Fresh Lobster

[ahannas]

My wife and I will soon be on a 2-week Canada/NE cruise. We stop in Boston, Portland and Bar Harbor, then up to Canada. At some point we'd like to go to a nice restaurant for some serious lobster. We're hoping to find a place not too far from the pier. Anyone know a place you could recommend?

 

Yeah, I know. The ship's dining room will probably offer one of those anemic little half-lobsters one night but we figure "Who wants to go to costal New Englsnd and not get 'real' lobster? I mean, what's the point?:o

[chengkp75]

In Portland, you can get some really "serious" lobster in either "nice" places or more "rustic" places, the rustic places have better prices, but less fancy dinnerware.

 

Nice places:

 

Boone's Fish House & Oyster Room

Street & Co.

Eventide Oyster

Scales

 

More rustic:

 

Becky's Diner

Portland Lobster Co

High Roller Lobster

Gilbert's Chowder House

 

Been to all, all great, but then again, they are serving the best lobster available, Maine. Lobster rolls, fried lobster, grilled lobster, steamed lobster, ravioli, linguini, diavolo, just about any way you'd like it. Most of the "rustic" ones are open for lunch, some of the nicer ones only for dinner. Eventide and Boone's are two open for lunch. And if you miss Eventide in Portland, there is another near Fenway in Boston.

[SailBadtheSinner]

In Bar Harbor. a very short walk from the tender docks is Stewmwns Lobster Pound. Eat on the waterfront, inside or out, not too fancy. Check out the gallery.

 

SBtS

[Nitemare]

In Boston it's a short walk from the pier to Yankee Lobster.

[chengkp75]

In Boston it's a short walk from the pier to Yankee Lobster.

 

Great place, but I'd schedule a bit off hours, as I've found it wicked packed at lunch time.

[Northern Aurora]

Earlier this summer we were in Bar Harbor twice (B2B cruises) and both times had wonderful lobster at 59 Cottage. They are located at 59 Cottage Street about half a block from the main tourist drag. Wonderful food with interesting seasonal cocktails.

 

In addition to Yankee Lobster, there is a Legal Harbourside a little farther walk from the Boston pier. Be forewarned -- it also is very crowded at lunch.

 

If you are stopping in Halifax when in Canada, last fall and again earlier this summer we had simply wonderful lobster rolls at this small place inside Goldwater Seafoods. You eat outside with plastic flatware but the lobster rolls are some of the best ever. Two sizes of lobster rolls and if you want you can add wonderful fresh salads.

[Nitemare]

You can make a reservation at Legal's, though.

[kirsty_r]

Are lobster rolls the recommended dish or are there other specialities to look out for?

 

 

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[chengkp75]

Are lobster rolls the recommended dish or are there other specialities to look out for?

 

 

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Lobster rolls are great for a quick bite on the go. For a sit down meal, I prefer warm lobster dishes, and just about any way it's served is fine with me. The best places don't overdo the sauces on the pasta dishes, to let the lobster shine. Steamed lobster is the classic, but a whole "bug" is somewhat intimidating to those who've never done it, and can get messy if you're an amateur. Some places do "lazy man's lobster" which is a full steamed lobster that has been removed from the shell for you. Any lobster dish should include knuckle and claw meat, as I think this is the best part of the lobster.

 

Deep fried lobster can be excellent, if done with a light batter, but some can get smothered with a "corn dog" type batter that really takes away from the experience.

 

Boone's in Portland does a lobster roll with the full meat (tail, knuckles, claws) from a 1-1/4 lb lobster, which is a huge amount of meat to put into a roll.

[kirsty_r]

Boone’s sounds amazing!!! Mmmmm! Thank you for the advice.

 

 

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[scm200]

Legal is very overpriced - get your lobster in Maine or Canada I am trying the place on Cottage Street when I get to Bar Harbor next week or the week after (BTB on Veendam)

[chengkp75]

Boone’s sounds amazing!!! Mmmmm! Thank you for the advice.

 

 

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Boone's used to be a Portland landmark, if a bit dated as a restaurant, and went out of business a few years back. New owner Harding Lee Smith is an award winning chef (though by all accounts he is a right b*****d to work for), owns 4 "room" restaurants in Portland:

 

Corner Room: Italian

Front Room: New American Comfort Food

Grill Room: Steakhouse, but so much more

Boone's Fish House & Oyster Room: Seafood and raw bar

 

All are great, all are open for lunch and dinner.

[Nitemare]

Legals is priced like any good seafood restaurant and has tables with great views of the water. Fresh seafood shouldn't be cheap.

 

 

I'm not a fan of Legal's in general, but for walking distance from the ship, it's either Yankee (no atmosphere) or Legal's.

[chengkp75]

Legals is priced like any good seafood restaurant and has tables with great views of the water. Fresh seafood shouldn't be cheap.

 

 

I'm not a fan of Legal's in general, but for walking distance from the ship, it's either Yankee (no atmosphere) or Legal's.

 

Gotta agree with all your points. As far as price, with kids living in Boston and Quincy, we are down there regularly, and we find that Portland's prices are equal or higher than Boston. Good food, with good presentation, and locally sourced ingredients tend to be costly.

[maryann ns]

There are lots of restaurants in the Halifax waterfront area which serve lobster. Murphy's on the waterfront is large and specializes in lobster. It is not a fine dining atmosphere but it is difficult to mess up fresh boiled lobster. The Bluenose II restaurant is more like a diner but apparently does a good job with lobster at a good price. More upscale would be McKelvie's or the Five Fishermen.

 

https://www.tripadvisor.ca/Restaurants-g154976-Halifax_Halifax_Region_Nova_Scotia.html

[Damikaan]

We haven't been yet, so I can't speak to the quality, but in Sept. we are doing a Lucky Catch Cruises excursion in Portland. You go out on a lobster boat and help catch lobster, then you can buy one and take it to the Portland Lobster Company and for a fee they will cook it for you and provide side dishes. You can't get much fresher than that.

[Sunny AZ Girl]

My DH is not a lobster fan, but I am. I would love to try a fresh, whole lobster while on the Snowbird Migration cruise in October 2019. I keep seeing "Market Price" on restaurant menus. I know this varies, but if we go to a "lobster shack" type of place, what kind of actual price range should we expect to pay? And where would you recommend? I am hoping for Portland or Bar Harbor and would prefer a casual eatery. Outside on a picnic table would suit me just fine!

[chengkp75]

My DH is not a lobster fan, but I am. I would love to try a fresh, whole lobster while on the Snowbird Migration cruise in October 2019. I keep seeing "Market Price" on restaurant menus. I know this varies, but if we go to a "lobster shack" type of place, what kind of actual price range should we expect to pay? And where would you recommend? I am hoping for Portland or Bar Harbor and would prefer a casual eatery. Outside on a picnic table would suit me just fine!

 

Going with past seasons, market price in October for a "lobster shack" 1-1/4 lb lobster meal would be $25-30. I buy the same lobster for $8-9 and steam it myself, so its been a while since we've sat down in a restaurant for a "bug". Portland Lobster Co is good, and convenient to the pier. Becky's Diner does a nice lobster dinner as well, just down Commercial St. from the pier.

[Sunny AZ Girl]

Going with past seasons, market price in October for a "lobster shack" 1-1/4 lb lobster meal would be $25-30. I buy the same lobster for $8-9 and steam it myself, so its been a while since we've sat down in a restaurant for a "bug". Portland Lobster Co is good, and convenient to the pier. Becky's Diner does a nice lobster dinner as well, just down Commercial St. from the pier.

Thanks! I will keep that in mind.

[SailBadtheSinner]

My DH is not a lobster fan, but I am. I would love to try a fresh, whole lobster while on the Snowbird Migration cruise in October 2019. I keep seeing "Market Price" on restaurant menus. I know this varies, but if we go to a "lobster shack" type of place, what kind of actual price range should we expect to pay? And where would you recommend? I am hoping for Portland or Bar Harbor and would prefer a casual eatery. Outside on a picnic table would suit me just fine!

 

There are a number of "lobster shacks" near Bar Harbor. All but one requires transportation to/from. The one "lobster shack" within walking distance of the tender dock is Stewmans Lobster Pound; read post #3.

 

Of the "lobster shacks" that require transportation to/from, depending on when you are visiting, you could use the Island Explorer to get to/from some of them. The downside to using IE is the amount of time it will take out of your visit. Here's a pix of a "lobster shack" that is right on a IE route

source: TripAdvisor

 

SBtS

[BklynBoy8]

We twice on our visits stopped at Finback Ale House on Cottage Street off of Main Street.

 

We had the best Lobster Roll and Lobster Platter ever had. How sweet the meat was almost didn't want to dip the Lobster into the Dawn Butter.

 

Then we walked and enjoyed all the shops around.

[maryann ns]

So lobster are called bugs in Maine too! There is a truck at Peggy's Cove near Halifax which cooks live lobster to order. When I saw it in July I think they were charging something like $15 or $18.

 

We were paying $8 Canadian a pound from the fishermen in May and June when they were in season where I live.

[LuvKruzn]

Any tips for best lobster in Rockland, ME or Corner Brook, NS?

 

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[DaisyGoldberg]

Lobster prices have plummeted since the China tariffs were put in place. Good for lobster eaters, not so good for Maine lobstermen/women. Consider it a kindness to eat as much as you can stand on the U.S. side! ;)

[phabric]

On 8/12/2018 at 1:56 PM, ahannas said:

My wife and I will soon be on a 2-week Canada/NE cruise. We stop in Boston, Portland and Bar Harbor, then up to Canada. At some point we'd like to go to a nice restaurant for some serious lobster. We're hoping to find a place not too far from the pier. Anyone know a place you could recommend?

 

Yeah, I know. The ship's dining room will probably offer one of those anemic little half-lobsters one night but we figure "Who wants to go to costal New Englsnd and not get 'real' lobster? I mean, what's the point?:o

Did you find any lobster places near the Ports while on your Cruise?

 

We plan on doing a New England/Canada Cruise.