Lena’s Seafood

Just a funky roadside mom and pop kind of place place in rural Florida. I suspect most of the patrons were locals. We walked in the door and found a waitress swing dancing with a 10 year old girl. Nice atmosphere with friendly people.
I had fish tacos for $ 6, and my wife had a fish and clam special for $ 12. Generous portions of expertly fried seafood which wasn’t the least bit greasy. I hope to come here again. They deserve at least 4.5 stars, so I’ll give five in hopes of bumping them up a notch.

We made a quick stop here on our trip. We ordered and had eaten in under 30 minutes. The fish sandwich was recommended by a gentleman. It was great and fresh tasting. The onion rings are home made. The ambiance is lacking perhaps, unless roadside fish joint is the setting you’re hoping for. The food was good, cheap & quick. Our waitress was very friendly. What else do you want?

The food was good but it was a bit over priced. They also charged us 30 cents for a piece of lettuce. That is one piece I’m talking about! Kinda crazy!

Everything was delicious! Whole fried clams and mussels were tender and cooked perfectly. AYCE shrimp and fish was amazing. Great prices and service! Thanks… we will be back!

Sorry Lena but your food was too greasy. I felt like I was eating frozen food. Te French fries looked like they were the kind you buy from the freezer section of the grocery store. The coleslaw here also seemed out of a jar. I was very disappointed. However the service was friendly and the place was clean. We paid $ 60 for a our group of 5 with two of us sharing a plate. Too much money for frozen food

The claims strips were fresh and fantastic but the fried shrimp were the really small ones. Onion rings were also very good.

This was the worst meal I’ve ever eaten. The chowder was thin, runny and all it had was potatoes no clams. The broiled Haddock was poached in foil. No seasoning and no taste. My husband had broiled bay scallops also poached in foil. No seasoning no taste. The onion rings are all grease and no flavor. They give you a 2 ounce cup of coleslaw on the side with a baked potato.
It’s all served on styrofoam plates, bowls and cups with plastic utensils. It was disgusting. I would never recommend this restaurant to anyone.

How do you describe this place? Let’s see I’ll drive an hour and a halve just to eat the fried clams. That should be enough but it isn’t Lena’s is frozen and time, back in the days where fish camps dotted Hwy 40, and people were simple. Lena’s is the one simple good thing I can still recall from my childhood.
The first time I ate their we were camping in the Ocala Forest and a Raccoon got in our food, it was the first place we saw that was open on Hwy 40. It was love at first bite!
If you want a no frills good meal go to Lena’s oder the fish platter with onion rigs and some clam strips for the road you won’t be disappointed and you’ll be planning you next trip to the Ocala Forest. Don’t wait till a Raccoon eat’s your camping food, go to Lena’s first Look for the big Whale sign.

Fried seafood mostly. I went in looking for something not fried and the waitress looked at me like I had two heads. I ended up with a heapin helpin of shrimp scampi that was delicous, and baked potato and coleslaw.

My best friend suggested Lena’s, as he had been going for years… unfortunately, those years do not include the May to Oct seasonal «shutdown» Lena’s practices… and things change.
Personally, another 8 miles down US40 brings you to Astor, FL and «The Essex» seafood restaurant… no comparison. Lena’s was just OK, and the micro-​cup of coleslaw was her downfall… I HATE when they bring you one of those 2oz plastic condiment cups and call it a side! My order of clam strips were delicious but easily ¼# shy of Essex’s serving sizes :(

This is the BEST New England Seafood you can get in FL (and they also have their original location In Salisbury MA) and its wonderful there too!
BUT when I was living in Ocala, up until a couple of weeks ago, this was MY FAVE place!
I love their Haddock, the FISH (or clam) chowder, and the ONION RINGS! Beware tho, if you want their YUMMIEST Onion rings (LIKE they do them up in the MA location) you need to ask for them:
«Mealed’ (which is their cornmeal coating)…vs. their thick battered rings that they serve in their FL location. They have no problem making them up that way, they did it for me, and inevitably, someone would see mine (all thin and crisp) and ask what i was eating! So they do make them for quit e a lot of people now!
And if you are a New Englander, or you have been to New England, you may know we are known for our clams. i don’t like them, but they do serve them here… and ppl love them!
If you go here, PLEASE… tell them Missy says hi (and that I SENT YOU) and give Karen, Dori, Jen and all the gals my love! I miss them (and now that I’m in CT, I’m at least only 2 hours away from their original location… which i grew up with in the 70’s (they have been around since 1958 I think… My grandparents used to take my mom and her siblings there as well!
The Ocala location had been open for over 20+ yrs. Please be forewarned (bummer) they are only open OCT-​MAY each year…
I was going to say they do not accept credit cards, but just the VERY LAST time i went there they had started… I assume they will keep doing it, but best to bring some cash just in case! :o) (altho trust me, there is an atm only about 3 – 4 mi away… had to use it many a time when i 4got cash! LOL)
Enjoy this place! It is a landmark, and always busy!