Roy Moore Lobster Company — Restaurant in Rockport

If you’re looking for the freshest lobster on the East Coast, you MUST try Roy Moore Lobster Company. I have been coming here for over 10+ years. I figured it was time to update my 9+ year old review!

Roy Moore is famous for their locally-caught lobsters. They’re typically 1 1/2 LB lobsters, which is the perfect size in my opinion. The meat is juicy, tender, and flavorful. The larger lobsters are more tough.

The establishment is a no-frills environment. You order up-front and eat out back on the deck overlooking the water. They offer fresh lobsters, smoked salmon, smoked mussels, clam chowder, oysters, Jonah crab claws, fish cakes, stuffed clams, lobster rolls, and shrimp cocktails.

Everything is incredibly fresh. You’ll frequently see staff bringing in crates of lobsters right off the boat. It doesn’t get any fresher than that!

The owner and his son are wonderful people. Kenny is the best at cooking the lobsters, he has it down to a science. You can’t replace experience. The result is a juicy, hot, and flavorful lobster.

We typically start things off with the raw bar. We are big fans of their oysters, shrimp cocktail, and jonah crab claws.

Next, we go for a cup of their incredible clam chowder. It is a meal in and of itself. It’s not like most Clam Chowder where it’s watered down, thin, and tasteless. I’d argue they make the best chowder I have ever had.

Once we have hit the raw bar and chowder, we head onto the Stuffed Clams. The stuffed clams are incredible and they’re one of my favorite items on the menu.

The lobsters are the star of the show here. As of October 2023, you can get (3) lobsters for $40. The price has certainly increased a bit, but to me it’s worth it. They’re always cooked perfectly, pre-cracked, and piping hot.

The service is phenomenal. Kenny and his team truly put their all into the business. They also remember faces. I’ve been going there for 10+ years and he always recognizes me when I stop in.

I will warn you: Do not go on a weekend. The line is literally dozens of people deep. It is totally mobbed. The place has certainly grown and the secret is out where to get the best lobster. I’d suggest visiting during the week, it’s far less busy.

They also have a fish market next door where you can purchase locally-caught, sustainable fish, lobsters, lobster meat, and much more.

Lastly, they now offer Beer and Wine to enjoy with your seafood feast! I highly recommend Roy Moore to locals and tourists alike. There is no other...

Update after visiting in 2024:

It's been 5 years since my last trip to Rockport, so we were due for another visit to Roy Moore Lobster. We arrived around 11am on a Saturday so there was no wait and a good amount of seating out back, but we saw pretty long lines during lunch time. To note: there is no shade in the seating area, so bring a hat/sunscreen if you don't want to get sunburned on a sunny day!

The menu is simple and ordering is easy. When we were there, they only had 1.75 pound lobsters as an option for $25 each (I think they otherwise have a 3x1.25lb lobster for $55 deal). The food came out quite quickly. They are very efficient.

My favorite thing that we had were the oysters ($30 for a dozen). They were fresh, sweet, and clean-tasting. Some did have a bit of debris from the shell, but it was easily avoided. These are some of the best oysters I've had in a while (though to be fair I've only been eating $1 oysters recently). I would highly recommend trying them!

The shrimp cocktail ($6 for 6) were also pretty good, and the cold shrimp paired well with the classic cocktail sauce. I thought this was a decent deal all things considered. The clam chowder ($7) was also decent, though nothing special.

Sadly, the part that I didn't enjoy very much was the lobster. The hot lobster roll ($30) was a pretty good deal, but my favorite part was the buttery toasted bread. The lobster meat was rather tough. The 1.75lb lobsters ($25 each) were rather dry and tough/chewy, and I didn't enjoy eating them. I recall enjoying the lobsters more the last time I was here -- perhaps the smaller lobsters are more juicy/tender, or the cooking method was different.

It's a lovely vibe to eat fresh seafood on the deck by the water. I would definitely recommend the oysters, but the lobster quality may depend on the day...

Review from 2019:

We made a trip to Rockport (summer 2019) mainly for lobsters and it was definitely worth it. The service was super quick (we got the lobsters 1 minute after ordering) and the lobster meat was juicy and tender. The oysters were also great. I looked like a lobster after steaming in the sun, so it was truly a whole body experience. We paid $40 for 3 lobsters and $2.50 per...

This was my first time having a lobster roll (hot), and it was fantastic! Yes, it was a bit pricey, but the roll was packed with tender lobster meat, and the bread was buttery and soft. I would definitely pay for it again!

We also tried the clam chowder, and it was the best I've ever had. It was creamy, perfectly salty, and slightly sweet, with very balanced flavors!

The oysters were fresh and served with a marinara-style sauce and a lemon wedge. They were good, and I might order them again if I was in the mood.

What truly blew me away was the service. We arrived half an hour before closing, so it wasn't too busy, though there were still customers enjoying their food in the back. From the moment we arrived, the staff were excited to see us, answered all our questions, and made helpful recommendations, all while cracking a few jokes, It was sweet!

Our food was served hot, and once we finished, I knew I wanted a second bowl of clam chowder. They gave it to us on the house because it was my boyfriend's birthday! Honestly, we couldn't have asked for better service.

At the end of the night, my boyfriend and I were trying to take a picture in front of the shack to remember our time there. One of the staff noticed we were struggling and ran out to offer help. They were all so attentive and kind. We won't forget our time there, not just because the food was amazing, but because the staff made it so...