It’s still quite popular, but not so much as in those peak years when it was on just about every single Italian Restaurant menu in America. The dish was hugely popular in the 1970’2 and 80’ s but has cooled off on popularity in recent years. This dish has been a favorite Italian-American Classics, mostly in restaurants. Clams Casino was created in 1917 at the Little Casino at Narragansett, Rhode Island and has been a huge hit ever since.