The Lobster Shack — Restaurant in Ogunquit

"People may hear your words but they feel your attitude." John Maxwell

I love the attitude Jason Evans the owner of The Lobster Shack who stands at the counter wearing a Red Sox Cap, greets customers like old friends then after taking their order ladles out bowls of Maine fish chowder with generosity

He treats the young staff members on sabbatical from college in Europe like family and they respubd in kind. They all act like "owners," taking 100 percent responsability for everything and anything from chit chatting at the front door as you wait five minutes for a table to delivering your order to packaging up take out.

The food itself is excellent and my favorite dish is the fish chowder the recipe for which was given to the owner by his Aunt and Uncle Ken Young and Judy Marie Young an old time Ogunquit lobstering and fishing family. The recipe includes some savory spices. quieting the milky taste of the chowder accentuating flavor making it unnecessary to ad bacon.

I've also enjoyef the steamed clams and lobster with drawn butter. Do you like fish tacos? Try the ones made here with Chippotle Sauce and just enough spice to give it a kick. One portion filled two of us after a cup of chowder.

Im told that President Franklin D Roosevelt used to stop at the Lobster Shack during the years of The Great Depression to enjoy a traditional Maine lobster roll on his moto trip to the family manse in Bar Harbor.

My first trip.to the Lobster shack was over 50 years ago when it was owned by The Maxwells who also owned Oarweeds at the mouth of the cove across from Barnicle Billys. another Ogunquit favorite

I have a vivid memory of my Aunt Lucy taking me to the Lobster Shack one evening at age 7 or 8 or so. I remember the sink in the dining area where people could wash their hands with ivory soap after cracking open a hard shell lobster and dipping it in melted butter

As a young boy i was really struck by the one of a kind sink being placed in the middle dining area for ease of use vs the bathroom I can tell you one thing, people dressed up for dinner were shy about using it. Not sure the sink is servicable today or available to diners.

I have another fond memory of going to Ogunquit at the age of 16, in my $100 Vauxhaul auto and kistenung to the rolling stones Play Paint it Black as i bombed down route 1, past the Ogunquit Playhouse and Knox's campground.

My friend Jim Nollman had gotten a job at Oarweeds, and invited me to a free dinner there as guest of the Maxwell. it seems that the crew had had a very high pressure, very stressful busy night with customers and Mrs Maxwell knew just how to relieve it

She ordered one of the guys to climb the ladder to a loft above and bring down from the cooler a case of chicken. The chicken was barbequed and was served to the staff and friends like me along with copius mugs of beer. i always thought this wad an incredibly wise act on the part of Mrs Maxwell.

The present owner of Maxwell standing at the counter with a baseball camp is cut from the same cloth. He is that rare combination of a very nice person and a good businessman. Robert Hargrove...

It says "shack" on the sign, but the quality of the food and the service are more "mansion" quality!

Discovered this little shack over 20 years ago and it still continues to impress patrons! Originally went in for a rather affordable lobster stew and grilled cheese on a cool afternoon and we've been hooked ever since.

Agreeing with other reviews that for the prices on lobster, you won't find a better deal on serving size, affordability, or quality.

The lobster stew is teeming with full chunks of fresh lobster. Served hot, once this buttery, creamy stew cools, you are in for a meaty treat. The grilled cheese sandwiches compliment the stew quite well. Burgers are well-sized and filling, beers are cold and refreshing. The fish tacos are grilled with a bit of blackening slice to hit it with some kick, but your portions are VERY generous: a lot of fish here... and some of the best fish tacos!

Even late lunch-goers will find that the small seating is comfortable and worth a 10-20 minute wait. The popularity of this restaurant has been identified on Trip-Advisor, adding to the long lines, at times. The ordering mechanism is effective and efficient: know what you would like in advance to keep things moving. Regardless, the food is good, ordering is efficient, and the wait staff is pleasantly helpful, checking in several times and bringing whatever the table needs.

The FOOD will leave you more than satisfied and wanting to return. Do so, and bring your friends for the delicious dishes, simply made and perfect for lunch...

This is one of those touristy places that I really wanted to like based on the reviews but just cannot recommend. And I hate saying that because I want restaurants to thrive and do well, but also post this as someone who reads and writes a lot of reviews, especially when I travel.

I had read about The Lobster Shack prior to coming and was actually looking forward to dining there. My wife and family were in Newport for just the day and were recommended to go to another place for lobster rolls. We actually found out that they are neighboring establishments, which is sorta awkward. The host was actually sitting outside and ushered us in, a very nice and cordial older gentleman. We had a few mins to chitchat before ordering. We ordered the clam chowder, a lobster roll, a hotdog for one of my kids, and a grilled cheese for my other kid.

The chowder was very runny and soupy and it was really not what we expected compared to the clam chowders we had in Maine and Boston earlier in the week. It seemed heavy on the potatoes and light on the clams. The cold lobster roll was fine overall; seemed like the lobster itself was fresh and dressed simply, but it didn’t really stand out in my mind. Served in a traditional split top roll with chips and pickles(?), it’s a perfectly fine lobster roll, but not something I would openly seek out again. Kids were happy with their meals overall.

The ambience is fitting with the name, it’s sort of a shack with tight tables, a low ceiling, it’s sorta dark inside and the bathroom...