The Crow’s Nest in Warwick started as just another humble clam shack, where blue-collar salty dogs and skippers stopped in for suds and a meatball grinder. A half-century later it has become just another renowned, yet low-profile Little Rhody landmark, offering an extensive menu centered on fresh and affordable seafood dishes. "A family-style restaurant with a nautical theme" proclaims www.eatatcrowsnest.com. Deliciously simple seafood with family-friendly prices and portions comes in a casual atmosphere, handsomely updated with rich oak hardwoods in the dining room and adjacent lounge.

Over the past eight years, I have gladly accepted the role of homegrown culinary tour guide to close friends and some Rhody transplants, a pair of starving fourth-year med students from New Haven and Brooklyn. In our weekly summertime search for decent seafood at unpretentious prices, we’ve hit just about every seafarer south of College Hill. The tour continues, heading to the Crow’s Nest in Apponaug, with me talking up its legendary low-priced lobster sauté for the entire ride.

"Priority call-ahead seating" is offered and highly recommended on weekends, but we decided to make the voyage during a muggy midweek evening, catching the last few innings of the late season Red Sox in the lounge (smoke-free for more than a year, without any seeming averse impact of business). Presentation-wise, the seafood dinners aren’t exquisite, but the prices and generous portions more than deliver, from the tender squid sauté and clams zuppa to the classic fish and chips ($7.50).

Perusing turned to panic as we noted the sauté option’s absence on the menu. Our waitress, Linda, regretfully broke the news that the sauté is no longer offered. The dish was an absolute steal — no stuffing or filler, no shell-cracking brine shower, and always under $15. But head chef/owner John Grahan (who took the helm in 1992) seems downright obsessive about satisfying the loyal locals with fresh and hefty portions at good prices. Considering the preparation required in an infinitely bustling kitchen, the lazyman’s favorite was 86’ed from the menu. It took us a few extra few minutes to decide on alternate entrees, but we agreed on a pair of appetizers to prime the palette.

All entrees include soup or salad, and our creamy white chowder was blazing hot (another Grahan guarantee), providing a few extra minutes to revel in the greaseless calamari and some of the sweetest, most tender steamers I’ve ever tasted. Not a speck of sand, and the accompanying water bath was pushed aside solely in favor of the drawn butter, chased by a mug of Bass (a deal at $2.25). An adjacent family of eight decked in lobster bibs seemed to be scraping the ocean clean while a crew of regulars barely needed a glance at the menu while gazing at the game.

The seafood dishes share top billing with such surprisingly authentic Italian offerings as the combo plate ($8.20) and the garlicky ziti aglio e olio ($7.20). Don’t forget, this place started as a "meatball sangwich" shack. Other advantageously priced selections include Delmonico and sirloin specials, liver and onions ($8.20), and in case your cholesterol level needs a quick boost, try the Chicken Barbara ($10.20) — a deep-fried boneless breast smothered in melted mozzarella, bacon, and brown gravy (yikes). Two-dozen varieties of clubs and subs fill out the menu, but we had a crustacean craving to conquer.

Upon ordering, we were approached by a local yokel who announced that we were in her favorite booth, then asked, "So whuddya getting’ ta eat?" And before we could respond, she jumped in and boisterously proclaimed, "Go with the lobstuh club, and get the mashed with gravy insteaduh fries." Like a soused psychic she nailed one order, while my other buddy went for the straight lobster salad ($12.50 each). I opted for the fried clam and scallop combo platter ($11.20), in hopes of scoring a wedge of club (deemed a "finders’ fee") from across the table.

Another round of Bass down the hatch and our sea eats arrived. The lobster club was doctored, so to speak, with the addition of hot peppers and extra bacon (30 cents each). The diced celery and pepperoncini rings provided a crisp contrast of texture to the delicate lobster, which, thankfully, was not the mayo-drenched, shredded shrapnel some landlubber spots feature during the summer months. True to form, our waitress informed us that an additional batch of mashed potatoes was coming out, because the chef "didn’t like the size." Minutes later a casserole dish of mountainous mashed with steaming brown gravy appeared. Our doctor-in-training felt compelled to wolf down half the dish while proclaiming his lobster salad club the best he’s experienced in New England. Our Brooklynite appreciated the heaping scoops atop a bevy of fresh greens, cherry tomatoes, and cucumbers.

Waitress Linda recommended the homemade Key lime pie or sugar-free blueberry pie, but our stomachs could handle only a cup of joe for the road.

The Crow’s Nest overlooks Apponaug Harbor. It isn’t exactly Santa Monica Pier, but the spacious lounge and panoramic dining room here is a great summer spot for observing a sunset and the Sox while wiping cold suds and warm butter from your face.