Alive & Kicking Lobsters — Restaurant in Cambridge

Took the whole crew (hubby + 4 kids) here while vacationing in Boston because, let’s be real—you can’t come to Boston and not eat lobster. This place is no-frills in the best way. Picture picnic tables, casual vibes, and outdoor seating that feels like you’re dining in somebody’s driveway. We loved it.

We ordered the lobster special, lobster sandwich, and lobster bisque. Heads up: the lobster special was delicious but not teenager-proof. My two boys ate it and looked at me like I owed them a second dinner. Rookie move. The lobster sandwich was solid—my heart was set on a roll, but this was a satisfying backup.

Now let’s talk about that lobster bisque. Listen… this was the best lobster bisque I’ve had in my life. No exaggeration. And I live with a husband who’s a professional-level food snob. He swears everything we pay for he could make better (and cheaper) at home. In 17 years, he’s only admitted three times that a restaurant meal was worth it. This was one of them. Order extra bread and thank me later.

What really stood out, though, was the service. The young man who took our order was incredibly kind and knowledgeable—he knew the food and the business inside and out. One of my kids has a mollusk allergy, and he was so intentional about making sure there was no cross-contamination. That’s no small thing at a seafood place. He double-checked utensils and took it seriously, which made me feel seen and safe as a parent. That level of care meant a lot.

Bonus points: they have live lobsters on site, and if your kids are curious (like my 11-year-old was), they’ll show them to you. My youngest called it a “learning experience” because she got to see the lobsters, oysters, and what she described as “sea things hanging on the wall.” Her words, not mine.

Family consensus: “The food was amazing,” “They have really good lobster bisque,” and “This...

Years back, I had an out of town client I was bringing back to our office in HSq who spotted the name with a chuckle. "Only in the Republic of Cambridge would you have a fish shack packed into a 1940's gas station. Yeah," he went on, "they probably smoke the fish with cannabis. So, Cambridge." The next day, I had our receptionist order their lobster sandwiches for his meeting. He and I headed over to pick up lunch.

His reaction when I pulled into the CROWDED parking area ... "You have got to be kidding!" Not knowing what we were having for lunch, he grumbled as we slipped into this TINY closet of a fish store - café. As he watched them grill up the last of the sandwiches his eyes grew to the size of limes. Yes, it took almost 12 minutes to negotiate a left turn out. YES, park down the street. You'll need the walk.

The client, at the close of the meeting, requested a stop back there en route to the airport. Whereupon, he purchased two for his trip back to London. The first of many drive bys he has requested over the last 15 years. If it were not for his smart mouth, I'd still be driving by to get fish at Bread & Checkbook. Thanks to that cheeky Brit, Alive & Kickin has become our go to fish store. And yes, we love sitting under the make shift tin shack outside, reveling in our bliss watching the...

What better meal to start off Boston than Alive & Kicking Lobsters? We shared a lobster sandwich, one whole lobster, and a bowl of steamers. Perfect New England summer staples.

On such a nice summer's day, we snagged a picnic table outside. There's only four of them, so it can definitely get crowded at different points in the day. We came around 4pm, so we thankfully didn't have to fight for seating.

The lobster sandwich ($16.95) was on point. Crispy, buttered toast, perfectly cooked and juicy lobster meat, and a tasty mayo mixture makes for one of the best lobster sandwiches I've had on the East Coast. No filler, all lobster. I just wish it was slightly larger. Even for one person, it's not enough to fill you up.

The lobster was delicious. Lots of plump, succulent lobster meat ready to be eaten. Steamers were good too, although I did find that there is a lot of sand in the steamers. Every time I ate one, I felt like I had just stuck my head in the sand at the beach and opened my mouth. However, I found that as long as I swirled it around a couple of times in the clam jus, it wasn't as sandy. There are still some pellets that remain, but it isn't nearly as bad as before.

All in all, a great, low-key place in Boston to get lobsters. There's a very small parking lot, but there is plenty of...