Original Richard's — Restaurant in Stanhope

My wife and I ate here because we were told that this place offered the best lobster rolls on the island and according to my wife, Richard's did not disappoint. My wife was in lobster heaven! My cousins, who live close to Shediac, NB and were eating with us actually said it was "the best lobster they ever ate" and that "they can't get delicious lobster like that anywhere in New Brunswick.". To me, it looked like Richard's fit a whole lobster into the roll and everyone couldn't stop saying saying how DELICIOUS it was.

As for me, I am not a lobster fan so I had the chicken fingers. These were quite delicious as it seemed prepared at the restaurant (not from a factory and frozen in a box). The breading was light and crispy with a panko crumbs/flour combo. I chose a sweet mustard dipping sauce because I was told it was the closest sauce to spicy that they offered. It wasn't spicy at all, but was surprisingly tasty!

The fries were pretty much delicious, but the same homemade PEI fries you find in many local restaurants (ANOTHER reason to love PEI, haha!).

The 2nd time we came, I tried the fish and chips. I wasn't as happy with my order this time as before. Although the haddock was very fresh and the portions were large, the homemade breading fell apart easily which left me unsatisfied because it left me with a very messy meal. I think the meal works best when you have both a proper, delicious breading along with the fresh fish, I might suggest going with a wet batter such as a beer batter instead of the panko crumbs/flour combo. That way, the two compliment each other and you're left with a delicious meal. The tartar sauce seemed homemade and VERY tasty.

The only downsides were having to pay 2 dollars for parking and how incredibly busy it was. Our 1st visit was around 2:00 (on a weekday) and our 2nd visit was a little after 4:00 (again, on a weekday). Very busy both times. I can't imagine what it must be like during the rush hours.

But hey! If people are willing to pay for parking and the restaurant is always busy, they must be doing...

I can’t fault a place for being busy. When a place is good, it becomes popular, and sometimes the hype makes you question if you’re waiting in line at a tourist trap.

The bottom line is, Original Richard’s is worth the wait if you’re looking for the best lobster roll in PEI. But be mindful of the time investment.

We arrived at 1:17pm on a Friday. I ordered at 2:30 and we received our food at 2:45pm. We ordered a lobster roll and a lobster burger. I noticed that they could do a better job rushing orders through. One employee was working and really taking their time between each customer.

The lobster in the roll is served cold on a warm buttery bun, tossed in a creamy sauce with crunches of celery and chives. Order this if you want the signature lobster roll style.

The lobster burger is simply warmed lobster pieces smothered in butter. It’s delicious. Order this if you want the simpler option or if you don’t love the idea of cold and creamy lobster. The portion was reasonable, and I didn’t need more, but I expected it to be overstuffed with lobster based on other reviews I had read.

Parking was $2 and steps away is a little beach segment under the bridge that you’ll drive over to get in. If you come as a group, it might be nice to take a swim while you wait, so long as someone stays behind in line.

Imagine waiting in line and ordering the...

My family has vacationed on P.E.I. over the past thirty years well over twenty times and Richard’s Fresh Seafood is on our “Must Visit” list. We waited in line for lunch outside the restaurant as we have done every year. The line-up in 2022 appeared to be longer than previous years as more people have opted to return to the Island post-COVID. My wife and daughters ordered the fish and chips and the fish burger and I had the scallops. The fish and chips were amazing and each order came with two large fish fillets. The coleslaw and tartar sauce tasted homemade and were just wonderful. The fish burger was the best my daughter had ever had. For the scallop meal I ordered, I expected perhaps six scallops as they are so rich and filling, but there were ten in the order and they were delicious. Another member of our party ordered the lobster burger, which was the best lobster meal she had ever had. In addition, Richard’s French fries are some of the best we’ve ever tasted and the portions are generous. We took home the fries we couldn’t finish and used them for our next meal at home – something we never do. We as a family can say without hesitation that Richard’s has the best seafood we’ve ever tasted, anywhere, anytime, in Canada, the U.S., Europe, bar none. Don’t waste your time...