Built in 1849, the Captain Kidd is Woods Hole’s favorite pirate bar. With marble counter tops and furnishings from old ships, dining at the Captain Kidd really takes you back to Woods Hole’s original pirate days.
Yes, it’s true. Woods Hole was once the hangout of pirates, including the famous Captain Kidd who was rumored to use nearby Tarpaulin and Kettle Coves as a hideout from which to spring upon merchant ships.
The Kidd, as locals refer to the restaurant, was outfitted in honor of our famous pirate forbearer, and the walls of the main bar are lined with a 1930’s era mural of pirates lounging on island shores, a mahogany bar with old brass fittings, and a marble bar rail.
Today’s Captain Kidd is a casual and fun hangout. The menu includes primarily seafood such as baked New England Scrod, broiled Sea Scallops, Shrimp Scampi, Salmon, and of course, lobster. In addition to the classic Cape Cod seafood, the Kidd offers tons of soups, salads, burgers, and sandwiches. This authentic bar is open year-round and is particularly delightful in winter when the pot-bellied stove warms the room looking out over Eel Pond as you perch on a stool that looks like an old wooden keg around tables made from cable spools.
In summer, the adjacent Waterfront Dining Room opens up as well and the menu expands to include summer favorites like boiled lobster and fresh striped bass. The back deck here doubles as a working dock, and it’s tough to beat the views of the marina as you don your lobster bib and the clarified butter drips down your chin. This room is also available in the off-season for private parties, and hosts the popular “Dinner and a Movie” in association with the Woods Hole Film Festival, a Saturday night staple for year-rounders.
The Captain Kidd is perhaps most famous as starting point of the Falmouth Road Race – where for 39 years, runners have gathered to dash the scenic seven-mile stretch.
Tommy Leonard, longtime friend of the owners of the Kidd and founder of this now-famous race with over 10,000 runners, is memorialized in a plaque just at the front door. Don’t miss your photo-op with one of Falmouth’s most revered residents.
So whether you come for the road race (running this Sunday August 12th) or just to explore the waterfront, I can guarantee the awesome atmosphere paired with the classic Cape Cod menu is too great to pass up. I mean, it’s not every day you can enjoy a real pirate bar.
