1. Welcome to Tundras.com!

    You are currently viewing as a guest! To get full-access, you need to register for a FREE account.

    As a registered member, you’ll be able to:
    • Participate in all Tundra discussion topics
    • Transfer over your build thread from a different forum to this one
    • Communicate privately with other Tundra owners from around the world
    • Post your own photos in our Members Gallery
    • Access all special features of the site

Recommend Lobster Shacks in Maine - Now with Reviews!

Discussion in 'North East U.S.' started by Green Thunder, Apr 18, 2022.

  1. Apr 18, 2022 at 11:20 AM
    #1
    Green Thunder

    Green Thunder [OP] Smooth in the Cruise

    Joined:
    Oct 22, 2019
    Member:
    #37701
    Messages:
    7,161
    Washington
    Vehicle:
    2020 Burnt Green TRD Pro
    Food crumbs and dog fur
    Hello to the NE coasters from a NW coaster.

    I’m going to be in Maine this June on vacation (Ogunquit area) and I’m curious what shops/shacks/restaurants have the best lobster rolls and other seafood nom noms. My family and I are foodies, so this is going to be one of those bucket-list items I can check off. I’ll take suggestions for anything; small no-seating-buy-and-go-away shacks to fancy joints.

    I heard about Red’s Eats today, but looking for other recommendations as well.
     
  2. Apr 18, 2022 at 12:28 PM
    #2
    HD59019

    HD59019 New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 4, 2022
    Member:
    #76781
    Messages:
    19
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Robert
    Vehicle:
    2017 Tundra SR5
    When I'm in the area, I really like the Lobster Shack in Perkins Cove. Small seating area or window service. Not sure of their hours this time of year. Enjoy! Beautiful area.
     
    Last edited: Apr 19, 2022
    Green Thunder[OP] likes this.
  3. Apr 18, 2022 at 12:32 PM
    #3
    Netmonkey

    Netmonkey Don't be a Dumbass

    Joined:
    Mar 21, 2016
    Member:
    #2971
    Messages:
    1,482
    Gender:
    Male
    Georgetown, TX
    Vehicle:
    2016 Texas Edition, 5.7, CM, MGM
    Icon stage 2 lift, 295 60 20 nitto ridge grapplers, fuel kranks, TRD dual exhaust, TRD rear sway bar
    Green Thunder[OP] likes this.
  4. Apr 18, 2022 at 12:36 PM
    #4
    dittothat

    dittothat New Member

    Joined:
    Feb 23, 2019
    Member:
    #26579
    Messages:
    2,654
    First Name:
    Nick
    SD
    Vehicle:
    2016 MGM Platinum
    If you head up north test out McLaughlin Seafood. My buddy’s family owns it; top notch rolls there.
     
  5. Apr 18, 2022 at 1:01 PM
    #5
    Green Thunder

    Green Thunder [OP] Smooth in the Cruise

    Joined:
    Oct 22, 2019
    Member:
    #37701
    Messages:
    7,161
    Washington
    Vehicle:
    2020 Burnt Green TRD Pro
    Food crumbs and dog fur
    These are all great! Thank you for the suggestions.
     
    Netmonkey[QUOTED] likes this.
  6. Apr 18, 2022 at 5:48 PM
    #6
    Occidentalis

    Occidentalis Out Snakin'

    Joined:
    Feb 16, 2021
    Member:
    #59222
    Messages:
    480
    North Florida
    Vehicle:
    2015 Inferno TRD Pro
    Green Thunder[OP] likes this.
  7. Apr 18, 2022 at 6:03 PM
    #7
    PermaFrostTRD

    PermaFrostTRD Tumescent Member

    Joined:
    Sep 20, 2016
    Member:
    #4612
    Messages:
    2,682
    Gender:
    Male
    Northern NY
    Vehicle:
    2019 CrewMax MGM Grocery Getter
    limited wannabe, suspension and tire improvements
    If you can deal with the rest of Portland, Portland lobster company is pretty ace. Great spot, view, beers, the whole 9.

    highroller lobster is also kind of cool. Kind of a like a 50’s burger joint, but lobster rolls. Pretty fun if you’ve got kids. And the rolls are good too.

    Some lobster roll trucks at the head light park area that are solid.

    we like Portland because of all the amazing variations of food. We can keep a low enough profile to stay out of trouble adventuring into some of the more eclectic haunts if that’s your thing.

    Scales will be the best meal you’ve ever had. Spendy though.
     
    Last edited: Apr 18, 2022
    Green Thunder[OP] likes this.
  8. Jun 29, 2022 at 3:35 PM
    #8
    Green Thunder

    Green Thunder [OP] Smooth in the Cruise

    Joined:
    Oct 22, 2019
    Member:
    #37701
    Messages:
    7,161
    Washington
    Vehicle:
    2020 Burnt Green TRD Pro
    Food crumbs and dog fur
    So to close this conversation out, I'll report out on my findings. I just returned from Ogunquit on a 7 day tour and ate/tried 9 different lobster rolls (some where shared; I consumed 6.3 rolls).

    For the record, all the lobster (and the other seafood) I ate was very, very fresh...so I won't mention that in every post. I'm a mega seafood snob coming from the PNW and I can say the seafood in Maine is next level. The only stuff that tasted wrong was in a breakfast omelet from a restaurant that shall not be named.

    Roll #1:
    Restaurant: Food for Thought.
    Thoughts: Dressed just right in seasoned mayo; not swimming. The lettuce liner between the roll and lobster was a nice touch. The bacon was over-smoked and had too much pepper, so I took it off. I love bacon; but it was the wrong application for a delicate lobster. They should chop the bacon up and sprinkle it over the top. They'll use less bacon and not overpower their sammich...win-win in my book. Their fries were also nicely seasoned; something that no one else in Maine seems to do (salt the fries).
    Food for Thought.jpg
    Honorable Mention: Honey-dipped doughnut grilled cheese and tomato soup. Basically self explanatory. The tomato soup is very good and they use a high-quality cheese that didn't dump oil all over the place when melted. The doughnut was fine, but didn't hold up to the mass amounts of honey and heat from the grill. Worth a try once...
    Food for Thought_tomato soup.HEIC.jpg
    Note the doritos bag in the background. That's their nachos...open a bag and pour in the cheese and fixings. Pretty fun.
     
    Last edited: Jun 29, 2022
    Wixo and FlyingWolfe like this.
  9. Jun 29, 2022 at 3:42 PM
    #9
    ScenicRoute

    ScenicRoute New Member

    Joined:
    Jan 22, 2021
    Member:
    #57970
    Messages:
    681
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Tim
    Vehicle:
    2021 Tundra CM Nightshade
    Eibach stage 2, SmartCap, Ride Rite, Bora spacers, 35” rugged ridge tires.
    Damn that looks good.
     
    Green Thunder[OP] likes this.
  10. Jun 29, 2022 at 3:46 PM
    #10
    Green Thunder

    Green Thunder [OP] Smooth in the Cruise

    Joined:
    Oct 22, 2019
    Member:
    #37701
    Messages:
    7,161
    Washington
    Vehicle:
    2020 Burnt Green TRD Pro
    Food crumbs and dog fur
    Roll #2:
    Restaurant: Red's Eats
    Thoughts: This is THE destination lobster shack in Maine from what I can tell. My wife's knows a guy that went to school out in Maine and demanded we visit Red's. All the reviews online are "Drove 2 hours and it was the best ever" and every single Food Network clown has done a special here. Since this was only my second roll ever, I think my expectations where too high...it didn't wow me like I expected. Everything was perfect, but I just expected some kind of secret sauce or spice rub. The best surprise was the local butter they use. The "farm" flavors in the melted butter really made the roll pop.

    I will admit that in retrospect, after eating all the rolls on this trip, it does rank up there at the top and they do deserve the reputation. For sure they are the nicest people we met while in Maine and the meal was definitely worth the 100ish mile drive. We arrived about 45 minutes before opening and were probably the 15th or so group in line.
    Reds Eats.HEIC.jpg
     
  11. Jun 29, 2022 at 3:49 PM
    #11
    FlyingWolfe

    FlyingWolfe Wolfie

    Joined:
    Apr 4, 2020
    Member:
    #44648
    Messages:
    1,039
    Gender:
    Female
    First Name:
    Crystal
    Maine
    Vehicle:
    2018 TRD Off-Road Inferno
    Glad you found some good yum yums up here
    :fistbump:
     
    Green Thunder[OP] likes this.
  12. Jun 29, 2022 at 3:52 PM
    #12
    Green Thunder

    Green Thunder [OP] Smooth in the Cruise

    Joined:
    Oct 22, 2019
    Member:
    #37701
    Messages:
    7,161
    Washington
    Vehicle:
    2020 Burnt Green TRD Pro
    Food crumbs and dog fur
    Honorable Mention...
    Restaurant: The Greenery Cafe
    Why yes, that is Lobster Benedict. I'm a freak for a good Benedict breakfast and finding one that checks all the boxes is rare. I want my english muffins toasted brown for some texture and a hollandaise sauce that makes me forget my surroundings. And if you phuk up the poached eggs the chef should lose a finger. This was all that (except for the finger part...the eggs were perfect)...and although the hash browns (potatoes to the locals) were not grilled enough, they were very good as well.
    The Greenery Cafe.HEIC.jpg
     
    Last edited: Jun 29, 2022
    GODZILLA likes this.
  13. Jun 29, 2022 at 3:57 PM
    #13
    Green Thunder

    Green Thunder [OP] Smooth in the Cruise

    Joined:
    Oct 22, 2019
    Member:
    #37701
    Messages:
    7,161
    Washington
    Vehicle:
    2020 Burnt Green TRD Pro
    Food crumbs and dog fur
    Roll #3:
    Restaurant: Ogunquit Lobster Pound
    This is what I'd call an average roll. The bread was a bit dry and while there was plenty of lobster, it was slightly over-sauced. Locals probably will disagree with me; it was a learning curve to accept mayo on fresh seafood. That's just not done on the left coast. The coleslaw was amazing, but it reminded me of a fun fish shop I ate at growing up, so there was a lot of nostalgia. I eventually came to learn that chips and a slaw or pickle are the perfect accompaniment for a lobster roll...not fries.Ogunquit Lobster Pound.HEIC.jpg
     
    Last edited: Jun 29, 2022
  14. Jun 29, 2022 at 4:00 PM
    #14
    dittothat

    dittothat New Member

    Joined:
    Feb 23, 2019
    Member:
    #26579
    Messages:
    2,654
    First Name:
    Nick
    SD
    Vehicle:
    2016 MGM Platinum
    Glad you enjoyed your time in Maine. The way life should be!
     
    Green Thunder[OP] likes this.
  15. Jun 29, 2022 at 4:02 PM
    #15
    Wixo

    Wixo The Best Member

    Joined:
    Apr 24, 2022
    Member:
    #77542
    Messages:
    179
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Mawr
    RGV
    Vehicle:
    5.7L 4x4 CrewMax SB
    Tint
    Post more please.

    I remember I went to Cull and Pistol or something like that in NYC. We ordered a bunch of oysters, soups and other appetizers. In the end I felt like I had a little space in me so I ordered a lobster roll. Imagine my surprise when it wasn't a sushi roll with lobster, but hotdog that used lobster instead of sausage. How is this $15 I thought to myself. I dipped it in butter and took a bite...oh boye! I regret that day a little. In Deep South Texas I will not get the option to have a lobster roll that good. I have to go back to filthy NYC to have such a delicious snack again. Hopefully Ill find myself in Maine some day soon, I can guarantee you Ill be eating lobster rolls all day, every day.
     
  16. Jun 29, 2022 at 4:03 PM
    #16
    Wixo

    Wixo The Best Member

    Joined:
    Apr 24, 2022
    Member:
    #77542
    Messages:
    179
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Mawr
    RGV
    Vehicle:
    5.7L 4x4 CrewMax SB
    Tint
    Im punishing myself by reading your posts. Enough for today for me.
     
  17. Jun 29, 2022 at 4:07 PM
    #17
    Green Thunder

    Green Thunder [OP] Smooth in the Cruise

    Joined:
    Oct 22, 2019
    Member:
    #37701
    Messages:
    7,161
    Washington
    Vehicle:
    2020 Burnt Green TRD Pro
    Food crumbs and dog fur
    Roll #4
    Restaurant: Fisherman's Catch
    When I saw "lemon truffle chive aioli" we were going! I was worried that the truffle was going to be overpowering, but it was fine. Unfortunately, their lobster is obviously seasoned with mayo in bulk b/c the aioli was just squirted on the top. It was disappointing as it felt like I had a spoon full of mayo in each bite. Their fries and coleslaw suck, so if you go here get the chips and pickle. But chives on lobster is heaven...Fishermans Catch.HEIC.jpg
    This is why you want to visit the restaurant. The truffle waffle fries are re-donk-a-donk...
    Fishermans Catch_fries.HEIC.jpg
    And this is the calamari salad...yes, there's a salad under all that. Also amazingFishermans Catch_calimari.HEIC.jpg
     
    Last edited: Jun 29, 2022
    Wixo likes this.
  18. Jun 29, 2022 at 4:15 PM
    #18
    Green Thunder

    Green Thunder [OP] Smooth in the Cruise

    Joined:
    Oct 22, 2019
    Member:
    #37701
    Messages:
    7,161
    Washington
    Vehicle:
    2020 Burnt Green TRD Pro
    Food crumbs and dog fur
    Roll #5
    Restaurant: The Front Porch
    This is where I learned the mayo version is better. Typically a cold roll has mayo and a hot roll has butter. Not always, but it seems to be a general rule. The meat just tastes better when cold and when you warm it up, you run the risk of overcooking it. This restaurant was a hot mess all around...they ran out of bread and clean spoons...but even properly steamed lobster will get rubbery when you reheat it. That was the case here. This roll was also the most expensive and contained the least amount of meat...so try the beef filet as that looked pretty amazing.The Front Porch.jpg
     
    Wixo likes this.
  19. Jun 29, 2022 at 4:21 PM
    #19
    NWPirate

    NWPirate Tesla kool-aid connoisseur

    Joined:
    Dec 24, 2019
    Member:
    #40251
    Messages:
    9,112
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Zach
    WA
    Vehicle:
    2017 SR5 TRD CM 2004 TRD Snow Goat
    Still craving all of this since your trip, now I have to see it all over again! :annoyed:

    :fistbump:
     
  20. Jun 29, 2022 at 4:33 PM
    #20
    Green Thunder

    Green Thunder [OP] Smooth in the Cruise

    Joined:
    Oct 22, 2019
    Member:
    #37701
    Messages:
    7,161
    Washington
    Vehicle:
    2020 Burnt Green TRD Pro
    Food crumbs and dog fur
    Rolls #6-9.
    Restaurant: Bite into Maine
    Saw the curry roll on a TV show and knew this had to be on the list. Told my wife and son I'm buying four rolls and they're helping; didn't give them a chance to opt out. Mainly for health reasons...I could have crushed all four and smiled through the pain.

    We all agreed these were the best by a clear margin...even better than Red's. Every component had a touch of finesse that made it better than everyone else. The bread was buttered on the outside of the roll and was beautifully toasted. The seasoning was perfect and nothing was overpowering. The chips were the good crunchy ones, not the bottom shelf crap.

    Oh, it was magical...just thinking about them is making me drool.

    Clockwise from the top left: Curry roll (delicious and worked amazingly well with lobster), Wasabi roll (too mild for my tastes, but I like spicy stuff and wanted a nose punch. Nicely balanced for the average eater), the standard mayo and chive (delicious; this is what I expected in a "basic" roll) and the Picnic (coleslaw first; then the meat...it was amazing).Bite into Maine.HEIC.jpg
     
    NWPirate, LarryDangerfield and Wixo like this.
  21. Jun 29, 2022 at 5:18 PM
    #21
    Wixo

    Wixo The Best Member

    Joined:
    Apr 24, 2022
    Member:
    #77542
    Messages:
    179
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Mawr
    RGV
    Vehicle:
    5.7L 4x4 CrewMax SB
    Tint
    I would order all 4, and then eat each and every last bite of them.
     
To Top