By Margaret Locher, Contributing Writer
Westborough – Harry's has been a local favorite since 1946, but it seems more popular than ever. Every seat was taken when I arrived with a friend on a recent weeknight to chow down on something delicious. We waited just long enough to get familiar with the special board before we were seated in a booth under a painting of a smiling clam, surrounded by families and groups of friends enjoying Harry's classic comfort food.
Harry's is famous for its fried clams ($10.95 to $12.95 for strips or bellies). Its menu has its share of mouthwatering fried options, but the restaurant has added many healthy options over the last year. Those items joined what was already a massive list of choices. You could eat at Harry's every week for a year and not repeat a meal.
I arrived thinking I wanted a chicken parmesan sandwich, which is on the menu among dozens of burger, wrap, melt and sandwich options (most are $4.75 to $10.75). But my mind quickly changed when I saw that Thursday is Mac N” Cheese Madness night. The mac n” cheese options included the Buffalo Chicken; the Greek with spinach, feta and olives; or the Veggie Delight with onions, broccoli, spinach, mushrooms and peppers (all $9.99). I decided on the Steak Bomb, which comes with peppers, mushrooms and onions. My friend went back and forth between a veggie burger and a fried fish sandwich before ordering the latter. She also wisely requested a plate of french fries for us to split.
We each started our meal with a cup of clam chowder, and caught up on each other's lives. A steady flow of customers arrived and was seated by waitresses in T-shirts that read “Fried Is A Food Group.”
Our dinners arrived quickly. The Steak Bomb mac “n cheese came on more of a platter than a plate. The pasta was loaded with pieces of steak and onions. I noticed a group of friends at the booth behind us and every single one of them was enjoying one of the Mac n” Cheese Madness dinners. What a popular special!
I ended up taking the last bit of my mac n” cheese home because I wanted my boyfriend, who loves cheese steaks, to taste one deconstructed. After our waitress recited a list of homemade pies, there was no way we couldn's try some. My friend got a slice of the pecan pie and I ordered the mixed berry. Yum! Before parting, we agreed that we should make a trip to Harry's a regular thing: Even if we don's have a lot of time, we could still meet for pie and coffee.
Harry's is cash only. The diner is located on Route 9 West at 149 Turnpike Rd. in Westborough. It is open from 7 a.m. until 1 a.m. Monday through Thursday, until 2 a.m. Friday. Harry's opens at 11 a.m. Saturday and Sunday. For more information or to put in a take-out order, call 508-366-8302.
