There are seafood shacks and then there is Evelyn’s Drive-In. Sitting on the waterfront edge of Nanaquaket Pond in Tiverton, Rhode Island, this seasonal institution has been doing New England seafood the right way since 1969. It appeared in Season 2, Episode 3 of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives — “Seaside Eats,” aired October 15, 2007 — and Guy Fieri ripped into fried clams, clam cakes, Rhode Island chowder, and a lobster chow mein that stopped him in his tracks. His reaction: “As wrong as it is, it’s right.” That about covers it.
Evelyn’s is a seasonal operation, which means planning ahead matters. But for anyone chasing genuine New England coastal food in a setting that earns its reputation, this is the stop.
Quick Facts
Restaurant: Evelyn’s Drive-In
City: Tiverton, Rhode Island
Cuisine: Seafood
DDD Season: 2
DDD Episode: 3
Episode Title: Seaside Eats
Original Air Date: October 15, 2007
Address: 2335 Main Rd., Tiverton, RI 02878
Phone: 401-624-3100
Website: https://www.evelynsdrivein.com/
Status: Open (Seasonal)
About Evelyn’s Drive-In
Evelyn DuPont founded the drive-in in 1969, and in 1987 husband and wife team Domenic and Jane Bitto took over the operation. They kept the original recipes, built on the classics, and added some new twists — the lobster chow mein being the most talked-about of those additions. It is a Rhode Island original that nobody else is doing, and it became the dish that defined Evelyn’s national profile after the Triple D appearance.
The setup is pure New England drive-in: order at the window, take your food to the picnic tables on the crushed shell patio overlooking the pond, and settle in. On a warm summer evening with the water in front of you and a bowl of chowder in hand, there is nowhere better to be on the Rhode Island coast. People arrive by boat. That tells you everything about the kind of place this is.
Evelyn’s is a seasonal restaurant, typically open from spring through early fall. Hours vary by season so check the website or call before heading out.
What to Eat at Evelyn’s Drive-In
The Lobster Chow Mein is the signature and the dish most first-timers order based on Guy’s reaction alone. Fresh lobster, Chinese-style noodles, and a combination that has no right to work as well as it does. The Food Network also highlighted the Fried Whole Belly Clams, Clam Cakes, and the Rhode Island Clam Chowder — a clear-broth style that adds cream at the end, distinct from the thick New England version most people know.
The menu also runs lobster rolls, broiled scallops, fish and chips, calamari, shrimp, and a full seafood platter big enough for two. For non-seafood eaters the kitchen also does homemade chicken pie, meatloaf, and burgers. But if you drive to Tiverton and order the burger, that’s on you.
Plan Your Visit
Evelyn’s is seasonal. Check the website for current operating dates and hours before making the trip. The pond-side patio is the move in good weather.
Address: 2335 Main Rd., Tiverton, RI 02878
Phone: 401-624-3100
Website: https://www.evelynsdrivein.com/
Status: Open (Seasonal)
Evelyn’s Drive-In appeared in Season 2, Episode 3 of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, “Seaside Eats,” originally aired October 15, 2007.
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Fuel the Obsession
Planning a New England road trip around Triple D stops? More Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives maps out 60 more of Guy’s favorites. And the Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives streaming show has the full Seaside Eats episode if you want to watch Guy work through that lobster chow mein before you go.