THOMPSON’S CLAM BAR
Address: Snow Inn Road, Harwich Port
Years Active: 1950–1997
Hey! Where ya going?!” Chances are if someone grew up on or visited Cape Cod at any time from the 1950s through the 1990s, they know the answer to this famous question.
There are few restaurants to ever exist on Cape Cod to match the instant recognition of Thompson’s Clam Bar. Even those who might have never partaken in some of the celebrated fried seafood knew of the immense reputation of this establishment as the champion of the Cape’s seasonal restaurants.
Along the spectacular Wychmere Harbor in Harwich, the only thing that equaled the food was the atmosphere at Thompson’s. Situated on the western side of the entrance to Wychmere Harbor, it was possible to take a seat right along the water and watch the myriad vessels passing in and out. The boats cruising by on a warm summer evening with a basket of fried clams in front of you is a postcard for a perfect Cape Cod experience. This is the reason why Thompson’s did astronomical business during its time in existence.
Thompson’s was founded in 1950 by three brothers: Frank, Biddle and Edric Thompson. During its more than four decades in service, the restaurant became an institution. It was, at one point, the largest seasonal restaurant east of the Mississippi River.
From the time the 552-seat restaurant opened in mid-June through the time it closed in mid-September, it was possible to serve more than two thousand people in one night several times during the season. Some of those customers would wait for a table for up to an hour and a half just to get their fix of what Thompson’s had to offer.
The drive down Snow Inn Road was filled with anticipation knowing what lay along the water. Cars would slow down to be greeted by valets to take the guesswork out of parking. It was not uncommon for the parade of customers waiting to get their cars parked to stretch all the way from the Thompson’s parking lot out to Route 28, just over a quarter mile.
The legendary shack that housed the clam bar was originally part of an eight-room inn built on the western side of what was then Salt Water Pond. It did not become a harbor until it was successfully dredged in 1889. The three Thompson brothers’ parents had been married at the inn in 1913 and stuck around to run it. The brothers started out living in the future restaurant as a home, which they referred to as Hangover Inn, or alternately, Spit ’n’ Whittle. The Thompson family eventually allowed fishermen to tie their boats at the docks alongside the inn and unload their catch. People saw the activity along the water and began asking to buy seafood literally right off the boat. This led to people wanting their freshly bought catch to be cooked or opened right there, and after a while, the family turned the boys’ home along the docks into Thompson’s Clam Bar. The rest, as they say, is history.
Though it started off as a haven for guests of the neighboring Snow Inn, Thompson’s soon became more than a popular spot for lunch or dinner—it became a landmark and a place to be seen. Politicians like Senator Ted Kennedy and Speaker of the House Tip O’Neill were routinely spotted there, and legends like New York Yankee Joe DiMaggio had to stop by and see what all of the fuss was about. Whether it was the celebrated fried clams or clam chowder; baked, broiled or lazy lobster; classic seafood such as scallops and shrimp; fresh fish like scrod, sole or bluefish; and all the way to chicken and steak, Thompson’s had something for everyone. The variety was just one of the many reasons it became the top spot on any Cape Cod bucket list for four decades. It would grow so large, in fact, that a second Thompson’s opened for a time in North Truro in the 1960s.
Thompson’s was such a monster on Cape Cod that even its staff dormitory, the Bourne House, which was located near the entrance of Saquatucket Harbor, garnered a legacy in its own right. It was purchased in 1976 by Robert Brackett and became known as Brax Landing—going strong for four decades.
In 1982, J. Richard Fennell purchased the iconic spot from the Thompson family after the three Thompson brothers had passed and running such a large establishment became too much for their widows. He continued to proudly keep the tradition alive. In 1984, he had some renovations done on the iconic structure, placed fender pilings along the waterway face of the building, replaced the deck and fixed up the roof. He attempted to expand on the Thompson’s name by creating Thompson’s Farm Market in 1989 on Route 28 in Harwich across from Brax Landing. The restaurant itself would continue to grow, with the Captain’s Bar and an upstairs Victorian lounge. The lounge was renamed the Harbor Watch Room in 1991 after a long legal battle with the town.
Thompson’s lasted well into the 1990s, winning Best Waterfront Dining and Best Seafood Restaurant on the Mid-Cape from the readers of Cape Cod Life magazine in 1995. It became part of the newly established Wychmere Harbor Beach and Tennis Club in 1996. The building remained open and was used for private parties in conjunction with the club. Fennell attempted to keep the flame burning by turning his Harwich Port establishment, Nick and Dick’s, into Cap’n Thompson’s Clam Boat on Route 28. Despite it only lasting two seasons, it did take home Best Outdoor Restaurant on the Mid-Cape through Cape Cod Life in 1996—a fitting tribute to just how strong the call of the Thompson’s name was.
The memories of Thompson’s remain to this day, with a DVD depicting a day in the life at Thompson’s from 1983 for sale through the Harwich Historical Society. What about the iconic jingle that tickled Cape Codders and visitors’ ears on the radio for decades? It was purchased by Eastham restaurant Arnold’s Clam Bar and repackaged in 2011. Thompson’s Clam Bar still remains deep in the fabric of Cape Cod twenty years after its closing.
As of 2016, the Wychmere Beach Club stands where the famed clam bar once stood along the water in Harwich.