We walked by FINS a couple times during our stay in Rehoboth and noticed it was very busy, with groups waiting outside each night. This is usually a good sign that the food is good if people are still willing to stand outside on a hot summer evening, when there are plenty of other options nearby. On our last night, we decided to give it a shot and only had to wait 10 minutes before being seated upstairs. The outside of the restaurant is a little deceiving, as I thought it was a fancier seafood place, rather it was a more laid back joint typical to beach towns. The dining room was bustling and they had a nice variety of fresh fish specials. Keith was really craving some oysters and our server suggested he try one of each featured in the half dozen special. Out came an ice platter of Beaver Tail from RI, Cedar Island from RI, Little Bay from ME, Pleasant Bay from Mass, Wallace Bay from RI, and Wellfleet from RI. Keith swallowed all six down like nothing and stated how he could have about 30 more. His favorite was the Little Bay with full meat, medium salinity, and a crisp sweet finish. I noshed on a dozen steamed clams that were nice and meaty, but a few were a little on the dry side, causing them to be chewy. They were very briny so I squeezed as much of the lemon wedge all over as I could. The clams paired beautifully with the glass of sauvignon blanc that I chose, only highlighting its bright acidic notes.
For my main dish, I chose the Shellfish Pasta that was a generous bowl of penne pasta in a lobster cream sauce with sundried tomatoes and spinach, mixed with shrimp, scallops, and topped with lump crab meat. The seafood was cooked perfectly and the sauce was not overly rich, yet brought out the sweetness of the scallops and shrimp. A little touch of spice would have elevated this dish, but it was addictive enough on its own as well. I ate all the seafood, but surrendered to the rest of the pasta. Keith opted for the Surf & Turf that was a 6 oz filet steak with half of a fried baby lobster, served with mashed potatoes and broccoli. The steak was slightly under cooked for his medium-rare request, but had good flavor from the butter sauce on top. The lobster was delicate and sort of tempura fried to give it a different texture and Keith really liked the mashed potatoes. The broccoli was their vegetable of the day, and it was bountiful, super green, and fresh. The verdent pops of color were evident on almost everyone else's plates in the room.
All in all, we had a decent meal at FINS Fish House and would highly recommend it to others looking for fresh seafood and a rawbar in a casual setting while at Rehoboth Beach. Just be prepared to wait up to an hour for large groups, or consider going later in the evening after the family crowd dies down.
Total Rating: 3.85
Food: 4, Price: 4, Service: 4, Ambience: 3, Accessibility: 3
What I ate:
Steamed Clams
a dozen middle neck clams served with lemon and drawn butter
Fins Shellfish Pasta
Gulf shrimp, fresh scallops, and lump crab meat tossed with spinach, pine nuts,
and sundried tomatoes in a lobster cream sauce served over penne pasta
Plus Keith ate:
Oyster Sampler
a half dozen raw oysters (one each from below):
Beaver Tail from RI, Cedar Island from RI, Little Bay from ME,
Pleasant Bay from Mass, Wallace Bay from RI, and Wellfleet from RI
(shown in the picture starting from bottom going up around clockwise)
Beaver Tail from RI, Cedar Island from RI, Little Bay from ME,
Pleasant Bay from Mass, Wallace Bay from RI, and Wellfleet from RI
(shown in the picture starting from bottom going up around clockwise)
Surf & Turf
6 oz filet steak with ½ baby lobster
served with mashed potatoes and broccoli
