Cap’n Jacks Restaurant (RI)
Article by Stavros
Cap’n Jack’s Restaurant is a great go-to destination if you are in the Wakefield, Rhode Island area near East Matunuck State Beach. Located on Succotash road it is only a short distance from the coastline where you can go and enjoy the day at the beach and then come and order take out or enjoy a nice sit-down meal.
This restaurant is great for small and large groups and has a good variety of food for everyone. The food portions are always large and they really know how to wow with their seafood. The fish and chips have the right amount of batter and leave you feeling full and very satisfied. Their clam chowder and lobster bisque are so good that you’ll want to order a whole pot and not just a bowl.
The main course meals are always filling and they used to be served with a salad or soup and a stuffy. Their fried seafood platters are top notch and compete with anyone around. One of the defining features of this restaurant is the large dessert display that showcases all of the freshly baked treats. A signature sweet of theirs is their Lobstacake which closely resembles a steamed lobster.
I still remember the first time my family and I had eaten at Cap’n Jack’s. We had spent the day at Misquamicut State Beach and then in the early evening decided to make the 30-minute drive to Wakefield to find the restaurant that family friends had recommended. After finding a parking spot relatively easily we all entered the restaurant eagerly. The first thing I noticed was all the delicious smells that poured out of the kitchen as we walked up to the host’s stand.
Without any wait, the host grabbed four menus and walked us right past the dessert case that was almost as tall as my 12-year-old self. We reached the patios and the host asked if we preferred the outdoor or indoor seating. Gleefully we asked for the last table outside and we were swiftly seated.
For appetizers, we started off with a few cups of chowder, bisque, and a giant bowl of their Rhode Island Style Calamari. These are crispy golden rings of calamari served in a garlic sauce with black olives and pepper rings, no marinara is needed. We liked the calamari so much we took an order to-go so that we could enjoy them at home the next day. For the main meals, we ordered the fish and chips, a fish sandwich, a dinner portion of the stuffed shrimp and lobster, and ricotta stuffed ravioli.
I personally am not a big fan of pasta dishes; however, I had never come across ravioli stuffed with lobster and took a chance and ordered a dish. The chunks of lobster were almost too big to fit inside the pasta. The sauce was a creamy marinara that paired really well with the meal. I absolutely loved the dish and could have ordered it every time we visited again.
I also remember very vividly the stuffed shrimp being massive. A big plus to them was that they did not add tuna to their stuffing as some places do. The shrimp had a delicious crabmeat stuffing that was light on the breadcrumbs. The first time I had visited Cap’n Jack’s was over nine years ago and after going through a menu change they may no longer offer the stuffed shrimp or the lobster ravioli as regular menu items.
Recommendation:
The lobster rolls are very delicious and very filling. They are listed as a lobster salad roll on the menu and the lobster meat is tossed in mayo but it is done tastefully. I have ordered a lobster roll on three separate occasions and was very pleased and very full after finishing my meal. If you come across the stuffed shrimp or lobster ravioli as special menu items definitely try them.
I still remember these dishes nine years later. I also highly recommend sitting on the outdoor patio if you have the opportunity and the weather permits. You can look out over the Succotash salt marsh and get a glimpse of the Atlantic in the distance. A great plus to sitting outside is that the restaurant has bug spray on hand in case you are one of those lucky individuals that becomes a buffet for mosquitos. On the colder days, they do have propane heaters to keep the patio warm for those that choose to brave the cold.
Additional Notes:
The gravel parking lot is large enough to fill the restaurant without forcing anyone to park on the road. If there is a wait in order to be seated, there were a few benches on the side of the restaurant that allows waiting outdoors.
After finishing a delicious and filling dinner at Cap’n Jacks, take the two-minute drive down to East Matunuck State beach and walk on the sand as the sun sets. A great bonus to going back to the beach after dinner is that the state stops charging to enter the parking area after dinner time.