Chauncey Creek Lobster Pier — Restaurant in Kittery

Travelers keep going and find another location to get your lobster fix! This is a locals dive that hikes the prices based off of two factors: they catch their own lobsters supposedly so they set their own market price and they let you bring in outside food and alcoholic beverages as they do not serve any alcoholic beverages onsite. The last part of that sentence probably seems like a great advertisement, and notably sounds nice, but unless you are trying to get ridiculously drunk just go somewhere else and pay for a beer with your meal and get the service you deserve with the price you will pay for your food. The only tableside service here is dropping your food off in front of you and cleaning your trash up when you leave. I wanted one fresh Maine lobster on my visit to New England and this establishment was recommended by a local I know, but my experience, as other similar reviews I have read since, was very very poor. When we parked their were children wearing safety vests to tell you to pull further into the woods and off the main drag as there are only probably 10-15 actual parking spots and the rest is in the brush along the road. The first sign I was greeted by basically said get out in 2hrs or less so we can turn tables... At this point I was already put off. Once on the pier there was no hostess or signage to explain what to do, how to seat yourself, or order. To the left was a shack with the live lobster tanks and a line of patrons extending out of it and to the right was another building with an ordering window. We followed suit and proceeded to get in line with all the other guests. Once it was out turn we were asked what table we were, we didn't have one nor knew we were suppose to, so we were asked to leave the line and claim a table and come back with the table number. I had nothing except my hat to claim a table so I threw it on and back in line we went. We had already waited 10min in line, now we waited another 10min. We ordered our meal though if you or no one on your check is ordering lobster you cannot place your order here and must do it at the other building at the window. I witnessed two separate couples go through the entire line just to find this out at the end. When our order arrived at our table it was just my food and nothing for my date. The waiter (more like food runner) then proceeded to ask me how I would like to pay now. I asked him about my dates food and he said it would be out shortly, but we need to settle the bill now. Completely unacceptable, like other reviewers I would have gladly paid earlier, but to demand it when my meal is hot in front of me and before even all of what we have ordered has come out is absurd. I give this horrifically run establishment two stars instead of none or one on the fact that I still enjoyed my lobster and could look past my experience and put myself in a locals shoes and see what they perhaps enjoy here. The greatest frustrations come from the fact that simple signage when guests arrive could have prevented most of the negativity of my experience. I also think that the lobster hut should not take any full orders at all, just lobster orders that guests then take a ticket to the window to place the rest of the order and present their ticket as well to pay. This could be a very cool place, the potential is astounding, just learn how to operate!!!! Everything is so backwards, redundant, and repulsive in the way you have chosen to operate! Best of luck to Chauncey Creek Lobster Pier on taking some advice for the advancement of their establishment and hospitality of their customers!!! Until then locals have it, all others spend your hard earned money...

Only giving 3 stars for the food because of the lobster roll(s) which was 75% if the cost of our food. I’ve come here many times as a child but we just picked up lobsters to cook. As a kid I don’t remember noticing much of what we as adults notice or pick up on so this is just based on a recent visit as an adult.

I will start by saying they serve warm dry meat chopped lobster on a hamburger roll not an hotdog or brioche long roll an hamburger roll……and miracle whip is put on one side of the bun only. We asked for mayo but apparently here that means miracle whip. We were taking it to go (3hours drive away) then found this out once home or we would have addressed it there. The packaging they gave us was a zip loc bag with the sandwiches and chips all inside so chips were all soggy when we got home.

We got chowder and ate it there which was pretty good and their onion rings were good. Their staff is wonderful. You order/pay ant the window and tell them your table number and they bring the food as it’s ready. Had we eaten there we would have had the appetizers way after the meal. Our onion rings came out 20 minutes after the soup and lobster rolls.

I cannot say enough about this part……..there is almost zero parking, 10-15 car max in the tiny lot. We drove around the block 5 times before finding street parking and if we didn’t drive 3 hours to come here we would have just left. You run the risk of parking (street parking) pretty far on a busy day and a busy road the only place to park you have to cross the street. So if you have a hard time with distances you might want to get dropped off. There are no sidewalks or places to push a wheelchair or walk with assisted aides. The other thing is there is a series of ramps one very steep that you have to go down/up to reach the restaurant as it’s literally overhanging Chauncey creek.

Bring cash if you want to get drinks because they come out of a machine and they are $3 each or bring your own as we did. If you are a dill pickle person ask them for side order of pickles. Idk what kind they use but they are really good.

They have seating out of the sun in sort of shade under this open airy deck but an easy 85 degree day there was a breeze and we had wished we had a seat in the sun. They have tons of seating and the line is always long but goes fast. They do have an outdoor wash station. They have the lobster shack so you can pick out live lobsters from. We did see a lot of people with backpacks shaped like coolers to bring home their lobsters too. They also have restrooms. One note we wanted to mention was whole place was kept very clean, no trash anywhere and unoccupied tables were all clean and ready the second...

Hmm. Not sure I understand all the five star reviews. I visited two years ago and enjoyed it, so was looking forward to my visit yesterday. It wound up being very disappointing for a lunch costing $66 with tax and tip for one person and no alcohol.

The location of course is outstanding and a great spot for a picnic style meal. As others have noted, it is BYOB - great if you remember to bring a tasty beverage, but SOL if you don't because they have a very limited selection of beverages.

Of the food I ordered, my side of onion rings was very good, as was the slice of blueberry pie. The rest was mediocre to disappointing.

I ordered the half dozen oysters as a starter. The person at the window didn't know where they were from but said they were local. Having just been to the Maine Oyster Festival in Freeport the previous day (and eaten lots of amazing local oysters), I gave it a go. The server who brought them out also did not know where they were from. He asked another server and told me "Prince Edward Island." I questioned this because PEI is not at all local. He checked again and assured me that they were indeed from PEI, as were some of the lobsters (unless I misunderstood him, a possibility).

The oysters looked like they had perhaps walked all the way from that far away part of Canada. They were pallid, wizened and tasteless. Normally I eat oysters plain to enjoy the pristine flavor, but these I doused with the cocktail sauce supplied just to give them some interest. Not local, and not good.

I then moved on to the lobster roll, which came with a handful of Ruffles potato chips from an industrial-size bag visible through the kitchen window. (Again, so much for using local products.) Though the lobster was okay, it was very plain and served on a very plain hamburger bun. No butter, no grilled bun, no mayonnaise, no flavor. It was so tasteless on its own that I even dabbled with putting some of that cocktail sauce on it to provide some flavor. It made me wonder if the lobster was also "local" from Price Edward Island. No idea, but it was the most mediocre sandwich I've experienced in Maine.

I'm not intending to trash this place. It's a lovely spot where you can have a nice experience, provided you bring your own beverages and keep modest expectations...