We went on the hunt for the best lobster roll in Maine and boy did we find it!!! Save yourself the time and money and go for the gold!
There is something about eating lobster meat you didn’t actually have to fight for…you feel like you’re getting away with something. Therefore, my husband and I were determined to find the best lobster roll in Maine. Hopefully our silly search will save you time and money so you don’t end up eating lobster rolls that are just, “meh”. After all, the price of lobster is super high right now. Not everyone can afford to chase down the best lobster roll. Even if you can afford it, I’m sure you have better things to do and see!
In this post, not only will we share the best lobster roll in Maine, but we will also review the lobster rolls we tried on the journey. A few surprised us and a few disappointed. If you’re on the hunt for a great lobster roll, read on!
This post is all about the best lobster roll in Maine.
Steamed vs boiled lobster, which is better?
Let’s just say it, steamed. Boiling lobster is easier and quicker than steaming. Also the meat comes out of the shell easier. So why do I say steaming is better? Steaming is the gentler way of cooking the meat, preserving flavor and tenderness. We noticed right away that we tended to like the lobster rolls that had steamed meat better. The texture wasn’t at all gummy and they were packed with flavor!
please note: all of the lobster rolls had cold meat. also, we do not eat MAYONNAISE, so we made sure ours were with melted butter. But often they’re served with mayo and/or melted butter.
Hands down, the best lobster roll in Maine
McLoons Lobster Shack 315 Island Rd Spruce Head Island, Maine
Atmosphere: A+!!! Mcloons is on Spruce Head Island in a beautiful spot with nothing else around. The ambiance is perfect, on the water with some sitting boats. It’s peaceful and quiet. Although fairly busy, there was plenty of seating and it still seemed quiet and peaceful. They have pieces having to do with lobster catching, that they have reclaimed to use as seating to help set the stage as well. Just overall the best ambiance for a lobster shack if you ask me.
The lobster roll: This was the first lobster roll we tried, and it was a bit smaller than we expected. It comes with steamed lobster meat, which is cold, on a toasted New England roll with a spread of mayo. We don’t like mayo and asked them to hold the mayo. It was served with melted butter on the side, chips, coleslaw (which we held), and a pickle. The lobster roll was delish!!!! It reminded me of a mix of lobster and grilled cheese. Lobster with a bit of nostalgia…um, yes please! We thought the cold lobster would be weird. It wasn’t. It was not at all chewy, but was tender and sweet. SO GOOD! We shared it and I felt like we were watching each other like hawks making sure we got our fair share, LOL!!!
The lobstah :) Because we heard steamed lobster was the way to go, we decided to order a whole lobster as well. It was a 1.25 lb steamed lobster. It was served with melted butter and the same sides as the lobster roll. Again the meat was to die for! Tender and sweet, not chewy in the least bit. In my notes I wrote, “We didn’t want it to be over.” HAHA!!! We absolutely LOVE crab legs and have always preferred them over lobster, but after eating at Mcloons, we said we like them both equally. If that tells you anything… (pictured below).
The first lobster roll we tried took the cake, but read on for other options.
Two places tied for second…
Sprague’s Lobster 22 Main St Wiscasset, Maine No Credit Cards
Sprague’s is across the street from the famous Red’s Eats. The lines are much shorter over there because it’s not as popular as Red’s. The wait in line was about 30 minutes and it took another 30 minutes to get the food. While you wait for the food, there is plenty of seating, some of which is on the water. Red’s was at least a two hour wait, but the food comes up quicker once it is ordered.
Atmosphere: The atmosphere was much calmer than at Red’s. There are 13 tables in the front where you order. There are another 9 tables on the water to the right just past the shacks. I recommend walking through the buildings and sitting here as it is a nice view and very calm. Because the seating and ambiance was better here, I ordered at Sprague’s and my husband ordered from Red’s, but we ate them both at Sprague’s.
The lobster roll: We immediately noticed that the flavor of Sprague’s was a bit saltier than Red’s. The roll was decent in size and the meat had good texture. Like McLoons, the meat was cold. It was served on a traditional New England style roll with melted butter or mayo. Supposedly, Red’s and Sprague’s use the same supplier for their lobster. That having been said, we both preferred the flavor and texture of Sprague’s lobster roll over Red’s.
I believe they steam their lobsters, but I forgot to confirm this while I was there. Perhaps this is why we found the texture to be better. The hint of saltiness was throwing me off though for steamed lobster. We did prefer the sweetness that the meat had at Mcloons over the salty taste at Sprague’s, hence they were our winner. With melted butter, you get enough salt flavor, you don’t need extra. Sprague’s roll is pictured below…
Fries– We felt the french fries were worth a mention. They were not too thick or too thin. They were golden brown and crispy.
Bite Into Maine Food Trucks in Portland, Maine
We ate at the following location: Allagash Brewing Co. 50 Industrial Way Portland, Maine.
Another location: Fort Williams Park Cape Elizabeth, Maine near the Portland Head Lighthouse
Ambiance: The brewery was a nice change of scenery. It was clean and there was plenty of outdoor seating as well as an outdoor bar. We went around lunch time and it wasn’t packed. Be sure to check their website for food truck hours. The Fort Williams Park location was closed when we were there.
The lobster roll: We got the 4.5oz Connecticut roll. It also comes in a 6oz option. They do offer flight options. We opted to get the one big roll as we don’t like mayo. The lobster was boiled. The employee explained that their lobsters are boiled in salt water, which gives the meat more flavor and sweetness. We did rank it the highest of the boiled lobster, so maybe the salt water was the reason. The bun stood out because it was crispy, and we deemed it our favorite bun. The lobster meat was cold with warm butter poured over it. The lobster was a bit chewier than Mcloons and not quite as sweet. Overall, it was tender compared to some other places. It was a toss up between Bite Into Maine and Sprague’s for the second spot to be honest, so we tied them. This roll is pictured below…
Red’s Eats 41 Water Street Wiscasset, Maine Cash or Check Only
It’s worth noting the line is usually about 2 hours long! After about an hour, a woman came around offering water. This well known lobster shack is considered by many as the best lobster roll in Maine. So naturally, we had high hopes going in.
Ambiance: You are not coming here for the ambiance, that’s for sure. It was the worst ambiance of all. They’re right on a busy corner and the line wraps around the corner down a side street. Cars are constantly passing as you get about halfway through the line. The limited seating they have is just 6 tables right near the shack and another 6 random picnic tables closer to the water. Just overall, nothing to write home about.
The lobster roll: This lobster roll is made with boiled lobster and they made a big deal about serving it with Kate’s Maine Butter. This thing was MASSIVE, but not without cost. It weighed in a good $10-12 more than the other lobster rolls. Again the lobster meat was cold, the melted butter didn’t seem any different than butter elsewhere, nothing special. The toasted New England style bun was average as well.
tip: We noticed by the end of all this that the boiled meat is generally less tender and more salty. The steamed meat is sweeter and more tender.
Because the lobster roll was so huge, it was necessary to eat some the lobster off the top first. By the time you did this, the bun was soggy. I’m just not a fan of soggy bread. Also, the lobster meat almost felt “wet”. The meat was a bit flimsy in parts, especially the claw meat, which is usually tender and the best part. I have texture issues at times, and honestly, the combination of cold, flimsy, wet lobster meat grossed me out. I felt like it was either flimsy or tougher than other rolls, depending on the bite you got. My husband isn’t as picky, and to him, the meat was just average, nothing great, especially not for the hype this place gets and the two hour wait. It appears to be more about quantity than quality of the lobster meat. Pictured below…
Fried zucchini: It was decent for $5 but not stellar.
The Clam Shack 2 Western Ave. Kennebunk, Maine
Ambiance: Kennebunk is a sweet little town with people walking all over. The spot is decent, not the best, but also not nearly the worst. It’s right on the main road, but it’s a small town so cars aren’t zooming by like at Red’s. We parked down the road on the street for an hour for free. You can also find paid parking lots for a reasonable price.
tip: There is a small opening between the shack and the main building. walk through there to a deck that overlooks the water and bridge. There are stools that saddle up to the railing so you can eat there.
The lobster roll: This lobster roll is made with boiled meat. They serve the lobster on a traditional bun rather than the New England roll. The bun left little to be desired and it was barely toasted. I think the New England buns are usually toasted with butter, giving them that grilled cheese taste. This roll was totally missing that element. Most places serve lobster rolls with warm butter. Not here, I found solidified butter in the lobster meat since the lobster meat was cold, so I’m guessing they mixed the butter in and then chilled it all. We prefer the warm butter served on the side. The lobster meat was just okay. This was also the second most expensive roll. Lobster roll pictured below.
Fresh squeezed lemonade: To me this was the best part, LOL! It was delish, nice and tart.
So that was our journey to find the best lobster roll in Maine
It looks like we could have stopped after our first place, Mcloons! It’s okay, we did find some decent rolls in general, and now we know where we wouldn’t go. We’d return to the first three mentioned. Red’s Eats and The Clam Shack we’d skip in the future. It was shocking those were the two most expensive rolls too! Anyways, if you can only make one stop for a lobster roll in Maine, make it Mcloons Lobster Shack. The ambiance and the quality of the food is exceptional and worth the short drive out there. We chose quality over quantity. I hope that our journey on finding the best lobster roll in Maine was helpful to you! Happy lobster roll eating 🙂
This post was all about the best lobster roll in Maine.
