Clark's Fish Camp is like stepping back into old Florida. It's Florida casual dining at it's finest. Located in Mandarin, just outside of Jacksonville, there are two ways to drive to the restaurant (one way from I-95, the other from I-295), both taking you through a neighborhood that has sprawled over the 30+ years since the restaurant first opened its doors to the public. At the end of a dead end street, Clark's sits beside beautiful Julington Creek. You can also navigate your way to the restaurant by boat.
We met friends for Friday evening dinner. They'd been there before and highly recommended the fish camp. I was searching for something that would remind me of the crab houses my family frequented when I lived in Maryland. I had heard stories from other people and read several online recommendations that led me to believe the half-hour trip to Mandarin would be worthwhile.
When we arrived, the parking lot was full and a long line of cars lined both sides of the street leading to the restaurant. Since they don't accept reservations for groups of less than 8, I had called ahead to reserve a table as we drove toward Mandarin. They'll allow you to do this 30 minutes prior to arrival. The outside deck was buzzing with diners who were conversing and patiently waiting for a table. We were pleased to be summoned inside within 10 minutes of our arrival. Calling ahead paid off.
The restaurant building is rustic and still has a fish camp atmosphere. It started out as a bait and tackle shop and grew to the unique restaurant you see today. Walking inside, you are literally greeted by lions, tigers and bears. The decor is a tribute to the taxidermist's artistry with a display of stuffed animals throughout the building. We were shown to a picnic-like table with sturdy benches, just inside the doors that lead out to the dining deck on the lake. We arrived around 6:30, just in time to watch the herons fishing for their dinner, and the sky slowly faded from blue to pink, then black, as the sun gracefully disappeared behind the trees.
I had downloaded Clark's menu online the day before, thinking it would give me extra time at home to make a choice from their huge selection of entrees; but I was wrong. Their menu has the largest variety of foods I have ever seen. I continued to study the list for endless minutes at the table, finally choosing their Fish Camp Platter. It was a wise decision because it gave me an opportunity to taste several of their dishes. The fish camp offers much more than seafood and features an amazing assortment of foods that caters to a wide range of tastes. At least one item from the list will appeal to every member of your group. Here's a small sample: Prime Rib, escargot, lobster, gator, kangaroo, venison, buffalo, trout, grouper, crawfish jambalaya and etoufee, Mahi Mahi, conch, soft shell crab, chicken, hot dogs and hamburgers. They can fry, charbroil, blacken, bake or serve your entree Caribbean style, and they offer a full page of appetizers as well as a variety of salads.
Three appetizers were ordered: a bowl of steaming mussels, fried green tomatoes, and cheese stix with marinara sauce. All were excellent. My husband and I orderedNew England Clam Chowder which surprisingly arrived in a big bowl instead of a cup. At $4.75 we got our monies worth. The chowder was thick and rich, a little salty for my taste, but very good. When the entrees arrived, I was amazed again by the plates that practically overflowed with food. My family and one of our friends stuffed ourselves full with heaping platters of fried oysters, clams, scallops, shrimp, Talapia, Imperial Crab, and hush puppies. The two other people at our table chose steak and barbequed shrimp. Dinner came with two side orders. Some of the sides we ordered were blackeye peas, new potatoes, applesauce, french fries, grits and baked potatoes. We capped the meal off with homemade Key Lime Pie and a cake named Chocolate Suicide that is served with raspberry sauce. Everything was prepared perfectly and we all went home with leftovers to enjoy again on Saturday. Three entrees, two bowls of soup, one appetizer, one dessert, and drinks for three totaled bout $85, not including tip.
Clarks's Fish Camp provided us with a memorable experience which we'll repeat again. The food and service was excellent, the waitress was friendly and patient when we took forever to order, and the atmosphere was perfectly casual for a balmy Florida evening.
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UPDATE: Florida Foodies visited Clark's Fish Camp recently and found it beautifully decorated for Christmas. We spent approximately $75 for 3 people, including tip and drinks, and the food was perfect. For appetizers, the lump crab meat cocktail was enormous and very satisfying. The guys raved about the steamed oysters topped with jalepeno, mozzerella cheese and large shrimp. Our teen is still talking about the dozen steamed mussels that filled him up--after all, they were each the size of a silver dollar! Lorenza and I were overwhelmed by the size of their fried Fish Camp Platter that is intended to serve 2 but ended up feeding the three of us again the next day. It was heaped with fried shrimp, oysters, scallops, fish, clam strips and deviled crabs...plus side dishes! We've been to Clark's four times and have always been exceptionally pleased...a memorable meal!
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