....mostly bones in this dish. 3 stars tops. Now for why we came here...they serve a new england clam chowder that they claim has been served in the last 7 Presidential inaugurations. I was waiting for this because the day before I had Union Oyster House clam chowder which I gave 5 stars....All people in my party tasted both Union and Legal chowder....and we had a unanimous decision. Legal chowder seemed more watered down...less clam flavor...less clams....more seasonings and herbs that disguise the lack of clam flavor more........the winner is...UNION OYSTER HOUSE. Legal clam chowder is 3 stars. Everyone in my party agreed Union won hands down. Legal boasts that it is not a restaurant that serves seafood...but a sea food place that is also a restaurant. I recommend they go back to basics....get a bunch of people that can cook good food first..then find suppliers that can get fresh fish. Legal may get the freshest fish in the country...but it's meaningless if you don't have the right people preparing and cooking the food properly. The food is edible here...but I give it two stars because for 6 people...some with very light appetites...the bill was $200 before drinks. OUCH. The quality was NOT THERE for the price.
(2)Louis P.
This place is very disppointing... I've been here two times, but I don't think I'll ever go back there... Sadly to say, proabably one of the WORST Legal Sea Foods I've been to... What more can I say? Food wasn't very good (not fresh at all), service was just average... I'd definately go elsewhere...
(2)S A.
I love the light chowder! Other favorites include chopped greek salad, anything with grilled scallops and seafood antipasto. Don't forget the cheese plate!!!
(4)Matthew A.
Every time my fiancé and I go here we always get great service and excellent food. It may be pricey (which is why we go a couple times a year), but you get what you pay for.
(4)Tony D.
I have seen the poor reviews for Legal's but based on my numerous dining experiences here and at the South Shore Plaza location I have to say that I've had some very good dinners here and I have no qualms about returning. I know what to expect, I know what I like and I know what it's gonna cost me. Starting with the clam chowder, there may be places that have better clam chowder but you'd be hard pressed to find one. The dinner rolls are the best. Salads - a fellow diner who loves ceasar salads rates Legal's caesar top notch. Appetizer - I get weak in the knees for the tuna sashimi. For entree's my favorites are the nutty wild salmon or the soft shelled crab (when available). Good Cioppino. The fried clams or fried seafood dinners are pretty good but if that is your passion you're better off continuing up Rt 128 to Essex. What's not good? I didn't like the Rasman soup. Shrimp & garlic with linguine was so-so. The kids meals aren't so great. The wine list is very good and they offer some good selections by the glass but it's not cheap. $11 for a glass of Trimbach Pinot Gris! They have some wine samplers, three glasses of various wines that you can try and compare. Desserts - had key lime pie there a couple of times. It was ok but I'm not that keen on desserts. It gets very busy at prime time so they give you the flashing pager device. Maybe they should make an ankle strap-on version. I always feel like I'm under house arrest because I can't leave the immediate vicinity. On more than 1 occassion I've been told it is a 15 minute wait but ends up to be 25-30 minutes. Other times I've walked right in. Service is usually pretty good but like anywhere you run into good servers and bad servers. I've eaten in many legal's locations and they are all pretty consistent.
(4)Lia M.
I went here for Sunday lunch and really enjoyed my entree. It was a relaxing afternoon. It's the second time that I have been to Legal's. The first time was at the one in the Pru for a weekday lunch. Just to mention, I would have thought with them being in Boston and knowing people need to get back to work, they could have been a little faster. But other than that, my trout and everything else was good. At the Peabody location, I had scrod with cracker crumbs and a side of broccoli. The scrod was flavorful and topping buttery. The broccoli had tasty garlic seared on it. I also like the rolls that the meal starts with. I will also mention that I was dining with a child and she ordered mac-n-cheese off the kids' menu. The gave her Kraft mac-n-cheese that looked like it had been sitting for a while. I figured Legal's could do better than that for children. Service wasn't anything special either time, but I did enjoy the food and will go back.
(4)jay g.
ok food, but the portions are a joke. i get it, this place is quality over quantity but i don't expect a kids size fish and chips at dinner for $20. they do have the best tartar sauce though, and the onion strings are classic.
(2)Cindy C.
Our visit tonight was a jarring reminder of why we had stopped frequenting the North Shore Mall's Legal Seafoods in the first place: startingly subpar service and mediocre food. A christmas giftcard brought us back to the restaurant after a two year hiatus with hopes of a turnaround to the formerly inviting establishment we used to know. This was not the case. Upon arrival on a dead Sunday night, we asked to be seated in a booth and were told the wait for a booth would be no longer than 15 minutes. We were in good spirits and headed to the bar. Patient, we drank a few glasses of wine, waiting for a place to be ready. Nearly 45 minutes later, after watching couple after couple who went through the doors be seated before us, we followed up with the hostess who admitted she had "forgotten about us." She then stated that another server gave away the table that had been waiting for us (Mind you, our pager never lighted up). To her credit, she did offer to comp dessert, which we thought was a nice gesture (a gesture ofcourse..which we later never received) ...Once seated, we were put in a small corner nook which was not what we had requested or much of a booth at all. A little dissapointed after having waited all that time only not to receive what we were looking for, we asked to be switched moments later when we saw one open up. Dinner was ok, with our oysters taking a suprisingly long amount of time to come to the table, and the $30 lobster macaroni special my fiance ordered served in a tiny casserole dish not larger than my hand. One of the oysters we received was also very dark and looked bad. As it turns out, dessert was not comped, and we were not offered anything for our inconvenience. Our waitress also did not do anything for us despite being made aware of the situation, and was generally absent for most of dinner. All in all, a dissapointing experience, which is such a shame because I remember the days when the manager used to come out and ask guests how they enjoyed their dinner. The only time we saw the manager tonight was in the beginning when he said "That's too bad folks. We'll get you another table." Ok, but can you get us another 45 minutes of our life?
(1)Darryl R.
Got the Everything Tuna - a grilled tuna steak (cooked perfectly medium rare) encrusted with sesame seeds, poppy seeds and everything that is on an "everything bagel". Enjoyed it immensely. The sides of jasmine rice, a cucumber slaw and wilted spinach, were cooked just right as well. The clam chowder was top notch. One of my favorite seafood restaurants.
(4)Jen B.
What happened Legal? Went in there on a Sunday evening for dinner. Service was good, but the food was lacking. WAY overpriced for a mall restaurant, Legal or not. Next time, we'll leave the kids at home and head to the Boston location.
(3)Gina N.
My fiance and I went to Legal in Peabody on Saturday night. We had a reservation for 7:30. We got there on time and we were seated right away. He ordered a cup of clam chowder, I ordered a cup of lobster bisque. We were both satisfied with our selection. For dinner, I ordered an appetizer portion of calamari, he ordered the spicy fish and chips. My calamari was delish. It was very tender, and not too heavy. He was not a fan of his fish., It was made well, the qualitty was excellent, but he just did not like the spicy batter. He did not complain but our very attentive waitress Patty noticed that he had not eaten any of it. She said "Do you want to talk to a manager? He's right here" and she called him over. The manager, joe came over. He was excellent too! He asked me fiance' if he'd like to order another meal, even something to go. At first we refused, as it was not a quality issue, but Joe insisted that it was not a problem. We asked for some chowder to go. Seconds later, they came out with a quart of chowder. When the bill arrived, his meal was comped and there was no charge for the chowder. This was the second time that we had been at the restaurant, and we are very pleased! We will be back again!
(5)Boris B.
Food is very good. . Service is nice too. Expensive. . 4 people dinner no vine comes to 250..
(4)Sarah C.
The last 2 times I have been to this location I have been very disappointed with the service. I think they really need to hire more servers..the service used to be impeccable. The last time I went, I ordered a meal I have had before and enjoyed, and this time it tasted horrible, as if it was completely charred and covered in soy sauce. I asked for a drink before my meal came, and it never came, and then I had to eat a meal that killed your tongue with saltiness! The server did not come back until our meal was over (we had a party of 11!) Two other people at my table got served each other's meal and didn't know it until the end..One ordered swordfish rare and the other was well cooked. They were on opposite ends of the table and only when they were looking over the bill did they realize they had each others! It is just terrible when no one comes in to check on you until the meal is completely over. I felt bad for the person who got the rare swordfish because she did not eat it, just her sides. I hate spending $30-$40 on a meal you don't even enjoy one bit!
(2)James B.
I heard Legal Seafoods had a great variety of food and the service is great,so I had to check it out! We went there while shopping at the Northshore Mall I saw there was one there!! I told the waitress that when I go to R lobster I usually get a platter that almost samples all the seafood they had she replied let me get you a dinner menu (it was like 2pm ) I was very pleased with her customer service!! My lady got the lobster and steak meal and I had the Fisherman's Platter!! I work at a place where customer service is #1 so I really recognize it when I se it!! Food was prompt and hot and very very delish!!! This was today 04/01/14 thanks for your help Ahlam C (the knowledgeable waitress!!) my lady is very picky and she made her feel great and she actually loved her meal!! I have been to a lot of places where the steak is rough when done medium rare but I watched my lady cut the steak with a fork!! Need I say more ? We will be back!!
(5)Jennifer C.
Just had the most amazing Thanksgiving dinner here this evening!! Now, you might think Thanksgiving dinner at a seafood restaurant? Huh? BUT, let me tell you, this dinner was fantastic!! My mom and I had the most delicious turkey dinner with mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, delicious sausage stuffing, gravy.. YUM!! My mother also had the squash soup (part of the special Thanksgiving Day menu) and she said it was amazing. I had the lobster bisque, which was wonderful as usual. We wrapped it up with the pumpkin cheesecake, which was surprisingly light and not super sweet. Plus, we had the nicest waitress (Angelina). What a sweetheart! Overall, I HIGHLY recommend going here for Thanksgiving. It may just become a new tradition in my family. 5 stars plus!!!!
(5)Herb Z.
Never understood the attraction to this chain. Overpirced chain food. Service and food has always been sub par at this location. I guess they need to cut back somewhere to pay for all those moronic commercials.
(2)Corinne O.
My husband and I went to Legal Seafoods for the first time, and we were not impressed. First off, our waitress was very nice and attentive which is a plus. We splurged a bit and I got the grilled swordfish steak with steamed broccoli. For $30 (you read that right folks...$30!!) I expected a much bigger piece of swordfish. It was less than an inch thick and was just over the size of my palm. I felt pretty ripped off. And, the broccoli tasted like it was steamed over lobsters! Gross. We sent the broccoli back and the replacemenet was still pretty...lobster-y...but was edible. It was just WAY too expensive for an underwhelming meal. I won't be back. Go to Horseshoe Grill in Reading. HUGE, perfectly grilled swordfish steak for about $10 less.
(2)Sean H.
Have not been happy with the menu for quite a while, however I really wanted some seafood and w/o a lot near the mall I thought I would give it another chance. My oysters were yummy and the lobster bisque was nearly perfect. My husband's stuffed shrimp was in his words 'pretty good'. Lunch over all was nice and service was perfect, still was a little steep at $55 for what we got.
(3)Chris E.
Went here for dinner. I ordered the plank special which comes with shrimp and scallops as well as three different types of fish cooked on wood planks. Everything was cooked perfectly. Little more expensive than I would like but that is ok for this place. They take your order on PDAs and also swipe your card on a machine right in front of you so no worries of someone stealing your card. They did take my AmEx card.
(5)Christina T.
We had wonderful service and a delicious meal. What more is there to say? I really like this location. So close to the shopping, yet when you are in the restaurant, you wouldn't know you were anywhere near a mall.
(5)John F.
Had an excellent meal with my family last night. Service was great and the Tuna Sashimi was fantastic. The rolls were fantastic and the waitress gave my son a few extra to take home! Made his evening!
(4)Colby W.
Horrible. What happened to this place. Legal has become such a non charming commercial joint. Bad service. I am no stranger to high priced restaurants but this place is just overpriced crap. Truly find someplace else to go. To top it off even the staff was complaining how bad it is. They were told this week to save money they were not allowed any bread or chowder on their shift anymore. Just wrong!
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